On this episode of The Jens Heitland Show - Human Innovation, I explore the transformative potential of immersive experiences with Frances Vieras Blanc, a seasoned designer of unforgettable moments. With a background spanning filmmaking, cabaret, video games, and theater, Frances shares her unique journey from the U.S. to France, culminating in the founding of her own company, Eat the Cake Studio.
Frances dives deep into the concept of immersive experiences—how they go beyond mere engagement to create profound emotional and intellectual connections. She explains the core principles behind designing these experiences: putting participants at the heart of the design process, leveraging multisensory elements, incorporating storytelling, and integrating interactive components such as actors to bring the experience to life.
One standout example discussed is a Versailles-inspired team-building event where participants embody historical figures, investigate a real-life scandal, and interact with actors in an immersive chateau setting. Frances emphasizes how immersive experiences like these can forge deeper bonds, transform team dynamics, and inspire creativity in unexpected ways.
We also reflect on our shared experiences at the College of Extraordinary Experiences, where immersive design fosters collaboration, connection, and innovation. Frances shares practical tips for businesses to infuse their team-building and events with immersive elements—starting with identifying a clear purpose, embracing themes, and creating meaningful, human-centered interactions.
Whether you're looking to engage your team on a deeper level, innovate your event strategy, or simply learn about the transformative power of immersive storytelling, this episode is filled with insights and inspiration.
Listen now and discover how to design experiences that captivate and transform.
Highlights:
00:00 Welcome and Introductions
00:21 Francis' Journey: From the US to France
02:12 Life in the Pyrenees
04:38 Immersive Experiences: An Introduction
05:02 Defining Immersive Experiences
06:41 Practical Examples of Immersive Experiences
09:26 The Power of Role-Playing in Immersive Experiences
15:17 The College of Extraordinary Experiences
20:27 Integrating Extraordinary Experiences into Business
25:14 Uniting the Immersive Industry
27:08 Designing Events with Purpose
27:48 Practical Tips for Immersive Experiences
29:27 The Power of Themes
30:20 Creating Unique Seminar Experiences
33:01 Fun and Engagement in the Workplace
35:13 The Story Behind 'Eat the Cake Studio'
38:19 Inspiration from Hamilton
42:28 Advice for Young Innovators
43:36 Connecting with Francis
Frances Vieras Blanc Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesvierasblanc/
Eat The Cake Studio: https://www.eatthecakestudio.com/
Jens Heitland Links:
Connect with me!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jensheitland/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JensHeitlandofficial/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jensheitland/
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.