Sisters Soffi and Kacey Enjoy a Dedicated Local Following, Thanks to Their Support of Local Businesses

Growing up in Redondo Beach, sisters Soffi Yessmann and Kacey Walker always knew they would work with each other one day. The Redondo Union High School alums first teamed up to sell real estate, following in the footsteps of their parents. After choosing the name South Bay Sisters, they began marketing on social media. 

“We didn’t want to have the typical open house/interest rate posts,” shares Soffi. “We are born and raised locals, and we wanted to show people why the South Bay is an amazing place to live. We had no idea the journey this would take us on!”

The @southbaysisters Instagram page debuted a decade ago and soon took on a life of its own. Soffi and Kacey regularly profiled local businesses and engaged viewers with contests and promotions. Within a month of posting, they already had 1,000 followers. Today they have more than 20,000.

“I remember the first media event we went to, the coordinator referred to us as influencers and we had to ask her what an influencer was,” says Soffi. “We had never even heard that term before!”

As their popularity grew, Soffi and Kacey realized their audience wanted to see and know who they were following. Although they wanted the businesses they feature to take the spotlight, they learned to put themselves in front of the camera too. In recent years, Soffi has become the face of the channel, with Kacey taking a more behind-the-scenes role. 

“Kacey engages with our followers with likes and comments, and I attend the events/restaurant openings to create content and reels to show off our local small businesses,” says Soffi.

For two women with no prior social media experience, the success of @southbaysisters has been a wild ride. “The invitations we receive are amazing, but what we love most are the friendships we have made with people we would have never met if it weren’t for this platform,” says Soffi. “We genuinely want to lift up our community, and that energy returned to us is so inspiring.”

They credit much of the growth year after year to word of mouth from their most loyal followers, many of whom have been fans since the beginning. “We are really just a platform for small businesses,” says Soffi. “They are the true heart and soul of our community, and we’re grateful we’re in the position to showcase that!”

Kacey and her husband recently started a marriage and family therapy practice in the South Bay, while Soffi has taken a temporary step back from real estate. “I’m currently enjoying life on my little farm in Palos Verdes with my husband, our daughter and twin boys,” she says. “I consider it the best job ever.”