about us
this is who we are
Think of your website as a tool, and think of Social Flare as the master craftsmen who help you understand how to use it to its fullest potential. We're a small consultancy just outside of Chicago. We help clients develop strategies for using social media to spread the word, get more customers or clients, and generally grow a community around their brand. We do this by managing their social media efforts, teaching them to do this on their own, or some combination of the two. The whole "Teach a man to fish" strategy applies, but sometimes you just need someone to do it all for you.
We’re a close knit group striving to be the best at what we do, delivering value and insight about social media to our clients. We practice what we preach, work towards being an awesome firm to work for, and we do the right thing, even when it’s hard. We come from diverse backgrounds; The United States Marines, various casinos, Big Insurance, political staffs, and other widespread endeavors; we think our diversity is a huge strength.
We combine the big shoulders work ethic of Midwestern Chicago with the innovative, spirited competence of Silicon Valley. We are approachable and innovative, with a social conscience. We love dogs, coming to the office wearing flipflops, and having Berghoff in the refrigerator. We’re a privately held company that does good works, as well as the occasional awesome project for a variety of types of clients.
We're young enough to have been brought up on the web and understand it from a native's perspective, but old and experienced enough to have a bit of business and real world accumen as well. We speak both the language of the web and the business language of those who don't. We're bridgebuilders and teachers.
Our first step is usually a consultation, in person if possible although this isn't strictly necessary. This first discussion is where we explain what your web presence is doing for you, and how it can be doing much more. And in an affordable way.
principal partners
Jon Ruane's management style was honed working with his family business; a construction firm where deadlines were real and relationships with vendors, clients and secondary customers were far more important than many experienced in the tech industry would have you believe. More than just a manager with real world experience, Jon brings over 15 years of ground-up web infrastructure expertise to Social Flare. He has managed sever networks for medium-sized companies as well as develop and refine their web presences and strategies. He is a frequent contributer to artcile shares such as StumbleUpon and Reddit and has helped manage social network presences for business since the early days of the medium. His education through the Bachelors level is in computer science and mathematics.
Pete Simon has been nuturing an expertise in online comunities for over 15 years, in both a professional capacity and academically. His past work experience runs the gamut from web development and design to usability and user experience architecture for Fortune 100 Companies such as Sears and Siemens to field leaders such as WiCell and Allstate, MI7 and American Family Insurance. He brings his considerable diversity of talent and experience to Social Flare in the capacity of visionary as well as dedicated craftsman. As cofounder he pushes the boundaries of what we can do for clients, opening the eyes of all to the power of social media. His own education is in cognitive psychology, human-computer interaction and cultural anthropology.
January 10, 2008
