Marketing companies guarantee hassle-free, full-spectrum client reach. Making relationships with notable social technology influencers, however, has proven difficult for brands and businesses looking for an outsourced marketing platform in the current developing tech environment. Meet Chelsea Larson-Andrews, the co-founder of TechMode, who, unlike other marketing agencies, offers personalized strategies and bridges the gap between influencers and companies with a guaranteed full-spectrum reach. At TechMode, Chelsea and her co-founder, Beverley Eve, are immensely contributing to the evolution of the tech industry with their impeccable products and services. These inspiring leaders, though they reside miles apart from each other—Chelsea in San Diego and Beverley in the United Kingdom—have remarkably managed to prosper in this field. Chelsea emphasizes that the tech industry is notorious for its lack of inclusion. Fortunately, a lot of the companies she and her team work with focus on giving a voice to female leaders. She is honored to have created a platform from which she can serve as a resource and lead the conversation.
Why TechMode?
TechMode has been in business for over six years. Headquartered in London, it has reached people and clients all around the world. It is an award-winning marketing agency that specializes in B2B influencer marketing, thought leadership content creation, brand exposure, and channel growth. It uses data-driven strategies to help tech companies connect with tech professionals in a meaningful way to increase brand awareness, credibility, and trust. It has proprietary workflows and tactics and has built a network of the world’s leading tech thought leaders. It is a boutique agency that’s selective with who TechMode works with and creates bespoke campaigns custom tailored to achieve its clients’ goals. The majority of influencer marketing companies utilize generic methods and campaigns, while TechMode works closely with customers to make sure the proper influencers are involved and the best tactics are used to achieve the best results. “We also have an extensive tech influencer network that we work with to get the most competitive rates,” says Chelsea.
Destined to be an entrepreneur
Chelsea has always had an entrepreneurial spirit, which has driven her to found businesses ever since she was a child. At the very young age of 10, she began her first business as a babysitter, which was a success and kept her occupied for the entire week. However, Chelsea started her first marketing job in 2008, right after Facebook was reaching systems globally. Chelsea was hired to launch social media channels, oversee email marketing, and rebuild the company’s website. She shares, “Digital marketing has evolved immensely since I first started.” As someone deeply ingrained in the tech industry, she has seen massive growth in all areas, from IoT to AI and beyond. She believes that machine learning and artificial intelligence are currently the most disruptive technologies since they are developing at a rate she has not seen in other fields of technology.
Chelsea co-founded design3, a firm that created tutorials for video game creation tools, when she was in her twenties. When the Application Developers Alliance purchased design3, she became the Director of Marketing for the organization, where she oversaw events and digital marketing. She finally met Bev when she joined the Alliance in 2014. She and her business partner spent a lot of time at the Alliance working with board members who were constantly clamoring for more and more developer marketing help. They recognized a wonderful opportunity in 2016 to spin off a firm that would just focus on marketing to tech workers. Chelsea mentions, “Our first clients were companies like Ericsson, Twilio, and Ford through our Alliance connections, and we’ve grown from there.”
Confidence is the key
Chelsea’s success in business has been primarily due to her confidence. She was aware of her true worth, and her confidence propelled her to work hard to build a thriving business. She pursued it to not only advance herself but also to elevate and advocate for other women in tech, as others have done for her. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without my co-founder, Beverley Eve. She keeps me grounded while lifting me,” she adds. Chelsea trusts her with her life and feels honored to work with her. “She inspires me to show up and do my best every day,” continues Chelsea. “We’ve accomplished so much together, and I couldn’t ask for a better partner. She is so much more than a work partner; over the years, she’s become family to me.”
The business sector is dominated by men. Chelsea, on the other hand, considers herself fortunate in that she has not had many such incidents in which people have treated her adversely because she is a woman. Instead, because of her excellent reputation, people come to her with a high level of respect. Moreover, she understands the challenges women face in almost every industry. Being a business leader, she knows the stress of balancing personal and professional lives. “I tend to want to give everything to all the people and roles in my life, which is impossible and causes stress and burnout,” she mentions. She proudly states that she prioritizes herself with well-set boundaries so that she can manage all her roles adequately. She learned that great leaders are good listeners who show trust and respect for the people they work with. “I’ve found that, in my experience, female leaders tend to be a little more open-minded—there’s a little less ego and more compassion, which results in better teamwork,” she highlights.
"I’ve found that, in my experience, female leaders tend to be a little more open-minded—there’s a little less ego and more compassion, which results in better teamwork,"
Love ensures growth
Chelsea is driven by her love for her daughter, whom she describes as a simple and pure spirit that inspires her to reach her greatest potential. She wants her to know that if she works hard and dedicates herself, she can achieve anything. Hard work and dedication are important not only for advancing one’s career but also for personal development. For example, she took a collegiate Spanish course last semester and set a goal of getting an A, which she is proud to report she achieved. “I also read a lot of books. I find that fulfilling personal goals increases my creativity, which positively impacts my job. Beverley and I pass that on to our team as well. As leaders, we create flexible work hours and encourage the team to pursue what they find passion in,” she adds.
Lean on inspiring women
Chelsea advises aspiring women leaders to establish a network and surround themselves with other women they look up to. “Lean on inspiring women, follow their channels, learn from them, and reach out to get mentors,” she adds. She also recommends building one’s own personal brand and having an impressive LinkedIn profile where one can share unique insights and build a network. She says, “If you’re into Twitter, you can also build a network there.” She says that many women in her life have motivated her, but especially her mother, who died of cancer earlier this year. She thinks that lifting other women up is the finest way to commemorate her mother and all the other women she admires. “Beverley and I do our best to ensure that every campaign consists of at least 50% female thought leaders. Elevating women’s voices across the ecosystem is how we contribute to and promote inclusion in the tech industry,” concludes Chelsea.
