The Client: Multiple divisions and regions within Nike, Inc. worked together to sponsor the development of this global program.

The Project: Lessons Learned was challenged to create an alternative to traditional presentation training tailored to suit the unique communication style of the company. This approach capitalized on the company’s irreverent and casual style and it’s rich heritage of great storytelling.

The Solution: “Storytelling In Business” was developed and delivered in multiple languages to help participants understand the structure of a story and a presentation. This seminar emphasizes finding stories in our everyday lives that can be used as metaphors to anchor a message, elevate a fact or simply deliver an idea in a clear non-intimidating manner. Employees participate in numerous exercises to build skills, develop a story and practice delivery in front of a camera and coach. This was an ongoing program offered quarterly at headquarters.

The Client: Lucy.com is a retailer of women’s athletic apparel, originally located in Portland, Oregon. The company was later purchased by VF Corp.

The Project: While seeking financing and press, the buyers and merchants were constantly finding themselves in front of an audience or camera. Since few of the fifteen person staff had any experience with presentations, a quick solution was needed to develop confidence and awareness.

The Solution: Employees with high visibility were coached and video taped individually on style and message content. A two day clinic was developed for the buying and merchandising organization focusing on Finding Your Voice, Finding your Message and Finding Your Style. Practice presentations were developed and taped for each participant.

The Client: Smartwool, based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, is a manufacturer and marketer of wool socks, and apparel selling to wholesale accounts.

The Project: Smartwool wanted to provide training to the national sales force to tell the story of wool, illuminate the opportunity, and position the brand to its accounts nationally.

The Solution: A training was developed and delivered over the course of three sales meetings, beginning with the introduction of a common language and strategy around building and presenting assortments. The workshops focused on three outcomes: 1. develop assortments to expand sales, 2. tell stories that position the brand and opportunity, and, 3. romance the product through enhanced buyer presentations. Curriculum and tools were delivered at each meeting and account executives practiced skills by presenting back to the group.

Storytelling:  We all know a good story when we hear one, but, do we know how to assemble a story that will be effective in the business environment? We are hard-wired to appreciate stories from birth. Stories make us react physically and emotionally. We connect with stories in a way that makes a message resonate; we sit up, pay attention, nod in understanding. Story can bring graphs and charts to life and add meaning to strategies. The concept of visual storytelling can take slides beyond bullet points so they reinforce the message rather than confuse it. Most importantly storytelling is sticky; we remember what we saw, what we heard and how we felt.

The Training: In this day and one-half workshop, learn how to incorporate storytelling into your presentations to make them more impactful. At the completion, presentations will be more structured, sticky, and styled, allowing you to activate the imagination and understanding of your audience, maintain their interest and motivate them to action. Participants apply story theory to their own presentations and slides. They practice in groups and with video to to amplify their strengths and develop skills.

Some of our Clients: City of Beaverton, Nike, University of Oregon, Portland State University, Amer Sports: Wilson Sporting Goods, Arc’teryx, Solomon.

The Client: City of Beaverton, Oregon

The Project: After completing a deep-dive analysis of census data to better understand the constituency of individual neighborhoods in Beaverton, Oregon, City Hall determined that it needed a more compelling way to present data to the Neighborhood Associations than bars and charts. They wanted to create an emotional connection with resident volunteers that would call-them-to-action. And, they wanted to develop their staffs’ ability to deliver the message effectively.

The Solution: Lessons Learned developed a presentation titled, “You Are Here”, juxtaposing the benefits of this livable city, the data that summarized its changing neighborhoods, and the success stories of previous programs that had a positive impact on Beaverton residents. City employees charged with presenting the material attended a Storytelling workshop to develop their conversational style followed by a train-the-trainer to learn the material.

The Client: Williams-Sonoma, based in San Francisco, California, is the parent company of Pottery Barn, Hold Everything, Chambers and Elm Street.

The Project: With 20,000 employees focused on retailing vertically designed home products, Williams-Sonoma wanted an orientation class to communicate the importance of the product creation process as it related to the unique brand position.

The Solution: The process was defined and then imaged in a product puzzle that became the backbone of the half-day seminar. Employees participate in an orientation that is both tactile and experiential. They learn the process and the merchandising strategy that supports each of the brands. This course is offered quarterly through William Sonoma Merchandising University.

The Training: Excavations is a seminar simulating the product life from inception to retail sell-through. In one and one-half days, participants practice analysis, critical thinking and assortment planning. They develop a line plan based on historical information and clues to future consumer desires. After “delivering” their assortment to market, they analyze their success and make revisions. This seminar provides participants with a clear line of sight from product inception to consumer, and connects profitability to all pipe-line decisions including buy, markup, markdown and gross margin.

The Audience: Excavations is targeted to any group affecting profitability, assortment and inventory control. This is an excellent companion to Math for Merchants as it brings all the workbook concepts to life.

Some of Clients: Williams-Sonoma (Pottery Barn, West Elm) Nike, Inc., Apparel Merchandising worldwide, Adidas, University of Oregon, Portland State University, Under Armour

The Client: The global footwear product creation division of Nike, Inc. headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon.

The Project: Nike Footwear product creation wanted to redefine merchandising for the global product creation team including design, development and brand management. The objective was to train all merchants in the art and science of successful product creation.

The Solution: A two week long camp was created focusing on the fusion of the right and left brain; the art and the science of merchandising. Participants enjoyed lectures that defined Nike’s point of view, participated in exercises to solidify concepts and executed group projects to demonstrate mastery.

The Client: A major vertical apparel retailer headquartered in San Francisco, California.

The Project: The client wanted to replicate a characteristic they found among many of their high performers who had entered the company through a long term emersion program. This program exposed individuals to multiple functions as well as the brand values, culture and process. These experiences were to be captured within a training program that could reach more employees in a shorter time period.

The Solution: “Know How” sessions on specific topics were created to expose participants to a variety of disciplines. The objective was to elevate each participant’s understanding and respect for the other roles they relied on and impacted. Lessons Learned developed the Brand Management session.

The Client: Smartwool, based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, is a manufacturer and marketer of merino wool socks and apparel, selling to wholesale accounts globally.

The Project: Smartwool aspired to create a shared corporate language and create a cohesive approach to category positioning, color theory and line management across all segments to align the brand under a single branded umbrella.

The Solution: Workshops were developed to enable the design, merchandising, sales management and marketing teams to work together to write and publish a brand dictionary of terms which was later integrated in to the sales force training. This allowed the team to apply a branded philosophy to merchandising and color theory encouraging cross-category merchandising.

The Client: Jamba Juice, located in San Francisco, California, is an energetic, health-conscious beverage chain with more than 500 stores nationwide.

The Project: Jamba Juice determined that it was time to re-vamp the old training program targeted to incoming shift supervisors they referred to as Leads. With most of their Leads being 18 years plus, and falling into the category of “Generation Y”, they wanted to take a creative approach to the training.

The Solution: Lessons Learned designed a day long, interactive training which follows the completion of a self-paced, in-store workbook. Simulations and board games were designed to reinforce the content and practice the complex competencies of leading, delegating, motivating and deploying staff, teaching Leads to think critically and problem solve rather than recite lists and policies.

The Client: Williams-Sonoma, Inc. based in San Francisco, California is the parent company of Pottery Barn, PB Kids, Hold Everything, Chambers and West Elm.

The Project: The objective was to expose a broad range of employees across all divisions and positions to the P&L and to teach them how Williams-Sonoma categorizes and summarizes expenses in this report without confusing or intimidating the non-financial personnel.

The Solution: An interactive three hour training was created summarizing how the P&L captures the way revenue is generated, expenses are incurred and profit is earned in Williams-Sonoma’s businesses. The P & L Game was created to give participants hands-on experience managing a budget to attain profitable results in spite of planned and unplanned expenses, and help them understand how responsible actions of each individual can impact the company’s profitability.

The Training: To address the need for basic retail math training, a self-paced workbook was designed to overcome aversions by telling stories, appealing to aesthetics and respecting busy schedules. In thirteen chapters, Math for Merchants presents the primary formulas used in retail analysis. It can stand alone or be supported with study groups, providing opportunity for review, questions and discussion. Participants take a quiz at the end of each chapter to challenge their learning.

The Audience: Math for Merchants is targeted to any group affecting profitability, assortment and inventory. This is an excellent companion to Excavations which brings all the workbook concepts to life.

Some of our Clients: Nike: US Sales, Asia Sales and Latin America Footwear Sales, Apparel Merchandising, Footwear Product Creation, Under Armour

The Training: Excavations is a seminar simulating the product life from inception to retail sell-through. In one and one-half days, participants practice analysis, critical thinking and assortment planning. They develop a line plan based on historical information and clues to future consumer desires. After “delivering” their assortment to market, they analyze their success and make revisions. This seminar provides participants with a clear line of sight from product inception to consumer, and connects profitability to all pipe-line decisions including buy, markup, markdown and gross margin.

The Audience: Excavations is targeted to any group affecting profitability, assortment and inventory control. This is an excellent companion to Math for Merchants as it brings all the workbook concepts to life.

Some of Clients: Williams-Sonoma (Pottery Barn, West Elm) Nike, Inc., Apparel Merchandising worldwide, Adidas, University of Oregon, Portland State University, Under Armour