EXCLUSIVE: Unicorn, the hybrid content studio and talent management firm co-founded by Scott Dunn and Chris Gera, has hired producer and talent booker Ali Fischbein as Talent Manager.
At Unicorn, which launched earlier this year with a mission to help creators evolve from short-form TikTok and Instagram content into premium YouTube programming, Fischbein will rep a roster of creators with a focus on long-term career development, IP creation, and brand partnerships.
Fischbein boasts a unique blend of experience in the comedy world, which has involved developing talent at the earliest stages of their career, and given her a nuanced understanding of the creator economy. She pivots to management follows a role at Live Nation, where she helped support the comedy touring division.
Fischbein began making her mark on the New York comedy scene in 2020, as the founder of Lil Fish Comedy, through which she produced intimate shows in a side alley as fundraisers for the Sixth Street Community Center during the pandemic. Since then, she’s expanded her footprint, producing Creators to Watch in 2024 as part of New York Comedy Festival, Mark Normand’s Good Eggs at New York Comedy Club, and shows at notable venues like Gramercy Theater, Casa Cipriani and Spring Place. She’s also collaborated with brands like Lifestyles and Jones, and worked with notable comics including Jim Gaffigan, Ronny Chieng, Shane Gillis, Josh Johnson, Dave Attell, and Ilana Glazer, among many others.
Fischbein has also worked on comedy specials like Ari Shaffir’s Jew and America’s Sweetheart on Netflix. Additionally, she helped shape Bilt Rewards’ comedy marketing campaign strategy, leading their neighborhood-based U.S. live series and expanding the brand’s presence in the comedy space.
Fischbein’s recent experience at Live Nation gave her a new level of insight into booking, artist relations, and scaling comics in the live space. She recognized early on in her career journey how digital platforms were reshaping stand-up trajectories, and says she’s “excited to help creators and comedians turn their online presence into something sustainable – not just content that lives and then almost immediately dies in the feed, but authentic storytelling that actually resonates and makes you feel something.”
Continued Fischbein, “There’s so much digital spam churning through our feeds, so getting to work with real talent to use these platforms in a smart way – to grow their audience and connect that directly to live shows and long-form IP – is the most exciting part. Unicorn is truly the perfect place to make that happen. Scott and Chris understand both the creative and business sides, and they’ve built real infrastructure to support long-term careers.”
In a statement on his new hire, Unicorn’s Dunn observed, “The role of a talent manager has evolved quickly over these last few years. Creators need so much more than transactional support. They need brand builders, business operators and content strategists. Ali has proven her ability to get things done at all costs. She’s made her mark on the NYC comedy scene and earned a lot of respect from many people in the creator economy, beginning with me. I couldn’t be more proud and excited for Unicorn to have Ali to step in as our very first company hire.”
Unicorn’s drive to help creators build sustainable IP-driven businesses has so far resulted in the launch of two original YouTube shows — The Chicken Show and The Daddy Academy — with three more in production. Notable digital creators signed by the company include Niko Emanuilidis, Maxine the Fluffy Corgi, Johnny Novo, and Old Jewish Men.
