Rootstock FAQs - Who We Are, What We Do, and Who Needs Us
“Clarity is the counterbalance of profound thoughts.” -Luc de Clapiers, French moralist and essayist
At Rootstock, we believe flourishing partnerships begin with a clear purpose and defined expectations. While we’ve got a lot on our website and LinkedIn that covers this ground, for greater clarity into who we are, what we do, and who needs us, we’re answering the questions we encounter most often about what working with Rootstock is like — all in one place!
What kind of leaders and organizations do you work with?
From executives to entrepreneurs, we consult with mission-driven leaders from founder-led companies, nonprofits, and other agencies and consultancies seeking a highly collaborative approach to thought leadership development.
What are people looking for when they come to Rootstock?
People who come to us are ready to widen the breadth of their conversations and expand beyond their existing networks. While that may start with a specific need, such as website copy or social media content, dynamic thought leadership begins when you’re ready to explore what else we can do to grow your business.
Often our clients feel stuck on the key story components that shape their messaging and positioning. They want to talk about what they do and why it matters, but they’ve been unable to articulate their thoughts concisely or creatively. Sometimes, they already have individual components in place but lack a cohesive content ecosystem. They’ve become frustrated with pieces that don’t fit together seamlessly or make the desired impact, but they believe strategic, aligned efforts will lead to growth and improvement — which is where we come in.
What’s been missing from previous engagements with marketing/PR/comms agencies?
We do a lot of listening to avoid the roadblocks many clients have encountered in the past, such as positioning confusion, while also identifying strengths, and the gaps we can fill. Further, our diverse team sets us apart: with expertise across a spectrum of storytelling and business specialties, our excellence and experience isn’t siloed into a single role.
What is working with you like? How will we work together?
Our process is collaborative and intentional. We focus on connection first and foremost, beginning with a curiosity-led discovery that asks, “why” and “what if,” to uncover your authentic perspective and needs. Then, we generate an initial proposal deck reflecting what we heard, which includes a roadmap identifying what we’ll do now, next, and later.
All of these plans are custom-built, but most often “now” begins with our Kernel of Truth, which reveals your core story and purpose, followed by a Radicle Report that achieves epic clarity on your thought leadership position. The insights from these sessions, paired with a third, more tailored brand discovery workshop help us build a brand narrative and messaging guide for clients who don’t already have one in place.
From there, long-term work with us requires building a strategic content ecosystem framework. This will determine what from our full canopy of content we’ll execute, whether that’s speaking-related activities, case study writing, a website audit, editorial content, or other growth-focused pursuits. To create a clear picture of what this will look like, we lead clients through a half-day Thought Leadership Strategy Workshop that includes diving into key areas such as:
Company Purpose
Business + Marketing Objectives
Audience & Primary Targets Deep Dive
Competitors & Differentiators
Current Business Development + Marketing SWOT Analysis
Dreaming Big: Marketing Goals
How do you know if someone is a good or bad fit for Rootstock?
You’re a good fit for Rootstock if you’re ready to think deeply about where you’re going next, and to explore new perspectives to get there. Our ideal client will also align with our principles and core values, prefer genuine connection over transactional networking, and enjoy sharing their thoughts with others.
If you’re exclusively numbers-driven or looking to “set it and forget it,” we have recommendations that may be a better fit. Collaboration is a cornerstone of our work!
This sounds sort of “fluffy.” Is it?
No. Thought leadership is artistic and human-centric, because audiences connect to people and their stories. But everything we do has a meaningful (and often measurable) business value. We tailor and execute every element of your thought leadership strategy for maximum impact.
What deliverables can I expect? What can you create for me and my team?
Your Thought Leadership Strategy deck (presented by our team)
(One round of edits included)
Following these, we can expand your content ecosystem through a combination of any of the following:
Blogs
Case studies
One-sheets and sales assets
Editorial articles
Website copy
Award pitches
Speaking engagements (pitches and decks)
Event plans, presentations, and partnerships
Social media content
Podcast content and pitching
Video content
Newsletter management and content creation
Proposal decks
And more!
How are you implementing AI in your internal and client work?
As with any tool, we recognize the value of AI while respecting its limitations. We prefer to do the creative thinking and storytelling ourselves, and therefore limit its use to automating tasks: capturing meeting notes, refining interview transcripts and outlines, and guiding starting points for initial research.
What is an ideal engagement with you like?
Our longest and most fulfilling relationships are with clients who are dedicated to initial discovery and strategy work, which then fuels ongoing leadership thinking and a full content ecosystem. An evolving partnership is then nurtured through regular meetings, during which we exchange new ideas, check in on project status, and compare back to our initial strategy, ensuring alignment and making adjustments as needed.
Why do I want to work with Rootstock?
We enjoy what we do, and we’re good at it. Our seasoned strategists, writers, researchers, and connection builders have decades of combined experience in brand growth, content marketing, PR, media relations, writing, publishing, and business development. We’re committed to authenticity, which allows us to help you pursue thought leadership in a genuine, emotionally intelligent way.
Now that we’ve shared more about us, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us to see what we can cultivate together!
