You have to do it

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"It's so hard to find good help these days."

- cliché

Your mommy can't do it, your daddy can't do it and nobody else will. You have to build your career and define who you are as an individual.

Well, maybe if you're lucky your parents or a rich uncle can get you in the door, but even these kinds of family considerations are only going to get you so far. At some point you have to stand up and tell people what you want, you have to put in the groundwork, shake hands, talk to strangers and ask questions. Agents, publishers and producers have their own careers to worry about, they don't have time to worry about yours as well.

But, an agent is supposed to get me work and build my career, right? WRONG! Agents broker deals and cultivate information and contacts, they share their information with their clients - who then go out and get the jobs. If you don't have a body of work that they can sell to a potential employer, there's actually very little an agent can and will be willing to do for you.

A manager will help you build your career and develop a strategy to achieve your goals, but they tend to be more expensive than an agent (California law limits agents to 10% fees - managers aren't constrained by this restriction) - and you won't get a manager if you don't already have something to prove you can earn. At least as much of a partner in your career, managers and agents are investors in your career. And like a falling stock, agents and managers will sell you off if you aren't earning at the rate they expect.

It's a bit cutthroat, but this is business. Publishers can't hemorrage money for authors and producers that don't generate income, it's just the reality of the market. Agents have to earn money for their firm and for their livelihood. Clients that garner greater salaries garner greater attention. There's very little personal about it, other than personal interest.

And that's where you come in - YOU have to educate yourself, you have to get savvy, be your own agent and manager. Once you've gotten to the point that you don't need one and your career takes off, they'll come to you hoping to earn their percentage. At that point you'll know their names, they'll know your face, and you'll be savvy enough to make wise decisions about your representation. You'll also have the confidence to stand by your success.

I'm in no way saying agents and managers aren't worth their fee, good ones definitely are. They help you define and own your career, they help your individual earning potential grow, and ultimately you make more money with their services than without. That's the point - they take ten percent (or 15% as a manager), but your earnings should increase by more than that amount with their help. If your individual income doesn't increase by 10%, why do you have an agent? Ultimately you're losing money on the deal.

When you do build your entourage, your work isn't over. You still have to do legwork, and now it just gets more complicated. Instead of managing yourself, you're managing a team - and you have to have the knowledge to make intelligent decisions when questions are raised. Your individual career depends on your wise decisions, and wisdom only comes through learning and experience.

Have confidence in yourself as an individual, learn what makes you valuable and develop your skills. Boundless success and strong careers are built by savvy individuals with hard work and education - but YOU have to do it yourself.