Stop. Breathe. Think differently.
Life’s become a mad, fast hamster wheel. People and organisations keep doing the same things, expecting different results — Albert Einstein called that madness. But this crazy, relentless lifestyle isn’t just stifling creativity and fresh thinking — it’s also burning people out, damaging wellbeing, and making many of us deeply unhappy. Einstein also said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Yet somewhere along the way, many people have lost touch with their imagination, creativity, and the stories that make them unique. The Purple Sheep helps people stop, breathe, think differently, and reconnect with the hidden imagination and untold stories inside themselves and their organisations. Shane Dean works with leaders, teams, and organisations to shake things up, unlock fresh perspectives, spark creativity, and rediscover what’s truly possible. And the good news? Research increasingly shows that creativity doesn’t just fuel innovation and productivity — it also improves happiness, wellbeing, resilience, and mental health.
The Story Behind It
Shane Dean overcame teenage mental health struggles by discovering two game-changers aged 21: positive thinking and journalism. His life was chasing stories, celebrities and politicians for tabloid newspapers. Think chasing down Madonna, shadowing Prince Charles (and annoying his Press team),and getting banned by an entire police force and the Prime Minister's PR bosses). He won two awards, made contacts in a the Guardian political team and made plans to cover the Whitehouse for the Washington Post. But life had other ideas. After 911 sparked his childhood mental health issues, turning him off bad news Shane became an education correspondent. Then one news interview with a nightclub vicar later, Shane became a vicar himself by accident over a cup of coffee and lots of laughs. Official start date April the 1st. Shane's mentor vicar was the spitting image of a famous comedian and he got as many laughs during his inspirational 'sermons' in the same nightclub spot where Sting and Bernard Manning shared their talents. Shane's unorthodox training was no Bible College or 'vicar school' but a lot of laughter and non-religious fun. As a 'Rebel Vicar', he built a community 'Purple Sheep Centre' to make it fun for non-religious people, clearing out religous rituals and replacing with a Starbuck's style coffee shop giant 7-foot hedgehog mascot and a giant bouncy castle for thousands of families to enjoy. Then after a mid-life crisis five years later he launched a global good news movement in a headteacher's office in the middle of covering the 2011 Royal Wedding weekend, the London riots for the Guardian and working for the BBC. Through Shane's Good News Post movement in schools for children aged 4 to 21, children found their stories — interviewing local heroes and prime ministers. Shane also uses relentless enthusiasm, his passion for helping people, huge imagination, networking and creativity and a 30 year story career to help businesses, schools, charities and churches rethink what's possible and do 'purple sheep style PR. "Change your thinking. Change your story. Change your life."
Ready to shake things up?
Stuck in a rut? Ready for something different? Shane's Rebel Vicar talk will challenge your thinking, energise your people, and leave your organisation genuinely refreshed. Book him today.