Press Releases

SweetRush Plunges Into 3rd Year as No. 1 Immersive Learning Provider

August 13, 2024October 30, 2024 by Carolina Montero

Since 2021, SweetRush’s leading-edge approach to immersive learning has earned first place on eLearning Industry’s list of Top Content Providers for Immersive Learning.

San Francisco, Calif., August 14, 2024—SweetRush, a leading provider of innovative custom learning solutions, celebrates its third year at the top of eLearning Industry’s Top Content Providers for Immersive Learning.

Christopher Pappas, eLearning Industry Founder, cites SweetRush’s technology agnosticism, L&D-first mindset, and expertise in AI-powered simulations for “deeper engagement, knowledge retention, and real-world skill application” as leading factors in its resounding success in immersive learning.

Adrián Soto, SweetRush Director of Immersive Technologies, exclaims, “Three consecutive wins! This is a victory we share as a team. Every line of code, every creative spark, every late-night brainstorming session has led us here. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together.”

Danielle Silver, SweetRush Solution Architect, adds, “Winning this award for the third consecutive year is an incredible honor. It reflects our team’s dedication to experimenting with emerging technologies and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in immersive learning. As the technology continues to advance, we’re able to craft even more authentic, personalized, and impactful learning experiences that encourage deep skill practice.”

Over the past year, the SweetRush XR team has been focused on generative AI-powered immersive simulations, which offer learners a more immediate and impactful experience.

Leveraging its expertise in upskilling, AI tools, and experiential learning, the SweetRush XR team helps world-class client partners scale high-quality, personalized learning and coaching experiences to a distributed enterprise audience. At a recent Training Industry Tech Talk, the team showcased its winning combination of natural language processing (NLP) technology, authentic voice-driven avatar interactions, web-based immersive learning (WebXR) content, and innovative data systems. The result: personalized, adaptive immersive learning experiences that enhance learners’ skill development through authentic practice and feedback.

The power duo of immersive learning and generative AI provides learners with the rich experiences, practice, and reflection that contributes to their personal and professional development—with zero “noise” from irrelevant information. Thanks to responsive, adaptive generative AI interactions, coaching, and feedback, learners encounter a wider range of situations and challenges than they could experience in real life, with plenty of space for reflection and restarts. Discover more about the VR + genAI pairing in the team’s latest eBook, The GenAI Playbook: An L&D Innovator’s Guide to Leading-Edge Learning Transformation.

With a process founded in beginning-to-end consulting, or strategy mapping, the SweetRush XR team crafts custom solutions that meet every client’s specific needs, use cases, work environments, and infrastructure. Remaining technology-agnostic allows team members to work with a more varied toolkit and, in the words of one client-partner, create learning solutions that work “with, through, over, around, and under” existing technology and learning ecosystems.

Clients describe the SweetRush team as “great thought leaders willing to push, and be pushed, in new and exciting ways” who “execute quickly to a high standard” and are skilled in digital transformation. With 130 (and counting!) Brandon Hall Group Gold Awards, 10 Chief Learning Officer Gold Awards, and top placement on numerous industry lists, SweetRush’s award-winning immersive learning solutions span a wide range of industries, roles, and skilling needs.

To discover more about how to enhance your learning portfolio with leading-edge immersive and generative AI-powered learning experiences, please reach out to Danielle Silver, XR Solution Architect.

About SweetRush

SweetRush services include custom L&D solution design and development, high-performing staff-augmentation talent, certification development, and innovative learning technologies such as VR, AR, and AI. SweetRush’s work has earned a long list of awards and accolades in collaboration with its world-class clients. Discover more at www.sweetrush.com.

SweetRush Named #1 Content Provider for Upskilling and Reskilling

August 5, 2024October 30, 2024 by Carolina Montero

SweetRush’s innovative approach to skilling earns first place on eLearning Industry’s list of Top Content Providers for Upskilling and Reskilling.

San Francisco, Calif., August 5, 2024—SweetRush, a leading provider of innovative custom learning solutions, has earned first place on eLearning Industry’s list of Top Content Providers for Upskilling and Reskilling Employees. This recognition highlights SweetRush’s dedication to empowering people with the skills, adaptability, agility, and resilience they need to thrive in an increasingly complex workplace and world.

Gail Eisenstein, SweetRush’s Senior Director of Custom Learning, characterizes the impact of upskilling and reskilling as nothing short of life-changing. “When learners gain skills,” she explains, “they gain competence and confidence, and they often experience new opportunities. The combination of competence, confidence, and opportunity is powerfully energizing, for themselves, the important people in their lives, and their communities.”

eLearning Industry awards this honor to learning providers that help organizations meet the demands of any rapidly evolving industry and cope with change management through continuous employee development.

As eLearning Industry Founder Christopher Pappas observes, “One thing is certain: Company management needs to have highly adaptable workers. And to accomplish that, upskilling and reskilling employees is a one-way road.”

SweetRush’s award-winning approach to upskilling and reskilling blends learner-centered design standards, agency-level creative design, and leading-edge learning technologies to develop dynamic, engaging, and effective learning and skilling experiences. The team is proud to serve learners in a wide range of industries and with varied skilling needs, including leadership, hazard training, technical skills, and customer service.

More than a mere vendor, SweetRush is a true strategic partner with the ability to unify the right learning modalities, activities, and subject matter expertise to achieve every client’s skilling objectives. From large-scale certification curricula like SHRM’s binge-worthy, 3D-animated People Manager Qualification (PMQ) program to cutting-edge generative AI-powered virtual reality coaching experiences like Hilton’s Delivering on Our Customer Promise training, the SweetRush team leverages leading-edge technologies to engage learners and bring skills to life.

A synonym for learning excellence since 2001, SweetRush looks forward to evolving its skilling solutions to prepare learners for the ever-changing world of work. The team is especially passionate about meeting the emerging need for enterprise-wide AI training programs that help organizations upskill their people in role-specific tools, prompting, and responsible usage.

What skills do your people need to meet the future of work? Share your vision with a SweetRush skilling expert.

About SweetRush

SweetRush Marks a Decade of Distinction as Top Custom Content Provider

June 13, 2024September 6, 2024 by Emma Klosson

SweetRush celebrates 10 years as a Training Industry Top 20 Custom Content Development Company, helping its enterprise clients to embrace change!

San Francisco, Calif., San Francisco, Calif., June 13, 2024 – SweetRush, a pioneer in custom learning solutions, proudly announces its tenth consecutive year of recognition as a Top Custom Content Provider by Training Industry. This remarkable achievement is in recognition of SweetRush’s position as an industry leader dedicated to crafting learning experiences that empower individuals and drive meaningful organizational change.

“Achieving a decade of continuous recognition by Training Industry is a tremendous honor,” said Danielle Hart, CEO of SweetRush. “It reflects the unwavering passion and expertise of our team, who constantly strive to innovate and create impactful learning solutions that address our clients’ unique challenges. We are deeply grateful for the trust our clients place in us to help them achieve their business goals.”

Training Industry’s recognition is awarded to companies that demonstrate excellence in developing high-quality content and services across a wide range of industries and subject areas.

“With their expertise in developing content for an array of modalities and utilizing learning technologies such as artificial intelligence [AI] to bring tools and other features to their development, these companies can create engaging learning experiences that align with organizations’ business goals and objectives,” said Jessica Schue, market research analyst at Training Industry, Inc.

About SweetRush

SweetRush is trusted by many of the world’s most successful companies to help them improve the performance of their employees and extended enterprise. SweetRush is known for exceptionally creative and effective solutions that combine the best of learning experience design with highly engaging delivery. SweetRush services include custom L&D solution design and development, high-performing staff-augmentation talent staffing, certification development, voice-over, and innovative learning technologies such as VR, AR, and AI. SweetRush’s work has earned a long list of awards and accolades in collaboration with its world-class clients. Discover more at www.sweetrush.com.

SweetRush Recognized as #1 Content Provider for DEI Training—for the Third Year in a Row!

May 16, 2024June 5, 2024 by Annie Hodson

San Francisco, Calif., May 15, 2024 – The SweetRush team is so honored to be recognized as the number-one content provider for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Training Content by eLearning Industry for 2024 for the third consecutive year.

“We are so thankful for the award, but this is about our industry and the opportunity and responsibility we all have to use our craft to be a force for positive change,” said SweetRush CEO Danielle Hart, “and promoting the values of DEIB stands out as a powerful human-centered value all of us in our industry can focus on and be proud of.”

Many clients care deeply about—and come to SweetRush specifically for—Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) training. However, regardless of the training topic, DEIB can be infused in all training deliverables, from the way people and avatars are depicted to how stories are told and language is used.

“Businesses trust SweetRush to deliver training that embraces everyone’s unique experiences. They are great at uncovering unconscious bias, creating a common language, and opening hearts and minds.” – Christopher Pappas, eLearning Industry Founder.

At the heart of SweetRush’s success is its innovative approach to DEIB training, thoughtfully designed to meet the diverse needs of clients and learners. SweetRush’s bespoke programs feature inclusive storytelling and character designs that resonate across a broad audience, enhancing the learning experience by ensuring all participants feel seen and respected. This commitment to diverse representation in eLearning provides authentic experiences that reflect the real-world diversity of the learner population, fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and included.

“Our mission at SweetRush is to infuse DEIB into everything we do; it’s not just what we do, it’s who we are,” said SweetRush DEIB Lead Gonzalo Solorzano. “This recognition is a testament to our deep commitment to creating learning experiences that are not only educational but also transformative.”

SweetRush’s partnership with the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF) exemplifies this thoughtful approach to character authenticity and depth. In character design, SweetRush takes great care to “treat our characters with respect,” considering them representations of real people rather than mere lines on a digital page. By understanding their backstories, dreams, and desires, SweetRush finds unique ways for characters to express themselves as individuals.

In collaboration with the HRC Foundation, SweetRush has applied these principles to develop workforce training focused on diversity, inclusion, and belonging. This project employs narrative-driven, inclusive content that deeply engages learners on crucial topics such as Allyship in Action, Gender-Inclusive Language, and Unconscious Bias. Each course is thoughtfully crafted to address critical issues affecting traditionally marginalized groups. This ensures that the training educates and resonates with learners, fostering a genuine connection to the content and promoting a deeper understanding of DEIB principles.

“Our approach goes beyond traditional learning; we focus on immersive experiences, leveraging multimedia and real-life narratives to foster empathy and understanding among learners,” Hart said. “We believe in the power of education to transform lives and are committed to helping organizations create inclusive cultures.”

SweetRush also collaborated with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) to create the People Manager Qualification (PMQ) program, a distinguished example of training, which includes 70 diverse characters and modules focused on workplace bias and social justice. Recognized for its innovative approach, the PMQ program has received numerous accolades, including 8 Brandon Hall Awards—highlighted by a Gold Award for Best Learning Program that Supports and Promotes Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and a Gold Chief Learning Officer Learning in Practice Award for Excellence in Content. With SHRM’s membership exceeding 300,000 individuals in 165 countries, the program is poised to make a significant impact on the global workforce.

These initiatives are underpinned by SweetRush’s commitment to embedding diversity and inclusiveness in every solution. “We prioritize learner empathy, engaging diverse perspectives, and fostering a visually diverse world in our content,” said Rae Feshbach, a SweetRush Solution Architect who is passionate about DEIB training. “Our collaborative development process ensures that our learning solutions are accessible, usable, and truly inclusive.”

If you’d like to speak with SweetRush about its award-winning approach to DEIB training programs, get in touch to connect with a consultative expert!

About SweetRush

SweetRush Ranked #1 Top Content Provider With AI Tools Expertise

April 9, 2024October 30, 2024 by Carolina Montero

As one of the Top Content Providers With AI Tools Expertise, SweetRush employs a multifaceted and holistic framework approach, leveraging AI’s capabilities – such as for AI coaching – and consulting with clients on how to successfully scale AI-driven projects to their enterprise.

San Francisco, Calif., April 8, 2024 – SweetRush is honored to top the eLearning Industry’s Top Content Providers With AI Tools Expertise list in 2024.

Best known for its learner-centric custom learning solutions that blend instructional design best practices with agency-level creative design, SweetRush has been disrupting the L&D industry since 2001 and has been judged by many as the world’s most innovative learning provider.

Says Adrian Soto, SweetRush Director of Immersive Technologies, “These days I spend a good deal of my time helping clients make sense of all the technology-fueled changes that are happening in our field, and AI certainly tops the list. I would add that everyone is excited but also afraid of falling behind, and so for me this moment has allowed us to go deeper with clients and go beyond the more traditional capabilities demo.”

The real power of SweetRush’s approach to utilizing AI — for AI-driven coaching, for example — is to view development in a holistic manner, recognizing that AI implementation takes a recipe to work and all the ingredients have to be present and in balance. While AI prompt engineering is important and gets a lot of attention, all “ingredients” are essential. Beyond training the AI, for an AI project to be successful, teams must consider visual design, learning-experience design, project management, development architecture and integration, user testing, and prototyping. And IT and security concerns have risen to the surface and need serious attention and due consideration.

“What I have observed is that clients are eager to jump in and engage AI, but more than ever they are choosing to work with us because of trust,” says Dani Silver, SweetRush’s Solution Architect. “The array of capabilities have to be present, but when you are marching off together into an ever-changing landscape, the trust element has become paramount.”

Empowering Learning: SweetRush’s AI Solutions and Immersive Experiences

SweetRush recently rolled out an AI-driven coaching experience for Hilton based upon three customer problems that require a response from the learner and then real-time feedback from an AI coach. Based on the success of the program, 19 more scenarios are now in development. For another client, SweetRush is incorporating advanced voice sentiment analysis and is looking at eye tracking on its technology roadmap.

To effectively scale and roll out an AI program to an enterprise, SweetRush has led the industry in WebXR implementation, which enables immersive experiences to be taken with a VR headset or on a desktop computer. SweetRush has tools to deliver these experiences and connect to its client’s LMS, all the while tracking essential data. This versatility enables scaling and validates the upfront development costs while enabling SweetRush’s clients to leverage the power of AI.

Says eLearning Industry Founder Christopher Pappas, “In today’s digital landscape, businesses are constantly vying for attention amidst a sea of training content and vendor options. Standing out requires more than just creativity; it demands strategy fueled by cutting-edge technology. And using AI tools like a pro is a must. This is where teaming up with one of the top content providers boasting AI expertise becomes not just advantageous but imperative.”

As a life-centered company, SweetRush is honored to work with client-partners who share a passion for building a better world and for creating learning experiences that touch lives, empower people, and create connections. Through SweetRush’s La Maestra initiative, every learning project also leaves a lasting legacy in the form of trees planted in Costa Rica’s Limón province.

About SweetRush

SweetRush services include custom L&D solution design and development, high-performing staff-augmentation talent staffing, certification development, cultural alignment, and innovative learning technologies such as VR, AR, and AI. SweetRush’s work has earned a long list of awards and accolades in collaboration with its world-class clients. Discover more at www.sweetrush.com.

SweetRush Announces New CEO Danielle Hart to Lead Next Era of Transformation and Impact

January 23, 2024January 30, 2024 by Carolina Montero

San Francisco, Calif., Jan. 24, 2024— SweetRush, a trailblazer in learning and development, is ushering in a new chapter with Danielle Hart stepping into the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

SweetRush Cofounders, which include former CEO Andrei Hedstrom and Board Chairman Arturo Schwartzberg, will continue to serve SweetRush in full-time roles that focus on enhancing the company’s culture, leadership, and our L&D craft and solutions.

Andrei Hedstrom, SweetRush Cofounder and former CEO, shared, “As a leader who cares deeply about being in service to the potential of others, I take great pleasure in passing this role to my trusted friend and colleague. I have great love and respect for Danielle because of how much she cares about our team, our craft, and our client partners. I have sought to lead SweetRush as a human-centered business and to elevate our craft and culture to bring a great service to our clients. I believe our big rainbow heart will only get more vibrant and magnetic with Danielle as our new CEO!”

SweetRush Cofounder and Board Chairman Arturo Schwartzberg shared, “Danielle is known to the entire team as trustworthy, knowledgeable, incisive, and deeply caring. She has earned the trust of Andrei, me, and the entire team. All of us feel energized as we double down on growing a healthy, caring, and innovative company.”

SweetRush’s Next Chapter Parallels Transformation in L&D

The L&D industry is experiencing a long-sought shift: the recognition that learning is no longer a mere liability reduction tool but rather a core driver of business value and success. Executive leaders recognize that L&D is an essential part of business strategy: to attract and retain top performers, to align skills and performance to the roles needed today and in the future, and to foster behaviors that build strong cultures.

“If you are working in the L&D field, you are not only helping your company be successful, but you are playing a pivotal role in improving people’s lives by imparting knowledge and skills and fostering positive change,” says Danielle. “Learning is a catalyst for change, and learning professionals play a crucial role in driving that change. I am grateful every day to be in this field, and I have unending appreciation for my peers who are part of this community.”

Danielle’s Journey of Change at SweetRush

Danielle takes the helm as she also celebrates her 20-year anniversary at SweetRush. “I’m excited and honored to serve SweetRush and our people in this new role,” says Danielle. “I’m grateful for the trust of our Cofounders, Andrei Hedstrom and Arturo Schwartzberg, and for the trust of our remarkable team—smart, experienced, dedicated people, united by a culture of caring, putting their hearts into creating exceptional solutions for L&D leaders and their learners.”

Danielle was one of SweetRush’s first employees, starting as a Project Manager in 2004. She later became the company’s first Solution Architect, establishing tools and processes to provide clients with expert and caring consultation.

In 2014, Danielle put her focus on SweetRush’s marketing efforts, building a robust team from the ground up that has been remarkably successful in building SweetRush’s brand. Danielle authors an annual L&D and Learning Experience Design Trends Report (survey open now!), and, under her leadership, SweetRush and its clients have earned hundreds of prestigious awards and global recognition from their peers.

More recently, Danielle joined SweetRush’s executive team and expanded her role to oversee sales and marketing efforts. In her new role as CEO, she joins SweetRush’s Board of Directors.

She continues: “I am equally thankful that our clients look to us as a strategic partner, helping them solve complex challenges, embrace new technologies, and serve their people in unprecedented ways. Our work is needed now more than ever, and we have a responsibility to use our craft to improve people’s lives and move the industry forward.”

Change and Transformation at SweetRush

Over the past two decades, SweetRush’s brand has become synonymous with innovative learning solutions: from pioneering advancements in AI and WebXR technologies to crafting sophisticated, personalized learning journeys that deeply engage learners, always doing so with heart.

SweetRush has earned the trust of an impressive client base, with strong portfolios of impact in finance, technology, retail, hospitality, pharmaceuticals, and nonprofits. This has not only made SweetRush a resilient company but has pushed the team to meet the diverse needs of world-class clients and their learners and to stay at the forefront of industry trends.

With Danielle at the helm, SweetRush will continue to embrace change, extend caring, and amplify the impact of learning professionals.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Carolina Montero, Director of Marketing
[email protected]

SHRM’s & SweetRush’s PMQ, an Interactive, “Binge-Worthy” Virtual Leadership Development Journey Helps People Managers Elevate Their Practice, Serve Their Teams

December 18, 2023January 26, 2024 by Tiffany Vojnovski

Since 2020, PMQ has earned 14 Brandon Hall Group HCM Excellence Awards,12 Gold awards and an Horizon Interactive Gold Award

San Francisco, Calif., Dec. 18, 2023 — SHRM, the foremost expert, convener, and thought leader on issues impacting today’s evolving workplaces., and SweetRush, a leading provider of custom learning solutions, collaborated to create an interactive, gamified, and highly engaging virtual leadership development program: The SHRM People Manager Qualification (PMQ).

As “the voice of all things work,” SHRM’s experts know that people managers have the greatest potential to impact an organization’s culture and well-being. As SHRM President and CEO Johnny C. Taylor, Jr., explains, “There is no relationship in the workplace more powerful than the one between people managers and employees.”With their outsized influence on team members’ engagement, satisfaction, and psychological safety, managers must develop nuanced skills such as communication, empathy, performance management, and situational judgment. Yet managers often step into leadership roles without guidance or training, which has a deleterious effect on their teams: SHRM’s 2022 Global Culture Report reveals that one in three workers worldwide state that their manager’s can’t lead a team.

PMQ is the SHRM-SweetRush team’s ingenious response to the urgent need facing SHRM’s extended enterprise of 325,000 members in 165 countries. To serve the 27 performance objectives and 110 behavioral indicators defining successful management, the team crafted a scenario-based virtual learning solution in the form of a series of animated episodes, organized into “seasons,” just like learners’ favorite streaming shows.

The binge-worthy PMQ series follows six diverse characters, all new people managers, who represent a range of ethnicities, gender identities, bodies, abilities, and personalities. Along the way, they share experiences and support and illustrate examples—and nonexamples—of management skills, behaviors, and emotional intelligence. Branching assessments put the learner at the center of the action in a “season finale” that forces them to think on their feet to solve authentic management challenges.

Mary Harding, SweetRush Account Manager, shares, “SHRM is, and has always been, a team that likes to dream big for their audience, and PMQ is no exception. This leading-edge program features excellent content delivered in a relevant and engaging way. SHRM and SweetRush work side by side to provide new and experienced people managers with a learning experience that taps into real-life situations.”

PMQ’s innovative approach to people management training has been recognized with numerous creative and L&D industry awards, Since 2020, PMQ has earned 14 Brandon Hall Group HCM Excellence Awards, including 12 Gold awards, as well as a Horizon Interactive Gold Award.

Ninety-six percent of learners rate PMQ a great tool for new people managers, characterizing it as “binge-worthy,” “actionable,” and “confidence-building.” One learner enthusiastically adds, “The content was real! It was almost as if someone was watching my life and creating content from it. The information learnt is timely, useful and applicable.”

As the world of work continues to evolve, the SHRM-SweetRush team looks forward to serving people managers and their teams with fresh, relevant solutions that help them thrive together.

About SHRM

SHRM creates better workplaces where employers and employees thrive together. As the voice of all things work, workers and the workplace, SHRM is the foremost expert, convener and thought leader on issues impacting today’s evolving workplaces. With nearly 325,000 members in 165 countries, SHRM impacts the lives of more than 235 million workers and families globally. Learn more at SHRM.org.

About SweetRush
SweetRush’s focus on team culture and craft is reflected in loyal clients, uniquely low turnover of teammates, a 20+-year track record of success, and a remarkable portfolio. Our work with clients creating custom solutions for talent empowerment and people success has earned us gold awards from our peers and high rankings on top industry lists.

We are over 200 people strong and have been in business since 2001. Our service areas include Custom Learning (including eLearning, mobile, gamification, and virtual training), Talent Solutions (temporary talent to augment our clients’ L&D teams), XR/Immersive Tech (VR, AR, AI, and emerging technologies), Transforming Leaders & Culture (expert coaching and consulting to create connected, unified cultures, leaders, and teams), and Good Things (amplifying the impact of nonprofits and the social impact space). Every day, we give thanks for the trust of our world-class clients. Learn more and get in touch with SweetRush at www.sweetrush.com.

SweetRush Wins Two CLO Learning in Practice Gold Awards

December 15, 2023 by Emma Klosson

San Francisco, Calif., Dec. 15, 2023 — SweetRush, a leading provider of custom learning solutions, adds two Learning in Practice Gold Awards from Chief Learning Officer to its growing list of accolades for 2023.

Excellence in Blended Learning – Gold
Excellence in Technology Innovation – Gold

SweetRush shares these awards with its client-partners Capgemini and Bayer.

“Creating award-winning, break-the-mold learning programs really speaks to how deeply our clients care for their learners and their dedication to the art of learning and development,” said Danielle Hart, SweetRush’s Chief Brand Officer. “We always look forward to our next collaboration!”

Excellence in Blended Learning recognizes vendors that have deployed a variety of tools in support of a client’s learning program that delivers engaging learning combining multiple modalities. SweetRush wins Gold for Connected Manager, an innovative leadership development program co-created with client-partner Capgemini, that helps Capgemini’s leaders experience connected, collaborative teamwork in a fresh, exciting way.

Excellence in Technology Innovation recognizes vendors that have rolled out an innovative learning technology for a client, such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, apps, video, social collaboration tools, or games and simulations. SweetRush takes Gold for Jumpstart, a cutting-edge learning portal developed for client-partner Bayer to create a more engaging and immersive new hire experience that solves the pain points of virtual onboarding.

The Learning in Practice Awards recognize industry leaders who have demonstrated excellence in the design and delivery of employee development programs. “This year, our 66 winners have demonstrated innovation and creativity, commitment, and flexibility across the board,” said Ashley St. John, Chief Learning Officer’s Chief Content Officer and Editor-in-Chief.

The SweetRush team congratulates its client-partners and all Learning in Practice award winners who work to transform L&D’s impact and outcomes.

To speak to SweetRush about its award-winning approach to learning and development, visit the company website.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and SweetRush Scale Transformative Workforce Development Program

December 8, 2023June 5, 2024 by Tiffany Vojnovski

U.S. Chamber Foundation and SweetRush bring the industry-leading Talent Pipeline Management® Academy online via TPM Co/Lab™, empowering a broader learner audience with the skills to develop local talent pipelines and meet industry needs.

San Francisco, Calif., December 11, 2023 – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, a leading national organization dedicated to strengthening communities through education and workforce initiatives, and SweetRush, a leading provider of custom learning solutions, announced their scaling of a learning program that provides tools to address the nationwide skills gap.

The U.S. Chamber Foundation’s Talent Pipeline Management® (TPM) framework is a talent development strategy that offers data-driven, outcomes-based methodologies to prepare current and future talent for the workforce by ensuring that workers’ skills align with employers’ needs.

The TPM Academy® is a program empowering state and local chambers of commerce, employers, and education and training providers to learn to apply the TPM strategies and create a talent pipeline based on industry needs. Whereas traditional education-employer partnerships tend to rely on solutions developed by the supply side, TPM puts employers in the driver’s seat as they communicate their most critical job needs to their education and training partners. Through the U.S. Chamber Foundation-SweetRush relationship, this training experience is now available online and on demand via TPM Co/Lab™, an online learning community, to benefit more communities in their use of the transformative workforce approach.

“The U.S. Chamber Foundation team were collaborative partners who were closely invested and involved from initial solutioning all the way through to implementation,” says SweetRush Solution Architect Joe Henderson. “Together, we took a highly successful existing program—TPM Academy—and scaled it for a virtual- and blended-learning audience. Throughout this journey, they remained dedicated to continuous improvement, refining and enhancing the program to better meet the evolving needs of the audience. Working together on TPM Co/Lab has been a pleasure, and we’re gratified at the opportunity to support U.S. Chamber Foundation’s goal of empowering employers to build talent pipelines in their industries and communities, all while striving for ongoing improvement and innovation.”

With three different learning modalities—in-person, blended, and fully online—learners throughout the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s vast extended enterprise can find a TPM Academy format that fits their schedules and preferences.

In every format, the TPM Academy program empowers learners to engage in the six TPM strategies. Strategy 1 starts with employers identifying one or more talent challenges and forming a “collaborative.” Next, Strategies 2 through 4 provide a systematic process for employers to gather and share their workforce data in a format that can facilitate new career pathway partnerships or improve existing ones by getting data on talent needs, specific skills, and talent suppliers—making them better, more clear communicators of their demand. Strategies 5 and 6 help employer-led collaboratives put their data to work by co-designing internal and/or external talent pipelines, making them more resilient to external disruptions and shocks like an economic recession or a pandemic, and continuously improving them with trusted provider partners. The TPM Academy approach to creating a talent pipeline has been recognized with numerous learning and development awards, including three 2023 Brandon Hall Group Gold Awards for its unique approach to blended learning for the extended enterprise. Employers such as Detroit’s DTE Energy and the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation have revitalized their talent pipelines with the TPM strategy.

“SweetRush has been an invaluable partner in taking the next step in our evolution to transform our in-person TPM Academy trainings to an engaging, interactive online learning experience,” said Jaimie Francis, vice president at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. “Their stellar team helped us navigate how to create the best experience for our learners so that they are empowered with the tools and information necessary to co-design talent supply chains to help students and workers access and succeed in career pathways. We look forward to continued collaboration and bringing this learning experience to more communities across the world in search of workforce strategies and solutions.”

The U.S. Chamber Foundation-SweetRush team continues to be inspired by the opportunity to help employers, workers, and education providers meet the demands of the perpetually evolving business environment. The team looks forward to continued support of the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s extensive learner audience as they build the talent pipelines that strengthen the economy, one TPM implementation at a time.

Learn more about the TPM Academy and TPM Co/Lab.

About the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation harnesses the power of business to create solutions for the good of America and the world. We anticipate, develop, and deploy solutions to challenges facing communities—today and tomorrow. Learn more about the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s work at uschamberfoundation.org/.

About SweetRush

Bridgestone and SweetRush Tread New Ground with Innovative Tire Sales Training Program

November 30, 2023October 23, 2024 by Tiffany Vojnovski

San Francisco, Calif., November 29, 2023 – Bridgestone Americas, a global leader in tire technology and service, and SweetRush, a leading provider of custom learning solutions, announced the launch of an award-winning, mobile-friendly, high-engagement sales training and performance program: Consumer Tire Education (CTE).

The brainchild of a multi-year collaboration between Bridgestone and SweetRush, CTE has reached over 30,000 sales associates throughout Bridgestone’s extended enterprise of independent tire dealerships and retailers. CTE’s innovative approach to sales training has been recognized with over 80 learning and development awards, including a 2023 Brandon Hall Group HCM Excellence Award for Best Advance in Learning in the Flow of Work.

“The Bridgestone team’s embrace of gamification, immersive technologies, and innovative mobile learning modalities proves that sales, product, and customer service training can be not only engaging and fun but also a competitive differentiator within a crowded marketplace,” shares SweetRush Solution Architect Danielle Silver.

CTE leverages a range of leading-edge learning modalities and technologies to earn the attention of tire sales associates at independent retailers and help them acquire consultative selling skills and Bridgestone product knowledge. This mobile-friendly, flow-of-work learning program combines a suite of 40 engaging microlearning courses and five games, which feature animated video, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), storytelling, and humor.

Thanks to CTE resources, tire sales associates are learning to:

Uncover customer needs and preferences, and recommend the correct tire based upon their vehicle type, typical driving conditions, and driving styles.
Share the competitive advantages of Bridgestone safety and performance technologies.
Leverage customer-facing AR-enhanced “sell sheets” during the sales process to bring Bridgestone tire technology to life.

“I’m extremely proud of the industry-leading training that our team has produced for sales associates. This program has been a game-changer for how we educate and build loyalty with our sellers and independent dealers,” said Richard Plant, Executive Director of Product and Technical Training at Bridgestone.

Learners are equally enthusiastic, with one learner sharing, “The Bridgestone education program has benefited me in so many ways, from being knowledgeable on the products to understanding the basics a tire sales associate may need.”

The Bridgestone-SweetRush team looks forward to continued success, collaboration, and innovation as they identify fresh opportunities to meet the evolving needs of tire sales associates.

About Bridgestone Americas

Bridgestone Americas, Inc. is the U.S.-based subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, a global leader in tires and rubber, building on its expertise to provide solutions for safe and sustainable mobility. Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Bridgestone Americas employs more than 45,000 people across its worldwide operations. Bridgestone offers a diverse product portfolio of premium tires and advanced solutions backed by innovative technologies, improving the way people around the world move, live, work and play. For more information, visit www.bridgestonetire.com.

About SweetRush