sy grew out of the need to make social media practical, to show people just how much the world is changing, and how to survive - and thrive - right now.

Simon Young discovered social media as a freelance journalist for NZ Marketing Magazine, covering search marketing, email marketing and blogging, as well as the overall marketing mix. In 2004 his NZ Marketing Magazine cover story, Logging into Blogging, gave New Zealand businesses a taste for a new era where anyone can be a creator, consumer or curator of content.

Meanwhile, for the last 17 years Marie Young has worked on the front lines of business, providing customer service and training others to do the same. She's seen how the little things - good or bad - can make a big difference to a company's strategy. Her passion is people, and as a trainer she taps into people's intrinsic desire to help others, turning written guidelines into living systems.

Today sy teaches organisations how to adapt for the social era - where consumers no longer trust what you say, because you say it. Where they trust what they hear from their friends. Where they know the brand is delivered by its people.

In this environment, we connect the skills of content-driven marketing (drawing on Simon's background in journalism, broadcasting, copywriting and filmmaking), and listening and responding (drawing on Marie's background in frontline customer service training).

We help you develop a social media strategy that works for you, not just in the area of marketing, but also in customer relations and staff engagement - something that conveys your competitive advantage - your culture - to your customers.