Why should you choose Finding Stories?
At Finding Stories, we believe that data has the power to inspire, persuade and drive real change — but only when it's communicated with clarity, confidence and conviction.
We're a specialist data storytelling and visualisation business. From training and coaching through to consultancy and project delivery, we're built on a simple but powerful idea: that the best results come when deep data expertise, commercial insight and the art of powerful communication come together.
With over 50 years of combined experience across data analytics, business intelligence, commercial operations and professional performance — we're committed to helping individuals, teams and organisations find their story, and tell it in a way that influences decisions, drives strategic change and delivers impactful, lasting results.
We believe there are three core reasons why you should work with us...
Our Team
As a team, we all come from different backgrounds and hold different personalities, but we're united by our mission of helping individuals, teams and organisations find and tell their own story.
With backgrounds in Data, Business Intelligence, Commercial Operations and the Performing Arts, we're uniquely positioned to deliver tailored, relevant and impactful training for you and your teams.
Our Content
Our content is designed to be informative, thought provoking and immediately relevant and applicable when you return to your desks.
The courses include plenty of examples and exercises to help embed the learnings, and we focus (importantly in our opinion) on having fun during the sessions too, because no one wants to sit in a boring training session!
Our Flexibility
We offer a range of 'off the shelf' training courses to meet your requirements, but we are happy to change and add content that suits your particular needs.
All of the courses are also designed to link to each other, so if you want a complete pathway to storytelling excellence, then we're happy to 'bundle' courses together into a structured programme.
Meet The Team
The people behind Finding Stories - and the expertise, passion and experience they bring to every project
Meet Ross....
I'm Ross Durston, co-founder and Chief Data & Storytelling Officer at Finding Stories.
Having spent over 20 years leading data teams across some of the UK's most recognised organisations — including Tesco, P&O Cruises, Nectar and Gopuff — I've built deep expertise in data analytics, business intelligence and consumer research, alongside a genuine passion for bringing it all together through the power of data storytelling.
Early in my career I recognised that as an introverted analyst, more comfortable behind a keyboard than a podium, confidence in communicating and presenting my work was going to be a real barrier — both to the impact I could have and to my overall career progression. Something had to change.
And so, through research, the support of others, finding my own style and building confidence through practice and feedback, I sought to get better and change my trajectory. I went from avoiding opportunities to present, to tackling them head on, growing in influence and delivering greater impact as a result. And that journey is exactly what motivates me now — giving me both the credibility and the genuine desire to help individuals and teams go on that same path.
Finding Stories has grown from this passion. Alongside my co-founder Sarah, who brings over 15 years of commercial and operational expertise, we offer a truly rounded approach — combining specialist data storytelling and visualisation training with the kind of commercial depth that only comes from decades at the heart of leading organisations.
Through my empathy, experience and genuine passion for this subject, I'm in a unique position to help you and your teams strengthen your data storytelling and visualisation skills, communicate with greater confidence, and deliver the kind of impact that drives positive change.
And our work doesn't stop at training - Finding Stories also works as a consultancy, working side-by-side with organisations on projects that drive lasting change.
So, whether you're looking to improve how your team communicates with data, need support on your next big initiative, or want to completely transform your data culture into one built around human-centric storytelling that drives real, positive change — I'd love to work with you to unlock the potential within your organisation. — Ross
- Ross
Meet Sarah....
I'm Sarah Durston, co-founder and Chief Operations & Development Officer at Finding Stories.
With over 15 years of commercial experience across some of the UK's most well-known businesses — including Tesco, Amazon and the award-winning social enterprise Belu — I've built a career on helping people and organisations grow, operate smarter and deliver greater impact.
Across those roles I've led high-performing teams, managed multi-million pound operations, delivered strategy at the C-suite level, and built relationships with some of the UK's biggest companies and government partners. In 2025 I deepened that foundation further, completing an 18-month apprenticeship in Data Analytics that transformed how I communicate data with clarity and purpose — and this gave me an even sharper appreciation of what it really takes to communicate with influence and credibility.
What I've learned through this lived experience is that the power of strong partnerships and great communication is everything. Bring people with you, set out a clear vision and shared objectives, and you build the kind of trust and engagement that drives real results. And at the heart of that? Being able to trust your data and bring it to life in a way that people actually connect with.
Having spent my career at the heart of commercial business, I understand the pressures your teams face every day. Alongside our data storytelling and visualisation training, we work directly with organisations as a consultancy — and it's here that my operational and commercial background really comes into its own, helping businesses identify opportunities and deliver meaningful change from the inside.
I'd love to help you find clearer, more powerful ways to tell your data stories.
- Sarah
Meet Mathew....
I'm Mathew David, Associate at Finding Stories — performance, communication and the art of powerful delivery are what drive me.
As an award-winning actor, writer and director, I've spent my career understanding what it truly takes to hold a room, tell a story with conviction and land a message with impact. From short films like Burger, winner of the Jury's Special Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, to writing and directing Skinny Fat alongside Ruth Maddock, storytelling in all its forms is at the heart of everything I do.
At Finding Stories I work alongside Ross and Sarah to bring the storytelling artistry and performance expertise of an actor and filmmaker into your organisation — helping strengthen your presence, improve your confidence and sharpen your delivery — enabling you to turn bold ideas into compelling, high-impact presentations.
Because having a powerful story is one thing. Delivering it in a way that truly resonates is another.
I look forward to working with you.
- Mathew