Ash Rathod

You already know storytelling is essential for your business and brand. But storytelling is much more than the words on your website, content and other communications. The right narrative can inform your short and long term strategy, help align your team, outmanoeuvre the competition and build a tribe of ambassadors.It can help you attract and retain the right customers who are willing to pay you more for a longer period of time and tell others to do the same.It's about high level performance. ie. increasing profits for the business and providing unique value to the people you serve.I specialise in guiding businesses do exactly this. My philosophy centres on a "Story-First Approach," a method that has proven to be the missing link for many who struggle with brand identity and growth.The challenge most people face when building a brand is twofold: either they're paralysed by indecision, never taking the first step, or they jump in headfirst, producing content without a coherent strategy. Both paths lead to a stagnant or unclear identity. The root cause? A lack of strategic direction.  I can help with that.---I studied media and communications specialising in script-writing, where my love for storytelling started. I worked in TV media alongside the London arm of global ad agencies such as StarCom, OMD, PHD Media and many smaller DRTV agencies. My portfolio stretched across global FMCG, (P&amp;G and Unilever) and automotive (Ford and Toyota) brands before moving to Turner Broadcasting (now Warner Bros. Discovery) to work on kids brands (such as Mattel and Hasbro). As the online world began to grow, I moved into Digital Marketing where I helped scale the Manchester office of a Bournemouth based media agency, going from media owner to client side, which consisted of a team of 20+ designers, marketers, copywriters and BDMs.Then after a short sales role at BT, I decided to start my own creative agency, to help start-ups to SMEs with with their communications online.This was almost 16 years ago. I'm proud to say I still run and I own that brand consultancy and design studio in the UK which has focused on serving start-ups to corporations over those years. Right now my focus covers:L&amp;D Training (1:1 &amp; Corporate teams)Speaking at eventsBrand Strategy workshops for start-ups and SMEs.None of these are an overnight fix.But if you are serious about shaping and growing your brand, I can help you do this faster than most.NB. My profile picture has been touched up with AI to change the colour of my shirt and  background

Brand Story Strategist | Managing Director

A brand strategy + design collective specializing in creating compelling content for digital communications. We work with forward-thinking founders, c-suite stakeholders, and marketing teams who passionately strive to lead the change in making the world of work a better place for all.

Our capabilities include:

Brand Strategy

  - Storytelling for brands 
  - Storytelling for leaders

Activation

  - Content Production
  - Media Planning

I fixed myself. 

AI has given me what I thought I could never have. 

A glimpse into what I’d look like if my skin colour stayed the same.

Or if I removed all the pigmentation on my skin (which can be done in real life. I had the option but declined) 

So which one do I prefer? For me, it’s a no brainer. The real me, in the middle. 

The left and right image was created by Nano Banana Pro. 

Which to be honest, as a tool, it’s amazing. In fact I’ve been playing with it a lot. I have been playing with a lot of AI tools. Image. Music. Vibe coding. And I will be using them a lot in my content, in my work processes and creating new business ideas. 

The next wave of AI tools will open doors for many people. I really am positive but cautious about it all.

Because it has to be used the right way and the right way for me is this:

Don’t be lazy with the tools (Use it to add a layer to the great work you do vs diluting it)
Don’t just blindly copy others. (‘differentiate or die’ mantra is still relevant. Now more than ever)
Don’t hide behind it (ie. pretend you’re something you’re not or try hiding the fact you’ve used AI. Especially if it’s likely to be in doubt for others)

I’m sure there are many other pros and cons. (let me know yours in the comments)

What I will be doing is making sure I inform my audience when I do use AI. For example, I am playing around creating a digital twin. And it's a lot of fun. But I won’t pretend it’s me. I’ll let others know when it’s not. Even when the tech becomes much better than it is now when even more  people won’t be able to tell. 

I think in this new phase, the people that are honest and upfront about how they communicate to their audience are going to be the ones that build trust. And ultimately the ones that win.

For me, I don’t want to fool anyone. Including myself. 

And more importantly. I don’t need to fix myself.

I already did that. 

When I accepted myself for who I really am.


---

#PersonalBranding and #Storytelling in an #AI world

Brand Storytelling in an AI World | Creative AI Workflow Consultant

This is not a real ad. 

And here's more context. 

I set myself a challenge to see what these AI tools were capable of and created this. My main learning out of all of this is, this still took a lot of human thinking, time and general input. 

So my challenge was to create a completely speculative ad using just AI tools. 

I chose a brand that I love. Love for their messaging and what they stand for. And then got to work. 

I would say this is still rough around the edges and an important thing to note is that I have no real idea what the brand strategy is so this should be considered. Real creative campaigns take time and a lot human collaboration. I did this completely on my own (and it shows I think :)  

There are also inconsistencies in the creative given the time I gave myself to create this. 

But in the main, I think the tools that are out there are really impressive. And I had a lot of fun with this. 

Tools I used were:

Weavy for workflow
LTX Studio for storyboarding
FreePik as the main base suite and character dev
Higgsfield (It's Popcorn element to experiment with characters)
Nano Banana for stills
Magnific for upscaling still resolutions 
Topaz to upscale video resolution
Kling 2.5 Turbo 2 for video
Seedream 4 Edit - Varied camera angles
Eleven Labs for VO and SFX
Suno for Music 

Then the usual tools I use:

Photoshop to retouch certain stills
After Effects for speed ramping elements
Premiere Pro for Editing

I plan to do a full walkthrough in the next few weeks if time permits ! :)

Would love to know your thoughts.


#Storytelling #AI

Anyone who says “AI content is quick and easy” is wrong. 

Well, sort of.

Producing AI creative content can be more efficient than many traditional methods but we’re not talking about a lot of the AI slop we’re accustomed to seeing on our feeds.

And those well versed in the traditional workflows (storytellers, designers, content strategists, ad creatives and marketing teams) shouldn't fear losing their jobs. If they up skill, they will actually rise to the top because they have the strongest superpower. Talent, experience and a way of thinking that comes from years of putting in the work that will make them stand out. 

But when working with clients or in collaboration with others, it’s important to have systems and workflows in place. This includes traditional workflows, not just AI. And by the way, the two still have a place in this world. It’s not as binary as many make out.

That’s why at DFC Studio we use Weavy. Weavy, (recently acquired by Figma) is a node based workflow system for creative AI work with a lot of the AI image and video tools in one place. It gives you, your team and clients an overview of the process from start to finish. 

Some clients won’t want to see this but some will. But for sharing and collaborating with your team it's great as it's important that you have systems in place that are transparent, repeatable and scalable. 

Or even if you’re working on your own you can go back quicker and reiterate/refine when client feedback comes back. 

If you’re interested in up skilling your team, At DFC Studio we offer consultancy and workshops to help you do this. These can be done in person or remote. If interested, please reach out (below or in my DM)

---

#Storytelling #Creative #AI #Marketing #Workshops

What Visionary Leaders Get Right About Brand

Brand isn’t just built by the things you do externally.

It's about how you show up internally too.

How your team feels every day.

In this weeks Watercooler Brand Talks (4pm Friday UK), we’ll be talking about the link between leadership, culture, and brand.

Why the strongest brands aren’t built by marketing teams alone. 

They’re shaped by the people leading from the front.

We’ll cover:

– What visionary leaders actually do differently
– How culture quietly builds (or breaks) your brand
– Why brand is the outcome, not the starting point

Join us live and definitely bring a question or two as we have two of the most visionary brand legends in this week as our secret guests who's brains you'll really want to pick.

This is going to be soooo much fun! See you there!

What Visionary Leaders Get Right About Brand

AI took me backwards, not forwards.

In a good way. 

The deeper I get into AI led creative work, the more I find myself leaning on traditional film theory.

At university, (many years ago :)) I specialised in script writing. Dialogue was the starting point, but it never stopped there. I fell into camera movement, physics, timing, weight, motion. How things enter a frame. How they leave it. Why something feels real even when we know it is not.

What fascinated me most was not learning the rules. It was learning them well enough to bend them. To stretch credibility without breaking belief. That’s the magic of film making. Whatever medium. To create moments that feel grounded, even when logic tells you they are constructed.

That mindset has been shaping my use of AI today.

The tools are new. The thinking is not.

If you treat AI as a shortcut, the output shows it. But if you approach it like film making, with intent, some restraint when needed, and an understanding of how humans read motion and story, the work will land very differently.

The recent sizzle reel is a snapshot of that experimentation. It’s not perfect but continuing to dig into what’s possible. 

Essentially storytelling principles wearing new clothes.

Those on the look for someone with a huge amount of experience with operations, delivery, automations, content production and more importantly leadership, Ryan is your man! 

If you're considering working with Ryan and want to speak to me then please do. 

A fab colleague he was.....and an extremely kind human being who is always ready to help, support, upskill and progress the team he works with.

What a loss to PodFirst and what a potentially huge gain for the next company that bags Ryan on their team!

Straight-Talking Guy | Cutting Through the Crap to Deliver Solutions, Growth, and Results That Actually Matter 💥

I have now left PodFirst and I am officially on the lookout for my next role. The timing isn’t perfect with Christmas approaching, but sometimes life pushes you into a new chapter sooner than expected. I made the decision because it was the right one for me and where I am heading next.

I am proud of what I achieved during my time there. It was challenging, fast paced and full of opportunities to grow, and I am grateful for the experience and everything I learned along the way.

For those who don’t know me well, here is what I bring to the table.

I am someone who cares about the work and the people involved. I take responsibility seriously and I show up fully. I work best in environments where pace, clarity and ownership matter. I enjoy solving problems, building systems, improving processes and keeping things moving even when things get busy. I thrive in roles where I can bring structure, calm and direction without losing the human side of it all.

My experience covers operations, delivery, leadership, automation, content production and working directly with clients to get projects over the line. I am at my best when I am trusted to own outcomes and make things happen.

So now I am looking for the right place to bring all of that into something new. If you hear of anything or know someone looking for someone with my skill set, I would really appreciate you pointing them my way.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me so far.

Onwards.

Richard Moore

I help consultants get clients on LinkedIn, using sales and content 🚀 Follow #RichTips for content

At some point it becomes obvious: your expertise isn’t the problem.
The real challenge is turning that expertise into consistent, high-value revenue.

Whether you lead a commercial team or run your own consultancy, gaining traction with potential clients on LinkedIn often feels harder than it should.

That’s where I come in.

I train leaders, consultants, and founders in the psychology of high-trust deal-making and sales. This helps individuals and teams move from interest to commitment without pressure or scripts.

My work blends behavioural psychology, strategic communication, and modern sales design.
More importantly, it comes from doing it:
22+ years of being a sales practitioner and $millions in converted deals.

Because theory is powerful
But you can't beat having done it too

Crucially, the help I give is for those who want to sell with nuance, credibility and long-term results.

Here’s what we focus on:
Strategic positioning: shaping how your expertise is perceived by buyers and decision-makers

Authority content: creating trust through clarity, not noise

Conversation design: turning dialogue into opportunity with structure and intent

Deal-flow mastery: applying timing, buyer psychology, and decision dynamics to close complex deals

I’ve worked with organisations from Microsoft and LinkedIn, to JP Morgan and Deloitte
Beyond this I've also coached thousands of consultants, coaches and founders

All of them have had the focus on refining how they sell and how they communicate

As a 2x LinkedIn Top Voice and LinkedIn Learning Instructor with five courses on sales and communication, studied by tens of thousands of professionals worldwide, I'm asked to work with professionals on their delivery, awareness of buyer state and the words that move a buyer to step forward. 

My communities, the LinkedIn Client Accelerator and Art of Sell, bring together over 500 members focused on mastering client acquisition and high-trust sales.

In the offline world I founded Entrepreneur Business Live, a global event series connecting business leaders to support local causes and I’ve delivered keynotes and lectures at Oxford University, Warwick Business School, University of Edinburgh, Nottingham, Pearson Business School and many more.

If you want to elevate how you or your team win clients, with more trust, depth, and commercial precision, this is where we start.

DM me here on LinkedIn
Or email directly richard@therichardmoore.com
Or check out the featured links on this profile for more

Follow #RichTips for insights on high-trust deal-making and sales

Founder - LinkedIn Client Accelerator

Imagine being such a badass that you:

- win Dragon's Den
- casually teach yourself Chinese
- are head of growth for a $200MM fund
- worked at Accenture then JP Morgan 
- and are a serial entrepreneur 

Such a person exists

And she's called Carina Cunha.

So I'm thrilled that she is tonight's Masterclass in Art of Sell

You see, it's easy to find a community with speakers that
- Present well
- Have lots of followers
- Can even show some results

But it's a completely different game when they operate at the highest level

Last week?
Our topic was copywriting
So the speaker had sold $1bn 
And worked at Ogilvy

Next week?
How to communicate for sales 
He's coached Oracle and T-Mobile
And over 65,000 have taken his courses

When I built this community I wanted one thing from the learning:
Excellence

Always ask this question:
"Am I listening because they're popular? 
Or am I listening because they're the best?"

What's your belief on this?

--
Want to join us? 
Jump into the first featured link on my profile here → Richard Moore

#RichTips

I train founders in the psychology of high-trust deal-making and sales | Creator, Art of Sell | 2× LinkedIn Top Voice

The expert doesn’t chase. They choose 
(Maybe it’s time you started doing it too):

Confidence in sales is about certainty.
So that starts with how you see yourself.

If you’re still trying to “prove” yourself or your value, you’re not positioning as the expert.
 
Instead, you’re positioning as an option.
And that makes buyer shop around.

So here’s how to shift that:
1. Experts don’t chase because they filter: 
You lead (in your content) with clarity to segment your audience. 
This also turns off the wrong people.
And it show the right ones you’re talking to them.
Prequalification saves time but it also signals authority.
So when we ask better questions we’re structuring the queue of people we’ll attract.

2. Confidence is a decision rather than a feeling:
Deciding to show up as someone who can help is a choice.
A choice.
Rather than waiting to be motivated, you’re electing to be that person. 
How? Back yourself with preparation and that will help the performance.
The most trusted sellers often aren’t the most charismatic
But they are the most grounded.

3. Selling with integrity means not needing the sale:
When you’re unattached to the outcome (so, you know you can survive without it), you actually start to listen properly.
It also means you challenge prospects more, ask the tougher questions and stimulate better interactions on your calls.
But it also means you can walk away.
Of course, it’s that which makes people lean in.
Because they feel safe rather than sold to.

4. Mental blocks don’t actually go away, they just get outgrown:
For example, you don’t overcome fear by thinking about it,
You overcome it by doing the thing anyway.
When you stack evidence, you’re proving to yourself: “I can handle this”
That’s how confidence is built:
Through action rather than theory.
Before sales calls I always say to myself “I can handle this” and it's the grounding I need to trust myself.

Your lesson today? It’s this:

If you want to sell with more confidence, stop trying to be impressive.
Start being useful in the interaction, instead.

Which of these 4 should we do more of?

--
PS I have a rather interesting announcement to make on Monday next week. 
The clues may or may not be in each of the 5 x posts I share this week👀

#RichTips

Richard Moore hosting his Entrepreneur Business Live London, charity networking event. 2023

These 3 job stats are a worry: 72%, 51%, 44%
Because they show something serious going on:

The numbers are for 2023, 2024 and 2025 in terms of the % of candidates with multiple job offers in their most recent job search*

That's trending dramatically down.

What does this mean?

This:
If you are less likely to have options, then you need to change something. 

Especially as the employment market will only get more competitive.

So what to do?

Focus on you, more. Here's how:

Look, sending out a résumé and patiently waiting in line is asking for trouble.

Instead, proactivity is the solution.

So:
1. Share your opinions on LinkedIn
↳ You'll be asked them in an interview anyway. 
But now your answer reaches many.

2. Network up
↳ Connect with those that might hire/influence hiring decisions. 
But be human: conversation > a pitch for a job

3. Show up, just not in queues
↳ Waiting in line for an interview screams average. 
Instead, go to events to network. Even attend events here on LinkedIn. 

Having the inside edge like this is how you get noticed
And importantly, it starts useful conversations.
Those that hire love to see initiative. 

What else? 
Work on your communication:
- Persuasion, influence and articulation all matter. 
- Because when you work hard to get your foot in the door, you don't want to throw that opportunity because you didn't train how you'd show up.

How else can a job seeker be proactive?

--
PS These skills matter. 
Not just in getting a job but after, too. 
That's why my Art of Sell community isn't just for better pitches,
It's for better persuasion and mastery of communication.
Yesterday, we had Alicia Teltz show how to win with LinkedIn
Tomorrow, we have Ravi Rajani go deep on building trust
These are the skills for careers. Not just moments.

From the Gartner “Voice of the Candidate, 1Q25” survey 

#RichTips #jobs

Richard Moore hosting his Entrepreneur Business Live London charity networking event, 2025

"This might not work"

Are you willing to say that?

According to Seth Godin, this is precisely what a leader should be willing to say to their team. 

Managers follow rules
They execute the plan
They deliver the thing 

But to volunteer. To say "I'll try this";
That is leadership.

So, 
↳ If you're doing the same as your peers
↳ If you're playing safe to only take part
↳ If you're letting others be the outliers

Then you're in the riskiest business of all.

Instead, we should be "dancing with the future".
Because it might just work.

To share a room with Seth and incredible leaders from 
- LuluLemon
- US Navy
- Schneider Electric
- Johnson Controls
- IKEA
and so many more, was a real gift this week.

Thank you to Brian Evergreen for hosting us in his The Future Solving Club. 
When you're invited to such spaces, grab them with open arms.

It's forums such as these that we can learn from the best, especially with a peer group of winners. 

Three more takeaways from Seth in the comments below🔽

--
♻️Repost this if you feel this is a great description of leadership

#RichTips

Here's my philosophy on content:
(and it appears quite different to most)

Because content for me is the gravity the pulls in people
But it's also the device to start conversations. 

For many, the end goal is views and likes.
But I personally feel that's missing the point.

What matters is the interactions we have
The depth of the conversations
And taking them further.

And I believe unless we're doing this,
We've lost sight of the community component.

How do you view this?

--
PS are you ready for tomorrow's newsletter?
Topic is the economics of trust & the use of credibility in dealmaking
Subscribe through my profile under newsletters

#RichTips

Before 2019 I worked so hard to close deals.

After that, my Doctor Method was the unlock I needed.

And it came from curiosity about how people interact when there are defined roles of "expert" and "customer" (or patient).

When we understand fully the psychology a buyer has and deliver them the three pillars of authority, compliance and prescription, we move to a very powerful dynamic: 

They *want* to buy.
And we are irresistible. 

Once you've read this week's newsletter, do share in the comments where you've seen this in action. It's always interesting to hear where it's been in use.

Thanks for reading!
Richard

--
PS Like these articles? Consider saving, reposting or sharing it.
You can also subscribe and join almost 17,000 readers of the Art of Sell Newsletter.

#RichTips

In 2019, I went into hospital with severe abdominal pain. It wasn’t the kind of discomfort you monitor or walk off. It was sharp and a bit unsettling.

Open article: The Doctor Method™: How Authority Shapes Decisions in Modern Sales by Richard Moore • 7 min read

The Doctor Method™: How Authority Shapes Decisions in Modern Sales

Almost 17,000 of you are now subscribed to my newsletter. Thank you

And last week, your feedback was so valuable. 

But more than anything, the dialogue and discussion was excellent. 
Let's do more of that again.

In this week's edition, I'm making the case for trust building being a 'hard' skill you can make into a system in your business 

And especially in 2025 when options are so numerous for buyers, you need an edge. This, in my opinion, is foundational.

Interested in your views...

--
PS Consider hitting Save on this newsletter if you can't read it now or reposting it if it would help your network.

#RichTips

In 2007, I was invited to launch a new product. We had no customers for it. We had no case studies. How did we succeed? To start, it was charm and cha

Open article: #2: The Economics of Trust: Why Credibility Now Decides Every Deal by Richard Moore • 7 min read

#2: The Economics of Trust: Why Credibility Now Decides Every Deal

15 months ago we asked for feedback
Now, we get so much right because of you. 

So let's do it again:

I'm big on building WITH my audience:
- The format of Art of Sell
- The feel of the experience
- The elements making it unique

They've all come from market research with YOU.

So, here's the next question:

↳ If "both" wasn't an option, which of these two workshops would matter to you most?

And yes, they're very similar - I'm fascinated by the psychology and why...

The result, as always, will feed into how we respond.

So thank you for being the input the members* benefit from!

PS do comment why, too. That part really helps.

--
*After all, you're often the same person!

#RichTips

Which of these workshops would you attend (if both wasn't an option)

The author can see how you vote. Learn more

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