Every year, Cannes Lions celebrates creativity at its peak. I love watching the ads after… big ideas, bold storytelling, brands making culture. But behind the scenes, something far less glamorous is derailing campaign effectiveness: project management.

After hundreds of speaking gigs, most in business, some on international stages, and even a few where I was the guy compering a mate’s wedding reception, I’ve learned a few things the hard way. I’ve spoken at places like the Tower of London, The Shard, and HMS Belfast as part of a UK business tour. I’ve flown to Washington DC to speak at a major tech conference. And yes, I’ve misjudged an audience so badly early on that I honestly wanted the ground to swallow me whole. So, with some scar tissue and a fair bit of practice, here are five things I wish someone had told me back when I started.

AI can simulate helpfulness, even empathy. But it doesn’t share in your joy or frustration. It doesn’t have skin in the game. It can’t reflect you back to yourself in the way a real relationship does.

AI is everywhere. It’s exciting, disruptive, and evolving faster than most of us can keep up with. It’s also pretty much hijacked the conversation about the future of business. But if you’re in marketing, I think it’s worth lifting your head above the AI fog and looking at what else is coming down the track. You’re going to learn about AI, one way or another. But there are some technologies emerging that might not have the same headline power, but they’re on the brink of how we reach people, build trust, and grow brands.

Disclaimer: I’m not a fitness influencer. I’m not a biohacker. I have a family, a career in Marketing, and I’ve not got it all figured out. But, I’ve figured out some things that really work for me, and I’ve been keeping myself in healthier shape than ever. So… here’s my story and a few tips, in case they may be able to help you too.

For years, creators have been defined by their platforms. TikTok made them overnight viral. X turned them into a meme. IG built the brand. YouTube made them stars. But the game is changing , and it is changing fast. Today’s top creators are building ecosystems. We’re seeing a powerful shift: from chasing likes to launching brands, from scrolling feeds to long-form storytelling, from platform dependence to platform independence.

'Win the internet but lose the plot' is becoming increasingly familiar in marketing. The brands that dominate a trending moment often enjoy a flash of relevance and a bit of brand awareness for a few days. And those that jump on a trend late, trying to borrow its momentum, often walk away with little more than a few hundred likes and a misguided sense of progress in the next Social Media Performance Report.

There’s a paradox at the heart of AI adoption. The more powerful the tools become, the more vulnerable companies are to misusing them, likely not through malice but through misunderstanding.

In the wake of generative AI’s explosion onto the marketing scene, the narrative has been predictably loud: automation is here, creativity is dead, and content production has entered its post-human era. Yet beneath the noise, a quieter, more nuanced story is unfolding which separates the brands simply using AI from those fundamentally transforming around it.

For years, marketers were told to chase consistency. Repeat your message. Reinforce your identity. Make every interaction look and feel the same. But in a world saturated with content and collapsing attention spans, consistency isn’t always your friend. Sometimes, it’s the very thing making your brand invisible.

In an era where likes and shares no longer cut it, can creators really move the needle on real-world sales?

Drawing from Mesopotamian and cross-cultural insights, this article explores why the most ancient leadership traits, vision and communication, remain essential for driving impact in modern organisations

In this article Steve Sharpe, lifelong Londoner, explores why Windsor and Eton, which sit on opposite sides of the River Thames connected by a small pedestrian bridge, are his top pick for daytrips from London due to the culture, castle and cuisine.

A short personal reflection on how Cialdini’s Influence gave me a lifelong toolkit for decoding persuasion, influence, and power, helping me navigate everything from boardrooms to brand campaigns

In this piece, Steve Sharpe outlines the principles he's used to help creators move from content to commerce, thinking more like businesses without losing their creative spark.

This article explores how breakthrough ideas often emerge from the margins, not the mainstream; arguing that creativity thrives in overlooked, under-resourced, or underestimated places.

Steve Sharpe shares the mindset, methods, and micro-habits that helped him transform his fitness, with daily guidance from ChatGPT and training inspiration from his friend, viral creator Armz Korleone.

In this article, Steve Sharpe unpacks the modern obsession with engagement metrics, exposing how shallow data can distort strategy and why meaningful reach matters more.

This piece challenges the outdated thinking behind junior-led social media strategies, arguing for a more strategic, high-context structural enablement to empower brand voice in the digital age.

This piece examines how the creator economy is building a new cultural middle class; one shaped by digital influence, entrepreneurial spirit, and shifting values around work and identity.