Buddy Media

Buddy Media is the social enterprise software of choice for eight of the world's top then global advertisers, empowering them to build and maintain relationships with their consumers in a connections-based world. The Buddy Media social marketing suite helps brands build powerful connections globally with its scalable, secure architecture and data-drive consumer insights from initial point of contact through point of purchase. Buddy Media is headquartered in New York City, with additional offices located in Asia, London and San Francisco. 

MICHAEL M. LAZEROW (CEO):

Michael is a serial entrepreneur who has co-founded four successful internet-based media companies. He has a passion for creating, managing and growing companies from the ground up. Michael is currently Chairman and CEO of Buddy Media, Inc., a New York-based company whose social enterprise management system, the Buddy Media Social Marketing Suite, is used by eight out of the top ten global advertisers. 

Before Buddy Media, Michael founded University Wire, an Associated Press-like network of more than 700 student-run newspapers, now owned by CBS Corp, and GOLF.com, a profitable online golf media company purchased by Time Warner's Time Inc. in January 2006. In February 2007, he started Lazerow Consulting, which helps finance, launch, manage and grow numerous digital media businesses. 

Michael is widely recognized as a thought leader on digital media and marketing trends and is a contributing writer to Advertising Age, AllThingsD, MediaPost, Business Insider and Fortune, among other publications. He regularly speaks at conferences including the Monaco Media Forum, the Consumer Electronics Show, South by Southwest Interactive (SXSWi), Bloomberg Empowered Entrepreneur Summit, Mashable Connect, MediaPost OMMA Global, Web 2.0 Expo and iMedia Brand Summit.

Michael and his companies have won numerous industry awards and accolades. In June 2011, Michael was named the New York region Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Buddy Media was named to Advertising Age's 2011 "Digital A-list", Ad Week’s 2010 “Insurgent of the Year” and won the "Best Enterprise" application honor at the 2011 TechCrunch Crunchie Awards. 

Michael is an active investor in digital media companies through Lazerow Ventures, a $10 million family partnership and co-investment fund he launched in 2011. Current investments include Village Vines, Saving Star, Social Flow, Social Leverage, tagman and Copious. He serves on the board of directors of Village Vines and Saving Star. 

Michael lives in New York City with his wife, Kass, two sons, Myles and Cole, and daughter Vivian. He graduated from Northwestern University with a B.S. and M.S. in Journalism in 1996.