Listen Up—Sofia Vergara Has Business Advice for You

Sofia Vergara does it all. No, I’m serious. If you need proof, check out her Instagram Highlights. I’ve spent an embarrassing amount of time camped out there, tapping and scrolling through all of the ventures she seems to balance with little effort. (BTW, I ‘m now convinced I absolutely need a pair of Sofia Jeans.) Since ending her iconic role as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on Modern Family—and despite the disorienting whirlwind of this pandemic year—the actress and entrepreneur hardly slowed down. In fact, she’s upped the ante, specifically in her work as an entrepreneur who has always prioritized giving back.

In addition to balancing Sofia Jeans and judging duties on America’s Got Talent, she’s partnered with Kiva, a global nonprofit “that provides financial access to help underserved communities thrive.” Kiva’s been around for a while but truly stepped up (thanks to lenders around the world) during COVID-19 to provide over $60 million to small business owners who have been negatively impacted in record numbers this year.

Vergara also created a chic eyewear line with Foster Grant which supports Specs for Specs, a new charity initiative that donates one pair of reading glasses to ReadingVision, another non-profit organization that donates eyewear to mission groups in developing countries. Like I said, she’s doing a lot and making it look easy. Teach us your ways!

So how is she avoiding burnout, giving back, and continuing to thrive in the midst of such a tumultuous year? During an exclusive interview for BlogHer Biz, Vergara delved into her entrepreneurial journey and if you’re an entrepreneur or content creator, she’ll also shared plenty of advice and lessons you can apply to your own business.

Here are just a couple of highlights from the convo, which you can watch below.

On Making Sofia Jeans by Sofia Vergara Inclusive:

“Women come in all colors and all sizes. You have to cater to everyone–it’s the right thing to do. I wanted to reinforce that; to make clothes that are affordable and would fit anyone who wanted to wear them. It’s one of the most rewarding jobs for me because I’m really invested and involved.”

On Authenticity as a Brand Owner

“You have to believe in what you’re doing. You have to believe in the product, even if the product, in my case, is myself. I get presented with a lot of opportunities in business and what I always look at is, is it something I believe in? Is it something that I would use? My customers are intelligent people…I have to respect that and I have to be true to myself.”

On Navigating the Pandemic

“Me and my husband have been working so you owe that responsibility to the companies to not expose yourself and get sick. So the only thing we do out is when we have to go to work. I’m not a party person, but I would go with my friends to a restaurant. I miss that. I’m thankful. I’m able to do my work. I’m able to stay home. My family has been healthy. That’s how I keep sane—there’s people with a lot of bigger problems.”

Subscribe to the BlogHer newsletter for more tactical advice, exclusive content, and timely event updates.