How Tod Sacerdoti has rolled up his sleeves to turn BrightRoll into an industry leader

Tod Sacerdoti, CEO and founder, BrightRoll
Tod Sacerdoti, CEO and founder, BrightRoll

NCA Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Advertising Technology
Award recipient
 
Tod Sacerdoti
CEO and founder
BrightRoll
 
As one of the early leaders within an up-and-coming industry, BrightRoll CEO Tod Sacerdoti has transformed his company into one of the most profitable and successful online video advertising firms that reaches audiences across Web, mobile and connected TV.
Within the last decade, customers have increasingly engaged with digital devices for everyday activities and shifted away from traditional TV. In 2006, Sacerdoti noticed this and realized there wasn’t a viable and scalable way to monetize digital video content. Thus, the idea for BrightRoll was born.
Sacerdoti believes in putting his employees first, and promoting an extremely flat and transparent work environment. He empowers his employees and gives them the autonomy they need without micromanaging. This translates to an efficient and well-run organization without overlap in responsibilities or oversight.
That employee empowerment also comes into play with BrightRoll’s quarterly “HAX Day.” Here, staff team up with others outside their department to work on a project of their own choosing to benefit the industry, company or fellow employees. Projects have included mini websites, community volunteer groups and some BrightRollers have even redesigned the office lunch space.
The online video industry is extremely competitive and dominated by a number of players that have raised enormous amounts of capital. Despite this, BrightRoll has grown faster than its peer group of companies and has done so with the least amount of capital raised, which is a testament to Sacerdoti’s leadership.
The company works with 90 percent of the top 50 U.S. advertisers and the world’s largest ad agencies.
Sacerdoti’s forward-thinking has ensured BrightRoll is ahead of the constantly shifting digital landscape to offer the most advanced solutions for advertisers, while giving publishers access to the industry’s largest video marketplace.
As an industry leader, he not only speaks at conferences and through media channels, but also has made a $1 million pledge from BrightRoll toward industry innovation and research around online video and advertising.
How to reach: BrightRoll, www.brightroll.com