Today we’d like to introduce you to Brit Brennan.
Hi Brit, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
First and foremost, thank you so much for the opportunity to share my journey! To begin, I’ve always been fascinated by entertainment, and theatre specifically, but took a very roundabout journey to get where I am today. During the process of obtaining a BFA in Theatre Production from the University of Pittsburgh, I journeyed down to Florida on a college program in 2002 and essentially never left! This was the start of my career at the Walt Disney Company that spanned over two decades, in a variety of leadership roles that really gave me the opportunity to carve out and hone my own leadership style, while learning to appreciate all of the pieces that go into making an operation work. I learned how to build a team, and the importance of diverse schools of thought on that team. I also learned how to observe and execute tasks, and not be afraid to try! Having the privilege of gaining an amazing mentor who encouraged me to try new things, I left Disney and went on a journey with Cirque du Soleil that took me literally around the world and back. Traveling to new countries, with people of all nationalities was a beyond memorable experience. There aren’t enough words in an article to truly share the experiences I had while on tour, it would probably take a book series to cover it! What can be said in short is I learned how to adapt and pivot, and it honestly made me a better person. After touring, I came home thinking I was done, ready to firmly plant my feet back in Orlando… and then a few months later, I was on another adventure with Disney to Shanghai to be part of the opening team of the park, focused on Broadway’s The Lion King.
In 2016, I left Disney again to join the team at Universal Orlando, and worked on a myriad of projects, from Blue Man Group, to something a little more Epic with the Creative team. Universal was a wonderful company to work with, and I cherish my time with them. When the pandemic struck, and my business partner and I were separated from Universal, we took the opportunity to use the word I have a love/hate relationship with, and Pivot. While our long-term goals are to truly develop some amazing immersive experiences, our main focus was to get our friends, our family, and our community back to work.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have never used the word smooth when describing anything about my journey. Those bumps, bruises and sharp left turns did however smooth me out into the woman I am today. When I was starting out, I really thought that I would be a dancer for Disney for a few years, and then figure things out from there, but my knees said otherwise. That first major hurdle for me of realigning my journey taught me that a detour isn’t the end of the road; it’s an opportunity to find a new path. Something I have always struggle with is that initial deviation. I am a planner to the core, I believe in the power of lists, and spreadsheets are my love language. My journey as afforded me the ability to learn how to go with the flow, when to put my foot down and where the middle of that is as well. I can honestly say that this past year has been the toughest of my life. Until the pandemic, I had never been laid off, and I didn’t realize how much of my self-worth was tied up in my career. This pandemic was an eye opening experience, and it really pushed me to my limit. I am incredibly thankful to have had my husband, my family and my friends as a support structure through it, and it really taught me the value of slowing down, and recalibrating. Paths change, and as clichéd as it is, one door closing really opened a series of doors for me.
As you know, we’re big fans of Hawkmoon . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Hawkmoon is an entertainment company that creates immersive experiences, themed entertainment, live entertainment, and IP/Brand activations. We are a full-service design and production company providing solutions in creative development and design, location-based storytelling, and entertainment production. I am the COO, which a fancy title that tells you how much I love the operational side of things. I am fortunate to work with my business partner, Nic Kessler, who is the creative side of our operation. We work so well together because I like to spend 20% of my time creating and diving into that side, but 80% of my time is focused on our operation, business development and financials, and vice versa for Nic. We have a complete and intimate understanding of each other’s side of the business, can step in and assist each other, but have the opportunity to work on what drives us. We pride ourselves on bringing unique twists to live and themed entertainment. In our hearts we are a team of storytellers, and we leverage our experience with companies like Disney, Universal, Cirque Du Soleil, Seaworld and Broadway to bring our clients stories to life. Our favorite’s questions begin with ‘What If?”
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc.?
I am a huge follower of Simon Sinek. There are so many things I’ve learned from his books, to his podcast, to his daily inspirations on LinkedIn. I’ve used his start with why series several times over the years in team building exercises, and would highly encourage anyone to try it. Another book that I keep a copy with me at all times is Kiss, Bow or Shake Hands. This book has been a guide for me on my journeys, as it really gives you a perspective into other cultures, and the best way to approach conversations and business. The last book on my shelf currently is Blind Spot, which has given years of obstacles I’ve faced a name in micro-aggressions, and also forced an introspection to ensure that I am being authentically me, but also the most respectful version of myself I can be. I also pull together an article of the week, based on “water cooler chat” and share that with a distribution list of colleagues over the last 20 years. Each week is an opportunity to learn something new, find a podcast, or learn about something I had never thought about!
Contact Info:
- Email: brit.brennan@hawkmoon.net
- Website: http://www.hawkmoon.net
- Instagram: @Hawkmooncreative
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hawkmooncreative
- Twitter: @hawkmooncreativ
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xRrW50jhjYRObulletyAw
Image Credits
@bagwellphotography
