Note: I published this post two years ago. It was shared thousands of times so I am hoping it was helpful. I just remembered it and read it again. All this still rings true. If you’ve just graduated, I wish you all the best on your next big adventure! Have fun. The start of things …
Over the years, I have probably tried to explain to my children a thousand times what it is I do for work. I have an eight-year-old daughter (Stella) and a five-year-old son (Truman) They are smart and inquisitive kids, very curious about the world and how things work. But even with their insatiable curiosity, it’s …
This was your second tour of duty at Brains on Fire. How did this internship differ from the first? Each experience was unique and fulfilling in its own way. I began my second internship with more education, more experience, and a more developed understanding of my professional goals and ambitions. This gave me the chance …
In order to help our interns get the most out of their time with us, we challenge them to work on a “pet project” of their choosing during their time at BOF. Our two-time, back-for-another-round, please-never-leave intern Kylee explains her project below: For my intern project, I chose something a little offbeat. I was …
Today is a BIG day for Brains on Fire. Today, Monday May 22, we are delighted to announce that Brains on Fire is officially a B Corporation. Pardon us while we make some serious noise about it! In case you aren’t familiar with this business status, I’ll fill you in. B Corp is …
The other day I stumbled on this quote from Leonard Bernstein… I’m a huge believer in super tight deadlines. The longer something takes the less likely anything meaningful will happen. It drives others around me crazy at times. But over my years of experience, I’ve seen this truth played out again and again. Here’s …
Around these parts, we like to say that Community Management is a “lifestyle job”. By that, we mean that while it is inherently modern, creative, and often perceived as glamorous, it roams beyond the confines of a traditional 9 to 5. Your work never stops. You spend a lot of your time between work and …
Moe and I recently had the opportunity to attend the WOMMA Summit in NYC (along with Robbin and Geno). It was a whirlwind 48 hours, and we left The Big Apple with some big things to think about. If you weren’t able to make it, never fear. We’ve curated our top WOMMA takeaways for you in …
It’s easy. Ready? BUY THIS BOOK. I absolutely LOVE Writing Without Bullshit, Josh Bernoff’s latest book. Seriously I love it. A lot. If you communicate in writing (and that’s most of us), get this book and study it like a how-to manual. One of my favorite nuggets in the book has become a personal mantra. I’ve challenged everyone …
Every Monday we have a “family meeting” at Brains on Fire. It’s not a mandatory meeting but everyone attends. During these meetings, our head honcho, Robbin Phillips, leads the discussion from project updates to deep dives into our financials to celebrating personal successes to the occasional tequila shot. (Now you know why everyone attends.) Inspired …
The ancient philosopher Plato made significant contributions to humankind. His philosophical fingerprints can still be felt today in how we think about mathematics, science/nature, morals, politics and the arts. Perhaps we should add “brand strategy” to the long list of contributions Plato has made to civilization. To explain “how great companies have great purposes,” the …
I stumbled upon a decade old video of me talking about how businesses can better use social media to connect more meaningfully with people. We’re talking 2007 when Myspace was the place to be online. Twitter was the darling of the SXSWi 2007 conference. Facebook had recently extended beyond .edu addresses. People were digging Digg …
I read a lot about leadership and I believe with my whole heart that we all have the capacity to lead. I’m also an advocate for reading. So much so, that we have a tiny little book club going at Brains on Fire and we reward reading books with cold hard cash. We really do. …
Doing good has always been a core tenet of Brains on Fire. There’s never been any doubt in our mind that the brands that matter are those with a higher purpose that goes beyond a transaction. Brands that stand for something and fight against injustice in the world however they can. Brands that treat people …
*This is a courtesy job posting on behalf of our client, NCTE. Please apply directly to NCTE as noted below, not through the Brains on Fire website. ABOUT The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) is a proud champion and advocate for English and language arts teachers and learning. We’re reinvigorating the education conversation by …
If you google Brand Advocacy Program you’ll find this: A brand advocacy program is a structured strategy put in place to build your network of brand advocates in order to enable your company the power to harness this community. Not sure about that long rambling, weirdly worded definition, but at Brains on Fire we do know this one simple …
What is your past history with Brains on Fire? I worked at Brains on Fire during the summer of 2015 as a Community Management Intern, and I loved it! At that time, the Community team consisted of only two people (not including myself), so it’s safe to say that Brains has grown a lot in …
I’m big fan of change and moving. It’s good for the soul. I’ve lived in seven houses in the last 20 years. And every time I move, I clean out a bit more clutter in my life. It’s no secret to the people who know me that I love to keep my life simple and …
As part of our evolution into a B Corp, we have spent a lot of time over the past year thinking and talking about ways to create a strong, positive internal culture that not only supports doing great work, but also the development of happy, healthy humans. We’ll be sharing more about these new programs and perks in …
Yesterday, my “guy-friend” sent me an email with a link attached to this book called The Calm Company. Which is being written now. I could have written all these words on that post myself. Seriously, read them. Let’s also just say this: basecamp we are “same tribe”. I love you people. I’ve spent the last half …
