I have worked in retail. I have worked for the government. I have worked alongside gym lunks at GNC. The entire team has a pretty fascinating work history. However, we have never worked with as much personality as we have at Red Branch Media. Our content team produces articles upon articles about personality types at work, and let me tell ya, we have a ton here. Extroverts, introverts, somewhere-in-the-middles; you name it, we’ve got it. That said, there’s possibly none as colorful as our brave and valiant leader… Maren. Granted, because she is the creator of our culture, she’s allowed to say/behave/do what she wants. Here are some rather animated examples of Maren’s fascinating workplace personality.

“You’re fired.”

Sounds harsh, but in truth it’s a term of endearment. Yes, when Maren tells us we are fired, we are actually not fired. There’s an overarching sense of GIF-filled humor that runs through our internal communication system, Yammer. If it’s funny enough, we’ll get a loving “You’re fired,” or “#yourefired” out of it.

It’s when she doesn’t tell us we are fired… that’s when we have to get our act together. Months when Red Branch has three website redesigns, white papers, and proposals are the times the Branchers are most thankful for getting “fired.”

“She’s actually a really nice person.”

Maren is pretty well known in the HR and Recruiting space, so she knows a lot of people. Some of these people may not be the best and the brightest in the field, but that doesn’t matter. She sees the best in people, even if their best quality is their professional demeanor. Maren still thinks they are really nice people.

“No fanks.”

We are an office of creatives. That means that occasionally we yammer off into tangents that are honestly inapplicable to our jobs. “Maren, can I…?” “Maren, what if we…” These are just a couple of the frequented phrases here in the office. Since we often try to find ways to liven up human resources we have a tendency to get a bit… artistic. Maren’s response to some of the more ridiculous is a short, albeit polite, “No fanks.”

“Dammit Jeremy!”

As second-in-command, the Spock to the Red Branch Captain Kirk, Jeremy feels the brunt of website creation frustration. However, the “Dammit Jeremy!” is more often than not referring to the lack of seaweed chips floating around the office. It’s safe to say Maren is slightly addicted to the veggies of the sea.

“This is freaking amazorblades!”

There’s always the newest tool or best practice to keep us from “resting on our laurels” that is “freaking amazorblades!” You can ask some of the venerated Branchers here, changing the way we do things or the tools we use is a little frustrating. But in the end, Mama Brancher knows best… per usual.

“YOU GUYS!”

Some of us have rather short attention spans by the time Thursday afternoon rolls around. When 3 p.m. finally hits, Friday emotions have already begun. So when we get a little squirrely, talking about the Purple Squirrel, sometimes we get a little distrac… who drank the last of the coffee??

There is a plethora of cultural happenings and sayings that occur in this BRAND NEW office. Not much has socially changed among the team; we’re all just as weird, creative, and awkwardly funny as we were before the move. Maren and Jeremy might feel a little more like hipsters in the new location. Truth is, the building is a little more hipsterish with their presence. Maren says a lot of things… Her outgoing personality has made her a success in her field and has gained her a team that admires and respects her. After all, Mama Brancher knows best, right?

Maren Hogan

Maren Hogan is CEO of Red Branch and general Bad@$$

Maren Hogan is a seasoned marketer and community builder in the HR and Recruiting industry. Maren started Red Branch Media and, before she hired all the smiling faces you see below, she ran it on her own. In marketing for over 15 years, she has deep experience in strategic campaigns and a long-term, results-based operational approach.