Storytelling For Social Impact

Ravinol Chambers

Storytelling For Social Impact gives you expert insights and practical tools to help you break through the noise and avoid common pitfalls with your storytelling, creating a greater impact as a result.

  1. E15 The Alchemy of Storytelling: Reframing Risk as Opportunity in Innovative Finance with Rafia Qureshi

    FEB 1

    E15 The Alchemy of Storytelling: Reframing Risk as Opportunity in Innovative Finance with Rafia Qureshi

    In this episode, host Ravinol Chambers engages in a compelling discussion with Rafia Qureshi, who shares her journey from venture capital to social impact investing. They reminisce about their shared history and delve into the dynamics of philanthropy, innovative finance, and gender equality in the context of global challenges. Rafia shares her passion for gender equality rooted in her personal experiences in Pakistan. The conversation underscores the transformative potential of storytelling in shifting perceptions of risk, bridging capital silos, and catalysing systemic change. Key themes include the necessity of collaborative capital, the importance of redefining risk in philanthropy, and the role of narratives in making complex issues relatable and investible. 00:00 Introduction and Reconnecting 00:39 Journey into Social Impact 02:16 The Shift to Corporate Philanthropy 05:16 Personal Connection to Gender Equality 07:52 Global Upbringing and Career Path 10:15 The Power of Storytelling in Philanthropy 15:09 Women in Social Impact and Climate Change 20:44 Rewriting Narratives in Global Finance 27:45 The Evolution of Philanthropy 28:27 The Power of Storytelling in Investment 29:08 Water Equity: A Success Story 29:58 Show and Tell: Building Trust 33:17 The Role of Narratives in Unlocking Capital 41:28 Embracing Failure in the Social Sector 48:30 The Importance of Storytelling Across Organisations 52:17 Concluding Thoughts and Reflections Lebec - Mainstreaming Innovative FinanceRafia's Linkedin profileBe Inspired Films - Purpose Driven Video Production AgencyRavinol's Linkedin profile

    51 min
  2. E14: The Contrarian's Guide to Social Impact: Liam Black's Journey

    JAN 4

    E14: The Contrarian's Guide to Social Impact: Liam Black's Journey

    In this insightful episode of the Storytelling for Social Impact Podcast, host Ravinol delves into the power and nuances of storytelling in driving social change. Guest Liam Black, a seasoned social entrepreneur, shares his journey and the lessons learned from scaling Furniture Resource Center (FRC) into a profitable social enterprise, to now sitting on boards to share his experience, and mentoring others for success. Discussion topics include the importance of financial sustainability for impact-driven businesses, avoiding groupthink, the significance of authenticity in storytelling, and how to craft compelling narratives for diverse stakeholders, including investors, customers, and employees. Liam also sheds light on the evolving landscape of social enterprises, the rise of the B Corporation movement, and the importance of addressing inequality. Tune in to discover practical advice on leveraging storytelling to make meaningful societal impacts and hear personal anecdotes that highlight the trials and triumphs of purposeful entrepreneurship. 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview 00:36 Guest Introduction: Liam Black 01:17 The Power of Storytelling in Business 01:39 Catching Up with Liam 03:07 Liam's Journey in Social Enterprise 09:44 The Importance of Profit in Social Enterprises 17:29 The Cat's Pajamas Initiative 23:04 Challenges and Realities of Social Enterprises 32:29 The Role of Storytelling in Social Impact 33:14 Memorable Campaigns and Stories 35:14 The Power of Personal Storytelling 37:24 Phases of Life and Career 39:49 Authenticity in Storytelling 48:31 Challenges running a Social Enterprise 58:21 Liam's challenge to us all to think about our own impact story 01:00:58 Closing Remarks and Call to Action Ravinol's Linkedin profileBe Inspired Films Purpose Driven Video Production Agency Liam's Linkedin profileBarnardo's TV Advert - Excellent advert which never got televised due to the swearing. But it brilliantly captures the essence of their work.

    56 min
  3. EP13: Beyond the Hook: Building Places of Belonging with Ala Ho

    12/07/2025

    EP13: Beyond the Hook: Building Places of Belonging with Ala Ho

    In this episode of the Storytelling for Social Impact Podcast, host Ravinol Chambers sits down with Ala Ho, founder of design agency And Human, for a thoughtful, wide-ranging discussion about integrating the human touch into brand storytelling amidst the rise of AI or whatever new tech comes along. Ala shares insights into successful and unsuccessful campaigns, including American Eagle and Kit Kat, highlighting the importance of brands knowing what they stand for in the face of criticism and learning to spot cultural trends in the sales data. They also delve into the intricacies of marketing tactics, short vs. long-form content and discuss the power of brands to create meaningful connections and foster community. The conversation wraps up with practical advice for organisations on creating spaces that facilitate genuine belonging. 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview 00:37 Guest Introduction: Ala Ho and And Human 00:53 The Importance of Human Element in Branding 01:59 Discussion on Cities and Homelessness 03:49 Branding and Personal Belonging 08:02 Short Form vs. Long Form Content 14:04 Polarization and Social Media 19:03 Brands and Sustainable Development Goals 20:53 Eras of Marketing and Branding 26:01 Campaigns: Successes and Failures 28:36 The Fear of Cancel Culture 29:45 Brand Authenticity and Credibility 30:41 The Wildfire of Outrage in Internet Content 31:58 The Reality Behind Social Media 35:46 The Importance of Email Lists 37:17 The Human Touch in Marketing 39:02 AI & Personalisation in Communication 42:18 Effective Messaging for NGOs 48:26 Creating Meaningful Brand Connections 51:35 Parting Nuggets and Final Thoughts American Eagle: Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans - Ala references this advert created by American Eagle, and the controversy surrounding it. In particular, what was interesting was how they responded confident in their own values.The reason KitKat took off in Japan - Ala references this interesting trend Kitkat noticed in their sales data that led KitKats to become the most popular good luck symbol for students taking big exams.Be Inspired Films website - We help organisations communicate clearly so people notice them, understand them and choose them, using our Impact Storytelling System™. We define your core story and link it to your strategy. We train your people to tell that story clearly and consistently across every channel. We create cinematic content that helps you win the moments that matter.Ravinol Chambers on Linkedin - I help purpose-led organisations use video to win the moments that matter across purpose, recruitment, growth, culture, events & impact. | Monk-turned-Moviemaker | Award Winning Founder | Certified B Corp 2015 |andhüman | Home - We build brands people can't stop talking about — using the BelongingOSTM to unite strategy, identity, and experience into growth systems that spark connection, loyalty and advocacy.Ala Ho on Linkedin - Founder of andhuman | Building brands people can’t stop talking about | Polymath advocate | Lecturer

    59 min
  4. EP12: Lighting Up Africa: Richard Turner's Journey with Solar Aid

    11/02/2025

    EP12: Lighting Up Africa: Richard Turner's Journey with Solar Aid

    12 EP12: Lighting Up Africa: Richard Turner's Journey with Solar Aid In this episode of the Storytelling for Social Impact Podcast, Ravinol delves into the significance of storytelling in amplifying social impact. Guest, Richard Turner, Fundraising Director at Solar-Aid, shares insights from his extensive experience in renewable energy fundraising. Richard shares Solar-Aid's mission to provide sustainable energy to every household in Africa, their innovative market-catalysing strategies, and the importance of adapting narratives to different stakeholders. The episode highlights a landmark achievement in Malawi and explores the six-step approach to effective renewable fundraising, emphasising the power of enabling others to tell your story. Be Inspired Films - Purpose Driven Video Agency - Helping purpose-driven organisations turn video storytelling into measurable results through their Impact™ Storytelling System. Build Trust. Drive Growth. Create Impact Strategy consultancy Storytelling & video training Cinematic multi-channel content creationToday, 100% of Kasakula is connected to solar | SolarAid - SolarAid has successfully provided solar lamps to every home in the Kasakula community in Malawi through its "Light a Village" program, which began on August 26, 2025. This initiative, which included 8,813 households, schools, and a health clinic, uses an Energy-as-a-Service model where families pay a small daily fee for solar systems with maintenance included. The program aims to demonstrate that universal energy access is achievable and to strengthen local capacity by training local agents for installation and maintenance. Sticky Marketing book by Grant Leboff - Richard mentions Grant Leboff's book as an early inspiration for the emphasis they put on enabling others to tell your story for you at Solar Aid. 00:00 Introduction 00:37 Meet Richard Turner: CEO of Solar Aid 01:13 The Mission of Solar Aid 02:40 Challenges and Solutions in Renewable Energy 03:24 The Role of Philanthropy in Solar Aid's Success 05:09 Achieving 100% Energy Access in Malawi 06:52 The Broader Impact of Solar Energy 09:08 Sustainable Business Models for Solar Energy 11:07 Innovative Approaches to Solar Energy Distribution 21:44 Celebrating Milestones and Future Goals 23:29 Sponsor Message: Be Inspired Films 27:23 The Economic Model of Solar Aid 35:35 The Importance of Solar Energy in Africa 36:36 Challenges and Barriers to Solar Projects 37:39 Sustainable Business Models for Solar Solutions 38:35 Fundraising Strategies and Insights 39:51 The Role of Individual Philanthropists 41:06 Scaling Up Solar Projects 42:32 The Power of Storytelling in Fundraising 46:42 Renewable Fundraising Approach 56:04 Understanding and Engaging Your Audience 01:06:09 Future Vision and Expansion Plans 01:09:23 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

    1h 11m
  5. EP10: Future-Proofing Fundraising: Insights on AI and Storytelling with Howard Lake

    09/07/2025

    EP10: Future-Proofing Fundraising: Insights on AI and Storytelling with Howard Lake

    In Season 2 of the 'Storytelling for Social Impact' podcast, we delve into impactful storytelling techniques to drive social change. This episode features an insightful conversation with Howard Lake, a pioneer in the fundraising space with a career spanning over 40 years. We discuss the role of emotion in impactful storytelling, the balance between professional and emotional communication, and the evolving landscape of digital and AI tools in the nonprofit sector. Howard shares his experiences from pioneering digital fundraising to exploring AI's potential in today’s social impact initiatives, emphasising the importance of alignment, curiosity, and authentic narratives. 00:00 Introduction to Season Two 01:26 Meet Howard Lake: A Fundraising Pioneer 03:51 Howard's Early Career and Innovations 10:41 The Role of Emotion in Fundraising 16:22 Challenges and Changes in the Charity Sector 20:41 The Importance of Board Buy-In 26:31 Memorable Campaigns that stood out 28:07 The Power of 'Save Everyone' 28:41 Human Cost and Unexpected Stories 29:18 Making Others the Hero 31:02 The Importance of Storytelling in Charities 31:46 External Support and Fresh Perspectives 37:43 Challenges and Mental Health in Fundraising 47:56 The Role of AI in Fundraising 55:35 Final Thoughts and Takeaways Follow the podcast for new episodes and leave a review to keep us going Claire House [home of the story about Jack]Giving X Ltd | LinkedInGiving X Ltd - LinkedinFundraising.AI - Building a Responsible and Beneficial AI Community for Fundraising - Check out the future of fundraisingHoward Lake - Linkedin - Get in touch with HowardRevolutionise research - Leading source of fundraising researchGreat Fundraising Organizations [book] - Howard mentions this book by Alan Clayton a few times as a great resource

    57 min
  6. E8: Relationship-Driven Impact: Building Communities and Connections with Vinay Parmar

    04/06/2025

    E8: Relationship-Driven Impact: Building Communities and Connections with Vinay Parmar

    Storytelling For Social Impact 8 E8: Relationship-Driven Impact: Building Communities and Connections with Vinay Parmar In this episode of the Storytelling for Social Impact podcast, we welcome Vinay Palmer, a globally recognised thought leader in customer experience, to discuss the critical elements of fostering meaningful relationships between organisations and their customers. Vinay and our host Ravinol Chambers delve into topics such as the evolving role of AI, the importance of consistency, and the principle of serving customers with genuine care. Vinay shares personal anecdotes and professional insights, emphasising the value of trust, collaboration, and proactive communication. The conversation extends to community dynamics, examining how modern changes impact traditional structures and the importance of maintaining social cohesion. Practical tips for improving customer service and community engagement are shared, making this episode a comprehensive guide for organisations looking to build lasting connections with their customers. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:36 Reconnecting with Vinay Palmer 01:37 The Importance of Community and Relationships 04:32 AI and Technology in Customer Experience 07:10 Consistency and Customer Loyalty 10:30 Designing a Seamless Customer Journey 19:09 Building Trust and Authenticity 29:12 Leadership and Customer-Centric Culture 30:26 The Power of Customer Stories 33:55 Empowerment in Organisations 37:54 Community and Changing Dynamics 43:52 Faith, Tradition, and Personal Growth 51:35 Building Trust and Long-Term Relationships 59:33 A Touching Personal Story from Vinay to Conclude Vinay Parmar With over 30 years of hands-on expertise, Vinay has seen firsthand how unforgettable customer interactions can transform businesses and organisations from the inside out. He is an international speaker and trains organisations to turn everyday interactions into lasting, meaningful experiences that drive loyalty and growth. Vinay has worked with some of the world’s biggest brands, from National Express to Audi UK, and he knows that the secret to long lasting relationships is creating connection and community. Vinay's Website

    1h 1m

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Storytelling For Social Impact gives you expert insights and practical tools to help you break through the noise and avoid common pitfalls with your storytelling, creating a greater impact as a result.