Paradigm Talent Agency

Background

Sam Gores, Chairman and CEO, opened his first agency, SGA Representation, Inc. in 1986. SGA acquired The Jack Fields Agency and changed its name to Gores/Fields. The agency expanded further the following year, bringing ATM & Associates into the fold. During the years 1992 and 1993 Gores forged pacts with STE Representations; Robinson, Weintraub, Gross & Associates, and Shorr, Stille & Associates to create Paradigm Talent Agency.

The agency's Beverly Hills office is located on the old MCA Inc. campus built in 1932 where conference rooms honor Jules Stein and Lew Wasserman, who occupied the space.

Agency Growth

In 2004, Paradigm acquired the literary firm Genesis and the Writers & Artists Agency. The acquisition added a dozen agents and also brought a potent TV client list including 24 creator/executive producer Joel Surnow and Two and a Half Men co-creator/exec producer Lee Aronsohn to Paradigm.

Paradigm made a major strategic move in 2005 by acquiring Monterey Peninsula Artists, the premier independent music agency, and followed up on that gain in 2006 by acquiring New York based music booking agency Little Big Man. Expanding their footprint in the music industry, in 2008, Paradigm acquired Ellis Industries, a leading independent music agency based in New York, and in 2009 acquired Third Coast Artists Agency, the largest independent Christian Music agency, which was headquartered in Nashville.

Paradigm Chairman and CEO Sam Gores on what makes a good acquisition or partnership target when looking to expand: "It starts with who’s in charge, who’s at the base or foundation. I don’t think we’ll ever make a deal with people who lack integrity or are not revered by the community in general, or who have a trail of bad history behind them. If it’s a good cultural fit, or if you think you can help them grow by having them be part of a bigger infrastructure and more access in areas of branding, film and television, then how does that complement the rest of our business in that area? For instance, Little Big Man and Monterey complemented each other -- Monterey had all the legacy artists and big bands and [LBM founder] Marty [Diamond] had all the cool stuff that was up-and-coming. That really rounded out our business."

In 2012, Paradigm expanded into the burgeoning Electronic Dance Music business by forming a joint venture partnership with AM Only, a leading Electronic Dance Music agency whose client list includes genre superstars David Guetta, Skrillex and Tiësto.

In January 2014, Paradigm acquired a 50% stake in the London-based Coda Music Agency, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2012 and has grown rapidly in recent years, now representing more than 500 artists and DJs from a wide range of genres, including Emeli Sande, Jake Bugg, the xx, Bon Iver, Rudimental, Imagine Dragons, Ellie Goulding, Disclosure, Bastille, L.A. Salami and many others. Strategically, the alliance plants a flag for Paradigm in London and, by extension, Europe and other international markets. The combination of Paradigm Talent Agency's Music Division, AM Only, and Coda Music Agency makes Paradigm one of the top music agencies in the world, with clients Aerosmith, The Black Eyed Peas, Coldplay, Dave Matthews Band, Dwight Yoakam, Ed Sheeran, Fun., Janelle Monáe, Jason Mraz, Phish, and Toby Keith, among several others.

In January 2017, music agencies AM Only and The Windish Agency formally became known as Paradigm Talent Agency, after partnerships since 2012 and 2015, respectively.

Current clients include Adrien Brody, Antonio Banderas, Laurence Fishburne, Travis Fimmel, Domhnall Gleeson, Ezra Miller, Mark Harmon, Hot Action Cop, Jada Pinkett Smith, Ed O'Neill, Mandy Patinkin, Elyes Gabel, Stephen King, Danielle Steel, Neal Baer, Shane Brennan, James Wan.. Music clients also include Eli Young Band and The Lumineers.