Fall 2026
AI Business Strategy & Operations Intern
Posted on 8/21/2026
Direct Agents
51-200 employees
Performance-driven customer acquisition via digital marketing
Compensation Overview
$25 - $30/hr
New York, NY, USA
In Person
Bachelor's
 Business & Strategy (2) |
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- Currently pursuing or recently completed a degree in Business, Computer Science, Data Analytics, Marketing, or a related field.
- Demonstrated curiosity about artificial intelligence tools and how they can change the way work gets done, including existing use of such tools and interest in developing deeper expertise.
- Ability to quickly learn new tools and experiment with limited supervision.
- Ability to explain technical ideas to non-technical teammates.
- Ability to manage several small projects simultaneously and follow through without heavy oversight.
- Some exposure to scripting, light coding, or workflow automation is helpful but not required.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment where the role will evolve as the program matures.
- Coach agency teams on artificial-intelligence-assisted workflows and build a reusable library of prompts, templates, and playbooks for media, creative, analytics, and account teams.
- Design and run training sessions on modern artificial intelligence coding and automation tools.
- Build small tools and scripts that team members can run themselves.
- Identify repetitive account-team workflows, prototype automations, help deploy them into daily use, and measure time saved.
- Scope and help build purpose-built artificial intelligence tools for client workstreams, such as competitive-intelligence sweeps, creative quality assurance, and vertical benchmarking.
- Build dashboards for team performance, client-facing reporting, and leadership operations views.
- Support company-wide artificial intelligence training initiatives and day-to-day operations, and help improve the program over time.
- Research and test new artificial intelligence tools and platforms, identify promising opportunities, and help pitch, scope, and pilot them.
- A collaborative, low-ego approach to working across teams with different priorities and levels of artificial intelligence fluency.
Direct Agents is an independent, minority-owned digital marketing agency focused on performance-driven customer acquisition. Its services span Paid Media, Enterprise SEO, Strategy, Amazon, Creative, Inclusive Marketing Strategy, Analytics, and Paid Social, delivered by a diverse team across NYC, LA, and beyond. The approach combines cross-channel marketing campaigns with data-driven optimization and actionable insights, using multiple channels to attract and convert customers. The company differentiates itself through its strong commitment to diversity and culture, a track record of industry recognition (Crain’s Best Places to Work multiple years), and active programs like WoDA and State of the World that support leadership development, inclusion, and community involvement. With 18 years in business, the goal is to help clients grow by leveraging diverse talent and cross-channel expertise to deliver measurable performance improvements and long-term brand impact.
Company Size
51-200
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
New York City, New York
Founded
2003
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Launchpad targets lean growth brands needing enterprise media management, expanding the addressable market.
- January 2026 posts prioritize Amazon recovery, retail media, and AI discovery channels.
- Open roles in July 2026 show continued hiring across paid media, SEO, and creative.
What critics are saying
- Google, Meta, Amazon, and FreeWheel control inventory, pricing, and algorithmic access.
- Big agencies and in-house teams commoditize paid media, squeezing Direct Agents' margins by 2027.
- If Kanopy AI underdelivers, clients defect fast, leaving a 197-person agency exposed.
What makes Direct Agents unique
- Independent, minority-owned agency with proprietary Kanopy AI and Launchpad, launched October 2025.
- FreeWheel partnership deepens connected-TV execution, announced August 12, 2025.
- New York, Los Angeles, and Austin footprint supports cross-channel performance and e-commerce specialization.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Mental Health Support
Paid Vacation
Paid Sick Leave
Parental Leave
Commuter Benefits
Company News
Direct Agents unveils Launchpad: ai-driven media management for high-growth brands. News provided by. Direct Agents Direct Agents, a leading independent growth marketing consultancy, today announced Direct Agents Launchpad, an AI-powered media management solution designed for lean teams seeking enterprise-level performance without traditional agency overhead. AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ - Direct Agents Launchpad expands Direct Agents' expertise to serve growth-stage companies, startups, emerging challengers, and lean in-house teams in rapid scaling mode. While many enterprise brands partner with Direct Agents for comprehensive agency services, growth-stage companies often need focused, efficient access to strategic media management and execution capabilities. "Today's lean marketing teams want fewer meetings and more momentum," said Jackson Richards, VP of Strategy at Direct Agents. "Growth-stage companies need to move fast and focus resources on what drives results. They need expertise, infrastructure, and intelligent execution without the complexity of traditional agency engagements. Direct Agents Launchpad delivers all three in one cohesive system." Led from Direct Agents' new Austin office, Direct Agents Launchpad combines strategic human oversight with proprietary AI-powered execution. The solution delivers best-in-class paid media planning and management across major platforms, including Google, Meta, Amazon, and more, leveraging smart automation, streamlined workflows, and structured client engagement to ensure rapid execution and consistent results. "At Direct Agents, we've always believed that every brand deserves access to great marketing, no matter their size or resources," said Josh Boaz, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Direct Agents. "With Launchpad, we're opening the door for startups and lean teams to tap into the same level of expertise and innovation as enterprise brands, but in a way that feels simple, efficient, and built for their reality." What Sets Direct Agents Launchpad Apart * Built for Growth-Stage Companies: Designed specifically for startups and challenger brands ready to scale without building large in-house teams or managing multiple point solutions. * AI and Automation at the Core: Proprietary automation systems streamline media planning, creative optimization, and reporting workflows while maintaining strategic human oversight. * Transparent, Efficient Delivery: Structured deliverables, clear service boundaries, and scoped communications ensure predictable, performance-focused engagements. Direct Agents Launchpad serves as an ideal solution for brands in their growth phase, providing access to Direct Agents' proven expertise in a model designed for their specific needs. As companies scale and requirements expand, they can seamlessly add services like creative strategy or advanced analytics, or transition to comprehensive agency partnerships when their growth demands it. About Direct Agents Direct Agents is a leading independent marketing agency with offices in New York, Los Angeles, and Austin. Janwood Group, LLC specialize in growth marketing using a proven technology-first approach that leverages automation and AI to drive unparalleled results for its clients. Janwood Group, LLC is a team of curious minds that value innovation and agility above all else. Its strategic approach is powered by Kanopy AI, its proprietary technology platform that enables performance media, forecasting, media mix modeling, and business intelligence to accelerate growth for the brands Janwood Group, LLC work with. Media Contact Isabella Rios, Direct Agents, 1 (212) 925-6558, [email protected], https://www.directagents.com/ SOURCE Direct Agents
Direct Agents partners with FreeWheel to launch advanced in-house programmatic solutions.
NEW YORK, Aug. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ - Direct Agents, a leading independent growth and performance marketing agency, today announced a strategic partnership with FreeWheel, a global technology platform for the television advertising industry, to power a new in-house programmatic Connected TV (CTV) offering.
"Jessica's ability to blend strategy, creativity, and performance marketing will be invaluable as we help our clients navigate today's fast-moving media landscape," said Dinesh Boaz, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Direct Agents
"What makes Kanopy AI truly revolutionary is its ability to democratize data access across marketing organizations," said Josh Boaz, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Direct Agents