Clarity, Consistency and Chemistry: Sealing Your New Business Deal
French-German talent agent and producer Emy Dentler brings a sharp eye and serious heart to everything she touches. With a background in creative production, talent management, and live events, she’s spent years championing brilliant work and the people behind it, from her days at Curtis Brown and The Hunger, to now representing directors and photographers at Octopus Inc.
Based in London, Emy recently produced a US documentary on domestic violence, all while helping shape the capital’s spoken word scene as event producer for Spitnights. She’s also the founding agent of Mother Mayhem Management, a bold new platform backing the voices of spoken word poets.
Her experience spans brand campaigns, media strategy, publishing and live performance, but at the heart of it all is one mission: supporting talent and stories that deserve to be heard.
LBB> What was your first sale or new business win? Was it a big or small job? How difficult or scary was it? What do you remember about how you felt? What lessons did you learn?
Emy> I don’t think there was a single defining moment that felt like my ‘first sale’. I began as an assistant to agents, first for photographers, then for actors and what struck me early on was that so much of the selling doesn’t happen in the pitch itself. It’s what happens around it.
The events, the check-in calls, the ability to read the room or hold space for someone even when you’re not ‘selling’ anything at all.
It’s a people business, and people want to know that they matter. They want to be seen and heard, not targeted. That’s the art of selling, it’s emotional intelligence over hard selling, and empathy over ego. That’s something I’ve carried with me throughout every pitch since.
LBB> What was the best piece of advice you got early on?
Emy> “Have the courage to be wrong.” That’s still the best advice I’ve ever received.
I’m part of a generation raised alongside the rise of social media and a culture of constant external validation. That, coupled with the illusion of instant expertise that Google gives us, can make us deeply uncomfortable with uncertainty or being wrong.
But embracing the possibility of being wrong, publicly, is liberating. It invites curiosity, and curiosity is where all creativity begins. This industry thrives on innovation, and innovation only happens when we give ourselves permission to not have all the answers.
LBB> And the worst?
Emy> Where do I start? The worst advice is usually delivered with the best intentions. I’ve been told to “tone it down,” to “be less in your face,” or to “adapt more” – all of which essentially translated means ‘shrink yourself’.
That advice didn’t just ignore who I am, it also missed the point of what makes you polarising is often what makes you powerful. What some see as too much is actually my greatest asset: passion, clarity, and the ability to be direct. It took time, but I’ve learned to separate well-meaning advice from advice that asks you to be less of yourself.
LBB> How has the business of ‘selling’ in the creative industry changed since you started?
Emy> I entered the industry just after the pandemic – a time when everything had already shifted. But the truth is, this industry is always changing. What worked five years ago rarely works now, and what works now might not make sense next year.
Selling today isn’t about selling ‘at’ people, it’s about building trust. Clients want transparency, integrity, and actual value. No one wants to be dazzled by smoke and mirrors anymore. They want to feel like they’re part of a partnership. That shift – from transactional to relational – has been profound.
LBB> Can anyone be taught to sell or do new business, or do you think it suits a certain kind of personality?
Emy> That’s a great question – and my answer has evolved.
I used to think a great salesperson was someone magnetic, someone who could charm a room. But I’ve come to realise that real selling isn’t about how well you speak; it’s about how well you listen. It’s about understanding people and spotting what they need and how you can help them.
The ability to sell isn’t exclusive to extroverts or natural performers. It’s a skill rooted in empathy and observation. So yes – it can be taught. But more than that, it can be learned by anyone who cares enough to genuinely understand the person sitting across from them.
LBB> What are your thoughts about the pitching process the industry runs on?
Emy> Pitching, as it stands, is deeply flawed. We ask businesses to pour hours, sometimes weeks, of unpaid labour into ideas that may never see the light of day. It’s not just inefficient; it’s unsustainable.
Should businesses be paid to pitch? Absolutely. At the very least, there should be compensation structures in place when creative work is involved.
That said, I don’t think pitching itself needs to be scrapped. But it does need to evolve. We need to move toward more collaborative, conversational pitch models – less beauty parade, more meaningful dialogue. That’s how you protect creative integrity without giving the farm away.
LBB> How do you tailor your selling approach depending on who you’re speaking to?
Emy> I start by observing. People tell you a lot before you even speak – how they communicate, what they value, what excites them or turns them off. I adjust accordingly.
Some clients respond to big, bold ideas. Others want to see a tight strategy backed by data. Some want storytelling, some want numbers. The key is not to change who you are, but to speak in a language that they understand.
LBB> New business and sales can often mean hearing ‘no’ a lot and quite a bit of rejection – how do you stay motivated?
Emy> Honestly? I don’t take it personally.
As an ex-theatre kid, rejection was part of the daily routine. You audition, you don’t get the part, and then you move on to the next. You learn early on that a ‘no’ isn’t a reflection of your worth, it’s often just timing, budget, taste, or internal politics.
I try to see rejection as redirection. It helps to zoom out and remember: you’re building something over years, not days. A ‘no’ today might be a ‘yes’ six months from now.
LBB> The advertising and marketing industry often blurs the line between personal and professional friendships… Does this make selling easier or more difficult and delicate?
Emy> It can definitely be a tightrope, but for me, the blurred lines have become a strength.
As a neurodivergent woman, subtle social cues never came naturally to me. For a long time, I saw that as a disadvantage. But over time, I realised that my directness and inability to play social games made my relationships more authentic. People always knew where they stood with me.
So, while navigating personal-professional relationships can be delicate, I’ve learned that there’s no one right way to do it. The key is trust and that can be built in many different ways.
LBB> In your view, what’s the key to closing a deal?
Emy> Clarity, consistency, and chemistry.
Clarity in what you’re offering, consistency in how you show up, and chemistry with the client or partner. People don’t just buy ideas they buy into people. If you can make someone feel understood and excited about what’s possible, that’s half the battle.
LBB> How important is cultural understanding when it comes to selling internationally? And if you have particular experience on this front, what advice do you have?
Emy> It’s crucial. What feels confident in one culture can come off as aggressive in another. What’s considered efficient in one market might seem cold or rushed in another. Selling internationally is never just about language – it’s about values, nuance, and context.
I was raised in a bi-cultural household, French and German, which gave me an early understanding of how deeply culture shapes communication. Even within Europe, those two cultures approach collaboration, hierarchy, and creativity very differently. That contrast taught me to listen more carefully, to pay attention to tone, and to never assume my way is the default.
If you want to succeed across cultures, you have to approach every interaction with humility and curiosity. Ask questions. Learn the etiquette. Understand how decisions are made. And, most importantly, be willing to adapt, not in-authentically, but respectfully. That’s how you build trust, and trust is what closes deals.
LBB> How is technology and new platforms (Salesforce, Hubspot, Zoom, social media, etc.) changing sales and new business?
Emy> Technology has made the process both more efficient and more human – paradoxically.
Platforms like Salesforce give us clarity on workflows, client journeys, and performance. Video calls have opened up global opportunities without the cost of travel. Social media has created a direct line between brands and audiences.
But with that access comes noise. So while technology has streamlined how we sell, it’s also raised the bar for what we say. Your messaging needs to cut through more than ever before.
LBB> There’s a lot of training for other parts of the industry – what are your thoughts on training and skills development when it comes to selling and new business?
Emy> Sales is one of the least-trained disciplines in the creative world—and it shows.
We treat new business like something people just figure out. But it’s a skill set: relationship building, negotiation, storytelling, data interpretation. These are things you can teach, refine, and grow with structured support.
We need more mentorship, more cross-discipline learning, and more real-world sales coaching, especially for creative professionals who don’t come from a commercial background.
LBB> What’s your advice for anyone who hasn’t come up as a salesperson but is now expected to sell or win new business as part of their role?
Emy> Start with what you’re already good at. If you’re a strategist, lean into your ability to uncover insights. If you’re a creative, use your storytelling skills. Selling doesn’t mean becoming someone else—it means translating your existing strengths into a value proposition someone else can understand.
Also: don’t be afraid to be honest. You don’t need a slick persona. You need to care, to be curious, and to connect.
For enquiries or to explore collaborations with Octopus Inc, reach out to emy@octopus.inc
