2nd Story

What 2nd Story does

2nd Story (legal name: Serendipity Theatre Co DBA 2nd Story) is a 501c3 nonprofit storytelling organization founded in 1999 and headquartered at 3001 W. Lawrence Ave. in Chicago's Albany Park neighborhood. The organization produces first-person, live storytelling events featuring well-crafted narratives told by the people who lived them, performed at its own studio and at partner venues across Chicago including Haymarket Pub & Brewery (West Loop) and The Davis Theater (Lincoln Square). To date, it has shared over 1,500 world premiere stories across roughly 27 seasons of programming.

The organization's core offerings are (1) live in-person and free virtual storytelling performances (with Pay-What-You-Feel options and accessibility services including captioning and ASL interpretation), (2) classes and workshops for individuals ranging from beginners to professional artists, (3) the StoryBuilds B2B professional development program partnering with 20-25 corporations, foundations, nonprofits, and educational institutions per season, (4) The Rising Tide Project cohort initiative supporting emerging storytellers, and (5) a podcast for content distribution beyond live events. A formal Pay Equity Policy instituted in August 2025 sets compensation at $20/hr for Performance Artists and $30/$50 per hour for Facilitator prep/facilitation time.

The business model blends earned revenue (performance tickets, class fees, StoryBuilds corporate training fees) with donations as a 501c3 (EIN 36-4289710). Distribution is primarily regional (Chicago metropolitan area) with global reach via virtual livestreams. Marketing is driven by community, content, and live events rather than paid acquisition. The organization is privately governed by its own board and senior leadership, is not venture-backed, and holds the Candid Platinum Seal for nonprofit transparency (FY2025). There are no disclosed funding rounds, acquisitions, subsidiaries, or AI/technology platform components.

Name

2nd Story

Legal name

Serendipity Theatre Co DBA 2nd Story

Website

https://2ndstory.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

2nd Story is a Chicago-based 501c3 nonprofit that produces live first-person storytelling performances, classes, and the StoryBuilds corporate training program, serving individual audiences and 20-25 institutional partners per season across the Chicago metro area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts & Live Storytelling

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Fine Arts Schools (611610), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Creative Writing & Storytelling (Fiction, Poetry, Memoir) (EDAAAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Creative Nonfiction & Memoir Workshops (EDAMAMAC), Online & Hybrid Creative Writing Workshops (EDAMAMAL)

Keywords

• Live storytelling events
• Storytelling workshops
• Professional development training
• Nonprofit performing arts
• Creative writing classes

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Performance Tickets: Revenue from ticket sales for live storytelling performances. Virtual performances are free; in-person shows offer paid reservations and Pay What You Feel options at the door.
2. Classes and Workshops: Fees for storytelling classes and workshops targeting individuals of all experience levels, artists, writers, and performers. Scholarships are available.
3. StoryBuilds Professional Development: Story-based professional development training provided to corporations, foundations, nonprofits, and educational institutions. Partners with 20-25 organizations each season.
4. Donations: As a 501c3 nonprofit organization (EIN 36-4289710), 2nd Story accepts donations to support programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

2nd Story produces live first-person storytelling performances at its own studio and partner venues across Chicago, featuring well-crafted narratives told by the people who lived them. It also runs storytelling classes and workshops for individuals ranging from beginners to experienced artists, writers, and performers. Through its StoryBuilds program, it delivers story-based professional development training to corporations, nonprofits, foundations, and educational institutions.

Product overview

2nd Story is a single, unified storytelling platform offering live performance events, educational classes and workshops, a podcast, and corporate training programs. The core offering consists of first-person storytelling performances at venues across Chicago, supplemented by the StoryBuilds professional development program, The Rising Tide Project for emerging storytellers, and educational offerings. The organization operates their own studio space in Albany Park and partners with 20-25 external organizations annually through StoryBuilds.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• StoryBuilds: Story-based professional development training provided to businesses, organizations, schools, and universities.
• The Rising Tide Project
• 2nd Story Public Access Program

Products and services

• Live Storytelling Performances

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,500 world premiere stories shared to date
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Haymarket Pub & BrewerycoreOthersRegular performance venue partner located at 737 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60661. Hosts 2nd Story performances in their back room. The venue is accessible with automatic door openers and gender-inclusive restrooms.
• The Davis TheatercoreOthersPerformance venue partner located at 4614 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625. Hosts 2nd Story performances in Theater 2. Venue is accessible with automatic door openers and accessible seating for 6+ wheelchair users.
• Corporate Organizations (StoryBuilds)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough the StoryBuilds program, 2nd Story provides story-based professional development training. Partners with 20-25 corporations each season for team building and communication skills development.
• Foundations (StoryBuilds)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStoryBuilds program partnerships with foundations to provide professional development and storytelling workshops.
• Nonprofits (StoryBuilds)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStoryBuilds program partnerships with nonprofits for team building and organizational storytelling development.
• Schools and Universities (StoryBuilds)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStoryBuilds program partnerships with educational institutions for educational storytelling and curriculum integration.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• StoryCorps: StoryCorps records and broadcasts intimate first-person conversations, sharing personal narratives on radio, podcast, and animated shorts. Overlap with 2nd Story on the personal-narrative, community-building mission and the use of well-crafted true stories to inspire change, though StoryCorps operates at much larger national scale.
• Hugo House: Hugo House is a Seattle-based nonprofit literary center offering writing classes, workshops, and readings. Closely comparable to 2nd Story's classes-and-workshops revenue stream and nonprofit model, though focused on broader literary craft rather than exclusively live storytelling performance.
• RISK!: RISK! is a live storytelling show and podcast featuring true stories people never thought they'd dare to share, founded in Chicago. It directly competes with 2nd Story for the same Chicago storytelling talent, audiences, and venue nights, and overlaps on the 'stories that take courage' thematic identity.
• Story Salon: Story Salon produces live true-storytelling events in Los Angeles with a curated, craft-focused format. Comparable to 2nd Story in the well-crafted, first-person, single-narrator-per-show model, but operating in a different market.
• The Moth: The Moth is the most prominent live first-person storytelling organization in the U.S., running regular StorySLAMs and GrandSLAMs in dozens of cities plus a top-rated podcast. 2nd Story operates the same core format (curated first-person true stories told live) for a Chicago audience, making it the closest functional and competitive analog.

Regional players

• Stoop Stories: Stoop Stories is a Baltimore-based live storytelling series featuring true personal stories told on front stoops. Same intimate, first-person, community-building ethos as 2nd Story, but regionally focused on Baltimore rather than Chicago.
• Backfence PDX: Backfence PDX is a Portland, Oregon nonprofit that produces community storytelling events and workshops. Comparable to 2nd Story in combining live performances with educational classes and a nonprofit, community-mission orientation, but in a different city.
• The Narrators: The Narrators is a Denver-based live true-storytelling event and podcast. Directly comparable to 2nd Story's live-then-podcast distribution model, but operating in a different geography.
• Lighthouse Writers Workshop: Lighthouse is a Denver-based nonprofit literary center running craft workshops, classes, and community events. Comparable to 2nd Story on the educational/workshop side of the business and on the nonprofit community-mission identity, but it does not center live performance the way 2nd Story does.
• Mass Story: Mass Story is a Boston-based live personal storytelling series and nonprofit with a craft-driven, curated format. Highly comparable to 2nd Story's curation model and intimate performance ethos, but geographically distinct from 2nd Story's Chicago base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/2ndStory
• Facebookfacebook.com/2ndStoryChicago
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2nd-story

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 2nd Story