Kait Shiels of Spark Social Agency On How To Cultivate Connection & Community In A Click to Connect World

An Interview with Karen Mangia

Consistency is key in social media. By establishing a regular posting schedule to keep your audience engaged and informed, you create a rhythm that your audience can expect and rely on. Within this, focus on the quality of the content you are posting: it should be relevant to your audience, whether that be informative, entertaining or inspiring, and meet them where they are in the funnel. High-quality content is more likely to be shared across users and platforms, extending your reach as a creator. For example, for one client, the fast adoption of new Instagram features, combined with consistent posting, resulted in a 3000% increase in follower growth month-over-month.

We often use the term “Influencers” to describe people with significant social media followings on platforms like Instagram, Twitter TikTok, Youtube, Linkedin and Facebook. Influencers have become today’s media titans, sought after for everything from product placements to timely trends. What’s the difference between influence and impact? Fans and followers? Sizzle versus staying power?

In this interview series, called, “How To Cultivate Community In A Click to Connect World” we are talking to influencers about how they define success and what we all need to discover about the true nature of influence. As a part of this series I had the pleasure of interviewing Kait Shiels — Founder; Managing Director of Spark Social agency

From founding Spark Social Agency as a solo entrepreneur, Kait transformed the business into an award-winning social media agency catering to some of North America’s biggest brands. As an experienced advisor, she deeply understands what it takes to help her clients break through the noise in the world of social marketing. Spark Social, an award-winning boutique social media agency, was recognized as an industry leader in 2023 and 2024 by several prestigious awards, including the Hermes Creative, MarCom, dotComm, NYX, and Shorty Awards.

Thank you for making time to visit with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. How did you discover your career path and what got you to where you are today?

After working with agencies where I was juggling ten client accounts, consistently working overtime, and still always just meeting the deadlines, I knew I needed something different where I could really dig into brands. I began working for a boutique social media marketing agency that specialized in event amplification, and I found that having more time to work on each brand and cultivate those relationships really helped me and my work thrive. I’m currently the founder and managing director of Spark Social, a boutique, social-first agency based out of Toronto. We work with companies across industries, from venture-backed startups to enterprise CPG brands. While our clients themselves are quite different, they all share the commonality of understanding and prioritizing the power of social media.

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned along the way that influences how you operate now?

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned throughout my professional journey is the value of not going at it alone. Entrepreneurship can often feel like a solitary path, but the truth is, success is built on relationships. Keeping this in mind at every turn has profoundly influenced how I operate today, both professionally and personally.

For instance, I recently received an email from a former client with a new business lead, which I see as a testament to the enduring relationships we’ve built. Our clients consistently keep us top-of-mind not just because of the quality of our work, but because of how we engage with them. We ensure that every interaction reflects our commitment and passion for what we do.

When it comes to our team, we lead the same way. We offer flexible work, remote, perks, unlimited PTO, etc because leading with relationships keeps our team happy which, in turn keeps our clients happy and strengthens the business. It’s a reminder that in business, the best results come from putting people and relationships at the center of decision-making.

We’re all searching for some good news. How do you use your business to create positive social impact?

Social media offers a powerful platform for corporate brands to drive positive change and foster community engagement; by leveraging their online presence, brands — whether corporate or individual — can raise awareness of important social issues and effectively use their reach for good.

In terms of how we like to work with brands to create positive social impact, it is very much dependent on both the client and their campaign. However, by focusing on community engagement, transparency and corporate responsibility, we always aim to ensure brands use their platforms for good. For example, social media allows brands to listen to their consumers and engage with them on a personal level. This two-way communication can gather feedback, test ideas, and ensure that the company’s efforts align with its audience’s values and needs. Moreover, it fosters a sense of community and loyalty among customers. We also encourage clients to use their social media channels to demonstrate transparency about their business practices, production processes, and sustainability efforts. This openness builds trust and credibility, encouraging consumers to support brands that share their values.

Many of our readers are influencers as well. Others have tried and have yet to succeed. What words of advice would you offer to aspiring influencers, knowing what you know now?

My key piece of advice is that authenticity is so important, particularly as social media users become more discerning with whom they follow and seek deeper connections with the brands and influencers they support. Authentic content really helps to establish trust between a brand and its audience, while misleading or disingenuous content can quickly erode trust and damage a brand’s credibility.

In a crowded market, authenticity can be a key differentiator. Brands and creators who stay true to their values and consistently communicate their core message authentically are more likely to stand out than those who don’t. We also see that creating genuine content tends to resonate more with audiences, leading to higher engagement rates. Authentic stories, honest posts about challenges, and transparent communication are all strategies that can foster stronger connections with followers.

Success is often a matter of perspective. I’ve always resonated with Henry David Thoreau’s quote, “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” How do you see success — or define success — for yourself now?

Success is definitely a matter of perspective and the Thoreau quote beautifully captures how I define success personally and professionally.

Externally, success is visible through the accomplishments and recognition our campaigns receive. This year alone, Spark Social has been honored with the TITAN Health, NYX, and Hermes Creative Awards. These accolades are not just trophies on our shelf; they are affirmations of our team’s creativity, hard work, and innovative approach to social media marketing. They signify our ability to stand out in a competitive industry and create work that meets not only our high standards but also those of distinguished panels of our peers.

Beyond the recognition for our team’s talent, I see success in our team’s happiness and personal development. Having a team that is inspired, motivated, and continually challenged by their work really is important to me. Creating an environment that nurtures both personal and professional development, fostering a space where everyone feels valued and part of something bigger than themselves, is the pinnacle of business success in my eyes.

Intrinsically, I define success as finding the right balance between professional achievements and personal fulfilment. To me, success means having the time and energy to spend with my family and friends, pursuing personal interests, and maintaining energy to sustain long-term motivation and happiness both in and out of the workplace. This balance isn’t always easy, but finding small joys in the everyday helps me achieve that.

What are your strategies to make room for who and what matters most?

When it comes to developing social media strategies for our clients, we really enjoy working with the human side of the brand, whether that be employees or a spokesperson. For example, in our recent work with Suvoda, our objective extended beyond merely enhancing their social media footprint; it aimed to employer their employees to become vocal brand advocates on their personal networks. This resulted in a two-fold strategy that leg with patient-first storytelling and was supported by a highly structured and informative Employee Advocacy Program. Whilst this strategy resulted in Suvoda significantly increasing their online presence, their employees were also empowered to share their industry-leading knowledge and expertise that helped them build their own professional profiles.

How do you reduce or mitigate stress?

As a founder and managing director of a social media marketing agency, there are naturally stressful moments due to the fast-paced nature of digital trends, client needs, and the ongoing desire to be as creative and adaptable as possible. But stress doesn’t need to impact your work, and there are many things you can do to help reduce stress.

For example, setting clear boundaries by establishing clear work hours for myself and my team allows me to recharge; while social media is 24/7, that doesn’t mean that you have to work around the clock. Researching and using social media tools, such as Dash Hudson, can really help you work smarter, not harder, and ensure that client outputs are being met. There are so many amazing social media management tools that can help schedule posts, track engagement, and analyze performance, and ultimately save time and reduce the pressure of real-time posting and monitoring. Similarly, by developing standardized procedures for common tasks, projects and reporting needs, you can streamline your processes which helps improve efficiency and reduces the mental load on both yourself and your team.

Another way to mitigate stress is through regular training and development — by keeping yourself and your team across the latest digital marketing skills, tools and trends, you are always on top of developments and can improve your overall performance and team confidence. This doesn’t need to include costly training courses, but rather, look at hosting “lunch and learns” and continually find ways to share team knowledge and expertise.

Most of all, I always encourage a healthy work-life balance as much as possible by creating a flexible working environment and ensuring that we find moments of reflection and fun both individually and as a team.

I’m going to try a few of your tips, and I’m hopeful our readers will, too. Now it’s time for the big reveal — the moment our readers have been anticipating. What are your “five strategies to cultivate a large & engaged social media community?’

The answer to this question is very client-dependent, as everyone we work with has such a unique business offering that requires a specific and bespoke approach. We really consider every nuance, such as current social media following, brand objectives, and upcoming events or launches, to name a few. However, more generally, there are a few overarching strategies that should be considered when looking to grow your social media following, whilst retaining engagement.

Firstly, consistency is key in social media. By establishing a regular posting schedule to keep your audience engaged and informed, you create a rhythm that your audience can expect and rely on. Within this, focus on the quality of the content you are posting: it should be relevant to your audience, whether that be informative, entertaining or inspiring, and meet them where they are in the funnel. High-quality content is more likely to be shared across users and platforms, extending your reach as a creator. For example, for one client, the fast adoption of new Instagram features, combined with consistent posting, resulted in a 3000% increase in follower growth month-over-month.

It is also really important to engage with your audience as you grow your following. Interaction is crucial. By responding to comments, questions, and messages, you build a connection with your audience and ensure they feel valued. Depending on your brand, you can further engage with your audience by running interactive elements, such as polls and contests, which further foster a sense of community.

A further way to build an engaged community is by leveraging user-generated content (UGC): by encouraging your followers to share their own content related to your brand or relevant topics, you are sourced with additional content to feature on your channels while increasing brand awareness at a grassroots level. Moreover, by showcasing UGC, you can enhance trust and loyalty as your followers see real people endorsing your brand.

Finally, understanding which social media platform best aligns with your brand is crucial because each platform has its own unique audience and content style. For example, visually driven products might perform well on Instagram, while a B2B service might find more engaged audiences on LinkedIn. Recognizing the type of content that resonates on each platform — whether it’s short videos, detailed articles, or interactive polls — can significantly increase your engagement rates. Working with social media experts can greatly reduce the stress of navigating these complexities. These professionals are adept at analyzing trends, understanding platform algorithms, and crafting content strategies that are tailored to each social media environment. Their expertise can help you maximize your reach and impact, ensuring that your social media efforts are both effective and efficient.

What do you do to create a greater sense of connection and community among your clients and their audiences?

Reiterating the uniqueness and nuance of every client, a core way to create a greater sense of community on social media, is really understanding the brand’s unique offering and current perception. Generally speaking, creating a greater sense of connection and community on social media involves strategies that foster engagement, inclusivity and interaction among your audience. For example, consistent and responsive communication through regularly engaging with your followers’ comments, messages and posts makes them feel heard and valued.

It is also important to look at your content to understand how you can encourage a sense of community. For example, creating value-driven content geared towards your prime brand persona — whether through informative posts, education resources or entertainment — can encourage engagement and sharing. It is important to tailor the content, not only to your audience’s specific interests and needs based on their interactions and feedback, but to also consider where this content will find them in the funnel. Also, ensure that your content is inclusive and diverse; representation matters and helps make all segments of your community feel included and respected.

Finally, it is worth noting that while the platforms that spring to mind are Instagram and TikTok, there are other community-building platforms that can be utilized in a similar manner to more traditional social media platforms. For example, creating a Slack channel or a dedicated forum can allow clients to share their experiences of the brand and find a community within the brand’s audience.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world with whom you’d like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He, she or they might just see this. :-)

There are so many incredible individuals to choose from, but I am very inspired by Lisa Napolione’s work for women in STEM, and the broader impact she has on breaking down barriers across so many industries.

What is the best way for our readers to further follow your work online?

Find out more at www.sparksocialagency.com or follow us on Instagram or LinkedIn.

Thank you for these thought provoking insights. Here’s to your continued success!

About The Interviewer: Karen Mangia is one of the most sought-after keynote speakers in the world, sharing her thought leadership with over 10,000 organizations during the course of her career. As Vice President of Customer and Market Insights at Salesforce, she helps individuals and organizations define, design and deliver the future. Discover her proven strategies to access your own success in her fourth book Success from Anywhere and by connecting with her on LinkedIn and Twitter.