MEET THE FOUNDER
Michelle Loufman
YOU COULD SAY STORIES ARE IN MY D.N.A.
Stories have been with me since I was born.
After WWII, my grandmother immigrated from Germany to the United States with my young mother and uncle in tow. They spent several weeks crossing the Atlantic by boat to meet my grandfather, who had arrived a year earlier to get work and establish a home—a fresh start after the devastation of Hitler’s wake.
“Oma” would share stories like this as bedtime stories in her thick German accent. Her descriptive memories enthralled me, and I tried to imagine what life was like growing up in a foreign country and then leaving it all behind.
Through those stories, I understood Oma’s near-smothering desire for me to wear warm layers on cold days and her strange habit of stockpiling canned food and Ivory soap. She had endured unspeakable hardship during WWII and came close to starving to death.
For me, stories are both a gift and a compulsion. I can’t resist observing, documenting, translating, and reflecting on the stories of others to share truth and empower humans.
FUN FACTS ABOUT MICHELLE & VIANARRATIVA
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I began to create written stories at age six when my mom bestowed me a Hallmark diary as a birthday gift.
I remember standing in the driveway that summer morning, holding its pink, lined pages, knowing I held something special. I often look at the scribbled handwriting from a younger me learning how to hold her pencil and form simple sentences, wondering if she’d know how much she’d love writing so many decades later.
As I grew up, I opened the pages to my second love: visual storytelling. Jaw open, I poured over the vibrant photography in those National Geographic issues.
I absorbed the big, colorful world through those pages sitting in my tiny home in Ohio and bought my first camera at age 11.
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I’ve always loved news and communications, especially the human interest segments and desired to be a journalist.
Instead, I chose a “safe” career in business, opting for a marketing degree because it sounded more fun than all the other practical majors a forward-thinking student should pursue.
My career journeyed through various marketing communications and brand strategy roles. I spent 20 years working my way up in advertising, public relations, sales, marketing, branding, strategy and ultimately serving as a fractional Chief Marketing Officer.
I performed well, but knew something was missing. I found myself returning to my childhood passion: documenting and sharing what I observed and experienced.
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After nearly bleeding to death from a health crisis several years ago, I documented my journey to offload my painful emotions.
It was a complex, lengthy and scary journey, and I was convinced my dream was dead. I could barely work and most days. Getting out of bed, showering and making a small meal on a restrictive diet was the best I could do. I was spending more than I made on medical treatments, made only more complex after years of misdiagnoses.
Through the power of sharing my own painful story, I understood the power story has to ignite change for others. My story inspired others to dive into their health journey and finally get the healing they needed.
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During the time I was enduring my chronic health recovery, I met with a business coach. She helped me understand that my zone of genius as a highly observant, empathic, and sensing person is to translate what I see, sense and feel into multimedia stories.
My mission is to combine what I learned in marketing and in storytelling to integrate storytelling pragmatically into day-to-day communications.
When I meet clients, I see them for who they truly are, affirm their significance, and reflect their unique characteristics creatively to better connect with their target audiences.
The result? You harness the power of your story and gain the confidence and clarity to make a bigger impact in the world.
I envision a world where businesses motivate change in others to make the world better than before.
STREET CRED
20+ years in advertising, public relations, and advertising roles
7+ years of running a small business
Published writer and photographer
Board Member, Reclamation Ministry
Improved closed business for clients by as much as 50%
Increased new sales leads for clients by as much as 30%
Boosted social media engagements for clients by as much as 20%
Successfully increased client sales by $3.2 M+
Responsible for increasing client market share by 20%
START YOUR STORY
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