START WITH YOUR STORY
The late, great Steve Jobs once said, ‘the most powerful person in the world is the story teller. The story teller sets the vision, values and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.’
The Start With Your Story workshop, delivered at events around the UK or in-house to your team, arms your organisation with the skills and confidence to articulate the story or your organisation, and their own story of involvement.
Feedback from a previous delegate, “Fantastic event at a stunning location. Inspirational speaker who clearly has a passion and talent for both story telling and training.”
In a world drowning in data, reports and insights, stories are the life raft where we truly connect with each other and the causes we care about.
The training includes:
Powerfully communicated stories to inspire and demonstrate WHY story telling is so important
A detailed explanation of HOW the impactful stories are structured [with an example from Shakespeare to demonstrate]
Guidance for each delegate and organisation to work through WHAT should be included in the articulation of your story.
Book for our next workshop in London on 16 November or Plymouth on 5 March.
See below for events in your area or contact us to discuss in-house training.
How Charity CEOs Are Strengthening Leadership Without New Hires
Many charity leaders are carrying more responsibility than ever, while traditional hiring feels slower, riskier and less affordable than it once did.
Trustee boards understandably want greater assurance.
Operational and regulatory complexity continues to increase.
Many organisations are facing headcount freezes or even reductions.
This short, practical briefing is designed for charity CEOs asking a simple but difficult question:
How do we strengthen senior leadership and skills capacity without making permanent hires we may not be able to sustain?
In this session, Mark Preston, founder of Start Bay, will share:
• Why recruitment is quietly failing many charities at senior level
• The hidden leadership gap sitting between trustee expectation and staff capacity
• How some CEOs are stabilising finance, operations and decision-making without adding headcount
• When alternative leadership models work, and when they do not
This is a strictly 30-minute executive briefing, grounded in real situations charity CEOs are facing right now.
No consultants will be on the call.
CEOs will be offered a follow-up conversation only if they wish to explore further options.
Format
• 30 minutes, hard stop
• Private session for charity CEOs
• Limited places
Who this is for
• Charity CEOs navigating leadership pressure or skills gaps
• Leaders considering alternatives to recruitment
• CEOs who want clearer options before their next board conversation
Attendance is limited and places are confirmed manually. Following the session, attendees will be offered the option of a private, no-obligation CEO conversation to explore relevance to their context. Request your place.
Start With Your Story - Plymouth (March 2026)
Start With Your Story is a highly engaging day that explores the impact of story telling in fundraising and leadership.
Start With Your story - London (November 2025)
Start Bay presents: Start with Your Story. Now in London for the first time.
Feedback from a previous delegate, “Fantastic event at a stunning location. Inspirational speaker who clearly has a passion and talent for both story telling and training.”
Join us at the iconic St Martin in the Fields, Trafalgar Square.
In a forest of insights, reports and data, stories are the clearings where we truly connect.
For 30 years, Start Bay founder Mark Preston has used storytelling to win hearts and secure millions in funding.
This inspiring and practical workshop is designed for executives, fundraisers, marketers and communications leads who want to:
Ground their strategy in a compelling narrative
Translate vision into story
Win deeper support and loyalty
You will leave equipped to embed purpose, clarity and emotion into the way your organisation communicates. This is for those who want to connect more deeply with their audience and unlock new levels of engagement and trust.
St Martin in the Fields, Trafalgar Square
Start With Your Story - Bristol
Learn how to tell your story in a way that will engage your audience. Build a dynamic narrative that will capture attention and move the heart.
Start With Your Story- Exeter (January 2025)
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
What previous delegates say…