Pamela Zapata is a force reshaping the influencer marketing industry from the inside out. As the founder and CEO of Society 18—a bicoastal, Latina- and female-owned influencer management and marketing agency—she’s built more than just a business. She’s built a movement. With over 15 years of experience in beauty, lifestyle, and entertainment marketing, Pamela has become a go-to strategist for brands like Estée Lauder, Dove, MAC, and more, helping them leverage the full power of the digital creator economy to grow, connect, and scale in a content-first world.
Her path to building Society 18 is rooted in both grit and vision. Pamela didn’t just see a gap—she understood how to fill it. Through years of working with top agencies like Starpower and United Entertainment Group, and in content-focused roles at E! Entertainment and StyleHaul, she witnessed firsthand the challenges and missed opportunities brands often faced when trying to work with talent. She founded Society 18 to flip that script—to create a high-touch, business-minded agency where creators are seen not just as marketing tools, but as entrepreneurs, brand partners, and catalysts for growth.
In Pamela’s world, influencer marketing isn’t about popularity—it’s about performance. As she explains, the industry has evolved dramatically from simply generating buzz to producing concrete business outcomes. “Today, brands want measurable results,” she says. “What was once centered around likes has evolved into a growth channel driven by conversions, affiliate sales, and long-term brand equity.” At Society 18, that means equipping creators with tools to understand their analytics, create content that performs, and cultivate long-term brand partnerships rooted in authenticity.
Pamela’s approach is part matchmaker, part strategist, and part visionary. She sees beyond the post and into the potential—helping creators align with brands in ways that feel real and long-lasting. “The key is alignment, trust, and a shared sense of purpose,” she says. “These partnerships become sustainable when both sides are invested in each other’s success.”
But launching a business as a Latina founder in a white-dominated, male-driven industry wasn’t without its hurdles. Pamela navigated entrepreneurship without a blueprint, learning how to build her agency brick by brick. The early days were filled with unknowns—incorporation, legal structure, financial systems. And the pandemic only intensified the isolation. “I had to invest in a business coach just to get through it,” she shares. “It was one of the best decisions I made. It gave me the mindset shift I needed to lead with confidence.”
Today, Pamela uses her platform to mentor other women of color and to advocate for representation in every room. At Society 18, this mission comes alive through intentional storytelling and inclusive campaign building. “We don’t treat culture as a trend. We bring lived experience into our work,” she says. “Our strength lies in our ability to connect commerce and culture in a way that resonates.”
She’s also watching—and helping drive—a major shift in the creator economy: influencers becoming founders. “They’re launching brands, negotiating equity, and moving like entrepreneurs,” Pamela explains. “It’s no longer just about a campaign. It’s about building wealth and owning your narrative.”
Her agency is deeply involved in this evolution, advising creators on brand development, product partnerships, and business ventures that align with their values and audience.
Coaching creators to think like CEOs is at the heart of what Pamela does. She encourages them to study their numbers, define their goals, and communicate their impact. “We approach every relationship with the mindset that the creator is the CEO of their brand,” she says. “That shapes how we grow their business, measure success, and build for the long term.”
As the industry continues to evolve, Pamela sees opportunity in unconventional models—shared ownership, collaborative brand building, and creators taking the reins. For her, the future isn’t transactional. It’s transformational. “The most successful models will be the ones built on partnership,” she says. “At Society 18, we’re not just managing talent—we’re building businesses.”
And that’s what sets Pamela Zapata apart: the ability to see what’s next and build what’s missing. With bold leadership and a business-first mindset, she’s redefining what influence means—and turning it into power, profit, and purpose.
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