Change Agent

How Sam Adams Helped Save Craft Brewing

Ellen McGirt — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:02:54 -0400

Of all the nonsense metrics I like to use to measure brand strength, the most fun is my Facebook status update.

The Thirty Second MBA -- Get Smart Faster

Ellen McGirt — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:37:55 -0400

The great lament of any reporter is what to do with the jewels that routinely get left on the cutting room floor after a really great interview. For me and many of my colleagues at Fast Company, that is often the "how I do what I do" stuff, the extraordinary insights that we get into the nuts and bolts of how great leaders lead, but don't necessarily fit into the story at hand.

Intel's Long-Term Plan: Spend Money to Make Money

Ellen McGirt — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:59:02 -0400

Sean Maloney (left) just wants people to buy things. "The last six months, people everywhere have been scared about what's happening in the world," says Maloney, Intel's chief sales and marketing officer. An ebbing tide--and moribund electronics market--grounds all boats: Intel's first-quarter revenue was $7.1 billion, down 26% year over year.

The Third Act of Chris Hughes [exclusive]

Ellen McGirt — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:06:22 -0400

Chris Hughes has joined General Catalyst, a Boston based venture firm, as their most recent entrepreneur-in-residence.

Memes From My Father—Silly Internet Fun with Barack Obama's Life Story

Ellen McGirt — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 12:46:56 -0500

First published in 1995, Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance, is Barack Obama’s moving account of his life as a mixed race kid in a complicated family, and the development of his racial identity. The now famous story recounts how his Kansas mom came to marry his Kenyan dad, and takes us through his chaotic youth, his partying phase at Occidental College, his serious phase at Columbia University, his early work years before Harvard Law School, and his decision to visit Kenya in search of answers. Obama is a remarkably candid and skilled storyteller, recounting conversations and events that were key touchstones on his way to figuring out where he fit into a world that has never had an easy time with race. The book went into reprint after his 2004 Democratic Convention keynote, and became a best seller. It’s an amazing read, and I highly recommend it.

But the Grammy Award winning audio version is turning out to be even more fun.

Obama has one hell of a speaking voice, and does a really good job with the many characters who show up in the book. He recounts with future Presidential seriousness some pretty salty talk—typically speaking the words of others—which is starting to show up in remixes all over the interwebs. And uh, *damn nigga, if this shit isn’t entertaining* - I don’t know what is:

A Bailout We Can Build On

Ellen McGirt — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:24:57 -0500

The Department of Labor released its grim jobs report today, cueing teeth-gnashing from market watchers and other pundits.

It’s hard not to gnash right along with them. Nearly two million people lost jobs this year. November was a particularly bad month, with another 533,000 jobs vanishing, the largest monthly loss since the early 70s. Unemployment now stands at 6.7%, the highest level since 1993.

Can Good Design Save Detroit? Again?

Ellen McGirt — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 10:42:50 -0500

The big three automakers submitted their restructuring plan yesterday, asking for some $34 billion in loans. For GM the news was quite grim - they indicated that they could fail in six weeks if not given some immediate help.

Brand Obama Thrills Broadcasters with Record Ad Spend, But Cheap Video and Democracy Are the Big Winners

Ellen McGirt — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:41:16 -0400

David Carr, one of my favorite columnists, points out in today’s New York Times that the embarrassment of riches the Obama campaign is heaping upon television broadcasters is about to come to an abrupt, and unwelcome, halt.

Broadcasters, like their brethren in financial services, are no doubt are preparing for their own revenue apocalypse with similar grace.

Reader Generated Economic Indicators - How You Know We're Hosed

Ellen McGirt — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:45:16 -0400

Rita Gunther McGrath, a reader from NYC (and an associate professor at the Columbia Business School) writes:

I'm Rich As Hell And I'm Not Going To Take It Anymore!

Ellen McGirt — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 09:12:21 -0400

In the grand tradition of Dear John letters, anchor sign-offs and birdflip manifestos, Andrew Lahde has broken new ground.

The head of a Santa Monica based hedge fund bearing his name, Lahde quit the business after posting an 870% gain last year. His good-bye letter to, well, everyone became a viral hit in the last two days as he took a victory lap by delivering a body blow to the deeply flawed system and people that allowed him to rake in more than his share.

From the letter:

Reader Generated Economic Indicators - How You Know We're Hosed

Ellen McGirt — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:28:38 -0400

A reader in North County San Diego writes:

"The car business is in the dumper - a local dealer offered me a 2009 used Nissan Murano ($45,000 sticker) for $20,000 yesterday and offered to buy it back in three months for $17,000. Gas hog, otherwise I would have considered it."

Manic Monday: The Financial Markets Are Unpredictable. Human Nature, Less So.

Ellen McGirt — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:52:07 -0400

Last week, London’s tabloidy News Of the World broke the story of a handful of AIG executives who dropped a bundle on a cushy partridge hunting retreat, of all things, at a tweedy English country manor. The newspaper sent “undercover investigators” to catch the eight “fat cats” fiddling while the rest of the world burns:

“The recession will go on until about 2011—but the shooting was great today and we are all relaxing fine.”

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Inspiration by Design: A Journey Through Cancer with Paper and Glue

Ellen McGirt — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:19:04 -0400

It began with the shock of recognition that every woman dreads: A lump, found while showering. Wrote artist Vicki Behm, "the first image that popped into my head was Mr. Clean. What will I look iike bald? And who will I look like? Telly Savalas? Yul Brynner? Homer Simpson? G.I. Jane?"

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Inspiration Friday: An Artist Celebrates Your Rights

Ellen McGirt — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:19:10 -0400

Check out this extraordinary video – a motion-graphical interpretation of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The video was created to commemorate the 60th anniversary of its adoption by the United Nations. (More on that below.)

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After The Debate, The Housing Crisis Marches On

Ellen McGirt — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:23:46 -0400

Finger pointing and blame-gaming are traditional political fare. But last night's debate was a missed opportunity to talk about the foreclosure crisis in real detail.

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Twitter and The Election: Shorting The Revolution.

Ellen McGirt — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:06:30 -0400

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Change Agent

How Sam Adams Helped Save Craft Brewing

The Thirty Second MBA -- Get Smart Faster

Intel's Long-Term Plan: Spend Money to Make Money

The Third Act of Chris Hughes [exclusive]

Memes From My Father—Silly Internet Fun with Barack Obama's Life Story

A Bailout We Can Build On

Can Good Design Save Detroit? Again?

Brand Obama Thrills Broadcasters with Record Ad Spend, But Cheap Video and Democracy Are the Big Winners

Reader Generated Economic Indicators - How *You* Know We're Hosed

I'm Rich As Hell And I'm Not Going To Take It Anymore!

Reader Generated Economic Indicators - How *You* Know We're Hosed

Manic Monday: The Financial Markets Are Unpredictable. Human Nature, Less So.

Inspiration by Design: A Journey Through Cancer with Paper and Glue

Inspiration Friday: An Artist Celebrates Your Rights

After The Debate, The Housing Crisis Marches On

Twitter and The Election: Shorting The Revolution.

Reader Generated Economic Indicators - How You Know We're Hosed

Reader Generated Economic Indicators - How You Know We're Hosed