“If I hear the word ‘No’ I say, I guess you’re not the person that I’m supposed to be talking to.” – Raven Symone
Name: Lindsey C. Holmes
Age: 28
What exactly do you do for a living?
I own a digital marketing agency. We create social media campaigns, digital installations, and brand businesses online.
What state do you represent?
From Washington D.C., consider my second home NYC, currently reside in Newark, NJ.
Did you go to college? Where?
Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY
What did you study there?
I was a theatre major and a writing minor. Sarah Lawrence is a liberal arts school. We actually had “concentrations” instead of majors.
Why on earth did you choose this career path and how did you get involved in it?
It definitely chose me. I owned a real estate brokerage where I had to learn to market cost effectively. I was young as a broker in NYC and had no marketing budget. Social Media was a no-brainer.
What are your future plans for your career?
Being branded a Thought Leader and touring the world speaking about Social Media in the ‘olden days.’ I am also a huge proponent of minority inclusion in Tech – women and minorities.
What are you in love with about this profession? What are you not so in love with?
It’s so new, I am always on the front-foot of discovery and action. I love adventures and excitement, so that’s right up my alley. As a Real Estate Broker I could never just have a brokerage. We were always creating new innovative real estate programs and incentives to get business. It kept business booming, but also kept me motivated. That’s just my personality. I love innovation… I also love Social Media’s ability to give ALL people access, which is something that we haven’t always seen before, especially in media industries; I honestly love what I do, but the hardest part for me is articulating something so new to potential clients. The learning curve is high. I love teaching about Social Media but hard when there is the pressure to make money too. 🙂 I also have problems with the current thought leadership in the industry. They typically don’t look like me. I want to change this. Quickly!
Give us an example of a day in the life of you doing what you do?
We currently have about 25 ongoing clients in which we manage or service their online social profiles. We also usually prepare/run about 4-5 campaigns a month. Campaigns are shorter terms, about 3 months, and are very intensive. I manage/learn from my *new* staff on innovations and insights in Social Media and Tech. I do this virtually mainly as I travel between D.C. and here (Newark) often. Personally, I am on the computer about 21-7. I don’t really sleep. Too much to do.
What steps do you recommend to someone who is planning to pursue this career?
1. Research the Social Media Marketing Industry, not just Social Media. Two very different things. Just because you like Social Media doesn’t mean you will like the marketing side.
2. Be ready to work to make a mark in this industry. The industry is saturated right now. Everyone is a Social Media Marketer. To set yourself apart you have to really prove that you know what you are doing/ saying.
3. Take classes and attend trade shows. The industry is rapidly changing and you have to be up to speed. Webinars are good, colleges are also starting to incorporate Social Media into their curriculums and trade shows have the best in Social Media thought leadership.
4. Practice what you preach! I hate seeing people that are “Social Media
Marketers or Experts (I especially hate this word)” that don’t even consistently tweet or have a Facebook business page. You have to practice what you preach. Your online social profiles should be active and engaging.
What is the single-most important piece of advice you can offer a person pursuing this career?
Just because you like being on Facebook doesn’t mean this is a career you should pursue. Social Media is so multi-faceted you have to know so many industries such as: marketing, PR, Tech (Search Engine Optimization for example) and more. You should do a lot of research on the industry – whether it’s Social Media or any industry.
What is the best piece of advice you have received?
“No deal is better than a bad deal.” – Kenneth Holmes, my dad.
What can we look forward to seeing from you next?
NAACP Leadership 500 Conference in May in Miami and Rutgers Law School in Newark in June.
What professional or community volunteer organizations are you currently a member of?
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated
New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO)
What’s a funny or significant memory from your college or high school days you are legally allowed to share?
I went to a boarding school and I remember devising a plan to “escape” – into the woods, in the middle of nowhere, on foot – my freshman year with my girls Yahmina and Christian. After lights out we packed up, they snuck into my room and left our bags by the door. The plan was to leave at 1AM. Lights out was at 10PM for freshman. That three hour wait time was clearly too long and we fell asleep together in the same room.
That was a huge problem, and when we overslept for class the next morning, we received demerits for being late and not being in our rooms after lights out. I had to clean the horse stables and gather the recycling from every dorm for about 3 weeks. It was horrible.
What book are you reading right now?
A Perfect Fit by Luther Wright
What’s playing in your MP3 player right now?
Six Foot, Seven Foot – Lil Wayne
Where can we stalk you online?
Iʼm everywhere.
Facebook Fanpage: Facebook.com/LCHBusiness
Twitter: @lindseycholmes
LinkedIn: Lindseycholmes
Website: www.LCHBusiness.com
Evernote Shared Notebook: – http://lch.bz/LCHShared
Final words of advice
1. Ask for what you want, not for the money to get it. You yield to the money that way, not the desire. Desire is often more powerful than money.
2. Do vision boards and/or journal. You must see your goals in front of you daily.
Comments on this entry are closed.