PRODUCING

Stephen Blyth, Organiser NetSquared Wellington

When I asked DK to share some insights about what he learned from running TEDXWellington at our community unconference, his answer was a very quick yes. His opening words really set everyone up for the day in terms of creating an atmosphere where people were willing to freely share. The well chosen stories gave people confidence to take a leap into the unknown. From there, many participants, probably two thirds, took the opportunity to join a impromptu session DK ran. It was a delight to have DK involved in our day, something I hope we are able to do again.

Will Davis, Applications Manager for TEDx, TED

Hello from Cairo! (I’m on a regional workshop tour.) Showed a group in Tunis the TEDxWellington Trust wrap-up video last night. New teams from Ghomrassen and the University of Manouba both started sharing how they could scale that to their budget – ideas about playing with expectations, changing up the normal event experience in Tunisia, making their smaller event size seem purposeful and exciting. Your team has impact in wide, wild ways. Thank you!

Phil Sage, Senior Director : Global Product Acquisition & Inventor Relations, Hasbro

DK crafted and facilitated a two-day off-site for a cross-departmental group of folks to explore the digital and social media opportunities / consequences of a new initiative. He steered the discussion and activities superbly, sensitive to the levels of literacies whilst igniting the latent talent in the room to a great set of outcomes.

June Kinloch, Lead, Digital Products – The HIVE at IBI Group

I recently had DK run the ‘presenting engagingly online’ session at a virtual conference I was managing for our organization. We had many great speakers, but based on the feedback (and my opinion too!) DK’s was the highlight. The session included tangible take aways that I use daily while presenting and was fun and energetic. Coordinating the session with DK was a breeze (even with the time difference), and he tailored his approach to fit the group I was working with. Could not recommend enough!

Tiana Rakete, Senior Events Advisor, Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency

As part of Wellington’s business leveraging during the DHL New Zealand Lion Series, we collaborated with DK to create a unique experience melding together the worlds of sport and tech, drawing out ideas from Wellington businesses to tackle the challenge of how to improve the sports fan experience. DK and his colleague Emilie facilitated The Tech Ruck with seamless professionalism, a positive outlook and a real can-do attitude within extremely tight project deadlines. Working with DK was a great experience and I would do so again.

Vicki Jackways, Head of Marketing, Park Road Post Production

We contracted DK to run several sessions with members of our leadership team and other staff who are required to present ideas, solutions, explanations and work flow information to clients and audiences. The sessions were so insightful and the feedback was extremely positive, even the most cynical were surprised at what they could achieve and change the way one approaches preparation and off the cuff speaking. A highly productive and useful experience and one we will repeat.

Kim Koeman, Global Director, Social Innovation at Steelcase

We recently had the opportunity to learn from DK as we launched the Better Futures Catalyst program, a facilitated public speaking initiative at Steelcase. This program brought together a cohort of employees from around the world to enhance our presentation skills by focusing on our people and planet efforts. DK created a bespoke hybrid program, guiding us in developing compelling stories and boosting our confidence in public speaking—both in-person and virtually. Our final presentations showcased remarkable growth, with each of us effectively weaving our unique experiences into an engaging narrative. We are so grateful to DK for his authentic approach, for creating a safe space for us to learn together and from each other, and for the number of resources he shared throughout the journey. Highly recommend!

Tamara Sallis, Head of Talent & OD – People & Culture, AsureQuality

DK facilitated a storytelling workshop for 80 of our leaders and the impact was significant. Leading into the session, we had done important groundwork, clarifying our “no change future”, defining our “preferred future”, and identifying the shifts required to get there. DK built seamlessly on this foundation and elevated our thinking by showing us how to bring these ideas to life through compelling storytelling. He equipped our leaders with practical techniques for telling stories with grace, credibility and resonance.

Importantly, he helped us understand how to shape stories that articulate a clear and compelling vision of the future, one that feels both relevant and personalised for each team. This translated into a measurable shift in capability — in our pre- and post-Leaders Forum survey, favourable responses (agree or strongly agree) to the statement “I can communicate a clear, credible and compelling story about our future” increased from 60% to 88%.

The workshop DK facilitated was engaging, insightful, and immediately applicable. Our leaders left with tools and confidence to better connect with their teams and communicate change in a way that genuinely resonates. I would highly recommend DK to any organisation looking to strengthen leadership communication and bring their strategy to life through powerful, purposeful storytelling.

Mark Woodard, Director of Corporate Services/CFO, PHARMAC NZ

When in lockdown, at Pharmac we asked DK to deliver a zoom presentation on ‘presenting engagingly online.’ Our objective was to give staff an opportunity to connect virtually after we had all shifted to working from home and we had few opportunities for a shared experience. We used DK’s prepared session to shift from presenting in this new medium (zoom) to how we adapt generally, with shifting mediums as a metaphor for the broader pressure on all of us to adapt and change in response to our external environment. The latter part was progressed via a moderated Q&A session. Staff really enjoyed the session – both parts – and I consider DK’s role as catalyst to have been really helpful.

Janelle Fenwick, CEO, Teulo

Love how DK can hear my creative ideas and vision, then bring them to life. I have huge trust and respect for DK and really enjoy working with him, as he completely understands what I want to achieve with Teulo. Thank you!