Many of us had Covid projects. Those ideas that sparked when we had some time that wasn’t filled with the thought, “what the hell is going on?” My project was this Substack you’re reading, born out of a desire to connect.

Mike had a much bigger idea (also inspired by connection) that has grown from a hashtag on LinkedIn into an international recognition program for the communications industry, with no signs of stopping.

In this installment of Tell Me a Story, Mike explains how moving to Iceland right before the pandemic and the unique solitude of his little rock in the Atlantic Ocean sparked a desire to connect with his peers. With a hashtag in hand and a LinkedIn page (#WeLeadComms), he has grown #WeLeadComms into one of the largest online recognition platforms in the communications industry.

Listen in as Mike shares how it’s become a beautiful place for hard-working, passionate professionals all over the world to feel seen and appreciated. That’s something I can appreciate and I feel like the Tell Me a Story series carries some of the same spirit.

Depression was a noisy monster who lived in Heather’s brain. Like a neighbor on the floor above, throwing furniture around, shouting all hours of the night or hosting unwelcome parties. Even in it’s quiet moments, you can hear that neighbor shuffling around on the ceiling above, always there.

In this installment of Tell Me a Story, Heather shares her story about inviting that noisy monster for a cup of tea - literally. Sitting down, talking and laying some ground rules for how life was going to be moving forward.

I appreciate Heather, and anyone else who is willing to share their mental health challenges and share how they’ve found a way through. Nobody is alone and everybody is worthy of the space to feel seen, heard and appreciated. If you’re having a hard time, I hope you connect with Heather’s story. I hope you feel like you can reach out and share as well.

Frank worked 14 years as a police officer. He’s a family man, a helpful neighbor, dutiful church attendee. He checks all the boxes of a lawful, standup guy.

But a few years back, he had an experience on a fraud case that shifted his perspective and made him realize there are more shades to life than black and white.

In this installment of Tell Me a Story, Frank shares his experience investigating a case of stolen identity and how doing the right thing meant a mother was taken from her young family.

Immigration is always a heated topic, but I appreciate Frank’s care in sharing this story and how it’s shaped the person he has grown into since this experience. And, perhaps, a little perspective can go a long way in how we talk to each other and live in our communities.

It’s summer! A time for neighborhood barbecues. A time for sweaty nights in the Dairy Queen parking lot of small southern towns. A time for watching a six-year-old speed off toward the interstate on a homemade go-kart, terrorizing/horrifying the neighbors along the way.

In this installment of Tell Me a Story, Jason shares the no-helmet, full-throttle thrill ride of his first time on a go-kart. It started simple enough with a six-year-old boy and small town dream.

So I climbed on, sat in that low-slung seat and they gave me 3 seconds of instructions — mash this to go, mash this to stop, turn this to steer, and don’t go in the road — and off I went around the house. Slowly, at first, just to get a feel for things. But increasingly faster with each lap around the house, which followed a by-now well-worn dirt path that used to be lush green St. Augustine grass.

Look at me. I’m doing it. And on my first try! I. Am. Awesome!

And then it happened.

You’ll have to listen to hear what happened. Maybe it will inspire a summer adventure of your own.

Katherine Dunham is a name that should be well known - a legendary figure in dance, she was a choreographer, author, anthropologist, social activist, humanitarian and more. Here’s more on her at the Library of Congress.

But this is Sukie’s story. In this installment of Tell Me a Story, Sukie takes us on her journey as a dance instructor navigating social issues and dance within the Dunham Technique in order to become a better teacher to all of her students.

Dunham’s work and her example is the driving force through Sukie’s experience which has been a roller coaster of humility, vulnerability and learning to overcome her own blind spots while pushing herself as a teacher, dancer and human.

To learn more about the Institute for Dunham Technique Certification, visit: DunhamCertification.org

Thank you for tagging along with Title TBD and the Tell Me a Story series.

Chad owns a restaurant and has a long, varied career working and leading in restaurants. He’s quick to say any day working in a restaurant could lead to anything - chaos being a frequent experience.

In this installment of Tell Me a Story, Chad talks about one of this favorite days in the restaurant which became an annual event that only grew in size and evolved to become something even more magical every year.

Listen in for a taste of what it’s like working a special day in the year of a restaurant, keeping kids happy and well-sugared and connecting with families who love to come back every year.

Becky spent summers traveling with her sisters, following their mother for her work. One of those summers provided the opportunity to see Washington D.C. at a most opportune time - the 1976 bicentennial celebrations.

In this installment of Tell Me a Story, Becky shares the adventure of arriving to D.C. and how her mother solved the problem of the rental car company not having the car they reserved. Her mother’s ingenuity led to one of the most memorable sightseeing trips in the back of a cargo van with aluminum folding chairs.

Like any good story, it has a lesson that’s endured in Becky’s life in various ways. Not to mention it always sparks a good laugh when her sisters get together.

“I think I have something you may be interested in,” said the man calling the University of Arizona Museum of Art.

He did have something. A something that had experienced a renewed level of interest after a writer on the University of Arizona internal communications team wrote a story about the 30th anniversary of a painting stolen (cut right out of its frame) at the UofA museum in 1985.

Woman-Ochre by Willem de Kooning disappeared in plain day and remained an unsolved mystery for 30 years until the owners of a Silver City, NM, antique store realized the painting they picked up at an estate sale was more than they thought.

In this installment of Tell Me a Story, Doug shares the story behind the story. He was the director of Media Relations and Communications when his team published the anniversary story that sparked (if in a small way) the recovery of the painting.

It’s a story of mystery and intrigue any mild-mannered internal communications writer would love to discover.

The Woman-Ochre mystery remains in the news until recently, including a documentary. More details can be read at the University of Arizona Museum of Art.

The science hasn’t been done yet, but it’s likely 98% of teenage boys in the ‘90s discovered sports via EA Sports video games. This is particularly true of hockey - not the most accessible game to get involved in if you lived in Arizona.

John was one of those kids. In this installment of Tell Me a Story, John shares his path from the PC to the hockey rink. As one of those Arizona kids, he was off to a later start than most hockey players. He began ice skating lessons at 29.

It might be slow progress for a husband and father of two, but he’s been living his hockey dreams for a few years now, being able to sneak in a few hours a week to sharpen his skills - and there’s a lesson in there about sticking with what you enjoy even if you might not be very good at it at first.

Keep at it, and you’ll score your first goal.

The housing industry went bust in 2008. Banking went insane. For so many, it became a time of survival and putting the pieces back together. Elisabeth was one of the many who lost her job as companies were struggling and began laying off employees en masse.

In this episode of Tell Me a Story, Elisabeth shares how, while the setback was humbling, she found a surprising and rewarding new path in a job she didn’t even want.

Call it a growth mindset if you will, Elisabeth’s curiosity and “the glass isn’t half full, it’s overflowing” attitude opened doors for her and provide an example for anyone working to bounce back from a humbling setback.