[01:00:00:00 - 01:00:20:32]
(Silence)
[01:00:20:32 - 01:00:36:25]
Speaker 1
This is episode 57 of the Artist to Artist Podcast. This is the podcast for self-taught and under-trained makeup artists who are ready to stop second-guessing themselves and start showing up like pros. I'm Angie, and if you're tired of feeling like you're faking it until you make it, you are in the right place.
[01:00:36:25 - 01:00:56:41]
Speaker 1
I wanted to talk about something that's probably been weighing on you for a while now. You've been reaching out to photographers, wedding planners, other contacts in the industry. You've been sending DMs, you're commenting on social media posts, you're trying to network the way everybody tells you, and nothing's happening, or at least nothing significant is happening.
[01:00:56:41 - 01:01:11:22]
Speaker 1
you got a few polite responses. Maybe someone said, "Let's keep in touch," and then never followed up. Maybe most people didn't respond at all. And now you're sitting here wondering, "Is networking even worth it? Am I doing something wrong? Should I just give up and focus on something else?"
[01:01:11:22 - 01:01:30:22]
Speaker 1
and what I want you to understand after this episode, you are not doing it wrong. You're just not playing the long game, and nobody talks about the long game because it is not appealing. It is not sexy. It does not fit into a 60-second reel or a motivational quote that you can repost on social, but it's the only thing that actually works.
[01:01:30:22 - 01:01:40:05]
Speaker 1
Today I'm going to tell you why networking feels like it's not working, what I wish someone had told me 10 years ago, and the three mistakes I see artists make every single day that keep them stuck.
[01:01:40:05 - 01:02:01:13]
Speaker 1
fact of the matter is the vendors you reach out to today probably won't book you this month or next month or maybe even next year. But if you understand how this actually works, they might book you in 2026, 2027, 2028, and the person you're about to give up on, they could become your most consistent referral source five years from now.
[01:02:01:13 - 01:02:05:54]
Speaker 1
If you are ready to stop feeling like networking is pointless, let's get into this episode.
[01:02:05:54 - 01:02:39:17]
Speaker 1
I need to tell you how I networked when I was first starting out because I was doing it completely wrong, and I'm willing to bet you're making at least one of the same mistakes that I made. When I was new, I approached networking like I was throwing pennies in a fountain making a wish. I would scroll through social media, find a photographer whose work that I loved, someone shooting major campaigns in Toronto, someone who was clearly established and working with top-tier clients, and I would send them a message. In that message, I would basically say, "Hi, I love your work. I'm a makeup artist from Toronto. I'd love to collaborate sometime."
[01:02:39:17 - 01:02:50:17]
Speaker 1
Then I would sit there and wait and hope and refresh my messages in my emails and convince myself that if they just saw my message, if they just gave me a chance, everything would change.
[01:02:50:17 - 01:03:14:48]
Speaker 1
did this for a long time and with many, many people. The thing is, I had no merit. I had maybe three decent photo shoots in my book. I had no experience working on the kinds of projects that these people were booking. I had absolutely nothing to offer them except, I guess, my commitment, my passion, my great attitude, my willingness to work for free.
[01:03:14:48 - 01:03:34:05]
Speaker 1
But none of that really mattered. None of that matters when you're reaching out to someone who is already established and working with experienced artists. They don't need me. They don't need you. Sending them a nice message does not change that. I just didn't understand that yet. I kept doing it over and over again for years. Actually for years I did this.
[01:03:34:05 - 01:03:49:48]
Speaker 1
I would reach out to people who were asperational to me. People I wanted to be like. People I wanted to be around. I would feel rejected when they didn't respond and I'd think, I deserve a chance. I'm serious about this. I'm committed. I'm a good person. Why won't anyone give me a shot?
[01:03:49:48 - 01:03:53:34]
Speaker 1
And that's just basically delusional thinking, let's be honest. I was delusional.
[01:03:53:34 - 01:04:09:53]
Speaker 1
I do think you need some delusion to be successful in this industry. You need to believe in yourself when no one else does. And you need to take risks and put yourself out there, even when you're scared. But when it comes to networking, when it comes to building business relationships, you can't be delusional. You have to be strategic.
[01:04:09:53 - 01:04:21:06]
Speaker 1
the reality is, a photographer who's shooting major campaigns is not going to see a DM from a new artist and think, you know what, this person sounds nice. Let me take a chance on them for my next $50,000 client.
[01:04:21:06 - 01:04:34:05]
Speaker 1
really just does not happen. And I wasted years of my career not understanding that. I was reaching out to the wrong people at the wrong time with the wrong approach. And then I was giving up when it didn't work.
[01:04:34:05 - 01:04:36:06]
Speaker 1
Here's what I wish someone had told me back then.
[01:04:37:01 - 01:04:56:07]
Speaker 1
Networking takes years to pay off. And let me say that again, years. This means the person that you message today or that you meet on set today might not book you, think of you, refer you until two years from now. And that feels crazy because we live in this world where everything is instant.
[01:04:56:07 - 01:05:07:55]
Speaker 1
You post surreal, you get likes. You send a message, you expect a response. You reach out to someone, you think something should happen right away. But relationships don't work like that. Business relationships especially do not work like that.
[01:05:07:55 - 01:05:18:10]
Speaker 1
The photographers I work with now, some of them are people I met five years ago, seven years ago, 10 years ago. We didn't work together right away. We just stayed in touch. We followed each other.
[01:05:18:10 - 01:06:01:37]
Speaker 1
We commented on each other's content. We sent the occasional message. And then one day, years later, they need a makeup artist and they thought of me. Another example, I worked on a lot of sets early in my career. I was lucky enough to have good opportunities like that. There were a lot of photography assistants hanging around. These were people who were learning just like I was. We'd exchange numbers, follow each other on social. Maybe every so often we'd grab a coffee and then we'd go months without talking. Fast forward five to 10 years, maybe more. Those assistants are now established photographers with their own clients. And guess who they call when they need a makeup artist? Me, because we built a relationship years ago when neither of us had anything to offer each other.
[01:06:01:37 - 01:06:13:14]
Speaker 1
That is the long game and that's how networking actually works. When I tell you this takes years, I am not saying that to discourage you. I'm saying it so you don't give up in a month when you're not seeing results.
[01:06:13:14 - 01:06:22:33]
Speaker 1
You're not supposed to see results in month one or month three. You're planting seeds and some of those seeds aren't going to grow for a really long time and that's completely normal.
[01:06:22:33 - 01:07:00:43]
Speaker 1
Now the part that makes this all easier, you don't have to be perfect at staying in touch. I know a lot of artists stress about this. They think they have to message this person every week or they need to have a whole system for following up. And if I don't reach out within a certain timeframe, they'll forget about me. It's kind of like dating, right? That is not true. Staying in touch can be as simple as liking someone's posts. It's that easy now. When I was really just a brand new baby, newborn makeup artist, we didn't have social media like we do now. So the fact that you can stay in touch by just tapping on someone's photo is you're so lucky if you're doing this now.
[01:07:01:19 - 01:07:09:01]
Speaker 1
Commenting when they share something that you're interested in and actually sending a message saying like, "Wow, this photo shoot is amazing. I love what you did with A, B, or C."
[01:07:09:01 - 01:07:11:36]
Speaker 1
few months to check in,
[01:07:11:36 - 01:07:23:58]
Speaker 1
referring them to someone when it makes sense, congratulating them when they book something big or they achieve something in their career. Staying in touch does not have to be complicated. It doesn't have to be constant. It just has to be genuine.
[01:07:23:58 - 01:07:36:16]
Speaker 1
What happens over time is that you start to become familiar to them. They see your name. They see your work. They remember that you reached out. And when they need someone or when someone asks them for a recommendation, your name is going to be top of mind.
[01:07:36:16 - 01:07:41:02]
Speaker 1
That's the compound effect. It's not about one big gesture or one perfect message.
[01:07:41:02 - 01:07:45:29]
Speaker 1
It's about showing up consistently, even imperfectly over a long period of time.
[01:07:45:29 - 01:07:58:46]
Speaker 1
The people I work with most regularly now are not people I networked with aggressively. They're people I stayed casually connected to over the years, and that casual connection turned into trust, and then trust turned into work.
[01:07:58:46 - 01:08:09:14]
Speaker 1
Okay. Now you understand the long game. Let me tell you about the three networking mistakes I see MUAs make. I don't want to say every single day. It's a little dramatic, but it's very often.
[01:08:09:14 - 01:08:20:55]
Speaker 1
If you're making these mistakes, you're going to struggle no matter how patient you are. Mistake number one is reaching out to people who are way out of your league. How do I know this is a mistake? Because I made this mistake myself many, many times over.
[01:08:20:55 - 01:08:34:27]
Speaker 1
You're new, you have a small portfolio, and you're reaching out to photographers who only work with experienced artists for major clients. They are not going to work with you. I am sorry. They are not. Not because you're not talented, not because you're a great person,
[01:08:34:27 - 01:08:50:19]
Speaker 1
but because they're just at a different stage of their career and they need people who can deliver at a certain level. Instead, reach out to people who are at your level. New photographers, new wedding planners, people who are also building their portfolios and their businesses.
[01:08:50:19 - 01:08:53:32]
Speaker 1
Those are the people who will actually collaborate with you.
[01:08:53:32 - 01:08:58:45]
Speaker 1
And in five years, when they're established, you'll be more established too, and you'll be working together regularly.
[01:08:58:45 - 01:09:21:42]
Speaker 1
Mistake number two. This is probably going to come off as sounding a little harsh, but it's thinking you deserve a chance just because you're nice or committed. I see this all the time. I also used to have this mentality. Artists reach out and basically say, "I'm really passionate about this," or, "I'm willing to work for free," or, "I just need someone to give me a chance," and I get it. I felt the same way, but passion doesn't book clients.
[01:09:21:42 - 01:09:28:22]
Speaker 1
Willingness doesn't build trust. You have to have something to offer. You need to show that you can do the work.
[01:09:28:22 - 01:09:42:14]
Speaker 1
That doesn't mean you need 20 years of experience, but it does mean that you need to be realistic about what you bring to the table. If you're new, what you bring is commitment, reliability, and the willingness to grow, and that is valuable,
[01:09:42:14 - 01:09:46:42]
Speaker 1
it's only valuable to people who are also at your level.
[01:09:46:42 - 01:10:16:46]
Speaker 1
Mistake number three. Giving up after your first 10 messages, get no response. This is the biggest one, and get used to people ignoring you and not responding. Believe me, it's going to continue happening for your entire career. You reach out to 10 people, two respond, or one responds, and maybe one actually follows through and you think, "Networking does not work. I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but this doesn't work for me." You haven't given it enough time. You haven't reached out to enough people, and you haven't understood that most people won't respond, and that is normal.
[01:10:16:46 - 01:10:25:43]
Speaker 1
Your first 20 networking attempts, practice. Some will respond, most won't, and that's exactly what is supposed to happen. This is a numbers game sometimes.
[01:10:25:43 - 01:10:27:59]
Speaker 1
You are not failing. You're just learning,
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Speaker 1
if you give up after 10 messages, you will never know what could have happened.
[01:10:31:58 - 01:10:37:54]
Speaker 1
Here's what I wish someone had told me 10 years ago, and this is a lot of the stuff I'm talking about in this episode really stems from this.
[01:10:37:54 - 01:10:42:12]
Speaker 1
Network with people at your level, not with people you aspire to be.
[01:10:42:12 - 01:11:04:58]
Speaker 1
Very important. The new photographer who just graduated school or picked up new gear, their first camera. That's your person. The wedding planner who's booking their first few weddings and starting a business. That's your person. The hairstylist who's also maybe getting into onset work or wants to be rep by an agency or needs a team for weddings. That's also your person.
[01:11:04:58 - 01:11:09:50]
Speaker 1
Those are the people who will actually work with you, and in five years, they'll be the ones booking you for paid work.
[01:11:09:50 - 01:11:23:07]
Speaker 1
Stop waiting for someone to give you a chance. Make your own chances. Hear me when I say this. Nobody owes you an opportunity. Nobody is sitting around thinking, "I really hope a brand new makeup artist messages me today so I can take a chance on them."
[01:11:23:07 - 01:11:36:00]
Speaker 1
You have to create your own opportunities. For so much of this job, you are responsible for your own success. You have to reach out to people at your level, offer to collaborate, and you have to build relationships that grow over time.
[01:11:36:00 - 01:11:39:40]
Speaker 1
not about immediate results. It's about long-term relationships.
[01:11:39:40 - 01:12:06:36]
Speaker 1
The person you reach out to today might not work with you for years, and that is fine. This has been my story as well. You're not networking for this month or for this week. You're networking for your entire career. The photographers I work with now are people I met a million years ago. The referrals I get today are from relationships I built also a million years ago. That's how this works. If I had understood that even 10 years ago, I would have saved myself so much frustration,
[01:12:06:36 - 01:12:09:54]
Speaker 1
so much rejection, and so much time wasted on the wrong people.
[01:12:09:54 - 01:12:25:58]
Speaker 1
you're listening to this and thinking, "Okay, I Ferb, but I still need help doing this," I need someone to walk me through this step-by-step. I have a lot of questions. That's exactly what we're doing in the Artist to Artist bru Asia membership this month, the entire month we're focusing on networking and career growth
[01:12:25:58 - 01:12:40:57]
Speaker 1
I'm teaching you how to build a network of contacts strategically, how to reach out to people without sounding desperate or salesy, how to stay in touch without complicated systems and reminders to follow up and all of that, how to turn those relationships into actual paid work.
[01:12:40:57 - 01:13:25:05]
Speaker 1
sharing information that you can take this week to start building the network that will book you in 2026, 2027 and beyond and if you've been following me for a while you already know that my content is helpful. You've heard me on this podcast, you've seen my content online, you know I'm not gonna waste your time. If you're ready to stop spinning your wheels and you want to start building real relationships that actually lead to bookings you can start your free trial. I've got a seven-day free trial for any new member. I will share the link for you in the show notes. We've got lesson videos, I've got stuff to download, I've got live meetups and a community of artists who are also doing this work right alongside you. That's it for this episode. I will see you on the next one. Thank you so much for listening.
