…These appearances range from autograph signings, hosting contests or promoting their shows or movies to the public. There are approximately twelve various types of locations ready to take advantage of these special appearances. Some are all age, entertainment establishments, such as, Casinos, Colleges, speaking engagements and nightclubs plus other creative places are also used to create the perfect platform, depending on the celebrity guest. All appearances and performances accompany a fee and all accommodations are provided.
Previously, Mike had hosted a celebrity segment on the local Washington, DC – CW TV Channel called, “Late Nite” with a Magazine-style format featuring, behind-the-scenes footage of celebrity guests when they are in the DC area along with area nightclub hot spots plus so much more to intrigue viewers and give upcoming spokesmodels a chance for added exposure. This is now available to view on I-Tunes video under “Late Nite”.
In addition to the TV projects in production, Mike acts as an project liaison for “Triple Platinum Entertainment”, a privately owned company based in Las Vegas. It’s founders who are widely recognized within the entertainment industry, feel that we can be successful in locating funding for major films in production along with A-List actors already attached for high yielding returns.
Mike Esterman seeks to bring the dazzle of Hollywood a little closer to many all over the world with offer requests coming in for client’s everyday!
Mike Esterman is the CEO of celebrity booking agency, Esterman.Com based in the Washington, DC area, which specializes in appearance placements of music artists, TV and film celebrities, and magazine models at clubs, on TV show shows, product endorsements, and other various events.
The entertainment industry bug first hit Mike at age 16 when he started as a dancer on Dick Clark’s “American Bandstand” by submitting a tape from local Maryland dance show named “Shakedown,” in which he won a local club dance contest in order to show off his moves to the TV viewers. More dancing on various shows followed: “Dance Party USA” in Philadelphia, “Shakedown” in Baltimore, Md., “The Grind” in Los Angeles with Nia Peoples as the host and “Party Machine.”
“I was a spotlight dancer for approximately 8 months on ‘Bandstand,’ 6 months on “Dance Party USA,” and the others maybe a few months,” Mike recalls. He then began assisting a local Washington, DC nightclub owner, by working in hospitality and as a VIP host for the Artists and celebrities they would book every week at the venue, developing contacts and establishing friendships with most of the Artists he came in contact. While still organizing promotions and bringing in new talent and revenue-generating concepts like record release parties, listening parties, after-concert parties, music video locations, etc., Mike started getting contacted by others who were interested in securing talent at their clubs and events throughout his home area of the DC Metro area. This prompted him to open Esterman.Com, a full service talent booking company, in 1998, which included booking after-concert parties and appearances in Washington, D.C. with Artists like Ginuwine, Black Eyed Peas, Vince Neil of Motley Crue, CC Deville of Poison, Bubba Sparxxx, Allen Iverson, Carmen Electra, Rob Base, Amerie, MYA, Tyson Beckford, Alicia Keyes, Usher, Nelly, Beyonce, Fabolous, P. Diddy, LL Cool J, Wyclef, Ashanti, Ja Rule, among others.
“Shortly after, I began receiving calls from promoters and club owners like Timmy Bennett, Masoud, Michael Brown and Howard Weiss in other cities to set up after-concert parties for artists performing in their cities all over the country where their tours would travel to,” Mike notes. “I also received overseas calls from club owners and promoters worldwide like Mike Larry and Audrey in London and Habtoor in Dubai.
“Then I was asked by Ginuwine, Amerie, Bubba Sparxxx, Black Eyed Peas, Chingy, Vince Neil and TV show notables like Mario Lopez, Jeremy Piven, Pussycat Dolls Kaya Jones, Dorian Gregory (“Charmed”), Gary Dourdan (“CSI Vegas”), The Gastineau Girls (“E TV”), Guiliana DePandi Rancic (“E TV News”) to book appearances, shows, or concert dates while in the same area, as it’s all about making them extra revenue where possible,” Mike adds. He also started booking appearances for Wedding Crasher movie actresses/models Camille Anderson, Ivana B., Naureen Zaim and Karen Miller, plus Deal or No Deal then TV show models Leyla Milani, Sonia Vera, April Scott, Aubrie Lemon and Claudia Jordan, as well as magazine models from Maxim, Playboy, FHM and Stuff. These appearances range from meet and greet, conventions, health clubs, radio stations, nightclubs, autograph signings, hosting contests or promoting their shows or movies to the public.
“There are always various types of locations ready to take advantage of these special appearances shown in the weekly newsletter highlighting what’s new on the roster or special deals allocated at that time.
I’m now in the process of expanding the scope of operations by venturing into new areas of branding and entertainment,” he notes. “I will be working with TV Networks to produce its own TV show “The Real Life Entourage” type of program to highlight the daily grind that goes on behind the scenes to make the end result possible and book any celebrity at any location worldwide. Mike also does radio “Celebrity Booking Gossip” segments called the “Ester-Minute” on various stations with insight on who is getting booked, where in the world and for what types of projects. Another area in development is to provide in-house marketing and endorsements for clients and some Management roles with select clients where needed.”
What makes a good agent? There are several aspects of the booking industry besides just securing talent. To be successful you must establish working relationships with artist management and keep contact with promoters and talent buyers. Another key to success is to have a business plan that allows your business to operate at its greatest capacity. I’ve never had a client not paid what they were supposed to be, and if there was ever an issue, it was always addressed and dealt with in an open and honest manner. This type of dedication and thoroughness is hard to find these days in this industry.
Why did you stop dancing? I was over 18-years-old and too old for the kids dance show requirements, so I started my own dance show in the D.C. area called “Dance Exlosion” for the local Channel 20, which at that time was featuring people live at local nightclubs who were 18 and over as my dancers on the show with guest appearances promoting their songs that were out at that time as a promotion outlet.
First concert attended: Joe Diffie and Marc Chestnut when I was working as an intern liaison for Sony Music in their Mid-Atlantic offices in Maryland near where I lived for a year in 1994.
First event worked: P. Diddy’s Washington, D.C. Howard University Homecoming weekend, block party at club called “VIP” in 2004. I was a VIP host for the club, taking care of the hospitality aspects for the artists and Diddy. I learned a lot that weekend about the aspects of booking and what artists needed. That’s what makes me a better agent today as I learn with each artist or client I work with.
First industry: job Dancing on American Bandstand while in high school, 1982-83.
Career disappointment: Very sad to see and hear about the dishonest middle agents and wanna be agents who one day wake up and think they’re real talent agents. They grab a contact number to someone they meet at an event. Then things go bad, and they can’t pay the talent what’s owed. Due to bad promotion or lack of experience, it gives the good guys a bad name who do good work. People have to just not listen to everything they hear and look deeper and find the legitimate agents. There is meaning in “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is not a real deal.”.
Greatest challenges: Keeping all talent travel and bookings organized as a one-man operation; always on the go with only 24-hours in a day to work with; and keeping my contacts updated.
Best business decision: To place profits back into marketing and growth decisions.
Best advice to offer: Always be honest with the deals at hand or they always come back to bite you in the ass. Keep a good name as I’ve strive to do all these years. The bigger you get or become, the harder they try to throw rocks at you.
Career highlight: Dancing on American Bandstand started this whole career off with a bang in what I wanted to do in entertainment.
Most memorable industry experiences: There are so many from being on the set of films, backstage at concerts or hanging with major names in the industry. It’s hard to just name one but working as an agent for product placement for Lady GaGa on the set of her music video shoot in Boston with Walae was a unique opportunity to be a part of. Another major step was being able to work with Bill Clinton with the DNC fund raising efforts and this also allowed me to work with Hillary Clinton with her ’08 campaign efforts. Now I look forward in assisting Hillary Clinton’s, Dec. 17th Beijing, China- US State Department’s, “WILL I AM and Friends” mission and concert.
Favorite restaurant: I look for Cheesecake Factory in any city. I love their choice of menu items and portions. Then top it off with Cold Stone Ice Cream Creamery with all their delicious choices of Ice Cream and Shakes.
Favorite hotel: Atlantis Resort in Nassau, Bahamas and the Habtoor Grand in Dubai.
What friends would be surprised to learn about you: how neat and clean I am and that I can be so organized when I have so much going on for just one guy on a daily basis. I also hardly sleep as I am a workaholic and known to be working almost around the clock.
Industry pet peeve: I don’t like when people make promises they can’t keep or others think they can wake up and think they’re an agent the next day without any knowledge or experience. They give us that have years of experience a bad name when it shows how they treat clients on paid projects.
Office paraphernalia: My salt water fish tank is always a crowd pleaser with my Tangs, Scooter Blennys, Clown fish and Dansels, which are relaxing after a pressure cooker of a day and having access to the TV with News related programs on keeps me in touch with the rest of the world while in office soo many hours.
Industry mentors: My father, who was a well respected man before he passed and instilled values to live by; My Mother, Sister and Uncle are still with me today who give me the solid ground to always fall back upon, Matt who works with me as my right hand man, Ken Feingold with Triple Platinum; Tim Collins, Gus Martinez and Danny Stroup who also have been supportive with advice to grow by and good friends in the end.
If I wasn’t doing this, I would be… …handling the family jewelry business named, Esterman Estate Jewelers at White Flint Mall in Rockville, Maryland that has been around now for approx. 45 years. My father had passed in ’97 and miss him each day! He would be proud to know that the honesty and integrity within our family values lives on!
Cell: 646-500-1125
Office: 929-386-9019
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