29/06/2026
This Meet the Member Monday I would like to introduce you to Amber Carpenter from Grass Roots Media. Always quick with a friendly smile, quality banter and top notch social media inspo, Amber really makes the most of the coworking ethos, collabing with at least three other members already.
What do you do?
I own Grass Roots Media, a digital marketing agency working with businesses across the primary sector and rural New Zealand. We help tell the stories behind the people, businesses and industries that keep our communities moving, through digital marketing.
I am also a dairy farmer, so I bring a real on farm understanding to the work we do. I know the industry, I know the people, and I know how important it is to communicate in a way that feels genuine.
Why did you join Loom?
Working for yourself can be amazing, but it can also be a little isolating. I wanted a space where I could be around other people, have good conversations and feel part of a wider community.
I also needed somewhere I could be productive without looking at the pile of washing, the dishes, or all the little jobs waiting at home. Loom gives me that separation between farm, home and work life.
What is your favourite thing about Loom?
The feeling of the space. It has such a good energy to it, and I love being able to come and go as I need.
It gives me the freedom to work in a way that suits my day, while still being around great people and a really positive environment. The snacks are also a very strong bonus.
What is your favourite place in Franklin?
Probably Your Local Coffee Roasters and Your Local Bakery. You will find me at one of their locations most days, grabbing a coffee, and their salted caramel cookies are next level!
I love that Franklin has such an amazing community feel, where people know each other, support local and genuinely get behind each other.
What’s your favourite work app?
It would have to be Canva. I love the creative side of my work, and Canva is one of those apps I can easily get lost in.
Whether it is pulling together a campaign concept, designing content for a client, or playing around with how a message comes to life visually, I love that it gives me the freedom to be creative.
I also love Instagram Edits, because creating reels is so fun. There is something really satisfying about taking little snippets of footage and turning them into content that feels engaging and full of personality.
What is the bravest thing you’ve ever done?
Becoming self employed. It has pushed me, taught me a lot and made me realise I am capable of more than I probably gave myself credit for.
What music do you listen to when you work?
My work playlist would probably give you whiplash. It can go from country vibes to RnB and hip hop, to pop, old school classics and just about everything in between. Probably not heavy metal though.
It really depends on the feeling of the day and what is going to keep me focused and bopping away. I am also pretty confident I dance at my desk while I work without realising it.
What is a common misperception about your work or industry?
That social media is just posting pretty pictures and captions. There is so much more strategy behind it than people realise. Good content needs to understand the audience, the business goals, the message, the timing and the platform.
There is also a lot of unseen work that goes into good digital marketing. Research, planning, strategy, content direction, analysing results, keeping up with platform changes, understanding algorithms and knowing what is shifting in the online space.
The best kind of marketing often looks simple from the outside, but there is a lot of thinking, testing and learning happening behind the scenes.
