Anna Almaraz BBA ’23, MBA ’25, a first-generation UTSA Carlos Alvarez College of Business alumna, developed her entrepreneurial mindset during high school, starting her first business at just 15 years old.
This early business venture, coupled with a passion for community service, laid out the groundwork for her mission-focused approach to entrepreneurship. Almaraz’s journey with UT San Antonio has catapulted her career to new heights. The university’s experiential learning opportunities, mentorship support, and vibrant campus community have been instrumental in shaping Almaraz’s trajectory as an entrepreneur and community leader with a vision for making a significant impact in San Antonio.
Growing up in a household that valued hard work and resilience, Almaraz was deeply influenced by her mother’s strength and determination. Witnessing her mother navigate the challenges of being an immigrant and a single parent, Almaraz learned the importance of perseverance.
At just six years old Anna was already contributing to the family income by helping her mother clean houses. This early experience instilled in her a strong work ethic and an understanding of the importance of community and familial support.
“My story started long before building my first business. It began beside my mother, cleaning houses to help our family make ends meet. Those moments taught me what community, sacrifice, and strength look like,” Almaraz says. “We never saw adversity as a reason to stop; we used it as fuel. That experience shaped my purpose: to serve others, uplift my community, and create opportunities for those who come after me, where opportunity is built collectively, not limited by where we start.”
During her teenage years, Almaraz decided to study filmmaking at North East School of the Arts (NESA). As part of a class assignment, she created a short documentary for a local business, which the business later adopted as their official commercial. This success inspired her to create Sophie Social Marketing, LLC in 2016.
She leveraged connections made while cleaning homes to secure her first client and kickstart her professional journey.
“I never imagined I could build a business at that age; I just loved creating. But when businesses started using my work to promote their brands, I realized my craft had real value. What began with photography and videography quickly evolved into full-scale marketing,” Almaraz says. “Starting that young felt bold, but I told myself: if I fail, I’ll end up where I started, but if I try, I could build something bigger. That mindset drove me to turn my passion into a way to help others grow, and ultimately, into a business.”
With over 25 clients and more than $675,000 in gross sales by 2020, the launch of Sophie Social Marketing was just the beginning of Almaraz’s business pursuits.
That same year, Almaraz launched her second business, Sophie’s Sweets Cookie Co., a bakery specializing in gluten-free and traditional Mexican treats. In the bakery’s first year of operations, she generously contributed her baked goods to various charitable events, notably baking more than 10,000 cookies for a Christmas Eve event that provided warm meals to those in need.
When the time came for Almaraz to pursue a higher education, UT San Antonio was a natural choice. As the first in her family to attend college, she sought an accessible and supportive environment that would provide ample opportunities for growth.
Almaraz sells sweet treats from her business, Sophie’s Sweets Cookie Co.
As an undergraduate student, Almaraz engaged with programs and centers across UT San Antonio, including the University Career Center, the Najim Center for Innovation and Career Advancement, and the Alvarez Student Success Center where she became the first student to hold a workshop for her peers.
“As a first-generation student, I never expected to have access to the kinds of opportunities UT San Antonio created for me,” Almaraz says.
“Through the Najim Center, I was able to study abroad in Germany and work on a consulting project for a local startup, and I traveled to conferences in Thailand, Boston, and Canada, where I learned from global thought leaders and had the chance to share my own story.”
“The Alvarez Student Success Center helped lay the foundation by helping me through resume building, brand development, and professional preparation,” she added. “Those opportunities gave me access to mentors who saw potential in me and helped shape the career path I’m on now.”
A notable milestone was her role as a work-study intern in the Alvarez College of Business Dean’s Office, where she was encouraged by her fellow UT San Antonio staff members to apply to the Texas Business Hall of Fame—a nomination that culminated in her receiving the Harvey Najim Future Texas Business Legend Award and a significant scholarship to pursue her MBA.
“I am both deeply impressed by Anna’s dedication and drive, and confident that her contributions will continue to inspire many and make a significant impact,” says Harvey Najim, San Antonio philanthropist. “I look forward to seeing the next chapters of her journey unfold and the additional ways she will undoubtedly contribute to our community and beyond.”
During her graduate studies, Almaraz served as a project associate at The Harvey E. Najim Charitable Foundation, the marketing coordinator for the San Antonio Children’s Shelter, and the venture analyst for Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Najim Center.
As part of a career-engaged learning opportunity, Almaraz and four of her fellow MBA classmates turned a class assignment into an opportunity to host a fundraising event for the Children’s Shelter. Having secured 18 corporate sponsors, the Charity Bunco event successfully raised over $5,000 which directly supported the shelter. Additionally, the event garnered over $16,000 in sponsorship and in-kind support.
Looking forward, Almaraz’s deep-rooted connection to San Antonio is driving her ambition to continue contributing to her community. Her goal is to lead a non-profit organization and establish a center of her own dedicated to non-profit leadership at UT San Antonio.
“I see myself growing old in my home city of San Antonio and I don’t ever plan on leaving,” she says. “Everything has fallen into place with UTSA. I want to be one of the future business leaders they are so committed to cultivating and I want to do it in the city I love.”
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