Read below to learn more about Julie's passion and 'why' behind StorySparks.
Our founder, Julie Bucy, developed StorySparks for her beloved grandmother, Mimi. At 93, Mimi is living with vascular dementia and placed in skilled nursing. Sadly, her world has shrunk from being a world-wide traveler and business owner. Her husband, Hugh, passed away 10 years ago and despite frequent visits with her 5 children, 9 grandchildren, and 9 great grandchildren, Mimi often craves more interaction and stimulation. Julie developed StorySparks as an easy way for them to have more meaningful conversations, even over the phone.
Julie developed the StorySparks’ games from a lifelong fascination with emotional intelligence and how behavioral games can help all of us more easily enjoy the “things we know we should be doing.”
Professionally, Julie started her first company, InnerPlay, at age 23. InnerPlay gamified fitness with an online game and marketed it to organizations as an employee engagement and preventive health tool. She sold InnerPlay at age 25. She then started and later sold PeopleWorks, an HR recruiting and BackOffice consultancy for high-growth companies. Recognizing there might be something to this “business stuff,” she attended the Wharton Business School and went on to work for McKinsey and Company, a global strategy firm. At McKinsey, she specialized in healthcare with a particular focus on aging and behavioral strategies for preventive health.
After McKinsey, Julie opened Greenevine in her hometown of Birmingham, AL where she and her team offer Leadership and Generational training programs to the largest companies in the SouthEast. Julie has provided consultancy services for various hospital systems, from Novant Health to UAB, as well as pharmaceutical companies like Otsuka (manufacturer of the Alzheimer's drug Rexulti). Additionally, she has worked with homecare and home health agencies, such as Amada Senior Care Birmingham, owned by her husband, Len Everts. Throughout her career, she has always been fascinated by how simple, well-designed solutions can address complex health challenges.
Julie credits her career of female entrepreneurship to the rigorous research methods she started honing as early as high school. Julie was a multi-time winner of the International Science Fair with her research on how emotional intelligence develops and changes with age. She graduated from Washington University summa cum laude with her Honor’s thesis on “The Advent of Modern Stress: How Environments Impact Human Well-Being.”
Julie loves games, particularly games like StorySparks that positively impact real life. She and the entire StorySparks team hope you and your family enjoy StorySparks’ games as much as she, her family, and Mimi have enjoyed them.
Happy Playing!