Meet Noah Swimmer of Los Angeles, CA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Noah Swimmer.

Hi Noah, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Growing up, I was always passionate about food media and entertainment. So when I began working in digital creator representation, I naturally gravitated toward culinary content creators.

Early in my career, I worked as a digital brand partnerships agent at a traditional 3 letter talent agency. In 2021, driven by my passion for the clients I worked with, I decided to transition into 360-degree management so I could help guide every aspect of their businesses.

I’ve now been at Underscore Talent Management for over five years. Underscore is the leading next-generation talent management firm known for its successful and diverse creative clients. Launched in 2021, the company represents an extensive list of the top global talent and content creators.

At Underscore, I launched and lead our Culinary Department where, alongside like-minded managers who share a deep passion for the culinary arts, I work to help our clients which include food media personalities, cookbook authors, content creators, chefs, and more grow their brands.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The creator economy moves incredibly fast, and platforms, algorithms, and audience behaviors are constantly shifting. What works one year, or even one month, can change quickly, so a big part of the job is keeping your finger on the pulse of where the platforms are heading and how brands are thinking about partnerships. Another challenge has been helping creators build sustainable businesses beyond just viral moments. Algorithms can be unpredictable, so a lot of the work is thinking long-term: developing diversified revenue streams, building strong brand relationships, and expanding into areas like products, publishing, or media. At the same time, those challenges are also what make the space exciting. Because it’s evolving so quickly, there’s a lot of opportunity to innovate and help creators turn their passion for food into real, lasting businesses.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As the head of our culinary department, I spend a lot of time encouraging creators to think beyond just their next post or campaign and instead focus on building long-term brands. That can mean authoring cookbooks, expanding into new media like YouTube, exploring opportunities in traditional media like television, or launching products and food brands of their own.

I often tell my clients that brand deals are important, but they’re admittedly the low-hanging fruit. They’re a great revenue stream, but the businesses we build together – the cookbooks, the products, the brands you might one day retire on, are the things that really excite me and get me out of bed every morning.

What I’m most proud of is helping creators turn what may have started as a passion for sharing recipes online into sustainable, multifaceted careers. The food world has always been rooted in storytelling and community, and I love helping translate that into meaningful opportunities across media and business.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My biggest piece of advice is to focus on consistency and authenticity. The managers who tend to succeed long term are the ones who genuinely love the content and or skillset their clients bring to the world and show up consistently for them, even if that means working long hours or sacrificing a weekend or two regularly.

I’d also encourage other managers to think about their client’s content as the foundation of a brand, not just individual posts. Building an engaged audience around a clear point of view, whether that’s a specific style of cooking, storytelling, or personality, creates real, long-term opportunities far beyond just social media.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.underscoretalent.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/underscoretlnt/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/underscoretalent/posts/?feedView=all

Image Credits
Headshot photog: Brendan North