Richter graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in journalism. He was a two-time Scholastic All-American while also a member of the varsity football team.

As a writer and creative director, Richter eventually started his own firm which was later bought by a larger agency. Richter then spent a number of years as a Group Director at Weber Shandwick, one of the world's largest public relations firms. At Shandwick, Richter managed national marketing programs for Microsoft , Coca-Cola, Northwest Airlines, Polaris, and other large and small companies. Following Shandwick, Richter worked at Digital River where he helped develop and market a Codie-Award Winning software download program called eBot, and where he helped build the company's e-marketing agency serving clients including National Geographic, Major League Baseball, Nabisco, Brunswick, and other national brands.

Following Digital River, for seven years, Richter was president of the James J. Hill Reference Library in St. Paul, Minnesota. Under Richter's direction, the Library developed numerous online programs and expanded its reach to serve an international audience.

Richter is a graduate of St. Louis Park High School in Minnesota. In 2003 he was honored by the Business Journal as a top business leader under the age of 40. In 2007, he was a finalist for Inc. Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year.