Social media #agencies are sinking left & right. Three clients in the last month have had issues with agencies failing to pay them. When I’ve approached the agencies more than one has said they’ve gone out of business. Dare I say this is healthy for the #creator ecosystem. Management agencies can be some of the most predatory, seedy, & unnecessary parts of the creator economy. I’ve seen them sign creators onto 3 year terms without giving them a way out. Others have threatened to bad mouth creators to brands if the creator stops working with them. Many don’t pay creators on time. They aren’t all bad, but there’s many bad actors in the social media space which remains a Wild West, & agencies are no exception. If you’ve worked with an agency & had a positive experience, weigh in below so other creators know who they can trust 👇👇
After multiple bad experiences, some advice I would give to me a year ago would be: 1) Don’t seek out management, let them seek you out. If nobody is seeking you out, then you probably don’t need a manager yet and might be better off with a PA. 2) Sign with someone for a reason other than to get you brand deals. What do they offer your personal brand besides contract negotiations? 3) Make sure they support your vision for your work and that they want to work with you because they appreciate that vision.
Building 7 Figure+ Creator Businesses. Sharing what I learn along the way.
7moOddly rewarding sending demand letters to agencies after they (1) withhold pay (2) threaten YOU and (3) go bankrupt. We also need a new name for “management” since traditional talent managers fail to deliver, and effective creator “managers” are the entire C-Suite. How do you think the industry will adapt to the transition?