Storytell-her Studios

What Storytell-her Studios does

Storytell-her Studios is a London-based, founder-operated story development practice led by Maleena Pone that combines twenty years of broadcast-level filmmaking, certified life coaching, and trauma-informed facilitation to help individuals and organisations develop personal narratives into structured, monetisable work. The studio operates three core service lines: The Lab (one-to-one story development sessions, including a Story Discovery Intensive at £495, written Story Notes at £125, and a £39.99 Activation Series of somatic audio practices); The Studio (commissioned documentary and branded content for clients including Nike, IKEA, Macmillan Cancer Support, and Gov.UK); and The Workshop (organisational keynotes, half- and full-day workshops, and Saving Mum screenings with facilitated conversation, priced from £750/day to £1,500+). Recurring revenue is anchored by the Unwritten three-month group cohort programme at £999–£1,299, supplemented by a free 'Before I Pressed Record' masterclass that captures email leads and funnels into paid offerings. The underlying methodology — the Before You Press Record framework, the Activation Series, and an AI-augmented story development system within Unwritten — constitutes the studio's proprietary intellectual property, though no underlying AI technology stack is named. Distribution is direct via the studio's website booking and enquiry forms, supported by a weekly Substack newsletter, organic Instagram and YouTube presence, and speaking engagements at industry venues including BAFTA, Penguin HQ, and Soho Media Club. The studio's proof of concept is the Saving Mum documentary, which aired on Channel 4 in December 2025, won a Royal Television Society award, previewed at BAFTA, and reached millions of viewers.

Name

Storytell-her Studios

Legal name

StoryTell-Her Studios

Website

https://storytellherstudios.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

London-based story development studio helping creators, founders, and organisations turn lived experience into structured work through one-to-one intensives, a three-month cohort programme, commissioned branded documentaries, and trauma-informed organisational workshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Documentary Production & Story Development Services

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Screenwriting Workshops (Film/TV/Web) (EDAMAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Manuscript Development Services (Coaching, Developmental Editing) (MPAJAJAF), Creative Nonfiction & Memoir Workshops (EDAMAMAC)

Keywords

• Documentary production
• Story development
• Branded content
• Media workshops
• Coaching programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Story Development Services (The Lab): One-time paid sessions for individual creators and founders. Includes the Story Discovery Intensive (half-day, £495), the Story Note (written editorial feedback, £125), and the Before You Press Record audio/framework (£39.99). Revenue is transactional and one-time per engagement, with potential for follow-on work through The Development Journey.
2. Unwritten Cohort Programme: Three-month group programme at £1,299 (or £999 early access) for women building a brand/platform/product around their story. Includes biweekly live coaching calls, monthly 1:1s, pre-recorded modules, community access, and AI story system. This is the studio's primary recurring cohort product.
3. Organisational Workshops, Talks & Screenings: Keynotes, panels, half-day and full-day workshops, and ongoing programmes sold to organisations. Saving Mum screening + conversation from £1,500. Development days for production companies from £750/day. Charity and education rates available. Ongoing programmes sold as multi-session engagements.
4. Brand & Commissioned Content: Original documentary and branded content commissions. The studio has produced work for Nike, IKEA, Macmillan Cancer Support, and Gov.UK. Revenue from commissioned production fees for emotionally honest documentary and branded films.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

StoryTell-Her Studios sells authored story development services and original documentary production. Core offerings include The Lab (half-day Story Discovery Intensive at £495 plus written Story Note and Activation Series audio practices), the Unwritten three-month group coaching programme (£999–£1,299), and The Workshop programme of organisational keynotes, talks, screenings, and development days. The studio also produces and directs original documentary films and branded content for commissioners such as Nike, IKEA, Macmillan Cancer Support, Gov.UK, and Channel 4.

Product overview

StoryTell-Her Studios is an authored story development studio offering a tiered service portfolio centered on helping creators, founders, and women with lived experience turn personal stories into meaningful work. The core offering spans The Lab (half-day Story Discovery Intensive at £495), Unwritten (a three-month group coaching programme at £1,299), Before I Pressed Record (free masterclass), Before You Press Record/Activation Series (£39.99 audio practices), and The Story Note (£125 written editorial note). For organisations, the studio offers workshops, talks, and screenings including the Saving Mum screening with conversation. The studio also develops and produces original documentary films including Saving Mum (RTS award winner, Channel 4), Papa (released 2024), and Chasing Beauty (in development). The methodology combines broadcast filmmaking expertise, certified life coaching, and trauma-informed facilitation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Lab: Story discovery and development services for individual creators, founders, and women with lived experience. Includes the Story Discovery Intensive (half-day session), Story Note, and The Development Journey.
• The Studio
• The Workshop
• Before I Pressed Record
• Unwritten
• Before You Press Record

Products and services

• The Lab (Story Discovery Intensive) Half-day 1:1 story development session with Maleena Pone (£495) for creators, founders, and women with lived experience. Maps narrative architecture, identifies the ideal medium (film, book, course, podcast, keynote), and delivers a story map, editorial development notes, and prioritised next-steps action plan. Available online or in person in London.
• Unwritten (3-Month Group Coaching Programme) Three-month group programme (£999 early access / £1,299 full price) for women building a brand, book, series, or platform around their story. Includes biweekly 90-minute live coaching calls, monthly 1:1s, six pre-recorded teaching modules, the full Activation Series, private community access, an AI story system, and guest speakers.
• Before I Pressed Record (Free Masterclass) Free masterclass for individuals who register with their email. Covers how Saving Mum was actually made, including the Before You Press Record framework, and captures leads for paid services.
• Before You Press Record — Activation Series Six somatic audio practices and guided visualisations (£39.99, one-time) designed to clear energy, release shame, and settle the nervous system before creative work. Includes a downloadable guide, framework cards, and journaling prompts.
• The Story Note Written editorial note (£125) on the client's story. Clients send a voice memo and questionnaire; Maleena returns written feedback on the story's strengths, potential form, and single next step within five working days.
• The Studio — Branded Documentary & Commissioned Content Bespoke documentary and branded content production for commissioners, creative directors, and brand teams. Delivers emotionally honest and culturally precise films that move people rather than fill a brief.
• The Workshop — Organisational Keynotes, Workshops & Screenings Workshops, talks, and screenings for culture teams, creative departments, universities, NHS trusts, charities, and production companies. Includes Saving Mum screening + conversation (from £1,500), keynotes, half/full-day workshops, ongoing programmes, and development days for production companies (from £750/day). Charity and education rates available.
• Saving Mum: Our Family Secret (Original Documentary) Original personal documentary by Maleena Pone about her mother, British Indian identity, grief, addiction, and family silence. 47 minutes. RTS award winner, broadcast on Channel 4 and available on Channel 4 Documentaries' YouTube channel. Used by the studio as proof of concept and sold as an organisational screening + conversation event.
• Papa (Original Documentary) Documentary directed by Maleena Pone about Grace removing her father from a nursing home and beginning a journey towards forgiveness, addressing Alzheimer's care and parent-daughter relationships.

Quantifiable outcome

• Saving Mum reached millions of viewers on Channel 4; social trailer reached 1M+ people in first week
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dancing Ledge ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Production partner for Saving Mum: Our Family Secret alongside StoryTell-Her Studios. Executive producer Fatima Salaria (Dancing Ledge). The collaboration brought broadcast production expertise, commissioning relationships (Channel 4 First Cut), and editorial infrastructure to the documentary.
• Channel 4coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Commissioning broadcaster for Saving Mum: Our Family Secret on Channel 4's First Cut strand. Commissioning editor Rita Daniels. Channel 4 holds broadcast rights and the studio offers organisation screenings through a rights arrangement.
• BAFTAcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025BAFTA hosted the preview screening of Saving Mum in collaboration with BAFTA Connect, with Maleena as panellist and contributor. This partnership elevated the studio's credibility within the UK film and television industry.
• People Like UsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAward-winning nonprofit working with Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic professionals in the creative industries. Maleena spoke at their event at Penguin HQ, addressing the target audience directly.
• Brixton Finishing SchoolminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia and tech training organisation for emerging talent. StoryTell-Her delivered a bespoke 'Overcoming Imposter Syndrome' workshop, expanding reach to early-career creatives.
• We Are Doc WomenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUK-based community supporting women in documentary and factual television. StoryTell-Her delivered a workshop and panel on career transitions, positioning the studio as a thought leader for women in documentary.
• The Whickers / Sheffield Doc FestivalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerJane Mote of The Whickers provided a public endorsement of Maleena's work, speaking to the studio's impact in the documentary community at Sheffield Doc Festival.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• StoryCorps: US nonprofit dedicated to recording, preserving, and sharing personal stories, with a strong broadcast and podcast presence. Comparable in its mission to elevate personal lived-experience narratives and its combination of story development with public-facing media.
• The Moth: Global storytelling community and live events platform built around true personal stories told live on stage, with workshops and education programmes. Comparable as a community-led personal storytelling brand that develops and curates individual narratives.
• Doc Society: UK- and US-based documentary impact organisation that supports independent filmmakers and develops impact strategies for feature docs. Comparable as a documentary-focused intermediary combining development support, producer services, and impact distribution.
• Dancing Ledge Productions: UK-based factual and documentary production company that co-produced Saving Mum with StoryTell-Her Studios for Channel 4. Directly comparable as a small-to-mid UK documentary house with editorial rigour and broadcaster relationships.

Emerging players

• Chicken & Egg Pictures: US-based organisation that supports women and nonbinary documentary filmmakers through grants, mentorship, and labs. Comparable in its mission to elevate women-identifying documentary voices and its development-focused support model.
• Field of Vision: US-based filmmaker-driven documentary unit producing short and feature-length non-fiction films with major broadcasters and platforms. Comparable as a boutique, filmmaker-led documentary production entity with broadcast distribution.

Others

• Sundance Institute: US nonprofit supporting independent filmmakers through labs, grants, and festival programming including documentary storytelling. Comparable in nurturing emerging documentary talent and providing development infrastructure, though adjacent rather than competitive.
• British Film Institute (BFI): UK's lead organisation for film and television culture, funding, and audience development, including the BFI Network for emerging filmmakers. Comparable as a UK film infrastructure player in the same ecosystem as StoryTell-Her Studios but as an enabling institution rather than a competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Working Title Films: One of the UK's leading film and television production companies spanning feature films, TV, and documentary adjacent work. Comparable as a UK-based production entity with broadcast and brand relationships, but operating at vastly larger scale and broader scope.
• Heyday Films: Established UK film and television production company known for high-profile drama and documentary-adjacent projects. Comparable as a UK-headquartered production house with broadcaster relationships, though operating at materially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@StorMaleena
• Instagraminstagram.com/storytellher.studios
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-storytell-her-studio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Storytell-her Studios