Ian Wharton, Apple Design Award winner and CEO of Aide Health, discusses key storytelling concepts in his course 'Sell the Idea' such as the inciting incident and empowering others to share ideas. He also shares insights on why designers are suited to solve societal challenges and the importance of bias toward action in starting companies. The podcast explores Ian's journey as a design founder and offers a 30% discount on his course with the code RIDD.
Effective storytelling involves articulating the central conflict for successful idea communication.
Designers can launch impactful startups by taking action on societal challenges with a bias towards solutions.
Personal and professional growth can be achieved through pursuing creative side projects independently.
Deep dives
Learning Opportunities on Maven .com
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The Power of Communicating Conflict
When selling an idea, focusing on articulating the major conflict and its resolution is crucial for effective communication. Memories are strongly influenced by conflict, making it essential to equip others with this central conflict to relay ideas successfully.
Ian Wharton's Background and Inspiration for Aid Health
Ian Wharton, the design founder of Aid Health, shares his journey and motivation for launching a startup focused on healthcare technology. His personal experience with asthma resurgence in his mid-thirties inspired him to develop a solution to empower individuals with chronic diseases.
Importance of Diversity in Career Progression
Embracing a diverse career path allows creative individuals like Ian Wharton to explore various industries and roles. By venturing into startups, design agencies, and product development, designers can leverage their creativity across diverse projects and expand their impact.
Effective Storytelling and Selling Ideas
Ian Wharton emphasizes the significance of storytelling in selling ideas. By focusing on the inciting incident and conveying the central conflict, individuals can capture attention and engage audiences effectively. Strategic storytelling plays a pivotal role in presenting ideas convincingly and driving successful outcomes.
Empowering Creativity Through Side Projects
Engaging in side projects outside of one's primary job can lead to significant personal and professional growth. Ian Wharton highlights the importance of pursuing creative endeavors independently to foster skill development and drive innovation. Investing time in personal projects can unlock new opportunities and enhance career trajectories.
Remember how Michael Wandelmeier told us Metalab hired a storytelling coach? Well that coach is Ian Wharton. He’s an Apple Design Award winner, CEO of Aide Health, and he teaches storytelling techniques to teams like Dyson, BBC, Huge, etc.
So this episode breaks down the key storytelling concepts that he shares in his course Sell the Idea. We talk about the importance of the inciting incident, how to empower others to share your ideas, and a lot more…
But he also presents some compelling ideas about why designers are the most suited people to start companies that solve societal level challenges. All you need is a bias toward action. So if you’ve been considering starting your own thing, there’s a lot we can learn from Ian’s journey as a design founder.
Ian’s course Sell the Idea (use the code RIDD at checkout for 30% off)
