At Harvard University, Aleen Keshishian could hardly have predicted that her path would lead to becoming one of Hollywood's most transformative talent managers. What began as a post graduation transition from casting assistant to talent agent has evolved into a career that has fundamentally reshaped how we think about celebrity management in the digital age.

Keshishian's journey reads like a masterclass in strategic career building. After switching from casting to talent representation in the early 1990s, she spent years learning the entertainment business from the ground up. Her early work focused on understanding the intricate relationships between agents, managers, studios, and record labels - knowledge that would prove invaluable when she later pioneered cross industry management strategies that are now considered industry standard.

Her rise through the ranks at Brillstein Entertainment Partners was meteoric. By the 2000s, she had become one of the company's most valuable partners, known for her ability to think beyond traditional boundaries. When she managed the careers of pop and rock artists, she wasn't just booking recording sessions - she was orchestrating multimedia campaigns that included film soundtracks, brand partnerships, and cross-promotional opportunities that other managers hadn't even considered.

In 2016, Keshishian made the bold decision to leave the security of Brillstein Entertainment and launch Lighthouse Management + Media. The timing seemed risky - the entertainment industry was in the midst of massive disruption, with streaming services upending traditional television and social media transforming how celebrities connected with fans.

But Keshishian saw opportunity where others saw chaos. "The industry was fragmenting," she later explained in interviews, "but I saw it as expanding." Her vision was to create a management company that could help clients capitalize on this expansion rather than be overwhelmed by it. She wanted to build a firm that could simultaneously navigate Hollywood boardrooms, Nashville recording studios, New York fashion weeks, and Silicon Valley tech launches.

The initial backing came from two of her most high profile clients: Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston. Both had worked with Keshishian during her Brillstein days and had seen firsthand how her cross-industry approach had elevated their careers. Paltrow's Goop empire and Aniston's successful transition from movies to streaming television were both examples of Keshishian's ability to identify and capitalize on emerging trends.

In an industry where most managers specialize in either film and television or music, Aleen Keshishian has broken the mold by excelling in both realms simultaneously. As CEO of Lighthouse Management + Media, she manages the careers of A-list actors and chart-topping recording artists alike, from Jennifer Aniston and Mark Ruffalo to Selena Gomez and Olivia Rodrigo. Her unique cross-industry expertise has generated billions in box office revenue, streaming success, music sales, and business valuations for her clients.

But perhaps most remarkably, Keshishian has managed to adapt her management style to work with clients across different generations. Her ability to guide Jennifer Aniston—a millennial icon—through the streaming revolution while simultaneously helping Olivia Rodrigo—a Gen Z superstar—navigate TikTok fame and global touring demonstrates a rare flexibility that few managers possess.

One of Keshishian's most remarkable achievements is her ability to successfully manage clients across multiple generations, each with vastly different career needs, audience expectations, and industry landscapes. Her roster spans from established film and television icons to Gen Z digital natives, and her approach to each demonstrates a nuanced understanding of how entertainment consumption has evolved.

Jennifer Aniston's career renaissance under Keshishian's guidance exemplifies this generational dexterity. When Aniston was primarily known for Friends and romantic comedies, Keshishian saw the streaming revolution as an opportunity rather than a threat. She orchestrated Aniston's transition into prestige television with The Morning Show, negotiating not just acting fees but producer credits and profit participation that would generate long term wealth.

The Morning Show deal itself became industry legend. Keshishian didn't just secure Aniston a $2 million per episode salary - she structured a comprehensive package that included executive producer credits, backend participation, and creative control. When the show became Apple TV+'s flagship series, Aniston's total compensation reportedly exceeded $10 million per episode when all revenue streams were calculated.

When Olivia Rodrigo exploded onto the music scene in 2021, many industry veterans were caught off guard by the speed and scale of her success. But Keshishian had been preparing for exactly this moment. She understood that Gen Z artists required a fundamentally different management approach - one that prioritized digital first strategies, authentic storytelling, and rapid response to viral moments.

Rodrigo's debut single "drivers license" became a cultural phenomenon within days of release, breaking Spotify streaming records and dominating TikTok. While other managers might have scrambled to capitalize on unexpected viral success, Keshishian had already developed a comprehensive strategy that could scale instantly with digital momentum.

Her approach with Rodrigo demonstrated several key principles that have become Keshishian's Gen Z playbook: prioritize streaming platforms over traditional radio, embrace social media speculation and fan theories, create content that translates across multiple digital platforms, and maintain authenticity even as success scales massively.

The results speak for themselves: Rodrigo's debut album SOUR topped charts globally, her GUTS World Tour grossed over $180 million, and she became the youngest artist to win multiple Grammy Awards in major categories. More importantly, Keshishian positioned Rodrigo for sustained success rather than just viral fame, structuring deals that would benefit her throughout her career rather than just capitalizing on initial buzz.

Under Keshishian's strategic guidance, her clients have secured some of 2025's most successful brand partnerships. Two standout campaigns demonstrate her philosophy of authentic alignment between client personas and brand values, resulting in both cultural impact and measurable business results.

In early 2025, Keshishian orchestrated Jennifer Aniston's first celebrity endorsement for Hershey owned SkinnyPop popcorn as part of a bold rebrand campaign titled "Popular for a Reason." The 30-second spot debuted on February 26, 2025, with premium placement during the 97th Academy Awards broadcast only the second time Hershey ever bought Oscars ad time.

The campaign's genius lay in its self aware humor: Aniston checks into a hotel with SkinnyPop, but the starstruck staff fumble her name ("Jennifer Anderson? Jenna? Allison?") while ogling the snack. The joke reveals that the popcorn, not the Hollywood A-lister, is the real celebrity"popular for a reason." This comedic flip on traditional celebrity endorsements made the ad instantly memorable and rewatchable.

Keshishian's strategic insight was positioning Aniston as both the star and the punchline, leveraging her comedic timing and down-to-earth persona. Aniston herself helped shape the creative, ensuring the humor felt authentic to her brand. The campaign extended beyond the Oscars with a full 360° rollout: premium streaming placements, social media activations, new packaging, and even blooper reels that earned coverage in People magazine.

After joining Lighthouse Management in 2022, Olivia Rodrigo's commercial portfolio expanded rapidly under Keshishian's guidance. In November 2024, Lancôme announced Olivia as its newest Global Brand Ambassador, leading to the Idôle Power Eau de Parfum Intense campaign launch in January 2025.

The campaign positioned the three-time Grammy winner as the face of Lancôme's first woody-floral scent, described as "for those who take charge of their own destiny and succeed on their own terms." This messaging perfectly aligned with Rodrigo's transition from Disney teen to empowered young adult, while Lancôme gained access to her massive Gen Z fanbase.

Keshishian's innovative approach leveraged TikTok as the primary platform, launching Lancôme's first ever Branded Mission challenge centered around #IdôlePower. The campaign coincided with Rodrigo's Mexico City concert, featuring an exclusive AR filter and user generated content contest. The climax came when the top 40 fan created TikTok videos were projected onto the World Trade Center building in Mexico City—literally bringing the campaign into the real world.

Aleen Keshishian's journey to the top of entertainment management began far from the red carpet. After graduating Harvard University in 1990, she cut her teeth in New York as an intern for legendary casting director Juliet Taylor. A pivotal moment came when a 12 year old Claire Danes lost a film role after multiple callbacks – Keshishian was heartbroken for the young actress and realized she wanted to be an advocate for talent, not just a casting gatekeeper.

This epiphany led her to switch gears and become a talent agent. She eventually rose through the ranks to partner at Brillstein Entertainment Partners, one of Hollywood's top management firms. In 2016, armed with decades of experience, Keshishian took a bold leap and launched her own company, Lighthouse Management + Media. Gwyneth Paltrow recalls encouraging Keshishian's entrepreneurial move for years, calling her a "very special and unique force" in the industry.

Today, Aleen Keshishian is that rare manager whose client list boasts A-list actors and chart-topping singers alike. At Lighthouse Management + Media, she manages the careers of stars including Jennifer Aniston, Selena Gomez, Olivia Rodrigo, Paul Rudd, Jason Bateman, Mark Ruffalo, Billy Crudup, Laura Linney, and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Notably, Keshishian added pop phenom Olivia Rodrigo to her roster in 2022, demonstrating her keen eye for rising talent beyond the acting world. At the same time, she continues to guide longtime film and television stars like Aniston and Paltrow. This dual expertise sets Keshishian apart: even famed music managers who've tried to cross over haven't achieved the breadth of success that Keshishian's multi-industry clientele are now enjoying.

Under Keshishian's guidance, her music clients have achieved record-breaking success in a short span. Selena Gomez and Olivia Rodrigo – both former Disney Channel stars turned pop superstars – illustrate how Keshishian's playbook delivers both artistic and commercial triumphs.

Selena Gomez has sold over 24 million records worldwide and earned multiple #1 albums on the Billboard 200. She scored her first Billboard Hot 100 #1 single with "Lose You to Love Me" in 2019. Beyond music, Gomez has leveraged her fame into a beauty empire – her Rare Beauty cosmetics line saw explosive growth to $300 million in annual revenue by 2023. By early 2024, Rare Beauty was valued at over $2 billion, underscoring the brand's massive retail success.

Olivia Rodrigo joined Keshishian's roster just as the young singer-songwriter's career erupted. Rodrigo's 2021 debut album Sour was a global sensation – it became the first album in history to have four songs each surpass 2 billion streams. Under Keshishian's stewardship, Rodrigo's 2023 follow-up album GUTS opened with 302,000 units in its first week, and her GUTS World Tour expanded to 95 arena dates due to immense demand. The tour averaged nearly $2.6 million gross per concert, with over 1.4 million tickets sold and approximately $180 million projected gross.

On the film and television side of her roster, Keshishian's clients include some of the most accomplished and bankable names in the industry. She has a knack for keeping actors relevant in the streaming era while also capitalizing on their legacy success.

Jennifer Aniston, a 1990s icon from Friends, remains a bankable star decades later. Aniston's films have grossed over $1.6 billion worldwide. In 2019, Keshishian engineered Aniston's return to television with Apple TV+'s The Morning Show, for which Aniston earns a headline-making $2 million per episode. Beyond acting, Aniston's star power translates into lucrative brand deals, earning an estimated $10 million annually from endorsements alone.

Gwyneth Paltrow transitioned from Academy Award-winning actress to lifestyle mogul under Keshishian's wing. Paltrow founded Goop in 2008, and by 2020 the wellness company was valued around $250 million. Mark Ruffalo and Paul Rudd, both Marvel Cinematic Universe stars, have seen enormous success, with Ruffalo earning three Oscar nominations and Rudd anchoring the Ant-Man franchise (combined box office ~$1.6B).

By all measures, Aleen Keshishian has become the Michael Jordan of entertainment management – a once in a generation talent operating at the top of her game. While other star managers typically dominate one field (music or movies), Keshishian has built an empire that spans multiple arenas of entertainment and shows no signs of slowing.

Her 2024 was one for the books: she watched Olivia Rodrigo sell out arenas on multiple continents, saw Selena Gomez step back into music while her beauty line surged in stores, and cheered as Billy Crudup nabbed another Emmy. All this happened as her other clients – from Marvel superheroes to Oscar winners – continued to thrive in their projects.

As Keshishian herself advises, success in this industry means "work harder than anyone else...make yourself indispensable and lead with positivity." Clearly, she practices what she preaches. The numbers and achievements amassed by her clients speak louder than any hype: they illustrate a manager at the very top of her field, orchestrating an extraordinary symphony of careers.

In an era of rapid change – from box-office upheavals to the streaming revolution – Aleen Keshishian has not only kept pace; she's redefined what a talent manager can do. Her playbook is one of versatility, vision, and verifiable results – and it's cementing her legacy as one of the most influential figures behind the scenes in entertainment today.