Prime 16 CEOs of Influencer Advertising Companies in Los Angeles

He walked right into a struggling mom-and-pop taco joint, ordered quietly, and took a chunk. Moments later, with nothing however an iPhone and his signature soft-spoken supply, he modified the restaurant’s destiny without end. In early 2024, Keith Lee, the unassuming but influential TikTok meals critic, turned Los Angeles’ eating scene the other way up. His trustworthy, no-frills critiques catapulted small, ignored eateries into in a single day sensations—typically tripling their enterprise in days. One video, one response, and immediately, traces wrapped across the block.

What adopted wasn’t simply viral content material; it was a masterclass in fashionable influencer advertising. Manufacturers, companies, and CEOs throughout LA took notes. Lee had cracked the code—authenticity over polish, belief over promoting. Immediately, influencer advertising companies are racing to duplicate his magic, mixing storytelling with technique to redefine model success. And behind each profitable marketing campaign within the metropolis of stars, there’s a pacesetter pulling the strings.

Welcome to the facility gamers of LA’s influencer advertising {industry}—listed here are the Prime 16 CEOs of LA influencer advertising companies.

1. Jess Flack

Jess Flack isn’t simply maintaining with the influencer advertising recreation—she’s rewriting the foundations. Because the CEO and co-founder of Ubiquitous, she’s turned a once-scattered {industry} right into a data-driven powerhouse, serving to manufacturers like Disney, Goal, and Amazon crack the code of viral success.

Earlier than launching Ubiquitous in 2020, Jess led efficiency advertising at Bellhop, the place she didn’t simply transfer numbers—she moved whole progress methods, scaling advert spend whereas optimizing returns. That analytical mindset, paired with a deep understanding of influencer advertising’s wild panorama, set the muse for what Ubiquitous has turn out to be at present: a go-to company for manufacturers seeking to dominate TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

Below Jess’s management, Ubiquitous has onboarded 300+ companies, collaborated with 4,000+ influencers, and managed tens of tens of millions in advert spend. However it’s not simply in regards to the numbers—it’s about making influencer advertising seamless, measurable, and really efficient. From end-to-end marketing campaign administration to a proprietary platform designed to streamline partnerships, Ubiquitous is altering the sport one viral second at a time.

Past the boardroom, Jess is a cinephile, foodie, musician, and proud canine mother—however let’s be trustworthy, lately, operating Ubiquitous is likely to be essentially the most thrilling story she’s ever been part of.

2. Alex Elsea

Few folks can say they helped introduce TikTok influencer advertising to the U.S., however Alex Elsea isn’t simply anybody. Because the CEO and founding father of MOMENTiQ, he’s pioneering a brand new period of TikTok Store dominance, proving that social commerce isn’t the long run—it’s already right here.

Earlier than launching MOMENTiQ in 2023, Alex co-founded Ubiquitous, the primary mass-market U.S. company targeted on TikTok influencer advertising. His work didn’t simply put manufacturers in entrance of tens of millions—it reshaped how companies strategy creator-driven campaigns. Now, with MOMENTiQ, he’s taking issues a step additional, main the cost in reside promoting and TikTok Store marketing campaigns.

Below his management, MOMENTiQ has been named TikTok’s #1 Store Adverts Company within the Advert Inventors class and has delivered jaw-dropping outcomes—like producing $100M+ in annual income for store manufacturers, hitting 30M+ U.S. impressions per reside occasion, and breaking information for reside promoting income.

Past income and rankings, Alex is redefining company tradition. Each full-time workforce member at MOMENTiQ holds fairness, making certain the corporate’s success is actually a shared mission. His management isn’t nearly progress—it’s about innovation, collaboration, and constructing one thing that lasts.

3. Jason Pampell

Lengthy earlier than influencer advertising grew to become the go-to technique for manufacturers, Jason Pampell was already pioneering the area. Because the founder and CEO of HireInfluence, he launched the company in 2011, making it one of many longest-standing influencer advertising companies within the {industry}. Over a decade later, his progressive, full-service strategy continues to set the gold commonplace.

Below Jason’s management, HireInfluence has labored with Fortune 500 manufacturers, delivering tailor-made, high-impact influencer campaigns. The company’s dedication to excellence hasn’t gone unnoticed—Advert World Masters named it the 2022 Advertising Company of the 12 months, solidifying its repute as a prime participant.

However HireInfluence isn’t simply one other influencer company—it’s a 360-degree advertising powerhouse. With in-house marketing campaign structuring, artistic expertise sourcing, paid media administration, and experiential model activations, Jason has constructed a agency that delivers each technique and execution on the highest degree. No outsourcing, no shortcuts—simply outcomes.

Past operating a powerhouse company, Jason can also be a thought chief within the {industry}. As a Featured Author for the Forbes Company Council, he shares deep insights into evolving content material advertising developments, serving to form the way forward for digital affect.

With a 60% consumer renewal charge and a monitor report of adapting to the ever-changing social media panorama, Jason continues to redefine what it means to run an influencer advertising company.

4. Cole Mason

When Cole Mason co-founded Pearpop in 2020, he wasn’t simply launching one other influencer advertising company—he was reinventing the sport. Pearpop isn’t about brokering conventional model offers. As a substitute, it’s a tech-driven collaboration platform that lets manufacturers immediately faucet right into a community of 200,000+ vetted creators to amplify campaigns at scale. Consider it as influencer advertising, however streamlined, data-driven, and constructed for the digital age.

Pearpop’s strategy has earned industry-wide recognition, touchdown a spot on Quick Firm’s Most Modern Firms Checklist and profitable Digiday’s Influencer Advertising Platform of the 12 months in 2022. Main manufacturers like Netflix, Amazon, and Microsoft—plus music icons like Madonna, Doja Cat, and Shawn Mendes—have all leveraged Pearpop’s platform to drive engagement, virality, and ROI like by no means earlier than.

However Cole isn’t stopping at simply making influencer advertising extra accessible—he’s pushing the boundaries with AI. Below his management, Pearpop launched PAIR, an AI-powered creator vetting instrument that helps manufacturers discover the precise influencers in seconds. The end result? Smarter campaigns, quicker execution, and better returns.

Past enterprise, Cole’s motivation is obvious: serving to creators monetize their content material extra successfully. He noticed a spot available in the market—the place even big-name influencers struggled to show followers into revenue—and constructed an answer that empowers them to companion with manufacturers effortlessly.

From securing $18M in funding (bringing Pearpop’s valuation to $300M) to talking at {industry} occasions like Social Media Week 2024, Cole Mason is greater than only a CEO—he’s reshaping the creator economic system.

5. Jesse Leimgruber

At simply 19 years previous, Jesse Leimgruber co-founded NeoReach in 2014, getting down to revolutionize influencer advertising with data-driven expertise. A Stanford-educated pc scientist and Thiel Fellow, Jesse didn’t simply wish to join manufacturers with influencers—he wished to engineer a better option to do it.

Immediately, NeoReach is without doubt one of the main influencer advertising platforms, having pushed over $50M in income for Fortune 500 manufacturers. The company performed a pivotal position in TikTok’s U.S. launch, recruiting influencers to assist transition from Musical.ly to TikTok—a transfer that reshaped social media without end.

Jesse’s entrepreneurial journey began lengthy earlier than NeoReach. At 16, he bootstrapped RageHats, an e-commerce market that pulled in $50K per 30 days, and later based Rank Executives, a digital advertising company managing campaigns for Polaroid, Nissan, and Philips. His monitor report? Recognizing digital developments earlier than they explode and turning them into high-growth ventures.

Past NeoReach, Jesse is a companion at Alchemist Accelerator, mentoring startups on scaling enterprise options. He’s additionally a public speaker at main {industry} occasions, the place he shares insights on influencer advertising, AI, and the creator economic system.

6. David Morneau

Because the CEO and co-founder of inBeat Company, David has constructed a powerhouse that blends data-driven technique with artistic storytelling, serving to manufacturers like Bumble, P&G, and Levi’s launch high-performing influencer campaigns.

Since launching inBeat in 2018, David has spearheaded a hybrid SaaS/company mannequin, providing each an influencer discovery platform and a full-service advertising company. His experience? Leveraging micro-influencers to drive conversions and decrease CPAs, a technique that has helped over 200 direct-to-consumer manufacturers thrive in aggressive markets.

With a robust presence in Los Angeles, inBeat collaborates with top-tier native creators to craft viral, performance-driven campaigns. And the outcomes communicate for themselves—manufacturers working with inBeat have seen something from a 73% drop in buyer acquisition prices to a 600% enhance in every day installs.

Past company work, David can also be an {industry} thought chief, sharing insights on TikTok advertising, paid media methods, and influencer outreach. His work is not nearly connecting manufacturers with influencers—it is about creating campaigns that make a measurable impression.

7. Eric Dahan

Eric Dahan has turned Open Affect into a world powerhouse, working with {industry} giants like Disney, Google, Amazon, and Coca-Cola to revolutionize model storytelling by way of creators.

Since launching Open Affect in 2013, Eric has expanded the company’s attain past Los Angeles, organising places of work in New York, Chicago, London, Milan, and Hong Kong. His mission? Bringing the human factor again to promoting by empowering influencers to craft genuine, high-impact content material that resonates with audiences worldwide.

Acknowledged as a Forbes 30 Below 30 and Inc. 30 Below 30 honoree, Eric is an {industry} thought chief, commonly sharing insights on influencer developments and digital advertising methods. His experience in digital technique, social media, and e-commerce has helped over a thousand top-tier manufacturers navigate the evolving creator economic system with data-driven, scalable campaigns.

Past Open Affect, Eric is a serial entrepreneur with ventures like Mighty Pleasure, bridging the hole between creators and commerce.

8. Vera Kopp

Because the founder and CEO of inCast, Vera has remodeled the best way corporations join with digital creators, crafting data-driven, high-impact campaigns that span continents.

With places of work in Los Angeles, São Paulo, and Miami, inCast has labored with over 180 shoppers and engaged greater than 6,000 influencers and celebrities. However what actually units inCast aside? Its mastery of TikTok advertising. As an official company for the TikTok Creator Studying Fund, inCast has helped over 1,500 creators degree up their content material and model partnerships.

Vera’s background is as dynamic as her company. A Stanford and California State College, Northridge alumna, she has leveraged her schooling and {industry} expertise to form inCast right into a powerhouse for multi-channel influencer advertising. Whether or not it’s high-performing model campaigns or progressive tasks like FunCast—an interactive Instagram-friendly exhibit in Brazil—Vera is all the time forward of the curve, mixing creativity with performance-driven technique.

Her impression doesn’t cease with enterprise. As a board member of Women in Tech, Brazil, Vera can also be devoted to empowering ladies in expertise and digital entrepreneurship.

9. Aaron Kozinets

Aaron Kozinets hunted down each alternative and constructed a thriving company from the bottom up. Because the founder and CEO of Affect Hunter, he’s serving to manufacturers of all sizes scale by way of influencer collaborations, specializing in micro and nano influencers to drive engagement and ROI.

Recent out of the College of Southern California (USC) in 2019, Aaron wasted no time launching Affect Hunter. What began as a summer season experiment rapidly advanced right into a data-driven company with a search engine of over 30 million influencers, providing manufacturers customizable, high-impact campaigns.

Past operating Affect Hunter, Aaron can also be the host of the “Looking Affect” podcast, the place he interviews entrepreneurs, influencers, and {industry} consultants to unpack the methods behind digital affect. His insights don’t cease there—he’s additionally a visitor lecturer at USC’s Marshall College of Enterprise, sharing real-world experience with the following technology of entrepreneurs.

10. Ray Levy

Ray Levy is aware of that influencer advertising is extra than simply follower counts—it’s about technique, information, and authenticity. Because the Founder and Government Chairman of MoreInfluence, Ray has constructed an company that helps manufacturers navigate the complicated world of influencer partnerships with a data-driven, ROI-focused strategy.

In 2020, Ray and his companions acquired Boomopolis, a Los Angeles-based influencer company that helped launch TikTok. They rebranded it as MoreInfluence, bringing cutting-edge analytics and an influencer-agnostic philosophy to the area. In contrast to conventional companies, MoreInfluence doesn’t handle expertise, making certain that model partnerships are tailor-made for efficiency, not favoritism.

Ray’s mission is obvious: align manufacturers with influencers whose private passions and values resonate with their audiences, creating campaigns which might be each strategic and genuine. This philosophy has helped MoreInfluence join manufacturers with top-tier creators, drive engagement, and maximize marketing campaign effectiveness.

Past operating MoreInfluence, Ray is a seasoned entrepreneur and advertising strategist with many years of expertise. His background consists of sports activities advertising, media planning, and financial improvement, giving him a broad, multi-industry perspective on model progress and viewers engagement.

11. Jon Davids

Jon Davids, founder and CEO of Influicity, launched one of many first influencer advertising companies in 2013, lengthy earlier than manufacturers realized the total energy of digital creators.

However Influicity isn’t nearly influencers anymore. Below Jon’s management, the company has advanced right into a full-scale advertising powerhouse, providing companies like podcast manufacturing, TikTok administration, AI-driven content material, LinkedIn progress, search engine marketing, e-mail technique, and paid advertisements. The objective? Constructing loyal, engaged communities round manufacturers—as a result of a one-time viral hit is nice, however long-term affect is healthier.

Jon doesn’t simply execute methods; he teaches them. He runs Influicity’s “Advertising That Sells” coaching packages, sharing the identical data-backed strategies he’s used to scale manufacturers from startups to Fortune 500 giants. He’s additionally the host of “Making It with Jon Davids“, a top-10 advertising podcast, the place he breaks down enterprise progress, brand-building, and digital affect.

And if that’s not sufficient, he’s additionally an writer and keynote speaker. His guide, “Advertising Superpowers,” dives into how manufacturers can appeal to prospects effortlessly—as a result of, let’s be trustworthy, advertising ought to really feel seamless, not salesy.

12. Lindsey Heppner

Lindsey Heppner, CEO of VAMPPED is crafting experiences that manufacturers and audiences keep in mind. Because the founder and , Lindsey has turned her company right into a powerhouse of creativity, technique, and high-profile collaborations, working with main manufacturers like Shangri-La Accommodations and Harley-Davidson.

Earlier than launching VAMPPED, Lindsey honed her abilities as a artistic director and graphic designer, a background that fuels her progressive strategy to influencer advertising. Her company goes past conventional model partnerships, providing marketing campaign improvement, social media technique, occasion curation, worldwide influencer excursions, and public relations.

What units VAMPPED aside? Authenticity and exclusivity. Lindsey believes that manufacturers succeed after they companion with creators who genuinely align with their message, and she or he fastidiously selects each manufacturers and influencers to make sure the precise match. High quality over amount—all the time.

Past operating VAMPPED, Lindsey can also be the founding father of ReVAMPPED, a manufacturing and model improvement company pushing the boundaries of digital content material.

13. Sarah Boyd & Ali Grant

Sarah Boyd and Ali Grant didn’t simply merge two companies—they created a powerhouse. Because the Co-CEOs of The Digital Dept., they’ve mixed the perfect of Be Social and Socialyte to supply influencer advertising, expertise administration, and model technique at scale.

With a roster of over 250 creators and a mixed social attain exceeding 350 million, The Digital Dept. isn’t nearly connecting manufacturers with influencers—it’s about constructing long-term, strategic partnerships that drive actual impression. From Christine Quinn of “Promoting Sundown” to Danielle Pinnock of “Ghosts“, they signify top-tier expertise whereas making certain manufacturers discover the right creator match.

Sarah Boyd, beforehand the President of Socialyte, has constructed her profession on bridging manufacturers and influencers by way of progressive campaigns and high-profile occasions. As a Forbes-recognized {industry} chief, she’s labored with Alessandra Ambrosio, Olivia Culpo, and Julianne Hough, making her a go-to professional in influencer advertising and model partnerships.

Ali Grant, the founding father of Be Social, was an early pioneer within the influencer advertising area, launching her company in 2012 when the {industry} was nonetheless in its infancy. Acknowledged by Inc. and AdWeek, she’s led cutting-edge influencer campaigns, occasions, and editorial methods, shaping how manufacturers leverage digital creators.

With places of work in LA, New York, Nashville, and Miami, The Digital Dept. is redefining what it means to be a full-service influencer advertising company. Their BRANDEdit experiences and company occasion companies additional solidify their progressive, multi-channel strategy.

14. Benjamin B. Kaplan

Benjamin B. Kaplan, the founder and CEO of TOP Company, oversees a world community of 9 specialised companies working in 20+ nations, providing all the things from influencer advertising and digital technique to PR and market analysis.

A Harvard-trained economist, Kaplan takes a scientific strategy to advertising, utilizing A/B testing, analytics, and speedy market analysis to optimize each marketing campaign. His experience has landed him on over 5,000 TV and radio exhibits, together with Oprah and Good Morning America, the place he’s shared insights on virality, model storytelling, and media affect.

Kaplan’s data-first methodology has made TOP Company a go-to companion for manufacturers like Dr. Pepper and U.S. Financial institution, serving to them craft high-impact, results-driven campaigns. His ardour for thought management extends to the TOP CMO podcast, the place he interviews prime advertising executives on developments, technique, and innovation.

Past advertising, Kaplan has constructed platforms like Nationwide Immediately, which faucets into viral cultural moments to assist manufacturers interact audiences in real-time. His affect spans industries, making him one of the vital forward-thinking strategists within the advertising area at present.

15. Ernest Sturm

Ernest Sturm noticed the way forward for influencer advertising earlier than most. In 2017, he based Runway Affect, recognizing the shift from conventional runway modeling to social media affect, the place fashions may monetize their platforms and drive model engagement like by no means earlier than.

With a background in luxurious occasion advertising, Sturm first launched Runway Waiters, a high-end occasion staffing firm supplying agency-signed fashions for manufacturers like Tom Ford, Louis Vuitton, and Ferrari. This gave him an insider’s edge in luxurious branding, which he now leverages at Runway Affect to craft high-impact influencer campaigns.

Runway Affect stands out by strategically pairing manufacturers with elite mannequin influencers, reinforcing the concept attractiveness has all the time been a strong advertising instrument—now amplified by way of social media. Below his management, the company has gone international, partnering with top-tier manufacturers worldwide.

With over 12 years in advertising, Sturm is a seasoned entrepreneur who understands each model storytelling and viewers psychology.

16. Victor Knaap

Victor Knaap stands as a distinguished determine in international digital advertising because the CEO of Monks EMEA (Europe, Center East, and Africa) and Co-Founding father of Media.Monks, a place he has held since November 2003. His two-decade tenure within the {industry} has been marked by important achievements and strategic management.

In December 2018, Knaap took on an extra position as Board Member and Government Director at S4 Capital Group, a new-age digital promoting and advertising companies firm established by Sir Martin Sorrell. Below his management, Media.Monks built-in with S4 Capital in July 2018, turning into half of a bigger imaginative and prescient to construct a purely digital promoting and advertising companies enterprise specializing in first-party information, digital content material, and media planning and shopping for.

Knaap’s affect extends past his company roles. He serves on a number of prestigious boards, together with the Interactive Promoting Bureau Netherlands (IAB NL) and the Dutch Inventive Council, the place he contributes to shaping the way forward for digital advertising within the Netherlands. His dedication to social duty is evidenced by his board membership on the UN International Compact Community Netherlands, the place he gives strategic management in implementing the Ten Ideas and International Targets.

The success of S4 Capital Group underneath Knaap’s management is mirrored in its spectacular market capitalization of roughly £500 million ($650 million) and its international presence throughout 16 nations, with roughly 1,200 staff serving international, multinational, regional, and native shoppers, in addition to millennial-driven influencer manufacturers.

LA’s Energy Gamers: The CEOs Shaping the Way forward for Influencer Advertising

The influencer advertising panorama in Los Angeles is extra than simply viral moments—it’s a high-stakes {industry} led by visionaries who redefine model success. These CEOs of top-tier companies aren’t simply maintaining with developments; they’re setting them.

From data-driven companies to creator-first platforms, every chief on this checklist has mastered the artwork of turning affect into ROI. As manufacturers navigate the ever-evolving digital area, these CEOs proceed to push the boundaries of storytelling, authenticity, and engagement. One factor is definite—the way forward for influencer advertising companies is being inbuilt LA, and these CEOs are main the cost.

In regards to the Creator

Author

Koba Molenaar brings almost a decade of wealthy expertise in content material writing, specializing in digital advertising, branding, SaaS, and eCommerce. Her ardour for serving to manufacturers, from solopreneurs to established corporations, join with their audiences shines by way of her work. As a member of the Golden Key Worldwide Honor Society, Koba’s dedication to excellence is clear in her work, showcasing her as a relatable and educated voice within the {industry}.