"Will influencers post in exchange for equity?"

An early stage beauty brand asked me this on a call this week. She meant well - and I get the appeal - but here’s the reality: creators aren’t venture capitalists. They’re creatives, storytellers, and business owners in their own right. And they expect to be compensated as such.

In today’s landscape, asking talent to wait 3 years for a potential acquisition payout doesn’t reflect the value of their time, trust, and audience.

Instead of starting with long-term equity asks or ambassador titles, start by building relationships. See who actually likes the product. Identify what gaps exist in your marketing channels and start to run water through the pipes. 

Influencer marketing can be a compounding growth channel - but only if it’s built on clarity, credibility, and fair compensation.

Curious to hear from others. Equity instead of cash - is it a hard pass or would you consider it for your marketing programs?

Original post on LinkedIn here.