KNOWN Episode 8 features Paul Afshar. Paul is a growth-focused fintech and crypto CMO who combines operator depth, sharp storytelling, and commercial thinking to turn technical narratives into trust and traction.

After years spent building brands in some of the world’s most competitive and low-trust industries, Paul developed a sharp perspective on what actually makes people pay attention and believe in a company.

In this conversation, we unpack why great products still get ignored, how trust is built in fintech and crypto, why most companies fail at authentic marketing, and what AI is really changing for marketers today.

We also discuss the future role of the CMO, human psychology in branding, performance vs brand marketing, and why creativity, judgment, and taste will matter more than ever in the AI era.

Chapters:

00:53 The secret to marketing “boring” products

01:35 ICPs are blocking your marketing

03:33 Understanding how to build trust

06:58 How trust fails with the wrong strategy

09:42 Metrics CEOs care about

11:27 Brand vs performance marketing: what really wins?

13:35 Optimizing for LinkedIn: algorithms or people?

14:44 Has AI made marketing worse?

16:33 Where’s the AI revolution we were promised?

19:53 A problem AI still can’t solve

20:47 What the CMO of the future will do

22:42 Human relationships still win

23:31 People are craving offline experiences again

25:15 Brand or growth? Trust or attention? Rapid fire questions

Follow KNOWN podcast for more conversations with entrepreneurs and marketers on brand building and growth.

Find us:

KNOWN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/known__podcast/

INPUT Global on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/input.global/

Paul Afshar on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-reza-afshar/

Anastasiia Kulibaba on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasiia-kulibaba-aa2b91184/

Stella Friaisse on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stella-friaisse/

In this episode of KNOWN by INPUT Global, we sit down with our co-founders Mary Pedler and Oleg Bevz to unpack what it takes to build, scale, and stay relevant as a broader communications agency.

In this conversation, Host Stella Friaisse digs into the real decisions behind growth: from starting out as a small PR agency to evolving into a global communications partner working across markets and industries.

Chapters:

00:52 — Introduction: what being KNOWN actually means

2:12 — The origin story of INPUT Global

6:35 — Scaling a global communications team while staying fully remote

9:45 — Are some companies simply impossible to market?

13:28 — Building through uncertainty and surviving a bear market

14:50 — What separates agencies that last from agencies that disappear

16:27 — PR without numbers: strategy or amateurism?

18:30 — The green and red flags when choosing a communications partner

20:45 — When should companies start taking communications seriously?

22:00 — KOLs in 2026: why you should stop treating them like KOLs

28:00 — Why talented founders stay invisible

32:15 — Fame vs infamy: being known for the right things

33:35 — Mary and Oleg define what it means to be KNOWN

34:40 — Rapid fire: how aligned are the INPUT Global co-founders?

KNOWN brings together founders, marketers, and communication strategists to uncover how the strongest tech brands build narratives that shape their markets.

Find us:

KNOWN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/known__podcast/

INPUT Global on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/input.global/

Mary Pedler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marypedler/

Mary is the Founder of INPUT Global, a communications leader and entrepreneur with 10+ years of experience in emerging tech, known for building global narratives, advising Web3 and fintech teams, and shaping industry conversations through media, events, and thought leadership.

Oleg Bevz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oleg-bevz/

Oleg is the Co-Founder of INPUT Global, is a lifelong B2B marketing communications specialist with 11+ years of experience across tech, fintech, Web3, and iGaming. He is a seasoned CMO that built dozens of brands: from banks and exchanges to furniture and coffee.

Stella Friaisse on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stella-friaisse/

KNOWN Episode 6 with Giovanni Everduin, Co-Founder of CBIx and HBS alum with 20+ years across finance, fintech, and Web3.

Growing up across cultures and operating between TradFi and DeFi, Giovanni learned to move between worlds without losing his sense of self. This context shaped how he thinks about visibility, credibility, and voice.

In this conversation, we unpack what authenticity looks like in practice, why relatability is often misunderstood, and how to identify the perspectives only you can bring, alongside the difference between shaping a narrative and forcing one.

Chapters:

00:00 Highlights

00:23 Introduction

00:44 Who Is Giovanni? Authenticity, Contrarian Thinking, and Becoming Yourself

07:12 Everyone Talks About Authenticity, But How Do You Actually Get There?

10:15 From HR to Finance: Career Story, Intuition, and the Harvard Case Study

17:02 Building “Gio the Brand”: Personal Brand Framework

19:45 Uncomfortable Truths About Burnout

23:48 Top Creator in Fintech and Crypto: Influence, Inspiration, and Visibility

28:32 The Art of Storytelling: How to Build a Brand That Resonates

34:00 How Founders Can Stand Out When They Pitch

36:30 Practical Tips for Building Your Personal Brand

41:23 Rapid-Fire Questions

Follow KNOWN podcast for more conversations with entrepreneurs and marketers on brand building and growth.

Find us:

KNOWN on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@known.podcast/videos

KNOWN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/known__podcast/

INPUT Global on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/input.global/

Giovanni Everduin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geverduin/

Alnura Belyalova on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alnurabel/

Stella Friaisse on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stella-friaisse/