By Gidon Rotteveel
Most people think talent management is all red carpets, private jets, and sipping overpriced matcha at exclusive brand events. And yes, sometimes there is a yacht involved. But most of the time? It’s 3 AM phone calls from creators’ moms, mediating post-breakup brand deal dilemmas, and helping a client find their AirPods 10 minutes before a livestream.
Welcome to the real world of talent management in 2025.
My best friend Tal Lavi and I have spent years building Delka Talents, where we manage some of the leading Gen Z creators on YouTube and TikTok, and the truth is, being a talent manager today can involve being a negotiator, crisis counselor, strategist, brand expert, and occasionally a stand-in life coach. If you’ve ever wondered what talent managers actually do, here’s a sneak peek at our five core daily tasks:
We’re The Bridge Between Creators and Brands
Think of us as translators. Creators speak in trends, engagement, and vibes. Brands speak in KPIs, ROI, and campaign briefs. Our job is to make sure both sides understand each other and collaborate on creating something that works. That means negotiating fair rates, protecting the creator’s voice, and making sure brands achieve their goals. It’s part business, part storytelling.
We Handle the Not-So-Glitzy Chaos
There’s a glamorous image of influencer life, but behind the scenes, it can get messy. We’re talking about burnout, online hate, canceled trips, copyright strikes, and yes, that one time a parent texted us in a panic because their teen creator posted a prank video that accidentally involved a police visit.
Influencers are still figuring life out, often in front of millions of followers. We’re here to guide them through that pressure cooker and to be their support team, offering guidance such as “maybe don’t jump off that roof for the views.”
We Coach Creators (and Their Parents)
A big part of our job? Managing the manager behind the scenes: the “mom-ager.” Gen Z creators are often teenagers or very young adults, and understandably, their parents want a say. We’ve worked closely with families to make sure everyone is aligned… yes, even when we’re simultaneously reviewing a contract and explaining how content monetization works to a concerned dad in a WhatsApp call.
Sometimes, we’re just giving real-world advice: how to navigate friendships in the industry, how to manage a sudden influx of income, and how to stay grounded when your follower count jumps by a million overnight.
We Help Build Real Careers
The internet moves fast. One viral video can change someone’s life. But if there’s no business structure behind that momentum, it may fizzle. Our job is to help turn viral moments into a sustainable business.
That means long-term planning: launching product lines, building sustainable revenue streams, and creating partnerships that align with the creator’s brand. We help creators think beyond the algorithm and toward building something with staying power.
We Keep It Human
At the end of the day, talent management isn’t just about money or metrics. It’s about people. We’re lucky to work with some incredibly creative, funny, and passionate individuals. We take the responsibility of supporting their creator careers seriously.
Yes, our inboxes are full of memes, emergency texts, and wild last-minute requests. But they’re also full of thank-you messages from creators (and their parents) who feel seen, heard, and supported.
Building Thriving Businesses
Because going viral is easy. Staying successful is hard.
The pressure to stay relevant, manage public scrutiny, create content, and still be a functional human? It’s a lot. A great talent manager doesn’t just negotiate deals; they protect creators’ time, energy, and reputation.
We help you grow strategically, say no when needed, and make sure you don’t burn out trying to do it all. We’ve seen creators rise overnight and crash just as fast because they didn’t have the right team behind them.
So, no, we don’t just hang out at VIP lounges and fly to influencer events (although we certainly don’t mind the free food). We’re in the trenches. We’re behind the scenes. And we’re making sure our creators thrive. Not just online, but in real life too.
Chaotic? Absolutely. Hilarious? Always.
Is it worth it? Every single day.
Published by Iris S.
