SPARK

I was introduced to Christopher Jones by following the Mitchell’s Journey Facebook page. Christopher was a poignant storyteller who documented his son Mitchell’s heart failure journey. The Duchenne Community came together and cried with his family as they said goodbye to the beautiful eight-year-old son. I have been honored to become friends with Christopher and his lovely wife. Chris has created a fantastic game to bring your family together this holiday season. I had the opportunity to talk to Chris about the inspiration for designing the “Spark the magic of Storytelling” game.

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.

I’ve been a serial entrepreneur for about 24 years and have a thing for building businesses that build people. From launching tech startups, and creative agencies, to incubating/accelerating other companies, my business thrives on creating a profound vision and defining clear paths to success. I’ve been married for 25 years, a father of 4, and a doting grandfather to 2 beautiful children. I’m pretty much obsessed with my family.

How did your son’s journey influence the creation of SPARK?

Turning our little family’s storytelling tradition into a game didn’t occur

BY CHRISTINE PIACENTINO

until years into my grief journey. I was writing a story about Mitch in the cardiac intensive care unit; I could tell he wanted to leave the hospital, and he was sad he couldn’t. Wanting to lift my son’s spirits, I started to tell him a story with music in the background. His anxious face softened in his eyes seemed to fall into a dreamlike state as we left the hospital without ever leaving the hospital. When I wrote that story, remembering what Mitch Facebook Page to offer updates on my son’s declining health with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. I figured that would be an excellent place to update people without intruding on their space with emails, texts, and letters. If they were curious, they could check in at their discretion.

When my son was in the hospital, on hospice, and after he passed, I began to see the profound impact sharing our story had on others. The writing was my therapy. It was my only therapy. I used it to unpack one experience at a time, understand what was broken, and then try to put my broken pieces back together again in a single long-form essay. So, I didn’t go public with Mitchell’s Journey per se; somehow, some way, a segment of the public came to me.

and I experienced, I wanted to make something so others could experience what we experienced.

I know you have a shy person; what made you go public with Mitchell’s Journey?

I never planned to have Mitchell’s Journey go public the way it did. At first, I started Mitchell’s Journey

Tell us a little of the backstory of creating this game.

When my kids were little, I’d tell them bedtime stories with music and the spoken word. I’d play soundtracks in the background and let the music take us away. My stories always followed the mood and tone of the music, and it was simply magical. While storytelling, I’d change the song to something random, which would steer us in unexpected directions. We’d laugh, cry, and sit on the edge as stories unfolded in our minds. It

“Music-inspired storytelling seems to do something similar to people: the child within emerges – and it is beautiful to see.”

isn’t easy to describe the magic of those moments. It was as if I unzipped the ceiling, and the bedroom walls fell to the earth; we fought dragons, trudged through mystical marshes, traveled across the universe, and discovered something about ourselves. I’d always include my kids in the stories, which always made it more personal for them. So, when I saw adults old enough to be my parents awaken the inner storyteller within, I was fascinated. It reminded me of the movie “Awakening,” where people in an Alzheimer’s ward awaken to their young, vibrant selves for a brief moment. Music-inspired storytelling seems to do something similar to people: the child within emerges – and it is beautiful to see.

It wasn’t long before I had my employees storytelling with music. In the office, on long drives … wherever, whenever. I was amazed to discover how everyone is a storyteller. As adults, we forget how to do it. We forget that telling stories is fundamental to human nature. From the stories we tell ourselves to the stories we watch on the big screen, we are constantly consuming or telling stories.

If you don’t believe me, think back on what it was like when you were a child. Our parents would hand us toys; before we knew it, we told little stories with our dolls, trucks, and other little figures. Something unfortunate happens somewhere on our journey between youth and adulthood. Slowly and progressively, we’re encouraged to stop telling stories so we can memorize the stories of others. That’s not all bad because we can learn a lot about ourselves through the stories of others – but when we sacrifice our storytelling for the stories of others, we lose our naturally firm grip on telling stories of our own. Soon, our muscle memory for storytelling atrophies, and we forget how natural it is to us.

What is your “spark”?

My spark is found in helping others heal, to help make sense of suffering, and find meaning in our life experiences. My most profound work is in the space between the head and heart.

Tell us what made you create “Spark” and what exactly it is.

I wanted other people (children and adults alike) to enjoy the magic we experienced. I wanted to create something that would bring friends and family together at a time when the same technology that connects us also keeps us apart.

SPARK is a music-inspired improv storytelling game. Inside a tiny box are a few hundred stories, prompt cards, and access to an app with hundreds of hours of music. That music is played in the background as storytellers use story prompts and imagine fantastical stories.

The best way to think of SPARK is an improv storytelling game with music as your co-storyteller.

win the Child Creative Magazine Game of the Year in 2020?

It’s always gratifying to see parents and people in the game industry know the value of what you created. What I like more than awards is receiving messages from parents and educators who tell me what happened to their children when they started telling stories with SPARK. It’s as though they’re meeting a version of their child they hadn’t met yet. Often, they’re fascinated (and entertained) when they see a giant storyteller hidden in the frame of a little child.

For me, the optics of an award and other public wins are neat, but the real magic is found around the kitchen table or living room floor when they connect in ways they haven’t before. That’s all I care about. Awards are just a sticker you get to put on things. The real reward is in creating memories others get to keep for a lifetime.

What does the word “Influential” mean to you?

When I think of “influential,” I’m reminded of the saying, “Managers require leaders to inspire.” One is draconian and disempowering, and the other inspires belief in oneself and is empowering.

Influence is not so much telling people what to do or how to think but rather an invitation to listen to our “better angels.”

According to you, what skills are necessary for becoming a successful entrepreneur?

We’re often married to at least two

“Turning our little family’s storytelling tradition into a game didn’t occur until years into my grief journey.”

things: our partner and work. Those relationships (and others) often live or die on our ability to listen, learn, and adapt. If we can’t hear, learn and adapt to situations, we’ll find ourselves regularly in marriage counseling and bankruptcy court. a profound example sitting next to me. I will forever honor Natalie. For SPARK, getting private messages from parents who had a fantastic experience with their family stands out to me.

If you had to start over from scratch, knowing what you know now, what would you do differently?

Early tests. Quick pivots. Do more with less, simplify and focus. Each moment of shared gratitude by others is as special to me as in the past.

What do you feel are your greatest strengths, personally and professionally? I’m a deep listener. That is useful in my personal and professional relationships, for sure. But I don’t listen to get something from someone; I listen to give.

Also, I’m fiercely creative. That’s simultaneously my greatest strength and my Achilles heel.

What has been the hardest thing to accomplish since starting this mission?

I am overcoming selfdoubt. Which, ironically, is a form of storytelling.

Who are some people who empower and inspire you, and why?

Without question, my wife empowers and inspires me. I marvel at her deep wisdom, balance, and charity of heart. If it’s true that you become the average of the five people you spend time with the most, I want to be around her all the time. She’s insightful, innovative, and a great leader.

Yes, a few businesspeople seem to be doing things well, and I’m learning from what they have to say – but I have such

“What is your ‘why? ‘” Why do you do what you do

I am putting a Band-Aid on a broken heart, offering a firm shoulder to lean

on, and giving a hug to someone who is falling apart—helping people who suffer. I find that the more I help others heal, the more I heal. Life has become a beautiful dance of healing, hurting, and healing.

Name one particular moment that has stood out to you during this journey. For Mitchell’s Journey, I get private messages from people who have had a profound shift in their life because of my son’s story. Those messages touch me deeply.

What has been your best form of promotion for this product, and what platform is your favorite?

The best form of promotion for SPARK is being listed on gift lists by educators, child development experts, or influential bloggers. My favorite platform is Ah Parenting. Dr. Laura recommends SPARK to her readers profoundly impacted parents looking for games that will build their children’s creative, collaborative, and verbal communication skills.

What is one thing that motivates you?

My one motivator is helping others heal, grow, and awaken their deepest self.

What are your following plans?

I have many ideas for SPARK. One includes a digital version that can be played on a TV screen or remotely between friends. Same game mechanics with music and prompt cards; only everything is digital and much more immersive. I will prototype a version of this game with some young men with DMD in the coming weeks. It’s an excellent opportunity for them to escape into an infinite universe of possibilities.