Sophia Rodriguez Challenging Generational, Societal Barriers as a New Business Owner

OAKLAND, Calif. — Sophia Rodriguez, CEO of Sophie’s Pest Solutions, took a leap of faith and ventured into the entrepreneurial side of pest control with hopes of bringing more LGBTQ+ representation and diversity into the industry and break generational barriers that came before her.

Rodriguez attended Stanford University’s Carnegie Institute as a qualified applicator certificate (QAC) applicator, ensuring the vitality of research flora, she said.

This experience introduced her to the world of continuing education units (CEUs). She listened to a speaker at a seminar talk about structural pest control and “his wisdom, and enthusiasm was infectious. As fate would have it, his encouragement led me to dive into the industry,” Rodriguez said.

With the support from her wife, La Quisha Simms, the two started Sophie’s Pest Solutions. Three months into business, the couple are experiencing rapid growth in California’s Bay Area.

© Sophie's Pest Solutions

“We just signed a vendor agreement with a prestigious Bay Area property management company with more than 200 single-family homes and apartment complexes being added to the roster as we speak,” Rodriguez said.

Sophie’s Pest Solutions offers general pest and rodent control services for both residential and commercial properties, including deep clean vacuuming and dry foam shampoo for upholstery and carpets.

Breaking Barriers. Rodriguez named the company to honor her late grandmother, whom she never met, but has felt “spiritually in tune with,” she said.

“By integrating the values and insights that I associate with her spirit, I can create a unique brand that resonates with others who share similar beliefs,” she said. “This approach not only pays homage to my grandmother's legacy, but also allows me to explore and expand upon my own spiritual journey within a professional context.”

Rodriguez’s upbringing didn’t include access to wealth-building resources; unfortunately, it did include toxic ideas regarding money management, she said. Acknowledging these traumas has led her to reach new heights personally and professionally.

“Fast forward through to adulthood and I'm met with internalized ideas that having 'just enough' is what we spend our entire lives working for,” she said. “I want to loudly reject these crippling ideas by successfully operating and owning my own pest control business.”

Representation Matters. Change starts from within, Rodriguez said, adding it’s imperative that young people, especially people of color, see themselves in these types of leadership positions.

“Historically, women and queer folks have been excluded from spaces like pest control,” she said. “The pest control industry needs more of that.”

Rodriguez said she looks forward to the day where she can walk into a room and immediately be respected as a professional, despite her gender identification.

Rodriguez said her plan is to continue bringing diversity into the industry by offering jobs that highly encourages folks who are historically marginalized, including but not limited to, individuals in the queer community, people of color and anyone who has experienced systematic oppression and/or gender-based violence, to apply.

“A key milestone on our roadmap is hiring an additional technician, allowing me to dedicate more time to sales and drive our business growth to new heights,” she said.

Three months into owning her own business, Rodriguez said she’s felt a new sense of enlightenment and opportunity come her way.

“Our ambitious target is to exceed $100,000 in sales within our first year, with plans to scale exponentially in the years to come,” she said.