He Sold His Business To Salesforce For $800 Million, Now Leads An Innovative Data Provider With Cannabis Roots

More than 4 years after its debut, the column on “the Migration Saga” is returning, to take a look at top executives and leaders from mainstream industries and the policy world making big bets on the cannabis industry. In past editions, we’ve learned about big executives from Mercedes-Benz and BMW, to Canada’s deputy chief of staff to the Prime Minister, the New Jersey Department of Health’s deputy commissioner and even former presidents and US Senators, changing careers to get into the marijuana space. Today, we’ll introduce Jeff Ragovin, as he takes on a bigger role in the cannabis space and beyond.

Fyllo, a company specializing in providing contextual targeting solutions and progressive audience data to the cannabis industry and a myriad of mainstream sectors like auto, CPG and pharma, has promoted Jeff Ragovin, a technology and business pioneer, to the role of president. As per exclusive information acquired ahead of an official announcement, Ragovin’s appointment is part of Fyllo’s strategic roadmap aimed at harnessing the power of leaders with deep-rooted expertise in artificial intelligence (AI), data-driven marketing and business scaling.

Ragovin brings to his new role a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success. Before his promotion, he served as Fyllo’s chief commercial officer, where he drove AI integration into business operations, fostered valuable investor relationships, and secured strategic deals. This experience is fortified by his previous entrepreneurial venture, co-founding Marketing Evolution, a frontrunner in marketing measurement and optimization. His time at Fyllo has furnished him with deep insights into its potential for growth and data-driven marketing. But wait, this is not all. In fact, it’s far from it.

Known for co-founding Buddy Media, which blossomed into the world’s largest enterprise social marketing software and was subsequently acquired by Salesforce for $800 million, Ragovin remains strong in his commitment to revolutionizing the face of digital marketing across all sectors, not just within the cannabis industry.

“My past experiences, including co-founding Buddy Media and steering its acquisition by Salesforce, have equipped me with invaluable insights into identifying strategic opportunities and driving impactful innovation in a rapidly evolving market. With Fyllo, I intend to channel this expertise to catalyze growth and identify and pursue expansion opportunities,” Ragovin commented.

The executive envisions his experience influencing the growth trajectory of not only Fyllo but also the broader advertising landscape within the cannabis industry, helping to further legitimize and normalize its presence. “Our continued growth will redefine the advertising landscape in a privacy-first world, driving outsized performance for all our customers, regardless of the industry they belong to,” he said.

Chad Bronstein, founder and CEO of Fyllo, added, “Jeff’s move to the role of president is a logical and timely step forward, given his impressive track record in spearheading our revenue expansion both domestically and internationally… His ascension mirrors the organic evolution of Fyllo, as we aggressively broaden our horizons, navigating fresh markets and seizing new opportunities.”

Eyes Set On The Future

In a nunanced conversation, Ragovin explained that his intent is to align Fyllo with compatible technology providers and distribution channels, a move poised to generate substantial revenue streams and enhance the company’s portfolio.

His appointment comes almost one year after Fyllo’s strategic acquisition of unified targeting business Semasio, a move that empowers the company with the capability to precisely identify and infiltrate untapped markets, arming the company with advanced semantic targeting capabilities, focusing on content, context and semantic nuances to achieve accurate audience mapping.

“While our influence within the cannabis industry is undeniable, our strategic focus extends well beyond a single sector,” Ragovin reiterated.

He went on to emphasize the company’s commitment to customer success and continual product improvement, stating, “At the heart of our growth strategy is delivering exceptional service, offering innovative solutions, and continuously enhancing our product portfolio to provide unmatched value to our customers. Being a customer-first company isn’t just a mantra at Fyllo; it’s at the core of our strategic blueprint.”

His vision, he argued, is set to transform the broader landscape of advertising technology in a privacy-first world. With the purchase of Semasio, Fyllo is geared to offer innovative solutions like contextual audience extension, a strategy designed to help clients discover untapped audiences with shared interests and behaviors. This unique approach is on the path to reshaping the wider landscape of digital advertising, paving the way for a robust advertising ecosystem underpinned by respect for user privacy and propelled by pioneering semantic technology.

Fyllo stands at the cusp of revolutionizing industry standards. Led by visionary leaders like Ragovin, the company is well-positioned to effect a seismic shift in the cannabis industry’s role within the broader advertising ecosystem.

Peering into the future, Fyllo is setting its sights on reshaping the digital advertising industry by prioritizing customers and pledging a commitment to privacy. This approach lays the foundation for marked improvements in performance across all its clientele. With a proven ability to deliver advanced data solutions, Fyllo is poised to emerge as a trailblazing entity, not only in the cannabis industry, but across the expansive realm of advertising. The company’s commitment to a privacy-centric model coupled with its ambitious vision is what will drive unprecedented performance results for its customers, Ragovin ended.