Everyone loves a 'story teller' these days...

ONCE upon a time, there was a CEO who ruled over a sleepy kingdom. Whenever he delivered a speech, he'd find his subjects nodding off en masse. Now, that didn't sit well with him, especially since he could not round up the recalcitrant dozers and demand "Off with their heads!" without eliminating his entire labour force. So he called in a passing minstrel, who peppered his speeches with song and pithy bonmots, which kept his subjects entertained, productive and ultimately turning sleepy kingdom into a super-efficient and profitable fairy land, where everyone lived happily and prosperously ever after.

Of course, Sleepy Kingdom doesn't exist, but storytelling has become a much needed skill for CEOs looking to tell captivating stories about their companies.

Increasingly, authors, playwrights, screenwriters and drama teachers have been roped in by companies to help their leaders do just that. In Friday's issue of Weekend magazine, we look at the business of story-telling and how it can boost an executive's career, company and personal life.

Elsewhere, we meet serial entrepreneur Thomas Beattie, a former professional football player who brings his discipline from his sport into his string of successful startups. He shares some tips on how to make it in your own business.

And as the excitement of the World's 50 Best Restaurants Awards dies down, we turn to our homegrown chefs. Caught between expat-led fine-dining restaurants and local hawker food, can these young chefs redefine Singapore cuisine and put themselves on the map?

Design-wise, we look at some cool collaborations between designers and brands, sniff out some unique fragrance concept stores in town, and sample some of the new cocktail menus offered by forward-thinking bars.