Today we’d like to introduce you to Ted Rubin.
Hi Ted, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My personal philosophy and a quote I do my best to live by… “Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” From the beginnings of social media I experimented and was considered a leading Social Marketing Strategist. I am an International Keynote Speaker, Business Advisor and… Author, Connector, and Relationship Builder. In March 2009 I started using and evangelizing the term ROR, Return on Relationship™, hashtag #RonR…. a concept I believe is the cornerstone for building an engaged consumer base and community, many of whom are vocal advocates for the brand. I built these for e.l.f. Cosmetics as the Chief Marketing Officer between 2008 and 2010, OpenSky where I was Chief Social Marketing Officer until the end of April 2011, and for Collective Bias (whose Advisory Board I joined in January 2011) where I became Chief Social Marketing Officer, and an equity partner, May 1st 2011. I worked closely with Collective Bias since it was founded by John Andrews who I met through the blogging community when he was leading Emerging Media at Walmart. I left his position as Chief Social Marketing Officer of Collective Bias on August 31, 2013 and remained a principal shareholder until the November 2016 seven-figure acquisition by Inmar.
➡️ My comprehensive background here… LinkedIn.com/in/TedRubin ⬅️
In the words of Collective Bias Founder John Andrews… “Ted, you were the vision, heartbeat and soul of Collective Bias, thank you for building a great company. From innovations like cb.Socially to the amazing relationships you built with the blogger community, clients and employees, you drove the epic growth. You will be missed!”
With e.l.f. Cosmetics from 2008-2010, OpenSky from 2009-2011 and Collective Bias, I became known for my active use of Twitter where I had in excess of 1,000,000 followers throughout my network, and grew 100,000+ followers for e.l.f. Twitter handles in 2009, over 200,000 for OpenSky in 2010, and well in excess of 2MM for Collective Bias in 2013… all with deep engagement and interaction.
At e.l.f., my responsibilities included communicating with and building e.l.f.’s client base (membership increased from 600k to in excess of 2.4MM during his tenure), leveraging brand equity through strategic marketing programs (with many major brands and publishers), and creating/developing/managing a major thrust into social media initiatives and partnerships and building the most highly respected social media presence in the cosmetics industry at the time. In addition, the merging of traditional PR and the ability of social media to create/spread PR opportunities was leveraged to full effect under my tenure… a first for many companies and something which many are yet to understand.
I believe the key to continued success for any brand/retailer/e-tailer is identifying with the customer. I am always quick to point out “listening finally got the respect it deserved through Social Media, and sadly that understanding has been left behind. Too many do not understand… listen and adjust your message to make it relevant to your consumer. Brand loyalty declines due to lack of relevance… a direct result of not listening.” “Number one is always try to understand who your customer is and pay attention.” And in that vein you batter start to understand that SIMPLICITY is the new EDLP (Every Day Low Pricing)! Make it easy for them… and they will buy from you again and again and again. Frictionless fulfillment is the retail of the future.
Your Brand/Business is what you do; your Reputation is what people Remember and Share.
I developed a deep online background beginning in 1997 working with best selling author, entrepreneur and agent of change Seth Godin at Yoyodyne, which was acquired in Q4 1998 by Yahoo!
I served as a Social Marketing and Engagement Advisor to Big Fuel Communications until they were acquired in May 2011 by Publicis Groupe, Aptaris until they were acquired by dunnhumby in May 2018, GoodXChange until they were acquired by 5th Element in June 2018, OpenSky until they were acquired by Alibaba in September 2018, Brand Innovators, Dynamic Signal, Photofy, SheSpeaks, Spaceback, and currently Evergreen Trading and Larridin, Inc.
A native New Yorker, I hold a Bachelor of Science in Business and Economics from Cornell University. I am divorced, have two daughters… one who graduated University of Pennsylvania and Harvard Law School, and the other who graduated Pratt Institute and has a Master’s Degree from Columbia University, and I live in Pompano Beach, FL.
I feel very strongly that… Relationships are like muscle tissue; the more they are engaged, the stronger and more valuable they become. That A Network gives you Reach, but a Community gives you Power! Networks Connect… Communities Care. AND… there is #NoLetUp! in life.
I was taught by my Dad, both of my parents, to look people in the eye when speaking to them… get to know who they are and what is important to them. My parents taught me to never forget the people… and that advice will serve you well in business and your personal life. If you forget the people, you’re overlooking the most important part.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Hardly… too many to share it all here. but if you want to publish my life story, let me know. To address it in a nutshell… I have redirected and/or changed my career at least four times in my life… but all were always focused on the value of relationships. I had to fight to leep my daughters in my life due to a mother who to this day does everything she can to alienate them… to say the least that has been the biggest challenge of my life, and has also brought me a great amount if joy… the being a Dad part.
In business, and in life, we often celebrate skill, strategy, and ambition as the keys to success. They matter, of course. Skill sharpens your craft. Strategy helps you see the board and plan your moves. Ambition pushes you to take the first step. These open doors.
But here’s the truth… it’s relationships that keep those doors open. DO NOT EVER FORET THAT… it is the most important thing I can share.
When you invest in relationships, you’re not just building a network, you’re building a life of meaning, impact, and connection… one that extends from simple relationships into communities. And unlike transactions, relationships grow richer over time, and networks may give you reach, but relationships and communities give you power. The power of trust, of loyalty, of influence that compounds far beyond what any single transaction could deliver.
So yes, polish your skills, and craft your strategy, but never forget the true currency that sustains it all… RELATIONSHIPS! Because… Relationships are like muscle tissue, the more you engage them, the stronger and more valuable they become.
Build relationships. Reap the return… because RETURN ON RELATIONSHIP is the real ROI of life.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Marketing Strategist, International Keynote Speaker, Business Advisor and… Author and Connector
In March 2009 I started using and evangelizing the term ROR (hashtag #RonR), Return on Relationship™. My 1st book, Return on Relationship, was released 1/29/13.
Many people in the social media world know me for my enthusiastic, energetic and undeniably personal connection to people. I was the most followed CMO on Twitter according to Social Media Marketing Magazine; one of the most interesting CMOs on Twitter according to Say Media, #13 on Forbes Top 50 Social Media Power Influencers, and number #2 on the Leadtail list of Top 25 People Most Mentioned by digital marketers, and most recently to the leadersHum Global Power list of the Top 200 Biggest Voices In Leadership for 2022. Return on Relationship, ROR, #RonR, is the basis of my philosophy… It’s All About Relationships!
My books, Return on Relationship, was released January 2013, How To Look People in the Eye Digitally was released January 2015 and The Age of Influence… Selling to the Digitally Connected Customer in 2017. I released my latest book in January 2022, along with business partner and Retail Thought Leader John Andrews, titled Retail Relevancy. I post regularly via social media on a multitude of topics, business and personal, and via my two blogs… ror.online and Straight Talk… at tedrubin.com.
I have a passion for connecting with people and building authentic relationships that create value for both parties. I have authored and co-authored several books on social media and relationship marketing, and I have spoken at numerous events and conferences around the world. I also serve as a Strategic Advisor, Investor, and Board Member for several companies and organizations in various industries, including Evergreen Trading, Spaceback, and Larridin.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
A great mentor drilled into me at an early age that some friends will be for when you just need someone to listen and offer comfort; some will be for when you need advice and support. Some will be there for just fun. And others will ALWAYS be there. Learn to differentiate. Acquaintances, Colleagues, Friends, Good Friends, Great Friends, Best Friends. Learn to differentiate (have told this to my girls again and again… such an important lesson).
Modeling myself after people I admired… not those I am jealous of.
I was always prepared to reinvent myself, and have many times:
– Ask why aren’t you happy, why do I want to reinvent?
– What are you passionate about — can you make it a career? If you can’t make it a career, perhaps a side gig or pastime.
– Once you make the decision to do it, go for it!
– Learn to stop worrying about the perfect plan. Try things and get immediate feedback (which you can do easily these days through social media).
My biggest mistake: Giving up too soon and letting too much time go by before trying again… or trying something new that I always wanted to do. “Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://TedRubin.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/tedrubin
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/tedrubin
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/tedrubin
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@tedrubin
- Other: https://ReturnOnRelatonship.com
