About Shelly

Shelly J. Spiegel is a founder, culture architect, and remote work pioneer. Over the course of her career, Shelly has led three companies where she championed a thriving workplace culture alongside profit goals.

A Proven Record of Culture-Driven Results

In 2001, Shelly founded Fire Engine RED, a marketing, tech, and analytics firm. It was one of the first fully remote companies in the U.S. Fire Engine RED was also the first remote company to be recognized by Inc. Magazine as a 2011 Top Small Company Workplace, for its talented team, innovative company culture, and core values. Shelly designed a workplace where employees felt seen, valued, and inspired. Under her leadership, Fire Engine RED became a highly trusted brand in higher education. It also earned a reputation for its culture. Fire Engine RED’s people-centered environment consistently attracted top talent who were proud to call it home. When Shelly exited the company in 2023, she credited the successful sale to her longstanding team.

When People Feel Valued, They Speak Up

While Shelly was CEO of Fire Engine RED, she received hundreds of heartfelt notes from employees who felt valued and inspired. Check out a small sample of those testimonials below.

"Hot damn, I love this company! It’s fantastic how eager you are to recognize and reward us for working in such a fun environment. I truly love my job for so many reasons, but above all, because we’re free to be as creative as we want — and we’re rewarded for it. So, thanks for hiring me, for paying me to be creative, and for making Fire Engine RED such a fun place to work!”

“As I watch all the camaraderie in the i_voted channel, I can’t help but think how incredible you are at keeping our virtual team connected. Even after all these years, I truly feel in touch with everyone — including those I haven’t met in person — and it reminds me how valuable these interactive chats are. They help build a more cohesive, happy, positive, and productive team. Thank you for always thinking of us and for making every new experience in this virtual environment so unique!”

"What you’ve created is incredible AND unique. You have made elections (and things like health and retirement education) a movement. It’s amazing how Fire Engine RED can feel like a community and not just a company - and we’re VIRTUAL! I’m proud to be a part of a company that actually has a SOUL."

“I feel incredibly lucky to work for someone who truly cares about their employees enough to say, ‘Do what you need to do.’ I’m still processing everything, but it’s comforting to know that the people around me — both in spirit and in presence — share those same values.”

“Being at Fire Engine RED has been the highlight of my career. Just last week, my wife and I were talking about how my time at FER has made such a positive impact on our family. I’m able to spend so much more time with our kids, and the flexible schedule lets us take quick trips during the school year and longer vacations in the summer.”

“I’m back from my family leave and wanted to say a huge thank you for allowing me to spend so much time with our newborn. The weeks we had together as a family were truly invaluable. I’m incredibly grateful for the company's generous family leave policy — it’s such an amazing benefit!”

MORE TESTIMONIALS

What a People-First Culture Delivers

Shelly led a marketing, tech, and analytics company with:

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Employee retention rate in Fire Engine RED's final year

%

Executive team members with tenure of 8+ years

%

New hires through employee referrals

%

Employees with 5+ years at the company

%

Employees with 10+ years

*In December 2023, Shelly’s company was purchased by a leading higher education marketing & enrollment agency.

Get the Book

In 2019, Shelly published Fully Remote: How to set up, lead, and manage your own successful all-remote company, the first guide for work-from-anywhere leaders. It served as an invaluable resource for organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Bring Shelly’s Expertise to Your Organization

Shelly earned her B.A. at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, followed by a J.D. from the Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America.

As Christoph Guttentag, former Dean of Undergraduate Admissions at Duke University, said, “If you don’t know Shelly Spiegel, you should!”

Find out how Shelly can help your organization build a vibrant culture that attracts top talent, boosts retention, increases engagement, fuels productivity, and drives profits.

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Ready to build a work culture that pays off?

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Email

shelly.spiegel@sunnysideupconsulting.com

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LinkedIn

linkedin.com/in/shellyspiegel

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Phone Number

215-913-6066