We had the good fortune of connecting with Taylor DeThomas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Taylor, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Work life balance was something I had to learn pretty early on in my career as a talent agent. In the age of technology where we can literally bring our work with us in the palm of our hands, it can be difficult to know when it’s OK to “turn it off.” When I first started out as an assistant to the owner of a company, I was new to the work force and trying to impress so I would wake up and check emails, then spend my whole work day checking emails, and then even check them numerous times after hours and up until I went to sleep. Clients began to realize and expect a reply from me at all hours of the night. My mentor, and colleague at the time, Keela Starr, taught me that life is all about balance. She explained that balance in all areas of life was the key to success and that if I didn’t learn how to balance I would burn out really quickly in the entertainment industry. This really resonated with me as I had seen it happen so some of my other co-workers. The long and demanding hours of a talent agent can be really draining if you don’t keep yourself in check by ensuring that you don’t let work consume all of your life. This is hard to remember when you are fresh out of college and you want to move up in the work-force. I learned that balance does not equal laziness. You HAVE to carve out time and space for yourself to do non-work related things that bring you joy and help you recharge. This will help you be more productive and more focused at your job when you are there because you are taking care of your mental and physical health and maintaining balance. I slowly began implementing measures that I thought would help with work-life balance. Instead of waking up to emails, I would wake up and drink my coffee and get ready for work without letting the stress of my inbox consume me. I was sure to be focused while at work and would find ways to keep busy all day – even would offer help to other departments if necessary. Then when I would leave the office I would head to the gym, go for a walk with my dog or dinner with a friend and I would try my best to not check emails as frequently and if it was after 8 or 9pm I would try to not reply at all unless urgent. As an agent there are some unavoidable cases where someone needs me after hours whether its an actor on set needing help or a casting office with an urgent request for something due in the morning, so it’s impossible for me completely go off the grid during non-business hours but I learned that some matters are urgent and some are not and the ones that aren’t can wait until the next business day. Buy doing this, I trained the people reaching out to me to not expect replies at all hours of the night and slowly they began to just email me during business hours where they would be sure to get a quick response. As I transitioned into new roles and accepted my current job as the Head of Commercials for the Alexander White Agency, I had to remember the importance of balance as it is easy to forget as I gained more and more responsibility. Part of what makes me able to keep my life in balance is having a supportive boss who understands that balance is essential to success. My goal is to be the best agent that I can be and if I didn’t organize my life in such a way that allows for work AND personal time then I would not be able to be the best. I may be able to show up and do a relatively good job, but I won’t be able to grow and propel the department and the company forward if I don’t have the energy to put into that. Work-life balance is the key to me being my best self. Taking care of my mental, physical, and emotional needs allows me to have the energy, excitement, and mental fortitude to tackle my work day and to make it through the tough days.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a talent agent at The Alexander White Agency. I am the Head of the Commercial Division as well as a TV/Film agent. I am pretty young compared to other agents in town and I work for a boss who is also relatively young so we have a freshness and an eagerness about us that I think sets us apart from other agencies. We aren’t afraid to take risks and like to represent artists who feel the same. I arrived in the position I am now by working as a junior agent for a few years post college (2014-2017) and realizing that there was no upward mobility for me where I was. I knew I was capable of doing more and Alex saw that in me too thankfully. I’ve been working for him going on 3 years this past April. I am very thankful to be a part of the AWA team. I won’t say it was an easy journey – mainly because I was going through a tremendous amount of change and stress in my personal life starting around Summer 2015 so I had to learn how to compartmentalize a little bit and stay focused on my career while also trying to navigate really strange and new territory personally. I had so many good friends and mentors along the way that helped me stay on track and keep the balance I needed in order to push thorough and keep learning and growing as an agent and as a woman. I learned to trust and rely on the people in my life who were showing up for me and I accepted help from them when necessary instead of trying to shoulder all the different facets of growing into myself on my own. The main thing I want people to know is that I love what I do and I have tremendous respect for all the people who helped me get here. I’m living the life I want by working with people who are fun, exciting, bold and interesting (staff at AWA as well as actors we represent) and I try and keep my life in balance by keeping real and honest relationships with people who are important to me.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Assuming this is pre or post COVID-19- I always first judge a city by how good it’s food is, so I would definitely be taking her on a food tour of some of my favorite ATL spots. Some highlights for me include the filet Oscar at Marcel, oyster happy hour at The Optimist, 1/2 off Wine Wednesday and the papalina pasta at Forza Storico, pho at I Luv Pho, breakfast tacos at Muchacho, Korean BBQ at Char, and sushi at MF. My favorite cocktail in the city is at The Den (the basement of Beetlecat) – it’s called the Royal Hawaiian. Some other stand out places for cocktails before or after dinner would be Little Spirit, The James Room, The Consulate, Ticonderoga Club, and the Four Seasons Bar Margo. I would also make sure we went for a walk along the Beltline and got facials at Aviary. The rooftop of Ponce City Market, Painted Pin or Painted Duck, and Fam-Fam Karaoke, or an improv show at Village Theater are all my go-tos for entertainment.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Keela Starr has been a wonderful friend and mentor in my career and in my personal life. She has helped me grow into the person I am today through her patience, guidance, and love and I feel really proud of where I am right now. My boss, Alex White, has also been a great help in growing me to the next level of my career. He believes in me and trusts me to do a good job and I learn something new from him almost every day. My best friends Maryann and Justin have been instrumental in helping me take care of my mental and emotional health – they are great sounding boards and offer me good and rational advice on all aspects of my life. My cousins are hugely important to me, they are my biggest fans and closest allies. Lastly, my boyfriend and co-parent to Lucille (our dog), Josh – he’s the backbone and strongest support for me during good and bad times. He makes my life easier and happier and always encourages me to press on and have a positive outlook even when things are hard. I am so thankful for all of these people – without whom I would not be where I am today.

Website: http://alexanderwhiteagency.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_tbrooke/
Other: My dog also has an Instagram! She’s a sweet little mini Australian shepherd names Lucille! Give her a follow! https://www.instagram.com/lucyintheawithdiamonds/