Hidden Gems: Meet Elizabeth Simmons of Wilde Management

Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Simmons.

Hi Elizabeth, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born and raised in Los Angeles, and the entertainment industry was part of my life from the start. My grandfather, Grant Simmons, was an animator, director, and writer who worked with Disney and later ran his own production company. Growing up, I understood that great work on screen comes from a lot of talented people working together behind it and that building something of your own is possible.

After graduating from UC Berkeley, I built my career in production. Over the past 15 years I’ve worked with brands and creative teams both in the US and internationally. The creative energy is what drew me in, but what kept me there was the part I’m best at: bringing people together, solving problems, and turning ambitious ideas into something real.

That led me to found Wilde Management, a Los Angeles-based production company that supports brands and creative teams from concept through execution. As founder and executive producer, I’ve learned that good production is about much more than budgets and schedules. It’s about relationships, trust, and creating an environment where talented people can do their best work. I’ve always believed you can be both highly professional and genuinely personal in business, and that belief is built into how Wilde operates.

In 2024, I moved to Italy to reconnect with my family’s roots, while continuing to run Wilde and keep my relationships in Los Angeles strong. Living between these two worlds has changed how I think about creativity and business, and it’s opened the door to a whole new creative community.

That’s shaping Wilde’s next chapter. We’re expanding into European and international markets, building relationships with filmmakers and production companies across borders, and moving into feature films, bringing the infrastructure and experience we’ve developed in commercial production to longer-form storytelling. I see real value in connecting the American and European industries, not just to produce across markets, but to bring different creative perspectives into the same room.

My path hasn’t been perfectly linear, but I think that’s what makes it interesting. I’ve always followed curiosity and been willing to take chances, and Wilde has grown right alongside me. In many ways, I feel like I’m just getting started.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No entrepreneurial path is completely smooth, and mine has had its share of challenges. Building a company from the ground up takes resilience, adaptability, and faith in yourself, especially in an industry as fast-paced and unpredictable as entertainment.

On set, the hardest moments usually happen where no one sees them. Producing during COVID was one of the most demanding periods of my career, when keeping everyone on set safe became the priority above everything else. Even in normal times, the day-to-day pressure is constant: moving a full crew from one location to another, equipment breaking at the worst possible moment, and staying on budget while still protecting the creative vision. One of the most important parts of my job is making sure the crew doesn’t feel the weight of the day. As a producer, you absorb a lot of that stress and emotion yourself so your team can stay focused and do their best work.

As Wilde moves into feature films, financing has become a new challenge. Raising money for film is a very different process from commercial production, and it requires patience, persistence, and strong relationships.
I’ve also had to learn to trust my instincts and recognize my own value. As a woman building a business in a competitive industry, I’ve had to learn when to advocate for myself, when to take risks, and, most importantly, when to walk away. Early in my career, I thought success meant saying yes to everything. Over time, I’ve realized that knowing when to say no is just as important.

Moving to Italy while running a Los Angeles-based company brought its own challenges. With a nine-hour time difference, my days often start with Europe and end late at night with calls to LA. It’s pushed me outside my comfort zone, but it’s also been one of the most rewarding decisions I’ve made.

Growth rarely happens in a straight line. There are periods of incredible momentum and moments of uncertainty that force you to reevaluate. I’ve learned to see those moments not as setbacks but as chances to evolve. They’ve taught me to be resourceful, to surround myself with good people, and to stay open to change, and they’ve made me more confident in my ability to build something lasting.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Wilde Management is a Los Angeles-based production company specializing in commercial, branded content, and creative production. We provide full production services from initial planning through final execution, including executive producing, production management, budgeting, and crew development, built on a simple philosophy: exceptional production comes from combining creative vision with thoughtful execution and strong relationships.

What sets Wilde apart is our personal, hands-on approach. I’ve never wanted clients to feel like just another project on a roster. We have the experience to manage complex productions with the flexibility and attention to detail of a boutique company. I’ve spent my career cultivating a network of talented, trusted professionals, and we build each team around the specific creative vision rather than applying the same formula to every job.
I’m most proud of the reputation Wilde has earned for reliability, integrity, and professionalism. In production, something always comes up, and I want clients to know we’re not just there to execute. We’re there to be a partner: to anticipate problems, find solutions, and protect both the creative vision and the production itself. The fact that clients keep coming back means a great deal to me.

Wilde is now entering an exciting new chapter. We’re expanding into European and international markets and moving into feature films. Right now, we’re actively writing and developing scripts and discovering new directors whose voices we’re excited to champion. Throughout 2027, we’ll be building our networks across Europe, and you’ll find us at the Berlin, Cannes, Venice, and Torino film festivals, to name a few.

We’re also navigating one of the biggest shifts our industry has ever seen: the rise of AI. Technology will always change how we work, but I believe the stories that truly move people come from human experience, human creativity, and human collaboration. At Wilde, we’re committed to telling human stories with humans, embracing new tools where they genuinely help while protecting the artists, crews, and craft at the heart of what we do.

Whether we’re producing a commercial campaign in Los Angeles or developing a feature with international partners, the foundation stays the same: great people, compelling ideas, and the ability to bring them together. That’s what Wilde has always been about, and it’s what will carry us into this next chapter.

How do you think about luck?
I definitely believe luck plays a role, but I’ve found that it tends to show up when you’re prepared for it and willing to act on it.

Much of the good luck in my career has come through people: a conversation that led to a project, a crew member who became a longtime collaborator, an introduction that opened a door I didn’t know existed. I’ve learned to stay open to those moments, because you never know which one will change your direction. Moving to Italy has been a perfect example. Some of the most exciting opportunities I’m pursuing today came from connections I never could have planned.

Of course, there’s been bad luck too: projects that fell through, timing that didn’t work out, and circumstances completely outside my control. Those moments are frustrating, but they’ve often pushed me toward something better. Looking back, a few of the opportunities I lost ended up making room for the right ones.

I think the biggest lesson is that you can create a lot of your own luck. Showing up, following through, treating people well, and being willing to take a chance all make you ready when luck arrives.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.wildemgmt.com
• Instagram: @wilde_mgmt
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-simmons-64623a25/
• Other: @elizabethesimmons