Her Campus Media

Want to know what it's like to work for Her Campus Media?

Her Campus Media is where Gen Z meets mission—powering content, creator programs, and experiential events that connect top brands with young people across the U.S. In this episode, Jena chats with Brittany Ramsey, Head of People and Culture, about how the company’s remote culture thrives on adaptability, connection, and purpose. From building community to navigating career pivots, this one’s packed with practical advice and real talk.

What you’ll learn:

• Why adaptability is a superpower in mission-driven startups
• How to stand out in a sea of job applications (hint: just ask) 
• What a career pivot from beauty to media can look like
• How Her Campus Media supports mental health and creative energy
• Who thrives on this fast-paced, Gen Z-obsessed team

Some Her Campus Media highlights:

Founded: 2009 by Windsor Hanger Western, Stephanie Kaplan Lewis, and Annie Wang at Harvard
Team Size: >100 full-time employees + large freelance/influencer network
HQ: Boston, MA (across from Fenway Park)
Work Model: Fully remote across the U.S.
Culture: Fast-paced, entrepreneurial, collaborative, student-focused

Unique Perks & Programs:

• “Moments that matter” internal culture events
• Quarterly team meetings and no-work virtual coffee chats
• Summer Fridays and two-week winter shutdown
• Workshops on resilience, mental health, and burnout prevention

To learn more about Her Campus Media:

• Careers Page (They are hiring!)
• Her Campus Media on LinkedIn
• Brittany Ramsey on LinkedIn

Transcript

Jena Dunay: Hello friends and welcome back to another episode of Culture Uncovered! I am really excited to bring on this week's guest, Brittany Ramsey. Brittany, thank you so much for joining us. You are the Head of People at Her Campus Media and we want to hear a little bit about Her Campus Media. What do you do and why is it a great place to work?

Brittany: You're welcome. Thank you for having me.

Jena Dunay: Let’s start with the basics. What is Her Campus Media? I’ve seen you guys around, so give me the details!

Brittany: I love it. We’re a marketing and media solutions company for Gen Z to create brand relevance. That means we help really cool brands in beauty, fashion, lifestyle, food, and beverage connect with Gen Z. We do this through our communities, media outlets, content, and a lot of experiential events. That’s where we’ve really grown in the past three years, with more in-person interaction.

A lot of beauty companies partner with us to do tours on campuses. It’s really cool because we’re putting products in front of Gen Z that they may not have come across otherwise. At the core, we aim to empower Gen Z and young people, not just through brand engagement but also through career development and inspiration.

Jena Dunay: Yeah! I’m not surprised that experiential events have been on the rise post-COVID. Even for me, if it’s a digital networking thing, I’m less interested. Give me something in person, where I can meet someone, shake hands, or give them a hug! That’s what we do here in the South!

Brittany: Yeah, it’s about the energy, the community. Being surrounded by others, laughing, feeling joy while connecting with a brand is such a powerful experience. It’s a win for both the brand and the attendees.

Jena Dunay: Really cool! What a niche you guys are in. How big is the company right now, team-wise?

Brittany: Full-time, we’re just under 100. But we work with a lot of national writers, freelancers, content creators, and influencers. They’re all part of our extended team and our culture. It’s a small, agile, fast-paced company managing a large network.

Jena Dunay: What departments make up the core team?

Brittany: Most of the team is in integrated marketing, especially influencer marketing, because that’s a big part of how we bring brand stories to life. We also have a great content and editorial team, plus product and engineering, and a phenomenal design team. Then there’s our sales team, which handles partnerships, and of course, corporate functions like HR and legal, all the binding parts.

Jena Dunay: I love that you called HR and legal the “binding people!” It’s so true. People sometimes think those roles are just support, but they’re the glue that keeps the company from floating away. As a former salesperson, I can respect that!

Brittany: Yes! HR and legal are so needed, even if we’re sometimes forgotten. We matter!

Jena Dunay: How old is the organization?

Brittany: We were founded in 2009. I love the story. Windsor, Stephanie, and Annie started it in the cafeteria at Harvard as a campus-specific website to empower women in their college careers. It focused on fashion and empowerment and quickly grew. They expanded into advertising, launched conferences, and realized they were onto something. Now it’s evolved to include young people in general and covers many categories.

Jena Dunay: Love that! It’s amazing how something so specific can turn into something so big! Especially as a founder myself, I always say: your business or career starts one way, and then you look up and go, “How did we get here?” There’s never one perfect business plan. My dad always said, "Make a business plan, then day one, throw it out!"

Brittany: Right!

Jena Dunay: I love the evolution of your org. Where are you based now? Remote, hybrid?

Brittany: We’re fully remote now, but our original HQ is in Boston, right across from Fenway. We still use it occasionally for off-sites. But post-COVID, we went fully remote and never looked back. We now have employees across the U.S., which is amazing, though sometimes we forget where everyone is located!

Jena Dunay: That’s a great segue. How do you keep the culture intact with a fully remote team?

Brittany: Great question. It’s a challenge, especially from the HR side, but we’re really intentional. A lot of our team, like sales, design, and experiential, travels for events, so there’s still some face-to-face connection. Internally, we focus on “moments that matter”: quarterly meetings to realign with our mission, and smaller things like virtual coffee chats. No work talk allowed! Our last one was about what shows people are watching.

We also offer timely workshops on resilience, mental health, and more. We recognize employee cycles. Back-to-school is hectic, so we create supportive programming to keep people connected and avoid burnout.

Jena Dunay: Mmm! So good. What are you watching right now?

Brittany: The Bear! I’m obsessed.

Jena Dunay: Okay! I also love The Bear! Though this season I haven’t been as into it. We’ll talk about that offline!

Jena Dunay: So how did you find Her Campus Media? How did you land your job?

Brittany: I was at L'Oréal for over six years and loved it. I led our early careers program and needed help with employer branding and student engagement. Her Campus Media stepped in and we worked together for four months. I loved the team!

Later, I needed a remote job. I had just had my first son and moved to be closer to family. I reached out to them not even to apply, just to ask if they knew anyone hiring. And they were like, "Wait, we might have a role!" It started as a part-time HR role and evolved into this Head of People and Culture role. I officially joined at the end of 2023!

Jena Dunay: Wow! I love that story. You weren’t running away from something, you were running toward something. That’s a great sign of a good employer brand. Also, that you reached out casually, not asking for a job, just starting the conversation. It’s such a great strategy!

Brittany: Absolutely. My dad was in sales and always said, "Just ask!" If I hadn’t reached out, I wouldn’t be here.

Jena Dunay: So good! Okay, back to culture. What are some unique benefits of working at Her Campus Media?

Brittany: We’re very mission-driven. We empower Gen Z through programs like our Creator Program, which upskills influencers and helps them earn more. Employees love that what they do matters. They can see the impact, whether through content, events, or feedback from creators and students. It’s exciting and energizing!

Jena Dunay: Love that! What values drive your culture?

Brittany: Entrepreneurial mindset is key. Our founders were entrepreneurs, and we look for people who are innovative, adaptable, and collaborative. You have to be open to shifting priorities and wearing many hats. It’s not for everyone, but those who thrive here love it.

Jena Dunay: Yes! Who do you think is a great fit for your company?

Brittany: People who are adaptable, entrepreneurial, and thrive in fast-paced environments. We work with students, so we have rush seasons like back-to-school. We also collaborate across departments constantly, so communication and the ability to influence, but also listen, are vital. If you’re someone who sees something and takes ownership, you’ll fit in here.

Jena Dunay: Are you hiring?

Brittany: Yes! We’re hiring for a Director of Social, someone creative and strategic who loves TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. We’re also hiring on the integrated marketing team, especially for campaign support during back-to-school season. We’re growing our ad ops team too!

Jena Dunay: Amazing! What are some things you’re working to improve as a company?

Brittany: We’re always evolving in a remote world. Employee needs change. We’re also exploring how to use AI thoughtfully, to be more efficient but still people-first. Mental health is a big focus. We offer summer Fridays, mental health days, and two weeks off during the holidays. But we’re always asking: are people okay? Are they burning out? There’s no one fix. We have to keep listening and adapting.

Jena Dunay: So good. Final question: how do I get my resume seen? What’s your advice?

Brittany: The black hole is real! But take that extra 1% effort, send a quick message on LinkedIn to the recruiter or a peer. You don’t need a full pitch. Just say you applied and are excited. Right now, we’re seeing triple the applicants, so raise your hand and wave! Even a short email helps. Referrals matter too. Don’t be afraid to ask. You have nothing to lose!

Jena Dunay: Yes! Make it easier for the hiring manager!

Jena Dunay: Where can people learn more and apply?

Brittany: Head to our website, Her Campus Media. “Her Campus” is one of our brands. The umbrella company is Her Campus Media. You’ll find job postings there, and we also post internships every semester. So send them to your Gen Z kids!

Jena Dunay: Awesome! Thank you, Brittany! I loved learning more about Her Campus Media. Go check them out, and if you're applying, send that message! See you next week on Culture Uncovered!

Brittany: Thank you! I loved it!