Meet Traci Luthy

We were lucky to catch up with Traci Luthy recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Traci, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

I try not to frame being the only one in the room as an absolute negative. It’s certainly not ideal and it needs to change, however in the meantime, I try to view it positively and use it to my advantage. Many clients gravitate toward working with me precisely because I stand out from the crowd. I’m a black female business owner, and people love and understand that I offer a unique perspective that can benefit them.

When I’m working on a casting and I receive character descriptions, I submit what they’re asking for, but I’m also not afraid to color outside the lines. I ask myself and my team, “Why does this role have to look like that? Who else is perfect for this?” I’ll submit a few more diverse types in case I can open someone’s mind to see the role in a different light. And that’s just the beginning, because everyone is finally talking about making actors and on-screen talent more diverse, and I’m totally here for that. But I also strongly believe, maybe even more so, in having more diverse talent behind the camera. We need more diverse agents, producers, writers, casting directors, studio executives, etc., and that’s where real change can happen.

I’ve loved the entertainment industry since childhood, and growing up I watched tons of movies and TV shows and visited New York to see Broadway shows. But almost no one on those screens or stages looked like me, and when they did, the perspective was very sterotypical and limited. So now, to be an agent and be part of the shift towards diversifying the industry, is my dream come true. Knowing that I’m making a difference gives me a reason to wake up and go to work every day. And my goal is to make the industry look like what I wished it had looked like when I was growing up.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I own Bonafide & Emerging Artists talent agency, so I’m an employment agent for actors. I help actors find and book work, and then negotiate their contracts to ensure they are protected and well compensated. That’s the simple explanation, however, the day-to-day is much more nuanced. I have a great eye for talent and a knack for matching the right talent with the right projects. I continuously meet and sign new talent, and work with them on all aspects of their careers including their marketing materials, training, strategy, networking, and much more. At my agency, we pride ourselves on being very communicative, hands-on, and collaborative with our talent and clients to form a true partnership. And since I own the company I also wear all the many hats of a small business owner.

My job is the perfect combination of what I love and what I’m good at. I was always good at math and science and had a strong business mind. Yet what I truly enjoy is art. For fun, I of course watch a lot of TV, movies, and theater, and I also follow fashion, photography, haute cuisine, architecture, and many other types of art. Being a talent agent allows me to merge these different parts of myself into a career that is fun and fulfilling.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Being passionate and resilient is key. These qualities can’t be taught or trained; you either have them or you don’t. If you absolutely love what you do and are willing to keep doing it no matter what happens, that’s a great start towards being successful. I know other industries have unique challenges, but I believe the entertainment industry can be especially hard. There’s a lot of competition, ego, and rejection, not to mention the recent challenges caused by Covid and the union strikes. Only the fact that I love what I do and continue to do it non-stop has allowed my agency to survive and thrive.

I also try to only represent actors who truly love performing, because I think it’s palpable, and I can see that love in all of their auditions and even sometimes in their emails. True passion can be felt everywhere, so I try to avoid talent who are chasing riches or fame. As their agent, it’s my job to worry about those things for them, so that they can simply do what they love and be great artistic performers.

My advice for other people in this industry especially (but in any industry really) is to find the joy in what you do. It can be a grind for sure, but I believe there is always joy to be found no matter what you’re doing, and I love working with people who have figured that out. I was recently at a coffee shop, and the barista was so kind and funny and overall lovely, that I left feeling much better than I had when I walked in, and I hadn’t even sipped my coffee yet. Those types of people can and will change the world, and that’s who I try to spend my time with and be surrounded by in my career and life.

We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?

As a business owner, I try to keep my eye on everything and know what’s happening, and I enjoy learning new things and keeping up-to-date on the latest practices and techniques. But beyond that, I don’t recommend trying to be a jack of all trades. I believe strongly in only working in one’s Zone of Genius; those few things that you’re great at, that no one else could do as well as you, and that you profoundly enjoy. That’s what we should all be doing. So I try to work in my zone of genius and surround myself with people working in their zones of genius that are different from mine and complimentary. What I’m not good at, I have staff who are amazing at, so I don’t waste my time doing tasks that I don’t like and/or make lots of mistakes doing. Hiring someone else who is great at those things and loves doing them, makes much more sense.

When I first started Bonafide & Emerging Artists, I was doing everything myself, which is expected. I was fine at it, but didn’t love it and the business wasn’t booming. Over time as I became more successful, I was able to hire a team, and now in addition to my amazing agents, I also have staff managing my website, social media, contracts, recruiting, bookkeeping, and more. It’s no surprise that the business began to thrive when this happened, as it truly takes teamwork to be the most successful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.beartists.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beartistsagency/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BEartistsagency/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@beartists_agency

Image Credits

IMG_0698 from left to right: Kiyonna Carr (talent), Luz Ozuna (talent), Traci Luthy (agent)
IMG_6281 from left to right: Lennell Jackson (agency staff), Elizabeth Ritacco (talent), Traci Luthy (agent)