Erez Yereslove: Championing Culture as the Catalyst for Business Success
Focusing solely on metrics like profits, sales, and growth might seem like the key to success—but without a strong culture driving those results, long-term success remains elusive. In many organizations, culture is treated as an afterthought, something that’s nice to talk about but rarely tied to concrete outcomes. For those who truly understand its value, however, culture is not just a backdrop; it’s the engine that fuels sustainable growth and employee engagement.
Erez Yereslove’s career journey highlights the undeniable impact of a strong, purposeful culture. Having worked at industry giants like Disney, NBCUniversal, Fox, eBay, and eHarmony, he’s learned that culture is more than just a set of written values—it’s about how those values come to life in every interaction. “I began my career at The Walt Disney Company, where I learned that the customer’s experience is sacred,” Erez reflects. “Whether it’s a Disneyland guest, a movie viewer, or a merchandise buyer, the magic happens when you treat each interaction with genuine care and intention.”
Joining Culture Partners: A Natural Next Step
Joining Culture Partners was a natural progression for Erez. “I learned and grew in other roles—both multinational conglomerates and small startups—but for years, I was searching for a company where culture was not just a supporting role but the real star of the show driving everything forward,” he explains. “With Culture Partners, I found the unicorn—an organization whose purpose goes beyond creating a ‘nice place to work.’ Instead, we focus on operationalizing culture to drive real-world, measurable results for us and our customers.”
Turning Culture into a Measurable Strategy
As CMO, Erez is committed to making culture a tangible strategic asset for clients. “Culture has long been viewed as a soft skill because it’s difficult to pin down with numbers. But at Culture Partners, we’re changing that perception by aligning culture initiatives with specific business objectives.”
For Erez, operationalizing culture for his own marketing department means establishing clear, measurable metrics that align directly with business goals. “If outcomes are misaligned, we can identify it quickly and course-correct in real time. It’s about transforming culture from a feel-good concept into a data-driven strategy that delivers measurable business results,” he explains.
Recently, Culture Partners launched a bold campaign with a simple message: “Culture Means Results.” Erez spearheaded the company’s first TV commercial, along with a revamped digital campaign strategy, and comprehensive website overhaul to connect with results-driven executives. “With three 30-second scripts, four actors, and a full crew, we created Culture Partners’ first commercial that aired on broadcast and social media. The impact was immediate: a surge in visibility, awareness, and demand. We’re making it clear that culture isn’t about trust falls and pizza parties—it’s about driving performance,” he adds.
“We invested in demand generation by hiring top talent and focusing on efficient spend channels. Seeing our lead generation accelerate significantly—whether through organic search, events, lifecycle marketing or paid search—has been incredibly rewarding. All of that was driven by our team members I’m incredibly proud of and grateful for,” he notes.
Blending Data with Creativity in Marketing
One of Erez’s standout qualities is his knack for blending creativity with a metrics-driven mindset. “I’m a big believer in the ‘scale or fail fast’ mantra,” he says. “Be ambitious, take big swings, but if something doesn’t work, own it and move on. That doesn’t mean being reckless—innovation requires thoughtful planning, strategy, and obsessive attention to detail.”
This mindset is deeply embedded in Culture Partners’ marketing approach, where data guides creative strategies to ensure they resonate with clients and deliver real impact. “We aim to be bold, but we always ground our creativity in data,” Erez notes. “Without clear metrics, creativity can quickly become chaos. You must set a structure to ensure your ideas aren’t just exciting—they’re effective. Ideally, they’re both.”
Driving Employee Buy-In and Change Management
A key element of Culture Partners’ success is securing employee buy-in for their clients that span globally and range from Fortune 100 to local organizations. “Operationalizing culture isn’t just about setting targets; it’s about getting everyone on board. Employees need to see how their work aligns with larger business goals,” Erez emphasizes. By integrating culture into day-to-day operations, Culture Partners ensures that every team member contributes to the company’s success.
“True transformation happens when culture is embedded into the fabric of your organization—not as a side project, but as a strategic lever driven by day-to-day operations,” he says. This approach accelerates outcomes by ensuring employees are engaged, aligned, and committed to the company’s vision. “Buy-in from employees can only be achieved through their experiences, which must be continuous and consistent. If you say one thing but provide a conflicting experience, your team members, colleagues, and stakeholders will notice and will dismiss your stated intentions. For years, I heard the adage that much of leadership is ‘showing up.’ I completely disagree—showing up is not even the bare minimum. It’s about how you show up and provide real and effective experiences for your team.”
Servant Leadership and Building High-Performing Teams
Erez’s leadership style is rooted in servant leadership. “My goal is to clear obstacles for my team, set high standards, and recognize them for their work,” he says. His track record speaks for itself, with many team members following him across different opportunities—a testament to the loyalty he inspires. “I’m definitely demanding, but I always strive to bring out the best in people,” he adds. “I take pride in the accomplishments achieved throughout the years with my team. But I’m most proud that I get to work with A-players who choose to continue working with me in different contexts.”
For Erez, building a high-performing team means hiring individuals with what he calls “figure-it-out-ability.” These people are adaptable, resourceful, and unafraid to challenge the status quo. “My team always takes ambitious targets with the framework of figuring it out and in turn – being successful. If the campaign isn’t working, I want my team to always learn from the experience and optimize for the next one. Marketing isn’t about following a script—it’s about staying creative, resilient, and focused on delivering results,” he says.
The Future of Culture and Marketing
Looking ahead, Erez sees a shift in both marketing and culture-building. As AI continues to evolve, he believes it will enable hyper-personalized brand interactions, making marketing campaigns dramatically more impactful. “The future is about reaching nearly 100% readability with value-added content in every customer’s preferred channel,” he predicts. “We’re getting pretty close to that destination.”
In terms of culture, Erez sees a transformation from viewing it as a ‘soft skill’ to treating it as a strategic asset. “In my MBA studies at USC, which I loved, out of two rigorous years, only a single class totaling two credits was dedicated to ‘leadership.’ Most were dedicated to ‘hard skills’ like accounting, finance, and economics. These are all critical but without leadership, such functions won’t materialize into successful outcomes. This has started to change as business schools are emphasizing the cultural elements within these functions. I expect that trend only to accelerate.”
Erez also reflects on current trends: “Culture will shift from being a concern for a few to a critical component of all execution and results. We’re already seeing this with our clients—culture will soon be a function that every executive officer looks at as a driver of success or failure. I already see CFOs asking not just about the return on a specific investment, but rather – what in our culture made that investment succeed or fall short.”
A Purpose-Driven Approach to Success
Erez’s work at Culture Partners is deeply rooted in purpose. “Branding is about relationships—between consumers, employees, and CEOs,” he reflects. At Culture Partners, his focus is on creating a culture that not only drives productivity but also inspires genuine engagement. “When employees feel they’re part of something meaningful, the entire organization thrives.”
For aspiring CMOs, Erez offers straightforward advice: “Be authentic, stay customer-focused, and never lose sight of your purpose while executing at a world-class level on the fundamentals. Purpose isn’t a tagline—it’s the foundation for long-term success.”
The Role of CMOs in Cultural Transformation
Erez believes today’s CMOs have a unique opportunity to drive cultural transformation. “Marketing is no longer a cost center—it’s a growth engine that can and must directly influence business outcomes,” he asserts. By aligning with their CEOs, CROs and CFOs, CMOs can shape a company’s culture and impact results. “At Culture Partners, we’re proving that culture is not just an idea—it’s a powerful tool that accelerates performance and drives growth.”
Erez Yereslove’s journey underscores the importance of leveraging culture as a strategic asset. His customer-first approach and belief in culture as a driver of results set a new standard for what marketing and leadership can achieve. With leaders like Erez at the helm, it’s clear that culture isn’t just about feeling good—it’s about delivering results that matter.
