Jake Brown's Bio

My Background

Mine is a textbook case of the success and setbacks of being a late-diagnosed AuDHD person. As a kid, school provided the structure and deadlines I needed to succeed, while socially I always struggled to find my people. I usually hung out with other misfit toys and mimicked what I saw the cool kids doing in an attempt to find acceptance (all while insisting I didn't need it). It was during high school that I found inspiration in the Ska/Punk/DIY scene, B-movies, and counterculture movements. In undergrad at Cornell University, and into grad school at Emerson College, I immediately chamoeleoned into a slightly higher-echelon of 'cool kids,' able to reinvent myself, abandon my rebellion for conformity, and mask enough to be the slightly off but funny guy who was smart(ish) on the side. 

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Once in the professional world, I spent the first 15 years of my career in advertising agencies. I created award-winning, overperforming websites, campaigns, and customer experiences for the likes of Sotheby's Auction House, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and Johnson & Johnson to name a few. Here my still-undiagnosed ADHD thrived; long hours, quick deadlines and changing demands were a dopamine buffet for me and my fast thinking. I put everything I had into working hard and partying just as hard. It was the early 2000's and the ad world wasn't too far off from the scenes in Mad Men, which was just coming out at the time.

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The last 10 years have been spent at IBM, behind the digital wheel of various business units like Watson Health, IBM Consulting, and IBM Software. I championed personalization and the use of AI to create drafts and prototypes well ahead of the rest of the market, and used these advantages to drive revenue in places where the web had traditionally faltered. My latest role included managing and mentoring a team of 26 people across every continent but Antarctica, creating a culture of respect, accountability, creativity and experimentation. Together we drove results the business had never seen before, changing the way that B2B marketing was approached and executed.

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It was during my stint at IBM, at the height of the COVID pandemic in 2020, that I was diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety disorder. I was having trouble focusing and remembering the basics, even though I was stuck at home, and my anxiety was through the roof, even for a time when we thought our mail could kill us. It was then that I first started exploring my neurodivergence, reluctantly, and continued to struggle with my internalized ableism and hidden autism. It was only after my wife and two children were diagnosed with autism as well that I figured the apples came from my tree. I got evaluated in 2024 and winner, winner, chicken finger dinner, I was autistic with OCD and an internalized PDA profile (Google it all if you care to). I struggled with what that meant, as most late-diagnosed folx do, but it was also a revelation that helped explain why my brain works the way it does, why I found things harder than my allistic peers, and what it meant for my future.

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Today, I'm still discovering who I am, battling my internalized ableism, and finding strength in knowing that I'm incredible because I'm different, not despite it. Fine & Feral Co. is the next evolution of my professional journey. I'm excited to have you here along for the ride!

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