How Sonia Matcha Built The Apricots Media Around the Belief That Great Marketing Starts With Strategy, Not Just Content

Meet Sonia Matcha, founder of The Apricots Media, a boutique creative agency based in Charlotte, North Carolina specializing in social media marketing, content creation, and influencer marketing for CPG, DTC, and hospitality brands. Sonia's background spans audiovisual communication, cinematography, and an MBA, a combination that gave her something most agencies lack: the ability to lead with both creative instinct and business strategy in equal measure. She launched The Apricots Media because she kept seeing the same problem: brands investing in content with no real strategy behind it, working with agencies that were too layered and too disconnected from the actual work.

The Apricots Media was built to be the alternative. Intentional, hands-on, and strategy-first, with content that feels authentic and elevated rather than generic and forgettable. For Sonia, visibility matters, but clarity is what actually converts, and that belief shapes everything her agency creates.

Please share a brief introduction and your business:

I’m Sonia Matcha, founder of The Apricots Media, a boutique creative agency based in Charlotte, North Carolina. We specialize in social media marketing, content creation, and influencer marketing for CPG, DTC, and hospitality brands. At The Apricots Media, we believe the best marketing starts with strategy and is brought to life through content that feels authentic, elevated, and built to connect. Our goal is to help brands stand out, build real community, and turn social media into a meaningful growth channel.

Take us back to when you launched? What was your marketing strategy?

When I first launched, the strategy was a mix of relationship-building, word of mouth, and showing the quality of our work consistently. I focused on creating a strong brand presence, sharing our creative approach, and letting the work speak for itself. Like most businesses, it didn’t all go exactly as planned, but that was part of the process. I learned quickly that visibility is important, but clarity is what really converts. Over time, our strategy became much more refined and rooted in positioning, and attracting the right-fit clients.

Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

Not always in a clear, linear way, but I’ve always known I wanted to build something of my own. I’ve always been naturally independent, creative, and drawn to the idea of creating work that reflects both my vision and values. Entrepreneurship became the path that allowed me to bring all of those things together while building something meaningful for the brands we serve.

What accomplishments are you the most proud of to date in your business?

What I’m most proud of is building The Apricots Media from the ground up into a business that feels deeply aligned with my vision and values. Every client, campaign, and lesson has helped shape an agency that combines strategy, creativity, and a hands-on approach in a way that feels intentional and true to who we are.

What is one thing you wish you had known when you started your Entreprenista journey?

I wish I had known that making mistakes is not a sign you’re doing it wrong, it’s often how you build the judgment, resilience, and clarity the business will eventually require of you. Early on, it’s easy to put pressure on yourself to get everything right, but some of the most valuable lessons come from the decisions that don’t go as planned

What did you do before starting your own business?

My background is rooted in creativity, storytelling, and visual communication. I studied audiovisual communication and cinematography, and over the years I developed a deep appreciation for how visuals, emotion, and messaging come together to shape the way people connect with brands. I also earned my MBA, which helped me pair that creative foundation with a stronger understanding of business strategy, growth, and positioning.

What made you take the leap to start your own business?

I wanted to build something that reflected both my creative instincts and my belief that great marketing should be intentional, personal, and effective. I saw so many brands investing in content without a real strategy behind it, or working with agencies that felt overly rigid, layered, and disconnected from the actual work. I wanted to create a boutique agency that could move with more intention and less red tape, one that combined strong creative, smart strategy, and close collaboration to help brands grow in a way that felt authentic and sustainable.

Do you have any recent wins?

Building a business changes you in ways you don’t expect. The challenges don’t just test your strategy or skills, they challenge you personally. They bring up fears, doubts, and even values you didn’t fully realize you had. Over the last year, I’ve learned that growth in business is so often tied to growth as a person, and I’m proud of how much I’ve stretched, evolved, and kept going through it all..

What's one app on your phone that you cannot live without?

Instagram is probably the one app I can’t live without, both because of the work we do and because it’s such a real-time reflection of culture, creativity, and consumer behavior. It’s not just a platform, it’s a place to study storytelling, trends, and what actually captures attention.

Who are your customers?

We work with brands in CPG, DTC, food and beverage, skincare, beauty, and hospitality that want to stand out in crowded digital spaces. Our clients are usually looking for more than content alone. They want a strategic partner who can help them build a stronger brand presence, create visuals that feel elevated and authentic, and turn social media into a real growth channel.

What's your favorite business tool?

One of my favorite business tools is Pipedrive because it helps keep the business side of growth organized. As a founder, having visibility into leads, conversations, and opportunities is just as important as the creative side, and it helps bring more structure to that process.

How do you avoid burn-out?

I’ve learned that burnout usually doesn’t happen all at once, it builds when you ignore your own limits for too long. For me, avoiding burnout means being honest about capacity, creating better boundaries, and not tying my worth to how much I can produce. I also think it’s important to step back regularly, reset, and make space for life outside of work so the business doesn’t consume everything.

Instagram is probably the one app I can’t live without, both because of the work we do and because it’s such a real-time reflection of culture, creativity, and consumer behavior. It’s not just a platform, it’s a place to study storytelling, trends, and what actually captures attention.

What advice do you have for aspiring Entreprenistas?

Trust your intuition more than you think you should. Building a business will constantly ask you to make decisions before you feel fully ready, and not every answer will come from a blueprint. Stay open, stay adaptable, but don’t ignore your instincts, they often know the way before your confidence catches up.

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Sonia's story is a reminder that the best creative work is never just creative. It is rooted in purpose, shaped by strategy, and built to actually mean something. We are so thrilled to have her in the Entreprenista community and cannot wait to see The Apricots Media continue to grow.

Want to connect with founders like Sonia? Visit Entreprenista League to explore our community and discover more stories of women building businesses that truly matter.