Meet Sophia Fernandez

Sophia Fernandez lives in a department all her own, and she’s in charge of interviews during focus groups of all sorts. She also helps The Local Agency with some of their social media posting, supports Market My Market with business development projects, and communicates with other departments to coordinate projects and move them forward.

Sophia recently graduated early from the University of North Carolina: Charlotte. In December of 2023, she graduated with a Communications degree with a focus in Public Relations and a minor in Journalism. While many people underestimate her, she’s always prepared to surpass expectations and impress those who question her abilities. In her free time, she likes thrifting, visiting the farmers market, and spending time with her dog.

Q&A With Sophia

What Would You Say a Typical Day Looks Like for You?

“If it’s Tuesday to Thursday, I’m typically in the office. I’ll always go in and say hi to Isabel, Ryan, Selena, and Anya. Then I’ll go to the other office where I’m alone and get on my computer, check my emails, and schedule any focus groups I have.

“I also get to work on making The Local Agency graphics and planning the social media calendar for the next month.”

What Do You Like Most About Your Job?

“I think it’s the people, even if it’s cliché. I really like everyone that I talk to and everyone that we work with. We all want to do the same thing. We all want to embody Market My Markets ideals. People actually take that seriously.

“Other than that, when I do the focus groups, I like hearing what everyone has to say about dentists and lawyers. Sometimes people will give the funniest response to something.”

What Do You Find the Most Challenging About Your Job?

“I think it’s just because I don’t really know that much about SEO and local marketing, especially with The Local Agency, but I don’t know a lot about everything that they work on. It’s an interesting learning point for me that I have to ask about. 

“I did not know what a Google Business Profile was. Because they don’t teach you that stuff in school, especially as a communications major. I have had to learn a lot for this job, and I think that’s part of why I like it. But it’s also a very big challenge.”

Describe Your Perfect Saturday

“My perfect Saturday… I would go to the farmers market, and I’d get a sample from each booth. And then I’d get the farmers market flowers and walk to Free People. And then I’d probably like to bake something.

“I baked a lot of cookies last year, so this year, I’m focusing on pastries. I made strawberry cream cheese danishes last Saturday. The Saturday before that, I made blueberry muffins.”

What Do You Enjoy Doing in Your Spare Time?

“I recently got a dog. So I really like playing with her. She’s so fun.

“I go to yoga a lot. I try to go before work every morning.

“I bake. I bake a lot. My boyfriend was tired of having all these baked goods that he has to eat in the house.

“And then I just like hanging out with friends and family and going to the movies.”

Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?

“I hope that my life looks a lot more clean and organized, and I hope things mellow out. After graduation, I’m in a slump. Since I graduated early, all my friends are still in college, and that’s difficult. So I hope I feel more comfortable being an adult and get more parts of my life together.

“And I hope I continue to be successful in my career. I just want to make an impact. I want some way to be remembered. Cause I don’t want to just sit idly by, waiting for it to happen. I want to try to work to make it happen.”