Social Media & Faith In Your Business With Heather Heuman / Ep. 48

On this episode Bella speaks with Heather Heuman, CEO/Founder of Sweet Tea Social Marketing, Elizabethtown Family and the Founder of Sweet Tea Social Marketing Academy. Heather Heuman Bella and Heather discuss: What social media can do for your business What steps you should take to make social media work for you What effects bringing her faith into her business had on it. Heather is the CEO/Founder of Sweet Tea Social Marketing, Elizabethtown Family and the founder of Sweet Tea Social Marketing Academy. She is a social media speaker, strategist and trainer that specializes in helping Christian business owners and entrepreneurs, discover how to grow in today’s noisy social marketplace. Heather has corporate and locally-based client experience and enjoyed speaking at Social Media Marketing World earlier this year. She's a proud wife and mother of three kiddos under 12 and is excited about her new podcast Business, Jesus and Sweet Tea is launching June 2017. Subscribe To The Show: Transcript: This is episode 48 of Bella in Your Business. Welcome to Bella in Your Business, where Bella will discuss anything and everything about your pet sitting business to help you land on target. So get ready—Bella’s got your chute. Let’s jump. Welcome to Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta, and today my next guest and I were both at Social Media Marketing World with 2,999 of our closest friends. We actually never met there, but we did meet when a bunch of people from Social Media Marketing World got together on Facebook split screen. I was on screen, Heather was watching, she reached out afterward and said, “Hey, I have some clients in Arizona, and also some in the grooming sector.” So we connected, became Facebook friends, and I saw how wacky and awesome Heather is. She was outside with a towel on her head, wet hair, riding around with her kids. I thought, “This is a woman I can connect with.” Heather is the CEO and founder of Sweet Tea Social Marketing and the Sweet Tea Social Marketing Academy. She’s a social media speaker, strategist, and trainer who specializes in helping Christian business owners and entrepreneurs grow in today’s noisy marketplace. She has corporate and local-based client experience and has spoken at Social Media Marketing World. She’s a proud mother of three kids under 12 and is launching her podcast Business, Jesus, and Sweet Tea. Bella: Welcome to the show. Heather: Thank you so much for having me, Bella. I’m excited to be here. Bella: I didn’t want to butcher your last name—can you pronounce it for us? Heather: Sure—it’s Heather Hyman. Bella: It’s funny because on Facebook, we never have to pronounce things. Heather: I know! When someone says it right on a live video, I know they actually know me. Bella: What I really liked about you, besides the towel moment, is your love for Jesus. I weave that into everything I do, and I loved that you do the same. Tell me how you started your company and decided to incorporate your faith into it. Heather: In 2000, I started in the digital marketing space, working at a digital company focused on graphic and web design. That was my introduction to this world. When I left that job, I was always building communities online—Yahoo groups for moms in Germany, maps for playgrounds, that sort of thing. Fast forward, my undergrad was in special education. In 2010, I got a master’s in management and leadership while raising a six-week-old, a one-year-old, and a five-year-old. I’m kind of a workaholic—I love what I do. But I wanted to be a mom 100%. The 9-to-5 daycare life wasn’t for me. While in grad school, I decided I’d create my own company and be the decision maker. I launched Elizabethtown Family in 2011—an online resource for busy families to find fun things to do. My audience was parents aged 20–50, which made the site attractive to local advertisers. I grew it entirely through social media—no paid ads—and still run it today with over 10,000 followers in a town of 30,000 people. That success led to consulting offers from the Chamber of Commerce and small businesses. In 2014, my husband got transferred to Columbia, South Carolina. I was sad at first—I’d built everything within a 30-mile radius. But I surrendered it to God, saying, “If You want me to have a business, I’ll trust You to make it happen beyond this zip code.” Everything fell into place. Within 30 days, we moved, bought a house, and I launched Sweet Tea Social Marketing. Now I work with clients from Alaska to D.C. to Texas—many I’ve never met in person. I work with Christian business owners and secular ones alike. For me, my faith isn’t something I separate from my business. Life is short, and if anything I do helps someone know Jesus, I want to do that. Whether clients sell Bibles, chicken sandwiches, or do interior design—faith can shine through their work. Bella: That story gave me goosebumps. It’s amazing how God used each season to prepare you for the next. Many of our listeners are in small towns and will relate to your story—how you built opportunity out of something small. So, tell me, why shouldn’t business owners be afraid of social media? Heather: A lot of people think being human online is unprofessional. They hide behind perfection. But the opposite is true—people want to see real humans. Ask yourself: how can I show up as a person? How can I deliver answers my audience needs? That’s the path to success. Bella: I love that—it’s transparency in action. You’re proof that being human works. Heather: Exactly. Whether your town is big or small, your audience is more than just pet owners—they’re locals. Post about community events. Create a quick Canva graphic with your logo, share info about the new restaurant or festival, and people will engage. I once posted about an IHOP opening in Elizabethtown—it got 297 shares in six hours. Be part of the conversation. Bella: Totally agree. When I had my pet sitting business, I’d get creative with community events—like setting up a pet cheering station for a breast cancer walk. People forget that customers have many interests. What other social media tips can you give? Heather: First, post consistently. What’s “consistent” depends on your brand. Some pages thrive on 6–8 posts a day, others do fine with 3 a week. Just keep showing up. Also, balance your personal and business pages. Don’t flood your personal page with business posts—but don’t hide your business either. Sprinkle in behind-the-scenes updates. If you’re excited about a milestone, share it naturally. Bella: There’s so much debate right now about personal versus business pages. Heather: Right. I see more influencers using Facebook Live on their personal pages—not to sell, but to talk about topics like fear or purpose. It’s about connection. There’s a fine line between personal and professional branding, and everyone’s experimenting to find it. Bella: For our listeners, that might mean allowing potential clients to follow your public posts without friending you. It’s all about strategy. Okay, let’s switch gears. How has working with churches helped your business? Heather: When I started publicly identifying as someone who serves Christian business owners and churches, it actually expanded my opportunities. At Social Media Marketing World in 2015, I decided to own that niche. It helped people remember me. Churches began reaching out for help. Many had volunteers handling social but needed strategy, so I’d consult for a couple of hours, give them 15 actionable improvements, and teach their team how to implement them. It wasn’t my biggest income source, but it brought purpose. Bella: I love that you’re doing it from the heart—and that it plants seeds for future growth. Heather: Exactly. One small chamber project led to a major client later because someone remembered me. When you show up and serve with integrity, God blesses that. Bella: That’s powerful. And I love that you’re not hiding behind your computer—you’re out there building relationships. Pet sitters can do the same: talk to vets, pet stores, collaborate on videos. That authenticity builds credibility and connections. Heather: Yes! And for those listening—being authentic doesn’t mean being loud. I’m actually an introvert. My happy place is at home in pajamas, but I still show up. So whether you’re outgoing or quiet, just be yourself. Smile, be genuine, and always improve. If you’re not doing videos, do one in the next 15 days. If you’re doing two a month, try four. If your last post was 11 days ago, you’re not showing up as relevant. There’s no magic pill—just consistent effort. Bella: That’s so good. If my audience fell in love with you like I did, how can they find you? Heather: Go to sweetteasocialmarketing.com. You’ll find all my social links and free resources. Depending on when you’re listening, check out my podcast Business, Jesus, and Sweet Tea. If you want one-on-one strategy help or to join my Sweet Tea Social Marketing Academy, you can find everything there. Bella: Fantastic. Thank you so much, Heather. You’ve inspired our listeners today. Heather: Thank you so much again, Bella. Bella: This has been another episode of Bella in Your Business. Don’t forget to subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher, and check out Heather’s podcast Business, Jesus, and Sweet Tea. And remember—always keep jumping. Thanks for jumping with Bella in Your Business. For more information, free articles, and coaching sessions, go to jumpconsulting.net. And remember, Bella’s got your chute.