The digital marketing landscape is constantly shifting, forcing entrepreneurs to stay ahead of trends while leading their teams through uncertainty. For many founders, adapting to industry changes—especially when pivoting a business—can feel like stepping into the unknown. It’s not just about keeping up with the latest tools or platforms—it’s about making strategic decisions that can redefine an entire business model. The transition from one growth strategy to another often challenges leaders to reassess their approach, navigate operational complexities, and ensure that their teams stay aligned with a shared vision.
Hazel Yap, Co-founder of Serious Media, knows this challenge firsthand. What began as a content marketing agency evolved into an influencer marketing powerhouse—a shift that required significant cultural and structural changes. In an industry where consumer engagement is increasingly driven by niche creators and data-driven insights, Hazel had to embrace a beginner’s mindset, rethink business strategies, and stay open to new ideas. But how does one navigate such transformations while maintaining company culture and values? Hazel shares her insights on leading with adaptability, fostering innovation, and rising above the digital noise.
Key Takeaways:
Adaptability is key – Staying ahead in digital marketing requires embracing change, whether through new strategies, technologies, or industry shifts.
Culture drives success – A strong company culture ensures that teams remain aligned and resilient, even during business pivots.
Data shapes the future – Leveraging data-driven insights helps brands and influencers create more impactful and measurable campaigns.
Highlights
The Evolution of Leadership in Digital Marketing
Q: What recent strategic decision challenged your leadership philosophy, and how did you navigate it?
A: Serious Media (www.seriousasia.com) started as a content marketing agency seven years ago. We pride ourselves as great storytellers; and had been telling stories for many brands including DBS, AIA, Pfizer, BMW, UOB and more. During the pandemic, we started working very closely with content creators to continue the storytelling journey.
Last year, my co-founder and I decide to pivot our content marketing agency towards influencer marketing. This change had significantly challenged my leadership philosophy. This strategic shift required me to navigate several key challenges; from stakeholder management to operational and cultural shifts and most importantly, putting on a beginner’s mindset.
The pivot resulted in significant operational changes, including reorganising our team structure and adopting new technologies. These changes are still in the works while keeping our company’s core values and culture.
I have always been a huge fan of continuous learning. While I have deep experience in Branding and Digital Marketing, Influencer Marketing is considered fairly new for me. I found myself embracing an agile mindset and being open to new ideas. I continued to invest time in understanding the nuances of influencer marketing, meeting content creators and understanding their journey, as well as staying in tuned with the ever-changing digital landscape.
Q: How are you adapting your organization’s culture to meet the evolving expectations of today’s workforce?
A: Culture eats Strategy for breakfast. Culture is the single biggest determinant of organization success over a long term. And culture is nothing but how an organization behaves and gets things done. At Serious, we have nine principles that we strive to live by. Here are two of my personal favourite ones –
Change Your Mind.
Change it fast. Make it better.
We are in the business of digital content. That means we are in a constant state of evolution. So do not be afraid of changing your mind and changing course. As long as it is for the better.
Pivoting our business is a good example of how changing our mind at the right time makes sense for the growth of the organization. After all, we believe that Influencer Marketing is at its tipping point of Digital Marketing.
The biggest shift in influencer marketing is brands are now moving away from celebrity endorsements towards micro influencers and niche targeting. We’ve launched www.seriousfluence.com, our own influencer marketing platform so we can be part of the evolution. Serious fluence empowers influencers to amplify their voices and spark conversations that matter. We connect them with brands that they love or are talking about. We help them monetize their content, providing tools and opportunities to elevate their influence.
Speak up. Speak out.
We have no place for petty politics or bruised egos. Our only priority is doing the best possible work we are capable of. We debate openly without fear, favour or reverence. When it comes to finding the best way forward, we have no hierarchy, no norms.
A lot had been said about hybrid work arrangements in Singapore lately. At Serious, we have a three-day work-in-office arrangement. Despite this, we still faced challenges in getting everyone back to the office. I do not think there is an easy solution for all, we can only do what feels right for the organisation without compromising the desire of our employee to have a meaningful work-life-balance.
Q: What emerging technology or industry trend do you believe will be most disruptive to your sector in the next 5 years?
A: I anticipate that advanced data analytics will be the most disruptive trend in our sector. The future of influencer marketing will be increasingly data-driven, with brand managers relying on sophisticated analytics for audience segmentation, predictive analysis, and real-time campaign monitoring. This shift will allow us to measure effectiveness more accurately and optimize our strategies in ways we’ve never been able to before!
Q: How do you balance short-term shareholder expectations with long-term sustainability goals?
A: We are still in early days of incorporating sustainability goals within our business. In the near future, we may collaborate with sustainability-focused influencers to create content about environmental and social causes so we can bring more awareness to the communities.
We may also consider putting budget aside to support our influencers’ social and environmental projects.
Q: Can you describe a significant failure in your career and the most important lesson you learned from it?
A: There is so much noise out there on social media. There is so much instancy on everything. You launch a product. You instantly know if you succeed or failed. The feedback is instant. And sometimes the feedback can be quite hurtful. When you see social media, the whole response loop can get out of wreak. Negative, Positive, Fake News and more.
The ability to build an innate resiliency to all that noise, the digital noise is something I had to learn throughout my career, especially now as an entrepreneur. If you let the negative noise affects you, it can affect your own self esteem and confidence. So building up that resiliency is not only useful but a superpower overall.
Today, I choose to tell myself that this is just noise. I am going to soldier on. I am going to rise above the noise.
Q: How are you personally working to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within your organization and industry?
A: Lead by Example is such an understatement when running your own business. I am committed to leading by example in promoting DEI. I’ve made it a priority to educate myself continuously on DEI issues through workshops, reading and engaging with diverse perspectives. I actively challenge my own biases and encourage open discussions about DEI topics within our leadership team.
Q: What book, experience, or mentor has had the most profound impact on your leadership style, and why?
A: Navigating Serious through the pandemic had the most profound impact on my leadership style. This unprecedented crisis forced me to rapidly adapt and make critical decisions in an environment of extreme uncertainty.
It taught me the importance of adaptability. As the situation evolved daily, I learned to pivot quickly, adjusting our business strategies and operations to ensure continuity while prioritising our employees’ safety. This experience honed my ability to think on my feet and make decisive actions based on limited information.
I’ve always been an advocate of transparent communication. Keeping the team informed about our situation, plans and challenges had helped maintain trust and reduce anxiety among ourselves during this highly stressful period.
Looking back, the crisis also highlighted the need and importance of empathetic leadership. I learned to lead with compassion, actively listening to employees as well as clients’ concerns and providing support where possible. This approach had strengthened team cohesion and loyalty, and a more meaningful partnerships in the long run.
The pandemic period was one of the key highlights of my entrepreneurship. It fundamentally changed how I approach leadership, making me more adaptable, communicative, empathetic, and resilient. Today, it remains as a constant reminder that effective leadership isn’t just about success in good times, but about guiding a team through challenges with clarity and compassion.
Navigating Change with Resilience and Vision
Success in the digital world isn’t just about having the right strategy—it’s about having the agility to evolve. Markets shift, consumer behaviors change, and new technologies emerge at an unprecedented pace. Leaders who thrive in this environment are those who embrace transformation as an opportunity rather than a disruption. Hazel’s journey underscores the importance of staying open to new ideas, leading with empathy, and balancing innovation with stability. Pivoting Serious Media to focus on influencer marketing was not just a business decision—it was a commitment to staying relevant in an industry where engagement is constantly redefined.
As brands move towards data-driven influencer marketing and a more engaged creator economy, the lessons from Hazel’s leadership offer a roadmap for those facing similar crossroads. The rise of micro-influencers, AI-driven analytics, and personalized content strategies is reshaping how businesses connect with their audiences. But through all these changes, one principle remains constant: leadership is about adaptability. For entrepreneurs looking to build sustainable businesses in an ever-changing landscape, the key takeaway is clear—embrace change, empower people, and rise above the noise.
Highlights
Read the article in Chinese here.
