Back in 2001, a group of teenagers gathered in Columbia to name a yet to be born youth movement. They came up with Rage Against the Haze. They also attached to the name a little used and forgotten motto, which happened to be on the state seal: “Dum Spiro Spero.” “While I breathe I hope” [...]

I’ll admit it, the only thing cool growing up with Oscar being my given name was the Oscar Mayer hot dog song and the Wienermobile.
A little flashback:
Oh, I wish I were an Oscar Mayer wiener
That is what I truly want to be
‘Cause if I were an Oscar Mayer wiener
Everyone would be in love with me.
On [...]

I’m on the board of the local performing arts center in Greenville, The Peace Center (don’t you love that name?). My friend Megan Riegel, the Executive Director, is a really, really interesting person. Not only does she have a great team working with her to bring the performing arts to our neck of the woods, [...]

They don’t work.
So many companies want the popularity of a Facebook or the reach of an Engadget so badly, they that jump right in without doing any of the heavy lifting. Then they expect people to flock to them and can’t understand it when they don’t.
But you know what? Facebook started with a tiny handful [...]

A few people have asked me to share the internal Tequila Shot Book we’ve mentioned on the blog. This is our book of beliefs here at Brains on Fire. Our pirate’s manifesto.
This year we connected our goals as an organization to our beliefs and for me it has been inspiring - life changing really - [...]

Fundamentally, the vast majority of people want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Whether it’s a sports team, religion or even a company, people desire a sense of belonging.
But you know what? Companies have to be willing to be a part of something bigger than themselves as well. We see companies all [...]

Okay. I saw this note right before it went out the door today and made me smile. More proof that love is a circular transaction.

Spike has shared this before but I think it bears repeating.
From A Dozen Things to Believe In, Brain on Fire’s “Tequila Shots” book:
The cool thing about Love is that [...]

As I’m sure you all know, comedian George Carlin passed away this weekend. And while I’m not certain I’ll end up being relevant to identity or social communities or WOM or any of that, I just feel like something needs to be said. Carlin was one of the rare voices that showed the [...]

It’s been a busy weekend for the Brains on Fire clan. We had the identity heavyweights pounding though 5 different rebrands for a major outdoor recreation company this weekend. Matt, Joe, Eric D. and Libby on the ground in Charleston for the Parks Conservancy kicking off the word of mouth movement there. And Geno, Carrie [...]

[Warning: I am about to talk politics. Sort of.]
We’ve been debating this statement a lot lately at Brains on Fire in light of the political campaigns and the political movement going on around us.
Hillary – the woman – is/was inspirational to many.
Obama – the man — with all of his charisma is inspirational to [...]