How to Become a Talent Manager
So you want to be a talent manager.
Not a celebrity bodyguard. Not Kris Jenner (unless…?). Not the person replying “Sent!” to emails they never actually sent.
You want to be that person behind the scenes. The connector. The negotiator. The calm voice in a chaotic WhatsApp thread. The reason a creator gets paid on time and doesn’t accidentally sign their life away for a gifted candle.
Good choice. It’s a very real job. It’s also not as glamorous as TikTok makes it look. Here’s how people actually become talent managers in fashion, marketing and the creator economy.
First Things First: What Talent Managers Actually Do (Quick Recap)
If you landed here from Google, welcome. A quick refresher before we get into the how.
Talent managers sit between creators and brands. Their job is to:
Source and negotiate brand deals
Protect the talent’s interests, time, image and money
Build long-term careers, not one-off viral moments
Handle contracts, timelines, payments and brand expectations
Be the adult in the room when things get messy (they will)
There Is No One “Correct” Path (Anyone Who Says Otherwise Is Lying)
No one grows up saying “I want to be a talent manager” and then follows a neat university pathway into it. That’s just not how this industry works.
Most talent managers come from adjacent worlds like:
PR or communications
Influencer marketing or partnerships
Media, publishing or digital
Brand marketing or social media
Events, casting or production
Agency assistant roles (the underrated pipeline)
Translation: you do not need a job title that already says “Talent Manager” to become one. You need transferable skills and proximity to creators.
Step One: Get Close to the Creator Economy
You cannot manage talent if you don’t understand how creators actually make money. Not just contet. Not follower count. Money.
You need to understand things like:
Paid partnerships vs affiliate deals
Gifting vs paid (and why gifting is not a career)
Usage rights, exclusivity, whitelisting
Why “exposure” is not legal tender
How brands think, budget and brief
The easiest ways to get this knowledge early:
Work at an influencer or talent agency
Work in brand partnerships or influencer marketing in-house
Assist a creator, even part-time
Work in PR or media with strong creator relationships
You are learning how the sausage is made. Slightly gross. Very necessary.
Step Two: Learn to Communicate Like an Adult
Talent management is not about being cool. It’s about being clear.
You will spend your life:
Writing emails that are polite but firm
Following up without sounding desperate
Saying no without burning bridges
Translating creator language into brand language
Translating brand language back into human language
If you cannot write a clean email, manage timelines or keep receipts, this job will chew you up.
Hot tip: If you love organising chaos, you’re already ahead.
Step Three: Understand Contracts (You Don’t Need to Be a Lawyer)
You do not need a law degree. You do need to stop being scared of contracts. As a talent manager, you should understand:
Scope of work
Deliverables and timelines
Usage periods
Exclusivity clauses
Payment terms
Kill fees
You should also know when to escalate to a lawyer and when something is a red flag disguised as “standard terms”. Most people learn this by exposure, not textbooks. You read contracts. You ask questions. You mess up once and never do it again.
Step Four: Start Small (Everyone Does)
No one starts by managing a mega influencer. Most talent managers begin with:
Nano or micro creators
Friends who are content creators
Stylists, photographers or models building a presence
One or two clients they grow alongside
This is not a failure. This is the training ground. You learn how to pitch, negotiate, invoice, manage expectations and handle awkward situations before the stakes are high. Everyone who is good now was bad quietly first.
Step Five: Decide If You Want Agency Life or Independent Life
There are two main routes once you have experience.
Agency Talent Manager
You:
Represent multiple talents under one agency
Have access to brand relationships and infrastructure
Earn commission (sometimes)
Learn fast, work hard, juggle a lot
Great for structure, learning and long-term career growth.
Independent Talent Manager
You:
Work for yourself
Build your own roster
Handle everything from pitching to invoicing
Live in Google Drive and mild anxiety
Great for autonomy and flexibility, but not beginner-friendly. Most people start agency-side. Some stay. Some leave. Both are valid.
What People Don’t Tell You (But Should)
Let’s be honest.
You will chase payments. A lot.
You will do emotional labour. Often.
You will manage egos. Yours and others.
You will have to say no to bad deals that look good on Instagram.
You will not always get credit publicly.
If that makes you feel weird, talent management might not be for you.
If that makes you feel weirdly energised… welcome.
Skills That Actually Matter (More Than Your Degree)
If you are ticking these boxes, you’re on the right track:
Organised under pressure
Comfortable with money conversations
Calm in chaos
Clear communicator
Good intuition about people
Able to separate friendship from business
Not allergic to admin
Being “online” helps. Being reliable helps more.
Final Reality Check
Talent management is not a shortcut to fashion parties or free stuff.
It is a career built on trust, reputation and consistency.
If you are good, creators rely on you. If you are great, brands respect you. Remember, people in this industry talk.
