Helping leaders communicate ideas that build trust and move conversations forward
Thought leadership isn't about producing more content. The challenge isn't finding more words — it's finding the right idea, organizing it clearly, and communicating it in a way that earns attention and trust.
I work with executives and subject matter experts to develop thought leadership, executive communications, and strategic content grounded in genuine expertise. From interviews and collaborative drafting to deep research and editorial refinement, I help leaders communicate with clarity, credibility, and a distinctive point of view.
What I Do
Thought leadership strategy
Executive communications
Ghostwriting & collaborative writing
Interview-based research
Strategic storytelling
Editorial strategy
Articles & bylines
Executive messaging
Cross-functional collaboration
Vision & Point of View
Thought leadership begins with a point of view. The strongest executive communication doesn't simply explain what an organization does — it offers a perspective that helps people see a problem differently. I partner with leaders to uncover the ideas worth sharing, shape them into clear, compelling narratives, and communicate them in a voice that is authentic, credible, and distinctly their own.
Selected work
Day One Memo: Strategies to Accelerate and Expand Access to the U.S. Innovation Economy
VentureWell leadership: Phil Weilerstein, Mark Marino, Courtney Drauschke, Nadine Kavanaugh, Angela Russo, and Beth Ward
A strategic memorandum for the Day One Project, synthesizing research into actionable recommendations for strengthening the U.S. innovation ecosystem.
Fast Company: I'm the Techstars CEO. Here's Why ESG Is a Priority for Every Investment We Make
Maëlle Gavet, Techstars CEO
A case for treating ESG not as a reporting requirement, but as a core investment strategy and competitive advantage.
Inc. Magazine: Why You Shouldn't Aim to Reach Unicorn Status
David Brown, Techstars Founder and CEO
A challenge to startup culture's obsession with billion-dollar valuations, arguing that sustainable companies matter more than unicorn status.
Inc. Magazine: Here's Why the Fastest Way to Grow Your Business Is to Slow Down
David Brown, Techstars Founder and CEO
An argument that the strongest companies grow by building deliberately — not by pursuing speed at any cost.
Techstars Blog (fka The Line): How To Know Your Corporation Is Proof of Concept (POC) Ready
Esther Lim, Techstars Studio Lead for Industry Solutions
A framework for helping corporations become better partners to startups by rethinking how proof-of-concept collaborations are designed.
Inc. Magazine: Here's 3 Essential Things to Know About Leading a Team That's Half Remote, Half In Office
David Brown, Techstars Founder and CEO
Practical guidance for building trust, culture, and collaboration in a workplace split between remote and in-office teams.
Inc. Magazine: How to Prepare Your Company for an Economic Downturn
David Brown, Techstars Founder and CEO
A leader's perspective on helping companies prepare for uncertainty through thoughtful planning, resilience, and disciplined decision-making.
Making Complex Ideas Accessible
Complex ideas require clear communication. I work with researchers, entrepreneurs, innovators, and subject matter experts to translate expertise into engaging, accessible writing for broader audiences. Through interviews and collaborative development, I help experts communicate in their own voices, organizing complex ideas into compelling narratives without sacrificing accuracy or nuance. The goal isn't to simplify ideas until they're shallow — it's to make them accessible without losing their depth.
VentureWell: Accelerating Access to Mpox Diagnostic Tests: The Impact of RADx ITAP
Explaining how the NIH's RADx program accelerated the development of faster, more accessible mpox diagnostic tests.
Forbes: How to Brand the Apple of Shoe Companies
Karl Ulrich, CIBC Endowed Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Examining how Allbirds combined product design, sustainability, and customer experience to build a distinctive consumer brand.
Forbes: Founder Naïveté Can Be a Good Thing
Karl Ulrich, CIBC Endowed Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Exploring why a founder's lack of conventional wisdom can become an unexpected advantage in building innovative companies.
Forbes: Want to Buy Travel? Better Use Big Data
Karl Ulrich, CIBC Endowed Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Showing how Hopper uses big data and machine learning to personalize travel planning and improve decision-making.
Forbes: How to Make Virtual Reality a Reality
Karl Ulrich, CIBC Endowed Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Tracing how Evolving Technologies is helping move virtual reality from niche technology to practical business applications.
Forbes: Animal Testing That Is Kind, Not Cruel
Karl Ulrich, CIBC Endowed Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Introducing Emulate's organ-on-a-chip technology, which offers a promising alternative to traditional animal testing.
Founder Stories & Company Profiles
Every startup has a story — and every founder has a different way of telling it. As the ghostwriter behind Wharton professor Karl Ulrich's Forbes Elevator Pitch of the Month series, I translated founder interviews into engaging company profiles that accompanied each podcast episode, introducing readers to innovative startups across a wide range of industries.
Xpand — Improving employee onboarding through automation and knowledge sharing
MoveWith — Connecting independent fitness instructors with people seeking great classes
Indiegogo — Expanding crowdfunding through equity investing for entrepreneurs
Boom — Making moving easier by connecting college students with local jobs
Cotopaxi — Outdoor gear company proving that purpose and profit can reinforce one another
Scoop — Using technology to make carpooling practical for everyday commuters
Twine — Connecting businesses with freelance creatives through a curated marketplace
Archive
Inc. Magazine
Why You Shouldn’t Overlook Italy as a Startup Destination — Making the case for Italy’s emerging startup ecosystem.
David Brown, Techstars Founder and CEOHow Sleeping 9 Hours a Night Helped Me Become a Successful Entrepreneur — Arguing that sleep is essential to sustained leadership. performance
David Brown, Techstars Founder and CEO5 Advantages to Starting a Company When You’re Young — Exploring how youth can create unusual advantages for founders.
David Brown, Techstars Founder and CEOThis 1 Problem May Be Holding You Back From Success as an Entrepreneur — Showing how failure can replace arrogance with resilient confidence.
David Brown, Techstars Founder and CEO
Forbes
Beautiful Bras for Breast Cancer Survivors — AnaOno: Apparel designed specifically for breast cancer survivors.
Karl Ulrich, CIBC Endowed Professor at the Wharton School of the University of PennsylvaniaWhat’s That Drone Doing? Delivering Blood, Saving Lives — Zipline: Using autonomous drones to deliver lifesaving blood and medical supplies.
Karl Ulrich, CIBC Endowed Professor at the Wharton School of the University of PennsylvaniaTaking the BS Out of Bra Shopping — And Out of Meetings With (Male) Investors — Harper Wilde: Simplifying bra shopping while confronting gender bias in fundraising.
Karl Ulrich, CIBC Endowed Professor at the Wharton School of the University of PennsylvaniaWhat’s In a Name? A Rocket of Awesome, That’s What — Rocket of Awesome: Custom-fit apparel powered by 3D body scanning.
Karl Ulrich, CIBC Endowed Professor at the Wharton School of the University of PennsylvaniaHow To Make A Luxury Vegan Shoe — Veerah: Crafting luxury footwear from sustainable, animal-free materials.
Karl Ulrich, CIBC Endowed Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania