Fuel for Thought Drives Learning Culture and a Sense of Community

Here at Boathouse, our culture is what brings us together. Our camaraderie empowers us to redefine advertising’s role and lead the way. That’s why we waste no time. We pivot when necessary, and we’re on a constant hunt for new information.

This ambition and hunger for knowledge are in each and every one of us. We learn the latest, most effective marketing strategies to keep up with the ever-evolving marketing world. We all share a performance mindset, ready to do whatever it takes for our clients. So it was no surprise when three of our own introduced an initiative to enhance our learning—one that would foster connection and enrich our company culture of cutting through the bullshit.

Forming Fuel for Thought 

Shaina Lurie, Taylor Cornacchia and Bethany Briguglio founded Boathouse’s first-ever Fuel for Thought. Initially, the objective was to streamline how the agency stayed up to date with industry trends, and the initiative gave us the opportunity to collaborate beyond client work. Simple stuff. Well, not that simple. Fuel for Thought became a powerful stream of valuable information with guest speakers, a book club, and overall open-minded collaboration.  

When COVID-19 hit, we didn’t realize just how much we would lean on the previous water-cooler chats that bonded us, those seemingly insignificant moments in the office that sparked stellar ideas. The pandemic soon made it apparent that staying connected and fostering our culture would have to be a part of Fuel for Thought’s mission. After all, our community is at our core. We began asking crucial questions. What does company culture look like during a pandemic? What does growth look like at an agency? And finally, how can we drive change in the industry?

All of these pointed to the same initial step, one embedded in us from Boathouse’s beginning. Every one of us needs to take responsibility for our learning. For us, that means encouraging each other to keep going and focusing on being proactive in our endless pursuit of knowledge. Bethany, Taylor, and Shaina reimagined Fuel for Thought into something even more valuable. In response, we would propel ourselves forward as a team more dedicated than ever before. 

Full Steam and Lightning Round Initiatives

So how exactly is Fuel for Thought reinvigorating learning at Boathouse?

Fuel for Thought prepares two monthly events for us: Full Steam and Lightning Round. These are quite different: Full Steam is very much full steam ahead with elevated topics and deep discussion. On the other side of the coin is Lighting Round, which is, well, very light-hearted.

The Full Steam session is for the whole agency to get together and dive deep into learning. We stay on top of trends and explore emerging strategies that we could potentially infuse into our marketing plans, while other times, we simply consider the value of integrating new advertising techniques.

Meanwhile, at a Lighting Round, small groups meet up for a chance to connect and chat (virtually, of course). During a session, Fuel for Thought presents prompts for small groups to discuss openly. Often, it’s an assembly of randomly aggregated questions. Note: no one is actually required to talk only about these topics. Authentic and naturally flowing conversation is much more important to us. 

What Full Steam and Lightning Round have in common is that they spark excitement. From simply answering “How are you feeling?” to researching the next hot marketing approach, these moments give us the chance to be ourselves and be inspired.

We do acknowledge, however, that sometimes the best way to learn is from the experts. That is why Fuel for Thought loves featuring them, whether they be from outside our industry or right from our home base. Most recently, Fuel for Thought invited Brian Halligan, the CEO of HubSpot; Deesha Dyer, CEO of Hook & Fasten Consulting and Obama Whitehouse alum; and our very own Gail Schoenbrunn, an award-winning Boathouse copywriter and creative director.

We Are Change Drivers

At Boathouse, we love a challenge. We don’t simplify ideas; our work means too much to us, and the industry is far too complex. That’s why we think of ourselves as ferocious learners who boundlessly seek ways to improve. Our clients keep outperforming because we steer the ship toward the future. We aim to be the change.

Fuel for Thought encompasses what we do: use our relentless ambition as fuel to uncover the unknown and learn. We make it happen. Fuel for Thought continues to encourage reflection on our company culture and discuss what matters to us. We ask questions like, “How do we stay on top of the evolving landscape?” and “What can we do to be more efficient in a virtual world?”

Above all, we keep the client in mind. It’s not about us. It’s about doing what’s right for the client and having the backbone to treat their business as if it were our own. Having the very best tools in hand for our clients means helping them grow, and that truly matters to us.

The more we know, the more insight we have to give. Fuel for Thought provides us new material that we use directly to contribute to client business performance. From book recommendations to guest speakers, we stay ahead of the curve by being agile. That means innovative thinking, fresh ideas, and clever approaches. And we are never going to stop. 

Because at Boathouse, we are fearless leaders. We are change drivers. And our work? It isn’t just pretty. It performs.