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Samantha Trottier and Hernan Regiardo of Mate Society on Creating Content People Like Interview with Mate Society founders about authentic online connections, making money in the creator economy, and choosing the right brand deals.

By Shawn P. Walchef

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Takeaways from this episode:

Courage and Connectivity - With the evolution of social media, Hernán Regiardo and Samantha Trottier believe it takes a level of courage to post authentic, less-edited content, but it's worth it to connect to your audience.

The Impact of Burnout - Being a full-time creator is a job with little breaks. Hernán Regiardo and Samantha Trottier learned the importance of guarding against burnout after an extended break from posting.

Choosing the Right Deal - There's an old adage that says "everything that glitters isn't gold". That rings true in the case of the strategy employed by Hernán Regiardo and Samantha Trottier when entering brand partnerships with Mate Society.

***

Hernán Regiardo and Samantha Trottier, founders of Mate Society, have built a reputation for beautiful pictures and appealing social media content.

Throughout their creative marketing company's short, but impactful lifespan, the two have secured partnerships with major corporations ranging from Bang Energy drinks to Hello Kitty, and many more.

Regiardo's photography mastery paired with Trottier's penchant for learning and applying what she gathered into action, has boosted their @medialuncita TikTok following to more than a million.

Here's the kicker: Their largely popular TikTok profile is almost exclusively in Spanish. Typically, the English language is only heard on their Media Luncita channel via sounds or music added to their content.

"I think it's a way to connect with your consumers and with possible clients," Hernan Regiardo said of creating TikTok Spanish content when being interviewed on the Restaurant Influencers podcast hosted by Shawn P. Walchef of CaliBBQ Media. "To connect with the people you really have to talk their language. You really have to understand them. And I think that's really important."

The content creators say that no brand they have worked with has asked for specifically Spanish content. Regardless, Regiardo and Trottier pushed forward with their creative thoughts and continue to make a huge impression online and offline with their expanding business.

The duo strategically partners with brands they know they can work with well. Unlike some creators, they opt for brands and ads that won't alienate the audience they have built.

"We're really particular about what brand deals we take," Sam Trottier explained. "We'd rather do less ads that are higher money for us and actually speak to our audience so that we don't lose any engagement for doing ads."

Engagement is the name of the game, and Sam y Hernan have found a way to reach audiences at a high level. Instead of curating their content around the brand, brands have allowed them the autonomy to be themselves in their sponsored posts, and it has worked out beautifully to the tune of over 80 brand deals.

As their webpage clearly states: Collaboration is our culture.

***

NOMINATE A RESTAURANT INFLUENCER — Do you know someone who is killing it on social media? Let us know by emailing influencers@calibbq.media or sending the @calibbqmedia team a DM on social media.

ABOUT RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS:

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Shawn P. Walchef

Founder of Cali BBQ Media

“Be the show, not the commercial.”

Cali BBQ Media Founder Shawn Walchef helps brands and leaders leverage the new Business Creator Economy with strategic Smartphone Storytelling and Digital Hospitality.

His Cali BBQ restaurant company has generated more than $35 million since opening in 2008. They operate numerous locations in San Diego and beyond.

Shawn’s weekly video series Restaurant Influencers (published by Entrepreneur Media and produced by Cali BBQ Media) has been seen by over 25 million people.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

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