Biography
In 2007 Vitrue, then a user-generated video company that helped brands capitalize on the popularity of online video, was doing well. Barely a year and a half old, it was growing and signing up clients. But entrepreneur Reggie Bradford 99EMBA felt in his gut that social marketing management would be bigger than online video. “I recognized online video was not the path to scale,” says Bradford, who as company founder was in the throes of a major leadership challenge. “So I changed course, pivoted.” It turned out to be the right move, but having to tell customers that the value proposition he’d sold them was “wrong” and then revamp his management team wasn’t easy. “Those were scary times,” he says. “But it’s paying off in spades.” These days Vitrue delivers what Bradford describes as “a comprehensive social marketing platform,” including software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions that help brands and agencies manage their marketing potential through channels like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and emerging platforms. Vitrue currently manages more than 900 million relationships in 47 countries across more than 3,000 Facebook and Twitter accounts for clients like McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble, and AT&T. The numbers increase every day—as does the number of Vitrue employees (now approximately 175). Bradford, who played a lot of team sports growing up, says his leadership style is “like a coach during March Madness.” That means “you can’t ever get complacent and you always expect change.” Bradford gives his employees a lot of responsibility, and he holds them accountable. The way he leads his life—prioritizing “faith, family, and business”—is synonymous with the way he leads his company. “You want to make sure you’re a good role model,” he says. “That’s part of good leadership.” As Vitrue’s CEO, Bradford recognizes he’s the last line of defense. “There’s no other neck to choke,” he laughs. “It’s an awesome responsibility and it can overwhelm you if you let it. But it’s also an awesome opportunity to empower and create a vision.”