See a photo of Stewart, his bio, Part 1 of this Q&A, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.
Q&A with Stewart Marshall, Question 5:
Q: To what extent do you feel the current economic crisis increases the need for financial storytelling? How might business be improved, assuming lessons learned from the current situation, by better storytelling?
A: The current economic crisis came about because the relevant stories were at best ignored and at worst deliberately covered up. The complexities of the financial instruments which started this cycle, such as sub-prime mortgages, derivatives, etc., are beyond the knowledge of most people. Yet in many cases it is these same people, who have had to take a pay cut, or lost their jobs and in too many cases their homes. Do they not deserve an explanation? Not highbrow, not technical jargon but a clear honest story? In this context, financial storytelling has never been more critical.
More positively, I believe the way out of the financial crisis will come though entrepreneurs — people who through changing circumstances have been forced to innovate. Not only will they produce innovative products but the way they do business will also be innovative. This can be truly inspirational and we should attempt to share this story as much as we can. Financial Storytelling can help communicate this message and also build trust. Inspiration will lead to confidence, which ultimately is what we all need for the future.