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Grab that morning cup of coffee, because this one's a little different, it's live from The Social Summit Sydney. I got to host the final panel of the day, Viral by Design: Building Brands That Break Through, with three women who've each cracked vitality in completely different ways: Lia Georgiantis from Girls with Gems and Sneaky Link, Sarah Forrai from Contour Cube, and Isabella Lynden from VIVE Management. We got into what actually happens after a piece of content goes viral, because getting the views was never the hard part. In this episode: Sarah's "hook trifecta" and how she reverse-engineers vitality from content that's already workingWhat happened the morning Kendall Jenner posted about Contour Cube, and what they did in the 48 hours after to actually capitalise on itLia's $99 "boob job tank" and why she believes a great product without marketing is basically nothingWhy Lia filmed an entire fake trip to Europe before AI made that easy, and why it workedHow Isabella decides which creators have real staying power versus a single viral momentThe uncomfortable truth about Meta ads: "if you think other people are killing it on ads, they're probably petrified too"Why copying a competitor's viral moment is the fastest way to kill your own brand's identityThe line every founder on this panel repeated: nail your founder story, then don't be afraid to repeat itIf you've ever had a piece of content take off and had no idea what to do next, or you're stuck trying to reverse-engineer someone else's success instead of building your own, this conversation is for you. Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Follow on Instagram: @loren.thesocialcollectiveFind Loren on LinkedIn: Loren TomlinsonVisit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nzLoved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

Just back from Sydney, recording this two days out from The Social Summit while it's all still fresh. Audio only this week, and it's the honest download. We flew over, took the signage, the cameras and the mics, hosted the networking drinks and closed out the day with the final panel. This episode is what I brought home with me. What we're covering: Why the rooms that scare you are the ones worth walking into, and what showing up at that first conference actually turned intoWhat three founders with repeat viral moments know that most brands don'tAI, strategy, and the line between the twoPaid or organic: which lever to pull, and when pulling the wrong one too early tanks the whole thingThe market research step nearly everyone skipsWhat's coming next on the podcast, including Britt Austin from State of BrandHit play, and follow the show so next week's episode lands in your feed. Come say hi on Instagram @coffeesandcontentpod, tell us who you want to hear from next. Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Follow on Instagram: @loren.thesocialcollectiveFind Loren on LinkedIn: Loren TomlinsonVisit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nzLoved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

Leads slow down. Proposals stall. And we start convincing ourselves that our whole strategy is broken. In the first ever episode recorded at TSC Studios, I'm unpacking what's really happening when business feels quiet, and why our instinct to scroll social media for answers usually makes it worse. In this episode we'll chat through: Why turning to social media in tough moments turns into comparison, not inspirationThe difference between an actual strategy problem and a confidence problemWhy the "highlight reel" we're comparing ourselves to is hiding a much messier realityWhat to do instead when things feel toughIf you've ever panicked when the leads went quiet, this one's for you. 🎧 Listen now and follow along for more from inside our brand new studio. Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Follow on Instagram: @loren.thesocialcollectiveFind Loren on LinkedIn: Loren TomlinsonVisit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nzLoved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

Every founder and marketing manager I talk to hits the same wall eventually. It's not budget. It's not trust. It's not even whether outsourcing is the right call. It's simply not knowing what's actually missing before they go and hire. In this episode, I'm unpacking: Why "should I get help" is the wrong question, and what the real one isThe difference between needing strategy and needing execution, and why most people can't tell which one they're short onWhy hiring one person to do it all almost never works, and what to look for insteadA real story from my own business, including the hire that taught me the hard way why senior and junior support need to be separatedA simple gut-check for figuring out what your business needs before you write the next job adIf you've ever felt like you have too much on your plate but couldn't put your finger on exactly what to hand off, press play. Follow @coffeesandcontentpod for more, and find me at @loren.thesocialcollective. Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Follow on Instagram: @loren.thesocialcollectiveFind Loren on LinkedIn: Loren TomlinsonVisit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nzLoved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

We opened the floor at our Cocktails and Conversations event and let a room full of business owners ask the panel anything. What came out was way more honest than we expected. This week's episode is that Q&A, in full. What's covered: Choosing between Claude, Gemini, ChatGPT and CopilotWhat actually happens once a client's face or product photo goes into AIHandling clients who think a $40 plan replaces a marketing teamSkill poisoning, and why that free download isn't as free as it looksGetting your business found and recognised by AI, not just GoogleBuilding an AI policy that doesn't need rewriting every monthProtecting creative work from screenshot plagiarismStaying a critical thinker when AI is doing more of the thinkingHave a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Follow on Instagram: @loren.thesocialcollectiveFind Loren on LinkedIn: Loren TomlinsonVisit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nzLoved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

It's finally here. The Cocktails & Conversations panel, live and recorded, is Part 1 of a two part drop, and it's everything you were in the room for or heard about after. Karrina Mountfort (The AI Assembly) and Angela March (Brainchild) join me for the full panel conversation. We got into the AI mistake that can wipe your business in seconds, why your brand now needs to be visible and credible to AI systems, not just to people, and where each of us still refuses to let AI anywhere near the decision. This one covers: The full live panel from Cocktails & Conversations, finally on the feedThe AI mistake that can wipe your business in seconds, and how to protect yourselfWhy AI visibility and credibility now matter as much as SEO ever didWhere each of us draws the line on human judgmentPart 2 drops next week: the audience Q&A from the same night. Listen to Part 1 now. This episode is proudly sponsored by Frankly Podcasting, helping female founders, entrepreneurs and creatives launch, grow and manage their podcasts. Head to franklypodcasting.co.nz to find out more. Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Follow on Instagram: @loren.thesocialcollectiveFind Loren on LinkedIn: Loren TomlinsonVisit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nzLoved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

Fresh off hosting our own event this week, I'm talking through something I think gets dismissed way too often: showing up in person. In this episode: Why in-person is having a real comeback, and why that's not nostalgiaThe four ways we personally get in the room - hosting, sponsoring, speaking and attending - and what each one is actually forWhy the look and feel of your event is the difference between people scrolling past and people sharing itA first look at what's coming with TSC StudiosHave a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Follow on Instagram: @loren.thesocialcollectiveFind Loren on LinkedIn: Loren TomlinsonVisit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nzLoved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

We're back on the mic after a couple of weeks away, and there's a reason for the hiatus, plus a name change we need to talk about. This episode is the full story behind why the show has gone back to Coffees & Content, and what's actually different this time. In this episode: Why the podcast is going back to its original name, and what changed to make it fit againThe one brand decision that reset everything at The Social CollectiveWhat "the TSC world" means and why the agency, Studios, Academy and podcast now work as one connected thingAn update on TSC Studios opening this September, plus what's happening with private bookings in AugustWhy this show is now built for marketing managers, marketing assistants and founders who want to understand marketing at its coreThe advice Loren keeps coming back to: don't stay stuck in something that no longer fitsHit play now and follow along for what's coming next. Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Follow on Instagram: @loren.thesocialcollectiveFind Loren on LinkedIn: Loren TomlinsonVisit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nzLoved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

In this episode, Loren shares the talk she gave at the NZ Winter Gift Fairs in Christchurch on how to keep sales coming in after customers walk away from your stall. She breaks down the three things your marketing needs (visibility, nurturing and conversion), why your email database is your biggest hidden asset, and how she uses AI to create authentic content that still sounds like you. Grab the free 20-minute content system workbook mentioned in this episode here: https://thesocialco.myflodesk.com/20-minute-system "The businesses that are thriving don't have to have the biggest budgets. You just need to show up consistently." Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Follow on Instagram: @loren.thesocialcollectiveFind Loren on LinkedIn: Loren TomlinsonVisit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nzLoved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

I was recently asked to come back and speak to a room of NZIE students about AI marketing, and I didn't hold back. This one's a proper look inside how we actually use AI at The Social Collective, not the highlight reel version. What's covered: Why treating AI like a vending machine instead of a thinking partner is the real reason content turns into "AI slop"How our Senior Account Manager went from spending an entire week on client reporting each month to half a day, and what that freed her up to do insteadThe three places AI really earns its keep in an agency: content creation, reporting and analysis, and campaign optimisationReal examples from client pitch decks, training rollouts, and our weekly "thought anchor" processWhy I never treat AI as anything more senior than our most junior team member, and what that mindset protectsIf you're in business and wondering where AI actually fits versus where it's just noise, this is a practical, no-fluff look at what's worked for us. Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Follow on Instagram: @loren.thesocialcollectiveFind Loren on LinkedIn: Loren TomlinsonVisit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nzLoved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

The secret's finally out, TSC Studios is open. But this episode isn't really about the studio. It's about the problem it solved, and why that same problem is probably quietly stalling your marketing too. I walk through the real decision behind opening a content and podcast studio three minutes from our office, and why it came down to one realisation: most of us don't have a discipline problem when it comes to showing up consistently, we have a friction problem. The gap between "I know I should post" and actually doing it is almost always logistics, not motivation. In this episode: Why I stopped blaming myself for inconsistency and started looking at my systems insteadThe habit stacking approach I use every single morning (and why it works)How to spot where friction is quietly costing you momentum in your own content and marketingOne question to ask yourself that changes everythingPress play, then go find your own friction point. Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Follow on Instagram: @loren.thesocialcollectiveFind Loren on LinkedIn: Loren TomlinsonVisit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nzLoved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

Quick one this week, besties. There's no new In Her Empire Era episode today, but don't panic, it's for a good reason. I've been sitting on some exciting news that deserves its own full episode next week, and I didn't want to rush it. In the meantime, the news is dropping on social media first. Head to the @inherempireerapod Instagram or my personal account (@loren.thesocialcollective) to find out what's coming. Full breakdown, all the details, next week's episode. See you then. Where to find the news: @inherempireerapod on [email protected] on InstagramHave a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Follow on Instagram: @loren.thesocialcollectiveFind Loren on LinkedIn: Loren TomlinsonVisit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nzLoved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

This week's episode is a quick but important one - recorded from the car on a busy Monday morning because some updates genuinely can't wait. We're covering what AI is actually doing to how people find businesses right now, why your LinkedIn personal profile has become one of the most powerful visibility tools you're probably underusing, and a few rapid fire updates from the past week you need on your radar. What's covered: How LinkedIn personal profiles are now being cited by AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity for business queries68% of Google searches ending without a click - and what that means for your visibilityThe simple self-audit: keywords, email marketing, website accuracy and paid adsRapid fire: Google's Gemini Spark, Meta's AI creative tools for ads, and the big conversation at Cannes LionsGet your tickets for our next event (13th August): https://events.humanitix.com/in-her-empire-era-presents-cocktails-and-conversations Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Follow on Instagram: @loren.thesocialcollectiveFind Loren on LinkedIn: Loren TomlinsonVisit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nzLoved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

This week I'm sharing a piece of feedback that stopped me in my tracks - a brand new client who not only loved the content my team delivered in their very first month, but was equally impressed by the systems and processes behind how it was delivered. That feedback sparked a conversation I've been wanting to have on the mic for a while. Because here's the truth: you can have the best content strategy in the world, but if the infrastructure behind it isn't there, your marketing will always feel harder than it needs to. In this episode I cover: Why the infrastructure behind how you deliver is part of the impression you makeThe real reason founders stop marketing when business gets busy — and how to break that cycleWhy content without systems is just noise (and what to do instead)The simple four-part framework I use to build a marketing system that's actually scalableWhat good marketing infrastructure looks like - a practical checklist you can action todayHow my team and I rebuilt TSC's entire backend over nine months and why that's directly driving our best growth yetWhy AI is your best friend when you're starting from scratch with systemsThe mindset shift that changes everything: marketing is a mandatory business function, not a task you do when you have timeMentioned in this episode: Cocktails & Conversations - my next In Her Empire Era live panel event, Thursday 13 August, Tada Studios Auckland CBD. Early bird tickets are almost gone - grab them right here: https://events.humanitix.com/in-her-empire-era-presents-cocktails-and-conversations  Have a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Follow on Instagram: @loren.thesocialcollectiveFind Loren on LinkedIn: Loren TomlinsonVisit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nzLoved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!

Instagram just changed something that sounds small but changes everything for anyone creating content on the platform. And once you hear what it actually means, you'll realise this isn't just an Instagram update - it's a signal about where every platform is heading. Here's what's covered: The new Instagram "Your Algorithm" update - what it is and why topic clarity now directly affects your reachWhy every platform is starting to reward human, specific, real content - and penalise the generic stuffThe difference between using AI well and letting AI think for youWhy founders in particular need to be showing up as a person with a point of viewWhat kind of content is going to cut through in feeds that people have now curated themselvesHave a question? Click here to send it to me! Links: Follow on Instagram: @loren.thesocialcollectiveFind Loren on LinkedIn: Loren TomlinsonVisit us at: www.thesocialcollective.co.nzLoved this episode? Leave a review - it would mean the world!