Aside from the 1996 film, “Jerry Mcguire,” most are unaware of the dynamics between a manager and a celebrity client. We might hear about the occasional blockbuster licensing deal secured by a manager in the press, but many client/manager relationships are kept out of the news.  

Seasoned businessperson and entrepreneur Caryn Sterling met JoJo Siwa in 2015, then a child star best known for her fledgling YouTube channel and cast role in the reality series, “Dance Moms.” Ever the businessperson, Sterling realized Siwa’s infectious personality triple-threat talents could be leveraged into business opportunities beyond reality TV.  Sterling arrived with deep experience and a wide breadth of relationships, which gave her an upper hand against other celebrity managers vying to work with Siwa. 

“I had a very well-versed background in consumer products licensing,” says Sterling. “I had a very healthy brick-and-mortar business and was a Disney consumer products licensee. I was also a vendor for their parks and resorts in California, Florida and Hong Kong. When I met JoJo, she told me exactly what she wanted, and I had a fire in my belly. I told her I was going to make her a brand, and I knew just what to do with her.” 

Check out the full article in the February 2022 issue of License Global!