A day in the life of a social media agency founder: ‘For brands, it’s uncharted territory’

Elena Hansen, a former Stuart Weitzman brand specialist-turned-corporate marketer at MetWest Terra, decided in late 2014 that she was ready to rebrand as a social media expert. “Given how new it all is, a few years of experience in this space is significant,” said Hansen. “And for a lot of brands, it’s uncharted territory. They’re not coming to us with visuals or strategy. They’re looking for someone who they can simply hire as an expert.”

In January 2015, Hansen launched her own social media agency, L.A.-based Swim Social, with one other employee and 14 accounts. The agency now has 10 employees and counts stars like Selena Gomez and Ashley Tisdale, and brands like Alfred Coffee and Splits59 as clients.