Eastside business notes
Moral of story is that stories build morale

By Kristina Shevory
Seattle Times Eastside business reporter

Evelyn Clark, corporate storyteller, consultant

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In weekly company meetings, he tells stories that showcase employees who have solved customer problems or improved customer operations. He's found the weekly stories transform dull mission statements into something employees can understand and help keep them motivated.

"We need people to be motivated about coming to work, and storytelling helps us do that," Walker said. "Having a strong team is your competitive advantage. And if we lose that, we lose our business."

Walker's stories are among several featured in a new book about corporate storytelling, "Around the Corporate Campfire: How Great Leaders Use Stories to Inspire Success." Written by Evelyn Clark, a Kirkland consultant and corporate storyteller, the book showcases stories from companies including FedEx, Costco, Nike, Northwestern Mutual and 3M.

Clark, a former Associated Press reporter and public-relations professional, has worked with companies to hone their stories for 12 years. Corporate stories communicate a company's values, bring employees together, reignite enthusiasm and improve communication among departments.

"It's a wonderfully sticky glue that keeps people together and committed to their company," Clark said.

Clark will be giving a free online seminar on corporate storytelling tomorrow from 11 a.m. to noon. To register, go to www.corpstory.com online.

Nibbles

The Herbfarm restaurant is going back to its roots.

The Woodinville restaurant, which offered classes on growing, harvesting and cooking herbs at its original location in Fall City, is starting classes this month. The restaurant reopened in Woodinville three years ago after a fire destroyed the Fall City location.

Students will learn to cook with herbs and use them in everyday meals. The kickoff classes, Introduction to Cooking with Herbs and Simple Everyday Meal with Herbs, start this month and cost $65 to $75 each. Register at www.theherbfarm.com online.
 
Contract dollars

Bellevue has revamped the way it awards contracts to companies and is hosting a workshop to explain the changes.

After the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce and local companies complained that the system was not transparent or fair, the city changed it. Companies now can register for vendor lists at any time. The city has transferred contract services to the Finance Department, trained staff to handle the changes, and made it easier for companies to register to be on vendor lists.

The city awards $57.7 million annually in contracts for construction, engineering, consulting and financial services.

The workshop will be held from 7:30 to 9 a.m. today at Bellevue City Hall, 11511 Main St.

Get relaxed

When the economy sours, more people indulge in affordable luxuries to help them relax.

Massage Envy, a national chain of massage clinics, is cashing in on that stress. Over the past three months, the massage clinic has opened two clinics in Redmond and Bellevue and plans five more in Newcastle, Woodinville, Issaquah, Mill Creek and Kirkland. Massage Envy will open a new clinic in Newcastle Nov. 26 at 6920 Coal Creek Parkway S.E.

For more information, go to www.massageenvy.com online.

Kristina Shevory: 206-464-2039 or kshevory@seattletimes.com