We had the good fortune of connecting with Summer Lee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Summer, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I had been toying with the idea of starting a talent agency for quite some time, after having worked closely with dozens of influencers over the last several years on the brand-side of the influencer marketing space. A lot of influencers and content creators don’t have a business background, because their work is 90% creative. I was getting questions all the time from influencer and content creator friends about how much to charge, how to negotiate, how to read contracts, etc. From there came the idea to provide a solution for influencers so they can focus on what they do best – handle the creative, and let us deal with all the backend items.

What should our readers know about your business?
Spark Talent Group is an influencer marketing and talent management agency. Spark Talent Group represents an exclusively managed roster of top-tier influencers and content creators across a wide variety of industries and verticals. We specialize in helping brands elevate and reach new customers by leveraging the power of influencer marketing.

Spark actually really ramped up during the height of the pandemic, which was a pretty interesting experience. The majority of my personal experience is on the brand and agency side, managing influencer strategy and execution for in-house brands and agencies in the fashion, lifestyle, and wellness spaces. After working in the influencer marketing space for the last several years, I’ve gotten to know a lot of influencers and content creators really well and that’s how the agency was initially born. That’s the foundation of Spark Talent – authentic relationships with content creators.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Where to begin! Some of my absolute favorite spots:

Where to Eat (the most important question of all):
Velvet Taco is an absolute must!
Restoration Hardware Rooftop – such a stunning spot that just opened in Knox-Henderson. Get the truffle fries!
The Henry – I lived in LA for the last 3 years and The Henry was a big LA favorite. I was beyond excited when I saw they opened a location in Dallas. The food is amazing, vibes are even better.
Hutchins BBQ in Frisco. Wouldn’t be Texas without some barbecue! This place is a must.

Where to Hang:
I love strolling through West Village – the perfect combination of that downtown feel but with a hometown twist.
Legacy West: I was born & raised in the Plano area, and it’s beyond cool to see everything new in the area. I only wish that it was here when I was in high school!
Highland Park Village – for a taste of Beverly Hills in Dallas. One of my favorite pastimes is driving by the Turtle Creek Lane/Mockingbird areas and “dream house shopping.” Every home has such character.

Where to Instagram:
Bishop Arts District has a ton of fun murals! While you’re there, swing by Paradiso for a quick lunch or drink – it’s stunning.
Sweet Tooth Hotel: Dallas’s very own ‘selfie museum!’
La La Land Cafe: grab a yummy latte inside and snap a pic with the adorable yellow truck outside
Catbird Dallas has the most beautiful rooftop.

Website: sparktalentgroup.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/summer__leeee/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/summer-lee/

Image Credits
Madison White

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