Scrutiny Forecasting
Public outrage rarely comes out of the blue.
The signs are always there.
The Modern Fire provides confidential forecasts to help organizations see what’s coming and decide what to do next.
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Talk through your goals, circumstances, and the decisions ahead.
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Get Immediate Help
If attention is already escalating, contact us for an immediate assessment.
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01 / The shift
You’re likely too close to see your situation clearly.
We call it a lack of depth perception.
You and your team have been living with big ideas for weeks, months, and sometimes years. It takes bravery to dive into the unknown and build a concept from scratch.
Especially when you have 20 or 25 other things on your to-do list.
Your group has worked through every detail of the concept in Word documents, PowerPoint decks, on whiteboards, and in Zoom meetings. Odds are, you’ve had meetings about trade-offs too. Maybe you argued about it with co-workers, stakeholders, and bosses, and you came to an agreement. But what happens when this idea leaves your bubble?
That’s where The Modern Fire comes in.
We believe most of the world’s stories about you and your ideas are foreseeable, and most people lack the luxury of time, manpower, and independence to see them.
The Modern Fire obsesses over these stories. We study you, your hopes, and dreams, model the likely outcomes and how the public will react to them.
The names and details change, but there’s nothing new under the sun, because human behavior and public reactions follow familiar patterns.
02 / Service
Scrutiny Forecasts
A confidential, independent analysis of the pressure surrounding your organization, leadership team, or next major decision.
We examine your goals, circumstances, stakeholders, public records, fan sentiment, social media discourse, and other vulnerabilities. Our associates compare your situation with similar events, identify the fault lines most likely to threaten your reputation and goals, and model the most likely outcomes.
You’ll receive clear findings and the evidence behind them. And a partner to help prepare for the best and worst of what’s to come next.
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03 / Model
See what’s coming. Decide what to do next.
Scrutiny Forecasts everything you need to know to prepare for the consequences of your circumstance, from stakeholder and fan sentiment to black swan events.
Before pressure peaks
- Forecast (Understand) — See what’s coming.
- Prepare (Act) — Get ready.
Under active scrutiny
- Read (Understand) — Understand what’s happening now.
- Manage (Act) — Decide what to do next.
04 / Founder
Perspective from both sides of the microphone.
The Modern Fire was founded by James A. Brown, an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and communications adviser whose work has appeared on NPR, PBS, BBC, and USA TODAY.
He’s spent years asking leaders hard questions. Now he puts that experience to work for the people being asked.
05 / Next step
See the whole picture.
If your organization faces change, rising attention, or a decision that could bring greater scrutiny, start with a confidential conversation.
Schedule a Consultation →
If the situation requires help today:
Get Immediate Help →