The Real power of social media - episode 3-Build Different by OG

Post-Memorial Day hits differently for business owners. Summer momentum kicks in, schedules get chaotic, and it’s easy to get stuck in the daily grind without recognizing the people helping move your business forward.

In this episode, I talk about the real power of networking, community, and social media in today’s business world. From local influencers and small business collaborations to the shift from traditional marketing to relationship-driven branding, this episode dives into why connection is becoming one of the most valuable currencies in business.

Social media is no longer just trends and entertainment — it’s modern networking, storytelling, visibility, and opportunity. I break down how creators, entrepreneurs, and local businesses can leverage creativity, authenticity, and collaboration to grow their brands and create real impact.

If you’re a business owner, creator, entrepreneur, or someone trying to build something meaningful online, this episode is your reminder that community matters, visibility matters, and relationships can completely transform your business.

Follow, share, and tag @Formula_OG if this episode resonates with you.  This platform grows because of you guys sharing it. So if you support the mission of real business talk, branding, AI, social media and entrepreneurship - hit subscribe and send this to somebody who needs it. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to Formula OG, where we talk business, branding, social media, entrepreneurship, networking, and turning creativity into real opportunity. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to like, share, and follow and send it to another entrepreneur, creator, or business owner who needs to hear it. So let's get started, friends. Today I want to talk about something that happens every single year after Memorial Day weekend. And let's just say yay to the unofficial start of summer, even though it did rain in the Northeast, which brought its own business headaches with it, but now the sun is shining, so we're over it. So what are we going to talk about after Memorial Day? Well, you can feel this crazy post-Memorial Day shift almost happen immediately. It's like summer business kicks in, schedules get crazy, phones are ringing off the hook, and people are outside again. Events pick up, vacations are starting to happen, and for business owners, the grind really begins to get heavy. And honestly, it's easy to get lost in it. It's easy to become so focused on the operations, the numbers, the staffing, sales, content, inventory, customer service, the nonstop chaos of running a business that you forget to stop and appreciate the people around you who are helping you grow this business, right? And I wanted to take a moment to really recognize some of these people. First of all, they're my staff from my managers to WAX specialists, front desk, GSAs, and everybody in between. The other very important people that I would like to recognize, and I really want to take a moment today to recognize local influencers, creators, networking groups, small businesses, mom groups, entrepreneurs, and community supporters who truly understand the power of collaboration. Because one thing I've learned in this business today is no longer built only on traditional advertising. It's built through the relationships. That's always been the case, but gone are the days that in order to build a solid business relationship, you need to have an MBA from Harvard sitting in a boardroom. No, you can have that same impact with your local lash bar business owner in your small town. And I think it's super important that we recognize that because social media completely changed the game for everyone. And I think it's important to acknowledge that. So I think there are still people that underestimate that. And that's why I wanted to really highlight that today. Not only do they make my business content valuable, they value the product I give them, they value the services that they get. But I think that a lot of other business owners really underestimate the social media game. They think social media is just trends, dances, selfies, filters, and entertainment. Yes, it can be that. It definitely is that for a lot of people. But if you're paying attention, social media has evolved into one of the most powerful business tools we've ever seen. It's modern networking, it's modern marketing, it's modern relationship building. One Instagram story can bring in customers, one repost can create exposure. One creator collaboration can introduce your business to thousands of local people, right? One podcast clip can build creativity and credibility. One reel can outperform the billboard. That's the reality now. And honestly, I love seeing local businesses starting to understand this. That was part of the inspiration of starting OG Media. Because what's happening right now is that customers want connections more than perfection, right? They want personality, they want authenticity, they want to know who they're supporting, they want to see the human beings behind the businesses. Yes, we could all say the bots are gonna win, but at the end of the day, human connection is one of the most important things that we have that really make us human. And that's actually the good news for small businesses because we may not always have giant marketing budgets, but we do have personality, creativity, and community. So these things are incredibly valuable now. I also think one of the biggest shifts happening is that networking no longer looks the same either. Years ago, networking was formal events, business cards, conferences, meetings. Now, a DM can create a partnership, a comment section can create a collaboration, and a repost can create revenue. That's powerful, guys. And the businesses growing right now are the ones leaning into their community instead of the competition. I love that because I too am a culprit of falling into the competition aspect of business. Of course, you want to compete, of course you want to win. But if you approach it from the mindset of community, right, that's the positive angle of business, and you end up thriving so much better. I think it's that old adage of it takes the same energy to be negative as it is positive. Usually it takes more energy to be negative. And I think that applies to this scenario as well. So the businesses that are growing right now, they're cross-promoting, they're supporting each other, they're tagging each other, they're collaborating on events. And honestly, that's where the magic happens. I go back to saying, like, even with your own friend group, that's where you see who really supports you, right? The people that like your story, share it, make a little comment, drop a little heart. We know you're scrolling, we see you out there, sister. We've seen you peeping our storylines. Throw us a little love. We're putting our effort out there. And I think that's what's important for a lot of small business owners where they feel like they might need this massive presence, but sometimes your own little community is just enough. And I think that's why social media matters so much right now. It's no longer just entertainment or storytelling, it's branding, it's positioning, and it's visibility. And the storytelling is not just some sort of made-up story, it's an emotional connection to your brand, your team, and yourself, especially going into summer. This is not the season to disappear. I get it. I did it the first six months going into Memorial Day. You're restaffing, you're training, you're brushing up on SOPs, and then summer hits, the magic happens, the volume comes in, and things are crazy. But this is not where you take your foot off the gas. This is the season to show up more, right? Document the busy days, show the behind the scenes, show the customers what is going on, let them feel that energy. Show the chaos, show the growth, show some tears. Because that happens too. Because momentum attracts momentum, and people want to be a part of a business that feels alive, not a Canva printout. One thing I always tell people is if you don't tell your story, someone else will tell theirs louder. That's that silent competition, right? If you're not out there putting out there what you want to be seen, someone else is doing it. And consistency matters more than perfection. I get it. You do not need every post to go viral. You need people to remember you exist. And honestly, some of the most successful businesses right now are winning simply because they stay visible while everyone else disappears. And another thing I really want to highlight is the creativity. Creativity is currency right now, right? The ability to connect, tell stories, create content, build emotion, and create community around your brand is one of the biggest competitive advantages a business can have right now. And the best part is social media gives small businesses the opportunity to compete in a way they never were able before, especially because sometimes those marketing budgets are not the same as, let's say, a bigger brand. A creator with an iPhone and a smart idea can outperform massive companies if the content connects emotionally. That's insane when you really think about it. And honestly, I think it's exciting because personally, personality finally matters again. Community matters again, relationships matter again. And as we move into summer, I really encourage people listening to put themselves out there more. Go to the event, reach out to the creator, support another business, start that podcast, post some comments, post the content, send the DM, collaborate, have fun with it. Because you truly never know where one relationship can lead. And I genuinely want to thank all of the local creators, influencers, supporters, businesses, and networking communities that continue to support each other, myself and my small business. Thank you because that support really matters more than people will ever realize. And honestly, that's the real power of social media. It's not just content, it's connection, opportunity, and collaboration. And when used correctly, it can completely transform a business. So thank you guys for listening to Built Differently by Formula OG. If you enjoyed this episode, please make sure to like and share, follow, tag me in your stories, and send this to another entrepreneur or creator who needs to hear it. And remember, creativity and connection are no longer optional in business, they are the future.