Using her unique skill set and global experience, Lila Brown is amplifying Olympians and Paralympians through Ella Bee Media Group. Inspired by her academic upbringing, Brown started out as a publicist but evolved into a sports agent.
“We pride ourselves on being that Black-owned company where I’m the owner,” Brown said.
Her first Olympic client was two-time gold medalist Natasha Hastings. Brown aided her in getting a long-term deal with Under Armour and got her featured in the ESPN Body issue. She then developed a relationship with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
“What I’ve come to find out is publicity is what wins the sponsorship game,” Brown said. “I knew the basis of endorsements and sponsorship laid in building media value.”
Brown works on ways to brand her clients as influencers; she consistently encourages them to post content of their training on social media.
“Because it’s a part of their everyday life, they’re like it’s boring, it’s mundane to them. But I tell them that’s what excites the fans,” Brown said. “We can experiment with influencer marketing but really our Olympians and Paralympians need way more financial support.”
At times, Brown will be in professional settings where she is the only Black-owned sports agency owner. Yet, that does not deter her from providing for her clients and being an advocate for athletes.
“My approach is very unique because it is publicity driven into sponsorship,” Brown said. “I’m looking at the clients that I’ve worked with more than 10-15 years later and some of them are serving on LA2028 Athletes Advisory Committee.”
A thing that Brown takes pride in is keeping Ella Bee Media Group alive through the Pandemic. She was able to organize her business while creating new services for her clientele.
“I used the pandemic to restructure, to make sure that I went and got certified … so I’m now certified as a minority business enterprise,” Brown said. “Then I started to realize that I needed to make sure that I was taking care of my own mental health.”
Since the Pandemic, Brown has been able to find opportunities to make her business flourish. Brown is a member of the LApreneur business cohort by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
Brown studies the fundamentals of sports in the Olympics and Paralympics. She also travels to see her clients compete during years in between the Games.
“Overseas in Europe, my clients are rock stars, my clients are A-List celebrities in Europe,” Brown said. “When I come in there and I talk to these athletes and I speak their language they’re like “she knows what I’m talking about” because they know I can speak the technicalities of their sport.”]
Now that the Paris Games are over, Brown is looking forward to the 2026 Winter Games in Milano Cortina and LA2028. To learn more about Ella Bee Media Group, please visit https://ellabeemediagroup.com/.
