BrandYourself
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Internet technology, Public relations |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Founder | Pete Kistler, Patrick Ambron, Evan McGowan-Watson |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Key people | Patrick Ambron (CEO), Nathan Evans (COO) |
| Products | Online reputation management software and professional services |
Number of employees | Over 70 (After 2015 Shark Tank appearance) |
| Website | brandyourself |
BrandYourself is an American company specializing in online reputation management, providing both software tools and professional services designed to assist individuals and businesses in enhancing their search engine rankings through the creation of new content and websites. Utilizing a freemium business model, it offers complimentary tools alongside subscription-based premium features and expert support.
Established in 2010 by three students from Syracuse University—Pete Kistler, Patrick Ambron, and Evan McGowan-Watson—the company originated from Kistler's personal challenge in securing programming roles due to confusion with others sharing his name. This narrative attracted media coverage, underscoring the demand for effective reputation management solutions.
Following an initial seed investment of $300,000, BrandYourself raised $1.2 million in venture capital funding in 2012, with backing from Zelkova Ventures, Barney Pell (formerly a Microsoft search strategist), and Carl Schramm (ex-CEO of the Kauffman Foundation). The firm later completed a $3.3 million Series A funding round in 2014.
In 2015, CEO Ambron appeared on Shark Tank, requesting $2 million in exchange for 13% ownership. Although investor Robert Herjavec offered $2 million for a 25% stake—the largest deal proposed on the program at that time—Ambron declined to preserve prior company valuations and maintain fairness to existing investors. Post-appearance, BrandYourself nearly tripled its revenue from $2 million and expanded its workforce from 40 to over 70 employees.
The company extended its Series A financing in 2016 by securing an additional $2 million led by New Atlantic Ventures, FF Angels, and Barney Pell. At this stage, BrandYourself was profitable and intended to broaden its product offerings.
Key leadership includes CEO Patrick Ambron and COO Nathan Evans. Based in New York City, BrandYourself remains dedicated to advancing online reputation management services within the competitive sectors of internet technology and public relations.
Operations
BrandYourself initially launched as a self-service online platform for online reputation management, enabling users to build websites designed to surpass unfavorable search results. Its freemium approach provides basic functionality at no cost, with advanced features accessible through subscriptions priced around $10 monthly.
In May 2012, the company introduced a feature that monitors who searches for a particular individual or business on its platform. Later that year, it released evaluation tools for Facebook, LinkedIn, and corporate pages, offering recommendations aimed at improving search engine optimization.
Originally focused on students and small enterprises, BrandYourself broadened its scope in 2013 to compete with larger competitors by incorporating professional services and enhancing its user interface. Founder Patrick Ambron observed that exposure from Shark Tank led to a $1 million increase in professional services revenue within a few months.
By May 2017, the platform had attracted half a million users, including 30,000 paying customers. Educational institutions such as Syracuse University and Johns Hopkins University adopted BrandYourself’s services for their student populations. That year also saw the company expand its reach to secondary school students and parents preparing for college admissions.
In March 2018, BrandYourself unveiled AI-driven software capable of analyzing social media profiles to identify potentially harmful content using algorithms akin to those employed by employers. By April 2018, nearly one million users had utilized the platform.