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Welcoming Ben McBratney: Our Newest Retail Activation Manager

Ben McBratney is Promoboxx’s newest addition to the Client Services team. As a recent graduate of Startup Institute Boston, Ben is ready to get thousands of retailers excited about the Promoboxx experience. We asked Ben a few questions to get to know him better – enjoy!

Deserted on an island, what three things do you bring?

This could go two ways. I could go practical and say lighter, sleeping bag, and knife. Or I could go the more interesting route: I’d bring a bounce island to have fun and stay fit while killing time. An endless supply of rum because of Jack Sparrow. And my iPhone because I need to jam out to EDM from time to time.

Best advice you’ve ever been given?

My first instinct was to say that “Learn to network” is the most important piece of advice I’ve gotten. That is totally relevant to the working world, and it isn’t really taught in school, but it doesn’t equate to happiness. My parents taught me early on that empathy and forgiveness are important to maximizing the amount of time you spend happy and minimizing the amount of time you spend stressed.

What do you admire most in a brand?

In a word, trust. Brands don’t just become brands overnight. They spend years developing a reliable product or experience and earning the trust of consumers. Even as they grow exponentially, the best brands are able to maintain a constant product or experience. It is that consistency that earns the trust of consumers, making foreign places seem like home to consumers when they see a familiar logo.

What made you want to join the Promoboxx team?

Obviously, a combination of things. But what drew me in initially was the people. Startup Institute does a kind of “speed dating” career night with their partner companies, and the 15 minute sessions are as much about the people you talk to as they are about the company.  With Promoboxx, I loved both. And the more people I met, the more I loved Promoboxx.

What is something that not many people know about you?

I don’t like coffee. For some reason this comes as a huge shock to everyone I meet. Coffee just doesn’t taste good and I feel healthier and happier if I don’t drink caffeine. When I am socially required to “get coffee” I usually get a hot chocolate or mocha. Might be girly but coffee is kind of gross.