See How They Work: Creatives agent Corwin Hiebert

Vancouver Sun 





Seats at the workshop are limited. Tickets are $45 and available at vancouversun.com/svaworkshop.

Corwin Hiebert is a management agent and marketing consultant to creative entrepreneurs (such as world-renowned photographer and best-selling author David duChemin and video director and serial collaborator David Vandas). He is the author of Living the Dream: Putting Your Creativity to Work [and Getting Paid].  

• What is your favourite film and why?

Life Is Beautiful (1997). I'm pretty much two generations removed from the tragedy of World War II but this powerful depiction of how a Jewish man embraces life, romance, and comedy amidst his role as the protector of his son in a Nazi death camp creates a moving experience for me. I have only seen it once—I'll never see it again, but watching this subtitled film turned a historical event into a human experience for me and I'll never forget it.

• Do you like to work collaboratively as a rule?

Collaboration is my modus operandi. Whether in my own business or my involvement in the businesses of others, it's the expression of creativity within the context of community that makes me feel alive. The most talented and successful creatives I know are serial collaborators.


I'm a bit of a food nerd. I love to cook, especially by myself. Hosting dinner events are a real thrill for me but when it comes to preparing a meal I need to do it solo. I love the flow of food prep, and finding ways to turn a dish into an experience. The culinary arts engages my creative spirit like no other outlet. I love painting and photographs too but most of what I make suck; my food doesn't suck.


I believe that for every inspired idea there are a thousand uninspired actions that are required to pull it off. The idea may be brilliant but a detailed, collaborative online project plan that keeps everyone accountable makes all the difference. After painting a clear visual, and emotional, end-game I dive right into breaking the effort down into as small work package that are manageable. When we accomplish tasks quickly it builds momentum and it takes away the need for the last-minute chaos that to often plague a creative project.

• Describe your team and the role you play in it.

My primary teammate is Eileen Rothe - project manager and chaos killer. My secondary team is a great crew of contractors that specialize in things like design, web development, social media, and copy editing. My role is to bring in business and lead the execution effort.

When it comes to my role a lot of people ask me with suspicion, "So, what is it that you do?" And my reply is basically this: I ensure that a creative person focuses on what they do best, and I take care of the rest. I help creatives make the right business decisions, capitalize on strategic relationships, increase revenue, and remove the stress and mystery associated with growing a successful venture.

Often the non-creative tasks are erroneously perceived as "just administrative", but when creativity and professionalism are injected into the management and marketing efforts of an artistic endeavour it will always be more attractive to buyers. Creative people are more inspired and productive when the "business stuff" is well-handled. If they can do that themselves, awesome, if not, then hiring someone that knows how to implement good ideas and maintain best practices will remove the barriers that can so easily keep a creative person from making a living doing what they love.

There are very few managers out there for creatives. Business coaches, agents, and reps have long-served creative talent but when it comes to providing advice and counsel and then the manpower to make it happen there hasn't been a lot of resources out there for visual/digital artists. Many emerging creatives who's businesses are growing tend to hire down, as in an assistant, but help at that level rarely produces new business opportunities or have the expertise required to build and maintain systems and processes that carry over from project to project, not to mention help with the operational decisions and tasks. A business manager looks at the big picture and runs the day-to-day at the same time, leaving the talent the time and space they need to be creative and productive.


Making notes. I fill journals like they're going out of style. I spend a lot of time in meetings with both my clients and my clients' buyers I'm listening intently and capturing action steps. Meetings rarely get work done but most often a meeting also produces misunderstandings so I spend a ton of energy making sure that our creative, time and money is being well spent.


Responding to emails. I hate email.


I couldn't survive without my laptop. My business is primarily done online (as I have clients all over the place) so without easy access to the Internet and the ability to organize people and tasks quickly I'd be dead in the water. In times past I think I would have been content to pick up the phone more or organize things on the wall (Post-it Notes) or a whiteboard but my virtual workspace makes everything so easy and fast that I'm addicted to it now. Though I still love the smell of dry erase markers.


I love to play outside. Hiking. Rock climbing. Even playing catch in the backyard. Fresh air intoxicates me and it keeps me feeling human.



