Nik Sharma

Nik Sharma is an American entrepreneur and marketing executive who serves as Chief Growth Officer at Lunar Solar Group following the 2024 acquisition of his consultancy Sharma Brands.^[3] Born Nikhil Sharma in 1996, he founded Sharma Brands in 2019 as a full-service digital consultancy specializing in direct-to-consumer brands.^[2] Forbes named him to its 30 Under 30 list in Marketing & Advertising in 2019.^[1]

Sharma began his career managing social media for celebrities including Priyanka Chopra and Pitbull at age 15, later building audiences for media companies and scaling DTC brands at VaynerMedia and Hint Water before launching his own firm.^[4] He has built a following of over 183,000 on Twitter and maintains a newsletter with over 40,000 subscribers focused on DTC marketing insights.^[5]

Sharma was born on June 28, 1996, to parents who immigrated from Delhi and Punjab.^[5] He attended Francis Parker School, Westview High School, and Halstrom Academy before deciding to forgo college to pursue his marketing career.^[4]

At age 15, Sharma began managing social media accounts for celebrities including Priyanka Chopra and Pitbull, launching his career in digital marketing while still in high school.^[4] He later worked with media companies including Bustle Media Group and Refinery 29 to build their digital audiences.^[4]

Hint Water (2017–2018)

Sharma joined Hint Water as Director of Performance Marketing in 2017, where he built the flavored water brand's eCommerce business to $40 million in annual revenue.^[4] His work at Hint Water established his reputation in direct-to-consumer marketing and performance advertising.^[4]

VaynerMedia (2018–2019)

In 2018, Sharma became Head of DTC at VaynerMedia, Gary Vaynerchuk's digital agency, where he led the direct-to-consumer division.^[4] His role involved developing DTC strategies for the agency's portfolio of consumer brands.^[4]

Sharma Brands (2019–2024)

Sharma founded Sharma Brands in 2019 as a full-service digital consultancy specializing in branding and growth services for direct-to-consumer companies.^[2] The firm provided web development, creative design, paid media management, and customer retention strategies to DTC brands.^[2] Under his leadership, the company grew to approximately 50 employees.^[2]

In 2024, Sharma Brands was acquired by Lunar Solar Group, with Sharma stating he was "thrilled to join Lunar Solar Group for Sharma Brands' next chapter."^[3] The acquisition allowed the consultancy to expand its service offerings and client base.^[3]

Lunar Solar Group (2024–present)

Following the acquisition, Sharma became Chief Growth Officer at Lunar Solar Group, where he continues to lead growth initiatives for the expanded organization.^[3] In this role, he oversees the integration of Sharma Brands' capabilities with Lunar Solar Group's broader portfolio.^[3]

Forbes named Sharma to its 30 Under 30 list in Marketing & Advertising in 2019, recognizing his achievements in building DTC marketing strategies.^[1] AdWeek has also recognized him as "Young & Influential" in the advertising industry.^[1] In 2024, he received a Digiday award for Best High Impact Creative for his work with HexClad.^[1]

Sharma is a frequent speaker at industry conferences, including AdWeek's Commerce Week, where he discusses DTC marketing strategies and brand building.^[1] He maintains an active presence on social media with over 183,000 Twitter followers and publishes a newsletter on DTC marketing that reaches over 40,000 subscribers.^[5]

Sharma lives in New York in an apartment filled entirely with direct-to-consumer products, which he uses as a testing ground for brands he works with or invests in.^[5] His apartment features a vending machine-style refrigerator stocked with DTC beverage brands, which became widely known on social media.^[5] He has invested in over 80 brands and uses his living space to experience the full customer journey of the products he evaluates.^[5]