Spargle meets Vi Nguyen
Sr. Paid Social Consultant @ Action
What did you study and how did it influence your career?
I started out studying Communication, but I quickly realized it wasn’t the right fit. It was quite theoretical, while I get much more energy from actually doing and applying things in practice. So I switched to Marketing (Commerciële Economie, to be precise). It’s a pretty broad degree, so broad that I sometimes joke I’m not entirely sure what I learned there, but it did hep me figure out my direction. After graduating, I started working at an online marketing agency in Groningen as a Programmatic Consultant, where I could finally combine strategy, data, and hands-on execution.
“For me, ‘paid social’ is the perfect mix of strategy, data, and creativity. A combination that ensures the work never gets boring.”
What is your current role, and how did you end up there?
Today, I work as a Paid Social Consultant at Action. I switched to Paid Social, because in comparison to programmatic advertising it felt way more tangible and hands-on. It was the right move, as it gave me the amazing opportunities to work on campaigns for well-known brands such as KLM, VodafoneZiggo, and L’Oréal. For me, ‘paid social’ is the perfect mix of strategy, data, and creativity. A combination that ensures the work never gets boring.
Was it always clear that I would end up in this field?
Not at all. When I was younger, I saw myself working in PR or events. I was probably slightly influenced by the MTV shows my generation grew up with. The Hills, for example. I really looked up to that lifestyle and thought, that’s what I want. Now I know that’s definitely not the reflection of reality. At the same time, I was very active online from a young age. I built websites, customized MySpace profiles (yes, that was definitely a thing back then), and spent endless hours scrolling on social platforms, without ever imagining that this would later become my career. It wasn’t until I started working at an online marketing agency and was introduced to different forms of digital advertising that the pieces of the puzzle finally came together.
“In the end we are not saving lives. That mindset helps me to say sharp and not let anything turn into unnecessary steps.”
What are the biggest challenges in your role?
The biggest challenge is the in-housing trajectory of Paid Social at Action. What used to be managed externally is now being rebuilt internally. That process is complex: Action operates across many markets, and a wide range of campaigns need to continue running without disruption. I am responsible for the setup, knowledge transfer, and alignment across different teams. The goal is not just to make it work now, but to ensure it remains effective and sustainable, regardless of who is managing Paid Social in the future. For me, this is not just migrating campaigns. It’s about structuring Paid Social in a scalable way. Clear processes, transparent data structures, and a defined way of working are essential. Because I have experience on both agency and client side, I’m able to quickly identify bottlenecks and bridge gaps between teams.
How do you deal with those challenges?
Mostly by creating structure and being clear on what is and isn’t feasible. I set clear frameworks and align closely with other teams to ensure that expectations are realistic and everyone understands their role and responsibilities. I also design processes in a way that allows teams to operate independently. The goal is to build a setup that doesn’t rely on one individual, ensuring continuity and reducing organizational risk. At the same time, I consciously keep perspective. In the end we are not saving lives. That mindset helps me to say sharp and not let anything turn into unnecessary steps.
“Investment in young talent is often the first to go.”
What trends do you see in 2025/2026 within paid social, performance marketing, and freelancing?
It may sound obvious, but of course: AI. The speed at which we can create now is almost unreal. Entire campaigns can be built, think of endless variations, formats, and translations in a friction of a second. And on the data side, you’re no longer buried in pivot tables, because AI takes care of the heavy lifting, which means you can focus on interpretation of the data instead of execution. It’s accelerated both the creative and analytical parts of our work.
At the same time, I see one big downside. Junior roles are under lots of pressure. Investment in young talent is often the first to go. That worries me. If the next generation doesn’t get real opportunities to learn and grow, how will they develop? In my opinion efficiency can’t come at the expense of long-term talent development.
Within social, I see the line between organic and paid becoming more blurred by the day. Content that performs organically is quickly scaled through paid. It makes you question what “content” even means now and how we should structure teams. Organic and paid are often separated internally, but it might be smarter in some cases to integrate them strategically.
And in freelancing, there’s a clear shift too. Companies want flexibility, but they’re prioritizing speed and seniority. Simpler tasks are increasingly handled by AI, which means what’s left are complex strategic challenges.
As you said AI is moving fast, where do you personally draw the line between embracing it and questioning it?
I embrace it by using it to work more efficiently. It helps me move faster. But at the same time, I’m aware of the bigger picture. The line between real and fake is becoming very blurred. Images, voices, videos, even personalities can be generated by AI and it’s difficult to see what is authentic. As I work in a field that “influences” people through advertising and content, I find it important to be aware of this and to act responsibly. AI can support and strengthen, but we as “humans” should be the gatekeepers of whát we share.
“I always make sure I have a holiday planned.”
With everything moving so fast around you, how do you protect your focus and stay calm?
It may sound a little cliché, but I always make sure I have a holiday planned. Having something on the calendar makes it much easier to push hard during busy periods. As a freelancer, I juggle multiple assignments at once, so it’s not unusual for me to work weekends. I don’t mind that, it’s a choice I consciously make. But knowing there’s a break ahead helps me keep perspective. It reminds me what I’m working toward. Ideally, that break involves surfing. Surfing completely clears my head. It forces me to be present. Beyond that, I’m lucky to have a close group of friends I can always lean on. That combination, something to look forward to, time in nature, and friendships is what keeps me balanced.
Do you have a motto that helps you get through difficult days?
I’m not really a big motto person. I’m naturally quite grounded and try not to make things bigger than they are. But if I had to name two phrases that help me on tougher days, they would be these.
The first is simple: it will all work out. It reminds me that most situations are temporary. Even when things feel messy or overwhelming, there’s usually a solution on the other side.
The second is something a former manager once told me: we’re not saving lives. Of course doing your job well matters a lot. But in the end, we are indeed not saving lives. That perspective helps me approach challenges with focus instead of stress.
