Catalyst Ranch’s
Creative Juice Blog
I stumbled across this article written for LinkedIn by Rene de Ruijter, and thought it was terrifically written and would be of great interest to our Ranch audience. I figured I would "dissect" it below. The link to the full article is at the bottom. "The right working environment can stimulate creativity and innovation. Colours, lighting, [...]
Ever stumble upon a great accident? Well that is how motherhood went for me. I was running for US Congress against Luis Gutierrez in the 4th District. It was 2012 and I had raised my first $25,000. I felt empowered. I felt alive. I was living my dream of working towards becoming a politician. Then [...]
ZERO WASTE MARKET I remember when I was a kid and my mom would take me a half hour away to piano lessons. After the lesson, as a reward, Mom would take my brother and I to a store that had candy and gum and seeds and nuts in big barrels and bins, and [...]
We sat down with Holly Birnbaum, one of the founders of Thoughtly Crew, to ask about Creative Thinking Agents, consumer market research groups, and partnering with Catalyst Ranch. Here's what she said! Who is Thoughtly Crew? Thoughtly Crew, the world's first independent pool of creative consumers, was launched in 2005 by Holly Birnbaum, Scott Cheney [...]
Using Puzzles to Build Your Team If you are looking to capitalize on the Pokemon Go craze but don't want to fall off a cliff while on your phone, a great place to look is The Mystery League. #Crain's Chicago Business just highlighted Sandor Weisz and his brainchild company, touting the benefits of people working together [...]
How to Inspire, Motivate, and Activate Meeting Attendees Meeting Tip of the Day for August 16th, 2016 This morning I was in a meeting with two co-workers, including our President, Eva, when we heard what sounded like a school bell. We didn't think much of it until it happened again shortly thereafter. And then again. [...]
7 Tips on How to Prepare to Teach, When You Haven't Been Trained as a Teacher by Ida Abdalkhani, Founder & President of Ability to Engage, Inc I recently started teaching at my alma mater, The Ohio State University. Given the focus of my boutique consulting business, Ability to Engage, where we help companies develop [...]
Inspiring Found-Object Art by Jane Perkins At Catalyst Ranch, Chicago’s first unconventional meeting venue, we love re-purposed art and furniture! Stroll around the Ranch and you’ll see classic lamp stands with modern lampshades, tea tins from around the globe that have turned into pen holders, and re-painted picture frames embellished with beads and trinkets. There is [...]
Catalyst Ranch, Chicago’s most creative meeting venue, is staffed by a incredible team of quirky characters known as Ranch Hands. Creative individuals are drawn to Catalyst Ranch’s colorful workspace, diverse clientele, and co-workers of similar sensibility. Ranch Hand Spotlight is an occasional blog series that invites you to take a sneak peek behind the scenes at the [...]
Welcome guest blogger, Shannon Terschluse, Certified Holistic Health Coach, Certified Yoga Teacher, and the Founder of Find Your Prana. “Argggh! 80% of Americans Stressed Out at Work” “Americans Cook the Least, Eat the Fastest” “How Eating at Home Can Save Your Life” “America’s Workers: Stressed Out, Overwhelmed, Totally Exhausted” “Change Your Lifestyle, Reverse Your Disease” These [...]
