Top 10 Entrepreneurs in Los Angeles Making an Impact in Their Industries in 2023

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1 – David Hirsch

David Hirsch, CEO of MIDOS Development Group, is a visionary leader with a background in media and advertising, and a passion for the remodeling and construction industry. David started his career with a focus on the industry and co-founded 1800Remodel.com, a national home improvement brand and platform, that connected homeowners with local contractors.

Over the years, David has honed his expertise in general construction, renovation, and development, and has personally overseen the completion of over 3,000 projects valued at over $250 million. With his extensive experience, David has successfully managed the strategies, direction, and operations at MIDOS Development Group, an LA-based real estate development firm that focuses on building apartment buildings and providing affordable housing for all income groups.

Under David’s leadership, MIDOS Development Group has become one of the best local development firms in LA. With its customer-centric approach and in-house labor pool, the company has survived and thrived during the pandemic while other companies that were highly dependent on subcontractors have struggled. David is committed to the company’s vision of becoming the premier developer in Los Angeles while combating the city’s housing shortage and always strives for innovation, discipline, and efficiency in all of his development projects.

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2 – Dean Ladell

Dean Ladell, a prominent brand management and advertising entrepreneur, has been making waves in the industry for over three decades. Throughout his career, Dean has demonstrated an exceptional ability to create and grow businesses, most currently that tap into millennials’ talent and skill sets. His expertise and insights have earned him a reputation as one of the premier voices in the industry, sought after by Fortune 500 companies for his take on the rapid growth and ever-changing landscape of digital marketing and advertising.

Dean’s exceptional track record is a testament to his ability in driving billions of dollars in annual retail sales through expertly developing, launching, and managing consumer and celebrity brands. He’s the founder of a youth-driven non-profit as well as The GCMG Agency, a fast-growing boutique digital marketing agency with a robust presence in both Los Angeles and New York City.  Dean is also a major player in the commercial Instagram space, where his company follow Inc has a rapidly expanding portfolio of commercial accounts. The portfolio is expected to reach new heights in 2023 when its aggregate reach will exceed 200 million followers. The company’s innovative advertising model blends a proprietary and wholly-owned inventory of commercially designed Instagram platforms with global advertisers, delivering a cutting-edge approach to digital advertising influence for companies in the consumer products and consumer brand space.

The GCMG Agency is composed of in-house teams made up of the most talented digital marketing experts in the industry and is known as one of the most prolific content creation agencies in the digital sector. GCMG delivers cutting-edge and impactful solutions and a wide range of digital services to renowned domestic and international companies in virtually all industries.

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3 – Jasmine Solano

Jasmine Solano is a creative entrepreneur and music influencer who’s made a name for herself in the industry by bridging the gap between culture, corporate, and community. With over 15 years of experience as a DJ, on-camera/radio host, and curator, she’s gained an international reputation for her unique perspective on the arts. Jasmine has been featured in several major publications, including Forbes, Coveteur & Vogue and founded Unity In Color, a global photography series, and platform that promotes inclusive solidarity for Women’s Equality. In 2020, she Co-Founded Club House Global, a social impact live stream platform that has since employed over 300 artists and amassed over 20 million channel views during the pandemic, and was also a Webby Awards Honoree 2021 for the Virtual Remote / Public Activism category.

With a dedication to turning her passion into a sustainable career, Jasmine’s journey as a creative entrepreneur has been one of hard work, perseverance, and unwavering commitment. Jasmine wishes to share with others that being a multifaceted, multi-hyphenated entrepreneur is possible and that music, culture, activism, and business are all intertwined. She hopes to continue to push the envelope for creative entrepreneurs, facilitate telling stories of women and equality worldwide, and make a positive impact on the world. [Photo by Patrick Struys]

Jasmine’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/xojsmn

Club House Global IG: https://www.instagram.com/clubhouse_global

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4 – Jacob Brumfield

Jacob Brumfield is a remarkable film entrepreneur who is making waves in the entertainment industry with his innovative approach and diverse background. Starting as a cowboy and rancher in Southeastern Idaho, Jacob’s first foray into filmmaking was producing the feature film “Craters of the Moon” in 2011, which was filmed at the National Monument. Moving to Los Angeles, to gain a better grasp of film marketing, Jacob worked under Doug Triconi at Jump! Creative where he honed his skills and rose to become a creative executive, overseeing award-winning projects.

In 2019, Jacob established CO\\OP Films, his own film, TV, and content brand. Despite the obstacles posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Jacob used this time to refine his business model to include project financing and launched CO\\OP Studios as a new and growing independent film and TV studio. With a talented team of filmmakers, including Doug Triconi, Jackson Lanzing, Wesley Alley, Sean Mehen, and Blackhorse Lowe, Jacob is now leading a charge, bringing a fresh perspective and unique approach to film finance, development, production, sales, and distribution. His unwavering passion for the industry, combined with his wisdom and experience, make Jacob a valuable asset to anyone looking to build a career in film. With his positive attitude and determination, Jacob Brumfield is a formidable presence in the entertainment industry.

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5 – Gabriella and Malou Juhlin

Swedish sisters Gabriella and Malou Juhlin are set to revolutionize the activewear industry with the launch of their activewear, Aiychim, in 2023. As the founder and co-founder of the brand, Gabriella and Malou have been working tirelessly for more than two years to find the perfect factory to bring their vision to life. With a focus on developing textile technology of elastic knit fabrics, they’ve been able to create unique fabric compositions that are shaping while not losing the soft and buttery feel. Their goal is to create a brand that can set new industry standards, and they believe that working with transparency and sustainability in a new circular model for fashion is the way to achieve it.

Gabriella and Malou believe that as entrepreneurs, especially female entrepreneurs, it’s important to “listen to your intuition.” They understand that it can be easy to get caught up in outside opinions and lose sight of what truly matters. The duo wants to inspire others to trust their inner voice and not be afraid to pursue their dreams, no matter how big they may seem. In a few years, Gabriella and Malou see themselves as leaders in the fashion industry, setting new standards for transparency and sustainability. They envision Aiychim as a brand that is not just known for its high-quality activewear, but also for its commitment to being environmentally friendly and socially responsible. They want to continue to innovate and push the boundaries in terms of design, production, and business model, and make a positive impact on the industry.

IG: https://www.instagram.com/aiychim/

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6 – Jefferson Keith Langley

Jefferson Keith Langley is an accomplished entrepreneur and executive producer with a unique journey in the world of business and entertainment. He has experienced both the highs and lows of success and has worked with a wide range of individuals and organizations, from celebrities, and projects with billionaires, all the way to the average person, all with the same goal of ensuring that everyone wins while making things better than they were before. His notable career highlights include producing movies in theaters globally, starting a creative film fund, and most recently starting the creative tech company The Shepherds, living with monks in the mountains, founding the storytelling tech company Hallowroad.com and launching the exclusive merchandise store NarrativeRetail.com. Jefferson has also been involved in brand campaigns for Mercedes Benz and NIKE and was the Co-owner and general manager of VANQUISH FC, a semi-pro soccer club sponsored by Land Rover Jaguar.

Despite facing significant challenges, including hitting rock bottom and losing everything, Langley has been able to overcome them and find everything back in a new way. He aspires to turn The Shepherds into a media empire, create jobs where people work in cohesion for the betterment of the project and start a foundation to impact homelessness, and bring preemptive wellness to a forgotten section of society. Langley is influenced by mavericks like Michaelangelo, Bruce Lee, and Lao-tse, who remind us that a good leader should be “barely known” and that the true measure of success is when people feel they have accomplished something on their own.

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7 – Kim Harper

Award-winning, internationally recognized entrepreneur Kim Harper, founder, and CEO of the marketing agency Bid Branding Boutique is revolutionizing the brand design space for small to midsize companies. With a marketing career spanning several decades with some of the world’s most renowned agencies & companies, Kim realized that most traditional agencies offered very cookie-cutter-styled services and required exorbitant budgets. Taking her extensive knowledge and expertise from working with a multitude of Fortune 500 firms, she wanted to start a marketing boutique that focused on leveling the playing field creatively for all companies.

With an ever-growing roster of incredibly talented international artists & freelancers, Kim is passionate about building great brands. What drives me is helping people bring their company’s vision to life. Our mission of successful marketing innovation is a superior partnership approach, where consistent consideration of client organizational goals and values is paramount. We are very grateful for our fabulous clients worldwide in Europe, Australia, Japan, Canada, and the US. We take great pride in building & maintaining stellar relationships with our clients. With a steadfast commitment to exceeding business goals, we are excited to be growing and helping more companies navigate the marketing journey to finding their creative brand story.  Screenshot 2023 02 07 at 12.35.06 PM

8 – Keely Scarlata

Keely Scarlata is an accomplished entrepreneur with a diverse background in event production, content creation, and nonprofit fundraising. Her current venture, Sonder and Santé, is an event production company that specializes in creating unique and memorable experiences for clients. As an event producer, Keely’s expertise includes creating and executing the event vision, developing and implementing paid social media strategies, and fundraising for nonprofit clients. Additionally, her previous experience producing branded entertainment content allows her to elevate the visual and audio components of each event, making it an immersive and memorable experience for attendees.

Throughout her career, Keely has accomplished many notable milestones including raising millions of dollars for non-profits and investing in Floating, a weekly outdoor music and art series in Los Angeles. She also co-founded The Arts Project Syracuse, an organization whose mission is to provide fully-funded transformative arts programming to under-resourced youth in Syracuse, New York. Keely also mentions, “The wisdom I would impart to others is to maintain an unwavering commitment to authenticity and to select clients whose principles align with your own.” Keely plans to continue producing large-scale events for both non-profit and for-profit companies while also producing a docuseries for release in 2024.

IG: https://www.instagram.com/sonderandsante/

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9 – Meredith Matics

Meredith Matics is a driven entrepreneur and the Founder of Matics Medical Office Services, a company with a passion for improving the healthcare industry. As a former clinical psychiatric medical assistant, Meredith observed the negative impact of disorganized medical billing systems on the therapeutic relationship between practitioner and patient and set out to support practitioners in facilitating these vital relationships. She’s since grown the company to include a full team that serves a growing client base. As a certified Medical Reimbursement Specialist by the American Medical Billing Association, Meredith has been a guest speaker at local colleges on professionalism in the workforce and serves on the Board of Directors for Cornerstone Center for Counseling and Discipleship.

Despite facing challenges in growing the company while maintaining financial stability, Meredith has been successful in her company’s growth and stability through her focus on client needs, staff development, and business operations. In the future, Meredith aspires to continue growing Matics Medical Office Services and expanding its impact on the healthcare industry.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaticsMOS

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/matics-medical-office-services/

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10 – Kimjera Whittington

Kimjera Whittington is the Founder & CEO of Evolve Global Marketing, a cutting-edge branding, and marketing agency that helps businesses and brands outmaneuver sameness in today’s digital world. With over 25 years of experience as an award-winning corporate executive in sales and marketing, managing large teams of 60+ people and 50M+ budgets, Kimjera has experienced firsthand how many businesses waste time and money on marketing that doesn’t work. Her innovative approach using disruptive brand strategy and leveraging the power of storytelling creates a true competitive advantage for her clients. She’s made a significant impact on thousands of businesses with annual revenues of up to $500 million.

In addition to helping her clients grow their businesses, Kimjera grew her business 4x in under one year and achieved the 7 Figure Female Entrepreneur status in 18 months. She’s faced many challenges as a woman in sales leadership, entrepreneurship, and as a minority-owned business founder and CEO. Despite facing challenges, she persevered.

For the first time since founding her agency, she is now sharing her expertise with entrepreneurs worldwide through her online courses. She has one simple goal, to empower one million professional service business owners and entrepreneurs with branding, marketing, and storytelling strategies that set them apart from their competitors and put them in a league of their own. Why? Because she believes access should not be limited to a select few.

IG: https://www.instagram.com/kimjerawhittington/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimjerawhittington/

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