Birmingham is booming with entrepreneurs. Some, you might even find in your own backyard. Meet the face behind the newest mental health app, Storyline, and see what this means for the Birmingham mental health community.

Meet Barrett Merrill—Founder of Storyline

Storyline App — Barrett Merrill and his wife, Samantha. Photo via Barrett Merrill

Merrill’s story didn’t actually start in Birmingham. He grew up in Atlanta and moved here for college in 2012 to attend Samford University. Upon graduating from the Brock School of Business and meeting his wife, Samantha, he was introduced to a group called Plywood People who challenged and encouraged him to follow his passions and develop social entrepreneurial skills. He then knew he wanted his life to be about serving people in a meaningful way.

The turning point was when Barrett started seeing a counselor. He began to learn practical tools and explore emotions and beliefs for his major life experiences. Although this transformed his life, he was left feeling unorganized with spreadsheets, documents, and a handful of different apps.

“I knew I wanted to be a part of advancing mental health and creating some type of tool that could meet anyone where they are in their process and make it better. This was my inspiration, and 2 years worth of napkin drawings and coffee meetings later, Storyline is the result.”
Barrett Merrill, Storyline, Founder

Thus, Storyline was born.

Get ready to tell your story

With Storyline, writing your story will become a breeze with the tools and resources that Storyline provides.

For those who have worked with a counselor before, the app will create more continuity between sessions and give the user continued accountability throughout the week. This allows users who already attend counseling to get the most out of their counseling experience.

Think this is just for the counseling pros? Think again. For those who don’t have a background in counseling due to either financial or time constraints, or just not knowing where to start, Storyline creates an inviting place to explore and “meet people where they are” according to Merrill.

Connecting to your story centers around an idea of empathy, as Merrill explains.

“When people connect to their stories-engaging in thoughtful and embodied self-reflection – they grow in empathy…empathy is the foundation for healthier relationships. Our app is a seed of empathy in a culture-locally and nationally-that is in desperate need of more empathic connections.”
Barrett Merrill, Storyline, Founder

Want to get in on all of the excitement? Merrill expects the app to launch through their website in early December, but keep an eye out for social media announcements from the team and subscribe to their newsletter to know more.

Find their website, Instagram, and sign up for their waitlist here.

Want to find more Magic City entrepreneurs?

Regions Bank — We can’t wait to see how their businesses flourish. Photo via Nathan Watson for Bham Now

It’s no secret that new businesses are thriving in The Magic City. We write a weekly openings round up, and there are at least 5 new businesses coming to Birmingham per week. Through programs like Innovation Depot, local entrepreneurs can network, develop their ideas and succeed in an encouraging environment. Their newest launch? Dippi, Alabama’s first alcohol delivery service.

Their Voltage program has helped many entrepreneurs with full time jobs be able to launch their ideas. Have the next big idea in the Birmingham tech scene? Check them out today.

Want to stay up-to-date with Birmingham’s buzziest news? Follow us on our Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok.