Freeman Means Business

Maria Ross, the founder of brand consultancy Red Slice, believes cash flow, creativity and compassion are not mutually exclusive. She advises entrepreneurs and fast-growth businesses on building irresistible brand stories to better connect with customers. Maria is the author of several books, including Branding Basics for Small Business and Rebooting My Brain and her new book is The Empathy Edge: Harnessing the Value of Compassion as an Engine for Success. She understands the power of empathy on the brand and personal levels: In 2008, shortly after launching her business, she suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm that almost killed her and inspired her memoir, Rebooting My Brain. Maria has spoken to audiences ranging from The New York Times to BlogHer and has appeared in numerous media outlets, including MSNBC, ABC News, Forbes.com and Entrepreneur. She also writes for many outlets, including columns on Entrepreneur.com and Huffington Post.  Maria lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, young son, and precocious mutt.