Sofia Ferraz

Event Manager with a proven track record of building niche and B2C events from scratch. Founded and scaled Portugal's largest specialty coffee festival, growing it from a €500 initial investment to €110,000 in annual revenue and over 4,000 attendees per edition — all without a permanent team. Highly versatile background spanning design, marketing, customer experience, and operations. Seeking an autonomous role where I can create memorable experiences, continuously learn, and drive real impact.

Founder & Event Operations Lead at Tasteology (2022-01 – Present)

• Founded and scaled Portugal's largest specialty coffee festival from a €500 initial investment to €110,000 in annual revenue in less than 4 years.
• Organized editions with over 4,000 visitors without a permanent team (supported by 2 freelancers).
• Independently handled prospecting, negotiation, and closing of B2B sponsorships and partnerships.
• Full management of budgets, timelines, vendors (venues, tech, merch, catering), and communication with speakers and guests.
• Created and managed the online store and all event branding.

National Coordinator at Specialty Coffee Association (2023-01 – 2026-12)

• Portugal Chapter President of the world's largest specialty coffee association, representing Portugal before the international organization.
• Financial management of the chapter and accountability for financial reporting.
• Organized the national specialty coffee championships in Portugal and coordinated national representatives' participation in the SCA World Championships, including logistics and liaison with the international organization.

Event Support & Content Creator at Associação Vegetariana Portuguesa (2022-01 – 2023-12)

• Supported the organization of the Legumina Vegetarian Food Congress: sponsor outreach, agenda planning, and speaker coordination.
• Editorial content creation: writing blog articles on vegetarian recipes and sustainability.

Customer Support Specialist at Vendus (2021-01 – 2023-12)

• Provided trilingual customer support (PT, EN, ES) via chat, email, and phone for a SaaS product.
• Created automated helpdesk workflows and internal documentation for process optimization.
• Collaborated with product and tech teams to report bugs and suggest UX improvements.

Head Pastry Chef at BOP (2020-01 – 2021-12)

• Led the pastry team during the post-pandemic reopening phase.

Owner, Manager & Head Pastry Chef at Chá das Cinco (2017-01 – 2020-12)

• Full management of daily operations, marketing, human resources, and customer service.
• Team management, vendor relations, and social media presence.

Concierge & Guest Experience at Malmerendas - Boutique Hotel (2016-01 – 2017-12)

• Managed guest experience and coordinated special requests and stay logistics.
• Managed briefings with couples, assessed needs, validated contracts, and coordinated special requests for the wedding day.
• Liaised with external vendors for service confirmation and operational alignment.

Event Coordinator at Quinta da Quintã (2016-01 – 2016-12)

• Managed briefings with couples, assessed needs, validated contracts, and coordinated special requests for the wedding day.
• Liaised with external vendors for service confirmation and operational alignment.
• Custom design for weddings (invitations, schedules, and other graphic materials).

Marketing & Design Lead at Moinho de Chuva (2012-01 – 2014-12)

• Led the marketing and design team.
• Planned and executed international marketing campaigns and trade show logistics.
• Supervised graphic design and social media presence.

Master's Degree in Graphic and Editorial Design – Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Porto (2012-01 – 2016-12)

Bachelor's Degree in Graphic Design and Printing Technologies – Polytechnic Institute of Tomar (2009-01 – 2012-12)