Zoe Mouton

I attribute my success to personal grit. I think you have to be willing to put in the work that others aren't. If you want to get somewhere, it's usually only possible if you're doing more than everyone else. It's a very competitive industry, and I think it's one of those things where everyone is either wanting to be an influencer or they're wanting to work with influencers. There's a low point of entry, like there's no cost really to get started, so you really don't know what you don't know. I think it's harder to break in now, for sure, than it was when I started.

The best career advice I've received is that you have to be willing to put in the work that others aren't. If you want to get somewhere, it's usually only possible if you're doing more than everyone else. This has really shaped how I approach my career, especially in such a competitive industry where everyone is trying to break in.

I think you need to find something that sets you apart. The industry is really oversaturated, so even concentrating on a certain niche is important. Like, if you really want to work in health and beauty, why is that? If you really want to work in fashion, what's your tie to fashion? Why do you enjoy that so much? A lot of my creators are either in the food space or the family space, and I love both, so I think it just kind of worked out for me that way. I think picking something that you're really passionate about and focusing on that niche is crucial, because if you're just working with creators because they're really big, or you think they're gonna make you a lot of money, oftentimes you're gonna burn out really, really fast. It's not a 9 to 5 job at all. You're constantly available, and there's a lot of late nights, and weekends, and travel, and it's really just not worth it if you're not passionate about it. It can be really rough, and I think it's very competitive, especially when you're at a larger agency. You're competing within your own company. You want to have the most sales, you want to have the best creators, you want to do the most. And to become someone that's of recognition, you have to speak at conferences, you have to get on panels, and you can't do that without really caring and putting in the time and effort and having a reason for doing what you're doing.

One of the biggest challenges I've faced is being underestimated as a woman. The entertainment industry is actually very male-centric, and I think it's something that's changing, thankfully, but that will always be a hurdle. Another challenge is finding the right people to work with. It's a very polarizing industry, and a lot of creators are not easy to work with. I've learned the hard way that maybe this person's extremely profitable, but they could be damaging to my reputation or their own, so choosing to work with people that align with your values versus profit is important. Our agency recently had to drop a very large celebrity because of that, and I think it just goes to show I'm in the right spot, because a lot of people wouldn't. As for opportunities, I think travel is a really big one that's kind of understated. Most people think that influencers are going on these brand trips by themselves, but a lot of times they have a manager or assistant or agent accompanying them, so that's kind of a fun perk. I get to travel domestically for things like New York Fashion Week, or some of my talents film with Disney a lot, so I'll go out to LA, and there are occasional international conferences, like Cannes Lion in France that I'll be going to in June, and international fashion weeks like London, Paris, and Milan.

Integrity and transparency are most important to me, particularly in the influencer space. I think transparency is huge, especially when it comes to non-exclusive partnerships. A lot of times you're working with a creator, and maybe the agency of record is taking a larger cut than they're saying, or an influencer doesn't have visibility on their inbox, which is a huge issue. I think making sure that people know when and where their money is coming from is big. It's important to work with people who align with your values versus just focusing on profit.