Amanda Perelli

1 month ago | businessinsider.com | Ashley Rodriguez |Amanda Perelli |Sydney Bradley |Henry Blodget

Influencer agency Whalar Group is expanding its education tools and offerings for creators by acquiring the platform Business of Creativity in a deal worth $20 million, the company told Business Insider. The acquisition is the influencer marketing and talent management company's first since Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and other investors bought a stake in the company at a $400 million valuation earlier this month. Whalar Group has not disclosed the size of that investment.

1 month ago | businessinsider.com | Ashley Rodriguez |Lucia Moses |Amanda Perelli |Geoff Weiss

Mathieu Bonzon spent over a decade working in production in Hollywood, with credits including "Outrage" and "Ford v Ferrari." But when work slowed in 2022, Bonzon, who had a new baby at home, needed more financial stability than an independent producer's life allowed for. An introduction to the Gates Foundation led him to start making cinematic educational videos aimed at college kids for Gates, NASA, and other organizations.

1 month ago | businessinsider.com | Ashley Rodriguez |Geoff Weiss |Amanda Perelli |Henry Blodget

From "Beast Games" to "Paul American" to Ms. Rachel, Hollywood wants a piece of YouTube. But the video giant, which stopped making its own original content in 2022, isn't sitting idly by while streamers like Amazon Prime, HBO Max, and Netflix court its creators. Behind the scenes, the company is working to elevate its native content within Hollywood and prove its creators are worthy of the industry's highest honors. One key component is YouTube's Emmys push.

1 month ago | businessinsider.com | Ashley Rodriguez |Amanda Perelli |Henry Blodget

MrBeast is known for his over-the-top viral videos and over-the-top charitable acts. The YouTube star, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, has given away millions of dollars in his videos to causes such as the Arbor Day Foundation and The Ocean Cleanup. The 26-year-old started on YouTube by posting videos under the username MrBeast6000 from Donaldson's hometown of Greenville, North Carolina, where he still lives.

1 month ago | businessinsider.com | Ashley Rodriguez |Amanda Perelli |Henry Blodget

Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox might be the faces of the YouTube comedy collective, Smosh, but behind the cameras, someone else helps run their 64-person team. Padilla and Hecox named Alessandra Catanese, Padilla's longtime manager, CEO in 2023. This allowed the pair to focus on the creative side of their YouTube channels. Catanese handles the company's day-to-day operations and overall business strategy.