# Ethan Eyler > VP of Brand Marketing at ZenBusiness | Entrepreneur | Ex-Lyft Founding Brand Team Location: San Francisco, California, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/ethaneyler Marketing executive with 20+ years of experience building and activating brands. As a founding member of Lyft's Brand Marketing team, I helped drive the company's growth from seed-stage through IPO over nine years, leading multiple marketing functions and teams that spanned brand strategy, integrated marketing, product marketing, experiential, product development, and brand innovation. My distinctive strength lies in translating strategic vision into tangible business growth through both marketing channels and product experiences. --- Core Belief: Brand Drives Growth; Storytelling Builds Brand — Entrepreneurial background as a 2X Founder enhances my understanding of market dynamics, P&L management, and strategic execution. I bring a creative, consumer-centric approach backed by analytical rigor and operational expertise. Creator | Leader | Innovator | Husband | Father | DogFather | Coach | Cyclist | Chef | Goof ## Work Experience ### VP, Brand Marketing @ ZenBusiness Jan 2025 – Present | San Francisco Bay Area Leading brand marketing at ZenBusiness as VP of Brand Marketing. Building the brand and creative function from the ground up, shaping our story, and driving awareness, preference, and trust. ZenBusiness is a platform that helps entrepreneurs with everything from LLC formation to compliance, taxes, banking, and more—all the unglamorous but critical pieces that keep the wheels from falling off as you grow. ### Strategic Advisor @ Freestyle Jan 2023 – Present Strategic advisor to Freestyle - Building 3D projection mapped AI training and entertainment experiences for water. ### Fractional Brand Lead | Executive Producer | BD @ AOA Jan 2023 – Jan 2025 | Burbank, California, United States Transitioned from client to consultant with this innovation and design studio after our collaborative work at Lyft revealed strong strategic alignment. Providing marketing leadership to a firm comparable to Walt Disney Imagineering, offering integrated concept development across creative, design, architectural, and construction disciplines. Strategic Impact: • Led comprehensive brand repositioning initiative that reshaped market positioning and increased new business win rate. • Transformed business development approach through enhanced narrative strategy, directly contributing to revenue growth. Executive Production: • Led cross-functional teams to deliver the X-Men "X-Mansion" and Beetlejuice House for Airbnb's "Icons" platform launch, generating billions in earned media impressions and significant brand visibility. • Orchestrated all aspects from concept through execution, including creative direction, production management, and experiential design for these flagship destinations. • Directed experience design, development, and production for Hilton's "Experience Showcase" in NYC, aligning brand experiences with customer acquisition objectives. ### Head of Brand Innovation @ Lyft Jan 2020 – Jan 2023 Founded and led Lyft's Brand Innovation function (30+ cross-functional team members), reporting to the President and Chief Business Officer. Developed brand-centric initiatives delivering measurable business impact while creating market differentiation in a highly competitive category. Leadership & Business Impact: • Managed $20M+ annual budget with demonstrated ROI across innovation portfolio. • Cultivated strategic partnerships that extended brand reach while reducing acquisition costs. • Implemented measurement frameworks linking brand initiatives directly to marketplace efficiency metrics. Signature Innovations: • Led the development of a confidential, multimillion dollar brand-centric experiences platform. • Pioneered "Driver Gifts" hospitality platform enabling drivers to gift complimentary rides to passengers in real-time, positioning drivers as hospitality agents while increasing driver satisfaction and rider retention. • Led end-to-end development of "Glow," a $15M+ advanced in-car connected device with proprietary GPS technology, enhancing pickup experience while generating positive ROI through marketplace efficiency gains. Directed all phases from industrial design through operationalization, delivering a strategic branding asset with measurable business impact. ### Head of Brand & Industrial Design, Bikes and Scooters @ Lyft Jan 2018 – Jan 2020 | San Francisco Bay Area Founding member of Lyft's Micromobility leadership team, directing brand strategy and industrial design for this high-growth business unit. Led cross-functional initiatives that positioned LBS as North America's largest bike-share provider. Strategic Leadership: • Developed integrated brand architecture balancing Lyft master brand with local market relevance for acquired properties including Citibike (NYC) and DIVY (Chicago). • Led industrial design strategy connecting rider experience to brand vision through vehicle design and digital touchpoints. Market Growth: • Instrumental in strategic market share acquisition that established LBS as the category leader in North America. • Created brand integration playbook for newly launched city systems, respecting local equity while harvesting operational efficiencies. • Implemented brand activation strategy across major markets, driving awareness and rider acquisition. ### Sr. Director of Brand Experience @ Lyft Jan 2016 – Jan 2018 | San Francisco Bay Area Established and scaled Lyft's Brand Experience function (team of 10, $18M budget), creating an integrated marketing discipline that connected brand strategy to tangible customer experiences across physical and digital touchpoints. Strategic Leadership: • Created the organizational framework and operating model for Lyft's experiential marketing discipline. • Implemented measurement systems connecting brand initiatives to customer acquisition metrics. • Collaborated with Growth, Performance Marketing, and Product teams to develop integrated programs spanning the full customer journey. Innovation & Business Impact: • Conceived "Magic Modes" platform (Ghostbusters "Ghost Mode", Stranger Things "Strange Mode") generating billions in earned media impressions. Led software development, IP partnerships, and campaign production. Now a profitable revenue stream for Lyft Media. • Led lifecycle development of "Amp," Lyft's first connected in-car branding device, achieving brand evolution away from the mustache icon while reducing cancellation rates by 15%. • Created "Custom-Cars" digital platform enabling zero-cost celebrity and event activations, generating millions in earned media while differentiating Lyft in a commoditized market. Now a profitable revenue stream. ### Director of Brand Marketing @ Lyft Jan 2013 – Jan 2016 | San Francisco Bay Area Founding member of Lyft's Brand Marketing organization, establishing the company's initial brand vision, positioning, and strategy during its formative growth period. Led the development of Lyft's distinctive identity while building marketing capabilities that enabled hypergrowth from two cities to hundreds across North America. Strategic Leadership: • Developed Lyft's first comprehensive brand strategy addressing both rider and driver sides of the marketplace. • Established measurement systems connecting brand initiatives directly to business performance metrics. • Built and led high-performance team (8 direct reports) across brand, creative, content, and experiential functions Market. Growth & Business Impact: • Architected integrated campaigns that drove double-digit user growth quarter-over-quarter while simultaneously reducing customer acquisition costs. • Created Lyft's market expansion playbook, enabling efficient scaling from 3 to 65 markets in 18 months • Led development of the "Glowstache" illuminated device, upgrading the iconic fuzzy mustache icon and enhancing brand recognition. ### Founder & CEO @ RunWilder Jan 2011 – Jan 2013 Founded and led an independent mobile gaming studio focused on narrative-driven titles, securing ~$1M in angel funding and establishing the company as an emerging player in the highly competitive mobile gaming market. Built the organization from concept to revenue-generating business with multiple successful game releases. Strategic Leadership: • Assembled and led cross-functional team of designers, developers, and artists, establishing the company's product vision and go-to-market strategy. • Managed complete P&L responsibility for the business, including capital allocation, financial planning, and operational execution. • Developed strategic partnerships with major distribution platforms, securing valuable promotional positioning in a crowded marketplace. • Established the company's brand positioning, product roadmap, and intellectual property strategy. Business Impact: • Successfully launched two original titles (Ozgood and Burt Destruction) that achieved marketplace visibility through competitive App Store and Google Play features. • Created direct-to-platform distribution strategy, bypassing traditional publisher relationships to maintain IP ownership and maximize revenue share. • Built and maintained relationships with key platform gatekeepers, resulting in premium promotional placement for company releases. ### Founder @ Carstache LLC Jan 2010 – Jan 2012 Conceived, developed, and launched a viral automotive accessory brand that achieved significant social media traction and secured national retail distribution. Built and led all aspects of the business from concept through successful acquisition by Lyft. Strategic Leadership: • Established comprehensive go-to-market strategy spanning product development, manufacturing, distribution, and brand positioning. • Developed multi-channel sales approach combining e-commerce, retail partnerships, and event-based marketing. • Built and managed end-to-end supply chain including domestic and offshore manufacturing, logistics, and fulfillment. • Created distinctive brand identity that drove organic social sharing and media coverage. Business Impact: • Secured wholesale distribution through major retailers including Urban Outfitters, Spencer's Gifts, and Hot Topic. • Achieved successful exit through acquisition by Lyft, transitioning into founding role with their brand marketing organization. • Established scalable business model balancing direct-to-consumer margins with wholesale volume. ### Primary @ Independent Consulting Jan 2010 – Jan 2011 SOCIAL GAMES CONSULTANT: Product marketing, product management, user acquisition strategy, creative conceptualization, brand building, promotions, ecommerce, monetization, virtual currencies, social games. CLIENTS: GameGon (Lord Of Ages for Facebook) FiftyCubes Games (MallWorld for Facebook) TwentyTon Games (Fight or Die for Tagged) Tencent (Ranch Life and Cafe Life for Facebook) ### Director Product Marketing @ Tencent Jan 2006 – Jan 2009 Founding member of US operations for global technology leader, establishing Tencent's initial North American market presence. Built the marketing function from the ground up, leading localization strategy for their flagship gaming platform while navigating complex cross-cultural business dynamics. Strategic Leadership: Established US market identity for Tencent's QQ Games platform, directing comprehensive redesign of the Chinese gaming giant's brand for Western audiences. • Developed data-driven acquisition strategy that accelerated user growth in a highly competitive gaming landscape. • Built and led cross-functional team spanning marketing, community management, and localization functions. • Created strategic framework for adapting Eastern products to Western consumer preferences and expectations. Market Development: • Led regular on-site collaboration trips to China, bridging cultural and technical gaps between international teams. • Developed scalable localization approach for games and platform features, balancing authentic gameplay with cultural relevance. • Established partner network and ecosystem strategy that expanded platform reach and acquisition channels. ### Marketing Director @ Ruckus Network Jan 2004 – Jan 2006 Early team member (employee #5) of a venture-backed startup creating a legal alternative to peer-to-peer music sharing during a pivotal industry transition period. Directed marketing strategy and execution during growth phase from founding team to 80+ employees. Strategic Leadership: • Developed comprehensive go-to-market strategy targeting college campuses, establishing product positioning against illegal downloading alternatives. • Built and led creative and marketing team responsible for brand development, content marketing, and user acquisition initiatives. • Implemented multi-channel acquisition approach combining campus ambassador programs, digital campaigns, and strategic partnerships. • Created measurement framework linking marketing initiatives to user growth and retention metrics. Business Impact: • Established brand presence across major university campuses during critical growth phase. • Developed scalable content strategy that increased user engagement and retention metrics. • Created innovative campus marketing playbook balancing digital and physical activations for maximum impact. ### Associate Media Buyer @ Sony Music Jan 2003 – Jan 2004 | New York, New York, United States Member of Sony Music's in-house advertising team developing media strategies and executing media buys across channels for major recording artists and labels. Gained foundation in strategic media planning across traditional and emerging digital platforms. Key Responsibilities: • Collaborated with label marketing teams to translate artist promotion goals into effective media strategies. • Coordinated media planning and buying across multiple channels including TV, radio, print, OOH, and digital. • Participated in campaign performance analysis and optimization, establishing data-driven marketing foundation. • Supported media strategy development for diverse music genres and artist launch strategy. ## Education ### B.A. English in Creative Writing, Film, Sociology Bucknell University ### Menlo School ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/ethaneyler - Website: https://www.ethaneyler.com/ --- Source: https://flows.cv/ethaneyler JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/ethaneyler/resume.json Last updated: 2026-04-05