The Barrier for Entry is Low, But the Bar for Success is High
The hard truths behind influencer marketing, entrepreneurship, and who actually makes it.
You’ve probably heard the stat before: most businesses fail within the first 18 months.
But let’s zoom in. Not just any business—the kind where someone wakes up, says “I’m going to work for myself,” and hits publish on an Instagram bio.
Welcome to entrepreneurship in the digital age, where the idea of being your own boss is romanticized, monetized, and glorified. And yet—the reality is rarely posted.
Influencing Isn't Easy
We’re living in a time where anyone with a phone and decent lighting thinks they can be an influencer. And technically? They can try. The barrier to entry is low. It’s never been easier to create a piece of content and hit “post.”
But… the bar for success? For sustaining it? For building actual income?
High. As in—brick-and-mortar high.
This is a business. It’s not just about angles and hashtags. It’s about strategy, negotiation, operations, timelines, consistency, and managing an entire brand—your own. The ones who succeed don’t just “go viral,” they know how to sustain and scale. That’s the work that no one glamorizes on TikTok.
And Talent Management? Same Deal.
These days, everyone seems to know a talent manager, have one, or think they can be one.
Sometimes, a “manager” is just someone’s roommate’s cousin’s best friend who got asked to answer emails for an influencer with 12K on IG.
The industry is noisy. There are a lot of people in this space who have no business calling themselves professionals. So what does that mean for those of us who are? The ones who’ve built agencies, supported dozens of creators, closed six and seven-figure deals, and treated this business like the business it is?
It means we stay sharp. We continue to invest in ourselves.
We build community with peers who also take this work seriously.
We rise above the noise—not by being louder, but by being better.
Success Isn’t a Vibe. It’s a Skillset.
It’s easy to get distracted in a space where clout is currency and everyone is posting their highlight reel. But I want to remind you: being great at what you do matters. Your systems matter. Your standards matter. Your ability to lead, adapt, and build real relationships matters.
And if you’re not where you want to be yet? That’s okay. But let’s not pretend this industry is easy just because the door is open.
Getting in is easy.
Staying in—and succeeding— now, THAT’s a whole different game.
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Until next time,
