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FOUNDER BIO

John Storm
CEO, President, Idea Catalyst

PRESS/EVENT MATERIALS BIO

John's primary passion is personal and organizational transformation - serving as a catalyst to help people and organizations reach their potential. He uses his unique and diverse life experiences from work, school, church, travel and family to create innovative experiences for others. His background as a communicator, entrepreneur, marketer, and idea catalyst enhance his ability to lead organizations through product development, strategic planning and change management. John has extensive experience in leading small groups and teams in a variety of settings. He is a thorough, insightful facilitator who enthusiastically guides the process of planning and brainstorming. John is a lifelong learner and opportunity thinker who loves to gather and synthesize information from a wide variety of sources. He brings incredible energy toward helping people StormBrain ideas and organize them into a comprehensive action plan.

John has traveled extensively in the U.S. and abroad and transfers the experiences of global cultures, paradigms, and people toward innovative thinking. He is also an experienced public speaker and writer.

 
BUSINESS BIO

WORK EXPERIENCE:
1st Business Startup (in High School) - Co-Founder, Streakless Window Service
Fishing Lure Manufacturer - Vice-President, Operations Manager, Director of Marketing, Sales Manager, Press Relations Director, Special Projects Coordinator, Shipping Clerk, Janitor
Food Business -Manager of Campus restaurant and snack bar, then Vice-President, Food Services
Church - Interim Minister of Education, College Intern
Real Estate - rural land sales
Home Box Office Transmitting Company - door-to-door salesman
Washington DC Intern - National Committee of Political Party, Senate Steering Committee

SPECIFIC BUSINESS EXPERIENCE:
Personal sales experience (14 years) with mass merchant accounts (Wal-Mart, Kmart)
Familiarity with all methods of distribution (retail, wholesale, internet, catalog, mass merchant)
Creation and management of comprehensive press relations program
Development of new product ideas, branding, and patent protection process
Origination of comprehensive marketing plans for consumer products
Management of worldwide independent and in-house sales force
Knowledge of manufacturing operations and processes (domestic & Mexican maquiladora operations)
Personal experience in company buyouts - preparation, negotiation, transition, 'redundancy', layoffs
In-depth knowledge of Personnel issues (hiring, firing, training, motivating, managing, etc.)
Familiarity with print, internet and video production of catalogs, sales materials, advertising, marketing
Understanding of purchasing issues, systems, sourcing
Involved in the design of multiple organization's websites
Understanding of the issues affecting closely held family businesses

 
INTERESTING BIO OF LIFE EXPERIENCES:

This section is just for FUN! Hopefully, it gives you an idea of some of the varied (and sometimes crazy) experiences and stories that John brings to an event. Surely one of these will peak your interest!

Unique Things That Have Happened to Him:
Got bit by country & western singer Conway Twitty's dog
Won the Key West Fishing Tournament at age 15
Got lost in a boat in the middle of Lake Erie
Flipped off a 70-ft. bridge and nearly drowned

Interesting Things He's Done:
Jumped off a speeding train in Greece
Won $100 in a Minnesota Storytelling Contest
Obtained a patent on a revolutionary fishing weighting system
Interrupted a speech by Sen. Jack Kemp
Attended the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesboro, TN
Earned the rank of Eagle Scout - the highest award in Scouting
Spent 3 months traveling Europe by train
Analyzed over 1000 resumes
Caught a 43 pound striped bass on an eel in the Connecticut River
Traveled throughout southern Brazil for a month on a business exchange program
Spent 2 days touring Las Vegas with author Jim Gilmore and 75 church leaders

Strange Places He's Been:
Was inside the MGM when Mike Tyson bit off Evander Holyfield's ear
Got chased by bandits on his Jamaican honeymoon
Lived in a funeral home in Washington, DC
Barely escaped a large riot in Athens, Greece
Stayed in the "Watergate Hotel" on the Break-in 30th Anniversary

Significant Failures / Stupid Decisions:
Plenty! You'll have to hear these in person. Be assured, he's not through yet!

SPECIFIC BUSINESS SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
Project Planning and multiple project management
Creating Guerrilla/Grass roots marketing campaigns
Personnel Evaluation (Reviews, Trouble, Confrontation, Counseling, Encouragement)
Facilitating, moderating groups of all sizes
Conducting public interviews, forums
Management of both Internal and External Sales Force
Interviewing, Hiring, Training, Employee Reviews
Systems Analysis
Creating Strategic Plans and Marketing Plans for several Organizations
Developing Initial Sales Proposals
Designing discovery process to determine customer/staff needs & developing plans to meet them
Developing evaluation forms, project lists, plans of attack
Developing procedures and systems for analyzing new products
Locating new vendors and negotiating purchasing decisions & contracts
Excellent communication skills (phone, written, and email skills), public speaking, training, teaching
Leadership in small group and overall corporate and organizational settings
Creating media relations program and conducting interviews with press and media
Generating publicity for products and personnel and writing press releases/newsletter copy
Writing copy for product catalogs, instructional brochures, packaging
Developing Sales and Marketing programs
Development of corporate Emergency Plans
Photographic/video experience for press releases, advertising and promotion needs