Residence Adds GateMaker, Bringing Creator Economy Expertise to Its Growing Creative Network

LOS ANGELES, June 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Residence, the global network of creative companies, has brought on GateMaker, a 360° influencer marketing agency helping global brands dominate on social media through paid, earned, and owned creator relationships. GateMaker's addition to Residence adds a new dimension to what the network can do, meeting culture and the market where they're already moving. The creator economy is worth over $200 billion globally and is projected to surpass $1 trillion by 2033.

The GateMaker Story
Founded in 2021, GateMaker was built by marketing veterans who saw early that the old marketing playbook was breaking down. In today's decentralized media landscape, GateMaker positioned itself at the center of what replaced it: community. A brand is no longer defined by what it says about itself, but by what the most influential creators say about it. The agency was built on a clear belief: gone are the days of centralized media shaping brand identity. Influencers and creators are now the nucleus of brands' ecosystems.

Female-founded, GateMaker runs a fully remote, 98% female team, demonstrating a model for intentional hiring in an environment where people can do the best work of their lives with some of the best brands in the world. Operating across global markets, the agency has partnered with brands including Amika, Estée Lauder Companies, Glossier, LG, L'Occitane en Provence, Milk Makeup, NARS, NEST, Pacifica, Rag & Bone, Reebok, Starbucks, and other Fortune 500 companies.

Craft and Approach
Creators come to GateMaker because they won't be over-directed. Brands come to them because that's exactly what makes the work perform. The agency operates complementary earned and paid influencer programs designed to work together. Organic earned creator relationships drive authentic advocacy and cultural relevance, while paid partnerships amplify high-performing voices at scale, creating a compounding effect across reach, engagement, and conversion. Both programs are strategically leveraged to extend the reach of owned media ecosystems and improve the effectiveness of traditional paid channels, turning creator influence into a force multiplier across the entire marketing mix.

Why Residence
Residence and GateMaker share a belief that the best creator-led work combines exceptional craft with measurable impact, and is built on conviction rather than the pursuit of chasing trends or market momentum. That's what drew GateMaker to Residence. And it's why the model stays the same: GateMaker keeps its brand, its talent, and its creative edge. Residence will support GateMaker with resources and shared services while using their proven ability for cross-company co-creation to drive growth for the influencer marketing agency.

In Their Words
Ryan Honey, CEO and Co-Founder of Residence, said: "GateMaker has built something rare in the creator and influencer economy: real relationships and the discipline to activate them at scale. What drew us was the founders' conviction behind how they work and their proven results for their clients. That's exactly the kind of company Residence was built to support."

Ashton Wall, Co-Founder, GateMaker, said: "It is remarkable what our team and clients have achieved in such a short amount of time. After meeting the other founders in Residence and hearing more about the collective vision, it was clear this was the perfect home to take GateMaker to the next level." 

Amelia Soohoo, Co-Founder, GateMaker, said: "We were built around trusting great people and giving them the freedom to do their best work. That's been true from day one and it stays true as part of Residence. We found a partner who understands that protecting our culture is the whole point."

The addition of GateMaker marks another step in the Residence network's growth: creative leadership appointments, the acquisition of OK COOL, and the evolution of VTProDesign into ACRONYM. Together, OK COOL's social-first creative and GateMaker's influencer expertise give Residence the full range in social, from the idea to the culture moment to the result.

PALAZZO and Jones & Spross advised GateMaker on the deal.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About Residence
Residence is a network of nine independent creative companies, founded in 2022 as a home for makers who see the world differently. It protects what makes each company distinct and brings them together to make the unmistakable. Headquartered in Los Angeles, its members are ACRONYM, BUCK, Creative Lives in Progress, GateMaker, Giant Ant, It's Nice That, OK COOL, Part & Sum, and Wild. For more information, visit residence.co.

About GateMaker
Founded in 2021, GateMaker is a female-founded influencer marketing agency helping global brands show up authentically in the creator landscape. The agency runs community management and paid partnership programs for brands including Amika, Estée Lauder Companies, Glossier, LG, L'Occitane en Provence, Milk Makeup, NARS, NEST, Pacifica, Rag & Bone, Reebok, Starbucks and other Fortune 500 companies. For more information, visit gatemakercommunity.com.

Contact:
Julian McBride
[email protected]

SOURCE Residence