This week, our Dispatch writer is a woman who truly needs no introduction; but just in case you’ve been living under a rock or curled up under a doona nursing a hangover, meet Sophie Hood. She’s the founder of Seoul Tonic, the cult recovery drink brand leveraging natural Korean ingredients & patented formulations. They are designed to be consumed before & after alcohol or for every day hydration & preventative wellness. Even Bethenny Frankel has tipped her toes into the Seoul Tonic world and is a huge fan of their effectiveness.
We had the pleasure of asking Sophie the seven things she wishes she knew before starting a business, and her answers left us feeling both reassured and inspired. There’s something strangely comforting about knowing that the chaos, confusion and small wins are shared and that the things we’re feeling here at 7th and York are things Sophie has felt too.
Fun fact: Sophie and I actually went to the same school. There was a cheeky parody of our school song that went “three beers for old Wenona” and I like to think Sophie’s taken that energy and turned it into something wildly clever and incredibly useful.
We hope you enjoy this week’s Dispatch as much as we did. Whether you’re a business owner, a dreamer or just someone who forgot to line their stomach last night, Sophie’s words offer a little clarity, comfort and much needed relief.
7 Things I wish I knew about Business | By Sophie Hood
1. Perfectionism kills growth
If you wait for the perfect logo, the perfect brand deck, the perfect packaging — you’ll never be ready. The truth is, you learn by launching, by doing, and by listening to real customer feedback. The real data isn’t in the perfect flat lay. It’s in the execution. Some of the best things I’ve created have come from what I like to call messy momentum. Don’t let the need to get it right stop you from getting it out.
2. Your business will teach you more about yourself than any book, business coach or podcast ever will
I didn’t realise that building a business is like entering the most intense relationship of your life. It reflects your patterns back to you — your lack of boundaries, your grit, your worthiness, your fear of rejection. It tests your nervous system, your beliefs about money, your capacity to bounce back. If you let it, it will become your greatest teacher and your sharpest mirror.
3. The highs will be euphoric, and the lows will make you question everything — but both are necessary
I’ve had moments of total elation where I’ve felt completely unstoppable, and I’ve also had days that left me anxious and completely unravelled. But now I know — the deepest lows usually birth the biggest lessons. They shake you up, realign you, and bring clarity to things you didn’t even know were broken. Finding meaning in the lows will end up being more valuable than chasing the highs.
4. Naivety and ignorance are underrated superpowers when starting out
If I had known how much time, money, energy and emotional resilience it would take to build a business, I probably wouldn’t have started. There’s something powerful about not knowing. It gives you blind optimism. It makes you bold. And honestly, that energy is what gets things off the ground. It lets you move forward while others are busy overthinking.
5. You create your own luck
Sure, some people happen to be in the right room at the right time. But what you don’t always see is how many times they showed up when no one was watching. I truly believe if you keep putting yourself in the room, keep emailing, keep asking, keep backing yourself — the luck comes. You don’t wait for it. You build it through consistent action.
6. You have to be obsessed — not in a toxic hustle way, but in a “my idea has to work” kind of way
Obsession is what keeps you going when the launch flops or you're fixing a supply chain issue at 1am. It’s what makes you try again, find another way, push through fear. It’s what makes the grind joyful. Without that obsession, building a business becomes exhausting. And when things get hard (because they will), it’ll be near impossible to keep going if you’re not all in.
7. Your story is your unique asset
At the end of the day, people connect to people. Your story isn’t just marketing — it’s your why, your heart, your passion. It’s the one thing no one else can replicate. For a long time, I thought I could rely on a great product. But everything shifted when I stepped out from behind the brand and started sharing my story. That’s when people really started to care. Your story is your power. Use it.
You can find Sophie’s Seoul Tonic at all major Australian Liquor retailers, or visit her website and find out all her available stockists worldwide.
