Tell us a little about yourself, who are you and what do you do?
I am Zoe Newlove, I’ve spent the last six years living abroad (Mallorca and Ibiza) but moved back to Manchester last year. I’m a Social Media Coach! I help small businesses and brands with their social media strategy—I eliminate any stress and remind my clients that social media can actually be fun. It’s an exciting job and I am always learning new things—as you have no choice in the digital industry! It keeps me on my toes, that’s for sure.
What does an average day look like for you?
I wake up, and religiously think of three things that I am grateful for, to shift my mindset into a positive one! I am a huge Tony Robbins fan, and love his Priming technique. I will also read for half hour or so, usually a self development book. I am currently reading Letters to A Starseed by Rebecca Campbell. I will then grab a tea, jump on my laptop and look at what coaching calls I have booked in for the day. In between calls I am working on my client strategy, content creation and doing lots of copywriting. Most days vary depending on which client I am working with at the time. Right now I have around 6-8 clients, so I always have a big to do list to get through.
What advice do you have for striking a work/life balance?For me, my motto is family always comes first. So with that in mind, no matter how busy I get, I do find it easy to step away so I can spend time with my loved ones. I love the freedom my business brings and that is why I chose to work for myself. It’s definitely harder to keep yourself motivated, but I do enjoy my line of work and it does allow me the time to enjoy life alongside my career. I learnt a long time ago that life is short, so I always try to make the most of every single day.
What anxieties, if any, do you hold about your life/career? And how do you deal with them?
I am quite an anxious person, as I suffer from PTSD which often or not rears it head when I least expect it. With social media being a way to share information instantly, sometimes I will have to very quickly change a social media plan—not just for one client, but multiple clients at the same time. This can be quite stressful, as a lot of time and planning goes into creating a social media strategy. During the pandemic, with lots of news announcements and rules changing, this had quite a big impact. I had to be very reactive and be extra flexible during these times.
The best way I deal with anxiety is to get outside in nature. I absolutely love going on hikes and walks, or being by the sea. I find myself almost instantly calming down when I put my barefoot onto grass or sand, or in the water. I also will call my friends and family and talk out any issues I am having. I find it’s better out than in, and the weight of my worries tends to lower massively once I have leant on my support system for advice. Having a strong network of good people around you is really important when you have anxiety.
How has the current COVID-19 situation affected your industry and your work personally? How have you dealt with it?
I’ve been extremely fortunate during these times, I have tripled my income and been incredibly busy. This is due to a lot of businesses realising the importance of having a strong digital presence. So perhaps for those before who were not too familiar with social media tools, are now seeing the benefits they can bring to a business. I am extremely grateful as I do realise that a lot of businesses have suffered and it really breaks my heart. Some of my clients could no longer afford my services and took the work in house. I totally understand when this happens as you have to do what is best for you and your business. I always just try to remain grateful and positive. I’m not one to get down for long periods of time as I am such a strong believer of your mindset creates your reality.
How do you deal with procrastination?
Oh, I am the BIGGEST procrastinator you will ever meet. I work SO much better under pressure and to tight deadlines, which I know makes procrastination so much worse. I am my own worst enemy. I also self sabotage a lot and struggle with my self belief and self worth. I accept procrastination is just apart of being human. I haven’t met one person yet that does not procrastinate. Sometimes, it works in your favour. As you can keep putting off a task and then a giant unexpected burst of creativity falls into your lap, that you may not have held space for beforehand. So, it’s not all that bad.
What do you consider your biggest failure? And how did you persevere and grow from the experience?
Great question, but this one hurts a little. I always regret not finishing my Animation degree. At the time, I had just lost my Dad. He died when I was 18, one month before I was due to start at university. It was all over the press due to the circumstances, and I was followed around by news reporters. It just really tarnished what was meant to be a really exciting time in my life. I stayed the first year and then realised I didn’t have the mental strength to get through the course. It led me to find other things and I do believe everything happens for a reason. I shouldn’t call it a failure, I did what was necessary for myself at the time during my healing process. For a long time I couldn’t bring myself to draw or paint or sketch, but now all these years on, I now love being arty and creative. And I know my Dad would be super proud of the business I have built, with or without a degree behind me.
When working on a new project how do you overcome self-doubt and fear?
I remind myself of everything I have ever achieved this far, and think back to all the times I thought I couldn’t overcome something, and then I have really excelled at it. I think having fear and self doubt is important, as it pushes you to be the best version of yourself. I think to myself ok, right now I may not feel good enough, but what if I just try my best? As long as you try your very best in life, then that is all you can ask really.
Do you have any rituals that help with your work or mental health?
YES! I have a tonne of little rituals. Reading personal development books started off as a medicine, to help me with my PTSD but now it has become an obsession. I just love reading and love discovering ways that I can improve the way I look at life. Making gratitude lists, meditating and yoga have had a huge impact on my mental health. Ultimately, it comes down to prioritising self care. And not just bubble baths and chocolate. I mean, digging in deep and actually doing the work. I used to run away from hard emotions and bury them in a box. Whereas now I ask myself, what can I learn from this? What is this feeling trying to show or teach me? I work through each tough emotion and give myself the time I need and then get back to work.
Are there any misconceptions about what you do that you'd like to dispel or clarify?
YES!I do not just sit on Instagram posting pretty photos and writing emojis. There is so much time and planning spent in creating social media strategies. A lot of my friends and family still do not understand what it is that I do, and just think I sit on my phone all day drinking Starbucks. I WISH that was the case. My job can be anything from being a Creative Director, to Photographer, to Accountant, to Analyst to Researcher, to Graphic Designer to Copywriter—the list goes on and on.
How do you navigate social media, any rules or guidelines you set for yourself?
Ironically, because I spend so much time creating social media strategies for my clients, I tend not to spend too much time on my own. I just post when I can. As long as you are being authentic, not overthinking and ultimately having fun with what you put out on social media, that is all that counts. My online community is a space where I will always be honest and open, and I will always just be myself. Try not to get caught up in a world of comparison and do not spend hours upon ending scrolling Reels or curated Pinterest feeds. It’s not healthy to be attached to our phones all the time. So I dip in and out and try to just enjoy as much of my life as possible, without shining the social media lens on it all the time.
1. HOLIDAYS. I am in Portugal right now and I always feel so inspired just by being in a new place, a change of scenery always lights me up.
2. NATURE. I am going on a boat trip tomorrow to explore these magical sea caves. Being in the water just brings everything into perspective. Nature is INCREDIBLE. We are really lucky to have such an amazing home, Mother Earth.
4. Live Music. I walked past a bar last night and heard a girl singing and playing guitar live. After a strange time, no gigs or festivals (thanks pandemic) it brought me so much joy to hear live music again.
