Inside the Business of Celebrity Partnerships | Brett Duchon | Episode 8

What does it actually look like to build a career landing brand deals and partnerships for some of the biggest celebrities and athletes in the world? Ryan Huffman sits down with Brett Duchon, an L.A.-based talent agent who has spent the last decade navigating the intersection of entertainment, social media, and brand partnerships. From interning at a marketing agency in Miami to getting a dream job offer on the other side of the country with less than a week’s notice, Brett's story is a masterclass in staying curious, saying yes before you feel ready, and building relationships that last. Brett opens up about what it was really like to be working in the social media space inside a talent agency before Instagram was even close to what it is today, why he chose to stay when he had every reason to leave, and what he has learned about matching the right talent with the right brand at the right moment. In this episode: • Growing up on the East Coast and figuring out a career path by trying everything • Interning in Miami and figuring out where his real interest was • Moving to LA in under a week for a job offer • Landing his first job inside a social media company built within a major talent agency • What it was like to be building in the social media space before anyone understood it • Climbing from coordinator to agent, and what changed at every level • What actually goes into landing a brand deal for a major celebrity or athlete • Endorsements vs. licensing — and why the industry keeps evolving • Why the best partnerships are built on authenticity, not just reach • Where the brand deal world is headed next This one's for anyone building a career in talent, brand partnerships, or production, and anyone willing to take the leap, follow their curiosity, and let it lead them somewhere they didn't expect. Subscribe for more conversations like this one. ============================= About The Making of You: The Making of You is hosted by Ryan Huffman, founder of Huffman Creative. Each episode explores creativity, leadership, storytelling, production, and the realities of building a creative life and business. Huffman Creative: https://huffmancreative.com Follow Ryan: Instagram:   / ryanhuffmann   LinkedIn:   / ryanhuffmann   IMDb: https://imdb.com/name/nm4260466 Explore the full The Making of You podcast playlist:    • The Making of You   Follow us on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZjUKpa... ============================= Guest Instagram:   / brettyd1   LinkedIn:   / brett-duchon-80832233   Company: https://www.unitedtalent.com/ ============================= Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 1:17 Brett's background and how he got into the industry 2:16 Interning at a marketing agency and discovering his path 3:00 Landing at a social media company inside CAA 3:30 Deciding between talent agency life and something else 4:04 Getting the job offer and moving to LA 6:46 What the future of the industry looked like from the inside early on 7:40 What his first job at the agency actually taught him 8:39 The early days of Instagram and brand deals before anyone understood them 9:23 Working with international talent and what that opened up 10:53 Climbing the ranks inside the agency 13:23 What most people don't know about how talent agencies really work 13:55 When Instagram was still figuring itself out and brand deals were just beginning 14:18 What a brand deal actually looks like from start to finish 15:01 Licensed lines, royalties, equity and how deals have evolved 16:25 The next step up and working for a more senior agent 20:14 What he learned watching senior agents work 21:04 The most important thing he tells people coming up in the industry 27:26 The clients and deals he is most proud of 28:06 What makes a brand partnership actually work long term 33:02 How athletes and celebrities are building their own production companies 35:19 When a partnership becomes a long-term relationship 35:45 Working with major athletes and what makes those deals different 36:16 Why the best deals are built on relationships not just reach 36:44 How talent is creating their own production arms like The Rock and Ryan Reynolds 43:30 The opportunities he is most excited about 44:14 What he has learned from the agents he has worked for 51:17 Looking ahead at what is next 52:50 Wrap up and how to find Brett 53:11 LinkedIn as the best way to connect ============================= Credits & disclosures: Production: Huffman Creative Host: Ryan Huffman Guest: Brett Duchon #TheMakingOfYou #Entrepreneurship #CreativeCareers