Moondust Management, founded by industry veteran Kamla Pande in 2019, has found ample success in the creator economy by focusing on diversification and sustainability. With a background spanning digital marketing and traditional advertising, Kamla brings a holistic approach to talent representation. Her agency, diversifying revenue streams for content creators amid shifting social media algorithms, emphasizes personalized management and careful talent selection, prioritizing professionalism over mere follower counts. This strategy has led to successful partnerships with major brands and innovative approaches to content creation. As Moondust Management enters its fifth year, the founder has set her sights on new horizons, including an investment arm for creator-driven projects and initiatives to foster more direct creator-audience connections.

From YouTube Pioneer to Talent Management Visionary

Kamla’s journey in the digital space began in 2012 at Maker Studios, an early player in the YouTube ecosystem. “I always loved being in the digital space because you’re at the forefront, affecting how people create and consume content and entertainment,” she says. 

After stints at Maker Studios and StyleHaul, later acquired by larger media companies, Kamla transitioned to traditional talent management. Her role primarily focused on connecting creators with brand partners, a position that exposed her to the challenges of educating traditional brands about the value of influencer marketing.

“The measurability of influencer marketing is probably its biggest benefit, but it’s also its biggest enemy,” Kamla explains. “Having to educate brands and agencies that these are all parts of a whole marketing plan… five years ago was like you were speaking a foreign language.”

In 2019, Kamla launched Moondust Management. “My career ‘grew up’ alongside the creator industry. As it became more ‘professional,’ so did I, which led me to launch my inevitable entrepreneurial venture,” she states. 

The agency has a clear vision: “The whole ethos behind building Moondust was that I wanted to help free up our creators from this reliance on mastering the algorithm,” she reveals. “You’re building a business on rented space, and there’s no predictability as to what will change and why.” Moondust focuses on developing alternative revenue streams for creators, such as tour companies, speaking engagements, and book deals. 

The COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly accelerated the growth of the creator economy. Kamla notes, “The shutdown of traditional commercial production and entertainment was an incredible boon for the creator business. Brands were still trying to market and sell products… but when the traditional commercial production model came to a standstill, they turned increasingly to creators who had built businesses on entertaining [and] educating consumers, essentially from their bedrooms, with no need for infrastructure around them.”

Personalization in a Crowded Talent Management Field

Moondust Management’s approach to talent representation distinguishes the agency. With her extensive background in traditional advertising and digital marketing, Kamla brings a unique perspective to the table. “We bring a holistic understanding of what both creators and brands want out of the relationship,” the entrepreneur explains.

Moondust’s strategy involves educating clients about the realities of brand marketing. Kamla notes, “Without understanding how marketing budgets work, explaining that to your talent is hard. We try to level set and give our clients realistic expectations.”

The agency prides itself on a personalized approach to talent management. “I talk to each of them probably every day, if not multiple times every day. And it’s not just business,” Kamla says, adding that this high-touch strategy has led to strong client retention and satisfaction.

However, the agency’s founder acknowledges several challenges facing the industry. The influx of new players has made differentiating in a crowded market difficult. “With the increase in the volume of creators, of course [there’s an increase in] the support around them. We’re finding it hard sometimes to break through the crowded ecosystem,” she notes.

Another major hurdle, according to her, is the lack of standardization in measuring influencer impact. “The measurement tools are all over the place,” Kamla observes. “They’re expensive. Not everybody has access to them… One tool tells you somebody has a 3% engagement rate, but you’re seeing 10%.”

Kamla also sheds light on the issues with the brand briefing process. “The briefing process is broken,” she states. “You get a single page with a couple of sentences… or a 37-page PowerPoint brief [for] one TikTok video.”

Crafting Success in the Creator Economy

Moondust Management’s approach to talent representation and campaign execution has established a strong foothold in the industry. Kamla’s strategy emphasizes personalized management, careful talent selection, and innovative brand partnerships.

Talent Selection and Management Philosophy

Kamla’s “no asshole policy” forms the cornerstone of Moondust’s talent acquisition strategy. “We’ve all worked with people we’d rather not have worked with, and I started this business. So I get to make the rules – central to which is treating everyone with courtesy and kindness,” she explains. Her approach prioritizes professionalism and a positive working environment over follower counts or perceived celebrity status.

When evaluating potential clients, Kamla looks for specific qualities:

“We look for a willingness to adapt, to listen to some feedback,” she says. “I’m less caught up in follower numbers… If you genuinely influence your followers, if they look to you for something because you’re an expert in their eyes, that is more exciting than any follower number.”

The industry vet emphasizes the importance of work ethic, stating, “We bust our tushes every day for our clients… I never want to represent somebody for whom I’m working harder for their business than they are.”

Accomplishing Campaigns and Brand Partnerships

Moondust Management has built a strong relationship with the Expedia Group, leveraging its diverse roster of travel creators. Kamla highlights the success of Expedia’s ambassador program:

“It’s an interesting program because there are loose guidelines for six- or 12-month partnerships. But [there’s a] set number of deliverables. It leaves a lot of flexibility for the creator to interpret the brand briefs in the way they want based on their goals, creative ideas, and travel schedules.”

This approach allows for creative freedom while maintaining brand objectives. Kamla notes that such long-term partnerships can be challenging, as creators must continually produce fresh content. However, she credits Expedia’s program for offering unique opportunities and fostering strong relationships between the brand, creators, and management teams.

Another area of success for Moondust has been brand-produced content. Kamla cites a recent campaign with Toyota and Thrillist as an example:

“One of my clients did a branded content campaign through Thrillist, a Vox publication, with Toyota… For him to see himself in a piece of content created in a more professional production capacity, I just got a text from him that said, ‘Oh my God, I’m crying. This is so great.'”

According to Kamla, these professionally produced campaigns not only provide high-quality content for brands but also inspire creators to elevate their production standards.

Defining Success in Influencer Management

For Kamla, success goes beyond financial metrics. “I just want all of my clients to feel happy and inspired,” she explains. Recognizing the potential for burnout in the industry, particularly among travel creators, the seasoned talent manager prioritizes mental health and overall well-being.

“Success is making sure that all of my clients know that they have support no matter what happens… with or without a post, or they got a campaign or didn’t get a campaign,” Kamla states. “Being the first call to me means I’m doing my job well.”

Future Directions for Moondust Management

As Moondust Management enters its fifth year, Kamla has ambitious plans to grow and progress in the creator economy.

One of the primary goals for the next 12 months is the development of an investment arm. “We’re starting to develop an investment arm… to start taking an ownership stake in creator-driven projects,” Kamla explains. This initiative aims to support their clients’ ventures substantially, leveraging the company’s industry expertise to help grow these businesses.

Kamla also envisions expanding collaborative opportunities among Moondust’s roster of creators. “We’re also trying to bring together projects where multiple of our creators are involved in brand-funded initiatives,” she says, hinting at potentially more immersive, in-person events that unite creators and audiences.

Another key initiative on the horizon is a creator and manager summit. Kamla notes, “Shining a spotlight on the managers and agents, and sharing many of these best practices and learnings… is probably overdue.” According to her, such events foster knowledge-sharing and networking within the industry.

Looking at broader trends, Kamla anticipates continued crossover between digital creators and traditional media roles. “You’re still going to see creators crossover into more traditional roles. On-screen talent, commercial talent…” she predicts.

However, Kamla also foresees a shift towards more personalized creator-audience interactions. “Gen Z and the older side of Gen Alpha are looking for the 1-to-1 connection, even if it’s not real life,” she observes. This trend could lead to increased interest in platforms facilitating direct creator-audience communication.

Overall, Kamla remains excited about the industry’s potential, acknowledging its dynamic nature: “In the near future, we will start to see brands approaching creators as an integral part of every marketing campaign—another tactic in the marketing mix rather than a standalone or add-on. In other words, ‘influencer marketing’ will simply become ‘marketing.’”