People First

What People First does

People First (legally People First Marketing, Inc.) is a Delaware-incorporated influencer marketing agency founded in 2020 by Ryan Davis, headquartered in Ocean City, Maryland, and operating with a team of 11+ across delivery, influencer partnerships, growth, insights, finance and operations, and technology. The company connects brands, advocacy organizations, political campaigns, and public-sector clients with a network of more than 20,000 creators, delivering campaigns that have generated 150M+ views, 13M+ engagements, and 30K+ posts across its portfolio.

The company operates two core products: a self-service Creator Portal (join.peoplefirst.cc) where creators sign up, browse paid campaigns, submit content, and receive payments; and Creator Studio, an application-gated community offering exclusive access to paid projects at $25–$250 per project. Surrounding services span Campaign Strategy, Influencer Partnerships, Paid Amplification & Fundraising, Live & In-Person Appearances, Creative Partnerships & Ambassador Programs, Media & Publicity, Product Seeding & Affiliate Deals, and Social Media Consultation. The technology stack integrates Stripe for transaction processing, Dots for multi-rail creator payouts (PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, ACH), and YouTube/Google APIs plus integrations across 13+ social platforms including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat, X, Threads, Twitch, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Reddit, Discord, and Substack.

People First generates revenue across five streams: professional services for campaign strategy and influencer partnerships; advertising via paid amplification; recurring subscription-like revenue from Creator Studio; affiliate and referral fees from product seeding; and event-driven fees for live and in-person appearances. The go-to-market combines direct outreach to enterprise and nonprofit clients, a self-serve creator funnel, an owned media presence (Substack newsletters, Influencer Impact podcast, organic social across Instagram, TikTok, X, LinkedIn, BlueSky), and recognition as a 2025 Reed Award winner for Best Influencer Agency and 2025 Pollie Award winner for Best Use of Social Media. The company is privately held, founder-led, and bootstrapped, with no disclosed funding rounds or institutional investors in the source material.

Name

People First

Legal name

People First Marketing, Inc.

Website

https://peoplefirst.cc

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

People First is a bootstrapped, founder-led influencer marketing agency founded in 2020 that connects brands, advocacy groups, political campaigns, and public-sector clients with a 20,000+ creator network through campaign services, a self-service Creator Portal, and an exclusive Creator Studio community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Influencer Marketing Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (54181), Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (711410)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAFAHAA

Influencer Marketing Agencies

Business & Public Services/Marketing, Advertising & PR Services/Influencer & Creator Marketing

SECONDARYBPAMALAG

Influencer Marketing & Creator Marketplaces

Business & Public Services/Web, Mobile & Digital Platforms/Advertising, Marketing & Creator Monetization Platforms

SECONDARYBPAFAHAF

Influencer Campaign Operations & Managed Services

Business & Public Services/Marketing, Advertising & PR Services/Influencer & Creator Marketing

SECONDARYBPAFAAAG

Influencer & Creator Marketing

Business & Public Services/Marketing, Advertising & PR Services/Full-Service Advertising Agencies

Keywords

• Influencer marketing
• Creator network
• Advocacy campaigns
• Social media marketing
• Campaign management

Headquarters

HQ city

Ocean City

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Campaign Strategy & Management Services: Full-service influencer campaign management from strategy through execution, including campaign planning, creator matching, content approval, and performance analysis
2. Influencer Partnerships: Connection of brands and causes with trusted, mission-driven creators who authentically champion client objectives through ongoing partnerships and ambassador programs
3. Paid Amplification & Fundraising: Boosting highest-performing content through licensing and adaptive paid media strategies to maximize reach and fundraising outcomes
4. Creator Studio Subscriptions: Exclusive creator community membership offering weekly paid project opportunities, early access to campaigns, and premium creator support services
5. Product Seeding & Affiliate Deals: Creator seeding programs and affiliate partnerships enabling brands to reward customers and turn them into long-term partners on platforms like TikTok Shop and Instagram Shopping

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

People First is an influencer marketing agency that connects brands, nonprofits, and political organizations with a network of 20,000+ vetted creators to execute authentic, measurable advocacy and marketing campaigns. The company pairs technology-enabled campaign management (Creator Portal, Creator Studio) with hands-on strategy, paid amplification, ambassador programs, and grassroots organizing expertise.

Product overview

People First is an influencer marketing agency platform that operates as a technology-enabled service offering connecting brands, nonprofits, and advocacy organizations with authentic creators. The platform consists of two core components: the Creator Portal for general creator onboarding and campaign management, and the Creator Studio for exclusive top-tier creators with enhanced access and compensation. Additional offerings include strategic services (Campaign Strategy, Social Media Consultation), content and amplification services (Influencer Partnerships, Paid Amplification, Creative Partnerships, Media & Publicity), and activation services (Live Appearances, Product Seeding & Affiliate Deals). The company was founded in 2020 and manages a network of 20K+ trusted creators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Creator Portal
• Creator Studio
• Campaign Strategy & Execution Services
• Paid Amplification & Fundraising
• Creative Partnerships & Ambassador Programs
• Live & In-Person Appearances
• Product Seeding & Affiliate Deals
• Social Media Consultation
• Media & Publicity

Named customers22 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• DotscoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment processing platform used for creator payments. Creators receive payment through Dots via PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, direct ACH transfer, or other available payment methods. Standard payments under $1,500 process within 10-15 business days.
• Social Media PlatformscoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with social media platforms including Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat, X, Threads, Twitch, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Reddit, Discord, and Substack for content distribution and creator campaigns.
• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationSecure payment processing for creator portal transactions. Payment logos show Stripe integration for secure payment handling.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Influencer Marketing Factory: TikTok- and social-first influencer marketing agency running paid campaigns for consumer brands. Comparable services-side competitor to People First, particularly for brand and DTC work.
• Influencer.com: Global influencer marketing agency and platform combining a creator marketplace with managed services for enterprise brands. Most directly comparable to People First on the agency-plus-tech, full-service campaign model.
• Grin: Creator management platform focused on DTC and e-commerce brands with gifting, affiliate, and content tools. Direct platform competitor to People First, especially around product seeding, affiliate, and creator payments.
• Upfluence: Influencer marketing platform with creator search, outreach, gifting, and affiliate tools used by brands and agencies. Comparable tech-and-services overlap with People First's Creator Portal and campaign workflow.
• Whalar: Creator-first influencer marketing agency and talent management firm representing creators and running brand campaigns. Comparable to People First's blended agency/creator-management model, especially the Creator Studio.
• CreatorIQ: Enterprise influencer marketing platform serving large brand and agency customers with creator discovery, campaign management, and analytics. Direct competitor to People First's technology stack and enterprise ambitions.
• HireInfluence: Long-running influencer marketing agency delivering end-to-end campaigns across consumer and B2B verticals. Closely comparable to People First's full-service agency model and its mix of brand and cause clients.
• Aspire (formerly AspireIQ): Creator marketing platform with workflow, gifting, and affiliate tools used by brands and agencies. Comparable to People First on the platform side (creator portal, campaign workflow, payments) and increasingly on the services side.
• Belong (formerly Mavrck): Enterprise influencer and creator marketing platform with workflow, payments, and analytics. Direct technology-side competitor for the same brand-side buyers People First targets.
• Obviously: Full-service influencer marketing agency working with consumer brands on strategy, creator partnerships, and content production. Closest services-side comparison for People First's brand campaign work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PeopleFirst_cc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/peoplefirstcc
• Instagraminstagram.com/peoplefirst.cc
• TikToktiktok.com/@peoplefirstcommunity?lang=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 People First