B-Corp Interviews

Brains On Fire — Fantastic B Corps

What’s the most powerful force on earth? The correct answer, according to Brains on Fire, is human connection. Led by their fearless President Robbin Phillips, each member working for this B Corporation wakes up ready to create more good in the world. How do they do this? They work with clients, like nonprofits and foundations, to create stories people want to be part of that initiate social good. Read on to find out more about Robbin and her Greenville, SC B Corp.

We leap out of bed every day to do good.

“Brains on Fire is a group of storytellers, designers, strategists and community managers who believe human connection is the most powerful force on earth.

Most of our work centers on building community around brands and organizations, sparking word of mouth, fighting injustices and creating positive social change.

We inspire people to take action and ignite movements. Movements wake people up. It’s a pretty cool way to make a living.

How Brains on Fire got its start.

“Even though we were not *officially* a B Corp until 2017, in our heart, Brains on Fire has always been a B Corp. Our work has taught us it’s all about people.

We created a business that loves our employees and wants to help them grow beyond their wildest dreams. As a business, we choose our clients as carefully as they choose us. We want to make an impact on the planet and the people who call this planet home. Finding our fellow B Corp-ers has just amplified our desires to do right by our employees and clients. It has inspired us to reach even further to learn, grow, and create meaning impact.”

What is greatest success story to date for Brains on Fire?

“Besides becoming a B Corp? *smiles*

Well, this is a tough question. Every day we celebrate ‘little wins’ for ourselves and our clients.

We have ignited communities to fight injustices like child sex trafficking and to help break the stigma of addiction. Brains on Fire has helped shine a light on the lives of hard working dairy farmers in Wisconsin. They make amazing cheeses that comfort our entire nation. In addition, we’ve decreased teen smoking in South Carolina. Our B Corp has amplified the voices in a growing southern town (Greenville, SC) to increase tourism. It impacted the economy yearly to the tune of 1.2 Billion dollars.

Brains on Fire has inspired parent and child learning time together, all over the world. We’ve stirred a historic town (Charleston, SC) to unite and care for their parks. Further, we’re helping launch sustainable products with Launched LA. Brains on Fire has even created our own movement called Good Four. It inspires companies to give paid time to employees to volunteer to organizations they are passionate about.

Creating positive social change is in our DNA, and it all feels like success to us.

We’re able to “B The Change” with the “bring your baby to work” policy.

“Our ‘bring your baby to work’ policy is currently in full force. We have four little humans that join their moms/dad in the office each day. These little ones are called our ‘Chief Happiness Officers.’ We believe this simple policy not only brings us daily joy, but helps families make the tough transition back to work a wee bit easier. On the other hand, we realize that some workplaces can’t do this for safety reasons. However, we’d sure love to inspire others to adopt this policy if they can.”

If you want to become a B Corp…

Doing the right thing every day is one thing you will never regret. Period.

B Corporations are truly the wave of the future.

“We see a day when B Corporations are as understood as any other current corporate status. Being a B Corp is critical to attracting top talent.  It will, quite soon, be the norm to be a B Corp. We see a day when for-profit organizations are a force for good and are using their influence to solve big problems together. Above all, that’s the future we are excited about.”

Follow Brains on Fire on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Robbin Phillips, President, Brains on Fire

Robbin Phillips gets out of bed each morning inspired by a single focus. She’s here to make positive, meaningful change in the world.

As one of the founders and the Courageous President of Brains on Fire, Robbin has recruited a highly talented team of kindred spirits committed to the belief that marketing has the power to truly touch lives.

Inspired by the power of purpose, passion and people, Robbin and her team, with offices in LA and Greenville, SC, rally daily. They deliver innovative, impactful solutions that elevate and celebrate a diverse range of clients. These include Love146, Warner Brothers, Launched LA, VisitGreenvilleSC, BMW, BF Goodrich, GreenDot Public Schools, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, Elliott Davis, National Council of Teachers of English and the National Center for Families Learning.

During Robbin’s tenure, Brains on Fire work has been featured in over 25 books in addition to Fast Company Magazine. In 2017, they officially became a B Corporation. They’ve been named to the ReBrand 100 Hall of Fame and received numerous national awards. Some awards include a GOLD EFFIE and three Word of Mouth Marketing Association’s WOMMY Awards.

Robbin is co-author of the books Brains on Fire: Igniting Powerful, Sustainable, World of Mouth Movements and The Passion Conversation: Understanding, Sparking and Sustaining Word of Mouth Marketing. As a highly sought-after presenter, Robbin frequently hits the road to speak at conferences and private events around the country. She has shared insights on word of mouth marketing with groups big and small, including the Word of Mouth Marketing Association, Brand Manage Camp, Conscious Capitalism Summit and the Association of National Advertisers.

Deborah Sweeney

Deborah Sweeney is an advocate for protecting personal and business assets for business owners and entrepreneurs. With extensive experience in the field of corporate and intellectual property law, Deborah provides insightful commentary on the benefits of incorporation and trademark registration.

Education: Deborah received her Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration degrees from Pepperdine University, and has served as an adjunct professor at the University of West Los Angeles and San Fernando School of Law in corporate and intellectual property law.

Experience: After becoming a partner at LA-based law firm, Michel & Robinson, she became an in-house attorney for MyCorporation, formerly a division in Intuit. She took the company private in 2009 and after 10 years of entrepreneurship sold the company to Deluxe Corporation. Deborah is also well-recognized for her written work online as a contributing writer with some of the top business and entrepreneurial blogging sites including Forbes, Business Insider, SCORE, and Fox Business, among others.

Fun facts/Other pursuits: Originally from Southern California, Deborah enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons, Benjamin and Christopher, and practicing Pilates. Deborah believes in the importance of family and credits the entrepreneurial business model for giving her the flexibility to enjoy both a career and motherhood. Deborah, and MyCorporation, have previously been honored by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal’s List of the Valley’s Largest Women-Owned Businesses in 2012. MyCorporation received the Stevie Award for Best Women-Owned Business in 2011.

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Deborah Sweeney

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