Social Media Manager Confidential

Exhausted or Just Underpaid? How to Know When It’s Time to Raise Your Rates

If opening your laptop fills you with dread, you're not alone—and you're not lazy. You might just be undercharging.

In this episode, Shanté breaks down the very real difference between burnout and a broken business model. Because sometimes it’s not your work ethic that’s the issue—it’s your pricing. And until you fix that, no productivity hack will save you.

W...

Starting From Scratch? Here's How to Become a Social Media Manager in 2025 (Without Spending a Dime)

If you’ve been dreaming about becoming a social media manager but feel stuck because your budget’s at $0… this one’s for you.

In this episode, Shanté walks you through exactly how she’d start a social media management business in today’s climate—with zero upfront investment. No fluff, no guilt, no “you just have to want it bad enough”...

When Your Client Thinks Going Viral Is a Strategy (And You’re Tired of Explaining Why It’s Not)

If you’ve ever felt awkward trying to explain social media expectations to a client—especially the myth that follower counts = conversions—you’re not alone. This episode is for the social media managers who are done with vague requests and “can we just go viral?” conversations… and ready to lead with clarity, not conflict.

Inside this epis...

Your portfolio is polished and sitting in a folder somewhere—but it's not booking you clients. You've spent hours creating beautiful case studies, yet you're still stuck in the pitch-and-pray cycle, watching other social media managers book premium clients while you're explaining why you're worth hiring.

The exhaustion of constantly having to prove your value ends when you stop treating your portfolio like documentation and start us...

Your portfolio is beautiful. Your case studies are organized. Your screenshots are perfectly curated. So why aren't potential clients reaching out?

If you're tired of having amazing work that somehow isn't translating into consistent bookings—or if you're exhausted from pitching clients who should already see your value—this episode will shift how you think about your portfolio entirely.

I'm sharing the exact 3-strategy f...

You’ve been told to “show your value with data”—but what happens when the data still doesn’t land?

If you’re a social media manager or service provider who’s ever sent a beautifully designed report only to get silence (or worse, confusion) in return, this episode is going to feel like a deep exhale.

We’re unpacking the real reason most client reporting falls flat—and how to create reports that don’t just show numbers, but...

Feeling like you're building your agency on vibes and caffeine?

You're not alone. The first few years of running a social media management business can feel like nonstop improvising—especially when no one talks about the behind-the-scenes mistakes we all make.

In this anniversary episode, Shanté reflects on 7 real mistakes made while building Sugarpunch Marketing from scratch—and shares exactly what she’d do differently if she were s...

You’re posting. You’re showing up. But the clients? Still quiet.

If your content looks polished but doesn’t convert, you’re not alone—and you’re not doing it wrong. You might just be building content like a creator, not a strategist.

In this episode, Shanté breaks down the 7 most common content strategy mistakes she sees across industries—mistakes that drain your time, cloud your messaging, and keep your audience stuck at “inte...

If content approvals are slowing you down, stressing you out, or making you want to chuck your calendar out the window—this one’s for you.

In this episode, I’m sharing the exact approval workflows I’ve built inside my agency to reduce back-and-forth, keep clients on track, and finally stop chasing feedback. You’ll hear what actually works (and what doesn’t), why we ditched scattered approvals forever, and how to choose the rig...

Your systems should support your creativity—not drain it.

In this episode, I’m sharing the exact tech stack I use to run Sugarpunch Marketing®—from client calls and content scheduling to community building and automations. Whether you're just starting out or scaling your agency, this toolkit is full of practical solutions (plus a few time-saving secrets).

Inside this episode:

• The 6 tools I use daily to run my agency w...

Let’s talk about one of the most confusing parts of marketing—for both clients and social media managers: How much should social media management actually cost?

In this episode, I’m breaking down the wide range of pricing in the industry—from $500 freelancers to $10,000+ full-service agencies—and exactly what you’re getting at each level. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re overpaying, undercharging, or just not sure how to...

Let’s talk about one of the most stressful parts of being a social media manager—clients asking for results when your metrics look flat.

If you've ever heard, “Why are my likes down?” or “When will I see sales from this?” then this episode is for you. Because flat engagement doesn’t always mean failure—and you need to know how to explain that with confidence.

In this episode, I’m giving you the tools to:

• Shift the conv...

Thinking of hiring a social media manager? Or trying to figure out how to position yourself as the right choice for potential clients?

In this episode, we’re breaking down what business owners actually look for when hiring social media support—and how social media managers can use that insight to stand out in a crowded market.

Whether you’re a founder looking to outsource content or an SMM trying to grow your client base,...

If you’ve been quietly wondering if you’re the only social media manager struggling to book clients lately—you’re not. This episode is a real talk moment for SMMs who are feeling stuck, questioning their services, or just plain exhausted from chasing full-service management leads that aren’t converting.

In this episode, I’m walking you through:

• A simple framework to figure out if it’s time to pivot—or just wait it out
• 15 soc...

Are you tracking the wrong social media metrics? → Most social media managers and content strategists focus on likes, followers, and reach—but those don’t pay the bills. If you want to turn your content into real business growth, you need to focus on the right KPIs (key performance indicators).

In this video, we’re breaking down:

• The REAL social media ROI—what actually drives leads & sales

• The KPIs that matter (and the ones ...

More content ≠ more clients. If you’re stuck in the content grind but not seeing results, it’s time to rethink your content marketing strategy. In this episode, I’m breaking down why posting more won’t grow your business—and what actually will.

Learn how to turn content into clients with a strategic content funnel that works for both low-ticket and high-ticket offers.

TOPICS COVERED:

• Why posting more won’t get you sales

• How to cre...

Tired of getting engagement but no sales? → In this episode, I’ll show you how to turn “just looking” followers into paying clients using a buyer journey content strategy.

Most social media managers and marketers focus on visibility—but without the right content strategy, your audience won’t convert.

Learn the 4 content stages that move people from interest to investment and start seeing real results from your content.

TOPICS COVERE...

Content pillars keeping you stuck? → In this episode, we’re breaking down why content pillars aren’t getting you clients and what to do instead.

You’ll learn how to build a content marketing strategy that moves your audience from social media followers to paying clients using a buyer-focused approach.

Stop posting just to post—start creating content that actually converts.

TOPICS COVERED:

• Why content pillars don’t work for most sma...

🚨 Thinking about growing from a solo freelancer to a social media agency owner? Let’s talk about what it actually takes.

Scaling your social media business doesn’t just mean hiring a team—it means stepping into a completely different role. If you’re feeling overworked, turning down clients, or wondering how to grow without burning out, this episode is for you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔ How to know if you’re ready to scale ...