Who we
are
and how we got this way
it's a long story
I help people build their creative confidence and give voice to their stories.
If you could name one thing--just one thing that never bores you, what would it be?
For me, the answer is: stories.
Stories have always mattered to humans and for the past 20 years, my life's work has been giving voice to as many stories as possible. Business stories. Personal stories. Success stories. Failure stories. They all count.
About Jill Pollack
I’d like to think I’m helping create a Communications Revolution by teaching the art and science of telling a good story to people who may not think of themselves as storytellers. And just in time, too.
The story a company (or a person) tells isn’t about a skill or product; it’s about who they are. That story can either earn you confidence and trust, or a swipe into the trash.
I’m Jill Pollack, the Chief Story Wrangler of StoryStudio Words for Work, founder of the creative writing school, StoryStudio Chicago, and Board Chair of Stories Matter Foundation.
The crossroad between creative and business communications has always interested me, noticing how each artistic discipline blends and bleeds into the other. How can we make this connection even stronger?
I’m a true believer in the intense power of stories to change the world. That’s why I turned my career focus to the vital world of social impact.
My commitment to students and clients is matched only by my commitment to making our world a better place. StoryStudio Chicago was certified as a B Corp in 2013, is a woman-owned business, and a champion of small businesses and entrepreneurs near and far.
In 2019, StoryStudio’s creative writing school became Stories Matter Foundation, a nonprofit that is now able to reach many more communities and give voice to many more storytellers. The Foundation is growing quickly and brings together the school, The Chicago Review of Books, Writers Festival, and outreach programs.
I’m a writer, an artist, an entrepreneur, and a connector.
Most of all, I’m a teacher, cheerleader, and creative coach. I’ve been leading and inspiring storytellers of all stripes for more than 20 years and I’m on a mission to rid the world of boring business communication.
We love possibility…and collaboration.
Creative Writing at Work
Just like the best stories, StoryStudio is always growing and changing. What started as a school for creative writers morphed into a storytelling home for all types of creators working on personal and professional projects. (Read more about StoryStudio’s creative side of life.)
Words for Work brings those lessons of creative writing and storytelling to people at small businesses, social impact organizations, corporations, creative agencies, nonprofits, and innovate businesses who want to rise above the noise and truly connect with their customers and stakeholders.
About Story Mode
We like to say Story Mode is pure freakin’ magic.
I have been lucky enough to have spent a decade creating and collaborating with my talented friend and longtime colleague, Beth Nyland We called this collaboration Story Mode.
You might know us from our webshops and workshops on business writing, storytelling, and presenting. Or, you may have worked with us on instilling a story-sensibility to your workplace. Perhaps you’ve been coached by us in a professional leadership program or heard us on a podcast.
We were really are like no other company. Our teaching methods were an incredible mix of action, adventure, imagination, improv… all using plain old pen and paper, brainstorming, and clear language.
Creative muscles are strengthened in many ways.
“We were never being boring.” Pet shop boys
What makes us tick?
A note about luck
I was once asked if luck has played a meaningful role in my life and business.
I responded by admitting that I don’t know how luck works. But, I do believe that we create our own opportunities by stating our goals and dreams out loud, and by meeting people and getting involved in projects larger than ourselves.
And, by saying Yes at the right moments.