Building Trust in E-Commerce: Meet Sorcea CMO Priya Francis
Meet Priya Francis, the Chief Marketing Officer at Sorcea. Priya is a University of Miami student currently getting her BBA in Marketing at the Miami Herbert Business School, set to graduate in 2026. Deciding to get into the venture world was a leap of faith for Priya, she was unsure and said that “I’ve faked it until I made it my entire life. Even when I have no idea how, I’ve learned best simply by doing. When an opportunity presents itself, I take it, even if I don’t have the full roadmap yet.” Taking that leap of faith and continuing to push forward is what helped her get to where she is today with the successful startup of Sorcea.
So what is Socea and what problem are they trying to solve? Priya explained to us that 70% of the time, consumers add a product to their online shopping cart and it just… sits there. Across e-commerce, search abandonment is costing brands $300 billion every single year.
She said “Choosing the wrong beauty and wellness products can have harmful effects on health and confidence. Not knowing whether products will work for THEM makes shoppers hesitant to buy. By showing you what products have worked for people with similar experiences, Sorcea.com helps you validate whether your shopping cart is right for YOU!” For brands, this isn’t just about sales; Sorcea’s aggregated, anonymized user data provides powerful, real-time market intelligence, all while keeping user information private and the platform completely ad-free.
Sorcea’s journey kicked off in January 2023, with two roommates, Jadon Wyant and Dale Berkove. They were tired of generic search results, endless ads, and keyword filters that didn’t quite hit the mark. So, they teamed up with Priya, envisioning a better way to help online shoppers find what they’re looking for. They began with skincare, imagining a platform where you could search as if you were asking a friend, using natural language, with no annoying ads, and with results that reflected real people’s experiences. What they quickly realized was that the core problem wasn’t just about search; it was about trust. That insight became the foundation of Sorcea. They built it around social proof, focusing on highlighting products that have actually made a difference for people just like you. By bringing together peer-driven recommendations with smart data insights, Sorcea now empowers consumers to make smarter choices and equips brands with the tools to truly innovate based on what’s working for others. It’s exciting to note that as of August 1, 2025, the Sorcea app is officially live and ready for download in the App Store!
Priya said that The Launch Pad at the University of Miami has been a pivotal part of her entrepreneurial adventure. Mentors like Sam and Enrique have been instrumental, opening doors to pitch competitions, introducing her to invaluable contacts, and always being there to offer guidance or simply act as a sounding board whenever she needed advice. When asked what advice she’d offer to other aspiring founders, Priya keeps it simple and impactful: “Don’t get too caught up in the details. It’s better to launch at 70%, get feedback, and improve as you go, than to chase perfection and never start.”
You can connect with Sorcea by emailing media@sorcea.com or directly reaching out to Priya at priya.francis@sorcea.com. You can also find them on Instagram @shopsorcea, or explore their platforms at sorcea.com and sorcealabs.com.
