Obama, Messi, Cardi B... Les missions impossibles d'une Agent de Stars - Clarisse Castan

Claris Castan is the founder of Ginger, a highly confidential agency specializing in celebrity management and brand communication. In this deep dive into her career, she reveals the transition from working in the shadows of a major corporation to becoming a public figure through her Netflix series. For Castan, the move into the spotlight was never about fame; it was an opportunity to provide a role model for a younger generation that often struggles to find clear career paths. Having built her network from scratch without growing up in Paris or having initial connections, she uses her platform to showcase the reality of entrepreneurship—the sacrifices, the hard work, and the complexities of the celebrity world. The world of celebrities is often perceived as glamorous, but Castan describes it as a double-edged sword. It is an environment where people are frequently driven by self-interest, leading to a profound sense of solitude and potential betrayal for the stars. Her agency focuses heavily on the "post-career" phase for athletes. She notes that after fifteen years of intense structure and daily team interaction, retiring can lead to a devastating loss of identity. Ginger helps these individuals maintain their discipline and create business projects that provide both financial stability and personal fulfillment. Castan emphasizes that success is fragile; a star can fall as quickly as they rise, making a solid inner circle and mental grounding essential for survival. Castan’s own resilience is rooted in a series of personal trials. Growing up in the countryside of Aveyron, her family faced significant hardships, including her sister’s battle with a rare disease, her mother’s cancer, and her father’s miraculous recovery from a terminal diagnosis. These experiences shaped her perspective on life and health, fueling a work ethic that many would find extreme. She admits to being a "control freak" who sleeps only four to five hours a night and finds silence or calm anxiety-inducing. For her, work is not a chore but a "fuel." She acknowledges the risk of burnout but feels protected by her deep gratitude for her life and her ability to choose the people she works with. In business, Castan is a solo founder by choice. She observes that most business partnerships statistically end in conflict, much like a divorce. To protect her vision and her peace of mind, she prefers to carry the weight of her decisions alone rather than risk a misaligned partnership. Her agency, Ginger, has reached a point where it no longer needs to prospect for clients; both brands and celebrities seek them out. When recruiting, she prioritizes "savoir-être" (soft skills and attitude) over "savoir-faire" (technical expertise). She looks for "hungry" young talent who are highly available, noting that in the celebrity world, a lack of responsiveness during a weekend emergency is a major red flag. The art of connecting with high-profile individuals is another of Castan’s core strengths. She treats global icons as normal people, a trait she attributes to her upbringing where her family was never "fans" of anyone. She follows strict unspoken rules: never ask for a selfie, never ask for a favor for yourself, and always be the person who provides solutions. She recounts high-pressure "mission impossible" moments, such as when Lionel Messi arrived in Paris. While on vacation in the south of France, she had to coordinate a high-security dinner for twenty people at a fully booked restaurant overlooking the Eiffel Tower with only twenty minutes' notice. Her ability to navigate these logistical nightmares has cemented her reputation for excellence. Despite her success, Castan has faced the "imposter syndrome." Recognition like being named in the Forbes "30 Under 30" list provided her with much-needed psychological validation. Her journey was not easy; when she first arrived in Paris, she sent out 150 CVs and worked multiple jobs simultaneously, including shifts at a call center, doing supermarket inventories at night, and waitressing on weekends. This "all-in" mentality is what she believes distinguishes successful entrepreneurs. She draws inspiration from female leaders like Christine Lagarde and podcasts that highlight powerful women, noting that she lacked female role models early in her career. Looking toward the future, Castan’s vision for Ginger is to expand internationally, specifically into the U.S. and the Middle East. However, she is strategic about scaling. She wants to structure the agency so that its value is not entirely dependent on her personal brand. By growing the "Brand" side of the business—which handles corporate communication and content production for clients like BNP Paribas and Louis Vuitton—she aims to build a global firm that can operate independently of her daily involvement. Her ultimate dream is to establish a foundation, using her influence to support the charitable causes she has championed for years. To the next generation of entrepreneurs, Castan’s advice is simple: believe in your dreams and work harder than everyone else. She is living proof that even without a predetermined path or an existing network, immense discipline and a focus on human connection can lead to extraordinary heights. She encourages young women to seek out mentors, ask for advice, and never stop pushing, even when others say it is impossible. For Claris Castan, the last two years are just the beginning of a much larger journey to transform the world of communication and celebrity management.