My firstminute | Jeremy Zimmer, UTA

Crazy Until It's Not: Startups, Venture Capital & Big Ideas

Do entrepreneurs need talent agents like movie stars?

Is the future of the entertainment industry equity based?

How do you become a better leader?

These are just a few of the questions Jeremy Zimmer answers in his episode of my firstminute from June 2020.

Jeremy Zimmer is the Chief Executive Officer and a co-founder of UTA. One of the industry’s leading agents for decades, he has been instrumental in establishing UTA as one of the world’s pre-eminent talent agencies with a reputation for its artist-first focus. He oversees more than 1,200 agents, executives and employees globally.

After rising through the ranks as a talent agent, Zimmer co-founded UTA in 1991 and was named CEO in 2012. Since then, he’s led the company’s remarkable evolution into one of the world’s leading talent and entertainment companies through a series of ambitious acquisitions and expansions across news, speakers, content creation, music, esports, digital talent and sports spaces.

From fabled Hollywood family to super-agent to multi-hyphenate entertainment leader, Zimmer has helped guide the careers of some of the most influential names in entertainment today and personally represents artists such as Bryan Cranston, Chance the Rapper, DJ Khaled, Chelsea Handler, Kevin Hart, Anthony Hopkins, Don Cheadle, Tyra Banks, Ryan Seacrest, Noah Baumbach, Brian Robbins, and YG.

During the session, we explored everything from how Jeremy got started in his career, to his leadership advice in times of crisis, to his passion for the Arts, to his views on the future of media, entertainment and more.