Pen Name Consulting
Pen Name Consulting is a small, selective Denver-based creative agency that grows personal brands and scales disruptive businesses through senior-only podcast production, content marketing, brand strategy, and full-service content ecosystem builds for high-profile clients such as Tim Ferriss and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersDenver, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Pen Name Consulting does
Pen Name Consulting is a privately held, full-service creative agency headquartered in Denver, Colorado, founded in 2011 and operating with a deliberately small team of executive-level professionals (1–10 employees). The firm delivers strategy, storytelling, content creation, podcast production, brand development, newsletter management, editorial services, and campaign execution for two tightly defined client segments: high-profile personal brands (authors, athletes, founders, public figures) and disruptive growth-stage businesses. Services are delivered directly by senior staff rather than junior employees, and the firm maintains a selective client roster to preserve executive attention per engagement.
The agency's core offering is operationally split across two surfaces: (1) creative agency services spanning brand strategy, content marketing, design, and campaign execution, and (2) Pen Name Productions, a wholly owned subsidiary dedicated to end-to-end podcast production (editing, show notes, social clips, launch strategy, monetization, sponsorship). There is no proprietary technology platform disclosed — the firm's competitive capability is human creative and editorial execution rather than software. Notable technical-adjacent work includes building and operating consumer properties like The Pump fitness app (launched April 2023 on RevenueCat) and managing large-scale newsletter and podcast ecosystems with multi-million-subscriber audiences.
The revenue model is professional-services engagement-based, with pricing not publicly disclosed but characterized by the firm as transparent, value-based, and decoupled from billable hours. Distribution is wholly direct: prospective clients reach the firm via two website inquiry forms (general and podcast production), and new client acceptance is selective. Marquee clients include Tim Ferriss, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lenny Rachitsky, Eric Schmidt, Death Wish Coffee, Ladder (later acquired by Beachbody), Shopify, Dollar Shave Club, Equinox, Four Sigmatic, and Columbia University. The firm is bootstrapped, with no disclosed external funding, and is controlled by co-founders Adam Bornstein and Jordan Bornstein.
Pen Name Consulting firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pen Name Consulting
- Legal name
- Pen Name Consulting
- Website
- https://penname.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Pen Name Consulting is a small, selective Denver-based creative agency that grows personal brands and scales disruptive businesses through senior-only podcast production, content marketing, brand strategy, and full-service content ecosystem builds for high-profile clients such as Tim Ferriss and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pen Name Consulting industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Creative and Marketing Agency Services
- NAICS
- Marketing Consulting Services (541613), Advertising Agencies (541810)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Naming & Verbal Identity (BPAFAEAB)
Keywords
Where Pen Name Consulting is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Denver
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Pen Name Consulting business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Creative Agency Services: Full-service creative agency providing strategy, storytelling, podcast production, content marketing, brand development, and campaign execution for personal brands and disruptive businesses. Revenue is generated through professional service engagements with selective high-value clients.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Pen Name Consulting product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pen Name Consulting is a full-service creative agency that grows personal brands and scales disruptive businesses through storytelling, innovation, distribution, and attention strategies. Its core deliverables include podcast production and marketing, content and brand strategy, creative design, editorial services, and campaign execution for product launches and brand development, delivered through a wholly owned podcast production arm called Pen Name Productions.
Product overview
Pen Name Consulting operates as a full-service creative agency with two primary offerings: (1) Creative Agency Services providing storytelling, innovation, distribution, and attention strategies for personal brands and businesses, including podcast production & marketing, content and brand strategy, creative design, and editorial services; and (2) Pen Name Productions, a dedicated podcast production arm that creates, produces, grows, and monetizes podcasts from start to finish. The company also produces branded content ecosystems for high-profile clients including Arnold's Pump Club (newsletter, The Pump app, and podcast), Tim Ferriss's media brand (The Tim Ferriss Show, 5-Bullet Friday newsletter, and NYT bestselling books), and Lenny's Podcast. Services are delivered by an executive team rather than junior staff, emphasizing quality over quantity.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Creative Agency Services Full-service creative agency offering for personal brands and disruptive businesses, covering storytelling, innovation, distribution, attention strategy, podcast production and marketing, content and brand strategy, creative design, and editorial services.
- Pen Name Productions - Podcast Production Full-service media and production agency for podcasts, providing audio/video editing, social clips, show notes, launch and growth strategy, monetization and sponsorship, and podcast design and branding. Behind podcasts with 600+ million downloads.
- Brand and Product Launch Campaign Services End-to-end campaign and product launch services including brand development, marketing strategy, creative design, and launch execution for consumer brands and celebrity-backed products.
Quantifiable outcome
- 600+ million podcast downloads generated for clients
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Pen Name Consulting
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Pen Name Consulting technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Pen Name Consulting partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators16 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Pen Name Consulting competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Work & Co: Independent digital creative agency building flagship products, brands, and experiences for ambitious companies (Epic, Mailchimp, Etsy). Comparable creative-craft DNA to Pen Name but with deeper product and engineering capabilities and higher headcount.
- Anomaly: Larger independent creative network blending advertising, brand consulting, and content. Comparable to Pen Name's integrated offering but operating at significantly greater scale and headcount.
- R/GA: Global creative and digital agency with deep experience launching disruptive brands and products. Overlaps with Pen Name's brand-strategy and product-launch services at a much larger enterprise scale.
- Barkley: Independent full-service agency and consultancy known for challenger-brand work and content production (Activate). Comparable to Pen Name's selective, brand-building ethos within a broader full-service framework.
Emerging players
- Studio Nebula: Independent creative studio serving tech-forward founders and operators on brand and content production. Smaller emerging peer with similar 'selective founder-led clients' positioning to Pen Name but earlier stage.
Direct peers
- Mekanism: Independent full-service creative agency blending brand storytelling, content, and integrated campaigns for challenger brands (Ben & Jerry's, Alaska Airlines). Comparable to Pen Name's full-service positioning with similar brand-strategy-and-execution model.
- Pushkin Industries: Premium podcast production company (Malcolm Gladwell, Michael Lewis) producing high-profile author-led shows. Directly comparable to Pen Name Productions in business model: full-service production, growth, and monetization for celebrity creators.
- Red Antler: Independent creative agency building brands for disruptive businesses and DTC challengers (Allbirds, Casper, Brandless). Direct peer in serving venture-backed, category-defining consumer brands with integrated brand strategy and launch support.
- Wondery: Podcast-first studio producing celebrity-driven shows including business and creator-led content (Acquired, Business Wars). Compares to Pen Name Productions on production craft and creator partnerships, scaled further via Amazon ownership.
- Pineapple Street Studios: Boutique podcast production studio known for premium narrative shows (Wind of Change, missing chapter). Comparable to Pen Name Productions in scale, approach, and focus on storytelling-led productions for high-profile talent.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks1 record
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Pen Name Consulting social profiles
Digital presencePen Name Consulting financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pen Name Consulting leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Pen Name Consulting subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Pen Name Consulting funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pen Name Consulting M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pen Name Consulting
What does Pen Name Consulting do?
Pen Name Consulting is a full-service creative agency that grows personal brands and scales disruptive businesses through storytelling, innovation, distribution, and attention strategies. Its core deliverables include podcast production and marketing, content and brand strategy, creative design, editorial services, and campaign execution for product launches and brand development, delivered through a wholly owned podcast production arm called Pen Name Productions.
Is Pen Name Consulting a public or private company?
Pen Name Consulting is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Pen Name Consulting founded?
Pen Name Consulting was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Pen Name Consulting based?
Pen Name Consulting is headquartered in Denver, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pen Name Consulting make money?
One revenue line is on record: creative Agency Services.
Who are Pen Name Consulting's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Work & Co, Anomaly, R/GA and Barkley. Studio Nebula is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Mekanism, Pushkin Industries, Red Antler, Wondery and Pineapple Street Studios.
Does Pen Name Consulting have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pen Name Consulting.
What industry is Pen Name Consulting in?
Pen Name Consulting's product category is Creative and Marketing Agency Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFAEAB, Naming & Verbal Identity. Its NAICS code is 541613 and its SIC code is 8742.