Getting social with Generation Y!

September 30th, 2011 | No Comments

The global event Social Media Week hit Chicago for the first time from 9/19 – 9/23/2011 and Catalyst Ranch was in on the action! With such great local events like “Journalism in the Age of the Tweet” and “The Power of Social Media for Social Activism”, we wondered where we might fit in. But with our passion for innovation and creativity, as well as invoking conversations no one else was having, we came up with the perfect event.

Realize Your Next Big Idea this Thursday- Create. Innovate. Repeat.

October 19th, 2010 | No Comments

  We all are innovators in our own ways. We know how creative you can be, we have seen it over and over again from focus groups to ideation sessions, you all bring the “sky is the limit” to the ranch. Now here is a chance to gather with like minded friends both new and [...]

Kookiest Inventions

June 2nd, 2010 | No Comments

Almost all of us have at one time or another had a crazy idea for a new product. Forbes.com has compiled a list for the 15 Kookiest Inventions:
“Even in a lackluster economy, patent lawyers keep busy. Between 1996 and 2008, the annual number of patent filings jumped 130%, to 485,000. But what some consider innovation [...]

Crazy Paper Plate Pets

May 26th, 2010 | No Comments

Holding a puppet is empowering, puppets can allow you to explore new ideas and create endless different situations. Here is an excellent energizer to spark people’s imagination and get your meeting started in the right mind set.  It is also an icebreaker getting people to laugh and work as a team. With a puppet, your [...]

Get the Creative Juices Flowing

April 21st, 2010 | No Comments

Sometimes you want to get people in a completely different mindset before you get to the meat of the business at hand. This is a great exercise to get them thinking about everything but your business – specifically a business they know nothing about. It’s also a great way to level the playing field amongst [...]

Interview with Jackie Sloane, Executive Coach and Communications Consultant

April 5th, 2010 | No Comments

 
Name: Jackie Sloane
Company: Sloane Communications, Inc.
Area of Expertise: Collaborating with people to produce results through how they communicate, engage others, cultivate relationships!
Share one of your trade secrets for keeping the energy and enthusiasm flowing when working through a long session or meeting with your clients. Laughter. Taking a moment to lighten up. Sometimes a serious [...]

Fill In The Blanks – Fun With Meetings

March 5th, 2010 | No Comments

 
Here’s a very easy and fun way to start a meeting, using the talents in the room to redesign the environment and give it some pizzazz.
 
Assignment: Draw the missing half of a face of a person.
Allotted Time: 5 minutes

Go through a bunch of magazines and cut out interesting photos of people.  Make sure that they [...]

What are Catalysts for Creativity?

March 25th, 2009 | No Comments

I am sitting here trying to think up a name for a new product. It is funny that while I have performed this act a hundred times before — never has an idea come while sitting down, looking at a blank page waiting for the name to just show up. I just isn’t [...]

Brainstorming Starter Tips

March 18th, 2009 | No Comments

On Monday we talked about the origins of brainstorms or ideation sessions. Those energetic sessions that companies use to develop a new product, provide company direction and find creative solutions to an existing problem.
Having been part of many brainstorming sessions I have found that those that produce the desired results have one thing in [...]

Brainstorms Spur Creativity!

March 16th, 2009 | No Comments

The last time we met in the Creatives’ Space we mentioned brainstorm. Those fun, dynamic, energetic sessions that are used to produce a new product, provide a solution to a problem or create a new business venture. These sessions tend to have the best outcomes when individuals are gathered and given the opportunity to [...]