General Mills | MN Technology | RBC Dain Rauscher | WCCO Radio
Fairview Health Systems | Int'l Education Systems | AIGA
St. Paul Companies | Care Providers of MN | College of Visual Arts
University of St. Thomas | Pragmatek

Pragmatek
Flip Crummer
Client Relationship Executive

"...please extend our thanks and appreciation to the crew that spent Sunday and Monday with us in Brainerd. It was an unqualified out of the park grand slam home run...The exercises they did with us on Monday morning were being spontaneously re-enacted throughout the remainder of Monday and on Tuesday...I could go on and on but I'll just say it was even better than I hoped, and I'll be in touch with you for our future fun/training needs as they arise."

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General Mills
Steve Young
Promotions Manager, Yoplait/Colombo Division

"The Brave New Workshop component of our Yoplait "off-site" was incredibly well-received. People thought it was really fun, and, more importantly, took away a lot from it.

You guys definitely did a great job on all fronts - just incorporating enough about Yoplait. People thought it was great that you got a pulse on what was going on in the division - but also had some unique ways to bring the more academic organizational behavior things to life -- in a much more relevant way than they had seen before.

So, great work! I wouldn't hesitate to call you again... I hope we can keep in touch, and feel free to use me as a reference as well."

Minnesota Technology
Steve Boland
Manager, eBusiness Institute

"Our staff is still using techniques from our Brave New Workshop training months later. It has had a greater impact than any previous team-building efforts because it not only stays with you, but it brings a smile to everyone's face when the exercises are mentioned. We still have people walking around the office saying 'YES, and...' and laughing. It's been great.

The rules of building good comedy are also the rules of building good business -- let creative people have a 'safe' place to explore, and they will impress you with the results!

Our staff never expected to both laugh and learn at a staff retreat! We got great evaluations and great team results from working with BNW.

While other training groups have good messages, none work as quickly or last as long as BNW's techniques. People learn while laughing, and it really helps to see your coworkers as people, not just as colleagues.

The Brave New Workshop team provided outstanding collaboration, both within their troupe and with our staff. John Sweeney and crew did an excellent job of exploring some very specific workplace issues with our staff. Everyone had a great time and continues to talk about the techniques we discovered."

"It's ironic that I was the most skeptical one -- I've been to a hundred training workshops. But this was one of the BEST ones I've ever been to. Definitely use me as a reference."

WCCO Radio
Dick Carlson
Vice President of Sales

Comment
(During standing ovation) 'The whole thing!! From start to finish, was exceptional!'

E-mail message
"Stepping into the world of improvisation as a training tool was a new experience for WCCO Radio. The results were quite impressive. Using Brave New Workshop for our opening training session on creativity and change management not only addressed those topics in a most informative and entertaining manner, but set the tone for our entire meeting. The response from our sales staff was very positive. We now have alternatives to PowerPoint, videos, lectures and other mundane training methods. The staff engaged in training both physically and mentally. Creativity in sales is a difficult subject to address. You made it come alive and broke new ground for many of our account executives.

We have explored the concept of improvisation in our sales meetings since the retreat. Staff/management interaction in training and the use of role-playing in a more entertaining manner have become a bigger part of our focus for sales meetings. We can conduct business and have fun, too. In this economy, where sales are more difficult, we believe that if you can have some fun along the way, good morale will maximize sales.

I have never been involved in a training program such as the one you used at our sales retreat. Improvisation is a valuable training tool. The keys are: 1) It is new and different. 2) It physically involves the staff and encourages their participation. 3) It is not the old-fashioned way of teaching (i.e.., PowerPoint, overhead projection, handouts, lectures, etc.). 4) It is fun.

You lead and manage the workshop with great skill, keeping all the attendees interested and involved, while helping them enjoy the process. Their reaction to the three-hour session was very positive. I probed later to see what they took away from the meeting. They definitely understood the basics of the mind expanding creative process; that it was not an intimidating exercise, but rather, something they were capable of doing. They also began to feel that the changes going on around them may be a good thing.

Lastly, I think your Improv Comedy Show after dinner was a huge hit. Being able to laugh at ourselves, tailoring the presentation to our people and management set a tone for the last two days of meetings. A bonding occurred during that opening day that helped us overcome some of the tentativeness that accompanies all of the change that we have experienced in the past several months.

Thank you for helping us move our sales effort to the next level. I would be happy to recommend your Improvisation Training to other Infinity Radio Stations."

Fairview Health Systems
Luann Dammann
Program Coordinator

"Brave New Workshop's improv training sessions at our Quality Leadership Conference demonstrated how valuable all ideas are in brainstorming and making decisions. All of the exercises encouraged people to drop their preconceived notions, validate others' contributions and tap into their own creativity.

John Sweeney has a gift for understanding an organization's issues and applying improv techniques to improve work teams by encouraging trust, creativity and FUN! I would love to have the BNW come back to Fairview and 'play' with departments or work teams who are struggling to understand and trust eachother."

International Education Systems
Mary Bosrock
Owner/Publisher

"Brave New Workshop [actor/facilitators] are world class!"

"On behalf of the camp committee and AIGA Minnesota, I would like to thank you for your participation and contribution to Design Camp 2000. You were a vital contributor to the event's success and all of us appreciate your time and talents."

"Brilliant!"

"We didn't really feel like coming but we're so thrilled that we did!"

CareProviders of Minnesota
Pam Guyer
Director of Quality Improvement and Regulatory Affairs

"Our staff loved the presentation by Brave New Workshop! They have said many times it was the best staff retreat ever! It really gave us a boost."

BNW's improv training is really like no other. They are very skilled at applying comedic improv concepts and skills to the workplace. We didn't just listen or watch; we got to laugh, learn and practice together. It is very high-energy, filled with great methods, and all done with humor to make it memorable! It was fantastic!"

College of Visual Arts
Rachel Fine
Design Instructor

"I am writing to thank you for the amazing workshop! The students from the College of Visual Arts had a wonderful time. I was impressed with both the improv exercises and the discussion that followed. They were extremely valuable to understanding the process of creativity. You created a relaxed and safe environment for my students to explore and express themselves. You are a talented instructor (Jenni Lilledahl), full of insight and creativity! I will recommend your workshop to other instructors at the college. Thank you again for such an extraordinary afternoon."

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University of St. Thomas
Kevin Busko
Summer Orientation and Registration Coordinator

"I want to thank the wonderful training offered through the Brave New Workshop...(the) exercises were designed in such a way to allow for positive interaction, opportunities to build friendships and trust with each other, and to laugh and have a fun time...I would definitely bring another group of students to the improv training offered."

Alexis Todd
Student, Master of Business Communication Program

"Thanks for a wonderful, fun and educational learning experience. I appreciated your (personal and organization's) philosophy for experiencing creativity, especially the key concept of Sharing Focus...I haven't laughed so much in a long time. I definitely plan on checking out your adult classes once I finish my Master's Program."