Get to Know Bolong Li, Audible’s Head of Global Acquisition and Core Retention

Meet Bolong Li, Audible’s Head of Global Acquisition and Core Retention. Bolong joined us in 2013 after finishing a graduate degree in financial engineering. At first, he thought he would go into quantitative modeling after school, but he didn’t feel strongly connected to it. Instead he went to work for a leading tech company for two years, growing his knowledge of business and marketing.

Bolong knew he wanted to work someplace he could make a bigger difference, so when a friend who worked at Audible reached out and described how fast the company was growing, he jumped at the opportunity. “Audible has a culture of betting on people and giving them room to own things, which I value the most,” he says. For the first few years, Bolong worked on our customer retention team, immersing himself in knowledge of our customers and what they love about our service.

When a role opened up on the customer acquisition team, Bolong moved over to apply what he’d learned about where Audible’s prospective listeners come from and what they find most valuable about the service. Now, as Head of Global Acquisition and Core Retention, he oversees much of the end-to-end membership growth. “I’ve come full circle,” he says.

Throughout his 11-year career journey at Audible, Bolong has garnered a holistic understanding of our users and how best to delight them. “Customers love Audible because we simplify listening” by offering different membership plans, seamless in-car and app experiences, and a selection of 900,000 titles including original content made with the world’s top authors, creators, and performers.

Bolong has clearly made that “bigger difference” he was hoping for when he was starting out. In 2021, he was recognized by Forbes Magazine’s list of 60 Outstanding Chinese in North America, and then again in 2023, when he appeared on their global list of 100. But this high honor is something Bolong takes with a grain of salt. “When I was younger, I used more external measurements, like job titles, to assess how I’m doing,” he says. “But as I grow older, I feel there are more dimensions, ‘softer’ measurements, like: am I learning or becoming a better individual and leader? Can I communicate better, be more compassionate? There are always areas I can improve.” Having a supportive work culture helps, he says. “Audible gives me a chance to pause and evaluate my growth, and not just hustle.”

Fun Fact: “When I started my career at another company, I chose an English name: Lebron. Not because I was a huge fan of Lebron James (I’m more of Jordan fan) but because it sounded similar to my Chinese name (last name first). My boss asked me to please pick another name because it was too entertaining! I just kept my original name.”

Favorite Listen: How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie. “I’ve listened to it several times but still learn something new every time I re-listen.”