"Don’t let societal norms or outsiders scare you away from achieving your dreams" with Pamela Zapata

Pamela Zapata is the Founder and CEO of Society18. She works with multicultural and multiethnic fashion, parenting and beauty influencers on branded campaigns for partners such as IPSY, Sephora, Almay, Fabletics, Urban Decay, Marc Jacobs, Calvin Klein, Not Your Mother's, Macy's, Foot Locker, TRESemmé, American Eagle Outfitters, P&G, Google, Olay, Unilever, Dove, Lego, and Hallmark. Prior to founding her company in 2019, she cultivated relationships and troubleshot talent issues as liaison between network on-air talent, representation, and internal businesses for E! Entertainment, Ryan Seacrest Productions, Style Haul, and Sweety High. Pamela was just named one of the top 25 talent managers for YouTube creators and top 15 talent managers helping micro influencers land brand deals by Business Insider. 

Can you tell our readers about your background?

My name is Pam, and I am a talent manager and marketing executive with a unique range of experience. In 2019 I founded Society 18, a bicoastal influencer management and consulting agency with a focus on multicultural and multiethnic content creators and digital strategy. Prior to starting my business in 2019, I garnered over 10 years of experience working in influencer strategy, integrated marketing, talent relations, casting, and production for some of the biggest networks, brands and agencies in the industry.

I began my career in Los Angeles where I worked for companies such as E! Entertainment, Ryan Seacrest Productions, Style Haul, and Sweety High. During that time, I cultivated valuable relationships by successfully and strategically utilizing influencers and talent for digital and on-air programming, brand sponsorships and events that supported business initiatives, drove ratings, and increased revenue.

After relocating to NYC, I became the Director of Influencer Marketing at United Entertainment Group, where I led influencer partnerships, strategy, procurement, negotiations and campaign reporting for various personal care brands within the Unilever portfolio including Suave, Dove, Love Beauty Planet, Axe and Popsicle. I eventually moved on to my role as Senior Director of Influencer Marketing at Starpower, where I oversaw multiple campaign and influencer casting initiatives for key beauty brands including Estee Lauder, Bobbie Brown, MAC, BECCA and La Mer. Within this role I had a range of responsibilities including campaign ideation through concept execution, while also overseeing strategy, client management and talent relations.

What inspired you to start your business?

My “Aha Moment” happened during those ten years in the trenches. I saw a gap in the industry when it came to diversity. Not only were POC not always represented in campaigns, but I found that many diverse creators did not understand their value when comparing what their counterparts were receiving for branded projects. That gap is what fueled me to take the leap and start my own company! There was a need to address the issue which pushed me to work directly with multicultural and multiethnic content creators to help them understand their value while also helping advise brands and agencies on the importance of strategically including diverse influencers into their brand campaigns. 

Where is your business based?

We’re bicoastal, with a presence in both NY and LA.

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

The first step was reaching out to the content creators that I already had an established relationship with. I talked to them about why I was starting my own agency and how I thought I could provide value to their business. Thankfully, after 2-3 clients signed on, 3-4 more came around through referrals, which assured me that I was moving in the right direction. 

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

98% of our roster has been referral based. This is due to the importance we place on getting to know our clients on a personal level, not just professional. As an agency, it’s important to know what each of their likes/dislikes are, what their passions are and how to make our partnership as effective as possible. Checking-in and having that open line of communication is crucial to ensuring a transparent and trustworthy relationship.

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

Starting any business can bring a sense of isolation, which can distract you from your bigger purpose and have you wondering whether you made the right decision. When I first ventured out on my own, I was constantly battling with myself on whether I was going to be capable of supporting myself and finding success with this idea, which led to many moments of self-doubt. However, in the back of my mind I always knew that this was my true purpose, and all the hard work would pay off, which it has. Knowing I’m a part of something that is for the greater good continues to push my drive and make all the long nights worth it. Being passionate about your work and the effect it has on people will keep you going.

How do you stay focused?

Society 18 has seen immense growth within the past year, even with the pandemic taking over all aspects of our lives. I’ve been able to double our staff, and our roster has grown tremendously within the past 6 months. I credit this mostly to my ability to keep going even through the days in which I wanted to give up. Knowing I’ve been able to weather all the bad storms in 2020 and still bring on additional team members, clients and campaigns is further proof that the universe rewards you in many ways when you take courageous steps. 

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

Our objective is to be the agency of record for brands who are looking for insight and support on influencer initiatives and holding them accountable in terms of their diversity/inclusion commitments. With our wide range of multi-ethnic creators and seasoned team, we want to be the agency that brands immediately think of when they need guidance, and we pride ourselves in providing best-in-class services to anyone that chooses to prioritize these important initiatives. I have always emphasized the importance of working with multicultural and multiethnic content creators, and as someone who is well-established in this space, I am in a unique position to advise any brand that wants to be part of the solution on how to get it right when it comes to diversity, which is something I take very seriously. Not only is our roster diverse, but each of our employees have strong backgrounds from various vantage points which can help us when pitching, creating strategies and developing potential partnerships.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

Transparently, we haven’t had an established marketing strategy that has fueled our growth. Our digital and social channels showcase our clients and the work we do; however I truly believe the value we bring to our content creators and brands is what has propelled the business forward and has been the biggest contributing factor to our growth as a company.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

Simple - you’re in charge of your own life. Don’t let societal norms or outsiders scare you away from achieving your dreams, whatever they may be. If you are not happy in your current situation, it is your obligation to yourself to make a change. Want to start that clothing business? Do it. Want to go back to school? Do it. Block out the white noise and surround yourself with people at your level. Having a strong support system has helped me tremendously, especially during the times when I wanted to quit. Whether that is your family, friends, partner or team members, it is crucial to surround yourself with trustworthy people that believe in your vision to accomplish the impossible.

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

My favorite app at the moment is Clubhouse. I’ve really enjoyed seeing the communities the app has built and have loved being a part of conversations that have been happening offline for so many years.

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

A business coach. Having someone who really understands business structure, scaling, etc. that can support you when you are making critical decisions that will affect your business is crucial. Unless you have entrepreneurs and business owners in your network who have been in your shoes, it is hard to really get the support you need through your friends and family. Although they can provide encouragement, they won’t understand the gravity of some the decisions you are making.

How do you balance work and life?

There will be days when a vacation is needed, so knowing you have a team you can rely on to steer the ship while you take a moment to yourself will help. Make sure to also take a step back whenever you feel yourself feeling overwhelmed. As a founder and CEO of a company, wearing 100 different hats is probably one of the most challenging and underestimated aspects of running a business. One must know a little bit of everything – Legal, finance, marketing, operations, HR etc. It’s something that can be extremely defeating, especially when you don’t have all the answers. Dive into your network and find resources that can properly support you. 

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

The Headspace app has been a great tool for disconnecting in the morning and late evenings. Taking a run along the running path by the Hudson River near my house has also been extremely therapeutic for me lately. I’ve also spent some time catching up on my favorite shows - Ozark on Netflix and Billions on Showtime.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

The next 6 months will be dedicated to structure, tech and hiring/onboarding. I’d love to start scaling the business in the next 12-months, so it’s critical that these elements are put in place to support the growth properly.

How can our readers connect with you?

You can follow Society 18 at @societyeighteen and my personal page at @pamelazapata. Our website is www.society18.com.