Nigel Ridpath: keynote speaker on storytelling in business
Nigel Ridpath helps leaders, teams and event audiences use storytelling to make ideas land, build trust and change behaviour.
If you are planning a conference, corporate event, leadership away-day or industry gathering, Nigel delivers practical, memorable sessions that give people tools they can use immediately.
International delivery available. Sessions are delivered in-person only.
Choose a format:
- Keynote: Why Stories Stick (30-60 mins)
A practical keynote showing why storytelling is one of the most underused skills in business and how to use it to make messages stick.
- Workshop: Storytelling for Leaders (60-180 mins)
An interactive session where participants build stories from real examples and leave with a practical framework they can apply straight away.
Signature Talk: Why Stories Stick
The Lost Art of Communication That Actually Changes Behaviour
Most business communication is clear enough to be understood, but not memorable enough to change anything.
People default to bullet points, feature lists and corporate jargon. Then they wonder why the message does not land, why the pitch falls flat or why the training is forgotten by Monday.
In this talk, Nigel shows why storytelling is not fluff, theatre or spin. It is a practical communication skill that helps people remember, trust and act.
Drawing on his commercial experience and the thinking behind The Time Traveller’s Guide to Management (a novel that teaches leadership through historical fiction), Nigel explores:
- why people remember stories better than facts and slides alone
- the difference between storytelling and case studies
- how to find the story in everyday business situations
- a practical framework for building stories that teach, persuade and inspire
- the common mistakes that make business storytelling fall flat
This is not a talk about being more entertaining. It is a talk about being more effective.
What makes this talk different:
Nigel does not just talk about storytelling. He demonstrates it.
Audiences hear stories, see why they work and leave with a simple framework they can use in presentations, leadership communication, sales conversations and change programmes.
The result is a session that feels engaging in the room and useful afterwards.
Full keynote details here.
For event organisers:
- Delivered internationally (in-person)
- Typical formats: 30–60 min keynote, 45–90 min breakout, 60–180 min workshop
- Tailoring available (up to ~30%)
- AV: lapel mic preferred, screen/projector
Tailored Versions
The core message stays consistent, but Nigel can tailor the session to your audience and objectives.
For Leadership & Management Audiences
Focus on communication, change, coaching conversations, culture and making management messages stick.
For Sales & Marketing Teams
Focus on pitches, proposals, differentiation, client conversations and making offers more memorable.
For Technology & Professional Services
Focus on human differentiation in an AI-shaped market and using narrative to make expertise more commercially effective.
For Business Leaders & Entrepreneurs
Focus on vision, positioning, influence and building a business people remember.
Speaking Formats
Why Book Nigel?
- Over 35 years of commercial experience across consultancy, technology and business leadership
- Founder and director of three software services businesses
- Author of The Time Traveller’s Guide to Management
- Host of the Standing Apart podcast
- Straight-talking, practical delivery style
Nigel combines commercial credibility with a distinctive point of view, giving audiences something more useful than generic motivation and more memorable than another slide deck.
Who Is This For?
The content is especially relevant for:
- Leadership and management audiences
- Sales and marketing teams
- Technology companies
- Professional services firms
- Business conferences and corporate events
- Industry associations and networking groups
- Entrepreneurship and start-up communities
What Audiences Say
“Nigel’s approach is refreshingly practical. He doesn’t just inspire - he gives you tools you can actually use.”
"Nigel’s speaking style mirrors his training approach: engaging, direct and focused on practical takeaways rather than theoretical frameworks. He respects his audience’s intelligence and time, delivering content that is both memorable and genuinely useful."
Want a session that people remember and use?
If you want a keynote, workshop or tailored session on storytelling in business, get in touch.