Sayuri Sosa is senior business administration major and entrepreneurship minor. She is originally from the Dominican Republic, but moved to the Bronx at age 11 and later to Florida with her mom and sister. Making memories is really important to Sosa and is what had inspired her to create her own business.
It was a remarkable day. Let me tell you what happened. I went to the Sawgrass Mills mall to have ice cream with my friends, and as we strolled around, I began to visualize the kind of business I would one day start. I became frustrated seeing the same types of stores everywhere I went. Shoes. Jewelry. Clothes. Toys. Electronics. Seriously? There are so many voids in the world. Can someone find a true need and fill it rather than coming up with a new app or clothing line?
As I was thinking this, one of my friends pulled me inside Build-a-Bear, where I saw a book titled, “The Bear Necessities of Business: How to Build a Company with Heart”. “What?,” I thought, laughing at God’s humor. One moment, I had been envisioning my dream business, and a second later, I saw that book.
I skimmed through the first few pages. As I was holding the book in my hands, I felt a strong urge to go home to read it. So, I bought it and told my friends that I had to go home. Their facial expressions were priceless. They could not understand why I had to go read the book at that moment. And, honestly, neither could I. But I just knew that I did not want to let another day pass by without knowing my purpose in life.
When I got home, I immediately locked myself in my room, sat on my bed and opened the book. Yet, something inside of me stopped me from reading past the table of contents. I knew that I shouldn’t have put my faith on that book to reveal to me my purpose. I asked God to forgive me for trying to do things on my own, instead of relying on my spiritual faith.
As I was getting ready to journal about my day, something caught my attention about my pen. I gazed at my purple pen and wondered who the most qualified person would be to know the purpose of my pen. Would it be the pen or the person who created it? Surely the answer is the person who created it, so shouldn’t the same philosophy apply to me? If I wanted to find out my purpose in life and the vision for my business, shouldn’t I ask my maker? At that moment, I surrendered my dreams and goals to God.
A few minutes later, flashbacks of different moments of my life came to my mind. I recalled those nights my dad carried me in his arms as a little girl. Then, I remembered the fun times I had with my sister as she used to slide me down the stairs in a laundry basket. Lastly, I reminisced about surprising my mom with jewelry and paintings I had made.
When I lived those moments, I never thought that they would one day become powerful memories. I was in awe at how clearly I remembered those spontaneous, fun moments — even the ones I had originally perceived as insignificant. At that point, I realized that although
I can’t possibly remember every single detail of my life, I will
always remember certain special moments which will turn into cherished memories.
Those moments of my life were pieces of the puzzle, which God was helping me put together to uncover the idea for my business. They were the foundation. From that day on, not only did I become more passionate and committed to creating memories with my loved ones, but I also realized that I wanted to assist others in building precious moments with their families and friends.
I suddenly knew that my business mission would consist of empowering people to prioritize the time they spend with their loved ones. I had a dream — a burning desire to help draw families closer, not letting the outside world pull them away from what matters most.
My new passion inspired me to create You & Me Time Corporation,an innovative service similar to event planning. Except, instead of planning complex events like birthday parties and weddings, I create personalized experiences for loved ones, enabling them to maximize their time together.
For example, I arranged an experience for a couple in the park where they married over 10 years ago. I played a soundtrack of songs by their favorite musicians, served their favorite meal and dessert, and laid out a canvas with paints for them to create art on the exact spot where they had said their vows. The couple told me that You & Me Time renewed their relationship in a way that numerous relationship books and marriage counselors couldn’t.
As of today, families from all walks of life are benefiting from You & Me Time. I know that every relationship tells a different story; it has a unique identity. Before I sketch and coordinate the details of the experience, my priority is to understand the story of each individual relationship.
If you are wondering what exactly You & Me Time is, my answer would be that I not only plan out the food, setting, music and other aspects of an event — I create memories. Based on a client’s desired outcome, relationships needs and interests, I create the perfect experience for their loved ones.
