Mike Lee and Darren Yan, two veterans of gaming and digital talent, have launched ISO, a Los Angeles-based management company built specifically for creators and livestreaming personalities. The firm opens with 24 employees across Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta, and more than 90 clients spanning gaming, VTubing, music and lifestyle categories.
The launch is backed by Influence Media Partners, a New York company that develops and acquires entertainment and music IP and counts funds managed by BlackRock among its strategic partners. That detail matters: BlackRock-scale money paying attention to creator representation is another signal that digital-native talent is being treated as an institutional asset class, not a side bet.
Who is behind ISO
Lee, previously head of gaming and livestreaming for UTA’s creators division, is co-founder and CEO. Yan, former chief talent officer at FaZe Clan, is co-founder and head of music. Matt Alsberg, who has worked at Sony PlayStation, Twitch and UTA, has joined as head of talent.
The founding team’s pitch is unapologetically internet-first. Lee describes the firm as “dedicated to the digital creator,” and argues that legacy agency infrastructure — expensive offices, showcases, traditional gatekeepers — is not what this talent needs.
“There are no gatekeepers when it comes to digital media,” Lee told Variety. “It’s not four networks. It’s not seven channels. The gatekeepers are just the algorithms that feed your timelines.”
The roster and early brand demand
ISO’s launch roster includes PlaqueBoyMax, Jasontheween, Ironmouse, Lacy, Vanillamace, Kyedae, jessechrisss, Angelo Marasigan and RDCWorld. It is already working with brands including Electronic Arts, Discord, Underdog and Icenova.
- Scale: 90+ creator clients and 24 staff at launch
- Coverage: livestreaming, gaming, VTubing, music, beauty, food and lifestyle
- Brand partners: Electronic Arts, Discord, Underdog and Icenova
- Backing: Influence Media Partners, with BlackRock-linked fund support
Why Asia is part of the pitch
The founders’ track record in China and broader Asia is a differentiator. Lee and Yan previously ran Press X and Everyday Influencers, acquired by UTA in 2018, and have distribution relationships that could help Western creators tour and build audiences in markets that are often hard for U.S. firms to enter. Yan said the proximity to Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumption habits in Asia helps ISO anticipate where digital media is heading.
What it means for marketers
ISO is not just a talent stable. Yan describes three business lines: talent representation, a brand business and a music practice covering artist management consulting. For media planners and entertainment marketers, that structure matters: it positions the firm as a bridge between creator audiences and brand budgets, with a promise to show more measurable value from once-experimental digital spend.
The firm also makes an internal bet worth watching. Lee says ISO is designed to be “radically transparent” with employees, with year-round bonuses and a formula that rewards collaboration from the firm’s profit share rather than a primary representative’s pool. The aim is to stop the cycle of agents leaving to start their own shops — the very path the founders took.
The test now is execution. A 90-client roster and a BlackRock-linked backer create a strong opening. Whether ISO can convert that into durable brand relationships and breakthrough creator careers will determine if it becomes a new model or just a well-funded entrant.
Source: Variety
