Milan Terez Nolen

I attribute my success to being adaptable and seizing opportunities when they arise, even during challenging times. When I was furloughed during the pandemic, I didn't let that stop me - instead, I found my way to TikTok and learned everything I could about the creator economy. I also believe in the power of putting yourself out there and taking initiative. When I heard about that creative agency doing a hiring room on Clubhouse, I just went up there and pitched myself, and that opened up an incredible opportunity. I've learned so much by being willing to flip-flop between different roles - going from running campaigns and booking talent to representing talent as a manager. That gave me a really rounded perspective on the industry. I also think staying curious and continuously learning has been critical. I actively work the algorithm, clean my feed every quarter, and intentionally seek out trends and information in areas I want to learn about. And honestly, having amazing mentors like Jen Amendola who taught me the ins and outs of every type of partnership has been invaluable to my growth.

The best career advice I've received came through the mentorship of Jen Amendola, my boss at the creative agency. She really opened my eyes to how many opportunities exist in this industry. I was so early in my career, and she had worked in both LA and New York, so she taught me all the ins and outs of every type of partnership - whether it was influencers, film, TV, commercials, music videos, all kinds of placements. She helped me understand where brands can even fit in, and I had no idea there were so many places, but there are. That perspective of seeing the full landscape of possibilities has been invaluable. I'd also say that my own experience taught me an important lesson: don't let waiting for a co-founder or the 'perfect' circumstances delay you from starting your own thing. I thought I needed a co-founder and that was the only way to start a business, and that actually delayed me an entire year. So my advice to any woman thinking about starting her own business is to definitely do it, and don't let having a second person deter you or push you back.

My biggest advice for any woman in influencer marketing or thinking about starting her own business is to definitely do it. If you can find a co-founder or someone to brainstorm with you and be your second brain, that's amazing, but don't let having a second person deter you or push you back from starting your own thing, because that definitely happened to me. I thought I was going to have a co-founder, and I thought that was the only way to start any business, and I realized that actually delayed me an entire year to starting my own. So don't wait for perfect circumstances. I'd also say be willing to put yourself out there and take initiative - when I heard about that creative agency on Clubhouse, I just pitched myself, and that changed everything. And finally, stay curious and keep learning. I actively work to understand trends, clean my feed every quarter, and intentionally seek out what I want to learn about. The industry moves so fast, so you have to be strategic about how you stay current.

One of the biggest challenges and opportunities I'm seeing right now is creator development. I've been talking to tons of creators over the past two weeks, and a lot of them are struggling with this. In the music industry, you could find somebody younger or very new in their career, and they would develop them over time until they became superstars. But that same trajectory doesn't happen in the creator economy. Managers don't come in until you've already hit a threshold or you're already making money, and they can capitalize on that. But there are a lot of creators who need strategy and development when they have 10,000 or 20,000 followers, because they do have a trajectory to become larger creators, whether they reach multi-millions or just half a million. It takes time, though, and that creator development and seeing creators early is still a niche issue. The strategy that comes along with building a lasting career is really still a problem. Beyond creator development, there are ongoing challenges like tracking payments, constantly coming up with creative ideas for content creators, making sure your brand is safe, and organically showing products in a very natural way in organic content. But I see the creator development gap as the biggest opportunity right now.

Health and wellness are really important values to me. I have a walking pad at my desk, and all of my fellow peers in my MBA program know me as the walking pad girl. I truly would lose my sanity if I didn't have it. I also have a sauna in my house, and I love to go on walks outside. Keeping myself in wellness is a priority. Beyond that, I value continuous learning and growth - I'm currently in my MBA program, I'm constantly talking to mentors, scrolling on TikTok looking at founder stories and investments, and listening to other podcasts. I'm always trying to learn and stay curious. I also value building community and helping others succeed. That's why I started the Trenches podcast to highlight founders, entrepreneurs, and creators, and why I'm so focused on creator development in my agency work. I believe in supporting emerging talent and helping people who have the potential but need strategic guidance to build lasting careers. And I value taking initiative and being adaptable - I've never been afraid to pitch myself, try new things, or pivot when circumstances change.