These Global Fellows Use their Differences to Protect Biodiversity Around the World

There are a lot of groups out there that are full of diverse people working toward the same goal. This diversity and breadth of perspective is sought-after, however in practice can make for difficulty when collaborating. After all, different perspectives mean different approaches, priorities, communication styles, and potentially values.

Last week I was in Medellín, Colombia for the United Nations IPBES conference on science and policy on biodiversity and ecosystem services. I had the pleasure to graphic facilitate visioning sessions with the IPBES Fellows, a group of 49 next generation researchers from 37 countries seeking to use their scientific training to influence policy to protect biodiversity.

What blew me away the most was how well this group functioned as a team while working together. Here’s what I noticed them doing during the sessions that contributed to a successful global team that was able to go above and beyond with the impact they are making because of their strength in differences.

• It was clear they had been cultivating an environment where it was okay to disagree, change your mind, or question an idea.
• They listened to each other seeking to understand.
• They valued each other’s rich and diverse background informed by culture and field of study.

Next time you’re working with a group of people with different perspectives, think about how you could support and benefit from these differences to make your strategy, product, or paper that much stronger.

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, Karina

Ready to build a collaborative strategy? Let’s make it the best it can be with all the perspectives on your team.

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

Medellín: While it’s history has been fraught with violence, today Medellín is a vibrant city full of the most welcoming and generous people, known as Paisas. While riding a cable car to an eco-park just outside the city, I met Marleni and her family, who were born and raised on small farms inside the park. They invited me to come see their home and treated me to some farm-fresh meals! I made a small painting of their farmhouse, Finca Juliana as a thank you. It never ceases to amaze me how good people are, and what can happen when you say “yes”!

When You Work with ConverSketch, Here’s How You Support Education and Women’s Rights

Jambo rafikis - hello friends!

After two weeks in Kenya, a little Swahili feels good to share!

You know that when you work with ConverSketch, you’re going to get a creative, organized thought partner that will help you make your meetings and storytelling strategies come alive. You know that you’ll get one-of-a-kind, high-quality work and custom solutions tailored to your group’s goals to continue leveraging the charts after the meeting.

But did you know that when you work with me, you’re also investing in the future of some of the most vulnerable (and resilient) populations in the world?

You may have seen I was recently in Samburu, Kenya for a couple of weeks. Each year, I have the honor of co-leading a volunteer trip for students at Colorado State University to the town of Archer’s Post. The students help with service projects selected by our community partners such as building traditional homes or clean water infrastructure. The biggest thing we do is build relationships, especially with Unity Women’s Village and students pursuing secondary education through the Samburu Youth Education Fund (SYEF).

What I’ve learned from these women and youth have is not something I can easily summarize in a few sentences in an email/blog. They are generous, tenacious, ridiculously hard-working, hilarious, compassionate and the strongest humans I’ve ever met. They have shared perspective, instilled appreciation, and ignited a drive to do the best I can with what I was lucky enough to be born into.

If you want to talk in depth about this community and these experiences, let’s get coffee or a beer.

As a business owner, and more importantly a citizen of this planet, it’s always been important to me to give back. That’s why I choose to make contributions through ConverSketch and serve on the SYEF advisory board to support this phenomenal leadership and scholarship non-profit. That’s why I purchase the hand-made beaded jewelry to support the entrepreneurship of the women at Unity Village who are truly making their children’s lives better through their work.

Over the course of seven years, I’ve seen first-hand the positive changes happening in Archer’s Post. The words Monica, of one of the 2017 SYEF graduates at a celebration and knowledge sharing event we had, distill it better than I ever could:

“In my culture, it is not allowed for a woman to stand up and speak in front of men. Yet here I am, a woman, standing here in front of you, sharing my ideas.”

Here are the SYEF 2017 graduates and the CSU students in front of a hut they all helped build for an elderly woman. This project was organized by the SYEF graduates, who want to continue to give back to their community. 

Monica is the woman in the center of the photo wearing the white head scarf. You can imagine the deafening applause that followed from all of her peers and the CSU students.  

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support of education and women's rights, your great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, Karina

Stoked on supporting a woman-owned business that gives back to the global community? Let’s talk about your project.

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

Of course, I’ve been in Kenya! Here are a couple of photos of this year's trip including a graphic recording of tips for freshman year at high school in Kenya:

DaVita International Leadership Meeting in Denver

Although I can’t share the full charts I created over the two-day retreat with leaders from around the globe, here’s one nugget that struck me as particularly poignant.

CSU One Health Datasets Workshop

Today is the second day of the gathering of an interdisciplinary group of researchers, practitioners, veterinarians and doctors figuring out how to most effectively share data

Analog or Digital? How to Use Your Tools for Focused Creativity

Hey!

Have you ever noticed sometimes it’s just easier to be creative with specific supplies? What I mean is, have you ever tried starting a project on the computer, but it just hasn’t made sense until you picked up a pencil and started sketching or writing by hand?

Last week I learned about a podcast called “Hurry Slowly” from Jocelyn K. Glei. When I saw one of the episodes was an interview with Austin Kleon, I had to listen.

The whole 45-minute conversation is worth a listen if you find yourself interested in art, creative process, the role of movement in creativity, and design. If, however, you only have a few moments and I’m lucky to have gotten you to even open this email, here’s a quote that eloquently summarizes the phenomenon I mentioned up there at the top:

“The notebook is the place where you figure out what’s going on inside you or what’s rattling around. And then, the keyboard is the place that you go to tell people about it.”

How do you think best? What sparks your creative flow? What tools do you use that really bring you to a space that facilitates joyful creation?

For me, it’s a handful of markers and a massive sheet of paper. The large scale helps me feel open to make connections and include all the ideas floating around, make connections, then pick the direction I want to focus in on.

What about you?

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, Karina

Need a couple of helping hands (and markers) to get your creative process flowing? Let’s talk about your ideas.

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

New Mexico - Two weeks ago I graphic recorded for the New Mexico Breastfeeding Task Force. Healthcare professionals from clinics and hospitals around the state shared about how to support new moms and babies to be healthy starting from that very first hour.

Vacation Time! I took last week almost entirely off and enjoyed hot sprints, mountain biking, and thanksgiving with loved ones.

How to Stand Out in A Sea of Booths

The Trade Show. A massive room filled with hundreds of booths, all wanting to lure in the same passers-by.

Most booths are using the same old methods they always have: the freebies, candy, “try our product!” to nab attention. There are trinkets everywhere. By the end of the day all you see is a glazed look on attendees’ faces as they attempt to find the exit (and preferably the nearest bar).

There’s something missing from this scenario. Something that can set you up for authentic connections and hook your potential clients.

Here’s the secret: people don’t just want a sales pitch, they want to be heard. They are yearning for genuine human connection in a sea of people trying to get their business.

Secret Part Deux? You can have it all: listening to your customers, interactive and engaging displays, freebies, and authentic human connection.

All you have to do is partner with a graphic recorder.

I love chatting with attendees, asking for their ideas, and seeing them light up as they watch their story come to life. Then they want a photo with their drawing, which is the perfect opportunity to ask them to tag the business I am working for when they share it on social media. Boom.

Bonus: Major human connection opportunities, and if you play your cards right, you can get valuable market research data collected in real-time.

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, Karina

Heading to a trade show next year? Let’s make a plan to help you stand out in a sea of booths!

Yes!

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

New Orleans with LeadingAge

I spent last weekend outside the National WWII Museum gathering stories about how visitors wanted their lives to be when they got older. From "no regrets" to "aging like a fine wine", I captured visual stories over the two days!

Nashville with Gates

Today I'm headed to Nashville to do some more story capturing for Gates. We haven't started yet, but here's a snippet from work I did with them earlier this fall!

Avoid this Meeting Pitfall

“When everyone is in favor…it’s almost certain there’s confusion over what’s being decided.”

— Seth Godin

This quote is the epitome of Seth Godin’s wisdom: pithy, accurate and makes sure to jump-start the reader into critical thinking. It encapsulates a common pitfall for meeting facilitators and organizers: jumping on consensus as full agreement within a group. It’s easy to ride the feel-good wave. It’s easy to take that and move on. However, it’s likely whatever is being decided on will not sustain itself long-term if it’s only buoyed by false agreement.

This is why it’s so important to repeat the goals of the day or activity multiple times. This is why it’s important to take time to cultivate an environment where it’s okay to be vulnerable or to disagree (with curiosity rather than hostility, thank you very much CPD!).

And all this is why bringing in a facilitator can make all the difference in the world when you’ve put resources into bringing your best and brightest into the room for the day, or even the hour. Having someone who asks the potentially uncomfortable questions, who takes a step back and clarifies what’s being decided, is exceptionally valuable.

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, Karina

Bringing your people together for an important meeting? Let’s talk about how to avoid this pitfall and make some real decisions.

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

AARP

Yep, you read that right! I had the pleasure of capturing stories from volunteers with the AARP at the Denver Botanic Gardens this week. I loved drawing their stories before their eyes and seeing faces light up when they recognized their sketch!

In the Studio:

Editing a video about Fire Adapted Communities, Journey Mapping for an international corporation, and illustrating a holiday card for a local foundation! Since I don't photograph myself in the studio, here's a fun sketch I did for International Day of the Girl, celebrating adventures and mud puddles for girls everywhere!

Here's What A Successful Illustrated Video Partnership Looks Like

Since the birth of the RSA videos for TED talks, illustrated videos have become ever-more popular to explain everything from complex science topics to why the viewer should hire a particular business.

Videos range in detail, quality, style and effectiveness. They’re a solid investment, which is why I’ve outlined some keys to making sure you make the most of your illustrated video partner. You can also read about how to get the most out of working with a graphic recorder here, and what the video making process looks like here.

Know Your Purpose. This is the most important key to a successful video. If you don’t know exactly what you’re asking viewers to do as a result to seeing your video, make that a priority before moving forward. A call to action might be asking them to contact you or your organization, maybe it’s to educate them and encourage them to find out more about a subject, or to enroll in your program. Maybe it’s to consider adopting a new or different behavior. Whatever it is, make sure that is clear to everyone involved and that whenever you need to make decisions, you come back to this purpose.

Know Your Audience. Second only to knowing your purpose, knowing WHO it is you want to see this information is paramount. It’s SO tempting to say “My audience is everyone!” or “The ‘general public’”. However, it’s been proven time and again that if you’re talking to everyone, you’re connecting with no-one. In other words, when you have a specific group in mind, and you tailor your message to what matters most to them, the likelihood of getting them to respond to your Call to Action increases significantly. It’s really flipping hard. You to think about things from THEIR perspective, not what you think they want. Why should they care? What matters most to them? I work with you to understand this, and craft a story around it to resonate with your audience and make them want to know more.

Be Clear About Expectations. This include details like time frame, number of drafts and revisions agreed to, who needs to be involved in revisions, video length (for the love of all that is focused, get it to 2 minutes or less), what services you’re seeking and what your team will provide. For example, in my contracts I include 2 rounds of revisions to the storyboard, and one round of tweaks to the rough cut once I’ve filmed. I can be involved throughout the entire process and deliver a full-fledged final video, or do the storyboarding, illustration and filming, then hand off the files to your team to finish up.

Understand All the Moving Parts. Just as it’s important to make sure you’re clear on the video process, realizing all the different ingredients can help you know what you can provide and what you need in the package provided by your video making partner. Aside from the script, the storyboard and then final illustrations, the background music and voice over narration have a profound impact on the tone and energy your video has. Taking the time to engage with the right voice talent and select an appropriate music track contributes to your video’s success.

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, Karina

I see that sparkle in your eye…the one that means you’ve got a story to tell. Go ahead, click that button down there…

Where in the World ISN’T ConverSketch? (it’s been a busy week)

Filming & Editing One of Those Sweet Videos You Just Read About!

The Western US has been dealing with juuuust a couple of little wildfires this season. I’ve been working with a team of scientists and practitioners at the Rocky Mountain Research Station to develop a video series about helping communities become more adapted to wildfire. Video number two got filmed this week!

Graphic Facilitation in Maryland with the Board of Melwood

Melwood is a non-profit organization that trains and supports people with differing abilities to do work in landscaping, horticultural, and custodial work, as well as providing therapy and other services. We spent two days on the Chesapeake Bay being inspired by speakers and discussing the future and priorities for Melwood in the next five years.

A Little Giving Back in Berthoud …

Although I'm particular about the ways I give back, infusing visual thinking and note-taking in schools is something I support. So,  last week I spent a day in the Library at Berthoud High School sharing the basics of visual note-taking with students of all ages. As you can imagine, by the end, I felt exhausted, and also energized by their enthusiasm and laughter seeing that doodling can be useful. Big shout out to Carin Barrett for making it happen!

…And a Little More Giving Back for Public Lands

Here’s a digital video I created as a donation to the Outdoor Alliance, an organization that does work I deeply care about: protecting our public lands from being privatized. As an American citizen, all public lands are YOURS, you have a right to enjoy them! Here’s a quick video explaining public lands and actions you can take to support them.

Systems Thinking with the One Health Fellows

I’ve loved being a partner to the One Health Institute at CSU, and on Saturday the first cohort of Fellows gathered to begin their five year journey together. I am looking forward to seeing how their trans-disciplinary work moves One Health forward.

The ConverSketch Illustrated Video: Process In Images & Words

This week’s blog is going to be fairly straightforward and focused on the in’s and out’s of the video process when I work with clients. Different folks do it differently, and for me, it’s important to be clear about the process and expectations, which I’ll write more about next time.

Below you’ll find a sketch of what it looks like to go through the full video creation process with me. Each project and client is different, so we tweak things. But here’s the basic flow, with a few notes below.

• Scoping meeting/call (what’s the goal? Who’s your audience? What style? Time frame & budget?)
• Script writing responsibility and number of revisions determined with client before project begins.
• Storyboard revisions again, TBD with my client, but usually I stick with two rounds of revisions on storyboard sketches. Once sketches are approved here, all imagery is FINAL and cannot be changed.
• Rough Cut revisions include changes to timing, volume, VO, music, color, movement speed, etc.
• You get the Final Cut and we share that puppy!

At this point, you might be wondering how long it takes to create one of these. And the maddening answer I'll give you is...it depends. To give a ball-park, in an ideal world, between 4 and 8 weeks.

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, Karina

Now that you know what it takes…

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

This week I filmed the second video in a series about wildfire research to help communities become more adapted and resilient to wildfire. Which, is kind of a big deal in the Western US this year…

...And I'm headed back to Utah tomorrow to spend some time visioning with Deans at the U! More to come!

How to Make the Most of Working with a Graphic Recorder

So you’ve decided to bring in a graphic recorder to support your team to be more focused, creative, collaborative and engaged? High five to you! You’re making an investment that will not only elevate the group during the meeting or event, but can also have long-lasting positive impacts.

Here are some tips I’ve compiled from working with my wonderful clients over the past 5+ years that can help you get the most out of working with a graphic recorder.

Plan Ahead.

Graphic recorders know when and where they can be most useful for the group, or the kind of visuals that a group might need to do their best work. Bringing in a graphic recorder while you’re still developing the agenda means they can help you know the best places for them to fit in. It’s important we know your goals for the event so we can make sure our visuals help the group move in the right direction.  We want to be helpful and supportive to your planning and facilitation team, so making sure we know the right people to figure out logistics and how to collaborate with the facilitator(s) can be powerful.

Be Creative.

When planning ahead, it’s fantastic to have ideas of how you envision a graphic recorder working with your team to help your group. It is also great to come in with an open mind; brainstorming with your graphic recorder might lead you both to realizing they can do something you never dreamed of before!

Visibility is Key.

Whether the recorder is working large-scale on paper or digitally on a tablet, make sure they can be seen. Setting them up at the front of the room with decent lighting (one time while working in a theater the lights went down and at that moment I was glad I keep a headlamp in my purse) and/or projecting their work on screens enables participants to see what they’re doing. Building in time for folks to walk up and check out what the recorder is working on, or for them to walk the group through what they’ve created is also a quick and powerful tool to help people make connections and see the big picture.

Think Long Term.

This is often where people get stuck. The graphic recorder rocked out during the event, people loved it, shared it on social media, and…went home. How can you keep people looped in and excited about what they did or learned at your event? Before you even have the meeting, working with your graphic recorder to develop a long-term engagement strategy leveraging the graphics can unlock the key to momentum and keeping the group moving forward. Work with your graphic recorder to think about what your engagement strategy is after the event and how can the charts created can be used to help you and your people into the future.

For more ideas and tips, be sure to check out this article from the fantastic team over at ImageThink.

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, Karina

How can we make the most of working together?

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

Atlanta with Gates

Graphic facilitating a retreat for CIRES Education and Outreach group in Boulder

...and right now I'm getting ready to head to Colorado State University for two days at the AgInnovation Summit!

The Difference Between a Graphic Recorder and Graphic Facilitator (and When to Use Them)

There’s something ironic about a field that prides itself in helping simplify complex information through visuals, but there’s confusion about what exactly to call ourselves. Some say “graphic recorder”, some say “graphic facilitator”, others use the word “scribe”. You may have even heard “infodoodler” or “sketch artist” or “that person over there who’s drawing really fast!”.

Of course there are countless processes, strategies, partnerships and ways of visually supporting teams. So, to help you try to navigate the Sea of Visual Jargon to figure out what you’re looking for, here’s a comparison of the ConverSketch definitions of two of my most requested services: graphic recording and graphic facilitation.

Graphic Recorder

As a graphic recorder, my main focus is live visual capture of content discussed or presented during an event. I have 1-2 planning calls with my client to understand their goals for including a graphic recorder, and to make sure I understand expectations. I’m a (mostly quiet) partner and resource to the facilitator running the meeting. During the event, my charts tend to have more illustrations than when I’m facilitating because that’s what I’m entirely focused on. A note here: although the word "facilitation" is not in the job title here, graphic recorders are often playing a very important role in the facilitation process, supporting groups and the "official" facilitator as a partner in a very unique and useful visual way. After the event, you keep the original drawings, I photograph and edit the digital images of the charts and send you a list of suggestions for how to leverage them tailored to you based on our conversations.

Graphic Facilitator

As a graphic facilitator, my relationship with the client is more involved because not only am I capturing key content visually during the event, I’m also working with you to design the process, facilitate the event, and make sure your next steps are clear. We have 3-5 planning calls (and a lot more emails) as we co-create an agenda that will help your group reach its’ goals, think about how to make the most of the visuals, and make sure the space will support the group to do their best thinking. I often spend lots of time preparing large-scale visual “templates” we can fill in together during the meeting (although not always, sometimes we start with a blank sheet too), and can create custom worksheets for the participants. And, because drawing can be such a powerful tool to clarify and deepen idea development, graphic facilitators might design activities and processes to get the participants drawing out their ideas to build shared understanding. During the meeting, I am facilitating the process, checking in to make sure we’re on track, and capturing content visually, but often these charts have more words than pictures as I’m balancing both the capture and guiding the discussion. Again, after the event you keep the original drawings, I photograph and edit the digital images of the charts and send you a list of suggestions for how to leverage them tailored to you, along with a short 1-2 page summary and suggested action steps.

To make it even more interesting, some people use these terms interchangeably (i.e. they only use graphic facilitator even if they are solely focusing on visual capture), while others like me differentiate between the two. I think it's true that any sort of visual capture is a form of facilitation. Ultimately, I like to use the language that resonates with my clients and that they’ll remember, so yes, I do respond to “the artist”, “the graphic artist”, and “the woman with witty puns”. Again, these are only two options, but they can be confusing if you're new to visual lingo.

So, ask yourself, do you need a guide for the process? Or someone to focus entirely on visual capture? Both are useful in different situations. In the end, it’s important to have a conversation with the person you’re considering partnering with to be clear on expectations and to be sure you get set up for success!

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, Karina

Now that I know the difference, I’d like to talk more about…

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

Last week I had the pleasure of being a partner and host for Frank and Carola, two trainers from Germany who teach the bikablo visual thinking method all over Europe. This summer, for the first time bikablo came to the US on an 8 stop tour, including Fort Collins. The training was a success, and we are looking into partnering for future training opportunities in Colorado! Thanks to the wonderful Wolverine Farm Letterpress & Publick House for the excellent venue!

Should You Hire a Graphic Recorder? Ask Yourself These Questions to Decide

As tempting as it is to impress upon you, my lovely readers, that really there’s never a bad time for a graphic recorder, some events and meetings are better suited than others to have visual support. So, to help you decide if bringing in a graphic recorder is a good idea, here are some guiding questions for you and your team:

What are my goals for this event?

Do you want to co-create a strategic plan? Brainstorm and prioritize new ideas? Bring together a new group and hope they leave as a team? Share the state of the science for your field?  If there’s complex information, you want to get a group on the same page, or keynote presentations that can inform future discussions, graphic recording is right for you.

It may not be a good fit if there will be back-to-back presentations with lots of slides and little or no time to discuss the content*, or you’re only looking to get caricatures of everyone on the team. A graphic recorder’s number one goal is to capture key content in a way that makes it more accessible to the group, which often means an illustration, but not always. And if there will be simultaneous sessions you want captured, then plan to hire a team of recorders.

*An exception would be if you plan to build on the content later.

Why am I considering a graphic recorder?

Do you want to engage people during technical discussions? To keep them collaborating after the event? To work through a complex challenge? To make your event or meeting stand out amongst a sea of others? Finding someone who has the right amount of technical understanding and can design work that will truly support the group as they move forward can be integral to the success of the group.

Will we need to look at or build on this later?

Graphic recording provides succinct maps of the conversation or presentations that are actually interesting to look at and build on. I also work with each of my clients to create a tailored list of suggestions for how to leverage the charts after the event. What action (if any) is desired after the event? How can you keep people engaged and motivated around the meeting ideas? How will people communicate what they’ve learned to those who weren’t there? Graphic recording can be an extremely powerful tool not only during, but long after the event when used well.

How well does this group know each other? Are they good at collaborating already, or are they newly formed? Is there history?

Graphic recording can be a power boost tool for established groups, and can be even more powerful for new groups just forming. When people see their ideas and know others in the group also see them, they feel heard, and move from thinking of it as “my idea” to “our ideas”. Facilitating this kind of collaborative thinking early on in the team’s existence can save time, build trust, and get things moving faster, even if there is “history” or “baggage” between some group members.

Am I looking for someone to design the process & be a neutral lead in the discussion too?

If so, you’re looking for a facilitator, which is great! Graphic recorders are wonderful team players and work well with facilitators to more deeply understand the process and create visuals to support the group.

One more thing…

Keep in mind that if you’ve roped in a good graphic recorder, the sooner you engage with them in the meeting design process the better as we can help you figure out where in the agenda graphic recording can provide the most for your participants. Of course, we’re really flexible and good at adapting on the fly, so if it’s a last-minute decision, we can usually roll with it and still rock your world.

At this point, if you happen to be wondering what the difference between a graphic recorder and a graphic facilitator is, you’re in luck, because that’s what I’ll be writing about in a couple of weeks!

Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.

Cheers, Karina

Sounds like I could use a graphic recorder for my next event!

Where in the World is ConverSketch?

Bikablo – One More Spot!

We’ve just opened one more spot for the 2-day immersive Bikablo Visual Facilitation training August 15-16 in Fort Collins, Colorado. Click here to find out more and register!

The Cache la Poudre Canyon

Last week I had the distinct pleasure of a new experience with my US Forest Service clients – I got to camp out with them before graphic facilitating a mostly-outdoors retreat! An inspiring and beautiful location can go a long way for inspiring innovative and collaborative ideas!