Evan Nierman

Red Banyan

Red Banyan is a strategic communications firm specializing in public relations, crisis management and marketing.  Red Banyan Group combines creative thinking, steady judgment shaped by experience and a relentless commitment to achieving results for its clients.  Red Banyan offers a wide array of services, including: media relations, crisis management, marketing, corporate communications, litigation support, social and digital media, copywriting and editing and media training.

Founder and CEO

Entrepreneurs'​ Organization

Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) Member 

Green Bullion Financial Services

Director of Public Relations

Saylor Company

Principal

AIPAC

Editorial Director and Executive Editor of Near East Report

Communications Associate and Managing Editor of Near East Report

Communications Assistant

Founder & CEO, Red Banyan PR | Author of Top-Rated Newsletter on Communications Best Practices

My team and I are focusing on STRATEGY and RESULTS. I lead an international PR and crisis management firm that exists to press the truth.  We empower clients to achieve business goals using strategic communications. We specialize in crisis management, high-stakes PR, and complex assignments requiring creative thinking, steady judgment shaped by experience and a relentless commitment to exceeding expectations.

Red Banyan Group is a strategic communications firm specializing in public relations, crisis management and marketing.  Red Banyan Group combines creative thinking, steady judgment shaped by experience and a relentless commitment to achieving results for its clients.  Red Banyan offers a wide array of services, including: media relations, crisis management, marketing, corporate communications, litigation support, social and digital media, copywriting and editing and media training.

Titles change. Companies reorganize. Projects end.
But your mission is what stays.

I see this every day in crisis PR.

People who attach themselves to roles, personalities, or status lose direction the moment pressure rises.

People who attach themselves to a mission stay steady even when the narrative falls apart.

In high-pressure situations the difference is striking:

a.) Leaders who cling to titles look for protection.
b.) Leaders who cling to purpose create solutions.

When a leader centers their compass on a goal instead of ego, the team immediately knows how to respond under pressure.

This shapes reputation from the inside long before the outside world sees it.

If you want stability in difficult moments, start here:

Anchor yourself to values, not positions.

Positions shift. Integrity remains.

Focus on mission, not personalities.

Preferences crack under pressure. 

Mission keeps direction.

Build a culture where purpose leads and titles follow.

This creates a team that holds together even when the silence gets uncomfortable.

In crisis PR, purpose is the most reliable navigation tool.

Reputation begins at the point where you choose to attach yourself.

Follow Evan Nierman for insights on crisis PR, leadership under pressure, and reputation management.

A reality check for any leader: 
Your crisis plan is only as strong as the person who goes first.

Most teams assume a crisis will activate responsibility automatically.

They think the plan will guide everyone.

They expect people to step in at the right moment.

But crises do not work that way.

The real breakdown happens when every person waits for a signal that never comes.

Hesitation does more damage than the crisis itself.

A crisis-ready team runs on four behaviors:

1. Awareness → People notice early signs instead of assuming “it will pass.”
Awareness stops problems before they spread.

2. Initiative → Someone steps forward even if it is not part of their role.
Initiative prevents escalation.

3. Communication → Information moves quickly and clearly.
No gaps, no guessing, no confusion.

4. Follow-through → What starts gets finished.
No loose ends for the public to fill with their own narrative.

Without these behaviors, plans stay on paper and the crisis gains control.

With them, the team acts with clarity and the situation stabilizes before it spirals.

Follow for weekly insights on crisis leadership and responsible communication.

In every crisis, the same problem appears:
everyone waits for someone else.

Most crises don’t escalate because of external pressure.

They escalate because of internal silence.

In organizations without a clear chain of responsibility, the same pattern emerges: everyone assumes it’s “someone else’s job.”

And while that pause drags on, the internet becomes the spokesperson.

A vacuum in a crisis never stays empty.

If you don’t fill it, the narrative will.

Leadership in a crisis isn’t delegation.

Leadership means the first sentence, the first move, and the first signal come from you not from the chaos around you.

The most dangerous phrase in crisis PR is: “I assumed.”

When a crisis hits, it must be unmistakably clear who speaks, who leads, and who owns the response because while the team hesitates, the reputation burns.

Follow for weekly insights on crisis PR and reputation management.

Reputation is what people believe about you. 
Character is who you are when no one is watching.

You can shape reputation.

You choose your message, control the narrative, and manage how you appear in public.

Character is different.

It is built in the unseen moments.

In choices that cost you something.

In how you treat people who cannot offer you anything in return.

Here is the truth many leaders learn late:

Reputation without character looks strong until pressure hits. 

Then it collapses.

Reputation is external. 

Character is internal.

When they do not align, that gap becomes the crisis.

You can polish reputation.

You cannot fake character.

People may believe the image for a while.

But character shows itself over time in patterns and consistency.

Character is what survives the crisis.

If it is real, you rebuild.

If it is not, everything falls apart.

Leaders who last are not the ones with the best PR.

They are the ones whose private behavior matches their public words.

Reputation may open the door.

Character is what keeps you in the room.

Follow Evan Nierman for weekly insights on leadership, integrity and what endures.

The way you treat people when no one’s watching
says more about your leadership than any title ever could.

I’ve seen this in boardrooms, startups, and crisis situations.

The leaders who earn trust under pressure are the ones who lead with respect, not authority.

Reputation doesn’t begin with public perception.

It begins in private moments how you speak to assistants, interns, or colleagues when stress peaks.

Those quiet interactions shape culture. 

And culture shapes how your organization responds when challenges appear.

If you want lasting trust, start here:

1.) Respect without hierarchy.
People notice how you treat those who can’t advance your career. Respect creates loyalty that outlasts titles.

2.) Listen before reacting.
When pressure rises, the instinct is to speak first. Listening shows discipline — and builds confidence in your judgment.

3.)Treat every role as essential.
No crisis is solved alone. When people feel valued, they take ownership — and that’s where real resilience begins.

Leading with title earns compliance.

Leading with respect earns commitment.

Reputation is built on how people feel in your presence, not on your résumé.

Follow for weekly insights on leadership, crisis PR, and reputation management.

A client once told me: "I don't want to apologize. I want to win."
That's when I knew we had a problem.

He was furious.

The media was running a story he believed was unfair.

The facts, in his view, were being twisted.

And his instinct was to fight back. Publicly. Loudly.

To "set the record straight."

To win.

I understood the impulse.

When you're being criticized—fairly or not—the natural reaction is to defend yourself.

To prove you're right.

To make everyone see your side.

But here's what I told him:
"You can win the argument and lose everything else."

Because in a crisis, winning isn't about being right.

It's about being trusted.

And trust doesn't come from fighting.

It comes from how you show up when things go wrong.

Here's what happens when ego drives crisis response:

You focus on being right instead of being heard. 

People don't care about your ten-point rebuttal. 

They care whether you understand their concern.

You turn critics into enemies. 

When you fight back, you escalate. 

And escalation rarely ends in your favor.

You lose the people in the middle. 

The ones who were willing to listen? 

They stop listening when you start swinging.

The conversation I had with that client wasn't easy.

But eventually, he understood:

The goal isn't to win.
It's to resolve.

To move through the crisis with your reputation intact.

To show humility when humility is called for—and strength when strength is needed.

We didn't issue a combative statement.

We acknowledged the concern. 

Clarified the facts calmly. 

Focused on what we were doing moving forward.

No victory lap. No "gotcha" moment.

Just accountability and action.

The story faded.

The relationship with his stakeholders held.

And he learned something more valuable than winning an argument:
In crisis, ego is a liability.

Strategy is what saves you.

Follow for weekly insights on strategy and leadership under pressure.

The verdict doesn't matter if you've already lost in the court of public opinion. Litigation PR has changed.

It used to be simple: Don't comment on pending litigation. 

Let the lawyers handle it. 

Stay quiet until the judge rules.

That strategy doesn't work anymore.

Because while your legal team is preparing motions, the other side is shaping the narrative on social media, cable news, and in the press.

And by the time the case settles or goes to trial, public perception is already locked in.

Here's what's different now:

The court of public opinion moves faster than the courtroom.

A lawsuit gets filed. 

Within hours, it's trending.

You can't wait 18 months for discovery to tell your side of the story.

The damage is happening now.

Silence reads as guilt.

"No comment" used to be safe.

Now it looks like evasion.

If you're not telling your story, someone else will and their version will stick.

Juries Google.

Even when judges instruct them not to, jurors search for information.

What they find online influences how they interpret the evidence in court.
Settlements don't erase headlines.

You can settle the case. 

You can't settle the reputation damage.

If the narrative is "they did something wrong and paid to make it go away," that story lives forever.

What effective litigation PR looks like today:

1. Legal and PR working together from day one. Not as adversaries. As partners with a shared goal: protect the client.

2. Proactive messaging that tells your side without compromising the case. You can communicate strategically while respecting legal boundaries.

3. Stakeholder management beyond the courtroom. Employees. Investors. Customers. They're making decisions now based on what they see—not waiting for a verdict.

4. Digital reputation management. Ensuring your narrative isn't buried by the opposition's spin.

The goal isn't to win the PR battle and lose the legal one.

It's to protect your reputation while you fight the case—so when it's over, you still have a business to run.

Litigation PR isn't optional anymore.

It's essential.

Because even if you win in court, losing in public can cost you everything.

Follow for weekly insights on litigation communications and reputation protection.

If you're delivering bad news over email, you've already lost the relationship.
I see it all the time.

The termination notice sent at 5 PM on a Friday.

The policy change buried in a mass email.

The apology that reads like it was drafted by legal and approved by no one with a pulse.

Leaders hide behind screens when things get hard.

And it always backfires.

Because bad news delivered without presence feels like cowardice.

And cowardice destroys trust faster than the bad news itself.

Here's why email fails in crisis:

1.) It removes accountability. You can't see the person's reaction. 

You can't answer their questions. 

You can't adjust based on how they're receiving it.

You just send it—and hope it lands okay.

2.) It feels transactional. Email says: "This is a task I needed to complete."

A conversation says: "This matters enough for me to show up."

3.) Tone gets lost. What you meant as direct reads as cold. 

What you meant as professional reads as detached.

And in a crisis, tone is everything.

4.) It invites misinterpretation. People fill in the gaps. 

They read between the lines. They assume the worst.

Because when you're not there to clarify, they're left to imagine your intent.

The hard conversations—the ones that matter most—deserve your presence.

Not your inbox.

That means:

→ A phone call when you can't be there in person.
→ A video meeting when you need to see their face.
→ A real conversation—not a one-way broadcast.

Yes, it's uncomfortable.

Yes, it takes more time.

Yes, it's harder than hitting "send."

But leadership isn't about efficiency.

It's about integrity.

And integrity shows up.

Even when—especially when—the news is bad.

Follow for weekly insights on communication, presence, and leadership.

Five words that never work in a crisis:
"It was just a joke."

I’ve heard this defense after an offensive tweet, a tone-deaf comment, or a video that “wasn’t meant seriously.”

Every time, it makes things worse.

Intent doesn't matter. Impact does.

You may have meant it as humor, but if it landed as hurtful or dismissive, that is what counts.

Explaining your intent doesn't erase the impact. 

It only sounds like avoiding accountability.

Humor doesn't land the same for everyone.

What is funny to you may be insulting to someone else.

Sarcasm gets lost. Tone gets misread.

And you do not get to control how people receive it.

"Just joking" sounds like minimizing.

People hear:

"You're overreacting."
"You're too sensitive."
"I'm not responsible."

That never ends well.

The internet doesn't care about your intentions.

A joke that fails in a room is awkward.

A joke that fails online is permanent.

Screenshots keep the words, not the tone.

What to do instead:

Own the impact.

"I meant it as humor, but I see how it landed, and I'm sorry."

Skip the justification.

Don't explain why they shouldn't be offended. 

Acknowledge that they are.

Know your audience.

Not every joke fits every context.

The best communicators understand this:

You don’t decide how your words are received.

You only decide whether you'll stand by them or own the mistake.

Follow for weekly insights on communication, accountability, and reputation.

Microsoft just bought a 27% stake in OpenAI.
On paper, it's a business deal. In reality,

it's a power shift that changes everything about who controls the future of AI.

And most people aren't paying attention.

Here's what just happened:

OpenAI—the company that gave us ChatGPT—was structured as a nonprofit with a mission: develop AI that benefits humanity, not shareholders.

Now it's becoming a public benefit corporation.

With Microsoft holding significant equity.

Translation: the guardrails just got weaker.

And the profit motive just got stronger.

This isn't just a tech story.

It's a reputation and accountability story.

Because when innovation moves faster than regulation, trust becomes the only thing holding the system together.

And trust is fragile.

Here's what this deal reveals:

Power and accountability are diverging.

Microsoft gains influence. OpenAI gains capital.

But who's accountable when something goes wrong?

When AI makes a harmful decision, who answers for it—the nonprofit mission or the corporate investor?

The structure just got more complicated. And complexity is where accountability dies.

The narrative is shifting before the public realizes it.

Most people still think of OpenAI as the "good guys" in AI development.

Independent. Mission-driven. Different from Big Tech.

But this deal quietly erodes that distinction.

And once the public catches on, the backlash will be swift.

Innovation is outpacing oversight.

AI development is moving at a pace regulators can't match.

New models. New capabilities. New risks.

And the companies building it are writing their own rules—because no one else can keep up.

That's a reputation time bomb.

Three lessons for communicators navigating the AI era:

1.) Transparency isn't optional anymore.
The days of "move fast and explain later" are over.

If your company is pushing boundaries in AI, you need to communicate what you're doing, why, and who's accountable—before someone else defines it for you.

2.) Mission statements won't protect you.

Saying you're committed to safety and ethics doesn't mean anything if your structure prioritizes profit.

The public is learning to look past the messaging and examine the incentives.

3.) One misstep reshapes trust overnight.

AI mistakes don't just hurt your brand. They reshape public perception of the entire industry.

When trust is the only thing preventing regulation or backlash, you can't afford to get it wrong.

This deal is a signal.

The AI race is accelerating.

And the companies that win won't just be the most innovative.

They'll be the ones who figured out how to build trust while everyone else was just building technology.

Follow for weekly insights on crisis management in the age of rapid innovation.

The video went viral within hours.



Erratic driving. Swerving across lanes. 

Tailgating. Confused explanations.

Britney Spears is struggling and the people who should be protecting her brand either can't reach her, or aren't there.

This is what happens when crisis management fails before the cameras start rolling.

Her family, once accused of micromanaging under conservatorship, is now reportedly uninvolved. She's entirely on her own.

That absence is a brand liability playing out in real time.

For public figures, a functioning support system is essential reputation management. Without close advisors and a competent crisis team, minor incidents escalate into viral PR disasters.

What every crisis team should learn:

1. Act before the cameras roll.

Warning signs were there—erratic posts, fractured relationships, behavioral shifts insiders likely noticed months ago.

Waiting until damage goes viral is a fatal mistake.

2. Build a network, not an audience.

Fans aren't advisors. Real stability comes from legal, emotional, and strategic professionals who can say "no."

If no one in the inner circle has that role, the inner circle is the problem.

3. Control the narrative—or be controlled by it.

Her Instagram follow-up was confusing, rambling, unsupervised. It made things worse.

Messaging needs to be intentional. Not every thought belongs online.

4. Understand the cost of visibility.

Britney Spears is a brand with cultural equity, legacy value, and commercial interest.

When celebrities become unstable in public, they jeopardize the long-term viability of their brand.

5. Have a comeback plan before the crisis hits.

Image rehabilitation must begin in calm moments, not after public collapse.

The Reality:

Once the video goes viral, you're not managing a crisis.

You're managing the aftermath of one that's been building for months.

When public figures lack a clear PR strategy, one misstep becomes an irreversible spiral.

Public life offers rewards, but also risk.

When the spotlight turns toxic, survival depends on having the right people, the right plan, and the ability to act fast.

Because if you don't manage your reputation, someone else will.

Follow for weekly insights on crisis intervention and reputation protection.

The House passing the Epstein files bill 427 to 1 is not the headline.
The real headline is what happens next.

Many people assume the release will simply reveal names and fuel public outrage.

They think the narrative will unfold on its own, driven by the documents alone.

It won’t.

The truth is that the decisive moments will unfold in the first 24 to 48 hours.
 
That is when teams move, stories shift and reputations are either protected or permanently damaged.

Here is the pattern that crisis professionals recognize immediately:

• rapid distancing from implicated networks
• controlled statements designed to anchor early perception
• coordinated messaging to shape how the public interprets new information
• quiet legal positioning before narratives harden

With preparation, reputations can be stabilized.
 
Without it, the public forms conclusions that become nearly impossible to reverse.

For a fuller breakdown of what the next phase will look like, see my crisis communications analysis on CBS LA:

https://lnkd.in/eNcjD88i

Excited to be a guest speaker at Broward College today. Sponsored by Kappa Delta Pi, the international honor society in education, this event highlights the importance of kindness in our lives and the impact each of us can make. #guestspeaker #browardcollege #education #kindnessmatters #leadership

Red Banyan has once again been named an Inc. Magazine Power Partner—recognized back-to-back as one of the top B2B firms in public relations. PROUD of the work we do, the IMPACT we create, and the TEAM that makes it happen. Grateful to the leaders who count on us when the stakes are highest. Recognition like this is earned by showing up, staying sharp, and delivering when it matters most.
#IncPowerPartners #RedBanyan #Leadership #CrisisPR #ReputationMatters

Open article: Red Banyan Named 2025 Inc. Power Partner | Red Banyan by redbanyan.com

Red Banyan Named 2025 Inc. Power Partner | Red Banyan

Even the most successful entrepreneurs have blind spots. 
I wrote this piece for Entrepreneurs'​ Organization's Inc. Magazine channel after seeing how often leaders overlook issues that quietly grow beneath the surface—especially when things are going well. Big takeaway? Success doesn’t erase your weaknesses. It often hides them. Staying aware is what separates leaders who grow from leaders who stall. 
Read the full article here:
https://lnkd.in/ei3ysW-x
#Leadership #Entrepreneurship #Growth #ReputationMatters

Open article: 5 Blind Spots That Sneak Up on Successful Entrepreneurs by inc.com

5 Blind Spots That Sneak Up on Successful Entrepreneurs

It’s not every day your work helps put a client in the dictionary. 
But that’s exactly what Red Banyan did.

Through focused media relations and strategic advocacy, our client’s insights were quoted by Merriam-Webster and cemented into the official definition of “radicalism.” A defining voice on a defining issue—with national impact.
This kind of influence doesn’t happen by chance. It’s the result of precision, consistency, and the right message delivered at the right time.

This is the power of strategic communications.
This is the power of Red Banyan.

See the dictionary citation: https://lnkd.in/eFzcmDE7
#StrategicComms #MediaRelations #ThoughtLeadership #CrisisPR #ReputationMatters #Authority

Glen Powell understands that reputation is the most valuable asset. He is smart and strategic about his every move, and it's paving the way to new levels of superstardom. My take in the Us Weekly cover story.#celebrity #publicrelatons #strategy

Open article: How Glen Powell Balances His Career, Dating and Life in Texas (Excl) by usmagazine.com

How Glen Powell Balances His Career, Dating and Life in Texas (Excl)

When a crisis occurs, customers shouldn’t be left to solve it themselves. 
As I shared with Business Insider, hospitality companies earn goodwill by removing the burden, not adding to it. Relocation, refunds, and clear guidance aren’t perks. They’re the basics. Read the full story:

Open article: Hilton's CEO says problem-solving keeps guests coming back by businessinsider.com

Hilton's CEO says problem-solving keeps guests coming back

Leadership means staying grounded when everything around you is uncertain.

I recently contributed this piece to EO on how today’s leaders can build resilience that actually lasts. Especially when times are turbulent, the habits you form before the crisis often define how you lead through it.
Grateful for the chance to share these ideas with the EO community—and would love to hear what’s worked for you. Read the full article here:
https://lnkd.in/eU_n8UCG
#Leadership #Resilience #Entrepreneurs #CrisisPR #StrategicComms

Open article: Developing Resilient Leadership Habits for Uncertain Times by eonetwork.org

Developing Resilient Leadership Habits for Uncertain Times

Learning about diplomacy, debate and ideally compromise, collaboration and problem-solving. Critically important business and life skills. Proud of my daughter Noa Nierman for participating in Model U.N. as a diplomat from Jordan!

Student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas | Teen Leader |

The past two days, I’ve been honored to participate in BULLSMUN 2025 as a delegate for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. This is a Model UN conference for high school students where we use parliamentary procedure, give speeches, and collaborate to solve current global diplomatic issues. I participated in the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) committee, where the bloc I led developed a logistical and fair economic and legal framework addressing climate change and managing the effects of global hunger. I was honored to be named Outstanding Delegate by the committee chair, as well as my school being named best large delegate with the most amount of wins! Grateful for this opportunity to collaborate with other students, practice my public speaking, and craft detailed resolutions to real life issues. I am also excited to announce that I have officially joined the MSD Model Un club officer team as the social media manager. Looking forward to the next conference already!

Jack Dyer🕺

JOIN US NEXT WEDNESDAY IN CARDIFF: My team and I are running an interactive workshop!



We’ve seen time and again how
important your LinkedIn profile is.

But we’ve seen so many Leaders
with neglected LinkedIn profiles…
leave thousands ££$$ on the table.

(or more accurately, their keyboard)
So why don’t we change that?

We’ve grown unknown leaders from
total obscurity to thought leadership
on LinkedIn during 2025.

We’ve worked with 11 clients from
the USA…  to the UK…  to the UAE.

Now it’s time we showed you
how to do it FOR YOURSELF!


So we’re launching our interactive
LinkedIn Optimisation Workshop next
Wednesday at Studio Halo Cardiff!

This workshop is an investment
in the future of your business.

We’ll show you how
to get your Storytold™

5 hours that will change everything,
Discounts on remaining tickets,
Link in the comments below,
Only a few places left,
Come and join us,
In Cardiff Bay,
19th Nov,
❤️🕺

https://lnkd.in/e2eN9qn6

Stop posting in the dark. We turn your LinkedIn into a business asset, with almost ZERO effort from you. | Top 1% LinkedIn Storyteller | CEO of Storytold.

Well, that was a success!



This week, my team and I went
to The Business Show London 
and saw 25,000 businesses!

And only a few stood out to us.

We'll be promoting you next week.
Today I'm sharing the adventures 
of our newest team member... 

Jeff Von Duckington!

He's been giving out discounts like
he doesn't give a duck, and only 
a select few people were lucky
enough to meet him this week!

We met many who 
weren't duck-worthy. 

But if we gave you a duck, it means
you made a big impression on us
and we'd love to work with you!

Watch this space. Good things are coming next week.

Natasha, Gabrielle and
I will get your Storytold™
Trust me on this one.

🕺



Some fantastic people:

David Francis, Gemma Kavanagh and Richard Collins

Amie Crews and Paddy Keogh Weller

Katie Shaw and Jessica Hart

Nicola Lyle and Stella Chaplin,

Simon P. and Erina Singh Ellis,

Mike Strange and Clare Bungey

Russell Schaller and Kevin F.

And of course Katerina Christou, Jonathan Russell, Stephanie Henwood, Blair Fiander, Nicole Bachmann, Lewis Sweeting, Amy Parry, Michelle Scott, Alina Khardina

I don’t like my employees.



I love them!
Ok, sorry for the bait and switch.
But it was important for this next part:

I never thought I’d actually
achieve my lifelong dream of
running my own company.


But I have.


And even then, I never thought
I’d get myself a team (I thought I’d
run a freelance solo consultancy)


But I have.


And then, I never expected that
other people would believe in me
and my vision as much as I do.


But they do.


And now, it just feels the most
natural thing in the world to have
become friends with my team.


Because we have.


My team mean the world to me.
I’m not a father. I don’t know if I’ll
ever choose to have kids, and that’s
okay. Everyone does life differently.

But I feel like a proud father of my
team. They’re weird. They’re brilliant.
They make me smile on an hourly basis.

Oh yeah, and they’re gonna think I’m
drunk writing this because why am I
spewing such sentimental nonsense?

Because, quite frankly, it’s true.

Now I’m off to tell them I hate them and
they’re fired. It’s how I show affection.

Don’t worry, they fire me too.
It’s the culture we’ve built, and
often they threaten to overthrow me
and burn Storytold™ to the ground.

Then in the same hour, they create
something outstanding for our clients.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Come and work with us as a client!
https://lnkd.in/ea2qz8vX

Spaces are limited, because there’s
so much awesome flowing from our
team that if you joined us as well….

The universe might explode.
🕺🏻

I worry that I’m never going to be rich.



When I was a freelancer in 2019,
I designed a campaign to the Maldives…

And every day I worked on the project,
I was constantly jealous that this was
a once-in-a-lifetime, luxury holiday,
I’d never have the chance to go on.

It was for the top Citroen salespeople.
The top dealers across the UK could
win a trip to LITERAL paradise.

And I got to design all the
collateral for the whole trip:

→ The itinerary
→ The brochures
→ The web banners
→ The branded menus
→ The personalised boxes
→ The excursions and events
→ Even the damn luggage tags


And I’d never get to go.

Except…. I was dead wrong.

6 years ago I designed this.


But last month,
with my proven Storytold system...
I finally got to go to the Maldives!


This is the power of hard work,
combined with having a dream
that you keep working towards.

For 5 days, my girlfriend and I
experienced what the super-rich
experience about 6 times a year.

So keep working,
keep building something,
and know that anything can
happen if you put your mind to it.

If you’re not where you want
to be right now, I hear you.

But you can be.

If your LinkedIn is neglected
That’s the best place to start.

I grew from 740 to 46K followers
with my proven Storytold system.

And you can too.


Let’s get you to the Maldives!

Burnout isn’t sexy. 




For the last 4 weekends, I’ve been:

- attending business shows in London
- going to public speaking events
- travelling across the UK for work
- running workshops to help others

On top of that, I’ve been working
12 hour days for 5 days a week. 

Which means I haven’t had a 
day off to rest in over a month. 


And y’know what? 


I’m an idiot. 


Because if I want to perform at my best
during the week, I need some downtime!

Humans aren’t designed to run on empty.
We need days off.


So today, I’m not travelling, I’m sat at home 
with my feet up and actually letting my brain 
recover by playing a mindless PC game! 

That photo is from Cardiff on Thursday
(one of many, many, many trips recently)


I’m not getting anyone’s #storytold today! 


Have a great weekend all, and remember:
High achievers like you can only achieve
if you give yourself permission to rest.

No alternative text description for this image

We’re both good and bad:



Isn’t it interesting how ‘good’ and ‘bad’
in politics swings like a pendulum?

80 years ago, fascism was the villain.

After the war, everyone put up national
security barrier (understandable) and
communism/socialism was the enemy.

Then came the Reagan era, when
conservative values were celebrated,
and all the “hippies” were the outcasts.

Then in the 2000s, the conservative
right held the “bad guy” label, while
liberalism felt like the moral compass.

And now, thanks to Hollywood’s campaign
to obliterate and destroy anything male
in favour of the ultra powerful ‘girlboss’
that nobody, not even women, enjoy…

Now things are starting to change
again. Now it’s “go woke, go broke”.


Throughout history, the social and
political narrative always changes.

Left is good. Right is bad.
Right is good. Left is bad.
Round and round it goes.


But neither side is inherently ‘good’
or ‘bad.’ Each represents context,
culture, and perspective, and our
often strong opinions change as we
go through different stages of life.


So why the hell am I talking about this?

Because we’re at a crucial moment.


A moment to recognise that AI, and
AI content generated by people with
agendas, is pushing us further and
further into polarisation. And worse,
pushing us AWAY from each other.

What we need, now more than ever,
is real human connection. Not more AI.

Not algorithms. But real conversations
where we seek to understand the other
points of view, not argue against them.

Because the moment we open ourselves
up to why others think the way they do,
we don’t just find common ground.
We find empathy and understanding.


And the easiest way to create empath
for you and your business, is to start
getting your story told. That’s why
I named my company #Storytold.

Stories stay true to your mission
without alienating anyone. Without
flip-flopping on your core values.

They help you attract your audience,
rather than pushing them away. Stories
help you build a community of loyal fans.

Every business owner deserves to get
their story told. And for that, there’s
only one team to choose:

Tash,
Gabby,
Anneka,
+ Jack at
Storytold™

Stories connect us.

So connect with us to tell yours.
(DM me for a 3 month discount)

🕺

From invisible to influential | Top 1% LinkedIn Storyteller & Leader | CEO of Storytold. | 15+ years empowering CEOs with integrity and authentic, visual storytelling. | Architect of the Unseen

The loudest leaders are losing their voices.



Sometime in the last 20 years,
leadership became about showing off.

Every post was carefully crafted to say:

“Look how brilliant I am.”
“Look how many things I know.”
“Look how successful I’ve become.”


But thankfully, things have changed.


There’s so much ‘perfect’ AI content,
that those ‘perfect’ leaders are DONE.
We don’t believe them, and switch off.

The ones who ACTUALLY get attention
are the leaders who admit when they
falter, fail, or even duck things up.


Because it makes them HUMAN!


We pay attention to Leaders who:

→ Admit when “I made a mistake.”
→ Say, “I don’t know, but I’ll find out.”
→ Share the lessons they’re learning,
not just the ones they’ve mastered.


Your flaws don't make you weak.

They makes you RELATABLE.


So next time you want to share
something, don’t make it perfect.

Tell us about a time you got it wrong,
and we’ll all respect you a hell of a lot
more than all those ‘look at me’ leaders.

THAT’s how you get your Storytold™ 🕺
Join us for a limited time offer:

https://lnkd.in/e633ifJr

“I want him to do well, but not better than me.”



I overheard this in the gym the
other day (well, the locker room).

And I thought to myself…
I used to think this way.

No need to comment or tell us.
Have you ever thought this too?


This is a very limiting belief.
A mindset winners DON’T have.


For context, here’s the full story:

I was changing after going swimming.
Two other guys were in the locker room.

One guy was talking about his friend.
He got him a job at the same company,
and watched as his friend climbed the
ranks quicker than the guy talking did.

Eventually, his friend became his boss.
And he completed his story by saying:

“Like, I wanted him to be successful…
Just not more successful than me! 😂”

And I get it.
When I was young,
I thought this way too.
(to my shame, looking back)

But if someone is truly your friend,
And if you have an infinite mindset,

You don’t let your own jealousy
begrudge them their success.

You’re happy for them!
You want them to win!
You cheer them on!
You support them!

THEIR success is NOT a reflection of
your own inadequacy. But thinking that
you’re only successful if they’re not, IS.

Leaders know we can all be successful.
And: That comparison keeps you small.

The friend who did well was focused
on being the best version of himself.
By not comparing, he succeeded.

The jealous friend was constantly
comparing. And he got left behind.

Focus on your own journey.
Do the work. Make it happen.
And support others to join you.

There’s enough success for us all.

Jack 🕺

How I hit 46k followers (without using AI)



“AI really pulled through for me”

Someone said when I was freelancing.

No, really. Let me set the scene for you:

Hey Turnipheads, it’s Natasha here.
Where’s Jack? Don't worry about it.

Recently Jack and I spoke about the
hot topic of AI, live on Radio Cardiff.

We’re not against using AI as a tool.
But people become too reliant on it.
It can’t do what people really need.

For example, last year I designed
a little logo for a castle coffee shop.

Showed the guy the logo, and he said
“Nah, we used AI & it pulled through!”


Hint, it didn't.


The logo was badly drawn, low pixels,
not adaptable, no colours, not unique.
A coffee cup with a castle thrown in.

And they liked it….. For 3 days.
Then they just stopped using it.


AI didn't understand the nuances,
or their personality, or their SOUL…
so nobody connected with the logo
emotionally. They deserved BETTER.


👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

Connecting with an audience (and
growing to over 46k followers means
understanding personality and nuance.

This is something AI cannot replicate.

AI skips the ‘why’ and “gives outcome”
Worse, everyone can tell when you get
ChatGPT or Claude to write your posts.

I used to have 740 LinkedIn followers.
Now my team and I have +46,000…
Because we connect with EMOTIONS.
We tell authentic stories. AI doesn’t.

AI cannot get your story told.
No matter how fast/easy it is.


For brands that want to build trust.

For those who connect with people,

And for those who have a story to tell:

Thats where real design pulls through.

I’m Natasha, the designer at Storytold.


And our dedicated little team has helped
global CEOs grow on LinkedIn & beyond
with more genuine connections.

Let us help you get your story told:
https://lnkd.in/e2e-4UVa

🕺

AI cant design proper good like

SAVE THE DATE. 19TH NOVEMBER.



My little team and I are running an
interactive workshop…  in Cardiff!

We’ve seen time and again how
important your LinkedIn profile is.

But we’ve seen so many Leaders
leave thousands ££$$ on the table.
Or, more accurately, their keyboard.


So why don’t we change that?


We’ve grown unknown leaders from
total obscurity to thought leadership
on LinkedIn during 2025.

Now it’s time we showed you
how to do it FOR YOURSELF.

It’s taken months of planning…
But we’re finally launching our
new Interactive Workshop at
Studio Halo on 19th November!

This workshop is an investment
in the future of your business.

We’ll show you how
to get your Storytold™

5 hours that will change everything.
Link in the comments below.
Come and join us:

https://lnkd.in/eZQeDqnv

🕺

I realised most CEOs are failing at LinkedIn, and here’s why:



Last week at the 
The Business Show London
a CEO told me difficult to hear:

“Jack… I think LinkedIn just isn’t
for people like me anymore.”

He sounded almost embarrassed
to admit it, and realised he meant:

“I’m posting into the void and
it’s making me doubt myself.”


I get it.


LinkedIn makes smart leaders feel invisible.
Especially when see competitors post the
same recycled ideas, and somehow get
200 likes and three inbound leads from it.


Meanwhile, their own content, the stuff they
spent 20 hours a week sweating over, gets
70 impressions, 2 likes, and duck-all else.
No clicks on their website, no calls booked.


I’ve learned this issue hides a very real fear:
He also said: “Maybe the problem is me.”


It’s not.


The problem is that today, CEOs are
expected to run a business AND magically
become world-class Content Strategists too.


That same CEO told me: “I’ve got a writer.
I’ve got a marketing person. But none of
it is landing us any new clients.”


And ‘cos I want to help him, I told him the truth.


A copywriter can write. A marketer can post.
But neither can build influence if the strategy,
psychology, and story aren’t connecting on
an emotional level with your audience.


–  It’s not about posting more often.
–  Or designing prettier photos.
–  Or being “more creative.”


It’s about having a message that
cuts through, CONSISTENTLY, without
draining the CEO’s time or brainpower.


So we ran a Brand Discovery session.
We rebuilt his message. We stopped
guessing. We created a strategy that
matched his buyers’ behaviour.


And within 3 weeks, his posts were
doing what they were supposed to:

Getting attention. Building authority.
Starting conversations. Attracting leads.

Not because he changed.
But because his strategy did.


You don’t need to post more.
You need a team that posts SMARTER,
and turns your expertise into demand.


That same CEO who used to spend
20 hours of worry, now spends one
hour a week laughing on a call with us.

And his LinkedIn has become a real
business asset, not just a time sink.


And if you’ve been spending 20 hours
a week writing LinkedIn posts that take
all your energy and give nothing back…


Then it’s time for a change.


It’s time to make LinkedIn work for YOU,
without you doing all the work. DM me.


We’ll help you get your story told.
https://lnkd.in/ecCVYZhK

What’s most important to your business?



Most would say ‘getting new clients’.
That’s the whole point of networking.

But in many leaders, the thought of
“networking” brings us out in hives.

What if there was a way to attract
more clients, organically, without
chasing down the leads yourself?


There is.


Storytelling.


It’s like magic.


And when you combine the two,
you become simply unstoppable.

For every 10 exhibitors at
The Business Show London,
there was 1 who told their story.
THEY’re the ones who got noticed.

When you turn your LinkedIn profile
into an optimised, story-driven page,

And when you tell #authentic stories
that provide raw value to an audience

That’s when you’ve transcended just
networking, and when your business
hits a higher level of real engagement.


If your LinkedIn page could make sales
while you slept… would you invest in it?


'course you would.


I did. And I went from a nobody,
to 45,000+ followers, a team of 5,
and #CEO of a flourishing business.

And to replicate this for yourself, join
the other Storytold™ partners here ↓
https://lnkd.in/ewa_-z-Z

What's a success story?



For me, it's more about 
the impact we have on
our clients lives than
just the numbers.

Sure, we grew Justin from
5,300 followers to 10,091
in just over three months.

Sure, we made Cassandra's
Sports Tech brand basically
famous with her audience.

But the most impactful moments
are where we grow a business
and the owner's personal life...

IMPROVES DRAMATICALLY.

That's what happens when
you get your Storytold™

Trust me on this one.

"How do I stop my posts sounding like AI?"



I went to an event last night,
and someone asked me this.

The answer is surprisingly simple.

Don't ask #AI to write your post.

Or if you do, be smart and edit it with 
your own thoughts before you post it.

The greatest source of power and 
imagination on earth isn’t far away.

It’s right between your ears.

And you’re not using it.

People want to hear from YOU,
not a robot writing on your behalf.

Stop damaging your own reputation
by taking the ‘easy’ path with AI.

Trust me on this one.

#Storytold 🕺

Most CEOs get 0 leads from LinkedIn for 1 reason:



Because they’re scared to look unprofessional.

LinkedIn creates a strange pressure where
leaders feel they must always be perfect:

Perfect tone, perfect message, perfect ideas.
But really, perfection is damaging their brand.

Humans (y’know the people who buy from us)
connect with other relatable, flawed humans

Not polish, perfect, poetic, professional posts
Stop PEEING everywhere! We need REAL!!

The moment you share something real,
not rehearsed, everything changes:

→  Your authority grows.
→→  Your audience pays attention.
→→→  Your content converts into leads.

Not because you kept being perfect.
but because you start sounding like YOU.


This is exactly what we help CEOs do:
turn your voice into posts that build trust,
cut through AI noise, and bring you leads…

… without you spending hours
writing posts that go nowhere.


We’ve done it for Leaders from New York
to Dubai. Join us to turn your LinkedIn into
consistent authority and new opportunities.

Let’s get your storytold.
Trust me on this one.


P.S. Who spotted the spelling mistakes in this post? They're importnat: They prove I wrote this myself, without AI!

I was writing a description of Storytold today, and there was a little “Generate with AI” button. Curious, I clicked it.

I also wrote my own, from my brain.
Can you guess which one is which?


OPTION A:
We emphasise authentic, real stories, an intimate Brand Discovery process, and help our clients communicate with real, ego-less stories about their past that connect them more authentically to their audience.


OPTION B:
We think creatively to deliver impactful results for our clients. We specialize in crafting and implementing strategies that elevate brand narratives and drive growth.
 
 
Did you guess which was which?
 

Mine was A. While my version isn’t
perfect, it definitely sounds more 
real than B, the AI written version.

The AI impressed me with how 
accurate the description was… 
But something wasn’t right. 

It somehow managed to be factual
correct with the description of our 
services, yet it also reads as hollow 
and soul-less at the same time.


This is why we need to use 
our human brains more often. 

This is why, when it comes 
to something important, 
we CANNOT outsource it to AI.

So if you're using AI to write content, 
you're damaging your reputation.

It doesn't have to be us, but get
a team of humans who write in
YOUR tone of voice instead.


Your business grows when you get your Storytold™

I gave away 3 secrets last night:



1. Know what you’re writing, and why
it matters to your audience. Content,
without intent, is meaningless.

2. Make your audience the hero.
It’s not about YOU. You’re just
the one delivering the message.

3. Format your posts nicely, in a way
that makes them attractive to read.
Nobody reads big WALLS of text.

Along with working 14 hour days and
making dozens of mistakes along the
way, that’s why Storytold™ has grown.

… From invisibility with 740 followers…
to influencing over 45,700 every day.

These “secrets” transformed my life.
They allowed me to go from employee,
to business owner with a team of five!

And I’m sharing them with you.
I don’t want anything in return.
Just use them, put in the work,
and thank me later!

This is how you get your #Storytold
(or message, and we’ll do it for you)

🕺🏻

Last week I did my first ever LinkedIn Live!  Let me know what you all think

Host of “Consulting Leaders”, Top 10% Active Podcasts Globally | I help B2B Coaches & Consultants get clients with Podcasts.

Description: 

Jack Dyer🕺 is the CEO of Storytold™, where he helps founders and consultants become influential online through authentic, visual storytelling, especially on LinkedIn. With 15+ years of experience in UX, branding, and narrative design, he turns a leader’s story into a commercial asset.
In this episode, we break down how consultants can use digital storytelling to attract better clients, build trust at scale, and communicate in a way that actually feels like them.

***************************************************************************

Links:

StreamYard (for guest):  https://lnkd.in/d3e233pv
YouTube (for sharing):  https://lnkd.in/dvJhggWp
Apply to be a guest: https://lnkd.in/dt6pEfjE

***************************************************************************

Jack's Bio: 

Jack Dyer is the CEO of Storytold™, a firm that helps founders and CEOs go from invisible to influential with authentic, visual storytelling. He’s a Top 1% LinkedIn storyteller with 45,000+ followers and more than 15 years of experience in UX, branding, and digital design.
His background spans award-winning websites, national digital systems, UX work across industries, and global brands like Jaguar Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz. At Storytold™, he and his team build story-driven websites and content systems that elevate a leader’s profile and grow their net worth.

***************************************************************************

Show Notes: 

Jack Dyer is a designer-turned-founder who now runs Storytold™, a consultancy focused on transforming how leaders communicate online. He helps consultants and CEOs move from being “good at what they do but invisible online” to becoming influential voices with a clear narrative and a recognisable digital presence.
His team creates UX-led websites, LinkedIn makeovers, creative concepts, video, and content that reflect a leader’s true personality, not the generic, polished persona most people default to. The goal is simple: make your digital presence a revenue-generating asset.
For consulting firm owners, Jack’s experience sits right at the intersection of story, design, and growth, a combination that can help any consultant communicate more clearly and close clients more easily.

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