Self Employed

Helped over 31+ SMBS generate $10M+ in pipeline with strategy, management and execution.

Direct-Response Marketing Consultant

Graewolves

Fractional CMO

No Fluff Jobs Hungary

● Successfully launched the „Respect Each Other” campaign that generated over 6.000
signatures among IT and HR professionals on the Hungarian market. The open letter produced
after the campaign facilitated the EU law changes making it mandatory for companies to
disclose salary ranges after 2027.

● My most important KPI were the growth of number of job applications which increased 2,5x
during my presence without increased marketing and advertising costs.

● Build the systems, tools and protocols for efficient operations by my time. Most of the solutions
have been adopted in several counties where the company is present.

● Led and trained a team of 5 people, being actively involved in implementation with
responsibility to budget allocation and spending.

● Quoted in several publications including Forbes, IT Business and HR Portal.

Marketing and Performance Lead

ReachMedia Kft.

● Led the marketing and graphic design team of 6 people, with responsibilities of strategic
planning, decision-making, staff training and budget utilization.

● Served our coporate clients with consulting, strategy and project management to implement
ideas. Direct clients include several market-leading companies such as HELL Energy,
Eventrend and JAF Holz

Digital & Performance Director

Exit The Room

● Build and ran the franchise’s operation in the UK from opening our Manchaster location and
took it to profitable status within 3 months. Prepared opening of our upcoming location in
Liverpool.

● Registered the company and were involved in every step of the process including search for
real estate and contracting.

● Recruited and managed our staff of 8, involved in built of game site.

● Responsible for planning and maintaining cash flow balance sheet, represent the investors,
managed our finances including staff salaries, purchases and managing the company’s bank
accounts.

Managing Director (UK)

If your newsletter would bring Stripe notifications, would you send more?

5 years ago I led a 7-figure award-winning marketing agency.

The #1 thing that scaled the business to that point:

Founders shared their expertise online.

There's 2 ways you can do that.

Do it alone:

- Waste 12-18 hours a month
- Feel anxious about what to post
- Question your abilities because you lack results

Do it with me:

- Get back valuable time to focus on your biz.
- Feel peaceful that your content is done for you
- Enjoy new clients with posts showing your expertise

I've helped 20+ businesses bring in over $7.2M with lead generation and copywriting since 2018.

If you're serious about getting clients from LinkedIn, I'm here to make that happen.

Use the 'book an appointment' button on the top to see if we're a good fit.

Ben Sallai

Co-Founder at Unyfy | Use us as your shortcut to success. We focus on optimising your LinkedIn strategy, discovering what sets you apart from your competitors, and converting followers into opportunities. ⚡️

Your next big client just hired your competitor. Not because they're better. Because they showed up and you didn't.

Think about it. While you've been perfecting your service, they've been perfecting their story. Now they own the conversation in your market. Their posts are building relationships with prospects you don't even know exist yet.

By the time someone needs what you offer, your competitor is already the trusted voice in their head. You never even got a chance to compete.


This is the pipeline crisis no one talks about:

Your competitors aren't winning today's deals. They're locking in next year's revenue right now. Every post they write is a relationship you'll never have. Every story they tell is a future client choosing them over you.

The math is brutal: They're building trust with 50+ prospects every week while you're invisible. That's 2,600 warm relationships per year. All yours for the taking. All going to someone else.


We help founders build tomorrow's pipeline through today's stories.

My team and I transform your expertise into narratives that make you the obvious choice before prospects even start looking. No templates. No hacks. Just strategic storytelling that turns LinkedIn into your most powerful sales asset.

The result: You stop chasing deals and start attracting them. Your competitors start copying you instead of the other way around.


Every day you wait, the gap widens. Your future clients are forming relationships right now.

DM me "STORY" to take back your market.

Because your competitors aren't smarter than you.

They just started their story six months sooner.

Matt Wheeler-Barrett

"You're so lucky to have this big audience."

I had to stop her right there.

On a coaching call last week, someone said that to me. And I told her exactly what was holding her back:

"You're comparing your Chapter 1 to someone else's Chapter 12."

Then I shared something most people don't know about me.

For the last two years, I've tracked my time on LinkedIn. On average, I've spent 3.7 hours on this platform every single day.

She looked shocked. "That's crazy."

Maybe it is. But I've had plenty of people tell me I'm crazy over the years. Doesn't bother me at all, because I know what I'm working towards.

When I first started, I had no strategy. I wasn't an expert. My posts didn't reach many people.

But I kept showing up anyway.

Because LinkedIn isn't a place where things happen overnight. It's a slow burn. Just like real relationships.

So if you're just starting out, or feel like you're not getting anywhere:

☑ Every post you publish, even the ones that get no likes, is still a step forward.
☑ Every DM conversation is a chance to learn and grow your network.
☑ Every email sign-up, even just one a day, is momentum.
☑ Every piece of content that doesn't land teaches you what works and what doesn't.

I've tried a few clever hacks along the way. Viral hooks, engagement pods, you name it. None of them outperformed consistency.

Nothing beats showing up. Not for a week or two, but month after month, even when it feels like no one is listening.

There will never be a perfect post. There will never be a perfect time.

If you've got something to say, say it.

That's how you get better. That's how you grow. And that's how this platform starts to work for you.

P.S. I've added a photo of my profile from 2 years ago to remind you that everyone started from the bottom.

Matt Wheeler-Barrett 

Co-founder @ Unyfy | Turn your story into real revenue.

I've been accused of "j*erking myself off on LinkedIn."

I've had people screw me over.

I've been told I'm "too intense" and "need to tone it down."

I've been underestimated by people who now ask me for advice.

I've had friends quietly unfollow me because I wouldn't play small.

Proper mental, that last one.

Before you post consistently, accept that not everyone will cheer you on.

Some will mock you.

Some will question your intentions.

Some will project their insecurities because they wish they had the courage to show up too.

You've got to be okay with that.

Because if you let the fear of judgement stop you, you'll stay stuck. Playing it safe. Staying invisible.

Last night, I read this from Bukowski:

"Isolation is the gift.

All the others are a test of your endurance, of how much you really want to do it.

And you'll do it, despite rejection and the worst odds.

And it will be better than anything else you can imagine.

You will ride life straight to perfect laughter.

It's the only good fight there is."

That hit hard.

LinkedIn truly does require you to go all in and stay consistent as hell to get consistent results out of it.

Not everyone will get it. And that's fine.

The right people will.

It all started with 571 Matts in a WhatsApp group.

I promise this is not a joke. There is genuinely a WhatsApp group in Cape Town that I am on.

Last year, we were looking for another copywriter and I thought it would be a good idea to share the job opening there.

That is when I received a private message from Matthew Lee, asking if there was a way he could work with us, as he was eager to get into the working world alongside his studies.

Yesterday, we officially signed a dream client (especially for me, as I have such a passion for this client's business).

And the build-up to that deal being signed was the epic work that Matthew has been doing alongside me, which helped get this deal over the line.

We are now working full-time on this client together.

To anyone studying or to anyone who is looking to get out there, we are working on a plan for you.

Big things coming next year.

----

P.S. Tag your favourite Matt.

Your favourite LinkedIn creator might be more broke than you.


Especially the ones that bang on about how they grew their audience to X, meanwhile, 95% of their content is TOFU content about HR, sports, etc.

Don't listen to that BS.

If you want to make money on LinkedIn, get consistent in focusing on these 5 steps:

1. Forget about the vanity metrics — your bank account will stay empty with this mindset.

2. Learn to research your client's pain points better (webinars, client calls, research, etc).

3. Tailor your messaging to them — through your results, personal experiences, and unique systems, show them how you've crushed it for others before. Your content is also a trust + credibility tool.

4. Find more of your ideal customer (ICP) in Sales Navigator and drip-feed them into your network.

5. Learn how to have better conversations + look out for signals of interest (people who keep viewing your profile/storefront).

I guarantee if you put in 45–90 minutes into this process 20 times per month, you will see traction with your business.

Not impressions. Traction.

This took me 7 years to learn.
I'll teach it to you in 3 minutes:

Seven years ago, I was ticking boxes.

Get the degree. Land the job. Hit the milestones everyone said I should hit by 30.

Proper exhausting, that was.

Because none of it was mine. It was my parents' version of success. Society's checklist. Everyone else's blueprint.

And I was miserable following it.

Here's what nobody tells you:

You're not here to live someone else's story. You're here to write your own.

And it starts with one decision. Show up for yourself. Every single day.

Most people wait for the perfect moment. But that's just another way of saying "I'm scared to start."

The truth? It's you versus you. Always has been.

Joe Rogan said something that stuck with me:

"Live like a documentary crew is following you, and you're reviewing your own behaviour."

Now ask yourself this:

If your kids watched that documentary one day, would they be proud of how you showed up?

That question changed everything for me.

Here's how to take back your story:

- Turn up, even when it's hard
- Grow on purpose, not by accident
- Tune out the noise and trust yourself
- Stick to your values, especially when it's uncomfortable
- Learn from every mistake instead of hiding from it

This isn't about being perfect. It's about progress.

You've got one life.

Stop living it for everyone else.

Everyone thinks you need to be understood by everyone.

But I actually prefer being misunderstood.

Early in my journey, I tried desperately to fit in. I thought it mattered if everyone liked me.

Proper waste of energy, that was.

Because honestly? I don't get people who bang on about their big ideas at every networking event but never actually do anything.

I don't get people who treat others like shit just to feel important.

I don't get people who mock others for having a go.

But here's what took me ages to realise - I don't need them to get me either.

Not everyone will understand you. And that's actually brilliant.

When you're misunderstood, you stop watering yourself down. You don't compromise on stuff that matters. The right people find you anyway.

When you're misunderstood, you get comfortable being uncomfortable. You build thicker skin. You try things others won't even consider.

When you're misunderstood, you stop asking for permission. You create without worrying what they'll think. 

You bring ideas that make people go "that's mental" - until it works.

Look, I spent years trying to fit in.

Now I focus on my path. My goals. What actually matters to me.

The right people? They'll get it.

And those who don't?

They were never your people anyway.

I've sat in rooms full of people desperate to sound smart. And the smartest person there? They barely said a word.

Sounds backwards, doesn't it? We're taught that sharing opinions makes us valuable, that contributing more means we matter more.

Proper nonsense, that is.

The best leaders I've worked with don't rush to fill every silence. They ask questions, let others finish, and sit there while everyone else scrambles to fill the gap. And somehow, when they finally speak, everyone listens.

Here's what nobody tells you about listening. It's not passive. It's bloody hard work.

Put your phone away. Actually away, not face-down where you can see it light up. Stop planning your response while they're still talking, because that's not listening. That's just waiting for your turn.

Nod, use small words, and just show them you're actually there. When something's unclear, ask them to explain. "What do you mean by that?" beats pretending you understood every single time.

And here's the bit that takes real practice: sitting in the silence.

Most people can't handle a pause, so they rush to fill it with noise. But the best conversations happen when you let things breathe a bit.

You'll know you're getting it right when people start opening up more, when they come to you first, when they say "thanks for actually listening."

In a world where everyone's fighting to be heard, the ones who listen properly become impossible to ignore.

Who makes you feel genuinely heard?

Yesterday I got a message that took me straight back to a factory floor.


A few years ago, David Grobler took me around the ACEPAK factory.

I was bricking it.

He was properly respected in business. Also my mate's father. I wanted to impress him so badly.

We walked through the factory and he said something I'll never forget:

"Matt, you get your first few clients, and you make sure you hold on to them. Hopefully, like Acepak, we'll be able to say we were part of the initial success of your agency."

That stuck with me. Properly stuck.

A few months later, David passed away.

I think about that walk every second day. Not exaggerating.

Those words became the thing I measured everything against. Are we holding onto our clients? Are we doing what Dave said we should?

Look, we've lost a few along the way. Growth pains. Systems that weren't good enough yet. That's just the reality of building something.

But we never gave up on the principle.

Yesterday, Nicholas — one of David's sons — sent Nate Levinrad some killer feedback about our work (more so, Nate's killer copy!) 

Soon as I saw it, I thought of Dave.

Still thinking about him now.

Some people leave a mark on you that doesn't fade. David was one of those people for me.

And yesterday felt like proof we're doing something right.

Don't post about your new business on LinkedIn.


Not yet anyway.

I see this constantly. Someone launches something new, immediately starts banging on about it in every post.

"We help X do Y!"
"Excited to announce our new service!"
"Here's what we can do for you!"

Meanwhile they've got zero proof it actually works.

Proper backwards, that is.

Here's what nobody tells you:

Your audience doesn't care about what you're building. They care about results. And if you haven't got any yet, you've got nothing to talk about.

Now look, building in public is brilliant. Sharing the journey, the lessons, the behind-the-scenes of developing your product. That works.

But announcing you can help people before you've refined your offer and got the data to back it up. That's where it falls apart.

Before you post a single thing about your new offer:

- Test it properly. Even if that means giving it away for free.
- Get actual feedback. Not "yeah mate, looks good" from your mates.
- Collect the data. Screenshots. Testimonials. Real numbers.
- Understand your ICP's actual problems. Not what you think they are.

Use LinkedIn for conversations first. DMs. Comments. Genuine curiosity about what's keeping your ideal clients up at night.

That's research. That's product development. That's building something people actually want.

The posting can wait.

Because when you finally do talk about your business, you'll have something real to say.

Not "we can help."

But "here's exactly how we helped."

That's the difference between noise and credibility.

The hidden reason your LinkedIn content isn't landing:

(It's not the algorithm, mate)

You're too busy trying to impress.

When you should be trying to help.

Here's why your posts are getting ignored:

1. You're flexing instead of helping.
2. You're posting success when people crave struggle stories.
3. You're building vanity metrics, not real relationships.

The result? You're invisible. Background noise.

Here's the shift:

Stop polishing your image.

Start solving their problems.

What's your audience struggling with RIGHT NOW?

What costly mistake can you help them avoid TODAY?

When you post for them (not your ego), everything changes.

Trust builds. Loyalty follows. Revenue happens.

Because influence isn't about looking successful.

It's about being useful when it counts—and staying human always.

Co-founder @ Unyfy | Most people sound like everyone else | We make your story impossible to ignore (and profitable) | DM me “story” to get started.

Nobody warns you how brutal building a business actually is.

Everyone thinks they'll hit £15k months straight away. That they'll have this magical lifestyle from day one.

Proper delusional, that.

The ones who make it look easy? They've already done the invisible work. Years of it. While you were sleeping, they were grinding.

Anyone launching in 2026 expecting instant success is about to get a reality check.

Trust me, I've watched this play out enough times.

The smart systems everyone talks about? You can't skip to that bit. You earn them through doing everything the hard way first.

You start by working yourself into the ground. Testing everything. Failing at most of it.

That's when you finally understand what leverage actually means.

If building a business was simple, your mate Dave would have done it already.

He hasn't.

----

P.S. Missed my free hook doc? Get it here: https://lnkd.in/djNXzZhv

"You need to rest on weekends."

That's what everyone keeps telling me.

But here's the thing - I tried that.

Spent years forcing myself to "switch off" every Friday at 5pm. You know what happened?

I'd sit there watching Netflix, pretending to relax while my brain solved work problems anyway.

Proper waste of a weekend, that was.

Some people genuinely recharge by doing nothing. Good for them. That works for them.

Me? I recharge by building.

By finally having time to think without meetings interrupting every thought.

By working on the projects that actually matter, not just the urgent ones.

The corporate world convinced me this was wrong. That working weekends meant I was broken. That I needed "better boundaries."

But after 2.5 years building Unyfy, I've learned something:

Your energy doesn't follow a Monday-to-Friday schedule.

Some Saturdays I work 10 hours because I'm buzzing with ideas.

Some Tuesdays I work 5 hours because my brain's fried.

I follow my energy, not the calendar.

And yeah, people judge. They send articles about burnout. They worry I'm "doing too much."

Meanwhile I'm the happiest I've been in years.

Because I stopped forcing myself into someone else's schedule.

The truth nobody wants to admit?

If you love what you're building, the lines between work and life blur anyway.

And that's not a problem to fix.

It's a sign you're doing something right.

So work weekends if it energises you.

Take Wednesdays off if you need to.

Stop apologising for your rhythm.

The only person who needs to understand your schedule is you.

We’re striving to build a zero-BS culture in our agency.

During this morning’s stand-up, I told the team that there’s no such thing as a bad idea and that we should always encourage each other to speak up.

I also emphasised the importance of sharing your thoughts openly and not taking it personally when someone sees things differently. 

Challenging each other’s perspectives is exactly what leads to stronger ideas and a stress-free culture. The sooner we spot issues, the sooner we can agree on what’s not working and sort it out.

But none of this works unless leadership sets a genuine example.

If you want a culture where people feel safe to contribute, you have to show that behaviour first.

Work Culture 

My impressions are up by 270% in the last 6 months. Why? I spent more time on my hooks.

(and collected the best ones for you)

Comment "Hooks" or "👍"

Look, I've pulled together all my favourite hooks:

- Vitality hooks
- Humour hooks
- Authority hooks  
- Pain point hooks
- Storytelling hooks
- Personal brand hooks
- Offer/conversion hooks
- Thought leadership hooks
- 14 'promise' hook templates
- 25 general good LinkedIn hooks
- And some of my favourite hooks

Here's what's properly mental:

If you don't grab someone's attention with the first line, they're going to keep scrolling. Your brilliant insights? Wasted. Your valuable advice? Never seen.

Stop them scrolling by bettering your hooks with this document.

Because proper hooks? That's what separates the invisible from the impossible to ignore.

Get it here: https://lnkd.in/djNXzZhv

He lectured me in my first year, and 14 years later, he's still teaching me.


Christopher Hosken was my marketing lecturer at varsity. I was just another student in the room. Probably a bit annoying, if I'm honest.

But he saw something in me I didn't see in myself.

He was the first person who properly believed I could build something. Before I had any proof. Before I had any reason to believe it myself.

I remember him sitting at a coffee shop at 10 PM, right between the GetSmarter buildings. 

Didn't matter how late it was. Didn't matter how busy he was. He always had time for me.

He'd send me videos of himself grafting late into the night. Not to show off. Just to show me. This is what it takes, Matt. This is what honest, hard work actually looks like.

I needed that more than he probably knew.

Over the years, I've watched him shape education and edtech in ways most people will never fully grasp. 

But what I'll remember most isn't the impact he's had on the industry.

It's the impact he's had on me.

Fast forward to today — Chris is now CEO of Startup School , and a client of ours. Proper full circle, that.

And he's doing it again. Helping us shape a new product we're launching next year. Still teaching. Still showing up. Still making time.

14 years on, and I'm still learning from the man.

Some people come into your life and just stay there. Not because they have to. 

Because they choose to.

Chris is one of those people for me.

Questioning your worth? You're probably just in the wrong room.

Spent years thinking I was the problem. Too ambitious. Too restless. Too much.

Turns out I was just surrounded by people who thought small.

Every idea I had? "Be realistic."
Every risk? "Play it safe."
Working weekends? "You need to chill."

Heard it enough times, started believing it. I was actually apologising for wanting more. Bloody mental when I think about it now.

Then I changed rooms.

Found this group of absolute lunatics. Founders who'd failed at things I hadn't even dreamed of trying.

Told them my "crazy" idea.

They laughed. Said it wasn't crazy enough.

Same person. Different room. Completely different life.

Look, if you're constantly doubting yourself, wondering if your ideas are too big...

You're not broken.

You're just sitting at the wrong bloody table.

Find one person doing what you want to do. Just one.

Watch your "impossible" become their "Tuesday."

Stop trying to fix yourself.

Start finding better rooms.

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

Can't be arsed to write today.

(But bloody hell, my brother Josh Barrett just made my day)

He wrote this brilliant review of the Checkers Sixty60 advert and I'm properly chuffed.

But here's what's mental:

Most company owners panic when their team starts posting on LinkedIn.

"They're looking for a new job!"
"They're building their exit plan!"
"They're going to steal my clients!"

Absolute bollocks.

Your team posting isn't a threat. It's free marketing you couldn't buy if you tried.

Think about it:

When Josh posts about our work, his network sees it. When Sarah shares a client win, her connections notice. When the whole team shows up? Your brand is suddenly everywhere.

But here's the uncomfortable truth:

If you're worried about your team posting, you've already lost.

Because it means you know, deep down, that you haven't built somewhere worth staying.

Look:

Your job as an owner isn't to stop people posting.

It's to build a culture so good they'd be mental to leave.

The work. The team. The growth. The respect.

Get that right, and their posts become your best testimonials.

Get it wrong, and yeah, they probably are looking.

So encourage your team to post. Champion them. Share their stuff.

Because companies that hide their people? They're usually hiding something else too.

Well done, Josh. Absolute legend.

Head of Operations at Unyfy | We make LinkedIn simple

Today I did the unthinkable.

I watched a four and a half minute ad from start to finish. At 6:30.

Like any normal person, I skip ads as fast as humanly possible. 
But this morning, I didn’t. 

What caught my attention was Dan Mace, one of my favourite South African creators. 

He collaborated with Checkers Sixty60 on a Christmas campaign.
I know, a Christmas ad for a grocery store couldn’t sound more skippable. 

But they pulled it off.

Checkers understands something many brands miss.
↳ You cannot manufacture authenticity.

But you can borrow it.

So instead of trying to make Dan fit into a Checkers ad, they let him make a Dan Mace video that happened to be about Checkers. 

His style. His voice. His story. 

That’s why it worked.
It felt human, creative and personal.
Not like a brand trying to sell, but like a creator telling a story.

It also proves that long form marketing isn’t dead.

People aren’t tired of ads.
People are tired of bad ads that don’t connect.

Amazing to see South African brands and creators doing it right.

taplio

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Ben Sallai

Matt Wheeler-Barrett

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The Battle

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