10 things to look for in a mother agent
Models placed in major markets
Go through their roster or just ask them if they have models placed in major markets and who they are. It could be large high fashion markets like New York, Paris, London, Milan. It cold also be smaller secondary markets like LA, Chicago, Miami. Or even secondary foreign markets like Tokyo, China, Mexico City or Greece. Ask them what agencies they work with or have placed models with in those markets.
Models that have done recognizable brands or campaigns
Again go through their board or ask them if they have models that have done noteworthy campaigns. Who are they so you can look them up.
Mother agent location
Is the MA in your area? The ideal situation is to have a mother agent in your area so you can spend more time in person from them learning from and getting to know them as you are developed. However there are more and more models managed by mother agents that do not live in their city, area, or even state or country. There are some very good mother agents that are able to develop and manage you from anywhere. But think about what makes you the most comfortable. Would you rather have someone local or do you trust that this mother agent is strong enough to manage you remotely.
No pay to sign
You should never have to pay a mother agent or any agency for that matter to be signed or managed by them. If they believe in you they will sign you, period.
Mother agent agreement
What is the contract like? How many years is it? The standard tends to be 2-3 years. Is it negotiable? Can you show your parents and/or lawyer? Everything is always negotiable as an agreement needs to protect both sides. If they say it’s not then there is something wrong.
Verification
Go through their IG and see who is following them. Are there major agencies or agents from these agencies following them? Are there brands or companies that follow them? Association is key. Also check out known sites like “The Mother Agents” to see if they are vetted. If they are not on The Mother Agents list, email me at themotheragents@gmail.com and ask.
Comfort level
Do you feel comfortable with them? Do you feel like you can ask them anything? Your learning and understanding of the business is crucial and you want someone who can not only guide you but allow you to speak and ask questions comfortably.
Commission
Mother agents make their money by commission. That is it. And their commission comes out of the agency that books you’s commission, not yours. They don’t charge you for their services. There may be costs like for photoshoots or other development expenses but when you work, they work.
Scams
Google their name with the word “scam” or “reviews” and see if anything comes up. You may be surprised what you find. If you only see 1 or 2 things negative, feel free to ask them about it. In a world of cancel culture there are disgruntles models that simply try to hurt others. Both sides should be considered. However if there are many serious allegations or negative reviews online I would be concerned.
Professional website
Do they have a professional website and other social media channels across the board to show their brand consistently? Is there traction and engagement on those channels? Does it look professional? In this business image is everything. When I see a website or IG feed that has poor imagery it usually reflect to me that the quality of the eye translates to the models as well. Just my opinion.