The Founder Accelerator: Coach, Advisor & Mentor

Helping high-performing founders scale faster with absolute clarity

Founder

Treevotion

Sold in 60 countries during the first year of execution and planted +50K trees.

Planting 1 BILLION trees around the World in the most needed areas, building global awareness and consciousness on deforestation, driving people to help and share what they do in order to inspire to help everyday.

Every bracelet sold will fund the planting and follow up of 2 trees :)

Entrepreneurs'​ Organization

Co-Founded the non-profit EO (Entrepreneurs Organization) in Argentina. 

We grew the chapter to 120 members (all selling +1mm usd a year).

Co-Founder

clickOn Argentina

Board Member

co-CEO at Grupo clickOn managing 4 companies and +125 employees and USD 10MM in annual revenues :

1) clickOn (clickon.com.ar): #3 largest daily-deals site in Argentina, with +1.5MM users & +1MM transactions.

2) Agrupate (agrupate.com.ar): #2 competitor in Argentina, acquired in October 2015, with +2MM users and +1,5MM tickets sold.

3) Cupónica: (cuponica.com.ar): #4 competitor in Argentina, acquired in April 2015. +1MM users and 1MM coupons sold.

4) Silenzzo Mattresses (silenzzo.com): Vertical integration for the purpose of creating a mattress and sommier brand with nationwide reach.

Co-Founder & CEO

Founded and launched from scratch the startup clickOn.com.ar in Argentina.

Nowadays it’s present in 10 cities, has 2,500,000 users, 14k merchants, +90 employees and more than 2,000,000 coupons sold.

Company #2 in Argentina’s daily-deals ranking, that was acquired by Grupo Globo, the largest media company in Brazil.

clickOn Group has 3 companies under it’s portfolio: Coupons (clickon.com.ar); Travel Agency (clickon.com.ar/viajes); clickOn Discount Card (tarjetaclickon.com.ar).

Co-Founder & Sales Director

Anheuser-Busch InBev

Design and implementation of Sales structure hybrid models & Go-To-Market models nationwide.

Strategic Planning Coordinator

In charge of the largest Pepsi and Quilmes beer Distributor in GBA Norte (Buenos Aires), with 6000 PoS in charge, 1250 freezers, 19 million anual litres of beer and 11 of soft drinks. I coordinated the sales structure (45 salespeople, 6 supervisors y 1 sales manager).

Sales Manager Sr

For 7 months I was Senior Sales Supervisor for the Trade sales channel, in charge of 900 Convenience Stores and Groceries, and 6 moths for Self-Service stores the largest sales channel for AB-Inbev, with a team of 13 salesmen and repo and 250 PoS's.

Senior Sales Supervisor

"Jóvenes Profesionales" Program (Trainee / "Young Professionals") -  being one of the 25 selected out of 9500 applicants; we rotated between all marketing and sales areas in the company for 15 months. 
I spent 4 months knowing the 3 sales channels, 4 months as Marketing Assistant in Brahma beer and 6 months in Gatorade leading the "Propel by Gatorade" market launch.

Trainee - Joven Profesional

3x Founder | Founder Acceleration Coach | Helping high-performing founders scale faster with absolute clarity | Sold $65mm online

As a founder of 3 companies and 1 non-profit, with 2 successful exits, I’ve seen firsthand what it takes to grow a business.

I’ve also experienced the toll of stress, insomnia, and health challenges. I know how overwhelming it can be when scaling your business feels like an uphill battle.

In my 11 years with EO Argentina, I listened to the struggles of +100 successful founders (doing at least USD 1M a year in sales). I realized that beneath the surface, it’s often chaos: isolation, financial pressure, and fear of burnout. 

While most accelerators focus on startups, the truth is that, for businesses under $10MM in revenue, the biggest bottleneck to growth is you: the founder.

That's why I created Founder Accelerator: to empower the founders of renowned companies like Swag, Trading Company, Sancho Motors, Jams, Crawford Partners LLC, Lemon Basil, We Are Doers, and Mad Hatter LLC. 

My mission is to help them scale themselves first enhancing their clarity, focus, and efficiency, so they can grow their businesses with unparalleled speed and confidence.

Through personalized coaching, a 5-pillar playbook, and access to top professionals, we don’t just build businesses — we optimize the founder. 

If you're ready to scale your business while maintaining a healthy, balanced life, send me a DM and I’ll show you how Founder Accelerator can help you achieve both.

Ignacio Carcavallo

How to create a 3-year vision for your company:

Your team can only execute to the extent of the blueprint you give them.

The Vivid Vision exercise forces you to write it all down. 3-4 hours. 8 specific questions. No distractions. Then you share it with your team so they finally know what you're actually building.
That's how you stop micromanaging and start leading.

Want more founder systems to plan a strategic 2026? Join the Founder Accelerator Execution Group. Link is in my bio.

3x Founder | Founder Accelerator | Helping high-performing founders scale faster with absolute clarity | Sold $65mm online

How to extract your company vision from your head

Admitting you're drowning is f*cking hard. It's hard to say out loud:

"I want to stop sleeping 4 hours a night."

"I don't want to spend my life doing work I hate."

"I want to stop being stressed every single day."

"I need help. This is too much."

I’m grateful for the founders who are brave enough to admit that burnout and grinding isn't the life they want to build. Grateful for their trust. Grateful to watch them get their lives back.

You didn't start this business to be miserable. You started it for freedom. For control. For stability.

So don't let the journey drive you away from that.

🔥 For the next 5 days, I'm offering a 40% discount on 1:1 coaching sessions.

We'll identify your biggest blockers and map out exactly how to scale yourself so you can scale your business. 

Limited slots. 

Link in bio. Let's make a better 2026.

Discount

If you need someone to hold you accountable while you work on your visionary time and helps you execute your vision, the Founder Accelerator Execution Group is exactly what you need in 2026. 

You can check all frameworks and systems with the link in my bio. 

It’s the difference between grinding another year and actually scaling yourself and your company.

Here's a bucket of iced water before 2026 starts

How to build work-life balance as a founder (without sacrificing growth)

Most founders plan the business first, then try to squeeze their life into whatever time is left. There's never time left.

This isn't privilege. It's intentional planning. Your 2026 plan needs to start with how you want to live, not just how much you want to earn. 

Want help building a company that serves your life instead of consuming it? Comment “Coach”.

Work-life balance

How to create a 3-year vision so your team stops asking you about every decision

Your 3-year picture is the bridge between today and your 10-year target. It shows what needs to be true in three years to stay on track. And when you combine it with your core values, those two things become the filter for EVERY decision.

Now your team can make calls without you. You stop being the bottleneck.

This is Day 4 of the Vision to Traction Organizer. Follow for the full series on building a 2026 plan with real structure.

How to delegate before vacation (without your business falling apart)

If you can't take time off without checking your phone every hour, you don't have a delegation problem. You have a system problem.

This carousel shares the fix so you can actually disconnect.

Want the complete delegation framework? Link in bio for the Hiring & Recruiting Course.

Vacation - delegation

How to test skills in job interviews (instead of just asking about past experience)

You wouldn't hire a goalkeeper by asking "Tell me about your best save." You'd kick balls at them and watch them perform.

But most founders hire salespeople after hearing great stories about their past wins. No live demo. No skills test. Just confident answers and a polished resume.

Want the full framework for testing skills and values in interviews? Comment "Course" below.

No one would hire a goalkeeper based on...

Delegation is the hardest shift founders face when scaling.

Here’s what these 3 books will actually teach you:

1️⃣ Traction (Gino Wickman)

This is the operating manual for getting out of the weeds. 

- How to design an Accountability Chart so every role has one clear owner.
- How to use Scorecards to track weekly performance without micromanaging.
- How to run Level 10 Meetings so problems get solved in the room, not pushed back to you.

Instead of every problem coming to you, you’ll have structure so everyone knows their role and what they’re responsible for.

2️⃣ Topgrading (Bradford Smart)

Delegation fails if you hire the wrong people. Topgrading shows you how to identify, hire, and keep A-players so you can actually let go with confidence. 

- How to build Job Scorecards that define outcomes, not just responsibilities.
- The Topgrading Interview method to spot A-players vs. smooth talkers.
- How to make hiring a repeatable system so you trust who you delegate to.

3️⃣ 10x Is Easier Than 2x (Dan Sullivan)

This book flips the founder mindset: you don’t grow by doing more, you grow by doing less. It teaches you to focus only on your unique ability and delegate the rest. 

- How to identify your Unique Ability — the work only you should be doing.
- How to run a “Stop-Doing List” to decide what gets delegated or cut.
- How to shift from adding effort to multiplying results through leverage.

 If you’re stuck doing too much yourself, these 3 books are the fastest way to start building the muscle of delegation.

Which one are you starting with?

How to set business goals for 2026 (that your team can actually execute on)

The reason your 2025 goals failed isn't lack of effort. It's lack of clarity. Vague goals create hidden expectations. 

The fix: Write goals like a third party will audit them. No room for interpretation. No "what I really meant was..."

This is Day 5 of the Vision to Traction Organizer. We're building a 2026 plan that doesn't fall apart by February.

Follow for the rest.

New Client Testimonial: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Feedback from Gustavo Scheveloff, Co-Founder & CEO of HiperPBX

—-

Thank you for your trust in Founder Accelerator.

Let’s keep pushing together 🚀

I talk to founders every week who are beating themselves up for not being further along.

Then I ask: "Where were you 3 years ago?"

The shift in their face is immediate. 

They forgot. They've been so focused on the gap between where they are and where they want to be, they stopped seeing how far they've actually traveled.

If that's you today - pause. Look back for a second. You've built something most people only talk about.

Happy Thanksgiving.

5 TED Talks that will build the successful founder mindset

Save this for when you need a reset.

1. Tom Röthlisberger → How to become a great founder
2. John Mullins → 6 tips on being a successful entrepreneur
3. Bill Gross → The single biggest reason why start-ups succeed
4. Roselinde Torres → What it takes to be a great leader
5. Kiki Ayers → How to know if you are meant to be an entrepreneur

These helped me dismantle the mental blocks that kept me stuck between $1-3M.

If you want to know which blocker is holding your business back today, check the link in my bio and take the quiz.

Most founders hire on gut feel. 

They like someone's energy. 

Their resume looks good. 

They have the right experience. 

Then 6 months later, they realize: This person is talented. But they're toxic. Or they don't make decisions the way we do. Or they're not aligned with how we actually work.

Skills got them in the door. But values are what make them stay or what destroy your culture. The big question us: HOW DO YOU TEST THEM? 

If you want the full system, check the course in my bio.

How to set core values for your company (that your team actually uses)

Stop inventing generic values like "transparency, execution, honesty." 

Here's what actually works: Extract values from your best players. 
The ones crushing it right now. Look at how they work, how they behave, what makes them different.

This is Day 1 of the Vision to Traction Organizer - the 2-page framework that replaces those generic planning templates you make every January and abandon by March.

Follow for the rest of the series. We're fixing your 2026 plan with real exercises, not theory.

How to differentiate your business from competitors (and stop competing on price)

If you're dropping prices to close deals, you don't have a positioning problem. You have a clarity problem.

Your 3 Uniques are the specific reasons clients choose YOU over everyone else. Not vague benefits. Concrete differentiators your team can sell and your clients can articulate.

This is Day 3 of the Vision to Traction Organizer. Follow for the full series on building a 2026 plan that actually works.

How to set a 10-year business goal (even when you can't predict next month)

Most founders avoid long-term planning because scaling feels unstable. But here's the truth: you DO have a vision. You just haven't written it down.

Your 10-year target doesn't need to be a fantasy. It needs to be bold, ambitious, but realistic. Something that makes it clear WHY you're putting in effort today.

This is Day 2 of the Vision to Traction Organizer. Follow for the full series. We're building your 2026 plan with real frameworks, not generic templates.

How to assign accountability for business goals

When you put two people on one goal, both assume the other is handling it. Then nothing gets done. Or it gets done halfway. And when you ask "who's responsible?" you get finger-pointing instead of answers.

One owner doesn't mean they do everything themselves. It means they're the single point of contact. The person whose name is on it. 

This is Day 6 of the Vision to Traction Organizer. Follow for the complete 2026 planning framework.

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 (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.

Most leaders think reputation is built in public.
It’s not.

They believe it comes from visibility, press coverage, or polished messaging.

They focus on what people see.

But perception starts long before that.

Reputation isn’t a performance.

It’s a reflection of what’s practiced in private.

The late-night calls.

The decisions no one tweets about.

The tone you use with your team when stress peaks.

That’s what the public eventually feels.

If you want lasting credibility:

1.) Build habits that align with your values.
2.) Communicate clearly, even when unseen.
3.) Make the same decisions off-camera that you would on-camera.

Without that discipline, every crisis feels like exposure.

With it, crisis becomes confirmation that your integrity is real.

Reputation is what people discover when the spotlight hits.

Integrity is what you do before it does.

Follow for weekly insights on crisis PR & 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

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The Battle

Ignacio Carcavallo

Evan Nierman

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taplio

The Battle

Ignacio Carcavallo

Evan Nierman

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Ignacio Carcavallo's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreEvan Nierman's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreIgnacio Carcavallo's LinkedIn Performance