It’s all about stories

I went to an event at Writtle College in Essex today billed as ‘Grow Your Business In Challenging Times’. Actually it was somewhat wrongly billed as the content was more about the importance of design in business. There were a number of speakers throughout the day but what struck me as I travelled home with a colleague was that the speakers who stood out were those with the interesting stories to tell (stories about their lives, their businesses, their ups and downs). From software entrepreneur Doug Richard and Landscape Architect Liz Lake through to the designer Wayne Hemingway and a young Dutch guy Philip Hess, whose company has designed an innovative umbrella – they all had good stories to tell. Stories that we could relate to, learn lessons from, and stories that entertained.

And whatever else they are about: at their most basic, that’s what my books ‘Leap!’ and ‘Juggle!’ are about; they are about my own story in life and business.

So forget crafting a detailed presentation on business strategy – just tell your story.