Photo credit: Emilynn Rose

When Ashley Villa’s YouTuber sister needed help negotiating a deal, the former entertainment lawyer saw an opportunity that would change her sister’s career — and the future of content creators.

Today, her talent management firm, Rare Global, is rewriting the rules of digital stardom from its headquarters in Beverly Hills.

With a laser focus on multicultural female voices and a commitment to long-term success, Rare Global has proven that authentic content, effective strategy, and strong relationships are the keys to longevity.

In an exclusive interview with Net Influencer, Ashley shares her vision for a supportive, women-led company to create exciting opportunities in the booming market of creator representation.

From Hollywood to Digital

Ashley is an entertainment lawyer by profession.

“I worked at Lionsgate under the office of the general counsel,” she says. “I then moved to a film sales agency, learning licensing agreements for independent films.”

Her background includes stints at Fox Sports, a law firm with high-profile entertainment clients like Ludacris and Mariah Carey, and Style Haul, an MCN.

Ashley’s pivot to digital media came unexpectedly when her sister needed help negotiating a deal for her fast-growing YouTube channel.

“I couldn’t find a digital media attorney, so I said, ‘Okay, I guess I’ll just do this for her myself,'” she recalls.

This led to more referrals and content creator clients, eventually pushing Ashley to start her own company, Rare Global, in 2015.

The company has grown from a one-woman operation to a team of eight, with chic, modern offices in Beverly Hills.

A Rare Team & Culture

In 2019, Ashley was joined by her business partner, Vannga Nguyen. The two also happen to be best friends from UCLA undergrad and have a relationship that spans nearly 20 years. 

With a background in branding, art direction, and production, Vannga provides the network and knowledge in fashion, creative, and entertainment that, combined with Ashley’s legal expertise and precedential digital media experience, uniquely positions Rare Global on the competitive edge of their industry. 

Vannga also runs the Rare Creatives division, representing creative artists in celebrity hair, glam, and performing arts.

Together, Ashley and Vannga represent a diverse roster of multiethnic and multicultural creators, and ensure that Rare Global puts women’s stories and experiences at the forefront.

Ashley Villa & Vannga Nguyen
Photo credit: Jonny Marlow

Representation and culture are key, especially considering what had come before.

“When I was growing up, the only Asian [women] I ever saw [in media] [were] Connie Chung or Lucy Liu,” she notes. “All of a sudden, women of all backgrounds were becoming content creators, paving the way for a new generation of media stars. It just excited me, and I loved it.”

Rare Global also prioritizes creating a supportive work environment for women.

“We have an all-women company currently,” she tells us. “I dealt with consistent, widely normalized sexual harassment and misogyny in my career before I started my company. So I thought, ‘I will create a company where we all sit at the same table.’”

The Art and Science of Digital Talent Management

Rare Global is built on quality over quantity, maintaining a select roster of about 15 clients.

“Our goal is to ensure each client is booked and busy,” Ashley explains. “We want to hone in on the relationships we have for the clients we’ve chosen to move forward with and provide the best service to them for as long as we can.”

Rare Global offers three key services: personal brand growth, goal achievement, and content strategy.

Ashley emphasizes the importance of understanding each client’s unique brand identity, especially for creators who suddenly become popular on platforms like TikTok.

“We need to figure out what that means if you want a long career,” she says. “Our focus truly is longevity.”

Left to right: Stephanie Villa, Ashley Villa, and Vannga Nguyen on set

The company takes a methodical approach to achieving clients’ goals, whether securing brand collaborations or attending fashion weeks.

Ashley’s legal background influences this process: “I have always been very protocol-based. So I’m like, these are the steps.”

When identifying potential clients, the lawyer-turned-entrepreneur looks beyond follower counts.

“What I’ve come to see through the last decade of being a talent manager is meaningful stories, the relatability of stories, and aspirational stories… how you’re able to convey those in a beautiful, direct, impactful, and mostly fun way,” she states.

Ashley singles out a strong work ethic in potential clients.

“If you sign with us, you must be ready to work,” she warns. “We’re going to get you a lot of stuff. You’re going to be working a lot.”

Some of Rare Global’s current clients include Jenn Im, Danielle Carolan, Morgan Riddle, Gym Tan and daughter Mya Rose, Kaaviya Sambasivam, Ellen V Lora, Jessica Vu, and more.

Jenn Im & Ashley Villa at a holiday party

Balancing High Performance and Support

With Ashley at the helm, Rare Global has cultivated a unique talent management approach to high performance and mutual support among its team and clients.

Ashley credits much of this balance to her partnership with Vannga Nguyen, the firm’s only other talent manager.

“We work together really well,” she says. “If it’s something I can’t do, she can. We have distinctly different but complementary styles and skills. At the end of the day, we’re not afraid of taking big swings or doing what it takes to get things done.”

Rare Global’s office

The company’s structure includes dedicated support staff for campaigns, client gifting, and travel coordination, allowing Ashley to focus on strategy and negotiations. The division of labor ensures that each aspect of client management receives specialized attention.

Ashley highlights the collaborative nature of their client roster: “I feel fortunate because all of our clients are doing so well that they’re there to help each other.”

According to her, the abundance of opportunities in the creator economy fosters this cooperative spirit.

“Just because you got something doesn’t mean I’m not going to get something,” Ashley notes. “There’s so much opportunity, so you don’t have to be scared of not scoring a campaign.”

This positive atmosphere has become a selling point for Rare Global.

Ashley explains, “There is talent who loves to join us because they know that once they are with us, we’ll all be behind them too.”

However, she acknowledges creators’ challenges, particularly in content evolution: “You need to figure out what your audience wants to see but also what you want to train them to see.”

The Role of Talent Management in the Creator Economy

Unlike firms that focus on specific niches or manage vast rosters of micro-influencers, Rare Global aims to represent creators who ” tell the stories and the narratives that are shaping pop culture.”

Ashley sees each client as a multi-faceted brand, likening their business to an octopus with multiple tentacles.

“They have all these tentacles: brand partnerships, maybe podcasts, books, maybe their merch line, maybe their brand with product,” she explains. The goal is to develop these various aspects to ensure long-term success.

“The brand deals are great, but I think that the part that creates longevity in the career is those relationships, the different pillars, and the different parts of the business that create an entrepreneur,” Ashley states.

The CEO emphasizes viewing clients as business partners, carefully considering each relationship’s potential.

“When we take on each client, we see them as a business partner. And when you go into business with a business partner, you must be very careful,” she notes.

Rare Global team photo at the Be Rare Foundation

Looking to the future, Ashley’s “magic wish” for the industry would be universal legal representation for content creators. She expresses concern about creators, especially smaller ones, signing unfavorable contracts due to a lack of legal guidance.

“I would like all of the content creators, big and small, to have legal representation,” Ashley says, alluding to the complexity of influencer licensing contracts.

Ashley also suggests that brands could contribute to this education process by better training their employees to explain contract terms to creators.

Paving the Path for Talent Managers and Creators

Ashley prescribes preparation and patience to those looking to make their mark on the industry.

“Put the steps in place so that when the opportunities arise that will change your career, you’re prepared,” Ashley advises.

She credits her legal education with providing crucial skills in negotiation, confidence, and meticulous reading — all valuable in her current role.

For up-and-coming talent managers, Ashley recommends a comprehensive approach to learning the industry:

“Get an internship first at a talent management company. Maybe also get an internship at a brand, then maybe also an intern for a content creator,” she suggests. “Master being an assistant, and then get a full-time job as a campaign manager, learning the campaigns.”

Ashley cautions against the impatience often fueled by social media’s glamorized portrayals.

“Life on Instagram might look very glamorous,” she notes, but emphasizes the behind-the-scenes work involved in events like New York Fashion Week. “To succeed, you must have the grit and work ethic to do the tedious, boring, and hard stuff. That goes for both the managers and the creators!”

Reflecting on her journey, Ashley takes pride in Rare Global’s status as a women-run, women-led company.

“It’s a huge part of our culture to have that safety and career support for the women who work here, as well as the women whose dreams we help to build,” she explains.

She believes this unique environment encourages employee dedication and contributes to the company’s success.