STEPHEN
DAO
Introduction
Over 15 years of success in driving measurable impact for automotive, retail, and hospitality brands through captivating marketing and high ROI strategies.
Experience
Cleverbridge (Los Angeles, CA)
Director, Client Success
2025 - Present
Owning the partnerships of Cleverbridge’s largest clients. Lead strategies to drive revenue growth and expansion into additional business units and product lines.
Implement solutions to increase client revenue by 5-20% YOY from expanding into additional territories and enhanced eComm checkout solutions like upsell, alternative product suggestions, and cart abandonment mitigation.
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Yext (Los Angeles, CA)
Director, Client Success - Enterprise
2019 - 2024
Manage Yext’s largest enterprise clients (e.g. UPS Store, LDS Church, Safeway, Hilton Hotels, Walt Disney Co., Chipotle Mexican Grill, Yum! Brands, Kia Motors, etc) across various industries and unique solutions. Achieved 100% retention and >2,000% incremental growth quota attainment.
Consult in adoption of scalable AI solutions that increase search discoverability and engagement through SEO recommendations, ideation, and exclusive beta product participation. Lead business reviews with executives and key decision makers demonstrating ROI and thought leadership.
Lead and mentor CSMs in developing role-specific success skills like: account management, consultative best practices, storytelling, and objection handling.
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Hyundai Motor America (Fountain Valley, CA)
Manager, Digital Marketing
2017 - 2019
Managed >$70M digital media budget for paid display, social, search, programmatic, and video campaigns. Directed agency partners on messaging and creative executions to improve awareness and drive interest for in-market audiences. Regularly collaborated with publishers on new pilot opportunities or strategic optimization.
Assistant Manager, Certified Pre-Owned Program
2015 - 2017
Program manager for Hyundai and Genesis luxury CPO programs leading initiatives in: agency/vendor management, marketing, digital media strategy, program development, field training, operations, incentives, and IT systems.
Managed >$8M digital media and operations budget, analyzed performance for impactful audience targeting and optimized creative messaging while delivering measurable omnichannel shopping experiences.
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Mazda North American Operations (Irvine, CA)
Specialist, Retail Marketing
2012 - 2014
Responsible for retail broadcast, print, radio, and digital marketing assets. Created comprehensive product guides to support new and redesigned model launches. Published monthly executive communications deployed to >10K corporate, regional, and dealership employees via CRM email and broadcast video
Administrator, Certified Pre-Owned Program
2010 - 2012
Managed digital advertising and syndicated inventory listings across publishers to support dealers attain sales objectives. Created scalable regional experiential kits for use at various activations to promote the CPO Program. Sustained best-ever CPO sales records year-over-year for multiple years.
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Top Skills
Strengths
Client Success / Solutions
Account Management
Creative Strategy
Program Launches
Strategic Partnerships
Brand Discoverability
Brand Engagement
Product Training
Retail Marketing
Automotive Marketing
Contract Negotiations
Digital Marketing
Education
CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY (ORANGE, CA)
B.S. BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE
Graduated 2007
Accolades
Top Performing Client Success Manager (2024)
Yext Client Success Manager of the Year (2023)
#1 Client Success Manager (2023)
Yext President’s Club Award (2022)
Yext CSM of the Quarter (2021 and 2022 x2)
Endorsements
“I have known Stephen for several years now and he dependably brings new ideas to the table with creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. He possesses a strong work ethic with enthusiasm, passion, and pride. He is hard working, an excellent team player and enjoys pushing the envelope to accomplish the tasks at hand.”
“Whether the discussion centered on marketing or sales, Stephen always executed at a high-level, with enthusiasm and commitment. This comes from his deep knowledge and passion for his product line and industry.”
“He is a creative thinker who doesn’t miss site of his goals and tasks at hand. I have always found Stephen to be a man of his word. I would welcome the opportunity to work for or with him in the future.”
“Stephen was extremely easy to work with, had a very analytical approach to the entire process, knew exactly what he wanted and articulately voiced these directions.”