Founder & LinkedIn Strategist | I help founders and executives turn deep expertise into an unmissable personal brand | 10 years at L’Oréal & J&J | Book a free strategy session (offer ends 20/02)

Most founders and executives have more expertise than visibility. I help turn that expertise into visible authority, inbound opportunities, and leverage – without turning you into a full‑time content creator.

Hi, I’m Alec, I went from global consumer marketing at L'Oreal and Johnson and Johnson, tp Founder of We Grow. Here's more about me:

🟢 In 2015, I joined L'Oreal on the most competitive marketing grad scheme in the UK.
🟢 From 2017 to 2024, I was promoted 6 times from Assistant manager to Global Group Manager.
🟢 In 2024, I grew my LinkedIn from 3,000 to 60,000 with daily posts on career growth.
🟢 In 2025, I quit to be a Career Coach and helped 150+ people get promoted to 6-figure roles.
🟢 I also helped others grow on LinkedIn, building a 6-figure personal branding service in 9 months.

Now in 2026, I am relaunching that business as WE GROW.

WE GROW helps partners and executives with deep expertise, go from invisible to unmissable online.

Our done-for-you marketing services help you create a distinct and ownable brand and grow your reputation and influence at scale. 

So WE can attract new opportunities and clients, while YOU focus on what you do best: building relationships and delivering great work.

🟢 To connect and learn how I can help book at: https://calendly.com/we-grow/wegrowintro
🔵 To partner with me as a content creator or public speaker, please email: enquiries@alecrickard.com

Alec Rickard

You’re allowed to outgrow what you’re known for.

Your job.
Your resume.
Even your reputation.

Where you start doesn’t have to limit where you finish.

At some point, growth feels uncomfortable.

You walk into work and something feels off.

The role that used to stretch you now feels small.
The problems feel repetitive.
The praise feels routine.

That discomfort is not random.

It is information.

It is pointing you toward your next move.

Most people ignore it.

They tell themselves they should be grateful.
They remind themselves the pay is good.
They stay because it is familiar.

But growth rarely feels comfortable.

It feels risky.
It feels uncertain.
It feels like you might disappoint people who only know you one way.

You are allowed to grow beyond your current identity.

If you are known as the operations person, you can build strategy skills.

If you are known as the quiet executor, you can become the one who leads meetings.

If you are known for one function, you can start learning the next one before you are given the title.

Reinvention does not start with a new job.

It starts with a decision.

A decision to stop settling for being good at what is easy.

Look at the skills you already have.

Communication.
Project ownership.
Data analysis.
Client management.

Ask yourself where those same skills could create a bigger impact.

Then start acting in that direction before anyone gives you permission.

Volunteer for a cross functional project.

Ask to present the update instead of sending the email.

Have the conversation about the role you want next.

Build proof in small ways.

That is how your identity shifts in real time.

What you are known for today is based on your past actions.

What you build tomorrow is based on the actions you choose now.

A growth mindset is not a quote on a wall.

It is choosing expansion over comfort.

Again and again.

So be honest with yourself:

Are you staying loyal to an old version of you,
Or are you building the next one? 👇

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Founder & LinkedIn Strategist | I help founders and executives turn deep expertise into an unmissable personal brand | 10 years at L’Oréal & J&J | Book an intro call below

Your potential is far higher than you think.

Don’t limit it by building your own ceilings.

Most people hold themselves back with beliefs like…

🚫 “I’m not qualified enough”
🚫 “I’m not ready yet”
🚫 “What if I fail in front of everyone”

But here’s the truth: you don’t need to feel ready.

You just need to start. 

4 Actions to Go After What You Want:

1️⃣ Apply before you feel qualified
↳ Most people learn on the job.
↳ Confidence comes from action, not waiting.
↳ The worst they can say is no.

2️⃣ Say yes before you feel ready
↳ Courage shows up before confidence.
↳ Growth comes from uncomfortable reps.
↳ You’ll figure it out faster than you think.

3️⃣ Ask even if it scares you
↳ Promotions, raises, opportunities… they go to people who ask.
↳ Closed mouths don’t get fed.
↳ The ask is often the difference-maker.

4️⃣ Try again after you fail
↳ Everyone stumbles.
↳ The winners are simply the ones who get back up.
↳ Each failure is training for your next attempt.

You’ll never feel 100% prepared.
Do it anyway.

What’s one thing you’ve been holding back from? 
Drop in the comments 👇

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High-performers stand out for 2 things:

1. They execute the brief.
2. They support others along the way.

I used to believe high performers win by beating others.

Be first.
Be faster.
Be louder.

But the opposite is true.

The best performers I’ve seen don’t compete with their peers.

They work with them.
They act as a role model.
They help drive higher standards.
             
It's the fastest way to build trust
And make an impact on the whole team.

And trust changes everything.

When people trust you, 
They back you.
They want you on bigger projects.
They speak your name when you’re not in the room.

That’s how careers really move.

None of this slows you down.
It speeds you up.

Because leaders don’t promote the person who steps on others.
They promote the person who makes the whole team stronger.

The goal isn’t to win alone.
It’s to rise by helping others rise too.

So ask yourself this:

Are you trying to win, or build something people want you to lead?
Share your thoughts 👇

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Your boss will never say these out loud.

But they’re expecting them. Always.

There’s nothing more frustrating than:

 → Doing solid work
 → Delivering results
 → Still being overlooked

If that’s you, this is why:

Your boss has expectations they’ll never tell you.
They’re watching what you do when no one’s watching them.

Here are 8 unspoken expectations your boss has from you: 

1️⃣ Take initiative
↳ Doing what’s asked is the bare minimum.
↳ Leaders anticipate, not wait.

2️⃣ Bring solutions, not problems
↳ Pointing out issues doesn’t move the business forward.
↳ Showing initiative does.

3️⃣ Understand the bigger picture
↳ You’re not just doing tasks, you’re driving results.
↳ Know what success looks like for the team.

4️⃣ Make their job easier
↳ They notice who helps them breathe easier.
↳ Manage your work without constant check-ins.

5️⃣ Act like the next level up
↳ Promotions go to people already performing at that level.
↳ Show leadership before it’s official.

6️⃣ Take feedback like a pro
↳ Feedback isn’t criticism, it’s direction.
↳ Curiosity beats defensiveness every time.

7️⃣ Be consistent daily
↳ Your habits build your reputation.
↳ Reliability is remembered long after results.

8️⃣ Invest in your own growth
↳ Your boss won’t map your development plan.
↳ They expect you to own it.

They may not say it, but they’ll always reward it.

Which of these do you think most people overlook? 👇

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Nobody cares about your job title.

They care about what you actually do.

You can have the most impressive title in the building.

But if you're not delivering? 
It means nothing.

Titles don't get you promoted. 
Work ethic does.

Showing up earlier. Staying later. Solving problems nobody asked you to solve.

That's what separates the people who rise from the people who stall.

Here's what nobody tells you about work ethic: 

1. It's visible even when you think it's not 
↳ People notice who follows up without being asked. 
↳ That reputation gets built before any title does.

2. It compounds faster than skill 
↳ Skill takes years. Trust takes months. 
↳ Consistency beats talent every single time.

3. It follows you when you leave 
↳ Titles stay behind when you walk out the door. 
↳ Habits don't. They carry you through every restart.

4. It attracts the right people 
↳ Nobody reaches out because of a title on your profile. 
↳ They reach out because someone saw how you work.

A title tells people where you sit in the org chart.

Work ethic tells people whether you're worth betting on.

One of those matters in a meeting. 
The other matters in a career.

♻ Repost this if you believe in earning it, not just naming it
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Hard work got you here.

It won't get you to the next level.

Beyond a point, effort stops adding up.
If you run your career like a system, you make cleaner decisions and protect your time.

Most people stay stuck in reactive work and chasing the wrong numbers.

Here are the 9 laws high performers use, and how to put them to work:

1) North Star Principle
↳ A long-term goal that guides every career decision.
➟ Keeps you focused and on track over the years.
➟ Check it weekly and ask if your tasks are serving that goal.
➟ Use before planning your quarter or saying yes to something.

2) Law of Inversion
↳ Avoid failure first, then chase the win.
➟ Fewer mistakes, more consistent results.
➟ Before big moves, write down what could go wrong and block it now.
➟ Use on strategy, hires, deals, and launches.

3) Parkinson's Law
↳ Work grows to fill whatever time you give it.
➟ Tighter timelines and faster results.
➟ Cut your deadline in half and add a midpoint check.
➟ Use for projects, presentations, and decisions.

4) Law of Diminishing Returns
↳ After a certain point, more effort gives you less back.
➟ Save time and stop over-polishing.
➟ Stop at 80 percent and get real feedback next week.
➟ Use on decks, features, content, and analysis.

5) Peter Principle
↳ People get promoted until they reach a role they struggle in.
➟ Stay sharp after every promotion.
➟ Within 30 days, plan skill sprints and get coaching.
➟ Use after promotions or big jumps in responsibility.

6) Goodhart's Law
↳ When a number becomes the goal, it stops telling the truth.
➟ Better behaviour and fewer hollow wins.
➟ Track a mix every month: quality, speed, impact, satisfaction.
➟ Use for KPIs and personal scorecards.

7) Principle of Least Effort
↳ People always take the easiest path available.
➟ More gets done when the right action is also the simplest one.
➟ Remove friction and make the good habit the default today.
➟ Use on workflows, templates, and routines.

8) Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule)
↳ A small number of actions drive most of your results.
➟ More impact with less wasted effort.
➟ Every week, find your top 20 percent and spend more time there.
➟ Use during planning, reviews, and prioritisation.

9) Gall's Law
↳ Big systems that work always started as small systems that worked.
➟ Fewer failed projects and faster learning.
➟ Start small and test with one case this week.
➟ Use before building new processes or products.

Why this matters: at senior levels, good judgment beats hard effort.
Use these to protect your energy, raise your standards, and grow without burning out.

How to use this: scan it before big decisions.

Each week, pick one law and apply it to one choice.
Review monthly and add another.

Save this and come back to it before your next planning cycle or promotion conversation.

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Your logo doesn't matter if no one knows what you stand for.

What people think personal branding is:

→ Nice logo
→ Viral posts
→ Quote graphics
→ Paid ads
→ Fancy website
→ Catchy tagline
→ Cold outreach

What personal branding actually is:

→ Clear identity
→ Sharp positioning
→ Real relationships
→ Useful content
→ Two-way conversations
→ Strong values
→ Shared growth

Personal branding is clarity.

Clarity on:

Why do you care?
Who will you help?
Why are you different?

What problem do you solve?

When people know exactly what you stand for,
decisions get easier.

Introductions happen faster.
Opportunities feel aligned.
Trust builds naturally.

You stop chasing.

People start coming to you.

And here’s the hard truth…

If I asked 10 people in your network what you’re known for
Would they give the same answer?

Or 10 different ones?

So ask yourself:
What do people actually know you for? 

If that answer isn’t clear,
your personal brand isn’t either.

If you want help getting clear on your positioning:

Book your FREE strategy session
Link at top of my profile 👆👆

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Your personal brand is either working for you or against you.

There is no in between.

If buyers don’t feel influenced, they won’t inquire.
Influence drives inbound, pricing power, and deal velocity.

After a decade in global marketing,
here are the 6 hidden rules behind brands that consistently convert:

1/ Reciprocity
→ Give value before you ask for anything.

↳ Publish how-tos, templates, checklists people can use today
↳ Answer questions in comments; be useful in public
↳ Builds goodwill that turns lurkers into warm leads.

2/ Consistency
→ Repetition creates trust and recall.

↳ One clear positioning and promise
↳ Weekly cadence across 2-3 content pillars
↳ Makes you predictable and memorable to buyers.

3/ Scarcity
→ Specificity increases perceived value.

↳ Niche by audience, problem, and outcome
↳ Show limits (capacity, waitlist, scope), not fake FOMO
↳ Say no to misfit work publicly

4/ Likability
→ People buy from people they like.

↳ Write how you speak; use first person and plain language
↳ Share your reasoning and values, not just wins
↳ Be generous: credit others, engage, reply fast

5/ Social Proof
→ Evidence beats claims.

↳ Case studies with numbers and screenshots
↳ Logos, testimonials, and “before/after” outcomes
↳ Public milestones (speaking, features, growth)

6/ Authority
→ Lead with what you’ve actually done.

↳ Name roles, scope, and results (e.g., “led X to Y”)
↳ Teach proprietary frameworks you’ve used in the field
↳ Highlight earned media, talks, boards

Stacking beats solo tactics.

Authority + Social Proof = instant credibility.
Reciprocity + Consistency = long-term trust.

Scarcity focuses demand on you.

Save this and audit your last 10 posts and your profile against all 6.

Use them in your headline, banner, pinned post, and weekly content.

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Ozone | The premium audience platform

Agency Hub Lead, GroupM

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:
1. Voted Mindshare Sales Partner of the Year 2024
2. Media Week by Campaign Magazine: Sales Team of the Year 2022 WINNERS
3. Delivered £1.3m in revenue to the business in 2024

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Developing commercial strategies for delivering video and display revenue across MINDSHARE and WAVEMAKER 
2. Developing relationships with key external stakeholders with a view to delivering best in class agency service
3. Delivering against annual GROUP M hub revenue target of £7m to ensure Ozone budgets are hit

Senior Agency Sales Partner

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:
1.     Delivered over £500k of individual revenue inside first 5 months. This was across 8 different brands including Bacardi, Hewlett Packard, Barclays & Amazon (6 new spenders to platform) 
2.    Delivered £55k revenue from P&G across Oral-B and Head & Shoulders in Feb 2022. This was the first time P&G had spent programmatically with Sky

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
1.     Developing strategies for delivering programmatic short form VOD and display revenue across all major agencies [GROUP M, PUBLICIS, OMNICOM, IPG, HAVAS, DENTSU AEGIS)
2.     Managing and developing a team of sales account executives and assistants including carrying out formal annual appraisals and performance reviews
3.     Delivering against annual team revenue target of £4.5m+ to ensure Sky programmatic budgets are hit

Programmatic Sales Manager (Video & Display)

Global

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:
1.	Delivered £7.8m total audio and OOH spend for SPARK FOUNDRY in FY20/21
2.	Led on production of podcast training collateral and presented to entire commercial department in order to up skill
3.     Delivered 'One Global' and 'Data and Innovation' updates to senior stakeholders and in doing so built influential working relationships within SPARK's leadership team
4.     Managed the up-skilling and development of 4 media execs from a digital perspective 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
1.	Building a commercial strategy to ensure SPARK FOUNDRY contributes sufficiently to the annual PUBLICIS Audio and OOH deals
2.	Developing then presenting collateral to key senior stakeholders at PUBLICIS with a view to building Global's profile and networking within their business
3.     Developing then presenting digital collateral internally at Global in order to up-skill and educate the wider commercial team
4.     Nurturing and up-skilling media execs via training and progression planning

Agency Sales Manager

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:
1.	Delivered £4.5m worth of PUBLICIS digital revenue to the business in FY1920 +33% YoY
2.	Delivered £2.5m all agency podcast revenue to the business in 2020 +92% YoY
3.	Sold Global’s very first branded podcast episode to Marriott in 2019
4.	Won DAX’s first solo G-Award in 2020 for delivery of Marriott’s ‘Let’s Rise’ campaign worth £100k+
5.	Digital lead on award winning Versus Arthritis’ ‘Stolen Stories’ campaign in 2020

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: 
1.	Developing strategies for delivering PUBLICIS revenue in order to reach annual deal commitments with Global across digital audio, digital OOH, display and video 
2.	Developing strategies for delivering podcast revenue, creation & maintenance of all sales collateral, as well as making decisions surrounding prioritisation
3.     Building external relationships with key partner vendors such as Viacom, Dennis and Reach as well as producing sales strategies for their podcasts
4.	Presenting regular video, OOH and audio updates to agency teams, with a strong emphasis on building relationships with key decision-making stakeholders
5.	Working closely with programmatic managers to ensure growth of revenue (both Audio and OOH)

Digital Media Sales Manager, DAX

PG ONE

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:
1.	Media Week by Campaign Magazine: ‘Agency Team of the Year’ 2019 WINNERS
2.	Delivered on ITV, C4 and Sky annual deals each worth £30m+ 
3.	Delivered £27m in savings and £16m in cost avoidance to P&G in FY1718 
4.	Played a key role in Starcom’s retention of P&G’s business worth £10m+ annually in 2017 
5.	Selected to travel to the New York City office in 2017 to work on Zenith’s VM:One (Verizon) planning team 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: 
1.	Full ownership of planning video/VOD and digital campaigns from budget approval to implementation. This involved analysis of channel mixes, rates, key performance metrics & market revenues as well as managing P&G YouTube pages
2.	Managing station share, deal ratchet delivery and deal negotiations across ITV, C4 and Sky trading deals
3.	Managing P&G linear TV and video & display delivery  
4.	Leading a team of 4 from exec to senior exec level including carrying out formal annual appraisals and performance reviews

Investment Manager, PG ONE

Publicis Media

Omni-channel media buyer - Fabric & Homecare (Fairy, Fairy Non-Bio, Daz, Bold, Lenor, Flash, Ariel)

Senior Account Executive, Investment - PG One

Omni-channel media buyer - Shavecare (Gillette, Venus, Old Spice)

Account Executive, Investment - PG One

WCG, a W2O Company

Specialised in integrated communications and marketing strategies powered by data analytics and software. Did this on behalf of brands such as Bayer, GsK and AstraZeneca

Assistant Account Executive (Internship)

MullenLowe salt

Specialised in Strategic Communications and CSR. Clients included Unilever, ManpowerGroup and the Post Office

Developed a booklet for Unilever Oral Care, providing copy to summarise the
key recent highlights of their global oral health improvement initiative

Researched ‘best practice’ companies with significant CSR campaigns

Provided daily media monitoring for corporate clients to inform media relations programme with relevant insights

Saatchi & Saatchi

During my placement I specialised in crisis communications. My primary responsibilities were writing briefs, carrying out research and aiding the account management team. I worked on campaigns including Head and Shoulders' Joe Hart adverts and on various beauty products including Olay. I attended important client meetings and creative brainstorms, during which I was able to give my view and make suggestions. In particular, I produced a tactical brief for the Head and Shoulders campaign.

Blackbridge Communications

I specialised in PR sales during this internship. I was asked to analyse and asses the firm's potential venture into advertising for higher education, in particular BPP professional education. In doing so I undertook market research which involved analysing and researching the landscape. I was asked to explain my findings and provide an in depth SWOT analysis. At the end of my time there I presented my research.

Dentsu

I worked on the firm's projects which included researching clients such as Nikon. I was asked to provide mood boards and provide data on large home ware companies such as Ikea and John Lewis

Senior Agency Sales Partner at Ozone (Media Brand Of The Year) | 9 years Digital Media Expertise | Media Agency & Agency Sales Experience

WHO I AM:

Three values that I pride myself as a person on are my ambition, my curiosity & my pro-activity. At work, I aim to bring each of these to the table on a daily basis & doing so motivates me in my quest to build teams with great culture & ultimately to become a business leader.

I am passionate about learning & always relish a challenge so I am grateful to have 5 years of omni-channel experience working on the UK’s second biggest spending brand (P&G), as well as 5.5 years digital/programmatic experience at DAX, Sky Media & Ozone (Media Brand of the Year 2022). Each of these roles have shaped (professionally) who I am today in providing me with an in depth understanding of planning & buying across all media channels (particularly digital) as well as how they are traded from a commercial perspective.

MY PROUDEST MOMENTS:

Learnt all about late nights, hard graft & the importance of camaraderie within a team during the fiercest agency pitch of the decade. We delivered agility & tenacity to retain the P&G business in 2017 worth £10m+ to Starcom annually.

Member of ‘Agency team of the year’ in 2019 (PG One) which was reward for the great team environment we created & the excellent output we delivered for P&G. This taught me the importance of fostering a hard working, yet fun environment in producing great results.

Developed a love of presenting & sharing work after delivering campaign results to over 200 people for Marriott’s “Let’s Rise” campaign in 2019. The feeling I had coming off stage was amazing & hugely rewarding & I was very grateful to receive an internal award in recognition of the work I had produced.

Member of ‘Sales Team Of The Year' 2022 (Ozone). We are passionate about cleaning up the digital media landscape & our continued growth + this win represent the great strides we've taken in doing so.

Voted as Mindshare’s Sales Partner of the Year for 2024. I’m incredibly proud to have received this accolade and feel very lucky to be able to call Mindshare a client. I hope to continue to do great work with GroupM in 2025!


WHERE I AM GOING:

Long term I see myself continuing to develop my skill set from a digital perspective at a market leading data/tech/innovation publisher(s). As technology develops, so must big companies & their employees. We all have a duty to evolve to ensure advertising remains engaging, effective, unobtrusive, brand safe & consumer friendly & I have an ambition to one day pioneer a business that helps brands achieve this.

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The Battle

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