People ask me often how DirtyWork got started. No matter where I start the story or how I tell it, it always involves a conversation in which Ben Arment told me I needed to start a company & call it DirtyWork because that’s what I do for people.

The only reason I know Ben is because of STORY. After hearing him share the vision for STORY briefly in a keynote at another conference in July 2009, I knew I wanted to attend the inaugural event that September.

I did. And afterward I gave Ben my card & offered to help keep STORY going in any way that I could. It had made an impact on my life, far greater than I even knew at that point, & I wanted others to have the opportunity for a similar experience.

By the following September I found myself fully involved as part of the STORY team helping coordinate our Sponsor relationships & all things operations for the event. I had also quit my job at the church & was just a few weeks into a new life in Nashville.

We all have things that mark the passing of our lives. When we’re young it’s usually the start of the school year or perhaps an annual family vacation. STORY has become one of those experiences by which I mark the passing of my life. I can’t imagine a September without it at this point.

More than that, STORY reminds me why I love what I do. There is no greater joy for me than being a part of something so much greater than myself; a vision that inspires hundreds and impacts thousands. That is why DirtyWork exists. And STORY is one of those visions. It’s a labor-of-love dream like few I’ve seen. And for me, it’s more than a vision – it’s become my tribe.

 “Each year that passes, the more I find myself in search of people who give a #%$. About ideas. About excellence. About stories. About craftsmanship. About the tactile. About dreams. And about leaving a mark on the world. There aren’t many of those people around, but the ones I know gather at STORY.” – Ben Arment, STORY Director

If you thrive on the impossible & the unconventional; if you are always searching for a better way or even just a different way; if you are inspired by dreamers, by storytellers, by artists, will you join us in September? You are part of the STORY tribe & we’d love for you to experience this year’s event with us.

You can find more info about this year’s event here.