{"id":7,"date":"2015-06-03T21:09:23","date_gmt":"2015-06-03T21:09:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sernovitz.wpengine.com\/?page_id=7"},"modified":"2026-02-04T15:01:06","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T21:01:06","slug":"andy-sernovitz","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sernovitz.com\/","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/better.org\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Contact Me<\/a><br><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/sernovitz\/\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/sernovitz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Author:&nbsp;<\/strong><br><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/wordofmouthbook.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Word of Mouth Marketing:<br>How Smart Companies Get People Talking<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>Work<\/strong>:<br><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.interplanetary.org\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.interplanetary.org\/\">Interplanetary Help Desk<\/a><\/strong><br><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/better.org\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/better.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Better Industries<\/a><br><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/board.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Board.org <\/strong>(sold 2021)<\/a><br><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/globalworldwide.biz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Global Worldwide International<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item\"><details><summary class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item__title\"><strong>Bio<\/strong><\/summary><div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item__content\">\n<p>Andy is a social-impact entrepreneur, advisor, and investor obsessed with helping mission-driven leaders rally support with remarkable brand stories, word of mouth, and fan communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why? Because organizations that earn the respect and recommendation of their customers are more open, honest, and kind. Because companies that make people happy are more successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Community:<\/strong> Andy builds organizations to help people help each other. He created pioneering peer-to-peer communities for mission-driven leaders (in corporate social responsibility, DEI, talent, and healthcare) and cutting-edge tech (in social media, ecommerce, online marketing, word of mouth, and data science).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Word of Mouth Marketing:<\/strong> He wrote the best-selling book Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking to help you tell the story of your business, art, or cause.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Brand Strategy<\/strong>: He has advised 100+ companies on creating remarkable cultures, messages, and stories.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>He taught word of mouth marketing at Northwestern and internet entrepreneurship at Wharton. (And he\u2019s a rabid purist on the topic of marketing ethics.)<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item\"><details><summary class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item__title\"><strong>Current Projects<\/strong><\/summary><div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item__content\">\n<p>I&#8217;m spending my time&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Running the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.interplanetary.org\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.interplanetary.org\/\"><strong>Interplanetary Help Desk<\/strong><\/a> &#8211; A nonprofit that produces fundraiser concerts for charities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Advising\/investing in music industry projects and fan communities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Prototyping antidotes to <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Enshittification\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Enshittification\">enshittification<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Looking for solutions to improve social connection and community<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Various business ventures via <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/better.org\">Better Industries<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Helping investigative journalism find new fundraising models<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Coaching assorted BtoB communities, startups, and non-profits<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item\"><details><summary class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item__title\"><strong>Music Projects<\/strong><\/summary><div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item__content\">\n<p>Advisor, Investor, Marketer, Community Builder<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>&#8220;Mommy, What&#8217;s a Funkadelic&#8221; &#8211; Producer &#8211; Parliament-Funkadelic\/George Clinton Documentary (in production)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ATX Musicians (Board) &#8211; Advocacy, Education &amp; Economic Development For Central Texas Musicians<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Levitation Music Festival<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Purple Bee Studio<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Resound Presents<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Local Austin music venues<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Spaceflight Records (Advisor) Non-profit record label<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wax Poetics<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Notes.FM<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Daybook<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Music rights funds<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item\"><details><summary class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item__title\"><strong>Founder<\/strong><\/summary><div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item__content\">\n<ul id=\"block-598e4ecd-7bdb-42e4-9f2d-e159ba927e50\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Osage Communications (interactive TV, 1992-1994)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Association for Interactive Marketing (non-profit, sold, 1994-1998)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>GasPedal 1 (gen 1 startup incubator\/accelerator, 1999-2001)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>GasPedal 2 (email strategy, sold, 2002-2004)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Word of Mouth Marketing Association (non-profit, sold, 2004-2006)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SocialMedia.org &amp; SocialMedia.org Health (became Board.org, 2007-2015)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Board.org: Peer-to-peer executive communities, including DEI Board, CSR Board, Data Board, Talent Marketing Board (sold, 2015-2021, resold for $103M in 2024)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Trash Mountain Ranch (88-acre office and event space, sold, 2014-2022)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Global Worldwide International (real estate, 2014-present)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Loneliness Institute (non-profit, 2022-2024, acquired)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Interplanetary Help Desk (non-profit incubator, 2022-present)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Better Industries (startup studio, 2022-present)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item\"><details><summary class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item__title\"><strong>Investor\/Advisor<\/strong><\/summary><div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item__content\">\n<ul id=\"block-0fdcae7d-3979-4146-842a-abb0d5912f22\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sustainable Media Center (trustee)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Data.World (advisor)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>WP Engine (advisor)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Austin Beerworks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mayo Clinic Social Media Network (advisor)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Advisor and\/or investor in various startups<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Assorted real estate<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Assorted venture funds<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item\"><details><summary class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item__title\"><strong>Consultant &amp; Speaker<\/strong><\/summary><div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item__content\">\n<p>Hundreds of keynotes and consulting projects focused on tech entrepreneurship, tech innovation, ethics, brand strategy, social media, email, and word of mouth marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item\"><details><summary class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item__title\"><strong>Non-profit and Political<\/strong><\/summary><div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item__content\">\n<ul id=\"block-1baee359-1e86-4c4c-9eb7-188037e1b913\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Interplanetary Help Desk<\/strong> &#8211; 501c3 nonprofit incubator<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Loneliness Institute<\/strong> &#8211; researching solutions to the loneliness epidemic<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Campaign staff &#8211; Mayor, US House, US Senate<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Political direct mail, fundraising, and digital<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Non-profit fundraising<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lobbyist<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item\"><details><summary class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item__title\"><strong>Teaching<\/strong><\/summary><div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item__content\">\n<ul id=\"block-1baee359-1e86-4c4c-9eb7-188037e1b913\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>University of Pennsylvania \/ Wharton \u2013 taught Internet Entrepreneurship<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Northwestern \/ Medill \u2013 taught Word of Mouth Marketing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item\"><details><summary class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item__title\"><strong>Personal Interests<\/strong><\/summary><div class=\"wp-block-coblocks-accordion-item__content\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Family time &#8212; raising happy, strong nerds<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bouldering<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Playing with power tools, chainsaws, and making things out of wood<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Funkadelic, Frank Zappa, and The Grateful Dead<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Contact MeLinkedIn Author:&nbsp;Word of Mouth Marketing:How Smart Companies Get People Talking Work:Interplanetary Help DeskBetter IndustriesBoard.org (sold 2021)Global Worldwide International<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-7","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sernovitz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sernovitz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sernovitz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sernovitz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sernovitz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sernovitz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sernovitz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}