The Invisible Empire: The Reps Driving the Creator Economy in 2026

Creators may be the ones in front of the camera, but the modern creator economy is a team sport. The online personalities who dominate our feeds are not just making videos; they are shaping elections, redefining independent film, and turning personal brands into billion-dollar businesses. But behind every empire stands a small army of agents, managers, lawyers, and strategists who secure the deals, negotiate the contracts, and map the career moves that make it all possible.

In 2026, these behind-the-scenes power brokers have never been more influential. They are brokering eight-figure sales, launching studios, placing creators in Hollywood franchises, and negotiating partnerships with the world’s biggest brands. From legacy agencies to boutique management firms, here are the people who moved the creator economy forward this year.

The Agencies and Talent Firms

At UTA, the combined power of UTA Creators and Digital Brand Architects has made the agency a dominant force in the creator space. Ali Berman, Raina Penchansky, Oren Rosenbaum, and Hilary Williams represent a roster that includes Markiplier, Kareem Rahma, Colin and Samir, and Olandria Carthen. This year, the team helped populate Netflix’s new video podcast slate, including The Rotten Files With Stephanie Soo. They also brokered the unexpected MrBeast–James Patterson novel collaboration, expanded Emma Chamberlain’s Chamberlain Coffee empire with a new Abbot Kinney location, and landed Alix Earle her own Netflix series, Earle Meets World.

Gersh has also solidified its place in the digital division, with Keith Bielory, Melissa DeMarco, and Jade Sherman pushing creators into mainstream culture. Their clients helped make Broadway history: Ariana Madix, Whitney Leavitt, and Mark Ballas all took the stage in Chicago, helping the production enjoy record-breaking runs. The team also guided online health expert Doctor Mike past 30 million followers and helped Eli Rallo publish a book that became a New York Times best-seller.

WME’s Ben Davis and Jad Dayeh co-head the agency’s digital department and delivered one of the biggest deals of the year. They closed a reported $100 million pact for Jay Shetty and his On Purpose podcast, giving Netflix and Spotify joint exclusive rights to the franchise. They also helped reality stars Paige DeSorbo and Hannah Berner secure major brand partnerships, including Berner’s multiyear ambassadorship with Lululemon.

CAA remains one of the largest players in the space, with Arleta Fowler, Andrew Graham, Brent Weinstein, and Sophie Wiener overseeing a roster that grew dramatically this year. The agency signed Rhett + Link, Valkyrae, Stokes Twins, Deestroying, Rebecca Zamolo, Nara Smith, Jack Goldburg, Reckless Ben, Max “Career Ladder” Klymenko, and Reece Feldman. In June, CAA and Integrated Media Co. launched Compound Creative Holdings, a $250 million venture focused on acquiring and growing creator-economy companies.

Select has doubled down on the intersection of Hollywood and the internet. Lisa Filipelli, Brittany Maxwell, and Caroline Nardilla helped deliver new seasons of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and its spinoff, TSLOMW: Orange County, both featuring Select clients. The company also launched Select Sports, an athlete representation division built for the social media era. That new division landed Super Bowl campaigns with Meta x Oakley glasses and Toyota for athletes Sky Brown and Oksana Masters.

Underscore Talent continues to be a home for digital dealmakers. Mallory Llewellyn landed four of her clients on Netflix’s Calabasas Confidential, where she also serves as consulting producer. Kyle Stevens helped Kareem Rahma turn SubwayTakes into an Emmy-nominated series and launched Rahma’s second show, Keep the Meter Running. Dylan Flinn has become the go-to manager for top AI creators, securing one of the first celebrity likeness deals with HiggsfieldAI and landing a studio development deal for AI content creator Chloe vs History.

Entertainment 360 brought in Alexandra Devlin this year to build out its creator business. Before joining, Devlin made her mark at WME, where she brokered Paige DeSorbo’s Super Bowl commercial with Kinder Bueno and negotiated finance creator Vivian Tu’s ambassadorship with SoFi Bank.

Range Media Partners has built a formidable digital division. Eman Redwan, co-head of digital, oversees 25 executives who closed more than $100 million in deals over the past year. The client roster includes Nara Smith. Mariam Rastegar Ross brokered Chris Appleton’s seven-figure deal with Schwarzkopf, while Worthy Patterson helped fashion creator Beca Michie become a major style voice, placing her at prestigious fashion shows and closing seven figures’ worth of partnerships.

Sixteenth has expanded in several directions. Alexis Ramos built the company’s sports division from scratch, representing top names in the NFL, WNBA, and track and field. Skye Petrie brought a massive U.K. roster to the company, helping British internet stars like Maddie Borge reach a global audience. Payton Booker secured major brand campaigns, including a $90,000 deal for Charles Brockman III.

Parker Management started the year with a major acquisition, purchasing Estate Five to expand its fashion and beauty portfolio. Stephanie Field and Lindsay Nead added new signings including Alex Bennett, Abigail Erb, and Dan and Samantha Matthews. The firm also secured campaigns with Google Pixel, Abercrombie & Fitch, Tuckernuck, and Lincoln.

Palette, founded during the 2020 TikTok boom by Daniel Daks and Josh DeAngelis, has built a diverse roster spanning comedy, lifestyle, and infotainment. Spanish news creator Carlos Eduardo Espina launched his Creator Cup, which twice sold out Houston Dynamo’s stadium. Roblox star Lana Rae has generated more than $20 million in retail sales for her consumer product line in just five months.

THE·TEAM has become a major player in sports-adjacent content. Marcela Woessner inked gymnast and Instagram star Livvy Dunne’s partnership with Miller Lite and turned an awkward viral moment into a partnership with deodorant brand Secret. The company also acquired Provisions, the golf creator agency founded by Joe Gilliland and Josh Morgan. The two developed the Creator Classic, a tournament featuring 12 of YouTube’s top golf creators, and built Your Golf Tour, a YouTube series starring the sport’s biggest personalities.

Loaded remains the dominant force in livestreaming. Brandon Freytag and Yoni Ginsberg have spent nearly a decade building careers and brokering some of the biggest deals in the space. The company represents the largest share of Twitch livestreamers by watch time, including TheBurntPeanut, Cinna, Maya Higa, and Shroud. This year, Loaded negotiated deals with Google, EA, Epic Games, and Tencent, plus a “Protect the Peanut” campaign with Battlefield that became one of EA’s most successful creator campaigns.

Night has had another blockbuster year. The company acquired IRL marketing firm Experiential Supply Co. John Nelson brokered deals for Kai Cenat’s record-breaking Streamer University, with partners including Red Bull, Dell, and Fortnite. David Huntzinger expanded progressive influencer Hasan Piker’s merch line amid his skyrocketing national profile and brokered Sam & Colby’s Netflix partnership. Michael Gordon oversaw the eight-figure sale of true-crime YouTube channel Dr. Insanity to an investment firm.

Smooth Media, founded by former Morning Brew executives, has become one of the fastest-growing management firms for knowledge creators. Josh Kaplan and Jenny Rothenberg have helped execute campaigns for Anthropic, Notion, Microsoft, Ramp, Canva, and Google. The company partnered with Colin and Samir to build The Publish Press, the creator industry publication. This month, creator Cat Goetze, known online as CatGPT, took an equity stake in the company and joined as a strategic adviser.

Odd Projects brought in Arjun Das, who has built a reputation representing social impact creators. For client Hunter Prosper, Das closed a book deal and helped launch a series with Barack Obama’s production company Higher Ground. He also helped video creator Jesus Morales, who tells Latinx stories around Los Angeles, launch a nonprofit that has already raised six figures in donations.

Made by All launched a studio this year with the goal of turning creators into Hollywood talent and owners of original IP. Leanne Perice works with comedy heavyweights like Adam W, Hannah Stocking, and Josh Peck, as well as internet-native artists like Devon Rodriguez. She has also helped foster partnerships with mainstream stars including Kevin Hart, Tom Holland, and Jennifer Lopez.

Brillstein Entertainment Partners continues to bridge the gap between digital and traditional entertainment. Seth Jacobs helped the true-crime show Morbid sell out Radio City Music Hall on a live tour and launched Unbiased Politics, a daily video show with lawyer influencer Jordan Berman. Brittny Turner helped Tana Mongeau launch her podcast Brand Safe and secured partnerships with SeatGeek, DraftKings, Skims, and Celsius.

Outshine Talent has significantly expanded its sports business. Barbara Jones represents internet-famous baseball stars like Kyle “KJ” Jackson of the Savannah Bananas and RobertAnthony Cruz, aka Coach RAC, who launched a custom product line with Under Armour. Jones also helped comedian and actor Tyler Gaca develop a horror film and comedy creator Lala Sadii secure a Disney Channel scripted project.

Fixated made a major move by acquiring Studio71, creating a combined global network of more than 1,000 creators. The company operates a 25,000-person clip network and generates 3 billion monthly impressions on its owned social pages. Derek Howe brokered deals for children’s gaming expert Mackenzie Turner with Disney and Nickelodeon, and led the creation of her Roblox experience, which drew 100 million visits in its first 30 days.

Rakugo Media has become the go-to home for AI-focused creators. Douglas Pinsky and Jake Williams surpassed $50 million in gross partnership revenue in 2026, representing gadget guru Carterpcs, tech creator Rowan Cheung, deep-tech explainer Natalie Fratto, and comedian Austin Nasso. They sold Roberto Nickson’s Life With Claude series to Anthropic and negotiated multi-million-dollar partnerships with OpenAI, Google, Meta, Nvidia, AMD, and SpaceXAI.

3 Arts Entertainment has also made a serious push into the creator economy. Dunia McNeily closed a podcast deal for horror creator Heidi Wong and put scripted adaptations of Tinx’s best-selling books The Shift and Hotter in the Hamptons into development at Amazon and Hulu. She also secured a major Kérastase partnership for tastemaker Stassi Schroeder.

The Legal and Business Advisors

Behind many of the biggest deals in the creator economy are lawyers and strategic advisors who structure the agreements and protect the brands. At Manatt, Christopher Chatham and Ellie Heisler represent some of the most recognizable names on the internet. As Alan Chikin Chow delivers Alan’s Universe to more than 100 million YouTube subscribers, the team widened his audience with distribution deals at the Roku Channel and Tubi. Chatham also reps Logan Paul, brokering deals for his Impaulsive podcast and for streamer IShowSpeed. Heisler worked with Jordan and Salish Matter and structured Salish’s collaboration with Chipotle, making her the youngest person to launch a digital menu item with the brand.

Greenberg Glusker’s Matt Dysart and Eric Perlmutter-Gumbiner serve as corporate and strategic advisors to some of the biggest firms in the digital space. Perlmutter-Gumbiner works with Palette Media, Jake Rosen Entertainment, Get Engaged Media, Underscore Talent Agency, Made by All, and Dhar Mann Studios. Dysart represents investors and companies including Slow Ventures, Kynetic Content, UnderCurrent, Palette Media, and Creator Society.

Jackoway Austen’s Andy Galker and Eric Weissler represent Mark Rober, the former NASA engineer with nearly 82 million YouTube subscribers, and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. The pair closed the deal that put Rober’s CrunchLabs and Kimmel’s Kimmelot into business together on Netflix’s upcoming competition series Schooled. Rober will host and executive produce the show, which pits teams of students against each other in creative science challenges.

Yorn Levine has helped Alix Earle evolve from creator to entrepreneur. Todd Rubenstein and Kevin Yorn helped launch her skin care brand, Reale Actives, and negotiated her Netflix series Earle Meets World. Yorn also advised Hailey Bieber on her 2026 Gap collection, while Rubenstein represented Charli D’Amelio. Ryan Goodell has chef Nick DiGiovanni, who served as Fox Sports’ official chef for the FIFA World Cup this year.

Goodman Genow’s Will Jacobson closed deals for beauty vlogger Bretman Rock, including a global campaign for Kate Spade New York and a partnership making him the face of K-beauty brand Dr. Groot in the U.S. Matt Rosen’s client Noah Beck has showcased his acting in the Tubi rom-com franchise Sideline: The QB and Me, with Rosen arranging deals for the second and third films and helping Beck get cast on Fox’s Baywatch reboot.

Hansen Jacobson is home to some of the biggest names in digital entertainment. Adam Kaller and Ryan Pastorek helped Markiplier turn his self-funded $3 million film Iron Lung into a $50 million global phenomenon, with fans literally calling theaters to demand screenings. The pair also represent SmartLess, Crooked Media, The Bulwark, Smosh, Mythical Entertainment, Emma Chamberlain, Liza Koshy, Lilly Singh, and Valkyrae. Lauren Partipilo Schwartz helped seal Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo’s Giggly Squad multiyear deal with SiriusXM and negotiated for RHOSLC star Bronwyn Newport to appear on The Traitors.

At Weintraub Tobin, Shaun Gordon has guided Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy from podcast to media empire. The Unwell Network now includes the podcast, film projects, live events, touring, and a distribution relationship with SiriusXM. In the past year, Unwell raised its first outside capital at a reported $500 million pre-money valuation. Jessica Marlow represents Claudia and Jackie Oshry of The Toast, Remi Parsons, and TikTok star Chris Olsen, author of I Think My Therapist Hates Me.

Loeb & Loeb’s Melanie Howard works with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife Brittany, advising them on endorsements and business matters. She also counsels gamer Andre Rebelo, Karl Jacobs, and Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. On the brand side, Howard represented Gap in its Hailey Bieber collaboration.

Gang Tyre’s Annie Lee and Cheryl Snow represent kids creator Ms. Rachel, who gained 10 billion views worldwide. They negotiated her Netflix series, which became one of the most-watched children’s shows on the service with 53.4 million views, and her debut album, I’m So Happy. They also represent Whitney Leavitt, whose run as Roxie Hart in Chicago grossed more than $8 million in its first six weeks.

Reed Smith’s Eric Marder helped Brooke Monk launch her Doting Beauty brand this year while handling all of her legal and endorsement work. Monk has more than 55 million followers tuning in for her beauty tips. Marder also represents Bella Poarch, the social media star and U.S. Navy veteran with more than 91 million TikTok followers.

Greenberg Traurig’s Paige Kaplan Randolph advised Lala Sadii through the development of Lala IRL, a live-action scripted Disney Channel series inspired by her rise as a social media star. Randolph also represents Olympic track and field couple Tara and Hunter Woodhall, best-selling author Erin McGoff, and The Lipstick Lesbians, who have partnered with Clinique, Marc Jacobs Beauty, Tatcha, NYX, Morphe, Estée Lauder, Fenty, Milk, and Goop.

Sloane Offer’s Jonathan Sauer represents Colin and Samir, who have interviewed everyone from Mark Zuckerberg to MrBeast. Sauer negotiated the duo’s partnerships with Google Gemini, Adobe, and LinkedIn. He also represents Ryan Trahan, known for his charity fundraisers and viral challenges like the Penny Series.

Finally, Weinstein Senior’s Tara Senior and Todd Weinstein serve as lead counsel to MrBeast, the first individual creator to hit 500 million YouTube subscribers. They structured the deals behind Amazon Prime Video’s Beast Games seasons two and three, each budgeted at more than $100 million. The pair also serve as lead counsel to Dhar Mann Studios, the largest scripted creator-led studio in the business, which pulls nearly 300 million views a week while Mann retains full creative ownership.

In the creator economy, the people in front of the camera get the glory. But the reps behind them are the ones building the infrastructure, closing the deals, and turning viral moments into lasting businesses. In 2026, their influence is impossible to ignore.