Andrew is the Founder of Bonfire Consulting. He brings a unique background as social innovator, author, former professor, consultant and researcher of human motivation.
Andrew has worked with clients across the United States, Europe, and the Middle East on the subjects of innovation, motivation, culture, teamwork and leadership. Past client experience includes ExxonMobil, Walmart, Rolls-Royce, NASA, United States Department of Defense (DoD), Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), and the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL). In addition, Andrew has assisted many non-profits, mid-size organizations, colleges and universities, small businesses, as well as entrepreneurial startups.
Andrew’s consulting career began in a unique way: In 2004, he exchanged his master’s degree and high paying sales job for a year on the road—traveling the United States interviewing people from varied backgrounds about how they came to discover passion from their work; a passion which inevitably spilled over into the remaining aspects of their lives.
His study of human motivation now spans many industries and fields. Andrew’s debut book titled, “Love Your 84,000 Hours at Work: Stories on the Road from People with Purpose and Passion,” chronicles the inspiring journeys of a select number of people who have mastered one of the core ingredients to maintaining a happy life—loving what you do.
He is the writer of the innovation how-to book, “The Invisible Element: A Practical Guide to the Human Dynamics of Innovation,” which explains the hidden intricacies of how innovation happens inside of organizations. In addition, he co-authored a chapter that discusses the key element of trust on innovation for, “The Innovation for Development Report 2010-2011.” There were 12 contributors to the report and they include notables such as Steven Ballmer (former CEO of Microsoft) and Jose Maria Figueres (former President of Costa Rica).
Andrew’s most recent publication is a paper titled, “Finding Ender: Exploring the Intersections of Creativity, Innovation, and Talent Management in the U.S. Armed Forces.” The paper is a report that talks about how a large organization (the U.S. Department of Defense) can use Matching Theory and diverse mindsets to better utilize their people (and outliers) for more innovative and effective results.
Andrew is also the Innovation Ambassador of Idea Connection Systems, Inc. (ICS) (www.innovating.com). He was an instrumental part of the team that introduced the Innovation Strengths Preference Indicator® (ISPI™) to the marketplace. He is Master Certified in the ISPI and a world-leading expert in using the ISPI for individual, team, and organizational development.
Andrew believes in the power of people. “Each leader, team member, department, and organization has the potential to achieve great things. I love helping groups navigate the complexities of work (and each another) in order to hit their goals.”
Bonfire Consulting builds off of Andrew’s 15 years in the field. His work combines research and real-world experiences with cutting-edge methodologies and best practices, culminating in an engaging and educational way to develop talent and skills.
