""Because I have complete trust with Keith, he's managing and making suggestions and more so checking in on me to get my pulse on things. It's really about someone who can look at the big picture and distill it into an actual strategy. [BELAY] took a holistic approach to find the right person for this engagement while touching on the things that were important to me.""
— Susanne Tedrick, Author, Speaker, and Tech Professional
The Challenge
Susanne Tedrick is an author, speaker, and full-time tech professional who built a personal brand centered on inspiring women of color to pursue careers in technology. After releasing her 2020 book Women of Color in Tech, she experienced a surge of inbound interest — speaking inquiries, mentoring requests, consulting opportunities, and diversity, equity, and inclusion engagements — and decided to formalize the work she had already been doing.
But building and sustaining a personal brand came with real complexity.
"Making your own personal brand is difficult because you want to put out there who you are, what is the value that I can bring to you or your organization, and getting that messaging really on point,"Susanne explains. Balancing her identity as both a technologist and a DEI voice added another layer of nuance to every piece of content she put into the world.
Social media quickly emerged as a critical gap. Susanne recognized she lacked the deep platform knowledge needed to connect meaningfully with her audience — understanding which platforms resonate with which audiences, optimal posting times, and how to use elements like hashtags and captions strategically.
"While I could do it, I didn't necessarily have the time and it wasn't something I thought I could do particularly well. I know the basics to be dangerous, but to really have the engagement and resonate with people, I knew that I had to have someone else to help me with that."
The Solution
Susanne turned to BELAY and was matched with Social Media Manager Keith Simmons. From her very first interaction with BELAY through the onboarding call with her Client Success Consultant and Keith, Susanne committed fully to the process — and that trust became the foundation of a highly effective partnership.
"It's really about someone who can look at the big picture and distill it into an actual strategy. [BELAY] took a holistic approach to find the right person for this engagement while touching on the things that were important to me."
Keith dedicated time to understanding Susanne as a person and the nuances of her brand. He became a true strategic partner — serving as a sounding board, helping her think through content strategies and action plans, and keeping an eye on upcoming opportunities to create timely, relevant content.
"He also helps me think about things coming up in the future, such as Women's History Month or something else we could be thinking about developing content for specifically."
Together, they built a cadence that honored Susanne's demanding schedule as a full-time tech professional while still giving her personal brand the consistent, intentional presence it needed to grow.
""During this process, I've been able to own my leadership capabilities and what I can bring to the world. I am excited to continue with the momentum that Keith and I have created and build on the success we've already made.""
— Susanne Tedrick, Author, Speaker, and Tech ProfessionalThe Impact
In the nine months Susanne and Keith worked together, the results were clear and meaningful. Her following on both Twitter and LinkedIn grew steadily, translating directly into increased website traffic and a rise in inbound opportunities from people who discovered her through social media.
The engagement that mattered most to Susanne — readers of her book reaching out for guidance and mentorship — increased as well. That human connection, made possible through a more strategic and consistent social presence, became a defining measure of success for the partnership.
But perhaps the most profound outcome was personal.
"I've always suffered from imposter syndrome. During this process, I've been able to own my leadership capabilities and what I can bring to the world."
The momentum Susanne and Keith built together has given her both the confidence and the platform to continue growing her brand on her own terms.
"I am excited to continue with the momentum that Keith and I have created and build on the success we've already made."