Today we’d like to introduce you to Holly Medwid.
Hi Holly, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I never set out to work in social media.
More than 15 years ago, I was studying creative writing and running a personal blog as a way to practice my craft. At the time, social media was still in its early days and certainly wasn’t viewed as a career path. To attract readers to my blog, I started using social media platforms to share my writing and build an audience.
A local organization took notice of what I was doing and approached me with an unexpected opportunity: they asked if I could manage their social media and offered to pay me for it. That project became my first professional social media role and launched a career I never anticipated.
Over the years, I worked in a variety of marketing leadership positions, including Marketing Manager and Head of Growth Marketing. Yet I always found myself gravitating back to social media. While many people assume social media is simple because they use it every day, managing it professionally for organizations requires strategy, creativity, community-building, analytics, customer service, and constant adaptation. It is a demanding and often misunderstood profession.
Throughout my career, I became increasingly aware of how frequently social media professionals were undervalued. Expectations were often unrealistic, and the expertise required to do the job well was rarely recognized. I made a personal commitment that if I ever returned to social media full-time, it would be to build a workplace where social media professionals were respected, supported, and given the tools they needed to succeed.
That opportunity came in 2020. As the COVID-19 pandemic forced businesses to rethink how they connected with customers, I found myself fielding constant requests from business owners looking for advice on how to take their businesses online. What began as conversations quickly turned into requests for hands-on support and management. Recognizing the need, I made the decision to leave my full-time job and launch Monarch Social Media.
Five years later, Monarch has grown into a team of 10+ professionals serving clients across multiple industries. While the agency has expanded significantly, its founding philosophy remains the same: create an environment where talented social media professionals can focus on their craft, be treated with respect, and help businesses build meaningful connections with their communities. Together, we’ve helped organizations navigate an increasingly complex digital world while delivering measurable results and long-term growth.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road.
One of the biggest challenges is that social media changes constantly. New platforms emerge, algorithms shift, features are introduced and audience behaviours evolve. While experience is valuable, it’s difficult to ever call yourself a complete expert because the landscape is always changing. A strategy that worked six months ago may not work today, so success requires a willingness to continuously learn, adapt and stay curious.
Building a business has also come with its own challenges. Monarch Social Media was completely bootstrapped from the beginning, which meant balancing growth, hiring, client acquisition and cash flow at the same time. As an agency owner, you’re constantly trying to ensure you have the right people in place to serve clients well while continuing to bring in new business. Finding that balance takes time, patience and a lot of resilience. Five years in, we’ve built a stable foundation and are positioned for significant growth, but getting here required a lot of hard work and difficult decisions.
Another challenge that isn’t often discussed is the emotional nature of social media. When your job revolves around online platforms, it can be difficult to disconnect. Social media never sleeps, but people need to. The platforms often reward outrage, negativity and constant engagement, which can take a toll on mental health if strong boundaries aren’t in place.
Because of that, we’ve intentionally built a culture at Monarch that prioritizes work-life balance. While we offer weekend and after-hours services when clients require them, those are exceptions rather than expectations. We believe our team does their best work when they have the time and space to recharge.
Managing client expectations has also been a learning curve. Many businesses want social media to produce immediate results, but meaningful growth—particularly through organic social media—takes time. We don’t judge success based on a single post. We look at long-term trends, audience growth, engagement and business outcomes. Over the years, we’ve learned that the best client relationships are built on realistic expectations, trust and a shared understanding that sustainable growth doesn’t happen overnight.
The challenges have been significant, but they’ve also shaped how we operate today. They’ve helped us build a stronger agency, establish healthier boundaries and develop a clear understanding of how to create lasting results for the businesses we serve.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Monarch Social Media is a social media agency, but what makes us different is that social media is all we do.
Many digital marketing agencies offer social media as an add-on service alongside web design, advertising, SEO, or other marketing disciplines. At Monarch, social media is our sole focus. We believe it is a full-time profession that requires specialized expertise, strategy, creativity, and community management to do well.
We have also structured our agency differently than most. Rather than expecting one person to manage every aspect of social media, we divide the work into specialized teams. Our communications team focuses on community management and audience engagement. Our creative team develops content and campaigns. Our strategy and analytics team studies performance data, identifies opportunities, and guides future direction. This approach allows our team members to focus on their strengths while delivering stronger results for clients.
Another thing that sets us apart is our organic-first philosophy. We don’t rely on advertising spend to create the appearance of success. Instead, we focus on creating content and community-building strategies that resonate naturally with audiences. Once we identify what is working organically, we can strategically amplify those results. This approach has helped us build long-term growth for our clients rather than short-term spikes in visibility.
We are also known for our work in creator partnerships, product seeding, and brand ambassador programs. Rather than relying exclusively on large influencers, we connect brands with everyday creators who can share products and experiences in ways that feel authentic and relatable. Consumers increasingly trust real people over polished advertisements, and we’ve seen tremendous success helping brands build awareness and credibility through these relationships. We also create opportunities for creators by hiring brand ambassadors who become genuine extensions of the brands they represent.
What I’m most proud of is the team we’ve built and the culture we’ve created. Our team spans multiple regions and backgrounds, but everyone shares a commitment to thoughtful strategy, creativity, and client service. We’ve worked hard to build an environment where social media professionals are respected for their expertise and given the support they need to do their best work.
I’m also incredibly proud that Monarch Social Media was recently recognized with a Canadian Choice Award in the Digital Marketing Agency category. For us, that recognition reflects the dedication of our entire team and the trust our clients place in us every day.
Most importantly, many of our clients have been with us for five years or longer. In an industry where agencies often see high turnover, those long-term relationships are one of the strongest indicators that what we’re doing is working. We focus on meaningful results, sustainable growth, and becoming a true partner to the organizations we serve.
What I want readers to know is that social media has become one of the most important ways businesses build trust, educate customers, and create community. When approached strategically, it can be a powerful business tool. Our role is to help organizations navigate that landscape in a way that feels authentic, sustainable, and effective.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
One of the most influential resources in my professional journey has been *Agency Story*, a podcast hosted by my mentor, Russell DuBree. The podcast features conversations with entrepreneurs and agency owners who share their experiences, challenges, and lessons learned while building their businesses. Hearing the real stories behind successful companies has been incredibly valuable because it reminds you that every entrepreneur faces obstacles and uncertainty along the way.
Russell has also had a significant impact on how I approach leadership and agency growth. One of the books he recommended, *The Four Conversations*, fundamentally changed the way I think about managing people, communication, and building a healthy team culture. Many of the systems and leadership principles we use at Monarch today have been influenced by those lessons.
I’m also an avid reader and have found inspiration from a wide range of authors. *Start With Why* by Simon Sinek reinforced the importance of purpose-driven leadership and understanding the deeper reason behind what you do. *The Seven Virtues of a Philosopher Queen* offered valuable perspectives on leadership, resilience, and personal growth.
A book that surprises people when I mention it is *On Writing* by Stephen King. As someone who originally studied creative writing, I consider it one of the most practical books on communication and storytelling ever written. Whether you’re writing a novel, creating content, or building a brand, the ability to communicate clearly and authentically is an invaluable skill.
I’m also a longtime reader of Robert Greene’s work. His books explore human behaviour, strategy, influence, and decision-making, which are topics that have been useful throughout both my career and entrepreneurial journey.
More than anything, I believe learning from the experiences of others—through books, podcasts, and mentorship—has played a major role in shaping the leader and business owner I am today.
Pricing:
- Social media management packages start at $3,000/month
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.monarchsocialmedia.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monarchsocialmedia/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/monarchsocialmedia/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/monarch-socialmedia/
- Twitter: https://x.com/monarchxsocial
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MonarchSocial
