Brittany Hennessy has been architecting digital influence since before it had a name. Author of the industry-defining book INFLUENCER (translated into 6 languages, 100,000+ copies sold), she has managed over $100M in creator partnerships and built multiple groundbreaking creator programs from scratch.
From building Hearst's first creator department to pioneering blended compensation models now used industry-wide, she has consistently shaped how brands and creators build strategic partnerships. Her expertise spans the media landscape, from legacy outlets (The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Today Show) to industry trades and digital-native publications (Business of Fashion, Glossy, Digiday).
As a sought-after speaker and moderator, she regularly leads high-level industry conversations at major conferences and events, bringing her unique ability to draw insights from both brand and creator perspectives. She has served as social media correspondent for ABC's Nightline and continues to advise major platforms on creator strategy and engagement.
Through The Influence Suite, she provides strategic intelligence to an exclusive society of ambitious creators, transforming them from content creators into industry CEOs.
Television
The meteoric rise of Lil Nas X and the song 'Old Town Road' that got him there - Nightline
The debate around Kylie Jenner 'self-made' billionaire Forbes title - Nightline
Brittany Hennessy gives a glimpse of what it takes to become Instagram famous - TODAY Show
Inside the Influencer's Insta-Ready Life - AOL Build
Building Your Personal Brand On Social Media - Good Day DC
Print + Books
Fyre Festival to fashion week, how do Instagram influencers make so much money? USA Today - February 12, 2019 - Front page
So You Want To Be An Influencer - Cosmopolitan - September 2018
The Athlete's NIL Playbook: The Complete Guide to Owning and Profiting from Your Name, Image, and Likeness - Kristi Dosh
Work It: Secrets for Success from the Boldest Women in Business - Carrie Kerpen
Digital Influence: Unleash the Power of Influencer Marketing to Accelerate Your Global Business - Joel Backaler
Corporate & Trade
Capital One
Southwest Airlines
Giant Food
Folio
PubTech Connect
Fashion Group International
DESIGNcomm Summit NYC
Creator
BlogHer
HerCampus
chloedigital
Ignite Your Influence
Universities
Baruch College
Columbia University
Fashion Institute of Technology
New York University
Rutgers University
Vanderbilt University
Digital Media
Coronavirus Could Finally Pop the Influencer Bubble - Vice
So You Want To Be An Influencer - Cosmopolitan
'We're anti-influencer': ice-cream truck makes Instagram 'stars' pay double - The Guardian
Gen Zers say they feel pressured to establish their 'brand' by the time they leave their teens - Business Insider
Fyre Festival to fashion week, how do Instagram influencers make so much money? - USA Today
This Author Has The Secrets To How Influencers Get Paid - xoNecole
I asked 3 social-media influencers what it takes to make real money on Instagram, and they all pointed to the same trait - Business Insider
A woman who pays Instagrammers and YouTubers for brands like Cosmo and Esquire says people who make the most money as influencers all have the same background - Business Insider
'Influencer marketing' could be worth $10 billion in just a few years, and a woman who pays Instagrammers and YouTubers for brands like Cosmo and Esquire knows why - Business Insider
A woman who pays Instagrammers and YouTubers $500 to $30,000 per post on behalf of brands like Cosmo and Esquire has a go-to formula for calculating what they're worth - Business Insider
A woman who pays Instagrammers and YouTubers for brands like Cosmo and Esquire explains why working with influencers is 'almost guaranteed' to increase sales in a way TV and print ads don't - Business Insider
3 Little Words That Could Forever Change Your Mindset - Girlboss
A woman who pays Instagrammers and YouTubers for brands like Cosmo and Esquire says influencers can earn anywhere from $500 to $30,000 for a single post - Business Insider
Why Women Dominate Influencer Marketing -- and Why It May Be the Right Career for You - Entrepreneur
Hearst's head of influencers on finding the right fit and why women dominate the industry - Mobile Marketer
Are Influencers Really Worth the Money? - Business of Fashion
Cheatsheet: How brands can work with influencers - Digiday
Publishers Talk Vulnerabilities and Opportunities on Final Day of Folio: Show - Folio
Hearst and BCBG partner to tap into influencer networks during NYFW - Glossy
Influencer Marketing in Major Media - Bloglovin’
Under The Influence - Contently
10k for an Instagram? Why ‘Imposter Influencers’ Need to Go - The Luxury Spot
3 Fearless Tips From One Fabulous Lady - Brittany Hennessy - Forbes
How She Got There - HerCampus
Podcasts
How To Win At Brand Deals - The Influencer Podcast
Intro to Influencer Marketing - WIIM Radio
Building Your Brand, Growing Your Following & Leveraging INFLUENCE - Side Hustle Pro
How To Get Paid More - Financial Grownup with Bobbi Rebell
Mastering Influencer Marketing - The Mike Dillard Podcast
Build Your Personal Brand Online - Future Squared with Steve Glaveski
Everything You NEED to Know About Influencer Marketing - The Laptop Lifestyle with Alexis Teichmiller
Worth Knowing - Micah Jesse
The Open Mic Podcast - Brett Allen
The Shaun Tabatt Show - Shaun Tabatt
The Secrets Of A Successful Influencer Strategy - Flourish & Thrive Academy with Tracy Matthews
Understanding Influencers - American Fashion Podcast
Influencers: More Than Just Posting a Pretty Picture - Julius
All The Social Ladies - Carrie Kerpen
Before "creator economy" was a buzzword, before platforms had creator funds, and before every brand had an influencer budget, there was INFLUENCER: Building Your Personal Brand in the Age of Social Media.
With over 100,000 copies sold and translations in 6 languages, INFLUENCER didn't just predict the creator economy - it helped create it. As the first comprehensive guide to building sustainable creator businesses, it established the frameworks that brands still use to evaluate partnerships and that platforms still reference when building creator programs.
But this isn't just a book about getting brand deals. It's the foundation for understanding how influence becomes empire. The principles and strategies that helped 100,000+ creators start their journey are the same ones we use in The Suite Society to transform those creators into CEOs.
