My Journey: Becoming a Social Media Manager...

It’s officially my very first blog (about time, I know).

So, I thought I’d take this as a bit of an opportunity to tell you a little more about me and my experience. Hopefully, this gives you a feel for who I am and helps you decide if we could be a good fit when working together.

As I’m sitting here writing this, I have coffee in my favourite mug and a sweet treat nearby (give me two minutes and it’ll be gone). So, it’s only right that you do the same! Get cosy, grab yourself a treat, and enjoy reading!

Me B.C. (Before Chronically being online…)

I’ve loved creating content since the age of nine. Yep, you heard me. I was just nine years old when I started. Let me explain…

You know that (annoying) child at family functions who always has a camera in hand, trying to get people to wave, smile, or just document what’s going on? Well, that was me.

You name it, birthdays, New Year’s Eve parties, Christmas, or even just recording myself singing, convinced I was destined to become a singer and wanting to have a cool montage showing my history ahead of my X-Factor debut. (If you’re reading this and don’t know what X-Factor is, you’re too young, I’m afraid.) It’s safe to say I documented EVERYTHING!

Now, I know what you’re thinking... none of this is actually related to what I do now. But it kind of is.

From this age, I had a passion for capturing special moments and valued reflecting on them. Not just for myself, but for others too. And people have certainly enjoyed those videos of me trying to sing… just not in the way nine-year-old me had hoped.

Getting people to feel comfortable and show their authentic selves in front of the camera was part of that too. And over time, that little girl with a hobby developed it into a… career???

Now, don’t get me wrong, while I’ve always enjoyed content creation, it hasn’t always been what I wanted to do. There were many things I considered. I mean, MANY.

From midwife to makeup artist, to vet, and even a fairy (according to five-year-old me, who proudly shared this with her class), I’ve wanted to try so many things. But that’s the beauty of my job. I work with SO many different businesses, spanning multiple industries. And while many people advise you to “niche down,” quite frankly, I love the variety of clients I work with.

I learn so much all the time, and working with people in different sectors keeps my passion alive. It inspires me to keep learning and growing, both inside and outside of my role.

Maybe that’s one of the reasons why I’m so passionate about what I do??

So, how did I actually end up here?

Well, it’s certainly been a journey, that’s for sure. Buckle up…

As I mentioned, I considered many career paths. I actually began studying nursing and paramedics, determined to become a midwife. I’m still not quite sure how I thought that’d be possible, considering I’m absolutely petrified of blood. But I can’t say I didn’t try, right?

After realising this was not for me, my thoughts turned to fashion… honestly, I’m a nightmare, I know. I worked in a high street retailer for some time, working my way up the ranks, dabbling in visual merchandising now and then. It opened my eyes to jobs available in the fashion industry aside from fashion design, which I am terrible at as quite frankly I can’t draw to save my life.

Fast forward a few years… I studied International Fashion Business at university. In true Laura Kate fashion, I had career doubts (oh, what a shocker). University was tough, and I often questioned whether fashion was the right fit, and if I was even good enough. But I never wanted to give up. 

Determined to make something of my studies, I explored avenues related to marketing and writing, as this was something I had always been passionate about. That’s where I found an internship, which turned into my first “big girl” job in PR and Social Media.

I’ve always struggled with imposter syndrome, but it wasn’t until that internship that I realised, “I’ve actually found something I’m good at, enjoy, and can probably do well in.” HOORAH!!!

After university, I followed this path and worked in a number of social media roles, each very different. I worked in roles where capturing content at an airport was the main focus, and others where developing strategies and creating social media graphics was key. I learned a lot from them all and am super proud of the opportunities I achieved. But after some time, I realised I wanted to give more.

I wanted to build meaningful relationships with people and help them achieve results that would take their business to a whole new level. I’ve always loved helping people, and I get such a buzz knowing I’ve made a positive difference!

I wanted to do this by blending the skills I had learned from previous roles, to ensure people were getting the best service possible and actually understood why I do what I do.

You see, I’ve worked in roles where people at the top haven’t cared much about service. They see it as just a transaction, and to be honest, I found that quite sad. To me, my job is more than a job. I mean it when I say I’m super passionate. (Please don’t hate me for being cringey).

There are tough days, when even now I question myself. But then I think back to that nine-year-old girl with a passion for capturing content, and that university student who realised during her internship that she was capable. And I keep going.

Well, I think that just about covers everything. I could probably keep going, but I do tend to waffle from time to time, so I’ll stop here.

My coffee has been drunk, and my dreams of being a fairy still exist…but I suppose not all dreams can come true (there is still hope).

Thank you so so much for taking the time to read this. I hope you enjoyed getting to know me a little better, and I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Laura xo