You’ve got questions.
We have answers.
FAQs
Don’t see an answer to what’s keeping you up at night? Drop us note or meet up with us for a drink at the following meetups:
Thincubator // 326 Broad St, Utica / Friday, April 26 from 12-1PM
Green Onion // 2018 Genesee St, Utica / Friday, April 26 from 5:30-7PM
Q
Who should attend this workshop?
A
Almost anyone.
Anyone who needs to persuade others. Anyone looking to sell something. Anyone who wants to express themselves visually and verbally. Anyone looking to learn how world-class professionals with careers that touch… advertising, writing, filmmaking, photography, illustration, animation, acting, design, technology, marketing, non-profit, strategy, entrepreneurship, retail, manufacturing, team leadership, disruptive thinking, sales… do what they do.
Q
Do I need to sign up for all modules?
A
No. Short answer.
The series was built with modularity in mind. We understand the restraints placed on working professionals and do not require you sign up for all modules.
Longer truth.
Because our client’s work and business success is depending on team continuity and deliberate practice, we strongly encourage all participants to commit to attending all modules.
Q
What happens if I miss a module?
A
No need to apologize. Life happens.
You’ll be welcomed back into the fray. But we will not be able to refund you for missed hours because all proceeds are used to secure and fund our Subject Matter Experts prior to launching each StoryEngineWorkshop Sequence.
Q
Do I need to prepare for this workshop?
A
Yes. There is a small amount of prework.
We will send around some materials for you to digest as a workshop primer. Please be on the lookout for that to come in the form of an email.
Q
What do I need to bring with me to workshop?
A
Mostly nothing.
The only thing we require, absolutely require, is for you to bring an open mind, your curiosity and a willingness to contribute. We suggest, however, you bring whatever devices or technology you feel comfortable working on/in. In addition to your gear, we will have workstations and equipment available for “Do Day” work sessions.
Q
If you have real clients, why am I paying for this workshop?
A
Good to great question. However, you might be following the wrong storyline.
There are many ways to answer this question. Let’s refocus on the hard truth. All clients chosen for this workshop are currently underfunded but poised for growth. Hence, we are all counting on their potential and not the coins in their purse. Do we all want to get paid? Of course. And when the time is right, those that work hard will be rewarded for their efforts. That includes the client, you and the professional community.
In other words, the value you gain from participating in this workshop will be in the form of knowledge gathering, skills building, professional networking and exposure to alternative thinking from experts who do the work we all hope to do together in Utica.
Q
Am I going to benefit from this workshop?
A
Ultimately that is up to each participant.
Our commitment is to provide a place and a space for participants to learn, grow and walkaway feeling accomplished.
Q
Will my employer benefit from this workshop?
A
Yes.
In fact, here’s a cheat sheet for getting your employer to sponsor your attendance in the StoryEngineWorkshop <link>
Q
Who is leading this workshop, and why should I care?
A
National, award-winning, professional storytellers. Seasoned, strategic marketers. Advertising leaders. Photographers. Design-Thinking Tacticians. Artists. Authors. Filmmakers.
If your goal is to be a better marketer, artist, writer, business leader, community organizer, social media influencer, photographer, disrupter, developer, collaborator or teammate then who we bring to Utica and how we intended to mingle their professional expertise with client challenges should matter to you.
Q
Who are the Speakers, and what makes them so special?
A
We have enlisted a host of Speakers with interesting, relevant stories to share. See our Speakers Page to see what makes them so special.
Q
Will you feed me?
A
Like a baby bird on a warm Spring morning, we’ve heard your cries for sustenance. Snacks and beverages will be at arms-length throughout the workshop series.
Q
Can I use this work as a case study or as a portfolio piece?
A
Yes, and we encourage sharing the outcomes of your work with both your network and ours.
Q
Will there be networking opportunities included in this sequence?
A
Absolutely. We will lead and nurture the act of building community.
A fundamental principle of story is that the inciting incident is always followed by the main action. For StoryEngineWorkshop, the main action is growing a viable, self-sustaining creative community in Central Ne York.
Q
Can you guarantee work at the end of this workshop?
A
We cannot.
But hard work and follow through leads to opportunity. And, to date, Real Useful Company has employed a handful of talent on small pieces of business unrelated to this workshop and intends to continue to grow its workforce in Utica and CNY.
Q
Are there similar enrichment programs or workshops or conferences that are similar to this one?
A
Yes. There are many.
Glad to hear you’re curious about this. We think it is vitally important to be transparent about how we believe we fit into the world of education, career enrichment/advancement and skills development services.
Our methodology for delivering a high-quality learning environment is rooted in the rigor of “realness.” Real clients. Real goals. Real deadlines. Real professionals. Real stakes. Real outcomes. Real stories developed for the real world.
We will not pretend to thinc and do as a theoretical or thought experimentation exercise. Nor will we treat this workshop like a classroom. We will actually thinc aloud and do together as a group working towards a desired end.
Here’s a list of training programs or platforms we love:
Here’s a list of conferences we attend:
https://www.howdesignlive.com/
https://www.contentmarketingconference.com/
https://invisibletalks.com/conference/
Here’s a few really great courses we wish we could compete with:
https://www.writingclasses.com/
And if you want to spend up to $54,012.00 and 2 years time to build a communication arts portfolio in a classroom, you should check these out for real:
Q
What will my attendance fee be used for?
A
Only workshop essentials.
We will not use your money for anything but supporting the workshop, including Speaker honorariums (a small fee for appearing and sharing), food and equipment rentals and a special StoryEngineWorkshop sequence/cohort care package.