The tale of an unconventional storyteller is bound to be.. well.. a little unconventional. From college dropout to Chief Storyteller of Detroit (the city he was born and raised in), Eric Thomas has yet to follow the typical path. Former Chief Storyteller for the City of Detroit (a Mayor Appointee position in the city government focused on content, digital, and brand), a TEDx Speaker, entrepreneur, published writer, narrative strategist, and a Crain’s 20 in their 20’s Awardee. Before his mayoral appointment, he worked with dozens of businesses and organizations to develop their brands, connect to their markets, and tell their stories as co-founder of Saga, a storytelling agency. The agency serviced solopreneurs, small businesses, museums, nonprofits, corporations, and municipalities. This diverse array of clients helped Eric develop an understanding of how stories can work to scale, build, and maintain an audience. Additionally, his writing has appeared in the Financial Times, Detroit Free Press, and Hour Magazine. Excerpts from his work and speaking have been cited in the New York Times, AdWeek, and Economist, and he has a few of the most-read LinkedIn Blogs on the platform on topics ranging from Media and Marketing to Diversity and Economic Development in underserved communities. From community colleges to MIT, Digital Conferences to regional chambers, intimate workshops to corporate retreats – the goal has been the same: Connect the big picture to the human experience. Once described as “Seth Godin meets Cornel West with a little P.T. Barnum thrown in for showmanship” by Jeff Degraff, Dean of Innovation for the University of Michigan, you can be sure that any time Eric engages with your organization, his unique blend of cultural insight, historical context, and future-focused storytelling will captivate, inspire, and most importantly, evolve an audience’s perspective.