Ben Stevenson
Founder, Strategic Operator & Commercial Film Director
Hi there…
I've spent 15+ years building things in the real world - a film production company I grew to £2.7m, an AR startup with Disney and Universal partnerships, a logistics venture I launched in my community, and fractional roles helping founders cut through the noise.
I've directed campaigns in over 50 countries, coordinated a refugee evacuation from Lebanon, and learned the same lesson over and over: I'm at my best when I'm walking into ambiguity and making sense of it.
What I'm doing now
Strategic work with founders
I work with early-stage companies as an operator, advisor, or Chief of Staff. Helping founders cut through noise, make harder decisions with more clarity, and turn ambiguity into something the team can actually execute.
Commercial film direction
I direct cinematic, documentary-style campaigns for brands who want authentic human stories over polished corporate content. It's craft I've spent two decades developing, and I still love it.
Both draw on the same underlying skill: finding the truth in a messy situation, shaping it into something clear, and helping people act on it.
Work I'm proud of
A few projects that shaped how I think:
Persona Design AI
Repositioned an early-stage AI company from tool to consultancy-hybrid. First paying clients, clearer narrative, operational systems that actually worked.
Halocline
Founded an AR startup, raised £500k, landed partnerships with Disney and Universal Music. Founders Forum Rising Star.
Lord Weidenfeld Fund
Coordinated private refugee evacuation flight from Lebanon. The documentary helped unlock £9m in fundraising.
OUTBOUND
Designed and launched a hyperlocal parcel pickup service from scratch. Concept to live operation, built solo.
Chocks Away Rally
Restored and drove a vintage 1934 Austin 7 from England to Cameroon for charity, with sponsorship from British Airways.
Directing work
I've directed cinematic, documentary-style commercial campaigns for brands including Amazon, Tesco, ExxonMobil, Mastercard and JD Sports – across 50+ countries over two decades.
Reading list
Books that shaped how I think:
Endurance – Alfred Lansing
Shackleton's Antarctic survival story. The best book I know about high agency and leadership under pressure – staying calm, keeping people together, making decisions when there's no good option.
The Successful Candidate – Susie Walker
Changed how I think about positioning myself. Less about credentials, more about understanding what the other person actually needs.
Directing Actors – Judith Weston
Ostensibly about film, but really about drawing authentic behaviour out of people. I use this in every room I walk into... and when prompting AI.
Start With Why – Simon Sinek
The obvious one, but it stuck. People follow clarity of purpose, not clever strategy.
Unreasonable Hospitality – Will Guidara
A book about putting people first and going beyond expectations in the quest for excellence.
Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite – Paul Arden
Short, provocative, useful. He punched me in the stomach and told me never to get a job in advertising.
Working together
Strategic roles
Fractional Chief of Staff, embedded operator, or advisory work with founders who need clarity, structure, or help making progress on hard problems. Or spinning up special projects
Film direction
Commercial, cinematic, documentary-style campaigns, as a director for hire or produced through my production company.
Something in between
Strategic narrative, positioning, and content direction for companies who need their story and their strategy to work together.