I’ve spent my career helping people and organizations communicate clearly. The more I’ve done it, the more I’ve seen a pattern:

Even the smartest leaders bury their value under too much content, too many voices, and not enough clarity.

I call that Brand Garbage—and I’ve made it my mission to help wipe it away.

Sound Familiar?

• “We keep losing to competitors with worse products.”

• “Every pitch sounds different—and none of them are landing.”

• “I’ve got years of experience, but I’m getting ghosted after interviews.”

• “We’ve outgrown our messaging—but no one knows where to start.”

If any of that hits close to home, you’re not alone. Most clients come in thinking they need better materials.
What they really need is a better story.

That’s where I come in.

Why I’m Different (And Why That Matters)

Most consultants learn financial services from Google (or now Perplexity).

I learned it in real time—inside MBNA and Bank of America boardrooms and conference rooms during mergers, regulatory crises, product launches, and challenging renewals.

I’ve been in rooms where the wrong words could trigger federal investigations, cost millions in lost partnerships, or confuse hundreds or thousands of employees. I know what happens when messaging fails — not in theory, but in practice.

And I know how to fix it.

Before my career in financial services, I spent 15 years as an award-winning business journalist, translating complex financial ideas into plain English for real readers.

That combination taught me something most consultants never learn:

There’s no such thing as “just communications.”

Every word either builds credibility or destroys it.

What I Do Today

I help leaders and organizations clean up their messaging—and say the right thing when it matters most.

Sometimes that means ghostwriting op-eds that actually get published or speeches that attract great evaluations.
Sometimes it means building a positioning document that finally gets your team on the same page.
Sometimes it means auditing your website so you’re not amplifying the wrong story.

I bring a bulldozer to your Brand Garbage pile—and apply Communications Windex to what matters.

When we partner, you walk away with:

• A clear brand positioning document—your messaging North Star

• Messaging frameworks, decks, and bios that are actually used (not just approved and forgotten)

• Content that answers real buyer or employer questions, not just fills space

• Confidence in what you say, how you say it, and who you say it to

My work centers around transformation—yours, not mine. Through a structured discovery process, I help you uncover your Differentiated Value, clarify your voice, and build tools that support action.

Who I Help

• Financial services executives navigating scrutiny, seeking greater visibility, or facing transitions

• University presidents facing enrollment, fundraising, or reputational challenges

• Teams and companies with misaligned messaging across decks, websites, and LinkedIn

• Professionals in transition (from recent grads to 50+ execs) who need clarity and traction

What It’s Like to Work With Me

“Peter’s legacy at MBNA was a companywide negotiations and presentation strategy. He was at his best under pressure—prepping rigorously, asking tough questions, and helping us win deals while preserving relationships.”
— Jake Frego, SVP (retired), Bank of America

“As a Division I athlete, I didn’t have the internship résumé others did. Peter helped me frame my leadership, teamwork, and grit into a story employers actually responded to. It worked.”
— Meaghan Tyrrell, Syracuse University ’23

“Peter has always been one of the hardest working, most thorough and inquisitive reporters/writers/editors I've ever known. Under his leadership at the Delaware Business Times, Peter transformed a once-sleepy, "nice to read" publication with little original reporting into "THE must-read" business publication in the state.”

— Jim Donahue, Managing Partner, NüPOINT Marketing

“When Peter Osborne took over as Chief Marketing Officer for the Baylor Alumni Association, there was doubt, for a variety of tragic reasons that pre-dated his arrival, whether the organization would even survive the year. With an enormous work ethic, an unbridled commitment to the organization, and with creativty and skill, Peter was instrumental in helping a beloved, 158-year old institution claw its way off the canvas, rebrand itself as the Baylor Line Foundation, and come out the other side as a strong, vibrant organization that serves as an independent voice for Baylor alumni. Perhaps Peter’s greatest strengths are his work ethic and his commitment to the organization he serves. Peter does not punch a clock and check things off a list. Rather, Peter takes on the mission of the organization he serves as his own and sets out to zealously, tirelessly advance it.”

— Tom Nesbitt, Former President, Baylor Line Association and Lawyer and Mediator at Nesbitt Legal PLLC

Why Me?

Because I’ve work closely with people who are or have been in your shoes. I’ve fixed messaging that relied on chest pounding and turned it into messaging that addressed the target audience’s pain points.

• The editorial judgment of an award-winning business journalist with a reputation for turning around stagnant publications

• The strategic mindset of a communications and business-development executive at MBNA and Bank of America

• The empathy of someone who’s helped hundreds of clients turn confusion into clarity

This isn’t just about polishing your messaging. It’s about rediscovering your value—and communicating it with conviction.

Bonus Facts (Optional, but Telling)

• I led brand positioning and negotiations initiatives that saved hundreds of millions in affinity compensation and helped prevent crises.

• At MBNA, I was called “Bulldog” for my tenacity, prep, and ability to unify marketing, compliance, legal, and sales.

• As editor of the Delaware Business Times, we were named the nation’s most-improved business publication in 2020 by the Association of Area Business Publishers (AABP), 30 years after winning the same award for the Dallas Business Journal (there were 20 years in between at MBNA and Bank of America). AABP praised the in-depth, helpful stories, the breaking news, the data nobody else in our market published, and the way we approached business and executive profiles.

• I’m a proud member of #BillsMafia, a graduate of Syracuse University (hence all the Orange on this site), a firm believer in the Oxford comma, and am convinced Roy Kent is the patron saint of clarity (and I’m here, there, and everywhere). I also have been using em dashes since 1978, long before AI and the arrival of the Em Dash Police on LinkedIn.

Ready to Polish Your Message Until It Shines?

If you’re tired of being misunderstood, misrepresented, or just plain missed—let’s talk.

If you’re ready to clean up your messaging, let’s talk:

• Start with The Mirror Test (it’s free and you can share the results with me if you want to)

• Book a Communications Windex Audit if you find problems

• Talk to me about ghostwriting or brand positioning when you’re ready to sharpen your story

30 minutes. No pressure. Just clarity.