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Andrew Kitley
The Invisible Gift
We worked with a dyslexic entrepreneur to create the UK’s No.1 neurodiversity podcast and a thriving digital community.
Background & First Steps
Kitall is one of the UK's leading structural engineering consultancies. When Kitall's CEO and founder, Andrew Kitley, approached us in 2019, we knew we were dealing with an ambitious future creator.
Andrew wanted to make a podcast that would be personal to him. Something that would give people real value and insight. A mirror to his business: innovative, empowering, and inspiring.
We began with an ideation session. This is where Andrew and the OneFinePlay team got to know each other.
Andrew wanted to create a business podcast. A popular genre of podcasting. But, we realised Andrew's life as a successful entrepreneur was shaped by his experiences in education. In particular, how he overcame his challenges associated with dyslexia and ADHD. He believed these were his ‘superpowers'. That they gave him abilities in lateral thinking, creativity, and independence.
A show based on this would be a far more personal concept. We pitched ‘The Invisible Gift, a show about turning your neurodiversity into a superpower, knowing it better aligned with Andrew’s personal story and values. Andrew agreed, and we got started.
Obstacles
- Finding the right guests: This show had to have strong guests to do justice to the complex subject matter. Andrew didn’t have a list of guests, so we took on the guest-finding process ourselves. We found a thriving and passionate community, eager to share their personal stories and insights. Comedians, famous actors, social media personalities, acclaimed artists—a real diverse range of people.
- Coaching the host: Andrew is dyslexic, and we encountered challenges at the beginning when recording scripted sections. So, we developed a process that made him feel comfortable and supported. We gave Andrew time and coaching in delivery. Andrew cites these techniques as improving his public speaking ability outside of the studio.
- Lack of experience: Despite Andrew’s enthusiasm and ambition, he lacked any experience in content creation. We educated Andrew in what we know. We devised a plan for how to produce this show quickly and at scale. We educated Andrew on the best ways to create marketing material for the show. We also scripted questions for Andrew to ensure the conversations were compelling, and we conducted workshops with him on storytelling and how to construct a narrative. By the end of the process, Andrew had become a seasoned creator.
- Tackling difficult subjects: Neurodiversity is a big, challenging issue requiring sensitivity. Many people feel embarrassed or ashamed to share their struggles. We worked to create a safe space, for Andrew, our guests, and the audience to ensure we tackled these conversations with empathy and openness. We learned more about neurodiversity while making this podcast, and through this authentic journey of learning, the narrative arc in the content was stronger.
- Realising the audio brand: Given the subject matter, there would have been an expectation for the podcast to be downbeat and focused on the challenges. To counteract this we chose music and sound effects that conveyed a positive and upbeat tone. This sonic branding echoed Andrew’s own beliefs.
Impact & Achievements
We would go on to produce 50 episodes that would empower, inspire, provoke thought, and create a vibrant community. Andrew's messages reached tens of millions of like minded people globally who finally felt seen and heard by Andrew's content. These videos amassed 20 million views on TikTok alone - a testament to the relatability and inspiration of the show
The Invisible Gift was always meant to be bigger than a podcast, the dream was to create a catalyst for social change. This can be seen in the extraordinary growth of The Invisible Gift Community: A hub offering learning resources and tools for neurodivergents to excel in any environment. With thousands of members and a massive social media following, the strength of The Invisible Gift brand is a strong endorsement of the podcast’s legacy.
Today, Andrew boasts the No.1 Neurodiversity podcast worldwide.
- Over 50 episodes produced.
- The Invisible Gift became the UK's No.1 neurodiversity podcast.
- Social media videos garnered 30 million collective views across TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
- The array of remarkable guests included experts, Pulitzer Prize winners, and global celebrities such as Willard Wigan MBE, Kara Tointon, and Tanya Bardsley.
- Andrew's company, Kitall, secured multiple contracts stemming from the podcast, resulting in millions of pounds in revenue.
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