032. Same Post, $1,000 or $7,000: How Creators Price a Deal | Vale and Sebastian Genta

Welcome back to STACKED, the show that helps you become your own best asset. Today's question: How do influencers actually make money, and could you build something online that lasts? Emily sits down with Vale Genta and Sebastian Genta, the brother-sister duo behind a combined 2.8 million followers and the co-founders of NextGen Creators, a Miami workshop and event series that teaches creators how to get paid. Born and raised in Miami Beach to a Peruvian mother and Uruguayan father, they started posting on Vine in high school, back when nobody called it a career, and moved to LA with $10,000 they had saved, only to watch the deposit, a couch, and two beds eat it in two months. They walk through the pivots that almost ended it, like the moment Instagram switched to video, and why their Miami, Latin culture, and bilingual skits are now their best-performing content. Then they get into the money. Vale and Sebastian explain how brand pricing used to be the wild west, with one brand offering $1,000 and another $7,000 for the same in-feed post in the same week, and why a creator with 200,000 engaged followers can now out-earn one with two million. They tell the story of a popular Miami restaurant that offered a $200 stipend in exchange for a reel and three stories, why they pushed back, and how to hold your ground. They are candid about the managers who took 10 to 20% of inbound deals they never worked on, the six-month contract Sebastian regretted after one month, and why you should read every contract before you sign away your name and likeness. Finally, they open the books on NextGen Creators: the LLC they formed together, a first event in March 2025 that broke even, an October event with TikTok Shop that brought in six figures in revenue, the GaryVee panel they knew would lose money and did anyway, and why the venue is always the biggest cost. Their bottom line: influence becomes income when you build something you own. This is educational, not financial advice. Do your own research. This episode is brought to you by The Brickell Babes, Miami's largest network of ambitious women. Join for lifetime connections, real recommendations, curated events, exclusive perks, and a community of women who actually show up for one another. Learn more about membership at www.thebrickellbabes.com/membership. This is the episode for anyone who has ever wondered whether their following could actually pay the bills. Key Topics: • Starting on Vine before influencer was a job • $10,000, a move to LA, and two months • The Instagram video pivot that almost ended it • Why Miami and Latin culture content performs • Being bilingual as a hidden advantage • $1,000 or $7,000 for the same post • Why engagement beats follower count • Always counter the first offer • Long-term partnerships versus one-off posts • Taxes nobody warns you about • Hunting for brand deals instead of waiting • The $200 restaurant offer and holding your ground • What you'd own if the platforms disappeared • Inside NextGen Creators • Breaking even, then six figures with TikTok Shop • Losing money on purpose for the GaryVee panel • Forming an LLC together • The best and worst money decisions: managers • Building a rate card: usage rights and exclusivity • Who earns more per post • Why some million-follower creators are broke • Lightning round Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome + Introduction 01:47 – Building a Personal Brand 03:20 – Starting on Vine 04:55 – The Coachella Trip That Changed Everything 10:04 – Moving to Miami & Embracing Latin Culture 11:39 – Misconceptions About Being a Content Creator 13:47 – Making $10K & Moving to LA 15:56 – First Jobs & Gaining Work Experience 18:35 – The Pivot to Video Content 21:50 – Her Best-Performing Content 23:28 – Rate Cards & Why Follower Count Isn't Everything 26:06 – How to Negotiate Brand Deals 27:40 – Landing Long-Term Brand Campaigns 28:43 – Taxes Every Creator Needs to Understand 29:44 – How to Find Brand Deals 32:19 – The Restaurant Offer 34:24 – What If Social Media Platforms Shut Down? 37:35 – Building NextGen Creators 42:49 – What It Really Costs to Be a Creator 44:26 – Making Money With TikTok Shop 47:03 – Lessons From GaryVee 49:34 – Why Creators Need an LLC 51:10 – Her Best Financial Decision 53:13 – Her Worst Financial Decision 55:16 – NextGen Creators' Best Decision 58:21 – How to Build a Rate Card 01:03:07 – Brand Deals She Turned Down 01:05:45 – The Truth About Million-Follower Creators 01:07:20 – Lightning Round 01:08:53 – Closing Disclaimer: The content shared on this page should not be construed as legal, financial, investment, or medical advice. Your viewing and/or use of this information does not create any kind of client, patient, or fiduciary relationship with us. The contents are intended for general informational purposes only, and you are urged to consult your own advisors concerning your situation and specific questions you may have.