MISSION Story Slam Podcast

Jude Husein is Director of State Advocacy for the Pennsylvania State Senate and former Dep. Executive Director of BOLT. She shared a story with us at MISSION Story Slam 10: The Message Tuesday June 4, 2024 at National Mechanics in Philly sponsored by PWPvideo. She is also one of Philly’s Forty Under Forty To Watch. You should listen…

Dr. Jennifer Gardella, is a small business SEO, Blogging and Social Media Consultant and author. She won the Crowd Favorite Award and $100 for A Woman's Place at MISSION Story Slam 10: The Message with her personal story of surviving domestic violence.

Janis Risch, Executive Director of the Mt. Airy Business District, won MISSION Story Slam 10: The Message with this tale of love, loss and angels.

Dr. Neil Bardhan is Director of Applied Storytelling at First Person Arts, Executive Director of the Broad Street Review, and founder of Bardhan Consulting. Neil told a great story at MISSION Story Slam 8 (see below) and joined Michael Schweisheimer to discuss storytelling on the podcast.

Elizabeth Guman is Managing Partner of Strategy Arts, a Philadelphia-based consulting group focusing on strategic planning, sustainability planning and market innovation. Elizabeth told a story at MSS9 about a lunch she shared with Judy Wicks early in her career set her feet on the path toward a life working for a more just, equitable and sustainable world. Judy Wicks is the Godmother of Sustainable Business, founder of The White Dog Cafe and author of Good Morning Beautiful Business. She joins Elizabeth on the podcast to discuss the history and future of the sustainable business model with host, Michael Schweisheimer. This is Part 2 of their conversation

Elizabeth Guman is Managing Partner of Strategy Arts, a Philadelphia-based consulting group focusing on strategic planning, sustainability planning and market innovation. Elizabeth told a story at MSS9 about a lunch she shared with Judy Wicks early in her career set her feet on the path toward a life working for a more just, equitable and sustainable world. Judy Wicks is the Godmother of Sustainable Business, founder of The White Dog Cafe and author of Good Morning Beautiful Business. She joins Elizabeth on the podcast to discuss the history and future of the sustainable business model with host, Michael Schweisheimer.

Conrad Benner is the Founder/Editor of StreetsDept.com. A Fishtown, Philadelphia born-and-raised photo-blogger on Instagram and X, curator (Streets Dept Walls and Mural Arts Philadelphia), and podcaster (WHYY's Art Outside), Conrad's work explores the art of our public spaces and the artists who create it. He spoke to host Michael Schweisheimer on this and a wide range of topics on the podcast.

Trenae Nuri is the host of a daily podcast about Philadelphia, City Cast Philly. Trenae won the Judges’ Award and $250 for PhillyCAM with a wonderful story of reconnecting with her grandfather, a member of the Federation of Black Cowboys. Michael Schweisheimer talks with Trenae about storytelling and her podcast on our podcast, The MISSION Story Slam Podcast.

Alex Hillman is a business educator and coach, community builder, author of The Tiny MBA and Founder and Fearless Leader of Philly's Indy Hall, COVID dealt what could have been a death-blow to Philadelphia’s premiere co-work site. Alex shares the story of how he and his team staged a world-class recovery and renaissance of their business and community. She spoke with PWPvideo Exexcutive Producer Michael Schweisheimer about this and more on Episode 24 of The MISSION Story Slam Podcast.

Alex Hillman is a business educator and coach, community builder, author of The Tiny MBA and Founder and Fearless Leader of Philly's Indy Hall, COVID dealt what could have been a death-blow to Philadelphia’s premiere co-work site. Alex shares the story of how he and his team staged a world-class recovery and renaissance of their business and community. She spoke with PWPvideo Exexcutive Producer Michael Schweisheimer about this and more on Episode 23 of The MISSION Story Slam Podcast.

Terri Ann DiJulio closed a successful business and career to become a full-time warrior against lung cancer. She started www.TerriAnnDiJulio.com and advocates for lung cancer research and patient support. Terri Ann shared her story at MISSION Story Slam 8: The Next Chapter and won the Crowd Favorite Prize and $100 for GO2 for Lung Cancer. She spoke with PWPvideo Exexcutive Producer Michael Schweisheimer about this and more on Episode 22of The MISSION Story Slam Podcast.

A self-described “preacher-at-heart,” Angela Brown-Vann certainly can tell a story. She won MISSION Story Slam 8 and $250 for Power Interfaith with the story of her ever-expanding resume and career as a serial career-changer. Her advice to know when to get out of a bad job is an important message for many in the job market today. She spoke with PWPvideo Exexcutive Producer Michael Schweisheimer about this and more on Episode 21 of The MISSION Story Slam Podcast.

We met Zakya Hall during the COVID scramble to keep nonprofits alive and active during the lockdown when she was working to keep services flowing in Philadelphia neighborhoods at PACDC. We asked her to tell a story at MISSION Story Slam 6 and she told a great one about life in her Strawberry Mansion neighborhood winning the Crowd Favorite Award. Over one year later we wrangled an interview with Zakya about her story and her new work at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia on the MISSION Story Slam Podcast.

Our first MISSION Story Slam back Live and In-Person at Yards Brewing was a celebration. So much had changed since we last gathered to share stories. So many great stories shared that night, but the winner was from Pamela Elaine Nichols, Executive Director of Muddy High Heels entertainment. She spoke about their mission to bring healing and resilience to mothers of color who have experienced abuse. Pamela spoke in-depth with PWPvideo Executive Producer, Michael Schweisheimer.

Jamie J. Brunson is the Executive Director of First Person Arts, an organization with a mission to transform the drama of real life into memoir and documentary art. Jamie discusses storytelling with MISSION Story Slam’s Michael Schweisheimer and how our stories connect us.

When the pandemic hit, MISSION Story Slam went online. And the winner of MISSION Story Slam 6 - over one year ago - was Martha Sharkey, Co-Founder and CEO of Today Is A Good Day, a nonprofit that helps parents manage the challenges of the NICU and premature birth. After so long, Michael Schweisheimer of PWPvideo caught up with Martha to talk about her story and her continuing mission on the MISSION Story Slam Podcast

Something a little different from MISSION Story Slam. In this episode we spotlight an organization we love and support, This Is My Brave, which uses storytelling to empower individuals to put their names and faces on their true stories of recovery from mental illness and addiction. Michael Schweisheimer talks with Executive Director Erin Gallagher about the upcoming This Is My Brave event and the Jaywalkers22 event coming up this month.

This episode was over a year in the making. Like so many other things it was put on hold by COVID, then rescheduled, then postponed again. Here, finally is Michael Schweisheimer’s (second) conversation with Jared Fenton, founder of The Reflect Organization and winner of MISSION STory Slam 5: #Stay Home Edition

Anuj Gupta is the manager of Philadelphia's famed Reading Terminal Market. He's also a veteran MISSION Story Slam storyteller and judge. He talks with PWPvideo's Michael Schweisheimer about helping people find common ground over shared meals.

Veteran Journalist and Broadcaster, Dave Davies of NPR's Fresh Air joins Michael Schweisheimer on the MISSION Story Slam Podcast to talk about Philly politics, journalism and much more. Dave was the Crowd Favorite Storyteller at MISSION Story Slam 2: Saving Democracy.