kristin lee
BUSINESS MANAGER
Working in entertainment was never a question for Kristin Lee. From a young age, she fondly remembers digging through her grandmother’s closet, reemerging in sequins and feather boas, and selling tickets to little shows for her family. Her grandmother taught her to use a turntable, and from then on, she insisted on flipping the Sinatra and Dean Martin LPs every single time.
As she grew older, she started playing music, painting, and shooting photographs of her favorite Bay Area bands. She did this while maintaining top academic performance and co-developing an extracurricular arts program for her school, which earned her a college scholarship.
Her early years of college were spent booking shows and tours for friends, selling merchandise at gigs, dabbling in tour management, and performing as a musician herself. She later decided to attend Cal State Fullerton to focus on becoming a licensed accountant. That path eventually led her to her first business management position at Gelfand Rennert & Feldman in Los Angeles. From day one, Kristin knew she had finally found a career where she could thrive by applying her intellect and passion in one place — a space where she could value the art, the struggle, and the business behind it all.
From there she stepped over to NKSFB, working with A-list performers and athletes for a short time. She then ended up with Mark Kaplan, who she calls the smartest man she’s ever met. With Kaplan, Kristin could truly diversify within the business management frame, take on new tasks, and build the confidence to strike out on her own.
With her own firm, Kristin made it a priority to improve the inefficiencies of antiquated business models and found innovative ways to serve her clients. This approach—coupled with her sheer drive and passion for the industry—has paid off. In just four years, KLBM has grown from a small operation in Echo Park into a penthouse suite in downtown Los Angeles, and has now just opened a second location in Seattle, Washington.
“My goal with KLBM is to empower artists and athletes to reach their full potential by being able to focus on their craft. They can do that by knowing the team behind them is here to help structure their dreams into reality through thoughtful business and tax planning. As the band Cursive once said, ‘Art Is Hard’.”