Creating connections.

You could be the most skilled creative motherfucker, but you’re not getting work because no one knows who you are.

And no, I’m not talking about building a social media following. Or getting famous.

I’m talking about real life. About human connection. About professional connections.

Because as much as everyone goes on about making money online, the majority of all economic transactions still take place on a local scale.

And as creatives providing creative services, your personal connections will play a massive part in your career.

I say this from experience. My multimillion-dollar-a-year production agency functions almost exclusively on connections.

All my clients come from connections or referrals. Just this week, I landed a $22k video job purely because someone at one company had worked with us at another company five years ago.

My most recent hire was vouched for through my Instagram DMs by a friend of mine, getting the role over some stranger I was about to offer it to.

The number of times I’ve asked a freelance cinematographer to do a gig and they’ve said no but “call this guy” is priceless. And that new guy gets work.

So there are 2 BIG things here:

• Nurture your existing relationships

• Build some relationships worth nurturing

I’m going to breeze through the first one because I think you know how to nurture relationships, and most people have a good grasp of this.

Basically, just be present and actually care. Reach out every now and again, congratulate them on things you had nothing to do with, message them when something reminds you of them, send fucking memes, get to know what they’re into.

Every big client I’ve ever lost absolutely comes down to me not nurturing the relationship. Like any romantic relationship, if you stop giving your partner that special attention, it opens the door for someone else to do so.

Vice versa, my iron-clad, decade-long loyal clients — I’ve connected with them on a much deeper level over time, irrespective of how much work we do together.

I will say, this is something I’ve struggled with because I never wanted to be sales-y, but once you align your intention with actually giving a shit, it becomes way easier.

Okay, so you may be sitting there saying, “I don’t have any connections in the industry yet.”

I can’t get a job or a gig.
Or like me, you hit a point where you want to reach out to a mentor or someone in your industry ahead of you.

Look —

I want you to get paid to do what you love.
I want you to be a creative warrior entrepreneur.
I want that for you, and I think the world needs more of us.

So this is the shit I love, because I see most people get this wrong.

I’ll start with applying for creative jobs.

When I put an ad out for photographers — or any of my creative disciplines — I get a minimum of 100–200 applications.

Of those, 80% are automatically trashed because they couldn’t follow basic instructions, like applying with a PDF.

Of the remaining 20%, half sent in generic applications, talked all about themselves, and didn’t even show they knew what they were applying for.

The last 10%, if I’m lucky, might put some time and effort in and make a shortlist.

Of that shortlist? Maybe one follows up directly. One out of 200 people.

I’m telling you — you’re competing with muppets out there.

Here’s how I would apply to my agency — or any agency I wanted to work at:

I see an ad on some generic job site.

I look up the company, and if I like what I see, I apply. I also start to follow them on all social channels.

I read the application and follow all instructions.

Within the application/cover letter, I show I’ve done my research.

I mention a previous project of theirs. I compliment an aspect of it I genuinely like.

I show enthusiasm and align their work with some of my work, and align their values with my values — and give examples.

Now I’ve applied with some effort, into the sea of hundreds of others, hoping I get noticed.

Do I stop there? No.

I like and comment on their Instagram, YouTube, TikTok — whatever. I might share some of their work.

On those platforms, I send a DM. Mention I applied and start a dialogue.

I’m then hitting their LinkedIn and finding the founders, the head of marketing, or head of whatever discipline is applicable.

I reach out to them directly.

Now here is the nuance:

Because A+ for effort for getting this far — like I said, most creatives stop at this point.

Don’t just send a generic:
“I’d love to work for your company” email.

As a business owner — I don’t give a fuck what you love or what would make you happy.

Obviously, I love you as a human and you’re a special, unique, creative snowflake — however, hiring is a business decision.

I need to know what value you can provide to the company.

So — show what value you can provide for the company.
It’s not about you or your pretty work.
It’s about how your work can help others.

Now — here is the golden ticket.

And if you take only one thing away from this, let it be this:

Show that you believe in the company and its mission.
Show that you believe in the founders — or whoever you are talking to.

I cannot stress this enough.

Heads of billion-dollar agencies need more people to believe in them. I know some of them — I’m telling you.

Heads of small agencies like mine need people who believe in them.

I am super confident in what I do and what my agency does — but I’m telling you, if someone rocked up and said:

“Clayton, I saw what you did on XYZ project — I loved it. I can tell you’re pushing the boundaries of creativity and what’s possible in this industry. I’d be honoured to be a part of it — but whatever happens with my application, just know I’m rooting for you and the team and believe you’re going to achieve great things.”

Holy shit.

I’m fucking hiring that person.
Or at least giving them my personal attention.

Believe in their mission!

So you can be the guy or girl that just applies and crosses their fingers in the sea of muppets...

Or you can actively create genuine connections based on value.

It might take longer. It might be more work.
And you might put everything into it and never hear back.

But you’ll be getting better at it.

And the alternative is you do nothing.

And if you’re here — then that’s not an option.
Because you know you were born to create.

It’s what you do.
It’s what you’re doing now.

In fact, you know what? Say fuck it, pull up someone on Instagram right now that you look up to — someone accessible — someone you’d love to collaborate with one day...

And just send them a DM with no intention.

Tell them you believe in them.
That you believe in their cause and in what they do.

Don’t ask for anything.
Just see where it goes.

Stop wishing for the connections you don’t have — be a creator and create them.

You can do this.