Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeff Polish.
Hi Jeff, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I got my start in research science. I went to graduate school to earn a Ph.D. in Molecular Cell Biology, and somewhere along the way, I realized I was a better communicator than scientist. After earning my degree, I went into teaching, but even that felt a bit diluted. I felt like I was moving towards something but not quite there. In 2008, after moving from St. Louis to the Triangle, I had an idea to simply hold a storytelling event with some local writers. No readings, just people who know how to spin a yarn, telling true and personal stories in front of an audience. It was a one-off, but that one-off was successful enough to warrant another event. Then another. Then another. Eighteen years later, this is my full-time pursuit. I spent my early adult years moving towards something, and once I found it, I knew it.
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?
Of course, there have been challenges. The best lessons come from mistakes and failures. Mostly, they have been tweaks and small course corrections. These fall into two major categories:
1. Learning the type of stories that are interesting and engaging to an audience and also promote connection.
2. Learning how to earn trust when helping storytellers in preparing their stories for the stage. It’s a delicate thing to help someone translate their life experiences into meaningful stories, and a sensitive and curious tone is required. I learned that the hard way.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am the founder and Executive Director of The Monti, a non-profit whose Mission is to create community through the sharing of stories.
What The Monti has done best over the years is created a safe space where people can share tender and vulnerable experiences in a room full of strangers and feel accepted and seen. When a person shares an important story, the listener may see themself in that story, making them feel less alone in their experience. That, in turn, will make the storyteller feel held by the listener.
My strength is in helping to set the stage for this connection. I am like a Matchmaker, bridging the gap between the teller and the listener.
I think what sets me (and us) apart is that we don’t take ourselves too seriously. The Monti is fun and light and comedic. But when the storytellers take the stage, we lock in. We always treat those as sacred moments.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Calculated risks are important, at times, particularly when you are presenting an artistic program. How can we take this to the next level? What are the expected outcomes? What if it fails? What if it succeeds?
With regards to running The Monti, it’s a simple program. But what we present and how we present it is always up for discussion. And I am all for trying to new things and welcoming risk as long as we adhere to our central Mission. Our goal is to create community through the sharing of stories. If we are serving that Mission, we will always be doing the right thing.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://themonti.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.monti/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMonti
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-polish-11902b10/
- Other: https://vimeo.com/themonti
