Newly-designed ESHIP Goal Meetup calls were relaunched in August and the Storytelling Meetup Group convened online on call on August 28. Since this was a relaunch, inviting new people to the call, the main objective of this month’s call was customer validation in a sense—finding out from the participants what was important to them about storytelling in ecosystem building and discovering expectations for future calls.

Here’s a brief overview of the August 28 call.

General Updates – What’s happening in the ecosystem building storytelling world

Following general updates, the group participated in a roundtable discussion around two topics:

  • What is important to you and your organization about storytelling for ecosystem builders?
  • What are you hoping to get out of the Storytelling Meetup calls?

Group Roundtable Discussion: What is important to you and your organization about storytelling for ecosystem builders? 

Some (anonymized) responses include:

  • Stories about resources, navigating challenges, and illuminating opportunities can create an opening or pathway to gain access and be successful
  • Make Ecosystem Building visible and something that people can identify their work with. Human side, struggle, challenges…telling the things that don’t show up in a study but say a lot about the culture of ecosystem building work.
  • Talking about a sense of community to let people know they are not alone. It’s empowering for ecosystem builders to know they’re not alone.
  • There is a personal element of sharing our stories more often that creates a community of support and also sharing these stories attracts more people to the work. It helps legitimize the work
  • It helps connect people’s WHY and PURPOSE. Data can fall flat to help people feel connected to other people’s work.
  • There is almost nothing out there on Ecosystem Building and I see an opportunity. Storytelling is how we learn.
  • Creates a great opportunity to advocate with each other. Adds legitimacy across many boundaries and borders.
  • We have an opportunity to shift the narrative around economic development and the role of entrepreneurship
  • How can we bring this into the more traditional economic development space?
  • It creates third party validation

Group Roundtable Discussion: What are you hoping to get out of the Storytelling Meetup calls? 

Some (anonymized) responses include:

  • Two minute updates, lessons learned, tips and tricks
  • Specific projects/initiatives I can go off and tackle
  • Key takeaways and actions that each attendee plans to take within the next 24-48 hours
  • Invite ESHIP Goal Champions to outline their storytelling needs.
  • Explore being on other goal Meetup calls to dialogue with those participants about their storytelling needs/opportunities

The call was recorded and can be watched here.

RELATED: Get the backstory on the ESHIP Storytelling Initiative

 

ESHIP Storytelling Calls: 4th Wednesday of each month @ 2:00pm CST

 

Next Storytelling Meetup Call

The next call will be Wednesday, September 25, 2019 at @ 2:00pm CST

Register to join the call

Topics of discussion will include:

General Updates

  • General news from the Ecosystem Storytelling Community
  • News from Kauffman and ESHIP

Project Team Updates

  • Report from 6.2/Storytelling Team
  • Report on Twitter ecosystem builder influencer list
  • Report on list of ecosystem builders to interview

Main Meetup Activity/Curated Content Community Call Questions

  • Two minute updates from attendees: What’s worked well, lessons learned, practical tips and tricks
  • Conversation with Goal 1 Champion. How can ESHIP storytelling help Goal 1?
  • Review & discuss ideas for supporting Goals 1 & 2
  • Relate key takeaways, actions each attendee plans to take within the next 24-48 hours
  • Homework Challenge: Find an ecosystem building story. Read it and be prepared to give a quick summary on the next call