Building Brand Buzz: How Bella Rose Mortel Grows Community and Culture at Beehiiv - Women in Tech Texas
We're focused on building buzz in tech—literally and figuratively—with Bella Rose Mortel, Social Media Strategist at beehiiv. This lively episode dives into how Bella leverages creativity and authenticity to build beehiiv’s unique brand presence, her career journey through the newsletter space, and essential advice for anyone eager to make a mark in social media or tech. A key theme that emerged was the importance of community, personal branding, and supportive company culture in accelerating not just company growth but personal careers. The discussion explored tactical approaches to social content, mental health in a screen-heavy role, and embracing the flops as learning experiences.
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RSS Feed What You’ll Learn
- How Bella carved her path from journalism student to being the heartbeat of beehiiv social media
- The secrets behind beehiiv’s contagious brand energy, including their grassroots “Swarm” strategy on socials 09:34
- Approaches to creating authentic, engaging, and personality-driven content (ditch the “dentist posts!”) 10:22
- The power of local newsletters and how anyone, anywhere, can make a meaningful impact (and income!) in their city or niche 08:18
- Honest talk about the ups, downs, and self-care involved in running high-visibility accounts 37:10
- Tips for anyone looking to become a standout social media manager or tech community leader
Topics Covered
- beehiiv’s evolution from newsletter engine to platform empowering independent journalists and local communities 06:12
- The creative process behind beehiiv’s brand (yes, including bee costumes and viral memes)
- Balancing trends with brand voice and knowing when to zig instead of zag 14:25
- Building a culture of employee advocacy and leveraging founder/employee personal brands 24:11
- Finding mentorship, overcoming self-limiting beliefs, and the power of asking for opportunities 39:48
- Managing the emotional rollercoaster of analytics, feedback, and the occasional unsub 47:34
- Recommended personal growth podcasts and books for driven women in tech 40:03
Notable Quotes & Moments
- “If you tag beehiiv anywhere, I’m going to see it and interact with it. Or if you DM us, I read every single one.” 02:11
- “Social media is meant to be fun, and people just want to enjoy what they’re seeing on their feed.” 11:02
- “The energy you bring to your content really shows through. If you have a good time making it, people can tell.” 17:12
- “Closed mouths don’t get fed—you have to ask for things, and more often than not, people will say yes.” 38:40
Connect & Learn More
- Try beehiiv: beehiiv.com use code LATECHVIP for 30% of the next 3 months
- Follow beehiiv & Bella’s social adventures on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bellarosemortel/
- Dive deeper into community with the Women in Tech Show group here https://womenintechvip.com/
If she can do it, so can you. Whether you’re dreaming of running social for the next big startup, launching a local newsletter, or simply want to find your place in tech, this episode’s packed with relatable wisdom, actionable advice, and enough buzz to inspire your next move.
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