See Loren’s bio, photo, and Part 1 of this Q&A. See Part 2 of this Q&A.

Q&A with Loren Niemi (Question 3):

Q: What’s your favorite story about a transformation that came about through a story or storytelling act?

A: This is a small one. Megan Wells, Nancy Donoval, and I did a project with DDB advertising focused on financial and wealth-management services. The creatives were skeptical that we had anything to offer them that they did not already know but as part of our metaphorical examination of wealth, I told “Rumplestiltskin” and described the challenge the Miller’s daughter faced (turning straw into gold) as “an impossible task needing to be done in an unreasonable time.” There was an audible gasp that went through the room which was confirmed when we talked about the story — that phrase described their situation, their feelings. They were the Miller’s daughter expected to turn straw into gold. From that moment on, the tone changed and everyone in the room was engaged in the same task for the same ends.