We recently connected with Alicia Underwood and have shared our conversation below.

Alicia, appreciate you joining us today. Innovation comes in all shapes, sizes and across all industries, so we’d love to hear about something you’ve done that you feel was particularly innovative.

I used to think of innovation as something disruptive and magical. The ones where you create such utter impact shake the world, changing how things are done and perceived. Alas, my story isn’t one that moves the world but simply a different thought of mind that has led me down a beautiful path.

When I was 22, I had my first real office job. I was an Assistant Media Buyer for a local agency. Then, social media started to become mainstream as Facebook announced they were finally allowing the public to join the platform instead of college students. I knew this was the future of media, and I saw a new form of media buying.

I remember going to my boss with so much hope. I’ve created a “Social Media Package” and told him we could sell these to our current clients. This will significantly increase our revenue, and we will be one of the leading agencies to provide such capabilities. However, I was turned down, stating that social media was just a “phase.” But deep down, I knew it was the future, and I wanted to innovate a new agency model.

By the time I was 24, I had started my first social media agency. In the first year, I made over six figures and have continued to do so for over a decade. I’m glad I listened to my gut, and it’s been amazing to see the evolution of social media in the last 15 years!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I own TwentyThree, a strategy-focused digital marketing company emphasizing social media and influencer marketing. Previously, I co-founded three successful social media companies. As social media and digital marketing evolve, I want to start a company focusing on strategy and positioning in the digital sphere. To date, I’ve worked with a multitude of brands. I’m proud to have worked with individual brands such as Jim McKelvey and the Kapors and start-ups like Modulus. Each account brings a unique challenge, and it excites me to help set things in motion and achieve their digital marketing needs!

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When COVID-19 hit, it was tough on our business. Like many individuals, we didn’t know what to expect. Overnight, we lost 2/3 of our clients, which means most of our income went out the door. A few weeks in, I’ve heard about the potential PPP loan. At this point, it was still being finalized in Congress. Many banks weren’t even sure what the procedures were going to be. I called every bank in town. Finally, a client put me in touch with a private banker. We had to do a few rounds of the application because it kept getting changed by the government. After a few long weeks, the money was dispersed, and we got to retain our payroll. The day our money was dispersed it was the same day our business bank announced that they were accepting applications. I’m so grateful I persevered because the bank was so inundated with applications on the first day that they closed all submissions! If I waited any longer, we wouldn’t have the funds to float our company.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I am a true and firm believer in doing the actual work, learning, and applying the concepts in real life. What helped me build my reputation within my market was that I’ve always shown up in my work with my clients no matter how hard it gets. If you want to be good, you can always get other people to do the work for you, but if you want to be great, you have to truly listen, pay attention to the industry and clients, build a solid team, and adapt with precision.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.heytwentythree.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twentythree.digital
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twentythreedigital/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/twentythree-llc/?viewAsMember=true