Founded in 2019, the company has fast expanded. Already a leader in the field of all-female talent management specialising in social media influencers, her roster of clients includes Belle Hassan, Demi Rose Mawby and Sian Owen, while brands she has worked with range from ASOS and Benefit to Savage x Fenty and MTV. The secret? The output of scrupulously authentic content.
Here she tells us why it’s impossible for her to choose her favourite social media star; the women who got her through lockdown; and how HLD’s summer brunch went viral.
My favourite website...
Linkedin is the one I use the most. It’s great for networking and building connections. It’s also incredibly inspiring and motivating to see what other brands and their people are doing.
My favourite app...
Instagram or TikTok. A key part of what I do is connecting brands with our influencers to create engaging content, so it’s important to be on top of industry trends and which content could work for their target audience.
My Internet hero...
The HLD talent. They are such empowering women who work hard to create creative campaigns and a positive place online.
My favourite podcast...
I would say our HLD Levelled Up: The Podcast, but that would be biased! I enjoyed the first episode of Grace Beverley’s new podcast, Working Hard, Hardly Working.
My favourite YouTuber...
Jamie Genevive.
My most recent buy online...
Tick collars for my dogs – dog safety is key!
Last book you downloaded or read...
Make It Happen by Maria Hatzistefanis (Mrs Rodial). Her story about building the company from scratch in her bedroom and how her success stemmed from sheer hard work and a lot of patience really resonated with me.
Favourite tweeter...
I’m not on Twitter, which feels like a mistake as the entertainment industry memes really pop on Twitter.
Favourite Instagrammer...
I couldn’t possibly say! HLD manages over 30 digital Influencers from a range of industries including fashion, makeup and reality TV.
Favourite tech gadget...
My phone and airpods. I would be lost without them.
The most useful gadget/item on your desk...
My laptop aside, it has to be the business card reader. If you know, you know!
Most useful digital resource during lockdown...
Diary Directory. It’s perfect for fashion, beauty and lifestyle media contacts. It also helps me keep up-to-date with industry dates and virtual events.
Most inspirational digital resource during lockdown...
Maria Hatzistefanis and Grace Beverley. I love listening to inspiring women and their stories.
First thing/app you look at on your mobile when you wake up/in the morning...
WhatsApp. With clients also in the US, I check to see what has come through overnight and it’s usually going wild by 7am.
Last thing you binge-watched...
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, series one right through to eleven!
Favourite brands have you discovered online...
I'm all shopped out because of the lockdown, so steering clear of online shopping, but if I need anything quickly then I head to Amazon.
Social media allowed me to meet...
GKBARRY. My client and one of the funniest ladies I've had the privilege to meet. If you are not on TikTok, she’s worth downloading the app for!
The best digital advice I've been given is...
Be true to your audience and your brand. Understand your niche and have a clear brand identity. If you don’t know what you stand for and what you represent, then neither will anyone else.
My screensaver is...
Gosh am I vain? It’s me. In all fairness it’s my magazine cover for WOTC. It’s an incredibly proud moment for me and a reminder that hard work pays off.
My standout online memory is...
Our HLD Sisterhood Summer Brunch. Our talent shared the video and it went viral. It was noticed by larger talent agencies and marked the beginning of us disrupting the industry.
My pet online hate is...
The caption ‘felt cute, might delete later’ and pyramid scheme consultants.
Do you have any online rules or resolutions...
I wish! My job is very hands-on which means I switch off when I’m asleep.
The Internet. On balance, a force for good or ill?
I think mostly good. What it's been able to do for businesses and start-ups with low budgets is incredible. The ill of the internet is people, unfortunately and how they choose to express themselves.
By Nancy Alsop
August 2021
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