As a leader, Courtland Madock said she strives to lead by example as the president of the consumer group at Brightspeed. “I am a strong believer in creating an open environment where my team can share information and ideas and where all are encouraged to challenge one another with the ultimate goal of collectively achieving success,” said Madock. “Part of the fun of being in a high-growth business is that we are constantly breaking records, and I make sure we take time to celebrate those wins.”
Since its launch in October 2022, Brightspeed has emerged as the nation’s fifth-largest incumbent local exchange carrier, dedicated to bridging the digital divide in rural and suburban communities. Under Madock’s guidance, Brightspeed has made remarkable progress, with over 1.4 million fiber-enabled locations and services available to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses across 20 states.
Madock’s journey with Brightspeed began as the company prepared for its launch following the acquisition of assets from Lumen Technologies by Apollo-managed funds. Joining the leadership team, she brought more than 18 years of expertise in marketing, branding and product development from the wireless sector. Her focus on smaller, underserved communities aligned seamlessly with Brightspeed’s mission. Within just eight months, she built a robust sales and marketing organization from scratch, successfully introducing Brightspeed’s brand to the market on schedule.
Madock’s marketing approach has redefined traditional telecom strategies. By integrating data-driven, test-and-learn methodologies, her team modernized how Brightspeed engages with customers. She also established partnerships that reduced creative asset costs by 30%. Madock unified sales and marketing into a cohesive organization, and these efforts have driven a nearly 40% quarter-over-quarter growth in sales while enhancing customer satisfaction through streamlined processes and a 24/7 service model.
“Assuming that nothing works until proven, Courtland has bucked the trend of just doing what ‘has always been done,’” said her staff. “Her team now takes a test-and-learn, data-driven approach – if the data shows it’s not working, the team moves on—modernizing how the company markets to consumers.”
Throughout her career, Madock has been recognized for her impactful contributions. She was named a fierce wireless rising star in 2020 and ranked among the 100 most influential marketing professionals by ZoomInfo in 2023. Yet, what she cherishes most is the vibrant culture she has cultivated at Brightspeed—a culture where ideas are shared freely, assumptions are challenged and collaboration drives innovation.
“She has built a culture of true teamwork where everyone constructively questions the best way to meet or exceed goals,” said her staff. “Through her leadership, Courtland’s team is driving a culture of accountability and transparency at all levels.”