As our clients discover through The Story Studio process, when we want to know why a business is the way it is, we look at the individuals creating its vision and shaping its culture. We explore the founders' past for the pattern of consistent action and enduring values that fuel their ambition. These show us what they and their business will authentically and automatically do.  In this doing we find the unique value of the enterprise and the reason it exists.  From this grows the brand experience customers encounter and which we celebrate to the market.

Our Founder@The Story Studio

Emily Aiken grew up in the heart of the Silicon Valley just as it was forming.  The Bay Area pulsed with innovation, a we-can-do-anything certainty that made accomplishing the impossible seem like something you did before breakfast -- just to show you could.   The Beat Generation was Howl-ing its last echoes and went On The Road, while IBM moved in to trigger the fastest-growing suburban sprawl in the country.  Stanford University built the linear accelerator to the sound of Grace Slick singing "Don't you want somebody to love?", and flower children rubbed shoulders with burgeoning capitalism.  Hewlett-Packard was the symbolic patriarch of the Valley as baby geeks tinkered in the garages that became Apple, Intel, Microsoft, America Online, Sun Microsystems. The future came on-line, godfathered by Regis McKenna, whose legendary marketing for the new technology giants changed the face of advertising forever. Think Different eventually became a tag line, but then it was the psycho-cultural DNA embedded in those who would shape the new landscape of business and culture.

In 1976, with her yellow Super Beetle packed like a maxed-out Tetris game and a still-smoking Theater Arts Design degree clutched in her hand, Emily moved to Los Angeles to begin an entertainment career at NBC.  Her ambition to become an Art Director took a left turn as she was pulled into Creative Services and Talent Relations.  There she wrote, produced and directed electronic press events, on-air promotion and behind-the scene featurettes, then stepped sideways to do the same at ABC/CapCities and KABC-TV.  In 1992, Emily returned to her Silicon Valley roots to study business and the mechanics of leadership, innovation, entrepreneurship and power through the groundbreaking Hecht & Associates curriculum, The SPC (now called The AJI Network.)

The Egg that became @The Story Studio

In 1994, Emily founded Edgewise with then-business partner Chris Berthelsen.  An advertising and promotion boutique specializing in television and trade campaigns, Edgewise boasted a client roster that included NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, The WB, Warner Bros., Warner Bros. International Channels, The Disney Channel, Universal, and Buena Vista Television (featuring properties such as Oprah, Friends, Access Hollywood, Touched By An Angel, Good Morning America and Everybody Loves Raymond).

In 1998, Edgewise was discovered by leading-edge technology firms seeking an entertainment industry sensibility in their marketing and business development efforts. A new division of Edgewise rolled up its sleeves to build brand and communication tools for companies such as Sun Microsystems' Media-Server Division, Digital Equipment Corporation's developer community, Pragmatica's software launch and Odyssey Technologies' wireless product launch.  By the year 2000, the success of this brand strategy and creation business led to a natural re-positioning of the company: Edgewise became @The Story Studio, where brands get a life.

Out of the nest and into the fire

Today, @The Story Studio is a pure consultancy run by Emily Aiken.  A roster of supporting characters is always in the wings, ready to bring onstage a huge range of skills as demanded project-to-project.  Clients include personality brands, experiential design and architecture firms, technology, Internet, new media and service companies. Once a brand and marketing strategy is developed, Emily directs her cast of talented designers, programmers, writers, researchers and specialists as needed to stage the client's offer most effectively in the marketplace.  The gathering of these aces in one glorious brainstorm session is awesome to witness, transforming The Story Studio into whiteboard heaven!