Her Story
About Sonia
Sonia Howard-Serrano is an accomplished sales, marketing, and interior design professional based in Little Rock, Arkansas, with more than two decades of experience spanning healthcare, senior care, home health, and residential design. She currently serves as an Interior Designer at Studio West Interiors, where she provides consultative design solutions for luxury residential clients and has achieved consistent monthly sales of approximately $70,000. She also serves as Managing Director and Interior Designer at Design by Sonia, where she has spent more than 20 years developing personalized design solutions and managing residential and exterior construction projects.
Before focusing more heavily on interior design, Sonia built a successful career in healthcare sales and marketing, specializing in referral development and relationship building. She has worked with senior care facilities, nursing homes, and in-home care organizations, developing referral networks with hospitals, physicians, case managers, social workers, and community partners. Her work has centered on connecting individuals and families with appropriate care while supporting admission growth, client retention, community outreach, and organizational visibility. Her background in marketing, combined with her experience in healthcare relationship management, has given her a strong ability to build trust, communicate effectively, and turn professional relationships into lasting partnerships.
Sonia holds a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from Henderson State University and has also earned certifications in home inspection and Arkansas real estate. Throughout her career, she has combined creativity, business development, and relationship management to create meaningful results for both clients and organizations. Her professional philosophy is strongly rooted in dignity, compassion, integrity, and service, reflecting her belief that success is not only measured by outcomes but also by the way people feel throughout the process. Whether helping a family navigate senior care or transforming a residential space through design, Sonia brings a human-centered approach focused on creating lasting relationships and meaningful impact.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sonia
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to resilience, authenticity, and a genuine commitment to helping women. My personal journey of reinventing myself, returning to school, and overcoming financial and family challenges has strengthened my ability to support others through trauma, build self-esteem, and develop confidence.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve received is that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself and pursue work that truly fulfills you. Raising two children on my own while working multiple jobs taught me resilience, and returning to school showed me that taking a new direction is always possible.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to take care of yourself first and build a strong foundation before making major changes. Keep your day job when possible, stay resilient, and don’t be afraid to reinvent yourself. My own journey through motherhood, sales and marketing, and interior design taught me that starting over can lead to a more fulfilling path.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest opportunities in my field is making trauma-informed support more accessible to people who need it. I’m especially passionate about supporting organizations like the Dove Center, which provides important services to people experiencing trauma and difficult life circumstances.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are compassion, perseverance, personal growth, and helping others. I’m motivated by the people I serve and by doing work I genuinely love. I also value family, continuous learning, self-care, and creating a meaningful and fulfilling life.
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