Personal branding and social enterprise – upcoming Spark Labs events

Spark Labs is organising two live events in Auckland in the coming weeks to help businesses achieve success through technology.

The first event will focus on how businesses can leverage social media and a personal brand to attract more customers.

Speaker Makaia Carr is the founder of successful online businesses MotivateMe NZ and M Fit, both of which she has recently sold.

Carr attributes much of the growth her business has had to its social media presence.

MotivateMe developed out of a Facebook page Carr started to keep herself focused as she worked towards some goals.

Five years on, MotivateMe has thousands of paid members and a social community of over 150,000 followers.

Carr will outline some simple tips and tricks to get noticed in a noisy social media world, and how to use social influencers to get extra promotion and reach.

With such a significant social media presence and personal profile, Carr is operating more and more in the world of blogging, paid social media campaigns, public speaking and mentoring.

The event will take place at the Spark Lab in the Auckland CBD on May 24 at 5.30pm, attendees can register here.

The next event is focused on creating a thriving social enterprise.

Speaker Lisa King is a social entrepreneur on a mission to ensure no children go to school hungry.

King demonstrates a unique combination of generous spirit and business acumen.

In its first 18 months, Eat My Lunch made more than 650,000 lunches, with 325,000 given to kids in low decile schools in Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington.

Accolades for Eat My Lunch include three Westpac Auckland Business Awards in 2016, Deloittes Fast 50 Rising Star, TVNZ Marketing Awards in 2016, NZ Innovation Awards 2015.

King was awarded the 2016 Women of Influence Award in Business Enterprises.

She will talk about her journey so far, and how they've grown from a small home start-up to one of the most successful social businesses in New Zealand.

She'll also explain how clever business solutions can solve big social issues - when you have a compelling purpose it's easier to create a "movement".

The event will take place at the Spark Lab in the Auckland CBD on June 2 at 6.45pm, attendees can register here.