How one question changed everything - and why American audiences are taking notice

Last week, I had the privilege of being interviewed by Greg Dwyer on Building Fortunes Radio, broadcast across the United States. What struck me most wasn't just the opportunity to share our story with an American audience, but how Greg immediately understood the universal truth at the heart of StoryQuest™: when we give people permission to tell their story, transformation follows.

The conversation covered everything from my 20 years as a physiotherapist to the business methodology that emerged from understanding patient stories, and of course, how Gabriel and I turned our one-hour weekly constraint into an approach now being implemented internationally.

The Physiotherapist's Revelation

Greg asked how I made the connection between healthcare and business - a question that goes to the heart of everything I do.

"The most important part of an assessment and connection with somebody was understanding their story and taking the time to listen to it, because the answer always lay in the client's story."

Whether someone has back pain, business problems, or - as we discovered - creative blocks, the process is identical: create a safe environment, ask open questions, and give people space to express themselves. That's when you get to the real issue, and often they can see the solution themselves.

This realization became the foundation for everything that followed - the business wheel methodology, the healthcare consulting work, and ultimately, StoryQuest™.

The Business Breakthrough Moment

Greg was fascinated by how I translated physiotherapy thinking into business consulting. The moment that changed everything was hearing a management consultant describe business as interconnected organs in a wheel.

"It was just like a light bulb went off. I now had the model I had been searching for. I was seeing the anatomy and physiology in business - how sales connected to marketing, which connected to delivery, to what matters to the clients, to mitigating risk, to your financial outcomes."

But the hub of that wheel? The owner's story. Their motivation. Their "why." So many business owners get swamped in operations and forget why they started in the first place. When they reconnect with their authentic story, everything reorganizes around that purpose.

One Question That Started Everything

The conversation moved to Gabriel, and I shared the moment that sparked our methodology:

"We'd just finished Treasure Island, and Gabriel's granddad - my father - is called Jim, same as the protagonist. It felt like maybe it's time we make up a story where Gabriel's the hero. And of course he said yes instantly - could he go and defeat a sea monster?"

That simple question - "Would you like to be the hero of your own story?" - became the foundation for an international movement. Gabriel's immediate, joyful "Yes!" revealed something profound: children are desperate to be the authors of their own narratives.

What followed were eight weeks of weekly storytelling sessions. I scribbled notes, typed them up, read them back. Gabriel edited, refined, chose illustrations. Storytelling was keeping us connected, keeping us alive.

From Desperate Constraint to Global Recognition

Greg understood something crucial about our journey - how constraint often creates the greatest breakthroughs. When Gabriel saw our collected stories and declared "It's a book, mum! It's a book!" we had no idea where it would lead.

"Never did either of us imagine that Gabriel would say to me later, 'But mom, all we've done is make up stories,' while we've been picked up by international education press. We've been in Canadian education press twice now. Pakistan and Ireland have features coming out."

The constraint of one hour weekly didn't limit us - it focused us completely. As I told Greg: "When you're so constrained, you make sure you make the most of the hour."

The School Transformation Results

Greg was particularly interested in how we translated this family experience into classroom success. The results speak for themselves:

"Teachers have just been stunned at the amount of writing that's been done when the story matters to the child because it's theirs and they own it. Children are saying it's the first time since finishing junior school that they've written their own story."

The methodology works because we show children how to be storytellers and scribes for each other. When you're the storyteller, you focus on sharing imagination. When you're the scribe, you capture every idea. By break time, everyone has their story without putting pen to paper. In the afternoon, they're free to write because it's purposeful to them.

The Universal Truth About Purpose

Greg pressed me on the key insight that connects everything - healthcare, business, and children's education:

"When things are purposeful to the person, they are motivated. I can't just tell you to do your exercises. I can't just tell you to go and do your business accounts. I can't just tell a child to write and put full stops in the right place. It's got to feel purposeful for them."

When you connect to someone through their story - whether it's about defeating sea monsters, healing back pain, or growing their business - the penny drops. They figure out the solution themselves because it matters to them.

The Driving Motivation

Greg asked about my "why" - what drives this mission. The answer remains unchanged:

"We will keep going for as long as it takes for Gabriel and I to hug one another again, Greg. That's my driver. Gabriel and I have asked each other the question: how many children do we need to help to be able to hug one another again?"

Every child who discovers their voice through StoryQuest™, every teacher who achieves unprecedented engagement, every business owner who reconnects with their authentic story - it all connects back to that simple, powerful motivation.

Looking Forward: International Expansion

Greg asked about franchising and international expansion - a conversation that's very much on my mind given the international media interest we're receiving from the education industry.

The methodology translates across cultures because the fundamental human need remains constant: we all want our stories to matter. Whether in Bradford classrooms or potentially American schools, the results are consistent when children are given authentic creative freedom.

Be the Hero, Not the Victim

Greg wrapped our conversation by asking how I want to be remembered. The answer was immediate:

"We gave children a voice through storytelling, and showed that quite often your greatest constraint is actually your greatest opportunity if you choose it. It's basically about choosing to go from being a victim to a victor. Children can do that through stories when they become the hero of their own narrative."

The American Opportunity

Speaking to Greg's US audience reinforced something I've suspected: the challenges we're addressing in UK schools - lack of engagement, motivation, and authentic voice - are universal concerns. American educators are facing the same struggles with traditional approaches that prioritize compliance over creativity.

The conversation has opened doors for potential US speaking opportunities and school partnerships. The methodology that emerged from our constraint could help American children discover their voices just as it's transforming Bradford classrooms.

What's Next

As I told Greg, we have Gabriel's second book launching October 4th - focused entirely on hope. Book three is already lined up within nine months. Each story Gabriel creates, each child who finds their voice, each classroom that discovers 100% engagement brings us closer to our ultimate goal.

The constraint continues, but so does our focus. Every international media feature, every school transformation, every child who declares themselves an author proves the same truth: your greatest limitation can become your most powerful breakthrough.

The question isn't whether constraints will come - it's whether you'll choose to be the hero or victim of your own story.

Listen to the full interview: [Building Fortunes Radio - Greg Dwyer Show]

Connect with Greg Dwyer: gregdwyer.com 

Learn more about StoryQuest™: my-storyquest.com 

Discover Gabriel's books: theadventuresofgabriel.com