Journalism Testimonials

Don Coulter, Executive Sports Editor, Oakland Tribune/ANG Newspapers (1996-2000)

"I hired Brian Higgins in 1997 to cover University of California football when I served as executive sports editor at ANG Newspapers in the Bay Area. He settled into the new beat quickly and seamlessly in taking over for a veteran reporter who had been assigned new duties.

Brian was a breath of fresh air. In a profession that can feature cynical – if not jaded – reporters, Brian was enthusiastic, as well as receptive to feedback and new approaches. His stories were accurate, balanced and delivered with the speed needed to meet often outrageous deadlines.

Perhaps Brian’s greatest gift as a reporter is something you can’t teach in journalism school: Being a compassionate and understanding listener. Getting sources to truly reveal themselves is a difficult trick for many a reporter. One of the reasons Brian excelled at feature writing is that he had a knack for getting people to open up – on the record. He earned their trust.

Brian proved versatile beyond his coverage of Cal football. He often was scheduled to augment our coverage of major league baseball and other sports – sometimes on short notice – and filled in admirably. I highly recommend Brian for his skills and talents as a reporter."

Don Coulter has been the deputy managing editor/sports of the Portlad (ME) Press since 2007

Tony Stastny, Sports Editor, Savannah Morning News & Evening Press (1981-2015)

"Just a few months after I hired Brian Higgins, he broke the biggest sports story in the 135-year history of our newspaper, generating a lot of national attention for the newspaper. He was the first sportswriter in more than a half-century to earn Georgia Story of the Year Awards from the Associated Press two years in a row. In baseball, we refer to the rarest of players as being 5-tool players. Brian was one of the rare 5-tool journalists very early in his career: big ideas; advanced powers of observation; an elite interviewer who was masterful at eliciting insightful quotes; a phenomenal writer; and fearless in uncovering the truth."

Scott Monserud, Sports Editor, Fort Worth Star-Telegram (1993-2001)

"I was so smart that i hired Brian twice -- once as an undergrad in Illinois and a dozen years later as our NFL writer in Dallas. He's a passionate guy who rubs off on everyone around him, be it colleagues, his interview subjects or the guys down in the press room. Plus, two years after I'd given up, Brian taught my daughter to ride a bike in one afternoon."

Scott Monserud has been the Assistant Managing Editor/Sports of the Denver Post since 2002. Hhired Brian Higgins to his sports staff of the Southern Illinoisan and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Marketing & Publicity testimonials

Reena Jadhav, CMO JobFlash

Ann Notarangelo, CBS5 reporter & weekend anchor

Suzan Bateson, CEO Alameda Community Food Bank

"Tech ventures invariably wait until they've sailed clear of startup waters to begin honing their message. I found Brian to be invaluable in the early stages because of his expertise in creating a voice that employees and investors can rally around. He's a superstar at translating obtuse concepts into actionable prose."

Suzan Bateson, CEO Alameda Community Food Bank

Ann Notarangelo, CBS5 reporter & weekend anchor

Suzan Bateson, CEO Alameda Community Food Bank

"We took a risk with Brian because he had an independent streak which we weren't sure would jibe with our organizational culture. But he quickly exceeded all of our expectations by thrusting us onto a national media stage and vastly improving our messaging. He gained the respect and affection of the entire organization, from board members to hourly employees."

Ann Notarangelo, CBS5 reporter & weekend anchor

"I always take the call when I see Brian's name on Caller ID. He does his homework and not only understands the kinds of stories that make good TV, but always makes life easier for us time-harried reporters by scouting compelling interview subjects, great locations for shooting, and even B-roll opportunities. Brian is a pro's pro -- and just a lot of fun to work with."

Public/Media Relations & Speechwriter Testimonials

Miranda Everitt, communications specialist, Alameda County Community Food Bank (2010-2013)

"Brian is media-savvy, deadline-driven, quick-witted (in print and in person), and a stand-up guy. He's always up for new ideas and willing to put in the work to see it through. He's an excellent writer, and like anyone with a journalistic mind, he applies his passion for writing to whatever he's working on, from food-stamps legislation to a 54-pound meatloaf.

Brian also knows his stuff when it comes to media. As a veteran of Bay Area newsrooms and nonprofits, his Rolodex (or whatever we use these days) is impressive, and he knows a lot about presenting yourself and your organization well on camera. Though I came into the position with a media background, there was a lot I learned under his wing.

My year with Brian as my supervisor was a crash-course in media relations, snappy copy writing, and great places to hike in California."

Jean Quan, Oakland mayor (2011-2015)

"Speechwriting eventually becomes a beast of burden for all politicians. Brian Higgins could very easily be writing speeches at the highest level, if he so chose. But he loves nothing better than crafting the perfect speech to inspire grassroots movements, and there's nobody better at it."

Sharon Fletcher, communications director, Chabot Space & Science Center (2002-2010)

"First and foremost, Brian is a writer, and an excellent one at that. He can weave a concise and compelling story on subject and deadline. He is clever, witty and passionate.

Brian loves to brainstorm and put ideas into action. He spearheaded our goal to connect and position the Center with the local media as the go-to place for expert information on all things space and science. That was a very successful endeavor.

Brian also set up and delivered a facility tour for film scouts in the Bay Area in order to help Chabot earn additional facility rental revenue. When he understands the big picture, he focuses and runs full steam ahead to achieve those goals. He is fiercely loyal, diligent and always delivers."

Website Design Testimonials

Claire Splan, Author (ClaireSplan.com)

Gregg Potter, Founder (F5TornadoSafaris.com)

"I needed an overhaul of my author website. I may be a professional writer but I'm lousy at promoting myself and even worse when it comes to website design. Brian did a terrific job listening to what I needed and the tone I hoped to convey and then delivering a design that was clean, professional, and conveyed exactly the right message. He had great ideas about how to best present my work, build an email list, and set up a blog. He's a talented writer with great marketing sense and a cool design sense. Getting a website started or revamped is never easy but Brian made it pretty painless."

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Gregg Potter, Founder (F5TornadoSafaris.com)

"Brian did a wonderful job on both my son's website and my own. He is quick and focused on detail and I'll be calling upon him the next time I need a website created. In addition, Brian has been building up my Facebook followers and creating a killer newsletter for my company and will continue doing this for at least the next 12 months. B

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Lisa Benken, Author (LisaBsWorld.com)

Gregg Potter, Founder (F5TornadoSafaris.com)

Lisa Benken, Author (LisaBsWorld.com)

"Brian is awesome! He's not only done three websites for me but one for a friend. All four sites were perfection. He is patient in dealing with his clients. I should know -- as a client, I'm a pain in the ass. I kept changing ideas, but Brian was right there, patiently sharing his thoughts on my pivots. Basically, he puts everything into making sure the website best represents the client. Long after the sites were up and running, Brian was extremely responsive with any of my questions or concerns."

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Media Training Testimonials

Aaron Rodgers, QB, New York Jets

Alex Zwissler, CEO Chabot Space & Science Center

"I thought my communications skills were better than most entering the NFL Draft because of all the interviews I did in college. But Brian showed me the advantage of thinking strategically and opportunistically about my media interactions as a professional; that what came out of my mouth and how I presented myself was directly correlated

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Alex Zwissler, CEO Chabot Space & Science Center

"Brian was able to come in and very quickly do a deep dive of our organization. Scientists as a rule are often introverted, but Brian was able to get our astronomers to buy into media training. Soon enough, those not-so-introverted scientists became confident, enthusiastic, public-facing representatives for our organization."

Lorenzo Alexander, LB, Buffalo Bills

Alex Zwissler, CEO Chabot Space & Science Center

Lorenzo Alexander, LB, Buffalo Bills

"On my journey from a shy, soft-spoken college football player to a seasoned NFL veteran whom the media looked to as a team leader, Brian was an invaluable mentor every step of the way. I've never met anybody who understood the media's agenda and how to win the media game better than B-Higg. He's made me a better communicator in all aspects of my life."