Meet Jason Pinyan | Talent Brand Manager

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jason Pinyan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jason, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I had been at ICM for a decade and while I really enjoyed my time there and learned everything about the business, I felt a little limited in what I could fully do with my clients. So I made the decision to leave once my contract was up and hang my own shingle to offer truly personalized service to a smaller roster of clients.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I took a leap of faith at the age of 28 and practically started over. I moved from Alabama to Los Angeles in 1999 with $600 to my name, no friends or family there and no job lined up. Looking back, it seems crazy I did that, but something was pushing me to do it. The only smart thing I did prior to driving West was setting up a job interview with a temp agency that only placed people in entertainment industry jobs. I got to LA on a Wed and that interview was on the next day. The owner of the temp agency hired me to help her starting on that Friday. On Monday she told me she had gotten me an interview at the talent agency ICM. Over the course of 3 days, I had 3 interviews. I started the following Monday at was there for 10 years! I became an agent after 3 years. It was not easy. It was very long hours with not great pay but I stuck with it. To keep my sanity, I looked at the job as I did in college..by semesters. I’ll just get through this semester…then another and another. I learned SO much and worked with the most talented colleagues and clients. My advice to anyone starting out or even if a veteran is to keep your options open. Take the meeting. Take the calls. Explore ALL your options and opportunities as you never know what it could become.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love all things Old Hollywood, so I would take them on a driving tour around the studios, the grand old homes in Hancock Park, Beverly Hills and the Hollywood Hills. Then of course all the amazing museums we have here in LA: the wonderful new Academy of Motion Pictures museum, LACMA, The Getty, Getty Villa and the beautiful gardens at Exposition Park downtown. For the best view of the entire city from Downtown to the Pacific ocean, I take guests to Griffith Observatory. Of course LA has such a wide variety of great food, it’s hard to name all of my favorites but the few at the top of my list are Nobu, STK, Otium, El Coyote, Cecconi’s and my all time favorite to have dinner and a gin martini while immersed in the glamour of Old Holywood is Chateau Marmont.

For great people watching, I love hitting the Sunday flea market at Fairfax High School, strolling around The Grove or shopping along Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica.

I really love going to the movies and I have terribly missed going to my favorite theatre, the Arclight at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood. I’m looking forward to it’s reopening.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have to give a shoutout to three key people who gave me my start in 1999: Nancy Orr Ryals, head of HR at ICM, who brought a newbie in for an interview. Jeff Danis, head of the Voiceover department at ICM who gave that newbie a chance and hired me. Karen Sellars, who ran the Celebrity Endorsements department. She was also my boss, mentor and friend that taught me all I know about the art of deal negotiations.

Website: www.pinyanbranding.com

Instagram: @opinyanated

Others: https://adage.com/article/year-review/12-smartest-brand-celebrity-pairings-2020/2299341?fbclid=IwAR0MYCvv4RDWTgXkLwfSe8AL9vd0T7dCijID0CIPL1q6o6lZa2_kOk9nSOI , https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alan-ruck-and-liftmaster-revive-iconic-movie-garage-scene-with-a-modern-day-twist-to-reveal-the-benefits-of-a-smart-garage-301139517.html?fbclid=IwAR2s7_JiV8fySZzgOJC6Z_XzcvflZ-iqImkiiYdgIQtON3OEGwF-UKYRbwU