In today’s inaugural episode of The Speed of Culture, a part of the Adweek Podcast Network, Suzy founder and CEO Matt Britton talks with Sofia Hernandez, Global Head of Business Marketing at TikTok about her own personal journey and how that factors into the global phenomenon that is TikTok. Sofia shares why her love of people and mentorship is the very foundation of her success.

Hernandez’s outlook on the change in social culture is incredibly multifaceted. She noticed the trends and shifts in the content people consume across social media, and how that influences search and buying behavior. What drives Hernandez’s focus is how that data can be used to bring people together and define what creators want from a community platform.

Key highlights

Just being on social media is no longer enough. In today’s world, simply having a social media presence isn’t enough. It’s what you do with that presence and how you engage with your target audience through those channels that will see your place in the market grow. TikTok, in essence, has raised the bar in how to engage with potential customers and users. – 4:10 – 4:50

Show up authentically. The previous rules around social media engagement are no longer applicable. The consumer world has shifted to seeking a more authentic experience, and the TikTok platform provides a space to showcase authenticity. – 5:10- 6:00

Comfort is the enemy of progress. Sofia discusses how her career growth has often come when she’s at the very edge of her comfort zone. Taking herself from somewhere steady to a new venture to push her skills really allows her creative and marketing mind to explore all of the possibilities and gain a new perspective on how the industry can thrive in new and exciting ways. – 11:50 – 13:00

The community makes the space. People spend a movie’s worth of time on TikTok because the algorithm is designed to show them the content they want to watch. Sofia explains how the platform has organically shifted and grown with the community that has only been given the tools and their own creativity. – 18:30 – 20:36