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. 

💪🏿

Hannah Power

founder @amplify | empowering solopreneurs to create online success, through alignment not hustle | join my next free masterclass to learn how 💫

I’ve spent the last decade obsessed with one question:

Why do some people seem to succeed with ease, while others burn themselves out through extreme effort, and the majority never reach the life they’re working so hard for?

After studying high performers across industries (and living these patterns myself), I realised the answer wasn’t strategy, talent, or discipline.

It was behaviour.

More specifically, who someone is ‘being’ while they pursue what they want.

Most ambitious people operate in one of two modes.

1 | Achiever Mode: driven by control, pressure, and anxiety. You get results but they come at a cost, and progress doesn’t feel rewarding.

2 | Dreamer Mode: ideas without execution. Constant planning, pivoting, and searching for clarity. Thinking feels productive, but nothing actually moves you in the right direction.

Both modes look productive, and both keep people stuck.

And then there’s a third way… Performer Mode.

This is where success comes from alignment, not force. You trust yourself and the process. And because you believe things work out for you, your brain starts to make that belief real.

This isn’t manifestation. It’s science. 

And it can be learnt.

It’s the competitive advantage the 0.1% of elite performers have always understood.

My path to get here wasn’t linear.

I started my career at Accenture, working in digital strategy, building frameworks and scaling operations. I was effective, but constantly cycling between dreamer and achiever mode.

Aged 25 I left, moved to Bali and built my own business as a Personal Brand Coach, helping hundreds of ambitious people move from inconsistency and overwhelm into clarity and flow. And yet, I was still cycling between force and exhaustion myself.

It was through this work that I finally learned how to operate in Performer Mode myself.

I now teach this to individuals and embed it into company culture on a wider scale.

Here’s what I know to be true…

Your thoughts shape your beliefs. Your beliefs shape your identity. Your identity drives your behaviour. And your behaviour creates your outcomes.

Change the operating mode, and everything changes.

What I teach is simple, but impactful:
→ the psychology and practice of Performer Mode
→ how to achieve more through alignment (instead of anxiety)
→ the framework: focus. let go. optimise. win.
→ the core belief: everything is always working out for me

I write about this on LinkedIn, Instagram and in my newsletter.

I’m also writing a book about it: The Flow Era (launching 2027).

If any of this resonates, let's connect 🤍

Podcast Host

Flow, the podcast that unlocks the secrets to finding balance in the chaos so you can live your best life, in every area of your life.

Hi, I’m Hannah, personal growth junkie, ideator and lover of anything related to high performance working, living and loving.

Over the last 10 years I’ve been on a (very up and down) journey of self discovery with a goal of becoming the happiest, freest, most successful version of myself.

5 years ago I came across the concept of flow and it transformed my life. I now use the philosophy and teachings of flow to transform my clients lives and through this podcast, I hope flow can transform your life too.

The podcast will help you understand and free yourself from everything and anything which is holding you back from living the life you're meant to.

Lets get into flow, together.

93% of founders are experiencing mental health strain.

That's not a typo. 93%.

And their anxiety rates? 5x the UK average.

I've noticed something too with the people I work with…

They tell me they used to handle pressure well. But lately, a full inbox feels overwhelming, a tough conversation with their team completely drains them, and a simple change of plans throws off their entire week.

They think they're getting less resilient. But what's actually happening is their ‘window of tolerance’ has shrunk.

I came across this concept recently and am obsessed how it explains the growing pressure new technology and AI can put on our daily lives. 

… it’s also a perfect measure of whether or not you’re in Performer Mode (which of course I love).

If you've not heard of it, your window of tolerance is the zone where you can process stress, think clearly, and respond (not react) to what's happening around you.

When you're inside this window, challenges feel manageable. You can problem solve, regulate your emotions, and stay present.

But when you're pushed outside your window, everything feels harder than it should. And you can easily slip into what I call Dreamer or Achiever Mode (if you’ve read my posts you’re familiar with these - but if you want a refresher, DM and I’ll explain!).

The important bit about your window of tolerance: it shrinks when you don’t rest.

Every late night. Every skipped meal. Every week without a break. Every hour spent scrolling instead of actually resting.

Your capacity gets smaller, and your tolerance gets lower. Suddenly things that used to be easy (full inbox, tough conversation, change of plans) feel overwhelming.

I see this constantly with my clients. They operate like this for months (sometimes years) without realising what's happening. They just think they're not disciplined, resilient, or capable enough.

But the good news is, your window of tolerance can widen again. Here's how:

1 | Rest strategically and don't wait until you’ve burnt out. Build recovery into your week before you need it.

2 | Notice early warning signs like irritability, brain fog, feeling rushed when you're not actually behind. These are signals you're nearing the edge of your window.

3 | Regulate before you act. When you feel yourself moving into reaction mode (snapping, shutting down, spiralling), pause. Take 3 deep breaths, then take a walk or do anything that brings you back into your window before making decisions.

Your window of tolerance is your operating capacity and it’s what keeps you in Performer Mode. When you protect it, everything gets easier (decisions, conversations, work, relationships).

Have you noticed your window getting narrower these days? What signals tell you when you're operating outside of it?

Would love to hear different perspectives on this in the comments.

And if you want practical tools to widen your window and operate from your highest capacity, join Performer Mode (link in comments).

teaching you how to shift the behaviours blocking your success | performance coach | creator @performer mode

We rejected hustle culture because it burned us out.

Now society is glorifying disengagement (…and calling it empowerment).

Did we just swap one unhealthy extreme for another?

I recently read a Forbes article that asked whether the backlash to hustle culture has gone too far. 

And honestly? I think they're asking the right question.

We went from ‘sleep when you're dead’ to ‘romanticise doing nothing’. From girlboss era to soft girl era. From grinding ourselves into the ground… to quiet quitting everything.

Both extremes are exhausting and lack sustainability.

We simple traded what I call Achiever Mode for Dreamer Mode.

Achiever Mode is hustle. You measure your worth by output, and rest feels like failure. You tell yourself that slowing down means falling behind. You hit your goals but realise you've spent years running on anxiety and adrenaline.

Dreamer Mode is the exact opposite - when you disengage entirely, avoid the discomfort of doing hard things, and romanticise rest to the point where nothing actually gets built.

The anti-hustle movement was absolutely necessary. Hustle culture was toxic. It promised that if you just worked hard enough, sacrificed enough, you’d finally ‘have it all’.

But it didn't deliver. So people pivoted to the opposite extreme.

To add even more nuance to this shift… some people are operating in Achiever Mode disguised in Dreamer Mode… 

Trad wives creating 80-hour-week content schedules about not working and ‘soft girl era’ aesthetics that require just as much curation and labor as the girl boss grind did.

The real issue at the bottom of all this is that we keep being told there’s only ONE right way to live. 

What’s missing is the middle ground. 

This is what I call Performer Mode. Where you can be ambitious AND protect your energy. Where success doesn't require suffering. Where rest isn't passive disengagement, but strategic recovery that actually fuels your goals.

(sounds nice, doesn’t it?)

With Performer Mode you don't have to choose between burning out or checking out. You can build something meaningful without destroying yourself in the process.

The question isn't "hustle or rest?"

It's "how do I build success that actually feels sustainable and true to me?"

The girl boss era burnt most of us out. The soft girl era told us to give up. If you're ready for the movement that comes next, join Performer Mode (link in comments).

In the UK, some people are now spending 7-8 hours a day on their phones (the same as a full working day).

…and we wonder why we're exhausted.

Every time you’re on your phone, you know what’s actually happening? Your brain is making thousands of micro-decisions. 

Scroll or stop? Read or skip? Reply or ignore? 

And each micro-decision fires glutamate, the neurotransmitter responsible for mental fatigue. 

So that hour of ‘downtime’ scrolling before bed? I hate to break this to you… but your brain actually experienced it as another hour of work (not rest).

We're living in what I'd call the era of manufactured exhaustion. 

We're busier, more connected, and more depleted than ever. And yet the solution most people reach for (their phone) is the exact thing making it worse.

I see this pattern constantly in the 1:1 clients and companies I work with (no matter where they are in the world).

Some people run purely on adrenaline, burning through energy they can't replenish. They mistake stimulation for rest, and wondering why they never feel recovered. I call this ‘achiever mode’. 

When people find themselves in this mode, their relationship with rest is particularly telling: they see it as weakness. Rest is something you earn (not deserve). So they push through exhaustion, wear burnout like a badge of honour, and keep scrolling instead of actually switching off.

Until the body forces them to stop.

Think about your brain (and performance) like exercise… 

Your muscles don’t grow in the gym, they grow when you rest. Your brain (and performance) work exactly the same way.

Without proper rest, your nervous system stays in survival mode. You make short-term decisions, lose the ability to zoom out and see the big picture, and work harder for diminishing returns.

Real rest (the kind that actually resets your nervous system) requires stepping away from the noise.

So here’s what I would encourage you to try this week…

Choose one thing that actually resets and recharges you. It could be a walk, workout, hobby you genuinely enjoy, time with the people who energise you, whatever you like.

Commit to doing it just once this week (not every day because that might feel overwhelming in the beginning).

And the catch: do it without your phone. Just once… phone free. Notice what happens.

You’ll feel your decisions getting clearer, your energy stabilising, and the ideas you’ve been forcing will start to flow. 

Rest isn't time away from your goals. It's an investment in your capacity to achieve them.

I'd love to hear which activity you’ve chosen to commit to this week in the comments (studies show that telling at least one person will help you commit to your plan).

And if you want one simple activity each week to help you regulate and shift into the most successful version of you, join Performer Mode (it’s free). 

Link in comments.

You start strong monday with a new routine. A "this time it's gonna be different" energy.

But by thursday the routine's fallen apart.

Sound familiar?

You have big dreams, incredible ideas, and potential. But what if I were to ask about the habits you stick to daily?

You know what you ‘should’ be doing… but you're stuck in "I'll start on monday" mode.

And honestly, no judgement from me. I spent years cycling between what I’ve now named Dreamer and Achiever Mode. Today we’ll focus on Dreamer…

I used to get SO excited about a new routine, go all in for a few days, then completely fall off.

The problem is that when you’re operating from Dreamer Mode, you’re driven by excitement and the perfect moment. You treat every new habit like a fresh start and go all in with intense energy, but then burn out. 

This is what happens when you run on excitement without structure. It keeps you stuck in a cycle of starting and stopping.

To end it, you need to move into what I call Performer Mode - where you still have big dreams and work hard, but learn to regulate your nervous system and build sustainable habits. 

Here, success flows instead of being forced. You become 1% better each day by building with consistency instead of intensity.

After working with hundreds of people (and navigating this myself for years), I've found there are 6 habits of the high performer operating in flow.

And the key is to shift from Dreamer into Performer Mode. 

Tell me in the comments which of these 6 habits is your strongest, and which is your weakest? 

1 | Move 
Dreamers go all in Monday with a new intense exercise routine, then give up midweek. 

Shift into Performer Mode by making small changes you can keep consistent, starting once per week then building up.

2 | Nourish
Dreamers get excited about clean eating and consuming motivational content for a few days, then fall back into doomscrolling and snacking. 

Shift into Performer Mode by gradually reducing processed food and time spent on your phone.

3 | Rest
Dreamers either avoid rest entirely (too busy planning) or over-rest (scrolling in bed, avoiding action). 

Shift into Performer Mode by learning to reset your system with quality recovery, not rotting.

4 | Create
Dreamers get excited by new projects and ideas, rarely finishing them

Shift into Performer Mode by focusing on following one idea to completion.

5 | Design
Dreamers tend to live in a state of chaos.

Shift into Performer Mode by building simple (not rigid) routines you can actually maintain.

6 | Give
Dreamers often over-promise and under-deliver. 

Shift into Performer Mode by following through on one thing you said you’d do.

I know… this is a lot of information. So follow the Performer Mode approach…

Pick ONE habit. Make it 1% better. Sustain it. Then add another.

And join Performer mode (it’s free) for one simple activity each week to build sustainable habits towards living your best, most successful life.

Link in comments.

We've been told that anything worth having is worth suffering for.

Alysa Liu just proved that's bull$#it.

When she retired from figure skating at 16 because it stopped being fun, everyone thought her career was over.

But 2 years later she came back with a completely different mindset. Her only rule: if it’s not fun, I’m not doing it.

She danced to her own music, wore what she wanted, and prioritised joy over pressure.

She just won Olympic gold.

Compare this with Olympic gold medal winner Michael Phelps. He achieved his highly-decorated Olympian status through discipline, intensity, and pushing through fear. But he’s also opened up publicly about falling into severe depression after each Olympics.

The difference? 

Michael operated from what I call Achiever Mode. Whilst Alysa is operating from Performer Mode.

Achiever Mode is when you work with force, control, fear, and relentless discipline. It actually does get you results. That is… until your body and mind shut down. 

You have wins in achiever mode, but you're burnt out, anxious, and depressed.

Performer Mode (on the other hand) is when you still have big goals and work hard, but you've learned to regulate your nervous system and build habits that don't destroy you. 

Success flows instead of being forced. You achieve your dreams AND get to be a joyful person.

Here's what Alysa said in a recent interview: "I don't think anything is going to be hard. What is there to lose? Every second you're there you're gaining something, there's nothing to be lost."

That's what operating from Performer Mode in flow sounds like. 

And that's what happens when you believe everything is working out for you.

She didn't just win gold. She broke an upper limit for all of us… proving you don't have to suffer to achieve greatness.

You can do it your way. And it can be fun.

The question is: Which mode are you operating from today? Achiever or Performer Mode? (tell me in the comments).

If you want practical weekly tips to shift from Achiever into Performer Mode to start building success that actually feels good, join my newsletter (link in comments).

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The Battle

Phil Ossai

Hannah Power

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Engagements

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