David Keller founded Algebra Media in 2017 when influencer marketing was entering a noisy adolescence. Networks were consolidating, creators were learning the language of Cost Per Mile (CPM), and brands were struggling to translate engagement into sales. David, who had watched the first multichannel networks rise and fall, saw an opening for something simpler: a system that connects creators and brands with transparency and measurable return.

“There was a big gap in the market for connecting brands and creators,” David says. “Brands needed to know how to spend and where to spend their money, and creators were looking for opportunities. The name Algebra came from our ability to solve complex problems.”

Before launching Algebra, David spent nearly a decade inside the early infrastructure of online video. At Maker Studios, he recruited and managed YouTubers across beauty, lifestyle, and entertainment, then watched as YouTube’s Multi-Channel Network (MCN) model unraveled. 

“The early MCN model was flawed because you were assigning your AdSense earnings to another company,” he recalls. That experience shaped Algebra Media’s defining principle: transparency.

From a self-funded start in Los Angeles, Algebra Media has grown into a 20-person brand-to-creator solutions agency operating across social and direct-response campaigns for some of the internet’s most consistent performers. 

The agency’s proposition is direct: help brands reach audiences through creators who drive conversions, not just awareness, and help creators turn those partnerships into sustainable businesses.

“We’ve paid out over eight figures in creator brand deals,” David says. “But we don’t take anything if we’re not bringing value.”

Building a Company From the Ground Up

Algebra’s growth story mirrors the scrappy origins of many of its clients. David bootstrapped the agency with “a few thousand dollars,” hiring friends and freelancers before adding specialists as revenue increased. 

“The defining moment was bringing on people like Siarra [Keck],” he says. “They were the hammer and the nails of the business: high-IQ, compassionate people who understood both creators and brands.”

Siarra, now Vice President of Influencer Strategy & Accounts, joined four years ago after stints at Veritone One and in influencer outreach. She remembers an early company that felt “home-grown, but high-performing.”

“It wasn’t scrappy in a bad way,” she says. “It just had that feel of being built by people who cared. My focus was on putting in workflows and organization so we could scale. The growth since then hasn’t plateaued. It’s been steady every quarter.”

Today, Algebra’s client mix spans YouTube creators and the brands (or agencies of record) that hire them. “We’re the connective tissue between those two sets of clients,” Siarra says. “We bridge the gap, whatever that gap is, and tailor the solution to each side’s goals.”

Matching Creators and Brands With Precision

Siarra’s team manages four strategists, while a parallel talent division sources thousands of creators, both exclusive and independent. The process begins with a brand brief or request for proposal (RFP) and ends in a curated shortlist.

“We always pitch quality over quantity,” she says. “Brands don’t want a spreadsheet of thousands of creators. They want someone to tell them what’s a good fit.” Each recommendation is pre-vetted before reaching the client, streamlining the selection and ensuring both performance and brand safety.

Internally, success is measured not just by renewals or CPMs, but also by word of mouth. “When a creator emails the whole team to say, ‘My audience loved this brand, and I want to do more with you,’ that’s success,” Siarra says. “It means the training and the processes we’ve built are working in the real world.”

The Vertical Advantage: Automotive and True Crime Lead

Influencer marketing trends shift fast, and Algebra’s data reveals where performance is strongest. “When I first started, everything was lifestyle; families, couples, female creators,” Siarra notes. “They still work, but that space became saturated. Right now, one of our biggest verticals is automotive.”

She reveals that car-focused YouTube channels often show higher conversion rates than expected. “Their audiences are loyal, mostly male, and incredibly engaged. Even meal-kit brands like HelloFresh perform surprisingly well there. It opens entirely new doors for brands and for us.”

True crime is another consistent driver. Once dominated by podcasts, the genre has migrated to YouTube, where creators mix narrative storytelling with high production value. David adds that smaller creators averaging 50,000 to 150,000 views often outperform larger channels in Return on Investment (ROI). “They have solid engagement that moves the needle,” he says.

Creator-Led Ventures and the ‘Pumpkin Metal’ Case

Beyond matchmaking, Algebra is expanding into creator-led ventures: joint projects that extend a creator’s intellectual property into new formats or channels. 

David cites a recent collaboration with horror creator CZsWorld, known for deep dives into film lore. Together they launched “Pumpkin Metal,” a second YouTube channel blending horror and heavy-metal culture.

“It was a 50-50 investment,” David says. “We brought the production team; he hosts the channel. It expands his universe and IP while introducing music as a complementary vertical.”

These partnerships signal a broader ambition: helping creators think like entrepreneurs. “Not everyone does, and that’s fine,” David says. “But we think like entrepreneurs, so if they don’t, we can help them at least ideate.”

ROI Over Awareness

Rather than relying exclusively on impression metrics, Algebra focuses on measurable ROI. The agency began with direct-response clients (Skillshare, Squarespace, and other brands migrating from podcast to YouTube) and built expertise around performance tracking and conversions.

“Those early direct-response brands needed to move their spend to YouTube, and it all converged,” David says. “We became an extension of their teams, helping them hit goals when they didn’t have the bandwidth.”

Even as budgets changed, Algebra’s structure stayed the same: customizing every partnership around real goals. “Sometimes, that means full agency-of-record support; other times it’s acting as an extension of a brand’s internal team,” David says. “And when it comes to creators, we’re known for building bespoke partnership models—everything from traditional brand deals to long-term revenue participation where it makes strategic sense.”

YouTube’s Shifts

David and Siarra see YouTube progressing toward long-form, studio-quality content, which, according to them, favors experienced creators and agencies that understand storytelling economics.

“You’re going to see more long-form content that looks like Hollywood series,” David predicts, pointing to new tools such as YouTube’s collaborator feature and the migration of ad dollars from television to influencer campaigns.

Siarra agrees. “I watch documentaries solely on YouTube now,” she says. “You can get so niche. If I want a documentary about farmers in Japan, I have 30 options. The production quality is that high.”

Both note that algorithm volatility remains a frustration for creators, but overall, the platform’s responsiveness and revenue potential keep it central to Algebra’s business. “It’s our bread and butter,” Siarra says. “We see it continuing to make interesting changes in the future.”

Playing the Long Game

After nearly a decade, David’s priorities sound more cultural than financial. “We’ve invested back into our creators and our employees, and that’s been the driving growth of this business,” he says. “We don’t own a building. That investment pays dividends. It keeps people happy and successful.”

Siarra echoes the sentiment. “It’s the team that keeps me motivated,” she says. “The late-night calls about new signings, my team asking for more responsibility, and them feeling that we’re getting noticed all remind me why I’m here.”

Algebra plans to launch three new creator ventures by early 2026 while deepening its footprint in automotive and entertainment. The team will also attend major trade shows, such as SEMA, the long-running auto parts convention, to connect online creators with offline industries.

“We’re playing the long game,” David says. “Think long term, be flexible, ask for help, and lead with authenticity. All these new companies coming in are good for the ecosystem. We’re excited to innovate, partner, and keep building what’s next.”

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