Today we’d like to introduce you to Sonia Thomas.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born in Illinois and then moved to Georgia at the end of elementary school. I come from an Indian heritage and the only reason I am where I am today is because of my amazing, selfless, hard-working, independent and loving mother. Seeing my Mom raise my older sister and me with the help of my grandparents and her siblings made me appreciate my mother so much more when I became a Mom. My Mom worked endlessly so that my sister and I could have an amazing education at the University of Georgia (UGA) and go on to pharmacy school for me and medical school for my sister. Being the first generation of an Indian American comes with its own challenges both in the Indian world as well as the American world. If you’re an Indian American born between 1980-1990 and raised in the U.S., then you know exactly what I’m talking about.
After pharmacy school, I went on to do a PGY1 residency in pharmacotherapy (internal medicine) in Georgia and then a PGY2 oncology residency for a year in Michigan. After completing my residency, I moved back to Georgia to start working as a professor at PCOM School of Pharmacy and a clinical oncology specialist pharmacist at Wellstar North Fulton Hospital. During my years in undergrad at UGA, I was lucky enough to meet my wonderful hubby and then marry him in 2014. I quickly discovered after marrying him that I am both left and right brained. This led to me starting a lifestyle blog called Little Blue Book which displays my passion for fashion, travel, food and now my 9-month-old daughter. Living in the millennial generation, it is almost impossible to not have some sort of entrepreneurship of your own. I currently live in Brookhaven, GA as an associate professor of pharmacy practice, oncology pharmacist, clinical pharmacist, blogger, mother, wife, and daughter. I am truly blessed to be where I am today which all began with my Mother and grew with every person I have ever met along the way that made an influence on who I am now.
Has it been a smooth road?
Struggles are part of the journey. You can’t have success without failure. Challenges make us who we are and shape our choices. I have faced many obstacles in life like any other person. I have always been the person who had to work hard for anything in life whether it was in school, at home, residency, work or as a blogger. The biggest challenge Ive ever had was how to not be second best and how to differentiate yourself to make yourself stand out amongst the thousands of pharmacists or bloggers out there. My biggest advice for any obstacle is that if God presented the situation to you, then God believes you can handle it- that’s why certain people struggle and others don’t. Use it as an opportunity for motivation and to better yourself.
Please tell us more about what you do, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am most proud of what I do as a pharmacist and blogger. When people hear the term “pharmacist,” they automatically think of a retail pharmacist or someone they have to deal with that is too busy to attend to them as a customer. Most people have no idea the things you can do as a pharmacist and the world of opportunity out there. As an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice, I teach oncology to pharmacy students, publish papers, help shape the curriculum at the school and take fourth-year pharmacy students on rotation with me at the hospital, As a clinical pharmacist in the hospital, I assist with dosing multiple medications, assisting with profile reviews and making interventions with physicians. As an oncology pharmacist at the hospital, I work with the oncologist in the outpatient setting and assist with chemotherapy orders, adjusting doses, counseling patients on chemotherapy and on the inpatient side working alongside with the oncologist. This requires a special certification called BCOP (board certified oncology pharmacist) which is a tough exam to pass and maintain as a license.
I most recently also became a cancer exercise specialist. As a blogger, I’ve faced challenges in promoting myself with social media and setting myself apart. What sets me apart is the multiple passions I have and being well-rounded on my blog. I’ve had an interest in modeling and acting for as long as I can remember which I tried to fulfill by being an extra on a CW show called Dynasty as well as another show called Miracle Workers. I’ve had an interest in fashion for quite some time and I learned how to sew and create a few of my own pieces of clothing! I absolutely love to travel and have made it a point to work hard to be able to travel all over the world. I also feel I’m very relatable because like all others, my entire life I have struggled with weight loss. I used to be very overweight and fitness has become the hallmark of my life. Working out daily and eating healthy has become a part of who I am and this passion for health is also evident in my blog.
Which women have inspired you in your life?
The number one woman who has inspired me in my life is my Mom. Seeing her raise my sister and myself have made a huge impact on who I am today. Her selflessness, determination, and independence motivates me and has taught me to rely on no one except myself.
The second person who has inspired me in my life is my Sister. She is a pediatric ENT surgeon, mother, and wife and somehow still makes it a point to talk to me every day and excel in all areas of life. I am beyond impressed with her.
Lots of women of power have had an influence on me as well such as Audrey Hepburn, Coco Chanel, Anna Wintour, and Priyanka Chopra.
Other women in my life have also inspired me immensely- they say you’re the company you keep and that is very true, my girlfriends inspire me on a daily basis.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.sonaiaminthomas.com
- Email: soniaaminthomas@gmail.com
- Instagram: soniaaminthomas
- Facebook: Sonia Amin Thomas
- Twitter: soniaaminthomas
Image Credit:
Sonia Amin Thomas, Jibin Thomas, Derek Wintermute9
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