STORM...WHAT?

What EXACTLY is Stormcells? While the name suggests otherwise, Stormcells does not have anything to do with the weather.  (Yes, the Stormcells name has given us some issues as people Google it.)  Stormcells is, however, a nonprofit organization that uses brainstorming, creativity, and problem-solving to help other charities.  The company focuses on service, innovation, and collaboration, while always seeking to give more than we receive. We break the rules, we have fun, and we try to solve the problems that hinder charities from doing their important work.  Even the Dalai Lama said you have to “know the rules well, so you can break them effectively.”  So, while we don’t actually chase storms, we do use our brain cells to help others navigate uncharted waters and stand against the winds of conventional thought.  (Was that last line a little too hokey? Yeah, I thought so too, but decided to leave it in for imagery.)
  
How does Stormcells go about doing these things, you might ask?  We have a few tried and true ways and sometimes we just think them up as we go along.  We take Dr. Seuss very seriously, and he very poignantly claimed, “Think left and think right and think low and thing high.  Oh!  The thinks you can think up if only you try!”  We work charities to find strategies that are as unique as they are.  For example, a charity might have a challenge that involves fundraising, marketing, or advocacy.  Stormcells helps them determine what might be a good fit and then we work alongside them to implement the plan.  Oh, and did I mention that all the services we offer charities are free?  Yep—if Stormcells works with your charity, you don’t pay us a dime.
 
One of the largest initiatives through Stormcells is the Women’s Think Tank. That’s right, a think tank made up only of women!  We feel that women provide unique perspectives that can help charities and small businesses with the problems they face.  You see, studies suggest that there is still gender bias relating to performance, innovation, and creativity.*  WHAT?  Even in the twenty-first century, people buy into the idea that men are more innovative, intellectual, and creative.  As odd as it seems, women are part of those people that still believe it.  At Stormcells, our goal is to break those stereotypes and help women recognize the creative potential within them. The Women’s Think Tank provides personal/ professional development for the members, as well as assistance to charities.  Through a year-long curriculum plan, ongoing real-world challenges, and networking with other women, the members learn about idea generation, creativity, problem-solving, and PLAY!  Wait, “play”? Absolutely—play is essential to creative thinking; so, Stormcells incorporates laughter, imagination, and “play” into our regular routine.
 
The last blog post that we published on “thinking outside the box”, (which had maybe ten views) provided information about another service that Stormcells offers--Diaminds® Challenges.  Well, you think, it is probably because you spelled diamonds wrong and are dimwitted.  No—we actually spell it that way.  Diaminds® is a registered game of creativity under pressure, involving a prize-backed challenge.  A real-world problem is issued to a group of individuals or teams and they battle to determine the best potential solution.  “Battle” might not be the best word, but they definitely compete for a really cool prize. Every idea submitted is given to the charity to help them with the challenges they face; thus, providing them with the gems of our minds. (See what we did there?)
 
Now you know a little more about Stormcells and the work that we do, you can stay involved by following us on facebook, twitter, or LinkedIn.  Check out the rest of our website, or shoot us an email to learn more.  And, in case you want to read more about a couple of topics covered here:
 
Gender gap and creativity:

• Innovation, Creativity, and the Gender Gap
• A Gender Bias in the Attribution of Creativity: Archival and Experimental Evidence for the Perceived Association Between Masculinity and Creative Thinking

 
Play and creativity:

• Play: How It Shapes the Brain Opens the Imagination and Invigorates the Soul

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