Order my USA TODAY Bestselling book: toxicgrit.com TOXIC GRIT: How to have it all and (actually) love what you have. It will help you create a new approach to ambition and find space for all the diverse parts of yourself. Join 75K+ others who read my newsletter 🧩 Life's a Game at amandagoetz.com. It’s full of free tips to play the game of life at a whole new level. In 2018 I found myself at the height of my marketing career with 3 kids under the age of 4 and filing for divorce. In a world telling me to find alignment......I realized that was impossible. The work version of me didn't want to leave early to go be with the kiddos. The mom version of me didn't want to miss a moment with them. I wanted to be fiercely independent and yet also wanted to find love again. Other versions of me didn't want to feel responsible for anything or anyone. This diversity within me led to the creation of my Character Theory Framework. This framework helped me to create space for the 10 characters that make up the movie of your life:  The CEO → wants to pursue big goalsThe Partner → desires companionship  The Soloist → cares about personal growth and development The Caregiver → deep desire to take care of others and show up for themThe Goddess → wants to be desired and pursue pleasure  The Lazy One → loves to couch rot, no goals whatsoever The Socialite → values connection The Creative → desires creation and creativity The Doctor → your inner health &amp; wellness character The Explorer → craves novelty And it helped me. I was able to let go of the idea of balance and give permission for hierarchy, boundaries and the transition sequences necessary to embody these diverse characters. So I put it all in a book and it was an instant best seller!! I'm so excited for you to create space for all parts of you and to see ambition as multi-dimensional. Follow me here for advice as I build a multi-hyphenate life as a CMO, Author, Mom of 3 and getting married again. 

Amanda Goetz

I took a month from posting to really sit with myself and think about what I wanted for 2026. Here’s why….

I spent a lot of the last year in survival mode. 
After a divorce with 3 small kids I was always proving. Pushing. Needing to provide for my family. 

But now I’m on stable ground and yet my nervous system hasn’t caught up. I still feel like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

That I need to prove I’m worthy. 
That I need to prove I’m smart. 
That I need to prove why I’m here. 

So this year my word is ENOUGH. 

And I’m going to spend the year learning what enough looks like. 

To be enough. 
To earn enough. 
To do enough. 

I love my new CMO role. 
I have a new exciting writing project this year. 
I’m hosting season 2 of the Girlboss podcast. 
And my weekly newsletter is a constant creative outlet. 

That’s enough. 

More isn’t always better. 

So if you are also planning to drive the speed limit in 2026 - follow along here as I’ll be sharing what I’m doing and learning along th way.

USA TODAY Bestselling Author of Toxic Grit | 2x Founder (acquired) 5x CMO | Mom x3 | Keynote Speaker | Subscribe ➡️ 🧩 Life’s a Game Newsletter

No alternative text description for this image

I’ve been struggling with 2 things lately:

1) it’s clear that when I spend less time on social media, my mind is clearer and I can write from a place of curiosity and purpose. 

But then when I contribute to social media I feel like I’m feeding the beast that is stealing our curiousity and clarity. 

2) The loss of social from the media. 

The closer I got to big creators, the more I found out about the “teams” behind their posts and replies. I can also clearly tell when someone is using AI to reply to posts. 

So what are we actually doing here? 

The point is to connect and inspire. To evoke thoughts and inject nuance into conversations. To drive awareness to things that people may not see from their seat in this world. 

Anyway….if I’ve been a little MIA on here it’s because of these thoughts. 

I deeply crave meaningful conversations and I am trying to find the right medium to having them.

Another great episode of Ambition 2.0 with @girlboss and Malissa Clark 

Check it out anywhere you get your podcasts!

🗣️ Repeat after us: You can love your job and still be a workaholic.

In this episode of Ambition 2.0, Amanda Goetz sits down with Malissa Clark, a professor at the University of Georgia, Director of the Healthy Work Lab, and author of Never Not Working: Why the Always-On Culture Is Bad for Business—and How to Fix It, to break down what workaholism can look like in real life (spoiler: it’s not just about working long hours). 

They get into the sneaky “working light” tasks that we tell ourselves don’t count as work (like sending emails while watching TV or checking Slack between errands), how leaders accidentally create always-on teams, and so much more. 

🎧 Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/eKd9rtCv 

💻 Or watch the episode on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/eRqNjSN6

Continuing on my journey of “enough” - it’s important you plan your work around your life. Not the other way around. 

I approach my yearly planning the same way I approach building a marketing calendar as a CMO. 

I slice the calendar in 4 ways:

- Annual tentpoles & events
- Quarterly launches
- Monthly beats
- Weekly non-negotiables

Reminder: Use this link to get your 🧩 Life's a Game Planning calendar. ⬇️⬇️

Open article: 🧩 Life's a Game: Your 2026 Game Plan by amandagoetz.kit.com

Today’s newsletter has already gotten more replies than I normally get. I think this topic resonates…

Check it out and let me know. ⬇️

https://lnkd.in/eHCRCS4b

graphical user interface, text, application, chat or text message

Loved this convo with Alexa von Tobel - check it out and let me know what you think!

In this episode of Ambition 2.0, host Amanda Goetz sits down with Alexa von Tobel—the founder of LearnVest (where she raised $75M and successfully sold it to Northwestern Mutual) and current founder and managing partner of Inspired Capital—to unpack the resilient mindset that has shaped her successful career, from founder to venture-capital veteran.

Alexa dropped out of Harvard Business School and poured her life savings into LearnVest, a multimillion-dollar business idea—despite warnings from nearly everyone around her that she was making a big mistake. She did it in the middle of the 2008 economic recession, no less.

🎧 Watch or listen to the full episode, now live on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts! 

https://lnkd.in/eq-wEGjd

Open video: From Harvard Dropout to VC Powerhouse: How to Bet on Yourself with Alexa von Tobel | Ambition 2.0 on youtu.be

From Harvard Dropout to VC Powerhouse: How to Bet on Yourself with Alexa von Tobel | Ambition 2.0

Dylan Ander is the Founder & CEO of Heatmap, the #1 on-site analytics tool that tells ecommerce brands how to make more money—not just track clicks.

Unlike traditional heatmaps that focus on generic engagement metrics, Heatmap ties revenue to every pixel on your site, showing exactly which elements drive purchases (and which ones kill conversions).

💰 Finally, you can optimize for buyer behavior—not just traffic.

With trillions of data points and billions in tracked ecommerce revenue, Dylan has uncovered the data-backed insights brands need to turn website interactions into profit.

Before Heatmap, Dylan built and exited SplitTesting.com, one of the largest CRO agencies for ecommerce brands. He’s helped top brands like Hexclad, True Classic Tees, GEICO, and Planet Fitness optimize their websites for maximum revenue impact.

Dylan has been featured in Forbes, Disrupt Magazine, Yahoo Finance, and Entrepreneur.com, and appeared on top podcasts like Hustle Sold Separately and The AdSpend Podcast.

Outside of professional life, Dylan played NCAA tennis and is a USPTA-certified tennis coach. He's also a singer/songwriter and has written several songs that reached the Billboard Hot 100.

Want to optimize your website for revenue, not just clicks? Let’s talk.

Dylan Ander

I was talking with a friend about money and energy.

I mentioned how the word “currency” comes from “current”. Current is energy. That’s all money is - energy moving between people.

Then he hit me with the words we use to describe money in this space:

- Cash FLOW
- Income STREAMS
- LIQUIDITY

Every money term ties back to water/energy. Across cultures and languages, it’s everywhere. 

And water keeps flowing no matter what. Bounded by gravity, an energy.

Throw a rock in a river, the current will move around it. 
Drop a boulder in the middle of a stream, the current doesn’t stop. 

Money works the same way. You’re either letting it move through your life, or you’re the boulder it’s moving around.

3 exits. $5B+ in online revenue optimized. 12+ years in marketing. 1 book published.

My dad told me “Nothing in life replaces experience.”

That one line shaped how I hire, how I build teams, and how I run my companies. 

A lot of people tell me they're a “Swiss army knife,” that's a red flag in my book.

All it says to me is they couldn’t stick it out to master one thing, which is why I look for people who have gone wickedly deep into one specific area.

If I'm hiring a head of customer support, they damn better have more experience in customer support than I do.

And then I get out of their way.

The only time I jump in is when I have context they don't, or it's an area I'm a super specialist in.

Otherwise, I default to their judgment. Even when I'm 50/50 on something, I trust their shot call.

When people ask me about post-purchase upsells, I always have the same answer.

Upsell aggressively. Don't hold back.

I rarely tell marketers to be aggressive, but this is one of the few times I recommend it.

“But won't this hurt my brand experience?”

In your entire life of buying things online, can you remember a single post-purchase upsell that made you think less of a company?

I sure can't.

This is straight from page 181 of Billion Dollar Websites. 
If you want the ENTIRE book, find it here → billiondollarwebsites.com

Money is overwhelming, whether you’re a bajillionaire or in poverty. 

People in poverty or drowning in debt are straight-up stressed. They don't know where their next dollar is coming from. 
 
Why are billionaires overwhelmed?

I know it sounds like “woe is me,” but they've already conquered the game of harnessing money, and now they're overwhelmed by all the options. The opportunities, the legacy, decisions that influence the world on a big scale. I’ve never been, but I’d imagine a $1b bank account doesn’t feel easy on the soul.

I've been at different points on this spectrum.

When I was broke and hustling, I was overwhelmed.
When SplitTesting was scaling, I was overwhelmed.

Post-exit with a pot of money and zero cash flow, and I was overwhelmed in a different way because I exchanged huge monthly cash flow for a big pot of money and no more recurring revenue.

The number changes, but the overwhelm never fully disappears. 

If you're grinding thinking “once I hit X cash, I'll finally relax” - I hate to break it to you... that's not how it works.

If you ask someone “Why did this happen?” the word “why” makes them subconsciously defensive.

They’re not going to be open, even if your tone is calm. Their brain hears an accusation, so they start defending themselves.

Swap that one word out.

Instead of “why did this happen,” ask “how do we make sure this never happens again?”

“Why” makes them defend themselves. They end up emotional, frustrated, and going in circles about who's at fault.

“How do we make sure this never happens again?” moves toward a solution. Nobody's on trial, you're just two people fixing something together.

Shit happens. People fuck up, I fuck up. I don’t get mad. I ask what happened and figure out a solution.

What comes after matters more than what went wrong.

When I think about 5 years out, I start getting anxiety. 

I think it’s stupid. 

I’ve built multiple companies. Not once did a 5-year plan play out the way I thought it would. 

iOS 14 happened. 
COVID happened. 
Markets shifted.

The companies that survived were the ones willing to adapt. 

Success should be about “what do I do today to make tomorrow better?”

That is my core thesis of how I operate companies.

One foot in front of the other.

The future is a moving target. Today is the only thing you control. 

Stay versatile, focus on the now.

I read in a book the Japanese say “ichago” every time money exchanges hands. 

Every time they accept money: ichago. 
Every time they spend money: ichago.

Sounds woo-woo, the concept of “happy money” vs. “unhappy money” is something founders need to hear. 

It’s not just “do what you love”. That’s too simple.

Happy money is making sure every dollar that enters (and exits) your life doesn’t come with resentment, dread, or a piece of your soul attached to it. 

I understand the difference (you probably know it too) because I’ve made both kinds of money. 

Some of my biggest checks at SplitTesting came from clients I hated working with. Fat retainers, “successful” on paper. But something always felt off. 

Unhappy money makes burnout.

Now I’m building Heatmap with a team I trust, serving customers I want to help, and waking up every day excited to help solve their problems.

Different energy entirely.

After reading 8 books on money and the soul, this is one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned thus far. 

If you're burned out and can't figure out why, don't audit your revenue.

Audit what that revenue is costing you, and if its happy or unhappy money

I just turned 30.

Some of my best business decisions I’ve made in my 20s were:

- Getting married to my incredible wife
- Writing and releasing a 300-page book
- Investing in 15+ companies
- Growing Heatmap 250%
- Growing 2 supplement brands

I used to think wealth meant money and assets, then I read Sahil Bloom's book on the 5 types of wealth: health, mental, spiritual, relationships, and money.

And I realized I've been way wealthier than I felt this whole time. I just wasn't counting the right things.

That’s why getting married was the biggest “business decision” I made. Not joking. Split Testing blew up two weeks after I met Katie. Heatmap's best year happened after we got married.

My wealth has increased in every aspect of my life after meeting Katie. 

Coincidence? Maybe (but I don't think so)

Everything in life comes from FEAR or LOVE.

Anger is nothing more than fear, and each time you get “angry” with a team member, you’re only afraid of: 

- What their mistake might cost you
- If hiring them was the wrong decision

If you screw something up and you spiral, that's fear of repercussions at its core.
If you avoid a conversation you need to have, that’s fear of friction.

Love is the other side, but choosing love doesn't mean being soft. It means being solution-oriented, moving forward instead of sitting on the problem.

Let's say someone on my team is fucking up. Things aren't working, and I need to have a hard conversation.

I could go in, cuss them out (let the fear run its course), OR I could say “Hey, I love you. This thing happened, and this thing happened. These were really not good. Transparently, I feel like we're getting to a point where this might not be a fit.”

That's still a hard conversation. Direct as fuck, but I'm coming from a place of love, not fear.

The same words could come from either place, it just matters what tone you’re speaking from.

Company culture isn’t built when times are great.
Company culture is built when bad things happen.

At SplitTesting, I had over 100 team members. Things went wrong: lost accounts, missed deadlines, bugs, typos, mistakes that cost real money. 

Each time this happened, I had a choice: 

1. Get emotional, go in hotheaded, and make them feel like shit for fucking up.
2. Take a breath and focus on going forward. 

I chose to move forward every time. I’m still human, so I get taken by emotions sometimes, but the way you handle those moments becomes the tone of your entire company. 

Your team watches what happens when someone fucks up. If you explode, they learn to hide mistakes, and they won’t bring you problems until it’s too late. Terrible culture and even lower productivity.

But if you stay calm and focus on fixing it, they trust you. They flag issues early and are honest when something breaks. 

I can count on one hand how many times I put my foot down and said “No, this is wrong.”

Most of the time, trust your people, let them fuck up, fix it together, and move on.

That’s how culture gets built.

taplio

The Battle

Amanda Goetz

Dylan Ander

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreAmanda Goetz's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDylan Ander's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Amanda Goetz

Dylan Ander

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Amanda Goetz's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDylan Ander's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreAmanda Goetz's LinkedIn Performance