Who is this guy?

Me. Huntington Library // San Marino, California // October 2022

Hi. I'm Brandon.

I'm a writer, podcaster, and producer. My day job is at BroBible.com. I'm the site's publisher overseeing partnerships, advertising, and monetization strategies. I've been involved in the business at a partnership level since 2009, dating back to when the site was founded in New York City.

I'm from Pennsylvania. I lived in New YorK City for seven years. These days, I live in Los Angeles.

After over a decade in digital media, I still feel lucky every day. At heart, I’m a writer—sports, music, pop culture, you name it—but the job has led me to wear a lot of hats: entrepreneur, audience-builder, marketer, storyteller, producer, advertising guy, and the occasional spreadsheet whisperer.

And while I’ve done a lot, I’ll admit this: I still don’t fully understand pivot tables. But hey, that’s what YouTube is for, right?

BroBible has been going strong for over 15 years, getting in front of millions and millions of people every month, so I'm proud that we're still at it.

So what is this website?

I think people need a place they can tinker. My grandfather has a workshop in his basement. In the colder months, he'd spend nights and weekends down there, tinkering with woodworking tools and old antique furniture. From May to September, he and my grandmother would tinker in their massive vegetable garden, growing tomatoes, zucchini, and beans that'd get passed around the family.

I don't have a garden, but this is my place to tinker. This is a digital garden I'm planting for myself to showcase my world and my work. It's a space where I reflect and build in the open; where I brine and marinate my thoughts.

I'm excited to itch the blogging scratch. I haven't had a personal blog in years, so thanks for checking it out.

Jump on in, the water's fine.

What’s your most overused emoji?
🦅 Go birds.
Dream dinner party guest list?
John Prine, Thelonious Monk, and David Lee Roth because we were all born on the same day. Libras, for the win. Maybe throw in Jimmy Buffett, Jerry Garcia, and Hunter S. Thompson for kicks. Also, the entire 2008 Philadelphia Phillies roster. Chaos guaranteed.
What’s your go-to comfort food?
A plate of nachos that somehow combines the perfect ratio of cheese-to-chip, which is a mystery no mathematician has solved.
Most likely to binge-watch…
Entourage for the 100th time, purely for research purposes. (Right?)
Song you’d use to make a dramatic entrance?
"Tweezer Reprise" or "Carini" by Phish.
What’s your favorite city you’ve lived in?
Impossible to choose: Aspen, New York City, where I spent my 20s, or Los Angeles, or my 100-day trip around the world on the MV Explorer ship on Semester at Sea, inspired entirely by the MTV Road Rules season that made it look so cool when I was in middle school.
Best compliment you've ever received?
"You look like someone who knows where the best breakfast burritos are." And they were right.
What’s always in your fridge?
Trader Joe’s hot sauces—because one bottle is never enough—and enough condiments to build a sandwich empire. Specifically, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, and Dijon mustard.
If you could live in any movie universe, which one would it be?
The Big Lebowski. I'd like to think I’d fit right in as The Guy Who Knows a Spot for Tacos.
Most surprising hobby?
Oiling and conditioning my kitchen cutting boards. Don't underestimate the upkeep and strategy involved to keep them looking nice.
What’s a quote you live by?
“Sometimes the songs that you hear are just songs of your own.” – The Grateful Dead
What’s your kryptonite?
Chips and salsa, with a perfectly made margarita with a salted rim.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpets and any Old Bay-seasoned potato chips. Also, binge-watching Hallmark-esque movies and TV shows. I will defend the artistic integrity of shows like The Good Witch and Virgin River on Netflix with my life.
Favorite live band experience?
Phish at MSG. Phish at The Sphere with my best friend from high school. Phish at a random hockey arena in Dayton, Ohio. Phish at Hershey Park stadium with my mom. Phish at Merriweather Post Pavillion with my brother. You get the point. You don’t just attend a Phish show; you survive it. Also, a Phish show is where I met my fiancée.
Most regrettable fashion choice?
Once thought a pair of blinged out gold Air Maxes were the thing after I moved to Los Angeles. They weren’t. I looked like a tool.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
The ability to perfectly predict when Trader Joe’s will restock the seasonal snacks.
Favorite social media account?
The BroBible ones, followed by Bob Dylan's extremely Bob Dylan-esque stories on Twitter.
The most Californian thing you’ve ever done?
Called my weekday afternoon ski sesh at Mammoth an "all day meeting” on my calendar.
What’s your favorite sports memory?
Watching the Eagles win the Super Bowl in 2018. I cried. It wasn’t pretty.
What are some of your favorite things to do offline?
Skiing. Hiking. Fly fishing. Grilling. Shopping for guayaberas and vinyls.
What do you hoard like a dragon with gold?
Cool stickers on my Ninja FrostVault cooler that I drove around the country with. No, you can’t have one or put one on unless you're family or there's a really good story behind it. You can watch the YouTube video about it here.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?
"Santa Monica" by Everclear or "Inside Out" by Eve 6, for the peak '90s alt-rock energy. (Disclaimer: I'm not great at it.)
What’s the wildest thing you’ve ever done?
Semester at Sea. Sailing to 11 countries across three oceans, making lifelong friends, and experiencing the world because MTV Road Rules convinced me it was the ultimate adventure.
What’s a family connection you’re proud of?
My mom and dad are music teachers. I even convinced my dad to do a Steely Dan marching band show, which was objectively iconic.
What’s the most Philly thing you’ve done?
Asked Jason Kelce to film a motivational message for my dad’s marching band when I interviewed him about his beard. I saw him playing sax in a Philadelphia Mummers parade, and we started talking about playing music. He was totally the man about it.
Who’s been your coolest interview?
It’s tough to choose. Two favorites off the top of my head are when I interviewed John Madden and Jim Irsay. Some others: Miles Teller, talking life with Travis Kelce, and nerding out with Randy Johnson about photography. One time I asked Russell Westbrook what his In-N-Out order was. IDK, I've talked to a lot of people over the years. Saquon Barkley, Roddy Piper, Ronda Rousey, Lil Dicky, The Stig from Top Gear etc. Oh, and one time I interviewed an underwater archeologist who found Captain Morgan's pirate ship. That was cool.
Wildest place you’ve lived?
Hunter S. Thompson’s Owl Farm in Colorado.
What’s your favorite road trip memory?
Lots of them: Driving across the country with my grandparents my sophmore year of college, trips back and forth to California, and, most recently, a 6,500 miles across America, exploring national parks, meeting some unforgettable people, and accidentally learning the limits of a cooler full of snacks.
What inspired your love of travel?
My grandparents. They were huge world travelers and inspired me to work at a travel magazine right out of college, which eventually led to BroBible.
What’s a quirky publishing moment from your past?
Writing a silly novelty book called My Dad is a Bro, based on my Tumblr, and yes, my dad found it hilarious. I can't take credit for it, but it got turned into an episode of MTV's True Life a couple years later. It was pretty bad.
What’s your #1 life hack?
Buy a Jeep. It’s less of a hack and more of a vibe, really.
If you could time travel, where would you go?
The 1970s Laurel Canyon music scene. Would I fit in? Probably not, but I’d die trying.
What’s your ultimate concert lineup?
The 1980s Grateful Dead lineup with Jerry Garcia and Brent Mydland. But since I don't have a time machine, I'll see all the Phish I can get.
Where does your telos (life purpose) point?
To tell good stories, eat good food, bring good vibes to the world, and keep the music playing.

Man, I don't know. Why not all three?

I'm building this project with Ghost so I can think about it like a blog and a newsletter. I just don't know if I'm into the who Substack thing. I'll also talk about some of my work projects - especially when I'm proud of them.

Plus, it's nice to take a breather from Wordpress, YouTube, and social platforms. I just really like the idea of having a place to write that's my own.

Algorithms are annoying. They break our brains. But they're also wildly necessary and important in my line of work. I'm sort of sick of feeding them in a way that I don't have any ownership of.

Much like you, I also enjoy the occasional change of scenery. It's the best medicine for brain worms.

Thanks for stopping by and staying in touch.

So... Is this a blog? A newsletter? A portfolio?