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Devin: What is your superpower?
Brad: Listening deeply to understand the needs of athletes, race organizers, and sponsors.
Running a marathon is a life-changing experience. The journey demands dedication, perseverance, and grit—and crossing the finish line is a moment to be cherished. MarathonFoto, under the leadership of its president Brad Kroll, has mastered the art of capturing these transformational moments and turning them into lifelong treasures.
Brad, who joined MarathonFoto in 1998, fell in love with the endurance sports industry, which includes both running and cycling. His passion for the work is rooted in the unique ability of endurance events to inspire anyone willing to put in the effort. “Every runner has a story,” Brad said during today’s episode. “And these photos sort of bookend that story. It kind of covers the whole story for them and highlights what they’ve accomplished.”
What sets MarathonFoto apart is its commitment to enhancing the experience for both runners and race organizers. The company captures thousands of images of participants across events in North America and Europe, offering athletes a chance to relive their monumental achievements. Brad explained, “We go and we capture these images of athletes… and we’re able to really enhance their whole experience and help them celebrate what they accomplished.”
Beyond just photographs, MarathonFoto plays a pivotal role in supporting the broader running community. Brad shared that 30–35% of the company’s revenue is returned to race organizations, many of which are nonprofits. This revenue-sharing model not only funds future events but strengthens the community by providing resources for race organizers to improve their offerings.
In addition to its financial contributions, MarathonFoto supports industry organizations like Running USA and the Road Race Club of America, which educate race leaders and promote best practices. By doing so, the company ensures that its impact extends far beyond the finish line.
MarathonFoto’s rapid image delivery system, which provides runners with enhanced, shareable photos within minutes of finishing a race, exemplifies its commitment to customer experience. “Runners want that instant gratification of seeing their photo almost immediately after crossing the finish line,” Brad said. These images, enhanced for vibrant colors and optimal skin tones, allow runners to celebrate and share their triumphs with their communities.
Brad’s leadership at MarathonFoto demonstrates the company’s dedication to uplifting the running community, celebrating personal achievements, and fostering inspiration for future generations of athletes.
tl;dr:
MarathonFoto captures life-changing moments at endurance events, enhancing runners’ experiences with professional photos.
The company supports nonprofits by sharing 30–35% of its revenue with race organizations.
MarathonFoto’s rapid image delivery system gives runners instant access to their finish-line photos.
Brad Kroll’s strategic empathy drives innovation, ensuring athletes, organizers, and sponsors benefit.
Brad encourages active listening and adaptability to build meaningful connections and deliver impactful solutions.
How to Develop Strategic Empathy As a Superpower
Brad describes his superpower as “strategic empathy,” which he defines as listening deeply to understand the needs of athletes, race organizers, and sponsors. This skill enables him to align MarathonFoto’s operations with the desires of all stakeholders. “If the athletes are happy, then the race is happy. And if the race is happy, the sponsors are happy,” Brad explained. By internalizing feedback and adapting the business to meet those needs, he ensures MarathonFoto delivers value that benefits everyone involved.
Brad highlighted the development of MarathonFoto’s rapid image delivery system as a prime example of his strategic empathy. Runners expressed a desire to share their race finishes with friends and family immediately after completing a marathon. Listening to this feedback, Brad and his team developed a system to provide runners with enhanced finish-line photos within minutes of crossing the finish line. This innovation not only delighted participants but also strengthened relationships with race organizers and sponsors.
Tips for Developing Strategic Empathy:
Practice active listening by focusing on understanding others’ perspectives and needs.
Ask clarifying questions to ensure you’ve captured the essence of what someone is saying.
Reflect on feedback and adapt your approach to meet others’ expectations.
Collaborate with your team to brainstorm and implement solutions that align with stakeholder needs.
Continuously evaluate how your actions impact all parties involved.
By following Brad’s example and advice, you can make strategic empathy a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.
Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!
Guest Profile
Brad Kroll (he/him):
President, MarathonFoto
About MarathonFoto: MarathonFoto provides professional photography services at marathons and other endurance events, capturing runners before, during, and after the race so they can purchase personalized images and photo products. MarathonFoto also supports race organizers and sponsors with marketing-focused imagery and digital albums that highlight the event experience and brand.
Website: marathonfoto.com
Company Facebook Page: facebook.com/marathonfoto
Biographical Information: Brad Kroll is a running industry leader and sports photography expert.
Brad is the President of MarathonFoto. He leads the MarathonFoto team in delivering exceptional race photography services that celebrate the achievements of athletes at some of the largest mass participation and endurance sports events in the world. In his role, he also drives strong partnerships with race directors and event organizers, innovations in the company’s solutions, and the furthering of the organization’s mission to inspire athletes and celebrate their journeys through high-quality imagery.
Brad started with MarathonFoto in 1998, and was led to his work by his unwavering love of sports. Upon attending his first race, he felt called to be a part of the running community and industry. Throughout his 27-year career with MarathonFoto, he has overseen each individual department within it. This gives him a unique perspective into how all contribute to the success of the company and the realization of its vision.
Brad holds an MBA from the University of Iowa’s Tippie College of Business, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Natural Sciences from the University of Northern Iowa. Brad lives in Washington, Iowa with his wife and three kids.
LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/brad-kroll-a19750112
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