Up Close With Social Media Entrepreneur Abby Moreau
Monday, May 20, 2013
Roger Williams University grad Abby Moreau has already launched her own social media consulting firm, Social Gal Abby.
Eager to learn more about Moreau as well as her plans for her company, GoLocal sat down with her right before graduation (Moreau graduated this weekend).
1. Where did you get the inspiration for Social Gal Abby?
When I sat down to apply for jobs in December, I was so disappointed. I couldn't find any jobs that caught my attention and I knew that sitting behind a desk wasn’t the right fit for me. I am a people person and like being able to be ‘out and about,’ meeting with different people rather than at a desk. I then decided to contact a mentor of a friend of mine named Sue Zimmerman. She encouraged me to start my own business. She helped me develop a company name and strategy. I love social media and understand the best ways to leverage these tools to drive a company’s brand and reputation in order to grow its customer base. That is my vision for Social Gal Abby. Not to mention being my own boss is pretty spectacular as well!
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Any companies who need help with their social media strategy and presence. I would love to work with clients who aren't scared of being creative and taking some risks. I am a creative person and love working with and interacting with others who like to take creative risks. You never know if something works unless you try. Social media is unique in that you can garner immediate feedback from customers if they like the ideas or not! I would like to work with the smaller companies while also running large-scale social media campaigns for big, reputable brands.
3. What kind of success have you had so far with Social Gal Abby?
Since launching in February, I have had five clients. They have ranged from a nutritionist, personal trainer, large photo organization, and even a jewelry company. Each client is different and I love being able to tailor the social media campaigns and projects to each one’s individual goals. That’s what I love about being able to work side by side with the clients. Each one is different. It makes it so much fun for me to be able to work across various sectors of business whether building social media platforms for companies from the ground up or helping to mange and drive a more powerful social media campaign.
4. What are your plans for the future with Social Gal Abby?
I want to grow and expand Social Gal Abby. Ideally I want to have a few employees working for me so that I can take on new, big name corporate clients to help them direct their social media strategies. This would allow me to take on new projects that I want to work on like writing a book that profiles what its like to be a young entrepreneur. I think it would be helpful for other young entrepreneurs out there like me. A lot of the professionals in the market are generally older, or just not in their early twenties like me!
I want to share my success story with others and prove you don't have to go to Harvard and then drop out to be a success story. Attending the Gabelli School of Business at Roger Williams University provided me the well-rounded knowledge I need to launch my own business. With a degree in economics, it helps me to see the bigger picture of business, which is also very important. I would also love to eventually open up my own boutique. There are so many ideas that I have for other businesses and I can't wait to see them all unfold in the future!
5. What has been the biggest challenge so far for you and your company?
Finishing school! I am so focused on my clients and business that I kept forgetting that I was still a senior at Roger Williams University. Luckily, all of my clients are the absolute best and want me to finish school and enjoy the last couple of weeks. But I can't wait until next week when I won't have to focus on any classes, just my awesome business and clients.
6. Which social media platform do you enjoy using the most (Twitter, Instagram, etc.)?
Personally my favorite platforms are Twitter and Instagram. I love how you only have 140 characters on Twitter to get your point across. I am guilty of live tweeting television shows I am watching. It is so awesome to interact with others who are watching the same thing as you and thinking the same "what the heck" thoughts as well. Instagram is also great; who doesn't love pictures of your meal or outfit of the day. For businesses, I think that all of these platforms can be utilized to create a powerful online presence. Some may use all of them while others may just stick to Facebook. Again, it's different for each client and I love being able to help them navigate all of the social media platforms to drive their company’s goals.
7. What do you make of the declining popularity of Facebook among younger people?
I think that people will always use Facebook. Not only is it a way to keep in contact with others, but you can also find and engage with thousands of businesses and different brands. I think Facebook will bounce back. Honestly, I don't believe people are just going to start deleting their Facebook accounts. I would encourage business owners to continue to work on their Facebook presence because there will always be people searching for new information and Facebook is becoming an important tool for people doing just that.
Follow Abby on Twitter @socialgalabby, and check out her website too! www.socialgalabbyonline.com
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