Have you ever watched someone with amazing skills struggle to make money from them? Sophie Musumeci noticed this happening all around her. She saw talented women with expertise and passion who couldn’t package or sell their services. These women bounced between different marketing strategies, losing money and confidence with each failed attempt.
In 2019, Sophie decided to do something about it. She left her stable corporate career in Change Management to start Real Entrepreneur Women, an online business helping female coaches build profitable businesses. When the pandemic hit in 2020 and in-person networking disappeared, Sophie was ready with online solutions while others scrambled to adapt.
What Sophie’s story shows is that starting a business doesn’t need perfect timing or total certainty—it needs that first step. If you’ve been thinking about starting your own business but haven’t taken action yet, her practical approach can help you move from thinking to doing, from questioning to deciding, and from working for others to owning your success.
The Change Management Expert
Before starting her business, Sophie built a career in Change Management. She led large-scale business transformations for major corporations, starting at BP Retail, where she rolled out global systems. As she moved up into senior roles, Sophie helped organizations navigate complex changes.
“Change Management taught me two things: first, that resistance to change isn’t just a business problem – it’s a human problem. And second, that real transformation happens when people feel supported, empowered, and given the right tools to succeed.”
Despite loving her corporate work, Sophie realized something was missing. She was spending all her energy helping big companies grow rather than creating something meaningful for herself. She wanted financial freedom and the chance to directly impact women struggling in business.
Her background on a small hobby farm in South Australia proved valuable. Growing up in a hardworking family taught her resilience and resourcefulness—skills that became essential as an entrepreneur.
Sophie’s business, Real Entrepreneur Women, helps female coaches package, price, and sell their expertise to build profitable businesses. She identified a clear problem: talented women with valuable skills who couldn’t turn their expertise into sustainable income.
“I saw so many brilliant women struggling because they weren’t taught how to run a business properly. They had the talent, the skills, the passion – but they were drowning in confusion about marketing, sales, and pricing.”
Putting Skills to Work
Sophie’s corporate experience proved invaluable when building her own business. As a PROSCI-certified change manager at BP Retail, she learned how to simplify complex strategies into clear, actionable steps.
“In my corporate days, I learned how to break down complex strategies into simple, actionable steps – and communicate them in a way that made change feel doable. Strategic doesn’t have to mean complicated.”
This skill became the backbone of her approach with clients. She took the same methods that worked for large organizations and applied them to help women grow their businesses without getting overwhelmed.
Before launching, Sophie conducted market research through a networking company where she connected with hundreds of female entrepreneurs. She spotted a pattern—many talented women lacked the strategy to build sustainable, profitable businesses and craved community support.
The pandemic accelerated her business growth. When COVID-19 shut down in-person networking and one-on-one sessions, female coaches suddenly needed to move online but didn’t know how. Sophie was already positioned in the online space, ready to help them transition.
Finding First Customers
Sophie’s approach to finding her first customers was refreshingly simple. “I got on calls. I had conversations. I didn’t hide behind content – I talked to people,” she says.
She offered free strategy calls to understand where women were getting stuck. The response surprised her—many asked, “How can I work with you?” She also provided free training in her Facebook group, giving away as much value as possible.
Sophie still remembers signing her very first client:
“I still remember the moment I signed my very first client. The excitement, the disbelief – ‘Oh my gosh, this is ACTUALLY happening!’ I’d reached out to someone in my warm network, which is exactly what I now teach my clients to do – start with the people who already know, like, and trust you.”
That first success fueled her confidence. “I ran upstairs to my husband, practically shouting, ‘I just had my first sales call, and they said YES! And they paid in full on the call!’ That moment gave me the confidence to keep going – it was the beginning of everything.”
Like many new business owners, Sophie initially underpriced her services out of fear and self-doubt. She quickly realized that pricing needed to reflect both the value she delivered and the life she wanted to create.
Overcoming Financial Challenges
Sophie’s path to profitability wasn’t always smooth. “In the beginning, it was really up and down – I’d have a bit of momentum and then things would drop off completely. I even made $0 in April 2021,” she admits.
That zero-income month became a turning point. “I went all in, backed myself fully, and from there, things started to shift. Within 12 months, I was on a steady rise – building consistent income and eventually hitting my first six-figure day.”
Balancing finances in the early days required tough decisions. Sophie used savings from her mortgage offset account to give herself a financial buffer and invest in support. “It was a season of sacrifice, but one I knew would lead to financial freedom – and it has.”
Like many new business owners, Sophie initially feared investing money in her business. She remembers stressing over spending on Facebook ads at the beginning. Now she invests much more without hesitation.
What changed? Sophie realized that “the biggest mistake people make is trying to save their way to success instead of investing in it.”
She overcame her fears by backing herself and surrounding herself with mentors who had succeeded before her. She wasn’t willing to waste years figuring everything out alone.
For new entrepreneurs worried about money, Sophie’s experience offers a valuable lesson: sometimes the path to success requires strategic investment rather than excessive caution.
Startup Stories
Building a Team and Future Growth
Sophie hired her first team member—a virtual assistant—early in her business. “I realized early on that if I wanted to grow, I couldn’t do it all myself,” she explains. This decision freed her to focus on serving clients and growing the business.
Today, Sophie’s signature programs—Wealthy Woman Mastermind and Wealthy Woman Ascension—help women go from stuck to successful without burnout. Her programs have produced impressive results, like her client Eiling who transformed her coaching business:
“One of my clients, Eiling, was a career coach working 16-hour days in her corporate job with zero time for herself or the life she truly wanted. After joining our Wealthy Woman Mastermind, we simplified her offer, nailed her messaging, and built a strategy that allowed her to scale without burning out. In just 5 and a half months, she made $250k in her business – working only 4 to 5 hours a day.”
Recently, Sophie launched Skye, an AI coach designed to help female coaches scale their businesses faster with less stress. Sophie sees AI as a tool to help coaches free up time and grow without burnout.
Looking back, Sophie wishes she had trusted herself sooner. “I spent too much time second-guessing myself instead of owning my expertise. The moment I stopped waiting for permission and started leading, everything changed.”
Start Today
Sophie’s path from corporate professional to successful business owner shows that action beats perfect planning. She built her business by speaking directly with people who needed her help, starting with her own network, and providing value before asking for payment. These simple steps worked far better than complicated marketing strategies or endless planning.
When you’re ready to start your own business, remember Sophie’s straightforward advice: talk to potential customers to understand what they need, offer something valuable to build trust, and invest strategically in your growth. Don’t wait until everything feels perfect – clarity comes from taking that first step, not from thinking about it.
“One thing I’ve learned: success is about who you become, not just what you do. This isn’t just about making money – it’s about creating financial freedom, impact, and a life you love.”
To learn more about Sophie’s business, check out Real Entrepreneur Women.
Got an awesome startup story? We’d love to hear how you turned your big idea into reality! StartUp101 is all about sharing real stories from founders like you to inspire others who are just getting started.