Meet Sònia Graupera, an inspiring woman entrepreneur

The “Off The Beaten Track” project aims to promote networking, inspiration and empathy among women by sharing inspiring stories about female changemakers and giving them voice and that’s why we interviewed three successful women entrepreneurs. Today, let’s discover Sònia Graupera, a travel advisor and journalist based in Barcelona who relates travel, cultural and gastronomic stories from all around the world.

A woman expert in luxury travel

Since September 2003, Sònia Graupera is a travel journalist specialized in luxurious and wellness destinations, and is also an expert on MICE. She started her luxury travel blog to talk about gastronomy, destinations, and chic and affluent lodging and to give advice to those who want the ultimate in travel experiences. Since the beginning of her successful career, she collaborated with many different magazines and, in October 2019, she started a concierge service as hotel finder and venue finder in Spain. During the Spanish strict lockdown, Sònia Graupera started her design masks business which is now a kimonos and customized bags shop.

Read the interview

Read the interview of Graupera where she talks about her career as an entrepreneur and gives advice to women who want to start their entrepreneurial career.

How did you start your career as an entrepreneur?

My position in a big company was made redundant and I had always been doing a parallel work to help friends and friends of friends, anyone who asked for my knowledge, just for fun and to help.

So I decided to make it as a little business and I just structured it, created a website and launched social media, and started using my first circle of contacts.

What have been the main obstacles or barriers you have encountered in your career as an entrepreneur?

I do not feel to have had any big obstacles.

I actually find lots of support from my professional contacts and somehow the feeling they were waiting for me to do carry on this step.

What professional success are you most proud of?

I am very proud of two things: of the support of my friends and contacts, and of course of the success of my work as I do entirely on my own, from A to Z.

What knowledge do you think you should have or would have liked to have before starting a business?

I hate the part of the job which has to do with accounting and check weekly if they have paid me or not, and some public institutions pay in 60 or even 90 days.

I have to check my Excel files weekly in order to see if they pay me or if i have to call them.

What professional advice would you give to your “younger self”?

I have to admit I started the steps toward my profession very early and I had very clear the vision.

So I was right on all what I did and I was not afraid of taking decisions.

What advice would you give to a woman who wants to start a business or has just started her entrepreneurial career?

To think about to be your own boss is 3 jobs in one

1. Look for customers (social media, website, networking, etc)
2. Carry on the job/work assigned
3. Accounting

So be ready to work and invest time in other things which are not only the real work/assignment.

Do you want to share an inspirational phrase? (yours or some famous personality)

“Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.”