Meet Tina, a Digital Marketing Expert

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Gem of the Week - Tina

Meet Tina, a Marketing and Business Coach, Trainer and Speaker working with businesses and supporting them with their growth and education. She is also the CEO of Puzzle Media, a Digital Marketing and Social Media agency based on the Gold Coast. Tina and her team work with small business owners throughout Australia and globally helping grow businesses through the use of Marketing and Social Media.

She established the business 12 years ago and began freelancing for the first couple of years before expanding the service offering, building her team of experts in different areas of digital marketing.

Let’s get to know more about Tina in our Q+A:

What inspired you to make the leap and go out on your own, and when did you first start working for yourself?

I had recently moved interstate after leaving a highly paid, highly pressured role and decided I needed more balance. My daughter was 18 months at the time and I felt like I’d missed out on about 9 months when I had returned to work. Time I would never get back.

After working both agency and client side I realised there was a gap in the market which still exists.

Small business owners require expert knowledge, strategies and the tools and training to market themselves and grow, however they don’t ALL have huge budgets to begin with. I tapped into my skills and experience and began working with SME’s using everything I knew about customer and acquisition marketing, and developed marketing strategies and processes that small businesses could implement through a smaller agency (like ours) or even themselves.

With my experience in business and as a leading marketing strategist, I wanted to impart my knowledge to help other businesses and entrepreneurs excel and grow further!

Tell us about your experience of working for yourself?

It’s challenging, fun, exciting, stressful… Literally the biggest personal growth journey I’ve ever been on!

When I first started my business in 2010, I was busy being busy without a solid plan or agenda for where I was heading. This needed to change if I was going to build a sustainable business and create the life I wanted for myself and my family.

In 2013, I began investing in myself. I made big butt-clenchy investments into programs and coaches, and every single cent was worth it.

I worked on my mindset, my energy, my strategy, my marketing.. ALL the things! Within 10 months of taking action, I had gone from $39k to $147k turnover working part-time with three children under the age of 4! From there the business has grown from strength to strength, and I think the key has been to NEVER STOP INVESTING in yourself and your business. The learning element never stops and becoming complacent can set you back.

Alongside ALL of the above, I have a terrific team that is the backbone of our business. They inspire me every day!

What’s your best piece of advice for someone wanting to make the leap?

Just do it! You never regret the things you do right? You regret the things you didn’t do. Sounds easy, but it’s true.

You will find it challenging. You will find it overwhelming and there will be days where you just want to throw in the towel and run away. I know because I’ve been there too and guess what even now, there are days when being a CEO is really overwhelming. But if you have the drive, and are willing to work on yourself AND your business, then you can make a huge difference not just for yourself but to the lives of those you support through your business.

Best tips for winning new business?

Hustle in a way that’s aligned with your values and your business…

  • Show up consistently via emails, Social Media and at in-person events if that’s your thing…
  • Reach out to people directly though LinkedIn or via email if that’s your jam.
  • Connect with brands you want to work with on Socials.
  • Listen to what’s being talked about.
  • Share valuable content.

Repeat all of the above regularly and don’t forget to make offers! If you’re not making offers, people don’t know they can work with you.

Be consistent in your approach and I can’t stress this enough – follow up at every opportunity. Customer service and your ability to nurture are extremely important when it comes to winning and retaining clients.

What has been your favourite project to date?

Too many to mention over the years but one of my highlights is the training I’ve provided to over 10,000 business owners over the last 10 years AND the results we’ve managed to achieve for our clients. I’ve watched clients expand their businesses, increase their employees and contractors, purchase new premises, equipment, and vehicles, retire their partners, upgrade their family homes and all the things that have a knock-on effect on the SME community.

What is a business win you’re currently celebrating?

Increasing our client’s business by 40% last year through the marketing campaigns the team have managed.

What is one word you would use to describe Freelancing Gems?

I wish it was around 12 years ago when I started as a freelancer!

What’s next for your business?

My personal goal is to have a positive impact on 100,000 small businesses by 2030 through my education, coaching and programs.


Tina believes that there is still so much to learn, we have to be on top of our game constantly, and if it’s not you, then you need to invest in your team to learn and upskill. You can connect with her on the Gem Directory. Not a member? Join now.

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