Abe Santos isn’t your typical talent guru. He spent more than a decade as a detective and investigator working with the Los Angeles Police Department, Department of Homeland Security and FBI. In 2018, he joined Google’s investigations and threat division, where his job included investigations into data leaks and monitoring external threats to employees and creators. Then he became YouTube’s global lead for partner engagement, working with some of its best-known creators. These included Jake Paul, the prankster who reinvented himself as a professional boxer, and Jeffree Star, the makeup artist accused of sexual assault.
One thing Santos noticed: Creators focused on the outdoors and extreme sports often did not have talent managers, he said. These ranged from creators specializing in hunting and fishing to those known for surfing and off-road motorcycle racing, known as motocross.
