I believe even the hardest things, misunderstood tools, complex stories, or painful experiences, can be turned into a force for good. That’s what drew me to social media: a space that’s often written off as shallow or overwhelming, but when used well, can move people to act, connect deeply, and create real change.

After a decade working on hundreds of social media campaigns, I’ve seen both sides of it. The impact side and the frustrating side. I’ve watched leaders pour time and resources into social without results, feeling like they’re shouting into the void.

I often hear:
"Social isn't working for us."
 "This is so frustrating."
 "You're my last stop before I throw in the towel."

That’s exactly why I founded Cause Fokus—a social-first thought leadership agency that helps executives and founders step confidently into their story, build trust, and turn their influence into impact.

We use empathy-driven strategy, grounded in human psychology, to get you in the room with the people who matter most to your mission. I’ve had the privilege of leading social for U.S. policymakers, international NGOs, small businesses, professional athletes, artists, and global change-makers.

And yes, I’m very proud of my Swedish roots, so you might hear me talk a lot about quality over quantity, fika breaks ☕️, and clarity in everything I do. (That’s also why "fokus" is spelled with a k. 😉)

3 ways to work with me:

- Subscribe to my free newsletter
- Hire me as a fractional consultant
- Hire our team for LinkedIn content strategy & support

CASE STUDY: Turning Influence into Opportunity

A CEO of a patient advocacy foundation came to me with a big problem: no traction from their company’s LinkedIn ad campaigns. Cold outreach was falling flat. They were losing momentum with healthcare partners—and couldn’t afford to keep spinning their wheels.

Our solution:

We activated the Chief Development Officer’s personal LinkedIn presence.
In his own voice, we posted 3–4 times a week, spoke directly to the pain points of ideal partners, engaged in strategic conversations, and sent warm, personalized messages to his top-tier contact list.

In just 6 months:
- His content reached 100,000+ impressions
- Profile views from key decision-makers jumped 508%
- Connection acceptance rate hit 60%
- A major lapsed partner re-engaged and said: “I love what you’re doing on LinkedIn. I can tell the organization is taking a turn for the better. Let’s chat.”

Because when the right people trust you, the right doors start opening.
Trust is currency. Let’s spend it well!

Brynne Krispin

One year ago today, I received this email from LinkedIn inviting me into the Top Voices program.

It's been a journey!!

But here's what I want you to know:

The badge didn't change anything.

Not my credibility, influence, or ability to connect with the right people.

All of that was built in the years before the badge ever showed up.

Every single post I published was a tiny experiment.

An experiment to figure out who I am. What I actually believe. The message I want to clearly communicate.

And an experiment to see what resonates. What sticks. What makes people stop scrolling and say, "Yes, that."

Some posts flopped. Some I cringe at even now! Some got 3 likes and a comment from my dad. 🙃

But every single one gave me data.

Data about my voice.
Data about my audience.
Data about what it looks like to keep showing up, even when it feels like no one's watching.

If you're just starting out, remember this:

→ You don't need a badge to have influence.
→ You don't need permission to share your ideas.
→ You don't need to wait until you've "figured it out."

The figuring out happens in the posting.

Every time you hit publish, you learn something. About yourself. About your audience. About what you're actually here to say.

So if you've been sitting on the sidelines, waiting for some sign that you're ready...

This is it.

Start experimenting. Start failing. Start learning.

The badge is just a byproduct. The real win is becoming the kind of person who shows up anyway.

What's one thing you've learned from posting that surprised you? 👀

Your book: polished, well-researched, years in the making.
Your keynote: compelling, rehearsed, standing ovations.
Your decades of experience: undeniable.
Your LinkedIn presence... 

😬😬😬

If this hits a little too close to home, you're not alone!

So many brilliant leaders have built incredible bodies of work, but when it comes to showing up online, it feels awkward. Unnatural. Like you're suddenly forgetting how to do the thing you've done your whole career.

You don't need to become a content creator. You just need a strategy that actually fits how you think and work.

That's exactly what we're building together in the Thoughtful Leaders Cohort starting Feb. 4!

Small group. No fluff. Just a clear path from invisible to in-demand — on your terms.

We have a few spots left, and I'd love for you to join us!! 
📓 Sign up: https://lnkd.in/eza5za4r

I've seen one LinkedIn post lead to a multi-million dollar corporate grant for a nonprofit. Here's exactly how it happened:

A subject matter expert at a nonprofit posted a niche, data-driven piece about a new initiative they were rolling out. I remember her asking, "Do you think people will actually care about all these nerdy details?" 

I said: "Yes! The nerdier the better."

She walked through why they were investing in it, shared some of the candid conversations that led to the decision, and made a case for why it was the right move.

It wasn't viral content, but it was strategic content. The post got around 10 likes.

But then a World Economic Forum employee saw that post. Sent her a DM: "This aligns so well with our conference theme. Would you be open to submitting a proposal to speak at WEF?"

She said yes.

A few months later, she gave a powerful talk on exactly what her post laid out to a room full of global leaders and policy experts.

A major corporate foundation was in the room, and they asked to meet. 
After a series of conversations and proposals, they funded a comprehensive study. 

Then another grant to develop initiatives with a local government. 
Then a third grant to support practical interventions.

One post → One DM → Millions in funding.

Now, you might say: "That's just luck. You can't plan for that."

And you're right — you can't fully predict these moments.

But you can increase the odds.

You can stop posting randomly and start positioning strategically. You can ask yourself: Who are the game-changers who need to see my content? What do they care about? What would make them stop scrolling and say, "We need this person in the room"?

Connect with them. Engage with them. Post for them.

The more you post with intention, the more you turn random into predictable.

You can wait for the right moment to find you.

Or you can create the conditions for it to happen.

What's one opportunity that came from a post you didn't expect?

I'm extremely picky about who I connect with on LinkedIn. It's one of the top questions clients ask me: 

"Should I accept every connection request? What's your process?"

My take: There's no one-size-fits-all answer. Your strategy depends on your goals, your capacity, and who you're trying to reach.

But if it's helpful, here's exactly how I filter connection requests:

First, I look at their profile. I consider:

→ What their headline says about what they do.
→ If they've posted recently, and what they're sharing.
→ Whether their content makes me think.

Then I ask myself a few questions:

→ Could I realistically see myself having a strategic conversation with this person?
→ Are they sharing ideas that challenge me or teach me something?
→ Would I want to work with them someday — as a collaborator, client, or peer?
→ Or does their profile scream "I'm going to pitch you something in 30 seconds"?

If the answer to that last one is yes, I pass.

My feed is my learning environment. My network is my community. And I want both to feel like spaces where real conversations happen.

Your approach might be totally different, and that's okay.

Maybe you're in growth mode and want to cast a wide net.
Maybe you're more open to serendipity.
Maybe you have more bandwidth than I do.

The goal isn't to copy my process, but to develop one that truly serves you.

For me, a curated network is about intention.

What's your filtering process? I'm curious how others approach this. 👀

Excited to welcome these newest members of our team!! 🎉

We're growing! Meet the newest members of our team! 🎉

👋 Daren Colbert – Ghostwriter
Daren helps CEOs and senior leaders translate hard-earned leadership lessons, strategic insights, and culture-building beliefs into LinkedIn posts, newsletters, blogs, and email campaigns that build trust and drive real business outcomes. He blends narrative craft with direct-response discipline to make leaders sound unmistakably like themselves—only sharper. Off the clock, he’s a husband and proud dad who still believes stories can change outcomes when they’re told with honesty and heart.

👋 Alex Piscatelli – Content Strategist
Alex is a social media strategist and creator based in San Francisco. Her media and storytelling experience ranges from newsrooms such as E! News and San Diego’s public media station, to nonprofit clients Saga Education, It Gets Better, and more. She is currently a graduate student researching grief and representation in media and popular culture, and writes and podcasts at griefandmedia.com.

👋 Max Moclock – Outbound Specialist
Max is a brand strategist who helps organizations cut through the noise. He’s guided everyone from federal agencies launching mission-critical initiatives to consumer retailers building breakthrough digital experiences–all focused on one thing: crystallizing go-to-market strategies that deliver results. When he’s not sharpening brands, he's throwing punches in kickboxing, playing ice hockey, or practicing piano.

We are beyond thrilled to have Daren, Alex, and Max on board as we continue to help leaders turn their expertise into impact. Help us welcome them to the team!

I ended the year with 72 drafts sitting in my "to post" folder. 🙃 
Here's exactly what I'm doing to turn that pile of drafts into actual published posts this year:

1. Turn on my Olivia Dean playlist.
   
2. Open my custom AI agent (the same model we use for our Builder clients).
   
3. Drop all 72 drafts in.
   
4. Upload my 2026 priorities doc so my agent knows what I want to focus on this year.
   
5. Ask it to rate each draft based on two things (using a scoring sheet):
   → How aligned is it with my goals?
   → How close is it to being done?

6. Move the ranked drafts into my content calendar.
    
7. Block 1 hour each week to finalize and schedule.

That's it.

I don't have time to waste staring at a blank page. No more "what should I post today?" panic. No more letting good ideas collect dust.

The goal isn't to post more.

It's to post smarter with intention, aligned to where I'm headed.

If you've got a graveyard of drafts haunting your notes app, give this a try and start building on what you already have.

What's one draft you've been sitting on that deserves to finally see the light? 

p.s. We're accepting 2 more Builder clients Feb. 1. Message me if you need help with this!

In the late 1700s, a scientist discovered hydrogen, calculated the Earth's density, and laid the groundwork for Ohm's Law.

Almost no one knew.

His name was Henry Cavendish, and he hated being seen. He rarely published. When he did, it was quiet and incomplete. His genius stayed hidden in notebooks until after he died.

Compare that to Einstein — another introvert, but one who understood that for ideas to matter, they have to reach people.

Two brilliant minds. Two very different legacies.

When I first read about Cavendish, I got a pit in my stomach. Because for years, I was the same way. Content to stay behind the scenes, ghostwriting for others, believing the work should speak for itself.

It took me a long time to realize the quiet cost of remaining behind the scenes.

Full article below. ↴

In the late 1700s, there lived a man who changed science forever, and almost no one knew it. His name was Henry Cavendish, and he hated being seen. He

Open article: The Cost of Remaining Behind the Scenes by Brynne Krispin • 4 min read

One of our writers just turned a Slack message into a viral post.

A client sent over a rough idea: "I want a post about supply chain delays in my industry. I've been hearing the wait times are getting out of control."

He mentioned a few data points he wanted included. A case study he remembered hearing about. He knew the angle — these delays are holding up growth and threatening long-term stability.

Some writers would've taken that brief and started typing.

Ours didn't.

She built a deep research framework:

→ Current lead times across multiple product categories
→ Industry reports on what's causing the delays
→ How these bottlenecks impact downstream projects and infrastructure
→ The specific case study and what actually happened
→ The broader implications for the industry's future

14 pages of research later, she had a comprehensive deep dive.

Then she summarized it. Drafted the post. Revised it several times.

And here's the step most people skip:

She ran the final post back against the original research to check for content decay — making sure nothing got diluted, no context was lost, and every statement still aligned with the source material.

The client posted it with minimal edits, and it took off.

Why? Because it was SO specific.

Not "5 tips for better leadership."
Not "Here's how to scale your business."

It was the exact frustration his audience was already feeling, articulated in a way they hadn't seen before.

This is what we train our writers to do.

They're constantly looking for signals. 

Picking up on the things you mention in passing. Researching what your audience is saying when you're not in the room and what keeps them up at night.

They think like detectives, not order-takers.

And in a world drowning in generic AI content, that's the difference between getting scrolled past and stopping someone mid-scroll.

Depth is your differentiator. Lean into it!

Arthur Brooks is a happiness expert. He started with anxiety and depression.

I picked up his book at a used bookstore a few weeks ago ("Build the Life You Want"), and it completely reframed how I think about expertise. 

Brooks didn't write because he had all the answers. 
He wrote because he was desperate to find them. 
His expertise was born out of his own struggle.

This resonated deeply with me, because so many of the founders and executives I work with are waiting to share their ideas until they feel "ready." They're waiting until the framework is polished, the book is finished, or they finally feel like a real expert.

But here's what I've learned after working with 50+ experts: the ones who resonate most aren't the ones who've "arrived." They're the ones still in motion — still learning, still figuring it out, still willing to say "I don't have all the answers yet."

That honesty makes you more trustworthy, not less. Your audience doesn't need you to be perfect. They need you to be a few steps ahead, willing to share what you're learning along the way.

So if you've been sitting on the sidelines, waiting until you feel like an expert... you already are one. You just haven't started talking about it yet.

What's something you're still learning that you could also be teaching?

Becoming an Expert - Brynne Krispin

Ellis Bennett ACCA

Have you given up on managing accountancy & taxes for your business?

Setting up a business is no walk in the park, let alone managing the financial aspect of it.

It requires intense efforts to make sure you’re on the right track.

Miss one tax deadline, and you might end up paying double in penalty.

I know it’s overwhelming as a founder.

Now imagine you have an expert who takes care of all your accountancy and tax situation.

You don’t have to worry about taxes.
You don’t have to panic while planning your budget.
You know where you stand in terms of profits and losses.
You have someone you can rely on to manage the financials.

Amazing, isn’t it?

That’s what getting an expert feels like.

I’m Ellis, an ACCA Chartered Accountant, Director at EA Accountancy, and Author of The Solopreneur Start-Up Bible.

I help, advise, and guide start-ups, businesses, and young entrepreneurs through the whirlwind of accountancy and taxes.

I’ve served over 300+ satisfied clients, and I’m all in to help you!

Now, I’m not the accountant who speaks to you once a year in a robotic tone.

I’m more like your business partner.

I help you every step of the way (even acting like a therapist if you need one).

My services include:

• VAT
• Accounts
• Payroll
• Pensions
• Tax Advice
• Tax Planning
• Personal Tax
• Bookkeeping
• Accounting Software
• Company Incorporations
• Registered Office Address
• Capital Gains Tax Disclosures
• Business Planning And Advice

I also offer consultation for new business owners or people looking to hire an accountant so you have clarity for your next steps.

If you think I can help you with any of the above or would like to connect over a Discovery Call, feel free to drop me a DM.

Chartered Accountant

Went skiing recently.

Good news: I survived.
Bad news: I’m awful.

No natural ability.

No transferable skills.

Just me falling over while kids flew past me like it was nothing.

Very humbling.

Also weirdly enjoyable.

Being bad at something you don’t tie your identity to is underrated.

10/10 would embarrass myself again.

Ellis Bennett FCCA

Simplifying Accountancy and maximising Tax Efficiency for Business Owners | Director - EA Accountancy 👨🏼‍💻 💸

We said no to a client this month.

On paper, they were perfect:
– Good revenue
– Decent margins
– “Urgent” need for an accountant

But the red flags were obvious in the first conversation.

They wanted speed over clarity.

They wanted reassurance, not honesty.

They wanted someone to *clean things up*, not change how decisions were made.

That’s not a bad client.

It’s just not *our* client.

We’ve capped new work because I’d rather:
– Reply properly
– Think clearly
– Give advice that actually improves the business

Than grow for the sake of it.

Being selective isn’t arrogance.

It’s the only way professional services stay good.

Last year I made a conscious decision to simplify my life.

Not because I burned out.
Not because I had to.

Because I wanted to perform better.

Less noise.
Less forced social plans.
Less doing things out of obligation.

More:

– Work I actually care about
– Training properly
– Time with family
– Headspace

I’m taking the same approach into this year.

Probably even stricter.

It won’t look exciting to everyone.
It doesn’t need to.

If I want to humble myself emotionally, I’ll just watch Man Utd.

Job done.

We closed the books to new clients recently.

Not as a growth play.
Not as a marketing tactic.

Because unlimited growth is how service firms lose quality.

I like being able to:
– Reply without rushing
– Think before answering
– Give advice I’d actually stand by

That only works when capacity is respected.

Most firms chase “more”.

We protect standards.

And yes, that means saying no more often than saying yes.

Most accountants are paid to keep you calm.

Not to tell you the truth.

“You’re fine.”

“Nothing to worry about.”

“We’ll look at it at year-end.”

That isn’t advice.

It’s sedation.

If your margins are drifting, cash is tight, and decisions feel reactive, silence isn’t helping you, it’s delaying the problem.

Good advice is sometimes uncomfortable.

It forces trade-offs.

It challenges behaviour.

If your accountant has never made you pause and think,

they’re probably not advising, they’re just filing.

Just back from a stag do.

Here’s what it taught me about B2B sales:
1️⃣ Drink water
2️⃣ Pace yourself
3️⃣ Know when to leave the bar
4️⃣ Don’t trust the quiet bloke
5️⃣ Always have a plan

Only joking.

Not every life event is a “B2B sales lesson”.

Sometimes you just went on a stag do, got battered, and spent £11 on a vodka Red Bull.

LinkedIn… relax.

I keep seeing the same thing.

Agencies doing £400k–£600k turnover…
…but the founder still feels underpaid for the responsibility they carry.

The numbers usually look like this:
– Decent gross margin
– Team costs creeping up
– No forecasting
– Founder pay decided last, not planned

Revenue hides the problem.
Cash exposes it.

Turnover doesn’t fix poor structure.
And scaling a messy setup just makes the gaps bigger.

I don’t care if a business hits £1m.
I care how it got there.

If margins are thin,
decision-making is reactive,
and the founder can’t take money out consistently,
the number means nothing.

I run the firm the same way I train:
– Sustainable pace
– Clear limits
– Long-term thinking

Impressive screenshots don’t build good businesses.
Disciplined systems do.

Last week felt like everything that could’ve happened, happened.

Nothing went wrong.

Which somehow made it worse.

Just one thing after another:
“Oh and this as well.”

Inbox full.
Calendar stacked.
Brain running on low power mode.

Running a business is basically solving problems until you go to bed.

Then thinking about them anyway.

Still wouldn’t swap it.

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The Battle

Brynne Krispin

Ellis Bennett ACCA

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taplio

The Battle

Brynne Krispin

Ellis Bennett ACCA

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);}Brynne Krispin's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreEllis Bennett ACCA's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreBrynne Krispin's LinkedIn Performance