Entrepreneur. Keynote Speaker. Investor.
CEO of
END USERS
500M
7 COMPANIES
INVESTOR
AS SEEN IN
About Zack.
Zack Dugow is an accomplished keynote speaker and data-driven entrepreneur with a passion for driving authentic conversations online to create connected communities for digital publishers and media sites.
As founder and CEO of Insticator, he leads one of the most rapidly expanding companies in North America. Together with his team of 100+ global talents, he serves over 2,000 publishers and 500 million users.
Insticator has worked with widely recognized organizations, including The Washington Post, PGA, WebMD, and Ancestry.com. Over the last four years, Insticator's incredible growth – and innovative engagement, commenting, and monetization solutions – have earned the company numerous accolades. Most notably: The Inc. 5000, The Deloitte Technology Fast 500, Crain’s New York Business Fast 50, and AdWeek’s Fastest Growing Solution Providers for Publishers. Zack has also been awarded DMN and Crain’s 40 under 40.
Outside of speaking and running his company, Zack is actively searching for investment opportunities. As a member of YPO and contributor to the Forbes Tech Council, he empowers other entrepreneurs to forge connections, navigate challenges, and generate growth through mentorship and funding.
Zack’s Vision
The future of social media and online communication is distributed among individual publishers and niche communities. My vision is to empower 3 billion authentic conversations within these communities by leveraging technological solutions that serve both users and publishers.
Publishers and event coordinators turn to me when…
. . . Their data is trending down.
➡ Time on site is decreasing, and users are bouncing fast.
➡ Third-party data limits are destroying marketing campaign metrics.
➡ Revenue is stagnant (and additional SSPs aren't delivering results).
. . . They hit dead ends.
➡ Vendors made promises… And didn't deliver.
➡ Past speakers have offered only generic, intangible advice.
➡ Vendor leadership suddenly altered expectations or failed to meet targets.
. . . Their community has untapped potential.
➡ Social media and blog posts aren't generating comments.
➡ Connecting with the audience is vital, but nothing has been effective.
Here’s the truth about online communities:
People hesitate to voice their opinions online due to fear of judgment and consequences. Companies depend on unreliable third-party data, hindering them from realizing their true market potential. The result is confusion and the spread of false information, causing more stress for users and publishers.
The good news is that the future of social media is distributed, not confined to walled gardens. The right systems and processes can empower communities to intersect, connect, and thrive.
My mission is to unleash the potential of honest and authentic communities by encouraging passive social media users to become confident communicators.
The power of resilience.
My motivation has always come from being the underdog. When my brother said I couldn't be a wrestler, I proved him wrong. When my mom said I was too young to start a business, I built and sold my first company. And when society said I had to work for others, I forged my path.
While watching Mad Men, I saw an opportunity to create engaged communities by empowering users to predict outcomes in sports and entertainment. That's when Insticator was born. Since then, it has evolved to become a leading platform for publishers worldwide.
But my entrepreneurial journey was not without its challenges. My first business partner turned on me, investors lost faith in my vision, and a bad hire crushed the company's reputation. Running out of funding was the biggest setback, and I had to make the tough decision to slash salaries.
But through intense perseverance and classic entrepreneurial spirit, I grew Insticator's revenue from $3,000 to $1.3 million within the first year of launching. And in under four years, I scaled the company to 8-figures. But I didn't do it alone – I had the support of my team, business partners, advisors, and therapist.
Now, I'm a motivational business speaker and investor. I lead with transparency and authenticity, sharing both the great and not-so-great moments of my journey. My goal is to empower entrepreneurs to communicate with honesty because that's how we can change the world.
I’m all ears! If you're a second or third-time entrepreneur driving a high-growth company with an innovative mission, let’s talk.
As an investor, I'm passionate about supporting business owners who are fully committed to living out their company's vision. And as a fellow YPO member, I'm particularly interested in investing in like-minded entrepreneurs.
If you're ready to bring in a seasoned investor and take your company to the next level, share the following details with me:
Have an investment opportunity for me?
Your company's brief State of the Union
A description of the problem you are solving.
Your founding team members’ bios.
Contact Me.
Contact Zack today to discover how he can guide you towards realizing your entrepreneurial dreams.
"Copyright © 2023 Zack Dugow. All rights reserved.