Career Strategist I Change advisor for Leaders | I help successful professionals build freedom, income & impact through portfolio careers | Speaker I Ex-Citi COO | Follow for modern leadership, career and change

Over the past 25 years, I have built a successful international banking career.
Most recently, I was the Regional COO for Citibank’s $2Bn business across 16 countries in Asia - leading large-scale transformations in digitisation and culture.

But in 2021, I walked away from my high-paying executive role.

Why?

Because I wanted more space.
More time with family.
More alignment between who I am and how I work.

But I didn’t want to start from scratch.
So I asked myself a question:
What if I could build a career around everything I already know - and love?

That’s how my portfolio career began.
And it changed everything.

Now, I help other professionals do the same.

What I’ve built since 2021:
→ A 6-figure portfolio business with 3 income streams
→ Founder of Change is Possible - a business community for professionals redesigning their next chapter
→ 100K+ LinkedIn followers (grew from 17K in under a year)
→ Coached 100+ professionals through successful career transitions
→ Host of a Top 20 global podcast on career change, Change is Possible
→ TEDx speaker, Forbes columnist, and Bloomberg TV guest

Want to build your own portfolio career?
🚀 THE PORTFOLIO CAREER ACCELERATOR (Launching October 2025) 
Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1thkmph_EwRxLGfuL9muCsRir1uKDdF2nXYeI7X_1oSA/edit

This is an 8-week program designed to help you:
→ Turn your expertise into income
→ Build a personal brand that opens doors
→ Create your first income stream - even before you leave your job

Only 20 spots. 12 already claimed.

Other ways we can work together:
✔️ Join my business community — Change is Possible https://changeispossible.co.uk/ - doors open for new members on Sept.10, 2025
✔️ Book me to speak — I deliver keynotes on leadership, change, career reinvention, and the future of work - send a DM.
✔️ Hire me as an advisor — I support companies navigating complex transformation - send a DM to meet and explore.
✔️ Book 1:1 coaching — For senior execs ready to design their next chapter - send a DM.
✔️ Book my LinkedIn Growth Bundle — A 2-session intensive where I teach you the exact system I used to grow to 100K+ followers. Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bLp7wmK8xhIpfFu8beImvD5JZQHYsbraTBx5Orjx0zs/edit

P.S. Still wondering if change is really possible?
🎧 Tune in to my podcast Change is Possible — where 100+ professionals share how they redesigned their careers and lives. Watch here - https://www.youtube.com/@ChangeIsPossiblePodcast

Ani Filipova

Your loyalty is making you poor.

Not financially - but emotionally, creatively, and mentally.

I watched loyalty turn into heartbreak.
A friend spent 12 years in one company.
For 4 years, every year, they promised her the C-suite. 
Every year, she believed them.

Then they hired an outsider.
They said they needed “new blood.”

She called me crying: "I gave them everything."

Six months later? 
She's building her own consulting firm.
Sometimes betrayal is exactly the push we need.

Here's what nobody tells you about loyalty:

Companies aren't loyal to you.
They are loyal to their balance sheets.

When I finally understood this, everything changed.
I stopped trying to earn loyalty that was never mine to win.

If you are feeling stuck, read this twice 👇

1. Stop calling it failure
Outgrowing a role is a success.
You evolved. The role didn’t. That is still growth.

2. Name what you have lost
Creativity? Purpose? Joy?
Say it out loud. Write it down. Stop pretending it’s fine.

3. Calculate the real cost of staying
Not just salary. Your health. Your relationships.
Your dreams - dying one by one.

4. Build your bridge before you burn it
Test your ideas while you still have a paycheck.
One client. One project. One proof point.

I know you are scared. I know you feel guilty.
I know you think you owe them more time.
But you don't owe anyone your dreams.

Your loyalty is beautiful.
It speaks to who you are - someone who commits, who cares.

But maybe it's time to take all that fierce loyalty
And finally, finally point it toward yourself.

💭 What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?

💾 Save this for when courage finds you
♻️ Share it with someone who is scared to walk away
➡️ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for career clarity and reinvention

This amazing image is from my friend Loren Rosario - follow her! 🔥

Isn't it wild how society tries to map out our timelines even before we are born???

They literally have a checklist for your entire life:
Graduate by 22.
Married by 30.
Kids before 35.
Peak career by 45.
Then coast.

I broke every single rule.

💥 Had my kids at  40 - the doctor said - “geriatric.”
💥 Left my COO job at 51 - everyone thought I was crazy
💥 Gave my first TED Talk at 51.
💥 Launched my company at 52, 0 entrepreneurial skills.
💥 Started my podcast at 52 - with 0 podcast experience.
💥 Started my membership community at 54.

Now at 55?

- Writing my first book.
- Building my first portfolio-career accelerator.
- Creating something entirely new.

And I’m just getting warmed up.

You know who else refused to follow the timeline?

‼️ Vera Wang - entered fashion at 40. Built an empire.
‼️ Arianna Huffington - launched HuffPost at 55. 
‼️ Julia Child -  published her first cookbook at 50. 
‼️ Trinny Woodall - restarted at 53. 

These aren’t exceptions.
They are evidence.

Evidence that the “timeline” is complete BS.

I spent decades believing I was “too late.”
Too late for kids. Too late for change. Too late to matter.

But timing isn’t about age.
It’s about readiness.

And readiness isn’t something you wait for.
It’s something you decide.

Society will tell you there’s an expiration date on dreams.
Your family will remind you of your responsibilities.
Your mind will list every reason to stay put.

Meanwhile, life is happening.
Right now.
While you are waiting for permission.

Want to know how to actually restart?

1️⃣ Give yourself permission to want more.
Stop apologising for your ambitions.
The desire to grow doesn’t have an expiration date.

2️⃣ Use your so-called disadvantage as data.
At 55, I can’t compete on energy with 30-year-olds.
But I have 25 years of patterns they haven’t lived yet.
Your age isn’t a weakness. It’s intelligence.

3️⃣ Surround yourself with evidence, not doubt.
Unfollow the voices saying it’s too late.
Follow people who started later and won bigger.
Your environment shapes your belief in what’s possible.

The world needs what you’ve learned.
Your scars. Your failures. Your late-blooming wisdom.

Stop letting society’s timeline be your truth.

You are not too late.
You are exactly on time.
For your life.

💭 What’s one thing you’d start this year if age didn’t matter?
💾 Save this for the days doubt creeps in
♻️ Share with someone who thinks they missed their chance
➡️ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for real stories about breaking timelines

Thank you, Betsy Tong, for the image which inspired this post!

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(48) Ani Filipova | LinkedIn

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li_at

Talks about #leadership, #careerpivot, #futureofwork, and #transformation

Our age gap raised eyebrows.

No one thought it would last.

That was 25 years ago. 
Today, my husband turns 76.

Here is what I learned about choosing the right spouse 👇

He understood, early on, that I needed freedom to exist, to grow, to be myself.
He gave it freely.
I did the same for him.

No possessiveness.
No power games.
Just two people choosing each other - every single day.

That mutual freedom and trust?
It’s why everything else worked.

What he taught me:

💡 Health at 76 isn’t luck - it’s decades of daily choices.
💡 The right partner doesn’t complete you; they give you space to become yourself.
💡 Choose someone who celebrates your ambition, not tolerates it.
💡 Give freedom before you demand it.
💡 Be their biggest cheerleader, especially when they doubt themselves.
💡 Never stop being curious together.
💡 Build separate dreams that somehow make one life.

When people hear his age, they assume I’m the energetic one.
They couldn’t be further from the truth.

Here’s what 76 actually looks like when you live intentionally:

✅ Resting heart rate: 60
✅ Blood pressure: 120/80
✅ Medications: zero
✅ Gym: every single day
✅ Steps: more than most 25-year-olds
✅ Tech: uses AI daily, stays ahead of trends
✅ Fought cancer this summer: 100% cured.
He stayed in the gym, kept walking, never lost faith.

Career?
He worked intensely until 50 - entrepreneurship, C-suite, the lot.
Then “retired” into a portfolio career… and made the most money of his life.

We spent 10 years in a long-distance relationship.
I was in Bulgaria, then London.
He was moving all over the world.
Everyone said it wouldn’t last.

But it did!!

My goal?
To be exactly this healthy, this resilient, this engaged when I’m 76.

He’s proof that life doesn’t end at 50, 60, or 70 - it transforms if you let it.

He became a father at 60.
He faced cancer at 76 and treated it like a minor inconvenience.
He keeps rewriting the rules and inspiring me to do the same.

Happy 76th birthday to the man who keeps showing me what is possible. 🎂

Tag someone who is defying expectations - at any age. 💫

She was their top performer.

Then her boss destroyed her in 12 words.

She presented a brilliant strategy -
data-backed, innovative, exactly what we needed.

Then came the dagger:
“Well, that’s an interesting theory, but those of us with actual experience know better.”

The room went silent.
Her face went red.
And I knew exactly what was happening.

Her boss didn’t see potential.
He saw competition.

And that’s when the subtle sabotage begins:
• Public humiliation disguised as “feedback”
• Micromanaging you while trusting everyone else
• Excluding you from key conversations
• Your wins become “team efforts.” Your mistakes? Have your name on them.
• They challenge you publicly - then ask for your help privately

Dora Vanourek has described everything in her carousel below🔥
Save it to remind yourself how to get out of such a situation. 

When you shine too bright, some bosses don’t see potential.
They see a threat.

I’ve seen this pattern destroy careers.
Smart people start doubting themselves.
High performers play small.
All because someone else’s ego couldn’t handle their excellence.

After 25 years in corporate, I’ve witnessed again and again -
the bosses who see you as a threat?
They are usually right.

You ARE a threat!
To mediocrity.
To the status quo.
To their limited vision.

And sometimes the best revenge
is simply outgrowing the box they tried to put you in.

---
If you are done with your boss dimming your light, check your options:

🎓 Free Masterclass: Design a portfolio career that gives you freedom, impact & income → https://lnkd.in/gf-ifWqj

👥 Join my community: For ambitious professionals ready to flip the script and build their next chapter → https://lnkd.in/gKeB77z9

♻️ Repost to remind someone their light deserves to shine.

Helping execs in new roles accelerate impact, build credibility fast and avoid costly transition mistakes | xIBM Consulting | xPwC | Certified Executive Coach

Check what to do about it here..

Michell Coats CSP,CIH,CHMM

Most people watch 3 hours of mindless content daily.

I would watch these 6 TED Talks instead.

They have 166M+ views for a reason - they actually rewire your brain:

1️⃣ Amy Cuddy - Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are
Your body teaches your brain who you are. https://lnkd.in/guFtxHch

2️⃣ Julian Treasure - How to Speak So People Want to Listen
Speaking isn't about what you say. It's how you say it.
https://lnkd.in/gvUrid7T

3️⃣ Kelly McGonigal - How to Make Stress Your Friend
Stress isn't killing you - your beliefs about stress are.https://https://lnkd.in/gywaWsmJ

4️⃣ Mel Robbins - How to Stop Screwing Yourself Over
The 5-Second Rule isn't just a hack -  it's a reset button.
https://lnkd.in/gu6i3a6s

5️⃣ Rebecca Okamoto - How to Introduce Yourself and Get Hired
Forget elevator pitches - clarity beats cleverness every time.
https://lnkd.in/gE_36FH8

6️⃣ Vinh Giang - Creating the Most Influential You
People don't buy your ideas - they buy your energy about your ideas.
https://lnkd.in/g8kBCPUW

Hard truth:
🧠 Knowledge without action is just entertainment.

Pick ONE talk. Watch it today.
Then actually DO what they teach.

166M people didn't watch these for fun - they watched them to change.

💬 Tell me - which one are you watching first?

💾 Save this for your next level-up moment.
♻️ Share it with someone ready to stop playing small.

🎓 Free Masterclass: Design a portfolio career that gives you freedom, impact & income → https://lnkd.in/gf-ifWqj
👥 Join my community: For ambitious professionals ready to flip the script and build their next chapter → https://lnkd.in/gKeB77z9

For years, I only gave updates during 1:1s 

Boss: "Any questions?" Me: "All clear."

Not because I was so clear on everything..
but because I was scared to look like I didn’t.

I thought that asking meant I didn't know enough.
I was afraid that questions make me look unprepared.
I believed that if I asked I would appear uninformed.

Sounds crazy, right?
But I know I'm not the only one who felt that way..

Everything changed when I watched our newest hire,
23, fresh out of college - grill our Boss for 20 minutes straight.

No embarasment.
No hesitation.
Just pure hunger to understand.

That's when it clicked:

Your boss isn't a mind reader.
They can't develop what they don't see.
And they definitely can't fix what you won't reveal.

The right questions can change your whole career.

Here are 15 questions I used:

1. Can I get your take on how I'm approaching [project/task]?
   
2. Which 1–2 things should I give the most attention to in the coming weeks?
   
3. If you were me, what would you do differently to make a bigger impact?
   
4. Am I missing any important context that would help me do a better job?
   
5. To grow into a more senior role, what's one thing I should start doing now?
   
6. Where do you think I could stretch myself a bit more or build new skills?
   
7. Are there any projects or areas where you think I could contribute more?
   
8. What can I do to make your life easier right now?
   
9. If you could change one thing about how I contribute, what would it be?
   
10. What's something you are working on that I can provide more help with?
   
11. What should I know about decisions or changes happening higher up that could impact my priorities?
   
12. Do you think I'm using my strengths effectively? How could I apply them better?
   
13. When you think about how I work or show up in the team, is there anything you'd like to see more of, or less of?
   
14. How does the work I'm doing support what the leadership team is focused on right now?
   
15. Is there anything happening behind the scenes, shifts in direction, new goals, that I should be aware of?

Turns out, the best careers are built by people who aren't afraid to look stupid. 

I went from silent observer to COO.
Not because I got smarter.
But because I got braver about looking stupid.

Ready to stop hiding and start growing?
🎯 Join my FREE webinars this month:
- Future of work and job trends - know the trends to know how to prepare
https://lnkd.in/gT5S8Sbs
- Portfolio career: build a brand and multiple income streams
https://lnkd.in/gf-ifWqj
📩 → Get weekly insights in my newsletter 
https://lnkd.in/gzDCH9t9

👇 Drop your scariest question in the comments, then repost to help someone else grow faster.
🔔 Follow me, Ani Filipova, for daily advice on Career, Leadership and Change.

Changing jobs didn’t ruin my career.

It built it.

Last week, at a keynote someone asked me: 
"Your CV looks 'all over the place' - didn't that harm your career?"
I asked him how many industries AI is disrupting simultaneously. 
He agreed.

It reminded me how outdated the idea of "linear success" really is.

Here’s what I’ve learned from 25 years of job changes:

Every change wasn’t running away.
It was running toward mastery.

Banking taught me risk assessment and systems thinking.
Corporate leadership? How to scale without breaking people.
Consulting showed me how to diagnose problems fast.
Bootstrapping my business? That’s where I learned to build with nothing.

Now I teach others to build portfolio careers.
Because I’ve lived it.

The old rules said: Pick a lane. Stay in it.
The new reality says: 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗜𝗦 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲.

Think about it:
• Industries are converging - who better than someone who speaks multiple languages?
• Problems are complex - single-lens thinking won’t cut it.
• AI is reshaping everything - adaptability beats expertise.

💾 Save this for your next career decision.
It’s not about collecting job titles.
It’s about stacking capabilities.

My framework for intentional transitions:

1️⃣ Stay long enough to create real impact (18-24 months)
Extract the lesson before you exit

2️⃣ Build bridges between worlds
Banking→Consulting→Own Business = Unique perspective

3️⃣ Track your growth, not just your tenure
That transformation you led? That’s your proof

4️⃣ Keep your network warm
Today’s colleague is tomorrow’s client.

5️⃣ Own your narrative
Why each move made sense.

The result after 15 job changes and one complete career transformation?  
I don’t defend my path anymore.
I teach from it.

Your career isn’t supposed to be linear.
It’s supposed to be valuable.

And value comes from connecting dots that others can’t even see.

What capability are you adding to your stack?

💻🎙️ If you are navigating your next chapter - join my free Masterclasses. The first one is today - still a chance to sign up for the evening session - link in Featured.
📩 Or join my newsletter “The Change Blueprint” - link in Featured.


♻️ Repost if you believe careers should expand, not narrow.
➡️ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for hard truths about modern careers.

---
Image credit: Jan Daudi
Quote inspired by Maryann (MJ) Jamieson

I met my 85-year-old self yesterday.

She was swimming laps at the pool while I caught my breath.
“Only 55?” she laughed. “Better pick up the pace.”

Here’s what stunned me:

She wasn’t reminiscing.
She was still running her YouTube channel, 
planning her next cohort, 
and mentoring founders from five continents.
At 85.

“30% of my time I spend in my companies, 20% in charities,” she said, towelling off.
“The rest? Chasing grandkids who somehow run faster than their parents.”

I asked her secret.

“Simple. I stopped having imaginary conversations with 25-year-old me about what I should’ve done… And started having real ones with 85-year-old me about what I need to do.”

Every health screening I schedule?
She is dancing at 85 because I made time.

Every workout I don’t skip?
She is outswimming people half her age.

Every project I start - instead of waiting for the “perfect moment”?
She is leading a thriving business that gives others the same freedom.

Every family dinner, every trip and every day spent together?
She has kids who actually want to visit and spend time with her.

Before she left, she winked and said -
“See you in 30 years. Please keep up.”

And that’s exactly what I’m doing.
Because I want to be her at 85.

💡 Save this for the day you need a reminder:
Your future self is being built right now, choice by choice.

---
If you want to build similar future, here is how I can help: 

🎓 Free Masterclass: How to design a portfolio career that creates freedom, impact, and income →https://lnkd.in/gf-ifWqj

👥 Join my community of ambitious professionals (doors open Oct 27) →https://lnkd.in/gKeB77z9

💭 What’s your 85-year-old self telling you today?
♻️ Share this if your future self deserves better.
➡️ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for more real talk about work, life, and the legacy you are building.
-----
This post was inspired by Ilka, a member of my community. Only several months ago, she thought that it was so difficult to post on LinkedIn. Today, I draw inspiration from her posts.
Here is her original post: https://lnkd.in/dUsNBaDa

Every week, I meet someone who wants change.

This is what they say:

- "I'll change when things calm down at work." (work never calms down)

- "I'll start posting once I'm clear on my message." (clarity comes from posting, not before)

- "I just need to do more research." (research becomes a hiding place)

- "I should wait until the kids / partner / parents settle first." (this is how we outsource responsibility for our own life)

These are all forms of self-protection disguised as logic.

Here's what I've learned:
The problem isn't lack of time, 
money, or clarity.
It's self-sabotage. 
Very clever, very respectable self-sabotage.

We do everything except the one thing that would actually move us forward.

I've fallen into these traps more times than I care to admit. 

So today, I'm sharing the 4 patterns that keep us stuck and how to break them: 
• Productive procrastination 
• Waiting 
• Moving the finish line so you never have to start
• Staying so busy you never have to commit

But here’s what kills me:
Each pattern feels so respectable.
So responsible.
So… smart.

You are researching! 
Planning! 
Networking! 
Preparing!

Everyone thinks you are crushing it.
Meanwhile you are dying inside because nothing actually changes.
......
If this hits a nerve, good.
Because awareness is only half the work - change starts with action.

That’s exactly what I’ll be teaching in my free live masterclasses this month:
1️⃣ Future of Work & Job Trends - learn what to expect and how to prepare
🔗https://lnkd.in/gT5S8Sbs

2️⃣ How to Build a Portfolio Career - turn your experience into a personal brand and multiple income streams
🔗 https://lnkd.in/gf-ifWqj

💭 Which pattern do you recognise most? (Be honest.)

💾 Save the carousel - you’ll need it when courage finds you.
♻️ Share with that brilliant friend who’s been “planning” forever.
➡️ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for more uncomfortable truths about career, leadership and change

Swipe to see the 4 patterns I see.

95% of leaders hate their own performance review system.
Yet we keep pretending it works.

Because it’s easier to follow the form, 
than to have a real conversation.

Performance reviews aren’t paperwork.
They are people work.

If you approach them as paperwork... well -
we’ve all been in that review:
A checklist.
Polite smiles.
Zero growth.
You both leave thinking, “What was the point?”

But as a leader, your job isn’t to judge.
It’s to help people:
✅ See their strengths clearly
✅ Understand what’s next
✅ Feel proud of their progress

And people don’t grow from vague feedback or “plans for a plan.”
They need clarity.
Show them:
→ Exactly what skills they need for the next level
→ Which projects will build those skills
→ Who can mentor them
→ A timeline with milestones

When you make reviews about growth, not grades, something shifts.
People start walking away inspired, not deflated.

Over time, I built a 4-step framework that made the process easier, lighter  and more meaningful for everyone.

I’ve turned it into a carousel for you 👇
“How to Run a Performance Review That Actually Inspires People ”

If you are managing a team, or heading into review season -
📂 Save this before your next one.
🔁 Share it with a manager who wants better conversations.

Because the world has enough managers filling forms.
What it needs are leaders who develop people.

➡️ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for hard truths about modern leadership and career.

Let's fix this!!

Your team doesn’t need another meeting in the tower.

They need you on the floor.

I learned this from a COO friend during a warehouse crisis.
System failure. Orders piling up. Team panicking.

She didn’t call a meeting.
She didn’t delegate.
She didn’t create a task force.

She walked onto the warehouse floor and started packing boxes.

For three hours.
Side by side with her team.
No speeches. Just work.

That night, they shipped every single order.

The old leadership playbook says:
“Stay strategic. Don’t get in the weeds.”
“Your time is too valuable for tactical work.”

Modern leaders know:
Your team doesn’t need your PowerPoints when the building’s on fire.
They need to see you roll up your sleeves and get involved.

Because the pace of change today is brutal.
AI is disrupting companies and jobs daily.
Markets are shifting weekly.
Strategies are becoming obsolete monthly.

Your team is drowning in uncertainty.
And you are sending them another Slack about “alignment”?

Here’s what people actually need from leaders right now:

✅ Presence over process 
Don’t ping “Any updates?” - walk over and ask, “Need a hand?”

✅ Action over analysis 
The project’s on fire and you are opening a new slide deck? Just start fixing it.

✅ Speed over perfection 
Stop word-smithing the strategy doc; hit post, ask for feedback.

✅ Teaching over telling 
When someone misses the mark, don’t sigh and redo it.
Screen-share and explain your thought process. 
Turn that moment into a mini masterclass.

Ready to lead differently?

Stop scheduling meetings about the problem.

Start solving it.

💡 Save this for when leadership feels too theoretical
♻️ Share it with a leader who needs the reminder
➡️ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for truth bombs on modern leadership and change

I thought my boss didn’t like me.

He was harsh. Never helped. Always pointing out mistakes.
Nothing I did was ever good enough.

I spent months complaining and feeling so sad about myself. 

Then I was talking to a senior person in our company.
She said: “You are so lucky to work for him - you’ll learn a ton.”

When I hesitated to agree, she continued:
“He tells everyone you are his best hire.”

I felt ashamed.

All this time I thought he was against me.
But he was actually pushing me to be better.

He saw potential I didn’t see in myself.
And refused to let me waste it.

While I was busy complaining and blaming,
I missed the real lesson:

Before you start blaming everyone else - check what YOU ARE doing.

The hardest feedback often comes from the people who believe in you most.
They just refuse to let you settle for less.

The truth?
Sometimes we are so focused on what others aren’t giving us,
we don’t see what we are not giving ourselves.

I’ve watched careers derail from these exact patterns.
Brilliant people stuck in destructive habits they can’t even see.

That’s why I created this carousel 👇
“5 Habits secretly derailing your career (and how to fix them)”

Including:
• Playing the victim (and why it guarantees you’ll be ignored)
• Criticizing your boss (how it destroys your reputation)
• Avoiding feedback (the trap that keeps you stuck)
• The lone wolf mentality (when it becomes isolation)
• Being “the expert” (why it might be killing your growth)

Each with practical fixes to break the pattern.

💾 Save this for when you catch yourself in blame mode.

The best feedback often hurts because it’s meant to help

💭 What feedback have you been resisting that might actually be a gift?

♻️ Share this with someone who needs to hear it.
➡️ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for more real talk about careers and leadership.

Save this for when you catch yourself in blame mode.

I spent 3 years "thinking about" leaving Citi.

You know what changed?
Not my clarity. Not my confidence. Not some magical moment of readiness.

I scheduled time to work on it.
That's it.

The most boring, trivial action turned out to be the most important one.

Big changes don't start with a vision board or a business plan, or finally "figuring it all out."

It starts with putting something - anything - in your calendar and actually showing up for it.

90% of career changes die in Google Docs.
Not because people lack courage.
Because they lack calendar time.

I see so many brilliant people stuck in the pre-planning phase. 
Thinking about it.
Dreaming about it.
Never starting it.

If that's you, I put together a carousel that breaks down the 6 boring habits that make change inevitable - from scheduling time to work on it to tracking tiny wins.

Most people have the research, the spreadsheets, the ideas.
What they don't have is the calendar time.

You show up to meetings you don't want to attend. 
Why not show up for yourself?

If you want to move forward, try this:

- Pick one tiny action
- Schedule it within the next 7 days
- Treat it like a dentist appointment: unmissable

Put 30 minutes in your calendar this week.
Any day. Any time.
Just show up.

Most people stay stuck because their calendar never changes.
If you needed this reminder - save it.

♻️ Share with that brilliant friend who's been "planning" forever
➡️ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for more uncomfortable truths about making real change

---

P.S. If this post hit home, you’ll love the two free masterclasses I’m hosting this month 👇

1️⃣ Future of Work & Job Trends — what’s coming next and how to prepare
🔗 https://lnkd.in/gT5S8Sbs

2️⃣ How to Build a Portfolio Career — turn your experience into a personal brand and multiple income streams
🔗 https://lnkd.in/gf-ifWqj

Swipe through to see what changed.

We think discipline is punishment. 

But it’s really a promise you keep to yourself.

We think discipline is about being harder on ourselves, grinding more, forcing ourselves to do things we don’t want to do.

But the truth is:
Discipline isn’t about controlling yourself. 
It’s about respecting yourself.

1️⃣ Talent sometimes feels like being on a trampoline - bouncing you around randomly. But discipline is the bridge that actually gets you somewhere.

You are not building that bridge to prove something. 

You are building it because you respect yourself enough to keep your promises to YOU.

2️⃣ “Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most”

That’s not sacrifice. That’s self-respect in action.

When you choose what you want most over what you want now, you are saying:
“I respect my future self too much to sell them out for a temporary feeling.”

3️⃣ Here’s the part that sounds backwards but is absolutely true:

Discipline doesn’t restrict your freedom. It creates it.

Without it, you are a prisoner of every impulse, distraction, and fleeting burst of motivation.

So ask yourself:
“Am I forcing myself to be disciplined - or am I simply being loyal to the person I’m becoming?”

Because when you start seeing discipline as self-respect, everything changes.

It’s not about deprivation.
It’s about devotion - to yourself, to your goals, to the life you actually want.

You don’t need more willpower.
You need more self-respect.

And self-respect looks like keeping your word to yourself - even when no one’s watching.

That’s not control.
That’s freedom.

---

Save this for the next time you think discipline means punishment - and follow me Ani Filipova for more mindset shifts like this.

Image credit: visualsbymelodie on IG

We've been sold a lie about discipline 

EXECUTIVE LIFE - the version nobody talks about

Everyone sees power and prestige.
Few see the price.

Executives are human.
They eat. They sleep. They love.
They break.
They cry.
They wonder if they are good enough.
But they can’t show it.

I have been an exec and here is what nobody tells you about the job:

𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: your calendar owns you
𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: the hardest calls are made alone
𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: you spend more time managing egos 
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘆: every word, email, and decision is analyzed and criticized.

𝗕𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: always proving yourself.
𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗷𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴: everyone wants something different
𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴: you are the first call when things go wrong

𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: you repeat the same message 100 times
𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴: thousands of people look up to you
𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝘀: your best people always have better offers

𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀: fight for resources you need with money you don’t have.
𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘀: you make million-dollar decisions with incomplete information.
𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: boring paperwork that can destroy everything if ignored.

𝗥𝗲𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗴𝗺𝘁: one tweet can undo years of trust.
𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: learning to say nothing in the most articulate way possible.
𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: explaining why reality didn’t match projections, again.

𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲: missing moments you can’t get back.
𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: when things fail, your are a headline.
𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿: your kids think you live at the airport

𝗔𝗻𝘅𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗴𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗿: you project confidence while drowning in doubt.
𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗿: you say sorry for things you didn’t do, to people you’ve never met.
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗿: even when you crush dreams

𝗔𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹: there’s no “off switch” for your brain or your phone.
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: everyone brings you their problems; nobody asks about yours.
𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: surrounded by people, connected to no one.

Yes, there is power.
Yes, there is prestige.
But the price isn’t paid in dollars -
It’s paid in pieces of yourself you’ll never get back.

Still want the corner office?
Go for it.
Just know what you’re signing up for.

Because the view from the top is breathtaking -
but nobody tells you how lonely the climb really is.

💾 Save this for the day leadership feels heavy.
💭 Which line hit you hardest and why?
➡️ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for more real talk about leadership and the human cost of success.

I'm tired of leaders who think presence equals leadership.

Or that a good speech will fix everything.
It doesn't.

You can train someone to speak with confidence.
To present. To pitch. To own a room.

That's only one side of the full package!

The rest shows in the "behind the scenes" stuff.
Taking responsibility. Owning mistakes.
Backing your team no matter what.

Because without accountability,
Leadership is just performance in better lighting.

3 ways to spot real accountability (not just the show):

1️⃣ They follow through
If someone says they'll do something, they do it.
Even if it's boring, invisible, or inconvenient.

2️⃣ They have a line they won't cross
Accountable leaders don't say yes to everything.
They protect the standard, even when it makes things awkward.

3️⃣ They give credit away and take the hit 
You'll never see them taking all the praise.
But you'll always see them stepping in when things go wrong.

If you are promoting future leaders - start here.

Just because they can talk on stage… Doesn't mean they can lead.
I've seen too many people confuse the two.

What matters more to you in a leader - presence or accountability?

🔁 Repost to help your network
👤 Follow me, Ani Filipova, for daily content on Leadership and Career
📩 Subscribe to my weekly newsletter, "The Change Blueprint," to get these directly into your inbox. Link in the Featured section.

Never say this when they ask, "What's your weakness?" in interviews.

The cliché humble-brags:

“I work too hard.”
“I care too much.”
“I’m a perfectionist.”
“I’m always pushing myself.”

I've heard it thousands of times.

If you are still saying these things 
You are telling me you lack self-awareness.

25 years in Senior Leadership and COO at Citibank.
Interviewed more people than I can count.
Almost everyone bombs this question.

Watch this video for the exact formula that actually works.

But here's a preview:

Pick a REAL weakness.
But be strategic about it.

Going for a sales role? Don't say you are shy.
But maybe admit you used to avoid difficult conversations with underperforming team members.

Then - this is crucial - show me the system you built to fix it.

Not "I'm working on it."
Show me the solution.

I used to say:
"I took on too much myself instead of delegating because I wanted to ensure quality. But I realized this was limiting my team's growth. So I created weekly planning sessions where I assign tasks based on each person's development goals. Now my team delivers better results and I can focus on strategy."

Real weakness ✅
Real impact ✅  
Real solution ✅

The interviewer doesn't care about your weakness.
They care if you can spot problems and solve them.

Show them you can do both.

💾 Save this for your next interview prep
♻️ Share with someone preparing for interviews
➡️ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for career truth bombs and interview insights

I left Citi with a spreadsheet for everything:

✅ Money saved
✅ Schools sorted
✅ Life planned

Except one thing:
❌ What I’d actually do next.

A mentor told me,
“The road will show itself as you walk on it.”

I didn’t get it then.
Three years later, I do.

But I took one tiny step: I started writing on LinkedIn.

2,000 followers became 110,000.
Writing led to speaking.
Speaking led to a TEDx talk.
TEDx led to paid keynotes.
Keynotes led to coaching.
Coaching led to community.
Community is leading to an accelerator.

What I learned is this:

You can't see step 10 from step 1.
But step 1 reveals step 2.
Step 2 reveals step 3.

The path appears under your feet
AS you walk.
Not before.

And keeps unfolding as long as you walk.

💭 What’s the one step you’ve been avoiding?

💾 Save this if you are standing at the edge of something new.
♻️ Repost to remind someone else who’s hesitating.

------
If this post hit home, you’ll love these free sessions I’m hosting this month 👇

1️⃣ Future of Work & Job Trends - learn what to expect and how to prepare
🔗 https://lnkd.in/gYXnZkVZ

2️⃣ How to Build a Portfolio Career - turn your experience into multiple income streams
🔗 https://lnkd.in/gf-ifWqj

📩 And if you prefer bite-sized insights each week:
Subscribe to The Change Blueprint 
🔗 https://lnkd.in/gzDCH9t9

But this is what happened next

Every big leap I’ve made started with one thing:

The people I was surrounded by.

Because when you are around people who remind you of how much more you are capable of, you start to see yourself differently.

When I left my job, I was drowning in imposter syndrome.
Who was I without the title?
What did I actually know?
Could I really build something from scratch?

Then something shifted.

I started working with people who’d already built what I dreamed of :
a strategist who had scaled to 7 figures,
a speaker commanding $20K per keynote,
a creator whose course launches hit $100K.

They didn’t just teach me tactics.
They showed me what was possible.

Every conversation expanded my thinking.
Every strategy session revealed blind spots I didn’t know I had.
Every success story proved that my “crazy” ideas weren’t crazy at all.

Motivation really is contagious.

But here is what nobody tells you about finding your people:
The right community doesn’t just cheer for you.
They challenge you.
They see through your excuses.
They call you to rise higher.

That’s exactly what my community does - every single day.

Each morning, I open our community and see:
- someone making their first offer
- someone hitting publish on their first post
- someone finally believing they can do this
- people helping each other

Their courage becomes my courage.
Their growth pushes me to grow.

Because when you surround yourself with people building their next chapter,
Your own transformation stops feeling impossible.
It starts to feel inevitable.

🚪 The doors to my community are open for new members, but will close on Nov 3rd.
📘 Take your Free guide: What Is a Portfolio Career (and how to start one?) → https://lnkd.in/gJ2HJbR9
➡️ Join the community: https://lnkd.in/gKeB77z9

Tag someone who’s pushed you past your comfort zone this year 👇

Courage looks good on everyone.
But most people never wear it.

Not because they lack bravery -
But because they’re practising courage on the wrong things.

You are being courageous about your boss’s opinion.
About disappointing your parents.
About what LinkedIn might think.

Meanwhile, you are being a coward about your own life.

Courage isn’t a lightning bolt.
It’s a muscle - built in tiny, uncomfortable reps.

This is what I know about courage:

1. Most people treat courage like enlightenment
waiting for the moment they feel different.
But courage works like going to the gym. 
You don't wait until you feel strong to lift weights.

DO THIS: Name one thing you'd do if fear weren't a factor. 
Now do it afraid.

2. You are confusing courage with certainty
Certainty is knowing the outcome. 
Courage is moving without it.
Every career shift I made came with zero guarantees.

DO THIS: Write "I don't know if this will work, but I'm going to try _______."

3. Train your courage when the stakes are low.
You can't build courage on the biggest decision of your life.
That's like training for a marathon by running a marathon.

DO THIS: Practice "courage sprints"
Say "I disagree" in low-stakes meetings. 
Wear the bold outfit. 
Speak first on Zoom.

4. Courage is tolerance, not confidence
You don't need to feel confident. 
You need to tolerate discomfort.

DO THIS: Build your tolerance like altitude training. 
Start with 30 seconds of vulnerability (a slightly honest post). 
Next week, 2 minutes (a hard conversation). 

5. Courage is contagious - so is cowardice
Your five closest friends are your courage ceiling.

DO THIS: Audit your circle. 
How many made a big change in 3 years? 
Zero means you are in a comfort cartel, not a courage ecosystem. 
You need 2 people who scare you with their boldness.

Courage compounds.
Every uncomfortable moment makes the next easier.

Stop waiting to feel brave.
Start with 5 minutes of discomfort today.

The life you want isn't waiting for you to feel ready.
It's waiting for you to act anyway.

💾 Save this for when comfort feels safer than growth
♻️ Share with someone who needs permission to be uncomfortable
➡️ Follow me, Ani Filipova, for more truth about choosing courage over comfort

Lea 🌈 Turner

The HoLT

Director

Lea Does LinkedIn

Providing LinkedIn training, digital courses and in-person workshops for businesses.

StereoType Ltd

Stereotype Ltd Audio Transcription Service

If Carlsberg made LinkedIn Trainers | 1-1 & Company Training | Join 470+ solopreneurs & small business owners in my membership community, The HoLT (ask me how)

You've tried communities before but they never live up to the hype, do they? The founder only shows up for calls, the chat is dead or clique-y, they're either women only, or full of d*ck swinging sales bros pitch slapping you into oblivion, and you only get the *good stuff* if you pay for the upsells...and you're left feeling...deflated, womp womp. 

*clears throat, stretches out arms, JAZZ HANDS* until... The HoLT!

We have none of that malarkey. 

No upsells, no tiered memberships, and categorically, absolutely, without question... no knobs. 

"But LEA, what is The HoLT?" I hear you cry. It's an inclusive, vibrant, fun, affordable community of over 500 small business owners, freelancers, side hustlers and employees, coming together for weekly masterclasses from ACTUAL experts, teaching every business skill you could possibly need to improve how YOU do business, from copywriting to confidence building, AI to automation, PR to passive income. 

And unlike other communities, we record every masterclass, add it to the library, and no matter when you join, you get access to ALL of them (currently over 150!)

But there's so much more; weekly community calls for informal networking, content support, tech clinics to tackle your IT nightmares, in-person co-working days, online co-working, wellbeing sessions, LinkedIn clinics... I could go on but I'd ruin your surprise and delight when you join. 

And unlike most founders, I am in The HoLT every single day (in sickness and in health, til death do us part) because I genuinely care about the members, love connecting people, nurturing them and supporting them. 

I was sick of being a lonely solopreneur. I had no one to share my wins & failures with, who'd understand, not judge me, to ask for reliable advice when I needed it without making me feel stupid, to learn with, grow with, and make it fun along the way. So, I created a safe space for others who felt the same. It has grown and evolved over the past 3 years, to become a magical space full of the sorts of people you WANT on your side in business, cheering you on and encouraging you when sh*t gets tough. 

We open the doors to 25 new members every month, and we'd love you to be one of them (unless you're one of the aforementioned knobs). Check us out and get on the waiting list at www.the-holt.com or DM me if you want to know more, I promise I don't bite!

PS. If communities aren't your *thing* we have The Vault. Access 150+ masterclass recordings with new ones added weekly, for just £20/month, no contract or commitment.

Providing bespoke 1:1 and group LinkedIn training, digital courses and in-person workshops for businesses. 

Dress like a leader, they said.

Hold my axe.

Okay, fine, I’m not exactly leading vikings into blood thirsty battle. 

And I keep the pillaging to a minimum these days. 

But as reluctant as I am to think of myself as a leader…

…it’s a role I’ve become very comfortable and confident in. 

Helping people
Protecting people
Supporting people 
Finding solutions to new problems every day
With 500 battle ready business owners by my side. 
Keeping our ships afloat by working together.

So, I may wear this more often, to remind myself how fcking lucky I am to ride alongside such fearless warriors. 

Or just because I feel goddamn fierce in it 😆

What did you wear for Halloween, LinkedIn friends?

You can sit with us (unless you're a knob) | The-HoLT.com

No alternative text description for this image

I feel like something weird is happening at the moment and I can't quite verbalise it. 

It's like there's a buzz there hasn't been before. 

The HoLT is getting a lot of attention. People I never expected to want to join, want to join. I hear positive whispers about it from all directions. 

Big brands are reaching out wanting to get involved. 

Big events WANT us to be there. 

I'm having conversations with people who want my input on their own businesses, like they see something in me that maybe I haven't noticed. 

It feels unnerving, but exciting. 
Scary...like I'm on the verge of something but I don't quite know what yet. 

Does any of this make sense, or am I just rambling?

But whatever it is, no matter what happens, I'll be leveraging TF out of it to benefit our members. 

Something's gonna happen in 2026 and it feels pivotal. I can't wait to find out what it is.


PS. Visit my website above and sign up to emails to be notified when doors to The HoLT open again. Or bribe me with snacks in the DMs 😆

Well, blow me down with a hotel hairdryer. 

After I posted last week about the generosity of one of our members buying HoLT membership as a gift to 2 other business owners, and got a lot of you all wobbly-lipped and emosh, you'll never believe what happened...

Some very generous soul popped into my messages wanting to donate 3 x 3 month memberships to struggling small biz owners, which we've already allocated to 3 lucky people!

THEN

Someone else appeared like a heaven-sent angel saying they would like to gift an annual membership to someone very close to them, one business owner lifting another.

It never even occurred to my naive little brain that this would be something people would want, but I've been on to my team to create gift vouchers for 3, 6 and 12 month memberships to The HoLT.

If you want to support a small business owner with the gift of community, encouragement, skills masterclasses, and a network of truly spectacular humans... drop me a message. They'll be available very soon. 

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to dab my eyes with some three-ply 🥹

They say that it ‘takes a village’ to raise children, but I didn’t have a village.

Since the 5th day after my c-section, I’ve done it alone, while running a business from home. 

No colleagues 
No family nearby 
No comraderie
No one to ask for help or advice
No one to rage to when things went wrong 
No one to celebrate with when things went well

And I was painfully, chronically lonely. All. The. Time. 

There were many, many reasons I decided to start The HoLT community, but the isolation and loneliness of being an only parent and a solo business owner, was the biggest. 

Now, every day, I have people to talk to who ‘get’ how hard it is to run a business. 

They don’t judge me, or each other, for asking questions that seem ‘silly’. 

They cheer for wins
Console the losses
Relate to the failures 

They become confidants, cheerleaders, collaborators and FRIENDS. 

I see them hiring, referring, and supporting one another CONSTANTLY. 

We’ve created the village it takes to raise a business. 

And we’ll continue to build them, while learning, laughing, and having fun, together. 

Much like the fun I had building a sand turtle yesterday with the boy I’ve built everything for 🩷

(Photo of our completed turtle in the comments for those curious 🐢 )



There’s space for you in the village, if you want to build with us https://the-holt.com/

Success to me isn’t making millions. 

It’s having built a business, and a brilliant team, that make it possible for me to escape the onset of British winter for a week of quality time with my son in the sun. 

Being a business owner and a solo parent feels like a never ending treadmill trying to keep up with my responsibilities. 

But being able to escape them for a week has been exactly the reset I’ve needed. 

Thanks to all who make it possible. 
I’ll be back and raring to go on Friday 🩷

I can’t tell you who this is about as I promised to keep it a secret…

But, at the beginning of September a new member joined The HoLT community. 

Two weeks later, she bought an annual membership for another woman, because she could see the huge value for a small business owner and wanted to support a fellow woman in business. 

As if that hadn’t bowled me over and made my eyes go misty enough…

…when she saw that another member inside The HoLT was having a tough time financially, she asked me if she could pay for her annual subscription too, because the member NEEDS us and what we offer, but was struggling to afford it right now. 

Now, this level of financial support isn’t the standard inside The HoLT, but the extent of generosity IS. 

- A parent struggling with family dynamics received an outpouring of lived experience and advice from experienced (and highly qualified) psychologists and counsellors. 

- An experienced business coach has been giving free 30 min strategy sessions to other members. 

- An automation expert spent an hour on a call guiding a fellow HoLTie through WhatsApp automations 

- A building surveyor needed an architectural sketch…and we have an architect who has offered to do it. 

- 3 members have posted market research surveys and had dozens of helpful responses 

- A member building a school in Cambodia with her charity raised enough to paint the classrooms thanks to our members. 

And this is all just in the past few weeks. 

It’s like being inside The HoLT just brings out the best in the brilliant people we attract. We watch them shine with and for one another. 

I truly believe EVERY small business owner and solopreneur needs and deserves what we’ve created. 

A space where needs are met. 
Generosity and kindness comes as standard. 
No one is judged or belittled for not having all the answers. 
And the community rises to meet the unique needs of every member. 

The doors are shut to new members for the moment (unless an existing member refers you in) and we are changing how we launch. 

But if you want to join our little internet paradise, drop me a message and I’ll tell you how 🥰

Is there ANY BETTER FEELING than when you tell a potential client your rate and they say...

"I'm in"

No pushback 
No awkward bartering
No "I can get it cheaper from..."

Just 'TAKE MY MONEY'

Happy fkn Friday everyone. 

(I imagine a full body hug from Tom Hardy feels better, but for now, this will do)

My first ever client went to prison for stabbing someone.

When I first started freelancing, I found my very first client on Gumtree. (Ahh, simpler times). 

He ran guaranteed rent schemes. Scammy AF, but I was a naive 26-year-old new business owner.  

I was hired to transcribe his training videos so he could turn them into courses he would sell on to other unsuspecting victims. 

I charged far too little, worked long hours, and hated every second of listening to his guff. But he paid me… eventually.

Until one day, he just vanished.
No replies.
No calls.
And £300 outstanding.

After a few weeks of fruitless chasing, I did what any desperate business owner would do. I Googled him. Obv.

And there it was. He’d been arrested for STABBING HIS WIFE'S LOVER and sentenced to nine years in prison. My flabber was ghasted. 😳 

There goes my rent...except I'm nothing if not resourceful.

I kept digging on the internet and found a forum of people he’d also scammed, still waiting for the training materials he'd promised them. 

I bet they didn't fancy waiting nine years for it...

So I reached out and offered them the transcripts I'd typed.

And made £900.

The moral of this unhinged, unlikely, but entirely true story?

 👉🏻 Google your clients.
 👉🏻 Always get paid.
 👉🏻 And never underestimate a broke woman with a grudge and overdue rent.

Let's just hope he doesn't get stabby with me next 😵‍💫

This might sound like a minor achievement, but it has rebuilt my confidence from the bones up…

I’ve learned to say NO.

Not with panic.
Not with a 14-paragraph justification and 3 virtual curtseys.
Just a simple, respectful… no.

It felt alien AF at first.
My people-pleasing muscles were bench-pressing my boundaries on the daily.

But the more I did it, the easier it became.

No to podcast invites that don’t serve me.
No to events I have zero desire to attend.
No to collaborations that make absolutely no sense for my business.

Because I realised, through the blurry lens of exhaustion and overwhelm, that
I don’t owe anyone my time or energy just because they asked for it.
And I also don’t owe them an explanation.
(and nor do you!)

Now I say things like:
“Thank you so much for thinking of me. It’s not for me, but I really appreciate the invite.”

That’s it.
No “at the moment.”
No “maybe later.”
No wedge of hope for a follow-up ask I still don’t want.

My No Muscle is now stronger than my People Pleasing Muscle — and that’s only because I kept doing the reps.

But the most important lesson has been that every time I say yes to something that drains me…
I’m saying no to something that fulfils me.

And most often?
That “something” is my son.

I don’t want to miss the moments that matter because I’m too busy proving I’m polite.

So, I say no.
Often.
And with zero guilt.

Because he deserves my yes more than anyone else ever will.

Get yourself a VA who guards your inbox like a sassy Doberman. 

Have a day ✌🏻


Luke Manton

Something that PISSES me off no end as a small business owner is the cost of all the software you need to run one. 

Add together the costs of a CRM, scheduling tools, Zoom, Calendly, Xero, Squarespace, Docusign, Typeform, Zapier, Clickfunnels, email marketing 🫠 and you need a whole extra client or two a month just to run your business. 

😤

It’s beyond ridiculous, and adds so much more pressure onto already overstretched small business owners. 

That’s why, when I discovered there’s a better way, I got a little bit (ok very) excited. 

I’m in the process of moving my entire business over to Go High Level. A platform that knocks out at least 7 of the separate subscriptions I’m currently paying for, streamlining everything in one place, and costing me a mere $97 a month. 

🌈 Some of my clients use it and LOVE it. 
🌈 My super successful small biz owners friends have been singing about it from the rooftops. 
🌈 Aaaand even my tech team rave about it. 

One of the reasons I started The HoLT was to save small business owners money on the training they needed but couldn’t afford all the separate courses from. So, when I learned about Go High Level’s similar mission, I had a cheeky idea. 

I reached out to them for a chat and I am VERY excited to finally tell you that Go High Level are my Christmas party sponsors!!!

(Told you we got a big one!!)

So, not only am I a happy and excited new user of their platform, they ALSO agreed to sponsor  my massive party in 2 weeks, so all my lovely small biz owner friends get to celebrate Christmas in style! 

They’re even flying out from America to be with us. 🤩

I’m gonna tell you lots more about my experience using High Level as I go, but in the meantime, I’ve got an extended free trial you can sign up for if you’re curious about streamlining AND saving money for your business. 

(And their tech support for set up is second to none)

Check it out here https://lnkd.in/eyTinhPm

As you know, I’m super picky about what I put my name to publicly, and NEVER endorse things I don’t use and love myself. But I had zero hesitation on this. It’s changing the game in my business!

Nothing like a resounding thump back to reality, aye?

If you need me, I'll be working my way through everything I've been trying to ignore for the past 7 days. 

Send coffee and a will to live!

This time next week, a lot of you are gonna hate me. 

LinkedIn will be filled with photos of people smiling, hugging, singing karaoke (badly), and shaking what their mama gave them on the dance floor. 

They'll have been mingling with our HighLevel sponsors
Enjoying thank you gifts from our friends at Heartbeat
Picking up party bags with handmade souvenirs from me (200 of them, whose idea was THAT?!)
Still trying to figure out how our magician did those tricks?
Faces will ache from the laughter
Legs and backs will twinge from throwing questionable shapes
They'll be cringing/delighting at the photos from our brilliant Alex Toft
And already looking forward to the next one. 

But.... 🎻 sadly a few have had to pull out last minute.
So... 🤩 5 tickets have become available!

If you don't want to be a Fomo Fiona next Thursday, grab a ticket for the biggest and best Christmas party of the year here https://lnkd.in/gvfmsTRB

The HoLT Party WhatsApp group is already BUZZING with excitement. 

And if you grab a ticket, save a dance for me!

A little bit of fun for a Sunday morning 🤭 

Just waiting for my call up from Disney for their new modern day princess ☎️

Have you ever met a person who just radiates a kind of calmness that you *wish* you could achieve? 

I have. This is Hedi Shah 🐉

For over a year, Hedi has been hosting Wellbeing Circles inside The HoLT. 

She creates a space for people to tune out of work for an hour, talk openly and vulnerably, reflecting on how they have taken care of themselves over the past month, and how they plan to prioritise their wellbeing in the month to come. 

I liken being in Hedi's presence to:

- A warm hot chocolate in your hands on a chilly winter day
- A hug from your mum when you've scraped your knee
- The deepest of breaths while stood next to the ocean during a beautiful sunset

The feedback from the members in The HoLT who have attended her sessions would bring you to tears. She's helped guide them through grief, trauma, imposter syndrome, overwhelm, anxiety...at times when they have not known where else to turn for support. 

She's created blogs, masterclasses, and posture guidance for our members. 

And she never asks for a thing in return. She is the definition of a giver. 

So it's time I gave back to her for what she has done for our HoLT community. 

Hedi helps people who’ve tried everything, to finally move beyond modern-life pain through mindfulness and posture-focused strength training to address the root cause, not just the symptoms.

She is a gift to your body, your mind, and quite honestly, your soul. 

Please give her a follow and support her, hire her, learn from her, and benefit from being in her energy. 

Like we all do. 


(PS she gonna be so mad I did this post but hopefully she'll also smile about it)

Finding great service providers you can trust can be a STRUGGLE. Especially when the best ones aren’t always (/usually) those who shout loudest on social media. 

That’s why I’m creating something that makes it easy. 

I’m building a searchable directory of brilliant people in The HoLT. 

Verified non-knobs. 

Accessible from our website, featured on my LinkedIn profile and in my newsletters. Backlinks to member’s own websites. 

On average, I make a dozen referrals a week to people outside the community who want access to ‘my’ people. 

But soon there will be a way they can skip that step and easily find outstanding humans who are committed to do their best work to uphold not just their own brand, but ours, too. 

Once members have reached their 3 month HoLT anniversary, they will get the opportunity to join the directory. And they’ll remain for the duration of their membership. 

I’m constantly looking for ways I can leverage the trust I’ve built with my brand, to benefit the people within it. 

Just another reason to join us, and stay with us, so that we can all help one another thrive 🩷

Can’t wait to launch this 🥰

Unbelieveably, my epic team have pulled these together in just 24 hours. 

One person has bought three vouchers for 3 month memberships. 

Someone else has bought two vouchers for 3 months. 

Another has bought one voucher for 3 months. 

And a fourth person is buying an annual membership. 

We’ve also had a lovely lady reach out to offer our members 5 free tickets to her small business event next month. 

The kindness ripple is real!!

If you would like to gift a solopreneur, freelancer or small business owner community, support, friendship, fun, and endless opportunities to learn and grow inside The HoLT, we have 5 more of each vouchers available. Just DM me for the links. 

3 months £195
6 months £390
12 months £650

And if you know a wonderful small biz owner who would love to join us but finances just don’t allow right now, please nominate them below with why they should get a place. 

I’ll save this post and revisit it as and when vouchers are purchased. 


(Remember, no knobs allowed, and all our live calls are between 10am and 6pm UK time, but all masterclasses are recorded and kept in the library in our app - nearly 200 of them!!)

Find out more here ➡️ https://the-holt.com/

If you're thinking about starting a community element to your business in 2026, this post is for you. 

The HoLT has been going for 3.5 years now and it continues to grow and thrive with a profit margin of 42%, a bold and trusted brand, and hundreds of happy members who shout about us from the rooftops. 

So, let me breakdown some of the reasons why, and hopefully it'll be helpful. 

1. From June 2022 to Dec 2024 The HoLT was great, but since January 2025 it has become 100 x better. That's because it's now my ONLY business. Having the time and energy to dedicate to the HoLT has allowed me to create, innovate, improve, and offer so much more support to members. Having a community as a side hustle is great, but having a brilliant one takes a huge amount of time and dedication. 
Take away - Do not underestimate how much effort it takes to launch, maintain and grow a community. Split your focus and you'll divide your success.

2. We listen carefully to members' needs, and act fast to meet them. E.g.
 - Members wanted more time together. We started weekly community calls, speed networking, and local in-person meet-ups, hosted by volunteers in the community. 
- Members were struggling with visibility on LinkedIn. A month later we ran a 4-week LinkedIn mastermind with me and other experts, at no additional cost (we're doing this again next year). 
- Members wanted to share their expertise with one another. We brought in member-hosted masterclasses and mini masterclasses. 
These are just 3 of many examples where we've moved fast to create more value. 
Take away - What you launch is just a starting point. Be prepared to adapt.

3. I am EVERYWHERE. Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, Threads, podcasts, events, email inboxes - if our ideal clients are there, so am I. I'm not just relying on algorithms to fill our waiting list. 
Take away - Don't rely on one source of leads.

4. Tech. We're using Heartbeat which makes automating so simple even I can do it. The onboarding is seamless. The tech team we use (IT Moon) are highly responsive. Issues are dealt with quickly and efficiently, showing our members they are important to us and we care. 
Take away - Get your systems in place and hire a team to manage failed payments, access issues, user errors, etc. as soon as you can afford to. It takes up a lot more time than you'd expect. 

5. There are more reasons to be active IN the community than just watching masterclasses. There's a purpose to networking and being seen - people regularly hire each other, fill in market research surveys for one another, share problems and find solutions quickly. We have a HUGE variety of experts inside, so there's rarely a question that can't be answered, and it's why our chat threads are buzzing every day. 
Takeaway - Incentivise people to be active in the community. 

I have tons more I could add here, but I'm at the character limit so I'll share more in another post soon. 

Hope it's helped.

The A-Z that no one asked for, but…

A lot of people are curious about what types of business owners join The HoLT. 

Well, here's a list of just SOME of them:

A - Accountant, AI Expert, Automation Expert, Architect, ADHD Coach, Artist, Advertising Lawyer, Agile Coach, Author

B - Bookkeepers, Branding Designer, Bid Writer, Business Analyst

C - Counsellor, Confidence Coach, Content Creators, Career Coach, Celebrant, Copywriter, Customer Experience, Contract Lawyer, Cyber Security, CV Writer, Construction Lawyer, CFO

D - Drone Surveyor, Data Protection, Divorce Lawyer

E - Editor, Empowerment Coach, Event Producer, Executive Coach, Email Marketer, Employment Lawyer, Estate Manager

F - Funnel Builder, Financial Advisor

G - Graphic Designer, Ghostwriter, Growth Strategist

H - HR Consultant, Hypnotist

I - Instagram expert, Insurance Broker, Insolvency Practitioner, Inclusivity Consultant

J - Journal Creator, Journalist

K - Key account manager

L - LinkedIn Expert, Leadership Coach, Lead Generation, L&D Expert, Life Coach

M - Mortgage advisor, Mindset coach, Marketing Strategist, Motorcycle Tour Guide, Marquee Hire Franchise, Magician, Men’s Coach

N - Nutritional Therapist, NLP Practitioner

O - Online Events Specialist, OBM

P - Proofreader, Psychotherapist, Personal Trainer, Paid Ads, Public Speaker, Podcast Producer, PR Expert, Private Tutor, Photographer, Payroll, Paralegal, Project Manager, Psychologist 

Q - Quiz Builder, Quickbooks Pro

R - Researcher, Risk Management, Recruiter

S - S3x Therapist, Sales Trainer, Social Media Manager & Strategist, Speaker Trainer, SEO, Scuba Diving Instructor

T - Therapist, Tech Specialist, Transport Consultant, Technical Consultant, Translator, Travel Planner, Team Building Events, Tax Planner

U - Utility Savings Expert, University Lecturer

V - Virtual assistant, Videographer, Video Editor, Voiceover Artist

W - Website Designer, Website Developer, Wellbeing Expert, Wealth Management, Wheelchair Tennis Champion, Workshop Facilitator

X - Xero trainer

Y - Yoga instructor

Z - Zapier Pro

Imagine having access to all that expertise at your fingertips, any time you need help. 

And if you want the names of any of these brilliant experts, let me know and I'll pass them on. 

But what's even better... you'll be able to find them yourself, soon, when we release our Hire a HoLTie Directory!

Keep your eyes peeled. It's coming VERY soon!!

🚨 There are only 3* (edited) tickets left to The HoLT Xmas Party!!!

19th November
Central London
Karaoke, DJ, photographer, and a very special surprise guest...

Plus a room full of people who won't pitch at you, and are just there to laugh, get to know one another, and celebrate another year in business. 

(Cos being a solopreneur is rubbish when you don't get a Christmas party!)

If you haven't got your ticket yet, you'll soon be TOO LATE!

Then you'll be kicking yourself when LinkedIn is flooded with photos of all your faves having fun together. 

Link for tickets is below. 

Questionable photos like the one below guaranteed.

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The Battle

Ani Filipova

Lea 🌈 Turner

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Performance ScoreAni Filipova's LinkedIn Performance

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taplio

The Battle

Ani Filipova

Lea 🌈 Turner

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);}Ani Filipova's LinkedIn Performance

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