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 profile
• Be Inspired Films Purpose Driven Video Production Agency
• Liam's Linkedin profile
• Barnardo's TV Advert - Excellent advert which never got televised due to the swearing. But it brilliantly captures the essence of their work.

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

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 creation
• Today, 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