Today we’d like to introduce you to Runbin Dong.
Hi Runbin, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The inspiration for Scale Social didn’t come from a boardroom or a whiteboard — it came from a small, handmade Chinese dumpling business I ran with my mom.
Before Scale Social ever existed, I was an operator and marketer for our own small business. We made dumplings by hand, sold them locally, and poured everything we had into the quality of the product and the experience. Like many small business owners, we didn’t have a marketing team, an agency, or a big budget. What we did have were customers who genuinely loved what we were making.
People would take photos, post videos, tell their friends, and share their experiences organically. That content was far more powerful than anything we could have produced ourselves — but we had no real way to capture it, organize it, or use it responsibly. Most of it lived briefly on social media and then disappeared.
I remember thinking: Why is the most authentic marketing also the hardest to harness — especially for small businesses?
That question stayed with me.
Throughout my career, I worked at larger companies like IBM and CVS Health, building complex systems at scale. The work was impactful, but I couldn’t shake the contrast between how much technology existed to optimize performance — and how little existed to preserve and elevate real human experiences.
Scale Social was born at the intersection of those two worlds:
the scrappy reality of running a small business, and the power of well-designed infrastructure.
In the early days, we focused on helping restaurants and multi-location brands capture authentic customer content in a way that felt natural and respectful. As we worked closely with operators, it became clear that the real challenge wasn’t just collecting content — it was trust. Consent. Quality. Rights. And doing all of that without slowing people down or losing what made the moment special in the first place.
What started as a simple tool evolved into a platform — and eventually into infrastructure.
As our system matured, brands from other industries began reaching out: gyms, entertainment companies, live events, and eventually enterprise and healthcare organizations. We found ourselves working with highly regulated companies that needed to move fast while maintaining strict compliance — and realizing that the same principles that mattered to a small dumpling business also mattered at massive scale: authenticity, integrity, and respect for the people creating the content.
Building Scale Social has been deeply personal.
I became a founder while becoming a parent, and there were moments when the weight of growing a company, supporting a team, and showing up for my family felt overwhelming. There were sacrifices, setbacks, and lessons I didn’t expect — but also growth, perspective, and gratitude.
Today, Scale Social is a team of builders working to help brands earn attention the right way — by elevating real experiences instead of manufacturing artificial ones. At its core, the company is still rooted in the same belief I learned running that small dumpling business with my mom: the most powerful stories already exist. Technology should help us honor them, not replace them.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road — and in many ways, that’s been the most important part of the journey.
One of the biggest early challenges was learning how to build something with customers instead of for them. In the beginning, it’s tempting to chase every piece of positive feedback or every new use case. We had interest coming from restaurants, gyms, live events, entertainment, and even healthcare, and it took time — and discipline — to slow down, listen, and decide where we could actually deliver consistent value instead of spreading ourselves too thin.
Another challenge was making the transition from a scrappy, small-business mindset to building real infrastructure. When you’re used to running an SMB, you’re solving problems quickly and manually. At scale, everything has to be designed for trust, repeatability, and responsibility. That meant rethinking parts of the product, the pricing, and even how we defined success. It was uncomfortable at times, but necessary.
On a personal level, the hardest challenge was balance.
I became a founder while becoming a parent, and there were periods where I underestimated how much emotional and physical energy building a company would require. Last year, in particular, was tough — long hours, constant pressure, and the feeling that there was always more to do. I learned the hard way that pushing endlessly isn’t sustainable, for me or for the company.
Those challenges forced me to grow as a leader. I learned how to build a stronger team, ask for help, set better boundaries, and focus on progress over perfection. I also learned that the hardest moments often come right before clarity.
Looking back, I wouldn’t remove those struggles, even if I could. They shaped how Scale Social operates today — with more empathy, more intention, and a deeper respect for the people behind the technology.
We’ve been impressed with Scale Social AI, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Scale Social AI helps businesses turn real customer experiences into authentic, usable marketing — responsibly and at scale.
At its core, we specialize in capturing genuine moments from everyday people and transforming them into brand-safe, rights-cleared content that companies can actually use. Instead of manufacturing ads or relying solely on influencers, we help brands surface the stories that are already happening — in restaurants, at events, in communities, and across real-world experiences.
What sets us apart is that we don’t just collect content — we built the infrastructure around it. That means consent, trust, quality, and governance are baked into the system from the beginning. Our platform uses AI to guide people at the moment of capture, helping improve content quality while keeping it human and imperfect, and then helps brands organize, approve, and activate that content across channels.
We work with everyone from small, multi-location businesses to enterprise and regulated brands, which has shaped how thoughtfully we approach scale and responsibility. The same principles that matter to a local restaurant — trust, authenticity, and respect for customers — also matter to large organizations operating under strict standards.
What I’m most proud of is that Scale Social was built from an operator’s perspective. It came from running a small family business and seeing firsthand how powerful authentic customer stories can be — and how difficult it is for businesses to harness them without losing what makes them special. Our brand stands for earning attention, not buying it, and for building technology that amplifies real human moments instead of replacing them.
If there’s one thing I want readers to know, it’s that Scale Social isn’t about chasing trends or creating noise. It’s about helping businesses grow by honoring the people and experiences that already make them meaningful.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
We’re always open to collaboration, especially with people who care deeply about community, creativity, and building things the right way.
For businesses, working with us usually starts with a conversation — understanding how and where authentic customer experiences already exist, and exploring whether Scale Social can help surface and scale those moments responsibly. We work with small and mid-sized brands, multi-location operators, agencies, and enterprise teams, and we’re especially excited about partners who value long-term relationships over quick wins.
For creatives and agencies, we see collaboration as essential. We’re not here to replace creative teams — we’re here to give them better raw material. Many of our best ideas come from working alongside designers, strategists, and marketers who know their audiences deeply and want more authentic inputs to work with.
We also welcome support in less formal ways. Thoughtful feedback, introductions, and shared perspectives go a long way, especially as we continue to grow. And for anyone building or running a business — particularly founders balancing work, family, and ambition — I’m always happy to connect, share lessons learned, or simply compare notes.
At the end of the day, Scale Social exists because of community. Whether someone is collaborating with us directly or supporting us from the sidelines, we’re grateful for every person who believes in building more human-centered technology.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.getsocialscale.com
