We recently connected with Eloise Armstrong and have shared our conversation below.

Eloise , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you come up with the idea for your business?

From Apprentice to Agency Owner: My Journey to Becoming a Business Owner

I have always had a deep love for travelling, a passion that started at a young age. Growing up, I was fortunate enough to travel (most of) the world with my family, so it felt only natural that after college, I would pursue a career in travel. I started an apprenticeship as a travel agent at the age of 17, and eventually worked as a travel consultant for four years.

During my time in this role, I discovered an unexpected interest: social media. I began managing my agency’s social media pages, alongside the customer service role, creating posts about travel deals, and working to make the accounts engaging and informative. This part of my job felt creative and exciting – I loved crafting content that connected with people. One of my proudest moments was introducing TikTok to the agency. I saw its potential early on and began creating fun, engaging videos that resonated with audiences. It was incredibly rewarding to see those videos perform well and bring attention to our offerings.

I was also given amazing opportunities to travel and document my experiences to help promote holiday packages on social media. I visited incredible destinations like the Caribbean, Amsterdam, and Cyprus, creating vlogs that were later used to inspire customers to book their trips.

However, everything changed when the UK entered lockdown during the pandemic in 2020. Like many others, I had time to reflect on my career. I realised that while I loved the creative aspect of social media, I didn’t feel as passionate about the customer service side of my role. I had already gained valuable experience, and one day, as I sat in my living room, I decided to take a leap. I created an Instagram account where I could share social media tips and tricks I’d learned, hoping to help others. At the time, it was mostly a way to keep myself occupied (there’s only so much Netflix, walking, and iced coffee one can handle during lockdown) but I never imagined how far it would take me.

Fast forward to now, almost five years on, and I now own and run a thriving social media agency called The Very Social Media Girl. I specialise in social media management, content creation days, and everything in between. My agency has scaled significantly, to the point where I have a team of amazing people working alongside me. I’ve achieved incredible milestones, which little old me NEVER thought possible for someone from a small town and who didn’t go to university. Managing social media for red carpet events, being flown to destinations like Las Vegas and Malta for social media filming, editing for massive brands including New York Fashion Week, and even interviewing household names ranging from actors, to TV Stars to politicians and world-renowned podcast hosts.

What makes my journey so special to me is that it all began with a single Instagram account, created on a whim during lockdown. I didn’t have formal training, coaching, or courses to guide me – just my own passion and determination. Of course, there were tough times. I’ve experienced burnout and moments where I questioned whether I could keep going. But I did keep going, and that resilience has brought me to where I am today!

My “why” has always been about connecting with people and helping others bring their ideas to life through social media. It is a key essential for ANY business owner now, and I love helping businesses reach their goals through the use of social media. This passion has driven me to continuously learn, grow, and adapt.

Becoming a business owner wasn’t something I EVER planned for, but it has been the most rewarding experience of my life. I’m excited to see where the journey takes me next!

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

One of the best things about starting out as a social media manager is that the initial costs are practically non-existent.

That’s what makes my story so relatable and, I hope, inspiring to others who want to give it a try. I didn’t spend a single penny to start my business. You don’t need an office space, fancy equipment, or to sign up for loads of courses or a coach straight away. The beauty of this industry is that all you really need is a phone, an internet connection, and a passion for creating and connecting.

I started from my living room during lockdown, working from my phone and filming content with whatever I had on hand. In fact, you could even work from bed if you wanted to – your “office” can be anywhere! Even now, several years into running my business, I’ve still only spent around £2,000, and most of that was later on when I decided to invest in a new camera to enhance my content (but I didn’t have to!)

The point is, you don’t need a big budget or a set amount of money to start. If you’ve got a phone and WiFi, you’re ready to go. This makes it a great field to dip your toes into without a huge financial commitment. Of course, if you want to invest more upfront, you absolutely can, but it’s reassuring to know that success in this industry doesn’t depend on how much money you have to start – it depends on your drive, creativity, and willingness to put yourself out there. That’s what worked for me, and I encourage others to give it a go!

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Building my audience on social media started as a passion project. During lockdown, I created an Instagram account to share tips and tricks I’d learned about social media management. At first, it was just something to keep me busy, but I quickly realised that people resonated with the content I was putting out. I wasn’t focused on perfection; instead, I prioritised being authentic, consistent, and engaging.

The key to growth for me was showing up regularly and experimenting with content. I leaned into my strengths – creating fun, relatable videos and sharing behind-the-scenes moments. I also made sure to interact with my audience through comments, messages, and polls. Over time, this approach created a loyal and engaged community, which naturally led to my account gaining traction.

For anyone just starting to build their social media presence, my biggest piece of advice is: Just start! You don’t need to have everything perfectly planned or polished. What people want most is authenticity – let them see the real you and what makes your brand unique, and think why would people want to follow you and come back for more of your content?

Also:

– Consistency is key. Post regularly, even if it’s just a few times a week.
– Engagement is everything. Social media isn’t a one-way street; interact with your audience as much as possible.
– Be patient. Building an audience takes time, so don’t get discouraged if results don’t come overnight.

Lastly, don’t overthink it.

Social media evolves constantly, so be open to trying new things, whether that’s jumping on trends, exploring different content formats, or testing what works best for your audience. Keep learning, stay consistent, and trust the process – you’ll find your rhythm, and your audience will grow organically.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theverysocialmediagirl.com/
• Instagram: @theverysocialmediagirl
• Linkedin: Eloise Armstrong