In this episode, we chat with Nikki Dindo, founder of Spring Media Co., a boutique agency specializing in social media management, influencer marketing, and media relations. Nikki shares her journey through the fashion and PR industry, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, storytelling, and strategic branding. She discusses her experiences working with notable figures in PR and her approach to launching Spring Media Co. The conversation covers common mistakes in social media and PR, the process of developing a social media strategy, and actionable advice for fashion entrepreneurs.
About Nikki Dindo
With over a decade of experience leading digital strategy in both Vancouver and New York City, Nikki Dindo is a powerhouse in the world of PR, social media, influencer marketing, and event production. As the founder of Spring Media Co., she and her team helps brands show up with confidence, clarity, and creative impact online and off. From managing influencer campaigns for global brands to producing shows at New York Fashion Week, Nikki brings big picture thinking and hands-on experience to everything she does. She's also worked with luxury clients like Park Hyatt and built authentic connections that go far beyond algorithms. When she's not supporting founders and creators through her agency work, Nikki shares her expertise as a social media instructor at Blanche MacDonald, mentoring the next generation of digital talent.
Whether she's consulting from her hometown in Vancouver or creating content from a coffee shop in New York City, Nikki's all about empowering people to tell their stories well and build a brand that actually feels like them.
Contact info
Website: https://www.springmediaco.com/
Instagram: @nikkidindo
Takeaways
- Define your brand voice and visuals before posting.
- Focus on quality over quantity when choosing social platforms.
- Posting without a plan leads to off-brand content and burnout.
- Authentic storytelling builds stronger customer trust.
- Don’t chase trends that don’t align with your brand values.
- Select influencers based on audience alignment, not just reach.
- Long-term partnerships perform better than one-off posts.
- Track engagement that signals real connection—not just likes.
- Short-form video is a powerful, low-cost way to grow.
- Showing your face and sharing your story creates a deeper impact.
Interview themes
What are the biggest mistakes fashion brands make with social media?
Fashion brands often fall into the trap of doing more instead of doing better. Nikki Dindo highlights that many are spreading themselves too thin—trying to be on every platform, chasing trends that don’t fit, and outsourcing content before they've clarified their brand voice.
One of the most common mistakes is posting without a clear plan or strategy, which leads to inconsistent messaging and off-brand visuals. Others focus too much on vanity metrics like likes and follower counts, rather than measuring deeper engagement like shares, saves, DMs, and click-throughs. Influencer marketing is also often mishandled—brands choose influencers based on follower count instead of audience alignment or values fit, and rely on one-off posts instead of building meaningful, long-term partnerships. Most critically, many brands are afraid to show their human side. In a space where authenticity matters, hiding behind curated grids and avoiding founder-led storytelling makes it harder to build connection and trust.
What first steps should fashion brands take before posting to multiple platforms?
Many founders think they need to post more or be on every platform to succeed—but Nikki says that’s backwards. Before you start creating content or hiring help, you need to get clear on your brand’s voice, values, and audience. Without that foundation, nothing you post will stick. She advises fashion entrepreneurs to define their core messaging and brand visuals first, then build a system around it that allows for consistency without burnout.
How can agencies work with brands to create sustainable social strategies that actually work?
Nikki’s approach to social media strategy starts with listening—not posting. She begins every client relationship by doing a deep dive into the brand’s goals, challenges, and audience, followed by a full audit of current performance. From there, she builds a plan around strategic content pillars, brand voice alignment, and a calendar system the founder can actually keep up with. It’s not about posting more—it’s about posting with intention.
What are fashion entrepreneurs getting wrong about influencer marketing?
Too many brands chase vanity metrics or send out products without a clear plan. Nikki emphasizes the importance of selecting influencers whose audience actually matches your target market—and creating partnerships that feel long-term and values-aligned. She stresses the need for clear contracts, expectations, and approval processes so both the brand and the creator are set up for success. One post won’t cut it. Connection and consistency matter more.
How can I brand measure campaign success beyond likes and reach?
In 2025, Nikki encourages brands to track “resonance metrics” like saves, shares, DMs, and time on site. These indicators show that your content is making people pause, reflect, and act—not just scroll. She also looks for qualitative wins: customer feedback, press mentions, and partnership inquiries sparked by visibility. For Nikki, the best outcome is when a founder says: “I finally feel proud of how we’re showing up online.”
Where should fashion brands focus on when they have small marketing budgets?
If you’re in the early stages and resources are tight, Nikki’s advice is clear: invest in brand story and visuals first. Once you have that solid foundation, prioritize organic content—especially short-form video like reels or stories. It’s still one of the most effective free ways to build trust and get discovered. Then, consider partnerships with micro-influencers, like-minded brands, or a freelance strategist to help you stay consistent.
Why is showing your face oftentimes more powerful than paid ads?
Nikki sees it time and time again: one authentic, founder-led video outperforms a dozen polished posts. Her biggest advice? Stop hiding behind your grid. Fashion is personal—and people want to know why you started, how you design, and what you believe. When brands lead with heart and personality, they create emotional connections that build loyal communities—not just one-time customers.
Chapters
00:00 The Heart of Branding and Creativity
01:47 Nikki Dindo: A Journey Through Fashion and PR
05:56 Launching Spring Media Co.: A New Approach to PR
09:36 Lessons from Kelly Cutrone: Intensity and Clarity
13:36 Common Mistakes in Social Media and PR
17:30 Developing a Social Media Strategy: The Process
21:27 The Importance of Authenticity in Influencer Marketing
25:27 Case Study: Skip Hop Campaign Success
29:15 Finding the Right Influencers for Your Brand
33:03 Actionable Advice for Fashion Entrepreneurs
37:10 The Creative Influence of New York and Broadway
Transcript
Nikki Dindo
I get really lit up by brands and creatives with a strong point of view. Even if it's still messy or evolving, I just love it when there's heart and intention behind what someone is building and they just need a little bit of help bringing it to life in like a more refined and strategic way. So whether that's like fashion founders creating pieces with real meaning or a wellness brand that's actually grounded in science and care or a travel company that's telling stories that most people overlook or, you know, sharing destinations that are off the grid and more people need to know about.
But I'm especially drawn to people who have just really cared deeply about what they do, but maybe they just don't always know how to communicate that in a way that resonates online. And at the end of the day, I love working with good people, you know, cool people who's mission and values I stand behind and I just want to kind of help amplify that. And I also love working with founders and creatives who are just willing to be a little bit brave.
Glynis Tao
Welcome to Chase Your Dreams, a podcast for fashion entrepreneurs who want to build a purposeful and profitable clothing business so they can make a living doing what they love. I'm your host, Glynnis Tao, an apparel business consultant and SEO specialist with 20 years apparel industry experience. I'm also a mom to a wonderfully energetic little boy named Chase.
With over a decade of experience leading digital strategy in both Vancouver and New York City, Nikki Dindo is a powerhouse in the world of PR, social media, influencer marketing, and event production. She's the founder of Spring Media Co., a boutique agency that helps brands show up with confidence, clarity, and creative impact online and off. From managing influencer campaigns for global brands to producing shows at New York Fashion Week, Nikki brings big picture thinking and hands-on experience to everything she does. She's also worked with luxury clients like Park Hyatt and built authentic connections that go far beyond algorithms. When she's not supporting founders and creators through her agency work, Nikki shares her expertise as a social media instructor at Blanche McDonald, mentoring the next generation of digital talent.
Whether she's consulting from her hometown in Vancouver or creating content from a coffee shop in New York City, Nikki's all about empowering people to tell their stories well and build a brand that actually feels like them.
Welcome, Nikki. It's so nice to have you here today. Thanks for joining me on the podcast.
Nikki Dindo
Thank so much. So good to be here.
Glynis Tao
So you've built an amazing career in both Vancouver and New York City, leading digital strategy for brands across various industries. Can you take us back to the moment when you realized this was the path you wanted to pursue?
Nikki Dindo
My goodness, it was actually a complete accident. I worked in marketing. I went to university for marketing and I was a business major and thought I was going to go to law school though. And instead of doing that, went and worked on board a cruise ship for five years and came back and was a little bit lost and not entirely sure of where I wanted to go and what I want to do next.
And after kind of experimenting with a few different career options, I wound up going back to school for fashion marketing. And I actually intended to be a buyer. I thought maybe I wanted to have my own store. At the time I was seeing a lot of gaps in the retail strategy and the retail market in Vancouver and thought that that's what I wanted to do. But within my first month of being back in school, I got coached by our career counselor and executive team there. And they said, hey, we think you'd be a really good fit in the PR industry and they kind of placed me in a few different work opportunities and got my feet wet and I realized very quickly that they were right. And so I started my career in fashion PR and then very quickly pivoted over to social media marketing.
Glynis Tao
Do you specialize in any particular industry or niche? What drew you to fashion and lifestyle brands specifically?
Nikki Dindo
Yeah, so I specialize in consumer facing brands in the lifestyle space. So everything from fashion and beauty to baby and kids, travel and tourism, kind of anything that fits within that lifestyle space. I've also done lots of celeb brands, film and TV. So all over the map, but I did get my career start in fashion.
Glynis Tao
Okay, because you said you went to school for fashion marketing. Is that sort of the reason why you decided to also stay with fashion and working with fashion brands?
Nikki Dindo
And so immediately after I finished school, I moved to New York City and got an internship working for Kelly Cutrone. And I was producing runway shows for New York Fashion Week, which like as a girl who grew up on magazine culture, like my goodness, I think I have had been subscribed to InStyle magazine since I was 10 or 11 and was constantly saving all my fashion magazines and making cutouts and collages. It was an absolute dream come true to have gone from seeing runway shows in my magazines and then being behind the scenes and producing them all those years later.
Glynis Tao
Okay, so I know you mentioned that you had worked with the legendary Kelly Cutrone and I really want to get the meat behind that. Like what really happened? What was it like?
But before we get to that, sort of like what inspired you to launch Spring Media Co. and how does your agency's approach differ from traditional PR or digital firms?
Nikki Dindo
Yeah, honestly, spring was kind of born out of a mix of instinct and necessity. I'd been doing social media and brand work for others long before I officially launched anything. I had close to a decade of agency experience. I'd help friends with their businesses, jump in on passion projects, and I found myself kind of constantly drawn to that intersection of storytelling strategy and design.
And the actual spark came while I was on vacation in Bali and was talking to all these amazing women around me. I just realized how many brilliant founders and creatives and brands had so much heart behind what they were doing, but their online presence just didn't really reflect that. And, you know, I just kind of kept thinking that there's a real opportunity here to help be able to work with female founders and amplify their voices. And, you know, I saw how much more impactful their stories could be if their online presence kind of matched the soul of their business.
So it was a little bit of a slow build after I kind of had that first aha moment. But then I reached a point where, you know, I just wanted to stop treating something that I did on the side and start treating it like the creative business it deserved to be. So eventually I took that leap and that's how Spring Media Co came to life.
Yeah. And then how is my approach different? I think that was the second part of that. One of the biggest things that as a company that we prioritize, especially when working with fashion founders, is clarity, sustainability, and support. So we know that founders and brands and startups are juggling absolutely everything. And our goal isn't to add more to anyone's plate. We want to take things off of it. So we truly pride ourselves on being an extension of your team. I always tell people when I first meet them that I want them to think of us as being one of them.
Nikki Dindo
You know, I want to be on their weekly calls. I want to know what is happening and feel like I am one of them rather than an external agency partner that they send things to. I want to preemptively know what they're working on so that instead of me going to them to ask for more details, I already know what they need and I've already given them ideas and brought them options for how to execute it. So, you know, we're not really here to just help you post and land a few press hits. We're really here to help you think bigger, show up more consistently and feel like your brand is telling the story that you actually want to tell.
Glynis Tao
Amazing. So I'm going to go more into your process a little bit later, but let's just go back to the topic of working with Kelly Cutrone. So she's legendary and definitely a name that needs no introduction in the PR and fashion world. What was your experience like and what did you learn from her that still guides your work today?
Nikki Dindo
Man, working for Kelly was one of those wild, formative experiences that will probably stick with me forever. As you can guess, she is extremely intense, but I would say that her intensity is in the kind of way that really pushes you to rise to the occasion. It was very much a sink or swim work environment, but if you swam you were given so much responsibility and such an incredible opportunity to learn. I was pretty young when I started working with her and it was truly like being thrown into the deep end, but that's where I learned the most. You know, she's a force and being in her orbit, especially during fashion week was like bootcamp for the fashion and PR world. While I was there, she was also creating a brand and filming two television shows. So I also got to see the back end of so much of the industry with her.
In my responsibilities, I was largely in charge of coordinating backstage access for the runway shows at Fashion Week. So that meant working with press, talent, stylists, makeup artists, and all internal and external teams to make sure that everything ran smoothly behind the scenes. It was very fast paced. It was high pressure and full of last minute changes, but I absolutely loved it. That experience really taught me how to stay calm under pressure. It taught me how to be a problem solver and how to trust my instincts and communicate very clearly even when everything was moving a mile a minute and falling apart around me.
Another thing I learned while I was working with Kelly is I mean something that she's absolutely brilliant at is cutting through the noise. She knows exactly what a brand stands for and never tries to be everything to everyone. And that's something that really helped me shape how I think about storytelling today especially in a world where people are constantly scrolling. It's more so that I've learned the importance of having to be clear, bold, and unapologetic about your message because she was not, she was sometimes controversial, but she made news and she knew how to get a message out there.
Glynis Tao
Wow, that sounds like a really amazing experience. How long were you with her?
Nikki Dindo
Yeah, just about a year and I ran two seasons of runway shows for her.
Glynis Tao
And so how long were you in New York for?
Nikki Dindo
I stayed in New York after working with Kelly and I was there for just under five years, then came back to Vancouver and spent another kind of five years in Vancouver and then had an opportunity to go back to New York again and was working as head of digital for a PR agency in New York right up until the pandemic actually.
Glynis Tao
Okay, so that's really recent.
Nikki Dindo
Quite recent. And then, you know, as kind of pandemic things happen. And I loved, loved, loved going back there. I loved the team I was working with, the brands we were working with, but I kind of started freelancing just a tiny bit before and knew that that's kind of where my calling was. And then as the pandemic happened, it almost forced my hand a little bit. You know, we had so much indecision and didn't really know what was going to happen in the industry. And I was back in Vancouver, just kind of waiting it out. And, you know, all of a sudden a lot of brands needed to be online and amplify their online presence very quickly. And so I just kind of kept taking on more work and then needing to bring people onto the team. That's how Spring Media kind of really came to be. It was ultimately a pandemic baby that had been in my head for quite some time, but that really brought it to life in a new way that surpassed even what I had been expecting to do.
Glynis Tao
Wow, that's a great story.
Nikki Dindo
I love New York. It still feels like home and I'm always happy to hop on a plane for a quick work trip or even a photo shoot.
Glynis Tao
Yeah I lived there briefly, not as long as you did, but it's definitely very different, I guess, the pace there compared to Vancouver.
Many founders are overwhelmed with doing all the things and struggle with getting media attention. What's one mistake you often see fashion entrepreneurs make when it comes to social media or PR and how can they fix it?
Nikki Dindo
Yes. One of the kinds of mistakes that I see the most is that people are trying to do everything and be everywhere all at once. And I get it. There are so many platforms and we're constantly being told that we need to be posting five times a day on this platform, but also be on this platform. And don't forget this new emerging one. You want to be, you know, at the start of it. And I don't think that's necessary. I think what is most important is to really listen to your audience, know who they are, know where they are, and just really focus on a couple of platforms. Otherwise, you're going to spread yourself too thin.
Even if you have a team, trying to be successful and keep up with every single platform is going to be exhausting. You're going to get burnt out. Other parts of your business will suffer if you are spending your entire day, especially as a fledgling brand, you're just starting out. You don't have time to be filming TikToks all day long. Is it fun? Sometimes for some people. So I think it's better to kind of really understand where your audience is and focus on strategically growing a couple of platforms, meet your audience where they are and go from there.
Glynis Tao
For early stage clothing brands, what are the must-haves before they're PR ready?
Nikki Dindo
I would say that you need to have a very solid understanding of your audience. So make sure that you've kind of gone through and done the research. I think you need strong branding. You need to know your messaging. You need to know what it's going to look like to show up as a successful brand online. So I think strong messaging and branding is super important.
Having a website, definitely you need to have that up and running so that you have somewhere to guide all that amazing traffic that's going to go flooding there. But I think that kind of having that beginning point of making sure that you have strong branding and a strong direction of where you want to go and who you want to reach is the most important. From there, you know, we can work on shaping out what that looks like, what the core pillars are going to be.
But you want to know what your foundation is and how your current visuals and messaging stack up against the competitors, because that's information that we'll use to help you stand out. Those will become our anchor points and we'll build the actual strategy around those pillars, really kind of balancing storytelling with conversation.
Glynis Tao
Can you share your process when you're developing a social media strategy for a new fashion client? And what do you look for in terms of the branding or visuals or storytelling? What is it that you look for?
Nikki Dindo
For sure. So whenever I start working with any new client, the first thing that we do is listen. We want to understand their vision, their values, what makes them different, where they want to go, not just what they sell. So we'll sit back and listen first and just learn as much as we possibly can about the brand. Social media isn't just about posting outfits. It's also about telling the deeper story behind the brand in a way that really resonates and builds trust over time. Now more so than ever.
So once we've kind of gotten that foundation, we'll dive in and do a full audit. We'll look at what's working, what's not, what's engaging. You know, as I mentioned before, kind of how we're stacking up against your competitors and really use that data to kind of help build out a full strategy. So once we have done the audit, we'll build out the strategy, look at core messaging and content pillars and really kind of use that as our North Star when it comes to developing content.
So we'll go through creating that strategic guide, make sure that everyone is aligned on it. We'll take our ideas, we'll do mocks, we'll put together sample posts, sample feeds, some kind of trial reels just so they can get an idea of our vision. We'll bring it to them. Then they'll also go through and it's a conversation. They'll tell us what they like, what they don't like, what doesn't feel aligned. And from there, we'll kind of get to work on creating the actual content.
So whether that is doing creative direction for shoots, whether that's leading with our own brand photography and videography, turning all of that into engaging content. We'll also kind of make sure that all of our ideas are doable for the team behind the scenes. We understand that not everyone can do everything. So we want to make sure that our plan is balanced and doable.
And so to help with things like that will also often create systems, templates, content calendars, approval workflows, just to kind of help make everything feel seamless. And again, make sure that we're really taking as much off of their plate as possible. As I kind of said, the biggest piece is like we approach everything like we're part of their team. We don't, you know, just deliver a strategy and disappear. We're there in the day to day helping refine, adapt as the brand grows or shifts. Also, you know, if there's an option, an opportunity to jump on a trend, but maybe we need to lean on someone. I'll kind of put together an email and say, hey, I think this would be such a good fit to tap into this. Can you spend 10 minutes? Do you know, film me like this, like that, like that. And just want to make sure that we always accommodate for anything, any opportunity to help their brand be part of that larger conversation. You know, especially in fashion where things are moving fast, that kind of flexibility and partnership truly makes all the difference.
Glynis Tao
Yeah, it sounds very collaborative too, the way that you work with your clients. Yeah, I guess taking that time upfront, to do the audit, to really understand their business and coming up with the strategy before you even do any posting and stuff like that. Cause I find a lot of times they just go and start posting. I don't know. I find it very frustrating because what they post doesn't necessarily really align with who I am as a business and my brand. I don't think they really understand it yet. So I think that's really important and it's great that you do that.
Nikki Dindo
I think it's so important to have those conversations upfront. That way it's just kind of crystal clear and also just constantly checking in on that because things change, focuses change. And I would rather always kind of have that conversation and that open communication as we go along just to make sure that we're always aligned.
Glynis Tao
Yeah, and also, guess doing those check-ins and having checkpoints in place with your clients and making sure that you are aligned in what you're doing so that there are no surprises and someone going, this is not really like they're not happy with it in the end and just like what, you know, like, but it was never really communicated.
Nikki Dindo
So many times. And so I'm all for monthly check-ins, even weekly check-ins and like cross department. That way there's just full visibility, open communication and no surprises because I think everyone has kind of been in that situation where one person maybe said yes or you got used to saying yes and then you just throw something up on social and then you get an email, you know, I didn't authorize this or like this is an old product. How did this go up there?
So it can sometimes feel tedious, especially in the beginning to kind of go through that approval process. But it's so important down the line, especially when it comes to messaging and just making sure that brand voice sounds like them. Because there's nothing more jarring than coming across a post that just feels off brand as a consumer.
Glynis Tao
Yeah, and it's hard to find an agency or somebody who actually gets it and this is kind of the thing that I hear often a lot from my clients is that they have to end up doing the social media themselves because they're just kind of like, no one's able to do it as well. I'm kind of feeling like, yeah, that's maybe a challenge for you to kind of be able to find that in between, I guess, between you and them, but really to be able to make it sound like, what you're saying is really sounding like them coming as if it's from them.
Nikki Dindo
Yeah, that's a big one. And it's I, and I get it. And especially if it comes to like a personal brand or a founder or something, because that's you, that's your voice. And sometimes people have a hard time articulating it too. You know, this doesn't sound like me, but I don't know how to say why. I think I like to pride our team on being able to capture brand and also personal brand voices very well and I tell them from the beginning I said please please please give me as much feedback give me as many notes edit this you're not going to hurt my feelings I would wrap the more information you give me the quicker I'll be able to learn and adapt and truly it usually just takes one max two rounds of feedback and edits and then we're pretty easy to nail it down and be able to just kind of absorb that voice and switch into it moving forward which, it seems odd. I think it's because I was a double major between English and business. I was always a huge reader, a huge writer. So I think it might have been that from before that it never felt too difficult for me to switch into voices and copywriting was actually always my favorite aspect of social. But thankfully being able to kind of translate that and help teach my team and share that skillset with them has been I think very valuable for everyone on the team that we've been able to kind of learn and adapt to different brand voices relatively with ease.
Glynis Tao
Brands or creatives light you up the most to work with.
Nikki Dindo
I get really lit up by brands and creatives with a strong point of view. Even if it's still messy or evolving, I just love it when there's heart and intention behind what someone is building and they just need a little bit of help bringing it to life in a more refined and strategic way. So whether that's fashion founders creating pieces with real meaning, or a wellness brand that's actually grounded in science and care, or a travel company that's telling stories that most people overlook or, you know, sharing destinations that are off the grid and more people need to know about. But I'm especially drawn to people who have just really cared deeply about what they do, but maybe they just don't always know how to communicate that in a way that resonates online. And at the end of the day, I love working with good people, you know, cool people who's mission and values I stand behind and I just want to kind of help amplify that. And I also love working with founders and creatives who are just willing to be a little bit brave. You know, the internet moves fast, but the brands that stick are the ones that know who they are and are willing to show up with honesty and creativity. And that kind of energy is just magnetic. And I gravitate towards those kinds of people. And I think that that's where as an agency, we do our best work as well.
Glynis Tao
Let's talk a little bit about influencer marketing. Influencer marketing changes fast. What makes a campaign successful in 2025 and how do you measure success beyond likes and reach?
Nikki Dindo
For sure, okay, so I think at the end of the day for influencer marketing or for campaigns in general, but especially for influencer marketing, it's really about authenticity. And I know that we hear that all the time, but it's true. Consumers now, especially with influencers, know and understand that influencers are getting paid for a lot of their partnerships. People know that, but I think that the most authentic influencers are still only going to take those partnerships that is from a brand that they would already buy from or a company that they would already use. And therefore it doesn't feel salesy. It feels authentic and it should kind of meld seamlessly into any non-sponsored content as well. And people will kind of still know that it's an affiliate link and they'll make some money off of it. But as long as it still feels true to the brand and that the influencers are still providing value, then I think that they know and are willing to help support them with something like that. So I think authenticity is extremely important, especially in the influencer space.
And then kind of social media in general in 2025, a successful campaign, I think goes way beyond likes and reach. Now those kind of used to be the prime metrics before. Nowadays, we kind of look at measuring things that are indicators of resonance and relationship. So the question that I'm kind of always asking is like, did this campaign actually move the needle? Did it create a moment? Did it have a deeper connection with the audience? So this could mean stronger brand loyalty, an increase in DMs, more website traffic, or even just people spending more time engaging with your content in more meaningful ways. So metrics that we look at now, and also the algorithm looks at, are kind of more in line with shares and saves because
Anybody can like something without putting much thought into it, but a share and a save is a better indicator that this is meaningful content that somebody wants to send to somebody else or wants to save to come back to for themselves. So, you know, it's a better indicator of like a cute comment or emojis, but knowing how many people saved your content really kind of is an indicator of whether a piece of content has any stickiness or whether something hit.
We also look at the backend data. So click through rates, email signups, time on site. And we take that to the clients. Sometimes too success looks like a product selling out and knowing that it came from social first push. Sometimes it's a new partnership or a press opportunity that came out of visibility. I'm working with a personality right now, let's say, and amplifying their personal brand online. And we are getting podcast requests and press requests all the time sent to us via DMs as a request of somebody seeing their content on Instagram first. So that's also kind of an indicator of success in a campaign that their visibility is kind of moving outside of Instagram and into the real world in other ways.
So other times it's opportunities coming out of visibility. And sometimes it's just, you know, a founder saying, we finally feel proud of how we're showing up online. So I think at the end of the day, looking at success for campaigns these days is a blend of data and instinct. If something feels sticky and it's getting shared, sparking conversations, that's a win.
Glynis Tao
Certainly is. Love it. You've worked on social campaigns with brands like Skip Hop. Could you share what went into building that campaign and the kind of results it delivered?
Nikki Dindo
Yes, absolutely. My gosh, working with Skip Hop was such a fun and rewarding project. I did this on the social side in conjunction with a PR agency that I was working with and was brought on as their social partner. So at the time, Skip Hop, when we first started Skip Hop was toying with the idea of an acquisition and they are wanting to improve their brand online kind of in advance of that. And in addition, they also wanted to reach modern parents in a way that felt both relatable and stylish because that was kind of new within the parenting space at the time. They didn't really want to be overly salesy or traditional. So we started by getting super, super clear on their audience, millennial parents, mainly millennial women who value design functionality and a bit of humor and amongst the chaos of parenting. So from there, we built a content strategy that leaned into an aspirational but attainable lifestyle. So think really elevated visuals, quick tips and like real parent moments that felt authentic.
In addition to this, we had a very, very, very strong influencer seeding program. And we are partnering with some of the combination of top parenting influencers, but also micro influencers before that became a huge thing who had an awesome aesthetic and were able to kind of provide on-brand content. And so kind of having this multi-pronged approach, we were able to have really, really, really strong results, engagement rates practically triple during our first campaign window. saw a notable lift in website traffic directly from social and we started to see if we were launching a new product and we would lead with social posts two days before any other advertising. We are starting to see almost sellouts from social first. And even better, the brand got great feedback from customers who said the content made them actually want to interact with the brand, which is what we were going for. And as this kind of continued through specific campaigns and through an acquisition, we wound up staying with the brand for about three years until it ultimately got brought in-house by the parent company. But it was such a joy to work with them and one of the most fun projects I've ever been a part of.
Glynis Tao
I can imagine as a parent myself, I use the products. I almost had everything from their diaper bags, change pads, play mats.
Nikki Dindo
Those diaper bags are the best and they were so cheap. I was using those to travel with.
Glynis Tao
I know, it can be used beyond just a diaper bag. It's got all the great compartments and pockets and zip and everything. It's a great design.
Nikki Dindo
They're so smart. They're the greatest products and the best, best people to work with. I truly loved working with them and they gave us so much creative flexibility and freedom and they trusted our instinct and the copy was so much fun to work on. It was just a joy.
Glynis Tao
Sounds wonderful. Let's see, what advice would you give fashion founders trying to find the right influences to represent the brand?
Nikki Dindo
I would say it's really hard. You're going to get approached as a fashion brand by so many influencers. I think the most important thing is to do your research and be selective with who you choose to partner with. Make sure that you're aligned with that there's audience alignment, of course, first and foremost, because while an influencer may have a ton of followers, if they're not aligned with who your audience is, it's going to make no difference what's up if you don't share that same audience.
So check for alignment. Make sure that their target demographic is aligned with yours because you want it to feel like a partnership. So I'd say to do your research and also make sure that you're doing something that feels comfy for you. There are so many different ways of working with influencers now, whether it's a paid partnership, whether it's an affiliate partnership, whether it's just an in-kind donation.
Find something that works for you and be clear about what that looks like. Make sure that you get everything in writing. Make sure that you get timelines in writing. Make sure that if you have any guidelines for how you want your influencer partner to shoot or any messaging, that that's provided to them in advance. If you want to see the content before it goes live, make sure that you have approval windows in there and that that process is laid out just to get crystal clear on what you're looking for. That will help make sure that you have the most successful partnership with an influencer.
Just because there's so many different ways it can go and so many different, you know, if someone says one post, it's like, okay, is that a reel? Is that a story set? Am I going to have access to the photos? There's just so much to think about. So make sure that you know exactly what it is that you're looking for and that you give them as much information as possible to help make sure it will be successful at the end of the day for you.
Glynis Tao
And is one post even enough for an influencer to...
Nikki Dindo
I’d say no and I think that also kind of goes back to that authenticity of people seeing more than one post if they see kind of a longer term partnership over you know like maybe four posts over six months or something like that. It will also kind of help build the trust in the consumer from the influencer side that hey this is a brand that they truly love that they truly do like working with and that repetition helps build brand trust. So you know to expect content from them you'll truly trust their opinion on it. So I would say to focus more on a longer term partnership rather than here's a thousand bucks. I just want one post and three story sets with one link. At the end of the day, you're going to see a better ROI from a longer term partnership with people who truly also care about your brand and want to continue that partnership as well.
Glynis Tao
Yeah, amazing. That's great advice. For fashion entrepreneurs listening today, what's one thing they could stop doing on social or PR and one thing they could start doing right now?
Nikki Dindo
Okay, so one thing to stop doing, I think I already touched on like stop trying to be everywhere all at once. But I think that the other thing to stop doing is stop trying to mimic what everyone else is doing. You don't need to follow every trend, you know, just because something is popping off. If it doesn't make sense for you, don't do it. Create your own trend. Especially if it's going to pull away from your core story or if feeling like keeping up with every trend is going to make you burn out. You don't want to do that.
So showing up consistently in one or two places with clarity will always be being scattered and stretched thin. So stop trying to be able to all at once and stop trying to do what everyone else is doing.
One thing to start doing is get comfy showing your face and telling your story behind the brand. At the end of the day, people connect with people, people buy from people, and especially in fashion where there are so many options, your unique perspective, why you started, how you design, what you believe. That's what's going to turn a follower into a fan and a fan into a customer. So even one good piece of founder led content can do more than, you know, have more impact than a dozen polished posts. So I know it feels scary sometimes to put your face out there and tell your story, but at the end of the day, your messaging will stick with people too. So stop hiding behind the grid and start trying to lead with your voice a little bit.
Glynis Tao
I love it. If a brand only has a small marketing budget, where should they focus their time and money first?
Nikki Dindo
Mm hmm. Yeah. If your budget is tight, which is totally normal, especially in those early stages, focus first on nailing your brand story and your visuals. So investing in clear messaging, a strong visual identity. And if you have really solid pieces of content that you can repurpose across platforms, as we talked about before, like if your foundation isn't clear, no amount of paid ads or PR will really help you show up or like will really land the way you want it to.
And then from there, I'd focus on prioritizing organic content. So ideally short form videos. So whether that's reels, TikTok or stories, it's still the most powerful and free way to connect, build trust and get discovered. So you don't need a huge team, just a phone, a solid plan and like a willingness to show up. And then if you do have a little bit of budget to play with once you've kind of gone through and nailed the basics, I would consider putting it towards community building. Whether that's partnering with a micro influencer and leaning into that space, doing a small giveaway, doing a partnership with like minded brands, or even hiring somebody to help you stay consistent. The goal is connection over perfection. So a few small things that can help take that off your plate and just help you stand out.
Glynis Tao
Hmm, that's amazing. So I'm hearing some of this, uh, the themes that have been repeated throughout the conversation of what you, from what you've been saying about like making sure that you have a plan, right? Be consistent. And then just kind of taking those steps, you know, little small steps will add up.
Nikki Dindo
Little small steps add up and I promise that once you have a plan and it takes the guesswork out of what you're doing, it makes it feel so much more attainable because just kind of sitting there scrolling being like, okay, I guess I should post something today that I don't know where to start makes it feel insurmountable. And that's what's going to hold you back. That's what's going to suck your time and suck your energy and then leave you feeling frustrated and overwhelmed. But if you have a solid plan, if you have six or seven kind of
core content pillars that you know you can fall back on. Or if you even just have a content calendar with ideas laid out and say, ok, I know that today I should be posting my European summer outfit suggestions. There you go. If you already have the idea. You already have content ready to go for it. And it's a matter of sitting there putting the copy together and getting a couple of images together for it. So taking that time to put together a plan will really, really help save time and help you lead with direction and clarity down the line.
Glynis Tao
Thank you. I think I could even use that advice for myself because I just find the whole task of managing social media is so overwhelming and I never know what to post.
Nikki Dindo
Even sometimes just sitting down and spending an hour or two and looking at, you know, your upcoming quarter and being like, and just testing against what you have coming up, you know, and just kind of jotting down on this day, I want to do this on that day, I want to do that and slot what launches you have against your content pillars. It'll take the guesswork out of it and make it so easy.
Glynis Tao
Yeah, cause I often second guess myself as to if I'm posting the right thing, then I don't end up posting yet.
Nikki Dindo
Yep, I actually relate to that on a deep personal level because I can do this for brands and clients non-stop. Personally, I sit there and I'm like about five years behind on posting something from my last trip, but it's because I don't have a plan and I don't have it laid out. I sit down and I get stressed. Like, I don't want to do this.
Glynis Tao
See people as even professionals struggle with this.
Nikki Dindo
Yeah, I usually sit down and kind of look at all my folders, then map out a little grid and an app and then I'm like, okay, perfect. I go into posting overdrive and we'll start doing three a day.
Glynis Tao
Let's talk about you personally because you split your time between Vancouver and New York. So how do those cities influence your creative perspective?
Nikki Dindo
Well, it's impossible to not kind of tie in the energy of New York City into anything creative. Like that city is just so vibrant and filled with so much life and so much culture, so much music. whether it's, you know, I feel like I'm always drawn to things in the arts when I'm there. So whether it's going to a jazz bar or a concert in the park, there is just so much life in that city so much movement, it creates for a dynamic environment. And so I always leave there feeling so energized and invigorated and refreshed. I also grew up in the arts. I was a singer and a dancer and pursued that for a little bit when I was on cruise ships specifically.
And so a huge thing, and when I lived in New York, or when I lived in New York, my apartment was in Hell's Kitchen, right smack in the heart of the theater district. And it's where I tend to always kind of go back to, but it was so cool to, now, wake up on a Sunday and be like, I don't have any plans today. Let me just go for a wander and see if I can rush a show and get tickets. And being able to kind of be surrounded by that creativity and that artistry. I love going and seeing all the new shows every season and am just so inspired by the artists and the artistry and the movement and the creativity.
Glynis Tao
Yeah, I can feel your passion and I mean, okay, now we have to talk about this because I heard that you are a lifelong Broadway musical theater fan. How has that passion influenced the way you show up creatively in your work?
Nikki Dindo
I think that they had to kind of ask what they know of me as a person. They'd probably say she's a traveler and she's obsessed with Hamilton.
Glynis Tao
I was gonna ask you what’s your favorite Broadway musical?
Nikki Dindo
Yeah, Hamilton hands down and it's wild to me that they are hitting their 10 year anniversary and I watched their performance a couple weeks ago at the Tony's and I was like, how is this still so good? And leave it to me to find a way to weave Hamilton into just about any client call. I've put secret nods in content sometimes. It's just like a little giggle to me if it's something super innocuous and I'm just kind of a couple of just a series of words or something like that, but it shows up in their favorite Broadway show is Hamilton by far. Lin-Manuel Miranda is our generation's William Shakespeare. He is incredibly talented. And I followed his work for years and other things, but Hamilton is just such a brilliant, brilliant, brilliant piece of theater.
Glynis Tao
Where can people find you if they want to get in touch with you?
Nikki Dindo
The best way to reach me is send me a DM on my Instagram. I'm on Instagram. My handle is at @nikkidindo. You can shoot me an email. My contact info is on my website, www.springmediaco.com. And any questions you have, if you just want to say hi, shoot me a note. I'm around.
Glynis Tao
Thank you so much, Nikki, for sharing your journey, insights, and inspiration with us today.
Nikki Dindo
Thank you so much for having me. It's been a pleasure.