Ubooker transforms model payments in the talent industry with Aria

Challenge

In the creative industry, waiting for payment isn’t an option.

Models and creatives live invoice to invoice. When a project wraps, their bills don’t wait 90 days – why should their paychecks?

Yet across the talent industry, lengthy payment cycles remain standard practice. Brands and agencies typically take 30, 60, sometimes even 90+ days to process payments. For models juggling rent, portfolios, and travel between gigs, this creates a precarious financial balancing act.

Ubooker wanted to fix this. They believed in fair, prompt payments for their models. But there was a catch: brands still needed their usual payment terms. The growing gap between model expectations and client realities was creating cash flow headaches and threatening Ubooker’s growth.

Without a solution, they faced an impossible choice: delay payments to models and strain those relationships, or drain their own resources to bridge the gap. Neither option would build a sustainable business.

The Aria Solution

Creative success? Meet rapid payments.

Traditional financing doesn’t get the talent world. Ubooker needed something different.

Aria’s solution clicked immediately. Unlike old-school factoring that favors big players with large invoices, Aria’s API-based approach works for everyone.

The magic happens behind the scenes. Ubooker integrated Aria’s API directly into their booking platform, creating a seamless experience for everyone involved. Models request payment with a click. Brands keep their usual payment terms. Ubooker maintains healthy cash flow.

This democratization of fast payments meant individual models finally got the same speed advantages previously reserved for those with agency backing or industry connections. The path to getting paid just got a lot shorter.

Outcomes

When models get paid faster, everyone benefits.

The numbers tell the story. Days, not months. Clicks, not paperwork. 

With Aria powering their payment process, Ubooker transformed the experience for everyone on their platform:

• Models love the speed. They now receive payment within 7 days of completing a job, not weeks or months later. Cash flow stability makes a real difference in their lives and careers. Happy models stick around, refer friends, and take more bookings.
• Brands appreciate the flexibility. They maintain their standard payment cycles while supporting fair compensation practices. This harmony has opened doors to larger clients who want both responsible practices and practical accounting.
• Ubooker’s team breathes easier. Support tickets about payment delays? Practically vanished. The team now focuses on platform improvements and growth initiatives instead of putting out payment fires.

The business is ready for expansion. Without financial bottlenecks holding them back, booking volume has climbed steadily 25% year on year. New markets await.

The partnership with Aria has allowed Ubooker to continue disrupting traditional practices in the fashion and creative industry while building a more equitable ecosystem for all participants.

Looking ahead

The future of talent payments is taking center stage.

Ubooker isn’t stopping here. They’re expanding their vision.

Their new initiative, “Change,” extends these payment innovations beyond their own platform. Traditional model agencies and management companies can now access the same workflows and financial tools that made Ubooker successful via their new platform Change. Aria’s invoice financing capabilities sit at the center of this transformation, promising to speed up payments throughout the creative ecosystem.

It’s a bold move to reshape industry standards. Models everywhere stand to benefit from faster, more reliable compensation. And it all starts with a simple API integration.