Michael Fanuele ’94
Company / School: Shake Shack
Position / Degree: Chief Brand Officer
Overview
Chief Brand Officer, Shake Shack
New York, NY
- BA, Victorian Studies, Vassar College
Michael Fanuele (he/him) is a marketer and author who has helped create some of the most iconic advertisements of the century, including “The Most Interesting Man in the World” for Dos Equis and “We Have The Meats” for Arby’s. He’s helped a tech company become a unicorn, a Fortune 200 business rediscover its spark, and has, in fact, sold tea in China. Today, Michael is the Chief Brand Officer at Shake Shack, serving better food and big joy, one burger and shake at a time. Michael’s writing on inspiration and leadership has been featured in The Harvard Business Review and Ad Age, and his book, Stop Making Sense, became an Amazon bestseller, now on its third printing. His TEDx talk on inspiration has been watched by people who are not even related to him. At Vassar, Michael majored in Victorian studies, much to his parents’ confusion. He lost the final round of the World Debating Championship, but found solace in that second-place finish by pursuing a career in politics and stand-up comedy. He soon realized neither was very much fun. Michael lives in Pelham, New York, with his brilliant wife and a few excellent kids. He plays far too little tennis.
Advice to Students:
Keep your expenses as low as possible for as long as possible—doing so allows you to flit and fly and experiment and explore. Also: work on your handshake.
