Ash Rathod

You already know storytelling is essential for your business and brand. But storytelling is much more than the words on your website, content and other communications. The right narrative can inform your short and long term strategy, help align your team, outmanoeuvre the competition and build a tribe of ambassadors.It can help you attract and retain the right customers who are willing to pay you more for a longer period of time and tell others to do the same.It's about high level performance. ie. increasing profits for the business and providing unique value to the people you serve.I specialise in guiding businesses do exactly this. My philosophy centres on a "Story-First Approach," a method that has proven to be the missing link for many who struggle with brand identity and growth.The challenge most people face when building a brand is twofold: either they're paralysed by indecision, never taking the first step, or they jump in headfirst, producing content without a coherent strategy. Both paths lead to a stagnant or unclear identity. The root cause? A lack of strategic direction.  I can help with that.---I studied media and communications specialising in script-writing, where my love for storytelling started. I worked in TV media alongside the London arm of global ad agencies such as StarCom, OMD, PHD Media and many smaller DRTV agencies. My portfolio stretched across global FMCG, (P&amp;G and Unilever) and automotive (Ford and Toyota) brands before moving to Turner Broadcasting (now Warner Bros. Discovery) to work on kids brands (such as Mattel and Hasbro). As the online world began to grow, I moved into Digital Marketing where I helped scale the Manchester office of a Bournemouth based media agency, going from media owner to client side, which consisted of a team of 20+ designers, marketers, copywriters and BDMs.Then after a short sales role at BT, I decided to start my own creative agency, to help start-ups to SMEs with with their communications online.This was almost 16 years ago. I'm proud to say I still run and I own that brand consultancy and design studio in the UK which has focused on serving start-ups to corporations over those years. Right now my focus covers:L&amp;D Training (1:1 &amp; Corporate teams)Speaking at eventsBrand Strategy workshops for start-ups and SMEs.None of these are an overnight fix.But if you are serious about shaping and growing your brand, I can help you do this faster than most.NB. My profile picture has been touched up with AI to change the colour of my shirt and  background

Brand Story Strategist | Managing Director

A brand strategy + design collective specializing in creating compelling content for digital communications. We work with forward-thinking founders, c-suite stakeholders, and marketing teams who passionately strive to lead the change in making the world of work a better place for all.

Our capabilities include:

Brand Strategy

  - Storytelling for brands 
  - Storytelling for leaders

Activation

  - Content Production
  - Media Planning

I fixed myself. 

AI has given me what I thought I could never have. 

A glimpse into what I’d look like if my skin colour stayed the same.

Or if I removed all the pigmentation on my skin (which can be done in real life. I had the option but declined) 

So which one do I prefer? For me, it’s a no brainer. The real me, in the middle. 

The left and right image was created by Nano Banana Pro. 

Which to be honest, as a tool, it’s amazing. In fact I’ve been playing with it a lot. I have been playing with a lot of AI tools. Image. Music. Vibe coding. And I will be using them a lot in my content, in my work processes and creating new business ideas. 

The next wave of AI tools will open doors for many people. I really am positive but cautious about it all.

Because it has to be used the right way and the right way for me is this:

Don’t be lazy with the tools (Use it to add a layer to the great work you do vs diluting it)
Don’t just blindly copy others. (‘differentiate or die’ mantra is still relevant. Now more than ever)
Don’t hide behind it (ie. pretend you’re something you’re not or try hiding the fact you’ve used AI. Especially if it’s likely to be in doubt for others)

I’m sure there are many other pros and cons. (let me know yours in the comments)

What I will be doing is making sure I inform my audience when I do use AI. For example, I am playing around creating a digital twin. And it's a lot of fun. But I won’t pretend it’s me. I’ll let others know when it’s not. Even when the tech becomes much better than it is now when even more  people won’t be able to tell. 

I think in this new phase, the people that are honest and upfront about how they communicate to their audience are going to be the ones that build trust. And ultimately the ones that win.

For me, I don’t want to fool anyone. Including myself. 

And more importantly. I don’t need to fix myself.

I already did that. 

When I accepted myself for who I really am.


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#PersonalBranding and #Storytelling in an #AI world

Brand Storytelling in an AI World | Creative AI Workflow Consultant

This is not a real ad. 

And here's more context. 

I set myself a challenge to see what these AI tools were capable of and created this. My main learning out of all of this is, this still took a lot of human thinking, time and general input. 

So my challenge was to create a completely speculative ad using just AI tools. 

I chose a brand that I love. Love for their messaging and what they stand for. And then got to work. 

I would say this is still rough around the edges and an important thing to note is that I have no real idea what the brand strategy is so this should be considered. Real creative campaigns take time and a lot human collaboration. I did this completely on my own (and it shows I think :)  

There are also inconsistencies in the creative given the time I gave myself to create this. 

But in the main, I think the tools that are out there are really impressive. And I had a lot of fun with this. 

Tools I used were:

Weavy for workflow
LTX Studio for storyboarding
FreePik as the main base suite and character dev
Higgsfield (It's Popcorn element to experiment with characters)
Nano Banana for stills
Magnific for upscaling still resolutions 
Topaz to upscale video resolution
Kling 2.5 Turbo 2 for video
Seedream 4 Edit - Varied camera angles
Eleven Labs for VO and SFX
Suno for Music 

Then the usual tools I use:

Photoshop to retouch certain stills
After Effects for speed ramping elements
Premiere Pro for Editing

I plan to do a full walkthrough in the next few weeks if time permits ! :)

Would love to know your thoughts.


#Storytelling #AI

Anyone who says “AI content is quick and easy” is wrong. 

Well, sort of.

Producing AI creative content can be more efficient than many traditional methods but we’re not talking about a lot of the AI slop we’re accustomed to seeing on our feeds.

And those well versed in the traditional workflows (storytellers, designers, content strategists, ad creatives and marketing teams) shouldn't fear losing their jobs. If they up skill, they will actually rise to the top because they have the strongest superpower. Talent, experience and a way of thinking that comes from years of putting in the work that will make them stand out. 

But when working with clients or in collaboration with others, it’s important to have systems and workflows in place. This includes traditional workflows, not just AI. And by the way, the two still have a place in this world. It’s not as binary as many make out.

That’s why at DFC Studio we use Weavy. Weavy, (recently acquired by Figma) is a node based workflow system for creative AI work with a lot of the AI image and video tools in one place. It gives you, your team and clients an overview of the process from start to finish. 

Some clients won’t want to see this but some will. But for sharing and collaborating with your team it's great as it's important that you have systems in place that are transparent, repeatable and scalable. 

Or even if you’re working on your own you can go back quicker and reiterate/refine when client feedback comes back. 

If you’re interested in up skilling your team, At DFC Studio we offer consultancy and workshops to help you do this. These can be done in person or remote. If interested, please reach out (below or in my DM)

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#Storytelling #Creative #AI #Marketing #Workshops

What Visionary Leaders Get Right About Brand

Brand isn’t just built by the things you do externally.

It's about how you show up internally too.

How your team feels every day.

In this weeks Watercooler Brand Talks (4pm Friday UK), we’ll be talking about the link between leadership, culture, and brand.

Why the strongest brands aren’t built by marketing teams alone. 

They’re shaped by the people leading from the front.

We’ll cover:

– What visionary leaders actually do differently
– How culture quietly builds (or breaks) your brand
– Why brand is the outcome, not the starting point

Join us live and definitely bring a question or two as we have two of the most visionary brand legends in this week as our secret guests who's brains you'll really want to pick.

This is going to be soooo much fun! See you there!

What Visionary Leaders Get Right About Brand

AI took me backwards, not forwards.

In a good way. 

The deeper I get into AI led creative work, the more I find myself leaning on traditional film theory.

At university, (many years ago :)) I specialised in script writing. Dialogue was the starting point, but it never stopped there. I fell into camera movement, physics, timing, weight, motion. How things enter a frame. How they leave it. Why something feels real even when we know it is not.

What fascinated me most was not learning the rules. It was learning them well enough to bend them. To stretch credibility without breaking belief. That’s the magic of film making. Whatever medium. To create moments that feel grounded, even when logic tells you they are constructed.

That mindset has been shaping my use of AI today.

The tools are new. The thinking is not.

If you treat AI as a shortcut, the output shows it. But if you approach it like film making, with intent, some restraint when needed, and an understanding of how humans read motion and story, the work will land very differently.

The recent sizzle reel is a snapshot of that experimentation. It’s not perfect but continuing to dig into what’s possible. 

Essentially storytelling principles wearing new clothes.

Those on the look for someone with a huge amount of experience with operations, delivery, automations, content production and more importantly leadership, Ryan is your man! 

If you're considering working with Ryan and want to speak to me then please do. 

A fab colleague he was.....and an extremely kind human being who is always ready to help, support, upskill and progress the team he works with.

What a loss to PodFirst and what a potentially huge gain for the next company that bags Ryan on their team!

Straight-Talking Guy | Cutting Through the Crap to Deliver Solutions, Growth, and Results That Actually Matter 💥

I have now left PodFirst and I am officially on the lookout for my next role. The timing isn’t perfect with Christmas approaching, but sometimes life pushes you into a new chapter sooner than expected. I made the decision because it was the right one for me and where I am heading next.

I am proud of what I achieved during my time there. It was challenging, fast paced and full of opportunities to grow, and I am grateful for the experience and everything I learned along the way.

For those who don’t know me well, here is what I bring to the table.

I am someone who cares about the work and the people involved. I take responsibility seriously and I show up fully. I work best in environments where pace, clarity and ownership matter. I enjoy solving problems, building systems, improving processes and keeping things moving even when things get busy. I thrive in roles where I can bring structure, calm and direction without losing the human side of it all.

My experience covers operations, delivery, leadership, automation, content production and working directly with clients to get projects over the line. I am at my best when I am trusted to own outcomes and make things happen.

So now I am looking for the right place to bring all of that into something new. If you hear of anything or know someone looking for someone with my skill set, I would really appreciate you pointing them my way.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me so far.

Onwards.

Roman Pikalenko 🇺🇦🦩

Turning Impact Leaders into Authority Figures Through Powerful Stories | Ghostwriting LinkedIn & Educational Email Courses ✍️📚

I help climate deep tech founders build founder visibility that compounds.

Because when investors, customers, or top talent Google your name…

You don't want them to find nothing but your Crunchbase profile. 

You want them to see credibility. Clarity. Momentum.

Most of my clients are:

- Series A founders with scientific or technical backgrounds
- Deep in climate, water, food, or materials innovation
- Short on time but serious about becoming the go-to in their category

I ghostwrite their:

- LinkedIn thought leadership (to build traffic engine)
- Educational email courses (to convert attention into demand)
- And sometimes, their articles, newsletters, or even books

💬 I’ve worked with 10+ founders across 8 countries, helped generate $300k+ in LinkedIn-attributed revenue, and ghostwritten 1,000+ posts that have reached millions — while helping my clients build audiences filled with investors, partners, and talent.

You’ll never hear me say “you need to post more.”

Because most founders aren't struggling with content ideas. 

They're struggling with ROI. They don't see how LinkedIn translates to pipeline, partnerships, or talent acquisition.

That’s what I do.

If you want to build long-term authority, not just chase likes, we should talk.

💌 DM me “Pinky” and I’ll show you how I help founders build founder gravity — without sounding like a LinkedIn bro.

(And yes, I’ll tell you why it’s Pinky.)

Or just stick around and follow — I post regularly on founder visibility, deep tech storytelling, and LinkedIn strategy for serious operators.

Growth Marketer

~ Running company social media marketing operations
~ Running paid ad campaigns on social and Google Ads
~ Inbound and content marketing

2 billion people lack access to clean water.

And climate change is making it worse every year.

This Nigerian-born engineer is building a solution that cleans water, captures carbon, and creates fertilizer → all at once.

Meet David Gory Jr, M.S., MBA., Co-Founder and CEO of Airbuild Inc.

David was born and raised in Nigeria, where access to clean water and electricity wasn't a given. It was a daily struggle.

Growing up, he drank water from wells because the natural water sources were too polluted to use.
"
I experienced firsthand what it meant to live without access to clean water or electricity," David recalls.

At 16, David came to the United States for college, determined to build a future where communities wouldn't have to choose between dirty water and no water at all.

His vision crystallized when he met Richard Mariita, MSc., Ph.D., MBA Candidate, who had lost family members in Kenya to waterborne diseases.

Their shared mission? Use nature's own solutions to tackle the global water crisis.

In 2023, David co-founded Airbuild with Richard and John William Bucur, building on years of research into algae-powered water treatment systems.

Their breakthrough?

🌊 Using algae to treat polluted water
🌱 Capturing carbon from the atmosphere in the process
♻️ Creating biofertilizer as a valuable byproduct

Triple impact from one biological system.

But scaling a biotech solution for water treatment wasn't exactly smooth sailing.

The team spent years perfecting their algae cultivation process and convincing skeptics that a nature-based solution could work at an industrial scale.

The persistence paid off.

Today, Airbuild has:

→ Secured land in Green River, UT for their first commercial deployment
→ Designed a system that will treat 50% of the river's flow at full scale
→ Connected their solution to the Colorado River—the water source for California, Arizona, and Nevada
→ Proven their technology can scale profitably by selling carbon credits and biofertilizer

Their algae-powered system:

💧 Treats water pollution without harsh chemicals
🌍 Captures atmospheric carbon dioxide
🌾 Produces biofertilizer for agriculture
📈 Generates revenue from byproducts

At full deployment, Airbuild will process millions of gallons of water that feed into one of America's most critical river systems.

For communities: clean water without waiting decades for infrastructure.

For the climate: proof that solving multiple crises at once isn't just possible—it's profitable.

—

From drinking well water in Nigeria to treating rivers that supply three U.S. states.

That's the kind of lived experience that builds world-changing climate solutions.

—

Do you believe nature-based solutions can solve our water crisis at scale?

—

I plan to share more stories of exceptional climate leaders like David every Monday for #ClimateFounderMondays

Follow me by clicking the bell icon on my profile to be the first notified about it next week 🔔

Roman Pikalenko 🇺🇦🍉

I turn $10M+ Series A climate tech founders & execs into LinkedIn thought leaders to attract capital & talent | Helped 3x LinkedIn Top Voices & 10+ climate tech founders | Obsessed with solar right now ☀️

I once fired a client who called me a know-it-all.

They hired me to help the CEO build his visibility on LinkedIn.

I shared some honest feedback on their content idea.

They didn't like what I said.

Called me a know-it-all.

I ended the engagement that week.

—

Look, I get it.

Nobody likes being told their idea won't work.

But if you hire a premium ghostwriter and then get defensive when they give you expert advice... what exactly are you paying for?

—

You're not just hiring me to type up your thoughts.

You're hiring me to build you a content system.

→ To build content that actually gets results.
→ To push back when something's off-brand.
→ To tell you when a post won't land with your readers.

That requires trust.

And if you can't handle strategic pushback, we're not going to create anything great together.

—

The best client relationships I have?

They're the ones where founders are curious WHY I’m saying what I do.

That's what premium ghostwriting looks like.

Not a yes-man.

A thought partner.

—

Founders, honest question:

Would you rather hire a ghostwriter who challenges you or one who agrees with everything?

Drop your take in the comments.

Many founders on LinkedIn are trying too hard to be “authentic.” They think it means:

- Sharing vulnerable stories
- Talking about their traumas
- Posting their dog/cat/parrot every other day

But here’s what they forget:

They’re leading a business.

And when the signal gets drowned out by lifestyle content:

- Investors don’t take them seriously
- Quality hires roll their eyes and move on
- Customers go with the competitor who speaks to their pain

Authenticity ≠ oversharing.

Especially in climate tech.

If you want to build a personal brand that drives leads, PR, and funding… focus on:

→ Talking about real customer problems 
→ Sharing the story behind why you started 
→ Asking if your content is helpful, not just “relatable” 
→ Showing both wins and roadblocks 
→ Proving you’re up to the task — whether you’re a PhD founder or building your first company

That’s how you earn attention that compounds.

—

Are you struggling to differentiate your tone from your company’s?

PS. If you watched The Last of Us Season 2, I'd love to hear what you think of it. I have some....thoughts.

"If I go on vacation, I don't want to think about LinkedIn."

That's a fair and common concern.

But you don't have to drop your LinkedIn entirely to stay present.

If you go away for 3 weeks in Japan (like I just did), you can stay visible with almost zero creative effort in 3 simple ways:

1/ Recycle your best-performing posts instead of creating anything new.

Your top posts earned engagement for a reason. Reposting them does three things:

• Keeps your posting cadence alive
• Reinforces ideas your audience already loved
• Saves you from burning creative energy while you're supposed to relax

Most people won't even notice you've posted it before.

2/ Share raw travel observations.

A photo with a one-paragraph caption. A quick reflection tied to your niche. An observation about how stepping away resets your thinking. 

Travel naturally creates content, and people engage out of empathy and curiosity. 

3/ Set an away message that redirects attention.

Your inbox will still fill up while you're gone. Instead of a generic "OOO," link to something valuable:

• Your latest newsletter
• Your best lead magnet
• Your sales page
• Your calendar for post-vacation calls

This keeps conversations warm and moves people through your ecosystem while you're offline.

—

Staying present on vacation isn't about grinding from hotel lobbies.

It's about keeping the lights on with smart, low-effort signals.

What's your vacation LinkedIn strategy? Do you post? Go silent? Something else?

My client has 4 business verticals and posts 5x/week on LinkedIn. Most founders think this is a recipe for disaster. Is it?

"Won't I confuse my audience?"

"Should I just pick one vertical and stick to it?"

Here's what we do instead (and why it works):

—

Her company operates in 4 distinct verticals:

1/ Wool insulation for pharma cold chain in Australia
2/ Wool insulation for pharma cold chain in India
3/ Denim insulation for builders
4/ Contract manufacturing

Each vertical has a different audience. Different pain points. Different buyers.

When we started working together, the obvious question was:

"Do we focus on one vertical, or talk about all four?"

My answer: all four. But with structure.

—

Here's the exact framework we use:

Step 1: Ask which vertical is the priority right now.

Not all verticals are equal at all times. Sometimes she's launching a new product. Sometimes she's scaling one division.

They just launched a new denim insulation line 2 weeks ago, for example.

We align the content calendar with business priorities.

Step 2: Organize content by days of the week.

Monday and Tuesday? Denim insulation for builders.
Wednesday? Contract manufacturing.
Thursday and Friday? Wool insulation for pharma.

Her audience knows what to expect. And she doesn't feel scattered.

Step 3: Monitor each vertical as a separate improvement opportunity.

Here's where most people mess up.

They look at overall engagement and say "content isn't working."

We track performance by vertical. Separately.

Different verticals attract different audiences with different activity levels on LinkedIn.

—

The surprising results?

Contract manufacturing and denim content perform the best overall.

Consistent engagement. Steady growth. Predictable metrics.

Buuuuuut…….

Wool insulation topics get insane engagement when we share company wins.

Why?

Because the denim audience is highly active on LinkedIn. They engage heavily when they see proof of impact.

The pharma audience? Less active overall. But they're there. And they convert.

—

What we learned:

Don't avoid multiple verticals. Structure them.

Different audiences behave differently on LinkedIn. And that's fine.

Track each vertical separately. Treat them as independent experiments.

Some verticals will outperform on engagement. Others will outperform on leads.

Both matter.

—

If you're running a business with multiple verticals and think LinkedIn won't work for you, give this strategy a try.

—

What's your biggest challenge with posting about multiple products or services?

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The Battle

Ash Rathod

Roman Pikalenko 🇺🇦🦩

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The Battle

Ash Rathod

Roman Pikalenko 🇺🇦🦩

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