BIOGRAPHY

The Story Behind the Work

Howard Perlmuter — known professionally as Howard Perl — has been turning heads since before his tenth birthday, when he built his first radio station in his bedroom on Cleveland’s east side. What began as a child’s obsession with sound and performance became one of the most eclectic and consequential careers in Cleveland entrepreneurial history.

Born July 16, 1973, and raised in Pepper Pike, Ohio, Howard graduated from Orange High School in 1991 and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Marketing) from Ashland University and a Master of Arts in Business Communication from John Carroll University — credentials he would deploy across an astonishing range of industries over the decades that followed.

Ohio Magazine has described Howard as an “entrepreneur and brand visionary.” It is a fitting label for a man who has founded or led companies in radio broadcasting, music production, advertising, celebrity management, pet hospitality, television production, Broadway theatre, software, publishing, and brand licensing — often running several simultaneously.

“Investing is an act of confidence, a leap of faith. It means expending resources today in order to reap benefits tomorrow.”— HOWARD PERL, HOWARDPERL.COM

His entertainment career began in earnest at age 12, when he secured an internship at WGCL — Cleveland’s number one station at the time — riding the bus across town every day to get there. By 15, he was named Program Director of the Armed Forces Radio Network special projects division and recognized by Cleveland Magazine as one of the city’s most popular on-air radio talents. By 18, he had recorded, distributed and sold more than 5,000 albums as an independent recording artist and been named a top Teen Entrepreneur by the Cleveland press.

In 1994, Howard co-founded RealWorld Entertainment Corporation with Lee Mars, former keyboardist for Nine Inch Nails. Operating out of Beachwood Studios, their company became the official production studio of The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum and earned Gold Records and Golden Reel Awards for work with artists including Filter, Montell Jordan, Silk, Zhane, Gerald Levert, Bruce Hornsby, Regina Belle, Jeffrey Osborne and many others. Concurrently, Howard built Color Bar Media Group into a 30-employee full-service advertising and public relations agency.

After completing his master’s degree, Howard relocated to Los Angeles and opened Howard Perl Entertainment Management — a boutique Beverly Hills firm that would go on to represent an impressive roster of international artists including José Feliciano, Alexander O’Neal, Chubby Checker, Eddie Money, Helen Welch, En Vogue, Shalamar and others. Wikipedia’s articles on Eddie Money, Chubby Checker, Alexander O’Neal and Lou Gramm each independently cite Howard Perl Entertainment or Howard Perl Management by name.

In 2001, Howard began researching the pet care industry. After visiting more than 200 facilities nationwide and consulting animal care architects, veterinarians, equipment designers and pet psychologists, he conceived The Barkley Pet Hotel & Day Spa — a luxury pet hospitality brand that would earn coverage in TMZ, OK! Magazine, InTouch Weekly, O, The Oprah Magazine, the National Enquirer, and on all four major television networks. The Barkley even appeared in an episode of the hit television series Lucifer and was named the official pet care partner of the Omkar 1973 Worli development in Mumbai, India — one of that city’s most prestigious luxury skyscraper projects, alongside architecture firm Foster & Partners.

Today, Howard continues his work across entertainment, pet hospitality, Broadway production and entrepreneurial ventures from his bases in Ohio, Florida and Los Angeles. He is a lifetime voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (the Grammy Awards), holds real estate, insurance and public notary licenses, and remains one of Cleveland’s most quietly prolific creative forces.

With decades of experience across film, music, and creative business, Howard Perlmuter brings people, ideas, and stories together. His work spans award-recognized productions and respected organizations, driven by a passion for meaningful collaboration and lasting impact.