While a career as a social media influencer is relatively new compared to many other industries, it still shares many of the fundamentals of other businesses. That’s why the American Influencer Council decided it was important for its members to get advice from some of the best in the business. AIC recently announced its new Career Creator Club, which pairs Fortune 500 execs with a group of influencers.

“Creators are America’s small business owners,” said AIC Founder Qianna Smith Bruneteau. “You have a lot of millennial and Gen Z young women who are just in the beginning of their careers. It’s important for creators to understand business ethics and professionalism.”

Bruneteau said mentorship was important in her own life and thinks the program will be valuable to the influencers.

“I started my career off as a blogger and moved into corporate,” she said. “Some of the foundational skills that I obtained were from senior executives, so having an opportunity to connect with a C-suite level, senior vice president level type of professional is going to enhance you as a professional. I wanted to do something that gave creators a chance to connect with Fortune 500 executives and expand their networks.”

AIC solicited volunteers from the business sector willing to work with influencers and give advice. The Career Creator Club is starting off small, pairing six influencers with the mentor executives. As the organization has a strong commitment to diversity equity and inclusion, and in light of increased violence toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders this year, the first cohort of the club includes AAPI mentors paired with AAPI mentees.

“It’s incredible to have an opportunity to share culture and identity—to see and listen and interact with people who look like you,” Bruneteau said. “As a Black woman in digital marketing, there is often no one who looks like me, so I know how important it is to have community.”

The mentorship will be virtual and last around six months. The goal is to give the influencers some in-depth advice and relationship building. Mentoring will include group and one-on-one activities, along with tailored advice about how to stand out in a crowded market.

“We wanted to do something that was focused,” Bruneteau said. “It’s a smaller group and something that is really manageable.”

Bruneteau said the organization will open the club to new participants in the fall.

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