Founder/ CEO
Corvallis - OR United States
The big idea: In 25 words or less, please tell us how this Fast 50 Nominee is helping to address the planet's problems.
Today’s youth are in financial crisis. We create partnerships with teachers, students and financial institutions nationwide to educate young people about money.
Please describe how this nominee is using business as a force of positive change. What technology, idea, or strategy is the nominee using -- and what problem, such as global warming, poverty, or pollution, does it address? (suggested length: 100 words)
Problem: 74% of parents with kids in high school are more worried about their kids’ financial habits than they are about use of drugs/alcohol or who their kids hang out with. (Practical Money Skills for Life, Visa USA 2005 National Back to School Survey)
Force of positive change: brass|MEDIA Inc. is working to correct the current economic cycle in the United States by educating the next generation of consumers about personal finance and how to save their money more wisely by providing free resources and educational materials to teachers and educators nationwide. brass|MEDIA Inc. leads by example, running a truly "for young adults, by young adults" company committed to giving back and redefining what it means to be rich. The 24-year-old CEO, Bryan Sims, founded brass when he was 19 out of his dorm room and garage. Today brass|MEDIA Inc. employees a mostly twenty-something staff to reach out to their peers. brass|MAGAZINE features up-and-coming young adults on the cover who are pursuing their dreams and giving back, and works with hundreds of young adult writers around the country. The brass|STUDENT PROGRAM recruits college students majoring in finance to volunteer in local high school classes.
Technology: The Teacher Resource Center is an online social network connecting high school teachers nationwide to collaborate about teaching practices while utilizing free resources provided through brass|MAGAZINE, a lifestyle money magazine for young adults, and the brass|STUDENT PROGRAM.
Strategy: Our strategy is to build partnership opportunities with local businesses, specifically financial institutions, who have a vested interested in creating more educated consumers about personal finance and who, through sponsorship of the brass|STUDENT PROGRAM, make brass|MAGAZINE and other educational materials available free to teachers and students. These partnerships also allow brass to engage students in person through high school classroom visits. Please visit http://youtube.com/watch?v=ns678PRbtWM for a complete recap of our Young Today Rich Tomorrow tour through New York.
What are the results, both financial and social? How has the nominee's business performed, and what impact has it had on the problem it addresses? (suggested length: 100 words)
brass|MEDIA Inc. prides itself in being a rapidly growing, socially driven company. We are an early stage company, founded by our 24-year-old CEO when he was 19, and over the past four years have grown over 1,000 % in sales to a staff of 38 people. More importantly to us are the 500,000 young adults around the country we reach through brass|MAGAZINE, and the interest level and response we’ve received from teachers and parents in helping educate students. Recognition of our efforts has ranged from American Public Radio and BusinessWeek.com to the Wisconsin Governor’s Award for Financial Literacy. (http://www.brassmedia.com/press/?id=125)
