Meet

AMANDA RUSSELL

Amanda is widely respected as a leader in

business, professor, author, and accomplished marketing consultant.

By the age of 32, Amanda built and sold two thriving businesses. A former Olympic-level runner, her first company began with a fitness YouTube channel that she grew into one of the first digital fitness subscription programs. You can learn more about Amanda’s journey as an athlete here. She went on to found a digital marketing company, the Interesting Agency, that specialized in the fitness industry and worked with some of the biggest names in fitness.

After selling her company in 2018, Amanda spent two years in-house as the Chief Marketing Officer responsible for the rebrand of their various acquisitions. She channeled her deep experience, stellar industry reputation, and dissatisfaction with the status quo into developing the world’s first fully accredited program in Influencer Marketing at UCLA, which she then launched (and currently teaches) at The University of Texas at Austin.

Amanda is presently directing, and launching a first-of-its-kind influencer marketing program in partnership with Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Business (ranked #1 in the world for marketing) and the highly regarded Emeritus MBA-level and executive certificate programs.

Russell advises some of the top companies in the world on influencer marketing including Lamborghini, Cedars Sinai and Lionsgate and speaks across the globe on influence and the future of marketing.

Professor

Amanda designed & created the world’s first fully accredited program in Influencer Marketing (originally at UCLA & University of Texas at Austin). She is now directing and leading the advancement of the program along with Mohan Sawhney, Associate Dean of Kellogg and Director of the Center of Research and Technology at The Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern (still top ranked in the world for marketing!)

The program aims to set the record straight about influencer marketing and the future of business. Teaching a new way and style of thinking about how to grow and create real influence and impact. The program will be a hybrid of live and online, that brings the best of academia and industry together in a dynamic and actionable way, and endorses individuals and companies who have made an impact in your industry while simultaneously imparting their expertise on others. [It’s more than a program, it’s a movement!]

Chief Marketing Officer

Amanda’s marketing and digital production firm was acquired (in 2018) by Valeo Technologies, a 30+ year old legacy fitness and security brand headquartered in New York. As part of a two year exit, Amanda took the helm of CMO to direct the global re-brand and re-launch strategy as the first female Chief Marketing Officer.

Top YouTube Influencer

Amanda Russell TV, a YouTube channel became one of the fastest growing fitness channels on YouTube when it hit 1,000,000 views within 2 months of launch. The channel became a business in itself and grew into a partnership deal with Maker Studios (sold to Disney in 2014).

Amanda then partnered with Trium Entertainment (the creator of the hit TV series The Biggest Loser) to build out one of the first online fitness subscription programs for women.

Marketing Consultant & Coach

Amanda advises companies and leaders across all industries on how to create, scale and nurture their influence. From entire marketing strategy planning to specific influencer marketing campaign initiatives, Amanda cuts through the noise and confusion, and helps you clarify exactly what you want to achieve and develop and execute the plan to breed those results.

Board Member and Advisor

Lamborghini: Amanda sits on the advisory board for Lamborghini Automobile, one of a handful on women selected internationally from among the most influential and representative individuals in business and culture. Established in 2018, it is a board that enjoys a unique view of the world and which Lamborghini wanted to put together in order to benefit from important external contributions in its path as a pioneering brand.

Amanda is holds a board seat spearheading marketing and influencer strategies for both the Andy Roddick Foundation and The Robins School of Business at the prestigious University of Richmond.

Speaker and Activist

There are few people in the world that can explain true influencer marketing in the way that Amanda can. Not only has she done it herself (and written the book), she has made it her life’s work to take what she’s learned to teach it to others. From the top ranked MBA students in the world, to executive around the globe, to start up entrepreneurs trying to navigate the muddled waters, Amanda has a program that has gone to the very top in both academia and executive practice.

Her unique ‘superpower’ is to use story and example to convey complex topics and give you an action plan that both inspires, motivates and leaves you walking away with a whole new way of thinking, and armed with a ‘know how’ to execute!

And she’s got one hell of an unconventional and unique background that could serve as the ultimate motivational keynote.

Founder of Renaissance Women (RW), an exclusive community and conference for today’s most inspiring female leaders, executives, entrepreneurs and influencers, from all industries, and of all ages, who are shaping the future.

The influencer Code

As a speaker and writer, she presents across the globe on influencer marketing and the future of marketing. Her latest book, The Influencer Code became the official resource to influencer marketing for university programs worldwide, complete with proprietary case studies, exemplary methodologies, & original frameworks.

Additionally, she wrote the official Harvard Business Case for the subject of influencer marketing on a company she consulted for: ZICO Coconut water. The most fascinating part being that her initial start to working with the company was as their spokesperson.

Amanda has vast international experience and has taught at some of the top schools in the world, including Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Business, London Business School, Harvard, Wharton School of Business, The University of Stockholm Business School.

She also serves as board member and advisory council to several global organizations including Lamborghini, The Andy Roddick Foundation, and The University of Richmond Business School.

“From the moment Amanda told me she was writing the book on influencer marketing, I knew it would be a must-read. There is a reason top brands flock to her for compelling expertise and an extensive way of thinking on this topic. She does not disappoint; her unique ability to provide actionable frameworks and communicate them with such clarity and insight is a rare gift. Highly recommended read!”

“A Force! Amanda isn’t just a triple threat in life, she understands marketing on a different level. Amanda’s ability to take complex and abstract situations and devise strategies to help you break through the noise of a fragmented market and achieve the big goals is impressive.”

“Simply put, Amanda rocks the marketing world! She possesses a 360 degree vision of how a concept will play across media channels. Armed with the innate ability to break outside the box, garner deep insight and transform people and companies.”

“A force of magnetic energy, passion with a true higher purpose. Amanda has the ability to turn the most seemingly impossible ideas into reality”

“Amanda is the master of getting you where you need to be.”

“Amanda is one of those brilliant influencer marketing experts who has not only brought huge success to her clients over the years, she has taught thousands of others to do the same. Amanda literally created the first accredited influencer marketing courses for some of the world's top schools. Amanda is simply a force to reckon with in the influencer marketing industry and without question one of the most valuable marketing experts you will find. An industry must-read!”

“Amanda gets it. She knows what it takes to build relevant brands in the 21st century by doing real marketing, not just advertising. In particular, she’s a master of influencer marketing, and has powerful insights and recommendations to help brand leaders divert their resources away from generating attention and toward increasing influence. I consider Amanda a true pioneer in the field of influencer marketing, having first honed her craft as an early adopter of social media marketing, and now ably sharing her expertise in influencer marketing as a professor, author, speaker and advisor. Perhaps best of all, she’s as kind and generous as she is smart.”

“Wow! Oh wow, Amanda is incredible! My team can’t stop talking about her presentation. It was inspiring, insightful, engaging, and most importantly: Actionable!!"

“It’s tough to use words to describe Amanda Russell. She is a true expert in marketing and specifically influencer marketing. Amanda thinks about influencer marketing in an entirely different way and can demonstrate what she teaches so effectively (and entertainingly) that people actually get it. There are many that are very good in training in speaking about marketing, influence and success; but few can do it in a way that the learner can easily apply what they have learned. Its hard to describe, but Amanda is able to teach and demonstrate in a way where it just clicks. Simply put Amanda Russell is very, very impressive.”

“Your guidance on how to expand influence via social media also has implications for non-profit and philanthropy work. Social media influence is a new bridge not just for cultural influence but also anywhere from product to program to policy. Anyone doing work in changing the world should heed your advice. You can quote me on that one.”

“Amanda has the unique ability to truly engage with the audience and make you believe that transformation is possible and within reach. She moves audiences to action."

AUTHOR SPEAKER PROFESSOR CONSULTANT