The Brand Called You

In this episode of The Brand Called You, Ashutosh Garg sits down with Aakanksha Gupta, Founder & CEO of The Other Circle, to explore the evolving world of reputation strategy and crisis communication.

From overcoming industry biases to building a modern PR firm rooted in authenticity, Aakanksha shares actionable frameworks and real-world insights. The discussion covers CEO profiling, crisis management, internal communication, and the skills leaders need in an AI-driven future.

Key Topics Covered:

• Power, narrative, and influence in communication
  

• Breaking industry norms as a young woman leader
  

• Reputation strategies across entertainment, pharma, education, and D2C
  

• Crisis communication frameworks
  

• CEO profiling best practices
  

• Trust and cultural fluency in the AI era
  

Award-winning filmmaker and author Barnet Bain joins The Brand Called You to explore creativity, belonging, ego, and the daily practice of friendship. Drawing from Hollywood, spirituality, and his book How to Be a Friend in an Unfriendly World, Bain reflects on connection, self-awareness, and remembering the love at the heart of all relationships.

00:38- About Barnet Bain

• Barnet is an award winning filmmaker and an author. 

• His latest book is titled How to Be a Friend in an Unfriendly World.

Ari’s journey is shaped not just by elite science, AI, and entrepreneurship—but by deeply human inflection points: a lifelong friendship, the perspective gained through parenthood, and the transformative power of love. This conversation explores how freedom to be different, multidisciplinary thinking, and compassion built a technologist who now measures success by impact, service, and meaning—not titles or credentials.

00:09- About Ari Smith

• Ari Smith is an accomplished technology leader and AI expert with a foundation in math and computer science from the MIT ecosystem, where he also co-founded and successfully exited a software startup acquired by a major technology company.

• He has served in senior technical and strategic roles—including as a Solutions Architect at Microsoft and as CTO of an elite AI engineering firm—while developing patented technologies and advising global organizations.

• Beyond core technology leadership, Ari engages in interdisciplinary initiatives, from sustainable innovation ventures to serving on the board of a major autism advocacy organization, demonstrating his commitment to impactful, human-centered applications of AI. 

From early setbacks to shaping some of the world’s most complex leadership platforms, Timothy Wong shares the inflection points, principles, and philosophy that define his extraordinary journey. A masterclass in trust-building, orchestration, and purpose-driven leadership across global communities.

00:09- About Timothy Wong

• He is a strategic global leader with over three decades of experience in leadership development and executive engagement.

• He is a facilitator and curator of high-impact learning experiences for senior executives and global communities. 

• He is a trusted orchestrator of collaborative events that bridge strategic vision with stakeholder alignment.

In this fireside-style conversation, Ken shares the defining inflection points that shaped his journey—from navigating 9/11 and the global financial crisis to building at the forefront of digital assets, Web3, and generative AI. A masterclass in resilience, foresight, and building through disruption.

00:09- About Ken Nguyen

• Ken is an experienced venture builder, investor, and advisor with over 25 years creating more than $1B in enterprise value across finance, technology, and emerging markets. 

• He is a leader in Web3, generative AI, and digital asset innovation, serving as Cofounder and Managing Partner of a venture studio focused on next-generation infrastructure. 

• He is a former senior executive at global institutions including Diagram, Blackstone, and a family office, with a foundational background in leveraged finance and restructuring. 

Dive into the mysteries of the cosmos with Prof. Neil Comins, Professor of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Maine, USA, in this illuminating episode of The Brand Called You, hosted by Ashutosh Garg.

In this thought-provoking conversation, Prof. Comins shares how personal adversity shaped his journey into astrophysics and why he chose to specialize in general relativity—one of the most challenging fields in science.

The episode explores:

• Common misconceptions about galaxies and the Big Bang
  

• The search for life beyond Earth using the James Webb Space Telescope
  

• Ancient India’s remarkable contributions to astronomy
  

• India’s growing global role in space research
  

• The transformative impact of artificial intelligence on astronomy
  

• The scientific foundation behind his bestselling “What If” books

In this episode, host Ashutosh Garg speaks with Upasna Dash, CEO & Founder of Jajabor Brand Consultancy, about rewiring public relations for real business impact.

Starting her career at just 18 without formal training, Upasna went on to build a growth-hacking consultancy that connects storytelling directly to funding, hiring, and market expansion.

In this conversation, you’ll discover:

✔ Why traditional PR is broken ✔ How storytelling builds credibility and trust ✔ The power of data-driven communication ✔ Why founders must start building their narrative from day zero ✔ The future of integrated and hyperlocal communication ✔ The evolving landscape of women entrepreneurship in India

Join host Stephen Ibaraki in a deeply moving conversation with Fleet Maull, Founder of Heart Mind Institute and Prison Mindfulness Institute. Fleet shares his extraordinary journey from a turbulent childhood and struggles with addiction to serving 14 years in federal prison — and ultimately transforming his life into one of service, leadership, and global impact.

In this powerful episode, Fleet reveals how adversity became his greatest teacher. From founding national prison mindfulness and hospice movements while incarcerated to building the globally recognized Heart Mind Institute, his story is a testament to radical responsibility, resilience, and servant leadership.

Key themes explored in this episode:

• Turning trauma into transformation
  

• The power of radical responsibility
  

• Building trust and leadership behind bars
  

• Integrating Buddhism, neuroscience, and indigenous wisdom
  

• The importance of meta-learning in a rapidly changing world
  

• Rebuilding life and career after prison
  

• Founding and scaling Heart Mind Institute

Do you dread speaking in public — whether in a boardroom, presentation, or meeting?

In this powerful episode of The Brand Called You, host Ashutosh Garg speaks with Robert Summa, Public Speaking Phobia Expert and Founder of Public Speaking Cure.

After battling severe speaking anxiety for 18 years, Robert discovered something life-changing: it wasn’t just fear — it was a neurological phobia. Today, he helps professionals eliminate public speaking phobia instead of merely managing it.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The science behind public speaking phobia • What happens in your brain during panic • Why exposure therapy can sometimes worsen anxiety • Why traditional tips don’t provide lasting relief • How curing the phobia can lead to promotions and leadership breakthroughs

Whether you’re a senior executive, an aspiring leader, or someone who avoids speaking opportunities, this episode offers hope — and a proven path forward.

Welcome to another thought-provoking episode of The Brand Called You. In this episode, Ashutosh Garg speaks with Geoff Gibbins, Founder of Human Machines, a human-AI transformation company focused on helping organizations thrive in the age of artificial intelligence.

Geoff shares practical, real-world insights into how AI is reshaping leadership, work, and decision-making. He explains why many leaders still view AI as a future challenge, what effective human-AI collaboration truly looks like, and why most enterprise AI initiatives fail to move beyond the pilot stage.

This conversation dives deep into concepts such as liquid organizations, learning flywheels, and the growing importance of human judgment in an AI-driven world. Geoff also highlights why people-led transformations consistently outperform technology-led ones and how leaders must learn, unlearn, and relearn to stay relevant.

Whether you’re a business leader, entrepreneur, or technology enthusiast, this episode will help you understand how to harness AI deliberately—without losing sight of what makes us human.