Here is a transcript generated by otter.ai of The Content Mix podcast interview with Beatrice Fossati, Founder of The Feed Group, on tips for entrepreneurs in marketing and social media:

Carlota Pico 0:01
Okay, so we’re on the record. I’m just gonna ask you if you’re okay with us recording both audio and video and publishing on The Content Mix YouTube and podcast channels. Is that okay with you, Beatrice?

Beatrice Fossati 0:13
Yes.

Carlota Pico 0:13
Okay, awesome. So, just pause for a second. And you’re ready to start?

Beatrice Fossati 0:20
Yes.

Carlota Pico 0:20
Yes, okay, you have this under control and you’re going to do fabulous.

Beatrice Fossati 0:23
Yes, okay.

Carlota Pico 0:25
And plus, we have each other’s back. We’re gonna work through this together, okay?

Beatrice Fossati 0:28
Okay.

Carlota Pico 0:29
And if you need to take some time to pause, think, don’t worry, there’s no rush. We’re fine.

Beatrice Fossati 0:34
All right. All right. Thank you so much for making myself so comfortable.

Carlota Pico 0:38
Don’t worry, we have to take care of each other. When we’re on camera especially. Okay…

Hi everyone. I’m Carlota Pico from The Content Mix, and I’m excited to be here with Beatrice Fossati, who is the founder of The Feed Group and has almost 20 years of experience in marketing. Welcome Beatrice, and thank you so much for joining us today.

Beatrice Fossati 1:10
Hi Carlota, thank you so much for having me. Super excited.

Yes, we are excited to have you as well. So let’s just jump straight into the interview, and start talking a little bit about your background and your previous roles in social media and marketing internationally.

So yeah, I mean, as you said, I have like 20 years… I mean, it’s very tough to say that. Because here, I mean, I run a lot. So I’ve been in the past 20 years in the marketing field, especially in the world of, I mean, initially in the world of media, working with radio and TV, and then I moved to digital, which was becoming the next the next thing.

Carlota Pico 1:56
Yeah.

Beatrice Fossati 1:56
So I worked for Luxottica, YOOX NET-A-PORTER and other fashion brands. So yeah, it’s been an exciting journey definitely, because I saw many, many things changing. Also in terms of media and formats, social media growing, because also, then I started… in 2012 in the field of social media, where you were, it was at a very early stage. I mean, if you compare social media in 2012, and if you take a look at how, for instance, how a Facebook page looked in 2012, compared to now, it’s incredible. So yeah, working with very big companies and being exposed to great audiences. It was an exciting journey. So…

Carlota Pico 3:02
I can only imagine. I mean, in 2012, the networks were completely different worlds. I mean, Instagram hadn’t picked up yet TikTok didn’t exist… we see new upcoming networks come out of nowhere every single day. And as social media experts, we’re just expected to know how to work them and get an audience going immediately.

Beatrice Fossati 3:22
Yes.

Carlota Pico 3:22
It’s such a big challenge, right? What do you think has been the most difficult network to learn and to attract an audience to?

Beatrice Fossati 3:33
So basically, I mean, at the very beginning, actually it was easy to get new audiences because everyone was very excited about each and every platform. And paid media was not ramping up so much, and the algorithms were still manageable, and also the access to big companies to do paid social and some support was very limited. Now things are getting very crowded; each and every one of us can even spend some money backing up one of their posts on Facebook and Instagram. So I would say that one of the most exciting channels to grow was Instagram, because once it was acquired by Facebook, it changed so much in the way it was managed, because initially it was something like a very, very young startup, with lots of ideas and “things are this,” but then it became part of a huge group where they wanted to speed up and put it at the pace of Facebook, obviously. So yeah, that was very interesting, to observe how it changed throughout time.

Carlota Pico 5:03
I couldn’t agree more. I remember back in the day when people were asking what the purpose of Instagram was, because on Facebook, you could already upload photos, you could already upload video. So a lot of the audience was like, “Well, why do I want another network where I could just do the exact same thing?” And now, it’s booming. I mean, I there are very few brands out there that don’t use Instagram as a channel to push their content out to new audiences and to keep their audiences already engaged on. So talk to me a little bit about The Feed Group. How did you go from retail fashion to The Feed Group? And let’s start off with a brief explanation of what The Feed Group is.

Beatrice Fossati 5:44
Okay, that’s totally a fair question. And yeah, that was definitely a brave move. But then, in life there are moments in which you’re kind of challenged, and there’s someone that says to you “now or never,” or you’re saying to yourself, “now or never.” So that was that moment for me. So yeah, in the corner of my mind, I always had this desire and dream to put my knowledge, my 20 years of experience and the background that I have, at the disposal of smaller communities and small businesses. Because there are lots of small businesses out there with great purpose, and great products and messages and things like this, but then they don’t have actually the ability or the background, in terms of communication, to put themselves out there in a proper way, that will help them to be more visible. And that led me to create The Feed Group. So The Feed Group is called a group because it has a multifaceted identity, and it’s a multifaceted project. It’s a group because it goes and it touches different verticals. I wanted to focus on small businesses, but in different areas. So for instance, I wanted to focus on small businesses that are actually driving change. So helping to drive change and projects with purpose. I’m definitely linked to the world of agriculture, for instance, so food, organic, everything that actually can change, also, the behavior of the consumer. And if we change from a consumer perspective, then also this will have an impact on agriculture and also ultimately on our planet, if you want to see on a wider scale. And then, I mean, I saw that I could be useful also for other categories, not only agriculture, but also professionals or startups that have the same purpose. So I mean, the principle is working for purpose. Because also The Feed Group is like… “feed” is nutrition, it’s benefit, it’s wellness. I mean, to feed… and the feed also is very attached to the social media world, because the feed is where you read the news and where you get updated, and you get the news, and fresh. My former boss at Luxottica, she used to say that I have, like, the “antennae.” So to capture things and news and so on and so forth. So, I mean, “feed” is also for this reason, to capture and to give information, provide information, provide nurturing to clients and ultimately consumers in the end.

Carlota Pico 9:09
Okay, so what you’re doing is you’re building a network of different creators in the creativity field that you put together in order for them to act as service providers or as recipients, and you’re focusing on social impact type of companies.

Beatrice Fossati 9:28
Yes, exactly. Yes, that’s totally correct. So I mean, the rise of freelancers, like in the amount of freelancers, is definitely growing in the last few years. But then, also, freelancers are kind of alone. So we need to be a network. So I thought, it’s a good idea to find different professionals based on the project that we’re that we’re looking for, and that we’re looking at, and taking care of.

Carlota Pico 10:08
So we spoke already a little bit about the type of companies that you’re attracting to your network. Can we also speak about where those companies are based, or the type of languages and markets that they operate in?

Beatrice Fossati 10:23
I mean, I’m at a very early stage, I have to be honest. So the thing is, this one is very different. It’s surprisingly different, where they come from, because actually, I’m also opening to being digital and on the web; I’m also opening to new scenarios and possibilities. And I’m also with a litte bit of serendipity. I’m also accepting what is coming in. So I have clients from Italy, obviously, also especially in the field of agriculture. But then when we talk about projects with purpose, I recently also joined a platform called Work For Impact that is based in Hong Kong, and they’re connecting me also with other brands that are working with purpose across the globe. So I’m definitely open to exploring many different scenarios, also, because out there, there are many good ideas.

Carlota Pico 11:36
That’s very true. So let’s take one step back and break the conversation into two parts. On the one side, let’s talk about The Feed Group and the activities that The Feed Group is taking in order to attract a larger audience to its brand, especially because you’re just beginning and you’re a social media expert. So I’d love to learn about your strategy. And then later on in this conversation, let’s talk about the services that The Feed Group can offer to other brands as well, led by yourself as an expert in social media.

Beatrice Fossati 12:10
Yeah. So I’m taking a huge leap, from working for a company to working for yourself—it’s a big thing. And also working on the self-purpose. It’s a totally different thing. So for me, it was a great journey to start working on content pillars that were leading The Feed Group. Going to the core, for me, was like a journey also into myself, in discovering what were the values that were inspiring The Feed Group, also because this is directly linked to me, but then it relates also with what is happening in the world. So what I’m trying to do now is build content pillars that can relate both to consumers, like final consumers, because on social media, what I’d like to do is to position The Feed Group also as a community that is able to inform people. So people can follow The Feed Group to get information, to get updates, and so on and so forth. But then on the other side is taking the experience with the clients, and showing what they do and telling their stories. Telling the stories to the people in a way that they can be also well known, and to a totally new audience. So basically, what I would like to do is to create The Feed Group also as a content hub. Everything is, as I said, at a very early stage; still a lot of work is behind the curtains. So there’s a lot of things to do. In terms of your second question, like the things…

Carlota Pico 13:10
Let’s hold off on the second question, just for the moment, and let’s focus on The Feed Group, and then we’ll move into the second question as well. So that way we can give structure to the interview and focus on one thing, and then move into the services that The Feed Group can offer to other brands. I still want to focus on your strategy, if that’s okay with you?

Beatrice Fossati 14:28
Yeah that’s okay, no problem!

Carlota Pico 14:31
Okay, so when it comes to strategy, what channels have you chosen to promote The Feed Group on? Is it Instagram? Is it Facebook? Is it TikTok? Is it another network? What are you focusing on? Are you also doing other content marketing strategies? For example, blogging—is that part of your strategy in order to get the word out?

Beatrice Fossati 14:50
Yeah, absolutely. Blogging will be one of the… the core of this strategy, because I would like also to work… I’ve been studying also journalism for the last two years, investigative journalism, and so what I’m willing to do is also to provide analysis of what is happening in the market, and inform also the market about what is happening, and how they can act based on this information. And then on the other hand, I mean, Instagram will be key definitely, and the role of Instagram will be definitely much more about storytelling, and trying to create a contact and to create conversation. But we’d like more, kind of, native content and authentic content, while Facebook is going to be more a news hub, where I can, for instance, repost or give a view on certain news, or give a point of view on things that are happening, and again starting a conversation, but on a different level. Instagram is more content based, native content based. The other, Facebook, will be other people, other people’s content, plus obviously the blogging, I mean, pushing most of the blog and the contents of the blog out there.

Okay, to begin with, are you just going to start with one language? Are you going to focus on Italian since you’re Italian as well and that’s part of your target audience? And then as you move forward, are you going to localize your content, adapt your content to more audiences? Or how are you going to structure the next steps of your business?

So basically, what I would like… I mean, initially I started to think that Italian was the core. So I wanted to start with Italian, and then as a second step, as I have the pulse of the audience that is following me, then I will understand if there’s a need of internationalizing, let’s say, the content or not. At the moment I will keep it in Italian, also to be faster, to be on it more, given also the time that we have all available. So I just want to make it fresh and updated as much as I can. Obviously, I mean, content production takes time, and also translations and so on… so I will see, but first, I will start with Italian definitely.

Carlota Pico 17:57
Okay, sounds great. So let’s move into The Feed Group and the services that The Feed Group can offer to potential new clients. Right now The Feed Group is focusing on Italian, but obviously brands work internationally. Would it also be available, or would you also be up to offering content to potential clients in other languages besides Italian?

Beatrice Fossati 18:23
Yes, definitely, yes. I mean, the strategy of The Feed Group online is not necessarily what I’m going to offer to the clients. My international experiences allow me to be able to offer an international service. So that’s definitely one of the things, in terms of services, that I’m going to offer. One is definitely social media consulting, because this is my core and this has been my job in the last seven years, so I love it. And then working with purpose on that side is super exciting. On the other hand, what I’m interested in, and also I’m deep diving into this, is analysis. My background in marketing allows me also to work on… to have a look at your scenario, I mean as a client, have a look at this scenario, clients, competitors and see what could be your next step. So strategic consultancy, let’s say. Then there is content production, with the help of the network of producers and creators, and then there’s creation of our project, co-creation of the project together. So what I’m doing now, for instance, with honey producers in Italy. They do organic honey and they’re very young, but they’re very strong; they’re a couple of girls, very strong. And they have this huge project that goes also online, which is related to bee adoption. So I’m also co-creating with them the project, in a way that I kind of accompany them in creating a strategy for this project and delivering this also to stakeholders that can support them, like in funding or sponsoring, so this is the thing.

Carlota Pico 20:49
I actually worked with a few honey producers in Ukraine during a content marketing campaign that I did there a while back for Die Welt, the German newspaper. As a social media expert, and as a person who now provides consultancy to different brands worldwide, and especially in Italy, what tool do you think is missing in this area?

Beatrice Fossati 21:20
I’ve been always struggling to find a tool that does everything. Because mostly when looking for social media tools, I was realizing that there was that thing that was missing, that for some reason, everyone says, “Yeah, because the API doesn’t allow us to do so-and-so.” Possibly, I think that the perfect social media tool, like for planning, monitoring, has to be invented still. It hasn’t been invented yet. So you have to always mix different platforms and different tools, if you want to be specific and have specific results. Because none of them out there does everything. But that’s also the interesting part.

Carlota Pico 22:17
As an innovator, do you think you might venture into the wonderful world of technology and building social media tools for your clients?

Beatrice Fossati 22:26
Yeah, who knows? I mean, I’ll be definitely an advisor. I can definitely advise on the things that, from a social media manager perspective, don’t actually work. Because sometimes products are being produced by a company, but then sometimes there’s a lack of direct experience on certain things. So having a focus group with real testers could be very useful.

Carlota Pico 22:56
So interesting. I would love that.

Beatrice Fossati 22:59
Yeah.

Carlota Pico 23:01
We are moving into the last part of our interview, which is a set of rapid-fire questions. To begin the set, I’d like to ask you about a tool or an application that you can’t live without.

Beatrice Fossati 23:15
So basically, as I said, social media planning, scheduling and analysis tools for me are fundamental. These are the key to get me into the world of social media. Right now, I mean, social media has become a world full of data. And if you don’t have something that discloses and give you a wider overview of what is happening, it’s very difficult to take track of everything that is happening. So recently, I love to experiment, and one of the platforms that I recently joined and I really like is ContentStudio. Also because it allows many integrations with other platforms. So yeah, for what I’m going to do, this is going to be a very useful tool.

Carlota Pico 24:13
Okay, awesome. Thank you. What about a marketing influencer in Europe that you currently follow and admire?

Beatrice Fossati 24:23
I love a lot creators in terms of… I mean, they could be called also marketing influencers, because content creators are actually creating a lot of elements for marketing. So yeah, I would mention designers like Francesco Ciccolella, or Giuseppe… These are content creators that keep my imagination and dream alive in terms of what is possible to create online.

Carlota Pico 24:59
There’s nothing like an Italian pronunciation, it’s beautiful. I wish I could talk that well in Italian as well. Okay, well, we are moving into the last question of our interview. And that would be a valuable European group or event that you constantly attend, or that you think could provide a really good return on investment for your clients.

Beatrice Fossati 25:24
So, there are two different angles to see this. Because there are local events, and kind of local but international events that are happening. I mean, one of the events that I’ve been taking part in a few years ago was Cannes Lions. And that was an amazing experience. Because actually, you get in contact with so many agencies across the globe, and that’s super exciting. On another level, there’s a company that is called Talent Garden here in Italy, and basically they have been opening schools and coworking in many cities, also across Europe, and they are organizing a lot of events. They are organizing a lot of events for innovation and digital, so if you want to know… and some of them are free. They are a perfect moment to know people, to deepen the knowledge about different aspects of technology, and it’s very useful both for professionals, with work in the digital environment, but I’ve seen also other types of professionals joining those meetings… I’ve seen lawyers, I’ve seen company owners that obviously need to be updated on digital. So those meetings are very useful and precious.

Carlota Pico 27:04
Okay. Well, I know I said that the last question was the last question. But I have to ask this one because you’re the first entrepreneur that I’m interviewing as part of this series of interviews that we’re going to be launching on The Content Mix, and therefore, I need to ask you about a piece of advice that you would give to young, inspiring female entrepreneurs in marketing.

Beatrice Fossati 27:32
Definitely don’t let fear beat you. One of the biggest challenges is to face fear, because the fear of the unknown or the fear of “I cannot do this” or “who am I to do this” are questions that are often coming up in your mind, whatever age, it doesn’t… it’s not the experience that you have on your back. These are questions that normally are coming up. So one of the… Follow your heart, follow what you feel is good for you. And whichever experience it’s going to be, that is going to be a great experience that will lead you to… even if it’s not a successful business, then it’s going to be a successful experience, because it will give you big shoulders.

Carlota Pico 28:32
Definitely. Well, that’s great advice and a great note to end our interview on. Thank you so much, Beatrice, for sharing your insights with us, for sharing your insights with the community of The Content Mix. We can’t wait to see what The Feed Group has in store next. I will be following your group very closely. And I wish you the best of success, the best of luck. I’m sure the best is yet to come, and follow your heart. So thank you very much to everyone for listening in. For more perspectives on the content marketing industry in Europe, check out TheContentMix.com. We will be publishing interviews just like this one every week, so keep on tuning in. See you next time, everyone. Thank you so much Beatrice, again.

Beatrice Fossati 29:20
Thank you, Carlota. Bye!

Carlota Pico 29:22
Ciao!

Transcribed by https://otter.ai

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