🎙️ Sophie Hood on Building Seoul Tonic: From Australia to New York, Amazon, Retail Strategy & Scaling a Wellness Brand

What does it really take to build a modern wellness brand and have the ambition to take it global?

In this episode of Process, Arielle Thomas sits down with Sophie Hood, founder of cult-favourite tonic brand Seoul Tonic, to unpack the creative and commercial decisions behind moving to New York, scaling through retail, navigating Amazon, and positioning a product for international success.

Sophie is one of Australia’s most exciting women-led founders to watch, and in this conversation, she shares the unfiltered reality of entrepreneurship: from winning Food Stars and landing major retail opportunities, to managing inventory pressure, pitching airlines like Qantas, and building a brand that resonates in the hyper-competitive U.S. market.

This episode is a masterclass in creativity meeting commerce. Perfect for founders, brand builders, marketers and anyone curious about what it actually takes to turn an idea into a global consumer brand.

✨ In this episode, Sophie and Arielle cover:

• Moving from Australia to New York and why global ambition changes everything

• The early creative vision behind Seoul Tonic and finding product-market fit

• What winning Food Stars taught Sophie about pressure and opportunity

• How to position a wellness product for premium retail

• Scaling from independent stores to national distribution

• Inventory, supply chains and the realities of cash flow

• Why community and in-store experience matter more than ever

• The brutal truth about launching in the U.S. market

• How Amazon really works. Seller Central, fulfilment and margin games

• Differences between U.S. and Australian e-commerce

• Pitching to major partners like Qantas

• Launching new product lines and beauty brands

• Why financial modelling is a non-negotiable skill for founders

• Her up-and-coming 2nd business, this time in the beauty space!

  
  

  Find Sophie on Instagram here.

  Find Seoul Tonic on Instagram here.

  Find Process the Podcast on Instagram here.

  Find your host Arielle Thomas on Instagram here.

  
  

  See you next Tuesday!

In episode three of Backbone, we get into the numbers that actually keep your business alive: cash.

Profit might look good on paper, but cash is what pays your bills, your team, and you. And yet, cash flow is one of the most misunderstood (and least confidently managed) parts of running a business.

So this week, we cover:

• Why profit ≠ cash, and how profitable businesses still run out of money

• Why cash flow is the most important metric to understand as a founder

• How to think about managing cash flow day-to-day (not just at tax time)

• Practical measures to safeguard your cash flow as your business grows

• A simple walk-through of the key line items in a cash flow statement — and what they actually tell you.

If you have any questions, about cash slide into our DMs.

We want to keep this conversation going!

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And if you haven’t already, hit Follow in your podcast app (it really helps our small businesses grow)!

See you next Thursday for our last episode of Backbone!

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In this special petit episode of Process, Arielle Thomas shares what’s next for the podcast and why it’s evolving into something much bigger than conversations behind a microphone.

From building a recognisable visual identity to creating a physical creative space in Sydney, Arielle reflects on the realities of podcasting, the importance of consistency, and her long-term vision for cultivating a thriving creative community.

She opens up about the challenges and rewards of running a creative podcast, how collaboration has shaped the journey so far, and why hosting events and bringing listeners together in real life is the natural next step for Process.

This episode is an invitation into the future of Process: a place where ideas are exchanged, careers are sparked, and creativity is treated as a shared practice, not a solo pursuit.

✨ What You’ll Hear in This Episode🎧 About Process

• Why podcasting is both an art and a long game• The vision for Process as a leading creative podcast• Plans to build a physical creative hub in Sydney• How community and collaboration drive growth• The role of visual identity in building a recognisable brand• Creating spaces that feel welcoming and creatively charged• Why consistency matters more than perfection• How listener engagement shapes the future of the show• Hosting events and real-world creative gatherings• Where Process is heading next

🎧 About Process

Process explores the journeys behind creative careers — from fashion and media to design, publishing, film and entrepreneurship. Each episode unpacks how ideas are built, how brands evolve, and what it really takes to create meaningful work in today’s cultural landscape.

To learn more about the clubhouse, head to cinemathom.com/clubhouse

Find Process the Podcast on Instagram here.

Find Process the Podcast on Tik Tok here.

Find your host, Arielle Thomas, on Instagram here.

See you next Tuesday!