For the final episode of our fourth season, we are joined by Franke Rodriguez, Partner and CEO of Anomaly, a global strategic and creative marketing agency. Franke’s desire to take Anomaly to new heights made him the perfect fit for his role as the youngest-ever CEO of their New York and Toronto offices, and he has worked with major blue-chip brands such as Nike, Budweiser, Captain Morgan, Carnival Cruises, and Google in their marketing missions. In today’s episode, he nerds out with us about staying hungry, being humble, and always being in “beta,” walking us through what that looks like practically for his teams at Anomaly. We discuss what the future of agency work looks like in a post-COVID world, how to preserve your team and culture as you grow, the value of investing in your people, and the ins and outs of creating a Super Bowl commercial. We also touch on creating the company you want to build by working backwards from a very specific vision, and talk about the power of a single impact brand moment versus broader social awareness, making this conversation equal parts inspirational and practical. Tune in today to learn more from Franke Rodriguez, a true ‘anomaly’ in the industry! Key Points From This Episode:Find out what Franke has been up to recently and how he is prioritizing work-life balance.Some of the ways that moving to a fully remote model changed the way he does business.What it means to Franke to be a leader during COVID: finding new ways to help people cope.His predictions for what Anomaly’s hybrid approach to work will look like post-COVID.The importance of having a vision, starting with the end in mind, and working back from there.Find out how Franke preserves team and company culture by focusing on joy. What an Anomaly holiday party looks like and what Franke means when he says, “What you celebrate, you duplicate.”How Franke nurtures Anomaly’s corporate values and the maxim: stay hungry, stay humble.Franke reflects on what ‘always in beta&apos; looks like at Anomaly and how they keep innovating.The process of creating a Super Bowl commercial from someone who has created nearly 30.Franke on whether or not Super Bowl campaigns are still effective and how they’ve evolved.The benefits of the single impact moment versus broader social awareness for brands.Some of the brands Anomaly has produced and why they have taken that approach.Learn more about Anomaly’s Funded program, which is like their own version of Shark Tank.Franke highlights the power of investing in your people by rewarding entrepreneurial spirit.Why committing to the culture means feeding it, nurturing it, and helping it grow.Franke on who is making waves right now and why: triple threat, Anthony Ramos.Final words of wisdom from Franke: creative storytellers are the ones that people will look to when the going gets tough.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Franke Rodriguez on LinkedInFranke Rodriguez on TwitterFranke Rodriguez on InstagramAnomalyAvec EricdosistObieThe Moto SocialLone River Ranch WaterAnthony Ramos on Instagram

Waves Social Podcast

S04 E09: Committing to Culture & Staying in Beta with Franke Rodriguez, Partner at Anomaly

Despite being an experienced flyer at the peak of her career, a panic attack brought on by the prospect of another plane journey changed Sophie Gray&apos;s life forever. Instead of getting on the plane, Sophie and her husband tackled the long trip home in a car while the panic attacks continued. It was then that she realized that she needed to change something. After setting out to learn about her own mental wellbeing, she founded DiveThru, a mental wellness platform that partners with mental health professionals to help people take charge of their mental well-being. In this episode, Sophie opens up and shares how she came to start DiveThru and we hear about how the platform separates itself from others in the space. Our conversation dives into Sophie&apos;s experience as a female tech founder and what it has been like raising capital, DiveThru&apos;s marketing and SEO strategies, and advice for those looking to launch or grow their own startup. Tune in to hear it all! Key Points From This Episode:Get to know today&apos;s guest, Sophie Gray, and the circumstances that led her to launch DiveThru. What happened after the panic attack that changed Sophie’s life, and the decisions she made after. Sophie&apos;s advice for those who feel like they might be headed toward burnout. How Sophie achieved early success on Instagram. What DiveThru offers and the unique services the platform offers. Sophie’s perspective on toxic positivity, and what it really means to  take care of your mental health. How Sophie feels about being a tech founder, a title she was reluctant to hold. Sophie&apos;s experience fundraising and the challenges she has faced. Advice for those who are looking to raise funds for their startups. Strategies that DiveThru has used to drive adoption. DiveThru&apos;s SEO strategy and the results that this has produced. Why the company decided to create a podcast network. What the DiveThru team looks like currently and the roles they occupy. The fulfillment Sophie feels from building a truly healthy workplace. DiveThru&apos;s reach and the markets they have set their sights on. Why it is so important that most of DiveThru is free. The distinction that set DiveThru apart from competitors. Who Sophie thinks is making waves.Tweetables: “We often think that our mind is overthinking; we know we&apos;re anxious and we can label it, but when have we actually paused and enquired about that feeling?” — @iamsophiegray [0:11:42]“It&apos;s interesting to see how the industry I come from isn&apos;t necessarily respected in the way that other backgrounds are in tech.” — @iamsophiegray [0:25:17]“Get very clear on the mission of your company, what you&apos;re looking to accomplish because you will face so much rejection that you need to be able to validate yourself.” — @iamsophiegray [0:30:37]“For us, mental health access is the number one priority.” — @iamsophiegray [0:43:52] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Sophie GrayDiveThruThe Power of NowWhitney Wolfe Herd

S04 E08: Looking Inward and Going Global with Sophie Gray, Founder of DiveThru

Today on the podcast, we welcome Sara McCabe, business coach, consultant, box-breaker, and not-so-secret dancer. After spending over a decade leading and developing teams across North America, she left the corporate world to help creative entrepreneurs work and lead in a way that actually works for them. Sara is Mitzi’s personal business coach or, as Mitzi likes to say, her ‘business therapist’ and, in this episode, she shares some of her business consulting strategies, coaching skills, and advice for creative entrepreneurs who are ready to start building the business they want. We discuss the antidote to your unhealthy relationship with work, how to set boundaries and create space for creativity, as well as intrinsic motivation and how that translates to your values as a person and a business leader. Anyone who works within a team or leads a team will gain immense value from this episode, but everyone will benefit from Sara’s specific brand of candid insight, goofy anecdotes, and practical advice. After all, it’s not just about leading a team; it’s also about leading yourself. Tune in today!Key Points From This Episode:An introduction to Sara McCabe and how she found coaching by asking ‘why?’Why Sara’s definition of coaching involves treating the people she works with as the experts.How she empowers her clients to redefine leadership for themselves through collaboration.Making an ethos tangible by shaping systems and structures around it.Hear the story of when Sara decided to pursue leadership coaching full-time.Why you can’t lead a team or a business if you don’t truly understand yourself.Learn about her digital presence and why she chose to represent herself candidly.What she has learned about boundaries; the antidote to an unhealthy relationship with work.Hear about some of her personal boundaries, including keeping her work laptop in her office.Find out why she suggests checking in with yourself before engaging with content.Sara shares how she uses a Notion dashboard to plan her TikTok content.Some deeper insight into her TikTok content strategy, including how she scripts’ the hook’.TikTok versus Instagram communities and why Sara prefers the intimacy of Instagram.Where Sara has seen the best ROI in her marketing strategy; TikTok for growth, Instagram for building relationships, newsletters for launching.How she remains consistent in her offerings by redefining what ‘consistency’ mean to her.Sara elaborates on the importance of building systems that are conducive with who you are and what you want to create.Why clearly defining your values is key to help you make decisions and build your business.Intrinsic motivation and how it translates to your values as a person and a business leader.Defining your values as a business versus as a team; shaping company culture at scale.Who is making waves and why: Lillian ‘FlexMami’ Ahenkan and Maceo Paisley.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Sara McCabeSara McCabe on LinkedInSara McCabe on InstagramSara McCabe on TikTokLaunch It – Discount Code: WAVESNotionLillian ‘FlexMami’ Ahenkan on InstagramFlexMamiThe Success ExperimentMaceo Paisley

S04 E07: Setting Healthy Boundaries and Leading Yourself with Sara McCabe, Leadership Coach

Welcome to our first ever ask-us-anything episode, where your hosts, Mike and Mitzi, answer the questions you’ve been asking on Instagram. Many of you may know that we run an award-winning digital agency called Arcade Studios, which specializes in digital strategy, content production, social media, and email marketing. Our company has doubled in size over the last year and, in order to scale our agency that quickly we have had to learn a lot of important lessons along the way! In today’s episode, we unpack some of those learnings and we look back on our highlights from the last 12 months, such as landing our first celebrity client and winning our first Webby Award. We believe that there is so much potential in digital marketing, now more than ever, which is why we have decided to pull back the curtain on how we have built our business, how others can learn from our mistakes, and how to establish healthy relationships. While this episode will obviously be beneficial for listeners looking to start agencies, launch their freelance careers, or build their teams, creatives and entrepreneurs will also gain value from our insights into finding clients, evaluating new hires, and balancing personal and work commitments. We also touch on our exit strategy, why we started a podcast, and what parenthood has taught us about our business. Make sure to tune into this jam-packed conversation today! Key Points From This Episode:Mitzi reflects on the moment that inspired us to start Arcade Studios.Get a glimpse into our rebrand and how we figured out what to call our new agency.How we found clients in the beginning (and still do): through our network and referrals.Find out why Mike says that the hardest part of his job is being involved in execution.Mitzi shares her struggle with client services, especially in moments of conflict.How we navigate losing a client, especially when we invest so heavily in our relationships.How we have worked to distinguish our business identity from our personal identities.The importance of ending a client relationship on a positive note; never burn a bridge!What we look for in our new hires, from hunger and humility to how you use social media.The value of using the word ‘we’ more than ‘I’ and demonstrating curiosity.We defend our reputation for hiring our friends; being friends with someone on the team will get you through the door, but it won’t keep you there!Balancing personal and work commitments and why we describe ourselves as ‘busy flexible’.How Mike developed the awareness to prioritize his commitments based on self awareness.The benefits we have seen in shifting from a poverty mindset to one of abundance.We share some of our big ideas for new businesses, podcasts, and brands.Find out why we would sell Arcade in the future and what a past offer taught us about the value of our company.Mitzi on why we started a podcast as an outlet for thought leadership and connection.Some of the differences between a blog and a podcast and the benefits of each format.The podcast as a marketing channel for the agency, one that isn’t directly profitable.Opening another office in a different city and viewing office space as a luxury post-COVID.Kanye versus Drake, guilty pleasures like fantasy football or reality TV, and more!What parenthood teaches us about business, including patience and embracing the process.Rapid-fire finale: find out who is funnier, who is the better cook, who needs more sleep, which of us is a picky eater, and more! Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Mitzi Payne on InstagramMike Payne on Instagram

S04 E06: Ask-Us-Anything: Why We Chose Not to Sell in 2020 with Mitzi & Mike Payne of Arcade Studios

Today’s guests join us to talk about digital advertising and paid media. Affectionately known as our very own ‘Paid Papis&apos;, Josiah Sinanan and Benjamin Velazquez bring tons of expertise on the subject. Josiah is the Digital Lead at Arcade Studios, where he provides an array of unique clients from e-commerce to entertainment with paid media strategy and execution. Josiah oversees digital advertising activities for these clients across platforms such as Google, Facebook, and Instagram, and emerging platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Pinterest. Benjamin is a Digital Coordinator at Arcade with a passion for helping founders and entrepreneurs humanize their brands to position themselves as leaders in their respective industries. He is an active leader and learner in the digital marketing industry, striving for both self and brand improvement while contributing to overall success. In this episode, we talk to Josiah and Benjamin about the huge impact that the iOS 14 update has had on Facebook data collection and what this means for advertisers, including some of the workarounds, strategies, and alternative platforms that brands can take advantage of as the need to diversify their channels increases. We also touch on ad creative for new platforms like TikTok, the importance of knowing thyself and thy audience, and the effectiveness of UGC (user-generated content), as well as how to allocate your advertising budget depending on your goals and the platform. Tune in today for all this and more from our advertising experts, Josiah Sinanan and Benjamin Velazquez!Key Points From This Episode:An introduction to Josiah Sinanan and how he came to be digital lead at Arcade Studios.What excites Josiah about advertising and digital marketing, including how diverse it can be.A day in the life of an advertiser, from tracking trends to client facing activity.Meet Benjamin Velazquez and hear about his passions and how he came to work at Arcade.What a day in the life looks like, staying on top of strategy and community management.  The impact of iOS 14 on Facebook data collection and what it means for advertisers.How Ben and Josiah combatted the impact on ads, starting with educating clients.Which Facebook tools to take note of; Automatic Advanced Matching and Conversions API.Alternative platforms to take advantage of as the need to diversify your channels increases, such as Google and even Snapchat.Some of the most obvious points of impact, from top funnel activity to interest targeting.How to use Facebook features like Lookalike Audiences and Call-to-Action targeting.Why Facebook ads aren’t dead; how Ben views this as an opportunity for innovation.How brands can make platforms work together to get the best ROI; intentional platform use.Josiah suggests some creative strategies for brands focused on traffic rather than sales.Learn more about implementing a boosting strategy for your social media presence.Mitzi weights in on whether or not email automations are replacing retargeting ad sets.The value of investing in ad creative for platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, and Pinterest.Ben emphasizes the importance of knowing your brand and knowing your audience. Tailoring your creative to each specific audience and platform in a multi-platform strategy.Examples of ad creative that Ben and Josiah feel are effective, like no name on TikTok.How effective UGC (user-generated content) is and why brands are encouraged to use it in a thoughtful and intentional way.Who Ben and Josiah think is making waves in the industry, like MANSCAPED and Breda.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Josiah Sinanan on LinkedIn

S04 E05: Is Facebook Advertising Dead? With Josiah Sinanan and Benjamin Velázquez of Arcade Studios

Today on the show, we speak with Lars Bengston, Chief Content Officer at Havas Health & You. Lars has built his career partnering with some of the world’s most ambitious brands and creatives, which you’ll learn a bit more about this interview. He joined Havas Health & You this year as their CCO, with the mission to help the global health industry recognize and actualize their ability to create content that builds deeper and more meaningful connections with HCPs and patients. He came from the world of VICE Media, where he ran integrated marketing and commercial publishing for VICE.com. He also worked with us as the ‘partnership architect’ on Some Good News, as well as at Thrive Global with the one and only Arianna Huffington, helping the lives of both people and corporations through engaging content that inspired them to take action in service of their audience. All this to say: Lars is obsessed with good storytelling and its power to change lives for the better. Some of the topics we cover in this episode include how Lars positioned himself for his dream job with no experience or any real inside connections, how creating reciprocal exchanges of value can set up great partnerships, and the concept of integrated marketing, which isn’t what you expect! Lars shares his belief that, in order to become a great leader, you have to become a better person, lead with passion, and take things less seriously. We also touch on the importance of allowing the story to dictate the format, not the other way around, what informed the success of Some Good News’ brand partnerships, and why the healthcare industry is like the last unturned stone of creativity and audience engagement, as well as the importance of hiring people you like, plus a whole lot more, so make sure not to miss this jam-packed conversation with storyteller extraordinaire, Lars Bengston!Key Points From This Episode:An introduction to Lars Bengston, jumping into his career story just as he got out of college.Find out how Lars used a mutual connection on LinkedIn to get himself a job at VICE.Advice for any young adult wrestling with career options: start with what makes you happy.What Lars’ role as creative development coordinator at VICE looked like.How he made the come up to publisher by relentlessly pursuing actualization and meaning.Lars distills great storytelling into a few key points, like allowing the story to dictate the format.Understand that most of your effort should be put into pre-production and finding the story.Lars sums up his six years at VICE in three words: informative, outrageous, and absurd.Hear about his transition to Thrive Global and how he redefined what ‘cool’ meant to him.Brand partnerships 101: the benefits of creating a reciprocal exchange of value.How Spotify has built partnerships that are endemic to what their audience is looking for.The importance of interrogating your underlying purpose when creating brand partnerships.Learn about integrated marketing; the inherent quest to better understand your audience.How ‘integrated entertainment’ informed the success of Some Good News in 2020.Get an overview of Lars’ role at Some Good News, connecting big brands with big ideas.What it meant to Lars to be invited to work on Some Good News at the height COVID-19.The internal compass that guided Lars to turn partnerships into ‘giving moments’ that also earned brands high volumes of press and credibility.Creating reciprocal value before a brand had experienced it as the ‘partnership architect’.Advice for building teams and becoming a better leader; hire people smarter than you.The importance of hiring people you like and growing as a team.Who is making waves right now in Lars’ opinion: the creators of the world!

S04 E04: Creating Partnerships that People Actually Talk About with Lars Bengston, Chief Content Officer at Havas Health & You

A few years ago, Alexander Simonelli, who had no prior experience in the food and beverage industry, swapped out his condo and his sales job for his parents’ home and a big idea, which evolved into a one-of-a-kind company; Daydream. A sugar-free, flavored sparkling water, infused with adaptogens that reduce stress, and a digital-native brand strategy, Daydream is unlike any other product on the market. In today’s episode, Alex shares some insider information as Daydream’s Founder and CEO about the lucky break that helped him establish who his target market is, the people who have been instrumental in helping him build his business, and why he puts a huge amount of resources into marketing and doesn’t often offer discounts, as well as what he is hoping to achieve with his products (which are mesmerizingly packaged and absolutely delicious)! Daydream is not just a beverage, it’s a lifestyle brand, a work of art, and possibly the future of functional drinks. Make sure to tune in today to learn more about living in the moment, taking big risks, and reimagining the functional beverages industry!Key Points From This Episode:Why Alex thinks his lack of experience benefited him on his journey as Founder of Daydream.What Alex’s goal for Daydream was: to create something that was his art to the world.Alex explains what he loves about adaptogens and why he chose to put them in his product. Learn more about the minimal calories in Daydream drinks. Some of the big life changes Alex made when he started his business. Hear about the lucky break that Alex had early on.Advice from Alex about figuring out your target market: don’t spread yourself too thinWhy he chose to launch as a digital native brand. Find out how Alex intended for people to interact with his products. Plans that Alex has for the future of Daydream.The large amount of use cases that Daydream has, and why.Discover the valuable lessons that Alex learned from Red Bull.Learn more about Alex’s resource-heavy approach to marketing his products. How Alex feels about offering discounts; why he doesn’t do it often.The process of developing the brand concept. Where Alex’s idea for creating links between the different Daydream cans came from.Some of the vital members of Alex’s team.  Hear one of the core principles that Alex lives by. Alex shares a story about the billboards he was encouraged to put up. Another story, which highlights the importance of getting your price point right. Other brands that Alex thinks are making waves online.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:DaydreamDaydream on InstagramDaydream on Twitter

S04 E03: Turning a Daydream Into a Design-led Brand with Alex Simonelli

Why is it so difficult to meet other cool women? Rachel Wong and Istiana Bestari asked themselves this over and over again while attempting to make meaningful connections through boring networking events and male-dominated workplaces. Intent on finding a better way to build their careers, they cofounded Monday Girl, Canada’s first social club for professional women. With over 4,000 active members and more than 18 sold-out venues featuring industry icons, Monday Girl is now the fastest-growing community for ambitious, young, and like-minded professional women in Canada. Starting out as an event series, Monday Girl has expanded into a fully-fledged digital ecosystem that includes a newsletter, social media communities and, most recently, a podcast. In today’s episode, Rachel and Istiana share some stories from the early days of Monday Girl and explain how they hosted great events that people actually wanted to show up to. We also touch on why networking sucks when there is so much power in connection, building content streams like a great newsletter and a podcast, and why email is more relevant than ever (trust us, it is!), as well as why the nine-to-five working model is slowly but surely being rendered obsolete and Rachel and Istiana’s thoughts on a better approach to work. Tune in today to learn more!Key Points From This Episode:Rachel shares how she met Istiana and how they work from different cities.What Monday Girl is, who it was created for, and how it works for young, diverse women.Their new membership platform, Social Club, and how the name, Monday Girl, originated.Monday Club’s audience and why they decided to keep their focus local to Canada.How Rachel and Istiana create content using community feedback.Istiana reflects on the quantitative engagement and qualitative value of their content.Advice for those intimidated by Reels: how to capture attention in the first three seconds.Rachel explains why Monday Girl decided to build a more informal email newsletter. Why email is more relevant than ever; engaging on a more personal level than social media.Tips for launching a compelling newsletter, starting with making it a joy to open.Hear the story of Monday Girl’s first event, which was so much more than just a brunch!The value of inviting incredible speakers and how their events have evolved during COVID.How Social Club works to make building a career far less boring (and less lonely).Creating safe spaces for diverse women, connecting them with mentors that look like them, and making them aware of the opportunities available.Learn about Monday Girl’s upcoming podcast, TGIM, which focuses on representation.Why the nine-to-five lifestyle didn&apos;t work for Istiana and her advice for those who relate. Who Rachel and Istiana believe are making waves, including Mindy Kaling.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Istiana Bestari on LinkedInIstiana Bestari on InstagramRachel Wong on LinkedInRachel Wong on TwitterRachel Wong on InstagramMonday GirlMonday Girl Social ClubMonday Girl on InstagramTGIM PodcastVSP ConsignmentMindy Kaling

S04 E02: How to Take Your IRL Community Digital with Istiana Bestari and Rachel Wong, Co-Founders of Monday Girl

Welcome back to Waves Social! We waste no time kicking off season 4 with an incredible guest, Lissette Calveiro, a renowned Latina business coach, entrepreneur, and content creator. In 2020, Lissette was named a top 10 social media coach by Yahoo Mail, and she also received a Shorty Award for her Kindness Cards campaign. In today’s episode, Lissette shares how she got started in influencer marketing and how she translated her agency experience to the world of influencing. Although there is a growing stigma around the word influencer, Lissette believes that if you are connected to a set of values, you can spread a positive message. This does not necessarily mean you have a social impact message, but it does mean that you have to be intentional with what you are putting out there. We dive into the true value of community and why it is important to differentiate between followers and community. It is no longer enough to just look at the number of followers you have but to understand how engaged your community is. It might seem impossible to create a community at this stage, but it is more possible than ever. We also talk about time management, where Lissette shares how she makes her days work for her, the importance of disconnecting, and the value of speaking a language that people understand.  Key Points From This Episode:Get to know today’s guest, Lissette Calveiro. Details about our season 4 merch we are dropping soon. Lissette’s career journey and how she came to influencing and influencer marketing. What Lissette learned from her time at an agency and how she applies it to her work today. Major lessons Lissette learned through her client services work. Details about The Shorty Award Lissette won and why it was especially meaningful to her. The practicalities behind running a campaign for an organization that is not attached to a brand. How Lissette’s upbringing and her identity as a Latina influence her day-to-day and how she runs her business. Lissette’s definition of influencer and how it links to the difference between community and followers. How to measure community and what signals the health of your community. What influencers can do to truly connect with their communities. Top tips on how to get past your fears of social media Lives. Why influencer impact is so important to Lissette. How brands can be more intentional about their marketing.  What influencers can do to use their communities for the greater good. Lissette’s advice for how you can become more consistent in content production. How Lissette approaches batching and why this is so efficient for her. The value of producing content for a range of platforms.  Lissette’s take on virality and which platforms are best to go viral on. What a typical workday looks like for Lissette and how she uses time-blocking. Whether or not it is too late to become an influencer. What it means to find your niche and how this helps you hone in on your story. Why Lissette chooses not to share her whole life on social media. Who Lissette thinks is currently making waves online.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Influence With ImpactLissette Calveiro on InstagramThe Shorty AwardsThe Kindness Card ExperimentZiweMerch Discount Code — outofoffice

S04 E01: Keys to Creating Meaningful Connections and Making an Impact With Social Media Coach Lissette Calveiro

A collective approach to connectedness might seem a bit obvious, but today’s guest has blazed a trail that embraces new forms of digital interaction to create deeper levels of community. Scott Bakken is passionate about creating spaces where people can connect and build authentic relationships. He is the Founder and Creative Director of Socality, a creative community designed to connect and inspire cultural contributors to use social media for community impact. He has helped brands and organizations with the development of their social platforms, providing consulting services to those who are interested in growing their social presence, and he is also a father, husband, speaker, and commercial photographer committed to helping others experience their best life. Listening in, you’ll hear how he has pivoted his strategy as a travel influencer while the pandemic has prevented him from traveling, learning to make the most of his own backyard. Businesses, startups, and brands will gain a lot of value in the early parts of this conversation that pertain to pitching your vision and making use of volunteers before you can take on paid staff. Learn more about the power of collective reach, hear Scott’s opinion of Clubhouse and where social media is headed, and find out the importance of distinguishing between shareable moments and in-the-moment experiences, all in today’s episode of the Waves Social Podcast.Key Points From This Episode:Scott shares a brief introduction to who he is and what he does.Find out how Socality started with Scott’s personal desire to identify a community group.How connections spread and the network grew in the early days of Socality.The power of collective reach; Scott’s launch strategy was to meet people, share vision, repeat.Learn about what Scott did right, including giving himself enough time to launch.What he learned from his biggest mistake and why he advises that you have a pre and post-launch plan in place.How Scott made use of willing volunteers to build the business in a non-transactional way.The importance of celebrating wins, both big and small, and honoring your team.Socality’s transition from volunteers and decentralized work to paid staff in an office space.Scott shares his perspectives on Clubhouse; how it is reintroducing voice to social.Tips and tricks for those just getting started on Clubhouse, including having a plan, bringing value, and helping to be solutions-oriented.Scott reflects on a recent Clubhouse conversation he hosted: Is Instagram Dead?Find out how he has pivoted as Instagram has evolved, including creating relatable content.Why he believes that not every moment has to be shared; if you can identify between the two, it will help bring balance.How Scott feels about social as a parent and his position on his children having devices and platforms of their own.Discover how Scott got into photography and why, for him, it’s about what is behind the photo.Hear how Scott has changed his content and approach during COVID by making the most of his own backyard.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Scott Bakken on LinkedInScott Bakken on TwitterScott Bakken on InstagramScott BakkenSocalityThe Socality ShowPaul TellefsenClubhouseTikTok

S03 E11: Building Your Social Platform, From Vision to Reality with Scott Bakken, Founder of Socality

If the pandemic has reminded brands of anything, it is the value of data as a catalyst for efficient, effective marketing and a foundation for future business growth. If you want to hack success and discover growth opportunities, however, you need to track and measure actionable data, not vanity metrics, and today’s guest has some practical advice for understanding the difference. Andrew Weiss is a veteran social media marketer and digital strategist that worked with the Arcade team on Some Good News for John Krasinski. From agency to brand, Andrew is passionate about community and insights. He got into social media before it was the big, important part of digital marketing that it is today, and he has some interesting insights to share about data, which he approaches like a source of truth for future success. Tuning in, you’ll find out why all social media marketers should be paying better attention to data and how they can use data as a resource that is directly in line with impact and revenue, rather than reporting on vanity metrics that don’t inform future strategies or present success. Of course, you’ll hear all about the Some Good News project with John Krasinski, but Andrew also shares some incredible statistics from his work with When We All Vote, an organization changing the culture around voting using a data-driven and multifaceted digital approach to increase participation in elections. He emphasizes the power of educational content and shares his tips for learning from what doesn’t work, using social to thoroughly understand your target demographic, and defining success without celebrity endorsements, so make sure to tune in today to learn more!Key Points From This Episode:Back to the beginning: how Andrew got into digital marketing and what his path looked like.The value of internships and how he built up his resume with innovative digital projects.Hear about the first opportunity that stuck for him; the rise of social media marketing.Andrew’s soft spot for community and how it has enabled him to impact content, partnerships, business objectives, and customer service.He reflects on what made Some Good News (SGN) so special: a highly engaged fan base.The power of the humble Google Sheet; the systems he used to track engagement for SGN.Andrew explains why this project was so fulfilling for him, both professionally and personally.What the goals were for When We All Vote and his experience of working with them in 2020.From a digital-first to a digital-only strategy; using digital marketing to drive people to vote.The Instagram-first platform strategy Andrew used and why Twitter came in second.How educational content helped When We All Vote grow their audience in a meaningful way.Some of the other wins he witnessed; information over branding and a completely new form of influencer marketing.Translating social media metrics into more digestible terms; actionable versus vanity metrics.Andrew’s tips for those who may be building social campaigns in the political sphere: don’t be afraid to learn from what doesn’t work!Viewing followers as a number to achieve versus a complete breakdown of your audience.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Andrew Weiss on LinkedInSome Good NewsWhen We All Voteso you want to talk about… on InstagramZenerations on Instagram‘Digital learning tools arrive on TikTok’

S03 E10: Data as a Source of Truth With Social Media Expert, Andrew Weiss

Influencer marketing thrived in 2020. Lockdowns led to increased social media usage and drastic changes in consumer behavior, and brands needed to pivot quickly to adapt. With an ever-increasing number of brands choosing independent content creators over traditional advertising, influencers need to know more than ever how to navigate this space and make money doing it. Today’s guest is Tanisha Cherry, a Black fashion, lifestyle, and travel influencer from Canada with over 16,000 supporters on Instagram. She loves to share helpful information with others and has worked with brands such as Captain Morgan, Strongbow, La Vie en Rose, Farmacy, and more that you will hear about during the course of today’s episode. The content of this interview is pretty specific to influencer marketing, but you will find it relevant whether you are a solopreneur, freelancer, or anything in between. Tanisha is an outspoken advocate for influencers actually getting paid for the work that they do and she has an intimate understanding of why influencer marketing is important for brands, how brands are capitalizing on these partnerships, and, most importantly, how influencers can negotiate and leverage these relationships to their benefit. Tanisha shares a lot of practical insight into determining your rates, coordinating gifting campaigns, and getting gigs, as well as tracking the brands you want to work with and creating strategic content, so make sure to tune in today to learn more! Key Points From This Episode:Tanisha’s journey to becoming a content creator, starting with her love for social media.How 2020 changed her relationship with social media and the content she was producing.Find out how the pandemic inspired fewer filters and more vulnerability on social media.Hear Tanisha’s opinion of Clubhouse and how she has used it to educate other influencers.Learn about some of her first brand partnerships and hear her advice for ensuring that you are fairly compensated.Why she believes that unpaid brand partnerships are not fair exchanges or opportunities.How she deals with gifted campaigns by sending back her rates.Let’s talk about rates; Tanisha explains how influencers can charge what they are worth.Brands will take advantage of the fact that influencers don’t have insight into the marketing business, so educate yourself!Other factors to consider when deciding to engage in a brand partnership, such as their expectations and target audience.The value of communicating to a brand whether their product is a good fit with your audience.Why it is important for brands to curate their visual aesthetic before approaching an influencer.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Tanisha Cherry on LinkedInTanisha Cherry on InstagramTanisha Cherry on YouTubeTanisha Cherry on TwitterTanisha Cherry on PinterestCherry Lounge PodcastThe Creator Lounge on ClubhouseHayet Rida on InstagramMarianna Hewitt on InstagramTezza on InstagramMonroe Steele on Instagram

S03 E09: Influencer Marketing Essentials and Clubhouse Etiquette with Tanisha Cherry, Lifestyle Content Creator

Today’s guest is Alicia Johnston, Senior Manager of Content and Communications at Sprout Social, an exciting social media software company that enables brands and marketers to understand and reach their audience, engage their community, and measure performance. Alicia is the driving force behind all of the content on the Sprout Insights blog, covering the latest trends and guiding their data reports with a keen eye for spotting emerging trends in the digital space. This episode hinges on these emerging trends for 2021, and Alicia has some incredible insight into not just the practical side of social marketing and what is coming in the year ahead but also an important emotional perspective.One of the things that stands out about this interview is Alicia’s three-pronged approach to customer service, which entails understanding your role in creating an amazing customer experience, especially when it comes to social media. Tuning in, you’ll find out why Alicia believes that social media insights should be a huge determining factor in business objectives and decisions and the positive impact that regular check-ins can have on the mental health of social marketers after such a tumultuous year. She also shares her advice for small businesses, freelancers, and solopreneurs to build brand awareness and be part of the conversation, even without a team to turn to, and how brands can put diversity and empathy into action on social in strategic ways in 2021. Tune in today!Key Points From This Episode:Discover a bit more about Alicia’s career journey and how she got to where she is today.More about Sprout software and the role social plays in moving a business forward.Alicia explains how you can use social listening to inform your broader business strategy.Why influencers in all their forms are critical right now when everyone is working remotely.The value of content marketing for software companies and brands in the digital space.Examples of what smaller businesses can do with data to build brand awareness.Highlights from the most recent Sprout Social Index, including increased expectations for customer service through social media.Brands and TikTok; you don’t need a presence to stay informed about the trends!Alicia’s three-pronged approach to customer service: preemptive, reactive, and proactive.What social marketers can do better, including building what Alicia calls ‘cyclical loyalty’.The benefits of strategic silence versus ‘going dark’ when it comes to crisis communications.Why Alicia believes starting with curiosity is crucial when looking to enter the conversation.Advice for freelancers and solopreneurs who don’t have a team to turn to: be transparent.A key takeaway from 2020: why social media managers and teams need to be critical players in business decision making.The difficult but necessary conversations about the mental health of social media teams.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Alicia Johnston on LinkedInAlicia Johnston on TwitterSprout SocialInsights BlogJumpstart Your Content Strategy ChecklistBen & Jerry’s on TwitterBrené BrownJeni’s Ice Cream on InstagramJeni Britton Bauer on Instagram

S03 E08: Translating Social Media Insights Into Meaningful Business Outcomes With Alicia Johnston of Sprout Social

This episode is something a little different, in that your hosts, Mitzi and Mike Payne, are actually today’s guests. Linda Hoang on the Don’t Call Me a Guru Podcast, where they talked about the social media management they did for the global brand, Some Good News (SGN), a 2020 web series created as a way to spread positivity during the pandemic, hosted by American actor and filmmaker, John Krasinski. They share their approach and the lessons they learned while working on SGN’s social media, plus their advice for those doing similar work for organizations that might not be quite as fun as working for John Krasinski! You’ll also hear more about Mike and Mitzi’s backgrounds and some of Arcade’s portfolio highlights, as well as how they came to work with SGN, how they measured success for what was already a viral brand, and how they kept the audience engaged, even in-between seasons. Most importantly, they share their tips for rewarding engagement, dealing with the microscope of public opinion, and working under pressure when things change quickly, so make sure to tune in today!Key Points From This Episode:Learn more about Arcade and how they came to manage social media for SGN.What they did for SGN and what their approach was to creating a brand for the show.Measuring success for what was already a viral brand; making people happy and having a charitable impact as well.How big Arcade is in terms of staff and how many hands were on deck for this project.Some of the other creative teams that Arcade worked with on SGN, like Senior Post.The importance of bringing in support; you don’t have to be an expert in everything!Mike reflects on dealing with negativity or trolls on a project about positivity.The crowdsourcing structure Arcade used to identify micro influencer-esque talent, or what they called SGN Global Correspondents.How Mike and Mitzi kept SGN’s audience engaged, even in-between seasons.Maintaining momentum by providing value for your followers that isn’t part of the campaign.Mitzi shares some challenges, lessons, and personal highlights from this project.One of the biggest challenges for Mike was learning to adapt when things change quickly.How marketers are often looked at as money machines rather than difference-makers.Tips for working on accounts that aren’t as fun as SGN: do what is creative, not trendy, and focus on leadership, not obligation.To close, Mitzi encourages collaboration and connection for other social media managers.Why Mike believes it’s an evolution, not a revolution that helps us get where we need to go.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Some Good News (SGN) on InstagramSome Good News (SGN) on YouTubeDon’t Call Me a Guru PodcastMike Payne on TwitterMike Payne on LinkedInMitzi Payne on TwitterMitzi Payne on LinkedInArcade StudiosSenior PostMade In Network

S03 E07: Behind the Scenes of Some Good News — Mitzi and Mike Payne Join Linda Hoang on Don't Call Me a Guru to Unpack SGN

In the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of police in May 2020, protests against police brutality and racial injustice broke out across the US. In response, many of the world’s biggest brands issued statements of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement and, while the sentiment was all good and well, many people have called these companies out for making generic statements that ring hollow. Today’s guests are Melanie Trottier and Leah Sookoo, resident Social Media Lead and Creative Copywriter respectively at Arcade Studios. This episode will hopefully serve as a guide for brands and companies to show their support for Black and marginalized communities in real, actionable ways, rather than putting out statements of support that ring hollow. Tuning in, you’ll hear about the importance of the language that you use from Leah, and how she saw brands either detract from or contribute to the discourse around racial injustice in 2020. She also talks about the dangers of virtue signalling, gaslighting, and staying silent, and shares her advice for starting from a place of humility, being well versed in the issues you’re addressing, and never being afraid to vocalize your values. Melanie shares her perspective as a brand manager and talks about the importance of being specific about the issues that affect your customers. She also emphasizes why racial equality should be part of every company’s brand pillars, vision, and mission, highlights the importance of being available for queries on social media, and advises brands to include more diverse voices in their social media marketing and hire a professional to manage it. All this and so much more in today’s important episode, so make sure not to miss it!Key Points From This Episode:Melanie shares who she is and what her role at Arcade as social media lead entails.Learn more about Leah’s background and her role as the resident copywriter at Arcade.Why a lot of marketing ultimately comes down to communication and language.Leah talks about her side hustle: writing about fashion and sustainability, writing poetry.How the work Melanie does outside of her nine-to-five revolves around social media too.Melanie shares her perspective as a brand manager on how brands responded to the killing of George Floyd.How Leah saw people detract from or contribute to discourse in the digital response to BLM.How both virtue signalling and silence are problematic; what are you actually doing?Your audience is observant and they remember what you promised to do as a brand.Having the opportunity as an agency to be a leader and demand action from brands before helping them with their messaging.The importance of being specific about how an issue affects your customers.While many of Melanie’s clients wanted to be told what to do, there is no magic answer.Though it was not an easy or comfortable process, Leah believes it was a productive one.Why racial equality should be part of every company’s brand pillars, vision, and mission. Looking back and learning from how brands responded in 2020 as a freelancer or marketer.Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Melanie Trottier on LinkedInMelanie Trottier on TwitterMelanie Trottier on InstagramLeah Sookoo on LinkedInLeah Sookoo on InstagramKotnWaves Social PodcastWaves Social Merch

S03 E06: Navigating a Sensitive Social Media Climate with Melanie Trottier and Leah Sookoo

A podcast for social media marketers, digital advertisers, and modern entrepreneurs who want to stop chasing the tide and start making waves online. We sit down with the tastemakers and strategic minds behind some of the most engaged communities and up-and-coming brands to uncover the methodology behind their seismic impact.

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Waves Social Podcast

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