"Honest and quality work always prevails" - Ilia Shayesteh.

Werbewoche.ch: Congratulations! Three finalists that your company Aims Management represented, won the Smile Swiss Influencer Awards 2023 on Saturday evening in Zurich. How big was your contribution to their success?

Ilia Shayesteh: Thank you very much! It is a great honor and recognition for us to have won in three out of nine categories. Mimoza, Mirlinda and Ardiana have earned these awards through hard work, passion and building their impressive communities. As management, we strive to accompany and shape them on their journey in the background.

What is your exact job title?

We describe ourselves as 360-degree management. This means that we strive to keep our influencers' backs completely free and to create space for creative content production. We work strategically, intensively and in a structured way with our influencers to improve together every day.

Could you give us an insight into the services offered by Aims Management?

Aims management is a classic influencer:inside management, as you could get to know more and more in the last years. In our job, we supervise, accompany and mediate on a daily basis. In addition, we are also there as a creative support and work out ideas for campaigns and new content together.

How did you get started in the world of influencers?

Before starting my own business, I worked as a real estate agent and in a football consultant agency, where I was able to develop my sales and management skills. In 2017, I made contacts in the world of Influencer:ins and met my business partner Madina Saleh got to know. Then we decided to contribute to the professionalization of the industry. In April 2018 we founded Aims-Management and since then we have been working with national and international clients as well as with influencers from Germany and Switzerland.

To what extent do you support influencers in their careers?

We look after and advise each Influencer:in individually. This means that we define clear goals and structures that are tailored to the individual's character and career. The main focus is on highlighting their strengths and hidden talents and integrating them into the strategy. Ultimately, we can only be as successful as the Influencer(s) themselves are.

What role does creativity play in the world of influencers?

Discipline and creativity are probably the most important factors to be sustainably successful as an Influencer:in. Without creativity, it will be difficult. Creativity is of great importance both when working with brands and when inspiring the community.

If you had to choose between TikTok and Instagram, which platform do you prefer and why?

I grew up in this profession with Instagram, and TikTok came later. We still do most of our campaigns on Instagram, but TikTok is becoming more important for us as well. However, if I had to choose now, I would choose Instagram. It's more accessible for me, and the community is closer.

How can you recognize particularly talented or successful Influencer:in?

We place particular emphasis on the way we interact with the community and on profile insights. It is important to us that the community is actively involved and carried along in everyday life. For the insights/statistics, we check where the community comes from, and for us at AIMS Management, the majority should come from the DACH region so that our customers can position themselves without any problems. Madina and I always say: In the end, honest and quality work always wins out!

Can Influencer:innen usually make a living, or is it mostly an additional income?

It depends on the time available to the creator and their motivation. With the right conditions, Influencer:innenr can practice their profession full-time. To do this, they must take it on as their main profession and establish themselves as entrepreneurs. As an Influencer:in, you also have to make sure you make the most of your opportunities. Whether you have a large or small reach: If you stand for something and can present this convincingly, you will find suitable customers and a supportive community. To make a sustainable living, it's important to take the step to becoming an entrepreneur at the right time and start your own brands. However, we also have influencers who work or study on the side.

What are the benefits of influencer management?

After a certain reach and order situation, it is important not to let the content suffer because too many requests and mails come in. You have to learn to hand off tasks so as not to inhibit growth. Management often brings a fresh look to development and further professionalizes the process. The Influencer:in gains access to management's network, which can help development and order flow. Negotiation skills are critical here. We are dealing with young people who may not immediately recognize the value of their work and handle it appropriately.

Do you see specific trends that influencers will influence in the future?

I am curious to see how AI will impact our industry. However, we should see opportunities in it rather than have concerns.

Are there any developments in the influencer industry that worry you?

In recent years, we have already gone through or had to cope with various developments, be it a pandemic, wars, inflation and other challenges. We have always been quick to adapt and find solutions. In our industry, it's important to keep our heads up, develop creative approaches and break new ground. Therefore, I am not particularly worried about specific developments. I am confident that AIMS Management is well prepared for any change.

Could you name one attribute for each of the three award winners?

In fact, I would name three attributes that apply to all three winners: Diligence, patience and passion for their job.