ShareBuilder

High-Level Overview

ShareBuilders is a technology company specializing in media sales software, providing the largest forecasting and pricing tools for TV, radio, and out-of-home advertising in the US.[1][2][4] It offers an integrated platform including ShareBuilder Pricing, CRM, inventory management, analytics, and AI-enhanced features like Data Enrichment and the ShareBuilder Assistant, serving media sales teams to optimize revenue, inventory, and decision-making.[1][2][6] The company solves pain points in media pricing—previously reliant on complex spreadsheets—by combining data science, machine learning, human expertise, and consulting to drive growth and efficiency for broadcasters globally.[1][6] With 30-42 employees, $9.2 million in annual revenue, and steady expansion (e.g., acquiring Efficio Solutions in 2016), ShareBuilders demonstrates strong momentum as the most comprehensive media sales platform available.[1][2][4]

Origin Story

ShareBuilders was founded in 1999 by Don Locke, a 24-year broadcast sales management veteran, and his wife Linda Locke in their Peoria, Illinois basement.[1] Frustrated by the lack of data-driven tools for media inventory pricing, Don applied economic principles and game theory to build a sophisticated spreadsheet, which they transformed into software to empower sales teams with "sound science-based reasoning."[1] Early traction came from this grassroots innovation, evolving the company into the US's top media pricing and forecasting provider.[1][4] Key milestones include the 2016 acquisition of Efficio Solutions for CRM capabilities, integrating remote teams and legacy products into unified tools, and recent launches like the web-based ShareBuilder Platform and AI features.[1][6][7] Today, under CEO Erin Koller, it operates from Washington, Illinois, with a focus on global media sales empowerment.[1][4]

Core Differentiators

• Integrated All-in-One Platform: Combines pricing, CRM, inventory management, analytics, and integrations into a single web-based system, eliminating silos for seamless workflow from pricing to close—unlike fragmented competitors.[1][2][6][7]
• Human-Powered AI and Data Science: Blends machine learning with expertise from media sales veterans, delivering accurate forecasting tailored to TV/radio dynamics, plus new tools like Data Enrichment and the intelligent ShareBuilder Assistant for smarter task management.[1][2][6]
• Proven Revenue Impact: Backed by 24+ years of experience, expert consultants, and customer success teams that save time/money through better decisions; clients report dominating competition via precise inventory and pricing insights.[1][6]
• Media-Specific CRM Excellence: Tracks activities, provides sales performance reporting, and supports high-achieving teams with micro-level detail, enhanced by 2016 Efficio acquisition for unmatched integration.[1][2][6]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

ShareBuilders rides the wave of AI-driven revenue optimization in media, where broadcasters face volatile ad markets, digital shifts, and data overload—timing perfectly with rising demand for predictive analytics amid streaming competition and economic uncertainty.[1][2][6] Market forces like ad inventory fragmentation and the need for real-time pricing favor its tools, enabling traditional TV/radio to compete by boosting efficiency and yield without generic software.[1][6][7] It influences the ecosystem by setting standards for media-specific SaaS, empowering sales teams globally and fostering data-centric cultures in an industry slow to adopt tech, much like how CRM revolutionized other sectors.[1][2]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

ShareBuilders is poised for accelerated growth through AI expansions like the ShareBuilder Assistant and Data Enrichment, potentially capturing more out-of-home and international markets as media consolidates.[1][2][6] Trends in machine learning for ad tech and hybrid human-AI pricing will shape its path, amplifying its edge over commoditized tools while navigating competition from fintech giants.[4] Its influence may evolve into a full ecosystem leader, powering next-gen media revenue amid cord-cutting—transforming spreadsheets into superpowers, just as Don Locke envisioned.[1]