Danny Zhang Vice President, Paid Media

Collaboration is a big part of what we do at Turn/River. We only succeed when our portfolio companies succeed, and in many ways, our true strength comes from the combined experience of the portfolio. We want to share the lessons learned from those wins (and losses) so you don’t replicate past mistakes.

My role at T/R is helping portfolio companies drive additional traffic and sales opportunities through paid marketing channels. Turning on paid media and increasing lead flow is the first visible impact after acquiring a new portfolio company. It kick-starts the growth engine we want to build.

I’ve always been interested in the role that data plays in driving business growth. After receiving a degree in economics from Purdue University, I began my career running supply chain operations for a teeth whitening company—where I saw firsthand just how hard it is to improve a business when working with messy, inaccurate data. 

From there, I moved into digital marketing at the agency 3Q Digital, where I focused on growing our top B2B software clients’ accounts. In one case, the agency’s CEO and I were able to drive results that not only persuaded our client to expand the account to encompass two of their other companies, but also allowed us to upsell them on our newly-launched CRO product.

Once I understood T/R’s unique operating model and goals, and once I had a chance to see their active campaigns, I knew that joining this team would give me the chance to use the knowledge and skills I had developed to make a real impact.

I take a great deal of pride in my work—especially the presentations I’ve built and delivered at T/R, and the insights I’ve shared with our portfolio companies. The success we’ve had with new portfolio companies has been one of the highlights of my career. 

In my free time, I enjoy playing Codenames with friends (following CounterStrike and other e-sports), playing competitive pinball, and hanging out with my cat, Kap.