The Power of Story: How Sharing Your Journey Shapes Your Brand

📅 Date: Thursday 18th September

🕘 Time: Registration from 08:30 - 09:00, Event Starts at 09:00

📍 Location: The Knowledge Exchange, City Campus, Leeds Beckett University

🎟 Audience: Open to Help to Grow Alumni and businesses in the LBU network

Event Overview:

In today’s competitive landscape, your story is your superpower. Join us for an energising morning exploring how storytelling can elevate your brand, build trust, and create lasting connections.

This in-person event features two expert speakers who will share practical insights and real-world experience on how to craft and communicate your brand narrative:

🔹 Professor Steve McKevitt – Brand strategist and Visiting Professor at LBU, Steve delivers Module 4: Vision, Mission and Values on the Help to Grow: Management programme. With over 25 years advising global names like Coca-Cola, Nike, and Ford, Steve will revisit key principles from the module and highlight the importance of authenticity in brand-building.

🔹 Helen Hepworth – Founder of Collective Stories and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Helen helps businesses turn insight into impactful storytelling.

🔹Grace Lenihan – Account Director at The Bigger Boat and Help to Grow alumna, graduating in March 2025. Grace brings hands-on experience in brand strategy and client storytelling.

Celebrating Success:

As part of the event, we’ll also be celebrating branding success stories from our alumni community, with one winner and one highly commended award to be announced (details to follow).

Stay for Lunch & Networking:

The event will conclude with a celebratory lunch and networking opportunity - a relaxed space to connect, share ideas, and continue the conversation with fellow alumni and business leaders.

Why Attend?

Whether you're refining your brand identity or looking to connect more deeply with your audience, this session will offer fresh perspectives and actionable takeaways. Expect lively discussion, peer learning, and plenty of inspiration to take back to your business.

Info: Welcome refreshments and networking opportunity.

Info: Welcome from the School of Business and introduction to the theme of the day.

Info: Exploring how storytelling shapes brand identity and builds emotional connection with audiences.

Info: Exploring how Bigger Boat harnessed vision and branding to drive business transformation.

Info: Refreshments and informal networking.

Info: Hands-on session to help refine your own brand narrative through storytelling.

Info: Further details to follow.

Info: Final thoughts and opportunities to stay connected through the alumni network and future events.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Rose Bowl, Portland Way, Leeds, United Kingdom