Brewing Confidence. And Waffles.
Confidence is one of those things — it’s easy to grow, but just as easy to knock down.
A compliment can spark it, while a sideways glance can shatter it. We’ve all been there. One moment, you’re feeling on top of the world, and the next, you’re questioning if you know how to spell “necessary” (hint: it’s two Cs, one S).
That’s why supporting places like Philips Academy is important to us. They know that confidence isn’t just a bonus skill — it’s essential. For students with learning differences, it’s the foundation for everything: showing up, speaking up, and stepping into the world with pride. And they’ve found that the right mix of real-world experience, encouragement, and yes, waffles, can make all the difference.
Philips Academy is a private, non-profit school that provides middle and high school students with complex language, learning, and cognitive disabilities the tools they need to thrive. Their mission? To equip students with the academic, social, and occupational skills they’ll need to become confident, self-reliant adults who can contribute to their communities.
It’s about more than just textbooks — Philips Academy focuses on real-world prep, and we get to be part of that.
Every month, we team up with students from Philips Academy for an event we call Coffles and Waffee — where the students sell coffee. And we make waffles. The event is open to the public and industry professionals are invited to network, laugh, and make meaningful connections while…eating breakfast.
The students at Philips Academy get to practice real-world employment skills, meet new people, and raise money for their school, and we get our caffeine fix — with a side of inspiration.
But that’s not all — we wanted to do more.
After our most recent Coffles and Waffee event, 20 students from Phillips Academy joined us for a day-in-the-life advertising crash course. We broke out into small groups, and covered everything from copywriting and photography to event planning, design, and account management.
Spoiler: The students absolutely crushed it.
They were engaged, curious, and brought a whole new energy to our space that left us feeling more than a little bit inspired. Honestly, we learned just as much from them as they did from us.
But Coffles and Waffee is just the beginning. Beyond our caffeine-filled collaborations, we’re proud to make donations to Philips Academy and cheer them on at events — like their homecoming tailgate. Because what’s life without a little school spirit?
At the end of the day, it’s the coaches, teachers, and organizations like Philips Academy that remind us why giving back matters. They inspire us to do more, try harder, and use what we do best — making ads — to help make the world a little better too.
So here’s to the real makers. To everyone out there working to create a brighter future. You’re the reason we do what we do. And hey — if there are waffles involved, even better.
