We were lucky to catch up with Maria Dee recently and have shared our conversation below.
Maria, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry? Any stories or anecdotes that illustrate why this matters?
People tend to think that those in social media roles are either interns or entry-level employees who can do it all: copywriting, design, video production, community management, strategy, paid ads—the list goes on. Look at a social media job description and you’ll see a laundry list of desirable tasks and skills sets that are fit for a unicorn. The truth is, often social media marketers specialize in certain areas, not everything. They are leading social strategies, working with creative teams, and partnering with data analytics teams to ensure social media marketing efforts align with bigger business objectives and drive measurable success.
Just because you see them on their phones scrolling Instagram or TikTok doesn’t mean they are wasting time. They are researching trends and figuring out what makes sense for the brand. The process of creating content often isn’t as simple as just hitting “post”—it’s a strategic effort to create content that actually delivers results.
Maria, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I began my career in social media when Vine was on the rise and people were jumping on dance trends like the Harlem Shake and What Does the Fox Say. More than a decade later I am still in the space, having evolved as a marketer and with the continuously changing marketing landscape and emerging social platforms.
With experience leading social strategies across industries (retail, direct-selling, and financial service) I specialize in brand storytelling and performance marketing. Having worked in Corporate America for 10+ years, I have helped companies and brands of all sizes build engaged communities, tell stories through data and analytics, and raise awareness of products and services. I started doing freelance social media work a little over a year ago as a creative outlet and have loved it ever since.
Some of my favorite career wins include launching a major financial institution’s first mobile app install campaign for a financial services game and crafting the framework for a brand voice and social media style guide for a financial advising company. I’ve also had the incredible opportunity to address a room of 6,000 female entrepreneurs and even take a selfie on stage with the CEO.
In early 2024, a former colleague of mine started her own marketing agency Chien Industries (shout out to women-owned business owners) and reached out to see if I would be interested in supporting her first client with their social media. At first I was hesitant but after some self-reflection decided to take the plunge — my word of the year for 2024 was Newness after all. I created Maria Dee Consulting, LLC in March and dove head first into my first project: Social Media for OutWellness, a LGBTQ+ gym and wellness space in Austin, TX. It’s been a rewarding experience thus far.
As Small Business owners look for a Social Media Manager, words of advice — not everyone can do everything! Identify what you need this person to do — manage community comments, create content, plan your content calendar, or run paid advertising. For me, my speciality lies in social media strategy (paid and organic), high-level content calendar planning, and data storytelling. A strong social strategy isn’t just about posting engaging content—it’s about understanding what resonates with an audience, analyzing performance, and continuously optimizing for better engagement and results.
Outside of work, I’m an avid reader, hiker (I completed the NH 48 4K Footers in 2021), mom, dog mom to a Golden Retriever, and yogi. Oh, and St. Patrick’s Day is my favorite holiday!
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Relationship-building has been key to developing a positive reputation in my career. I take the time to get to know the people I work with on a personal level—learning about their interests, family, and more. Forming these connections creates a deeper understanding of how to collaborate effectively and fosters greater empathy. Building relationships in this way also helps establish trust.
We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.
While I am a solo business owner, I consider Amy Tarkington of Chien Industries a business partner. We worked together at a financial advising company in 2020—I was living in Boston at the time, and she was in Austin. I led Social Media Marketing, and she was the Director of Content. We worked closely to integrate the larger content strategy with social media, creating content that positioned the company as a thought leader.
In 2021, I left the company due to my family relocating, but Amy and I stayed in touch off and on. In 2024, she founded her own marketing agency and reached out to me for help supporting her first client. Since then, we’ve forged a strong partnership—she has introduced me to prospective clients, and I’ve connected her with individuals for creative and PR support. Networking and relationship-building have fueled our collaboration.
To this day, we still haven’t met in person, but hopefully, that will change soon!
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