Sarah reflects on 9 years at Hotglue

When I walked through the door of Hotglue’s Cremorne office nearly 12 years ago to interview for a freelance position, I never imagined that I’d still be working here over a decade later. It’s crazy to think I’ve spent my thirties working with this group of people, watching Hotglue grow from a small agency of ten, to a force to be reckoned with and now employing 50 staff! It’s been a wild and wonderful journey and I’m so glad that I’ve been along for the ride.

2017: One of my favourite HG pics! Georgie, Sarah, Ange, Tanya and Kylie in French slogan tees! I was about 8 months pregnant here!

When did you start and who was your first client?

I started with Hotglue in November of 2012, when I was contracted to work on after hours social media support for Priceline. Our current Business Director, Angela, would plan all the content and manage the account from 9 til 5, then I would reply to comments and do any posting from 5pm to 9pm on weekdays, and all weekend. I used to lug my laptop around everywhere and check the accounts, replying to enquiries and posting from wherever I happened to be at the time — even on a trip to Hawaii! 

Originally, as a freelancer who worked out of hours, I didn’t need to come to the office, but Nick invited me to work with the team one day a week if I wanted a desk, and before long I was there all the time and filling in for Angela when she went on leave. In 2014, we won the Kmart Instagram account and I stepped into a part time position — the rest is history!

Tell us about your progression through the agency and how it feels to now be leading our community management team members?

My career with Hotglue has been such fun, and I’ve been so lucky to have an employer with so much flexibility. From starting as a freelancer, before moving into a full time social media manager role, I’ve been lucky to work with such household name brands as L’Oréal, Cobram Estate, Kmart and Priceline. 

In 2016, my partner was moved interstate for work, and rather than leave Hotglue, I was encouraged to work remotely. In late 2017, I was the first Hotglue-r to go on maternity leave, then return part time, still working interstate. In 2019, I again went on maternity leave, only to have COVID interrupt my return to work plans, giving me an unexpected two year leave of absence. I returned part time in 2022 - still interstate - then moved back to Melbourne in 2024 and was promoted to Community Engagement Manager; taking my decade of social media experience, together with my aptitude for building community, and have the opportunity to begin to learn more leadership based skills. It’s such an honour and a privilege to have been able to experience such a huge part of my career in one place.  

What has changed most in social media since you started?

The biggest changes I think I notice after a decade in the industry is the way social media has gone from being a source of entertainment and keeping in touch, to having a touchpoint in every aspect of our lives. The volume of social media platforms too; those that have taken off (TikTok!) and those that haven’t (BeReal), and the ones that have changed so much from what they originally set out to do (Instagram). Probably the saddest of these is X (formally known as Twitter), as this was where I really started out in social and was a pillar of the social media community in the early days.

What’s one of your favourite things about working at Hotglue?

I love that there are quite a number of us who have been with Hotglue from the start. Besides our founders, Nick, Matt and Lew; Josh, Angela and I all started within a few months of each other, with Tanya, Kylie and Beatrix not far behind. It’s amazing to still be working with such a great group of people though a decade of your life. It feels more like a family than a workplace.

Christmas 2015 - Matt, Scott, Lew, Ange, Sarah, Tanya, Nick and Josh - all still with HG in 2024!

Do you have a favourite memory of your time at Hotglue and something you're most proud of?

Favourite memory was the day it was about 42 degrees and Nick threw in the towel and decided we should all pack up and go to Albert Park Beach for the afternoon. This was about 10 years ago, but I still remember how cool it was that we just got to pack up and go to the beach!

I’m certainly proud of taking the Kmart Instagram account from conception to 100,000 followers, and being part of the original L’Oréal pitch a decade ago. And everything I have learnt from the incredible group of people I get to work with! And of course, still looking forward to going to work every day, even after working here for so long, because no two days in social - or at Hotglue - are ever the same.