Catalyst Ranch’s
Creative Juice Blog
This week we bring to you a new story feature on our Creative Juice Blog: The #RanchStyle Spotlight! We'll highlight one of the many unique pieces of furniture and décor that go into making our singular, Catalyst Ranch #creativeenvironment and get the inside scoop on its origin and Ranch history as told by some of our [...]
Are you thinking about food RIGHT. THIS. SECOND? Probably. At this point with nutrition and meal-related advertising coming at you from all angles, you’d be hard-pressed not to have your diet on your mind. How soon is Lunch? Am I hydrated? Was that bagel the best choice? Did I make a wrong move? How much longer [...]
What's on your meeting's agenda? A welcome address, introductions. Maybe a get-to-know-you activity. Presentations followed by a few blocks of break-out groups. But what agenda items make your meeting unique and experiential? If that piece is missing, you lose a valuable method of ensuring your attendees remember this event and retain its content. That's why we've [...]
Today we're having a FlashBack Friday and returning to our great friend MJ Ernst—truly one of our Catalyst Ranch family. Back in December 2015, we blogged an interview with this multi-hyphenate artist as we debuted the gorgeous Catalyst Ranch 2016 Coloring Book Calendar she illustrated for us.And what an apropos #FBF too, since she'll be leading two [...]
This week we bring a blog entry from our very own Client Services Manager for Special Events, Drea Holland! Drea is Chicago born and raised, so she's a pro at knowing what extra special local flavor is available for a client's celebration, be it food highlighting regional flavors, guests accommodations at a singularly new-Chicago hotel, or [...]
Unbelievable! 2018 is almost over. What a year we’ve had here at Catalyst Ranch, including one heck of a #RanchSweet16 Anniversary Party. We are so very grateful and thankful to you for choosing us as your preferred venue for meetings and events. Because of you we’ve had another inspiring, invigorating, energizing year. And we thought you [...]
Thoughts on the movie Christopher Robin from our founder Eva Niewiadomski, exploring the essentially-Catalyst-Ranch ideas fueling our protagonist's change for the better in Winnie the Pooh–Catalyst for Creative Thinking. I went to see “Christopher Robin,” the new Disney movie, a few weeks ago because I had a free evening and felt like I needed a little [...]
It's our favorite time of year, y'all! No, we're not talking about sweater-weather autumn. We're talking about the approach of this year's Chicago Ideas Week, which of course brings with it our 2018 Chicago Ideas Week Short List! This annual festival is coming round' the mountain, kicking off on October 15. Chicago Ideas Week gathers over 200 global [...]
Facilitator Spotlight: Ah Ha! What is Ah Ha! and what do you do? Ah Ha! has been facilitating insight and innovation for over 20 years! We are a facilitation and consulting company that works to inspire people, connect knowledge and illuminate possibilities. Our custom-designed, facilitated sessions can include qualitative research, ideation, design thinking and strategic planning. [...]
Previously On The Digital Adventures of Pogo... Pogo, the creative soul of Catalyst Ranch, showed us that a change in environment can spark creativity and innovation in surprising ways, you just have to be open to trying new approaches in thinking. Ep.3 To Play Or Not to Play *Pogo is the Catalyst Ranch mascot. He represents [...]
