Sharron Elkabas is the Managing Director of MN2S, a global talent agency connecting brands and businesses globally. MN2S’s network of connections allows them to stage memorable events, share remarkable music, tell significant stories and reach new audiences.
“We started out as a DJ agency focusing on club nights and events in electronic music,” says Elkabas, recalling how MN2S first began in 1995.
MN2S, which was originally a DJ agency during the years when house music was coming from America to the UK, has now expanded to become one of the world’s leading talent agencies, and Elkabas says one quality in particular is responsible.
“Drive.”
“It’s the single most important factor to success,” says Elkabas, who is not one to stay idle, and has been a driving force in the growth of MN2S for nearly three decades.
“It’s all about hard work and determination.”
Elkabas says working hard isn’t difficult if you are passionate about your work. After 28 years in talent management, Elkabas still has inspiration and meaning to draw from, and for that, he says he’s fortunate.
In the early years of MN2S, the company began its expansion into new areas of business. It was always a priority to innovate and explore new territory before competitors had the chance, and MN2S did that from the beginning.
“Later we shifted our focus towards live acts and expanded our roster to include bands and solo artists in a variety of genres from pop to R&B, soul and hip-hop. This was followed by our move into the talent industry working with talented names from the worlds of television, film and sport.”
Soon after that, MN2S progressed from booking appearances and speaking engagements to partnering talent with brands.
“This was a hugely popular moment and helped MN2S become the international agency it is today,” says Elkabas.
The growth of MN2S has had its fair share of ups and downs, however Elkabas has helped the now global talent agency weather the storms and pull ahead.
One defining moment that revealed the grit and determination of MN2S was the pandemic. This of course, had big implications on the talent world. From live performances, to in-person appearances, and venues, everything was affected.
Nevertheless, Sharron Elkabas was determined to ensure MN2S would not only continue operating, but expand and continue to grow.
“As far as major events go, the pandemic presented one of the biggest challenges we’ve ever had to face as a business. We were forced to move very swiftly to adapt our business model and streamline the agency in the face of the obstacles presented to us,” says Elkabas.
Elkabas says he’s proud that MN2S was able to continue growing in face of the obstacles. He says that one of the most exciting experiences for him has been working with gaming companies, especially over the last few years.
“A particular highlight has been working with World of Tanks, which is one of the largest online games with over 100 million users.”
MN2S partnered Arnold Schwarzenegger with World of Tanks to appear in-game as part of a two-year deal. Prior to that, MN2S partnered Chuck Norris and Vinnie Jones.
Elkabas says it’s a pleasure working with their teams and seeing how the deals unfold, as well as how the talent is incorporated into the game.
“Working with Arnold was particularly fantastic,” says Elkabas, recalling when he visited the World of Tanks shoot in LA with his son.
“I’ve always heard he was a consummate professional and he lived up to that reputation,” says Elkabas.
“He was the nicest guy and spending a couple days with him on shoot was a real experience for me as well as a great learning curve.”
MN2S continues to work with World of Tanks on future campaigns and they have exciting news that they will unveil in the upcoming years.
Speaking on the success and resilience of MN2S in recent years, Elkabas has wisdom to share: “I think in any business, and particularly in the talent business, diversification is hugely important. You’ve got to remain agile and identify the right opportunities when they arise. As an entrepreneur, taking on new challenges and directions has always been something that excites me and the commercial possibilities in the world of talent is endless.”
Elkabas points out that MN2S has always tried to stay ahead of the curve by innovating and being bold in the face of adversity.
“We’ve consistently adopted new technology earlier than most other agencies in our space,” says Elkabas.
“We’ve moved into digital distribution earlier than our competitors and invested in digital when other agencies were still relying on a more conventional way of working.”
The world of talent is constantly evolving, and this is a fact that Elkabas is all too familiar with.
He says the last 28 years have been an incredible journey and he has no plans of slowing down any time soon.
MN2S serves mainly brands and creative industries and the deals that come from those partnerships are always interesting.
“It’s very fulfilling to see the whole process unfold from identifying the right talent, securing the talent, developing the campaign and then seeing it in the public domain. It’s one of the most rewarding parts of the job.”
Elkabas says he takes each day as it comes and focuses on marginal gains to continue growing MN2S worldwide. He says taking small steps every day to reach their objectives is far easier than taking huge ones. Moving the needle forward each day has kept MN2S in the market for nearly three decades, and it’s the strategy Elkabas plans to continue employing.
“It’s a more sustainable process that allows us to navigate the bumps and hurdles when they arise,” says Elkabas.
Beyond Elkabas’ commitment to growth is his belief in the MN2S culture and ethos.
“Being approachable, helpful, fast and direct in our relationships with our clients,” says Elkabas.
“They really appreciate these values and it’s always rewarding when we receive feedback that confirms that.”
MN2S continues to work closely with brands on campaigns, activations, partnerships, influencer marketing and ambassadorial roles, and according to Elkabas, it is going to remain at the core of what MN2S does in the coming years.
“The power of celebrity is stronger than ever, and working with talent is an incredibly effective way for brands to get attention in a very crowded and increasingly competitive marketplace.”
