Stories That Matter

Yes there can and you’ll understand why when you listen to this latest episode. David Nash, aka Nashy, has managed to pull off that rarest of feats, which is to move from a life in professional sport at the highest level to become an even more successful entrepreneur. He shares that journey here, and in being very candid about the highs and the lows, provides some of this podcast’s series most valuable lessons for life and for business. We hope you enjoy listening.

Yes it can according to our latest podcast guest, Nigel Marsh. In this episode, we cover the widest range of topics imaginable. From that infamous pint of milk through to the biggest mistake humanity makes. And in between? We wouldn’t want to spoil your fun so get yourself a cuppa and enjoy this episode. It’s an absolute corker.

In this episode, Jonathan McElhatton explains that moment in his career that we all now fear: what will it feel like to be replaced by a robot? In this case, that robot was him. He’d become a shadow of his former self in a working environment that had stifled everything that inspired him. What happened next is an important life lesson for us all.

In this episode, Melanie Jamieson explains why finding the path that leads to both voice and harmony is the key to building a better future. She also makes two of the most powerful forces for good in the world clear: radical collaboration and clear-eyed optimism. What do they mean, and why do they matter so much?

That’s how Lyndsey Clay felt during one of the most challenging times of her life. Knowing she was out of sync with everything around her, she embarked on a journey to change her life forever. What she discovered is a lesson for us all. Enjoy.

Anthony Duckworth is a successful international marketer who, during COVID, decided to follow his creative, spirited dream and put everything on the line to bring it to life. What led him to such a courageous decision? And what exactly is it that he wants written on his gravestone? Have a listen. His answers will both surprise and inspire you.

When it comes to people and their own wellbeing, it’s the brightest light that often casts the darkest shadow. It’s why finding ways to more actively support each other can sometimes be the difference between life and death. So, in this episode, we were lucky enough to chat to the remarkable David Beeney. A man who now spends the whole of his working life helping organisations create kinder cultures. He passionately believes that with kinder cultures comes happier people and with happier people comes better performance. But, more important than that, he believes that if we can all spend more time looking out for each other, we might just have a chance of solving the mental health crisis that is unfolding all around us. In this episode, David talks about his own work and also offers some potentially life saving advice to all of us. It’s one of the very many reasons to listen to this fascinating episode. We hope you enjoy it.

It’s true. But, if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life thinking it’s stupid. This thought is at the very heart of our latest episode of ‘Stories That Matter.’ We were delighted to talk to Steve Hill, the Commercial Director of Auticon. A social innovation company dedicated to supporting neurodiverse talent. Why is neurodivergence such a critical part of human diversity? Why should neurodivergence never define someone? Why are the best teams always the most diverse? And, why is neurodiversity something to be truly celebrated in all walks of life? We cover all of these questions and many more in our chat with Steve. If you care about and truly value diversity, this episode is definitely for you.

In this latest episode of ‘Stories That Matter’, we were thrilled to chat to Matthew Gale, Deloitte’s Director of Brand and Creative Content. ‘If you want to appear human, you have to speak human’ he says, reiterating one of Deloitte’s seven principles of storytelling. During our chat, we try and unearth some of the reasons why professional services firms find it so hard to embrace creativity. As someone who does this day in and day out at Deloitte, Matt has a fascinating view on this and many other issues. If you’re interested in how to tell better stories at work, this is well worth a listen.

Tennessee Blackmore is a man with more wanderlust than most. He’s also a man who describes his many trips to Antarctica as you and I would our short journey to work. As an historian and explorer, Tennessee is fascinated by the stories that emerge from people and places. And in this episode of Stories That Matter, we chat about why the great explorers fascinate him and why their stories continue to intrigue him. He’s a man of many interests and talents. Chief amongst those is the ability to impersonate one of our greatest living legends, Sir David Attenborough. So, with due deference to the man himself, we have some fun recreating the sights and sounds of the ocean for a few minutes. It’s a moment not to be missed and neither are the stories that our fascinating guest tells. We hope you enjoy it.

Jeremy Connell Waite is a storytelling rockstar and in this episode of Stories That Matter, we are given that rarest of treats. A window into the skill, expertise, and insight of someone who lives and breathes the power of stories. But also, someone who, very generously, is happy to share some of his most personal stories. This combination leads to one of our very best Podcasts to date. If you are interested in why stories matter, how the best stories work and where to find inspiration to tell better stories, this might just be the most interesting hour of your week. To learn more about Jeremy and his inspirational work, please visit https://jeremy.earth.

Empathy. It’s an all-important skill. Fortunately it’s 90% learned. That’s according to Sarah Mears and Craig Hill who in 2014, and along with their colleagues, realised stories are a highly effective way to develop emotional literacy. The timing couldn’t have been better as the importance of empathy was gathering momentum. So they launched Empathy Lab, offering a variety of story-driven programmes to build empathy skills for children, parents, and organisations. If your company’s interested in joining the empathy movement or creating a culture in which empathy is part of your DNA, discover more at www.empathylab.uk

Just imagine if you could combine the magic and love for storytelling with years of corporate and consulting experience. And then build a business using both. That's the story of our guest this month. Karen Eber is an author, TED Speaker, Transformation Expert, and Leadership Development Coach. Through her business, Karen helps organisations reimagine and evolve how they use storytelling and embrace empathy as a critical driver of business success. You’ll soon realise why nearly two million people have watched Karen’s TED talk. This episode is a real treat for anyone wanting to unearth the real secrets of how to tell a great story. If you are interested in learning more about Karen and the book she has coming out next year, visit her website https://www.kareneber.com/book To watch Karen’s TED Talk: Karen Eber: https://www.ted.com/talks/karen_eber_how_your_brain_responds_to_stories_and_why_they_re_crucial_for_leaders

Stories for humans really are like water for fish. And from that thought, one of South Africa’s most profoundly important organisations was built. Today, over twenty years later, Heartlines uses the power of stories to change lives and build a nation. And in this episode, Garth Japhet and Zamabongo Mojalefa share the many ways in which Heartlines achieves that. Their work tells powerful stories and, by doing so, allows people to truly understand how to live their lives in the most meaningful way. And it enables them to find human connections with even their most ardent enemies. This episode is a telling reminder that to build a better world, we need to open ourselves up to the stories of those around us. If you are interested in learning more about Heartlines and the incredible work they do, please visit them at https://www.heartlines.org.za/home

Stories Without Words. This is how our guest this month describes some of the best music ever written. Because, in this month’s episode of Stories that Matter, we talk all things music with the music educator Simon Toyne. Simon’s musical influence spreads far and wide from schools to choirs and even to government itself. So, he was the perfect person for us to chat to about why music matters so much and why it matters so much in the stories it tells. As you’ll hear, Simon’s passion for music is inspiring, infectious and uplifting. And, in a first for this series, Simon chooses three beautiful pieces of music that have real meaning for him. We couldn’t help feeling by the end of this Podcast that we probably needed thirty minutes more. We hope you enjoy it.

In this episode, we were thrilled to chat to the fabulous Clare Pooley, a blogger, speaker, and author published in over 30 countries. Clare had a seemingly perfect life, but under the surface was battling an addiction to alcohol, and turned to blog writing as a form of therapy that springboarded her into a whole new life. We spoke to Clare about how writing played a role in her recovery, what stories mean to her, and how she found inspiration for writing such powerful fiction.

In this episode of Stories That Matter we speak to Adam Gardner, Founder of LADS United, a community of friends from far and wide, playing football, and using its unique spirit to form bonds, connections, and to look after men's mental health. Adam explores what inspired him to start LADS United, as well as the importance of wellbeing, vulnerability, and emotional support within men's social groups.

For the inaugural episode of Stories That Matter we speak to author, Ann Morgan, who set herself an ambitious goal: to read one book from every country in the world over the course of a year. Ann shares her journey, teaching us about the importance of stories, community, and cultural perspective.