May was filled with events.
I haven't been so physically exhausted in a long time. Going out at least once per week was a lot for me. But I also got to build some of the most interesting connections this month.
From dinner to brain storming session to an expo and a panel - it does feel like Hong Kong is back up and running again.
1) Connecting with like-minded individuals
From Entrepreneur Day and BYOB to a Youtube interview and now an alumni dinner, JC Legal has been a wonderful host to amazing intimate events. We had such a great time (and a delicious meal at An Choi) that night. It's always enjoyable to connect with like-minded individuals who are genuinely interested in learning about you and open to sharing their own journey and struggles authentically.
Following that dinner, I had the opportunity to reconnect with Green Tomato Academy, where I had lunch and visited the GT office for a tour with Donth and Carmen. The hours flew by, and words can't express how valuable and soul-fulfilling it is to talk to people who believe in the same things and support the same causes. I can't wait to work together and see what we can create!
2) Continuing to invest in educational initiatives
Those of you who have been following my journey know that I am a long-time partner with CoCoon. After participating as a speaker in their STEP program and a mentor in their Pursuit of X cohort, I am delighted to be invited back this year to participate as a startup in their Future Work Expo.
During the event, I had the opportunity to interview a handful of young, passionate high school students and will be hiring two of them as Joyce Tsang Content Marketing's first-ever interns this year. I also had the pleasure of meeting some interesting entrepreneurs - special shoutout to Wing from Chowtv.hk!
In addition, I visited the CoCoon office again for a mentorship brainstorming session, where myself and other new and returning program participants provided feedback for improvement. It felt like being back in university again!
Last but not least, I finally had the chance to meet the RocketAcademy team in person. The Singapore startup hosted their first-ever in-person event in Hong Kong, inviting local tech experts to share their insights on a panel.
3) Seeing my mentees grow and explore their full potentials
Two of my mentees from the Upskill Training program graduated this month! Witnessing their growth from confused fresh graduates to marketing executives who know exactly how to drive business impact has been highly rewarding. Their newfound confidence has also given me more trust in my program.
Not only did they receive training in hard skills, including campaign strategy, paid social, and web analytics, but they also learned soft skills to apply in work meetings. Overall, I believe the program had a great impact on both their careers and personal growth.
4) Gaining recognition from my content
One of my most surprising achievements this month is reaching over 30,000 views on YouTube. It has been quite a journey on the platform, so much so that I will be reallocating my priorities to spend more time on it compared to Instagram. (Those subscribed to my VIP mailing list would know why – if you haven't, do check it out here!)
My consistent submissions to Terkel have also resulted in numerous media coverages, including my interview on Marketer Interview. Though answering all these questions has taken up a lot of my time, the process has helped me refresh myself and reminded me why I'm doing what I'm doing, despite the hardships and struggles.
May has also proven to me that the effort I've spent building my EDM has not gone to waste. In fact, the email newsletters have brought many leads back from the first year, helping my brand remain top of mind and becoming the natural choice for people when they need help with content marketing. I am pleased with the click rates and would love to see how my community can further grow.
With that said, I would like to thank RocketAcademy once again for trusting in my email list and becoming my first EDM sponsor. Though the impact is still small (but very focused), it has checked off one of the things on my to-do list – to explore more ways of income for Joyce Tsang Content Marketing. For those of you seeking an affordable and reliable way to reach slashers, entrepreneurs, and SMB owners, consider investing in my EDM list!
- Joyce