Local social media mavens Christine Tomaszewski and Shelley Rodocker have teamed up with Rachel Hancock of Something Social Texas to create their very own version of a Good Housekeeping seal. About once a month, these BFFs premiere a mini-documentary on social media that showcases and highlights one of the many quality retailers and service providers we have right here at home.
Both women have been connected to and working for the Georgetown business community for many years. Now, in their spare time, they script and appear in one- to two-minute promotional videos they then deliver to local business clients for distribution and sharing via multiple channels to promote their offerings.
“We are professionals ourselves so we know what it’s like for our clients trying to generate buzz,” Christine says. “When we make a new video, the goal is to walk in their shoes in their own environment, and get a genuine feel for each one. But it’s also important to add a little comedic touch here and there to make it fun to watch.”
Shelley adds, “That’s where the name comes from. We did one of our early videos to show people how hard our Georgetown firefighters work and we put it out there that we were looking for a name. Lt. Jonathan Gilliam suggested Double Trouble because nearly every time one or both of us walked into a room, someone would say, ‘Here comes trouble.’”
Incidentally, Shelley and Christine take no money for this creative effort, and Rachel assures prospective clients that a Double Trouble production is affordable; non-profits get a discounted $100 rate.
How it started
Christine and Shelley have been networking and going to events together for some time and always together. Last year, they had the idea to create some outreach for a particular boutique and someone suggested they make a video that could go viral. They have since created six more episodes about everything from the fire department to Simply Kids and their Facebook feed is full of eager fans practically demanding to know when they will premiere the next one.
Shelley says she enjoys their partnership as a creative outlet away from her job as a mortgage lender; “My job can be quite intense, but this is so much fun, and it’s all about introducing new people to Georgetown or telling everyone else something new.”
Christine is not in the workforce at the moment, but is never at rest, thanks to the many community and advisory boards she volunteers for; “I wanted to shine a light on new businesses, and fortunately, the feedback is exactly what we’d hoped—people are excited to learn new things about the city.”
Rachel is in full agreement with their method and mission. “I’m doing what I love and building my own business by helping others grow theirs.”
After the first video went live, they began getting calls right away to book other businesses. The process includes a visit the business to familiarize themselves with the product or service, build a very intentional script, and talk to the owner about what he or she needs and expects for the story. They do a dry run and then film. The whole process takes about a month because this is all done on personal time. Filming takes a day or two, then Rachel spends about two weeks polishing and perfecting the final cut. All three enjoy a sense of pride that comes with helping Georgetown and they stand behind the #GreatestCityOnPlanetEarth because they love their “21st-century Mayberry”.
The Results
The perfect outcome for Christine and Shelley—and their clients—is bringing new visibility, recognition, and, of course, revenue for local businesses.
They know it is working because Double Trouble has a waiting list so they encourage potential businesses to be patient…they plan to keep this going for a long time.
“Any kind of business is welcome as long as there is something we can promote,” Christine says. “We just need to agree that the event or update will justify the not-insignificant effort we put into every episode.”
They have already been asked to expand their brand to other cities and properties, but, rest assured, they are pleased to report there is plenty to be done in Georgetown and that is where their hearts are. “It’s not about money or Likes for us.
It’s a love and a joy and we don’t want whatever this is to grow so big that it is no longer fun. That’s a big part of the brand.”
Videos can be viewed at Facebook.com/somethingsocial.tx, and Double Trouble just asks people to promote and patronize the businesses that keep Georgetown the kind of prosperous Mayberry that we live in and love.