Background

Off the Record was created by Gab Ferree, a communications leader with 15 years of experience at brand-name companies. Gab rose from individual contributor at a startup to VP Global Communications at Bumble in just six years. The community was built to fill a gap she experienced throughout her career: the lack of practical guidance, honest feedback, and supportive mentorship that communications professionals need to navigate an increasingly complex landscape.

The platform emerged from real challenges Gab faced—learning by doing, burning out, and bouncing back—and her desire to create the support system she wished existed when she was building her career. Off the Record provides the tools, insights, and community that help comms pros stop winging it and start leading with confidence.

Founder Background

Gab Ferree is a comms VP-slash-coach who's been leading communications for 15 years at brand-name companies. She rose from individual contributor at a startup to VP Global Communications at Bumble in just six years. Her growth wasn't linear, easy, or obvious—she built Off the Record because she didn't have a roadmap and had to figure it out as she went.

Previous Leadership Positions:

• Bumble (VP Global Communications)
• Salesforce (Senior Director of Communications)
• Slack (Senior Director of Communications)
• OneTrust (Global Head of Communications)
• Edelman

She brings hands-on experience navigating media collapse, declining institutional trust, algorithm changes, employee activism, and the "do more with less" mandate that defines modern communications work. She's giving comms pros the guidance, coaching, and community she always wished she had.

Core Offerings & What's Inside

Off the Record is a coaching and community membership built for comms professionals who are ready to rise as a communications leader. If you've ever wanted a comms BFF, a behind-the-scenes playbook, or a place where ambitious professionals trade real talk about career growth, clarity, and what it actually takes to lead with confidence, this is it.

Monthly Workshops & Trainings

Expert-led trainings covering what's trending, what's shifting, and what actually works in modern comms. Topics include crisis management, executive positioning, media strategy, internal communications, and career advancement.

Office Hours

Bring your pitch, plan, or problem and get honest, strategic feedback. Ask Me Anythings, minus the fluff. All members unlock group coaching in monthly Office Hours.

Template Vault

From annual planning to crisis plans, plug-and-play templates that save time. Updated regularly with crowd favorites. These include strategy frameworks, messaging documents, pitch templates, and communication playbooks.

C-Suite Chats

Real talk from leaders outside of comms about what they wish we knew and lessons the pros who've earned their trust.

Comms Community

A private space where smart, ambitious comms pros share support, trade ideas, and say the quiet parts out loud. Members from leading companies including Okta, Netflix, Peloton, Zillow, Grammarly, and Make-A-Wish offer guidance, support, and connections.

On Demand Replays

Catch up, rewatch or listen to past recordings, expert sessions, and member favorites whenever you need a boost (or missed it live).

Special Events

Hot-topic sessions on the trends and challenges you're navigating now. When it's too timely to wait for a workshop, it shows up here.

Meetups

No slides. No pressure. Just casual mixers where members swap ideas, share what's working, and connect on themes like media relations and employee comms.

Members-Only Podcast

Catch up on the go with the members-only podcast feed. Every workshop, expert session, and must-hear moment in your Apple or Google podcast feed.

Ideal For

• Communications professionals across all specialties: external comms, PR, internal comms, executive communications, and social media
• Communicators navigating the jump to leadership
• Communications managers and directors seeking peer support and fresh perspectives
• Professionals feeling isolated in their roles or lacking mentorship
• Comms pros navigating career transitions, job searches, or promotion cycles
• Anyone tired of "winging it" and ready to build sustainable, strategic approaches to their work

Current Industry Challenges Addressed

Off the Record specifically helps communications professionals navigate:

• Collapse of traditional media landscape: Adapting to fragmented media and new channels
• Declining trust in institutions: Building credibility in a skeptical environment
• Algorithm changes: Keeping pace with constant platform evolution
• "Do more with less" mandates: Strategic prioritization with limited resources
• Unclear feedback and missing mentorship: Getting honest guidance on performance and growth
• Employee expectations and activism: Navigating complex internal stakeholder dynamics

Membership Bonuses

For Annual Members:

Pricing & Investment

Off the Record is an investment that directly moves your career forward. It's less than the cost of a client lunch, a 30-minute coaching call, or a ticket to a comms conference. Most employers cover the cost through L&D or comms budgets.

Value Breakdown:

If sold separately, everything inside Off the Record would easily top $12,000/year. The membership provides strategic support, real feedback, and a community that gets it—all without the hefty price tag.

Both tiers include access to all workshops, office hours, templates, community, replays, special events, meetups, and the members-only podcast feed.

Comparison to Alternatives:

• Executive coaching: Easily $500+/month for far less access
• Single conference ticket: $5,000+ for just a few days
• Off the Record: Ongoing support, coaching, and community for a fraction of the cost

Company Reimbursement:

Most members use their company's L&D or comms budget to cover or offset the cost. Many employers agree that professional development for communications leaders is a worthwhile investment.

Key Differentiators

• Practitioner-Led: Built and led by someone who's done the work at the highest levels, not by consultants or theorists
• Specialized Focus: Exclusively for communications professionals, not generic professional development
• Real-World Application: Emphasis on practical tools and templates that can be used immediately
• Unfiltered Truth: Honest, candid guidance without corporate platitudes or generic advice
• Peer Community: Access to professionals who've faced similar challenges and can offer battle-tested solutions
• Career Focus: Not just skills development but strategic career advancement and positioning
• Always-On Support: Continuous access to community, not limited to scheduled office hours or sessions
• AI Tools: Every workshop has instructions to put into your favorite AI tool and guide you through the process

Member Testimonials

Value Proposition

Off the Record provides three core pillars of value:

1. Training

Practical, tactical and immediately applicable, hyper-relevant comms training that you can use to better at your job that very same day. 

2. Community

Connect with communications professionals who understand your challenges and can offer practical guidance, support, and career-advancing connections.

3. Coaching

Access to direct coaching from a VP-level communications leader and peer feedback that helps you navigate complex situations with confidence.

4. Career Clarity

Strategic frameworks, tools, and guidance to help you get promoted, paid fairly, and positioned as a leader in your organization.

Community Demographics

Experience Level:

More than half of Off the Record members have over 10+ years of experience in communications. The community includes seasoned professionals who've done the time and are here to level up, as well as newer pros learning from experienced leaders.

Work Environment:

Nearly 70% of members work in-house at companies or brands across industries. The rest span agencies, consultancies, and nonprofits—bringing a wide lens and insider edge.

Functional Areas:

Good comms doesn't happen in silos. Members lead across multiple disciplines including media relations, internal communications, executive visibility, social media, crisis response, employer brand, and more.

Community Scope

Off the Record serves communications professionals across all disciplines:

• External Communications: Brand narrative, corporate messaging, stakeholder relations
• Public Relations: Media relations, crisis management, executive positioning
• Internal Communications: Employee engagement, change management, culture initiatives
• Executive Communications: C-suite messaging, thought leadership, strategic positioning
• Social Media: Platform strategy, content creation, community management

Off the Record IS For You If:

• You're a comms pro ready to grow, gain autonomy, and own it
• You want to stay ahead of the curve on AI, media shifts, algorithm changes, and the trust crisis
• You want real feedback, not vague advice
• You're craving tools, scripts, and shortcuts to save time and level up
• You're looking for clarity, confidence, and the freedom to lead on your own terms
• You're no longer climbing the ladder just to prove yourself—you're ready to lead with clarity and confidence
• You want to earn your seat at the leadership table and still make it home in time for the dinner table

Off the Record is NOT For You If:

• You want someone to do the work for you
• You think feedback is criticism, and you're not ready to hear it
• You're still clinging to the idea that your boss should always tell you what to do
• You're content with checking boxes and hoping someone notices
• You're not ready to be a part of a space that's real, ambitious, and supportive

Press & News

What Off the Record Is NOT

• Not a marketing or advertising-focused community
• Not a freelance marketplace or agency resource
• Not focused on product marketing or demand generation
• Not a certification program or academic course

Frequently Asked Questions