Gina Arbore Bleedorn ’02 ascends to top of $100 million brand-experience company

When Gina Bleedorn ’02 was in her senior year at Furman University, she came to a fork in the road – literally. She could go left to the Daniel Music Building, or right to the Roe Art Building. Her heart was tugging her to the right, but she was expected soon at vocal practice in the building on the left.

Even though she had largely completed her music major, she found herself drawn to art and design after taking an introductory graphic design course. This love for creativity and design changed her career trajectory completely, from initially striving to be a soloist singer to instead working in branding.

“I took all of the art classes I could,” said Bleedorn. “I ended up with a music major but a portfolio of full of (art) work.”

The decision to listen to her heart paid off: Bleedorn is now president of brand-experience company Adrenaline, which recently surpassed $100 million in revenue. Adrenaline is an end-to-end brand experience company serving the financial industry. Clients range from small community banks and credit unions to some of the largest banks in the country, she said.

“We shape anywhere the brand is experienced by consumers,” said Bleedorn. “In practice that looks like creating brands and marketing, but also creating physical spaces. Or as we say, ‘brand to branches.’”

Bleedorn credits much of her success to her experience at Furman. Although she didn’t take the path to singing professionally, studying music performance was pivotal for her.

“My vocal performance experience enabled me to speak in front of audiences with ease, since I was so used to being in front of a concert hall. I had no idea in college that skill would serve me the way it does now,” she said, adding: “Young people today, especially compared to 20 years ago, feel like they have to have their career mapped out in college. I’m living proof that you really don’t.”

What was also formative for her was the spirit at Furman, which she said felt like a safe ecosystem to grow up in.

“There was an undercurrent at Furman that your future can be what you make it,” she said. “It was empowering and confidence building. I remember taking this spirit to internships over the summer.”

Her first job out of college at 22 was also an internship at a company called Adrenaline, where she quickly made an impact. Not long after being hired, Adrenaline was acquired by a bigger company. Using the confidence she gathered at Furman, she was very involved in convincing the new leadership that aspects of the parent company should be put under the Adrenaline brand. Adrenaline as it’s known today, with interior design and full buildout of customer spaces, was born.

In 2018, Bleedorn and three colleagues bought Adrenaline from that same parent company, catapulting Bleedorn to the C-suite. In 2023, she became president of the company in its current iteration.

To students today, Bleedorn suggests: “Always follow what feels right. Follow your passion and what you want to do. Specific to the branding industry, know it’s an advantageous one because it keeps expanding. Brand value and investing in brand experience is trickling down to the masses of all companies. It’s an emerging way to go. If you’re creatively inclined, or are motivated to shape customer experiences in any way, brand experience is a great area to be in.”