Name:
Sebastian

What part of town do you live in?
Coral Gables.

How long have you lived in the Gables?
Almost five years. I was born in Indiana and raised in Miami. We moved to Miami when I was going into seventh grade.

Please share about what you do for a livelihood or what keeps you busy during the week?
I own a company called Social Buzz TV. We’re an agency that helps businesses and brands tell their story online with short videos and podcasts. We create both the content and social media strategy so clients can tell their story and build their community. We help them reach new people.

What does creating a strategy look like?
Unpacking the story – There’s a story behind everything. We extract the key points of that story and create content to share. It may be simple, like talking about your top 10 frequently asked questions in a video. Or, we may launch a podcast with a strategy to interview prospective people that might be difficult to get a meeting with otherwise.

What part do you enjoy the most?
Seeing the brand come to life and watching my clients embrace their brand.

What advice would you give us?
You guys have a killer story, a killer product and you have a killer community. You already engage with people through this newsletter which is great. It connects people – I reconnected with a friend at a high school reunion last year that I hadn’t seen in 20 years, and she’s like, I saw your sister in the LNB newsletter! A podcast interview might go into more depth. It’s all about finding people doing really cool stuff. But, podcasts are not always a fit for a local business. ‘Facebook Live’ from your grove might be another great idea. Show all of your wonderful fruits and vegetables and give people a peak into farm life.

I watched a few of your Buzz Videos. A bow tie was a common theme. How did you start wearing bow ties?
In 2011, I was going to launch an educational platform called Social Buzz University to teach social media. I created the on-camera role of a social media professor, including the glasses and bow-tie. Then, I started wearing them out and realized that when people met you they wouldn’t forget you. Now, I only wear them on stage. I have 34 or 35 in my collection.

How often do you come to the market?
At least twice a month if not every week.

What’s your ritual like when you come?
You guys are always the first stop. Sometimes I’ll pick up tonics for my sister, grab some guacamole – when you have it, and lately I’ll get the Rainbow Smoothie. Then, I’ll walk around and maybe grab a bottle of Kombucha. At the Gables market, I’ll get the fish dip.

What do you think the market is missing?
Seafood.

Do you have any favorite market stories?
I always run into somebody I went to high school with or haven’t seen in years. But my favorite is to find a free seat at a table. It’s so easy to strike up conversation and meet new people.

Where restaurants do you go to and what do you like to order?
I’m an American steak and potatoes guy and I like Italian too. Hillstone never disappoints – I still call it Houstons, and probably always will. The best sandwich is in Broward at Laspadas. It’s worth the drive. They put all the ingredients first and then the meat goes on top.

Where do you go for a special occasion?
Benihana. I’m a sucker for the Hibachi grill. The Kobe steak and lobster.

What do you like to do with your daughter?
We like to go on cruises and out for dinner. Really, just hanging out. I have raised her on my own, so we’ve spent a significant amount of time together. We’re leaving on the 24th for the Eastern Caribbean, which includes Haiti, Saint Martin and Puerto Rico. It’s her last high school spring break before going to college.

What’s Miami’s best kept secret?
Miami’s Best Pizza. They finally reopened across the street from where they were. They are where the printing shop was next to the Circle K and Dominoes.

What’s a worthy splurge?
A round of golf.

What’s a good rainy day activity?
I’m an entrepreneur. So, on a rainy day…let’s get some work done.

What community events or groups do you participate in that you’d like to share?
I’m part of a networking group that meets once a week called BNI – which stands for Business Networking International. There’s 34 chapters here in Miami. The unique part is that there’s only one person, per category in each chapter. (So, you’ve only got one social media guy, one architect, one printer…) We exchange about $1.5 million a year in business with each other. The structure has been around for 30 years.

What openings do you have in your group?
We are currently looking for a landscaper, a printer, a dentist, and there’s a lot of categories available. We meet every Thursday morning at 6:45 AM in the Gables. The meeting starts promptly at 7 and we’re done by 8:30 and you’re in the office by 9. It becomes family.

Would you share a pitch about your company?
If you need help navigating social media, we can help. We have turnkey solutions to create content and a strategy to connect with your clients.

And, if you need an Emcee, with a bow tie, I’m your guy.

Is there a question you would like to ask us?
What did you guys start?

(A+W) The farms were started in 1980. Adena’s parents, Marc and Kiki, moved here from Chicago to be farmers. We’ve been at the Pinecrest market for almost 8 years.

Is there a question, words of advice or a challenge that you would like to pose to our community?
Social media is affecting your business, whether you’re on it or not. Do one thing to move the needle a bit and see what happens.