Business Innovation Certificate

Module 1: Design Thinking – Facilitated by Holly O’Driscoll, Founder and CEO at Ampersand Innovation

We all know experiences are more meaningful than words. In this certificate program, you’ll have a hands on experience, learning both the mindset and method of Design Thinking. Covering the principles of empathy, problem framing, ideation, prototyping, and testing, this program will leave you with tools and stories to take back to your business for immediate application.

Led by one of the world’s most experienced female Design Thinking practitioners, you will be left inspired, motivated, and equipped to bring Design Thinking to life in your organization!

Module 1 content includes:

• Learning the principles of Design Thinking
• Tools to take back to your organization to start applying in your business
• Ways to cultivate a mindset of human centeredness to influence the culture in your organization
• Creating conditions inside the organization where innovators can thrive

Module 2: Storytelling – Facilitated by Shane Meeker, Founder of StoryMythos

More than ever, there is one thing that truly separates many brands and companies today – that one thing is STORY. It’s no longer just what people buy, it’s what they buy into. When it comes to creating powerful brand connections, engaging presentations, and inspirational business strategies, a good story can make whatever you share more impactful.

His presentations include surprising insights, engaging personal stories, fun movie references and “Hollywood-esque” tools that everyone will remember and use long after the event ends. Audiences will leave inspired and excited to use Shane’s content right away.

Module 2 content includes:

• Why do we love stories? The simple human TRUTH behind storytelling and why it’s important for every business today to up their story game
• The story building block of EMPATHY and why the best movies and brands use it
• Learning valuable story lessons from the industry of Stage, Page and Screen – why every business needs to follow the entertainment industry TRENDS and how your favorite movies can help build better business stories
• Film School 101 for business and the difference between your brand PLOT and your brand STORY and why the latter is where to focus
• The Science of Story and how to best share data in your narrative – how Pixar, Aristotle and your favorite brands understand the “HEAD and HEART” effect
• WORDS Matter – using story principles to bring to life your brand “WHY?” and how Dumbledore, Simon Sinek, Disney and Tesla think about it as an important guide
• A Story RECIPE – why creating a story is like “cooking” and the 5 key ingredients you need (along with a special 6th)
• The FUNDAMENTAL Story Structure – how to sum up every story ever told with a single sentence – one framework that rules them all and how to use it as a quick story template
• The MENTOR character and why Glinda the Good Witch and Obi Wan Kenobi are critical to your brand
• SEQUEL Strategy and your innovation pipelines – you can learn a lot from how Hollywood and a TV series approach sequels and why your brand is like Toy Story & the Marvel Cinematic Universe
• Several helpful and creative story tools like the REMIX, THEME, PITCH and the 7- SENTENCE STORY FRAMEWORK

Module 3: Creativity & Improv – facilitated by Scott Docherty, Founder of Museology

Scott’s Creativity training is a highly-interactive, fun and fast-paced learning session that provides a framework for understanding and applying dramatic improvisational tools to meet real business needs. Participants are engaged and challenged by experiential exercises—tapping into their innate creativity to find practical applications in their work and relationships.

Participant take-aways include increased confidence with uncertainty/ambiguity to generate new ideas, techniques to recognize/ replace unproductive thinking patterns and a methodology to foster creative potential and innovation.

Module 3 content includes:

• Explore the relationship and need for creativity within the business setting. Understand the relationship between creativity, risk-taking, and failure and how these are prerequisites for innovation
• Learn to use divergent and convergent thinking to leverage personal creativity to meet business needs
• Discover techniques that change the way we approach problems/ problem-solving through disassociated connections and collaboration
• Practice improvisational skills and principles through engaging “play” in a safe, non-judgmental environment
• Learn to flex your creative muscle and “bust” the cultural myth that only certain types of people are creative

Mid-level managers and team leaders that strive to bring design thinking and creativity to their organization’s daily practice. Senior leaders who are looking to build a culture of innovation within the organization. Senior executives and business owners who want to build a culture of innovation where creativity becomes a competitive advantage in their organization.