By The Team | Red Rock Branding – Your Purpose Driven Agency
We decided this week that our backroom staff deserve some public attention. After all, these loyal colleagues are joining our online Zoom meetings and helping each day go by faster. As you will see, they each, in their own way, help us get our job done!
MAX, DAISY, MADDIE, HILLARY & THUMPER
Jamestown, PA
Meet Social Media Manager Jess Mannering’s fur crew — guaranteed to keep every Zoom call lively and every workday unpredictable. Max, her 1.5-year-old chocolate lab rescue, is the epitome of “just happy to be here” — whether snoozing under her desk or greeting delivery drivers like old friends. Daisy, a 2.5-year-old mini Australian shepherd, might be small, but she runs the entire household with her big personality and her beloved ball, which she expects everyone to throw… nonstop. Maddie, Jess’s wise 12.5-year-old black lab, holds the title of Queen of the House; she’s happiest napping between snack breaks and private games of fetch (her sister Daisy has a habit of stealing her toys!). Hillary, the 15-year-old black cat, is all sass and no nonsense, always ready to demand treats or lick your hand like a puppy while being petted. Rounding out the family is Thumper, Jess’s 2-year-old rescue bunny who lives her best life munching on romaine and exploring every nook she can find. Together, they’re proof that a little chaos and a lot of fur make every workday better!
DEXTER
UK > Spain > CT, USA > Spain
Meet Dexter the Cockapoo! He was born in Southampton, England, and lived in Spain before relocating to Connecticut. In 2022, he then made his journey back to Spain, making him possibly the most well traveled Cockapoo in the world! He has certainly racked up some air miles over the years. ✈️ He was indeed named after the infamous TV serial killer, and he spends his days either chasing tennis balls, dreaming of chasing tennis balls or making impromptu appearances at Red Rock meetings. His favorite food is chicken, anything. Prince Dexter, as he likes to be referred to, is very active on social media with regular posts to Facebook. Check out some of his adventures, including his modeling work, a selection of good and bad haircuts, and his videos, including one of him landing at JFK.
GB AND FRANCES
West Haven, CT
GB stands for Gorgeous Bird (as if I needed to tell you that!) I am a Blue Indian Ringneck Parrot. Elinor is my person. Frances is my sister-slash-frenemy. I have been with Elinor since November 2019. Frances came along in August 2021. We chat throughout the day. I am quite the conversationalist! I mainly ask her, “What’s going on?” over and over. My favorite treats are walnuts in their shells and fortune cookies. I also really enjoy having the whole Red Rock flock together on Zoom calls!
SPRINKLES
Milford, CT > Spain
Sprinkles (Sprinks to his friends) is deeply committed to his 18+ hours a day sleeping schedule. He has been one of our feline co-workers for many years at Red Rock Branding and often features in the Zoom background. Many of my Zoom callers like to show how well read they are with real or virtual libraries and stacks of books, but I have Sprinkles on the couch in my Zoom background.
FINNEGAN, WU KITTY, MIDI AND THE COUNT
CT > CARVER, MA
Every good social media engagement specialist needs a backroom team—mine just happens to purr, wag, and nap between strategy sessions.
My most loyal behind-the-scenes teammates are four rescued companions who make every workday brighter. Finnegan, my steadfast dog and office sidekick, was rescued from the streets of South Carolina and has been with me from the beginning of my own long personal health journey—attending Zoom calls, work outings, podcast events, and even snagging the 2019 “It’s All About Work” prize at Marty’s Café’s Best Dog in the World Contest in Washington, CT. He also appears in my book Wisdom in the MEOW (and its Spanish edition Sabiduría del MIAU)—where Wu Kitty takes center stage as the star, and Finn plays her loyal sidekick, the white dog with the brown spots. Wu Kitty herself was rescued from death row at NYC Animal Control and transformed from a semi-feral cat into a published author, advocate, and retired mascot of the Wu Healing Center. Her story is also featured in the anthology Rescued Volume 2: The Healing Stories of 12 Cats, Through Their Eyes. She continues to share her wisdom and connect with fans through her Community text messaging app (860-362-3310), a lively Facebook page with nearly 16k followers, and an active Instagram presence—where she acts as her own social media engagement specialist, listening, connecting, and building authentic relationships across platforms. Like human, like feline, Wu embodies the same values I bring to my work at Red Rock: authentic engagement, meaningful connection, and the spirit of healthy people, healthy planet.
Rounding out the crew are gentle Midi, a rescue from the projects in Connecticut who will celebrate her 20th birthday this October, and The Count, a majestic Maine Coon mix who was dumped at a feral colony I managed in Connecticut. Clearly not feral, but getting beaten up, he became a “foster fail” and permanent family member. Despite their ages and health challenges, all four thrive thanks to wraparound services of traditional and holistic veterinary care—with an emphasis on the holistic side, including special diets, acupuncture, chiropractic treatments, reiki, anesthesia-free dental care, and pulsed electromagnetic field therapy. They’re not just beloved pets; they embody the spirit of healthy people, healthy planet by reminding us daily that wellness, compassion, and creativity go hand in paw.
FERGIE
UK
As a keen and frequent traveller, I sadly have no pets to keep me company as I work. I do, however, have the excellent company of Fergie, my asparagus fern. He is the one on the left.
TOBY
CT
Written by Toby (with a little help from Jen)
Hi there. I’m Toby. They say I’m part British Shorthair and look and act like Garfield. I was rescued at about five months old by Forgotten Felines, a no-kill, all-volunteer shelter in Connecticut. After a short stint living outside, I was cleaned up, named Toby, and then they walked in — a family of four, visiting during an Open House. Out of a handful of rooms full of cats and kittens, they all chose me. Not to brag, but I was the purrfect mix of playful and cuddly.
Now, at a youthful 11 years old, I continue to live the good life. I have a cat tree, lounger, and just about every room has a bed or box with a blanket that I’ve claimed as my own. One of my favorite spots is the three-season porch, especially when they move my food out there and tell me I’m eating al fresco. I don’t know what that means, but I do like the combination of sunshine, snacks, and ambiance. I often try to sneak outside — and sometimes I succeed. I just want a little taste of nature now and then.
During the day, it’s mostly just me and Jen. I watch birds fly and squirrels dart around the yard, while she stares at the computer for hours and talks to it a lot. I hear all kinds of voices coming from it — sometimes even British ones. When I decide it’s time for a break and attention, I just hop on the kitchen counter, knock over a glass of water, or unleash a purrfectly-timed meow. Works every time.
We hope you enjoy seeing the critter friends on our Red Rock team.