The Brand Called You

In this insightful conversation, host Ashutosh Garg speaks with Osahon Akpata, CEO of CANEX Creations Inc., about transforming Africa’s creative economy and intellectual property into powerful global assets.Osahon shares his journey from finance and consulting to leading investments in Africa’s intellectual property–driven industries, offering deep insights into what it takes to build scalable creative businesses.The discussion explores the intersection of creativity, capital, and execution, highlighting how leaders can structure smart investments, build strategic partnerships, and unlock the long-term value of intellectual property.Whether you are an entrepreneur, investor, creator, or business leader, this episode provides practical insights on navigating risk, building sustainable creative ventures, and connecting African talent with global markets.

In this episode of The Brand Called You, host Ashutosh Garg sits down with Melbourne-based author Gabrielle Dolan, a global storytelling expert and author of Story Intelligence: The Craft of Authentic Storytelling Made Smarter with AI.Gabrielle shares her journey from corporate leadership to becoming a worldwide advocate for authentic storytelling, revealing why storytelling is not just a “soft skill” but a strategic leadership superpower. She also discusses how leaders can harness AI to enhance storytelling without losing authenticity, avoid common communication pitfalls, and inspire trust across their teams.Key Takeaways:Storytelling as a Leadership Superpower: Move beyond just sharing information—use stories to influence, engage, and connect with your audience.Authenticity Over Performance: Powerful stories come from clarity, honesty, and relevance, not exaggeration or theatrics.AI as a Creative Partner: Leverage AI for idea generation and refinement while keeping your authentic voice at the center of your storytelling.

In this insightful conversation, host Ashutosh Garg sits down with Peter L. Swimm, Founder of Toilville LLC, a multidisciplinary agency transforming businesses into conversational AI powerhouses.Peter shares his unique journey through startups, global enterprises, and open communities, and offers a people-first perspective on building conversational AI. Learn why multidisciplinary teams, context, and human connection are critical for successful AI deployments, and how businesses can avoid common misconceptions.In This Episode, You’ll Discover:How Peter’s early passion for human-centered technology shaped his career.What “multidisciplinary” really means in conversational AI.Why context and institutional knowledge are often missing in enterprise AI deployments.Real-world examples of solving AI misconceptions for clients.How to transition from isolated AI pilots to fully embedded business solutions.How NLU and generative AI work together in production-grade systems.The future of AI democratization, community-driven innovation, and emerging trends.Peter’s top three strategic questions for businesses starting their conversational AI journey.

Join host Ashutosh Garg as he speaks with Jake about the powerful metaphor behind sustainable growth, consistency, integrity, and navigating the complexities of modern life.Jake explains how his most meaningful roles — husband and father — have shaped his worldview and inspired his book Oak Logs & Gasoline. He explores why modern culture often pushes us toward “gasoline habits” — quick fixes and instant gratification — and how adopting “oak log practices” can lead to lasting fulfillment.From managing stress and discovering purpose to transforming solitude into strength, this episode offers practical wisdom for anyone seeking balance and deeper meaning in their lives.

In this episode, Ashutosh Garg sits down with David Homan, author of Orchestrating Connection, classical composer, and founder.David shares his journey—from overcoming childhood illness to navigating professional challenges like the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme—and explains how these experiences shaped his philosophy of connection.Discover why David draws a clear distinction between networking and genuine connection, how vulnerability and generosity build lasting relationships, and why diversity and empathy are essential for thriving communities.Whether you are a leader, connector, or simply curious about human relationships, this episode will transform how you think about community and connection.

In this episode of The Brand Called You, Inderjit Singh Makkar—Founder of Factacy—shares his journey from global enterprise leadership to entrepreneurship. He unpacks why disciplined data is the backbone of strategy, how AI must be bespoke to real business use cases, and what it takes to build defensible, long-term value in fintech, ESG analytics, and agentic AI.00:37- About Inderjit Singh MakkarInderjit is the founder of Factacy which is an AI as a service firm specializing in financial intelligence, market research and ESG data analytics. 

In this thought-provoking episode of The Brand Called You, Hunter Hastings, founder of The Value Creators and author of The Post‑Managerial Era of Capitalism:Organizational Design as the Next Innovation Frontier (Elements in Reinventing Capitalism) drawing from decades across multinationals, Silicon Valley startups, and venture capital, Hastings challenges the very foundations of traditional management. He explains why hierarchy and control now constrain innovation, how self-managed and entrepreneurial organizations outperform bureaucracies, and what leaders must unlearn to design organizations built around customers, trust, and experimentation.00:35- About Hunter HastingsHunter is the founder of The Value Creators, which is a business education brand that aims to bring a new perspective on value creation. He's also an author and his latest book is titled The Post‑Managerial Era of Capitalism:Organizational Design as the Next Innovation Frontier (Elements in Reinventing Capitalism). 

In this episode of The Brand Called You, Edward Bjurstrom, author of The Success Guide: How to Thrive in the Corporate Environment  drawing on four decades in the biopharmaceutical industry, Edward shares practical, experience-driven insights on mindset, emotional intelligence, leadership under pressure, focus, trust, and what it truly takes to thrive—personally and professionally—in demanding corporate environments.00:33- About Edward BjurstromEdward is the author of a book titled The Success Guide - How to Thrive in the Corporate Environment.

In this episode of The Brand Called You, Dushyant Singh, Managing Director of Playbook Partners India drawing on 25+ years across consulting, investing, and operating roles, Dushyant shares his philosophy of leadership built on value creation, trust, and followership—and explains why scaling is an art, not an algorithm. A thoughtful conversation on institution-building, growth-stage challenges, and backing founders for the long term.00:35- About Dushyant SinghDushyant is the managing director of Playbook Partners (India).

In this conversation, host Ashutosh Garg sits down with Kris Poria, CEO of EarlyBirds and author of The Innovation Intelligence Advantage.They explore why traditional innovation models are failing and unpack the concept of the “innovation gap”—the disconnect between the pace of external change and an organization’s ability to keep up.Discover how leaders can: • Build continuous adaptability • Transform procurement into a strategic advantage • Move beyond episodic consulting • Develop systemic visibility across global ecosystems