Meet Sandra Nomoto... Book Whisperer & Vegan Hype Woman
Mar 19, 2025
Sandra Nomoto is a Book Whisperer for authors with impact and Vegan Hype woman. Over the 10 years she ran Conscious Public Relations Inc., the company was the fourth public relations agency in Canada to earn B Corporation® certification. Nomoto authored two books, including the world's first vegan marketing book, Vegan Marketing Success Stories, in 2022. She's spoken at TELUS, Main Street Vegan Academy, Planted Expo, and the Vancouver Vegan Festival, sharing the stage with Genesis Butler, Chuck Carroll, and Dr. Michael Greger. On the side of her desk, she co-hosts VEG Networking Canada, Canada's only vegan networking group.
What kind of work do you do?
I help authors with various services to help them get their books published, including ghostwriting, editing, and formatting. For vegan leaders, I offer administration, content writing, and public relations campaign services.
What inspired you to get started as an entrepreneur?
I started my first business back in 2008 after my very first job in public relations. At the time, my sister was the partner of a small business and her own boss, so she inspired me to become an independent publicist. Over the course of a decade, my solo business evolved into a little virtual agency with a few staff.
What was your biggest struggle to get things going for your online business?
While I think running an online business is so much easier than it was before with all the tools we have, it also means more competition. I'm probably the only vegan in the world (or at least one of a few!) who helps other vegans, but there are lots of service providers out there for authors, so it can be hard to stand out.
Was there a time you thought about giving up? What kept you from quitting?
I have thought of giving up just about every month! What keeps me from quitting is my passion. I love vegans and spreading veganism through my business, and I love working with authors and helping them make an impact by getting their books out in the world.
What have you learned since the beginning?
I've been self-employed for almost 20 years now, and I'm always learning. The biggest lesson is probably that you can't do it alone. Even in a solo business, you need mentorship, guidance from people who've been there, and to surround yourself with supportive communities. This is especially true in the vegan world, as we're only 4% at most, of the global population.
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
I've been mentored by so many smart people, but the best advice I've received and continue to share with others is to ask for help. No one can succeed alone when running a business, so as soon as you encounter a challenge, it's so important to have people to turn to for advice, guidance, or just a listening ear.
What advice would you give someone just starting out?
If you're just starting out in your business, prove its viability first. You don't want to invest $10K in all your branding and find out no one wants your product or service. Ask people around you—and even your target client or customer if you can—if they would buy your product. If they whip out their credit card or smartphone ready to pay for what you're offering, that's a sign you should move forward.
What’s the professional win you’re most proud of?
I'm most proud of launching the world's first vegan marketing book, Vegan Marketing Success Stories, in 2022. This was my second book and really put me on the map in the vegan world. I or the book have been featured in 80 media & podcasts, I've gotten clients out of the book, and unexpectedly, I was asked to speak at six online or offline events, three of which paid a total of $1000.
Which book(s) would you recommend to help entrepreneurs with success and personal development?
There are so many great books out there for entrepreneurs! Michael E. Gerber's The E-Myth (Revisited) is a classic. For personal development, James Clear's Atomic Habits. I read this six years after it came out, but I was surprised to learn I already have a pretty good system for completing my goals.
Do you have a routine that you attest to your success? If yes, what is it?
I started meditating twice daily in July 2014 and have never looked back. It's the #1 way I stay mentally and emotionally grounded. It's been a huge key to unlocking my intuition, which I think is a secret ingredient most successful people have that isn't talked about all that much.
How has social media played a factor in your success?
Yes. As an early adopter of most social networks, it's allowed me to build an online presence. Many people still remember me from when I first jumped on Twitter (now X) back in 2009. Nowadays I'm most active on LinkedIn to build my thought leadership, but I also like Instagram for personal use.
What are the biggest social media mistakes you see commonly made?
I think people need to remember to tell a story. Especially if you're using social media for business, people want to know who's behind the brand and why they're running a company. If you're only putting your logo or products out there and not showing up in photos or on video, you're only doing 20% of the work. Also, be sure to post a description with photos or videos. Visuals are great, but if you don't use any text, your posts won't show up in search.
What is the business tool that’s been most helpful?
I love Otter AI for transcribing audio to text. This helps me turn video interviews from my volunteer work as co-host of VEG Networking Canada into blog posts, and author stories into a manuscript.
Is there something you wish everyone knew?
I'm a proud auntie to two nephews and a niece. One of my nephews is transgender and loves to play water polo and coach other teams.
What’s coming up for you in the next few months?
I just started a publicity campaign for Dr. Angela Crawford, who's launched her first book, The Vegan Transformation.
What has being successful taught you?
I've learned that who you are is your ticket to success. I consider being a vegan woman of colour my superpower. Putting my vegan lifestyle out there has built up my career in the last five years. As a woman of colour, it's also important to be visible so young Black, Brown, and Indigenous girls can see their future selves as successful through our example.
What are some fun facts about you?
My favourite filmmakers are Pedro Almodovar and Christopher Nolan. I also had a phase when I was a big fan of samurai films.
How can our readers find you online?
https://sandranomoto.com is the best place and I'm pretty easy to find on social media with my name.
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