Nicole & Sheila Hulsey Featured in Canvas Rebel

In today's fast-paced world, the stories of artists and entrepreneurs inspire us all. Nicole and Sheila Hulsey, two talented individuals, have recently gained recognition for their feature in Canvas Rebel. Their journey is a testament to passion, creativity, and resilience. This post explores their story and the valuable lessons that can be drawn from their experiences.

Canvas Rebel: We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nicole & Sheila Hulsey. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nicole & Sheila below.

Canvas Rebel:Alright, Nicole & Sheila thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

Three years ago, we founded Gemini Group with a mission to transform the landscape of social media management and influencer relations, moving away from the industry’s stereotypes and standards. Our team of women hustle together, build each other up, build companies, support one another, share best practices, and, most importantly, have fun doing it. With over 23 years of collective marketing experience, Nicole and I were all too familiar with the pitfalls of agencies failing to meet their commitments and the lack of proper analytics and metrics tracking to provide brands with the insights needed to elevate their presence and achieve social media and influencer marketing goals.

As a woman-owned and operated team, we pride ourselves on our unique working agency model. Our team works remotely, leveraging current technologies and platforms like Slack, Later.com, and Monday to stay in sync. This approach has allowed us to reach unprecedented levels of organization and efficiency, surpassing what we’ve seen elsewhere in the industry.

Our unwavering commitment to hitting our clients’ targets and dedication to doing what we promise sets us apart. This commitment to accountability and our strategic use of analytics to enhance every aspect of our business operations genuinely differentiate us. We are nimble and efficient and live by the mantra “measure twice, cut once,” a principle that has guided us through numerous projects across diverse clients, from private and public entities to indie brands and companies of all sizes.

Our passionate team strives to serve as an agency and a seamless extension of each brand we work with, giving every client the attention and care they deserve. To give an example, one of our Gemini Account Executives built a team of models to shoot content for all of our brands by sourcing models looking for more photography in their look-books, thus getting the content for free and utilizing models in our client’s social. Something that can be very costly for a brand. At Gemini Group, we are not just about achieving goals; we are about building lasting relationships and delivering on our promises, making a tangible difference in how brands interact with their audiences.

Nicole & Sheila Hulsey

Canvas Rebel: Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

As twins and co-founders, we embody the complementary nature of the Gemini sign. Those familiar with us often describe Sheila as our pair’s social butterfly and extrovert, naturally inclined to forge deeper connections and relationships. On the other hand, Nicole is recognized as the creative and technical force, rounding out our duo perfectly.

Sheila Hulsey, co-founder of Gemini Group, brings 13 years of marketing expertise to the team, having worked with prestigious public relations, influencer, and social media agencies in Beverly Hills and New York. Specializing in the beauty, fashion, health, and wellness sectors. Her main role is forging brand opportunities through partnerships and giveaways, and she skillfully negotiates with top-tier influencers and KOLs, including athletes and celebrities. Sheila’s vast knowledge and hands-on leadership significantly contribute to our client’s success and the development of our team. She is deeply committed to creating a positive work environment, advocating for mental health awareness, and promoting a healthier work-life balance for our always-on team.

Nicole Hulsey, co-founder of Gemini Group, brings over a decade of diverse experience in social media marketing, graphic design, videography, and photography. She refined her skills at leading agencies in Beverly Hills and New York. As a key player in our team, Nicole’s responsibilities include the careful selection and training of new account executives, ensuring they are well-versed in content creation, copywriting, engagement tactics, and platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and more. Equipped to handle any app-related challenges, her role extends beyond team management to being a vital source of technical knowledge and analytical insights, daily immersing herself in client analytics to lead our content strategy towards meaningful engagement and conversions.

A standout accomplishment for our agency has been our ability to deliver tangible returns on investment to our clients, whether through increased brand awareness or direct sales driven by our influencers and affiliate teams. We take great pride in having significantly expanded brands’ reach and engagement by employing strategic analytics to monitor, track, and conceive highly targeted viral content that truly resonates and delivers results. A highlight from 2023 involved a single influencer collaboration through Gemini, which generated over $1.5 million in sales for a Gemini client in one year. Witnessing influencers’ impact, especially when paired with robust content creation strategies and forward-thinking applications of content in advertising and beyond, has been a critical factor in our success.

Canvas Rebel: How do you keep your team’s morale high?

When it comes to managing a team and fostering high morale, our approach at Gemini revolves around two key principles: supporting personal and professional growth and fostering a positive work environment.

First and foremost, we prioritize supporting our team’s personal ambitions and professional objectives. We believe that when individuals feel empowered to pursue their passions and goals, they are more motivated and engaged in their work. Whether it’s providing opportunities for skill development, offering flexibility to accommodate personal commitments, or simply lending a supportive ear, we strive to create an environment where each team member feels valued and supported in their journey.

Additionally, we place great emphasis on maintaining morale and cultivating a positive work culture. We take immense pride in the maturity and adaptability demonstrated by our team members, especially in navigating the ever-evolving landscape of social media and influencer marketing. By fostering a sense of camaraderie and mutual support, we not only navigate challenges together but also celebrate our successes as a collective.

Canvas Rebel: What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source of new clients has been a steady source of referral business from happy clients and a few forums we have been mentioned on, such as WWD. As a young and growing business, we are excited about the new opportunities every new client brings and the further connections we make in the industry to not only assist us in our business growth but also to findand add to our team of talented young women who make all of this possible!