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Turning the Microphone Around [00:03 — 01:16]
- Neville steps away from his usual role as interviewer and becomes the person answering the questions.
- Friend and colleague Craig DeLarge takes on the interviewer role.
- The conversation explores the thinking behind Neville’s work with founders, entrepreneurs and independent businesses.
- Neville introduces the central idea that effective storytelling starts with clarity, real experiences and asking the right questions.
Who the Storytelling Services Are For [01:17 — 01:53]
- Neville works with founders, entrepreneurs, microbusinesses and SME owners.
- His audience also includes coaches, consultants and independent experts.
- Senior professionals can use storytelling to strengthen their authority and personal brand.
- Organisations interested in podcasting, video and audio content are another potential client group.
The Problem: Explaining What You Really Do [01:54 — 02:51]
- Many business owners struggle to communicate clearly what they do and who they help.
- Neville identifies four important questions: who do you help, why does your work matter, what makes you different and why should customers trust you?
- Business owners may possess the answers without being able to articulate them.
- Guided questioning can uncover knowledge, experience and value that clients may not initially recognise in themselves.
A Human, Interview-Led Approach [02:52 — 04:27]
- Neville explains how his approach combines strategic thinking with human, interview-led conversations.
- Clients do not need to arrive with a finished script or know how to present themselves perfectly.
- Carefully chosen questions reveal experiences, purpose, personality and values.
- His approach draws on his experience with entrepreneurs, teaching creative industries entrepreneurship and understanding technology.
- Technology becomes an enabler that can help SMEs communicate and promote themselves more effectively.
The Business in One Sentence [04:28 — 05:11]
- Craig challenges Neville to explain his business as a short elevator pitch.
- Neville describes helping founders and business owners build trust, strengthen authority and attract the right opportunities.
- Their existing knowledge and experience become the raw material for clear, compelling stories and content.
- The purpose of the short explanation is not necessarily to say everything, but to stimulate a deeper conversation.
Choosing People Rather Than Industries [05:12 — 07:01]
- Neville does not define his ideal clients primarily by industry sector.
- He is more interested in the type of founder or business owner behind the company.
- His experience in Chinese co-working spaces exposed him to entrepreneurs from many different industries.
- He became particularly interested in non-tech founders and businesses that use technology without making technology itself their primary product.
- The emphasis is on people with interesting knowledge, experiences, missions and stories.
A Founder Story from China [07:02 — 09:11]
- Neville recalls interviewing a Shanghai entrepreneur creating cosmetics from traditional Chinese plants and herbs.
- The founder travelled to Tibet and worked with local farmers before bringing ingredients back to Shanghai.
- The business demonstrated how traditional knowledge could underpin a contemporary product and entrepreneurial story.
- Neville was particularly interested in the founder’s passion and desire to educate people about an aspect of China beyond technology.
- Rather than pursuing global domination, the founder wanted a manageable business serving a clearly identified niche.
Where to Connect [09:12 — 09:49]
- Craig asks where people can find Neville and learn more about his services.
- Neville identifies LinkedIn as his primary online platform.
- Other platforms remain experimental, while LinkedIn is where he maintains his most consistent presence.
- Craig closes the interview after turning the questions back on the person normally asking them.
Storytelling Is More Than Creating Content [09:50 — End]
Neville concludes that this principle sits at the heart of the work he wants to continue doing with founders, entrepreneurs and independent businesses.
Neville reflects on the experience of becoming the interviewee rather than the interviewer.
He thanks Craig DeLarge for asking questions that challenged him to explain his own work more carefully.
Storytelling is framed as helping people understand what you do, who you help, why your work matters and why they should trust you.
Strong communication comes from moving beyond simply performing and beginning to tell genuine stories.