Five specific signals tell you a streamer is ready to sign. The more of these that are true, the more leverage the streamer has in the negotiation.

1. Brand-deal inbound has started in SFW. Three or more inbound brand pitches per month means the agency will close those at higher rates and better terms than the streamer can solo. The volume is also evidence that the streamer's audience is brand-attractive.
2. Monthly revenue passes $3,000 for SFW. Below this threshold, the streamer is better off building audience first. Above it, professionalization pays for itself.  This is the most reliable single threshold in the industry. FOR NSFW: You are committed to streaming and learning and know an approximate, consistent schedule you can stick too. No NSFW streamer should be making less than $2000 a month - period. A good beginner target after the first 30 days is $3-4k a month, then by month 3 you should be clearing $5-6k a month. It only grows from there with consistency and the right team and platforms.
3. Merch demand is organic. If viewers are asking for merch in chat and DMs, the demand is real and the bottleneck is operations. Agency merch production removes that bottleneck.
4. Burnout is setting in. A streamer who cannot respond to DMs, review contracts, plan content, or take days off without panicking is leaking money and approaching career end. Agency relief is most valuable here. Burnout is possible and probable at any stage; the entertainment industry is glamorous but exhausting on your own, so choose a team to alleviate stress.
5. International audience grows. Multi-currency payment processing, cross-border tax obligations, international royalty handling, and time-zone-aware scheduling are agency territory. A growing international audience without agency support is a tax and operational mess waiting to happen.

If three or more of these are true for you right now, you are at the natural agency signing window. If you are NSFW and find 2. to be accurate, find your team for a strong start or to break into new territory both monetarily and to grow your audience.