The SHINE Hope Company Launches in Chicago to Tackle the Global Mental Health Crisis

CHICAGO, IL / ACCESSWIRE / March 23, 2023 / The Shine Hope Company™ moves to Chicago and adds CEO Scott Mandell, MBA, formerly co-founder and CEO of Enjoy Life Foods (acquired by Mondelez International), while Founder Kathryn Goetzke, MBA, assumes the role of Chief Hope Officer. The Shine Hope Company is on a mission to teach everyone around the world the ‘how' to Hope, based on Kathryn's research that Hope is a teachable skill. The company aims to do this through workplace consulting, Hopeful Mindsets™ courses, research, consumer products, and books, which were all curated by the best-in-class researchers in mental health and Hope science using the SHINE Hope™ framework.

Hopelessness, characterized by despair and helplessness, is on the rise globally, with 48% of Americans experiencing it since COVID-19. Hopelessness has a significant impact on retention, productivity, absenteeism, violence, addiction, self-harm, and all areas of mental health, including suicide. The Shine Hope Company aims to teach people how to move from hopelessness to Hope and activate daily skills to improve Hope. Hope is an effective strategy in the workplace and life that makes individuals more likely to set and pursue challenging goals, take healthy risks, and overcome barriers and obstacles to goals.

"I am beyond thrilled to be joining my friend, Kathryn Goetzke, in activating Hope throughout our society," commented Scott Mandell, CEO. "I challenge the past notion that Hope is not a strategy, especially in the workforce. I would argue that Hope IS a strategy, and quite possibly the single most important strategy for CEOs and CFOs wanting a positive ROI on workplace programs."

Scott continues, "Hope is a unique way to address mental health, getting around a lot of the common barriers that stigma places on individuals. And as hopelessness is the primary symptom of depression and depression is the single greatest cost to the workforce, we aim to save companies money by investing in workforce Hope. Working on mental health habits, as opposed to mental illness issues, is a proactive and positive approach to these serious and life-altering conditions".

The Shine Hope Company aims to activate the workplace through leadership and management training, employee activations, campaigns, research, and consulting. Hopeful Mindsets, a program by The Shine Hope Company, introduces the Five Keys to SHINE Hope, including Stress Skills, Happiness Habits, Inspired Actions, Nourishing Networks, and Eliminating Challenges. There are currently overview and workplace video courses, and a 10-week deep dive college video course, including lessons from world-renowned experts, as well as interviews with college graduates showcasing success stories of navigating homelessness, mental health diagnoses, death of a loved one, violence, a medical injury, and more all while attending college.

Kathryn Goetzke, Chief Hope Officer, states "I'm so grateful to be what I believe to be the first Chief Hope Officer in the world, and have Scott's support with the business side of the company, so I can do what I do best; research, validate, and improve our work to teach the ‘how' to Hope, as well as branding and marketing. We aim to create an innovative global consumer health education brand for Hope, using the SHINE framework, so we teach, promote, and market cohesively. I was never taught what hopelessness was, and how to proactively manage it, and I believe that had I been taught these critical skills I could have prevented my anxiety and depression. And if I knew then what I know now, I believe I could have better supported my dad and he just might still be here today."

As part of our mission, The Shine Hope Company supports the International Foundation for Research and Education on Hope (iFred)™, including their Hopeful Minds™ and Hopeful Cities™ programming, to ensure youth are taught Hope skills at no charge. It is also working on an International Day of Hope and encourages all to partner in this important mission to join in solidarity to recognize that hope is more than a wish and take a single day to all share science, stories, and strategies for hope.

About The Shine Hope Company™:

The Shine Hope Company is on a mission to teach everyone around the world the ‘how' to Hope, based on our Founder Kathryn Goetzke's research that Hope is a teachable skill. The company aims to do this through workplace consulting, Hopeful Mindsets™ courses, research, consumer products, and books, which were all curated by the best-in-class researchers in mental health and Hope science using the SHINE Hope™ framework. Hope is predictive of retention, performance, productivity, and engagement, and is a protective factor against anxiety and depression. Visit www.theshinehopecompany, or e-mail activate@theshinehopecompany.com for more.

About iFred:

iFred, the International Foundation for Research and Education on Hope, is a 501(c)3 organization established in 2004 that is working to teach youth the ‘how' to Hope. iFred has worked to shine a positive light on mental health and eliminate stigma through prevention, research, and education and created a shift in society's negative perception of the disease through positive imagery, rebranding, celebrity engagement, cause marketing campaigns, and establishing the sunflower and color yellow as the international symbols for Hope. iFred worked with The Mood Factory™ to do the first nationwide cause marketing campaign for mental health in the US, and created the first-ever program to teach Hope, based on our Founder Kathryn Goetzke's research that hope is a teachable skill. iFred's primary programs include Hopeful Minds™ (www.hopefulminds.org), Hopeful Cities™ (www.hopefulcities.org), and the International Day of Hope (https://internationaldayofhope.org. Find out more at www.ifred.org.

Contact:

Jenniffer Wiegel
312-485-8545
jenweigel@gmail.com

SOURCE: The Shine Hope Company