Top 1% LinkedIn Creator Worldwide | Helping You to Escape Corporate & Develop AI Skills | CEO- BrightWork AI | exBig4 | National Champion in Aerobic Gymnastics

Hi, I’m Anna Bilan, Founder of Brightwork AI. We help small—to mid-sized companies integrate AI into their operations for maximum efficiency and growth. I bring years of consulting expertise, empowering professional firms, insurance companies, financial institutions, and healthcare organizations to harness the power of AI for measurable results.

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Services Offered:

1. Executive AI Strategy Sessions:  
   Tailored consultations to help leaders identify high-impact AI opportunities and create actionable roadmaps for success.

2. Custom AI Software Implementation:  
   End-to-end development of AI solutions, designed to address your unique business challenges and streamline operations.

3. Adopting Internal AI Tools:  
   Seamlessly integrate advanced tools like Microsoft Copilot, Gemini 2.0, and other cutting-edge platforms into your workflows.

4. Employee AI Training:  
   You can give your team the skills to effectively adopt AI technologies, fostering innovation and efficiency across your organization.

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Why Work with Brightwork AI?  
☑️ Expertise in simplifying complex AI concepts for practical use in professional firms, insurance, financial services, and healthcare.  
☑️ Proven success in delivering AI solutions that enhance decision-making, reduce operational costs, and drive growth.  
☑️ A client-focused approach to ensure measurable ROI and long-term value.

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📩 Let’s Work Together:  
✉️ Email: anna@brightworkai.com  
🔗 LinkedIn DM: 

Message me “AI Growth” to discuss how we can future-proof your business with transformative AI solutions.

Anna Bilan ⚡️

You're paying $997 for AI courses while Google gives you better tools for free.

The biggest AI scam. It's the courses teaching you to use it.

Here's what happened:

Last week, I watched someone spend their rent money on an "AI masterclass."
Lost a job. I can't get a job if I amn't AI-savvy. 
The course taught ChatGPT basics and called it revolutionary.

Meanwhile, Google's offering 11 tools that would've saved them $997 and actually delivered results.

Thanks to Andrew Bolis for an excellent image and post idea. 

I spent 732 days testing every AI tool that exists.
Most are garbage, built on GPT. But Google's free stack? Different story.

Here's what the $997 courses won't tell you about Google's arsenal:

1. FIREBASE STUDIO
Not just another website builder.
Build and launch actual apps. No code. No BS.
While others are stuck in WordPress hell.

2. VEO (Video Generation)
Create video clips from text prompts.
Your competitors are hiring video editors.
You're typing sentences.

3. GEMINI ASK ON YOUTUBE
Chat with any video to extract insights.
Skip the 47-minute ramble. Get the 3 points that matter.
Time saved = money earned.

4. GEMS IN GEMINI
Build custom AI assistants using your actual data.
Not generic ChatGPT responses. YOUR knowledge. YOUR voice.

5. NANO BANANA
Already wrote about this killing stock photography.
Edit AI images until they don't look like AI garbage.
188 failures taught me: This is the real deal.

6. GEMINI IN GOOGLE SHEETS
Generate formulas, text, and insights inside spreadsheets.
Stop pretending you know VLOOKUP.
Let AI handle the Excel wizardry.

7. GOOGLE APP BUILDER
Build apps with prompts or templates.
No coding bootcamp needed.
Just ideas and execution.

8. IMAGEN/NANO BANANA (Media Generation)
Create visuals from simple prompts.
But here's the secret: Technical prompts beat creative ones.
Production notes > "Make it pretty"

9. GEMINI LIVE
Host AI chats with screen sharing.
Perfect for client presentations when you need backup.
Your co-presenter never gets nervous.

10. GOOGLE AI STUDIO
Test models, adjust settings, compare results.
This is where you graduate from prompt tourist to prompt engineer.

11. NOTEBOOKLM
Turn any source into summaries, audio overviews, quizzes.
Your research assistant that actually reads everything.

The equation that actually matters:
Course certificate + No practice = Unemployed with debt
Free tools + Daily usage = Skills that pay bills

While everyone's collecting completion badges,
You're shipping actual work.

That gap? That's where careers get built.

Stop buying hope. Start building skills.

💭 Which expensive course are you considering that Google already solved for free?

🔄 Repost this to help others learn AI
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You use AI every day.
But you sound lost when talking about it. 

Here's your cheat sheet. 85 terms. Plain English. No BS.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦
AI — Systems that think like humans
Machine Learning — Learning patterns from data
Deep Learning — ML with layered neural networks
Neural Network — Nodes processing information together

𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗔𝗜 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗦
Supervised Learning — Training with labelled answers
Unsupervised — Finding patterns without labels
Reinforcement Learning — Learning through rewards
Self-Supervised — Model creates its own labels
Transfer Learning — Reusing knowledge across tasks
Fine-Tuning — Adapting pre-trained models

𝗠𝗢𝗗𝗘𝗟 𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘
Transformer — Architecture powering modern LLMs
LLM — Large model trained on massive text
Foundation Model — Adaptable to many tasks
Parameters — Learnable weights
Training Data — Dataset teaching the model

𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗔𝗜
Generative AI — Creates new content
Prompt — Your instruction to the model
Token — Basic processing unit
Context Window — Model's memory limit
Inference — Generating predictions

𝗔𝗜 𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦 & 𝗦𝗬𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗠𝗦
AI Agent — Perceives, reasons, acts toward goals
Agentic AI — Multi-step planning, independent execution
Tool Use — Calling external APIs/services
Chain-of-Thought — Step-by-step reasoning
RAG — Retrieves knowledge before generating
MCP — Standard connecting AI to external tools

𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗨𝗔𝗚𝗘 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚
NLP — Understanding human language
Embedding — Vector capturing meaning
Tokenization — Splitting text into units
Attention — Focusing on relevant input

𝗩𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡 & 𝗠𝗨𝗟𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗟
Computer Vision — Interpreting images/video
Multimodal AI — Handles text, image, audio together
OCR — Extracts text from pictures

𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦 𝗚𝗢 𝗪𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗚
Hallucination — Confident but false output
Overfitting — Memorizes, can't generalize
Underfitting — Too simple to learn patterns
Bias — Unfair outcomes from flawed data
Alignment — AI matching human values

𝗠𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘
Benchmark — Standardized model comparison
Accuracy — Correct predictions overall
Precision — Positive predictions that were right
Recall — Actual positives identified

𝗦𝗔𝗙𝗘𝗧𝗬 & 𝗘𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗦
Constitutional AI — Principles guiding behavior
Guardrails — Preventing harmful outputs
Data Privacy — Protecting personal info

𝗜𝗡𝗙𝗥𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗖𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘
API — Software interface to AI
Latency — Response delay
GPU/TPU — Hardware accelerating AI
Distillation — Smaller models mimicking larger
Edge AI — Running locally, not cloud

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗘𝗥
AGI — Human-level AI (hypothetical)
ASI — Beyond human intelligence (theoretical)

🔄 Repost this to help others learn AI
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Alqamah Khan

I had 1,000 LinkedIn connections.
When I needed help, no one replied.

I had contacts. Not relationships.
That's when I changed everything.

Today I have 21K followers and a network that actually shows up.

The immigrant mathematics of LinkedIn networking:
Random connection requests + No follow-up = Wasted time
Strategic engagement + Consistency = Relationships that pay off

Here's How to Network on LinkedIn:
(The Right Way)

1️⃣ Lead with value first

Share insights before requesting anything.
"Here's what I learned about X" beats "Can I pick your brain?" every time.


2️⃣ Show up when you need nothing

Comment on their posts weekly. Share their content. Celebrate their wins.
People remember who was there before the favour.


3️⃣ Make intros without being asked

Connect people who should know each other.
Do this consistently, and you'll be first to hear about opportunities.


4️⃣ Be specific about help

Don't say "Let me know if I can help."
Say "I can intro you to X" or "I know someone hiring for Y."


5️⃣ End with next steps

"I'll send that article Friday" beats "Let's stay in touch."
Momentum dies without action.


6️⃣ Engage before you connect

Comment on 2-3 of their posts first. Add value. Ask a smart question.
Then send the request. They'll recognize your name.


7️⃣ Send a real message

Skip "I'd love to connect."
Try: "Hey [Name], loved your post about [topic]. Working on something similar. No pitch, just wanted to connect."


8️⃣ Build your real network daily

LinkedIn Search → 2nd connections + Industry + Job title.
Find 5 active people per day. Track who responds.
Not everyone in your connections is in your network.
I keep a list of 50 people I regularly engage with. That's my real network.


30 minutes a day. 5 new connections. Consistent engagement.

Networking isn't about collecting contacts.
It's about building relationships before you need them.

💭 What's your biggest struggle with LinkedIn networking?

♻️ Repost to help someone build real connections
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I have 21K followers on LinkedIn.
People with 370 followers spend more time here than I do.

Here's my exact 1-hour daily routine:


⏳ 20 min: Prepare your daily post.

↳ Topic: Grok to find Reddit struggles.
↳ Design: Canva to design, Nano Banana to edit.
↳ Text: Claude to write.

Grok prompt for topic research:

"Find active subreddits where [target audience] discusses real problems with [topic]. For each: Name, Member count, Activity level, 3-5 specific problems discussed. Focus on real conversations, not memes."

Once you have the topic:
→ Find a design (Pinterest)
→ Edit it (Nano Banana) or make one (Canva)
→ Write the caption (Claude)

Claude prompt for viral hooks:

"These are my most viral hooks on LinkedIn. Recreate them for this new topic: [your draft]
///Hook 1 [VIRAL HOOK]
///Hook 2 [VIRAL HOOK]
///Hook 3 [VIRAL HOOK]"


⏳ 30 min: Comment on your post & others'.

↳ Right before & after posting.
↳ Comment more than you post.

Warming up your account is the single best indicator of growth on LinkedIn.


⏳ 10 min: Answer DMs & send connection requests.

↳ Find 5 key connections per day.
↳ Filter by: 2nd connections + Location + Job title.


1 hour a day is enough.

Be consistent, not delusional.

💭 How much time do you spend on LinkedIn daily?

♻️ Repost to help someone simplify their Strategy
➕ Follow Anna Bilan ⚡️ for AI, entrepreneurship & personal brand

I spent 6 months marketing my first startup- Arlos.
No one remembered my name.

As you can guess, it died fast 😂 

I was focused on Marketing - SEO & email marketing. 
Instead of building a brand.

Got clicks. Got views. But nothing lasted.

Because I confused attention with trust.

The immigrant mathematics of brand building:
Loud marketing + No brand = Forgettable
Quiet consistency + Real trust = Unforgettable

Here's what I learned the hard way:

Marketing gets you noticed.

→ Grabs attention
→ Drives clicks
→ Might convert once

Branding makes it last.

→ Earns trust
→ Turns buyers into believers
→ Makes your name mean something

Anyone can run an ad.
Anyone can post content.

But the brands people actually remember?

They have:
→ A message people genuinely care about
→ Content that builds connection, not just conversions
→ The same experience everywhere you find them

If all you do is chase visibility,
Don't be shocked when people forget you the moment they scroll past.

I ask myself this question constantly:

Would I follow my brand if I weren't me?

If the answer is no, that's not a marketing problem.
That's a brand problem.

Awareness without trust is just expensive noise.

💭 What brand do you follow that actually earned your trust?

♻️ Repost this for someone still confusing Marketing with Branding
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Marketing vs Branding

You have 10K followers.
Zero clients.

I see this every single day.

The immigrant mathematics of LinkedIn:
Followers + No system = Vanity metrics
Followers + Lead gen strategy = Revenue

Growing an audience? That part is doable.
Post valuable content daily. Engage. Show up. You'll grow.

Converting that attention into money?
That's where everyone gets stuck.

Thanks to Chris Donnelly for this excellent cheat sheet.

Here's the exact system I use. (Full cheat sheet below 👇)

1. Don't Sell. SERVE.

S → Show up consistently
E → Educate your audience
R → Relate to their actual problems
V → Value relationships over transactions
E → Engage with authenticity

2. Social Selling & DMs

→ Ask thoughtful questions
→ React genuinely to posts daily
→ Leave detailed, relevant comments
→ Connect with personalized messages
→ Use LinkedIn filters or Sales Nav to find the right people

Before you DM anyone, research them:
- Can you solve a problem they have?
- Can you add to an opinion they've shared?
- Can you introduce them to someone valuable?

3. Optimize Your Profile & Offer

Your LinkedIn page:
↳ High-quality banner
↳ Custom link
↳ Focused featured section
↳ Job section with media

Your landing page:
↳ Headline: Make it clear who it's for
↳ Subheading: Reinforce the transformation
↳ Clear CTA: Simple and action-driven
↳ Social proof: Showcase results

4. Lead Magnets

Capture emails. Warm-up leads.
Cheat sheets. Checklists. Templates. Ebooks.
Give value before you ask for anything.

5. Segmentation & Personalization

Segmentation = Dividing your audience into meaningful groups
Personalization = Delivering communication based on those groups

Generic messages get ignored.
Targeted messages get responses.

6. Understand Your Funnel

TOFU (Top): Educate & attract
MOFU (Middle): Engage & nurture
BOFU (Bottom): Convert & close

Here's the math that matters:

In my experience, very few of your ideal clients will ever reach out first. Most are waiting for YOU to make a move.
From those you reach out to, you might convert 5-10%.
With a $5-10K offer? That's serious money.

LinkedIn selling isn't easy.
But it's the most accessible and scalable method I've found.

💭 What's your biggest struggle with lead gen right now?

♻️ Repost to help someone stuck in the follower trap
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21K followers. 1 hour a day.
No magic. No B.S. Just a system.

Here's what I'd do if I had to start over.

I wouldn't post more.
I wouldn't chase trends.
I wouldn't grind without a plan.

The immigrant mathematics of LinkedIn growth:
Random posting + Hustle = Burnout
Right system + Consistency = Compound results

Here's the exact cheat sheet I'd use:

Zone of Genius
↳ What you enjoy + What you're good at + What the world needs
↳ Most creators skip this. That's why they burn out.

Profile That Converts
↳ Photo, banner, headline, about
↳ Your profile works 24/7. Make it sell.

Headline Formula
↳ [Action verb] + [Ideal customer] + [What they want] + [How you help]
↳ Your headline shows in the feed and comments. Make it count.

Daily Habits
↳ Comment, post, reply, create
↳ Simple. Not easy.

Content Calendar
↳ Plan 2 weeks ahead in Notion
↳ Stop winging it.

Find Your Tribe
↳ Find creators in your niche. Support them daily.
↳ It comes back fast.

Funnel That Works
↳ 70% top of funnel, 20% middle, 10% bottom
↳ Most creators invert this. That's why nothing converts.

AI Content Creation
↳ Canva, ChatGPT, Stanley, Notion
↳ Work smarter, not harder.

No hacks.
No noise.
Just grow through connection.

Save this. Use it. Improve it.

💭 Which step do you keep skipping?

♻️ Repost to help someone simplify their LinkedIn strategy
➕ Follow Anna Bilan ⚡️ for AI, entrepreneurship & personal brand
Thanks, MJ Jaindl, for the beautiful graphic and post inspiration.

LinkedIn saved my business.
Literally.

In 2023, I got laid off.
My boss made me feel like garbage for years.
I always wanted to start a business, but I was too afraid to leave the paycheck.

When they pushed me out, I thought: "Finally. I know everything."

I didn't.

I lost $144,000.
Sold my furniture. Sold my clothes.
Slept on the floor until my best friend bought me a mattress.
Found a bunk bed on Kijiji.
Moved into a tiny room. 2x3 meters.

Ate instant noodles every day until my digestive system failed.
3 surgeries.
$1,200 left in my pocket.

The immigrant mathematics of rock bottom:
Corporate experience + No sales skills = Absolutely useless

I failed 3 startups:
→ Arlos (crypto payments)
→ Hello Flow (feminine hygiene)
→ GreenTechVillage (modular homes)

Same problem every time.
Couldn't generate leads.
Partnered with the wrong people.
Email marketing? Terrible response rates.

SEO specialists told me: "You can't compete with McKinsey, Deloitte, Accenture. Maybe clients in 3-6 months."

I didn't have 3-6 months.
I needed a client NOW or I'd be homeless.

So I took my last shot.
LinkedIn.

Started with outreach.
5-8 meetings a week.
First client signed.

Then I spent countless hours learning how LinkedIn content actually works.

9 months later?
Grew 9x.
Business doubles every month.

This New Year, I sat in my room thinking:
Maybe I should help others do the same?

Right now, I help large entrepreneurs build personal brands and scale sales through LinkedIn content.

But I keep thinking about small business owners who are where I was 2 years ago.
Struggling. Desperate. Not sure where the next client is coming from.

So I'm considering creating LinkedIn Mastery Lab.
A mentorship program where I teach everything I learned about LinkedIn content and lead generation.

But I want to hear from you first.

💭 Is this something you'd actually want? What's your biggest struggle with LinkedIn right now? Drop a comment. I'm reading every single one.

♻️ Repost if you know someone who needs a way out
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Every entrepreneur buys AI tools. 

But no one's building AI skills. 

I spent two years in AI business and testing every AI platform. 
My accountant saw tech bills yesterday. 🫣 

Built a business from scratch using them. 
Here's what I learned: 

Thanks Andrew Bolis for the visual. 
 
The tool doesn't matter if you don't know how to use it.
Every entrepreneur buys AI tools.

But no one's building AI skills.

I spent two years testing every AI platform.
Built a business from scratch using them.

Here's what I learned:
The tool doesn't matter if you don't know how to use it.

Immigrant mathematics of AI skills:
Right skills + any tool = unfair advantage
Wrong skills + best tool = expensive hobby

6 AI skills that actually move the needle:

1. Prompt Engineering → The foundation. Master it first.
2. No-Code AI Automation & Workflows → Connect ChatGPT to Gmail, Notion, Slack. Connect Workflows with Zapier.
3. AI-Powered Decision Making → Turn data into business intelligence.
4. AI Content Creation → Blogs, videos, graphics at scale.
5. AI for Customer Engagement → 24/7 chatbot support.
6. AI Ethics, Privacy & Risk Awareness → Protect Customer Data. Spot Bias. Stay Compliant.

Here's what Big4 taught me:

You don't need all 6.
You need the right 3 for YOUR business.

Pick them. Practice them. Stack them.

💭 Which skill are you building first?

♻️ Repost to help a founder stop chasing tools and start building Skills instead
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AI tools don't build businesses.
Founders do.

8 tools. $0 to $1M ARR.
Just what works.

After building an AI startup from scratch.
Here's the stack I'd use to hit $1M ARR:

Product & Engineering

1. Lovable
→ Best tool for product prototyping
→ Your breeding ground for an MVP

2. Replit
→ Build and deploy apps without DevOps headaches
→ From idea to live product in hours

3. Cursor
→ 10x your engineering team's speed
→ AI-powered coding that actually works


Sales & Outreach

4. Apollo
→ Find leads at scale with verified contact data
→ Automated sequences that don't feel automated

5. Clay
→ Enrich contacts with social media activity and intent data
→ Personalize outreach at scale without sounding like a bot

Operations & Automation

6. Zapier
→ Connect your CRM to everything
→ Automate retention and upsell campaigns

7. ChatGPT or Claude
→ Train custom assistants for your team
→ Your 24/7 brainstorming partner

8. Claude Code
→ Plug into operations to spot trends and analyze churn
→ Automated reporting and customer insights

The immigrant mathematics of building:
Great product + AI tools = $1M ARR
Bad fundamentals + AI tools = Expensive failure

You still need:
→ An incredible product
→ Razor-sharp focus on growth
→ Personalized marketing and sales
→ Funnels that convert and retain

AI just lets you do it faster. Smaller team. Greater scale. Less cost.

You don't need every AI tool.

The tool isn't the answer.
Good strategy is.

💭 Which tools are you using? Which are you missing?

♻️ Repost to help someone build smarter
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Nobody can steal your skills.
But you can lose them anyway.

I learned this the hard way.

I was fired from a job. 
3 failed startups. Burned out. Stopped exercising.
Stopped learning. Stopped caring.

The immigrant mathematics of self-destruction:
Neglect + Time = Everything you built disappears

Your knowledge.
Your character.
Your work ethic.
Your mindset.
Your passion.
Your skills.
Your health.

No one can take these from you.
But only you can let them rot.

Here's what happens when you stop showing up:

→ Skip learning → Ignorance fills the gap
→ Ignore your mindset → Negativity moves in
→ Neglect your health → Your body keeps score

I watched it happen to myself.
Thought I'd bounce back "when things calmed down."
Things never calm down.

But here's what happens when you invest daily:

Knowledge → Builds power
Character → Builds trust
Work ethic → Builds results
Mindset → Builds resilience
Passion → Builds purpose
Skills → Builds opportunity
Health → Builds longevity

The math is simple:
Daily investment + Consistency = Unstoppable compound growth
Neglect + Excuses = Starting over from zero

You don't need to protect these things from others.
You need to protect them from yourself.

That's how you win.

💭 Which one have you been neglecting lately?

♻️ Repost for someone who needs this reminder
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8 tasks I stopped doing manually.
AI does them faster. And better.

The immigrant mathematics of productivity:
Manual work + 10 hours = exhaustion
Right AI tool + 10 minutes = Better Result

I've tested these tools obsessively. Here's what works:

1. gamma.app (for ugly slides)
→ The PowerPoint killer
→ Not the best design, but done custom for each client. Done in 2 minutes.

2. canva.com (for no designer)
→ The most famous non-designer design tool
→ AI features are getting better every month.

3. blink.new (for no coding)
→ No-code app building for non-coders
→ Prompt it like ChatGPT, get working apps.

4. granola.ai (for meeting notes)
→ The best AI notetaker. Simple.
→ Doesn't connect to the call (finally).

5. opus.pro (for replacing expensive editors)
→ Upload a YouTube link, get clips
→ Create 20-50 TikToks from one video.

6. notebooklm.google.com (for learning)
→ Upload courses. Get podcasts & quizzes.
→ Can take 50 sources. Train on your own material.

7. wispr.ai (for yapping out ideas)
→ Write with your voice. Crazy fast.
→ Keeps learning from your edits.

8. grok.com (for fast & correct news)
→ The best way to search Twitter
→ That alone makes it worth it.

You're not slow.
You're just doing stuff AI should be doing.

Pick one. Try it today.

💭 What's the one task you're still doing manually that drives you crazy?

♻️ Repost to help someone in your network work smarter
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You're Googling "Best AI courses."
Google already made them. For free.

9 free AI courses from Google. 
No Sign-up fees or prior Skills Required.
No B.S. Just Links 🔗 for you to Level-Up.

Here's your Direct Access :


1. NotebookLM for Project Organization
→ Centralize notes. Upload sources. Let AI find what matters.
→ Course: https://lnkd.in/gpcwevsZ

2. Gemini Gems for Marketing
→ Build custom AI assistants for campaigns.
→ Course: https://lnkd.in/gaDPqttj

3. NotebookLM for Customer Insights
→ Analyze hundreds of transcripts from one upload.
→ Course: https://lnkd.in/gRtHT474

4. Generate Content with Gemini
→ Beat writer's block inside Google Docs.
→ Course: https://lnkd.in/g_aZgTUn

5. Personalized Prompting with Google Workspace
→ Integrate your Drive files into custom prompts.
→ Course: https://lnkd.in/g3HXZZD8

6. Prompting Like a Pro
→ Master the Persona + Task + Context + Format framework.
→ Course: https://lnkd.in/gfzM6b67

7. Write Faster Emails with Gemini
→ Gmail's "Help me write" for professional responses.
→ Course: https://lnkd.in/gt_bFKet

8. Market Research with NotebookLM
→ Synthesize feedback. Analyze competitors. Generate ideas.
→ Course: https://lnkd.in/gvah96km

9. Introduction to Generative AI
→ Learn what GenAI is and how it actually works.
→ Course: https://lnkd.in/gzqt7ehQ

Most paid courses teach what Google gives away for free.

The difference between people who get ahead and those who don't?
They stop collecting certificates. They start building skills.

Pick one. Finish it this week.

💭 Which course are you starting first?

♻️ Repost to help someone save $997
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AI can write your bio in 7 seconds.
But it can't earn people's trust.

Personal branding in 2026 isn't about perfection.
It's about being impossible to ignore.

The immigrant mathematics of personal branding:
AI-polished perfection + Zero personality = Forgettable
Real stories + Consistent presence = Unforgettable

9 rules for 2026:

1. Real beats perfect
AI can fake flawlessness. It can't fake being human. Your imperfect story wins.

2. Use AI to find your voice
Let it analyze your best content. Use that clarity to be more you.

3. Teach AI who you are
Train it on your values, style, and best work. Make it sound like you.

4. Show your flaws
Share missteps and lessons. Vulnerability builds trust faster than credentials.

5. Lead with purpose
Connect your why to what you do. Purpose-led content hits different.

6. Be selectively famous
Stop chasing 100K followers. Build deep relationships with 100 who matter.

7. Say what only you can say
Echoing the crowd gets you lost. Double down on what makes you different.

8. Amplify, don't automate
AI drafts in 7 seconds. Your job is to rewrite it in your voice.

9. Get found by AI (GEO)
People ask ChatGPT now, not Google. Publish content AI can recommend.

AI made content easy.
That's exactly why being human got harder to fake.
And more valuable than ever.

💭 What's the first thing you're fixing about your brand?

♻️ Repost to help someone build their brand
➕ Follow Anna Bilan ⚡️ for AI, personal Brand & Entrepreneurship

People remember how you make them feel.

That is your reputation.

Reputation isn't what you say about yourself.
It's what others say when you leave the room.

The immigrant mathematics of reputation:
Years of consistency + One bad moment = Starting over
Daily respect + Small actions = Compounding trust

Because status doesn't give you the right to treat people poorly.
Respect is universal. Everyone deserves it.

Here are 17 habits that build a reputation worth protecting:

→ Pause before reacting
→ Honour your word
→ Stand by your values
→ Maintain consistency
→ Deliver excellence
→ Practise direct communication
→ Choose integrity
→ Respect time
→ Take responsibility
→ Celebrate others
→ Put team first
→ Give thoughtful feedback
→ Practise equal respect
→ Protect your team
→ Master active listening
→ Use strategic silence
→ Show gratitude

None of these are complicated.
All of them are daily choices.

Your reputation takes years to build.
Minutes to destroy.

Titles fade. Networks shift.
But how did you make people feel?
That stays.

♻️ Share if you've seen reputation crumble in real time
➕ Follow Anna Bilan ⚡️ for AI, entrepreneurship & personal brand

Most founders think money problems are math problems.
I've learned they're behavior problems.

I've bootstrapped every business I've built.
No investors. No safety net. Just me and my decisions.

The immigrant mathematics of wealth:
Right behaviors + Time = Freedom
Wrong behaviors + Time = Regret

"The Psychology of Money" changed how I think about both.

Thanks to Andrew Aziz for this great cheat sheet!

Here's what bootstrapping taught me:

1. Understand different perspectives
↳ Their "crazy" decision makes sense for their situation.

2. Accept luck and risk
↳ Build for what you can control. Accept what you can't.

3. Define and protect your enough
↳ The endless chase destroys more people than failure.

4. Let compounding work for you
↳ Steady progress beats dramatic sprints.

5. Buy time, not things
↳ Your hours are worth more than your ego.

6. Save before you invest
↳ Reserves let you take risks without betting everything.

7. Think in decades, not days
↳ Daily decisions compound into 10-year outcomes.

8. Hide your wealth
↳ Flashing money invites wrong attention.

9. Build a safety margin
↳ Breathing room creates better choices.

10. Play your own game
↳ Stop chasing someone else's scoreboard.

11. Avoid the trap of greed
↳ Don't sacrifice what's working for what looks shinier.

12. Focus on the few that matter
↳ Double down on what works. Let go of the rest.

The founders who win aren't the ones with the best math.
They're the ones with the best behaviours.

💭 Which principle do you struggle with most?

♻️ Repost to help a founder think differently about money
➕ Follow Anna Bilan ⚡️ for AI, entrepreneurship & lessons from bootstrapping

I've posted for 9 months without missing a single day.
It is doubling my revenue every month.

Most people quit posting after 2 weeks.
I trained for the Russian National Team. Quitting isn't in my vocabulary.

The immigrant mathematics of LinkedIn success:
Random posting + No system = Burnout
Discipline + Proven strategy = Revenue

I've watched too many brilliant people:
- Post for a month, then disappear
- Build followers they can't monetize
- Convince themselves they don't have time

The problem isn't talent or expertise.
It's not having a system.

That's why I'm launching LinkedIn Lab Mastery.

By the way, thank you to everyone who left feedback on LinkedIn Lab Mastery.
Your comments and suggestions are shaping this program. Every piece of input matters.

So, 

This is for:
→ Freelancers tired of being the best-kept secret
→ Experts with knowledge but no audience
→ Speakers who want inbound, not cold outreach
→ Entrepreneurs building a personal brand alongside their business
→ Executives transitioning out of corporate
→ Anyone who got fired or left their job and needs to be visible NOW

Here's what I bring and how it helps YOU:

→ National Team discipline = I won't let you quit on yourself
→ 10+ brands launched across wildly different industries = I know what works in YOUR niche
→ 10 years with 20+ large companies = I understand corporate, executive, and founder mindsets
→ Immigrant humbleness = I will work side by side with you. Tediously. Relentlessly. Until it works.

I don't teach theory.
I build results with you.

Starts Feb 8.
6 spots only.
Sales open Jan 19.

💭 Free consultations open Jan 20-23. Comment "LINKEDIN" to get on the list.

♻️ Repost if you know someone who keeps saying, "I should post more."
➕ Follow Anna Bilan ⚡️ for AI, personal brand & entrepreneurship

"AI doesn't work for me."

I hear this from smart people every week.
Coaches. Consultants. Founders. Executives.

They're not wrong. Their results ARE bad.
But it's not because they're not technical enough.

The immigrant mathematics of AI:
Vague request + No structure = Useless output
Clear framework + Specific intent = Actual help

Most people treat AI as if it's Google.
Type a question. Hope for magic.

AI doesn't work that way.
You don't search for it. You instruct it.

Here are 11 frameworks, from simple to advanced:

— BEGINNER (3 steps — start here) —

1. R.T.F
→ Role: Who is AI acting as?
→ Task: What's the job?
→ Format: How should the output look?

2. T.A.G
→ Task: What needs doing?
→ Action: What steps are involved?
→ Goal: What's the end result?

3. A.P.E
→ Action: What's the task?
→ Purpose: Why do you need it?
→ Expectation: What should the result look like?

4. E.R.A
→ Expectation: What do you want back?
→ Role: Who should AI pretend to be?
→ Action: What should it do?

— INTERMEDIATE (4 steps — add context) —

5. R.A.C.E
→ Role: "Act as a..."
→ Action: The specific task
→ Context: Background info
→ Expectation: Desired output

6. C.A.R.E
→ Context: Set the stage
→ Action: The task
→ Result: What you want
→ Example: Show what good looks like

7. R.I.S.E
→ Request: What you need
→ Input: Info you're providing
→ Scenario: The situation
→ Expectation: The result

— ADVANCED (5-6 steps — full control) —

8. C.O.A.S.T
→ Context: Background
→ Objective: Your goal
→ Actions: Steps needed
→ Scenario: The situation
→ Task: The assignment

9. T.R.A.C.E
→ Task: Define it
→ Request: What you need
→ Action: What's required
→ Context: The details
→ Expectation: The outcome

10. R.O.S.E.S
→ Role: Who AI should be
→ Objective: The goal
→ Scenario: The situation
→ Expected Solution: The outcome
→ Steps: How to get there

11. C.R.E.A.T.E
→ Character: Who should AI be?
→ Request: What do you need?
→ Examples: Show what good looks like
→ Adjustments: Any constraints or preferences?
→ Type: What format? (email, list, script)
→ Extras: Tone, length, style details

You don't need to memorize all 11.

New to prompting? Start with R.T.F.
Ready for more control? Try R.A.C.E or C.A.R.E.
Complex projects? Go C.R.E.A.T.E.

The difference between "AI is overhyped" and "AI saves me 10 hours a week"?

Structure. That's it.

💭 Which level are you starting at?

♻️ Repost if you know someone frustrated with AI
➕ Follow Anna Bilan ⚡️ for AI strategies that work

I spent 6 years at a Big4 firm, watching who got ahead.
It wasn't the smartest people. But they had 5 traits in common.

The immigrant mathematics of career success:
Talent + No execution = Wasted potential
Average skills + Relentless action = Unstoppable

Here are 5 traits I've seen in people who actually win:

1️⃣ Be The Person Who Delivers
→ Move things forward, even beyond your role
→ Follow through without reminders
→ Meet deadlines before they're urgent

2️⃣ Lead With Growth And Composure
→ Listen before reacting
→ Protect your focus
→ Learn faster than your environment shifts

3️⃣ Make Your Boss's Job Easier
→ Think one step ahead
→ Anticipate needs before they're asked

4️⃣ Speak Solutions, Not Excuses
→ Present options, not just problems
→ Take ownership of outcomes

5️⃣ Be Known For Growing Others
→ Mentor generously
→ Share credit. Your legacy lives in who you help

None of this is taught in MBA programs.
None of this shows up on performance reviews.

But all of it builds careers that last decades.

The best part?

You don't need permission.
You don't need a promotion.
You can start practicing any of these today.

💭 Which one are you already strong at? Which needs work?

♻️ Share with someone building their career
➕ Follow Anna Bilan ⚡️ for AI, entrepreneurship & personal brand

74% of CEOs think they'll lose their jobs.
Not because of Competition. Because of AI.

2025: "We're experimenting with AI."
2026: "Show me how you use it or we're done here.

The immigrant mathematics of AI hiring:
AI fluency + Domain expertise = Unfireable
AI fluency alone = Replaceable in 6 months



Here's what's changing:

The 10 shifts you can't ignore

1. AI fluency
Before: Nice to have on your resume
Now: Baseline expectation. Job postings requiring AI are up 70%.

2. Hiring process
Before: "Tell me about yourself."
Now: "Show me how you use AI." Zapier grades candidates: Unacceptable to Transformative.

3. Entry-level jobs
Before: Learn on the job, grow into AI
Now: 16% decline in junior roles. 1/3 of HR is creating NEW AI-partnership positions instead.

4. Working with AI
Before: AI is a tool you use
Now: AI is a teammate you collaborate with. By 2028, 15% of decisions will be made by agents.

5. Skills-based hiring
Before: "We hire for skills, not degrees."
Now: 85% say it. Only 0.14% actually removed degree requirements.

6. Employee mindset
Before: Fear of missing out (FOMO)
Now: Fear of becoming obsolete (FOBO). Workers are more worried than hopeful.

7. AI strategy
Before: Adoption. "Let's try AI tools."
Now: Transformation. 97% of Zapier uses AI daily. It's how they work.

8. Job titles
Before: Marketing Manager, Sales Rep, Engineer
Now: AI Decision Designer. Digital Ethics Advisor. AI Automation Engineer.

9. Who gets hired
Before: Entry-level talent with potential
Now: 5+ years experience + AI skills. Judgment wins.

10. Your team
Before: All humans
Now: Humans + AI agents. By 2028, AI agents could outnumber salespeople 10:1.


The contract review that took Indeed 26 hours?
Now takes 2.

That's not efficiency. That's transformation.

Stop experimenting. Start transforming.

💭 Which shift worries you most? Which excites you?

♻️ Repost to help someone prepare for the AI Job Market
➕ Follow Anna Bilan ⚡️ for AI, Entrepreneurship & Personal Brand

How to win careers in AI-first Market

🤝 I'm Jada, specializing in custom promotional apparel and products for Houston corporations, driving brand visibility and engagement through tailored solutions.
 
With over a decade at Sysco, I earned multiple awards as a District Sales Manager and served as Director of Category Management. I led a team managing $𝟮𝟮𝟰𝗠 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 and oversaw 𝟭,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿k, including the six largest national food brokerages.

Now, as a mompreneur, I combine my corporate acumen with a passion for creativity, offering bespoke solutions that meet the unique needs of my corporate clients.

👉 We specialize in custom-designed apparel, embroidery, brand design, and promotional products, all tailored to help Houston corporations stand out in today's competitive market. 

My commitment to excellence and attention to detail ensures that our clients receive high-quality products and exceptional service, every time.

👫In addition to my startup, I'm a dedicated cheer mom, sports mom, and dog mama to two lovely doggies. 

Balancing these roles has taught me the importance of organization, perseverance, and dedication—qualities I bring to every client project. 

𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗜 𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗣 𝗬𝗢𝗨

I work with companies in the 𝗢𝗶𝗹, 𝗚𝗮𝘀, 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 sectors to enhance their brands through premium promotional apparel and products. 

We understand the demanding environments and specific branding needs of these industries. 

Whether it's outfitting your team with durable, branded workwear or creating memorable promotional items for industry events, my solutions help reinforce your brand's strength and professionalism.

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗪𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗗𝗢 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗬𝗢𝗨

My journey from corporate sales to mompreneurship has been driven by a desire to combine professional expertise with personal passion. 

We believe in the power of strong branding to make a lasting impact.

Our team is dedicated to helping your business stand out with high-quality, custom solutions tailored to your unique needs.

Join me in transforming your brand vision into reality with 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 that truly make an impact. 

Your success is our priority, and we're committed to exceeding your expectations with every project.

Together, we can create a brand experience that not only captures attention but also builds lasting connections.

📩 Contact us today to discover how our custom promotional products and apparel solutions can enhance your brand.

Jada Powell

Do you want to be seen as more than just another vendor? 

🌎Try this: always know what's really moving in your client's world.

Too many sales reps and consultants fall into the trap of showing up with the same pitch, the same materials, and the same assumptions. 

The reality is the leaders making decisions in Oil & Gas, Energy and Construction are dealing with new questions every day. 

They're watching commodity prices, supply chains, geopolitics, and safety all at once.

If you're not speaking to what's keeping them up at night this quarter, you're just another name in their inbox.

Yesterday, I had the privilege of joining the Joint Meeting AADE Houston and American Petroleum Institute (API) Houston Chapter where Jeff Krimmel from KSG - Krimmel Strategy Group was the keynote speaker. 

♻️He didn't show up with recycled slides or recycled wisdom. 

He broke down his latest research on what upstream (E&P) and oilfield service companies are actually prioritizing now, not just what made headlines last year.

One thing that stood out: he dove deep into the latest developments around Venezuela. 

That sparked real debate in the room. 

The risks, the future potential, the uncertainty for U.S. energy. 

It made me realize truly valuable partners aren't repeating what's already in the Wall Street Journal. 

They're connecting the dots, making sense of the noise, and helping clients see around corners.

So, why does this matter for anyone in the business of branded workwear, custom apparel, or promotional products? 

Because being relevant goes beyond the fabric and the logo. 

📉It's about knowing how those details fit into your client's strategy. 

When you walk into a meeting or send out a proposal, your clients will remember the person who referenced the latest merger in their sector, 

or who understood how new regulations might impact site safety standards and, in turn, uniform requirements.

Clients want someone who can speak their language. 

The stakes are often bigger than the apparel order form. 

It's about brand reputation, safety compliance, team morale, and sometimes, even community perception. 

If you're up to date and curious about what's happening in their world, you're immediately in a different league.

The takeaway here is simple: never stop learning. 

Carve out time each week to scan the latest news in your target sectors, 

ask clients about their biggest challenges, 

and don't be afraid to bring up tough topics. 

Even if you don't have all the answers, showing that you care enough to ask the right questions sets you apart.

I'm interested to hear how others are staying ahead of the curve. 

Are you finding creative ways to keep your industry knowledge sharp? 

How do you make sure your suggestions are timely, not just "good enough"?

What's your go-to method for staying relevant in a changing market?

📸@ginger-r-391ba632 Mari Salcido and camera man extraordinaire Rick Cannon

Hi [name]

Do you think custom socks are a great gifting idea?

Who in your career has shown up for you when it counted? 

houston-apparel-co

OSHA Construction Industry Course Certificate

Houston Apparel Co. specializes in elevating business brands through premium quality products and exceptional service. 

Our commitment to superior craftsmanship and client-focused solutions sets us apart in a competitive market.

At Houston Apparel Co., we believe that every brand deserves to shine. 

Our mission is to help businesses achieve this by providing top-tier products that not only meet but exceed expectations. From the moment you engage with us, you'll experience our dedication to excellence in every aspect of our service.

Our team works tirelessly to ensure that each product we deliver is crafted to perfection. 

We understand the importance of attention to detail, and this is reflected in the high standards we maintain throughout our production process. 

Whether it's selecting the finest materials or employing the latest techniques, we leave no stone unturned in our pursuit of quality.

But it's not just about the products. At Houston Apparel Co., we pride ourselves on our client-focused approach. 

We take the time to understand your brand, your vision, and your unique needs. This enables us to create solutions that are tailored specifically to you, ensuring that the end result is not just satisfactory but truly exceptional.

Our exceptional service extends beyond the initial sale. 

We're committed to building long-term relationships with our clients, providing ongoing support and guidance to help your brand continue to grow and thrive. 

We believe that our success is intrinsically linked to yours, and we are dedicated to helping you achieve your goals.

What sets Houston Apparel Co. apart is our unwavering commitment to our core values: quality, integrity, and customer satisfaction. These values drive everything we do and are the foundation upon which we have built our reputation.

If you are looking to elevate your business brand with products that reflect the highest standards of quality and service, look no further than Houston Apparel Co. 

Thrilled to announce the launch of Houston Apparel Co., a venture co-founded with my business partner and fellow mompreneur, Venessa Homewood. 

Drawing from the success and lessons from our corporate roles we're poised to propel Houston Apparel Co. to new heights.

Houston Apparel Co. was born out of our shared vision to enhance business brands through premium quality products and exceptional service. 

Venessa and I, both driven by our entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to excellence, have created a company that specializes in solving custom apparel sourcing for corporations and SMBs alike.

We've established two distinct divisions to cater to the unique needs of our clients. 

Our Corporate Division focuses on providing large-scale, custom apparel solutions for businesses looking to enhance their brand identity. 

Meanwhile, our SMB Division offers personalized, flexible solutions for small and medium-sized businesses, ensuring that every company, regardless of size, can access premium quality products and services.

At Houston Apparel Co., we're dedicated to offering top-notch products that reflect the quality and professionalism of our clients’ brands. 

Our client-focused approach ensures that every interaction is tailored to meet the specific needs of our customers, providing a seamless and satisfying experience. 

We offer a wide range of customization options, allowing businesses to create unique apparel that truly represents their brand. Staying ahead of industry trends, we deliver innovative designs that make our clients stand out.

Starting Houston Apparel Co. has been an inspiring journey of collaboration and innovation. Our commitment to excellence drives us to continually push boundaries and exceed expectations.

Venessa and I are excited to embark on this new venture, knowing that our dedication and hard-earned expertise will propel Houston Apparel Co. to become a leader in the custom apparel industry.

Co-Founder

The journey to founding Dottie's Designs began during the challenging times of COVID-19. After being laid off from a major corporation, I faced uncertainty about the future. My dog, Dottie, was a beacon of light, providing comfort and joy when I needed it most. Inspired by her unwavering support, I named my business after her, symbolizing resilience and hope.

As a mompreneur, balancing home life and starting a new business was no easy feat. With a family to support, I knew I could do more with my life and decided to jump in feet first into the world of custom apparel. I took on multiple roles—salesperson, marketer, logistics manager, and accountant—learning and adapting as I went along. Each day presented new challenges, but also new opportunities to grow and innovate.

Starting from scratch, I immersed myself in learning about custom apparel, driven by a passion for creativity and a desire to make a meaningful impact. Overcoming initial doubts, I embraced each challenge, gradually building confidence and expertise. Dottie's Designs quickly grew from a small venture into a thriving business, known for its unique designs and personalized service.

Balancing the demands of entrepreneurship with my responsibilities at home required a great deal of perseverance and dedication. Late nights and early mornings became routine as I worked tirelessly to build a brand that resonated with customers. The support from my family and the joy of seeing my business grow kept me motivated.

Through dedication and perseverance, I transformed a difficult period into an opportunity for growth and innovation. 

Little did I know, this was setting me up for my next opportunity. My journey with Dottie's Designs not only allowed me to create a successful business but also reinforced the importance of resilience, passion, and believing in oneself. This experience showed me that even in the face of adversity, we have the power to redefine our paths and achieve remarkable success.

Founder, Principal

In my tenure, I gained valuable skills and insights that have uniquely prepared me for entrepreneurship.

I oversaw product categories and managed strategic broker relationships, driving impressive sales growth through innovative initiatives. My responsibilities included developing and executing category management plans, focusing on optimizing product assortment, competitive pricing, and effective promotion strategies.

By analyzing market trends and consumer behavior, I ensured our product lines exceeded customer expectations, resulting in substantial revenue growth. Working with strategic brokers, I forged and nurtured strong, performance-driven partnerships, implementing strategies that enhanced broker productivity and collaboration—skills invaluable for any aspiring entrepreneur.

I played a crucial role in crafting and executing sales and marketing strategies aligned with the company's goals. This involved identifying growth opportunities and launching innovative products. Leading a diverse team of category managers and brokers, I refined my leadership and mentorship abilities, fostering a culture of innovation, teamwork, and excellence.

My tenure was marked by significant achievements, including driving remarkable revenue growth and expanding our market footprint through successful new product launches and strategic market entry initiatives. My contributions were recognized through accolades for exceptional performance and dedication to the company's success.

These experiences have honed my strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, and results-oriented approach—essential qualities for a successful entrepreneur. The skills I gained in strategic planning, relationship management, and performance optimization have equipped me to build and lead a thriving business.

As I embark on my entrepreneurial journey, I'm eager to leverage these experiences to create innovative solutions and drive meaningful impact. Director of Category Management and Strategic Broker Network

Director of Category Management and Strategic Broker Network

Serving as a District Sales Manager at Sysco has been an invaluable experience that has equipped me with the skills and knowledge necessary for a successful future as an entrepreneur. 

This role has provided me with a comprehensive understanding of sales, leadership, and strategic planning, all of which are essential for running a successful business.

Managing a diverse team of Marketing Associates has honed my leadership abilities. I learned how to motivate, mentor, and guide a team towards achieving common goals. These skills are crucial for any entrepreneur who must inspire and lead a team to success.

Developing and implementing sales strategies to meet district targets has given me a strong foundation in strategic planning. I learned how to analyze market trends, identify opportunities, and create actionable plans. This experience is directly transferable to the strategic thinking required to launch and grow a business.

Building and maintaining strong relationships with clients was at the core of my role at Sysco. 

Understanding client needs and providing tailored solutions taught me the importance of customer-centricity in business. As an entrepreneur, this ability to connect with and satisfy customers will be vital to building a loyal customer base.

Monitoring and analyzing sales performance has given me a keen eye for identifying strengths and areas for improvement. This analytical skill is essential for any entrepreneur, as it allows for continuous improvement and adaptation in a competitive business environment.

In conclusion, my role as a District Sales Manager at Sysco has prepared me to take on the challenges of entrepreneurship with confidence. 

The skills and experiences I gained in leadership, strategic planning, client relationship management, and performance analysis have equipped me with the tools necessary to build and lead a successful business.

I am excited to leverage this experience as I embark on my entrepreneurial journey. District Sales Manager

District Sales Manager

Enhancing Brand Visibility for Houston's Oil & Gas, Energy, and Construction Sectors with Premium Branded Workwear | Achieving Measurable Results | Ex-Sysco Corporate Now Entrepreneur | OGGN BD & Podcast Host

AADE Houston

American Petroleum Institute (API) Houston Chapter

Energy Strategy | PhD | Former CSO | Follow for frameworks to think like an energy executive

KSG - Krimmel Strategy Group

Director Business Development Corporate

Vice President Filtration at Clearflow Solutions

AI just crashed the Oil and Gas party.

It's changing the industry from the inside out.

Recently, I had the opportunity to guest host at the Cognite User Forum for the OGGN Digital Doers podcast. 

My guests were two standouts from Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd. , Noriko Rzonca and kiyohide yoshii

Noriko tackled the biggest challenge right out of the gate: data quality. 

She didn't sugarcoat it. 

Cosmo Oil's journey with AI-powered operations begins and ends with data, and it hasn't been easy. 

Investing in data quality isn't glamorous.

But it's where digital transformation actually starts. 

Kiyohide got practical. 

He's been leading the shift from reactive to proactive maintenance, 

and AI is turning that vision into a necessity, not just a goal. 

Cosmo Oil is moving from waiting for breakdowns to predicting and preventing them. 

But it's not just about the tech. 

The human side? 

It's huge. 

Both Noriko and Kiyohide made it clear.

AI is rewriting job descriptions almost overnight. 

I've experienced this myself in my work, 

and it's the difference between real transformation and just running on a treadmill.

What did I take away from this conversation?

Start with your data, even if you feel miles behind. 

AI is only as good as what you feed it.

Proactive maintenance isn't just a best practice.

It's the new standard in a competitive market.

Good governance is important,

but chasing perfection will freeze progress. 

Quick wins matter.

Don't underestimate how much people will need to adapt. 

Invest in their growth as much as the technology.

If you're a leader in oil and gas or the industrial sector and planning for AI, 

these voices offer a real-world roadmap. 

The disruption isn't hype, it's here, and it's found in both the work and the people.

How about you?

Are you tackling data gaps, team buy-in, or finding that first AI project?

Or maybe you've started and learned lessons the hard way?

Link to the full episode is in the comments.

Cognite

Cosmo Oil Co., Ltd.

CDO 常務執行役員 at Cosmo Energy Holdings. Board of Director 社外取締役 at Unicharm

cosmo oil

I walked into my first Oilfield Helping Hands Lunch today not really knowing what to expect. 

I've been to a lot of industry events. 

Most of them follow the same script. 

Quick handshakes. 

Business cards traded over lukewarm coffee. 

But this one felt different before I even found a seat.

There's something about a room full of people who are there for more than just a sale or a deal. 

You can feel it. 

The air is charged with a different kind of energy. 

It's not about contracts or company swag. 

It's about people.

I realized I'd spent years in the business but somehow missed the heart beating at its center. 

The numbers, the deadlines, the deals, they matter. 

But what matters more is what happens when nobody's watching. 

When somebody is struggling. 

When someone can't pay the bills. 

Or needs a shoulder. 

Or just isn't sure they can make it through another day. 

That's when we have a choice.

It's easy to talk about "community" when things are going well. 

It's harder to live it when things get messy. 

This group does. 

Quietly, with no spotlight. 

They show up for each other, every time.

The speakers didn't just talk about profits or projections. 

They talked about impact. 

About dignity. 

About what it means to be human in a business that can feel anything but personal. 

I looked around and saw the faces of people who've weathered a storm or two. 

People who know that giving back isn't a line item. 

It's a way of life.

I left the event with more than a stack of business cards. 

I left with new perspective. 

In our drive to hit targets, gain market share, and grow brands, it's easy to forget who we're really working for. 

The faces behind the hard hats and coveralls. 

The families waiting at home. 

The friends who stand by you when the dust settles. 

That's the real story.

If you've never been to an Oilfield Helping Hands event, I hope you'll consider it. 

There's no better reminder that real success isn't measured in contracts closed or deals signed. 

It's measured in how we show up for each other, especially on the hard days.

Who in your career has shown up for you when it counted? 

Let's make sure these stories are part of our industry's legacy, not just a footnote.

Sometimes, the smallest gesture changes everything.

Thanks Nohemi McRae and @rick-cannon for the invitation!! I can't wait to get more involved.

Oilfield Helping Hands

Partnering with companies to secure the right professional talent to drive change and deliver transformational initiatives across Accounting, Audit, Finance, FP&A, Tax, Supply Chain, Technology, and more.

I’m happy to share that I’ve been involved as a Volunteer with redM Join The Movement. It's a great organization - please comment below or message me if you would like to learn more or get involved.

linkedin.com

redM Join The Movement | LinkedIn

redM Join The Movement

Charity golf tournaments do the same thing every year. ⛳

Show up. 

Swing the club. 

Maybe shake a few hands, grab a donut, write a check, feel good for a few hours, and go home. 

It's a nice gesture, but let's be honest, 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗹𝗲.

Redeemed Golf for Good doesn't play by those rules.

I'm not interested in events that check the box or offer a photo op. 

When you step onto the course at Golf for Good, you're not just there for your company's logo on a banner. 

𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲.

Here's what people miss: Purpose scales when leaders act with intention. 

I've watched competitors become collaborators on these greens. 

I've seen sponsors double their donations because of a single conversation by the putting green. 

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦'𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘨𝘰𝘭𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦, 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘦𝘨𝘰 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯.

Every single interaction matters. 

That first handshake at the registration table? 🤝

Might turn into a partnership that changes a nonprofit's trajectory. 

The business cards exchanged over lunch? 

Could be the missing piece a support organization needs to reach more survivors. 

The sponsorship dollars? 

They buy more than signage.

They pay for safe housing, trauma counseling, legal support, even basic dignity for people who had it taken from them.

Golf for Good is more than a fundraiser. 🏌️♂️🏌️♀️

It's a reminder that the best leaders don't separate business and giving back. 

They leverage every asset, every connection, every bit of influence to move the mission forward.

Over the years, I've seen relationships formed on the fairway turn into action off the course. 

New initiatives, new revenue streams, new allies in the fight. 

This isn't about who takes home the trophy. Or last place like I did last year 😆

It's about which teams show up ready to do real work.

If you're an executive, a business owner, or even just someone in Houston who wants to see our community do better, this is your invitation. 

Not to play golf, but to step up and use what you've built to make a dent.

Charity isn't a side project. 

It's a use of power. 

That's what Golf for Good gets right.

I've witnessed firsthand the change that comes from leaders who don't just open their wallets, they open their networks, their time, and their minds. 

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩 𝘣𝘪𝘨 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘴.

Thanks to everyone who shows up not for the cameras, but for a cause.

Will you join us?

redM Join The Movement @davidred Tim Sensenig Leticia Neves, MS India Starnes, MBA

Redeemed

CEO TMSFIRST two time Gartner Magic Quadrant Global Leader Driving Global TMS Agentic AI Logistics Procurement Audit Pay & Visibility Mission Critical Data Farm B2B D2C for Max AI ROI Advocate 4 ending Human Trafficking

Sourcing I Procurement I Supply Chain Management and Engagement I Customer Success I Responsible Supply Chain I Contract Negotiation I Data Analytics I Process Improvement I Sustainability I Bilingual

Enterprise Categorization & Reporting Lead | ESG Systems & Data Strategy | Enterprise Standardization • AI-Driven Change • Executive Collaboration | Speaker | Transformation Leader

If you're a founder still ignoring personal branding, you're leaving money on the table. 💰

No sugarcoating.

Content is not a side hustle. 

𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁.

Here are the straight facts:

Most business owners talk about "word of mouth" like it's magic. 

But in 2026, your digital voice is louder than any handshake. 🎙️

If you aren't showing up, you're invisible. 

𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙙.

Here's reality:

𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯.

I've recruited top talent, no headhunter required. 

People come to me because they know my values before we ever talk.

I've tested new offers before launch, my audience tells me in real time if it's a winner or a dud. ☑️

I've been invited on podcasts and panels, just because my name kept coming up online.

𝙰𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝙸 𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚢 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚒𝚝'𝚜 𝚊𝚜 𝚌𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚊𝚜 𝚙𝚊𝚢𝚛𝚘𝚕𝚕.

Personal branding is the difference between waiting for business and creating it.

Here's what most founders get wrong:

They post once a quarter and expect results.
They hide behind their company logo.
They wait for "the right time."

There is no perfect time. 

Your competitors are already telling their stories, building trust, locking in market share that should be yours.

Here are my recommendations:

Audit your feed. 

𝘞𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘠𝘖𝘜 𝘣𝘶𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶? 
𝘞𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶? 
𝘞𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶?
𝘐𝘧 𝘯𝘰𝘵, 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰.

Start with these three moves:

1. Share what you know. Don't gatekeep. Industry tips, lessons learned, wins and mistakes, 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆.
2. Show your face and your voice. Your story is your leverage. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘁.
3. Engage,don't just broadcast. Respond, comment, ask questions. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀.

None of this costs you a dime. But ignoring it WILL cost you opportunities.

Still skeptical? 

Keep doing what you've always done. 

See where it gets you. 

But if you want to actually grow in 2026, use your personal brand like the growth engine it is.

What's stopping you?

Our super supportive network: Douglas Burns Venessa Homewood Regina M. Sydney Duran Christy Nguyen

Enhancing Your Brand’s Visual Storytelling with Stunning Corporate Headshots | Award-Winning Houston Corporate Photographer | 20+ Years that Elevates Brand Identity for 800+ Professionals including CNN, Fox News, ESPN

Empowering Houston SMBs and Startups with Custom Promotional Products that Drive Engagement & Growth | Former Marketing Communications Director Turned Mompreneur | Dedicated to Community Impact |

I help CEOs and executives build authority; the real growth lever most leaders neglect

Member Experience and Operations Manager at The Cannon

We are your accounting department | CEO | 3X Founder | Host of the Clean Slate Podcast

𝗛𝗲'𝘀 𝟰𝟱 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆.

We've been together for what feels like at least three lifetimes. 

If marriage had frequent flyer miles, we'd have enough for a trip to space.

𝘍𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘴 20 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥, 25 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 

If you need advice on "how to survive close-quarters cohabitation," 

I'm probably overqualified.

Some actual, factual time-tested marriage lessons, 

learned the hard (𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨) way:

1. You will never finish picking up socks, shoes and hats. 

𝗛𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺. 

He will never find the laundry basket. 

Give up. 

Accept these items are now part of the home's natural ecosystem or pick them up myself. (the path of least resistance by the way)

2. Your spouse will develop entire communication languages made up of sighs, eyebrow raises, and muttered phrases. 

𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦, 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 2.

And I will never stop mumbling, BTW.

3. Saying "I'm fine" never means "I'm fine." 

Just skip to apology 𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺, whichever applies.

4. You will have arguments over the dumbest things imaginable. 

Did you really just debate the correct way to load a dishwasher? 

Yes. 

Yes, you did. 

𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵.

5. There is no such thing as "just one more episode." 

It's 1am, you both have work in the morning, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀'𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻. 

We will finish it this week! HA!

6. Your partner's quirks will either drive you crazy or make you laugh. 

Sometimes both, simultaneously.

Let me be clear, he feels the same way about me. 

𝘼𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 25 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨, 𝙄 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙪𝙩. 

Some days are smooth, others are loud. 

But there's laughter, there's stubbornness, 

𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦'𝘴 𝘢 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸.

If marriage is teamwork, sometimes we're the Dream Team. 

Other days, we forget which sport we're playing. 

𝗕𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲.

What's the strangest thing you've learned from a long-term partnership? 

Here's to every couple still figuring it out.

And Happy Birthday to my ride or die Adam Powell!!!

📸Our casino night themed wedding shower!

Project Manager

Most networking events are a waste of makeup for women executives. 💄

You show up. 

You get a name tag. 

You circle the room making forced small talk with people who barely listen. 

You leave with a pile of business cards and no real connections.

That's not good enough.

Women executives deserve real allies and real community. 

We need warm, strategic relationships that actually matter. 

We need a space where the conversation is honest, the energy is high, and every introduction counts.

That's why we're doing this differently.

Tee Up! Presented by Oil and Gas Global Network A Stronger Tomorrow Wellness LLC

Monday, February 23, 2026. The Woodlands Country Club.

This event is exclusively for women in the C-suite, founders, VPs, and senior leaders who want to connect with other high-impact women in business. 

Not just for the game, but for the game changers.

No random assignments. 

Every guest is hand selected. 🤝

Foursomes are curated. 

Pre-event introductions are made so you walk in knowing who matters to your business and why you're there. 

You're paired with real peers, women who know exactly what it means to lead, risk, and deliver.

You'll spend a day on the course with people who don't need your resume recited. 

People who get your pressure, your wins, your struggles. 

Conversation is encouraged. 

Honesty is welcome. 

Ambition is expected. 

After the game, we drop the formality. 

The cocktail hour is about real talk, not just business pitches. 

Share what's worked, what's failed, and what you're building next. 

Listen, learn, and tap into the unspoken lessons you won't hear at panels or on podcasts.

You're not here to collect contacts. 

You're here to find partners, confidants, maybe even lifelong friends. 

People who pick up the phone when you call because you've actually spent quality time together.

And there's purpose behind it all. 

Every dollar raised will go to redM Join The Movement , an organization bringing awareness to human trafficking. 

Our goal? 

Raise $10,000 in one day and equip more women and children with the chance for a future. 

Real women lifting up real women, with measurable impact.

You can sponsor, play, or simply show up and support. 

Bring someone who needs this. 

Show the next generation that this is how business gets done. 

No elevator pitches. 

No "networking hacks." 

No empty handshakes. 

Just driven women building a new standard for what executive community looks like.

If you're an executive woman tired of transactional events, this is the table you want to sit at. 

If you're serious about opening doors and not just being seen, this is your spot.

Ready to show up? 

Ready to bring your authentic self, and meet others doing the same?

Tag a woman leader who needs to be there. 

Register, sponsor, or just reach out if you want to know more.

Stop settling for less. 

This is your room.🏌️♀️

Dr. Christine W. Thorpe Mark LaCour

Oil and Gas Global Network

Stronger Tomorrow Wellness LLC

Golf and Wellness for Women in Leadership | Health Educator | Wellness Coach | CEO of Stronger Tomorrow | Board Chair-YWCA Northern NJ | Membership Cmte. Member-Executive Women of NJ | Communications Chair-JLOSH

Oil and Gas Expert, Professional Speaker and Podcaster

Everyone claims AI will change everything.

Most of the industry talk is just that, talk. 

Slide decks. 

Buzzwords. 

Abstract ideas that never make it from the boardroom to the rig floor.

That's why today felt different.

I sat in on Timbergrove session about Real Time Monitoring and AI for Offshore Safety Operations. 

I didn't walk in expecting anything groundbreaking. 

I've heard it all before.

But about ten minutes in, that changed.

Instead of theory, we got a conversation stacked with real data and actual use cases. 

They described live feeds from an offshore site. 

Not archived screenshots. 

Not canned footage. 

AI wasn't a magic black box. 

It was a tool, tracking gas levels, machinery status, and worker locations, second by second. 

Alerts popped up within seconds of simulated incidents, no delays, no missed signals. 

Not a consultant's dream, but something built to handle the chaos of a real site.

They answered every tough question without dodging. 

What happens when the network goes down? 

How do you handle false alarms? 

What does this look like on a muddy, noisy, hazardous rig, not some pristine demo room?

They had answers. 

Not perfect, but honest and grounded.

And here's where it really landed: I walked out with a plan. 

Not a theory or another buzzword, an honest-to-goodness action item for my team.

Our clients are mapping out how to pilot real-time monitoring on two of our job sites.

We're going to see what breaks, what works, and what needs tweaking.

It's not about chasing AI for the sake of being trendy. 

It's about making people safer, faster, better.

This is where the conversation finally gets interesting for me. 

Less about questions like "Will AI take my job?" and more about "How can I use these tools to get everyone home safe and on time?"

There's no shortage of opinions or predictions out there. 

But fewer companies are putting real-world, dirt-under-the-fingernails solutions on the table.

Today showed me what that looks like.

Here's my take: If you're bored of the AI hype, stop listening to the noise.

Find the people actually solving problems on the ground.

They're not always the loudest. 

But they're the ones bringing the future a little closer, one real-world use case at a time.

That's the side of AI I'm betting on.

Thanks Ian Uriarte for an engaging discussion. Looking forward to the next event!

Timbergrove

Founder & CEO @ Spindletop AI | Building the future of autonomous oilfields with AI-driven well optimization.

I once tried to win over a Houston construction company with a creative approach.

We'd been reaching out for weeks, 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲. 

Calls, emails, you name it, nothing stuck.

So, I decided to send a box of custom-branded cupcakes to their office. 🧁

Each cupcake had their logo on it, along with our company colors. 

I figured, at least it would stand out from another email.

But Houston's summer had other plans. 🔥

By the time the cupcakes arrived, the icing had half-melted. 

𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙥, 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙤𝙨, 𝙞𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙗𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜. 

I debated whether to follow up at all, convinced I'd just embarrassed our team.

But then the office manager called me directly.

She laughed and said, "We had a good laugh in the break room. It was a nice surprise, even if the cupcakes turned out...unique."

𝘈 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨. 

No hard sell needed, the ice (or icing) was already broken. 🧊

Being memorable doesn't always mean being perfect. 

Sometimes, the things that go a little sideways actually get you noticed.

𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽. 

What cuts through isn't the slickest presentation. 

It's the human moments, the attempts to do something genuine, 

𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘶𝘱.

And in the Houston business scene, people remember effort and authenticity more than anything. 

We still joke about those cupcakes years later. 😅

Since then, I've taken the same approach with branded workwear and promo products. 

Custom, thoughtful, a little bold, and sure, sometimes a little risky.

The story sticks. 

The gesture stands out. 

And the next conversation isn't so stiff.

𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁. 

Real beats perfect every time.

Lean into humor if things go wrong. 

People appreciate authenticity.

Creativity shows you care enough to try something different, 

and that gets remembered.

If you want to make an impression, on clients, prospects, even your own team, don't be afraid to show some personality. ✨

𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙢𝙚𝙡𝙩 𝙖 𝙗𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙮.

Do you have a story where things didn't go as planned, but it somehow worked out for the better?

📹 Life is all about balance. Me winning at the AAPL - American Association of Professional Landmen Women in Energy Conference. We were enjoying playing and learning about Poker Power

AAPL - American Association of Professional Landmen

Poker Power

People in sales fool themselves.

They move fast. 

They blast out messages. 

They flood LinkedIn. 

They act like it's a numbers game.

Spray and pray. 

Hope something lands. 

If you hustle enough, someone will bite, right?

Wrong.

I learned early there are two types of salespeople.

First, the shotgun crowd. 

They try to hit everything at once. 

Cold emails by the dozen. 

Calls all day. 

Generic pitches with zero personality. 

Their activity numbers look good. 

But deals? 

They vanish as fast as they came.

The shotgun feels safe. 

It hides you from rejection. 

It lets you blame the process instead of yourself. 

But it never builds real relationships.

Then there's the rifle approach. 

This is rare.

You pick your target. 

You slow down. 

You focus.

I had a mentor who was the best I've ever seen. 

He'd walk into a meeting and barely say a word at first. 

Instead, he listened. 

He asked real questions, the kind that make people stop and really think. 

Not "What's your budget?" or "When do you need this?" 

He'd ask, "What keeps you up at night?" 

Or "What's the biggest risk if this fails?" 

He wanted to understand their world as well as they did. 

He ignored the shiny opportunities. 

He chased the ones that actually mattered.

Here's what happened. 

He built solutions around real needs. 

The clients stuck with him. 

They didn't want just a vendor. 

They wanted him in the room when things got tough.

He never chased quick wins. 

He aimed for real partnership.

That changed how I work.

Anyone can sell once. 

That's easy. 

The real test is this: When the stakes are high and trust is on the line, do they call you first? 

Or do they scroll past your number?

Most pick the shotgun. 

It's busy. 

It's loud. 

But busy doesn't build loyalty.

The rifle is quieter. 

Requires patience. 

But when you finally pull the trigger, it hits. 

And more often than not, you're the only one clients want to hear from.

I get why the shotgun feels tempting. 

We all have quotas. 

We all want activity. 

But nobody remembers you for the hundredth email you sent them with "Just checking in" as the subject line.

They remember the person who got it right the first time. 

Or the one who showed up when nobody else did.

You can keep playing the volume game. 

But if you want to stand out, slow down. 

Pick your spot. 

Listen harder. 

Get curious.

Stop pitching. 

Start solving.

Stop chasing. 

Start building.

Next time you think about firing off another round of generic messages, ask yourself: 

Do you want a client, or do you want trust? 

Do you want a transaction, or do you want to be the first call when it really matters?

I know my answer.

Which one are you?

#livideo

📹Filming Oil and Gas Global Network Special Feature Ox Ranch in Uvalde, Texas. Check out the full episode link in the comments.

Ox Ranch

LinkedIn likes to remind us it's a "professional platform."

Translation: Please, only post things that make you sound like a management textbook with a pulse.

You know the type. "𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁."

Meanwhile, I'm over here sharing stories about my kids, my first epic fail as a rookie entrepreneur, or that time I got stuck at a conference in a branded polo two sizes too small.

Doesn't fit the executive mold? 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘥.

Because here's what years in corporate sales, boardrooms, and Houston BBQ lines have taught me, 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙗𝙪𝙮 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬, 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩!!!

They remember the person who helped them fix a last-minute apparel order, not the one who attached a PDF of "corporate solutions." 

They remember the handshake, the joke, the small talk about Astros baseball, the human moments.

I've lost count of how many deals started with someone saying, "𝘚𝘢𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵. 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦!" Or, "𝘏𝘦𝘺, 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘱 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳. 𝘓𝘦𝘵'𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴."

Not once has a deal started with, "𝙒𝙤𝙬, 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙢 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙜𝙢 𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙛𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨."

I get it. 

LinkedIn wants us to be polished. 

But honestly, the most memorable people aren't the ones quoting leadership gurus or posting humblebrags with inspirational stock photos.

They're the ones who show up as themselves. 

Messy, genuine, sometimes funny, 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭.

So when you see me sharing about spilled coffee in the showroom or why our branded jackets double as toddler-proof shields, understand: that's not me straying from "professionalism." 

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜𝗦 𝗺𝘆 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱.

Want to stand out in Oil & Gas, Energy, or Construction? 

Want people to remember your business when it's time for custom workwear or swag? 

Give them a person to connect with, not just a logo.

𝘞𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩.

If you're tired of reading posts that sound like they were written by a bot stuck in 2009, you're not alone. 

There's room for more humor, honesty, and humanity here.

Let's make LinkedIn less about buzzwords, and more about people we actually want to do business with. 

If you think this is just a glorified business card exchange... let's agree to disagree and 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙣𝙞𝙘.

Here's to the real ones. 

The people behind the profiles. 

The reason business gets done.

Most sales demos fall flat for one reason.

They're about the product, not the person.

I've seen it too often. 

The salesperson rushes through slides. 

They show every feature. 

The prospect tunes out. 

Then comes the dreaded "Let me think about it."

I used to make the same mistake. 

I thought more was better. 

More features. 

More data. 

More talking. 

But more isn't better. 

It's just... more.

So, I changed everything about how I run demos. 

Here's what actually moves the needle:

Pause more than you think you should. 

Silence feels awkward at first. 

But in those quiet moments, people open up. 

They share their real concerns.

Listen for debate. 

If your prospects start talking to each other, stop talking. 

Let them work it out. 

This is where the gold is. 

They're telling you what matters most.

Before you end the call, recommend the next action. 

Put it on the calendar. If you don't, momentum dies. 

Deals fade away.

Leave out the features that don't help. 

More info doesn't persuade. 

It overwhelms. 

Stick to what solves their pain.

Read the room. 

Know when to stop selling. 

Too much talk kills trust. 

Sometimes, less is more.

Repeat what they told you. 

Say: "Earlier, you mentioned..." 

This shows you're listening. 

People want to feel heard.

Talk in their words, not yours. 

Drop the jargon. 

Speak plain and clear. 

The simpler, the better.

Share a quick story of a similar customer. 

Show how they got results. 

People picture themselves in the win.

Ask for feedback during the demo. 

Not at the end. 

"Is this on track?" or "Am I hitting on what matters to you?" 

Adjust in real time.

If you get off track, admit it. 

Say, "Let me get back to what matters." 

Honesty builds trust. 

Prospects can tell when you're authentic.

After the demo, follow up with a recap. 

Summarize their goals and the steps you discussed. 

This keeps everyone aligned.

Invite questions. 

The uncomfortable ones are the best. 

That's where objections hide. 

Handle them with confidence, not fear.

If you don't know the answer, say so. 

Promise to follow up. 

Then deliver. 

Reliability beats a perfect pitch.

Sales demos aren't about being perfect. 

They're about being real. 

Show you care more about their problem than your product.

I've closed more deals doing less talking and more listening. 

I've built better relationships by making the customer the hero.

Want stronger demos? 

Flip the script. 

Stop selling features. 

Start selling outcomes.

What demo mistake do you see most? 

What tactic actually works in your world? 

Let's swap stories below.

What's it really like to watch a whole industry transform, one algorithm at a time?

I sat down with Jacob Vizinat at the Cognite User Forum for the Oil and Gas Global Network

If you haven't met Jacob, he's the founder of Iron Stag Advisory.

And someone who knows digital transformation in oil and gas from the inside out.

Jacob's career has taken him from hands-on roles in tech to high-level advising. 

That blend makes his perspective a rare find.

So, what did we talk about?

First, the elephant in every oil and gas boardroom: AI.

Jacob broke down exactly what's changing. 

AI isn't some shiny tool on a shelf anymore. 

It's showing up on rigs and in control rooms. 

Operations teams aren't just experimenting. 

They're seeing measurable impacts. 

Downtime is dropping. 

Predictive maintenance is gaining ground. 

There are fewer "Hail Mary" guesses and more data-driven decisions.

I asked Jacob a simple question:

"What's the most surprising human reaction you've seen to AI?"

He didn't hesitate. 

Some folks fear the unknown. 

Others are skeptical. 

Many, though, are starting to trust the data when they see it deliver results. 

It's a shift, but it's happening.

And that shift doesn't come easy. 

It takes more than good tech.

Jacob hammered home one foundational truth: 

None of it works without quality data. 

You can have the flashiest AI tools, but if your data is a mess, your results will be, too. 

Data integrity isn't the "fun" part of digital transformation. 

It's the heavy lifting that makes success possible. 

He compared it to building on solid ground versus quicksand.

Then, we looked forward. 

What's next for AI in oil and gas? 

Jacob thinks physics-informed neural networks are a big piece of the puzzle.

Sounds complex, but here's the gist: 

These networks combine the precision of data with deep knowledge of the real-world systems they manage. 

It's not just about crunching numbers. 

It's about understanding the forces at play underground, on the rig, across the supply chain.

Why does this matter, right now, in 2024?

Because the rules are changing fast. 

Competitive advantage is shifting. 

Real-time insight, delivered by AI, puts new players on the map and keeps legacy operators nimble. 

As we wrapped up, I could see how much opportunity and challenge sits in that gap between technology hype and operational reality. 

Some leaders are straddling it well. 

Some aren't. 

It comes down to this:

The winners in oil and gas tech aren't the ones loudest about AI. 

They're the ones quietly building the right foundation. 

Step by step. 

Data set by data set.

One conversation with Jacob, and it's clear: 

Success is less about flashy innovation, more about disciplined execution.

Because in this industry, it's not the talkers who win. It's the doers.

Link in the comments for the full episode.

Founder & Principal | Iron Stag Advisory | Energy Sector Technology

#redmonday

Let's clear up a dangerous myth about human trafficking.

Most people think trafficking victims are always moved across borders. 

They picture secret vans, fake passports, and long-distance travel. 

Movies and TV shows get this wrong, too.

But here's the truth.

Human trafficking does not require moving anyone anywhere. 

You don't have to cross a border or even leave your own town. 

Exploiters can commit this crime without anyone ever leaving home.

Victims can be trafficked in their own neighborhoods. 

In their schools, workplaces, or even at home. 

Sometimes, it's someone they know. 

A family member. 

A neighbor. 

A friend. 

Or even a romantic partner.

The heart of this crime is exploitation, not transportation.

Traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to control victims. 

They make people do things against their will. 

Victims may be forced to work without pay. 

Or pressured into commercial acts. 

They may have their documents taken. 

Or be threatened with violence to keep them silent.

And all of this can happen right next door. 

It's not just a big city problem. 

It's not just an "overseas" problem. 

It's happening in small towns, suburbs, and cities in the U.S.

You might ask, 

Why is this myth so dangerous?

Because it blinds us to reality. 

If we only look for trafficking victims who have crossed borders, 

We miss the warning signs happening in our own communities. 

We tune out when friends need help. 

We overlook cries for support because we're looking for some "movie version" of this crime.

Awareness starts with knowing the facts.

Human trafficking is about exploitation, not movement.

Anyone can be a victim.

Anyone can be an exploiter.

It happens everywhere, in every state, in every neighborhood.

What can you do?

First, drop the old myths. 

Second, learn the signs of exploitation. 

Isolation. 

Sudden behavior changes. 

Unexplained absences. 

Signs of fear or control from someone else.

And speak up if something doesn't feel right. 

You don't need all the answers to help someone. 

You just need to care enough to act.

Share this message. 

The more people know the facts, the closer we get to ending human trafficking, everywhere. 

Not just at the borders.

redM Join The Movement

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿?

Every January, we hear about transformation. 

New routines. Big goals. Fresh starts. 

But once the momentum of the holiday's fades, reality usually feels a lot more... familiar.

If I'm being honest, my transition back into work mode isn't packed with magic or dramatic resolutions. 

𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘺.

For example, my loyal "footwarmer." 

No matter how ambitious my task list becomes, my dog takes up her usual spot under my desk. 

There's nothing quite like the quiet confidence of a four-legged coworker claiming your feet as a pillow, reminding you that not everything has to change just because the year has.

Coffee helps too. ☕

So does a quick walk in the cool Houston air, even if it's just to stretch my legs and reset my head between back-to-back calls. 

These tiny habits aren't glamorous, but they keep me grounded and ready for whatever the week throws my way.

If you're in the Oil & Gas, Energy or Construction world, you know routines matter. 

Whether it's starting the day with a safety huddle or slipping into branded workwear that signals "game on," those rituals make all the difference. 

I've learned that consistency, at home and at work, is what really fuels progress, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆.

Here's my take, don't underestimate the power of your favorite mug, a loyal dog at your feet, or that first phone call to a client you genuinely enjoy working with. 🐕

If you've found comfort (and productivity) in small routines or furry coworkers, I'd love to hear about it. 

𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳?

Is it all fresh starts, or are you leaning on those tried-and-true rituals that get you through?

Drop your favorite New Year "secret weapon" below. 

I guarantee someone else will relate, and maybe even steal your idea for their own routine.

It's easy to think that helping your team means doing things for them.

Jumping in. 

𝙎𝙤𝙡𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙢𝙨. 

Moving fast.

Feels productive?

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁.

Every time you handle it for them, they learn to wait for you. 

Even when they could figure it out. 

Even when they had ideas of their own.

𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗿?

I've lived it. 

Especially in corporate sales. 

The pressure to deliver is real. 

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜.

But if you want a team that grows, you have to step back.

Let them wrestle with challenges. 

Let them try, fail, and try again.

𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. 

Takes patience. 

𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵.

But in the long run? 

That's where real efficiency starts.

I started swapping answers for questions.

What do you think we should do? 

𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚕𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚢? 

Where are you getting stuck? 

What support do you need from me?

Simple questions. 

Big impact.

Suddenly, my team wasn't waiting for directions. 

They started moving on their own. 

They owned their decisions.

Guess what happened next?

Momentum picked up. 

𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗱. 

People felt proud of their wins.

And I had time to focus on bigger problems.

Too many leaders chase speed by grabbing the steering wheel. 

But growth happens when you let go, just enough for your team to find their own way.

Try it this week.

Next time someone comes to you with a problem, pause. 

Ask a question instead of giving a solution.

𝙎𝙚𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙨.

If you want a high-performing team, coach them. 

Don't carry them.

That's how you build trust, ownership, and real results.

𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱 𝘶𝘱? 

Drop your best coaching question below. 

I'm always looking for new ideas.

📸Team Graham-Powell riding snow machines in the majestic Blackcomb Mountains in Whistler, British Columbia.

Most people introduce themselves on LinkedIn with a list of titles, certifications, and a humble brag about "𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘳𝘶𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯."

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗺𝗲.

I'm co-founder of Houston Apparel Co. , which means I basically live on the front lines where fabric, sweat, and last-minute client requests collide. 

🦟I'm a mom of two kids who are more active than a Houston mosquito in July. 

One's a future NBA baller (if you ask him), the other runs around the house blasting her competitive cheer music at awkwardly loud volumes doing her cheer routine 24/7. IYKYK.

𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴.

My house is part sports arena, with a lovesick Labrador following everyone around and taking up space right where you want to be.

Typical day? 

By 7:30am, I've already solved a wardrobe emergency ("Mom! Where's my jersey?"), played short order cook, and fielded three "urgent" emails about pantone colors for a client's safety vests. 

All before my third cup.

While other parents zone out at football practice, 𝗜'𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺. (If you've ever tried to get sweaty eight-year-olds into stiff polyester, you know why this matters.)

🅿️Balancing work, kids, and Houston traffic means I've mastered the art of conference calls from parking lots.

I consider rush hour an opportunity for podcast research (or, let's be honest, 𝒶 𝒻ℯ𝓌 𝓂𝒾𝓃𝓊𝓉ℯ𝓈 ℴ𝒻 𝓈𝒾𝓁ℯ𝓃𝒸ℯ).

Work-life balance? 

Nope.

It's more like work-life wrestling, and some days I tap out. 

But the overlap between being a business owner and a parent is hilarious. 

Both jobs involve cleaning up messes you didn't make, celebrating tiny wins, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗧-𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁.

When I'm not dodging flying basketballs or fighting with the printer (again), 

I'm working with clients in Oil & Gas, Energy and Construction who need branded workwear that doesn't make their teams look like extras from a 90s action movie.

📓Whether I'm coaching a team of cheerleaders or helping Houston's biggest brands upgrade their image, the playbook is the same.

Show up. 

Suit up. 

𝙎𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙜𝙤 𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨.

I've learned that the best gear isn't just about logos or colors, it's about creating something people actually want to wear.

That's true on the field, at the jobsite, and yes, even at the PTO meeting I accidentally volunteered for (don't ask).

If you're looking for someone who can turn chaos into creative solutions or just want to swap funny stories about ink stains, client curveballs, or travel sports parent drama, 𝘐'𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘦.

😆Because if you can't laugh at yourself, trust me, someone else's kid will do it for you.

Houston Apparel Co.

A couple of days ago, someone I met in person for the first time said, 

"Wait, you have almost 7,000 followers on LinkedIn ?" 

I laughed. 

To be clear, seven thousand is not exactly TikTok influencer status. 

I don't have teenagers lining up for selfies at the Jordan Ranch H-E-B. 

But for a business platform? 

That's a crowd. 

A real, authentic crowd. 

I started posting awkward thoughts about branded workwear and the weird things that happen when your life goes from corporate to full-on entrepreneur. 

Lots of personal things. About my kids and family life too.

Why?

Because even though this is a professional platform, we are all humans after all.

That's it. No secret formulas.

Eighteen months ago, I opened LinkedIn, stared at that blank box, and wondered if a post about safety vests would send me straight to digital purgatory. 🦺

Some of my first posts got three likes. 

One of those was my brother-in-law. Thanks Calvin Powell !!! Fam foreva!!!

I kept showing up, even when my stuff felt about as compelling as a list of OSHA regulations. (𝗡𝗼 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆. 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀. 𝗜 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗲 "𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲" 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻.)

Fast forward 📽️: 

750 qualified leads. That's not a typo. Real people. Real projects. All from the services tab that most people ignore. 

Thirty-five podcast episodes. Did I know how to host a podcast? 

Absolutely not. Did I just put myself out there and run with it?

Yup. And I encourage you to do the same.

Invites to speak at conferences where people actually stayed in their seats. 

A weekly branding column for the OGGN newsletter with over 50,000 subscribers.

Two board seats, which sounds way fancier than it is. I still eat lunch at my desk. 🥪

You know what matters more than all of that? 

Last week, three different people told me they keep coming back to my posts because I don't try to sound impressive. 

They said, "You're honest, and you actually sound like a human." 

Not "super professional." Not "influencer material." 

Just... real.

Most LinkedIn feeds look like a highlight parade. 

Everyone's winning awards, closing deals, running marathons, volunteering, and solving world hunger, before breakfast. 

If that's the standard, I'm underqualified for my own posts.

Real brand building isn't about highlight reels. 

It's sharing what happens when your branded polos show up two sizes too small, or the time you realized your supplier printed your company logo upside down (again). 

It's about the pivots, the panic, and the punchlines. ☠️

This is what still gets me.....everytime. 

By the time I walk into a first meeting, half the room already knows me, funny faces, bad coffee habits, and all. 

That's the ROI.

If you want trust, try being yourself.

I want to hear your real, messy, behind-the-scenes story.

Promise I won't call your brother-in-law for a pity like.

Chief, Office of Defense Cooperation | U.S. Embassy, London

If I had a dollar for every generic sales demo I sat through, I'd have enough to buy out the entire PowerPoint stock.

Most demos are a parade of bad jokes, fake excitement, and screensharing anxiety. 

It's the only time grown adults pretend to care about how a button changes color when you click it.

You know the type:

"Let me just share my screen... wait, can everyone see this?" 

"Oops, not that tab. Ignore the 27 Chrome windows. I swear I'm organized."

Then comes the slide deck. 

Fifty slides. 

Forty-nine are full of buzzwords like "synergy" and "leverage." 

Nobody knows what any of it means, including the person presenting.

The chat is silent. 

The prospects are probably checking emails, texting their dog, or mentally escaping to a beach in Cancun. 

When the demo finally starts, here's the routine:
𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘢 𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘰𝘯. "𝘐𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘭?"
𝘗𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘴𝘮. 
𝘙𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦'𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺.

The questions are legendary:
"Does it integrate with our 17 other platforms?"
"Can it also make coffee?"

The unspoken dynamic: 
𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴. 
𝘈𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘦.

My favorite move is when the rep's WiFi dies right before the ONE feature they bragged about. 

Nothing says "trust us" like frozen video and a spinning wheel.

Here's what nobody tells you about sales demos:
𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮.
𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶.
𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘢 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘵, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘈𝘐.

I stopped pitching and started roasting my own product. 

I'll admit when a feature is weird. 

Prospects laugh. 

Suddenly, people unmute. 

They ask real questions. 

Someone cracks a bad joke back. 

The deal is already halfway done.

Here's my best advice for sales demos that don't suck:
1. Lose the script. Talk like a human. 
2. Find the weirdest thing your tool does. Show it first. 
3. Tell a story about the WORST use case. Everyone's seen perfect,they remember disaster. 
4. If you crash the software, own it. Nothing builds trust faster than blatant honesty. 
5. Always ask, "What's the worst demo you've ever seen?" You'll get the room laughing and the real pain points.

At the end, forget the "next steps" slide. 

Just say, "Was this the least painful demo you've seen all week?" If you get a laugh, you're already ahead of 99 percent of salespeople.

If your demo feels like a hostage situation, it probably is.

How bad are your demo stories? 

Drop your funniest or most painful one below.

Because if we can't laugh at the process, we should at least get hazard pay.

taplio

The Battle

Anna Bilan ⚡️

Jada Powell

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taplio

The Battle

Anna Bilan ⚡️

Jada Powell

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);}Anna Bilan ⚡️'s LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreJada Powell's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreAnna Bilan ⚡️'s LinkedIn Performance