Introducing Self-Made Minority Business Owner, Kyle Hjelmeseth!
Kyle Hjelmeseth (“YELM-SETH”), the Founder and CEO of top-tier talent management agency G&B, which houses both the College of Influence and the Normalize Equality initiative. A self-made minority business owner, Hjelmeseth brings the full extent of his experience living as a half black, half white male to his work building media momentum around messages of diversity and inclusivity with his trademark solutions-driven attitude. Under his leadership, G&B has successfully re-invented the talent management world with integrity while creating a refreshingly diverse company culture, serving more than 60 exclusive clients with a powerfully inclusive ethos that transforms influencers into influential people.
Hjelmeseth grew up in small-town America among a population of just 3,000. One of the few students to attend college, Hjelmeseth traveled the farthest for his degree in Communications and Public Relations from Purdue University. The story of G&B began in 2012 when Hjelmeseth reached out to Honey & Silk blogger Stephanie Liu to partner on a campaign. The two struck up a friendship and, in 2014, Hjelmeseth officially signed on as Liu’s manager, helping to quadruple her blog income while simultaneously serving as Associate Director for Chloe+Isabel. In 2017, newly married to Liu and representing a steady clientele of 12-15 influencers whom he helped make a living blogging, he jumped into G&B full-time.
Today, Hjelmeseth leads with a passionate, results-oriented style that has steadily expanded the company from 15 to 60 talent, reaching multi-millions in revenue while introducing an innovative 100% founder-owned and debt-free business model. The company’s 75% referral rate speaks to the quality of their work and dedication to each client’s success. Partnering with brands from Chanel to Target and everything in-between, alongside macro (1M+ following) and mid-tier (100k-500k following) influencers, Hjelmeseth considers his team and clientele like family, ensuring they have the resources they need to succeed. He established the College of Influence to offer on-going educational tools with unique learning modules for his talent to continue to evolve. Relying on his background of mentoring, training, and creating business courses for entrepreneurs, the classes feature Hjelmeseth and some of his top influencers teaching the basics of building a thriving career, including understanding contracts, negotiating deals, and more.
As the Black Lives Matter movement sweeps the nation, Hjelmeseth finds himself again at a milestone intersection of culture and influence. Well-versed in both the world of white privilege and the first-person experience of Black trauma, many have found positive direction and guidance in G&B’s Normalize Equality initiative. What originated as a conversation among friends quickly evolved into a how-to for influencers, brands, and agencies seeking to create and perpetuate positive change. The company’s guides offer clear steps for “using your influence to normalize equality,” offering ideas such as creating more inclusive programming, increasing diversity within campaigns, and ensuring equitable pay between BIPOC and white creators.
Discover G&B’s innovative approach to talent management at gb-dm.com. Browse free courses to grow a steady following, and build a next-level career at CollegeofInfluence.com. Get to know Founder Kyle Hjelmeseth @KyleHjelmeseth on Instagram and discover the Normalize Equality initiative at NormalizeEquality.online. For influencer spotlights, career tips, and brand updates follow @GnBinfluence on Instagram.