A FEW MINUTES WITH KRISTINE RESENDES OF SOCIAL THRIVE
Kristine Resendes is the Owner of the social media firm Social Thrive, which has been consulting with Core Investments, Inc. since 2020.
What is Social Thrive?
We are a full-service digital marketing agency founded in Boston. A national company that specializes in websites, graphic design, advertising, social media, videography, and more. Our niche is in commercial, mixed-use, and residential real estate. We have about 12 people, between full- and part-time.
What do you actually do for Core?
I founded Social Thrive over 12 years ago, and we handle all of the digital marketing needs for Core Investments and the new On the Dot’s neighborhood in South Boston. We recently launched our events calendar for summer and fall, and we are now helping with The LOT On the Dot, Core’s community event space on Dorchester Avenue. The 2024 Events Program just kicked off, and we are stoked for all of the fun that’s in store for this year.
What else do you do besides work for Core?
We’ve helped all types of industries and businesses ranging from mom-and-pops all the way to the tallest high-rise condominium in Brooklyn, New York. Our biggest testament to our values is that we are able to retain clients for 8, 9, 10 years — building trust with our clients and our community is important to us.
Other Boston-area clients of ours include Douglas Elliman Boston, Suffolk Downs, Amaya, Imprint, Walnut Street Center, and the Fenway Group, with a few amazing clients in our portfolio that we have helped in the past.
What did you do before you founded Social Thrive?
After receiving my master’s I worked at a Harvard- and MIT-founded hybrid digital agency in Cambridge that focused on brand incubation and display advertising. They were a fast-growing start-up, and I was promoted from data analyst to business developer in my time there. After learning a lot in a few years there, I took my talents to The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Finance and Administration Department as a Marketing Manager. Having now first-hand manager and digital marketing experience, I was able to aggregate the entrepreneurial portion of my degrees to found Social Thrive.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Southeastern Massachusetts. Taunton to be exact.
And where did you go to school?
I went to Taunton High School graduating top 10 of my class with highest honors and several science awards. I love science and thought I was going to be a scientist post-college. I am also the first-generation of my family to finish high school in the United States and attend college.
Before eventually moving to Boston, I attended Clark University in Worcester. At Clark, I graduated with both a Bachelors in Marketing, Digital Media and Culture and a Master’s of Science in Professional Marketing and Entrepreneurship. In college I was also able to live in Spain and study at the Cervantes Institute and spent a lot of time volunteering both in Worcester and also in Nicaragua.
Where do you live now?
I live between Taunton, Massachusetts, and Miami, Florida. I was married two years ago to my longtime boyfriend, and his job transferred him to Miami. My company, however, is based in Boston — so we turned into “snowbirds” somewhat by accident. I love the Northeast, but I cannot complain about the warm-weather escapes where the culture also more closely resembles my Hispanic background.
What do you do to have fun when you’re not working?
I love all things culture — science, languages, art, music, and more. For fun I enjoy travel, listening to podcasts about science, and have also dabbled in dance styles like tango and belly dance! Last year I traveled to Vienna, Austria, which is incredibly full of history, like Mozart’s birthplace. From there, we also visited Neuschwanstein Castle and the Zugspitze, the highest peak in Germany. Thankfully there is a funicular. It made the trek a lot easier.
What’s a favorite place of yours in the Boston area?
I used to love going to [the restaurant] Marliave downtown. It’s since closed, but it was a historic landmark. Currently, the ICA [Institute of Contemporary Art[ is also a fave place in Boston to frequent, and I cannot skip Cannonball Cafe [on Dorchester Avenue, in Core Investment’s emerging On the Dot neighborhood] if I want a delicious meal and drink.
Is there anything else new in your life?
Not too much new at the moment — my family recently welcomed a new niece, Lola Maria. I also have plans to do a trip to my family’s homeland, the Azores, this month. I cannot wait to see my family there and enjoy the fresh food and ocean.