Sojin Thompson

Sojin Thompson is the founder and Managing Partner of Heard Consulting, a full-service restaurant and hospitality consulting firm serving independent operators and restaurant groups across Washington, Oregon, Northern California, Colombia, and Mexico. Heard Consulting works alongside operators at every stage of the business lifecycle — from new restaurant openings and operational turnarounds to third-party delivery management, compliance, staffing, and financial performance.

Sojin brings an operator-first perspective shaped by over 15 years in hospitality, including over a decade managing restaurants across the Puget Sound region and progressing through frontline roles to General Manager and Director of Operations. His operational background includes managing high-volume venues such as the Hard Rock Cafe in Las Vegas — a track record that directly informs Heard Consulting's work with operators today.

He has deep roots in the Seattle, South King County, and greater Eastside business and civic community. His nonprofit governance experience includes an elected board seat with a regional nonprofit association representing more than 100 member organizations, along with board service for a community nonprofit focused on education, public safety, and equity for underserved populations. He is also the founder of ShiftCert, a certification and compliance tracking platform built for restaurant and hospitality operators.

Fully bilingual in English and Spanish and trained as a medical interpreter, Sojin is also a ServSafe and ManageFirst Instructor/Proctor. He leads one of the few firms in the region offering fully bilingual restaurant and hospitality consulting and certification services.