when I started working with creators, I thought brand deals were simple. a company offers money, you make the content, and everyone walks away happy. but after sitting on both sides of the tableānegotiating deals, reviewing contracts, and watching influencers struggle with business decisions they werenāt trained to makeāi realized something: most creators arenāt operating like a business, and they simply donāt know what they donāt know.
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the influencer industry is full of people trying to sell you somethingācoaching programs, talent management, āmust-haveā services that promise to skyrocket your career. but not every creator needs a talent manager, and hiring one too soon can actually slow you down.
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the real question isnāt should you get a manager, itās are you at the stage where a manager will actually help you make more money?
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a good talent manager:
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makes sure you get paid on time
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negotiates for higher rates
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protects you from signing bad contracts
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brings industry knowledge & connections that unlock bigger deals
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makes sure youāre not giving away exclusivity or content rights for pennies
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but hereās the hot take š„:
ā talent managers donāt magically bring you brand deals for your dream partners.
ā talent managers donāt build your audience or your content strategy.
ā talent managers donāt do the hard work of positioning you as a credible creator brands want to work with.
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thatās on you. if you donāt already have an established businessāconsistent brand deals, clear messaging, a professional media kitāhiring a manager wonāt fix that. a talent manager quite literally manages existing business, they donāt create it.
creators: if you are drowning in brand deals, overwhelmed by contracts, and losing money because you donāt have time or know-how to negotiate properly? youāre ready. š
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creators: if you are operating under the assumption a manager will āget you more deals,ā but aren’t doing the work and havenāt yet built a sustainable business? youāre not. āļø
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if youāre consistently working with brands, struggling to keep up with negotiations, and need someone to handle the business side so you can focus on contentāthen yes, hiring a manager makes sense. but if youāre still at the stage of learning how to pitch, price yourself, or get on a brandās radar in the first place? a talent manager is not the answer.
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if youāre not ready for management, but need support, start here:
š” hire a virtual assistant to handle your inbox, invoicing, and scheduling.
š” invest in brand and business strategy to refine your brand positioning and content approach.
š” educate yourself with free online resources about pricing, pitching, and contracts.
š” do your own outreach to brands instead of waiting for them to come to you. a lot of the magic happens in your DMs.
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the most successful creators are the ones who make an effort to understand their own business before handing it off to someone else. signing with a manager isnāt a shortcut to successāitās a tool to scale what youāve already built.
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