Michelle D'Attilio : Winner of the 2024 Great Companies International women Entrepreneur Award

Name: Michelle D'Attilio

Business Name: Sosh, LLC

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin , USA

Establishment (Year): 1999

Category: Advertising & Marketing

Profession/ Specialty: Digital Marketing

Website: www.getsosh.com

Social Media : Linkedin

Company Detail:

Sōsh is a full-service, independent marketing agency that focuses on building meaningful connections and brand affinity through marketing plans tailored to fit their clients’ needs and budgets. They work strategically to deliver the best value and results to their customers.

The team is celebrating 25 years as a woman-owned small business this year! One thing they love about marketing is that it constantly evolves; they stay primed for changes in the industry through continued education and dedication. Ultimately, it is all about their customers’ success. If their customers are growing, they are growing.

Unique Selling Proposition or Competitive Advantage:

Their team is their differentiator. Sōsh is a creative and empathetic group with steadfast moral standards. They believe clients are partners. They believe in doing the right thing. They believe building brand affinity isn’t as simple as pushing out messages or following the latest trend.

Every client and potential client is unique—so they take a unique approach to every brand strategy. They fully immerse themselves in each client’s world so they become an extension of their team rather than just a vendor.

Challenges Faced During the Journey

Sōsh’s great days empower them to weather the tough days. Their challenges have tested their fortitude as a company and individuals; they value the difficult lessons. They have navigated ups and downs in the industry and days they thought they would have to pack up shop.

Over 25 years, the biggest challenge as a business owner was dealing with a betrayal by one of their own, directly impacting the owner and sōsh as a whole. The former business partner was stealing money from the company. They have had to work through the damages caused both professionally and personally. The team has had to rebuild and heal—but it’s only made them stronger.

A key takeaway is that it is important to hold everyone accountable—even your business partner. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Most of all, trust your team but also trust your intuition. When you feel that something isn’t right, explore the feeling and figure out why. Know that if you built it before, you can rebuild it again.

Advice for Women Entrepreneurs:

The biggest secret to having a successful company is showing up every day. If you are working on plans to start your own business, you still have to show up and do the work in your current role. If you are full-time at your own company, it’s critical to show up and do the work.

You can’t give up, no matter how hard it gets. If this is your dream, your vision, don’t give up. Be smart about your choices, but don’t give up! You will inevitably face moments in which you fail or lose. Turn those failures and losses into lessons. Then get up, brush yourself off, and keep moving forward.

No matter how slow the progress, keep moving forward. One day, you will look back and 25 years have passed. You built something you can be proud of—because you showed up.