What It Really Took to Build The SoCo Markets — and the Personal Story Mercedes Wasn't Ready to Tell

"I woke up one day and I started to feel. And what I felt, it wasn't pretty. I was like, I'm not happy. And that was the very first time I put myself first." — Mercedes HernandezMercedes Hernandez built The SoCo Markets from scratch — 11 vendors on a closed-off side street, a vision, and no guarantee it would work. Six years later, it's one of Sonoma County's most beloved community events, drawing vendors from across the Bay Area and bringing thousands of people together every year. But this episode isn't really a business story. It's a story about what happens when you finally stop building for everyone else and start building for yourself.In this episode of Her Story Unscripted, Mercedes shares her full journey — from a 15-year-old retail worker discovering a passion, to opening her first brick-and-mortar at 20, to creating experiences like Fork'n Good Food Festival and Roast & Rhythm. Then she gets real about the personal chapter she's been walking through: ending a 15-year relationship, living completely alone for the first time in her life, sitting with the loneliness instead of running from it, and slowly coming back to herself through counseling and a whole lot of self-honesty. This is an authentic storytelling conversation about identity, codependency, personal growth for women, and what freedom actually feels like when you finally choose it.If you've ever lost yourself in a role — a relationship, a business, a version of who you thought you were supposed to be — this conversation will meet you right where you are. New episodes every Thursday on all major podcast platforms.Connect with Heather: WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInYoutubeHighlights0:00 Opening quote — Mercedes on identity0:39 Heather's intro + welcome to Her Story Unscripted1:05 Welcome, Mercedes — how Heather found her3:31 How Mercedes started in retail and discovered her passion4:21 Opening Bow & Arrow Clothing at 20, the JC entrepreneurship program6:07 SoCo Markets is born — from 11 vendors to 908:53 Growing the market calendar: Fork'n Good, Roast & Rhythm, Closet Clean Outs10:50 What it really takes to run a successful community market18:30 The personal pivot — ending her marriage and stepping into the unknown21:40 Codependency, people-pleasing, and going numb27:48 Living alone for the first time — and what she found there32:39 Identity, worth, and what she'd leave listeners withAbout Mercedes HernandezMercedes Hernandez is a serial entrepreneur and community builder based in Sonoma County, California. She opened her first retail store, Bow & Arrow Clothing, at 20 years old, and went on to build SoCo Markets — a thriving platform for small businesses and local vendors that now hosts events across the Bay Area. From the Fork'n Good Food Festival to Roast & Rhythm to monthly Closet Clean Out pop-ups, Mercedes has become one of the most creative event minds in Northern California. She's passionate about giving small businesses a platform, and about building the kinds of experiences that bring communities together in real, meaningful ways.WebsiteFacebookInstagramEmailSupport the show