Greetings!

If you are a CEO, CHRO, Chief Diversity Officer. VP/Head of Talent or other C-suite leader, I want to ask how you are helping your organization navigate this challenging climate & prepare for a more inclusive, more prosperous future?  As a Talent Strategist & People Architect with DHR Global - a Forbes Best Executive Recruiting Firm – I’ve asked this question of current and future clients.

In my conversations with healthcare & life sciences executives, I’ve noticed that their goals & initiatives are to:

✅ Innovate quickly & ethically 
✅ Improve quality of care & patient outcomes 
✅ Eliminate health disparities
✅ Improve the patient experience
✅ Facilitate an efficient & profitable go to market (GTM) strategy & process (growth hacking)
✅ Hire, engage & retain a diverse workforce
✅ Strengthen governance

In my conversations I have discovered internal challenges such as: 

👎🏽 No talent acquisition &/or retention KPIs,
👎🏽 Overwhelmed Recruiters with little time to upskill
👎🏽 Non-existent / inconsistent sourcing, recruiting & onboarding processes
👎🏽 Old technology not able to meet current & emerging needs for applicant tracking (ATS/HCM/HRIS)
👎🏽 Insufficient talent market knowledge / data
👎🏽 Little time to focus on sourcing critical top talent to stabilize, scale & transform the organization
👎🏽 Even less time to be proactive & engage talent opportunistically in order to dominate the market
👎🏽 No time to develop a diversity strategy & execute to increase representation, equity & foster belonging

My commitment is to minimize your pain, maximize your joy & guide your organization to better outcomes:

👍🏽 No more failed assignments
👍🏽 No more excessively long vacancies
👍🏽 No more homogeneous candidate slates
👍🏽 No more communication breakdowns or lack of transparency
👍🏽 No more resenting placement fees because of low value partnerships or inflexible cost structures

My personalized approach to Executive Search and Talent Advisory is different.  I help my clients compete in a tight talent market to win the war for talent by leveraging an unparalleled industry network, using insightful market data, compelling positioning & magnetic messaging.

⭐ I also work with mature organizations that: 
⚕️ Have an urgent assignment
⚕️ Need a very niche role filled 
⚕️ Lack diverse candidate slates 
⚕️ Have an overloaded internal TA team

If you want a strategic partner who will make your organization smarter, faster & more agile, please email me at ahenderson@dhrglobal.com

Reach, Resourcefulness & Relationships - the DHR way.

Andrea Henderson, SPHR, CIR, RACR

My candidates didn't get the job and I've never been so grateful that I failed.

I submitted two intelligent, accomplished women for a Chief of Staff role working for a CEO of a major entertainment company. 

Both sailed through multiple rounds - interviews with the CFO, the former Chief of Staff, even the executive's mother.

But the process felt... off. 
➵ They were told to expect grueling hours and attend countless industry events. 
➵ Their personal style was scrutinized. 
➵ They fielded scenario-based questions about situations that seemed trivial, outrageous, and quite frankly, unlikely to ever occur. 

It got weird. 

Then came the request to fly from NY to LA for a final meeting. Before they could book flights, I got the call: neither was moving forward.

We were all disappointed. We said the usual "it wasn't meant to be" and moved on.

Years passed before the headlines announced the CEO’s arrest. The Chief of Staff who eventually got the role, was then in the news as an alleged enabler.

I immediately reached out to both candidates. We had a joint moment of relief - and profound gratitude.

My intention is to only work with ethical clients who value integrity as much as excellence.

So this experience taught me something I'll never forget:
↳ Sometimes the blessing is the door that slams shut. 
↳ Sometimes the win is the rejection. 
↳ Sometimes the greatest act of protection is not getting the job - or the assignment - you thought you wanted.

And as a recruiter …someone entrusted with people's livelihoods, reputations, and futures …I hold that truth close: 

Let's stop believing that any high-profile role is worth the cost. 

My work will always center around finding talent that can thrive in high-stakes environments, but I also have to ensure those environments don't destroy them.

To anyone searching for their next role, know this:
↳Not every opportunity is aligned.   
↳Not every 'yes' is safe.   
↳And sometimes the biggest success is what didn’t happen.

Exec Search Pro helping biotech, value-based care, digital health companies & hospitals hire transformational C-suite & Board leaders. Partner, Life Sciences, Healthcare, Diversity, Board Search | Board Member | Investor

Excited to announce I'll be attending the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference in January! 🎯

This is always such a valuable opportunity to connect with industry leaders, explore innovations in healthcare, and engage in meaningful conversations about the future of our field.

If you're attending and would like to connect, please send me a message to schedule a time to meet up. I'd love to catch up with familiar faces and make new connections!

Who’s going to JPM?👇🏽

#JPM2026 #JPMHealthcare #HealthcareInnovation #HealthTech #HealthcareLeadership #DigitalHealth

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His parents locked him in a psychiatric hospital. Three times. Electroshock therapy. Medication. All because he wouldn't conform.

He walked the Camino de Santiago - 500 miles across Spain - and came back with both blisters and clarity.

Call it awakening. Call it courage. Call it remembering who you were before the world told you who to be.

He wrote about that just before he wrote The Alchemist;
Paulo Coelho's simple story about a shepherd boy chasing a dream. 

It’s a story about the treasure that's always closer than we think. About seeking everywhere in the distance only to find it was at home all along.

But before it sold 150 million copies and became one of the most translated books in history, it flopped. 

He refused to let it die. 
He refused to surrender what he believed in.
He knew what it meant to be misunderstood.
He knew what it meant to wander.
He knew what it meant to keep going when the world said stop.

I read The Alchemist at a time when I was searching for something I couldn't name.

The unconventional path. The wandering. The need to go far away only to realize the treasure was home all along…it didn't just resonate. It explained me.

I've lived that story. The detours that looked like failures. The rejections that felt like proof I was on the wrong path. The moments I almost gave up because nothing was going according to plan.

And then I became a recruiter.
Not in spite of the wandering. Because of it.

Through my candidates, I do the work all over again. I walk with the ones who've been rejected 47 times. The ones whose paths don't fit the template. The ones who are blistered and unsure but won't stop walking.

Through my clients, I'm constantly seeking the stars. The proven performers. The transformative talent everyone wants.

I am all of them.

The pilgrim. The shepherd. The best-seller. The one who wandered far only to find what I was looking for was in the journey itself.

I am the bridge between the seeking and the seekers.

Executive search isn't just my job. It's my pilgrimage.
It's how I keep walking.

If you're feeling off-path today, maybe this is your sign.
Keep walking.
Your legend isn't lost.

What "6-7" Teaches Us About Generational Diversity in the Workplace

You might have heard kids shouting "six seven!" lately. Dictionary.com just named it their 2025 Word of the Year.
(Is it even a word? 🤦🏽‍♀️)

And while it means absolutely nothing, here's the insight: it's Gen Z's version of "Who's on first?"

When adults ask what it means, young people give a unified response: It has no definition. 

The phrase, which is driving parents and teachers crazy, is absurdist humor for the digital age …just like Abbott and Costello's classic routine was for theirs.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐠𝐚𝐩 𝐰𝐞'𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠:
➵ Right now, we have five generations in the workplace. 
➵ Boomers remember when "Who's on first?" was cutting-edge comedy. 
➵ Gen Alpha thinks "six seven" is hilarious for the exact same reason …the joy of shared absurdity. 

Different reference points, same human need for connection and humor.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩:
This isn't "brain rot"
…it's a deliberate, gleeful effort by young people to remain unknowable in an era of relentless online observation. 

Each generation develops its own cultural codes shaped by its unique context. 

👥 Boomers and Gen X built careers before email. 

👩‍❤️‍👨 Millennials bridged the analog-digital divide. 

👽 Gen Z witnessed social media's dark side. 

🤳🏾Gen Alpha has never known privacy.

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐬:

✔️ Recognizing that a 22-year-old and a 62-year-old bring different lived experiences that both add value

✔️ Creating space for generational perspectives without stereotyping

✔️ Ensuring that "cultural fit" doesn’t just mean "people who grew up like I did"

✔️ Building mentorship that flows in multiple directions

💰 The companies thriving in 2030 won't be the ones that "understand" every generational trend. 

💰 They'll be the ones that recognize generational differences as a strategic advantage 
…where "𝑾𝒉𝒐’𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕?" and "𝒔𝒊𝒙 𝒔𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏" can coexist, and both are valued.
__________________

So... are you being driven crazy by "six seven," or do you totally get it?

Being invisible is expensive, but you can't hack your way into a trusting relationship.

I've seen it in executive search for years: the professionals who land the BEST opportunities aren't just qualified.

They know how to show up AUTHENTICALLY and build real connections on LinkedIn and IRL.

From hidden to → VISIBLE
From generic to → MAGNETIC
From waiting to → ATTRACTING

The landscape has shifted:

↳ Recruiters are searching LinkedIn first (not job boards)
↳ Your voice matters MORE than ever
↳ Building a brand isn't vanity, it's STRATEGY

Here's what I see working in 2025-2026:
✓ Authenticity over perfection
✓ Consistency over virality
✓ Connection over self-promotion

That's why I'm excited to join Katheline Jean-Pierre MSc  TODAY for "The LinkedIn Tea" 🍵
We're spilling on:

↳ How to define YOUR unique voice and show up unapologetically
↳ What the LinkedIn algorithm actually prioritizes (and how to use it)
↳ How to build a brand that attracts recruiters, clients & collaborations
↳ Where the opportunities actually are in this new landscape

📍 Join us For Free 📍
TODAY at 12 PM PDT / 3 PM EST
https://lnkd.in/gtTAjTpZ

Whether you're actively job searching, building your practice, or ready to attract better opportunities…this session is for you.

*This webinar is sponsored by Graphy.
___________
👋 I'm Andrea Henderson, Executive Search Professional helping companies identify top talent and match them with opportunities that align with their career goals.

𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐀𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞

One of my clients is doing something that should be standard practice but unfortunately isn't: they're compensating every candidate who completes their second-round strategic planning exercise.

They want to be clear …they're not looking for free labor! 

They want to understand how candidates think, approach complex problems, and communicate strategy. 

But they also recognize that asking someone to develop a thoughtful strategic plan is a significant investment of time, expertise, and intellectual energy.

So they pay for it. 

Every single person who completes the exercise gets compensated, regardless of whether or not they get the job.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞:

𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐲. 
Not everyone can afford to spend 5-10 hours on unpaid work exercises. Some candidates are juggling multiple interviews, others are working full-time, and many have caregiving responsibilities. Compensation levels the playing field.

𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭. 
If the work requires professional-level thinking and produces something of value, it's work. 
And work deserves pay.

𝐈𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬. 
How you treat candidates tells them everything about how you'll treat employees. If you don't value their time during hiring, why would they believe you'll value it after?

𝐈𝐭 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭. 
Top candidates know their worth. 
They're more likely to invest deeply in an exercise when the company invests in them too.

There's a clear line between a reasonable interview case discussion and asking for deliverables like strategic plans, marketing campaigns, competitive analyses, or detailed proposals. The latter should be compensated.

If your hiring process requires candidates to produce substantial work, pay them for it. 

If you can't afford to pay candidates for their work, you can't afford to ask for it.

It's that simple.

___________

If you need help, DM me for my proprietary 𝐇𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭

Thanksgiving recipe for boundaries

As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, I'm reminding myself of something important: self-care isn't selfish.

It's easy to overcommit during the holidays …saying yes to every side dish, every special diet request, every guest/family/colleague expectation. 

But sustainable success requires us to protect our energy and set healthy boundaries.

Please be intentional about including yourself on the list of people youre taking care of. 

That might mean saying no to some things, taking breaks when you need them, and being present where you choose to show up.

I'm deeply grateful for this network …for the colleagues who inspire me, the mentors who guide me, and the connections that make this professional journey meaningful. 

Thank you for being part of it. 

Wishing everyone a restful and restorative Thanksgiving. 🍁

Start an argument to save money on Christmas presents 

OR

Take some advice from Mike Muse on how to keep the peace at Thanksgiving dinner today. 

Either way, enjoy! 🦃🍁

Happy Thanksgiving

What says “transactional” more than disconnecting after you get the job?

Tickles me because I’ve seen this movie before. 

Headhunters are not the Boogeyman.  

And we’re not the wait staff that you tip after you eat, burp and go home, never to be seen again. 

We're relationship builders. Career-long partners. 
The people who remember you when the perfect opportunity comes around again.

So when you disconnect after you get what you need…

We remember that too.

What do you think happens next time? 

_________________

Has anyone ever gone radio silent, disappeared or disconnected from you after getting what they want?

I see this question all the time:
“Know a recruiter in Charlotte, NC?”
Let’s talk about why that’s not the question you should be asking.

I see people asking for recommendations for a recruiter in their city.

But here’s the thing: most of us don’t work locally. We work nationally. Some, like me, even work globally.

So the better question isn’t 
❌ “Who’s near me?”
✅  It’s “Who specializes in what I do?”

❓Are you in CPG? 
❓Tech? 
❓Luxury retail? 
❓Healthcare? 
❓Manufacturing?

❓❓Are you a CFO? 
❓❓CMO? 
❓❓Chief Commercial Officer?

The clearer your ask, the better the recommendations you’ll get.

Ask better questions, get better answers, Beloved, 🫶🏽

Best way to find a Recruiter to work with

Obstacles are often smaller than they appear.

Overthinking can be as bad as under-thinking. 

Leaders [and Coaches] help others turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones.

Agree? 

_______________
Repost from Oleg Vishnepolsky, CTO at Daily Mail Online

I’ll be the voice in the room on December 1st. 

Katheline Jean-Pierre, MSc: a brilliant, award-winning revenue leader, coach, podcaster and truth-seeker, will be asking the questions, and I’ll be answering them live.

She reached out and said, essentially: People are lost in this market. Why the **Crickets**? 

And she mirrored what I keep hearing across industries:

High-performers who were once chosen are now the ones doing the choosing, the searching, the competing for attention.

🤔 Recruiters seem to have evaporated. 👀
🥴 Process fractured. 
😤Access collapsed.
🫩 The rules rewrote themselves without asking permission.

So she asked me the questions you’ve been carrying in the quiet:

• How do ambitious professionals run a modern job search without insider access?
• What tactics still work and which ones need to be added to the toolkit?
• And most importantly, how do you manufacture momentum in this market?

I have a lot to say. (I always do.)

Which is why we’re hosting a live conversation, post-holiday fog:

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐉𝐎𝐁 𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆

How to navigate the market and create your own path
A live Q&A with me and Katheline on Zoom

📅 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝐬𝐭 
• It’s free • It’s live 
• It’s clarity when clarity is scarce.

No gatekeeping. No fees. No performative posturing.

Just answers. Just access. Just the unfiltered mechanics of what works now.

If you’re searching for a role, planning a pivot, or trying to decode the signals that suddenly went silent: Be in the room.

Bring the questions you’re tired of holding.

I’ll bring the truth you’re tired of not hearing.

🔗 Zoom link in comments.

Andrea Henderson, SPHR, CIR, RACR ✦ Executive Search Professional
In dialogue with Katheline Jean-Pierre, MSc .
Your questions, answered.

When a CEO says "exploring all options," we all know what that means.

Jim Forbes and I had a great conversation last night at the PDA holiday party about what boards actually need when they're looking for a CEO who can make the company "transaction ready."

When the board is facing a go-private scenario, preparing for an IPO, or navigating an acquisition, the leadership profile changes dramatically. You need to find the right CEO for this particular journey.

The leaders who excel in transaction-heavy environments bring a specific toolkit:

↳ They view constrained runways as catalysts for decisive action, not paralysis
↳ They've built credibility with PE firms, investment bankers, and boards during high-pressure processes
↳ They can articulate competing strategic paths without becoming attached to any single outcome
↳ They understand that "exploring all options" requires rigorous strategic discipline

The question that the board should let shape the CEO search: Are we hiring for the company we are today, or the company we're about to become?

If transformation, transaction, or transition is on your horizon, your leadership profile needs to reflect that reality from day one.

I partner with boards to define these nuanced requirements before the search begins because getting this hire right is crucial. It could kill the deal if you get it wrong so it isn't a hire you'll get to make twice.

Thanks Jim Forbes for sparking this reflection. 

___________________

Private Directors Association® - Atlanta Chapter  

*picture for attention

#ExecutiveSearch #CEOSearch #BoardAdvisory #LeadershipTransitions

Codie A. Sanchez  said “The best founders do one thing brilliantly... 

Hire.”
.
.
.
.
.
She isn’t wrong. 

It’s worth investing in a good partnership with an executive recruiter. It’s too important to “wing it.”

Your next executive hire was at Art Basel this weekend in Miami.  

Or she might have been at the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association conference in Las Vegas. 

Or the Private Directors Association event at Disneyland in October.

This weekend I was at Art Basel in Miami. I went to celebrate a friend's milestone birthday, reconnect with old colleagues, and meet new connections.

People see the photos and say, "Wow, you're living your best life!"

Here's what they don't see:
Yes, I am out a lot. 
I'm out in the rain.
I'm out in the cold. 
I'm out in the snow. 
I'm out in the extreme heat. 
I'm out when I'm tired.
I'm out when my feet hurt. 
I'm out when I have nothing that I like to wear. 
When I feel like I look like a frump, I'm out. 
Sometimes tired, sometimes not feeling my best. 
But I show up anyway.

Because when you need to fill a critical executive role, you can't afford to wait weeks for the "perfect candidate" to surface through job boards.

The executives you want aren't likely actively looking for you. They're not scrolling LinkedIn Jobs. 

They're at Art Basel. 
They're at industry conferences. They're at that startup founder's dinner party.

And when you need them, they'll take my call. 

Not because I sent them a cold InMail, but because we've had real conversations. 

Because someone they trust vouched for me. 
Because I've invested in the relationship long before you had an opening.

You can't be everywhere your next hire might be. But I can.

That's not work-life balance, that's how executive search actually works.

The relationships I build at a birthday celebration this weekend might solve your hardest hiring challenge next quarter.

When everyone else is fighting over the same 5 candidates on LinkedIn, I'm bringing you people who weren't even "on the market."

The secret recipe = Trust + Access.

That's the difference between recruiting and executive search.

Art Basel and Executive Search 

Stop showing your scalp and start showing your teeth.

You’ve done everything right …but invisibly. And invisibility doesn’t lead to advocacy,  recognition, promotion or payment.

Showing your teeth is a metaphor for visibility, voice, and power. 

It means speaking up. 
It means that you’re comfortable smiling in power rooms that you belong in. 
It means making yourself known and unmissable.

Translation: You stop shrinking. You claim your space. You speak your value out loud …that’s self-advocacy.

But sometimes the hardest person to advocate for is yourself.

Early in my career, I struggled with asking for what I deserved. I thought my work would speak for itself. It didn't.

The turning point was realizing that knowing your value and asking for it isn't arrogance. 
Understanding that it's necessary.

Today, I pray that everyone reading this finds:

The clarity to recognize their own worth 

The courage to speak up and ask for what they deserve

The resilience to keep going, even when the path gets tough

Early in your career, you have to put your head down and get things done. 

But at a certain point, working hard isn't enough. 

You have to understand your value and demand fair recognition for the work you put in and the results you create.

Do you know where the inflection point is?

Are you in grinding season or speak-up season?

Tell me in the comments:
🔨 GRIND
🗣️ SPEAK
🤔 IDK

She did her mom’s makeup at the funeral home to get her “casket ready” and then recorded this video.

Ashley Ann Jones is someone I respect deeply. Her work ethic is unmatched. I also knew her mom and how much they loved each other. 

That’s why when I watched this, I felt like she punched me in the chest having recently experienced the same loss. 

Because she wasn’t just talking to the internet …she was talking to ME!

To the part of me that knows exactly what it means to lose my mother and still have the world tapping its watch. 

To the part that kept moving - - not because I’m brave, but because stopping felt like free-fall.

It punches the chest because it mirrors a truth most people never have to look at head-on:
grief doesn’t pause responsibility.

Payroll doesn’t pause for grief. Vendors don’t accept sorrow as payment. Rent, subscriptions, contracts, dependents …they all keep tapping you on the shoulder.

So yes, working can be a coping mechanism. Structure can be a lifeline. Motion can keep you from drowning in the quiet. Channeling energy can feel safer than sitting still with the enormity of loss. I know this terrain. Many of us do.

Can you relate? Have you pushed through difficult seasons in order to be successful … or simply stay afloat? 

I know this may be an unpopular opinion in this era of anti-hustle culture. 

Thoughts?

Happy Founders’ Day to the Distinguished Men of 
𝐀𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐚 𝐏𝐡𝐢 𝐀𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐚 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝! 

For 119 years, you’ve led the way with purpose, service, and a commitment to “Manly Deeds, Scholarship and Love For All Mankind.” 

May your legacy deepen, your influence widen, and your light keep cutting through places that still need you!

🖤💛🩷💚

#APA1906Network #AKA1908

This is going to make my Atlanta friends mad!

I don’t know who created this list but the best airlines I’ve ever flown, #Emirates, isn’t even on here. 

Neither is my hometown favorite #JetBlue.

I co-sign on #TurkishAir though. 

Do you agree with this ranking? What’s your favorite airlines?

This was so much fun and got such good feedback, its only fair to share with my folks also. If you missed it and want to see the replay, comment "TEA" below or in my DM and Katheline or I will send it to you.  I'm following her lead on this... 😎

Award Winning Fortune 500 Exec | I Coached 15,000+ tech workers to Build a Career & Business they Love | Ex-Google

View Katheline Jean-Pierre MSc’s profile

Part 1 of The LinkedIn Tea is officially done  🫖 🍵 . Co-hosted with Andrea Henderson, SPHR, CIR, RACR, we broke down what moves the needle on LinkedIn right now, and how to turn your presence into real outcomes: interviews, partnerships, clients, and offers.

Here’s what we covered:

On LinkedIn Growth
•⁠  Define your unique voice + show up unapologetically
•⁠ What the algorithm is prioritizing (and what it’s quietly deprioritizing)
•⁠ How to create posts even when you “don’t know what to say”

On Career Growth
•⁠ Build a brand that attracts recruiters (not just likes)
•⁠ How to job-search in today’s landscape when “apply + wait” doesn’t work

On Attracting Opportunities
•⁠ Convert visibility into partnerships, clients, and revenue opportunities


If you missed it, don’t worry... Part 2 is coming.
👋🏾  Comment “TEA” and I’ll send the replay. 
 🗞️ Also... Join my newsletter to never miss a beat: https://lnkd.in/gX4mEkVA

P.S.: We met a few months ago in person in my backyard in LA. Then we decided to run a webinar on our journey.

Tobi Oluwole

Founder & CEO, Magnate Ventures, Founder’s Blueprint Accelerator | Growth Advisor, Speaker & Investor

With over 330M+ impressions, & 370,000 LinkedIn followers and over $33M in revenue generated for clients, I created a blueprint that drives leads, closes sales, and creates freedom for entrepreneurs. 

In 2019: I was working in tech sales struggling to hit my quota
In 2020: I started creating LinkedIn content, testing what works.
In 2024: I’m helping founders, leaders, and entrepreneurs grow their audiences and businesses by turning their thoughts into LinkedIn content that turns followers into customers. 

I’ve coached and worked with 100+ founders & entrepreneurs helping them craft stories, grow their following, and build profitable lifestyle businesses—all using the data that helped me make my first $1 million using LinkedIn.

Here’s how I can help you:

1. Subscribe to my newsletter - Life on Your Terms: tobioluwole.com

2. Check out my free webinar on how to build high-ticket offers: https://bit.ly/4a77YjJ

3. Apply to the next cohort of my 8-week accelerator, The Founder's Blueprint: https://www.tobioluwole.com/founders-blueprint 

Not ready yet? No problem. Stick around! I share actionable tips on entrepreneurship, leadership, & personal growth

100,000+ people are waiting for you to tell your story. 

Start writing on LinkedIn today.

📩 For sponsorships or partnerships: tobi@tobioluwole.com

Founder

Founder & Coach providing actionable advice on how to earn more and live happier.

I think my sister is going to be a Chief of Staff or COO in the next 5 years. 

I’m calling it early.

In 2018, she got hired on the spot while interviewing with a startup. 

The co-founders had casually mentioned at the beginning of the interview that they struggled to stay organized with their time. 

So my sister subtly timed how long they spent talking about each of their operational issues.

Then presented her recommendations to them at the end of that interview! 

With a suggestion on what should be prioritized first. 

Purely based on the level of emotion they displayed & length of time spent while talking about each problem. 

They hired her within 48 hours & ended up doubling the company.

→ She anticipates people's needs before they know what's happening
→ She reads 40+ books annually & can recall details
→ Taught herself Korean in less than a year
→ Works faster than 90% of people I know
→ Is insanely diligent with finances

You could ask her where any dollar has gone since the start of her career and she would be able to tell you. 

Tomi Oluwole, everything you do is excellent. 

Can't wait to see where you go!

the3skillsinc

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Talks about #careers, #compensation, #entrepreneurship, #careertransitions, and #salarynegotiation

Founder & CEO, Magnate Ventures, Founder’s Blueprint, Magnate Studios | Growth Advisor, Speaker & Investor

I bought my mom a car two years ago.

It's a promise I made to her when I was 14 because I knew she loved cars.

And it was one of the most fulfilling moments of my entire life. 

I love building my businesses and my audience. 

But what I'm really passionate about is:

→ Taking good care of my mom
→ Paying my brother's college tuition
→ Taking my dad to watch Arsenal live
→ Traveling around Europe with my sister

Getting the most out of life with the people I love the most. 

A job is a means to an end. 

So is creating a personal brand.

And so is building a profitable business. 

Don't get carried away comparing yourself to people trying to look successful. 

Write down your own definition of success.

Then pursue it relentlessly with everything you've got.

My wife is one of the secret weapons I have. 

She hears every idea first & pokes holes in it. 

When things fail and I feel like quitting, she catches me & helps me to keep going. 

We just had a record year in our business & I have her to thank. 

If you want to have an unbeatable competitive advantage in life & business

Marry the right person.

My brother moved to Canada when he was 15 years old.

He landed in Montreal and missed his flight to Ottawa because of the border agents.

To make things worse, he didn't have a phone so we literally had no idea where he was.

But he's so intelligent! We've always known that.

So my sister and I drove to the Greyhound station and just hoped he would find his way to Ottawa.

4 hours later, he arrived! He has always been able to figure things out on his own - even in a brand new country.

He graduated high school at 15, did some networking and landed a job at Dairy Queen.

Before college, he managed to land a part-time job at Scotiabank and worked full-time during summers.

Whenever he needed extra cash, he would flip iPhones on Kijiji (just like I used to do).

During the pandemic, he learned how to trade, made $10k in profit and then paid some of his college tuition with it.

When he needed a computer for school, he built his own computer from scratch watching videos on YouTube and buying parts online.

I also once watched him use Java to code the solution to a problem I gave him in less than a day.

Today, he's a top producing Sales Development Rep at a tech company. 

And I'm a proud big brother. 

Never underestimate people who have the ability to figure things out.

One of my friends just hit $2.3M in their business for this year.

I was with him when he decided to launch a company 3 years ago.

And we've been building side-by-side ever since.

The first 4 months were insanely difficult because he was still working full-time. 

Then he got fired and decided to go all in instead of looking for a new role. 

The first year he hit just over $400,000 in revenue. 

Then last year he generated over $1.2 million. 

This year his business will hit at ~$2.5 million!

With only 3 full-time people.

Now he gets to: 
→ Work on his own schedule 
→ Travel with friends more often
→ Take time off when he needs it
→ Spend more time with his spouse

He turned his expertise and skills into a full-blown marketing agency. 

And started making profit instead of a pay check. 
 
This is the future of work.

Integrity is who you are when nobody else is looking. 

And doing the right thing is often the harder choice. 

In the short-term, it may hurt because you might: 
→ Lose some revenue 
→ Get passed up for a job
→ Hurt someone's feelings

But at the end of the day, your conscience will be clear. 

Never compromise your values. 

Even if everyone else is doing it.

My ambition was at an all-time high when I was 23. 

I wanted to "change the world" with my ideas. 

But I was sacrificing my relationships with the people I loved to be "successful"

Then one of my mentors sat me down one day and said:

If you want to change the world, go home and love your family. 

It hit me so hard and I immediately knew what I had to do. 

I set up weekly date nights with my sister so we could mend our relationship. 

Weekly date nights with my girlfriend (now wife). 

And later on I set up weekly family night with both my siblings. 

My family never came second after that conversation. 

And it was the best decision I ever made.

Unsurprisingly, my career and businesses took off shortly after. 

And it was incredible to know that I always had their backing. 

If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.

Consistency will take you further than motivation. 

Not seeing any results yet, keep working. 

Things aren’t going your way, keep showing up.

Crushing it? Go again tomorrow. 

Never underestimate how far you can go by just staying consistent with your efforts. 

Keep going.

I met up with a founder who just finalized his divorce. 

He’s devastated. 

The companies that he founded are worth over $45 million. 

But because he used to travel so much, his marriage slowly fell apart over the years.

And so did his relationship with his young kid.

As we were having lunch, he looked me in the eyes and said something profound: 

”I would trade all the money I made to have my family back together. It wasn’t worth it.”

And then encouraged me NOT to do entrepreneurship the way he did it. 

That conversation will stick with me forever. 

Because anything that will cost you your family, your peace or your health is not worth it. 

Remember your priorities.

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Leadership doesn't have a specific title. 

In fact, the best leaders have learned how to influence people without one.

They are the ones who:
↳ Praise you in public but give you feedback in private
↳ Defend your honour when you aren't in the room
↳ Care about you - outside of the work you do
↳ Never stop believing in your potential
↳ Fight to get you more opportunities

You don't need to be a manager, director or VP to do these things.

Even as an individual contributor, you can begin impacting people's careers positively.

You are not a leader because of your fancy title.

You are a leader because of your consistent actions.

In March, I took my family to Barbados. 

It was our first family vacation in probably 15 years. 

During Christmas, I emailed them their plane tickets! 

For a week, we had breakfast lunch and dinner together. 

And had water gun fights in the pool at our AirBnB. 

I've experienced a lot of highs while building businesses. 

But that week was probably one of the greatest highlights of my entire life. 

Entrepreneurship is hard. 

But it's so worth it.

My friend used to get bullied by her manager. 

It was a constant thing for over a year. 

And it didn't just affect her mental health. 

It affected her confidence, her performance and even her pay. 

Even though she wanted to leave, she couldn't. 

→ Mortgage on a house 
→ Extended family to support 
→ Two kids and one on the way

So she stayed and started working with a therapist to cope. 

Luckily, her manager ended up taking a new role earlier this year. 

I like to explain to people that you don't need to build a big business to be free. 

The number 1 reason to become an entrepreneur is to have more options. 

So that you can walk away from situations you don't like. 

And keep your peace.

2019: My business generated $11,000 in 12 months

2024: My business hit over $1 million in revenue in 12 months

2019: Worked 6-7 days a week between my job & side hustle

2024: Worked 3-days a week and spent more time traveling

2019: Losing sleep because I had no savings & lots of responsibility

2024: Woke up daily without an alarm and had peace of mind

2019: Had to borrow $150 for groceries from my little sister

2024: Own a home and get to take my family on vacation

Sharing my thoughts on LinkedIn played a big part in that transformation.

It's incredible what can happen in only 5 years of being consistent. 

By December 2030, you could have a completely different life. 

But only if you start working towards it as early as today. 

Everyone overestimates what they can do in a year. 

And underestimates what they can do in 10 years. 

Overnight success does not exist. 
__
p.s. running a brand new training around building authority on LinkedIn. Monday Nov 24 at 12pm EST: https://lnkd.in/g3BS6wGr

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Sales Navigator

Jose O.

Too many excuses will keep you stuck. 

→ I don't have time because my job drains me
→ I don't have enough money to get started
→ I'm too busy taking care of my kids

But every excuse has the potential to become a reason: 

→ My job drains me, so I'll use my mornings to build my business
→ I don't have money so I'll learn for free on YouTube & webinars
→ I want my kids to have a better life so I'll build a business for them

If you're serious about changing your life you'll find a way. 

If not, you will find an excuse. 

Believe in yourself.

I invested in a fintech startup a few months ago. 

1 month into their launch they sent an investor update. 

They had hit over $7 million in revenue already!

Since the start of my career, I refused to invest in the stock market. 

Mostly because I knew that I could get a better return on my money by reinvesting in my businesses. 

And I was right. 

But this year, I met up with an entrepreneur who has been investing for 5 years. 

He invests 75% of his profits every single month. 

And his investments have grown over 300%!

In that moment, I got it. 

I went home and immediately started learning.

A few days later, I began investing in index funds. 

And a few months after that, I wrote my first angel check. 

Apparently your money can make more money than your labour ever can.

I started working with a management consultant last year.

He was building software while working at Deloitte but struggled to gain traction.

He had some personal constraints too.

A daughter needing treatments and a desire to create a lifestyle that gave him more time with his family.

Instead of suggesting he lower his ambitions, we did something different: 
→ Helped him pivot 4-5 times until he found an offer that resonated 
→ Created a strategic LinkedIn presence that attracted his ideal clients 
→ Detached from specific ideas & focused on finding product-market fit
→ Built a business model that gave him control over his time and income

He never thought anyone would pay $15,000 for his services.

And for the first few months he struggled to find any customers. 

Then on December 31st, he signed his first $15K client.

Today, less than a year later, his agency generates 4X what he made at his consulting job.

What seemed impossibly difficult became "almost easy" once everything fell into place.

Every goal is possible if you're willing to pivot until you find what works.

Stop giving up when your first idea doesn't land.

I started working with a founder this year.

His goal was to scale his coaching business from $250,000 to $750,000 in 1 year so he could retire his parents.

He had been stuck at the same revenue range for more than 3 years.

Instead of telling him how impossible it would be, we just asked the right questions:

↳ How do we increase the lead flow with better content & paid ads?
↳ How do we boost the life time value of each customer to $25k/year?
↳ Who is the ideal client for the offer and what makes them so ideal?
↳ How do we delegate 80% of his role and focus on what he does best?

His biggest fear was that customers would push back on the new pricing.

In the first 45 days, he closed $160,000 in NEW revenue.

Entrepreneurship is basically magic.

I started working with a data scientist that works for a Fortune 500 company. 

He was at a career crossroads. 

Wondering whether to climb the corporate ladder or pursue entrepreneurship.

He had valuable knowledge from his transition from chemical engineering to tech, but didn't know how to package it or find clients.

Instead of telling him to pick one path, we implemented my blueprint: 
↳ Transformed his blank LinkedIn profile with 500 connections into a powerful lead generator
↳ Helped him identify his true target audience: people making the same engineering-to-tech transition
↳ Built systems to qualify leads and clearly communicate his value proposition
↳ Created a structured program that delivers transformative results in weeks

His biggest fear was charging for knowledge he'd been giving away for free to friends and colleagues.

His first client paid him $2,000 and landed a job within one month of the program.

Today, his clients pay $5,000 for the same transformation, and he's had three consecutive $20K months.

He grew from 500 to 10,000 followers in just one year and went from 0 to 400,000 impressions in six months.

All while keeping his full-time job.

Stop limiting yourself to your initial business idea.

You build a six-figure business by solving real problems for people who are willing to pay.

Listen to what the market is telling you.

For years, I thought I was lazy. 

I used to fall asleep at my desk at work. 

Turns out that I just hated what I was doing. 

It's obvious to me now because I can work for 12 hours straight. 

And even forget to eat until my wife seizes my laptop. 

I thought my goal was to stop working or "retire" early. 

Turns out I just wanted to work on something I was passionate about. 

Build something that doesn't feel like work.

We just hit $4M in total revenue across my creator-led businesses. 

I've been building on LinkedIn for over 5 years. 

These are my top 8 predictions for 2026: 

1. Trust > Distribution 
People will become more skeptical than ever. They will do more research and expect more value before investing or spending on anything.

People with small audiences of 5,000 followers & lots of authority will out-earn creators with 100,000+ followers that post generalized content.

2. LinkedIn organic reach will continue to drop
LinkedIn is introducing more paid features and organic impressions will continue to decrease. Content alone will no longer be enough. 

The new formula will centre around signal-based outbound & multi-channel content. 

3. Human > AI 
AI comments have dominated this year. Everyone can use AI tools to write posts and generate content now, so the technology is commoditized. 

Your unique perspective, lived experience, and authentic voice become your competitive moat & buyers will appreciate human-centric experiences even more.

4. More people will exit corporate 
The gap between what high performers want (freedom, autonomy, lifestyle design) and what companies offer (bureaucracy, politics, office returns) keeps widening. 

The best talent will quickly realize they can create more income, impact, and freedom on their own terms through entrepreneurship.

5. More employees will focus on building leverage
More people will license their expertise to multiple companies instead of earning one salary from one employer. 

It will be better to build a business with 5-10 high-value clients paying $10K-$50K each instead of climbing the corporate ladder.

6. Implementation will become the product 
People are tired of courses they never finish, frameworks they never apply and getting lost in massive cohorts that are overwhelming.

More people will look for 1-on-1 guidance, structured accountability, true community and hands-on execution so they get results much faster. 

7. Offline community will make a comeback 
After years of Zoom fatigue and shallow group chats, people will prioritize in-person relationships & friendships. 

More people will invest in curated retreats, dinners, and masterminds where real growth happens in the room, not on a screen.

8. Companies & execs will finally get onboard 
Creating content has always been overlooked my CXOs but that's going to change next year. 

Entire organizations and departments will start writing on LinkedIn as part of their marketing & sales effort, then build backend infrastructure to harvest leads.

2026 is going to look very different. 

You can get ahead of it. 

What are some of your predictions?

taplio

The Battle

Andrea Henderson, SPHR, CIR, RACR

Tobi Oluwole

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taplio

The Battle

Andrea Henderson, SPHR, CIR, RACR

Tobi Oluwole

Followers

Posts

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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);}Andrea Henderson, SPHR, CIR, RACR's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreAndrea Henderson, SPHR, CIR, RACR's LinkedIn Performance