While a new year is in some ways a fresh start, it is also a chance to revisit the year gone by. For me, the moments of 2012 that stand out most involve people, lots and lots of amazing people. So I thought I would take this chance to introduce you to some of my collaborators and invite you to join our community of change makers!
Lisa Hemingway, Design Guru (Backyard Creative)
Lisa epitomizes what a good designer should be: creative, strategic and driven by passion. I first met Lisa at a series of workshops Vancity was putting on for female entrepreneurs and we hit it off instantly. Together, we can take the story of a company and turn it into a stunning, thought provoking brand or campaign. Lisa is currently living the life of a foot loose and fancy free entrepreneur as she is jet setting around SE Asia for 2 months! I await her return so we can join forces and take the social enterprise world by storm…
Theodora Lamb, Digital Strategist Extraordinaire
What started as an exercise during Hollyhock’s SVI Vancouver has turned into an amazing collaboration and friendship. It was Day 1 and we were asked to turn to the person next to us and introduce ourselves. Theo’s energy and enthusiasm reminded me why I love working with people who love what they do, because she certainly does. Theo’s expertise in the online marketing world is rivalled by few, a fact recognized by the companies she works with like Capulet Communications, BC Children’s Hospital and Hollyhock’s Social Change Institute (SCI). I know that a project with our names on it is waiting in the wings!
Aaron Vidas, Social Enterprise Strategist
Now I can’t go forgetting the boys! At the beginning of 2012, I met with Cory LePage, Matthew Quetton and Aaron to discuss launching a consultancy to help prepare social enterprises for investment. While the idea is still floating around, we have all found ourselves chasing after new dreams and opportunities. Aaron is one of those people who always seems to have a new passion project in the works; he epitomizes the entrepreneurial spirit and I hope our paths will cross again in 2013.
Eve Rickert, Talk Science To Me
Meeting another storyteller at my co-working space The HiVE certainly was serendipitous, and convenient! Eve tells the stories of scientists and science-based organizations, and her agency Talk Science To Me (how great is that name!) builds websites, edits and publishes articles, and designs books and promotional materials. Eve and I have already collaborated on several projects, and I helped tell her story on her newly launched website www.talksciencetome.com. We are currently pitching on several large scale campaigns, bridging our passion for science, culture and social change.
Robyn Haddow, Motion and Design
Robyn and I have known each other since high school – and we have collaborated on dozens of projects since. She crafted my beautiful hand written logo, and aside from her impeccable design eye, she is also a gifted animator and motion design artist. Robyn works with companies like Gold Tooth Creative, Barbershop Films, and of course Narrative Communications. Together, we can take our client’s story and turn it into a strategic script and a high impact story video – it is one of the best ways to immerse audiences in your messaging.
Mike Rowlands, Junxion Strategy
Aaron first told me about Mike Rowlands after learning about my passion for storytelling and strategy, and when I met him at SVI Vancouver I knew our paths would one day cross. Mike works with local and international organizations to develop high level strategy while also drumming up creative and powerful ways to implement that strategy. We recently worked together on a project and it was inspiring to see how Mike integrates his own stories and experiences to relate concepts and ideas to his clients.
These are just some of the amazing people Narrative Communications works with and alongside. And while Vancouver is often given flak for being a hard city to meet people (a study that was done last year called Connect & Engage found that “those in the 25 to 34-year-old age group feel more isolated and alone in the community”) I firmly believe that there are vibrant and inclusive communities here in Vancouver and once you find the door you will enter a universe like none other.