ThoughtLead’s mission is to spread important ideas that positively impact our world through online marketing. We strive to be examples of integrity and authenticity in marketing and business, and we aim to work with clients who share that same value. And while we do have years of experience in copywriting, direct response marketing, search engine optimization, and more recently social media and membership site strategy, we’re most turned on by what happens when those methods are used for a deeper, higher, and more meaningful purpose.
Our Team
Sam Rosen – Co-founder and CEO
Sam Rosen is an award-winning entrepreneur whose work spans both the social and private sectors. After his freshman year of college at the University of Rochester, Sam left school to lead local and national service projects with City Year, an AmeriCorps organization. He was also the National Field and Media Director for Save AmeriCorps, and played a key role in orchestrating Voices for AmeriCorps, an event that received national coverage and featured leading political and social luminaries.
During his non-profit career, Sam began to develop an interest in digital marketing, and quickly began working with some of the leading names in the field. In 2004, after transferring to the University of Pennsylvania, he co-founded Overcome Everything, which was responsible for producing over $800,000 in affiliate sales its first year in business and grew to $6 million in 2008. Since starting online, Sam and his business partners have generated over $12 million. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with Distinction in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania in 2007.
Steve Haase – Co-founder and Partner
Steven Haase is co-founder and partner at ThoughtLead. Prior to working with ThoughtLead, Steve was a member of the United States Navy Band, where he served as a trumpet instrumentalist for five years. Steve’s business experience also includes growing two small enterprises from the ground up, as a founder of the Prism Brass Quintet and an independent contractor with Vector Marketing. While with Prism, in addition to performing in over 250 concerts, Steve helped commission 10 new works for the ensemble, coordinated logistics and promotion for more than 100 concerts, and recorded two compact discs. As a Field Sales Manager for Vector Marketing, Steve ranked in the top 10 to 20 individual performers in the Midwest region for weekly sales figures during the summers of 1995 and 1996.
Steve earned his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music, where he also received the Director’s Award in Chamber Music; his Master of Music degree from the University of Maryland, College Park; and his Master of Arts degree in Conscious Evolution from the Graduate Institute in Milford, CT. In addition to being CFO of ThoughtLead, Steve is an online membership and educational specialist.
Christiana Briddell – Co-founder and Partner
Christiana Briddell is a ThoughtLead co-founder and partner. Prior to starting the company, Briddell worked with KUMA Interactive, one of the leading Search Engine Optimization (SEO) firms in the field. During her three years with KUMA, she managed campaigns for many large clients, including EnergyStar, the state of Vermont, The Boston Globe, and ExecuNet.
For ThoughtLead, Briddell combines her wealth of SEO experience with a passion for social media marketing and is the primary strategist for driving traffic to ThoughtLead and client sites. In addition, Briddell has spent the past year managing the website design, strategy, and production for ThoughLead clients and for ThoughtLead-sponsored events, including the Purposeful Product virtual summit and The Influencer Project. When not working, you are most likely to find her volunteering for the non-profit organization EnlightenNext, engaging in a discussion about women and leadership, or pushing her limits in the gym.