Take #63 - How to Get Brand Deals: What Talent Managers Actually Want From Creators

What does a talent manager actually do, and what are creators completely getting wrong about the role? This week on That Digital Take, host welcomes Kristen MacLellan, founder of Yesterday Agency, a Toronto-based talent and digital management firm she built from the ground up in 2021. Kristen has worked closely with creators, negotiated directly with brands, and built a sustainable business doing it which means she understands all three sides of the creator economy better than almost anyone. In this episode, Kristen pulls back the curtain on the creator-manager relationship: what managers do behind the scenes, how brand deals actually get made, and the very real ways creators are leaving money on the table right now. She also gets honest about what makes a creator genuinely bookable in 2025 — and it may not be what you think. What you'll learn in this episode: → The real role of a talent manager (and what it's NOT) → How brand partnerships actually get negotiated → Why creators consistently undervalue themselves — and how to fix it → The subtle red flags that make managers and brands walk away → What makes a creator easy to sell to brands right now → How AI is changing contracts, negotiation, and strategy → Setting competitive rates — is there a real benchmark? → What types of creators will win over the next 1–2 years Plus: a rapid-fire round covering the most overrated creator metrics, underrated revenue streams, and whether vloggers are actually making a comeback. Whether you're a creator looking to level up your brand partnerships, or just curious how the business side of the creator economy really works, this one is packed. Subscribe to That Digital Take wherever you listen to podcasts. -- creator economy, talent management, brand deals, influencer marketing, digital strategy, Toronto creators, content creator, tips podcast