Failure Lab | Grand Rapids

Failure Lab showcases the untold struggles behind successful people. These unique events bring communities and organizations together through powerful stories, crowdsourced lessons, and live performances. There is much to be learned from sharing our struggles–everyone fails, the real question is how do we respond to failure?

Storytellers:

Chris Kaufman: Co-Founder, StockX and ArtClvb

Cindy Foley: Director and CEO, Grand Rapids Art Museum

Jeshua Lauka: Attorney and Partner at David, Wierenga & Lauka, P.C.

Dr. Sandra Upton: Founder/CEO, Upton Consulting

Andy Havemeier: Owner, Wealthy Street Bakery and Hall Street Bakery

Isabel Lopez Slattery: Owner, Isabel Media Studios

At Failure Lab, we've mastered the art of compelling narratives that inspire genuine connection and personal growth. Through our unique approach, we have created a space where failure becomes a catalyst for profound change and meaningful connections. Our events are a fusion of authentic storytelling, performance art, community empathy, and deliberate reflection, creating a transformative social experiment.

For over a decade, we've curated profoundly engaging events that resonate across corporate and community landscapes, from bustling Chicago to vibrant Chandigarh, India. Partnerships with industry leaders like Dell, South by Southwest, VIVID Sydney, Herman Miller, PBS, and University of Michigan underscore our impact. Our work, recognized by premier publications including USA Today, Entrepreneur, Playboy, Times of India, Fortune, Washington Post, NPR, and many more, speaks to our unwavering commitment to crafting memorable experiences worldwide.

At Failure Lab events, the magic of storytelling takes center stage. As each storyteller shares their personal failure narrative, the audience transcends the role of passive observers, becoming active participants in a profound shared experience. After every story, the audience is encouraged to pause and reflect, allowing them to internalize the narrative's profound meaning and document the lesson they took from the story. This moment of reflection helps them connect on a personal level, extracting unique lessons. These stories are not just narratives; they are transformative journeys.

Following the audience's reflection, a talented entertainer graces the stage, adding an extra layer of allure to the event. These brief performances play a crucial role: they serve to transition to the next story, delight the audience with local talent, and enrich their cultural experiences with extraordinary artists.

The Failure Lab story format deliberately ends at the bottom of the story, at which time the audience is invited into the experience to share their reflections - a deliberate social experiment/experience of community empathy & reflection. The lack of resolution invites the listener into a space of self-inquiry and empathy. They can’t help but wonder, “What would I have done in that situation? When have I felt the feelings of the storyteller?” And that is the power of the Failure Lab Story Formula - it takes one person’s story and it turns it into an infinite number of experiences. Every person that listens to the story is invited into its emotional depths. Every person that listens to the story adds to it their own experiences, identity, and meaning-making. A single story becomes a magical tool of human connection. The candid delivery of the stories, told by successful humans, works to dispel the illusion of isolation and stigma around failure by fostering empathy and elevating universal human experience.

We might not like to talk about it, but we ALL fail. Every. Single. Day. Big fails. Little fails. Fails of action. Fails of inaction. The lack of lessons, morals, or conclusions not only invites the listener into personal reflection and meaning-making, it also embeds the story in the mind of the listener. This phenomenon is known as the Zeigarnik effect, named after the Soviet psychologist Blumar Zeigarnik. The Zeigarnik effect postulates that an interrupted or incomplete event embeds itself into our consciousness & memory more effectively than a resolved event.

Our events go beyond traditional narratives, offering transformative journeys that resonate with attendees long after the event concludes. Join us on a transformative journey at Failure Lab, where powerful storytelling meets personal growth. Immerse yourself in an unforgettable experience designed to inspire, enrich, and leave lasting impact beyond the event.

Host or Publisher Failure Lab