"TELL ME A STORY..."

STEVE MADEJA

"Tell me a story." I was on my high school debate team at the time. I had sharp tongue, a thick skull, and a nose for research, yet no matter how well-prepared I came, I found . One day, I went into my usual firehose of facts when my coach held up his hand. "Steve," he said, "it takes more than the facts to win. Stop. Take a breath. Now, tell me a story."

I've tried to do just that in my 17 years in the creative industry. It started when I was a junior producer at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, where I learned that you can (and must, if you want to keep your sanity) make any subject interesting if you find the right style and story.

At my current company, I've continually tried to innovate and build business. I founded the animation department at Informa TechTarget - writing scripts, making videos, establishing pricebooks and processes - and trained new team members in the US and UK to build a $1 million+ product line.

As creative director, I spearheaded our event production offerings, turning piecemeal video products into cohesive campaigns built around conferences that customers attend and host, delivering $1.5 million annually.