SPIRIT MEDIA- Emmy-Nominated TV, LIVE & Virtual Event Director (Over 10K Productions), Video Producer, Marketing Strategist, Author / Trainer: 7DRM-The 7 Disciplines of Relationship Marketing, NDE & Leadership Speaker❤️

On January 28th, 1999 while on a flight to Nashville, I died… and it may have been the greatest thing that ever happened to me. 

For over 30 years, I’ve worked as a television and live event director with global icons like the Black Eyed Peas, Gwen Stefani, Maroon 5, Kenny Chesney, and visionary producers like Mark Burnett (Survivor, The Voice, Shark Tank). 

I've partnered with world leaders and Fortune 500 brands — but everything changed after my near-death experience.

From that moment, Spirit Media was reborn.

Now, we harness the power of video and LIVE event production to move hearts, inspire action, and transform lives with award-winning storytelling experiences. 

What we create:

🎬 Brand Films • Explainers • Investor Videos

🎬 Live & Virtual Events • Fundraisers • Capital Campaigns

🎬 Sales Kick-Offs • Award Shows • Speaker Coaching

We’ve helped clients raise and generate hundreds of millions — all by strategically blending the power of story with a heart for genuine relationships and lasting impact.

❤️ www.SpiritMedia.com

Additionally, I am the author of 7DRM- The 7 Disciplines of Relationship Marketing. 

This isn’t just the story of my near-death experience — it’s the discovery of the 7DRM Marketing and Messaging Strategy, a breakthrough system that has transformed organizations by bringing clarity, confidence, and impact to their message. It can do the same for you.

Start your transformation: Grab free resources, the book (or audiobook), and check out our workshops and speaking topics at 7DRM.com.

Want to connect and discover how we might work together? 

DM me here on LinkedIn or our marketing coordinator, Lisa@spiritmedia.com.

I believe in you ❤️

Bill Dolan (Spirit Media)

ARE YOU LIVING THE REBIRTH STORY?

No matter what circumstance led you here, there comes a moment of awakening.
A quiet realization that says:

I’m beginning again.

It’s a rebirth.

And in every rebirth, there’s discovery.

❤️ There’s also resistance.

❤️ Obstacles.

❤️ Discomfort.

Because transformation is never easy.
It begins with the honest recognition that what you’ve been doing no longer works—
and the courageous willingness to embrace what does.

Why?

Because somewhere deep inside, you believe you were made for more.

Are you living the rebirth story?

Every great story of transformation starts here.

And great leaders don’t avoid transformation—they embrace it.

If you’re in the middle of that process, my hope is this:

🎬 Learn your story

🎬 Own it

🎬 Lead from it.

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️

____________________________

On January 28, 1999, I died.

And in that moment, death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths—truths that reshaped my life, leadership, and business forever.

That experience, combined with over 30 years in the television, entertainment, and marketing world, is what inspired my new book: Discover Your Brand Soul.

If you want to BUILD UNSHAKEABLE CONFIDENCE, with TRUE CLARITY, and turn your STORY into a Movement of POWER, PROFIT and PURPOSE...

🎬❤️🎬 Register for our FREE Discover Your Brand Soul Webclass on Wednesday, January 14th at 1:00 PM Pacific, and uncover the clarity and lessons that can transform your life and business.

Bill Dolan 

Emmy-Nominated Video & Live Event Director | Author | Keynote Speaker 🎬❤️🎬 I help companies and nonprofits grow, inspire and tell their BRAND STORY through compelling brand VIDEOS and impactful LIVE EVENT experiences.

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WHAT IS ONE OF THE GREATEST CHALLENGES MOST BUSINESSES  FACE TODAY?

A quick evaluation of even the social media world will reveal a sea of faces that tragically feel like a sea of strangers. 

🎬 Who can you trust?

🎬 What problems do they solve? 

🎬 How can they really help you?

🎬 What is the lasting difference they can make in your life and business? 

In this short interview with the incredible Rachel Beck, I share my television and entertainment story and the day of my sudden death. 

And in that moment, death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths—truths that reshaped my life, leadership, and business forever.

With Much Love – Bill ❤️

LESSONS FROM MY DEATH — PART 1
YOU DON’T HAVE TO DIE TO WAKE UP

I wish everyone could die and come back because it would change the way you live forever.

Good news… 

You don’t have to physically die.

Because there are many kinds of death—and chances are, you’ve already experienced one:

The death of a career.

The death of financial security.

The death of a dream you once believed in.

So the real question isn’t whether you’ll face loss.

It’s this:

How do you rise in the face of it?

Stop running.

Stop wearing the mask.

Stop borrowing someone else’s purpose.

Stop pretending that you never had a dream.

Because you are here for a unique and powerful reason.

The question isn’t whether your dreams are possible.

The question is whether you’re willing to remove what’s been blocking them.

The most powerful version of you hasn’t disappeared.

It’s been waiting—quietly—for permission to emerge.

This is your wake-up call.

And if you want to witness what an awakening looks like, join us Wednesday, 1/28 at 1:00 PM Pacific, and hear Rachel Beck’s powerful comeback story.

Are you ready for your great awakening?

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️

____________________________

On January 28, 1999, I died.

And in that moment, death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths—truths that reshaped my life, leadership, and business forever.

If you want to stay connected, be inspired, and learn secrets from 30 years in the television and marketing industry, sign up for our monthly newsletter, THE BACKSTAGE PASS.

https://lnkd.in/gRvKf7qu

❤️

What is worth giving your life to?

Every great story has a QUEST.

It’s the search.

The sacrifice.

The decision to commit to something bigger than comfort or applause.

This is bigger than you and that’s why it is so important.

The Quest story is timeless.

It’s woven into every great narrative:

❤️The courage to believe

❤️The willingness to persist

❤️The resolve to face obstacles—and even your own demons

No one else can define your quest.

This is the journey that you must choose for yourself in the quiet conviction of your deepest passions, hopes, and dreams.

And here’s the insight most people miss -

THE POWER OF THE QUEST ISN’T IN REACHING THE DESTINATION.

It’s in who you become along the way.

I used to resist that idea—“It’s all about the journey.”

But when it comes to the quest… It's true.

Because what you become in the journey is, perhaps, the greatest reward of all.

Is your brand story driven around the quest? And what is that quest?

I can help you discover that when you join me for the FREE DISCOVER YOUR BRAND SOUL WEBCLASS

https://lnkd.in/gWRKMDQ5

DISCOVER YOUR BRAND SOUL – LIVE WEBCLASS

Wednesday, January 14, 2026
1:00 PM Pacific | 4:00 PM Eastern

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️

____________________________

On January 28, 1999, I died.

And in that moment, death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths—truths that reshaped my life, leadership, and business forever.

That experience, combined with over 30 years in the television, entertainment, and marketing world, is what inspired my new book: Discover Your Brand Soul.

If you want to BUILD UNSHAKEABLE CONFIDENCE, with TRUE CLARITY, and turn your STORY into a Movement of POWER, PROFIT and PURPOSE...

🎬❤️🎬 Register for our FREE Discover Your Brand Soul Webclass on Wednesday, January 14th at 1:00 PM Pacific, and uncover the clarity and lessons that can transform your life and business.

TODAY! YOU ARE SITTING ON MOUNTAINS OF UNTAPPED WEALTH…

Learn the real story that could change your life, and don't miss this Month's  FREE DOWNLOAD of the Most Underrated Marketing Weapon.

Most leaders are standing on mountains of untapped wealth just waiting to be uncovered, refined, and shared with the world. Yet, they remain blind to 

Open article: TODAY! YOU ARE SITTING ON
MOUNTAINS OF UNTAPPED WEALTH by Bill Dolan • 3 min read

TODAY! YOU ARE SITTING ON
MOUNTAINS OF UNTAPPED WEALTH

THE ULTIMATE COMEBACK WITH RACHEL BECK AND BILL DOLAN

An orphaned birth, a cross-cultural adoption, and a woman’s courageous rise through loss, racism, and rebirth—this is the real story of Rachel Beck, a story that proves that the life you never planned can become breathtakingly beautiful.

Register Today: https://lnkd.in/g4GDQXZF

Heather McWilliam, Lesley Osborn and 5 other attendees

THE ULTIMATE COMEBACK WITH RACHEL BECK AND BILL DOLAN

EVERY SUPER HERO HAS ENEMIES — AND SO DO YOU.

But here’s the truth most leaders miss…
Your greatest enemies aren’t “out there.”

They’re hiding inside YOU. 

When I served on the board of the Stan Lee (architect behind Marvel) Foundation, we were reminded of Stan’s famous moto: 

“Inside every flawed human being is a superhero waiting to emerge.”

But you and I will always face the challenges of rising to our greatest calling…

🎬 Confusion.

🎬 Fear.

🎬 Distraction.

🎬 Chasing someone else’s version of success.

🎬 Living in the echo chamber of lies that rob us of our true identity and story.

Every hero’s story has a moment where clarity is lost 

— where purpose feels blurred 

—where momentum stalls.

And that’s not failure.

That’s a wake-up call.

❤️ The call to rediscover who you are.

❤️ The call to reclaim your story.

❤️ The call to lead with meaning and purpose.

In the FREE Discover Your Brand Soul Webclass, I’ll help you identify what’s been quietly working against you — and show you how to realign your brand story, your purpose, and your direction so you can move forward with clarity and confidence.

The same way Stan Lee taught us the journey of the superhero, I want to help you discover and tell your superhero story to the world.

DISCOVER YOUR BRAND SOUL – LIVE WEBCLASS
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
1:00 PM Pacific | 4:00 PM Eastern

https://lnkd.in/gWRKMDQ5

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️
____________________________

On January 28, 1999, I died.

And in that moment, death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths—truths that reshaped my life, leadership, and business forever.

That experience, combined with over 30 years in the television, entertainment, and marketing world, is what inspired my new book: Discover Your Brand Soul.

If you want to BUILD UNSHAKEABLE CONFIDENCE, with TRUE CLARITY, and turn your STORY into a Movement of POWER, PROFIT and PURPOSE...

🎬❤️🎬 Register for our FREE Discover Your Brand Soul Webclass on Wednesday, January 14th at 1:00 PM Pacific, and uncover the clarity and lessons that can transform your life and business.

WHO WERE YOU BEFORE YOU LEARNED TO CONFORM AND PERFORM?

Deep within every human heart lives a simple, powerful desire:

to love… and to be loved. 

But somewhere along the way, that desire gets distorted.

In a world overflowing with false promises, we’re handed a script that says our value comes from what we add— and slowly, quietly, we begin to disappear.

We suffocate under the weight of:

🎬 Titles

🎬 Tactics

🎬 Costumes

🎬 “Easy buttons”

🎬 Expectations

🎬 Possessions

🎬 And the facade of whatever we believe will make us acceptable

Most leaders don’t lose themselves overnight.

They drift—one compromise at a time.

And here’s the truth most people miss:

The path to rediscovering who you truly are isn’t about addition.

At its heart, it’s about stripping away the lies we’ve been fed.

If you’re ready to reclaim your true identity and story…

Realign your purpose…

And live a story rooted in truth—not the pressure to perform—

Join me for the FREE DISCOVER YOUR BRAND SOUL WEBCLASS

https://lnkd.in/gWRKMDQ5

We’ll walk through how to reconnect with your authentic identity, uncover the story you were meant to live and lead from, and realign your life and business with purpose—not pressure. 

DISCOVER YOUR BRAND SOUL – LIVE WEBCLASS

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

⏰1:00 PM Pacific | 4:00 PM Eastern

Are you ready to meet the person you were always meant to be? 

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️
____________________________

On January 28, 1999, I died.

And in that moment, death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths—truths that reshaped my life, leadership, and business forever.

That experience, combined with over 30 years in the television, entertainment, and marketing world, is what inspired my new book: Discover Your Brand Soul.

If you want to BUILD UNSHAKEABLE CONFIDENCE, with TRUE CLARITY, and turn your STORY into a Movement of POWER, PROFIT and PURPOSE...

🎬❤️🎬 Register for our FREE Discover Your Brand Soul Webclass on Wednesday, January 14th at 1:00 PM Pacific, and uncover the clarity and lessons that can transform your life and business.

THE THREE KEYS TO REDISCOVER YOUR BRAND SOUL

STOP! BEFORE YOU POST ANOTHER THING—READ THIS.

PEOPLE AREN’T BUYING FROM YOU BECAUSE:

THEY DON’T KNOW WHO YOU ARE

WHAT YOU STAND FOR

THE PROBLEM YOU SOLVE

Inside today’s FREE Webclass, I unpack:

🎬 The #1 mistake leaders make when trying to build a personal or corporate brand

🎬 Why your Brand Story feels the same leftovers your competitors are serving

🎬 How to escape the hook–bumper-sticker–content garbage game

(If you’re not sure what that means, just scroll a little.)

THE PATH TO BRAND CLARITY CAN START NOW.

Take the first step and click the link.

https://lnkd.in/gWRKMDQ5

DISCOVER YOUR BRAND SOUL – LIVE WEBCLASS
TODAY, January 14, 2026
1:00 PM Pacific | 4:00 PM Eastern

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️
____________________________

On January 28, 1999, I died.

And in that moment, death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths—truths that reshaped my life, leadership, and business forever.

That experience, combined with over 30 years in the television, entertainment, and marketing world, is what inspired my new book: Discover Your Brand Soul.

If you want to BUILD UNSHAKEABLE CONFIDENCE, with TRUE CLARITY, and turn your STORY into a Movement of POWER, PROFIT and PURPOSE...

🎬❤️🎬 Register for our FREE Discover Your Brand Soul Webclass on Wednesday, January 14th at 1:00 PM Pacific, and uncover the clarity and lessons that can transform your life and business.

IS YOUR BRAND STORY ABOUT OVERCOMING THE MONSTER?

Every great story has one.

Something big.

Something dark.

Something terrifying.

Sometimes it’s obvious — an external threat, a market shift, a crisis, a competitor.

But more often, the real monster lives inside.

Fear.

Trauma.

Self-doubt.

The voice that says you’re not enough.

That’s why the Overcoming the Monster story resonates so deeply.

Because it isn’t about being fearless.

It’s about choosing courage anyway.

When your brand story is about overcoming the monster, you’re not just sharing what happened — you’re revealing who you became in the process.


That kind of story:

❤️ Builds trust

❤️ Creates differentiation 

❤️ Establishes relationship
❤️ Creates emotional connection

❤️ Signals real leadership

I’m here to help leaders and organizations:

🎬 Identify your monster story.

🎬 Clarify your courageous transformation.

🎬 Celebrate your journey into a brand story that moves people.

So if your story includes fear you had to face…

If there’s something you had to overcome to become who you are today…

Let me help you tell it!

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️

____________________________

On Jan 28, 1999, I died. And death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths that transformed my life, leadership, and business. I came back with a message that inspired me to write The 7 Disciplines of Relationship Marketing and launch the Discover Your Brand Soul Masterclass.

DM me—I'd love to share what I learned and explore what could change your life and business and help you to make a lasting impact in your market. ❤️

YOU WANT TO HEAR A CRAZY STORY?

If you’re new here—or we haven’t crossed paths in a while—there’s something you should know.

My story is so unlikely that sometimes I still shake my head in amazement.

I grew up an only child with a father who loved me… but was tragically abusive.

I learned early how dangerous words could be.

So I hid—in my bedroom with my television—trying to drown out voices that could have destroyed me.

That’s where I found refuge and inspiration.

GREAT STORYTELLING.

Without knowing it, I was learning how stories heal, how they give meaning, how they help us survive.

That skill shaped everything.

For decades, I built a career in television and entertainment—directing global artists like Gwen Stefani, the Black Eyed Peas, and Maroon 5, while collaborating with iconic leaders such as Barbara Corcoran, the President of the United States, and the creative minds behind Survivor, The VOICE, and Marvel Studios—all at the highest levels of media and brand storytelling.

Eventually, that work led to founding Spirit Media, where we help startups, nonprofits, and Fortune 500 companies generate extraordinary growth—sometimes in the billions.

From the outside, things looked very successful.

But I was genuinely struggling because my “success” turned me into an absentee father and husband.

Then everything changed.

I DIED.

Literally.

That death experience didn’t just give me a second chance at life—it completely rewired how I define success, leadership, and purpose.

When I came back, I was left with one unavoidable question:

If I’ve been given more time… what am I supposed to do with it?

That question became my assignment—and it reshaped everything that followed.

I’M BILL DOLAN—CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF SPIRIT MEDIA, AUTHOR of The 7 Disciplines of Relationship Marketing, AND CREATOR of the Discover Your Brand Soul Masterclass.

We help business leaders, entrepreneurs, and marketing professionals uncover their true story—and tell it in a way that is:

🎬 Compelling

🎬 Memorable

🎬 Meaningful

🎬 Trust-building

🎬 And makes people want to support you, invest in you, and work with you

We do this through consulting, cinematic storytelling, and producing exceptional live experiences.

Since my death, I’ve made a clear decision:

❤️ To only work with leaders and organizations who want their work to matter

❤️ To help people build success that feels aligned—not empty

❤️ To turn story into lasting impact
CAN WE HELP YOU TELL YOUR STORY? 

DM me and let’s talk.

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️

MAKING A TON OF MONEY WILL BRING ME FULFILLMENT.

Not exactly. 

Confession time.

After I died, I went deep into studying purpose, mission, happiness, and fulfillment.

Here’s what surprised me:

People with money are often happier.

Security matters.

Autonomy matters.

Options matter.

Money reduces stress and increases choice, and that absolutely affects happiness.

But here’s the distinction most people miss:

Happiness and fulfillment are not the same thing.

Happiness is like a thrilling ride at an amusement park.

It’s fun. It makes you laugh.

But when the ride stops, you’re standing in the same place you started.
Fulfillment is different.

Fulfillment is a deep, steady joy.

Not a dopamine hit, but a sense of purpose and meaning that carries you through both the highs and the lows.

One of the clearest ways to see the difference is what I call the Eulogy Test.

When you leave this world, what will people talk about?

Your balance sheet?

Your tax bracket?

Your résumé?

Or the lives you impacted?

The relationships you honored?

The way people felt because you were in their life?

We’re all investing every day.

The real question is which account are you building?

You can be a millionaire or a billionaire and still live a life marked by sacrificed relationships in pursuit of trophies and titles.

You’ll get plenty of dopamine-fueled happiness along the way.

But no gravestone is big enough to compensate for a transactional life.

So let me ask you:

Have you traded fulfillment for happiness?


I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️
____________________________

On Jan 28, 1999, I died. And death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths that transformed my life, leadership, and business. I came back with a message that inspired me to write The 7 Disciplines of Relationship Marketing and launch the Discover Your Brand Soul Masterclass.

DM me—I'd love to share what I learned and explore what could change your life and business and help you to make a lasting impact in your market. ❤️

IT TOOK MY DEATH TO DISCOVER MY PURPOSE BUT I CAN TEACH YOU HOW TO DISCOVER YOURS IN 1 MINUTE. 

Life is like a river and if you don’t learn how to navigate it, you don’t just drift…

You risk getting stuck — or worse, swept over a waterfall you never saw coming.

Here’s what I’ve learned after my death and decades of coaching leaders and builders:

MOST PEOPLE PRAY FOR A MAP.

But purpose doesn’t come with step-by-step directions.

THAT PRAYER IS ANSWERED WITH A COMPASS.

In my FREE Discover Your Brand Soul Webclass, I’ll teach you about the Clarity Compass— a simple but powerful way to uncover clarity by aligning three guideposts already present in your life:

❤️ Passion — what moves you (and why passion alone isn’t enough) 

❤️ Aptitude — what you’re naturally wired to do (but could be a trap) 

❤️ Experience — your life experience has refined you but it can not define you

When these three come into alignment, something shifts.

🎬 You stop chasing. 
🎬 You stop guessing. 
🎬 You start leading from clarity, confidence, and conviction.

YOUR REAL PURPOSE IS ABOUT TO BLOW YOU AWAY!

Join the FREE Live Discover Your Brand Soul – Webclass Wednesday, January 14, 2026 1:00 PM Pacific / 4 PM Eastern

If you’re ready to stop QUESTIONING YOURSELF — and start navigating your life, leadership, and BRAND STORY with intention — register with this link.

https://lnkd.in/gWRKMDQ5

I believe in you!
With Much Love – Bill ❤️
____________________________

On January 28, 1999, I died.

And in that moment, death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths—truths that reshaped my life, leadership, and business forever.

That experience, combined with over 30 years in the television, entertainment, and marketing world, is what inspired my new book: Discover Your Brand Soul.

If you want to BUILD UNSHAKEABLE CONFIDENCE, with TRUE CLARITY, and turn your STORY into a Movement of POWER, PROFIT and PURPOSE...

🎬❤️🎬 Register for our FREE Discover Your Brand Soul Webclass on Wednesday, January 14th at 1:00 PM Pacific, and uncover the clarity and lessons that can transform your life and business.

STOP. READ THIS TWICE.

EXECUTION WITHOUT BRAND CLARITY IS SELF-DECEPTION.

If you missed my webclass yesterday here’s the recap:

🎬 You can be busy every day

🎬 You can post nonstop

🎬 You can launch, relaunch, and optimize

And still be running in circles.

Because movement doesn’t equal progress or impact.

And effort doesn’t always equal meaningful results.

Most leaders don’t fail because they lack talent, discipline, or drive.
They fail because they skipped the hardest part:

BRAND CLARITY.

Personal or professional.

🎬Clarity about your purpose. 

🎬Clarity about your message.

🎬Clarity about your missions.

🎬Clarity about who you’re actually called to serve.

When clarity is missing, we live in a frantic scramble to chase dollars, trinkets, and trophies (often times over meaning).

This is why so many leaders feel anxious.

Ask yourself:

❤️ Am I clear—or just busy?

❤️ Am I aligned—or just reacting?

Check out the replay of the DISCOVER YOUR BRAND SOUL WEBCLASS, it could be exactly what you need right now.

https://lnkd.in/gtkkGyug

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️
____________________________

On Jan 28, 1999, I died. And death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths that transformed my life, leadership, and business. I came back with a message that inspired me to write The 7 Disciplines of Relationship Marketing and launch the Discover Your Brand Soul Masterclass.

DM me—I'd love to share what I learned and explore what could change your life and business and help you to make a lasting impact in your market. ❤️

Open article: Limited Time Replay by discoveryourbrandsoul.com

QUIT GETTING IGNORED.

Everyday, the world is filled with mushy, insignificant, forgettable messaging that flies by as fast as a TikTok scroll.

This works if all you want is for someone to look at you for a wasted second.

This does not work if you actually want to be meaningful, memorable, and establish an authoritative brand

Here’s the recipe to change that:

🎬 Eliminate preoccupation with tactics and trends.

🎬 Be cautious not to let Ai represent you like a bowl of tasteless oatmeal.

🎬 Discover your own true voice.

🎬 Learn how to tell your brand story.

🎬 Become the charismatic expert that tells your story well.

🎬 Keep telling your story but remember …

YOUR AUDIENCE WILL LISTEN ONLY IF YOU TEACH THEM HOW TO CHANGE THEIR STORY.

That’s what we do at Spirit Media.

Whether you want to grow your market or change the world, we can make that happen for you.

Are you tired of being ignored?

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️
____________________________

On Jan 28, 1999, I died. And death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths that transformed my life, leadership, and business. I came back with a message that inspired me to write The 7 Disciplines of Relationship Marketing and launch the Discover Your Brand Soul Masterclass.

DM me—I'd love to share what I learned and explore what could change your life and business and help you to make a lasting impact in your market. ❤️

ARE YOU MINING THE GOLD IN YOUR STORY?

Most brands tell us what they do.

Very few tell us who they have become—and why that matters.

Here’s the difference.

A powerful brand story isn’t about noise, tactics, or clever taglines.

It can be about your voyage and the revelation that emerges from that experience—like Dorothy going after something over the rainbow.

And just like every great story:

❤️ There’s a moment when you sense there’s something more.

❤️ You step into uncertainty.

❤️ You face obstacles, doubts, and hard lessons.

❤️ And you don’t come back the same.

❤️ You encounter new understanding.

❤️ You see things differently.

And who you become is a central brand message.

The magic isn’t the destination.

It’s the perspective you gain.

🎬 That’s what creates trust.

🎬That’s what creates leadership.

🎬 That’s what creates a brand people can relate to.

🎬 That’s what creates a brand people can believe in.

Whether your story is a voyage and return, a great quest, or overcoming something that once felt unbeatable—

YOUR TRANSFORMATION STORY IS GOLD.

When your story is clear, your brand stops chasing attention—

and starts attracting alignment.

If you’re ready to mine the gold in your story—
Let’s talk.

I believe in you!

With Much Love – Bill ❤️

____________________________

On Jan 28, 1999, I died. And death gave me a front-row seat to life’s greatest truths that transformed my life, leadership, and business. I came back with a message that inspired me to write The 7 Disciplines of Relationship Marketing and launch the Discover Your Brand Soul Masterclass.

DM me—I'd love to share what I learned and explore what could change your life and business and help you to make a lasting impact in your market. ❤️

THE ULTIMATE COMEBACK WITH JOY MCADAMS AND BILL DOLAN

Born to Break Barriers. Built to Rise.

From homelessness to global stages, Joy Mcadams defied racism, sexism, and every limit placed on her.

Go behind the journey of a mother, TEDx speaker, Ironman athlete, and world-class HYROX competitor, and witness the power of the ultimate growth mindset.

Register Today: https://lnkd.in/gu_QduE8

Abir El Shaban, PhD, Joy Mcadams and 4 other attendees

THE ULTIMATE COMEBACK WITH JOY MCADAMS AND BILL DOLAN

40+ Linkedin Money-Making-Influence Resources I Toxic Boss Immunity I Frequency of INFLUENCE: ETHICAL PERSUASION I $20k Brain-Based Sales System | HarvardX Neuroscience Research I Keynote 🎤 I X-Microsoft I Captain ⛵

$20k Monthly Brain Based Sales System Without Chasing the "Yes"

You know the feeling:
😳 Your brain lights up with “What if they think I’m pushy?” the second you open a DM.
😬 You’d rather post and pray the right people find you than risk being ghosted.
😅 You tell yourself that if you were really good, clients would just show up.

You don’t want to fake connection just to pitch.
You want sales that feels human. Real conversations, not pressure tactics.

You’re not bad at sales.
Your brain is just protecting you.

The amygdala flags rejection as danger.
Your prefrontal cortex freezes.
And boom hesitation, overthinking, silence.

That’s where my work comes in.
I teach the Neuroscience of No-Pressure Sales so you can sell with calm confidence instead of fear.

No scripts. No manipulation.
Just science, psychology, and simple tools to retrain your nervous system so selling feels natural again.

When your brain is relaxed, your authenticity returns.
You stop pitching and start connecting.
Outreach stops feeling like an intrusion and starts feeling like service.

This is sales made easy for coaches who hate selling.

✨ Ways to get started with me:

✅ If you're a coach DM me "Butter"
✅ If you're a business owner DM me "Butter"
✅ If you're a sales leader DM me "Butter"
✅ Attend my next workshop for FREE BRAIN BASED SALES SECRETS. https://forms.gle/HvTRDEZEuu7bgQEF8
✅ Subscribe to the Be Like Butter Bugle: Weekly brain hacks for resilience and influence. https://synaptic-solutions.kit.com/newsletter

Personal interests: 
- Captain ⛵️ 
- Recovering Sugar Addict 🍭 
- Trash TV consumer 🗑️

Sales Coach | Toxic Boss Coach | Neuroscience Coach | Executive Coach | Master Behavioral Strategist | Speaker | Advisor | Expert | 7 figures | Virtual Speaking | Sales Performance Brain Hacker | Mindset Coach I Corporate Trainer I Influence I Key Note Speaker

🧠 Shannon Smith, J.D., M.S. 🚀

Stop chasing success alone.

Every innovator who built something great had 1 thing in common

Connection
It’s not that creativity happens alone…
It’s that the brain creates better in connection.

The brain evolved to think with other brains.
When connection is present, threat detection quiets.

The amygdala relaxes.
The prefrontal cortex stays online.
That’s where creativity lives.

Connection increases neural synchrony.
Brains begin to align.
Ideas move faster.
Patterns emerge you can’t see solo.

Isolation does the opposite.
Thinking loops.
Risk tolerance drops.
Novelty dries up.

Creativity isn’t just about safety.
It’s about belonging.
Here’s how :

1️⃣ Think out loud with others
 Speaking activates more neural networks than silent thought.
 Shared dialogue creates neural synchrony,
 helping the brain integrate patterns it can’t access alone.
 Half-formed ideas are fuel, not flaws.

2️⃣ Build before you judge
 Evaluation triggers the amygdala.
 Threat shuts down the prefrontal cortex.
 Sequence matters: expand first, critique later.
 Flow requires a brain that isn’t defending itself.

3️⃣ Create spaces to explore, not perform
 Performance activates social threat circuitry.
 Play lowers cortisol and increases cognitive flexibility.
 A relaxed nervous system makes wider, more novel connections.

Innovation doesn’t come from brilliance.
It comes from brains that feel safe thinking together.

PS: Who do you think best with?

Want to get an article published in a big time magazine?
I'll give you the contact info for 150+ reporters for major publications +
A Custom Message so you can break the ice & establish a relationship. 
How to get it? Join --> https://lnkd.in/gbfNasyU

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

👉 Follow 🧠 Shannon for neuroscience-backed insights
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This feels illegal.

I built a mobile app while sailing.

Out there, things get quiet.
No notifications fighting for attention.
No noise telling you who to be.

Just wind, water, and time to notice what’s inside.

That’s where the idea came from.

Not everyone can disappear onto a boat.
But everyone needs a way to reconnect with themselves
In a loud world that never shuts up.

So I opened Replit
and described an app idea I’d already been researching. 

How to connect with yourself in a tech heavy world using…
Guess what…yes, neuroscience. 
You guessed it. 

Replit turned that idea into a real mobile app.

A live phone preview appeared.
I played with it and iterated between tacks. 
A few messages later, the app matched the intention.

Calm.
Minimal.
Human.

No mobile frameworks.
No complicated setup.
No build headaches.

Replit handled the mobile stack…
the preview
and the path to publishing.

I focused on the part that mattered:
creating space for real connection.

That’s the point.

You don’t need to escape your life to feel grounded.
You can build tools that bring you back to yourself.
Right where you are.
Even in a noisy world.

If you’ve ever wanted to create an app without needing a team
(or a computer) 
NOW you can. 

Get the Replit app and build from anywhere.
YOUR $10 REPLIT CREDIT
https://lnkd.in/gSCu_9Tj

P.S. If I vanish for a few hours I’m probably publishing a new app between tacks. 

-------------------------------------------------------------

➕ Follow 🧠 Shannon for brain based peace and app building
♻️ Share to inspire someone who needs dev help without headache

It's not that you aren't creative...

It's that your brain doesn't get enough breathing room

When outcomes matter too much,
the nervous system shifts into protection.

Certainty over curiosity.
Efficiency over exploration.

The amygdala scans for mistakes.
The prefrontal cortex goes quiet.
Thinking narrows to what’s already proven.

That feels like a creativity problem.
It’s actually a safety problem.

Innovation doesn’t come from pushing harder.
It comes from widening the mental field.

Creative insight requires a brain
that isn’t bracing for consequences.

One that feels free to test, miss, and iterate
without immediate judgment.

That’s why pressure-heavy environments
produce more output…
and fewer breakthroughs.

Creativity is a state, not a talent.
Change the state and ideas follow.

Here’s how to heighten creativity on demand:

1/ Slow the body before you think
Creativity follows regulation.
Lengthen your exhale for 60 seconds before ideating.
A calmer nervous system reopens cognitive range.

2/ Create “low-stakes” thinking space
Tell your brain nothing here has to be right.
Set a 10-minute window for bad ideas only.
Permission removes the fear that blocks novelty.

3/ Shift environments, not effort
New inputs disrupt rigid patterns.
Walk. Change rooms. Look farther into the distance.
Movement and visual expansion spark new connections.

When the brain feels safe enough to explore,
it starts to play.
And play is where innovation lives.

PS: Which of these would change how you think the fastest?

Introducing Butterhood Connect:
Find your people - other entrepreneurs like yourself. 
PLUS...FREE content on:
- Craft content that converts
- Understand your ICP deeply
- Increase your cognitive flexibility
- DM to get in front of your prospect
 You don't have to do this alone. Join us FREE
https://lnkd.in/gqMj4Vfz

Video Credit: Unknown
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Clarity doesn’t come from thinking harder

It comes from feeling safer.

When the brain senses pressure, it prepares to defend.
 
Attention narrows.
Options collapse.
The mind looks for certainty.

That state is efficient.
It’s not creative.

Innovation requires uncertainty tolerance.
That tolerance lives in the nervous system,
not the intellect.

When the parasympathetic nervous system activates,

✅ The body slows.
✅ The threat response stands down.
✅ The brain regains flexibility.

This is when perception widens.
Old assumptions loosen.

Problems reorganize themselves.
New pathways become visible.
Psychological safety is what allows this shift.

It tells the brain nothing bad will happen
if you explore a different angle.

Without safety, the brain repeats.
With safety, the brain imagines.

No regulation, no reframing.
No reframing, no innovation.

Here’s how to design for it:
1️⃣ Regulate before you reason
 Slowing the breath reduces neural noise.
 Clear thinking follows bodily calm.

2️⃣ Delay decisions during ideation
 Premature judgment triggers threat circuits.
 Time preserves creative flexibility.

3️⃣ Create private space to think freely
 Privacy lowers social evaluation.
 Safety expands possibility.

Breakthroughs come from a nervous system 
that feels safe enough
to see the problem differently.

PS: What helps your body settle fastest?

Join us for innovation --> https://lnkd.in/gbfNasyU

Video Credit: Unknown

-------------------------------------------------------
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You’re not broken.

You're just not connected...

...in a way no one taught you to recognize.

We have more connection technology than ever.
Group chats. Slack threads. Social feeds.
Standing meetings. Faces everywhere.

You can be busy, productive, and surrounded by people
And still feel unseen, unfelt, and unsupported.

Modern life keeps the nervous system overstimulated.
Your brain is flooded with input, decisions,
and performance cues.

When that happens, the social brain goes offline.
You don’t lose the desire for connection.
You lose access to it.

So you adapt.

You stay functional instead of present.
You keep conversations light instead of real.
You handle things alone because it feels safer.
You tell yourself you’re “fine”
while feeling disconnected from yourself.

Over time, that state becomes your baseline.
And the most painful part?

You start to believe this is just how life is.
It’s not.

Disconnection isn’t a personality trait.
It’s a nervous system state.
And nervous system states can change.

Here’s what neuroscience shows actually helps.

1/ regulation comes before connection.
 When your system is overloaded,
 bonding chemistry can’t do its job.
 You don’t need better words.
 You need your body to feel safe enough
 to be real.

2/ small moments matter more
 than deep conversations.
 Eye contact that lasts a beat longer.
 A pause instead of rushing away.
 Naming what you notice
 instead of what sounds impressive.

3/ connection accelerates in the right environment.
Trying to heal disconnection alone
 keeps the brain in protection mode.
 Being around others doing hard inner work
 creates co-regulation.

Your nervous system learns:
“I don’t have to carry this by myself.”
That’s why community matters.

Not noisy.
Not performative.
Not networking.

But a grounded space of people 
reconnecting with themselves
and with others.

This is what I’m building.
A community for capable, thoughtful people
doing hard things
who don’t want to do them alone.

A place to regulate, reflect, and be real
without fixing yourself
or pretending you’re fine.

If you’ve felt alone in a world full of people,
it’s not because something is wrong with you.
It’s because your nervous system
hasn’t had the right conditions yet.

And you don’t have to create those alone.
If this resonated, the community is open
for people ready to reconnect with themselves and with others.

P.S. Where do you feel most disconnected right now?

Introducing Butterhood Connect:
Find your people - other entrepreneurs like yourself. 
PLUS...FREE content on:
- Craft content that converts
- Understand your ICP deeply
- Increase your cognitive flexibility
- DM to get in front of your prospect
 You don't have to do this alone. Join us FREE
https://lnkd.in/gqMj4Vfz

------------------------------------------------------------
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♻️ Share this with someone who might feel alone but never say it

It’s not that your team doesn't have new ideas…

It’s that they don’t feel safe enough to share them with you.

When people sense evaluation,
their nervous systems switch to self-protection.

😶‍🌫️ They edit.
😶‍🌫️ They hedge.
😶‍🌫️ They stick to what’s already approved.

That looks like alignment.
It’s actually inhibition.

Innovation requires exposure.
New ideas are, by definition, unproven.
And the brain treats being wrong like a social threat.

So the amygdala gets loud.
Risk tolerance drops.
Thinking narrows to what won’t get you in trouble.

That’s why teams with “high standards”
but low psychological safety
produce execution…
not breakthroughs.

Psychological safety isn’t about being nice.
It’s about creating conditions
where the prefrontal cortex stays online.

When people believe they won’t be punished
for experimenting,
their brains stay open.

They challenge assumptions.
They connect unlikely dots.
They surface problems early.

No safety, no innovation.
No innovation, no future edge.

If you want better ideas, don’t ask for more creativity.
Design environments where
people don’t have to protect themselves first.

PS: Where do you notice people holding back on your team?

Join the Butterhood Connect
- Get free resources and training on DMs
- Figure out your sales style
- Jumpstart your sales!
Build relationships with other entrepreneurs
You don't have to do this ALONE
https://lnkd.in/gbpNMdU6

Video Credit: Unknown

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Your CRM shows ACTIVITY.

It doesn't show REALITY.

Most managers think they understand their pipeline.
But they’re only seeing the version their reps feel comfortable sharing.

The CRM shows progress.
The reps show confidence.
The pipeline shows movement.

But underneath all of that
there’s hesitation, uncertainty, and doubt
that never makes it into the forecast.

And that’s the part that costs you.

Reps aren’t trying to mislead you.
They’re trying to look competent.
So they hold back the early warning signs.
They soften how shaky a deal feels.
They overstate buyer momentum.

They wait until a problem becomes undeniable
and by then
your quarter is already in danger.

That’s why so many leaders get blindsided.
Not because the deals are bad
but because the real signals were never visible.

A CRM tracks activity.
It doesn’t track conviction.
It doesn’t track buyer emotions.
It doesn’t track rep confidence.
It doesn’t track the energy of the deal
which is the part that collapses first.

SalesSage exposes that hidden layer.
It reveals where reps feel unsure.
It highlights deals that look fine on paper
but feel unstable underneath.
It identifies slipping belief before it becomes slipping revenue.
It gives you truth early
so you can fix the problem while there’s still time.

Leaders don’t need more data.
They need the truth behind the data.
That’s the gap SalesSage closes.

If you want to see what’s really happening
beneath the surface of your pipeline sign up
14 day free trial
https://salessage.co/

P.S. How was your Q4?

-----------------------------------------------------------------
➕ Follow 🧠 Shannon for brain based sales leadership
♻️ Share if you’ve ever been blindsided by a “healthy” deal that fell apart

You can’t fix a quarter your team’s afraid to talk about.

Your biggest revenue leak isn’t pipeline. It’s silence.

The worst part of running a sales team
is thinking you’re safe right before the quarter blows up.

Your CRM says you’re good.
Your reps say deals are “strong”.
Forecast looks clean.
You breathe for two seconds.

Then the quarter flips
and you’re standing there like
what the hell just happened?

Here’s the truth nobody wants to say:
Reps aren’t lying.
Their brains are.

People say things are fine when they’re overwhelmed.
They overestimate deals when they’re stressed.
They downplay risk when they don’t want to look behind.

So you get the truth only after it hits your number.
Sales Sage catches it earlier.

It spots confidence dips.
Avoidance patterns.
Dead deals dressed up as healthy ones.
Execution cracks that never show in a CRM.

Stuff reps don’t say out loud but absolutely tank a quarter.
If you’re tired of getting blindsided
by “everything looks good” data

P.S. What's your best closing line?

See the truth your reps won’t say out loud 
(before it blows up your number)
Taking 100 beta testers - 14 day free trial
https://salessage.co/

---------------------------------------------------------------

♻️ Share if you’ve lived a surprise miss
➕ Follow 🧠 Shannon for brain based sales insights

Your pipeline isn’t lying. 

Your reps just don’t feel safe telling you the truth.

Managers think they know what’s in their pipeline.
But they only know what the CRM tells them.
And the CRM only tells them what reps feel safe enough to share.

You’re managing numbers you can’t trust.
Your pipeline looks clean.
Your reps sound confident.
Your CRM says things are “on track.”
But something feels off.

Deals stall quietly.
Momentum fades.
Forecasts slip.
And you don’t see it until it's too late.

Reps aren’t dishonest.
They’re human.
They soften risk.
They hide uncertainty.
They overstate momentum
because nobody wants to look unsure.

So you get blindsided.
Not by deals.
But by the emotional truth your CRM can’t capture.

This creates a silent threat inside every sales org.
You miss red flags early.
You lose weeks of runway.
You carry the blame for information
you never got soon enough.

The cost isn’t just deals.
It’s trust.
It’s team performance.
It’s the reputational hit when your forecast misses again.

SalesSage uncovers what’s really going on
Underneath the numbers.

It reads emotional signals your CRM can’t track.
It surfaces hesitation before it becomes a stall.
It identifies low conviction before it becomes a lost deal.
It reveals drift before it becomes a blown quarter.

No pressure on reps.
No interrogation.
Just a 10 minute pulse
that shows you the truth behind the pipeline.

If you want your pipeline to tell you what’s real
not what’s hopeful

Taking 100 beta testers - 14 day free trial
https://salessage.co/

--------------------------------------------------------------------

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♻️ Share if you’ve ever been blindsided by a “healthy” pipeline

Stop telling yourself that you're too busy to DM.

Stop telling yourself DMs are too pushy. 

DMs close sales. Period. 

Most people think outreach stalls
because they don’t know what to say.
That’s rarely true.

What’s actually happening is identity protection.
Your brain isn’t avoiding DMs to save time.
It’s protecting how you see yourself.

So you stay visible.
You post.
You wait.

And the conversations that move revenue never start.

When the nervous system flags selling as risk,
avoidance looks like strategy.

Weeks pass.
Opportunities decay.
Revenue becomes unpredictable.
That delay has a real cost.

Avoiding just 3–5 high-value messages a week
can quietly leave $15K–$100K per quarter on the table.

Not because you lack ability.
Because “selling” feels unsafe.

This is why scripts don’t stick.
Knowledge ≠ movement.

Insight shows up first.
Behavior only follows when the underlying pattern shifts.

That’s what Butterhood is for.
Not more information.
Not performance.
Not pressure.

It’s a place to notice friction in real time
and make small, deliberate moves
that change momentum.

Inside, we work on:
Why certain conversations stall even when you say the right thing
What makes outreach feel heavy and how to remove that friction
How to move conversations forward without forcing or performing
Installing a sales rhythm that feels stable instead of stressful

They’re ordered intentionally.
Each layer stabilizes the nervous system for the next.

If you’ve ever thought, “This makes sense…
so why am I not doing it yet?”

That’s the signal.
GET IN THE DMS.
Still resisting?
GET INTO THE BUTTERHOOD.

If you want influence that moves like butter 🧈
Join Butterhood → https://lnkd.in/gbfNasyU

BONUS: Want to get an article published in a big time magazine?
I'll give you the contact info for 150+ reporters for major publications +
A Custom Message so you can break the ice & establish a relationship. 
How to get it? Join --> https://lnkd.in/gbfNasyU

PS: Where do your conversations stall right now?

---------------------------------------------------------------------

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♻️ Share this if you want to help someone move again

Why do you have that stupid look on your face?

A C-level executive asked me on my first day

I was sitting across his desk of my first big girl job
(Talk about an executive onboarding)
I was just 20 years old.

I remember freezing.
Not answering.
Just blinking.

I laughed it off and swallowed my pride. 

Meeting over.
But my body stayed locked.

Jaw tight.
Chest and body buzzing.
Mind replaying every word.

Later that day a coworker asked if I was okay.

I said yes.
I wasn’t lying on purpose.
I just didn’t know what “okay” even meant anymore.

That’s the problem with stress.
It normalizes.
Your nervous system adapts.
Your baseline quietly shifts.

You think its no big deal. 
I’m fine. 

Your body knows that you’re not.
For years, I relied on vibes.
Am I handling it or barely holding it together?

No data.
No baseline.
Just guessing.

That’s why I built a these resources
✅ An entire toxic boss armor system
✅ 25-question nervous system audit
✅ An app that helps you each step of the way

Not a personality quiz.
Not mindset fluff.

Actual signals of load, recovery,
and how close you are to the edge.

The site and app give you a real baseline.
Clear data.
Practical next steps.

You don’t need thicker skin.
You need awareness and a hand up. 

PS What's your worst toxic boss story?

https://lnkd.in/guRmdNEu

--------------------------------------------------------

➕ Follow Shannon for brain-based tools 
♻️ Repost if someone you know is guessing too.

Why do you have that stupid look on your face

Everyone wants AI magic.

Few want to invest in the foundation.

People light up when they talk about AI lead gen.

AI outreach.
AI follow up.
AI prospecting.
The promise of more output with less effort...
It's intoxicating.

But effectiveness still comes from the human brain.
The seller’s state.
The buyer’s state.
The interaction between the two.

If your nervous system is overloaded, 
your messages won’t land.

If your prospect’s nervous system is tense,
your tools won’t move them.

If your clarity wobbles,
your AI will wobble with it.

Tools can accelerate your behavior.
They can’t upgrade your regulation.
They can’t deepen your presence.
They can’t create safety for a buyer who isn’t sure yet.

So you can very quickly send a bad message to 
a lot of people (and I see this a lot).
Super efficient. 
Effective?
Not so much. 

You would have been better off 
not to send anything at all. 

You create
👀 noise.
👀 hesitation.
👀 stall points.

Before you automate anything,
your nervous system has to support the interaction.
Your messaging has to speak to the real pressure points.
Your awareness has to read what the buyer is actually signaling.

Here are the pieces that shift everything:
1️⃣ A regulated internal state
A steady system writes messages people lean into.

2️⃣ Understanding buyer pressure
Not their demographics.
Their actual cognitive load.

3️⃣ Signal-based communication
Warmth, recency, micro-openings, lowered stakes.

Without this foundation in place, AI becomes clutter.
😶‍🌫️ Damages your brand.
😶‍🌫️ Irritates your people. 
😶‍🌫️ Loses your clients.

Inside Butterhood, this is the core work.
The human layer that makes every tool
more powerful, more accurate, and more profitable.
EFFECTIVE.

Join us → https://lnkd.in/gbfNasyU

PS: What AI promise are people chasing the hardest right now?

---------------------------------------------------------------
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7 signs you're tough enough for your toxic boss...

without quitting your job.

Your nervous system has a baseline.
That baseline shapes how pressure lands.

Here are 7 signs you're tough enough:

1/ Your baseline state
 A system that rarely rests stays closer to threat.
 From that state, stress hits faster and harder.
 Do this: notice how you feel when you first wake up.
 Do this: schedule one daily pause with no objective.

2/ Continuous motion
 Moving task to task keeps activation high.
 The body never completes a stress cycle.
 Do this: insert a 2-minute pause between blocks.
 Do this: stand still and breathe before switching tasks.

3/ Mental load during “rest”
 A busy mind keeps the system activated.
 Physical stillness alone doesn’t equal recovery.
 Do this: notice if your mind stays busy at rest.
 Do this: gently bring attention to body sensations.

4/ Guilt around slowing down
 Guilt keeps the nervous system alert.
 Safety requires permission to stop.
 Do this: notice the urge to justify rest.
 Do this: remind yourself recovery supports performance.

5/ Morning and evening carryover
 Tension on waking signals unresolved load.
 Evening stress blocks downshifting.
 Do this: check your body before checking your phone.
 Do this: create a short shutdown ritual at night.

6/ Recovery timing
 Waiting for exhaustion delays regulation.
 Late recovery takes longer to work.
 Do this: rest before you feel depleted.
 Do this: add small resets throughout the day.

7/ Social threat sensitivity
 Overloaded systems struggle with power dynamics.
 Emotional range narrows under pressure.
 Do this: regulate before interactions, not after.
 Do this: widen awareness when tension rises.

This comes before any boss strategy.
Awareness of starting state is the first layer of immunity.

PS Which point showed you something you hadn’t noticed before?

Toxic Boss Immunity - 
Building a self-serve platform
To create a path to freedom where you call the shots, you're unshakable, you're influential, and free from anyone else’s control.
Get on the waitlist for FREE
https://lnkd.in/gGJYwXPa
OR
DM Me "Toxic Audit" for your own quick check

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♻️ Repost if someone you know is always “on.”

 7 signs you're tough enough for a toxic boss

Don't just pray for a job.

Pray for a leader, not a toxic boss. 

They say you leave your manager, not your job.
So. True. 

Culture lives in nervous systems.
Leaders set the baseline every day.
Teams regulate around that signal automatically.

Here are 5 signs of a great leader:

1/ Self-regulation
 A great leader notices their own stress.
 They slow down before they speak.
 The room settles when they enter.

A toxic leader brings unprocessed stress.
The room tightens immediately.

2/ Clarity under pressure
 A great leader keeps priorities stable.
 Expectations stay clear during chaos.
 Brains relax when rules do not shift.

A toxic leader changes direction emotionally.
The team scans moods instead of work.

3/ Pressure flows upward
 A great leader absorbs pressure from above.
 They filter noise before it hits the team.
 Focus stays intact.

A toxic leader pushes pressure downward.
Urgency spreads through the group.

4/ Recovery is allowed
 A great leader respects human limits.
 Pauses are normal and safe.
 Energy and thinking stay strong.

A toxic leader rewards constant output.
Rest feels risky or earned.

5/ Response over reaction
 A great leader pauses in conflict.
 Their nervous system stays online.
 Hard talks feel contained.

A toxic leader reacts emotionally.
Others mirror the instability.
Trust erodes quietly.

Leadership is not control.
It is regulation.

PS Which one of these have you felt?

Toxic Boss Immunity 
Building a self-serve platform
To create a path to freedom where you call the shots, you're unshakable, you're influential, and free from anyone else’s control.
Get on the waitlist for FREE
https://lnkd.in/gGJYwXPa

-----------------------------------------------------------

➕ Follow Shannon for brain-based leadership tools.
♻️ Repost if a leader you know needs this lens.

Behind every “I’m not qualified”

Is a future you haven’t met yet. 

I’m not technical.
I’ve never wanted to be “the code person.”
And honestly, that used to stop me.

Because most AI coding hype assumes
you already know what you’re doing.
Repos.
Installs.
Setup before you even start.

That’s where Replit felt different.
I stayed in the browser.
I described what I wanted in plain words.
And I watched a real app come to life.
Live.

I wasn’t struggling to learn syntax.
I was refining an idea using my own language. 

You grow by doing things you aren’t qualified to do yet.
Most people don’t fail because they can’t.

They stop because they tell themselves
“I’m not technical enough.”

I didn’t suddenly become technical.
The barrier just disappeared.

Replit handled the setup, hosting, and deployment.
I focused on what the app should feel like.
That’s the unlock.

If you already code,
pairing Replit with Claude Code accelerates shipping.
If you don’t,
Replit still lets you build something real.

No identity change required.

You don’t need permission.
You don’t need a team.
You don’t need to be “qualified” yet.
You just need to start.

P.S. What have you been waiting to build?

💡 $10 credit for Replit Core users —>
https://lnkd.in/gSCu_9Tj

P.P.S. If you’ve been telling yourself “I’m not ready for that yet,”
THIS IS YOUR SIGN

------------------------------------------------------------------

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The way to get clients on Linkedin is this...

Understand the inner thoughts of your ICP

Most people study their ICP on the surface.
Top sellers study how their ICP thinks.

If you want to sell on LinkedIn,
you have to know what your ICP is actually worried about,
not what they pretend to care about.

Here are 8 steps to uncover the real subtext 
of your ICP on LinkedIn:

1. Audit Their LinkedIn Profiles
Look at what they emphasize.
Tension shows up in their headcount, KPIs, and team priorities.
Their top headaches are usually hiding in plain sight.

2. Study Their Event Activity
Search for events they attend.
Then check the attendee list.
The themes they show up for
tell you what’s keeping them up at night.

3. Watch Them in Comment Sections
Look at your ICP commenting on competitors’ posts.
Their questions reveal fears.
Their reactions reveal pressure points.

4. Analyze Comments Under Hand-Raising Posts
Creators often say “comment for more info.”
Those comments are gold.
They show exactly what your ICP thinks they need
and what they wish someone would help them solve.

5. Read Your Own Comments Differently
Your commenters are micro-versions of your ICP.
Study their language, frustrations, and patterns.
Your future offer refinement is already hiding there.

6. Track What They Subscribe To
Newsletters, creators, and series they follow
tell you what they’re actively trying to improve.
Subscription signals = priority signals.

7. Act Like Your ICP For a Day
Ask yourself:
If I were them, what problems would I think about at 10 a.m.?
Budget. Productivity. Risk. Politics. Efficiency.
Not “culture” or “soft skills.”
Speak to the internal pressure they feel,
not the topic you want to teach.

8. Go One Layer Deeper Than Logic
Once you find the logical problem,
double punch it.
What’s the emotional layer?
Fear of missing targets?
Fear of looking incompetent?
Fear of wasting budget?
Fear of taking a risk and being wrong?
This is the real subtext.

If you understand your ICP’s subtext,
you won’t sound like their 10th vendor.
You’ll sound like the only person
who actually gets how they think.

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P.S. What is the number 1 problem your ICP cares about?

----------------------------------------------------------

➕ Follow Shannon for brain based sales and insight
♻️ Share to help someone see what their buyers really mean

If you can’t regulate...

You can’t close.

Sales exposes you.
You meet yourself in every conversation.

Your patterns.
Your pressure points.
Your nervous system.
And there are truths you can’t bypass.

You can only face them and train your brain to handle them.
Here are the fifteen brutal truths that shape every 
👀 coach
👀 solopreneur
👀 salesperson

Skinny to long.
Short to heavy.

Exactly how they hit in real life.

1. Pain shows.
2. Hope lies.
3. Buyers drift.
4. Silence grows teeth.
5. Confidence is unstable.
6. Urgency fades overnight.
7. Your tone leaks your pressure.
8. Your pipeline mirrors your mind.
9. Hard calls get pushed tomorrow.
10. Deals die from emotional overload.
11. You cling to maybes to avoid rejection.
12. You chase when your nervous system spikes.
13. You fill your calendar instead of your forecast.
14. You talk more when your brain feels threatened.
15. You lose more deals from dysregulation than bad skills.

The people who win aren’t the hardest closers.
They’re the ones who can think when the noise hits.

They regulate faster.
They recover quicker.
They protect their cognitive bandwidth.

If you want a system that reduces noise, 
increases yeses..
and keeps you out of chasing mode
Let's Talk here --> https://lnkd.in/gbfNasyU

PS. Which truth hit the hardest today?

---------------------------------------------------------------

♻️ Share if you’ve lived a brutal truth
➕ Follow Shannon for brain based sales insights

Don’t be afraid to start all over again.

You might like your new story better.

Most people don’t stay with toxic bosses
because they love the job.

They stay because starting over feels risky.

You already invested time.
You already proved yourself.
You already survived this much.

So you tell yourself to push through.
But toxic environments don’t just drain energy.
They slowly rewrite who you think you are.

Confidence narrows.
Vision shrinks.
Your nervous system learns to expect threat.

Starting over isn’t failure.
It’s interruption.
And sometimes, leaving isn’t possible yet.
That’s where people get stuck.

Here’s how to regain agency
even if you can’t leave right now.

Three pillars.
Practical. Grounded. Usable.

1/ Establish your baseline
You need to know your starting state.
Stress feels normal when it’s chronic.
Without data, you guess how you’re doing.
Do this: assess how activated you feel most days.
Do this: track sleep, tension, and recovery honestly.
Baseline awareness tells you whether you’re already 
overloaded before the boss even enters the picture.

2/ Predict instead of brace
Toxic bosses are patterned.
The same situations trigger the same behavior.
Surprise is what spikes threat.
Do this: list the moments they escalate.
Do this: plan your response before it happens.
Prediction gives your nervous system what it desperately wants.
Certainty.

3/Plan recovery like it’s required
Stress doesn’t end when the meeting ends.
Unreleased activation carries forward.
That’s how burnout accumulates.
Do this: schedule recovery after interactions.
Do this: close the stress cycle deliberately.
Recovery restores clarity, confidence, and choice.

This is how you protect yourself
while you decide what comes next.

And if there truly is no exit right now,
you still don’t have to white-knuckle it.

That’s why I built
Toxic Boss Armor.

It gives you a baseline.
Helps you predict patterns.
Builds plans that keep your nervous system intact.

Starting over doesn’t always mean leaving tomorrow.
Sometimes it means reclaiming yourself first.

PS If you could rewrite your work story, 
what would you want to feel differently?

Free resources
https://lnkd.in/guRmdNEu

-----------------------------------------------------------

➕ Follow 🧠 Shannon for brain-based tools to stay clear at work.
♻️ Repost if someone you know is afraid to start again.

Micromanagement breeds compliance.

Not commitment.

When every move is monitored,
every decision is corrected,
and every mistake is highlighted,
the brain stops optimizing for growth.

It starts optimizing for safety.
Micromanagement increases uncertainty.
Uncertainty activates the amygdala.
Threat signaling rises.
The prefrontal cortex goes partially offline.

That’s the biology of it.
The prefrontal cortex is where initiative lives,
creativity lives, and ownership lives.

When threat is present, those functions are deprioritized.
So the nervous system adapts.
People do what’s asked.

They stop offering ideas.
They wait for instructions.
They avoid visibility.

From the outside, it looks like control is working.
From the inside, commitment is already gone.

Chronic micromanagement also keeps the stress axis activated.
Cortisol stays elevated.
Recovery shortens.
Motivation drops.
Burnout becomes inevitable.

This is nervous system load.
Leaders often assume disengagement = people don’t care.

More often, it means their nervous system 
doesn’t feel safe enough to invest.

And if you’re on the receiving end of this,
you don’t need thicker skin.

You need regulation, data, and strategy.

That’s why I built
Toxic Boss Armor.

It helps you understand your nervous system baseline,
predict toxic patterns,
and protect your clarity and confidence
even when leadership doesn’t change.

Compliance is a warning sign.
Commitment only emerges when the brain feels safe.

PS Are you barely hanging on by a thread? 
Get some relief --> https://lnkd.in/guRmdNEu

-------------------------------------------------------

➕ Follow Shannon for brain-based tools for surviving a toxic boss.
♻️ Repost if someone you know is stuck under a micromanager.

The answer doesn’t show up when you chase it

It shows up when you stop gripping.

Most people try to solve problems by applying more force.

❌ More analysis.
❌ More urgency.
❌ More mental effort.

The brain hears that as threat.
So it tightens.

When pressure rises,
the nervous system shifts into control mode.

Attention narrows.
Thinking becomes repetitive.

The brain looks for the least risky answer,
not the most interesting one.

That’s why clarity feels elusive when you need it most.
Insight lives in a quieter state.

When the parasympathetic nervous system activates,
the body settles.

Heart rate slows.
Breath deepens.
Internal noise drops.

In that state, the brain starts integrating 
instead of defending.

Patterns rearrange.
Meaning surfaces.
You don’t force the answer.
You notice it.

Psychological safety is what gives the nervous system
permission to loosen its grip.

It tells the brain:
🧠 You’re allowed to pause.
🧠 You’re allowed to wonder.
🧠 You’re allowed to see this differently.

Without safety, the brain loops.
With safety, the brain listens.

No calm, no coherence.
No coherence, no insight.

Here’s how to invite clarity back in:
1️⃣ Soften the body first
Longer exhales reduce neural noise.
The mind follows the body into calm.

2️⃣ Remove time pressure from thinking
Urgency activates threat circuits.
Space restores perspective.

3️⃣ Be alone long enough to hear yourself
Solitude lowers social evaluation.
The quiet reveals what you already know.

The answer isn’t missing.
It’s waiting for peace to rise high enough
for you to hear it.

PS: Where do your clearest insights tend to appear?

Join us for psych safety --> https://lnkd.in/gbfNasyU

Video Credit: Unknown

-------------------------------------------------------------

👉 Follow Shannon for neuroscience-backed insights
♻️ Share this if you want to help others grow

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Bill Dolan (Spirit Media)

🧠 Shannon Smith, J.D., M.S. 🚀

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The Battle

Bill Dolan (Spirit Media)

🧠 Shannon Smith, J.D., M.S. 🚀

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);}Bill Dolan (Spirit Media)'s LinkedIn Performance

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