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SweetRush Shortlisted for Five Learning Technologies Awards 2018

September 28, 2018June 28, 2023 by Danny Brenes

SweetRush makes the shortlist for the Learning Technologies Awards 2018 in five categories, highlighting its strengths in virtual reality, learning games, blended learning, and custom content design.

San Francisco, Calif., October 1, 2018 —Learning Technologies recently announced its shortlist for its 2018 awards, and SweetRush made the list in five categories.

SweetRush was recognized along with client-partners Bridgestone, Hilton, and Mondelēz. According to Learning Technologies —Europe’s leading showcase of organizational learning and the technology used to support learning at work— the Learning Technologies Awards “recognize the commitment, enthusiasm, and passion for learning technologies across the world.”

SweetRush made the shortlist in the following categories: Best learning technologies project – international commercial sector, Excellence in the design of learning content – international commercial sector, Best learning game – international, Best use of simulations or virtual environments for learning, and Best use of blending learning – international.

All shortlisted entries are being evaluated by an independent panel of L&D professionals. The winners will be revealed on November 21.

“There’s something very special about being shortlisted for the Learning Technologies Awards,” says Arturo Schwartzberg, Cofounder and Chairman at SweetRush. “As a company mostly based in the United States, having such important nominations come from Europe’s leading showcase in the field of learning is a recognition to the global excellence of our work. We are honored.”

This year’s Learning Technologies Awards attracted 400 submissions from more than 20 countries, a record number for the competition.

You can find the complete list of nominees, listed by category, on the Learning Technologies website.

About SweetRush

Dream for a moment that you have the expertise and tools to positively impact the lives of others. You can affect mindsets and behavior. You can help an organization grow, change, prosper, and thrive. The passionate pursuit of this expertise and the development of these tools have been at the heart of the success SweetRush has experienced collaborating with clients who share the same dream.

SweetRush’s focus on team culture and mastery of performance improvement is reflected in loyal clients, a near-zero turnover of teammates, a 16-year track record of success, and a remarkable portfolio. Our work with clients has earned us gold awards from our peers and high ranking on the top training industry lists.

Every solution we deliver is infused with creativity. Instructional creativity allows us to discover effective and unique solutions to our clients’ challenges. Artistic creativity spurs us to create visually exciting, engaging user experiences. Technical creativity allows us to embrace new capabilities and platforms as they emerge, such as virtual reality, gamification, and mobile delivery. Cultural creativity empowers our clients to create the conditions that energize and empower their people and unleash the energy in their teams. Our Talent Solutions team builds on its unique knowledge of talent, team building, and learning and development to craft a unique, creative solution for clients who need the best temporary staff to augment their team. We apply the creative lens to all things, from project management to our treatment of our teammates, clients, and the planet.

We are over 150 people strong and have been in business since 2001. Every day, we give thanks for the trust of our world-class clients. Our deliverables span from analysis and curriculum mapping to the creation of blended training products, including live and virtual classroom training, custom-developed eLearning, and innovative use of emerging technologies.

Dream with us, and together let’s make a positive impact!

SweetRush Named a Finalist in the CLO Learning in Practice Awards 2018

August 29, 2018June 28, 2023 by Danny Brenes

SweetRush makes the shortlist for the Excellence in Technology Innovation Award with an inventive virtual reality learning program, and earns a coveted spot as a finalist in the CLO Learning in Practice Awards 2018.

San Francisco, Calif., September 3, 2018 — Chief Learning Officer (CLO) recently revealed their list of finalists for the CLO Learning in Practice Awards 2018, and SweetRush was shortlisted in the Excellence in Technology Innovation category. The company was recognized for its work with client-partner Hilton, developing a virtual reality learning program that mixes 360-degree video and hands-on 3D activities designed to build empathy.

With the nomination, SweetRush has secured either a gold, silver, or bronze award, which will be announced during a special ceremony held on October 2.

“We are so thrilled to be nominated for such a prestigious award for our work in virtual reality,” says Arturo Schwartzberg, Cofounder and Chairman at SweetRush. “We have the utmost respect for CLO, and it means a lot to know the admiration is mutual. We share this recognition with Hilton; awards like these are just not possible without the trust and collaboration of our clients.”

Established in 2003, the Learning in Practice Awards recognize learning leaders who have demonstrated excellence in the design and delivery of employee development programs.

You can find the complete list of CLO Learning in Practice Awards 2018 finalists, listed by category, on CLO’s website.

About SweetRush

SweetRush’s focus on team culture and mastery of performance improvement is reflected in loyal clients, a near-zero turnover of teammates, a 17-year track record of success, and a remarkable portfolio. Our work with clients has earned us gold awards from our peers and high ranking on the top training-industry lists.

Dream with us, and together let’s make a positive impact!

SweetRush Honored as Finalist in Stevie Awards for Great Employers 2018

August 27, 2018September 29, 2022 by Danny Brenes

The company was nominated in the Leadership or Skills Development Solution Provider of the Year category at the Stevie Awards for Great Employers 2018.

San Francisco, Calif., August 27, 2018 — SweetRush will be competing for top honors in the upcoming 2018 Stevie Awards for Great Employers, after making the shortlist in the Leadership or Skills Development Solution Provider of the Year category.

The category acknowledges the achievements of providers offering solutions for assessment tools, certificate programs, distance learning, leadership development, and training materials, among others.

With the nomination, SweetRush has secured either a Gold, Silver or Bronze award; the final results will be revealed on September 21.

The Stevie Awards for Great Employers recognize the world’s best employers and the human resources professionals, teams, achievements, and HR-related products and suppliers who help to create and drive great places to work.

“Constantly striving to be better at what we do is in our DNA; we’re always looking to build more effective learning solutions for our clients. To be recognized for that is humbling and exciting,” says Arturo Schwartzberg, Cofounder and Chairman at SweetRush.“It’s a great honor to be nominated for the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, but even more so to be competing in a category that recognizes a company’s overall performance throughout the year.”

More than 60 professionals worldwide participated in the judging process to select this year’s Stevie Award winners.

“The judges were extremely impressed with the quality of entries we received in the third annual Stevie Award for Great Employers. The dedication the Stevie Award finalists have to making workplaces great for employees was evident in every nomination,” said Michael Gallagher, president and founder of the Stevie Awards.

Details about the Stevie Awards for Great Employers and the list of 2018 Stevie finalists are available at www.StevieAwards.com/HR.

About SweetRush

Dream with us, and together let’s make a positive impact!

About the Stevie Awards

The Stevie Awards are conferred in seven programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 10,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at www.StevieAwards.com.

SweetRush Wins 21 Awards at 2018 Brandon Hall Excellence Awards, 13 Golds

August 23, 2018September 29, 2022 by Danny Brenes

SweetRush was a top overall winner at the coveted and prestigious 2018 Brandon Hall Excellence Awards. The company earned 21 honors including 13 Golds in a wide range of categories, a remarkable validation of its versatility and commitment to excellence.

San Francisco, Calif., August 23, 2018 — The Brandon Hall Group bestowed 21 Brandon Hall Excellence Awards, including 13 Gold awards, to SweetRush, recognizing the company as a leader in performance improvement, custom learning development, and learner engagement. SweetRush, one of the top overall winners for the year, shares these recognitions with client-partners Cisco, Sika, Bridgestone, Deloitte, Hilton, Google, and Mondelez.

SweetRush’s versatility and commitment to innovation was on full display during the awards announcement, as the company earned top honors in numerous categories—including Gold awards in categories such as Best Advance in Custom Content, Best Use of Mobile Learning, and Best Learning Team, and three Golds in Best Unique or Innovative Learning Program, among many others—proving SweetRush’s capabilities and high standards in developing custom learning solutions.

In 2017, SweetRush won a similar array of accolades. SweetRush’s focus on excellence and commitment to clients and craft, coupled with its caring culture have created a winning formula that has resulted in a world-class client roster and the delivery of highly effective learning solutions.

The competition’s judges were independent senior industry experts and Brandon Hall Group senior analysts and executive leadership, who evaluated the entries based on the following criteria: fitting the need, design of the program, functionality, innovation, and overall measurable benefits.

Here is the complete list of SweetRush’s 2018 Brandon Hall Excellence Awards:

GOLD – Best Advance in Competencies and Skill Development

GOLD – Best Advance in Creating a Learning Strategy

GOLD – Best Advance in Creating an Extended Enterprise Learning Program

GOLD – Best Advance in Custom Content

GOLD – Best Advance in Learning Measurement

GOLD – Best Certification Program

GOLD – Best Learning Program Supporting a Change Transformation Business Strategy

GOLD – Best Learning Team

GOLD – Best Unique or Innovative Learning and Development Program

GOLD – Best Use of Mobile Learning

SILVER – Best Advance in Compliance Training

SILVER – Best Unique or Innovative Learning and Development Program

SILVER – Best Use of Blended Learning

SILVER – Best Use of Games and Simulations for Learning

SILVER – Best Use of Virtual Worlds for Learning

SILVER – Best Unique or Innovative Leadership Program

SILVER – Best Unique or Innovative Sales Training Program

BRONZE – Best Sales Training Program for Extended Enterprise

“One of my very favorite things to see is what can happen when a vendor and client become one team addressing the needs of the people they serve,” said Andrei Hedstrom, SweetRush CEO and Cofounder. “We are blessed to have so many client-partners who trust us and to have a team at SweetRush who keeps earning that trust. These awards are an important celebration of the hard work we do together, and we’re grateful to Brandon Hall for helping the industry maintain a very high bar of quality year after year.”

“I just feel so fortunate to be surrounded by people who genuinely care about the work they do and how it affects the lives of others,” said Arturo Schwartzberg, Cofounder and Chairman at SweetRush. “These awards validate that the passion and commitment they bring to SweetRush every day is making a difference for the clients and learners we serve.”

“Excellence Award winners personify innovation that drives business results. Our winners embrace the future and embrace change and the challenges that go with it,”said Rachel Cooke, Chief Operating Officer of Brandon Hall Group and head of the awards program. “It is amazing in reviewing these entries how organizations – bothlarge and small – work across functions to make human capital management a valuable asset the enables business success.”

For the complete list of winners, visit the Brandon Hall Group website. Congratulations to all the winners!

About SweetRush

Dream with us, and together let’s make a positive impact!

About Brandon Hall

Brandon Hall Group is an HCM research and advisory services firm that provides insights into key performance areas, including learning and development, talent management, leadership development, talent acquisition, and workforce management. With more than 10,000 clients globally and 20 years of delivering world-class research and advisory services, Brandon Hall Group is focused on developing research that drives performance in emerging and large organizations and providing strategic insights for executives and practitioners responsible for growth and business results (www.brandonhall.com).

4 Recommended Articles About Cultural Transformation

August 20, 2018June 28, 2023 by Carolina Montero

I love to garden! I wish I could live in one of those places where you have lots and lots of space to have trees, plants, and flowers. . . . So far, I have basil, peppers, tomatoes and aloes. But wait, maybe you’re wondering what this has to do with cultural transformation? Well, a lot!

“Growing your desired corporate culture takes intention, planning, time, attention and responding to conditions,” says Ashley Munday, SweetRush Former Director of Cultural and Organizational Transformation, in her article, 5 Steps For Growing Your Desired Corporate Culture.

Cultural transformation is like gardening: a holistic process of planting seeds, then seeing the plant grow and produce fruit. It is not easy work, especially when you need to check on your results and see if your approach needs adjustment to help the plant become stronger and more beautiful.

Just like the soil and weather impact a plant’s health, the workplace environment fosters conditions for the health of the company culture. This series of articles on corporate culture written by Ashley offers insights to help you create a fertile environment for collaboration, learning, and innovation through cultural transformation.

Working together for best practices in an organizational culture

Collaboration is important in a cultural transformation process and involving other teams can help in shifting cultural values. This article also offers examples of policies, procedures, and programs that can be helpful to reflect the organization’s values.

How do you create a culture of innovation?

Leading! You can create the conditions to motivate and invite new ideas and invention to appear. This article describes five main practices that will lead your team into a culture of innovation.

Let’s check the key factors in cultural change

In every organization, each team is very different and so is its culture. If you would like to determine the best path for cultural transformation, confer with your team and check on these key success factors for nurturing your desire culture.

Creating and maintaining a healthy organizational culture

This article focuses on why it’s important to consider leadership teams when the organization is looking for a cultural transformation. Besides discussing the importance of having leadership involved, this article also contains a self-assessment that will help you perceive whether the top team is part of your culture plan.

A great resource to consult before leading your organizational transformation

Here’s a great resource to help you start your culture transformation on the right path. In this eBook, Ashley Munday, SweetRush Former Director of Cultural and Organizational Transformation, and Tor Eneroth, Network Director of Barrett Values Centre, describe best practices, case studies, and insights to guide you in the correct way to transform your culture.

Are you interested in more Learning Rush articles? Check this out:

Digital Health Awards 2018: SweetRush and the AMA Win Gold

July 19, 2018June 28, 2023 by Danny Brenes

The Gold-winning project at the 2018 Digital Health Awards helps fill an important gap in the education of medical residents.

San Francisco, Calif., July 23, 2018 — The Health Information Resource Center (HIRC) recently announced SweetRush and the American Medical Association (AMA) as a Gold Winner in the Digital Health Awards 2018, which honors the world’s best digital health resource providers.

Up against the world’s best health education projects, SweetRush and the AMA earned top honors in the Medical Education category for the GME Competency Education Program, a series of online educational modules designed to complement teachings in patient settings and didactic curricula in residency and fellowship programs.

One of the HIRC judges for the Digital Health Awards commented, “It was well thought out, and seems like it’d provide more training without the extra overhead on the institution. It was well designed, too.”

A judging panel of 32 experts in digital health media reviewed entries in 80 categories and selected Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Merit winners.

“We were so honored to collaborate with the AMA, and particularly to create a product that helps fill a critical need for medical professionals. We are excited to continue our collaboration with them in the future,” said Andrei Hedstrom, SweetRush’s CEO and Cofounder.

About SweetRush

Dream with us, and together let’s make a positive impact!

SweetRush to Conduct VR Presentation at the Training Industry Conference & Expo

June 19, 2018October 30, 2022 by Danny Brenes

Built by SweetRush SPARK, Scene Studio dramatically reduces the time needed to produce a virtual reality 360º tour.

San Francisco, Calif., June 18, 2018 — To meet increasing demand for virtual reality (VR) projects, SweetRush has developed an in-house tour builder, which enables much more efficient development of virtual tours.

This tool was innovated and built by SweetRush SPARK engineers, the team at SweetRush focusing on emerging technologies. According to Adrian Soto, Director of Future Technologies at SweetRush SPARK, the speed with which his team can now develop a virtual reality 360º tour is dramatically faster than before the launch of Scene Studio.

Virtual tours are a popular VR experience in which 360º cameras—or DSLR cameras with special mounts—are used to create 360º images or videos that can be viewed through a VR headset for full immersion in an exciting realm. Wearing these headsets, users can turn their heads and look around in a seamless environment, or jump to other areas of the tour. Scene Studio accelerates the process of managing and interconnecting different 360º images or videos, enabling the creation of virtual tours in a shorter time frame.

“There are many ways to create a VR experience, but the virtual reality 360º tour is often required, so we took the time to build a tool that allows us to help clients get their work done faster,” said Soto.

“With Scene Studio, we can build new tours much faster and more cost effectively, and the velocity with which we can work now is a major improvement.”

“Historically, we’ve always invested in tool building for greater efficiency, allowing us to create beyond the boundaries of commercially available tools. Virtual reality is an exciting new landscape for all of us in Learning and Development, and once again we’re demonstrating our model of building proprietary tools when necessary to better meet the needs of our clients,” said John-Carlos Lozano, SweetRush Chief Creative Officer. “All of us at SweetRush are thrilled to see the SPARK team taking off, creating cutting-edge work for clients and new tools along the way.”

For more information about SweetRush SPARK, Scene Studio, and our Emerging Technologies (ET) Workshop, visit www.sweetrush.com/spark or contact [email protected]

About SweetRush

Dream with us, and together let’s make a positive impact!

SweetRush to Conduct VR Presentation at the Training Industry Conference & Expo

June 8, 2018September 29, 2022 by Danny Brenes

San Francisco, Calif., June 11, 2018 — Virtual reality (VR) is here to stay, and its potential is already changing the field of learning and development (L&D). As part of its efforts in developing emerging technologies, SweetRush host a VR presentation at the Training Industry Conference & Expo (TICE), called “Virtual Reality: A Real-World Hilton + SweetRush Project Case Study” on Wednesday, June 27, at 5:00 p.m., to be held at the Raleigh Convention Center in North Carolina.

SweetRush Creative Director Justin Mitchell, who has a strong background in emerging technologies, will present with Farrah Brown, Director of Global Learning and Talent Development for Hilton—who has over 15 years of experience in L&D. The speakers will take learning professionals on a journey through the creation of Hilton’s business simulation during this VR presentation.

“We don’t need to wonder about the potential of VR applied to L&D, because we’ve already seen it in action,” said SweetRush Cofounder and CFO Arturo Schwartzberg. “We are delighted to share our process in creating this innovative project for Hilton. Justin and Farrah will deliver a VR presentation at the Training Industry Conference & Expo that is worthy of this prestigious event.”

About SweetRush

Dream with us, and together let’s make a positive impact!

SweetRush And Hilton Host VR Presentation at Realities 360

June 8, 2018June 28, 2023 by Danny Brenes

San Francisco, Calif., June 4, 2018 — SweetRush will team up with Hilton on stage to share their experiences during a VR Presentation at Realities 360. “Virtual Reality: A Real-World Hilton + SweetRush Project Case Study” will be presented on June 26 at The Fairmont Hotel in San Jose. Learning and development (L&D) professionals will learn about both the opportunities and the challenges of VR when used in L&D.

Blaire Bhojwani, Senior Director of Learning Innovation at Hilton, and John-Carlos Lozano, Chief Creative Officer at SweetRush, will walk attendees through their VR learning program case study, from concept to execution. They’ll share insights and lessons learned from this process, the types of business and learning challenges that are best suited for VR solutions, and how to get buy-in from senior leaders.

“We learned a lot while developing this VR learning project alongside Hilton. When it comes to emerging technologies, we’re faced with constant change and discovery, which made successfully working with Blaire and her team all the more rewarding,” said Lozano. “It will be a joy to share the stage with her for a VR Presentation at Realities 360.”

Read more about the presentation on SweetRush’s website.

About SweetRush

Dream with us, and together let’s make a positive impact!

SweetRush Earns Spot on Top 20 Content Development Companies List

May 18, 2018June 28, 2023 by Danny Brenes

For the fourth year in a row, SweetRush has been included in the annual list of top 20 content development companies and recognized as an industry-leading training partner.

San Francisco, Calif., May 17, 2018 — SweetRush has received top honors again, having been included in Training Industry’s prestigious list of Top 20 Content Development Companies for 2018. This is the fourth year in a row the company has received such recognition.

Training Industry’s list, which was recently announced, acknowledges and celebrates the leaders in the development of learning content for training and performance improvement. Judges consider factors including industry visibility, innovation, capabilities, company size, depth and breadth of subject-matter expertise, quality of clients, and geographic reach.

“In an ever-changing world, the field of learning and development is in constant transformation. To develop engaging and effective content, you have to keep up the pace of a demanding audience: digital-native millennials, now being joined by Generation Z. That means carefully blending effective techniques for instruction and engagement, such as branding, video, gamification, storytelling, and now virtual reality,” said Arturo Schwartzberg, SweetRush Cofounder and Chairman. “We pride ourselves in constantly finding that right blend for learning content development, and that’s why we’re so pleased to be included in the Top 20 list again this year. It validates our methods and lets clients know they make the right decision when they choose to work with us.”

“This year’s Top 20 Content Development companies are using some of the newest technologies to create best-in-class training content for learners from all industries,” said Ken Taylor, President of Training Industry. “These tools include innovative approaches to packaging learning content, including the use of artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, and simulations. Further, these top companies demonstrate the ability to help global clients develop consistent experiences for all of their learners, regardless of the modality or language in which the training is delivered.”

See the full 2018 Top 20 Content Development Companies list at trainingindustry.com

About SweetRush

We are over 100 people strong and have been in business since 2001. Every day, we give thanks for the trust of our world-class clients. Our deliverables span from analysis and curriculum mapping to the creation of blended training products, including live and virtual classroom training and the gamut of custom-developed eLearning modalities.

Dream with us, and together let’s make a positive impact!

About Training Industry

Training Industry, Inc., spotlights the latest news, articles, case studies, and best practices within the training industry, and publishes annual Top 20 and Watch List reports that cover many sectors of interest to the corporate training function. Its focus is on helping dedicated businesses and training professionals get the information, insight, and tools needed to more effectively manage the business of learning.