Work With Me

Dan Blackledge

I work with founders and leadership teams building ambitious, experience-led brands.

The kind of work where brand is not a layer added at the end, but something lived through culture, creativity, and execution. Where how it feels matters as much as how it performs.

I help shape brands people connect with emotionally, and I work with teams to make sure the organisation can carry that ambition in practice. Clear direction. Strong leadership. Teams set up to deliver work that holds its quality and purpose as it grows.

What Becomes Possible

When brand is treated as something people actually experience, it shows up everywhere. In the details. In how a space feels when you walk into it. In the tone of a message before you arrive, and what stays with you after.

Over time, this shapes how decisions get made. People have a clearer sense of what fits. Teams don’t need everything spelled out, because the standard is understood. There’s less second-guessing, fewer distractions, and more energy going into the work that matters.

The brand becomes something people remember, talk about, and want to return to.

As the work grows, that sense of purpose travels through the organisation. Through the people making decisions, the spaces being shaped, and the experiences that give the brand its character.

How We Work Together

The work looks different depending on what you’re building and where you are, but it usually begins in one of these ways:

The Sprint

A short, focused piece of work to bring clarity to brand direction, priorities, and next steps.

We use it to get close to the brand, the ambition behind it, and the reality of how things are currently playing out. It’s often used at moments of transition, before a new chapter, or when the work needs sharper focus and momentum.

The Strategic Partnership

An ongoing partnership with founders, C-suite leaders, and senior teams.

This is close, considered work carried out alongside the organisation. I’m involved in shaping brand direction, supporting leadership decisions, and helping teams organise around what matters, so the experience people have in the world reflects the intent behind it.

The focus is on protecting what gives the brand its meaning, while building the capability to deliver consistently as things grow.

The Community

Blume is a community for experience creators and culture-led founders.

A space to think well, connect with peers, and step out of the day-to-day to reconnect with why you’re doing the work in the first place. Through conversation, shared learning, and real-world experiences, Blume supports long-term creative leadership and ambition.

For some, Blume is where the journey starts.
For others, it runs alongside deeper 1:1 or organisational work.

How To Begin

If this way of working resonates, the best next step is a conversation.

No preparation.
No pitch.
Just a chance to explore whether there’s alignment, shared standards, and something meaningful to build together.