Exclusive: Meet Samantha Zink, The Woman Who Discovered The Power Of "Influencers" And Built An Empire

In the ruthless hustle of New York City's fashion PR scene, Samantha Zink found herself at a crossroads. Fresh out of school, with a degree in public relations and no internships to her name, she was on a mission to make it in New York City.

Hungry for any opportunity, Zink commuted into the city with her mother, interviewing at fashion PR agencies in hopes of landing an internship. "You really have to start as an intern, and then hopefully they'll hire you," she explained. "I have to work in New York Fashion Week," she remembered thinking, her small-town roots fueling her big-city dreams.

Zink's entry into the industry in 2013 was anything but glamorous. The early years were a whirlwind of unpaid work, grueling hours, and the type of environment Zink likened to a real-life version of The Devil Wears Prada.

"It was a different time in 2013," she explained. The PR firm where she began her career was run by veterans of the industry who demanded that newcomers prove themselves by doing the work no one else wanted—tasks like organizing the dreaded samples closet, running around the city delivering lookbooks, and sometimes working five days straight with no pay. "It was super toxic. I look back and I'm like, ‘I can't believe that work was like that," she added.

But her passion for the work was unwavering. Despite the long hours and low pay—$30,000 a year in a city where her rent alone was nearly half that—Zink was determined to make a name for herself. As she moved from agency to agency, always in search of better opportunities, she began to notice a shift in the industry—one that would ultimately lead her to forge her own path.

The Rise of Influencers

The rise of influencers in the mid-2010s caught her eye, and she quickly recognized the untapped potential. "No one wanted to pay influencers back then," Zink recalled, describing how brands and designers still clung to the prestige of glossy magazine features. But at 25 years old and an avid Instagram user herself, she saw things differently.

Influencers like Bridget Bahl and Brooke Hil captivated her, and she realized that these digital trendsetters had a power that traditional media was beginning to lose. "I was obsessed," she admitted, laughing. "And I also realized I was on the wrong side of things."

Her instincts proved correct. As the media landscape shifted and long-established magazines began to fold, Zink’s agency finally allowed her to start working with influencers. She dove in headfirst, relishing the opportunity to work with the "it girls" she had so long admired. But even as she thrived in this new role, restlessness crept in. The long hours and relentless pace of New York Fashion Week were taking their toll, and Zink found herself questioning her future in PR.

It was during one exhausting Fashion Week marathon, while riding the subway, that Zink experienced what she now describes as her epiphany. "I was so delusional and exhausted," she recalled, but amid the chaos and fatigue, a voice inside her—her intuition, as she calls it—planted a seed. “You need to manage influencers,” it told her. And with that, her new path was set.

Zink knew it was time to leave PR behind and embark on a different journey—one that would eventually lead her to become a trailblazer in the brave new world of influencer management. And she didn’t waste any time.

"I was like, ‘I'm gonna start a business. I'm gonna manage influencers.’" Her determination was clear, even if others had their doubts. "I remember [a friend] being so cute and supportive, but she was probably like, ‘yeah, right.’" But Zink wasn’t just a dreamer. The same day she made the decision, she got to work.

Forging a New Path

Drawing from her experience in PR, Zink knew exactly what steps to take. "I knew I needed an email, a website, clients," she said, ticking off the essentials she had mapped out in her mind. "It took me a while with the name, but ultimately I landed on Zink Talent. Talent is very broad, so it didn’t limit me to influencers in case I wanted to expand."

With her groundwork laid, Zink turned to her network of friends to help her get the ball rolling. "I texted all of my pretty friends in New York City, the gays and the cute girls, and said, 'Hi, I don’t have any money to pay you, but can we do a photo shoot around New York City?'" They jumped on board, helping her create content for her fledgling agency. She paid someone $60 to take photos of them. "And I put it through a god-awful preset," she remembered, laughing. But it was enough to give Zink Talent a presence—a website, an Instagram handle, and a brand that was ready to take on the influencer world.

Once she had something to show the world, Zink began reaching out to her influencer connections, pitching them over coffee meetings. Her pitch was simple but effective. "I would say, ‘I feel like I can make you a lot of money. If I work with you, we don’t have to be exclusive. I’ll just pitch you to brands, and then you just take the collaboration. I’ll take a percentage.’"

It was simple and bold. And it worked. The trust she had built during her PR days paid off as the OG influencers in New York City said yes. "Then I proved that I was worthy of being their manager," Zink said proudly.

As the CEO of Zink Talent, her role has shifted from day-to-day agenting. While her agents are busy pitching to brands and securing partnerships, Zink is focused on expansion. "My employees now have salary plus commission on every deal that they work on, and they also have monthly bonuses that they can meet to make more money."

This approach to management is shaped by her own experiences in PR. "When I was in PR, I had a set salary. I could do so much work and be the very best, but it didn’t change my salary for the year." Now, she ensures her team is motivated by the potential for financial growth, inspired by her own motivation to succeed.

A Day in the Life of an Influencer Manager

Zink’s role as an influencer manager is about more than just brokering deals between brands and influencers. It’s about understanding the complex ecosystem in which these digital celebrities operate. She’s not just a connector; she’s a strategist, carefully curating partnerships that resonate with both the influencers and their audiences. She’s also selective about who she works with, preferring to represent true influencers who maintain authenticity—those who actually use and believe in the products they promote.

"As trends change every year, what we look for changes every year," Zink explained. Most recently, there’s been a shift from the perfectly curated Instagram influencer to the raw, relatable "non-influencer" influencer on TikTok.

Today, Zink sees influencers as more relatable, especially with the rise of TikTok. "It feels like you're talking to your best friend. It’s not overly curated or aesthetic." But one thing remains constant: to be an influencer, you need a following that trusts you enough to buy what you’re promoting. "You have to have a following where it makes sense for a brand to pay you or for you to post and tag items."

The era of highly polished, perfectly curated content is fading, making way for a more genuine, down-to-earth approach. It’s a shift that Zink not only welcomes but celebrates. And as the trends continue to change, she'll be there, smartphone in hand, ready to adapt, evolve, and lead the way.

A New Era of Influencers

This new breed of influencers, Zink explained, thrives on authenticity—those who seem like your best friend, sharing their favorite products and daily routines with a down-to-earth vibe. "Right now, it’s about being real, unfiltered, and consistently sharing a bit of everything—hair care, home, travel. It’s about high insights, not just follower count," she noted. In this space, it’s not enough to have 50,000 followers if your views don’t match up. "Brands want to see engagement, and if that’s not there, we can’t market you properly."

The conversation naturally led to TikTok, the platform of the moment. Zink didn’t mince words.

"TikTok is where most of our partnerships are happening right now, especially in hair care. It’s no longer just about beauty; it’s about hair. And honestly, I don’t know how it happened, but hair care has become the new beauty."

By late 2023, beauty felt overdone, with influencers repeating the same looks while telling predictable stories. Audiences craved something fresh, something more dynamic, and that’s where hair care came in.

Taming the Trends

But staying on top of these trends is no easy task. Zink admitted there’s no insider secrets, no hidden playbook for predicting the next big thing. "We just stay on social media—constantly. My team and I are always on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram. We see everything, and we’re always looking out for current campaigns. There’s no shortcut; it’s just old-fashioned research."

This hands-on approach is also how she ensures her clients only engage in partnerships that align with their brand and values. There’s a misconception, she said, that influencers are sellouts, willing to work with any brand that comes knocking. "My clients are very particular. If they don’t use or love a product, they won’t promote it. And if a brand is controversial, they walk away, no matter how big the paycheck is."

For those aspiring to break into the influencer world, she had blunt advice: Don’t quit your day job just yet. "TikTok is your best bet right now. Post consistently, don’t overthink it, and just be yourself. People resonate with influencers who feel like a friend, not a brand."

The conversation then took a more introspective turn as Zink shared about the behind-the-scenes pressures of influencer life. She acknowledged that while the glamorous side is often highlighted, the reality is much more complex. The dark side of social media is very real—the comparisons, the cyberbullying, and the mental health issues that many influencers face.

"Their jobs are high risk," she explained. "If they don’t get a collaboration, they don’t get paid. And with the constant pressure to maintain relevance and engagement, it’s not as easy as it looks."

And her advice to those feeling overwhelmed by the seemingly perfect lives they see online? "Remember, they’re just like you. They have bad days, they deal with struggles, and they’re not always living the dream."

Zink also reflected on the duality of social media. While it can create unrealistic expectations and foster envy, it also has the power to inspire, connect people in meaningful ways, and generate an impressive income.

As Told By Zink

Her latest passion project, her podcast As Told By Zink, is a space where she shares her insights into the world of influencers, entrepreneurship, and everything in between. It’s part business, part personal diary—a reflection of the multifaceted life she leads. "It’s kind of like a big sister podcast," she said, a fitting description for someone who’s spent her career guiding others through the complexities of the digital age.

"I started my business at 27, and I want to show that you don’t have to be a certain age to be successful. I don’t gatekeep anything—I share everything I know about influencers, social media, and being an entrepreneur."

As our conversation came to a close, there was a sense that Samantha Zink was just getting started. Her vision for the future of influencer culture is as clear as it is ambitious, and with her track record, it’s hard not to believe she’ll make it happen.

For now, though, she’s off to Australia—a brief pause before diving back into the whirlwind of the influencer world. Fittingly, the interview ended with a flurry of fireworks outside her window—a perfect metaphor for the determination Zink brings to everything she touches.