What if everything you thought you knew about PR was already outdated?

Ashley Orfus, founder of ALAB Group, left a high-profile career in luxury fashion and entertainment to build a communications firm designed for the way modern audiences actually discover and trust ideas. Over 13 years, she has helped category-defining brands across tech, food, hospitality, and culture do more than earn press, she helps them shape how their ideas are understood, adopted, and believed.

In this episode of The Digital Take, Ashley breaks down why traditional PR models are failing founders, what "performance-driven communication" actually looks like in practice, and how brands can cut through the noise in a world drowning in content.

In this episode, we cover:
Why press hits and impressions are the wrong metrics to chase
How to introduce a product or idea people don't have a reference point for yet
Why influencers should be treated as co-creators, not distribution channels
The danger of over-indexing on founder-led content (and when to create distance)
How AI is making communications more human, not less
What to do when you have no budget and everything to prove

Whether you're a founder shaping your first narrative, a marketer rethinking your PR strategy, or a brand trying to build genuine trust online — this episode will change how you think about communications.

Connect with Ashley Orfus: [ALAB Group]

What if everything you thought you knew about PR was already outdated?
Ashley Orfus, founder of ALAB Group, left a high-profile career in luxury fashion and entertainment to build a communications firm designed for the way modern audiences actually discover and trust ideas. Over 13 years, she has helped category-defining brands across tech, food, hospitality, and culture do more than earn press, she helps them shape how their ideas are understood, adopted, and believed.
In this episode of The Digital Take, Ashley breaks down why traditional PR models are failing founders, what "performance-driven communication" actually looks like in practice, and how brands can cut through the noise in a world drowning in content.
In this episode, we cover:
<ul>
<li>Why press hits and impressions are the wrong metrics to chase</li>
<li>How to introduce a product or idea people don't have a reference point for yet</li>
<li>Why influencers should be treated as co-creators, not distribution channels</li>
<li>The danger of over-indexing on founder-led content (and when to create distance)</li>
<li>How AI is making communications more human, not less</li>
<li>What to do when you have no budget and everything to prove</li>
</ul>
Whether you're a founder shaping your first narrative, a marketer rethinking your PR strategy, or a brand trying to build genuine trust online &mdash; this episode will change how you think about communications.
Connect with Ashley Orfus: [ALAB Group]

That Digital Take uncovers the ever-evolving world of influencers—challenging the industry, harnessing its power, and exploring how it connects us all. Through the lens of pop culture and entertainment,Torri blends: Insider interviews with industry leaders, viral influencers/ creators, actors, and rising stars. Behind-the-scenes  storytelling from her own experience navigating the digital space. Actionable takeaways for listeners curious about how digital culture shapes careers, business, and society.

That Digital Take uncovers the ever-evolving world of influencers&mdash;challenging the industry, harnessing its power, and exploring how it connects us all. Through the lens of pop culture and entertainment,Torri blends: Insider interviews with industry leaders, viral influencers/ creators, actors, and rising stars. Behind-the-scenes &nbsp;storytelling from her own experience navigating the digital space. Actionable takeaways for listeners curious about how digital culture shapes careers, business, and society.

That Digital Take with Torri Webster

Ashley Orfus, founder of ALAB Group, built one of the most forward-thinking communications firms in the industry by rejecting traditional PR from day one. In this episode, she breaks down what performance-driven communication actually looks like, why most brands are measuring the wrong things, and how founders can shape narratives that earn real trust — not just press. From influencers as co-creators to AI as a creative accelerator, Ashley shares the frameworks she has refined over 13 years working with category-defining brands across tech, food, hospitality, and culture.