Cause Fokus

Named Top 10 Best New Advertising Startup Revolutionizing the US Market by BestStartup. We're a small, nimble agency (team of 10) that takes the stress of creating compelling thought leadership content off your plate so you can focus on what you're good at: serving communities that are changing the world! 

Services: 
- Social Media Audits & Strategies
- Thought Leadership & Ghostwriting for Executives
- Weekly Content Creation & Engagement
- Warm & Friendly Lead Generation

Founder & CEO

LinkedIn

An invite-only community featuring a global group of experts on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn Top Voice Community Member (North America)

Friends of the Child Advocacy Center

Board Member - Social Media

SheLeadsAI

A society of pioneers, innovators, and visionaries paving the way in AI.

SheLeadsAI Society Member

Paragonn Web Development

Paragonn is a digital agency based in Washington, D.C. Working with their incredible team of web developers and designers allowed me to offer clients full digital experiences when needed. Paragonn provides web development, web design, SalesForce, SEO, and digital marketing services across the globe.

Director of Marketing and Business Development

International Justice Mission

Oversaw paid and organic content development, strategy and community engagement for a social audience of 650,000 followers
Created and implemented cross-platform strategies for global campaigns
Secured cause-driven placement and assisted in developing influencer partnerships
Developed brand and campaign-specific best practice guides for content distribution
Served as creative producer for social copy, design and video content
Set and maintained paid CTR average 50% above industry standard
Percent increases: +165% followers, +30% engagement, +70% impressions

Social Media Marketing Manager

Family Research Council

Managed the accounts for FRC’s 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), Super PAC, and CEO on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with an audience of 430,000 followers
Engaged and increased followers through content creation and social advertising
Developed and implemented digital marketing campaigns
Oversaw social media training programs for the organization
Increased engagement across all social media platforms by 360%

Social Media Manager

Trinity International University

Recruited students by assisting them through the admissions process
Evaluated college transcripts and facilitated student visa procedures 
Oversaw social media initiatives & assisted with content writing for the undergrad. enrollment team
Increased transfer & international student enrollment by 33% in 2014

Transfer & International Advisor

ANN INC (Ann Taylor | LOFT | Lou & Grey)

Sales Lead

Designed materials to increase university enrollment 
Collaborated with others to produce documents for university publications

Marketing & Design Intern

Managed admissions counselors’ social media pages
Communicated with prospective students via phone, email, & text message

Admissions Office Assistant

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 media and thought leadership agency that helps purpose-driven leaders step confidently into their story, build trust, and turn their influence into impact.

We use empathy-driven strategy, grounded in human behavior, 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 the way it is 😉)

3 ways to work with me:

- Subscribe to my free newsletter
- Hire me as a fractional consultant
- Hire our team for full 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

I told a packed room in Oklahoma City about the time my life fell apart. 

Standing room only.
All eyes on me.
And I wanted them to know the truth.

Because when you're in survival mode, needing to secure funding like your life depends on it... the marketing noise and B2B guru advice falls flat.

What I needed then, and what I know many leaders need now, is not more pitch decks or performative posts. It's a proven strategy to leverage LinkedIn for impact: breaking down overwhelming problems into smaller, manageable steps that lead to opportunities you've only ever dreamed about.

That's what LinkedIn did for me three years ago, and I literally can't stop talking about how powerful this platform can be!

I also shared in a separate talk about the work we're doing to train AI agents on how to be more empathetic. Our incredible CAIO, Kristina Sorrelli, created a brand new Empathy Engine Knowledge File specifically for the leaders in this room to upload to ChatGPT during the talk and begin practicing with it. It was so much fun! 🤓  

But the best part...

Meeting so many of you in real life — leaders I’ve admired from afar, whose comments and content have inspired me for years.

Your kindness, your questions, your vulnerability in the room… it reminded me why I do this work.

Social media is just the tool. Empathy is the engine.
And when we use these platforms with intention and clarity, they can open doors we didn’t know existed.

Thank you again to the Sarkeys Foundation for the invitation and to every single person who showed up, asked hard questions, and stayed after to keep the conversation going.

If we didn’t get a chance to connect, or if you want to explore what it looks like to bring this kind of training to your company or organization, my DMs are open.

We’re just getting started. 💛

p.s. Thank you for the photo Edie A. Tolbert and for the dinner rec Elizabeth Beck! The pink fries at Spark were 🤌. 

Jon McCoy, Becky Endicott, Dana Snyder, Cindy Wagman, Nathan Chappell, MBA, MNA, CFRE, AIGP, Haley Cooper, Kim Henry

#ThoughtLeadership #EmpathyDrivenMarketing #NonprofitLeadership #LinkedInStrategy #SocialImpact #SarkeysFoundation #CauseFokus #AIForGood #EmpathyInAction

Still taking it all in! On Friday night, Cause Fokus was named Social Media Agency of the Year at #SpeakerCon2025.

The event was held at the incredible Busboys and Poets, and I was surrounded by leaders who are using their platforms to move people toward justice, healing, and change.

Standing on that stage, I shared a bit of my own journey, one that started not with a business plan or a perfect pitch deck, but with burnout and grief. In the kind of season where it’s hard to even imagine the next step, let alone lead others.

Year 1 of building Cause Fokus was the hardest year of my life. And more than once, it was someone else’s story of resilience that kept me going.

So if you’re in that kind of season now, just know:
- Your story is not too much.
- It’s not too messy.
- It’s never too late to share it.

The stories we tell, and even more so, the ones we almost didn’t, can be lifelines. Someone, somewhere, needs to hear it.

To our small but mighty team — thank you for doing social differently and taking risks! Your care, creativity, and belief in doing social differently are what make this work possible.

To our clients — thank you for trusting us with your voice. For sharing your stories. For showing up with courage in spaces that weren’t always designed for people like you.

And to Dr. Cheryl Wood — thank you for building a space that honors both resilience and results. Your work makes space for so many of us to rise.

Celebrating with parents was the cherry on top! Love you, Mom and Dad!

This work is hard, but honestly, when was anything good in life ever easy?
Here’s to more grit, grace, and the stories that carry us forward! 🥂

Beep beep! 🚙  LinkedIn just announced it’s switching from a social graph to an interest graph. Here's what this means for thought leaders and subject matter experts.

Brought to you from my mini cooper with my mini mic. 😉 What would you like the next tip to be about?

We helped a CEO go from invisible to in-demand in 90 days. Here’s exactly what we did. 👇

When the founder of a child safety nonprofit first came to us, she had deep expertise, a strong network, and a mission that mattered.

But…
Like so many nonprofit leaders we work with, she didn’t have time to figure out how to show up consistently on LinkedIn. 

The pressure of saying the right thing, showing up the “right” way, and staying on top of social trends made it easier to just… not post at all.

Her story isn’t unique.
Many of the social impact leaders we support aren’t trying to become influencers — they just want to be trusted, visible, and understood.

So here’s what we did to help her get there without burning out or adding more to her plate:

1. Clarified her core content themes around tech accountability and child safety
2. Shifted from reactive to proactive posting — with a clear rhythm and schedule
3. Added variety: carousels, photos, text-only, and strategic reposts
4. Built emotional urgency with bold calls to action
5. Spoke directly to her #1 target audience in every post
6. Encouraged trust-building interactions through comments, tags, and thoughtful engagement

The results in 90 days:

57% follower growth
A 951% increase in impressions
Two viral posts (50k and 75k impressions)
915% increase in reach

And most importantly: a 20%+ active engagement rate — our internal benchmark for content that actually resonates, not just performs.

This didn’t happen because of an ad budget or automation.

It happened because we helped her unlock expertise she already had, and built a strategy that matched her capacity and conviction.

In a closed-door meeting with other top industry experts, her LinkedIn was called out as an example of how to put words into action. People she's admired from afar are now reaching out to her for advice.

So if you’ve been wondering whether LinkedIn can work for you, the answer is: Yes!
But you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Want to see what 90 days could do for your voice online?

Let’s talk.

No alternative text description for this image

A few weeks ago, I did something I’ve been putting off for years:
I joined a coworking space.

For an introvert who’s been very content working from her peaceful home office for the past 3 years, this was a big (and honestly, intimidating) step. I love my quiet. I love my routine. 

But as I cross the 3-year mark as an entrepreneur, I’m chasing connection more than anything.

Already, this small step has led to meaningful moments:
🧠 Whiteboarding ideas with other curious humans
💬 Swapping business tips with fellow founders between calls
🥹 My first Friendsgiving (!)
🙌 And a sense of shared energy I didn’t realize I was missing

Hands down, the connection far outweighs the discomfort.

The more I lead, the more I believe:
We weren’t meant to build things alone.
We need real humans to laugh with, challenge our overthinking, and remind us we’re not the only ones figuring it out as we go.

So to my fellow introverts out there... this is your sign to get out of the house!

To the people I’ve met IRL this year — thank you. I’m so, so grateful.

What uncomfortable thing are you ready to embrace?

p.s. I think my small talk still needs some work, though. Someone asked me what I've been reading lately, and it turned into a conversation about funerals, cemeteries, and death. 😬 maybe I'll stick to the weather next time?

If you're not recalibrating your LinkedIn strategy after the 360Brew rollout, you're going to get left behind. The new LinkedIn is all about positioning, not performance.

A Top Voice creator told me this: "My feed’s been stacked with fluff, and TBH my own posts were starting to sneak into that same trap, so I’m stepping back to recalibrate."

Smart.

You can’t out-post incoherence.
You can’t out-hustle misalignment.
And you definitely can’t build trust with fluff.

Here’s what we’re seeing work right now with our executive clients who want their content to lead to revenue, partnerships, and trust — not just views:

1. Start with strategic clarity.

Before you post anything, ask:
What do I want to be known for?
Not just in theory — in keywords. In categories. In partnerships.

Your content isn’t a diary. It’s positioning.
If a corporate partner or ideal customer landed on your profile today, would they get what you do in 10 seconds?

Now's the time to update those bios and headlines. New year, new clarity!

2. Teach the algorithm how to think about you.

Every post builds a pattern. LinkedIn doesn’t just track activity anymore, it tracks meaning. That means:

- Posts with a clear throughline perform better
- Vague “updates” get buried
- Deep, reflective thought wins over high-frequency noise

Embrace a slower content model:
Fewer, richer posts that sound like you, backed by your lived expertise, not AI filler.

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

3. Treat engagement like a narrative strategy, not a numbers game. 

We’re not chasing vanity metrics here. We’re training the algorithm and building relationships. Instead of liking 47 posts and commenting on viral fluff, we’re guiding clients to:

- Engage in the rooms you want to be invited into
- Leave comments like a subject matter expert, not a fan
- Respond like someone building trust, not chasing clout

Tip: Warm up your feed before and after you post. It works! This signals deeper engagement. Not posting and ghosting.

🧠 Final thought:

Great thought leadership has never been about volume. 
It’s all about resonance. Relevance. Repeatability.

So if you're the type of leader who likes to think before they speak and focus on quality over quantity, this algorithm shift is for YOU.

The best thing you can do right now isn’t to post more.
It’s to recalibrate with intention.

👀 Want us to do a quick diagnostic on your profile or recent content? Send me a message.

#ThoughtLeadership #LinkedInStrategy #PersonalBranding #QuietLeader

When you're operating in survival mode, your brain is literally doing its job: telling you to stay safe...

Don’t take risks.
Don’t speak up.
Don’t post that thing.
Don’t move.
Just survive.

But here’s what your brain doesn’t always realize:
Sometimes the safest thing you can do… is take the smallest risk.

😊 Say yes to coworking with a friend.
🫣 Say yes to that project that excites you (even if you don’t have it 100% figured out).
😬 Say yes to sharing a little bit more about what you do—yes, even in “just” LinkedIn post.

For anyone currently in that stuck place—I see you.
Getting out of survival mode isn’t about going big.
It’s about taking one brave, uncomfortable step at a time.

And I'll be honest: I powered through every cringy, uncomfortable post in the beginning. Was it awkward? YES.

Were there some posts I’d definitely rewrite today? Oh, absolutely. But each time I hit “post,” I was building something:
A habit.
A rhythm.
A little more clarity in my voice.
A little more courage in my story.
And a ton of resilience.

The habit and the practice far outweigh any uncomfortable feeling.

And each time you show up, even imperfectly, your brain learns:
“Oh. I can do that scary thing… and the world isn't going to fall apart.”

So while you're building a personal brand and thought leadership... you're also healing your nervous system.

You're teaching yourself to keep showing up even when the rewards are uncertain. That's the key to going from good to great.

And if all you did today was show up online a little more human, a little more honest...
That’s courageous leadership. 

Keep going! You've got this. 💪

This summer, we completely overhauled our client communications. The cadence was running just fine... there was nothing terribly wrong with it, but I just kept feeling like it was missing something: depth.

We get to work with some of the world's top thinkers and innovators, and yet our time with them was packed into a weekly 30 min. meeting covering logistics and to-dos. 

Something needed to shift. We needed room to breathe, think, let clients go down rabbit holes, and share those out-there ideas and brilliant insights without checking the clock.

So we threw out the old system and rolled out something new.

Before: Weekly 30-min. check-ins
After: Monthly 1-hour clarity calls + Monthly 30-min check-ins

Now we have:
✅ Space to analyze post performance—what's actually landing on LinkedIn
✅ Room to review thought leadership goals and platform shifts
✅ Time to revisit strategy (not just content ideas)
✅ Space for story time! The wins, the rants, the random moments in life that actually make the best content

Already, we've discussed:
- An innovative project idea for a nonprofit that needs to reach new audiences
- Connecting the dots from a case study to a major cultural moment
- A message experiment to help a leader break into a brand new industry 
- Is Bigfoot real? 😂 (heated debate)

And we're just getting started!

One client said: “I love this. I’d much rather go deep once a month than scratch the surface every week.”

And our team is feeling the same way, walking away with more energy and clarity than ever before.

It's a great reminder that systems and workflows may seem like the boring parts of business, but they truly can help you increase the value and outcomes for the people you're serving.

It was a change in how we prioritize attention, insight, and leadership visibility.

And why at Cause Fokus, we’ll always prioritize deep clarity over surface-level busyness.

If you’ve felt stuck in your own weekly whirlpool of “getting things done,” don't be afraid to toss it out the window and start fresh. Maybe you need space, like we did, to see clearly again.

P.S. Huge shoutout to Amy Ogren, who is a calendar wizard and helped us pull this off! Finding time with C-suite execs is no walk in the park. 🫠

Niall Cleaver

Cupsly

Cupsly was designed as a reminder to slow down to make space for presence in a world that rarely pauses. An object of quiet confidence, crafted for those who lead with intention and dress with care because true connection doesn’t demand attention, it lives in the moments we choose to hold onto.

Founder

Social Library

Are you struggling to grow an engaging community for your business or personal brand.

Stop right there, I think I have you covered ⬇️

This is me (Niall), I'm a 22-year-old who is fascinated by growing communities in the online space. Actual communities that have meaning and purpose. 

The services we provide at Social Library 

➡️ Personal Branding (LinkedIn)

➡️ Guidance & support consulting


Drop me a message to discuss your social media strategy, review how well your current socials/posts are doing, and research how we can build your community and gain you more followers and leads.

or you can email us @

hello@sociallibrary.co.uk

Thistle Scientific Ltd - Where Customer Care Comes Naturally

Distribution Manager

Cleaver Scientific Ltd

Stores and Distribution Team Leader

Documenting the journey of crafting a timeless coffee cup brand | CEO & Founder of Cupsly

Hi, I’m Niall Cleaver, founder of Cupsly, a timeless reusable coffee cup brand launching in 2025.

But my story isn’t about a polished entrepreneur. My journey hasn’t been traditional. I left school without an English qualification, uncertain of what the future held. That failure shaped me, it forced me to think differently, fall into business, and ultimately embrace creativity, resilience, and the belief that change is possible, even when doubted.

Fast forward to today, and I’m the founder of Cupsly. The idea originated from my own frustration in my own life I couldn’t find a reusable coffee cup that matched my style. Everything felt cheap or uninspired, and I hated the idea of carrying something that didn’t reflect me. Cupsly is crafting a reusable coffee cup, elevating it into a symbol of fashion.

EVERY SIP STARTS A STORY

Do you know what I love about working for a family business?

The debates.

I know it sounds weird, but when two generations meet, there are always going to be differences. There's always the little comments like this:

- I think you should do it this way.
- I’m not sure that’s right.
- Are you sure?

But if you take a step back… this is healthy.

It’s what every successful business should be striving for. It’s these differences in opinions that keep it interesting, and it makes your business better.

Great businesses aren’t built by avoiding difficult conversations. They’re built by welcoming them, listening to them, and using them to move forward together.

So I guess I’ve got some more debates with the old man to have.

Growing Thistle Scientific, a UK manufacturer supporting researchers worldwide. Sharing real lessons in business.

There was a time when I’d do anything to avoid the sentence...

“I work for my family business.” But let me explain why this is so wrong.

There are so many of us who are fighting this thought, but we don't have to. It doesn't make you less of a successful person by doing so. Do you know why?

Because you bring your own style
Because you bring a younger perspective
Because you create the change the future needs

Nothing will ever be just handed to you.

If anything, for me, I've felt even more pressure because I want to make sure I take it to the next level. I want to actually earn it.

For ages, I thought success meant carving something out with only my name attached. But the truth is, showing up every day and choosing to improve what’s already there is just as hard, maybe harder.

And it keeps reminding me of something:

You’re not less ambitious because you step into a business.
You’re not less successful because you’re building onto something.

Anyway, just wanted to share what’s been rattling around my head lately.

POV: You decided to take your family business seriously…

Not long ago, I hated the idea of joining the family business.
I thought it meant I couldn’t build something on my own.

But here I am, happier than ever to be part of the mission, working toward what’s next. Building two things wasn’t the plan, but sometimes life guides you somewhere unexpected.

Last week was a big reminder of why this matters…

Two days spent deep in meetings, collaborating, and figuring out the steps to help even more researchers on their journeys.

I’ve got my buzz back. I’m loving it. Loved every minute with the Thistle Scientific team. There’s so much more to come.

P.S. I've never wanted to share this side of my journey, but it's the real side I want to share more of.

If you looked at my LinkedIn, you’d think all I do is build brands.

But behind the scenes, we’re helping cure cancer.

It's incredible to be part of this team, helping to keep the entire world safe. It feels pretty weird to finally open up about this side of my life, but I'm proud of it.

We’re designing and developing products that help researchers cure cancer, create new medicines, and tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges.

I don't know why I've never really spoken about this before, but I'm excited to share more about it and how we continue to help fight some of the world's biggest battles in 2026.

People are getting building in public wrong.

I've seen it happen multiple times...

As someone who has shared a lot of my journey on this platform, and heard everyone telling me to share more and more, but I want to touch on something...

Building in public doesn't mean:

Sharing everything.
Doing it to tick a box.
Doing it because of pressure.

Sharing in public is about strategy.

There's so much pressure for everyone to keep posting and creating content that might not necessarily work for them, but because everyone is telling them to continue to do it.

That's what happened to me, and I fell out of love with it. Losing motivation and jsut doing it out of pure discipline, but I want to go back and create the content I used to love creating, the raw, unfiltered side of my life.

SO WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT

Get other people out of your head and do what's right for you.

It took me almost two years to figure this out…

Rushing and moving quickly are not the same thing.

For a long time, I mixed the two. Everyone said, “Move fast,” but no one explained how. It's been one of the biggest lessons I've learned in business.

I presumed this meant:

Don’t think, just act
Make decisions on the spot

Turns out, that’s how you end up rushing.

And I made stupid mistakes while building Cupsly because of it. Rushing design processes and manufacturing just made everything longer.

But now, only a couple of years later, I've finally broken out of this cycle, and honestly, it’s changed everything. The old saying “sleep on it” couldn't be truer once I started doing it.

Looking back, I can see decisions I rushed that I’d absolutely make differently now. But that’s how you learn. Give yourself breathing room. Process all the information before you move. Some decisions you can’t undo.

Business is fast-paced, yes, but...

It’s also a game of patience. The bigger the decision, the more time it deserves.

Think about risk. Think about impact. Think about the possibility.

Everyone loves to talk about career advice... but this has been by far the most impactful for me.

Curiosity doesn’t make you inexperienced.

When I joined Thistle Scientific, my first instinct was to worry about what I didn’t know: the jargon, the lab protocols, the decades of expertise my colleagues bring to the table.

But every time I asked a “basic” question or admitted I didn’t understand something, I noticed something powerful. It started a conversation for change.

Over time, I’ve realised curiosity belongs everywhere, especially in business.

Because the people who ask why are often the ones who move everyone forward.

You don’t need decades of experience to make an impact:

Sometimes asking, “Why do we do it this way?” opens the door to innovation.
Sometimes being the learner means spotting what others take for granted.
Sometimes, trying things differently brings the best results of all.

A reminder I carry with me every day:

Curiosity belongs in every business.

taplio

The Battle

Brynne Krispin

Niall Cleaver

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreBrynne Krispin's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreNiall Cleaver's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Brynne Krispin

Niall Cleaver

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 ScoreNiall Cleaver's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreBrynne Krispin's LinkedIn Performance