We had the good fortune of connecting with Nazanin Yashar and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nazanin, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?

It has always been a lifelong goal of mine. I moved from Iran to Los Angeles at the age of five. Growing up I was a creative person with an entrepreneurial spirit.

I knew I wanted to start my own business so I chose to study Business Marketing in undergrad. As soon as I graduated, I got an entry-level administrative job at a local advertising firm. It was there where I learned about the world of paid media and, through the demand of many of their clients, was introduced to organic social media marketing during a time when it was on the rise. I was quickly promoted to Social Media Specialist, and my career took off from there.

Since my time at the agency, I’ve worked with several brands in the fashion, beauty, and lifestyle space. This past November, after eight years of experience in a field I’ve been so passionate about, I launched my own business. My mission was and is to work with female-owned businesses like my own—I have a deep passion for helping other women and their brands reach their full potential by not only managing their accounts, but also educating them on the impact and value of social media.

I create strategies across all platforms for my clients and try to lean into the community-based nature of the medium. I feel very lucky to have a part in changing the way brands across all industries tell their stories in an authentic, inspiration and relatable way.

What should our readers know about your business?

I think all social media managers have a unique style or trait that sets us apart from one another. We all have similar goals and speak the same language. However, I would say what sets all of us apart is our areas of passion outside of just social media. Being such close friends with other SMMs, I’ve learned that we all do the same work on a day-to-day basis, but we have different passions surrounding the different brands we feel personally aligned to work with.

What sets me apart is that I have a paid media background. Numbers are my best friend! Analytics and KPIs are always top of mind. Numbers help me create a strategy and give my clients visibility into the direction I choose to go in. Making sure to translate learnings into actionable insights for growth is so important, as is identifying unique ways to increase brand affinity through emerging trends and social innovation.

I definitely would not say it’s easy—social media managing is a 24/7 job. I think all SMMs will tell you how our professions are often misconstrued. We make so many memes and jokes about how people assume social media managers get paid to just “post pictures on Instagram all day.” I wish that was all I did, but there is so much more to it than people realize.

My biggest challenge throughout my career has been working with brand owners who have difficulty letting go of how they want to look across social, or wanting to “go viral” overnight. We are not magicians and anyone who promises you exponential growth overnight is simply lying. It’s really about consistency, patience, and what you stand for as your brand.

It’s really about educating brands around the importance of value that they provide their followers. Social media is very outward facing but we have seen time and time again that the value of your content is far more engaging than how it simply looks. Building a strategy around content pillars and being authentic should be the goal.

Building trust and providing that education and guidance as a professional in the space is how I’ve overcome most of those challenges.

 

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

This is a hard one, I’ve lived in Los Angeles my whole life and I think every year my favorite places to eat and explore change but right now I would say…

On Saturday, I would visit the LACMA. Museums are a must for me personally when I am on vacation. Then, I would do a late dinner at Tower Bar at the Sunset Tower Hotel. The location and old Hollywood vibe give a true LA experience.

I also love daytime activities during the Summer and am a big brunch girl. On Sunday, I would pick Élephante in Santa Monica for brunch. You get a beautiful view, and can do almost anything in the area afterwards—including going to the beach!

On Monday, I would do something relaxing. Maybe lounging out by the pool at a local hotel or having lunch at Cecconi’s in West Hollywood followed by some shopping on Melrose to round out the day.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Where do I begin? I have so many people to be thankful for and dedicate my success to! First and foremost, my Mom, Dad and brother for always supporting me and motivating me, as well as my professional mentors who have inspired me along the way, and finally my closest friends who are always encouraging and celebrating with me!

Website: https://www.socialbynaz.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialbynaz/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/socialbynaz/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/socialbynaz

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@socialbynaz

Image Credits
Kayla Mendez

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