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.

Tasleem Ahmad Fateh

Robinhood Agency

The ONLY Ghostwriting Agency YOU NEED to Dominate LinkedIn and Build a Profitable Personal Brand!

Founder

Lisnic

Bubble Tea business and market advice. Podcasting, Health and fitness mentoring.

Lisnic Mentor 

Par-Tea

Taking Sydney's taste-buds through a once in a life time journey of discovering the best and the most Bubbly Teas from around the world.

Chief Tea Officer

Certis

Managing the overall responsibility for overseeing the day-to-day operation and performance of  Transport and Infrastructure contracts within a 100m+ portfolio, as well as providing leadership and direction to on-site staff and supervisors.

Client Services Manager

Managing the setup of a dedicated Planning and Verification team to ensure the business remains ahead of its operational curve. Ensuring the business has ability to ensure that new methods of verification are implemented and used to ensure Verification is taken online.

Manager- National Operations Planning and Support.

Effectively manage the business relationship in the back of house functions relating to electronic scheduling, payroll and contract compliance for our National Operations Centre. This is inclusive of achieving operational strategic objectives within a framework of customer service excellence to our staff, clients and suppliers.

Manager- National Operations Centre

Kukkar Meals

Streamlined operational process development and implementation for the number one online ethnic food store in Sydney.

Process Optimisation Manager

My featured section has the solution to all your LinkedIn woes! | Founder at LinkedIn Creator's Club | Your favourite creators are already in. Are you?

Imagine this: 

You work from WHEREVER you want, WHENEVER you want and live the life YOU want by monetising your words on LinkedIn.

That's the dream most Ghost-writers are sold. 

"Sell your words and make money" 

But as with most things in life. 

It isn't that simple. 

- You need to learn client acquisition. 
- You need to learn client service and delivery. 
- You need systems that let you write and delight clients without making your life hell.

Unfortunately, most ghost-writers start with none of these skills.

They jump in, land a client or two, and then burn out.

The same thing happened to me. 

Until, I finally woke up and spent an entire year researching how to do this properly. 

My team and I developed an entire system to run a Ghost-writing business on LinkedIn within 4 hours per client per month. 

(Not just theory and "writing advice" but an ACTUAL SYSTEM)
(One where you aren't stuck in content calls all day)  

Then we built a community where Ghost-writers connect, grow, and never let leads go to waste.

We built a a first-of-its-kind lead-swapping and support system for ghost-writers on LinkedIn.

Whether you’re starting out or already crushing it, here’s how the Ghost-writer's club can help: 

- If you’re new, you'll learn how to monetize your writing and land clients.
- If you’re experienced, you'll discover systems to cut your workload in half (or more)

Sick of low ticket communities that don't actually help you achieve anything? 

YEAH, WE DON'T ROLL LIKE THAT. 

Instead we teach you how to build and scale a real Ghost-writing business to earn an additional $2K–$50K/month with proven systems that: 

- Helped Adi land 3 clients in his first week. 
- Helped Lucy cut her delivery time in half. 
- Helped Nico, Saad and Kasia get clarity on their Ghost-writing businesses.

We aren't just building systems and communities. 

We are building the future of Ghost-writing on LinkedIn. 

Want to join us and become a ghost-writer that actually enjoys their life too? 

Subscribe to our Waitlist (in featured section) as we are currently at capacity. 

I'll send you all the details you need to know to get started once doors re-open in a few days. 

So are you in or are you out?

Hosting a Community of Creator's where we uncover the latest and greatest in personal branding strategies! With a vision to uncover the best ways to establish your authority online and monetise your personal brand!

Hello hello, anybody here?

I’ve been away from LinkedIn for 4 months.

I chose my newborn daughter over content, growth, all of it.

So when I was thinking of a comeback post I realised:

ALL THESE COMEBACK POSTS LOOK THE SAME.

“I stopped posting but secretly signed ten new clients. Business exploded while I was offline. Life is amazing.”

PFFFTTTTT. 

When you are new in business (and branding) you think you have to uphold this perfect image.

Always winning. 
Always booked out.
Always “crushing it.”

That's what these polished gurus taught us.

Eww.

So here's a refreshing comeback post:

While I was away, my business took a big hit.

Client projects got delayed.
Onboardings slowed down.
Team members left.

Revenue dropped to about 20 percent of where we were 4 months ago.

Some clients sacked me. 
I sacked some clients. 

No tidy comeback arc.
No “and then we 10x’d” story.

Just a dad who took time off, and paid the price.

So if your'e reading this I want you to know:

In a feed where everyone’s ‘crushing it,’

If you stepped back to care for what matters most,

You are not lazy.
You are not weak.
You are not behind.


You are doing the right thing.
You are playing your own game.
Remember,

Your Clients can come back.
Your Cashflow can come back.
Your Views can come back.

But your time with the people you love never will.

(Wrote this for myself thought it might help you too)

P.S. Sooooooo did I miss anything or is the feed still basic AF? 😂

LITERALLY no other LinkedIn coach will tell you this 👇 

(ahh yes the truth needs to be told) 

Building a big audience on here is unbelievably hard. 

Like David Goggins level hard. 

There is NO hack.
NO magic system.
NO secret.

No algorithm trick that suddenly “blows you up.”

Nah.

Most of what you’re being sold is snake oil.

Take me for example:

- I locked myself in my room and engaged 16 hours a day.
- Did it for 3 months straight off savings.
- Reviewed 1,200 profiles for free.
- Ran a 15-hour livestream helping people for free.
- Gave away a free course 12,000 people took.
- Commented, DMed, engaged till I passed out, then did it again.

And even then I got lucky.

My audience only grew because a few posts went mega-viral.

Right place, right time, right post. 

This is what the gurus don’t tell you.

Almost everyone with a big audience and strong engagement has done one of two things:

Built it through ridiculous, obsessive hard work.

OR 

Hired a team to pump out broad “internet-friendly” content daily.

Which usually means:

They either had A LOT OF TIME
Or A LOT OF MONEY. 

If that’s not your life right now, I’m warning you:

Tread carefully.

Don’t chase popularity.

Chase peace. 

Here’s the smarter way:

Post about your actual expertise.

Build a real relationship with 2 new people a day.

That’s it.

You don’t need a thousand likes.

I got a thousand likes yesterday and today I’m stressed replying to everyone 😅

Clout looks nice on the feed.

In real life NO ONE CARES. NOT 1 person. 

Don’t waste your life clout-chasing, mate.

It’s not worth it.

Instead chase quality. 
Share real opinions. 
Be the person our feed needs. 

OKAY DEAL? 

P.S. Thanks for coming to my Teddy Talk.

taplio

The Battle

Ash Rathod

Tasleem Ahmad Fateh

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taplio

The Battle

Ash Rathod

Tasleem Ahmad Fateh

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);}Ash Rathod's LinkedIn Performance

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