Authored by: Upasna Dash, Founder & CEO, Jajabor Brand Consultancy
You founded Jajabor at a time when the PR and communications landscape was already crowded. What gap did you see in the ecosystem that made you confident there was room for a new kind of consultancy?
When I started Jajabor, I kept hearing the same thing everywhere. There were many agencies and a lot of noise, but very few partners who helped founders feel and sound like themselves. The real gap was that communication was treated as a support service rather than strategy. Startups were growing at a fast pace but their story was scattered across product, marketing and operations. Everyone was speaking but no one was leading. I built Jajabor to solve this. We treat narrative as a design problem and bring strategy, storytelling and communication into one system. This gives brands coherence instead of confusion. That is where the real opportunity was and it still exists.Working closely with high-growth startups and new-age brands, what do you find they struggle with most when it comes to building their narrative in the early stages?
Founders know their vision deeply, but they struggle to express it in simple language that others can remember. Early teams are busy with product, hiring and growth. Narrative work is often pushed aside and by the time they enter the market, the world has already formed an opinion with very little information. The core issue is alignment. Founders mean one thing, teams say another and the market hears something else. Early narrative work gives the company a strong centre of gravity. It creates a clear guide that shapes every message, every decision and every hire. When this is done well, scale does not break the story.You often speak about founders needing to “own their story” before the startup scales. What does that truly mean in practice, and why does it matter for long-term reputation?
Owning your story means you take control of how your company is understood. It is not about polishing a hero journey. It is about being clear about your intent, your values and the promises you do not compromise on. In practice, it means founders must spend time writing down the company’s point of view and testing it until it is simple and memorable. It also means using that clarity to guide every communication and every decision. When you own your story, people can predict how you will show up and that creates trust. When you do not, the market fills the silence and that version is very hard to correct later.Traditional PR still chases media visibility, but you emphasise “designing influence”. How is this approach changing the way brands build trust and recall today?
Visibility without substance fades quickly. Designing influence focuses on the experience people have with your brand at every touchpoint. This includes the product, customer support, what the founder says in public and how the team behaves on social platforms. Influence is built through a consistent voice and a steady point of view that you keep showing up for. People trust brands that behave the same way wherever they appear. When that happens, the audience remembers your story in the same way even when you are not present. That is the new measure of trust.
Many fast-moving companies face communication challenges before they even reach a crisis. What early signals should founders watch for, and how can they crisis-proof their narrative proactively?
Most crises begin with small warning signs. Teams share mixed messages. Customers feel the product promise does not match their experience. Leaders change their tone every other week. These are early signals and they are important. The best way to prevent a crisis is to create internal clarity first. Set narrative guardrails and keep communication open inside the company so issues surface early. When something goes wrong, speak soon and speak simply. Silence allows speculation to grow. The biggest protection during a difficult moment is a strong track record of behaving as you say you will. That creates space to fix things without losing trust.
With AI transforming content, workflows and even media ecosystems, what does the new PR playbook look like for startups trying to stand out in an AI-first world?
AI changes the speed and scale of how content moves. It does not change the purpose of communication. The new playbook begins with clarity. Brands must know what they stand for before they amplify it. The second pillar is authenticity. People immediately sense what feels artificial. The third is agility. Brands must respond with speed and emotional intelligence. Using AI to help with research and distribution but keeping the intent human. Technology can amplify our message, but it cannot define our values. That is the job of founders and communication leaders.
As a founder building an agency in such a dynamic space, what’s the one piece of advice you would give to future communication leaders who want to shape the next decade of storytelling?
Focus on impact, not impressions. Spend time listening to people. Listen to customers, teams and critics. The strongest communication leaders understand sentiment before they shape a message. Build range by learning strategy, content behaviour and crisis judgement. Above everything, lead with honesty. Truth creates trust in a world where everything else can be scaled. Leaders who carry clarity and courage will shape how organisations earn trust in the next decade.
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are solely of the author and theprpost.com does not necessarily subscribe to it.
