Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Wittenstein.
Hi Mike, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
The older one gets, the more one realizes that one’s early experiences shape one’s life course the most. Here are some things that shaped me: In junior high school, I started a woodworking business. Besides building basic skills and overcoming my shyness about selling, I learned about accounting, project management, and negotiating with the local lumber supplier. Most importantly, customers get value not just from the product but also from the service.
– I was an exchange student in Brazil as a high school senior. I learned another language, culture, and how to see people where they stand. In other words, I developed empathy and could see how they saw the world. Those priceless skills I treasure to this very day.
I studied in the former Soviet Union in college. I learned that no matter what governments may say about non-citizens, we are all more alike than we are different. I try to remember this lesson when I meet people who rub me the wrong way at first contact.
– Jumping ahead to professional experiences, I had exposure to manufacturing, agriculture, retail, office work, the travel business, professional services, banking, and real estate. A mentor along the way taught me how to harvest that wide variety of experiences when she told me to “file it all away, Mike.” She told me her process for evaluating new situations by looking at them backwards. Start by observing where a business is today. Ask what decision(s) happened. Learn what other choices were available then and why one was chosen. I didn’t understand it then, but I promise this focus on framing decisions works magic!
After a real estate analyst job brought me to Atlanta (for a very short time), I started doing small business consulting. This led to an introduction to a Creative Director, who became my partner at Galileo, one of the world’s first digital agencies. She taught me never to let technology get in the way of telling an informative and entertaining story. It was classic advice, and it’s still true.
– We sold that business, and I went to work for IBM as their eVisionary. It was fascinating how much of the same logic that worked for small and medium enterprises also applied to large businesses. I learned that you get better results if you keep people at the center of your designs (strategy, websites, new experiences).
– 22 years at Storyminers taught me some great lessons about creating and using stories. Clients ask us the most for story help that clarifies their ideas, sets their strategies in motion, and betters their customer experiences.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
When you’re in the thick of challenges, it’s hard to tell what’s crucial from what’s just something you need to learn to move forward. I’ve learned two things. – When you feel pain around new things, you are probably learning. Lean into it.
– Teach what you learn. Quickly. Thanks to Chuck Reaves for that lesson. (By the way, you don’t have to learn everything independently. Learn from others. It saves time and energy.)
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Storyminers helps CEOs at medium-sized service organizations accelerate $100 million+ in revenue growth.
With over 25+ years of experience in pioneering unique projects, I specialize in transforming visionary concepts into real, measurable results. My approach anticipates market trends and aligns with your business dynamics.
My expertise has driven multi-billion dollar revenues across diverse sectors:
Tech (IBM, AT&T, Congnixion, iPay Technologies, Val-Pak, Contextual Information)
Travel (Air Canada, Delta Air Lines, Adelman Travel, Wingate, Holiday Inn)
Professional Services (Collins, eTrain, decisionpoint, TwinEngines)
Retail/Franchise (Best Buy, Alternative Apparel, McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, SOHO Hero)
Healthcare (Piedmont Healthcare, Transitions Optical, Partnership to End Addiction, ThinkIPA)
Manufacturing (Timken, Scanfil, Habasit)
Non-Profit (FullCircle, Georgians United, MOREOPTIONS)
I partner with leaders of medium-sized service businesses, poised to unlock their next $100 million growth opportunity. Companies call me when they have ideas, but find themselves stalled at the onset.
Through prototyping future-state strategies, brands, services, and customer experiences, I ensure every voice is heard, providing a lucid view of the future and equipping your team with the ability to turn ideas into results.
Imagine your team embracing what’s next with a clear, vivid picture of the unfolding future and their role in it. With this clarity, your teams will become unstoppable.
It’s easy for the best people to become entrenched in maintaining the status quo. As the leader, your job is to point out the stepping stones to success, creating a vibrant future for your company and a rewarding journey for every team member.
Living and working in multiple cultures taught me to see others as they see themselves.
Continuous speaking and writing fuels my professional and personal growth.
For fun, I enjoy woodworking (thinking with my hands) and hiking.
First Step Forward: Let’s have a visit.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I think I’ll leave this question blank. Nobody can see what’s that far ahead 😉
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.storyminers.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storyminers/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikewittenstein
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/storyminers
- Youtube: Storyminers – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCI_LjX3BxGm5xHGyJ2n4Izg
Image Credits
Cindy Brown Photography
