Brandon Godwin is the new CEO of 3Fold, one of Greenville’s leading marketing and growth agencies with a client base across the country.
A graduate of Bob Jones University, Godwin spent 13 years working for marketing companies in Charlotte, N.C. and Greenville. He joined 3Fold in 2016 and was in charge of directing marketing strategy for the firm’s biggest clients as well as business development and brand strategy until being named new CEO a few weeks ago.
As the new CEO of 3Fold, he leads a team of 12 whose client list ranges from organizations such as Bonitz, Inc., Goodwill and Bob Jones University to smaller clients such as Montgomery & Company and The Children’s Museum of the Upstate.
We asked some questions of this new CEO, and here is what we told us.
What are your favorite things to do on your days off?
I’m an avid barbecue fan, and I enjoy smoking ribs and brisket at home. There aren’t too many Saturdays at our house where the grill or smoker isn’t fired up. Our family loves taking daytrips to some of the great spots within an hour or two of Greenville. I also enjoy going to concerts whenever I can.
What is one movie you’ve watched more than five times?
I’m not sure how many times I’ve seen it start to finish, but whenever The Shawshank Redemption is on TV, I’ll usually pick it up from there and watch until the end. Another one would be A Few Good Men.
What are three books you would bring with you to a deserted island?
As a Christian, I’d definitely start with the Bible. Referencing barbecue from the first question, I’d bring Aaron Franklin’s “Franklin Barbecue.” It’s basically a manifesto on anything and everything related to smoking a good piece of meat. Last, I’d carry along Greg McKeown’s “Essentialism.” That book has helped me gain a lot of clarity in the last couple of years.
If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what album would it be?
This is an impossible question. My music preferences definitely change with the seasons. But I’ll go with Gregory Alan Isakov’s “The Weatherman.” It’s one of those go-to albums I listen to on repeat.
In your opinion, what’s the most rewarding part of working in your job?
As a marketing agency, I tell my team that we are in the expectations business. So, I enjoy deeply understanding our clients’ expectations and working as a team to deliver on those expectations. Connected to that, I love seeing our team build an idea together to solve a problem, where we collaborate to create something new and unique.
As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I always wanted to be an astronaut. I didn’t make the cut, but one of my bucket list items is going to outer space one day. It’s going to happen!
If you could be part of any sitcom family or friend-group, which would you choose?
As a child of the 90s, growing up, I would’ve said Saved By the Bell. As an adult, probably Seinfeld.
Tell us a funny story about you that most people don’t know?
In July 2012, I went to the Coldplay concert in Charlotte. A co-worker of mine and his wife also went to the show as part of their anniversary celebration (which is relevant). I parked in a garage downtown, and dropped a pin on the map to remember my location. When the show was over, I walked to the pinned spot on the map, only to find that it was placed in the middle of the intersection with a garage on each corner. Now that it was dark, I couldn’t remember which garage it was. After walking several of the garages for two to three hours looking for my car, I ended up texting my co-worker (on his anniversary trip, remember) to tell him that I thought my car might’ve been stolen because I couldn’t find it. After driving me around several of those garages with no luck, I filed a police report. It was 3 or 4 a.m. at this point, so my co-worker friend ended up offering me a cot in their hotel room so I didn’t have to drop $200 for three hours of sleep. I felt terrible about, but was exhausted from walking around all night. Early that morning I revisited the intersection, and realized I’d parked in a museum garage which had been locked shortly after the show, explaining why I couldn’t find my car. And to top it all off, it was July 4th so I had to pay $50 to get an officer to open the gate to get my car out. Definitely not my finest hour, but it turned into a decent story.
Star Wars or Star Trek?
Star Wars
What are some of your favorite things to do in Greenville?
My family and I love everything about downtown. Having been here since 2004, I love to see the continual development and growth. It’s great to get out and enjoy the energy of the city and people visiting for the first time. I also love frequenting our great restaurants and coffee shops. We’re blessed with so much good stuff and good people in Greenville.
