The rise of the "In-House Creator" + how Seoul Tonic got it right
Every founder knows the struggle: you're single-handedly responsible for managing product development, ops, sales and everything in between, while also trying to maintain a social media presence that's creative! relatable! likeable!
Building a business in 2025 also means being a creator and maintaining a steady stream of algorithm-friendly content that gets people invested in you and your mission.
This takes a gargantuan amount of work, so naturally, founders are looking to outsource some of the burden.
I recently made a TikTok video breaking down when founders should prioritise personal accounts vs. brand accounts - you can watch it here. The big question that follows is: once you're ready to expand beyond just your founder account, how do you actually manage it all?
As a result, there is a new job title in hot demand: The In-House Creator.
In-House Creator vs Social Media Manager
What exactly makes an in-house creator different from traditional social media positions? These are fundamentally different roles designed to solve different problems.
A social media manager typically behind the scenes to drive your social strategy.
An in-house creator is the face and voice of your brand on social platforms:
they have a natural on-camera presence
they have an intuitive understanding of what content resonates
they have creative vision, storytelling abilities and execution chops
they're able to create real connections with your audience through their personality
Not every social media professional wants to be on camera - nor should they have to be. But when you’re hiring an in-house creator, you’re not looking for someone to manage your social strategy. You're looking for someone who can embody your brand's vibe and personality and translate it into content that connects with your audience.
How Seoul Tonic Found Their Ideal In-House Creator
Aussie-born, functional beverage brand Seoul Tonic is a great example of a small brand who has successfully hired an in-house creator.
Towards the end of 2024, Seoul Tonic founder, Sophie Hood, brought in a small creator called Francesca (Cesy) to take over the brand socials.
Cesy is a creator who makes yapper content about fashion, food, life etc. She had been a customer of Seoul Tonic for quite some time and was in the early phase of growing her account when she was brought on to be the face of the Seoul Tonic account.
I chatted with Sophie about her decision to bring Cesy onboard and what advice she would give other founders looking to hire an in-house creator.
1. Look for Creators on the Rise
These types of in-house creator roles are in HUGE demand, but there is a fundamental paradox at play: if someone has already built a substantial following, they're unlikely to be interested in dedicating themselves to a single brand. Yet brands need someone with proven content creation skills.
Sophie Hood of Seoul Tonic shares her approach: "I would advise to not look at the huge creators—the real unlock is the smaller, micro creators who are on the way up."
Sophie identified Cesy when she had just 6,000 followers. Six months later, Cesy's following is close to 30k - they've grown together.
2. Identify Someone with Natural Brand Alignment
The key is finding someone who perfectly fits with the vibe and values of your brand. Cesy was already a customer of Seoul Tonic before joining the team, which created a natural alignment from day one.
When evaluating creators, prioritise these qualities over follower count:
Genuine brand affinity: Look for creators who already use and love your products. This sort of authentic interest can’t be duped.
Content quality over quantity: Focus on their creativity and storytelling ability rather than metrics. Do they have a distinctive style that aligns with your brand vision?
Growth mindset: Look for creators with a genuine interest in business and the startup world. Sophie sees Cesy as "beyond a creator" and explains: "She's doing her MBA so I almost identified her as someone I could bring in house and over time mentor."
3. Hand Over the Reins
Once you've found your creator, Sophie recommends a hands-off management approach:
Set clear frameworks: Have weekly meetings to align on strategy and brand guardrails, but avoid micromanagement.
Give creative freedom: "Cesy has the login to TikTok and can post when she likes. I want her to post stuff that comes to her mind and feel like she can jump on trends and move fast". Approval is only required for specific content related to business milestones to make sure Cesy has creative autonomy.
Integrate them into the business: "I spend time bringing her into other areas of the business which actually helps the content as she knows the business holistically." This approach fundamentally differs from a typical influencer relationship—in-house creators need a genuine understanding of how the business operates to create truly authentic content.
Sophie emphasised that this role requires someone who can work independently: "As a busy founder, the hardest part is finding the right people that don't need to be micromanaged. This isn't about assigning tasks like you would with a typical marketing role- it's about finding someone with creative vision who can run with your brand."
The Freedom to Grow Multiple Accounts
One of the biggest benefits for Sophie has been the ability to grow a separate founder account alongside the brand account run by Cesy.
"On my personal account I want people to get to know me like a real human and in a way that isn't 100% associated with the brand all the time," Sophie explained. "I think it's so common to lose your identity when you are building something."
This dual-account strategy serves multiple purposes:
Builds two distinct but complementary audiences
Reduces risk by making the brand less dependent on the founder
Creates long-term personal IP for Sophie outside the business
Allows each account to specialise in content that fits its audience
This strategy not only gives Seoul Tonic double the opportunity to connect with people but also sets up the business for way more stability down the road. Sophie gets to be herself while Cesy brings the brand to life, and together they're building something that's way more powerful than if Sophie was trying to juggle it all alone.
Action Steps for Small Brands
If you want to explore the idea of hiring an in-house creator, here are practical action steps you can take:
Identify early creators (>10k followers) who already use or talk about your products or similar brands. Look for creative vision and storytelling ability, not follower count.
Evaluate for brand alignment. Review their content to identify genuine fit with your brand values and vibe.
Reach out directly suggesting a relationship beyond typical influencer arrangements and be clear about the creative freedom and growth opportunities that come with helping build a brand.
Start with a trial project to assess creative alignment before committing to an ongoing relationship.
Create a clear brief but avoid rigid brand guidelines - creative autonomy is key.
That’s all for today! Thank you for reading and I promise it won’t be so long before the next one.
P.S. If you're a founder, solopreneur or freelancer who wants to grow their brand with short-form video, I'm launching a 30-day content cohort in June.
You’ll learn everything you need to know about creating high-performing content, build a consistent habit and join a supportive community of people in the same position as you.
If that sounds interesting, join the waitlist below!
hi! this is something I’d definitely be interested in doing, any tips on what terms to use in a job search? “in house creator?” or something else? 💗