Today we’d like to introduce you to Grae Williams
Hi Grae, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
The toys started walking. And talking. Fully animated, moving beyond the limits of my imagination. I was used to creating epics in my bedroom, crafting sagas with action figures, but this? This was different. Toy Story wasn’t just a movie; it was a moment. A realization. A canon event. That’s when I knew—storytelling was my gift. My way of making sense of the world. The lens that turned the ordinary into something mythological, something larger than life.
That instinct never left me. It carried me from Concept Artist to Brand Designer to World-Building Storyteller. Each step, another chapter. Now, I lead a storytelling consultancy that’s revolutionizing the way nonprofits tell their stories. And a story studio that’s building a new mythology—one where Black American culture stands in its own pantheon of fables and gods. Looking back, it feels like I’ve been sitting at the right hand of Anansi all along.
At the heart of it all, storytelling remains my guide. It was my escape as a kid. My compass as I navigated the world. And now, my offering. An invitation to step into new worlds, reimagine what’s possible, and bring the myths of tomorrow to life today.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Has it been a smooth road? Not at all. The most difficult part along the way was understanding that this was enough. Some careers come with built-in validation—doctors, lawyers, engineers. Society deems them important. You don’t question their worth. But when your gift is storytelling, you do. You wonder if it carries enough weight, if it matters in the grand scheme of things.
But then you ask: how did we get here? How did I get here? How did we, as a culture, as a people, get here? And the answer is always the same—it’s the Griots, the storytellers, the orators. The ones who passed down stories of protection, joy, recovery, escapism, life, rebirth, and comfort. The ones who carried entire histories through spoken word and kept our lineage alive.
Storytelling has always been the foundation. It’s what connects us, what preserves us, what moves us forward. And once I fully embraced that—once I decided that storytelling was enough—I leaned in, full throttle. All gas, no brakes.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The 5ifth Floor is a storytelling consultancy built on that very belief. Named in homage to the ‘90s sitcom Martin and its legendary character Bruh-Man from the fifth floor, it also nods to the number five’s connection to Mercury—the planet of thought and communication. Our goal? To elevate nonprofits to a higher, clearer understanding of storytelling. We transform nonprofit messaging so funders, partners, and communities immediately understand their impact. No friction, just clarity.
One of the most powerful tools we’ve built is a storytelling framework that functions like a personality test for organizations. Many nonprofits mistake their programs and events for their identity, but they are more than what they do. Just like people, organizations have a core essence—a reason they exist beyond their services. Our framework helps them uncover that truth, aligning their story with funding, impact, and growth. If their nonprofit disappeared, what vital thing would the world be missing? That’s the question we help them answer.
I specialize in world-building, and our approach is rooted in ancient storytelling. We’ve distilled the seven universal storytelling plots—Overcoming the Monster, Rags to Riches, The Quest, and more—into a set of archetypes that allow nonprofits to see the actual narrative they are living. Then, using pattern recognition and data analysis, we refine that story down to a single noun—the true essence of their work. That clarity makes their mission easier to communicate, easier to support, and ultimately, easier to fund.
What I’m most proud of is our guiding philosophy: Do More With One. Nonprofits often fall into the trap of doing more and more, stretching themselves thin, believing that expanding their offerings equals greater impact. But often, the opposite is true. My business partner, Eso Tolson, describes it best: nonprofits either do more or do everything, and in the process, their true purpose gets diluted. Our work helps them cut through the excess, focusing their energy on what truly matters—their core story, their real impact, their one thing.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Risk is an invitation—an uncomfortable, often terrifying invitation—to step into what you’ve asked for. It rarely looks like a promise. The reality around you doesn’t confirm it. But risk is a pathway to an entirely different reality. And sometimes, you just have to go for it.
It was a risk to claim storytelling as my career, to believe I could make a living shaping narratives. It was a risk to study computer animation because I fell in love with Toy Story. It was a risk my parents took in supporting me. A risk my grandparents and great-grandparents took in simply existing, in creating a way forward.
I believe risk is often an invitation or memory from a past life. A soul-stirring. A knowing that comes knocking even when we don’t recognize it, calling you home. Risk only feels terrifying because we can’t see the full picture—humans only perceive a small fraction of reality. The rest? That requires mind-sight, not eyesight. A kind of mustard-seed faith.
Risk demands a different way of seeing. A shift in perspective. A step outside of comfort and into possibility. It asks you to observe where you are, where you want to go, and decide: is it worth the leap? For me, every major shift has started with that question. And every time, the answer has been yes.
Pricing:
- $797 an hour for consultation (The 5ifth Floor)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://verygrae.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/heygrae
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsgraewilliams
- Other: https://5ifthfloor.com
