10 Questions with Beth Thomas
From scaling the socials of Deliveroo and TikTok, to building a 45k+ community.
Beth – you’ve worked at huge brands, namely Deliveroo and TikTok. How did you find it? Is it as glamorous as it looks?
Some were definitely more stressful than others! I’ve openly talked about how tough I found it at Deliveroo, I joined on the first day of the first Covid lockdown, which says it all really. There was zero glamour there, just a lot of intensity.
TikTok, on the other hand, looked cooler, and it was. Brilliant team, exciting environment, fun offices, and free lunches. But even then, working in tech isn’t very glamorous. It's still corporate at the end of the day. Meetings, processes, and all the usual stuff.
After making waves at the big names, you moved to a consultancy. What led you to that decision? Do you have any advice for anyone also thinking about moving away from in-house marketing?
I’ve always had this push-pull in my career, one voice saying “You’ve got a good balance, don’t rock the boat,” and the other saying “You could be learning more, doing more, pushing yourself.”
So when Michael Corcoran (ex-head of social at Ryanair) invited me for a drink and pitched this idea for a new social consultancy, I knew it was the challenge I needed to take.
You’ve also pivoted into content creation. After working on the brand side in social media, how did it feel to be on the other side?
The biggest shift is going from focusing on one brand to working across lots. You can spot patterns across industries, and borrow what works in one place to fuel another.
As for content creation, I’ve always done it. It’s how I got into marketing in the first place. Back in 2013, I had a blog, YouTube channel and IG account about beauty, which helped me land my first proper job. Even now, I still create across platforms, from LinkedIn posts to TikTok, just in a more strategic way.
Juggling your consultancy work and being a content creator must been a lot. How did you stay motivated? Do you have any productivity tips for anyone struggling with staying on top of what might feel like an endless to-do list?
I do it with my friend Molly. We’ve been creating together for years and honestly, we’d both have quit if we didn’t have each other to stay accountable.
It’s like co-founding a business, you don’t have to do everything alone. Find people who challenge and support you in equal measure.
Also, we paused our content around six months ago. We’ve filmed new stuff but haven’t posted it yet, because we want to be consistent when we come back. It really is hard to balance things, and this has taken a back seat for us right now.
Tell us a bit about Molly & Beth (previously 2 Girls 1 Pup). You’ve built a community of over 45k people and you’re getting over 3 million views monthly. Any tips for those chasing their first viral post?
Stop chasing virality.
The posts you try to go viral with rarely do. And even when something does go viral, if it’s not connected to a broader narrative or strategy, it usually doesn’t do much.
What matters more is consistency and connection, building something real over time.
Social search is something you’re a big advocate of. What’s the one thing social media managers should know to make the most of it?
If you’ve never thought about it before, start now.
Open up your TikTok analytics. Check where your traffic is coming from. If it’s from search, ask why, what keywords did you use in the caption, on-screen text, script, or even location tag?
Then think about what else your audience might be searching for. Align it with your strategy and start creating for discoverability, not just the feed.
Your next career move looks particularly exciting. Launching a new consultancy - Slice. What’s exciting you and what’s scaring you?
This isn’t the first time I’ve started over, but this one’s definitely different.
Because it’s partly mine. That’s both the scariest and most exciting part.
Having joint responsibility for everything is a big shift, but I’m ready for it. It’s a huge opportunity to build something better in the industry and that’s pretty cool!
Alongside everything else, you’re also a speaker. Did you stumble into this or seek it out?
I’ve always been on stage, I gave graduation speeches as Student Union President over a decade ago, hosted Facebook Lives at Birchbox, ran webinars at Deliveroo, and did keynotes at TikTok.
It started organically, but now I’m being more intentional about it. I’m choosing opportunities that align with what I care about and where I can actually help.
From everything discussed (and evidenced online!), you’re consistently trying new things to diversify your career. For many, that can feel super scary. How do you push past the fear and back yourself and your skills?
Being uncomfortable doesn’t get easy, but it becomes familiar.
At Birchbox, I could present to thousands online, but I’d still be terrified to speak in a meeting with ten people. You just have to keep pushing through until it clicks. And it does.
You get used to the feelings you get when you're doing something out of your comfort zone and learn to sit with it. Feel the fear and do it anyway!
To end, what would you say to anyone feeling a bit lost in their career right now?
You’re not alone.
Most of my friends are navigating something work wise (actually just in general life too!) whether it’s feeling undervalued, imposter syndrome, or just wondering what now?
Talk to people you trust. Find perspective. And remind yourself: you don’t need to have it all figured out. Whatever you decide you can always change your mind, nothing is ever final.
Hear more from Beth at our upcoming event covering all things social strategy - Scroll Stopper: How to stop posting for vanity and start posting for value.
16th September, 8:30am-1:30pm in London.
She’ll be joining a panel on ‘Strategy vs. content - which comes first?’ and a fireside chat with the brains behind Chicken Shop Date’s socials, Ashleigh Kybert.