From Ideas to Assets that Travel
“Meeting Debbie Jenkins was the final piece of the puzzle that turned my perspective into an asset, one that could finally travel without me.”
David Pullan, - Co-Author, The DNA of Engagement - Thestoryspotters.com
The Challenge: From Great Rooms to Greater Reach.
David Pullan and Sarah Jane McKechnie, the duo behind The Story Spotters, were already trusted advisors to global corporates. Their problem wasn’t a lack of insight; it was momentum.
They wanted:
- More enterprise mandates
- Higher-grade talks
- And, above all, an asset that stayed behind when they left the room
“Meeting Debbie Jenkins was the final piece of the puzzle,” David recalls. “The phrase Intellectual Perspective did something to my brain. It made me realise that my perspective is an asset if I package it right"
Dream vs Nightmare
Dream: more corporate mandates, talks that lead to action, and a tool executives could use immediately.
“We wanted something leaders would actually finish. Something short, sticky and story-led, not an academic doorstop.”
Nightmare: brilliant IP stranded in decks and workshops, with post-event energy fading before the train home.
As David puts it: “The real nightmare was ideas that don’t move. If the idea doesn’t travel beyond the room, nothing compounds.”
Who Are The Story Spotters?
David Pullan and Sarah Jane McKechnie are consultants, authors, and coaches dedicated to helping senior leaders stand out and communicate with impact. With over 25 years of experience, they have worked with leading organisations including PwC, Aviva, and Novartis, combining narrative structure, storytelling, and performance techniques to help leaders build trust, drive engagement, and influence change.
As the duo behind The Story Spotters, David and Sarah Jane are trusted advisors to executives across the globe. Their first book showcased their ability to transform ideas into compelling narratives that leaders not only remember but also use.
Their philosophy is simple: ideas must travel beyond the room to make a difference. Or, as their clients often tell them, “Your stuff really works.”The Solution: Turn Big Ideas into Small, Powerful Assets
David and Sarah Jane had deep intellectual property, but their insights were trapped in decks and workshops. To build momentum that outlasted any single keynote, Debbie helped them reshape their thinking into short, atomic, and repeatable assets, books, tools, and systems that executives could use without them in the room.
Solution Step 1: Name One Ownable Idea
The first move was clarity. Debbie pushed them to focus on a single, memorable concept that leaders could repeat in the boardroom
For David and Sarah Jane, this became The DNA of Engagement, a concise, story-led playbook that executives would actually finish. A companion workbook made the ideas practical, ensuring leaders could put them into action by Monday morning.
“Debbie challenged me to decide if a book was the right medium. That honesty built trust from the beginning.” — David Pullan
Solution Step 2: Create Short, Atomic Assets
Instead of one dense book, they created short, strategic assets.
Their first title was quickly followed by a workbook, and then a year later, a second book: The Art of the Unignorable Email. This tight follow-up proved they weren’t a one-off act but a growing system of ideas with measurable impact. Their second book became an instant Amazon Best Seller in multiple countries.
“Throughout the process, the team at Intellectual Perspective Press felt like expert sherpas guiding me to the summit of a peak that would have felt treacherous without them.” — David Pullan
Solution Step 3:
Build Momentum That Compounds
With two books, companion workbooks, and lightweight AI helpers, David and Sarah Jane created a flywheel of discovery
Their ideas moved from admiration into action, appearing in boardrooms, media outlets, and on award shortlists. The DNA of Engagement was named an Amazon Best Seller and became a Finalist for Business Book of the Year, giving their work credibility far beyond a single keynote. Momentum replaced miracles.
“It’s lovely to see ‘Amazon Best Seller’ and ‘Finalist in Business Book of the Year’ next to your name. But the real win was momentum. The books moved. The ideas moved. And our pipeline moved.” — David Pullan
"Meeting Debbie Jenkins was the final piece of the puzzle that turned my perspective into an asset one that could finally travel without me.”
David pullan, - CO-AUTHOR OF THE DNA OF ENGAGEMENT - STORYSPOTTERS.com
Here's what David has to say:
“I went in to get a book done; I came out with a system that wins clients, stages, and momentum long after I leave the room.”
What Debbie Says About David
“David didn’t just want a book; he wanted a system prospects could use without him in the room. By choosing precision over padding and focusing on short, actionable assets, he built momentum that compounded into awards, speaking invitations, and returning clients. This wasn’t a campaign; it was asset building, and that’s why his ideas keep travelling long after the keynote ends.”
