With a career spanning executive roles at top global agencies serving iconic brands, Mike is a nationally recognized expert in brand strategy, innovation, and consumer behavior.
Mike Bills
WORKING PARTNER,
BRAND STRATEGY
As a marketing industry veteran, Mike Bills led global agencies including Retail Planning Associates where served as president, and publicly-held Fitch, Inc.
(WPP), where he served as Managing Partner of the U.S. Studios. He was also Chief Development Officer for Resource Interactive (now IBM IX) and served on the client side as CMO of Sleep Number.
Trained as an industrial designer, Mike began his career in architecture and design in Chicago. Over the course of his career, he’s led initiatives in 17 countries with more than 100 Fortune 500 companies—including Apple, Nike, Target, Disney, Universal, and P&G.
His insights have been featured on CNN, CNBC, and in Time and Business Week, and he was named one of the “40 Most Influential People in Retail” by the International Retail Council.
In 2008, Mike joined the faculty of The Fisher College of Business at his alma mater, The Ohio State University where he developed and taught the first MBA –level courses in innovation, and during which he founded the OSU Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship. MBA students twice honored Mike with the James L. Ginter Award for Excellence in Teaching.
Today, Mike is the founding partner at VENN Growth Collective where he synthesizes strategy and design to create brand experiences.
He serves on the boards of Best Buddies Ohio, CINCO, and the OSU Innovation Advisory Board.
Mike resides in downtown Columbus with his wife Megan and their cats, Harry and Sylvester, and is the proud parent of two adult daughters, Madeline and Claire.