The Pros & Cons of Beauty Agencies
Should Beauty Pros Work with an Agency?

This blog is all about sharing the latest and greatest with you–a task we're more than happy to do endlessly. We're all in about the hot goss, ready to spill the tea, and share the tips you need to keep up in an industry that's ever-changing. So, what's the deal this week? 

Two words for you, beauty pros: Beauty Agencies. 

What is a Beauty Agency? 

Not exactly sure what a beauty agency is in the first place? Don't sweat it. Before we dive into the pros and cons, we'll share the skinny. When you think about a "beauty agency," think of it as sort of a talent agency. You know how modeling agencies manage talented models, help them find opportunities, finagle their marketing, and get their names out there? 

Well, that's what a beauty agency does, too. 

The best example? One of our partners, crowdMGMT, is a beauty agency that's all about putting their talented beauty pros on the pedestal they deserve. crowdMGMT oversees all the elements of their client's business to put them on the map. Think of it like a company that offers unique services that are curated specifically to their clients' needs along with some standard ones, like brand curation, content development, marketing, and beyond. 

The Pros & Cons of Working with a Beauty Agency 

The Good – The Pros of a Beauty Agency 

A Community of Supportive Experts Backing Your Brand 

One of the biggest benefits of working with an agency is that you've got a team of experts backing you all the way. Just from a support perspective, it can be a game-changer to have a team that believes in you, especially if you're a solo artist who does things on their own most of the time. Just the mere support you can get, the option to have someone to bounce ideas off, and the encouragement to further your ambition can be a total breath of fresh air. 

Help from Pros in Areas You Need Assistance 

Aside from just the support, having a team of experts on your side pays off in another way–they really know what they're doing. Don't get us wrong, a supportive team is a huge benefit on its own, but having a supportive team of strategists, opportunities, and movers and shakers who know how to make things happen–well, that's what gets results, friends. Most agencies can offer you a team of pros in whatever areas you need help–branding, marketing, networking, client retention, etc. Some agencies might even be able to develop curated services based on your unique needs too. 

Networking Connections & Opportunities 

You'll get more support than ever, have a team of pros on your side to guide your business decisions, and you'll also have leads on killer networking opportunities and a whole web of connections you otherwise wouldn't have had. They'll know who you should mingle with, what companies you should meet with, and most importantly of all, know how to set it all up and make it happen. 

Leg Work is Done For You 

Listen, we get that this industry is always in its #girlboss era, but that doesn't mean you always have to be Team DIY. One of the absolute best things about agencies is that they put the leg work in for you–AKA, the tough, day-to-day stuff that you need to do but might not always have time for. So, yeah, you guys, we're counting leg work as a major benefit of working with an agency. 

The Not-So-Good – The Cons of a Beauty Agency 

A Portion of Your Earnings Goes to Your Agency 

Which makes sense, right? If they're doing the work you don't want (or have the time) to do, of course they'd make money. We don't necessarily view this as a "con" because it makes perfect sense–but if you're not interested in divvying up a percent of your earnings, this could be considered a con of making this choice. 

You'll Need to Take Direction from Someone 

Again, this isn't necessarily a bad thing – it all depends on what you value as a beauty pro. If you're a hands-on, take-charge, your-way-or-the-highway kind of professional, working with an agency that's going to give you creative and networking direction might not be the right fit for your style! A beauty agency is going to do exactly what its hired to do–give you direction, help you maximize your results, and maybe even boss you around (professionally, of course) a little bit. If that doesn't seem like your speed, it might not be the perfect direction. 

The Agency Cares About You–But the Agency is Their Primary Goal 

Once again, this "con" makes total sense. Obviously, they're going to care the most about the success of their agency, because that's their ultimate goal. Just like you're always going to look out for your business, they're going to do the same thing for theirs. Does that mean they're going to lead you astray on purpose or not do right by you? Absolutely not! It just means you'll need to be aware that they've got priority #1 just like you, and that's their business.

OK, so you've spent a little time considering those pros and cons–what's your hot take? Share your agency opinions with us in the comments–c'mon, don't be shy! Wanna keep up with the good stuff (like this article, for example?). It's time to subscribe to our newsletter. Every so often, we'll drop in your inbox to give you the deets on the latest–sometimes that might be industry news, sometimes that might be deals or discounts (you'll just have to subscribe to see!).