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Brave New Workshop Programs for WomenWe built our programs for women by getting inspiration from our favorite corporate clients - all bright and generous women who have succeeded in their fields, and who invest in their communities.

We asked them about the behaviors and mindset that helped them to succeed and remain happy and energized in their careers.

We know that what we have learned about the

power of mindset and the practice of behaviors

inherent to improvisation can be powerful tools for

all women around the globe who are dedicated to

reaching their full potential and creating a better

world.

We make you

Innovator and

Leader

What We DoUsing experiential tools, stories and

practical exercises, our all-star, all women

team of facilitators help business women

hone their creative confidence; approach

problem-solving from a mindset of abun-

dance; rerame success as a process; and, most importantly, prac-

tice taking action and choosing their next move rather than falling

into it out of habit.

Learners get to know the BNW Mindset of Discovery and how to

access it when needed. As a result, participants come to believe in

the power of their ideas more often, remain engaged with their

companies and communities in an intentional way, and contribute

their passion, ideas and unique points of view to the advancement

of sustainable and fair business and social practice.

Women are an undeniable force in building the

future of our planet, and investing and sup-

porting their advancement is a key factor for ensur-

ing global prosperity. At the Brave New Workshop

we are passionate about doing our part and hope

that through helping women unlearn behaviors that

hinder their most authentic and creative selves from

shining, we are removing barriers to their success. A

large majority of our work focuses on women in the

business world because we find the lack of women

in the highest ranks of leadership puzzling and the

persistent global wage gap alarming.

Why We Care

The team sprinkles highly entertaining keynotes

and workshop sessions with plenty of humor to

highlight key learning points and give learners a

chance to practice behaving and thinking in a

forward-moving, joy-building, change-sparking way.

We are aware of the many systemic and social reasons for those com-

plex problems, and we know there is not a simple solution. We are

also aware that part of the problem is a limiting mindset of fear which

can hinder progress and stifle creativity. We support women in gaining

control over their thought patterns and behaviors, and help them develop

habits that propel them towards their goals.

Use your voice Assuming that your authentic point of view is necessary can help overcome anxiety and stress when presenting your ideas or when you are the minority in a group.

The Mindset of Discovery Teaches Us

What We Teach:Mindset of DiscoveryThe Mindset of Discovery is a way to focus mental, emo-tional and creative energy toward the goal at hand and make perceived personal barriers and fears irrelevant. What we’ve found is that when we adopt it and practice the supporting behaviors in our every day lives, we are more productive, focused and happier. BNW’s programs for women introduce the basic elements of the Mindset of Discovery to audiences and arm them wiwith tools to foster, strengthen, and practice it themselves.

1

Make the best of what you have

By focusing on our existing assets we do not waste time lamenting what we don’t have; we put our creative energy to work moving forward with what we do have.

2

Don’t despair, practiceLike all learned skills, we believe that with practice we get better. It is only through applied practice that we are able to quickly expand our skillset and increase our comfort zone.

3

Take actionIt sometimes is easy to procrastinate and get caught in a place of analysis paralysis. How do we get out of that perfection-seeking place? We simply take the next step, make the next choice and find the next opportunity.

4

HOW WE TEACHOur learning experiences have two objectives: building self-awareness and practicing micro-behaviors fundamental to good communication, collaboration, creativity and leadership.

Self-Awareness

Patterns of thought and behavior can save us time and effort - when they are productive, we get a lot of value from them. We help you become more aware of your patterns to: (1) ensure we have cultivated habits that serve us as we intended; and (2) create situations where we can be more successful given our natural inclinations. On the flip side, if we find our habits are affecting our ability to be successful, we can take actions to change them and seek out safe oppor-tunities to practice different behaviors.

Self-awareness is a key ingredient of growth and positive change, and we support it in our sessions through experiential exercises, discussion and reflection.

PracticeJust like in fitness or art, practice is key to improvement. Unfortunately, when it comes to communication, decision-making, problem solving, and creative thinking, we hardly ever have time to practice. We naturally become better over the years, but focused and inten-tional practice can save us a lot of time and sometimes, even prevent unnecessary pain and frustration. In our sessions, we focus on practicing four groups of skills:

• Communication skills: confidently presenting a point of view, authenticpresence, lis-tening, and empathy

• Creativity skills: generating ideas, finding inspiration, listening, and deferringjudgment

• Reframing skills: finding the positive, associative thinking, resourcefulness,and agility

• Decisiveness skills: jumping in, being present, and emotional awareness

Session FormatsKeynote SpeechKeynotes maintain a high level of interactivity and comedic effect. Our speakers craft their messages based on pre-event consultations with you. We recommend the keynote format for audiences larger than 100 people and 60-90 min length.

Hands-on Workshop Workshop length is adjustable from 90 min to full-day. Length and structure are crafted based on your agenda and goals but this format tends to work best with groups smaller than 100 participants. BNW venues are offered at a reduced cost for workshops we lead.

Workshop Series & Refreshers You will hear the BNW trainers say time and again that to make behaviors and mindset stick one must practice. We are able to customize an extended schedule of mini workshops, or improvisational “workouts,” over several weeks or months. Our trainers will come to your corporate location and lead 45-90 minute sessions to continuously build on the skills acquired. These workouts strengthen the connections between the Mindset of Discovery and the learners' experiences at work, focusing on ways to leverage new learnings and improve performance.

Custom Program Elements

Intro to the Mindset of DiscoveryOur world increasingly lacks predictability, is full of diversity and requires transparent accountability, the skills, behaviors and mindset inherent in an improvisational practice are astonishingly applicable to everyday life. BNW trainers will focus on the skills and behaviors most relevant to your audience and will illustrate the power of the Mindset of Discovery through personal and professional stories and client case studies.

Interactive exercisesOur facilitators guide participants through tested, message-focused, game-based group exercises which allow for hands-on practice of the behaviors, skills and mindset introduced. Everyone in the room participates within an environment of complete creative safety and team support. Participants are able to stay present, engage and have fun while flexing their creative muscles, honing their communication skills and reacting truthfully to their environment.

After every exercise the BNW team facilitates a discussion which bridges the learning to the “real world” and sparks further ideas and “aha” moments.

Interludes of ImprovisationWe are passionate believers in the power of laughter and see it as a critical ingredient to a suc-cessful learning experience. Our trainers will perform interludes of improvisation to maintain high energy and create a relaxed training atmosphere. As professional comediennes they read the room and evoke jolts of laughter throughout the experience, effectively demonstrating that a positive, light-hearted attitude results in a productive, rich and rewarding work environment.

I will be happy to spread the word about the upcoming seminar. I had a wonderful experience taking it myself and think it provides so many excellent benefits. And, of course, the BNW team is a genuinely wonderful group of people! Best wishes! - Samantha Massaglia, Authenticity at the Speed of Laughter attendee

"At the Speed of Laughter" Workshop

Discover new tools and practices to help you quiet your inner critic or learned voice of perfectionism

Our At the Speed of Laughter workshop is a two to three hour, on-

your-feet experience helping women gain control over their inner critical

voice and, as a result, increase their confidence, authenticity and

resilience. Learners work in an environment of creative safety and

laughter while moving from a place of fear to one of discovery. Our

team helps them bridge the learning to their life and work.

Have you ever...• Stopped yourself from sharing an idea in a

meeting?

• Doubted your ability to present in front of agroup of people and influence them?

• Felt caught off-guard and at a loss for words?

• Battled unhealthy perfectionism?

If so, then our seminars are for you...

• Reframe your relationship to speed and learn howto use it to your advantage;

• Embrace 3 Mindset of Discovery assumptions thatwill help you use your authentic voice more often;

• Find awareness in how your mind and bodyinteract and react to “being in the moment” andestablish practices to help you relieve stress;

• Learn to warm up and enrich your toolbelt withexercises that can help you practice being yourmost authentic self every day;

• Laugh and enjoy an environment with zerojudgment and full-on celebration of your mostauthentic and beautiful self.

Owner Brave New Workshop and recent winner of the Women in Business Award from the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal.

Margi SimmonsMargi’s sharp mind and refined sense of humor propelled her comedic career rapidly from the classrooms of the Brave New Workshop Student Union, where she was learning the art form of improvisation, to the mainstage of the Brave New Workshop Theatre. After hundreds of memorable performances, Margi found herself drawn to Los Angeles.

Despite living in Los Angeles, Margi continued to actively work for the BNW. Instead of mildly offending Minnesotans every weekend on our

stage, she shared her talent with our corporate audiences all over the country as part of the BNW Creative Outreach team.

In 2012, Margi moved back to the Twin Cities and became the BNW’s director of applied improvisation, heading up instruction for a broad range of new learning experiences and workshops for our growing list of clients.

Prior to becoming a full-time actress and owner of the Brave New Workshop, Jenni spent eight years in the field of public relations before leaping off the corporate ladder to pursue her true passion -- comedy theatre and improvisation. After a stint as a stand up comic and then working for the corporate en-tertainment division at Second City in Chicago, Jenni returned to the Twin Cities in 1997 with husband John Sweeney to buy the BNW from founder Dudley Riggs. While she’s had many roles on stage and behind the scenes at the theatre, as Executive Director of the BNW Student Union, Jenni has helped grow our school for improvisation to more than 150 students weekly.

In 2008, Jenni joined forces with our all-women team to bring improvisational skills and ideas to other women in business. As part of the BNW Programs for Women, Jenni works with clients to help them hone their creative confidence and strengthen their authentic presence.

Jenni is a native of Minnesota and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Augsburg College in 1987 with a Communications/Public Relations degree and a minor in theatre. One of Jenni’s most recent accomplishments includes founding the effort to bring a Gilda’s Club Twin Cities to Minneapolis. In addition to her work for the BNW and Gilda’s Club, Jenni is the spark plug that keeps her husband John Sweeney and their two boys William and Michael running smoothly.

Jenni Lilledahl

Margi is a leading force behind the Brave New Workshop’s Pro-grams for Women and facilitates learning experiences for hundreds of women every year. She is a graduate of the University of Min-nesota, and a native of the Twin Cities.

Margi is the leading trainer and facilitator for BNW’s Programs for Women and our Director of Applied Improvisation.

Katy is an experienced trainer and speaker for BNW’s Programs for Women as well as being a seasoned performer and assistant artistic director for our mainstage perfor-mances.

Lauren is a long-time resident company member of the theatre and a sought-after trainer for BNW Programs for Women.

Katy McEwenSince joining the Brave New Workshop Theatre in 1997 Katy McEwen has become one of the most prominent female come-dians in the Twin Cities. As BNW’s assistant artistic director Katy has written and performed in more than 20 shows on the theater’s mainstage and is one of the most sought after instructors at the Brave New Workshop Student Union. In addition, Katy has been a member of the Creative Outreach team for more than ten years and has reached throusands through training, custom entertain-ment and keynote speeches, most recently as a key component of the BNW Programs for Women.

In addition to her work with the BNW, Katy is an instructor in the student conservatory at the Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis and has been a guest instructor at many other Twin Cities theatres as well as the University of MN. She is also part of the nationally acclaimed Neighborhood Bridges program, which develops children’s skills to write, speak and think critically through storytelling and drama.

Katy grew up in Dayton, Ohio and graduated with honors with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in acting from Wright State University where she met husband, and BNW artistic director, Caleb McEwen. She and Caleb have two children, Isaac and Annie.

Lauren Anderson

Lauren Anderson has been a vital part of the Twin Cities improv and sketch comedy community for more than ten years. Lauren’s tremendous comedic talent was first discovered while she was completing the rigorous improvisational training program at the BNW Student Union in 2002. Since then she has gone on to star in numerous BNW shows and shares her gift of comedy with

thousands of audience members at a variety of venues. Lauren is also an instructor at the very same BNW Student Union and is an important part of BNW Programs for Women.

Lauren is currently a member of the Brave New Workshop resident company and can be found improvising with various groups around the Twin Cities including the nationally acclaimed Five Man Job. In addition, Lauren is an Assistant Teaching Company Director for CLIMB Theatre, an issue-based children’s theatre company that uses character education to reach over 350,000 students a year.

Lauren holds a B.S. in Theatre from Minnesota State University Mankato. She is originally from St. Louis Park, Minnesota and currently resides in Minneapolis.

Thank you so very much! It was so thoughtful and wonderful! Everyone in the group is still talking about it! - Connie Gertz, RN MSN

Elena, thanks very much for a wonderful event on the 12th... all the ladies really enjoyed the training and got a lot out of it!!

Thanks again. - Whitney R. Windmiller, Merrill Lynch Global Wealth Management

Our event was FANTASTIC! I’ve heard so many positive things about the excellent training you provided for us! I hope our organiza-tions can continue to work together! - Jennifer Hobbs, Chair Training and Development Committee

You made us think! You created a safe environment where all ideas were embraced and well received! All done in such a creative manner. Thank you for taking the time to put together this learning workshop for the Junior League this morning. Appropriate for all ages! - Cynthia Courtney, Mpls Sustainer President

I wanted to say one more “congratulations” on such a successful event. I am still smiling and thinking about all the women you “touched” and made them think differently.

I really appreciate the opportunity to be a part of this. - Sharon Aho, Sr. Business Development Director

We are still getting such positive buzz from the team and we are so grateful to you all!

Thank you ladies so much for your help in making our day exceptional! We are so grateful! It is not serendipity that we were connected, just some amazing women leading the way!

Margi, thank you for making our day so much fun – you were a hit! Elena thank you for enabling us to leverage Margi, we are truly thankful and look forward to future opportunities. I was telling Mike Davis about your development programs. I think he was wondering who I worked for BNW or GMI. Ladies, I look forward to working with you again! - Lynette Krampf, ITQ Director

The opportunity to meet and collaborate with all of you was one of the best parts of the forum experience for me! It still hasn’t quite settled in that the forum is actually over! But it is, and it was fantastic – and your contributions made the event go from good to great. I am so grateful on what you did to make this event what it was! - Julie Lockhart, Solutions Manager, Global Business Solutions

Hi Elena, Really the thanks is to you for all your hard work, prep and bringing such a great group to our event! - Angela Chambliss, Director WOLF Corporate Capabilities

A Few Client Quotes

GE Women’s NetworkBNW provided a fresh new perspective on wom-en & innovation. Their use of improvisational tools as a means for improving one’s creative thinking was delivered

with great energy and comical brilliance. BNW’s demonstration on the value of working outside of one’s comfort zone & taking risks was especially enlightening to the group. They’ve really tapped into an area that could use some more exploration and benefit women in all lines of business. - Bridget Farley, Co-Leader, VP of TV Network Distribution NBC Universal

Nat’l Assoc. of Women MBA’sThank you so much for presenting to our NAWMBA

chapter. It was such an amazing event and we really appreciated the opportunity to explore our creative confidence. Margi created a fun, dynamic learning environment where ever yone was able to participate. Your program was such a unique way to meet our mission of empowering women MBAs. I would definitely recommend BNW’s women-focused programs to other organizations. - Leslie Olson, President of the Carlson School of Management chapter

Minnesota Alliance for Patient SafetyHi Elena, we had a wonderful time with the improvisation!! I took back several pieces for me, i.e., maintaining eye contact for one...I also will place my ideas on the table more frequently. We appreciate you! Margi, Jenni & Lauren energized us with a refreshed look at the importance of communication in our world of safety. - Ruth Edwards, Quality Program Manager, Medica

WomenVenture

Anoka County Mental HealthMargi and Elena were amazing! Very positive, upbeat, engaging. Very much served our needs! It was great to see our colleagues in their “discover y” process. I was shocked to see myself even really open

up and “live in the moment.” With all of the recent changes in our unit, with the addition of new staff, the exercises brought forth were great for team building! With sincere thanks! - Pamela Heutson-Wright, title

Katy McEwen was one of the most successful presenters our Conference has ever had – in 13 years. We have seldom heard feedback as power-ful or as positive as we did with Katy’s “Leaving Your Creative Footprint, Heels and ALL.” Many of our own staff members attended Katy’s session. One of them told me they planned to completely revamp the way they teach our classes because of Katy’s inspiration. Over and over again, I heard that her energy and enthusiasm was infectious and that her messages would stay with attended long after the day was done. Four our attendees, Katy’s presentation definitely left a footprint. - Marcy Twete, Event Manager

And a few more

And a few moreDelta Dental of WisconsinThe feedback I received was all positive and exactly what I

was hoping for. Ever yone seemed to really enjoy the workshop and seem to be excited to tr y a few new things. One of the newer employees said ‘this new approach to brainstorming will be really helpful because I have ideas but usually don’t present them because I feel I need to have the entire idea formulated before I present it’. Another commented on how much fun it was, as they expected it to be more typically team building. A few IT people said they were at a similar workshop at a conference, but that one was really negative and this one totally spun it in a positive way. - Lindie Landin, Vice President IT

CentraCare Health SystemYour presentation is lively and entertaining! At the same time, it packs a serious punch with lots of great ideas that participants can

put to work right away. - Jeanine Nistler, Communications Director

AccentureThanks for coming out on IWD!!! We have heard that the BNW workshop was well received and for some, it was the highlight to their day! - Nardos Sium, Talent Management Consultant

Atomic Learning, IncThank you for your leadership and

insights. I have to say that your group helped make it one of the best company meetings that I’ve attended since I started working on-staff for Atomic Learning. You guys created a day that was both fun and totally relevant... - Jody Ouradnik, Content Developer and Lesson Accelerator Project Manager

Thomson ReutersKaty McEwen was excellent to work with. She brings a balanced understanding of comedy and corpo-rate expectations to the event. Katy’s humor on stage is very enjoy-able to watch. When involved with improv, she was able to capture our understanding and take it to a comedic level that surpassed our expectations. I would invite Katy back again for the design and delivery of another program. - Valerie Howard, Manufacturing Learning Center Manager

When one talks about Katy McEwen one should use these words to describe her : flexible, spontaneous, creative, and downright hilarious. I’ve had the privilege to work with Katy McEwen on a couple of occasions in the corporate arena. Katy adapted her style very easily in our corporate environment, which could be somewhat challenging consid-ering that she is a comic actor and writer. But she was able to do it and she did it perfectly. I’ve since recommended Katy and her team to other colleagues in the organization. It would be a pleasure to work with her again. - Mary Anderson, (former) Management Develop-ment Program Manage

Come to our Experimental Thinking Centre

ETC Event Rental

The Brave New Workshop Experimental Thinking Centre (ETC) was designed with flexibility, quality, and innovation in mind. The ETC is a sophisticated canvas for your vision. Able to accommodate a variety of configurations and events, the venue is inviting and state-of-the art. A stunning lobby welcomes you with wide open doors that entice visitors to wander the area and experience the history of the Brave New Workshop and its long legacy of engaging and transforming audiences.

Offering much more than just a meeting facility, the ETC is located at 824 Hennepin Avenue in the heart of the theatre district in downtown Minneapolis and offers 3,000 square feet on the main floor of the Brave New Workshop. On the second level, you will find our 230-seat full theatre, progressively adorned conference room, and a second floor lobby with bar area. To ensure a standing ovation from your attendees, you can have your group attend one of the Brave New Workshop shows or choose to include Creative Outreach services and receive a great deal.

More info is available at http://www.entourageeventsgroup.com/bravenewworkshop/

Event ConsultingThe BNW team is on the road taking part in professional events and speaking engagements hundreds of days each year. And we’ve been doing it for several years. In that time, we’ve learned a thing or two about what it takes to put on a successful event. We can help you take a fresh look at your event, provide an outside view that challenges the status quo and create an unforgettable experience for your attendees that’s not only different, but fun and motivational too.

Brave New Workshop

Our Books

Brave New Workshop (BNW) transforms people’s thinking and behavior for the better through a methodology stemming from 20 years of helping corporate clients shift mindsets, activate learning, and increase engagement. BNW regularly works with leading teams from Fortune 500 companies and tackles topics such as innovation, change management, agile culture, sales, customer service, diversity/equity/inclusion and a lot more through a mindset and behavioral lens. Started in 1958 by a former circus performer and American improvisation founding father Dudley Riggs, the organization today is owned by John Sweeney and Jenni Lilledahl and has grown to include the oldest satirical comedy theater in the U.S., a pioneering institute for personal development, a thriving corporate training business, and

top inspirational business speakers.

Contact 824 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403 creativeoutreach@bravenewworkshop.com

www.bravenewworkshop.com/creativeoutreach