Brett Winn is an accomplished entrepreneur, entertainment marketing executive, and creative leader whose career reflects a rare combination of storytelling vision, operational leadership, and entrepreneurial resilience. With more than three decades of professional experience, Brett has built a reputation for guiding organizations through pivotal moments of growth while balancing creative innovation with disciplined business strategy. As the Founder and CEO of RAVE Collective, he operates at the intersection of brand, media, leadership development, and long-term value creation, helping companies elevate their messaging and navigate the evolving entertainment landscape.
Brett’s professional journey is rooted in a lifelong passion for media and storytelling. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Radio and Television from Ithaca College, where he immersed himself in creative pursuits ranging from acting and music to media production. Those early experiences laid the foundation for a career that would blend artistic expression with strategic thinking. Even during his college years, Brett demonstrated the collaborative mindset and curiosity that would later define his leadership style, participating in performance groups, campus productions, and music projects while developing a deep appreciation for the power of narrative in shaping audience engagement.
After entering the professional world, Brett quickly established himself within the entertainment marketing industry, building expertise in brand positioning, creative production, and audience engagement strategies. His ability to bridge creative storytelling with business outcomes positioned him as a valuable leader in a highly competitive and rapidly evolving sector. Over time, Brett developed a keen understanding of how entertainment, marketing, and consumer behavior intersect, allowing him to craft campaigns and strategies that resonate both emotionally and commercially.
A defining chapter of Brett’s career came during his tenure as Partner and Creative Director at The Refinery AV, where he spent more than sixteen years shaping high-impact marketing campaigns for film, television, and streaming properties. During this period, Brett helped guide creative teams and strategic initiatives that elevated the company’s reputation within the entertainment marketing space. His leadership helped balance artistic creativity with operational excellence, ensuring that campaigns not only captivated audiences but also delivered measurable business results for studios and production partners.
In 2024, Brett launched RAVE Collective, a reimagined AV-centric entertainment marketing agency designed to meet the evolving needs of modern media platforms. As Founder and CEO, he leads the organization with a clear focus on innovation, storytelling, and strategic brand alignment. Under Brett’s leadership, RAVE Collective has been positioned as a forward-thinking creative partner for entertainment companies seeking to break through in a crowded and highly competitive digital marketplace. His approach emphasizes both creative excellence and scalable business frameworks that support long-term growth.
Beyond his work as a business leader, Brett has demonstrated a strong commitment to the entrepreneurial community. He served as President of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) Los Angeles chapter, where he played a pivotal role in supporting and mentoring fellow entrepreneurs navigating the complexities of scaling businesses. Through EO, Brett has helped cultivate an environment where founders can share experiences, develop leadership skills, and learn from one another’s successes and challenges. His contributions to this global network of entrepreneurs reflect his belief that leadership is strengthened through collaboration and shared insight.
Brett’s experience extends beyond business leadership into the broader creative arts. He co-directed the documentary film My Date With Drew, a project that gained recognition for its innovative storytelling approach and grassroots production model. This experience further reinforced Brett’s belief that creativity, risk-taking, and resourcefulness often intersect to produce meaningful and impactful work. His background in filmmaking continues to inform his perspective on marketing, brand development, and audience engagement within the entertainment industry.
In addition to filmmaking, Brett maintains a strong connection to music and creative collaboration. As a guitarist in the band Aspen, he embraces the artistic side of storytelling and performance, viewing music as another medium through which ideas and emotions can be shared. These creative pursuits reinforce Brett’s broader philosophy that innovation often emerges when diverse creative disciplines intersect with strategic thinking. Brett is currently in the editing phase of his book, EPIC SHIFTS, which is designed to inspire readers to reimagine their struggles as opportunities for growth. Through this work, he encourages individuals to shift their mindset in powerful, transformative ways that help them reach the next level in both their personal and professional lives.
Brett’s leadership influence also extends into thought leadership and public speaking. He has been frequently quoted in entertainment and marketing publications, including features in Clio’s News and Who’s Who 2024. He regularly speaks at Entrepreneurs’ Organization chapters and corporate events, sharing insights on entrepreneurship, leadership development, creative marketing strategy, and navigating business transformation in rapidly changing markets. Through these engagements, Brett encourages leaders to embrace experimentation, learn from setbacks, and build resilient organizations capable of thriving in dynamic environments.
Throughout his career, Brett has maintained a deep appreciation for the experiences that shape both leaders and organizations. His entrepreneurial journey has included triumphs, lessons, and moments of reinvention—each contributing to the perspective he brings to leadership today. Brett often describes failure not as a setback but as a tool for growth, believing that the most successful leaders are those who continuously adapt, learn, and refine their approach.
Outside of his professional pursuits, Brett enjoys a wide range of personal passions that reflect his vibrant personality and curiosity about the world. An enthusiast of automotive culture, he has owned more than fifty cars throughout his life, each representing his appreciation for craftsmanship, engineering, and design. This enthusiasm mirrors his broader approach to life and leadership: an eagerness to explore, experiment, and continuously pursue new experiences.
Today, Brett Winn stands as a dynamic leader within the entertainment and marketing industries, combining creative vision with entrepreneurial discipline. Through his work with RAVE Collective, his engagement with entrepreneurial networks, and his commitment to storytelling in its many forms, Brett continues to influence the way organizations communicate, innovate, and grow. His career reflects a deep belief that meaningful leadership requires both imagination and accountability—qualities that enable organizations not only to adapt to change but to lead it.
Character:
Brett Winn demonstrates a resilient and principled character shaped by decades of entrepreneurial leadership and creative exploration. He believes deeply in learning from failure and using setbacks as catalysts for improvement and innovation. His integrity and authenticity foster trust among colleagues, partners, and the broader entrepreneurial community.
Knowledge:
His extensive experience across entertainment marketing, media production, and business leadership provides him with a comprehensive understanding of how creativity and strategy intersect. Over more than thirty years, he has developed deep expertise in brand storytelling, audience engagement, and organizational growth. His knowledge is continually informed by industry trends, collaborative experiences, and a lifelong curiosity about evolving technologies and consumer behavior.
Strategic:
Brett approaches leadership with a long-term strategic mindset that balances innovation with operational discipline. He understands how to identify opportunities within complex and rapidly changing markets while maintaining focus on sustainable growth. His strategic insight enables organizations to align creative vision with measurable business outcomes.
Communication:
An engaging communicator who excels at translating complex ideas into clear and compelling narratives. Whether leading creative teams, mentoring entrepreneurs, or speaking at industry events, he brings clarity, energy, and authenticity to every conversation. His communication style encourages collaboration, inspires innovation, and helps organizations articulate their vision with confidence.
