I started Trench Social in 2026 after spending over 20 years in hospitality and business operations across New Zealand. Over those two decades, I operated businesses alongside partners in tourism and hospitality—meaning I know firsthand what it’s actually like to carry the operational load, manage teams, and worry about daily cash flow.

Back in 2024, while operating a tourism business, we paid a well-known agency around thousands per month to manage our marketing. They sent glossy monthly reports showing thousands of views, but like most operators, we were too busy on the floor to dissect the data. Everything looked fine on paper.

Then in 2025, our team launched a new venture and trusted that same agency with the marketing. The ‘honeymoon period’ was a total flop.

When we went into survival mode, I stopped listening to the "gurus," logged into our backend myself, and saw where our money was actually going. The agency model was full of shit. They were literally charging us to market a local Hawke's Bay business to people living in Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, and anyone else who would listen.

We took over social media ourselves, studied the platforms inside out, and rebuilt that business from the ground up during a brutally tough economic year.

I started Trench Social because I got sick of seeing local operators pay massive monthly fees for little to no real return. I don't believe in corporate jargon or bloated agency payrolls. I want to work with real local business owners across Hawke's Bay and Manawatu, do what I say I'll do, and build social media that actually helps your bottom line.