Niall Cleaver

Documenting the journey of crafting a timeless coffee cup brand | CEO & Founder of Cupsly

My story isn’t about a polished entrepreneur. My journey hasn’t been traditional. I left school without an English qualification, uncertain of what the future held. 

That failure shaped me, it forced me to think differently, fall into business, and ultimately embrace creativity, resilience, and the belief that change is possible, even when doubted. Fast forward to today, I’m growing and scaling businesses while sharing the real lessons that come from it.

Founder

Are you struggling to grow an engaging community for your business or personal brand.

Stop right there, I think I have you covered ⬇️

This is me (Niall), I'm a 22-year-old who is fascinated by growing communities in the online space. Actual communities that have meaning and purpose. 

The services we provide at Social Library 

➡️ Personal Branding (LinkedIn)

➡️ Guidance & support consulting


Drop me a message to discuss your social media strategy, review how well your current socials/posts are doing, and research how we can build your community and gain you more followers and leads.

or you can email us @

hello@sociallibrary.co.uk

Execution will humble you in more ways than advice ever could.

And this, by far, has been my best realisation.

It's actually scary how much advice is in the world we live in. And normally, it's not the correct advice. The truth is, advice that will improve your business is hard to come by because everyone is sharing an opinion online.  

But there's one thing that beats any advice:

Saying you'll do something and actually doing it.

In my teens, I told myseIf was going to go all in on business, and that meant learning many things I once never knew. How? Real experience.

Less talking, more doing.

I didn't have a background in marketing, I learned.
I didn't have a background in brand, I learned.
I didn't have a background in R&D, I learned.

And here's what I found out...

When you start facing real situations, real problems, and real outcomes, you quickly see who’s telling the truth and who isn’t.

You learn who to trust.

Advice has its place. But execution is what changes things.

Growing @thistlescientific and sharing the lessons while I do

I’ve just landed back from a week in the mountains.

And it reminded me how easy it is to forget what really matters.

I know I talk a lot about business because it's something I'm passionate about, but let's be real, it will never be as important as family. 

Scaling a business takes a lot out of you, early mornings, late nights, and missing certain celebrations. It's honestly brutal sometimes. 

Because it never stops!!!

You always have something that needs implementing, changing or improving, but what I've realised is that time away with your family allows you the space to think, enjoy and realign. Never take this for granted.

Honestly, had the best couple of days... now super exctied to get back and execute on the plan we've set out over the past couple of months.

We did it!!! Thistle is rebrand ready...

Over the past few months, we've completed a full rebrand at Thistle Scientific, one that has pushed, tested, and shaped the new direction we're heading in. These will be the months I'll remember forever, but...

I want to talk about what goes into a rebrand:

The late nights thinking decisions through.
The transition phase throughout the organisation.
The alignment through the internal team and external partners.

They all hit you! But in a good way.

Because eventually, you see all the pieces of the puzzle coming together, and you appreciate all the details and hard work that went into every part of it.

But this whole process got me thinking about one thing, "change", and how so many of us are nervous about it. This is a good feeling to have. 

It means you're pushing yourself.

Take it all in!!!

The most important skill of an entrepreneur is to do the basics first.

I used to fight this idea because it sounded too simple.

Sticking to a routine 
Doing the things you promised.
Being open-minded to the problems. 
Interacting directly with your customers.
Executing the plan you set out with your team.

It really is simple!!! 

At the start of this year, I told some of my closest friends what I was going to do. Less talking and more just focusing on what creates the moment. 

And I can already feel it. It hasn’t been anything out of this world, it's just been staying focused on what matters most in the buisness. And normally, these are the tasks you repeat.

You've got to understand that most people will dislike doing the basics over and over again, becasue it can become boring and not fun. But these are the tasks that create the difference that changes your life and business. 

It may be boring, but it works.

3 years ago, navigating a merger, improving systems, and building a stronger foundation.

Since then, Thistle Scientific has grown year on year, hired across multiple countries, and deliberately focused on scale. Why?

Equipping scientists around the world requires collaboration, obsession, and teamwork. It’s understanding what will help each researcher improve the work they’re doing.

But there’s an even bigger reason…

Scaling allows us to support even more researchers, and the better support they get, the more impact their work can have on the rest of the population.

Any researchers here... would love to chat with you.

One of the best decisions I've made as a 25-year-old growing a biotech business was to... spend time with people who have already done it.

Not people who're trying to sell you something.
Not people who shut down your ideas every five minutes.

But the people who have lived and breathed the problems you are facing.

The real operators. And what I've noticed is that they don't try to sell you online they are heavily focused on real outcomes. They have this credibility where they've been there and done it. You can just feel it!!!

So, if you're going to surround yourself with successful people:

Do your due diligence
Ask the important questions
Don't waste your time and especially theirs.

That's where real change is created.

Evean, now I've got so much to learn and it's so important to remember that the moment you think you've understood it all will be the moment you stop making progress.

We had a chance to showcase our new design in Thailand.

I pulled it... You only get one first impression.

We had an opportunity to move fast on some new design work. It would've lined up perfectly for our ASIA distributor meeting in Thailand next month, so I pushed for it. 

I thought it would be:

Great to share the new innovation.
Great to share the new Thistle identity.
Great to share our new direction with them.

But I was chasing speed over execution.

The lesson wasn't "slow down". I still believe in moving fast.
The lesson was "speed" without clarity is just expensive.

Coming straight out of a rebrand, it’s easy to chase momentum. But when you do that, you can lose the bigger picture and that costs you.

Growth never happens when you move without clarity. You only get one chance at a first impression, so we are making sure ours is worth it.

"TEST THE LIMIT"  that's what our rebrand was built on.

When we started to plan our rebrand, we didn't view ourselves as successful. We saw ourselves as a challenger brand. A brand that wanted to do things differently from others in our industry.

This was our starting point.

From the first conversations I had with our team, they were all open-minded to it and wanted to be aligned on the bigger picture, but there was something I noticed more special. 

They all wanted to be a part of it.  Contributing, debating, and just being fully curious. Through my years of learning business, I've noticed that one of the best traits in any business is the team being curious. They like to get stuck in. And here's what I've seen:

They adapt quickly to problems and solutions.
They build better products and services.
They spot opportunities others ignore.
They make better decisions.

Being curious is lethal (in a good way)

There's something special about being around an open-minded team. A team that wants to play an even bigger part in this journey. It's pretty cool.

Very proud to announce the next chapter of Thistle Scientific.

Thistle has expanded a lot over the years as a team, company and scientific partner.

Today, we’re updating our entire visual system to convey a clearer, bolder expression of who we are and the purpose we stand behind. Now the time feels right to step into our next chapter and announce the rebrand of Thistle Scientific.

One that will demonstrate the connection and deeper understanding we have for researchers and global organisations who are changing the world for good.  

Just like research, brands must evolve too. We must listen, adapt and strengthen. That's what we're here to do. Committed to the direction we're heading, and that's to equip scientists to be relentless in changing the world for good. 

One hypothesis at a time. 

Welcome to Thistle 2.0

Because science is never done. So, neither are we.

Founder at Rocket: Get B2B clients on autopilot

Hey there 👋

Are you looking to build a quality (and sustainable) B2B sales pipeline?

While building a personal brand that clearly positions as the go-to solution to your client's problem.

At Rocket - We mainly help CEOs and Founders achieve predictable growth, build authority, and close more deals. At a very affordable pricing structure.

Modern sales is becoming increasingly complicated.

Traditional outreach methods are less effective, meaning the need for targeted, relationship-driven selling on platforms like LinkedIn is greater than ever.

Our core belief driving our mission is that authentic, relationship-driven selling is the most effective way to build trust, stay top of mind, and drive sustainable business growth.

HOW WE WORK?

We offer 2 LinkedIn services.

1️⃣ LinkedIn Personal Branding

This is a 4-month contract, but the first month is FREE.

Then it's £500 a month, until you cancel.

→ Positions you as the solution to your client's problem by creating a clear and consistent brand narrative
→ We manage your campaign using Notion. This gives you transparency to how we work, as well as the opportunity to collaborate on the content we produce for you

The content strategy is broken down into 3 sections:

✅ Inspiring: Clarifying the problem that you solve
✅ Educating: Helpful content that educates people on your solution
✅ Entertaining: Authentic storytelling

(Typically the stronger your brand, the easier it will be to get meetings with better leads, and convert clients at the meetings)

2️⃣ Pipeline Management

The first month is FREE.

MONTH 1: BUILD

→ Strategic positioning consultation
→ Core messaging consultation
→ Targeting + Formatting lead list
→ LinkedIn profile optimisation
→ Calendar support

MONTH 2: WARM-UP

→ Strategically begin connecting and messaging your ICPs

MONTH 3-7: GROW

→ Managing your replies
→ Nurturing and Follow ups
→ Coaching you on how to present effectively at the meeting

✅ With personal brand:

£150 a month.

❌ Without personal brand:

£300 a month.

Taz Burwaiss

It's not just you. 

These days, more and more peeps are spending their time on LinkedIn. 

Over the last few years there’s been a shift in narrative, that LinkedIn isn't just a digital CV.

People are checking in daily. 

Big celebrities are on here sharing their opinions.

Founders are talking openly about what's working and what’s not.

LinkedIn is slowly becoming the internet’s most trusted platform for consuming content.

But why?

The core idea to LinkedIn’s success is that people’s LinkedIn content is intimately linked to their name and reputation.

When your name and reputation is on the line, the stakes go up. 

You show up differently. You think a bit more. You try to add something useful.

That’s why founder-led marketing works so well here.

LinkedIn isn’t perfect, but what you do get on here (unlike X) is real identities.

Agree?

I have an issue with my work colleague.

He’s always sleeping on the job. 

Insists I pick up his poo.

Brings me unwanted gifts - yesterday was a spider.

Interrupts my video meetings.

Insists on sharing my lunch.

Who do I report this to? 

My partner has already sided with the pug, so I'm running out of options.

If you’re looking to scale your business.

Your brand narrative can’t be ignored. 

Most brands obsess over their design.

Which is important.

But they overlook the most powerful asset of all... storytelling.

Storytelling triggers an emotional response with your audience, creating a deeper connection.

(Emotions, not logic, drive most purchasing choices)

People forget facts and figures, but remember a compelling narrative. 

A memorable narrative can leave a lasting impression, similar to how your favourite school teacher made learning fun through stories.

Your brand isn't just what people see on the surface.

It's also about creating a narrative that resonates.

↓

P.S. Did you know... I'm Founder at Rocket Marketing. I work with SME Founders who are on a tight budget but serious about growth. Interested? DM me and let’s talk.

Reminder: No one has everything figured out. You gotta jump in, get your hands dirty, try and fail, look like a goofball, and as long as you don't give up too early, eventually you'll figure it out.

I've been working in B2B lead gen for a few years now.

And there's something that's becoming more and more clear to me...

Most B2B buyers make their decision before they meet you. 

Traditional sales assume the journey starts with an initial conversation. 

The reality is that most leads have their heads turned by that point.

Most buyers already have a fairly clear idea of what they want before they talk to you.

And it’s likely, they also already have a preferred brand in mind that they’d like to work with.

The goal of branding is to shape buyer preferences before they even know they're in the market.

The B2B landscape has changed. 

Your brand creates a powerful ripple effect that’s hard to quantify. 

And although it may feel subtle, it has a major impact on your relationships and pipeline health.

↓

P.S. Did you know... I'm Founder at Rocket Marketing. I work with SME Founders who are on a tight budget but serious about growth. Interested? DM me and let’s talk.

Your value as a B2B provider goes beyond your services.

It’s also your unique perspective. 

I've been working with B2B founders and CEOs for 2-3 years now, and it's given me a front-row seat to how different businesses tackle the same problem.

When I see something working well with one client, I can then bring that insight to another.

Not as theory or best practice.

But as something I've seen work in real life.

That's why defining your niche matters.

When you work with the same type of businesses over and over again, you learn their challenges, their buying patterns, and their decision-making processes.

And any time you discover a better approach, you can then help another client avoid learning it the hard way.

That's how you move beyond being just another vendor.

You become a trusted advisor.

At that point, you're no longer competing on price.

You're winning on insights and outcomes.

And clients don't switch away from someone they trust, and who makes their business easier to run.

AI isn't replacing creative jobs.

It's making creative people 10x more effective. 

AI doesn't do the thinking for me.

It helps me think better.

The creative work still comes from me.

But AI simply removes the friction between idea and execution.

And that matters.

Because in B2B brand building, your ability to consistently show up with a clear, compelling message is core to your success.

Not occasional brilliance.

But consistent quality.

AI helps me move from good ideas to great content faster.

Which means I can focus my energy where it actually matters…

Refining my unique perspective.

Marketing is becoming more confusing than ever.

AI slop is flooding our feeds. 

Playbooks that used to work 2 years ago, now fail to gain traction. 

And there’s a tidal wave of "spray and pray" messaging that all sounds identical.

But here's the truth...

If you're a Founder and you're struggling to get results, it's not because your product is weak.

It's probably because you don't have anything original to say.

The brands that cut through are the ones with a distinct and refined point of view.

And the discipline to keep showing up with it.

Taste is the new moat.

And most brands don't have it.

↓

P.S. Did you know... I'm Founder at Rocket Marketing. I work with SME Founders who are on a tight budget but serious about growth. Interested? DM me and let’s talk.

taplio

The Battle

Niall Cleaver

Taz Burwaiss

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreNiall Cleaver's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreTaz Burwaiss's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Niall Cleaver

Taz Burwaiss

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);}Niall Cleaver's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreTaz Burwaiss's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreNiall Cleaver's LinkedIn Performance