Becoming an influencer consistently ranks among the highest aspirations for young people. And it makes sense — on the surface, it seems like a really fun job where you get to make a living doing what you love and being popular.
While there's plenty of truth to that notion, it's really only one side of the influencer equation. During the Rally Innovation conference, influencer Brooke Wyatt and her manager Logan Watkins sat down to discuss the realities of becoming and influencer (and working with them).
Becoming An Influencer In Only A Few Years
Wyatt is a recent graduate of Indiana University and a lifestyle influencer whose biggest platform is TikTok, with nearly 400 thousand followers and over 123 million likes. "I've just had a passion for creating content for a really long time," Wyatt tells the Rally conference audience. "I wanted to be a YouTuber back in the day. Content has always something I’ve been really passionate about."
Wyatt started her account @povbrookewyatt in 2021 and turned it into full-time job as of last year. Wyatt's manager Logan Watkins began her career in TV and film production before eventually finding her way into talent management, now with Select Management Group.
Watkins says she found Wyatt on TikTok and reached out to her personally, developing a bit of a friendly relationship before moving towards a personal one. Watkins was a fan of Wyatt's take on lifestyle content as a college student, which she says she could tell resonated heavily with her audience.
While Wyatt became a full-time influencer in only three years by posting consistently and intentionally, she was making money from her content well before a manager got involved.
Looking For A Manager Is Not The Same As A Manager Looking For You
One big question a lot of creators struggle with, regardless of the type of content they create, is when and how to get a manager. Not surprisingly, the cliché answer from Wyatt and Watkins was also the correct one. "A manager will find you when the time is right," Watkins says.
That can be frustrating for a lot of creators to hear, but there's a lot of truth in it. But Watkins explained further in a way that may help creators understand the actual purpose of a manager. "I always say you will know when it’s the right time when you can no longer manage your business on your own," Watkins says. "When you have so many different things that you’ll look inward and bring somebody to your team. This business is all about time."
In other words, if you're looking for a manager, a manager's first words to you will probably be, "What is there to manage right now?"
Wyatt shared her own personally story and how she was looking for a manager for the wrong reasons before somebody actually approached her.
"In 2022 I had a little bit of a following, but I wanted to say I had a manager more than I needed one," Wyatt says. "I reached out to lots of different agencies and it just wasn’t’ the right time. I didn’t need one; I didn’t have enough inbound. It was a really good learning experience and lesson."
It's tough, because so many creators often feel like they need help and they might mistake that for needing a manager. While it may happen occasionally, it's rare for a manager to take somebody from one to five. They're much more likely to get involved and be able to take somebody from a five to seven, eight, nine, etc.
Embracing The Business Of It All
Wyatt fully understands the relationship between influencers and brands, and that's a critical component to setting good expectations and building a career that gives you what you want from it.
"We’re basically walking commercials," Wyatt says. "We’re salespeople, and I think when you get into the space it’s all about posting products organically. When I was just starting out I would post organically and tag companies that I really love. A lot of brands want to work with people that genuinely love the product. It’s all about making connections with those brands."
But at the same time, honesty typically plays well on social platforms. Even if it's being honest about a bad experience with a brand. Case in point, Wyatt posted a video in June 2024 about a negative reaction to a Dunkin' trip in which she started having an allergic reaction even after telling the store about her allergy. That video has more than 25 million views as of now.
It all comes down to figuring out the right fit and the right type of engagement.
"I think it’s all about understanding what a brand needs from the influencer," Watkins says. "If you’re a beauty brand looking for an ROI and to make sales on X products, you’re not going to reach out to a creator with an 80 percent male audience. If you’re an alcohol company, you’re not reaching out to an influencer whose audience is 18-21. It really is, from a brand perspective, understanding the backend of the influencer."
That said, there are a lot of important considerations when working with your influencer clients, as well.
"One of the biggest challenges you face as a manger or agent is guiding your client correctly," Watkins says. "Maybe your client wants to work with a brand because it seems like a good deal from a monetary perspective, but maybe that brand has bad press right now or hasn’t been forward-facing."
Keeping A Clear Head
Becoming an influencer is a dream for many, but the realities bring a lot of challenges people may not consider. For starters, even though somebody like Wyatt is a 22-year-old with a full-time career in content now, she was working just as hard for years before reaching that huge milestone.
"When you see people 'blow up overnight,' you’re just now seeing them — but they’ve been working behind-the-scenes," Wyatt says. "Growth is slow and it takes time. I’ve been doing it for 4 years and I feel like I’m just now seeing those benefits. But if you’re not willing to put in the work and the time and the consistency, that’s why most people drop out of the game. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. You can not stop based on your views. You need to be posting and posting and posting."
Similarly, Watkins says even successful clients face a fair amount of imposter syndrome or feeling "behind" in their careers. "I have people come to me and say, 'Hey I want to write a book,' so I say, 'Ok, where are the pages?'" Watkins says. "I have clients come to me and say, 'I feel like I’m behind because I haven’t started a makeup line.' That’s a huge challenge; helping your talent feel like they’re not behind. Maybe starting a skincare line or writing a book isn’t for everyone. See what value you bring to the table."
And of course, there's the fact that you always need to be paying attention to what your audience — and the platforms — want.
"You need to be able to evolve," Watkins says. "In 2024, it’s all about talking to camera and being authentic and making your followers feel like they’re your friends. There are less trends and less dancing going on. It’s really more vlogging. TikTok is becoming what YouTube was but for short-form. What you were doing 4 years ago on the Internet can’t be what you’re doing today."