Illustrators often wonder what it actually means to work with an agent and whether representation is the right path for their career. In this interactive session, Margo Tantau offers a candid, behind-the-scenes look at the artist-agent relationship. Drawing on years of experience as an art director, entrepreneur, and product developer, and now representing artists at Tantau Studio, she shares what agents actually do, how these partnerships function, and what supports an artist’s success.

An agent is just one part of the picture, not your whole career. This conversation goes beyond pitching and contracts to explore the deeper role a good agent can play through teaching, coaching, creative development, advocacy, and community. Expect real talk, honest insight, and practical takeaways to help you better understand representation and decide what’s right for you.

Art agent & podcast host Margo Tantau and children’s book illustrator Jennifer Potter talk about what it means to sustain a creative business in a more intuitive way. Whether it’s starting an art agency, pivoting from the corporate world to freelance, or taking up ceramics to combat kid lit burnout, when you let your excitement for something guide the way, you end up right where you’re supposed to be.