Curiosity and imagination are at the heart of our work.
Our Mission
We believe that organizations have the power to create lasting positive impact, but only when their cultures are rooted in authentic values and lived with integrity, both inside and out.
Our mission is to partner with civil society organizations and B Corps to embed values into the everyday life of their teams, so culture becomes a source of strength rather than strain. We draw on expertise in human rights, narrative strategy, social anthropology, and behavioral science to design cultures that foster belonging, resilience, and well-being alongside innovation and impact.
By working closely with leadership, staff, and boards, we help organizations translate their values into living culture blueprints: practical frameworks that guide decisions, strengthen trust, and sustain missions through complexity and change. At its heart, our work is about aligning values and narrative so that what organizations stand for becomes inseparable from how they show up in the world.
Our Values
prioritize well-being
Big visions require sustainable practices. We design cultures where rest, care, and renewal are part of the mission.
Champion curiosity
Progress comes from questioning, learning, and experimenting. We encourage curiosity as the engine of innovation and resilience.
Fuel purpose
When culture is rooted in shared values, purpose becomes a daily practice, sparking alignment, and sustaining impact.
PLAY MORE
Awe, joy, and play are catalysts for creativity, connection, and imagination about what’s possible.
Foster belonging
Human potential flourishes when every voice is heard and every person feels valued. We build cultures that honor humanity and strengthen community.
BRIDGe GENERATIONS
We believe in the wisdom that comes from dialogue across ages and experiences. Cultures thrive when past, present, and future voices are part of the same conversation.
Our founders
MICHAEL BRAITHWAITE,
FOUNDER & Principal
With 20 years guiding advocacy groups and global human rights organizations to drive behavior change through emotionally intelligent narrative strategy. Michael’s advisory experience spans boards, founders, and international communications teams at the UN and Open Society Foundations. She now brings this expertise to help organizations turn their narratives inward to build ethical, human-centric foundations that resist burnout culture.
KAREN HEREDIA,
FOUNDER & Advisor
Karen co-founded Next Big Thing with a decade of experience at the intersection of social anthropology, stakeholder research, and global social impact. She specializes in program strategy, stakeholder engagement, and community research that helps organizations understand diverse perspectives and needs. As an advisor today, she continues to bring her background in the social sciences to help us guide workplaces in building cultures that foster strong branding, talent retention, and sustained impact.
Next Big Thing is proud to be a Certified LGBT Business Enterprise® with the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce and certified as a Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) with New York State.