Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kirst Holland. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kirst, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear your thoughts about making remote work effective.

I started my company during the pandemic, which felt like a crazy decision at first, but with a lot of companies switching to working remotely, I figured—why not? It was a leap, but one that ultimately paid off. Today, we’re a close-knit team, though I’ve only ever met one of my team members in person, which still amazes me. We’ve been fully remote since day one, with team members spread across the U.S., Portugal, and South Africa.

Navigating different time zones is probably our biggest challenge, but as an early bird, I schedule most of our meetings in the mornings, which works for everyone. Beyond that, running a remote company hasn’t been difficult. In fact, I believe the flexibility and freedom remote work offers have significantly contributed to our success.

The benefits far outweigh the challenges. Our team works on their own schedule, from wherever they choose. In 2022, one of our team members spent a year on a road trip around Southern Africa while still staying fully connected to the company. And last year, I had the opportunity to enjoy a two-month honeymoon, road-tripping through 13 states, all while keeping the business running smoothly.

I don’t need to check in daily, but the team frequently opts for online co-working sessions, which are a lot of fun and help us stay connected. Once a week, we hold a Monday check-in to recap what’s been happening, assess progress on tasks, and discuss any upcoming projects. We use Google Workspace for organization and Slack for day-to-day communication, to make sure that everyone stays in the loop.

I feel incredibly privileged to have such a dedicated, flexible, and talented team that makes remote work not just possible, but enjoyable.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Kirst, and I am the owner and social media strategist at Lemonade Collective. We are a boutique agency dedicated to helping women entrepreneurs grow their businesses through smart social media strategies. What began as a small idea has now grown into a global team supporting amazing women who are balancing their businesses with everything else life throws their way.

Although I’d been working in marketing for years, my business really took shape when I saw an opportunity to help small businesses navigate the growing need for a strong digital presence. I wanted to provide women entrepreneurs with the tools and strategies to thrive online. What started as a solo venture quickly expanded, as talented creatives from around the world joined forces to help our clients succeed.

Our services range from creating content strategies to social media management, email marketing and paid ads. We’re all about making marketing easier and more effective, so our clients can spend more time doing what they love. We focus on authenticity and community-building. We love to help build loyal, engaged audiences. We really get to know our clients and create strategies that align with their goals. And since we’re fully remote, we live the flexibility we preach.

I’m most proud of the community we’ve built—both within our team and the incredible women we’ve had the honor of working with. There’s nothing like watching our clients turn their passion projects into thriving businesses. It’s what keeps us going, and we’re all about celebrating the wins along the way.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I was born and raised in South Africa, but my journey has taken me across the world. I spent nearly a decade living in Asia, where I met my now-husband. During the pandemic, his work required him to relocate for a year before returning to the U.S. With all the travel restrictions in place at the time, we made the decision for me to return to South Africa while we navigated the lengthy visa process that would eventually allow me to move to the U.S.

It was during that period that I started Lemonade Collective. However, the visa process ended up taking almost two years—longer than we anticipated—and it wasn’t until April 2023 that I was finally able to move to the U.S. We got married soon after, and once I had all the necessary paperwork to work legally, I began the process of registering Lemonade Collective in the U.S.

It felt a little like starting over—shifting the business, navigating new regulations—but we made it through. On September 1st, I officially celebrated my first full year as a U.S.-registered business, a milestone that reflects both the challenges and the exciting growth Lemonade Collective has experienced. Looking back, it’s been an incredible journey, and I’m so proud of how far we’ve come.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Word of mouth has always been my most powerful lead generator. Clients I’ve worked with often turn into my best advocates, and that’s something I’m incredibly grateful for. One of my favorite quotes is by Seth Godin: “You can use social media to turn strangers into friends, friends into customers, and customers into salespeople.” This quote is at the heart of every strategy I create for my clients, and I preach it all the time. Social media helped me find my very first clients, and from there, they became my biggest supporters—and my best salespeople.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lemonadecollective.co
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lemonadecollective.co/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lemonadecollective/
• Other: Threads: https://www.threads.net/@lemonadecollective.co