On Golden Hippo’s social media team, no one is under pressure to churn out content as fast as possible. In fact, Donald Richey, a video production manager, said that maintaining a deliberate pace is part of what makes the team at the direct-to-consumer marketer and builder of health, beauty, and wellness brands successful.
“People often assume that because we produce a lot of social media ads, it’s a high pressure, nonstop production environment,” Richey said. “The reality is the opposite. We structure our teams to give creatives time and space to think, because great creativity comes from clarity, not constant pressure.”
“Great creativity comes from clarity, not constant pressure.”
As a manager, it’s Richey’s job to remove obstacles to free up space for his teammates to think big and operate with autonomy.
“Even at scale, we prioritize a calm, focused environment so people feel confident enough to take smart risks,” Richey said.
Built In spoke with Richey in detail about his management style, including how he paces his team for success and why empathy is central to every conversation.
What a Video Production Manager Does at Golden Hippo
Describe your role and responsibilities. How long have you worked at Golden Hippo?
I’ve been at Golden Hippo since 2019, so just over six years. At the core, my job is understanding how people behave online and in social feeds and turning that into ads that work. I’m a manager specializing in online video advertising and creative strategy. I focus on building ad concepts and scripts that stop the scroll and actually convert. I also lead an amazing team of creatives and my main job there is to make sure they have everything they need to be successful.
Golden Hippo’s Management Style: Trust, Clarity and Autonomy
How would you describe your approach to managing and coaching your team?
My role as a manager is to remove obstacles, not create them, whether that’s unclear direction, unnecessary pressure or friction in the process that gets in the way of great work. I focus on giving the team trust and room to think. I believe a happy, supported and relaxed creative team consistently produces better ideas and better results. When people feel confident and protected, they take smarter risks and that’s where the best creativity comes from.
What specific routines or habits help you keep communication clear and consistent?
I’m big on clarity and consistency, because most problems come from miscommunication, not bad intent. I make it a habit to clearly define expectations upfront: what we’re doing, why we’re doing it and what success looks like. I keep communication simple and direct and I encourage questions. We should all ask WHY sometimes. I also try to be very available; if something feels unclear or off, I’d rather talk it through quickly than let it turn into frustration.
How Feedback and Coaching Work at Golden Hippo
How do you balance accountability with empathy when supporting team members?
I don’t see accountability and empathy as opposites, I think of them as complementary. I always like to start from the assumption that everyone on the team wants to do good work. So I try to lead with empathy first, then anchor the conversation in responsibility. If someone’s struggling, my approach is to ask ‘why’ before jumping to what went wrong. But once expectations are clear, I’m consistent about following through. Supporting someone doesn’t mean lowering the bar, it means helping them reach it.
How Golden Hippo Uses Performance Data to Improve Creative Work
Can you share an example of a time when feedback or mentoring led to meaningful growth for an employee?
One thing I can think of is how I’ve coached my team to better understand what makes a good ad by reading and learning from the data. I’ve spent a lot of time helping them connect performance metrics to creative decisions and optimization. Over time, I’ve seen real growth, not just in results, but in confidence. Team members are now more comfortable building ads on their own, experimenting and taking smart creative risks. That confidence and ambition is a big shift from when they first started and it’s led to better work across the board.
How do you help your team understand how their work connects to company priorities and long-term goals?
I make sure the team understands why the work matters, not just what they’re working on. I connect creative decisions back to performance and how our ads support the bigger picture of the brand, the offer and the company. When people see how their work impacts results and long-term growth, they’re more invested and more thoughtful in how they approach what they create.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the work pace like for the Golden Hippo creative team?
The work pace is intentionally deliberate rather than high-pressure. While the team produces a high volume of social media ads, managers structure workflows to give creatives time and space to think, take smart risks and develop ideas with clarity instead of operating under constant pressure.
What is the management style at Golden Hippo?
Golden Hippo’s management style centers on trust, clear communication and empathy. Managers focus on removing obstacles, defining expectations upfront and balancing accountability with support so team members feel confident, autonomous and responsible for delivering strong creative results.
What does a Video Production Manager do at Golden Hippo?
A Video Production Manager develops online video advertising concepts and scripts designed to convert, while leading a team of creatives. The role includes removing process friction, clarifying expectations and ensuring team members have what they need to succeed.
