Company: The Stories and Wisdom Company, Seattle, WA
Company Description: At the Stories & Wisdom Company we are changing the way the world thinks about human engagement & culture transformation with our neuroscience backed approach and technology. We drive your organizational performance by increasing team cohesiveness and organizational belonging for your customer, partner and employee teams with storytelling, gamification and social learning.
Nomination Category: Company / Organization Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Startup of the Year - Business Products Industries
 Nomination Title: The Stories and Wisdom Company
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes in length about the achievements of the nominated organization since 1 January 2022, OR written answers to the questions for this category? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the nominated video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this first question: Briefly describe the nominated organization: its history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 197 words used.
According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace: 2023 Report, every other employee (59%) is disengaged at work, costing the global economy a staggering $8.8 trillion in lost productivity. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy's warning of a "loneliness epidemic" further emphasized the urgent need for a "culture of connection" to counteract this alarming trend.
Drawing from an illustrious tenure at Microsoft, where our founder earned accolades such as induction into the Microsoft Innovation Wall of Fame and the Employee Experience 360 award, the journey towards combating this epidemic began. Inspired by a mesmerizing sight of starlings in murmuration during a visit to Cairns, Australia, our founder envisioned a world where individuals could form super-teams, sparking the founding of The Stories and Wisdom Company in March 2023.
At the heart of our endeavor lies "Stories," our pioneering flagship platform rooted in neuroscience. Launched in August 2023, this platform challenges conventional norms, offering highly customizable learning experiences at team meetings, offsites, and conferences. By harnessing the power of narratives, it fosters genuine connections and drives meaningful change, positioning The Stories and Wisdom Company as a trailblazer in corporate culture transformation.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this second question: Outline the organization's achievements since the beginning of 2022 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 237 words used.
The inaugural year for The Stories and Wisdom Company has been marked by robust engagement with customers and partners, and significant accolades. Our platform has garnered nine prestigious industry awards, underscoring our innovative approach to fostering workplace connections.
Our platform has facilitated meaningful discussions across a variety of settings—from iconic sports retail companies in Portland addressing mental health and disability, to federal teams in DC enhancing connectedness for suicide prevention. Furthermore, the platform's versatility was showcased at CMO conferences and university campuses, aiding students in discussing personal goals and visions. Feedback from users highlights the platform's impact:
- "… allowed people to not only be relaxed and have fun, but also to develop trust through storytelling which works for teams across all beliefs, cultures, and backgrounds."
- "This is a powerful platform to facilitate true connection within teams with storytelling as the great backdoor to capture emotions that people have. I think it should be a regularly used tool, because not only do teams change, organizations change, but people change.”
To amplify our impact, we have expanded our global presence by partnering with organizations across the USA, Canada, UK, Middle East, and South Asia. To support our partners' growth, we have implemented a comprehensive three-tier certification program. This initiative ensures that partners are well-prepared to onboard their clients and scale transformative changes effectively within organizations.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this third question: Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the organization's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 249 words used.
The achievements of The Stories and Wisdom Company in its first year exceed industry norms, particularly with our STORIES platform. This platform has revolutionized the traditional corporate training landscape by focusing on immersive storytelling to enhance empathy, team bonding, and role clarity. The effectiveness of this approach is evident in our exceptional feedback scores: a 9/10 post-experience rating and 91.7% of participants confirming the achievement of learning objectives. These results starkly contrast with typical corporate training tools, which often fail to engage participants beyond superficial levels. The potential for broader applications and AI integration has stakeholders excited, with ongoing discussions for expanded implementations.
A significant milestone for our company has been the successful application of our platforms in scenarios such as suicide prevention, mental health services and societal rehabilitation. This extension beyond corporate L&D underscores the platform's versatility and profound impact.
Our platform's inclusive design features, including WCAG compliance. At our in-person workshop we feature Analog Cards with braille-stickers to make sure everyone can engage. This commitment ensures all users, regardless of disability, can benefit from our services. Additionally, the Wisdom platform's use of AI for real-time sentiment analysis and feedback provides leaders with unprecedented insights into organizational health, establishing a new benchmark for data-driven decision-making in corporate environments.
The rapid accumulation of nine industry awards and extensive engagement across both private and public sectors within just a year of operation highlights our innovative edge and leadership.
- You have the option to answer this final question: Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 224 words used.
Our nomination is supported by four key attachments:
- List of Industry Awards: A comprehensive list of the nine industry awards received in the past 12 months.
- Company Website: Details our vision, solutions, products, and our company's story.
- Neuroscience Explanation Document: explains the principles that underpin our platform, providing a scientific basis for the design and effectiveness of our solutions.|
- Platform Summary Video: A 90-second video that includes platform screenshots, and a summary of user experiences.
Inclusivity was not an afterthought but the cornerstone of our approach. From the development phase to implementation, our digital platform adhered to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standards, ensuring that every team member, including our vision-impaired colleague, could actively participate. We had a client member who used a JAWS (Braille) keyboard who loved this feature, while our real-time transcription allowed people with ESL and/or hearing issues to collaborate. Our color choices also was highlighted by people with color blindness, stating that our inclusive design helped them collaborate better. At our in-person workshop we featured Analog Cards with braille-stickers to make sure every team member could engage.
The combination of our vision, expansive use cases, impactful customer experiences, partner network, innovative certification programs, and significant industry recognition, all documented in our attachments, provide robust evidence supporting our nomination for this prestigious award.
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