Jeff James, Mythology CEO
Jeff James, CEO, Mythology LLC
Jeff James is the CEO and founder of Mythology LLC. Mythology helps senior executives generate improved return on their marketing investment and identify new revenue growth opportunities by leveraging the Ten Pillars of Meaningful Marketing™, a marketing system based on best practices from leading researchers and practitioners. Jeff is a marketing thought leader on issues ranging from strategic implementation of social media to generating ROI through relationship marketing.
Prior to starting Mythology, Jeff held numerous sales and marketing management roles during his fourteen years at Microsoft Corporation. He most recently served as Director of Relationship Marketing for the $8 billion U.S. enterprise (Fortune 2000) market where he was involved in leading the strategy development and marketing execution for growing revenue and customer satisfaction among Microsoft’s largest corporate accounts. This included managing Executive Circle, Microsoft’s relationship marketing program targeting “C-level” executives and business decision-makers, as well as business management and engagement strategy for solution marketing. His responsibilities also included the leadership of relationship marketing managers in Microsoft’s twelve major sales districts in the U.S.
Jeff previously served as Business Marketing Officer for Microsoft’s Greater Pennsylvania District based in Malvern, PA, responsible for all communications and marketing for this $250 million market. He was responsible for building and managing the marketing operations and sales integration for the district.
Jeff was named a West Virginia "Young Gun" in 2009He spent three years at Microsoft’s Redmond-based headquarters managing the MSN advertising unit’s vertical marketing efforts targeting industries such as Auto, Consumer Packaged Goods, Financial Services, Retail, Technology and Travel. Jeff and his team developed research and interactive marketing solution resources to help communicate the value of online advertising as a key element in the marketing mix for major advertisers. During this time he led a major industry initiative to document, evaluate and disseminate interactive marketing best practices to help spur Internet advertising adoption. The effort was highlighted in Advertising Age and iMedia Connection and included engagement with the industry’s largest agencies and advertisers. Jeff has spoken at numerous advertising and marketing conferences, including the Internet Advertising Bureau’s Annual Leadership Conference, Jupiter/IAB’s Marketing Conference, TravelCom and Marketing Focus North America.
While at MSN, Jeff also managed consumer channel marketing strategy for MSN Internet Access. This included the development of programs to help diverse companies such as Disney, Circuit City and United Airlines co-market MSN Internet services. A major initiative included developing unique music industry partnerships with labels and artists, including the *NSYNC @ MSN and Janet Jackson @ MSN affinity subscription services.
Jeff holds a BA in Business Management and an MS in HR/Industry Labor Relations from West Virginia University. He is active in community initiatives focusing on economic development, mentoring and anti-racism issues and has served on boards such as the Pennsylvania Economy League and the National Adoption Center. He is the founder and chairperson of Create WV, an effort to strengthen West Virginia’s ability to attract professionals who work in intellectual-property and creative industries. He’s a member of Vision Shared’s board of directors, a statewide economic and community development initiative, and he serves as the organization’s Entrepreneurship Committee leader.
Jeff lives in Charleston, WV, with his two very creative, entrepreneurial daughters.