What makes someone choose purpose over financial security, and keep taking action even when the path ahead isn’t clear?

In this episode of Mad Influence, Helen Saul is joined by Krish Patel, founder of Tales to Inspire, an organisation creating space for people to share real stories of resilience, challenge and change, particularly those whose voices aren’t always heard.

Krish’s journey to this work wasn’t planned or linear. After playing professional football in his teens and early twenties, a series of experiences living and playing abroad reshaped how he understood obstacles, purpose and community. What started as informal conversations with people sharing personal experiences grew into Tales to Inspire, now working across homelessness, migration, disability and youth leadership.

Alongside this, Krish has also founded StoryOak, capturing the life stories of parents and grandparents on film so families can preserve voices, memories and legacy for future generations. The idea was sparked by his own experience of loss and the realisation that we often know very little about the lives of those closest to us.

This conversation explores the power of storytelling to build empathy rather than judgement, the responsibility organisations have to take lived experience seriously, and why action matters more than waiting for certainty. Helen and Krish also discuss purpose-led work, the realities of entrepreneurship without glamour, the role of community in a fragmented world, and what it means to stay human in an increasingly tech-driven age.

Music written by Joseph McDade

Follow Tales To Inspire:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/talestoinspire/

YouTube:www.youtube.com/@talestoinspire

Facebook: www.facebook.com/talestoinspire/

Website: www.talestoinspire.com

Follow Helen Saul:

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/helensaul/

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