Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
Websites
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Mike Sprouse

Hamden,CT

Summary

Accomplished executive and marketing leader. Former world-ranked tennis player and Arthur Ashe Award winner. Founded and ran a digital marketing agency successfully for six years. Career has spanned Growth Marketing (new user acquisition, creative optimization, conversion, funnel management), Brand & Direct, B2C & B2B, Product, and most disciplines within the digital world. Successful KPI growth at every career stop. Both analytical and creative: passionate about numbers and visual storytelling.

Overview

29
29
years of professional experience

Work History

VP, Digital Subscriptions, Acquisition, Marketing

Hearst Newspapers
04.2022 - Current

Expertise: New Customer Acquisition (B2C), Conversion Rate Optimization, Data Analytics, Lead Generation and Content Acquisition, Budgeting and Forecasting, Paid Marketing (Search, Social, Programmatic) Strategy and Budget Management

  • Growing new subscribers for over 75+ Hearst Newspapers, representing over 300K digital-only subscribers
  • Achieving new customer conversions/signups growth across network of publications while setting Y/Y record growth in digital-only new subscribers and conversion rate,
  • Determining optimal budget and strategy for multi-million dollar paid marketing campaigns across search, social and programmatic.
  • Testing new acquisition-focused offers, pricing and creative strategies to boost new subscriber volume.
  • Working with newsrooms nationwide collaborating on go-to market strategies and subscriber value propositions.
  • Determining budgets, revenue forecasts and volume projections for new subscriber growth.

CMO (Fractional)

Curate Mobile
01.2018 - 04.2022

Expertise: Data Analytics, Mobile App downloads/conversion and KPI, New Client Acquisition (B2B), Performance-based marketing, Programmatic/DSP, Brand Development and Strategy, Thought Leadership

  • Helped clients break through "privacy wall" related to app download, action, conversion and user outcome
  • Drove demand generation and new client acquisition
  • Introduced/built of new brand (Kismet.ai) in programmatic/DSP industry. New sales materials created => lead generation, and client on-boarding
  • Developed comprehensive performance reports and KPI using Google Analytics to solve resource allocation and establish performance metrics for clients
  • Worked collaboratively with technology, sales, operations and creative

Head Of Marketing

Tennis CT
01.2018 - 04.2022

Expertise: New User Acquisition, Brand/Direct, Web, Print, Social Media Marketing, Paid Search, SEO, Mail, Content, Email Marketing, New Program Development, Thought Leadership

  • Performed all areas of digital/growth marketing efforts for Tennis Connecticut and its facilities
  • Increased new user acquisition funnel: advertisement => lead => sales process to on-court revenue and participation
  • Grew Tennis CT brand & website new user acquisition: 0 => 200K website visitors with industry-breaking conversion rates
  • Developed strategic partnership growth with Universal Tennis (UTR)
  • Worked cross-functionally with President, front desk staff, tennis coaches, and technology

CEO, Founder

Sprouse Marketing Group
02.2012 - 12.2017

Expertise: Revenue, P&L, Finance, Operations, Sales Leadership, Human Resources, Business Development

  • Agency that supported key growth initiatives like user acquisition for clients across dozen industries for Fortune 500 companies and SMB's
  • Founded, self-funded, and grew company and client base
  • Hired key staff across all disciplines
  • Double-digit % company revenue and client growth in every year

CMO (Chief Marketing Officer)

Epic Media Group
05.2007 - 02.2012

Expertise: Paid subscriptions, Lead Generation, Product development, Philanthropy, Budgeting, Planning, Forecasting, Affiliate/Performance-Based Solutions, Brand Marketing, Marketing strategy, Online advertising, Affiliate/CPA, Programmatic

  • Hired as very first marketing employee at company as CMO and built award-winning marketing, creative and events team from scratch
  • Grew from $40MM => $200MM+ company
  • Assisted clients like Netflix and hundreds of others on new user acquisition and paid subscription growth
  • Named two-time, national "Marketing Team of Year" from American Business Awards beating out Boeing, John Hancock Financial and others.

SVP (Senior Vice President)

Playboy Enterprises, Inc.
05.2002 - 05.2007

Expertise: Navigating online pay wall issues from free => pay (online, tv), Set up company data analytics and KPI, Online Subscription Revenue growth, e-commerce conversion and targeting, Revenue/P&L, E-Commerce, Digital Marketing Strategy, Cross-Channel Management, Social Media, .com, catalog, home entertainment, tv/network marketing, and mobile

  • I managed all P/L for digital (online & entertainment) division which was highest-growth business in company during this time
  • Online subscription revenues grew 31%, 28% and 33% in succession each of first three years
  • E-Commerce and Catalog revenues grew 48% over five year span
  • Early leader of social media and mobile technologies.

Associate Program Manager

MBI, Inc.
01.1997 - 05.2002

Industry: D2C Direct Marketing, Direct Response, Direct Mail (CPG / Collectibles / Memorabilia)

Expertise: Direct marketing, Direct mail, Web/E-Commerce new user acquisition, revenue/P&L, Project Management, Catalog

  • Direct Mail, Marketing copywriting, Creative Services & Design, Advertising
  • Massive growth ($ and product line expansion) of Sports Collectibles unit
  • Established company's earliest foray into E-Commerce business overseeing online demand and user acquisition

World-ranked Tennis Player

ATP Tour
05.1995 - 12.1996
  • Achieved ATP Tour World singles ranking
  • Competed in several ATP Tour level events including U.S. Pro Championships in Boston, MA

Author

Living Your Fullest Series
12.1994 - 01.1995
    • Published Seven Books.
    • Key Result: Achieved Amazon best-seller status for three books.

Education

Bachelor of Business Administration - Accounting

University Of Notre Dame - Mendoza College Of Business
South Bend, IN
1996

High School Diploma -

Fairfield College Preparatory SchoolHall Of Fame
Fairfield, CT
1992

Skills

    • Team Leadership
    • Personnel Development
    • Department Development
    • New User Growth & Acquisition
    • Conversion Funnel Optimization
      • Design & Creative Oversight
      • Data Analytics
      • Marketing Strategy
      • Digital Marketing
      • Accounting/Finance Background

Timeline

VP, Digital Subscriptions, Acquisition, Marketing

Hearst Newspapers
04.2022 - Current

CMO (Fractional)

Curate Mobile
01.2018 - 04.2022

Head Of Marketing

Tennis CT
01.2018 - 04.2022

CEO, Founder

Sprouse Marketing Group
02.2012 - 12.2017

CMO (Chief Marketing Officer)

Epic Media Group
05.2007 - 02.2012

SVP (Senior Vice President)

Playboy Enterprises, Inc.
05.2002 - 05.2007

Associate Program Manager

MBI, Inc.
01.1997 - 05.2002

World-ranked Tennis Player

ATP Tour
05.1995 - 12.1996

Author

Living Your Fullest Series
12.1994 - 01.1995

Bachelor of Business Administration - Accounting

University Of Notre Dame - Mendoza College Of Business

High School Diploma -

Fairfield College Preparatory SchoolHall Of Fame
Mike Sprouse