David Freedman
Miami Beach, Florida, United States
9K followers
500+ connections
About
Leading Freestar as Founder, our team has pioneered transformative ad monetization…
Articles by David
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College. Does it matter?
College. Does it matter?
Freestar had our first-ever virtual retreat last week and during one of our brainstorming sessions, the topic of…
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9K followers
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David Freedman shared thisJohn Ilacqua and I are looking to challenge some #publishers to a friendly game of Padel in #NYC on May 29th! We already have a great group for the day but looking to add a few more. Drop a comment below if you are interested in joining. #PublisherFirst
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David Freedman shared thisPOSSIBLE did not disappoint. I'm truly amazed at what Christian Muche 🔜 POSSIBLE and his team have created in such a short time. Thank you to Zack Dugow for hosting such a nice evening along with DJ Vincent Meyer for keeping the vibes so high!
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David Freedman shared thisHad a great call with Paul Luckett this morning and this post really stuck with me. At Freestar I get to see firsthand how tough things are for publishers right now. When you get an email promising a guaranteed RPM, it’s tempting to take it. But guarantees like that are rarely aligned. Typically, one side wins and the other ends up frustrated 🙃 In some cases, maybe both the publisher and the ad partner feel good in the short term, but the user experience takes the hit. And that’s where the real problem starts. To me, that’s a short-term win that often leads to long-term pain. It’s part of why so many publishers end up in a difficult spot down the line. The ones who continue to win are thinking beyond quick gains. They’re making decisions with a long-term view balancing revenue with user experience 💪 . And if I had to guess, the “mysterious site” Paul referenced is probably a recipe site 🤔 Whenever I hear my wife in the kitchen getting frustrated, it’s not the recipe it’s the page crashing or lagging from too many ads. More often than not, she just gives up and asks #AI instead. That shift should concern all of us ‼️David Freedman shared thisAfter 15 years in media I may have finally found the worst ad experience I've ever seen. The final boss of UX. (Disclaimer: This isn't a hypothetical to plug my business - this is a real article I came across an hour ago. Screenshot attached, edited to remove real brands/publisher content that might give it away. This isn’t about naming and shaming.) 1) Ad Experience On this one article, I counted 80 ad slots. Eight. Zero. Based on public data, they get ~800k PVs/month. Assuming an ads to content ratio of 80:1, that's ~64M ad imps/month. Wtaf! That's ~30x higher than what I typically see from publishers of a similar size (A standard A2CR is ~5:1.) 2) Demand Profile This site is connected to all major exchanges, with a lot of reselling and demand from a wide range of DSPs, including platforms that have taken strong public stances against MFA. Yet all the ads I see are premium, household name brands. 3) Ad Monetisation Partner Their ad monetisation partner is a well-known US-based provider, who positions themselves as delivering 'best-in-class' monetisation solutions for their publisher partners. 4) Website Performance The Chrome tab for this page is taking up 5.3GB of memory 😵 The ads are SO slow. I have an ultra-high-end PC and it's still struggling (EDIT: The tab just crashed as I was writing this) What didn't surprise me: 1) CPMs on the page were between $0.20-$1.00 2) Open Sincera shows they have a higher A2CR than ~98% of the open web Some back of the napkin math: - 64M/month = 768M annual volume - Annual rev @ $0.20-$1.00 CPM = approx $153k - $768k That's a huge amount of complexity, UX degradation and ad load for a relatively underwhelming commercial outcome. If a publisher in this position worked with Luckett Media Consulting, the focus wouldn’t be on adding more demand or tweaking the stack. It would start with the fundamentals: - Reduce ad density to something sustainable - Rebuild placements around attention and viewability - Improve UX and performance to lift signal quality - Revisit owned monetisation (e.g. reliance on YT embeds limits both control and revenue upside) - Strategic development of signals to lift yield and price optionality There is certainly a more balanced approach that has the potential to deliver: - $5 - $20 CPMs - ~$240k - $960k annual revenue …with a significantly better product. Partnering with a media business on commercial strategy isn’t just about increasing revenue. It’s about understanding the product, the audience, and where long-term value is created - then aligning monetisation to that. When you over-optimise for one side of the equation, you start to break the system. As outsourcing publisher monetisation becomes more common, it’s critical to choose the right partner. Not one that simply maximises ad volume, but one that understands your business - because they’ve actually been in your shoes. Because at some point, you’re no longer optimising revenue. You’re liquidating your audience.
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David Freedman shared thisWhy are we still using keyword blocking in the age of AI? Phil Andraos didn't know you were such an Arcade Fire fan, the things you can learn in an AdExchanger article 🤔 https://lnkd.in/eZbCFkhXKeyword Blocking Demonetized More Than Half Of Reuters’ Brand-Safe Stories | AdExchangerKeyword Blocking Demonetized More Than Half Of Reuters’ Brand-Safe Stories | AdExchanger
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David Freedman shared thisI'm excited to attend POSSIBLE 2026, looking forward to connecting with some old friends and meeting some new ones. POSSIBLE
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David Freedman shared thisIf you have recently been impacted by layoffs in our industry or looking to upgrade your work environment we are hiring. 100% remote 100% real culture. #PublisherFirstDavid Freedman shared thisThe industry is changing rapidly, but our mission remains the same: Publisher First. We are actively hiring and looking for passionate, driven individuals to join our mission. If you're looking or a culture that values innovation, growth, and its people, we'd love to meet you. Check out our open roles, linked in the comments.
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David Freedman shared thisJust got back from Vail and it’s hard to put into words how special this trip was. From a few days of focused quarterly planning with our exec team, aligning on where we’re going and how we’re going to get there, to some unforgettable time with publishers and partners, it was the perfect balance of strategy and connection. There’s something different about getting out of the day-to-day and having real, honest conversations. No decks, no noise, just people who care deeply about building great businesses and long-term partnerships. And of course… it wouldn’t be Vail without the the infamous Freestar private chef dinner and happy hour. The kind where conversations carry on a little longer, ideas flow a little easier, and relationships get a whole lot stronger. Grateful for the team, the partners, and the chance to spend time together in a place like that. This is the only industry I know of where competitors are truly friends and the door is open to our events because it's really all about people. Special thanks to Leon G. and The Media Trust for partnering on the events. #PublisherFirst
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David Freedman shared thisThe Freestar dinner in Vail was one to remember last night. Thanks to everyone that showed up, and The Media Trust for co-hosting! Happy Hour starts at 3pm today! #Publisherfirst
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David Freedman liked thisDavid Freedman liked thisAs one of the nation’s fastest-growing law firms, Taft was ranked No. 61 on the 2026 Am Law 100 as reported by The American Lawyer, increasing our ranking by 18 spots.
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David Freedman liked thisDavid Freedman liked this🏨 A friend booked a hotel trip to London two weeks ago. Today, Repriced sent him a text: “We found a lower rate for your stay at The Ritz London and saved you $4,409!" That was it. The customer saved over $4,000 without any action required on his end! No checking hotel prices every day. No reopening booking sites. No setting alerts. No manually canceling and rebooking. Repriced was already monitoring the reservation 24/7, found a better rate, and handled the repricing automatically. There is nothing more rewarding then getting this cash back for our users. The funny thing is that most of our users are mystified each time we get them this cash back! Not just for hotels, but for flights as well. AI that works in the background after you book, constantly scanning for lower prices and proactively saving you money without you needing to think about it. Most people don’t realize prices drop after they book. We built Repriced so you never miss those savings again. 💸 Hit the link in comments to sign up. The best part? It is free to use and we only take a cut when we save you money.
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David Freedman liked thisDavid Freedman liked thisSeven years at Media.net today — and on the 7th, no less. My golden anniversary. 🎉 I've been told 7 years in ad tech is an eternity. And sure, all the extra gray hairs on my head may agree, but somehow, it genuinely doesn't feel that way — and I think I know why. This place keeps reinventing itself. When I joined, we were focused on search demand. Since then, we've developed the size and sophistication of our SSP, grown our web presence, scaled our app footprint in just under two years, launched CTV, and rolled out Bytes — our vertical video player — across the open web. Every time I think I've found my footing, there's a new frontier to push into. A new problem worth solving. I wouldn't have it any other way. I've been challenged. I've grown. And more than anything, I've been surrounded by extraordinary colleagues and clients who have made every bit of this ride worth it. Too many to name here — but you all know who you are. Media.net is a special place, the kind that's hard to put into words until you've been inside it long enough to feel it. Here's to whatever the next 7 years bring. I have a feeling we're just getting started. 🚀 #medianet #adtech #7years #milestone
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David Freedman liked thisDavid Freedman liked thisWondering what’s actually happening with AI and shoppers – and even more, what you can do? Then join us for our AI Shopper Webinar on May 19. This session will cover key data, shopper insights, and also the actionable steps advertisers can take to succeed in a world of AI-assisted commerce. Don’t miss out—register now to secure your spot: https://lnkd.in/ec_7XTRbThe AI‑Powered Shopper: What the New Journey Means for AdvertisersThe AI‑Powered Shopper: What the New Journey Means for Advertisers
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Education
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Volunteer Experience
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Big Brother
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami
- Present 8 years 5 months
Children
Adopted a little brother through this organization. It has been a blast getting to know Chandler, my little brother and watching him grow over the years
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Business Mentor
Junior Achievement of Arizona
- Present 6 years 5 months
Economic Empowerment
Mentoring students with their business plans, questions, ideas, and other ways to pave the way for the next generation to be financially independent.
Honors & Awards
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#1 Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies
Inc. Magazine
Featured as the #1 fastest growing private company in the US by Inc5000: https://www.inc.com/magazine/201909/tom-foster/freestar-chris-stark-david-freedman-tempe12-2019-inc5000.html
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Deans List
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Aurben Business Engineering
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Nao Madison
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