Most people dream of quitting their day job to build something bigger.
But few do it.
Aneesh Lal walked away from a stable six-figure sales job at Pinterest to create something that didn’t exist:
The first B2B creator agency on LinkedIn.
Today, The Wishly Group runs 120+ campaigns per month for brands like Adobe, Notion, and LinkedIn. They’ve generated over $3 million for their creators.
But Aneesh’s story isn’t just about growth metrics.
It’s about the “all-in” decisions that got him there. And the costly mistakes most people make when they try influencer marketing.
The new episode of Reed Between the Lines just dropped, and it’s packed with stories that’ll make you rethink how you approach risk.
Here's what caught my attention:
- The $50,000 webinar moment that changed everything — How a single text message during a live event led to Aneesh's biggest career pivot (and why I almost gave him a heart attack) [5:09]
- The $100-millionaire who wanted to be represented — What happened when Aneesh met the real-life inspiration for Jerry Maguire, and the intense 30-minute interview that followed [14:38]
- The "bait and switch" that kills campaigns — Why brands love creators' authentic style but then strip away everything that makes them effective (and the simple fix most marketers miss) [29:18]
- Why big engagement numbers don't guarantee deals — The two creators Aneesh couldn't sell to brands despite massive likes and follows (and the content mistake that made them unmarketable) [56:45]
- The three-month rule that changed the game — Why Aneesh refuses one-off campaigns and how this counterintuitive approach leads to 90% renewal rates [25:34]
- What separates $100K creators from everyone else — The mindset shift that turns influencers into "pseudo-consultants" (and why brands can't live without them) [53:25]
This isn’t just another “quit your job” success story.
It’s a masterclass in taking calculated risks and avoiding the landmines that destroy most influencer partnerships.
Watch on YouTube for the full experience (the production value is worth it).
Or queue it up on Spotify or Apple.
Whether you’re thinking about betting on yourself or trying to crack the influencer marketing code, this episode delivers.
Holler at you later,
Devin
Pen by Devin Reed
Founder, The Reeder
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