Today we’d like to introduce you to Temima Shames.
Hi Temima, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Growing up, I was raised in a financially unstable household in which I moved around a lot. I began working at age 10, any job I could get as I knew I wanted to save for college and be able to fit in with those around me i.e.: go to the movies or bowling on the weekends. From Age 10 to the time I went to college, I worked various odd jobs that gave me a new perspective on work. I would seek out roles that I felt passionate about such as a game show assistant, manager at a smoothie place, stagehand or cheering up children in hospitals. When we were younger, most of us would critique ourselves based on what others told us. This is including me. As I got older, I learned that qualities that allowed me to work these odd jobs, to find my passions, to work hard were the same that others were bullying me for.
In high school, I got a manager for TV& Film acting and that taught me all the things I liked and didn’t like about management. It gave me a hands-on perspective that I then took as I continued my career in college in the music business. I started Next Step Talent in 2020 during the pandemic while working at Visionary Records in Influencer Marketing. I always had the entrepreneurial spirit and a love for the entertainment industry as a whole.
As we began to build with our talent and expand their reach, I was able to expand into the other areas of entertainment that I was passionate about and take Next Step Talent on full time.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has absolutely not been a smooth road, but I am so grateful for every bump along the way. When starting a business, it is never going to be a smooth road. If it is, then something is wrong as we all are human, and we all make mistakes. Someone once told me that Milton Hershey had 3 companies fail completely before Hershey’s Chocolate. That stood out to me and made me work harder through those struggles and bumps. Some of the struggles we faced were learning the inner ropes of how to legally run a company (by this I mean specific insurance, tax paperwork etc. on a state-by-state basis) as this is not something taught in the United States schooling system. I made a few mistakes that led me to a lot of paperwork, but the mistake never happened again.
Another big obstacle was becoming comfortable delegating. We get so in our groove of knowing what we have to do, that sometimes it is hard to trust others to do something you know how to do. It took a lot of patience and trust-building, but I am grateful that I have an amazing team that I am comfortable with.
There are challenges in every day, but the last one I will share is learning how to balance emotional and factual responses… In an industry where there are so many ups and downs for our talent, partners, etc. it is our job as managers to remain consistent. To be the person for our talent that is level. At first, when I started, it was hard to not take things personally and keep pushing forward. One thing that helped me to overcome this a lot, is to take 30 minutes after a discussion to make any decisions. Sometimes longer as the if my response, decision, or opinion remains the same, then I can feel more confident in knowing that I am acting in the best manner. We don’t always get that time frame but in most cases, we can.
We’ve been impressed with Next Step Talent, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Next Step Talent is a full-service talent management company home to influencers, actors, models, and musicians. We also have a leg in which we run events, and do digital consulting for brands, agencies, and record labels. We are most well-known for our long-term strategic planning with our talent and for being hands-on. We aim to attend most events with our talent to help with networking and making sure they are comfortable.
At Next Step Talent, our clients get a manager who works with them day in and day out to plan and execute what the next months will look like. We do everything ranging from coordinating with PR, working with them to find and build out their team, content strategy, product launches, releases, and more. One thing I am super proud of is that we have built a foundation in which our talent understand the importance of being on time, respecting others’ time, and holding themselves accountable to the commitments they make. While there are times where things come up, we strive to keep those strong long-term bonds with our partners, brands, etc. We recently started the event side of things after running 10+ successful events with 150M+ followers worth of talent in attendance and 150 people cap. We also strive to help brands understand the long-term creator strategy. In 2023, we are looking for more long-term partnerships with brands in which our talent are hands-on in the conversation with creative brainstorming, execution, etc. On the music side, I am super excited and proud of the talent that we have and excited to see them go on tour in the spring.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory is probably going to Ski camp in Virginia every year or going to Vacation Village in the Berkshires a few times a year. Vacation Village was a spot where I got to enjoy the hiking, skiing, alpine slides, butterfly patches, or anything else. It was a spot where I would journal about my goals for the future. It felt very much like a comfortable escape.
Contact Info:
- Website: nextsteptalent.co
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/nextsteptalent
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nextsteptalentmanagement/
