Why 2014 Was the Year of the Story Storytelling was the common thread in an otherwise mercurial year in business.

2014 stands out as a pivotal year for many reasons: some good, some terrifying, some cringe-worthy, but all noteworthy. This year we've witnessed the horrific groundswell of the terrorist group ISIS. We've experienced the very real possibility of an epidemic in this country. And we witnessed an uprising—in the name of democracy—in Hong Kong.

But it's not all evil and strife. 2014 was the year we put marriage equality in the books; we allowed a nascent industry—marijuana—to thrive; and we celebrated (and wept) as Malala Yousafzai became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner in history.

It was a year of humility—and from that humility, optimism.