Joris van Huët

Grow Your Boat

Still figuring out where your revenue comes from as a Fashion brand running on Shopify doing > 30K MRR? Read on 👇

We do this:

Connect your marketing data sources,
>>>
Ask questions,
>>>
Act upon clear and actionable insights.

We cure frustrated DTC brands of their inaccurate data analytics.

It's really that simple.

Founder & CEO

marketingupgrade.pro

People call me when their marketing broke or it's slowing down. We then have a fun call after which a usually equally fun follow-up meeting takes place. By then we've narrowed down what needs to be down and how much time will be needed to get there.

Owner - Performance marketeer - EN, FR & NL

Marketing Advisor - NL

Scaled DTC brands in the Netherlands doing 1Mio+ ARR.

- Paid Social performance marketing execution.
- Growth Manager of a performance marketing team (5).

Senior Growth Specialist - NL

Helped design, build and operate inbound - and outbound marketing systems.

Digital Marketeer - NL & EN

Helped validate and / or soft launch MVP's designed by R&D departments of AAA's in the F&B, GM/HBC and Financial Services industries.

Corporate Venture Marketeer - EN & FR

Helped with the definition, conception, implementation and execution of Marketing, PR and Sales strategies. Together we aim to further establish Briqwise as a global brand.

Chief Marketing Officer - Briqwise - NL & EN

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Helped Tournify with the definition, conception and execution of Marketing, PR and Sales strategies. Together we aim to further establish Tournify as a global brand.

Chief Marketing Officer - Tournify - EN, FR & NL

I worked as a research assistant for Rijkswaterstaat, the Dutch executive agency for public works and water management. My main task was to conduct a research project on how to scale the use of second hand furniture in the Netherlands to bolster sustainability in the industry.

The research project involved:

- Reviewing the literature on the environmental and social benefits of second hand furniture, as well as the barriers and drivers for its adoption by consumers and businesses.

- Conducting interviews and surveys with various stakeholders, such as furniture manufacturers, retailers, resellers, refurbishers, NGOs, and customers.

- Analyzing the data and identifying the best practices, opportunities, and challenges for scaling the use of second hand furniture in the Netherlands.

- Developing recommendations and strategies for Rijkswaterstaat and other relevant actors to promote and facilitate the circular economy of furniture.

The research project was a valuable learning experience for me, as I gained insights into the complex and dynamic system of furniture production and consumption, and the potential for circular solutions to reduce waste and emissions, while creating social and economic value. I also improved my skills in research design, data collection and analysis, report writing, and stakeholder engagement.

I enjoyed working with a diverse and motivated team of researchers, consultants, and experts from Rijkswaterstaat and other organizations. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this important and innovative project.

(a.i.) Marketing Advisor - Rijkswaterstaat

Whether it’s a card game for two players with battling animals, a tactics game for your PC or your favorite digital board game on mobile, Grumpy Owl Games wants to turn your game experience into something that puts a smile on your face.

Smiling is a lot easier if the game you’re playing is easy to understand, nice to look at and makes you come back for more. That is why we create beautiful, accessible and high-quality games for your screens and tabletop.

Anima Cloud Efflux helps Grumpy Owl Games with the definition, conception and execution of Marketing, PR and Sales strategies. Together we aim to further establish the Grumpy Owl Games brand worldwide.

(a.i.) Marketing - Grumpy Owl Games - EN, FR & NL

Huispedia aims to democratize the real estate industry and give the power back to whom it's all about: the homeowners.

Anima Cloud Efflux helps Huispedia further establish their brand among homeowners in the Netherlands.

(a.i.) Marketing Advisor - Huispedia - NL

INNOVATE is committed to finding and supporting the Most Innovative Student in the
Netherlands. The grand ideas of tomorrow should be given a stage today. That’s why
we are looking for students with either an idea or a functioning start-up, who aim
to solve social and environmental issues. Ideas that tackle macro problems and are
being worked on to produce a head-on solution. Social inequality, climate change, the
relationship between essential data and privacy: in order to face the societal challenges
of the future, we have a hunch you’re out there coming up with innovative solutions.

(a.i.) Marketing Manager @ Innovatiefste Student van Nederland - INNOVATE

INNOVATE has the power to inspire people, and to show that innovation is something you should do, especially when things go wrong. That is why INNOVATE was there in 2020. This time we mainly manifested ourselves digitally, and not in the form of all kinds of large physical events. We developed into an online platform where others can present themselves, and organized no fewer than 5 online (live) INNOVATE Meetups with dozens of innovative parties from the Arnhem, Nijmegen and Wageningen region. This formula provided connection, inspiration and activation. In 2021, we will continue to work from that online vision for the time being. There will also be a number of offline activities, where regulations allow.

Anima Cloud Efflux helps INNOVATE with the definition, conception and execution of Marketing, PR and Communication strategies. Together we aim to further establish the INNOVATE brand, mainly in the Netherlands.

(a.i.) Marketing Manager - INNOVATE

It is only logical to use existing materials and to produce locally with fair conditions and transparent payments while designing products that last. We see waste materials as a mountain full of potential, and by simply maximizing the lifespan of materials we aim to reduce the waste pile, one bag at a time.

Introducing our bag made out of banners, car seatbelts and inner tubes from bicycles. For every occasion, we got your bag!

Co-Founder - Het Nieuwe Logisch - EN & NL

The Bin creates products from waste. With us, any company in any industry can become part of the new economy. Simluator of the circular economy.

Anima Cloud Efflux helps The Bin with the definition, conception and execution of Marketing, PR and Sales strategies. Together we aim to further establish the The Bin brand, mainly in the Netherlands.

(.a.i.) Marketing Lead - The Bin

Health organizations and insitutes come to Amulet for custom eHealth platforms, (web)apps, portal and websites. Thanks to a broad range of clients we are familiair with a number of technologies and innovations, which we can apply in each industry. Our belief is that tech is a tool the bring joy to hard-working individuals.

Anima Cloud Efflux helps Amulet with the definition, conception and execution of Marketing, PR and Sales strategies. Together we aim to further establish the Amulet brand, mainly in the Netherlands.

(a.i.) Marketing Lead - Amulet

Start-up minded companies come to IGNE for platforms, (web)apps, portal and websites. Thanks to a broad range of clients we are familiair with a number of technologies and innovations, which we can apply in each industry. Our belief is that tech is a part of your team. When your tech starts to show it's limitations, it is like a team that is not performing well. How do you start optimising your tech? IGNE guides you towards the answer.

Anima Cloud Efflux helps IGNE with the definition, conception and execution of Marketing, PR and Sales strategies. Together we aim to further establish the IGNE brand, mainly in the Netherlands.

(a.i.) Marketing Lead - IGNE

An organization commited to helping children regain inner peace and calmness in an age of information overload.

Anima Cloud Efflux helps Stichting Glimlach in je Hoofd with the definition, conception and execution of Marketing, PR and Sales strategies. Together we aim to further establish the brand among Dutch schools.

(a.i.) Marketing Specialist - Stichting Glimlach In Je Hoofd

Scanfie lets your guests order quickly and easily.

Did you know that the biggest annoyance among visiting guests the long wait for service? Sometimes guests visiting a (dining) café even have to wait half an hour before they can place their first order.

Would you stcik around around after having your patience tested like this?

This summer there were even several beach tents, cafes and other catering companies that had to close off part of the terrace or drastically shorten their opening hours due to staff shortages. An unnecessarily big disappointment for your guests and an unnecessarily large impact on your turnover.

Avoidable, with Scanfie.

Anima Cloud Efflux helps Scanfie with the researching and realization of (new) strategic partnerships for Scanfie. Together we aim to further establish the Scanfie brand in the Netherlands.

(.a.i.) Business Development Manager - Scanfie - NL

Searious Business creates business solutions aimed at increasing sustainability and limiting plastic waste. To that end, Searious Business collaborates with companies to solve plastic waste.

Anima Cloud Efflux helps Searious Business with the definition, conception and execution of Marketing, PR and Sales strategies. Together we aim to further establish the Searious Business brand in Europe.

(a.i.) Chief Marketing Officer - Searious Business - EN, FR & NL

Positive change starts from education. The BD School believes that everyone deserves a chance to build the future of their dream. The mission is simple: to enable individuals and ambitious founders to acquire the skills and knowledge they need to leave their mark in society.

Anima Cloud Efflux helps The BD School with the definition, conception and execution of Marketing strategies. Together we aim to further establish the BD School brand around the globe.

(a.i.) Chief Marketing Officer -  The BD School - EN

Stichting Oogfonds Nederland

Het aantal mensen met een oogprobleem stijgt. De oplossing ligt in voorlichting, preventie en meer oogonderzoek. Het Oogfonds financiert wetenschappelijk oogonderzoek naar het voorkomen en behandelen van oogproblemen. En steunt patiëntenverenigingen in het verbeteren van de kwaliteit van leven voor mensen met een visuele beperking.

Senior Online Marketeer

internationovel

This projected was terminated. 

- Concept was successfully validated.
- Follow-through to expand operations was more arduous than expected.
- Will be repeated in the future!

The world is changing. The way we consume literature is changing. But our mission remains the same: to bring you the best stories, from the finest writers, every single day. Sign up now and receive our novel one page a day in your inbox for free.

The Writers

Our young writers were carefully selected to form an international team composed of vastly various backgrounds. Each playing an instrumental part in this project.By signing up, you'll get access to the novel for free! You'll receive one page a day directly in your inbox.In our messages, we'll give you opportunities to support our writers (should you become a fan of their work).

The Story

Each writer narrated the story of their own protagonist. Making it that they all come from different worlds (like in real life!)In this epic fantasy tale, five unlikely heroes are brought together by a shared touch of fate.Be it so remedy their own misery or to fight for something much bigger than themselves: their convergence was no coincidence.

Founder

Infi

Infi believes in the strength of long-term and balanced collaborations. Together with our customers, we seek out the most effective and efficient road to success. Their dreams become ours, as do their problems. "Growing together" defines us best. My mission within Infi takes form with the following tasks;

- Marketing strategy
- B2B community management
- Business development
- Developer community management
- Content & social media marketing
- Brand management
- Storytelling 
- Partnership management
- Event management

In a nutshell: Infi takes pride in building loved products with our awesome clients, by writing beautiful code with their team of amazing developers. Both in Utrecht, as in Amsterdam.

#infinl

Chief Marketing Officer - EN & NL

Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences

Topics within Online Marketing; 

- Consumer Behavior 
- Content Marketing
- Influencer Marketing
- Programmatic Marketing
- Social Media Marketing (B2C / B2B)
- Storytelling in Marketing

Guest Speaker - EN & NL

United Wardrobe

Tasked with the cultivation and and nurturing of United Wardrobe's presence in France.

- Business Development
- Campaign Data Processing & Analysis
- Content Production Management
- Imagineering
- Influencer Campaign Conception
- Influencer Campaign Management
- Influencer Partnership Management
- Multichannel Storytelling Strategy

Influencer Marketeer - BE & FR (directly contributed to EXIT)

Omnicom Media Group

Tasked with with the trafficking, set-up, optimalisation and evaluation of programmatic media trading campaigns. 

- Contribution to Content Marketing
- Contribution to Copywriting
- Contribution to Translations

Account(s): Bacardi, EasyJet, Levi's, Monsterboard, PepsiCo and Renault.

Programmatic Media Planner / - Buyer & AdOps Specalist (OMD NL) - BeNeLux

Publicis Groupe

Tasked with with the trafficking, set-up, optimalisation and evaluation of programmatic media trading campaigns. 

Account(s): L'Oréal & Film1.

Digital Executive (Zenith NL) - Programmatic Media Planner / - Buyer & AdOps Trainee - BeNeLux

WeTransfer

Tasked with the acquisition of new potential advertisers in designated regions, as well as the negotiations and management of branding campaigns.

- Account Management
- "Artvertising"
- Business Development
- Channel Management
- International Sales
- Key Account Management
- Media Trading
- Sales Process Optimization (Eastern Europe, APAC, GCC)

Sales Manager - APAC, EEU, FR & GCC

We cure frustrated DTC brands of their inaccurate marketing analytics. || Founder Grow Your Boat. || Freelance End-to-End DTC & SaaS Growth Strategist.

Let's be honest, most marketing tools are stuck in the past. 

You just want that helping hand to do your thing, but tools nowadays...

They give all the credit to the 'last click' like some kind of participation trophy. 

Who cares about the last pat on the back?

You need to see the whole customer journey, 
from the wide-eyed browsing to the 'buy now!' moment.

But those old-school tools? 

Blind to all that juicy data.

This means:

→ Hidden growth opportunities waving goodbye.

→ You waste money on ineffective marketing.

→ Your competitors get ahead with better data insights! 

We clearly don't want that, 
right?

Enough is enough, 
my friend. 

We get it. 

You deserve better.

That's where we come in. 

Grow Your Boat isn't your old-school marketing tool. 

We go beyond the limitations of those old school tools and help you to see the complete customer journey, 
identify hidden growth opportunities, 
and optimize your marketing spend.

All you need to do is connect your data, 
talk to it, 
get insights,  
act upon them and generate profitable growth. 

The result? 

We've seen our clients scale their marketing from 30k MRR to 500k MRR. 

Typical problems we solve entail questions such as;

"What are the consequences if I turn off Pinterest ads? The ROAS on other channels is much better, but is Pinterest perhaps contributing to those somehow?"

+7% renvenue growth in Q1 2024.

"My return rates are eating my margins, what customer segments should I be targeting per channel to reduce the liklihood of returns?"

+3% margin increase in Q1 2024.

See where I'm going with this?

You can throw any problem at Grow Your Boat and work it out together.

That's a clear advantage you can't afford to ignore.

Until then, ask yourself:

What are your customers REALLY telling you? 

Do you know what you DON'T know?

Book a free demo to find out. 

It's a no-brainer (probably the best decision of your week).

((yes, we truly think so.))

(((jump on a call with us and you'll hear our irresistible offer.)))

((((man, even I want to get on a call with us now.))))

The world is changing. The way we consume literature is changing. But our mission remains the same: to bring you the best stories, from the finest writers, every single day. Sign up now and receive our novel one page a day in your inbox for free.

The Writers

Our young writers were carefully selected to form an international team composed of vastly various backgrounds. Each playing an instrumental part in this project.By signing up, you'll get access to the novel for free! You'll receive one page a day directly in your inbox.In our messages, we'll give you opportunities to support our writers (should you become a fan of their work).

The Story

Each writer narrated the story of their own protagonist. Making it that they all come from different worlds (like in real life!)In this epic fantasy tale, five unlikely heroes are brought together by a shared touch of fate.Be it so remedy their own misery or to fight for something much bigger than themselves: their convergence was no coincidence.

Behind the Facade

As both a charity CEO and visual storyteller, I bring a unique perspective to documenting social change and community initiatives.

With extensive experience working across sectors - from grassroots charities to corporate ESG teams - I understand how to capture authentic moments that tell powerful stories. My background leading a multi-award-winning charity gives me firsthand insight into communicating impact effectively through visual media.

Photography and film are powerful tools for social change. I'd love to help you document your journey of making the world a better place.

Documentary Photographer, Filmmaker & Storytelling Consultant

Award-winning London-based digital film production company specialising in the production of documentaries and commissioned short films. Our first major documentary, My God, I'm Queer, won the award for Best TV Programme of 2021 and distributed by Film4 and Channel4 in the UK. 

Types of video we produce:
- Documentaries (Human Interest Stories)
- Videos for small and medium sized businesses. 
- Videos for social media and online

Director & Filmmaker

Naz and Matt Foundation

I lead a multi-award-winning charity that works to reduce the early causes of suicide and homelessness, and remove the barriers that prevent conservative parents from accepting their LGBTQI+ child.

Naz and Matt Foundation was set up in 2014 following the sad loss of my fiancé Naz, who took his own life two days after his deeply religious family confronted him about his sexuality.

Naz and Matt Foundation exists to empower and support LGBTQI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex) individuals, their friends and family to work towards resolving challenges linked to sexuality or gender identity, particularly where religion is heavily influencing the situation.

We deliver front-line, grassroots support to both LGBTQI+ individuals and parents. We deliver films, books, talks and workshops about the dangers of religious & cultural homophobia to schools, colleges, universities, corporations, public sector and government. Our award-winning campaigns and film (My God, I’m Queer) and are designed to open closed hearts and minds through storytelling.  

Publishers of the LGBT+ illustrated children's book, Salim's Secret.

CEO & Founder

Bona Parle

Social impact platform for purpose-driven Creators and Influencers. As Creative Director I'm responsible for developing the brand, content and product design strategy, sourcing eco friendly partners, establishing relationships and designing new products.

CEO & Creative Director

Colour Grading London

Colour Grading London is a service that delivers Hollywood quality, cinematic colour to independent filmmakers, agencies, non-profits and corporate video teams. Our small, boutique colour grading studio is based in North London. 

We deliver high quality, beautifully rich, delicately powerful colour for Films, Video, TV Commercials, Corporate videos and Documentaries. 

Offering both colour correction and colour grading services, using the same Emmy award-winning tools used in many Hollywood blockbusters.

Senior Colourist

cxLoyalty

As a client-facing, Lead UX Consultant I was responsible for producing the Online Team's UX (User Experience) deliverables.  Key tasks included leading site mapping sessions, UX story card development, sitemap development, idea and mind mapping. My core deliverables were fully functional, interactive wireframes and prototypes produced using a range of tools including Axure, Sketch, Adobe XD and good old fashioned pen and paper. 

I introduced into the organisation "Video Prototyping" - a highly engaging process for producing video demos of new digital products long before UX, UI or even full requirements had been scoped out. This was highly effective at getting clients onside... and persuading our internationally diverse project teams to emotionally buy into the project from the beginning.  

Exceptional project delivery requires continuous, open dialogue at all levels with across the project from by team members. On a daily basis I worked very closely with the client, internal business teams, UI Designers, UI Developers, Project Managers and analysts. 

My main clients included RBS, NatWest, Ulster Bank, Barclays, 5th 3rd Bank (US), Lloyds.

Lead UX Consultant

University of Derby

Visiting Lecturer

JobPage

In January 2011 I started a new social enterprise called JobPage - the UK’s first crowd sourced jobs network designed to help young people under 25 find work and employment. Shortlisted for the Onrec "Technology Innovation Award” three years in a row, JobPage was proud to be the winner of the prestigious award in 2014, and featured on the cover of Recruiter magazine in December 2013 as one of the 'game changers' of the recruitment industry.

As the UK's first crowd sourced jobs network our technology powers both JobPage and Tech City Jobs - the leading job board for London's Silicon Roundabout and Tech City.

One of the core objectives of the project is to use technology to make a positive difference to the lives of young people, and give them a helping hand in starting their career.

JobPage is a crowd sourced social jobs network where the community helps each other find work. Jobs are contributed by the community, not just employers and agencies.

Founder and CEO (tech startup)

Recruitment Entrepreneur

Personally hired by James Caan (BBC Dragons' Den), one of the UK’s leading entrepreneurs and investors, to help him launch his new company, Recruitment Entrepreneur, and brand five of his startups.  My brief as interim 'Head of Technology, Digital and Innovation' was to design and roll out a scalable digital recruitment platform that would allow the business to operate and expand quickly.

I had full responsibility for strategy, sourcing suppliers and negotiating contracts, plus devising and developing the company branding and websites for 5 new companies, sourcing and implementing a new cloud-based office software stack, setting up a cloud based VOIP phone system, procuring and launching a new best-in-class Recruitment CRM, and integrating a new marketing CRM with the public facing website. I reported directly to James Caan, and the company board and worked closely with senior stakeholders within the group.

Recruitment Entrepreneur is now one of the fastest growing new recruitment businesses in the UK, and the latest addition to James Caan's Hamilton Bradshaw portfolio - one of the world's top 30 recruitment businesses, with over 800 staff, 26 offices, and a turnover in excess of £350 million.

Head of Technology, Digital & Innovation - 6 month post (recruitment startup)

Affinion Group

After successfully delivering the MBNA Options loyalty and rewards website in my first three month contract, my consultancy company was contracted for a further 3.5 years to manage the build of several large scale consumer digital web projects for Barclays, Lloyds Bank, TSB, RBS, NatWest and American Express. I introduced an enterprise level UX process into the organisation to help improve quality and speed up delivery of the digital projects. I was responsible for recruiting and interviewing new staff members (contract and permanent) into the online team.

E-Commerce Consultant / UX Project Manager (Financial Services integration software company)

PageDo

In 2010 I co-founded (and fully coded) PageDo, a simple but very yet effective online tool for building landing pages for email and paid search campaigns.

Sponsored by the government's UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) organisation, we travelled to Austin, Texas to launch PageDo at the world famous SXSW (South by Southwest) technology festival. 

PageDo went on to win the prestigious Mini Seedcamp London competition and a was hand-picked as a TechCrunch Europa's awards finalist in the same year.

The innovative technology developed for PageDo evolved into the JobPage social recruiting platform.

Founder & CEO (tech startup)

In July 2014, I lost my fiancé to suicide after his religious family rejected him for being gay. That devastating moment taught me the true power of authentic storytelling and its ability to create real change.

Today, I'm on a mission to help 10,000 purpose-driven brands, charities, and funders transform their social impact from invisible to impossible to ignore.

THE CHALLENGE:
Many organisations with social impact, CSR and ESG initiatives struggle to document their impact. They worry about appearing self-promotional, lack time to capture their work, or rely on generic stock photos that fail to build trust with stakeholders.

What I've learned: documenting your impact isn't about vanity – it's about trust.

MY UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE:
• Social impact documentary photographer
• CEO of a multi-award-winning charity
• Brand development expert (helped a Dragon from Dragons' Den launch five businesses)
• Award-winning Channel 4 documentary filmmaker
• I'm part of the communities I serve

HOW I CAN HELP:

1. SOCIAL IMPACT PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO
Capture your CSR and ESG initiatives through powerful visual storytelling that centres on beneficiaries, not egos.
Message me "STORY"

2. STORYTELLING CONSULTANCY SERVICES
I'll work with you to implement the strategies from my storytelling formula directly into your organisation's website, social media, annual reports, or ESG and CSR communications.
Message me "CONSULT"

3. PURPOSE-DRIVEN PERSONAL BRAND COACHING
Transform your personal brand into a platform for change.
Message me "COACHING"

4. FREE SOCIAL IMPACT STORYTELLING FORMULA
My step-by-step framework for documenting impact with dignity.
Message me "FORMULA" to download

READY TO TRANSFORM HOW STAKEHOLDERS SEE YOUR IMPACT?
• Join my FREE personal branding mini-course: https://join.ogston.com/starter
• Follow me for social impact insights
• Download my free formula (DM "FORMULA")
• Message me for a brand strategy session

Let's make your mission impossible to ignore.

Featured in: BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Sky News, The Guardian, The Times

Matt Mahmood-Ogston 🌱

The algorithm just decided your story of saving 50 lives isn't worth sharing. Especially if you're a woman.

Experiments on LinkedIn recently proved what women had suspected all along.

Dorothy Dalton, Jane Evans, and Cindy Gallop tested the platform to see what would happen if men and women posted identical content at the same time.

In one test, two male participants with a combined ~9,400 followers posted the same content at the same time as two female participants with over 154,000 followers combined. 

The result? The men's posts achieved significantly more reach despite having 16 times fewer followers.

Same content. Same timing. Different gender.

Why is this important?

Algorithms have been with us for some time. But with the sudden rise of AI, the risks are now even bigger. And it's silencing the voices that need to change the world.

Research shows women's jobs are three times more likely to be automated by AI than men's. But the algorithm is also suppressing women's ability to tell the stories that prove their work matters.

For charity leaders and social impact organisations, this isn't just unfair. It's existential.

The machine learned what "valuable content" looks like from historical data. That data reflects a world where male-dominated topics like tech and finance were prioritised.

Where "agentic" language like "driven" and "strategic" signalled authority. Where linear careers without breaks were the standard.

The algorithm hasn't learned the value of what "care" means yet. Or the real meaning of "community". Or the messy, non-linear path of someone who took time off to raise children or support ageing parents.

It learned to suppress exactly the voices that social impact needs most.

Key lessons to learn

This isn't about LinkedIn being evil. It's about proxy bias - when neutral-seeming systems produce discriminatory outcomes.

Does the algorithm penalise:
- Impact topics over business topics
- Emotional storytelling over corporate speak
- Career breaks over uninterrupted trajectories

For women leading charities, this creates a vicious cycle. Your stories won't reach funders. Your impact doesn't get seen. Your organisation struggles to prove its value. You lose funding. You lose influence. The work suffers.

When AI suppresses women's voices in social impact, it literally suppresses stories of change.

Actions you can take

- Engage daily with posts from your connections.

- Send DMs daily to your closest peers.

- Then document your reach. Track which posts perform and which don't.

If you see patterns, you're not imagining it.

Then tell the story anyway. Use every channel. Email your supporters directly. Share in communities. Don't let an algorithm decide whose impact matters.

The stories that change the world can't afford to be algorithmically silenced. We need to talk about it, to break free.

Matt Mahmood-Ogston

Award-Winning Impact Storyteller & Social Impact Photographer | Helping 400+ Charity & Comms Leaders Create Authentic Stories that Build Trust, Impact and Funding | Charity CEO, Naz & Matt Foundation

What is Proxy Bias?

AI doesn't just ignore your 'care work'.
It's been trained to see it as worthless.
Let me explain

Large-scale analyses of tens of thousands of job descriptions show 60-75% of ads use predominantly agentic, male-coded language (competitive, driven, strategic), while only 20-35% use communal language (supportive, caring, nurturing)

Studies from MIT, Stanford, LinkedIn and Textio confirm that AI systems trained on this data reproduce the same pattern.

The machine learned that care has less value

Why is this important?

If you lead an org focused on safeguarding, mental health or community, your content is being systematically downgraded.

Not because it lacks quality. Because the algorithm was trained on decades of data that prioritised male-dominated industries like tech and finance over care work.

Jazz Gandhi shared with me how Safiya Noble's book, "Algorithms of Oppression", exposed how search engines privilege whiteness and marginalise women through commercial incentives.

Search engines prioritised what was profitable, not what's fair. Social algorithms inherited the same logic?

When you write about empathy - algorithm sees low commercial value. When you share stories about community care, it predicts low engagement. When you discuss safeguarding vulnerable people, the system deprioritises it.

Proxy bias in action

AI uses seemingly neutral variables like word choice, content topics, and career gaps to create discriminatory outcomes. It doesn't need to know your gender. It needs to recognise the language patterns associated with care work.

The system thinks "care" is a distraction and "growth" is the real work.

Key lessons to learn

"Care work" content is less likely to generate rapid, high-volume engagement. Instead, it generates reflection. Empathy. Slower, deeper connection. But algorithms reward speed and volume, not depth.

Algorithms penalise slow engagement. A post that sparks conversation over days gets buried because the velocity isn't there in the first hour.

For charity leaders, this creates a difficult choice: write authentically about your impact and get suppressed, or adopt corporate language that betrays your mission.

The solution isn't one or the other.
It's both.

Actions you can take

Test your own content. Take a post about care work and rewrite it using agentic language. Post both versions at different times. Track the reach difference. Document and share what you find.

The algorithm won't change until we force the conversation. Share your data. Tag me in. Make the bias visible. Demand better.

And something else is happening that we need to talk about.

Many women are changing their gender on LinkedIn to male to see if it improves their reach.

Running experiments because there's evidence the platform itself treats them differently. Not just their content. Them.

That's how broken this is.

Thank you Dorothy Dalton, Jane Evans & Cindy Gallop and the many other women who have done the prior work in this area.

Award-Winning Impact Storyteller & Photographer | Social Impact Photography, Workshops & Animated Photo Stories that Inspire Action, Win Funding, Prove Outcomes | Helping Charities & Social Impact Teams | Charity CEO

How to Challenge Proxy Bias

It's not the bad behaviour that destroys human rights. It's the good people who excuse it.

I'm watching this play out right now with transgender rights across the UK and US.

In April 2025, the UK Supreme Court ruled that "biological sex" can legally exclude trans people from spaces.

By January 2025, Trump had signed an executive order restricting gender-affirming care for persons under 19. New ID restrictions are making it harder for trans people to live without being outed.

In an environment that is increasingly becoming more hostile and dangerous.

Healthcare protections are being repealed.
Hate crimes against trans people are rising.

And most people who claim to care about human rights? They're silent.

Why is this important?

Your silence sends a message louder than any values statement on your website.

When charities stay quiet because trans rights are "too controversial," when institutions issue no statements because they fear donor backlash, when individuals scroll past these stories because they're "too political," you're making a choice.

You're choosing comfort over courage.
You're choosing funding over fairness.
You're choosing silence over solidarity.

In the social impact sector, we're supposed to protect human rights. But how can we claim to fight injustice in communities when we won't speak up about systematic rollbacks happening right now?

Key lessons to learn:

Your impact isn't defined by your mission statement.
It's defined by which human rights violations you're willing to ignore.

Staying neutral on human rights isn't neutral.
It's complicity with the people causing harm.

The communities watching your silence today will remember it tomorrow. They're noting who spoke up and who looked away.

Actions you can take:

Issue a public statement acknowledging these rollbacks and reaffirming your commitment to protecting all people's dignity and rights, regardless of political pressure or donor concerns.

Create space in your programming and storytelling to centre trans voices and experiences, showing solidarity through action, not just words.

The communities you claim to serve are watching what you do, not what you say.

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The most dangerous kind of silence isn’t ignorance. It’s charity and social impact leaders who know what’s happening - and say nothing.

Trans activists are being murdered for speaking up.

Around the world, including US, UK and Europe.  

It’s not random violence. It’s the result of rhetoric that dehumanises, policies that erase, and media that looks away.

If you run a charity, a B Corp, or a social impact team - silence isn’t neutrality anymore.

It’s a message.

And it’s being heard loud and clear by the people who need your support most.

For #TransAwarenessWeek I wrote about why ally visibility matters now, and what every leader can do this week to make a difference.

View newsletter: The Social Impact Storyteller

Trans activists are being murdered for speaking up. According to the latest data from Transgender Europe’s Trans Murder Monitoring 2025 project, a gro

Open article: The Silence That Kills – Why Visibility Matters Now As a Trans Ally by Matt Mahmood-Ogston • 5 min read

The Silence That Kills – Why Visibility Matters Now As a Trans Ally

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Matt Mahmood-Ogston 🌱

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The Battle

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Matt Mahmood-Ogston 🌱

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Engagements

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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);}Matt Mahmood-Ogston 🌱's LinkedIn Performance

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