Social Media Guru Moves into Melville

Hilary Topper wears many hats. She’s an entrepreneur, author, runner, art collector, mother, wife, product reviewer, shoe-aholic and CEO. No matter what role she may be fulfilling at the time though, she’s tweeting, facebooking and blogging about it.

Topper is the president and CEO of HJMT, a public relations, social media, event planning and graphic design agency, which recently moved from Westbury into Melville. When it comes to social networking, Topper wrote the book on it - literally.

In August 2009, she penned, “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Social Media, but were afraid to ask...Building Your Business Using Consumer Generated Media.” She is currently working on a second book about moving a home business into an office.

The CEO has built her company using social media and now she works to help others do the same.

“A lot of businesses don’t really get social networking. It’s one thing to be on Facebook, but it’s another to be engaging an audience,” she said. “It’s about talking to a person instead of a company. It’s about transparency.”

In her 20 years in the business, Topper has collected a list of many high-level clients including Con Edison, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, the Girl Scouts of Nassau County and Jell-O. While she has much success between the work of her three headquarters in Melville, Manhattan and Rochester, the CEO said that she’s waiting until the company’s 21st anniversary to celebrate. “I’m thinking a casino night,” she said. The milestone is in line with the company’s past as it celebrated a “Sweet 16” party four years ago.

As part of a small group of female CEOs, Topper credits her ability to break through the glass-ceiling with being personable and allowing her character to shine through to her clients. One of the ways she does so, is by blogging.

Topper’s personal blog is where she writes about everything from the struggles and triumphs of becoming a runner, to being a business woman in a “man’s world.” It’s also where she comments on the “girly things” like fashion, beauty products and trends. While her blog acts as her personal soap box, it has also helped her business as potential clients are able to get to know her through her writing.

“I’ve gotten so many leads and deals because of it,” she said. With a circulation of about 30,000, it’s easy to see why.

To contact Topper, visit HJMT at 145 Pinelawn Road
Suite 300 South in Melville or call 631-393-0220. Check out her blog at HillaryTopper.com or follow her on Facebook and Twitter @hilary25