Sitting opposite Steven Bartlett for that very first interview was Mark Stringer.

Mark is the Managing Director of Ahoy, an award-winning branding agency in Manchester. While his appearance on Episode 6 of Diary Of A CEO (DOAC) gave him a front-row seat to the genesis of one of the world’s biggest podcasts, Mark isn’t resting on that nostalgia.

In fact, he is currently pivoting his successful agency to focus heavily on video, having proved the model by building his own profitable YouTube channel, Ahoy Leisure.

In Episode 6 of The Video Marketing Podcast, I sat down with Mark to discuss the journey from that first interview to becoming a video-first business leader. Here are the key takeaways from our conversation.

The “Diary” Origin Story

Mark admits that the morning after recording that first interview with Steven Bartlett, he woke up in a panic thinking, “What have I done?”

In the early days, DOAC wasn’t the polished product it is today. It was raw, audio-only, honest, authentic and deeply vulnerable. Mark’s willingness to open up about his agency struggles set the tone for what the podcast would eventually become.

Mark believes the “Power of Firsts” is real. Steven Bartlett didn’t wait for perfect lighting or a massive budget; he just started. For business owners today, the lesson is clear… Imperfect action beats perfect inaction every time.

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The “R&D Lab” Strategy – From Vans to B2B

One of the most fascinating parts of Mark’s journey is how he learned video production. He didn’t take a course; he bought a campervan.

Mark launched Ahoy Leisure, a channel dedicated to van conversions and modifications. He treated this channel as his “Research & Development Lab.” It was here that he learned:

• How to edit for retention
• How to fix bad audio
• How to talk to a camera without freezing

The ROI was undeniable. Mark reveals in the episode that he managed to generate £100,000 in revenue by drop-shipping an electrical component featured in his videos. He effectively paid for his own high-end vehicle through the power of YouTube SEO and trust-building.

Now, he is taking those hard-earned “creator economy” skills and applying them to his B2B agency clients, offering a level of authentic video strategy that most traditional agencies can’t match.

Why YouTube Beats LinkedIn for ROI

Mark has a strong stance on the platform war: 10,000 views on LinkedIn is vanity; 10,000 views on YouTube is sanity.

During the interview, we discussed the “compounding asset” nature of YouTube. A post on LinkedIn disappears from the feed in 48 hours. A video on YouTube can drive leads, ad revenue, and brand awareness for five years.

For B2B leaders, Mark argues that the “Creator Playbook” – niche content, searchability, and personality – is vastly superior to the traditional corporate “broadcast” style of marketing.

Curing “Red Light Fever”

Even experienced CEOs freeze when the red recording light turns on. Mark shared his personal visualisation technique for overcoming this fear.

Instead of staring into the black abyss of the lens, Mark visualises a specific person – often a client or a younger version of himself – standing right behind the camera. He directs his energy to that specific person.

“Get out of your own way. It’s not about you. It’s about the information you are passing on to help someone else.”

Why the DJI Ronin 4D?

For the tech-heads listening, we also dived into Mark’s controversial choice of camera. While most agencies rely on Sony or Canon setups, Mark shoots on the DJI Ronin 4D.

He explains that for a “run and gun” agency owner who needs to wear multiple hats (Director, Shooter, Audio Tech), the efficiency of the 4D allows him to capture cinematic footage without a massive crew. It’s a perfect metaphor for his approach to business: Speed, efficiency, and high quality.

Watch the full episode

This episode is a masterclass for any agency owner, marketer, or business leader who knows they need to be on video but doesn’t know where to start. Of course, this episode was recorded in our very own Cheshire Podcast Studio!