Ghalib Hassam

Account Manager @ Kurogo | We create thought leaders through personal branding

I’m the Head of Content at Darkroom.

My job is helping the people inside the company share what they already know without turning it into performative content or forcing anyone into a creator box.

I’m building an internal thought-leadership motion across LinkedIn, X, Substack, and TikTok by putting structure around good thinking and making it easier to create content consistently.

Before this role, I spent a few years deep in LinkedIn, working closely with founders and operators, asking a lot of questions, and turning long conversations into clear, useful content.

What I noticed pretty quickly was that the people with the most insight are usually the least interested in posting. They don’t lack ideas. They lack time, systems, and a clean way to translate what’s already in their heads.

I come from an engineering background (master’s in engineering), which probably explains how I think about content.

At Darkroom, that shows up as helping leaders find their real point of view and designing content systems that work across platforms.

I’m especially interested in founder-led and expert-led content, and in building internal content engines that feel sustainable.

Always up for a coffee chat. Feel free to hit me up.

Personal Brand Manager.

Today is my birthday. And I’m sure I’m not alone in this… LinkedIn DMs turn into a sociology experiment on this day.

There are levels to the birthday DMs.

Level 1: The Annual Visitor.

One message every year, like clockwork.

No conversation before or after... you've got to admire the consistency.

Level 2: The Wired-to-Sell Professional.

“Happy Birthday!” and somehow their website, their services, and maybe a Calendly link makes its way into the DM.

I don't think it's intentional, it’s just instinct at this point.

Level 3: The Long-Lost Friend.

Haven’t spoken in years, but the message reads like we built a startup together.

And then…

The small percentage of people you’ve actually had conversations with.

I’ve probably been Level 1 in someone else’s inbox too.

LinkedIn birthdays are funny.

Since joining Darkroom, one thing I didn’t expect to enjoy this much is how often marketing talks to sales.

We’re in touch almost every single day.

Marketing only exists for one reason: revenue.

You can call it brand or storytelling, but at the end of the day, the job is to create enough attention and clarity that sales has an easier time closing.

Being this close to revenue conversations makes the work better and far more enjoyable.

The only right answer to OpenAI’s $110bn funding round

Carina Farrell 🌻

Top 24 Marketer 2024 | Creating Thought Leaders through Personal Branding

Hey, I’m Carina! I help people stand out on LinkedIn by turning their thoughts, experiences, and expertise into content that gets seen and starts conversations.

As an Account Manager at the world’s leading personal branding agency, I work with founders, execs, and professionals to grow their audience, build credibility, and open doors to new opportunities.

I’ve spent years figuring out what actually works on LinkedIn, what flops, and how to create content that people want to read. 

Personal branding isn’t about chasing likes or trying to sound perfect. The best personal brands are built on real stories, honest opinions, and a clear message. I help people figure out what they want to say and how to say it in a way that actually resonates.

🌻 I’ve helped clients reach millions of views and turn LinkedIn into their biggest growth channel
🌻 I know what makes content stand out, whether it’s storytelling, strategy, or saying what everyone else is too afraid to say
🌻 I love working with people who have something to say but don’t know how to put it into words

As an employee, I also like to create content showing the other side of work, the moments outside of client calls and meetings that make work more than just a job. I share many employees' thoughts and experiences in today’s workplace, but are often too nervous to voice them.

When I’m not working on LinkedIn content, you’ll probably find me traveling, volunteering with Girlguiding, or learning a new language.

Always open to speaking opportunities and brand partnerships.

My DM's are always open :-)

Personal Brand Manager

Carina Farrell

"Even you, Shakespeare? Unbelievable.

Use AI. Use the em dash. Use "fosters" if you really must.
But please just use them correctly."

Fair play 🤣

Great share from my friend Katharine Gordon! 

---
If you want to learn how to use AI (the right way), I highly recommend checking out our free newsletter, Building Leverage.

Subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/eTVc2mvn

Favikon Top 20 Personal Branding Influencer | Senior Brand Manager at Lever Brands

"You make me sound like someone else."
Every ghostwriter has heard this.

And it usually means the same thing.

You wrote something good.
It just didn’t sound like them.

The problem is that many writers don’t really listen.

They don’t start with the person.
They start with what they think will perform.
And write from there.

And without meaning to, they replace the person.

Here’s what actually helps:

🎤 Record everything
 Calls. Voice notes. Off-the-cuff stories.
 That’s where their real tone shows up.

🗂️ Keep a file of how they speak
 Phrases they repeat.
 How they start sentences.
 The words they overuse.

✍️ Don’t rewrite their voice
Your job is to shape it, not swap it out.

Edits happen.

But if they’re rewriting large chunks, it’s a sign you missed their tone or point of view.

Ghostwriters, what would you add?

🌻 Repost and follow Carina Farrell for more content on personal branding!

P.S. If you’re building your personal brand, we share what we're learning each week in our free newsletter. 2,000+ legends are already reading it: https://lnkd.in/eTVc2mvn

I used to feel uncomfortable being the least knowledgeable person in the room.

It made me question myself.

And if I’m honest, scrolling on LinkedIn sometimes still does. It’s easy to feel like everyone else is ahead.

But I’ve learned something important:

Being around people who are smarter than you isn’t a threat. It’s an advantage.

Here’s why:
🌻 They stretch your thinking.
 They ask better questions. They see angles you don’t. That changes how you think.

🌻 You get better results together.
 When you combine their expertise with your strengths, the outcome is stronger than either of you working alone.

🌻 You can focus on what you do best.
 You don’t need to know everything. You just need to know where you add value.

The real shift for me was putting ego aside and staying curious.

Now, instead of feeling behind, I ask: What can I learn here?

What’s your experience with this? 
---
Hi, I'm Carina Farrell, and I post weekly about ways to build your brand, whilst also spotlighting the voice of employees. Feel free to follow me if you're building your personal brand.

Last year, I messed up my annual leave.

Like most people, I waited for summer.
Or tried to squeeze time in at the end of the year.

Then everyone wants the same days off. Flights are expensive. Work becomes chaotic. And somehow, the break you were looking forward to starts feeling stressful before it’s even begun.

After Christmas, a lot of us don’t take our next block of annual leave for a while.

The year still feels fresh.
You feel motivated.
You think, “I’ll save it for later.”

But “later” usually means peak prices, limited options, and a calendar that’s already full.

So this year, I did something different.

I booked time off in February.

When the UK was cold, dark, and grey, I left.

No peak prices.
No fighting for leave.
No packed beaches.

Just sun, a bit of space, and the chance to properly switch off.

And here’s what I didn’t expect:

Because it was early in the year, it felt more like a reset than a reward.
I came back clearer, calmer, and more focused.
Instead of crawling to the end of Q1, I felt ahead of it.

We often treat annual leave like something to earn after we’re exhausted.

But spreading it out makes a huge difference:

You always have a break to look forward to.
Work doesn’t build up into one overwhelming period.
You avoid the rush and the premium prices.

And you actually return with energy, not guilt.

It’s easy to follow the usual pattern because that’s what everyone else does.

But this year, I’m using my leave with more intention and spreading it across the year.

Small change. Big difference.

Any guesses where I’ve been from the photo? 👀👇

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The Battle

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Carina Farrell

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