Sophia Strother, a 38-year-old single mother and survivor of sex trafficking, has achieved remarkable success with her delivery business that she started through an Amazon opportunity three years ago. Strother, who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration, has accumulated millions of dollars and recently shared her inspiring story with Insider.
Strother’s journey began when she decided to pursue the Amazon Delivery Service Partnership after reading an article in 2018 about the company extending a helping hand to new business owners. Determined and motivated, she applied for the program and was eventually invited to Seattle, Washington, for an interview. Despite initial doubts and financial constraints, Strother seized the opportunity and traveled to Las Vegas for an Amazon event where she was interviewed.
In 2020, Strother’s partnership with Amazon was finalized, and she launched her business, L2E Industries (Learning 2 Exhale Industries). Within three years, she has generated over $3 million in revenue. With 38 blue “Prime” vans and around 80 employees, Strother’s business focuses on customer satisfaction, emphasizing the importance of friendly service and care from her drivers.
Like many businesses, Strother faced challenges in 2021 when a devastating snowstorm hit Texas, forcing her business to temporarily shut down. To support her employees during this difficult time, she used her personal savings and retirement funds. Seeking guidance, Strother consulted with a temporary business coach provided by Amazon, who helped her analyze the metrics affecting her business. This led her to implement a scorecard policy to hold her delivery drivers accountable and improve overall performance.
Thanks to these changes, Strother successfully got her business back on track. Her story serves as a testament to the power of determination and seizing opportunities.