We build personal brands for Black/Diverse Founders and CEOs 🗣 | CEO & Founder of OSSAI

I’m Phil, the lad behind the scenes helping people like Jake Humphrey, Spencer Matthews, Mary Earps and Ferne McCann show up online in a way that actually sounds like them.

I’ve spent more all-nighters than I care to admit helping founders and public figures build personal brands that turn heads, start conversations, and lead to real opportunities.

Most of my work is being a translator: pulling the real insight out of someone’s head, shaping it into content, and building a system that keeps it consistent.

That means:

clarifying your message and positioning

turning your lived experience into posts people want to read and share

building a simple content engine you can actually stick to

I’m also funnelling everything we’ve learned at OSSAI into Pesora, an autonomous personal-branding tool built to give more people access to proven strategy without the full agency price tag.

If you’re a founder, CEO or creator with a spicy brain and a head full of ideas, but you’re struggling to get it out consistently, drop me a message. ✌🏿

Phil Ossai

Yesterday marked 4 years of OSSAI 🥳

I took this photo last night at Christina Taylor’s office while my little one was in dance upstairs at The ASH Company and it hit me... wow I've been in business for nearly half a decade. 

I'm old 😅 but equally I feel like I started yesterday.

I still remember 4th March 2022... full of naivety. Pre-Chat GPT days. Back before the AI slop. 

A LOT has changed since then... but a lot hasn't.

Here are 4 lessons that have stood the test of time.

1 - Human psychology doesn't change: curiosity, negative bias is a powerful vehicle to capture one's attention.

2 - Quality > quantity of followers. Don't get attention mixed up with intention. You can get leads at 500 followers, and nothing at 500,000 followers.

3 - On the other hand, if you want community growth, cross-pollinate your audience with related creators/founders. Collab carousels, collab Vids/TikToks/Reels... they are SO powerful.

4 - The science of social media growth and virality is: A/B testing every element of a piece of content, and with enough variants, the data will tell you exactly what you need to do to grow. It's not rocket science... but it is a lot of effort.

Thank you to all those who supported and believed in the vision before it was a reality. 

Amy Stephenson-Yankuba Aaron Burns Milimo Banji Mary Earps MBE Ellis Bennett FCCA Yafet Semere Jade Beard-Stevens Jim Meadows Indiana Julian Keenan Bettany Lyle Yorks Jake Humphrey Jane Hunt Robyn Liddell Claire Richards Nazia Haque Netta Jenkins sorry if I forgot to tag anyone!

Andrew Hulbert FIWFM thanks for the inspo on this!

Personal Branding for CEOs, Founders and Talent Brands via OSSAI Agency & Pesora AI

Your personal brand is your insurance policy.

I started OSSAI when I was in my very early 20s.

The fact that I’m able to sit in rooms with people who have scaled seven and eight figure companies, have 10 and 100s millions in the bank, while still in my 20s…

Plus I have access while their guard is down, while they’re vulnerable, while they’re open to hearing new ideas, and to have them trust my expertise, is an anomaly that I’m very aware of and very grateful for. 

I don’t say that to brag.

I say it to make this point:

The only way I was able to get into those rooms was because of the insurance policy I’d been slowly contributing to day in, day out, week by week, month by month, which is my personal brand.

My reputation tends to do a lot of talking.

I recently had a massive community reach out to me to do workshops for them.

The same goes for another speaking gig across borders.

That’s why I believe your personal brand opens doors, but also protects you when things don’t go so well.

If you’re let go.

If you’re struggling.

If things are tough.

I’ve had many bailouts from people in my network that I grew through LinkedIn, through Instagram, through TikTok, who supported me during tough times in the agency as a result of us meeting online.

If I hadn’t posted that content, I probably wouldn’t be where I am.

So yeah, your personal brand is your insurance policy.

🤞🏿

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Back from a London day trip to meet the man of the hour Jake Humphrey

If you were a fly on the wall, here's what you would've heard:

🗣️ "Business growth is expensive: Financially, physically, emotionally, and mentally. Consistency growth beats intensity any day of the week."

🗣️ "The view at the top of the mountain is the same as the bottom of the mountain: Another set of peaks on the horizon. There's always another goal so learn to detach your joy from the outcome and place it in the process."

A few things it got me thinking...

There's a unique energy being around non-Londoners. People who are supposedly disadvantaged when they don't live in the capital. The drive is built differently when opportunity isn't always on your doorstep.

My generation places such an importance on stupid stuff: revenue rather than profit, the badge of your car rather than character... and when you hear successful people speak the ego in you can think: 'it's easy for you to say now you've achieved it'.

But the challenge I'm setting myself is to actually try and adopt a wiser mindset this year.

I really shouldn't upgrade my car, or my living expenses... 
I need to keep my head down and act like it's nil-nil
I need to enjoy the journey more because this is the real game I'm playing now, not pre-season.

Anyway... back to work.

Don't get attention mixed up with intention.

The loudest personal brands don't always make the best content.

The founders with the largest followers don't always have the best businesses.

I have a United Fan page with 300k IG followers and a TikTok of 175k followers.

My '17k' LinkedIn following has 'made me more money' than that 475k following ever has.

A 300w light bulb can light up a room

A 300w laser can cut through steel.

Same energy, different focus.

Happy new month everyone 🚀

The Consistency blueprint: My 90-day goal-setting journal from the 🐐 Aaron Burns

What’s common knowledge to you…

… is a game changer to someone else. 

You’re sitting on a goldmine of insights, experiences and lessons. 

All you’re missing is the framework to structure your thoughts. 

💪🏿

Lara Acosta

Entrepreneur and investor building businesses online | Featured on Forbes, Kajabi + Semrush | Helped 3,000+ people build their personal brand.

Everyone wants to build a personal brand, and I figured out how.

With over 20M+ impressions, 300,000 followers across socials, and multiple 6 figures made, I can show you how you can build one too (without spending years figuring out how)

In 2022: I was unemployed and trying to get into a master's degree - downloaded LinkedIn
In 2023: I became #1 female creator on LinkedIn by building my personal brand and agency
In 2024: I'm building the best education platform to teach people exactly how to do it

Helped, coached and worked with 500+ build contents systems, increase engagement, improve their writing and beyond using proven strategies that worked for me. 

Here's how I can help you:

1. Subscribe to my YouTube (It's free, and better than people's paid courses!)
2. Join 15,100+ amazing people and subscribe to my newsletter. 
3. Join 500+ members inside Literallyacademy.com

And if you're not ready for either! Welcome to my profile anyway, I talk about writing, storytelling,  personal branding and tell a lot of stories.

See you on the feed 💖

Sponsorships + booking : mary@ladigitalmx.com

Founder

I spent the last 90 days testing every LinkedIn hack. 

Here's what actually works in 2026 (for any niche):

Everyone is talking about the "new" LinkedIn algorithm.
But I just see it as more of the same, but 10x more specific.

I've grown brands from 0-100,000 followers here.
Grown my own to 300,000+ in the same time.

Mastered every format here, and helped others too.

And there are 3 core elements you need to implement:

1. Hyper-specific content (3x a week)

• Solve one exact problem per post
• Use industry language your clients use
• Speak directly to one person

Jake Ward mastered this for "boring" SEO.
Built kleo.so to $60kmrr  as a result of exactly that 

Alex Vacca mastered this for GTM.
Scaled his business to $6M ARR too

Their content is hyper-specific but simple.

Clients want to work with them because they get it.
Users want to engage with them because they simplify it.

2. Proof-First Content

80% tactical step-by-step frameworks and screenshots.
20% stories on how you're doing it (use stories)

The 80% builds trust, the 20% engages them more. 

Educate and storytell. Always both. 

3. LinkedIn Video (let me explain...)

Video reach might be down right now.
But it's the fastest way to prove authority. 

LinkedIn video is ok.
Linkedin Lives? They're a goldmine.

We had a LinkedIn live with 200 people.
Made $10,000 from it. 

People buy from people they trust. Video accelerates this! 

I'd limit these to 2 a month, though, no pressure. 

I left a checklist for you in the image below for you to script your first Linkedin video too btw.

This is the no-bs blueprint for entrepreneurs. 

It's not about more volume, it's about more insights.

Dominating LinkedIn isn't just about virality right now.
It's about building a brand that earns trust.

Keep your focus on your 1 thing. 

The rest will follow.

PS: Who is your favorite "expert-led" creator right now? I want to follow more people! Tag them below! 

PPS: Jan 22nd, I'm walking you through the best way to master these 3 elements in 2026!

join us for free LIVE on the 22nd of January here: https://lnkd.in/eC5sm4cP

We're already at 4,000 sign ups! Come join us! 

See you thursday, love - Lara x

Entrepreneur and investor building businesses online | Featured on Forbes, Kajabi + Semrush | Helped 3,000+ people grow their personal brand and scale their businesses.

To all women fighting for a seat at the table. 
To all the women battling self-doubt. 
To all the women working twice as hard to be seen.

I celebrate you today. I see you.

I celebrate your ambition. Your discipline.

To the women, learning as they go.
To the mother juggling 100 things.
To the women starting before they feel ready.
To the daughters carrying their families’ hopes.
To the women doing it quietly, without applause.
To the students with a dream and exams to pass.

Today, tomorrow and every day I'm rooting for you. 

Keep showing up, because even if you don't realise.
There's probably a little girl aspiring to be like you. 

I know this because I was one of them. 

Thank you to all the women who've inspired me. 
Knowingly or unknowingly, "big" or "small". 

You have.

PS: Tag your favorite female creator/founder in the comments and celebrate them with me!

Age 18: Couldn't speak in public. Had a stutter.
Age 21: Couldn't pitch myself. Felt insecure. 
Age 23: Couldn't increase my prices. Felt expensive.
Age 25: Built my first 6-figure business. Felt late. 

At 28: I run 3x multi-six and 7-figure businesses.

I speak in front of 1000s weekly (without stuttering.)

I never felt ready to do the things I did to get here.
I didn't wait until I had all the right skills to start.

Instead I: 

Found a hard skill I could learn fast (writing).
Relentlessly studied it and mastered it. 

My self-confidence grew, and so did I in the process. 

You don't lack confidence; you lack repetition. 

To every professional and entrepreneur who relates:

If you can't find a seat at the table. Build your own.

The company is better anyway. Build yourself. 
Don't let confidence and self-doubt stop you. 

Repost ♻️ to inspire others today. 

PS: I'm documenting everything step-by-step here from business to confidence https://lnkd.in/ePmtkSa8! see you there!

pov: you're building viral businesses in london with friends in your 20s documenting everything.

look, you can't compete with people having fun. 

Tycho turned his b2b business into a multi-million view marketing play - doing what no one was doing.

have fun. the creatives that win this game do this.

a few years ago we all had 0 followers.
we didn't have businesses or teams. 

but we kept going, we kept posting. 

today we travel the world, visiting offices, and get to have fun while building our businesses. 

have fun. meet cool people. do cool things.

so a reminder to you my friends, have fun.
this journey is lonely, make sure you're not. 

ps: full video with Tycho Luijten Steven van Marle Henry Hayes out now! link in the comments (i got arrested for talking about b2b saas and ai too much)

Yes, it's true. The "LinkedIn Algo" has changed... but landing high-ticket clients was never about impressions.

It's about what I call "content-offer" fit.

I learnt this after I grew to 20k followers.
And had no clear monetisation path. 

Viral content. An 'optimized' profile... Few closed deals.

This hurt - I didn't want to be a 'content creator'. 
I wanted to run my content into consistent revenue.

So my content and overall brand had to match my offer.

Here's what I did to land high-ticket clients from posts:

1. My content went from "broad" to "1 person 1 problem" - I spoke about their needs and wants not just me.
   
2. My engagement went from "adding everyone" to "10-15 hyper-personalised connection requests to my ICP.
   
3. My comments and dm's always focused on solving a problem or giving value not just "hey good post". 
   
   ^ this was a life-changer, I still get leads from just that. 
   
4. My "engagement" time went from just commenting on every post to looking at profile views and targeting them. 

Look today, your content is either converting clients or wasting your effort and time pursuing impressions.

The difference between both is content-offer fit.
Not the algorithm, or your "low impressions".

If you want to see me explain this in FULL depth and show you the step-by-step I've just opened my next programme to monetise your LinkedIn as a business owners (starts march 12th) https://lnkd.in/enAsWMSy

PS: Comment "dm" below if you want me to drop a full DM to close masterclass to convert 'lurkers' on Linkedin!

I just re-built an entrepreneur's LinkedIn strategy...

And turned Timothy's content into a $1M asset in less than 33 minutes LIVE so you can steal it.

Documented the step by step behind building an algorithm-proof brand that doesn't rely on "trends".

And focuses all on 2 things: attention and conversion.

In 2026 the game isn't how to get more impressions.
The game is how to convert them and grow faster. 

All without changing strategy whenever the algo shifts.

I showed him my LinkedIn system including

1. The Category of 1 Play (to own a market)
2. My Broad-Narrow-Niche Content Framework
3. Turning "ideas" into highly educational content 
4. Engineering viral stories that build engagement
5. How to turn that attention into revenue 

The playbook is there for you to steal.
Now the question is... will you implement it?

Watch the full video here: https://lnkd.in/evRTk2Qp

Probably my favorite strategy video so far.

Enjoy...and don't forget me at the top ;) 

PS: Next week I'm dropping our next session with one of the biggest entrepreneurs in our space... any guesses?

I'm scared. In less than 6 hours I'm exposing every single "new" LinkedIn algorithm claim LIVE. 

And I need your help. 

I know you've read the algorithm reports.
I know you've seen the posts around it too. 

I know that you're even trying to follow the "new" strategies pushed by big creators 

So I have 4 questions for you:

1. What question do you STILL have about the algo
2. What is ACTUALLY working for you right now?
3. Have those reports/articles actually helped?
4. Knowing what you know, what do you still not know?

Let's make this the best live class I've ever done. 

Here's the free link if you want to join https://lnkd.in/e3SHsCjw

Drop your questions below.

I'm rooting for you.

I am committed to building the LinkedIn growth and lead gen programme in the world. 60+ people already joined, and I want you to be in it too (Closing enrollment 14/03)

You'll get direct access to me for 4-weeks.
5x calls every single week (2 hours each).
Breakdown on positioning, content, funnels + launches
Weekly accountability calls designed for your success.
Instant access to a high-level network.
Behind the scenes of million-dollar personal brands.

I'm revealing it all. Giving you the exact plug and play systems I'd use for your business and niche. 

This isn't another course. It isn't a community. 
It's my version of a training camp for entrepreneurs. 

Some members are already signing high-ticket deals.
Most got answers in 30 minutes they waited years for. 
All of them are already winning by having a network. 

So... are you in? 

Join here today: https://lnkd.in/enAsWMSy

Book a call with us: https://lnkd.in/eBRqe9mS

PS: I'll be giving 'scholarship' access to 1 lucky person who reposts this and comments why they should win.

taplio

The Battle

Phil Ossai

Lara Acosta

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScorePhil Ossai's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreLara Acosta's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Phil Ossai

Lara Acosta

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);}Phil Ossai's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreLara Acosta's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScorePhil Ossai's LinkedIn Performance