This blog topic was requested by Fayann Dsouza (@fayann.loves on Instagram).

Crowdsourcing blog ideas rocks because I know it will make a difference to as least one person. And as my workload increases, finding the time to write a blog is getting tough! But when my community speaks, I listen.

With this topic, I went one step further and asked my Snapchat community to share their number one tip for managing a remote team. I wanted a well-rounded point of view, and the feedback was great! Their Snapchat handles are included in parentheses.

The deal is, and it’s no secret – managing is a not an easy endeavor whether it’s in-house or with contracted/remote workers.

I will outline several strategies to be successful with remote management, but there’s a singular element that MUST be an active part of everything we do – communication.

Tough love time – I believe that communication solves everything, and to bypass it when managing a team (regardless of our busy schedules) is foolish. Teams are a direct reflection of our investment, and if it’s not working then it’s time to take an objective look in the mirror.

As managers, we can’t control everything or everyone, but we can be purposeful about learning to be better at what we do on a consistent basis.

“But how do I manage a team that I can’t see? How do I stay on top of what they’re doing? Or ensure they aren’t off playing video games or shopping at the mall?”

Short answer is – you don’t. [Read more…]

Snapchat, Snapchat – current owner of my social media heart. I love Snapchat. It’s the social network I’ve been spending the most time on, and not just because it’s fun.

But because the community is second to none.

A recent study said that Snapchat users aren’t buying anything, but I disagree wholeheartedly.

Several of my #SnapchatFam followers became NutriBullet users after watching me churn mine after morning workouts, influencer personalities have become the go-to way to promote for brands, and well, there’s no shortage of these stories.

Why? Because people buy based on recommendations from friends and family they know and trust.

That’s difficult when you’re a business. You have a service or product to sell, but want it come off as authentic and trustworthy. And that’s why it’s so crucial to build a community.

Think about it.

If you go to a restaurant and have a spectacular experience, how many people do you tell? And who are your friends going to listen to – you or a review from a random source?

That’s why building communities online is so important on every social network you invest in, but especially on Snapchat.

I’ve been hanging out on Snapchat for over 3 years now – waiting and watching for the world to catch on, and the end of 2015 belonged to Snapchat. It grew from 2 million uploads per day in October to 2 BILLION by December.

Talk about an explosion!

What’s so different about Snapchat? It’s raw, real, and ultra personal. It allows any and every brand the opportunity to tell a backstory with minimal exertion, and without fancy equipment. And the millennials are ALL over it.

So how do you build a community on such a cool platform?  [Read more…]

Lately, the practice of sending group messages or tagging people online has gotten out of control.

Marketers and business owners are increasingly going overboard with sending out one message to a whole group or tagging folks in updates that they might like to see.

But that’s the whole point – updates “they might like to see.”

Before I get into why group messaging and group tagging is a buzz kill, and why it’s killing your brand – I want you to know that I am old school. The way I do business is old school. The way I conduct myself in business relationships is old school. “My word is my bond” old school.

So how I view this practice is old school.

And what I mean by that is simply that RESPECT is a part of every strategy I utilize online and in my personal life. I do not believe in tagging someone or messaging them if they did not personally opt in or it doesn’t directly relate to them. And I think brands should do the same.

Why?

There’s several reasons. [Read more…]