Brooke Vivoda is one of Australia’s forefront experts on Instagram. As the founder of Villa Management, she teaches businesses worldwide how to leverage the power of Social Media to connect with their audience online. Brooke’s signature Social Media Connection program will empower your business with the knowledge and confidence to build your brand, grow your network and be authentic in your messaging.
Can you give us an overview of your business?
I teach businesses fun and easy ways to grow their brand using Social Media! I specialize in Instagram but since Facebook owns Instagram I teach a bit of that too ☺ I teach regular in person workshops in Perth and I’ve also just launched my online membership WOOOO! This now allows businesses worldwide to sign up to a weekly email where they receive a super easy to implement Social Media lesson and access to a private Facebook group where I also teach the lesson LIVE and they can ask questions.
What is the vision for your business?
That ALL businesses worldwide enjoy using Social Media and see success from their efforts! I’m on a mission to change the mindset of business owners so that they think of Social Media as a permanent communication platform rather than a short-term marketing strategy. Social Media is just like having another mobile phone for your business… it never turns off and once businesses accept that Social Media needs to become part of the daily operation of their business, then they start to enjoy it more and see success!
Was there a significant turning point when you decided to become an entrepreneur?
OMG YAS! Woke up working for someone else at 29 about to turn 30 and thought you know what.. it’s time to take over the world haha!
What was your initial marketing strategy, and how has it changed?
To use Social Media to attract an audience and increase my brand exposure – and now that’s what I teach other businesses to do! So I guess it hasn’t changed and what I do is what I teach!
What do you think was the biggest mistake you made in business?
Wasting money on help instead of getting specific – if you need help in any area of your biz, go to an expert in that field!
What do you believe was the best decision you made in business?
Getting a business coach from outside of the industry to help structure my business correctly for growth!
Looking back is there a piece of advice you wish to pass onto someone starting out their entrepreneurial journey?
Don’t forget about the power of human connection when growing your business. reach out to your idols, buy them a coffee, be genuine in your request to develop a relationship with them. There are so many amazing supportive women (and men!) that WANT to help and will give you priceless advice and guidance from their own experiences! Oh. and be prepared to work bloody hard! If you’re getting into your own biz so that you can work a few hours a day and sip cocktails on the beach the rest of the time you’re kidding yourself. Yes that’s the ultimate goal but you’ve got to work your butt off to get it… hence why only a few reach that point!
Who do you look up to in business? Who inspires you?
Kayla Itsines.. she’s a personal trainer from Adelaide that’s grown a multimillion dollar empire JUST through the power of Instagram! She is amazing and when I grow up I want to be like her.. even tho she’s younger than me haha!
What was the best advice that you have been given?
F*k em.. to the non-believers, to the negatrons, to anyone that doesn’t support your cause.. F*k em! Cos there’s plenty of people who will!
What do you think your key to success has been?
Ummmm working 24 hours a day 7 days a week for the last 2 years with no sleep and multiple mental breakdowns?! Haha JK! But seriously.. I’ve always been a super hard worker and I honestly think that has been my key to this point! What’s that saying? Entrepreneurs work 100 hours a week so they don’t have to work 40 hours a week? Something like that haha!
How have you personally measured your success?
I measure success through the feedback I receive from my clients. Nothing makes me happier than when what I teach gets them results! That is success to me.
How do you make the most of your day?
I wake up at 5am, train for an hour first thing in the morning, come home make brekkie, do emails, write content, teach workshops, have meetings, come home and write more content, then if I don’t have an event on that night at 7pm it’s laptop down and phone away so I can watch Home & Away haha! Don’t judge me, it’s my guilty pleasure. I try to be in bed by 9pm and then the next day I do it all again!
When you think of your journey, what is the thing you are most proud of?
In the first 6 months I almost quit so many times and got a regular J-O-B! So I’m really proud of myself for soldiering on otherwise maybe we wouldn’t be here today!
What is your favourite thing to do in your downtime?
Watch Netflix! I’m out all day every day and lots of nights too so when I don’t HAVE to go out I really just enjoy staying home and watching TV. Oh and eating donuts!
What is your favourite app?
INSTAGRAM DERRRRR
Where you see yourself and your business in 10 years?
Fingers crossed I have 98348347843734784398439843 people in my membership! That’s what I’m focusing on right now.. growing that. Oh and getting better at GIFS!
