Reﬂection- Storytelling as a Tool

Challenge and Selection:

Storytelling played an integral role while I was completing my information gathering process  for my paper on local entrepreneurial challenges during the early part of the year. As an  outgoing person myself, I found the activity cut out for me as it allowed me to meet and get to  know new acquaintances and stakeholders during the process. And my respondents, the local  entrepreneurs, had been most welcoming in ushering me in as I partake in their  entrepreneurial journey as well.

Most entrepreneurs that I came to correspond with operates a start-up retail shops that are  mostly based from a vacant section of their home. So that on certain occasions, another  household member can easily be seen carrying-out their day-to-day shop management.    So  my cause would have to beneﬁt the local entrepreneurs and help contribute in the creation a  sustainable entrepreneurial support programs for their start-up venture.

Application:

Facilitating a worthwhile experience. Storytelling is best exempliﬁed when you set the tone  and venue for a conducive exchange of insights. In my case, I made it a point to pay a visit  and conduct our correspondence at the comfort of my respondents home, thereby assuring  an atmosphere that is most welcoming. A sincere gesture of empathy and interest in listening  and relating to their stories would always set the stage for an empowering experience. And  in  most occasions, the entrepreneurs that I have come to correspond with may readily share  their experiences as an avenue for them to inspire the lives of those who aspire to follow their  footsteps.

The opportunity to have gained an important knowledge out of the unique entrepreneurial  journey of each respondent was what I considered to be priceless. Just by listening to them  as they share their stories of courage and determination has already imprinted a lasting  testament of an individual’s conviction to triumph over adversity.

And all of these valuable insights that I have gained from my correspondence with my  respondents, I could have easily missed to cherish have I elected to exclude the tool of  Storytelling as part of information gathering in my process.

Insight and Approach:

Needless to say, the value of Storytelling as a tool did not only allow me to help contribute in  coming-up with a valuable recommendation that various support organizations may refer into  as they intend to come up with an entrepreneur-centric support programs to complement the  needs of the local entrepreneurs, but the most important take-away from that experience  was  attributed towards gaining a deeper understanding of the entrepreneurial journey from the

“doers” who braved the uncertain road in their pursuit of an entrepreneurial fulﬁllment  themselves.

As I am completing from this course in Design Thinking, and with my enhanced  understanding of the tool in Storytelling, I am now more conﬁdent that I could venture further  towards creating a more meaningful impact towards my future dealings in my locality.

I am forever grateful for the learnings!

