Sofia Bajana is a business strategist, natural leader, and an experienced professional who sees immense value in building the personal connections and relationships that ensure businesses thrive. Born in Guayaquil, Ecuador, Sofia moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2014, where she earned an MBA from the Anderson School of Management at The University of New Mexico.
Sofia understands the indispensable role small businesses play in Albuquerque and New Mexico’s economic ecosystem and is a proud employee of the New Mexico Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center, which is operated by the City of Albuquerque Economic Development Department. In her current role as a Project Manager at the MBDA, Sofia is breaking down growth barriers for minority business enterprises (MBE) by connecting essential resources to MBEs across the entire state of New Mexico, such as access to capital, contracts, and new markets, including commercial real estate. A primary aspect of her work is to provide growing companies with connections to commercial lenders and brokers, which leads the MBEs to succeed.
Before joining the MBDA, Sofia worked in e-commerce as a Marketing Analyst where she helped the company increase sales and customer acquisition through comprehensive product optimization and customer experience recommendations. This experience, as well as developing go-to-market, production, and compliance strategies for small Ecuadorian companies, has allowed her to not only help businesses grow but to grow her professional skill set as an educator, coach, and guide for businesses in a wide variety of industries. Sofia is looking forward to a continued successful career and will always seek opportunities to build her leadership skills, enhance her knowledge base, and establish vital connections in the Albuquerque business community. She plans to pursue an executive leadership role in the future and eventually launch a business expansion consulting firm. Sofia finds balance in her personal and professional life through travel, cinema, and spending time with her family. She is a mother of four kids under 8 years old, with whom she loves to play, dance, and sing.