AUCKLAND, Wednesday: Socialites founder/ceo Wendy Thompson has been named a finalist in the 2021 New Zealand EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.
Thompson is one of 27 entrepreneurs from 18 NZ businesses that represent the diversity and resilience of industries including investment, marketing, space and aeronautical, education and food supplies.
“When I started out, the most common comment I’d get – even from big players – was that ‘social media is just a fad’,” she says.
“But I trusted my gut, knowing that it had the power to build relationships between people and organisations like never before. With a laptop on one knee and a baby on the other, I launched Socialites in 2010.”
Today Thompson and co-ceo Mel Spencer, who joined Socialites in 2019, are on a mission to conquer APAC, leading a team of 25 across New Zealand, Australia and Manila, with a broader contractor network in Asia.
In 2020 Socialites acquired The Social Club giving them the largest influencer database in Australasia
“When people come together with a unified purpose, incredible things can happen,” Thompson says. We are here to change the way the marketing industry thinks and acts – from who can shout the loudest to who can build the most enduring relationship.
“She is the only finalist representing the marketing and advertising sector.”
“We’ve ditched the old marketing model that relies on the customer funnel, and instead focus on circular relationships, with our clients and their customers at the centre of everything we do.
“It’s all about helping our clients build trust through vulnerability and consistency and investment in building strong communities. This takes bravery and a long-term vision and the companies that do this with us are thriving and have a powerful competitive advantage.”
The team is finalist in 13 categories for the 2021 Australasian Social Media Marketing Awards.
Thompson is lined up to compete as a category winner, and for the ultimate title of EY New Zealand Entrepreneur of the Year 2021 to be announced later this year. From there the winner will go on to compete for the title of World Entrepreneur of the Year.
She is the only finalist representing the marketing and advertising sector.
About Socialites Group
Socialites is a full-service social media marketing agency with a head office in Auckland and teams in Australia and Manila. Within the group is Socialites, which works with enterprise clients, Socialites Academy, an online training platform, The Social Club, influencer specialists and Socialites SMB which works with small businesses. Services include strategy, media planning and booking, campaign ideation, content production, influencer campaigns and community management.
Socialites clients include Microsoft, The Warehouse Group, Foodstuffs, Mitre 10, Amnesty International , Fonterra, Mars, Westpac, IAG, Kimberley-Clark, and Rekit-Benzinger .
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