Building Trust and Engaging on Social Media

In today's episode, I sit down with Thomas Finetto, the head of creative for Instagram for Business—yes, the account with over 20 million followers helping business owners grow on Instagram (@instagramforbusiness). We talk about what it actually takes to win on Instagram today, from the biggest mistakes he sees creators and brands making, to the mindset shift every entrepreneur needs in order to succeed online.

Thomas shares why speed and trust are the secret weapons for social teams, and how giving creators more creative freedom is a game-changer for growth. We also get into why reposting content isn’t lazy, it’s smart - and why “letting a post breathe” is one of the worst myths in the game.

We break down real examples from brands like Duolingo, Ryanair, and even a donut shop in the UK that went viral by giving their staff the freedom to create content. Plus, Thomas shares overlooked tools like Instagram Close Friends, employee-generated content, and why most people are doing social media competitor research completely wrong.

This episode is full of hot takes, behind-the-scenes insight from someone who works at Meta, and tons of actionable advice for anyone using Instagram to grow their business—whether you're a solo creator or running a team.