Hope Horner
American entrepreneur and writer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hope Nicole Horner (born 1986) is an American entrepreneur and writer. She is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Lemonlight, a video production and technology company based in Los Angeles.
Hope Horner | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1986 (age 39–40) Kingsport, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Citizenship | American |
| Alma mater | Pepperdine University (B.S., Business Administration, 2009) |
| Occupations | Entrepreneur, Writer |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Organization(s) | BetterYou.com (Co-Founder & CEO); Lemonlight (Co-Founder & CEO) |
Early life and education
Horner was born in Kingsport, Tennessee. She attended Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 2009.
Career
In 2007, while completing her studies, Horner joined Equinox in Santa Monica, California, as a membership advisor.
In 2010, Horner co-founded BetterYou.com, an online platform that connected consumers with independent health and fitness providers. The company secured partnerships with organizations including Whole Foods, Dasani, Real Age, and Los Angeles Magazine. BetterYou raised $250,000 in seed funding and was selected for the Start Engine Incubator Program in 2012. Horner served as CEO until late 2012.
From October 2012 to May 2013, Horner was affiliate marketing manager for Ellie, a subscription-based activewear line.
In May 2013, Horner joined NearWoo, a mobile advertising company, as vice president of business development. During this time, she managed partnerships with the Chicago Sun-Times and Empereon.
In April 2014, Horner co-founded Lemonlight, where she currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer. The company produces branded video content at scale for global clients, including Google, Amazon, Netflix, Waymo, and Mars. Horner has overseen the development of Lemonlight’s Hero platform, which incorporates artificial intelligence into video workflows, and the launch of a marketplace for AI-augmented editors.[1][2]
Horner has written articles and commentary for business publications, including Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inc., Adweek, Fast Company, and Harvard Business Review. Her work often addresses entrepreneurship, leadership, growth strategy, and the use of artificial intelligence in creative industries.
Awards and recognition
Horner has received several individual and company honors throughout her career, including:
- Pepperdine University’s 40 Under 40 (2017)[3]
- Inclusion in Inc.’s 25 Inspiring Entrepreneurs to Watch (2017)
- Inc. 5000 honoree with Lemonlight (2018–2025, multiple years)
- Entrepreneur 360 honoree with Lemonlight (2017–2019)
- Stevie Award for Best Female Entrepreneur (2022)
- NYX Grand Winner (2022)
- Viddy Award (2022)
- Built In’s Best Places to Work (2023)
- Inc.’s Most Dynamic Women Entrepreneurs (2023)
- Inc.’s Top Female Founders (2023, 2024)
- Inc.’s Best in Business (2023, 2024)
- Inc.’s Most Intriguing Women Entrepreneurs (2024)
- Fast Company’s Next Big Things in Tech (2024)
- AdMonsters’ Top Women in Media & Ad Tech (2025)