GrepBeat last wrote about Scale Social in late summer of 2024. Scale Social is a Triangle-based startup helping businesses turn authentic customer engagement into marketing material.
For this piece, we caught up with Founder and CEO Runbin Dong to learn more about him, Scale Social’s growth, crossing $1M in ARR, and what else has changed for the startup—as well as what challenges they’ll be taking on next.
GrepBeat: Before we get started, for readers who may not be familiar, what’s the elevator pitch for Scale Social?
Runbin Dong: Scale Social helps businesses turn real customer experiences into authentic, high-performing marketing. Instead of asking brands to constantly plan campaigns or manage dashboards, we focus on engagement first—capturing real moments from real customers and using AI to transform and distribute that content across the right channels. The result is marketing that feels human, trustworthy, and scalable.
GB: When we got in touch, we asked you to look back on the last time we checked in, back in mid-2024. When you look back at that article, what are some of the major changes that stand out?
Dong: The biggest change is clarity. In mid-2024, we were still experimenting across multiple directions: channels, packages, and customer segments. Since then, we’ve sharpened our focus significantly.
We simplified our offering into clear, outcome-driven packages, moved up-market into enterprise partnerships, and became much more disciplined about what success actually looks like for different customers. We also shifted from thinking of ourselves purely as a marketing platform to seeing Scale Social as an engagement-first system that naturally powers marketing.
GB: How has your team grown or evolved since we last spoke?
Dong: The team has grown, and at the same time [has become] sharper and more specialized. We’ve added people with deep enterprise and partnership experience, operational and scaling expertise, while also tightening how we work internally. There’s much more ownership, faster iteration, and fewer handoffs.
We’ve also leaned heavily into AI-native workflows, which allows a relatively lean team to move much faster than we could have a year ago.
GB: Have there been any recent milestones or accomplishments you’re particularly proud of?
Dong: Crossing $1M in ARR was a meaningful milestone, but what I’m most proud of is how we got there. Much of that growth came through referrals and partnerships, which tells us we’re solving a real problem in a way customers trust.
We also signed our first major enterprise partnership and are now embedding directly into their workflow, which validated that our approach scales beyond SMBs.
GB: You’ve been on the scene for a little while now. People may know you as a founder, but perhaps less so as a human being. Tell us something we don’t know about you that has nothing to do with your life as a founder.
Dong: I’m a big believer in long walks (especially hikes) as a way to think. Some of my best ideas come when I’m walking without headphones, just letting things connect.
My partner, Chen, has been pivotal in forcing me to be present when I’m with family. The mind still races, but there’s something magical in taking moments of respite with my 2.5-year-old. I’ve learned so much from him, it’s honestly humbling.
GB: What partners or organizations (service providers, advisors, investors, if any) have been most helpful to you?
Dong: We’ve been fortunate to work with thoughtful advisors who challenge our assumptions rather than just validate them. NC IDEA and Primordial have also been incredibly supportive early on, particularly in helping us think more rigorously about growth and impact.
On the customer side, a few early partners who were willing to co-build with us—and be honest when things didn’t work—made a huge difference.
GB: What is your next, biggest challenge?
Dong: Our biggest challenge is managing focus while scaling. There’s strong demand from SMBs, mid-market, and enterprise partners, and saying no—or sequencing correctly—is critical. The challenge is growing responsibly without losing the simplicity and trust that made the product work in the first place.
GB: If you could go back in time to speak to yourself on the day you founded your startup, what advice would you give your younger self?
Dong: I’d say: Simplify sooner. Most of our early mistakes come from trying to do too much at once. Clarity compounds faster than complexity. And trust that saying no to good opportunities often creates space for the right ones.
GB: Finally, you finish a long, grueling day of starting up. You’re hungry and/or thirsty. Where in the Triangle are you headed?
Dong: On the “good days,” I’d grab a double scoop from [Durham ice cream shop] The Parlour or stuff myself at [Raleigh’s] Umiya (AYCE sushi, sashimi, and hot pot).
To truly disconnect (or try my darnedest to stop the racing mind), I’d pick up groceries and make myself dinner. I find the motion of handwashing dirty dishes and doing laundry the most therapeutic 😉
