-Life as a Social Influencer Talent Manager-
For as long as we’ve been enjoying the modern world of arts and entertainment, there has been a formula in behind that is worked to near perfection.
This involves the crafting of content, characters and the selection of strategic mediums that allows for it all to be consumed.
Now as consumers, this puppetry and pulling of strings is not something we often think about. Yet the quality of that work whether its television, movie or nowadays social content is often what leads to hit shows, celebrity and ultimately commerce of some shape or form.
To help crystalize this idea in one particular light, consider your favorite YouTuber or traditional celebrity. There is a very high probability that such person is being guided along in his or her career by talent experts and managers who are attempting to maximize the growth opportunities financial or otherwise, that person exhibits.
On this episode, our guest is someone who does all of that more. What makes his work extra compelling is that he is working in a very specific manner and with types of talent that are quickly redefining what we as consumers consider as attractive and believable voices in the field of marketing and entertainment.
Introducing
Chris Ryan is a talent manager based in Los Angeles working for PMG Worldwide a full service talent management firm, brand consultancy and media production team.
Professional Background
He started his entertainment career at the top talent agency WME. He then went on to be a development executive with production companies on the Universal and Disney studio lots.
His first foray into talent management was representing feature writers and reality producers at a boutique talent management firm before forming his own, Oceanside Entertainment.
He made major spec screenplay sales to Sony Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures, Fox, and Universal as well as staffing clients on MTV, G4TV, and ABC television shows.
Sundance Film Festival
In 2005, he assisted a colleague in producing a pop-up lounge during the Sundance Film Festival. He fell in love with experiential marketing and event sponsorship, focusing on tentpole platforms associated with top awards shows, music, and film festivals.
For 10 years, he kept the master grid of all the parties at the Sundance Film Festival which was used by media outlets, publicists, and industry players. The party list resulted in profiles in Businessweek, ABC News, NY Times, Vanity Fair, and many others.
Social Influencer Talent Management
Post pandemic, he’s returned to talent management, representing popular TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube creators. He still works with events but now packaging sponsorships with influencers to guarantee ROI for brands.
Outside of events and talent management, he is a big fan of Broadway plays and musicals. He has been a co-producer on Doctor Zhivago on Broadway and is currently involved in the tour of Ain’t Too Proud: The Temptations Musical through his friend Wendy Federman.
Reasons to Listen
The conversation pulls back the curtain on this line of work and will be of certain value to both influencers themselves and those eager to learn more about pursuing this actual line of work. Here are a sampling of topics covered:
- The distinction between being a talent manager versus talent agent
- What the job entails from a day to day perspective
- The various revenue opportunities for influencers and why Chris angles to diversify his client’s income beyond brand deals
- What role industry dynamics play in making influencer talent representation a worthwhile endeavour
- How Chris personally leveraged his past professional experiences, connections and clout to help out mega influencers Jake and Logan Paul
- Other stories involving influencers Chris either represents or has helped out along the day (Alex Griswold, David Dobrik, Liza Koshy)
- Why Chris is always on the look out for new talent and what he specifically looks for outside of the plain metrics of likes and follows
- A discussion on micro-influencers sway, strength versus mega influencers
- What critical tasks influencers must achieve to be viewed as a valued commodity
- A story illustrating how even established and bona fied influencer talents can benefit from having a strong team behind them
- The future of the influencer marketing industry
- + Much more!
This talk offers penetrating insights into a world and profession that is sure to grow and be around for the foreseeable future.
A Memorable Quote from the Episode:
“I want my creators to focus on the creative side and not worrying about closing brand deals or what their merch looks like or even sitting on phone calls with different people pitching different things. Let me handle that. I prefer my clients focus on creating great viral content that people love.”
-Chris Ryan
Check out the Video Conversation:
For those who desire to view the full video conversation of this discussion, you can do so via Youtube.
Words of Wisdom:
Hear from Chris as he gives advice to those looking to enter the world of social influencer talent management.
Discover More
For those interested in learning more about Chris and his work, you can check out him and his company via PMG or on the following social platform:
Keep Listening!
I hope you enjoyed the episode. For more, check out additional episodes here!
