What Aaron Read & Associates does

Aaron Read & Associates is a Sacramento-based, founder-owned legislative advocacy and government affairs firm that has operated continuously since 1978. The firm represents roughly 40 named clients across healthcare, transportation, financial services, technology, labor unions, gaming, manufacturing, nonprofit, and government entities in matters before the California state legislature and executive agencies. Its three core service lines are (i) Legislative Advocacy, including bill drafting, committee testimony, and direct lobbying; (ii) Campaigns & Public Relations, delivered through its sister company Marketplace Communications, which handles candidate campaigns, independent expenditure campaigns, media relations, crisis management, and coalition building; and (iii) Procurement Services, which assists corporations in pursuing California state procurement contracts through relationship development and RFP/RFI strategy. The firm is staffed by approximately 13 professionals, including founder/CEO Aaron Read (45+ years of advocacy experience), and operates from a single downtown Sacramento headquarters.

The firm's business model is a pure professional services model: revenue is generated on a fee-for-engagement or retainer basis with quote-based pricing that is not publicly disclosed. There is no proprietary technology platform, no AI component, and no software product; the firm's "product" is the expertise, relationships, and execution capability of its Sacramento-based advocates. Go-to-market is sales-led and driven almost entirely by reputation, referrals, and the firm's 45-year brand within California political circles rather than marketing channels. Two family members — Lindsey Read (Attorney at Law) and Brian Read (Legislative Advocate and Multimedia Creative Executive) — are on staff, evidencing founder-led succession. The firm is privately held, has no disclosed funding, no parent company, and no subsidiaries, though Marketplace Communications functions as a closely affiliated sister entity.

Name

Aaron Read & Associates

Legal name

Aaron Read & Associates, LLC.

Website

https://aaronread.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Aaron Read & Associates is a Sacramento-based, founder-owned legislative advocacy and government affairs firm that has represented trade associations, labor unions, corporations, and government entities before the California state government since 1978.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Affairs and Legislative Advocacy Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Public Relations Agencies (541820)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Intergovernmental Affairs & Federal Grants Administration (BPAIAAAC)

Keywords

• Legislative advocacy services
• Government affairs consulting
• Political campaign management
• Public relations services
• Procurement consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Legislative Advocacy Services: Professional lobbying and legislative advocacy services provided to clients seeking to influence California state legislation, including writing legislation, committee testimony, and representing client interests before state government.
2. Campaigns & Public Relations: Political campaign management and public relations services including candidate and issue campaigns, independent expenditure campaigns, message framing, and coalition building.
3. Procurement Consulting: Assistance with California state procurement contracts including relationship building, RFP/RFI strategy, and long-term relationship maintenance with state agencies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Aaron Read & Associates is a Sacramento-based government affairs firm providing legislative advocacy, political campaign management and public relations, and California state procurement consulting services. The firm represents trade associations, corporations, labor unions, and other organizations before the California state legislature and executive agencies, taking legislation from concept to statute, providing committee testimony, and assisting clients with state procurement contracts. Services are delivered through direct, long-term engagement by Sacramento-based lobbyists and supplemented by sister company Marketplace Communications for public affairs and campaign work.

Product overview

Aaron Read & Associates is a Sacramento-based lobbying firm offering three core service lines: Legislative Advocacy (lobbying, bill tracking, committee testimony), Campaigns & Public Relations (political campaigns, issue management), and Procurement Services (California government contract assistance). The firm also operates through its sister company Marketplace Communications, which provides full-service public affairs including strategic counsel, media relations, digital implementation, crisis management, and event-planning. The firm's services are primarily focused on California state government relations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Legislative Advocacy

Named customers43 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Marketplace CommunicationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarketplace Communications is a sister company of Aaron Read & Associates, providing full-service public affairs agency capabilities including strategic counsel, media relations, digital implementation, campaign strategy, collateral development, coalition building, crisis management, and event-planning. The two firms work together to provide clients with integrated lobbying and public relations services.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Political Solutions: California lobbying and political consulting firm specializing in legislative advocacy, ballot measure campaigns, and procurement strategy for clients in healthcare, education, and labor.
• Balderas Group (formerly dba lobbying): California-focused government affairs firm providing legislative advocacy and political consulting to labor unions, trade associations, and corporate clients in Sacramento.
• KP Public Affairs: Sacramento-headquartered lobbying and public affairs firm providing legislative advocacy, budget and procurement consulting, and political strategy. Comparable as a same-city competitor serving California associations and corporate clients.
• Platinum Advisors: Sacramento lobbying and public affairs firm providing legislative advocacy, regulatory affairs, and procurement consulting to associations and corporations across multiple verticals in California.
• California Advisors: Sacramento-headquartered lobbying and public affairs firm offering legislative advocacy, regulatory consulting, and procurement services to California associations and corporate clients.
• The Roberts Group: Sacramento government relations firm providing legislative lobbying, regulatory advocacy, and political consulting to associations, nonprofits, and corporations doing business in California.
• Nielsen Merksamer Parrinello Gross & Leoni: Large Sacramento-based government law, lobbying, and political law firm serving associations, corporations, and political campaigns with legislative and regulatory representation in California.
• Shaw Yoder Antwih Schmelzer & Lange: Sacramento-based government relations firm offering legislative advocacy, regulatory affairs, and procurement support to California associations and local governments. Directly comparable in geography, service mix, and target client base to ARA.
• Sloat Higgins Jensen & Associates: Sacramento-based government relations firm offering legislative advocacy, regulatory representation, and political consulting to a similar roster of trade associations, healthcare groups, and corporate clients.
• Lang Hansen O'Malley & Miller: Sacramento-based government affairs firm offering legislative advocacy, budget consulting, and procurement strategy to California trade associations, healthcare organizations, and corporate clients.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ARACapitolWatch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aaron Read & Associates