Jess Hunichen is one of the co-founders of Shine Talent Group, a talent management agency specializing in the creator space. With a focus on representing Instagrammers, TikTokers, and YouTubers, Jess and her business partner, Emily, have been building Shine for over eight and a half years. Originally from Melbourne, Jess made the move to Toronto nine years ago and noticed a gap in talent management for social creators in Canada. Determined to fill that void, she founded Shine Talent Group, starting in Toronto before expanding to the US with an office in Los Angeles. Last year, they further expanded their operations to the UK by opening an office in London. With their presence now spanning multiple countries, Shine Talent Group has become a prominent force in the industry.
On this episode of DTC pod, Jess joins Blaine & Ramon to discuss everything about building a top tier talent agency, and what it takes to be successful for brands to collaborate with top tier talent.
We cover:
1. Connecting creators, brands, and agencies for successful collaborations.
2. Focusing on sustained partnerships for effectiveness.
3. Creating special products/services with influencers to address audience needs.
4. Utilizing traditional platforms to amplify influencer reach.
5. Addressing the industry's lack of creator tools
6. Strategies to handle delays and maintain communication with talent and brands.
7. Building long-term relationships based on transparency and audience knowledge.
Timestamps:
03:08 PR agency rebranded to Shine Talent Group; problem-solving focus.
08:16 Evolution and creativity in influencer marketing.
12:14 Mindset change leads to startup success.
16:19 Importance of balancing work and creativity.
18:11 Support for talent in workload, contracts management.
21:20 Autonomy and diversity in talent representation.
25:08 Working with consumer brands in influencer relations.
27:48 Trust and collaboration as success keys.
31:31 Accepting initial brand push; testing audience crucial.
38:38 Content challenges; importance of communication, organization.
41:13 Advantages of working with talent agency.
44:43 Preference for long-term campaigns with multiple influencers.
49:59 Industry needs CRM, project management tools.
52:36 Shine's extensive presence on social media.
Episode brought to you by Trend & Finaloop.
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Past guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.
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• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content
• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views
• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands
• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook
• #243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands
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Jess Hunichen - Co-founder of Shine Talent Group
Ramon Berrios - CEO of Trend.io
Blaine Bolus - Co-Founder of Seated