Challenging the Status Quo in Social Strategy with Jermaine Peguese

Challenging the Status Quo in Social Strategy with Jermaine Peguese

Author: Convince & Convert July 11, 2025 Duration: 44:10

How do you build a higher education brand that feels personal, relevant, and rooted in real-world value? Jermaine Peguese, Owner and Lead Strategist of EJST Marketing, shares how his team taps into authentic storytelling, community conversations, and industry voices to connect with today's learners. From launching content series like Next Pulse at Nexford University to shaping market strategies with startup agility, Jermaine shows how higher ed marketers can think big, take risks and challenge the status quo.

Full Episode Details 

Jermaine joins host Zontee Hou on this episode of Social Pros to explore how marketing in higher education can be reimagined by leaning into authenticity, community, and social influence. Jermaine and Zontee discuss how today's students aren't just looking for facts, they're also looking for real voices they trust and want to see themselves in the stories being shared. Whether it's through expert-led content like Nexford's Next Pulse series or conversations in online forums, Jermaine shows how the most powerful messages come from relatable, human experiences.

He also shares how his time at Uber shaped his fast-moving, test-and-learn mindset, and why marketers should stay open to bold ideas— even late in the quarter. When entering new markets, Jermaine emphasizes the value of doing the groundwork: understanding your audience, and building a smart media mix that puts your message in the right places. It's not about being perfect; it's about being real, being thoughtful, and being ready to take a few smart risks, because that's where breakthrough moments happen.

In This Episode:

  • 1:55 -   Disrupting the traditional space of higher ed marketing
  • 6:27 -   Building a unique brand voice in the higher ed space 
  • 8:45 - How Jermaine's team has catered to non-traditional learners
  • 11:51 -   How to identify core customers 
  • 15:39 - How Jermaine thinks about data collection and customer research as an ongoing practice 
  • 18:52 -  Using AI in the traditionally AI-adverse higher ed space, and how AI can help marketers in this moment 
  • 23:59 - Tapping into communities, social groups and others influencing prospective students 
  • 29:22 - Lessons from Uber, and what higher ed can learn from the startup world
  • 31:48 - Solving problems when moving into a new marketing space
  • 37:16 - Jermaine's advice for aspiring social pros

Resources:

 

Visit SocialPros.com for more insights from your favorite social media marketers.


For years, Social Pros Podcast has served as an essential meeting point for those who do the real work in digital marketing. Created by Convince & Convert, this isn't a theoretical discussion; it's a deep dive into the practical realities of managing social media within larger business ecosystems. The conversations here consistently explore how platforms intersect with brand strategy, content creation, public relations, and paid media, moving beyond hype to examine measurable impact. You'll hear directly from the people behind the profiles at major organizations like Google, Reddit, Uber, and Oracle, gaining insight into their successes and the challenges they navigate daily. The longevity of this podcast is a testament to its value, offering a accumulated wealth of knowledge from hundreds of candid interviews and expert commentaries. Each episode functions like a focused case study, breaking down the "how" and "why" behind decisions that drive genuine business results. If you're looking to understand the evolving role of social media beyond the latest trend, this series provides a grounded, insider perspective that has educated a generation of marketing professionals. Tune in to hear the actual pros discuss the work that rarely makes it into a polished tweet or case study.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Social Pros Podcast
Podcast Episodes
How an Ivy League Uses a Social-First Approach to Build Community [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:38
How does an Ivy League school manage its social media with a small team? We asked Maya Wesby, Social Media Manager at Harvard Graduate School of Education, for some insider insights into her role on this week's Social Pr…
Orcas, Community, and Social Culture [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:01
HeyOrca, the uniquely named social media scheduler, is one to keep an eye on for some community-driven content inspiration. Their CEO, Joe Teo joins this episode of Social Pros to share his vision behind collaborative wo…
How Planoly Empowers Creators to Evolve on Social [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:38
Social media for brands has evolved and a big driver of the shift has been the emergence of the creator economy. Audiences resonate with organic, user-generated content on a level rarely seen with other strategies. To ta…
Greatest Hits: How DoctorJonPaul Became a Trailblazing Creator [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:27
Are you ready to build a brand and become a creator? Then this episode of Social Pros is for you. We revisited one of our favorite episodes from 2023 with DoctorJonPaul. They are the Executive Producer of the BFF: Black,…
How to Be a Higher Ed Marketer with Bart Caylor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:28
Higher education may have been slower to adopt modern marketing practices and technology like AI, but higher ed marketer Bart Caylor is on a mission to change that. As President and Founder of Caylor Solutions and The Hi…
Why Focus is the Path to Success with Justin Tse [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:09
Content creators each have their own journeys and secrets to success, but for Justin Tse, content creator and CEO of Feature Media, it's all about staying focused and consistently creating content that you love. Full Epi…
How a Social Pro Pivoted from Sports to Startup Success [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:33
If you're in the market for career advice, this is the episode of Social Pros you need. We speak to Eric Stark, Co-Founder and President at Slate who provides some excellent reminders on how to be a decent human being, a…
How Student Creators Fuel Boston University's Social Presence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:28
If you want to showcase the experience of being a student, who better to ask than the students themselves? We shine the spotlight on Boston University's student creator program with Director of Social Media, Dave McDonal…
What Dik Dik's Taught the San Diego Zoo [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:42
Animal pics brighten our day here at Convince & Convert. We're sure you can relate! But we've found out that there's so much more to San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance's social than animal pics. We're thrilled to welcome th…