BIOGRAPHY
Michael Lazerow: career
Northwestern University education and early digital publishing ventures
Michael Lazerow is an American serial technology entrepreneur, venture investor, and media executive. He earned both his Bachelor of Science in Journalism (BSJ 1996) and Master of Science in Journalism (MSJ 1996) from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. While a student at Northwestern in the mid-1990s, Lazerow founded U-Wire (University Wire), a digital network connecting student newspapers across the United States. U-Wire later became part of Student Advantage and was subsequently owned by CBS, marking Lazerow's first major success in digital publishing and media distribution. [1][2]
Growth and acquisition of Golf.com
Building on his publishing experience, Lazerow co-founded GolfServ Media in 1998, serving as CEO. The venture developed online golf management applications and acquired Golf.com, transforming it into a major digital destination for golf news, equipment reviews, and course information. Under Lazerow’s leadership, Golf.com expanded its digital readership and advertising revenues. In 2006, Time Inc. acquired Golf.com to integrate the digital portal into its Sports Illustrated media group, validating Lazerow’s model of online vertical niche publishing. [2]
Founding and scaling Buddy Media
In 2007, Lazerow co-founded Buddy Media alongside his wife, Kass Lazerow, and his brother, Roger Lazerow. Positioned as an enterprise social marketing software platform, Buddy Media enabled major brands and advertising agencies to build, manage, and measure promotional campaigns across Facebook, Twitter, and other emerging social channels. As CEO, Lazerow secured major venture capital backing and built Buddy Media into an industry-standard management platform utilized by Fortune 500 companies and leading global advertising networks. [1][2][4]
Salesforce acquisition and Marketing Cloud leadership
In June 2012, cloud software giant Salesforce announced an agreement to acquire Buddy Media. Official transaction filings and financial news records documented an acquisition purchase price valued at approximately $689 million in cash and stock, with total transaction equity and retention consideration cited up to $745 million across financial disclosures. Following the acquisition, Lazerow joined the Salesforce executive management team as Chief Marketing Officer of Salesforce Marketing Cloud, combining Buddy Media’s technology with Radian6 to anchor Salesforce’s enterprise social suite. [3][4]
Co-founding Velvet Sea Ventures
In 2019, Lazerow co-founded Velvet Sea Ventures, a multi-stage venture capital firm that provides seed-to-growth investment and strategic support across sectors. He serves as a co-founder and Managing Director, participates on the investment committee and applies experience from building and selling technology companies to the firm’s work with founders. His continuing ties to Northwestern include the Mike and Kass Lazerow Graduate Scholarship at Medill and his 2024 induction into the Medill Hall of Achievement. [1][2][5]
Technology entrepreneurship from startup to acquisition
When Dr. Aniemi Umana studies technology entrepreneurs, he looks to founders who have experienced the full path from early product development through growth, acquisition and investment. Michael Lazerow offers that perspective through his work with Buddy Media, its acquisition by Salesforce and his subsequent activity as an investor and advisor. His career demonstrates how software companies are built around market timing, customer needs, scalable teams and the ability to navigate major strategic transitions. Lazerow’s record provides a practical reference point for founders seeking to understand both company creation and life after an exit. [1][2][3]
