Today Living Postcards takes an inspiration from Kamile Kaselyte, an established digital marketeer, whose expertise spans from establishing startup companies to advising companies in the field of communication.
- First of all, we would like to thank you for the opportunity to have this chat with you. On one hand, it seems that digital marketing has been around for quite a while, but taking into time perspective - the digital buzz started only after 2000s. How and when did you get into this field?
Upon my graduation in Fashion Business, the digital scene started to emerge more and more, and it became evident that that’s where most companies will establish themselves. I was also a very good storyteller, I loved writing and then very gradually I got involved into public relations and content making. At the time, most companies were creating content, suitable for online and I think it was the right time for me to jump into the digitalization. Step by step, I got more and more acquainted with digital tools and so my client base constantly grew. As a result, I started a digital agency to help more companies with digital marketing.
- How important it is for a brand to have powerful social media?
Powerful social media is a necessity these days as customers expect “immediacy” - they want to have access to the brands they like and their news on any given moment. Precisely, social media gives that ability to continuously talk to audiences and create meaningful conversations. And well… if you don’t exist virtually, you are missing out on a $5 bn online market.
- Do you like to collaborate with small or big brands? What gets you inspired?
I worked with both small and big companies, but what matters most is that we have a common mindset. If I get along well with client and our visions align, then magic happens. I am very much inspired by extremely passionate and involved founders whom you can brainstorm with; and come up with very innovative strategies in terms of digital marketing.
- On your Instagram account, there is a lot of inspiration from art and your travels. Where does that come from?
I think that art allows to understand everything better - be it yourself or the world around. For me, art is very raw and uncensored as opposed to most mainstream media. That’s why I never miss a chance to travel and visit world-renowned galleries. Next weekend, I will at the Venice Art Biennale, and this is something I’m very much looking forward to.
- What have been your learning milestones starting and growing your business?
When I started working on my own, I very quickly realized that I can’t just constantly learn from myself or get inspiration online. What I needed the most, was to learn from others, too. So, now I have a rule that whenever I do a project for a client, I try to hire and involve a number of professionals and stakeholders to contribute to the project. That’s how you learn and that’s how you innovate - only by collaborating and bringing people together with a wide spectrum of expertise.
- How busy is your everyday agenda and how do you combine your intense business life with your personal life?
Again, I think that the concept of not having time and being constantly busy is also overrated. Having a clear agenda and goals in mind, you can combine both business and personal interests within those 24 hours. Everyone has the same number of hours a day, so it’s always a matter of prioritization.
- Do you think social media has a negative effect on the way we use our time?
This Information society we live in, has a lot to offer, but it also comes with certain limitations. The most negative side of social media in my opinion is that we are now more concerned with how things look rather than how we actually feel. For businesses, social media and digitization opened many doors as we now have relatively low barriers of entry to start new businesses. Yet, for the individuals it has brought many challenges - keeping up with the rapid flow of information, social comparisons or disinformation. The habit of imitating work rather than actually doing it, has become a challenge mainly for the generation Z and it can perhaps be attributed to the prominence of Instagram.
- Your next business goals are?
I am working towards getting a master’s degree in Communications and continuously expanding my digital marketing agency and I hope I will be announcing some very exciting collaborations soon.
- If you could give one piece of advice to a young girl that she wishes to start her own business, what would you tell her?
I think I wouldn’t take a very mainstream approach and I would say that society imposes a lot of pressure and a lot of things you don’t actually need. Therefore, the same logic applies for the business-making: Instagram and news are full of people doing things and telling you how to be a successful entrepreneur. My wish is that you actually do something that you like and believe in. If it’s starting a business - it’s great, but even if it’s something else - I can congratulate you even more. The rest you will really figure out yourself as long as you’re hardworking and persistent.
