Human Value

No matter where our travels take us, we’re always connected to home - our hearts.

Our curious and open hearts uncover rare opportunities and gives us full entry into different industries and work environments that wouldn’t unfold as effortlessly if we didn’t commit to caring.

When creating videos for our partners, the assignments are anything but a rudimentary experience — it’s a mindful discovery practice of the important “why.”

Why do people do what they do? Why does a specific service or product matter?

We take in every moment and every person because it helps us deeply understand a product, brand, mission, and identity. We believe it’s our primary mission to convey that emotional human aspect visually and effectively, no matter it is.

Most recently we produced a few pieces for a financial company out west and it wasn’t the actual products and services that were exceptional, it was the people.

There are millions of places to invest and manage finances, but it was clear that the vision of the leadership and the actual energy of the environment created by its workers was a driving force for this practice.

Our videos emote, breathe life, and humanize a brand or product because what resonates to consumers is the feeling and the why.

What is your why and how can we help showcase that and make your business unforgettable?

Find Your Fire

It’s not unusual for me to hop in the car to take a leisurely drive up to the shimmering waters of Superior to see how the day will unfold. This time I opted for warm companionship to tend to my senses.

What is usually a bustling hub of makers and creators seemed to be a private sanctuary for a curious soul such as mine, whose heart unabashedly longs for fresh baked dough.

I couldn’t have timed it better.

Perhaps it is my old soul that cherishes a brown beacon of goodness from a glowing rust blaze or the hot wafting aroma of love transcended through working hands. Whatever it is, the desire led me to be inspired to meet another remarkable stranger turned friend… and she donned an apron!

Her eyes were wide with curiosity and wanderlust and she had a smile of a passionate baker. 

I knew Kirsten, an impeccable German speaker (among many other languages), and a former sheep farm worker in Wales, would lead a primo carb creation experience in the glorious north woods of Minnesota.   

It was all in her eyes. A sparkle that shot through me…in her, a deep illuminated glow of artistry and creativity. I had to know more!

Come to find out… she is a masterful pie artist and has killer skills outside of the kitchen as well, but no matter the craft, passion permeates.

What could have been a basic stale baking lesson on Carta Di Musica and Focaccia transported me through time and place. At one moment, I was standing along the serene Mediterranean sea where I tasted my first gelato. Next, I was playing bocce ball with my old Italian neighbor who taught me my first Italian words, “te amo” and who often served up burnt pizza. But most importantly, I was in front of a fiery, witty, bold young woman who was living her best life!

Sometimes it doesn’t take a flight to a faraway place or an elaborate travel itinerary to replenish your mind and heart. I discovered connecting with those who are open to exploring the fire that burns within them empowers me to light up too.

I realize there are times in our lives where we are called upon to grow and to go, even if it means leaving comfort and familiarity behind. It is that first faithful step that eventually leads to unearthing riches we never knew existed before.

We ended our Italian dream around a glowing bonfire and parted ways, but that day will always be etched in my heart.

Why Stories Matter

There's always a story waiting to be told... even when flowing down a river on a quiet evening in Rhode Island.   

The woman pictured is not just a gondolier, she is also an artist and a dreamer. What could have been a stale pseudo-Venetian routine trip became a memory of inspiration and connectedness because of a mutual willingness to share.

No matter where we are, there is a protagonist, or even a narrator, living out a storyline that will eventually touch us in some way. But how many of us take the time to notice?

Stories bind us together... it is the glue that keeps us connected through generations and the eraser of space between strangers. It is a way in which allows us to find commonalities or synchronicities that might have never been unearthed without an openness to sharing. 

Stories allow us to find value and meaning.

Without a story, there is no emotion or feeling tied to a person, place, or thing. 

Stories elevate everything.

This gondolier is Roselyn Young and she is more than just a face. As it turns out, she is one of only two female gondoliers in Rhode Island. She is also passionate about music and Minnesota!  

Without her story, the gondola business would be just that - a service. She personalized the experience and made it more than just a tourist attraction.

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As we navigate through our lives, we meander and wander, and through it all, we encounter and discover.   

This is how our stories evolve.

Whether it's a new place or a new face, there is a chance to learn.

And while we may think we know what we're looking for, if we're lucky, we're instead taken down an unexpected path, and swept into a state of being that is present, timeless, and connected.   

That connection is one of heart and mind.

It is this kind of presence and openness that we embody in our storytelling approach leaving our audiences informed and inspired.

What is your story? 

The Heart

Dare to go where the heart beats and you will always know where to go.

When it comes to powerful storytelling, the heart is at the core of everything. 

It's not about the latest and greatest equipment, fancy lighting, or the most sophisticated animation techniques that makes a piece memorable.

It is emotion. 

While the tools of the trade are helpful in illustrating a vision, it is not fully realized without the heart intact.

As humans, we want to feel.  We want to connect.  What awakens you? 

This is what our production team keeps in mind when creating any piece.

Why should we care?  

We mean it when we say the creative process begins well before we press record or before we type out the first words onto a script.  We are deeply invested in who we are working with and the subject matter. 

If we're not feeling it, no one will either. 

Anyone can create a video, podcast, or social media post these days... but to stand out, we have to go deep.

I Heart Storytelling is rooted in humanitarianism, where the first visual pieces produced were purely inspired by a genuine love of charitable causes and to promote those saving lives.  It has now beautifully transcended to creating stories about social justice issues, the latest technological innovations, inspiring community leaders, health and wealth, soulful artists, travel and beyond.

Our creative teams vary depending on client needs, but everyone knows the heart leads the way, everyday. 

A good friend and storytelling partner always reminds us to go where the heart beats.   

Best words of advice, because now, no matter what we are doing, we always know where to go.