I keep getting pitched by influencer networks and agencies who want to represent me. The value proposition sounds good on paper: they handle negotiations, they connect you with brands, they manage paperwork. But I’m also wary—I like the autonomy I have now, and I’m worried about getting locked into exclusive deals or losing control of my pricing.
At the same time, I know some successful creators who went the network route and swear by it. They say it freed them up to focus on content creation rather than business development. Others I know went that route and felt like they got less leverage and lower rates.
I’m trying to figure out if it’s a situation where it depends on where you are in your career, or if there are specific types of networks or strategies that work better than others.
For me personally, I’m at the point where I’m getting maybe 2-3 solid brand inquiries per month, but I’m doing all the negotiation myself and it’s honestly consuming a lot of mental energy. On the other hand, I’m not sure I’m at ‘big enough’ to get good representation.
Has anyone here actually made the choice between staying independent and joining a network? What were the deciding factors? Do you regret the decision? And if you’ve tried both, what was the difference?