Codie A. Sanchez

Investing millions in Main St businesses & teaching you how to own the rest | HoldCo, VC fund, Founder

On a mission to create financially free and free-thinking humans.

I founded a media company called Contrarian Thinking that teaches people to think critically and cashflow unconventionally with boring businesses.

Our newsletter has over 1M+ weekly readers, here → contrarianthinking.biz/li

Our community has taught 9,000+ members biz buying, biz growing, and doing deals. 

We value experience over degrees.
Betting on yourself over building someone else's dream.
Main Street over Wall Street.

My mission is less suits, more boots. Meaning: we the people holding the power… and the purse strings.

🔗Join 1M+ others who get our free newsletter: contrarianthinking.biz/li
🔗YouTube: @CodieSanchezCT
🔗Instagram: @codiesanchez
🔗Twitter: @Codie_Sanchez
🔗Weekly business-buying newsletter Main Street Minute: contrarianthinking.biz/minute-li

Founder

We help free minds and build bank accounts.

5 uncomfortable truths about success:

1. You can't be a real leader and a people pleaser.

2. One day they'll go from judging you to bragging how they know you.

3. You win in life by being ok with people: not liking you, disagreeing with you, and wishing you'd fail.

4. It’s supposed to be hard, and you’re supposed to do it anyway.

5. The underrated part about being rich... you get to do what you want, say what you want, and people unfollowing or not agreeing matters ZERO.

Hope this one puts a little air in your tires today 😉

Btw - feel free to follow me Codie A. Sanchez if you haven’t yet

Investing millions in Main St businesses & teaching you how to own the rest | HoldCo, VC, Founder | NYT best-selling author

Formula is do, fail, learn, fail, do again.

Codie Sanchez

3 more harsh truths about success:

- You only have to be right ONCE. One big right move can erase a lifetime of wrong ones.
- You can't be upset at the results you’re not getting from the actions you’re not taking.
- The successful don't wait for someone to come save them. You want a better life, go build it.

If you needed to hear this today, feel free to share for next person who needs it ♻️

Don’t be afraid of outgrowing EVERYONE.

Your friends. Yes.

Your family. Likely.

If you are great... Even the people you hire today you will outgrow.

Don’t apologize a f*cking second for outgrowing people who can not keep up with you.

You need to make the hard call to move on, and move on FASTER than you think.

I was on the phone with a friend the other day runs another portfolio and famous on the internet and we both had to fire a csuite executive. We talked on Friday, I asked on Tuesday when she was doing it, she said she already did it that morning.

“Once I know I have to, I rip the bandaid off.”

Tough truth I’ve never regretted ONCE parting ways with someone who isn’t going as fast as I am.

THIS is the hard and brutal truth of greatness.

A reminder that it’s ok to rise a lil earlier and grind a lil harder…

A few lessons on reputation learned over the years:

- Long-term games and long-term people compound. Resist shiny objects.
- Everything you do, everything you say, is part of a permanent record you can't see.
- I used to think it was a win to never answer my phone, always be focused on work. Now I realize those who show up for others are the only ones who win in the long term.
- Never trade your reputation for money. Money you can make more, reputation you can't.
- Your positioning is your most important asset. Product can be copied... But brand and reputation cannot.
- “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.” True reminder.

On the flipside, we can't let this paralyze us...

Nothing you do will matter to anyone here in 2 years.

Even less in 20.

And your name will be forgotten in 100.

There's freedom in a bit of nihilism.

cs-venturesllc

cresco-capital-partners-llc

unconventional-acquisitions

strike-fire-productions

(99+) Post | Feed | LinkedIn

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JSESSIONID

Talks about #growth, #finance, #investing, #venturecapital, and #contrarianthinking

You can flatter & pander.

Or you can become ACTUALLY likable:

• Do what you say you’re going to do
• Show your results, not your intentions
• Your job isn’t done until THE job is done
• Communicate - less words, more meaning
• Bring solutions, not complaints
• Do the dirty work
• Don’t be boring

The truth:

People like competence.

So does money.

(Feel free to share if this resonates♻️)

The faster you move, the more money you make.

6 money-making truths you need to hear:

1. Unapologetically chase your first $500K. Life is just easier up until you make about $500k, then it gradually evens out. 

2. Get a job that pays you more if you do more, mimic everything the top performer does, until you can't possibly earn or learn more, then apply for a higher-paying job.

3. The fastest way to make your first million... Go be a crazy CEO's #2.

4. Saving won't make you rich.

5. Biggest mistake I made making money was waiting too late to start taking risk.

6. The key to getting rich rapidly? Live like you're poor. Increase your income. Use your income to buy cash-flowing assets.

↓↓↓↓

FYI - I'm having a biz-buying masterclass tomorrow if you want to stop by...

We're going to talk about how to buy the right business for you, why now is the time to buy, how to derisk your deal, and more.

Grab a spot here if you want to come and learn:    https://lnkd.in/e24qgbuh

How to win in 2026:

1. Don’t be woke. 
2. Work. Hard.
3. No victim mentality allowed.
4. Have strong opinions, loosely held.
5. Take strategic bets with your $.
6. Protect your time.
7. Be curious and a good human.

Doesn't matter who you are. Who you share a bed with. Or the color of your skin.

Anybody can win. (Btw this was from 2023).

How to win in your 20s:

1. Choose your hard. If you don't choose your hard, hard will choose you.

2. Ask more questions. As Socrates said: “Smart people learn from everything and everyone. Average people learn from their experiences. Stupid people already have all the answers.”

3. Do whatever it takes

4. Chase purpose. A friend once told me: “I wish you not one penny over $299 million. Reality gets lost somewhere after that.”

5. Not every moment has to be productive. Silence is not your enemy.

6. Be bored more often

7. Get in shape, stay in shape (applies to both finances and fitness)

8. If someone you just met is talking shit about their ex, friend, partner, or boss, they will do the same to you next. Character matters.

9. Behind every successful person is a story that gave them no choice.

10. Put your relationships first. My number one regret in life is not prioritizing my marriage above just about everything.

11. You become the person you want when no one else is watching. It's the quiet, private reps that will never be cheered that actually lead to greatness.

12. Never take advice from someone who hasn't achieved what they're advising about. If you don't want their life, don't listen to their advice.

13. Inconvenience yourself. This generation went way too hard setting boundaries. Show up for those you love, even when it's not convenient.

14. The greatest muscle you can build is urgency.

15. If it's not a hell yes, it's a no.

16. You will be richer when you understand leverage. But you'll also be aware of when people are trying to take advantage of you. Learn it so you can spot it.

17. Learn to be disliked or you will find yourself stuck in a prison of other people's beliefs.

18. You don't have time to hate someone when you're busy building. The less you build, the more you criticize.

19. Your input eventually becomes your output.

20. 99% of people don't move fast enough. Every time you say "one day," you cost yourself future dollars.

21. Complexity makes you seem smart. Simplicity makes you money.

22. The longer something has been successful, the more likely it is to continue being successful.

23. Say you will do a thing, then actually do the thing.

24. The fastest way to build a memorable brand is to pick a fight.

25. Never let your worry be bigger than your faith. God doesn't give you a seed without provision for it to grow.

26. Nobody cares about your life.

27. Someone not as good as you is making more money because they're not afraid to start.

28. You will wish you started earlier and worked harder when you are young.

29. Waking up at 5:45 a.m. solves 99.9% of daily issues.

30. Work smarter, not harder is a beautiful lie. You will not know how to work smart until you've worked very hard for an irrationally long time

31. The size of the problems you solve equal the size of your bank account.

32. The smartest people I know obsess over their reputation. Do not play short-term games with your name.

Money = options. Poverty = trapped.

It's not the money we want. It's the freedom.

↓ ↓ ↓

You’re either the hammer or the nail.

Hammers make things happen. They drive the point home. They aren’t afraid to swing hard, take calculated risks, and make an impact. They don’t wait for things to happen; they make things happen.

Nails? They get pounded. They hold things in place, but only because *someone else* decided that’s where they should be.

Nails wait for instructions. They stay put, keep their heads down, and hope they don’t get bent out of shape. Nails might hold things together, but hammers built the house.

No one remembers the nails — they remember who hammered them in.

It can be easy to look at the work of a hammer and think, “Must be nice.” But don’t be mistaken, the toll on a hammer is rough.

What you don’t see are the years of blunt force trauma on the hammer’s head, face, neck, cheek, throat, eye, and claw (all real parts of a hammer). Years of being thrown around. Years of missing the mark and smashing a finger.

Are you starting to get it now?

Hammers are owners.

Nails? The owned.

(PS: This is an excerpt straight from my newsletter. Get it every Thursday here → https://lnkd.in/euh-mDd8)

Work smarter not harder is a beautiful lie.

Hard lesson for me and you...

The people doing better than you aren’t smarter than you. They aren’t better than you. They aren’t luckier than you.

They’re just working so much harder than you, you can't even imagine.

The only thing separating you from them is:

Grit + Time + Consistency

MBA graduates aren't chasing jobs at Goldman or Google anymore.

They want ownership.

Here’s why some MBA graduates are choosing acquisitions over startups: 

In the 70s, 80s, 90s, MBA grads bought fancy suits and gloated about their big corner offices.

Now, they’re being taught to acquire companies.

We’re living in a GOLDEN ERA for business buying...

Baby Boomers hit ‘peak 65’ last year and it was the largest surge of in our beautiful nation's history. 

An average of 4.1 million Americans will retire EVERY year until 2027. 

And many own businesses they don’t know what to do with…

It’s up to us to continue their legacy and keep their businesses alive. 

Use my 3-6-12 framework to go a-z in buying your first biz... 

The TL;DR is this: 

• 3 months minimum to learn dealmaking
• 6 months to source and secure your deal
• 12 months post-purchase to master the business

Now, let’s break each step down: 

Your first 3 months should be pure learning.

There’s no such thing as a perfect business. Only a perfect business for YOU.

Figure out exactly what that business looks like before you start searching for it.

Terms, financials, tactics, structuring.

Acquisitions is a language. You need to get fluent.

The next 6 months are about finding YOUR deal:

• You'll look at 50+ businesses
• Submit 10-25 offers
• Perform due diligence on 3-5
• Close on 1

The numbers game isn't sexy. But it works.

Once you buy, give yourself 12 full months to master the business.

Why?

• Month 1-3: Learning systems
• Month 4-6: Stabilizing operations
• Month 7-9: Building team trust
• Month 10-12: Growing strategically

Rush this timeline and you'll destroy what you just bought.

I can’t stress this last point enough — you need to be patient. 

As the wonderful Warren Buffett once said: 

"You can't produce a baby in 1 month by getting nine women pregnant."

You CAN have the business you want. But it comes on its own timeline, not yours.

And that’s it!

Remember, before buying ANYTHING, ask yourself:

1. What kind of business would I actually ENJOY running?

2. What skills do I bring that would ADD VALUE?

3. Can I handle the pressure of other people's livelihoods depending on me?

Then, execute on the 3-6-12 framework.

↓↓↓↓

If you've read this far... I've got something for you. 

I'm sure there are a bunch of questions running through your mind like: 

• How do I buy a business?
• Which is the right one to buy?
• Would I be capable of running it?
• How do I know if this would be the right path for me?

Give me 90 minutes and I'll answer you.

I'm hosting a live Masterclass next week on all of this. Completely free.

Get details & save your spot here → https://lnkd.in/e24qgbuh

This reminds me of a study I learned about.

It found what's called The Spillover Effect:

Kellogg Insight did a study across 58,000 hours in 11 companies.

There were two main findings.

1) Positive Spillover

If you sit within 25ft of a HIGH performer, your performance increases by 15%.

You are no smarter, you work no harder... and you're 15% better.

These highest performers are not impacted by the low performance of their neighbors.

My takeaway = the strong lift up the weak.

But there was a second finding too, a much more concerning one...

2) Negative Spillover

If you sit near a LOW performer… Things get bad fast.

How they define “low performer” in the study is important:

These are “toxic workers.”

A “toxic” person = someone who ends up being fired for their behavior/performance.

On average:

- A toxic worker costs a company $12,800
- 2% of all workers are toxic
- They infect FAST.

And actually – the poison of a toxic worker spans way beyond 25ft:

Researchers said, “You can see their negative imprint and negative effect across an entire floor.”

So remember:

Success is contagious.

But so is toxicity.

↓ ↓ ↓

The same is true for the media you consume. Doomscroll hate on social media, you become a hateful person.

But if you'd rather surround yourself with stories of business owners & freedom finders, read this instead → https://lnkd.in/euh-mDd8

Business scaling isn't rocket science.

But it is a science.

After working with 100s of companies, I can tell you the difference between the ones that plateau and the ones that explode comes down to these 3 levers:

Every scalable business needs:

- The right people (who)
- The right systems (how)
- The right focus (what)

Miss any one, and you'll hit a ceiling.Let's break down each piece (and I'll share what most get wrong):

1. Let's start with PEOPLE

Most owners hire too fast, fire too slow, and expect a miracle in between.

A bad executive hire will cost you $200-300K+ and waste 6-12mos of momentum.

But get it right? You start to own your business instead of being owned by it.

To make sure we only hire A-players, every hire goes through this matrix:

• Known Candidate: Team vouches for them
• Proven Experience: Done exact job before
• Proven Industry: Worked in your sector
• Proven Problem Set: Solved your problem
• Proven Scale: Built at your size

2. Next up: SYSTEMS

5 systems all successful companies have:

• Executive Vision (where you're going)
• KPIs/Goals (what success looks like)
• Performance Dashboards (tracking what matters)
• Communication (keeping us aligned)
• Strong Culture (making it all work together)

Most businesses build these 5 system chains separately.

But we noticed that connecting them through a framework makes scaling more predictable...

This reduces the inevitable bottlenecks that re-appear as you grow:

• Executive planning feeds into →
• Sales metrics which optimize →
• Operations processes which enable →
• Team communication which improves →
• Financial performance

This doesn’t eliminate all growing pains.. but it brings a method to the madness of building.

3. The final lever: FOCUS.

Most owners try to solve 27 problems at once.

The best solve ONE problem exceptionally well – and they pick the RIGHT problem.

Something I constantly hear is: "My prospects can't afford my product."But it's rarely a pricing problem. It's almost always a persona problem…

When prospects "can't afford" your product, run these 3 tests:

• Competitive analysis: How does your pricing compare?
• Marketing analysis: Is your value prop clear?
• Avatar analysis: Are you targeting the right people?

99% of the time, your problem is an avatar mismatch.

You're trying to sell snow to Eskimos, instead of hot chocolate to skiers.

The most valuable exercise for any owner is building a detailed customer avatar.

Define who NEEDS your solution, not who you wish would buy it.

I've just scratched the surface of these frameworks today...and implementing them properly is where most owners struggle.

↓↓↓

If you’d like to learn how to apply these frameworks in your business to find hidden cash...check out our workshop next week. 

It's the only thing on the agenda: https://lnkd.in/gZaAQkpT

What they dream of: Starting the next Apple

What I dream of: Owning a painting biz...

Trillions of dollars are about to fall into the hands of those who are paying attention.

Let's talk numbers:

• 33.3 million small businesses in the US.
• That's 99.9% of all businesses.

What does this mean?

A sea of opportunity. 

Over 80% of these businesses have no employees. Just solo owners, doing their thing.

But of the other 20% (aka 6.6 million)... Many are ready to sell.

Problem is, most people are still daydreaming about sexy startups and AI breakthroughs.

They’re not daydreaming about plumbing companies. Laundromats. Self-storage units.

Because they’re not sexy.

In fact, they kind of smell like hard work. They smell like Main Street.

But the thing about these businesses is:

They quietly cashflow.

So.. why don’t you just start one?

A few reasons why starting sucks:
• Cashflow takes time
• You start with 0 employees (aka, you do all the work)
• You start with 0 customers (aka, even more work)
• You have to find a profitable biz model.

But there’s another option…

BUYING a business (done right) means:
• Instant cash flow.
• Existing customers.
• Proven business model.

You're not reinventing the wheel. You're taking something that works and making it work better.

It's a path to financial freedom that most people overlook.

The opportunity of a lifetime is hiding in plain sight.

So here's my challenge to you:

Stop dreaming about the next big startup.
Start looking at the businesses in your backyard.

Then go big and DO the damn thing.

↓↓↓↓

Disclaimer: I know I've made this sound easier than it is. 

Buying & running a biz is NOT easy. 

One of the reasons why I'm hosting a (free) Masterclass next week on biz buying. I'll break down the 10-step process I've used to buy dozens of cashflowing businesses.

My goal? You leave with the confidence & roadmap to buy your first biz. 

More info here → https://lnkd.in/e24qgbuh

If you’re in your 20s, I’m gonna tell you the truth that nobody told me.

I’m in my 30s now, and I wish someone would’ve told me that your 20s actually suck.

Everybody TELLS you this is the best time in your life, but when you’re in it, it feels the opposite of that.

You are hotter than you’ll ever be, and you have more energy, BUT:

- You’re kind of broke.
- You can’t figure out what you want to “do” with your life
- You feel lost, you work nonstop, you have a miserable job
- You’re single, dating, with crazy emotions
- You go out drinking more than you should

But here’s the thing:

Everybody’s been there. It’s totally normal. And honestly, at the end of the day, your 30s are AWESOME.

Coming into your mid 30s is a blast:

- You have money finally
- You kinda have an idea of what you wanna do with your life
- You’re not so emotionally volatile
- People are slightly more mature, you don’t have to date idiot 20-year-olds

Just know, it gets better.

If it sucks right now, guess what? It’s supposed to.

Austin Belcak

I Teach People How To Land Amazing Jobs Without Applying Online // Ready To Land A Great Role In Less Time (With A $44K+ Raise)? Head To 👉 CultivatedCulture.com/Coaching

CultivatedCulture.com/Coaching // I teach people how to land jobs they love in today's market without traditional experience and without applying online.

In 2013, I graduated from college with a biology degree, terrible grades, and a job in healthcare that paid me next to nothing.

Two years later, I scored interviews at Google, Microsoft, & Twitter and I accepted an offer from Microsoft with a $70,000 raise

All without “traditional” experience and without applying online.

Today, I teach people (just like you!) how to use the same system to land their dream job without applying online.

That system has helped thousands of job seekers land offers at places like Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, Twitter, Uber, Spotify, Deloitte, Accenture, Sequoia Capital, Tesla, SpaceX, ESPN, The NFL, & more.

The people we work with don't just land offers at great companies. They also get:

💰 Average Raise: $44,000+ 
🧭 Average Time To Offer: 3.5 Months
⭐ Satisfaction Rating: 9.52/10
🤝 End-To-End Job Search Support
✅ 3X+ ROI Guarantee

Ready to land your dream job? 

Head to 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲.𝗰𝗼𝗺/𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 and book a *FREE* 30 minute Career Clarity Call.

These calls are 30 minute, one-on-one sessions with our team where you'll learn:

1. The exact reason why your current job search strategy isn't working

2. Why traditional hiring processes are broken (and what you can do instead)

3. How to overcome the biggest challenge that's preventing you from achieving your job search goals

4. How to pick and choose where you land job interviews (seriously!)

5. Exactly what you need to do to land your dream job and salary

Don't just take my word for it though. Here's what a few of our clients have to say about working with us:

“I recently left a job with nothing else lined up. My visa was tied to that job so I had 60 days to get hired and land visa sponsorship. Austin helped me land a Program Manager role at a leading tech company, a 30% raise, AND H1-B sponsorship.” - Jasleen

"I was unemployed and close to losing my house. Working with Cultivated Culture helped me land multiple interviews and two offers for senior-level roles in less than 70 days." - Karina

"I spent years struggling to take the transition from vendor to full time employee. Austin helped me land a job in Product Marketing at a Fortune 30 tech company with a $40,000+ raise." - Amyr

Learn more and book your free Career Clarity Call here 👉 CultivatedCulture.com/Coaching

I teach people how to use unconventional strategies to land jobs they love in today's market (without connections, without traditional "experience," and without applying online).

My strategies have been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Inc., Fast Company, and more. My students have landed interviews and offers at Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Twitter, Uber, Deloitte, Accenture, ESPN and more. 

Ready to take your career to the next level? Check out my step-by-step breakdown of the process that has helped hundreds of people like you land amazing jobs at the world's best companies (it's totally free): https://cultivatedculture.com/dreamjob/

Want to chat? Shoot me an email at austin@cultivatedculture.com

Cultivated Culture is a carbon negative business. Our contributions help remove 60+ tons of CO2Es from the atmosphere and plant over 2,000 new trees every year 🌲

7 ChatGPT Prompts (That Will Get You Better Results Than A $500 Resume Rewrite):

1. The Achievement Extractor

Most people struggle to tie measurable outcomes to their work.

Grab the content from one of your roles and ask:

“What are 10 different ways I could quantify the impact that I made in this role?”

Follow up with, “how do I get that data?” if you don’t have it.

2. The Jargon Eliminator

Jargon muddles value.

Take a bullet that feels overly complex.

Then ask ChatGPT:

“Rewrite this resume bullet for a non-technical hiring manager: [Insert Bullet]”

Alternatively, try: “Rewrite this bullet at a 5th grade reading level without losing the impact of the value: [Insert Bullet]”

3. The Skills Translator

Changing careers?

ChatGPT can help you find gold in your transferable skills.

Upload a copy of your resume, then ask ChatGPT:

“I’m switching from [Industry A] to [Industry B]. Review my resume and translate my existing skills from [Industry A] to their counterparts in [Industry B].”

4. The Action Amplifier

Language matters.

Don’t let weak verbiage dampen your value.

Instead, upload your resume to ChatGPT and ask:

‘Identify all the ”weak” verbs in my resume, then replace them with stronger verbs. For example, adjusting “Responsible for” to “Spearheaded.”’

5. The Gap Explainer

Career gaps can feel scary to explain.

ChatGPT can help. First, give it context:

“I have a 7 month gap on my resume due to layoffs. I’ve spent that time skill building via Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning.”

Then upload your resume and ask ChatGPT to reframe your gap as skill building.

6. The Role Customizer

Before applying to a new role?

Upload your resume and the role to ChatGPT and ask:

“Here is my resume along with a job I want to apply for. Rewrite my resume so it’s personalized for the skills, experience, and value the role is looking for. Share the specific changes you made.”

Now you can see the updates and make any adjustments before applying.

7. The Highlight Reel Generator

The first few lines of your resume are the most valuable real estate.

Don’t waste them.

Upload your resume, the job description, then ask ChatGPT:

“Here’s the job description for a role I’m applying to. Which bullets from my resume should I showcase in a 3–5 bullet “highlight reel” at the top?”

🎮 Robert was unemployed for months.

We helped him reframe his gaps, extract his wins, and tailor using these same prompts, he landed an Associate Manager role in gaming industry role in <90 days.

👉 Want the same blueprint? Book a free call here: https://lnkd.in/gdysHr-r

 These 7 ChatGPT Prompts Beat A $500 Resume Rewrite:

How good is your LinkedIn headline?

I built a tool that will score it for free.

Here’s how it works:

A great LinkedIn headline can lead to more visibility and more job offers.

But most people’s headlines stink.

They’re missing key elements that employers want to see.

My team analyzed thousands of data points from our audience and coaching clients to see what factors led to the best results.

Then we baked them into a simple formula we could use to score headlines.

Now we’re scaling and sharing it with you!

Here’s how to get your free score:

1. Copy your current LinkedIn headline

2. Head to HeadlineAnalyzer[.]io

3. Paste your headline and hit “Scan”

The tool will scan your headline, compare it to our formula, and give it a score.

Then it’ll show you exactly what updates you need to make to transform your headline into a job-generating machine.

All you have to do is make the recommended updates and rescan until you hit a score of 70+

Easy, right?

Now it's your turn.

Here's the link to get your free score 👉 HeadlineAnalyzer[.]io

The 5:50:5 Method Job Search Method (For More Interviews & Offers):

Consistency is a cornerstone of job search success.

But with jobs, friends, family, and all of life’s stressors?

It’s not always easy to do.

Enter the 5:50:5 Method.

It’s a simple framework to help you stay consistent with the job search so you can see better results.

Here’s how it works:

What Does 5:50:5 Stand For?

It’s simple:

5 job search tasks.

50 minutes per day.

5 days per week.

The tasks you choose are important!

Here are the ones we recommend:

Task #1: Apply To 3 Jobs

Not just any jobs.

Find ones that truly fit the criteria you’re looking for in a new role.

Then personalize your materials!

Use ResyMatch to score your resume vs. the job description and make the recommended updates.

Use ChatGPT to craft a personalized cover letter, then review and edit it.

Task #2: Network With 3 New People

Find 3 new contacts who could influence your ability to get hired at a target company.

Brainstorm a few ways you could reach out to them.

Aim to add value.

Then press “Send” on those messages and log them in your networking tracker.

Task #3: Touch Base With 3 Existing Connections

Think on the contacts you’ve already connected with.

Choose 3 of them and brainstorm ways you can follow up with value:

Mention a recent news story
Ask how a project is going
Etc.

Keeping those relationships warm is key!

Task #4: Comment On 3 LinkedIn Posts

Commenting is one of the single best ways to get visibility on LinkedIn.

Scroll through your feed until you find a post that resonates with you.

Leave a comment that’s genuinely supportive, positive in nature, and aims to add value.

Repeat two more times. 

Task #5: Comment On Target Company Posts

Did you know employers can see if you’ve comment on content from their Company page?

Review the Company pages for your target companies.

For any with recent posts?

Leave a thoughtful, value-driven comment.

Do This 5 Days / Week

Job searching isn’t a 24/7 activity.

Take the weekend off to recharge your batteries.

Then do this the other 5 days. 

That’ll net you:

15 applications
15 potential connections
15 relationships continued
15+ comments for more visibility

Every single week.

⬇️ Want to see how the 5:50:5 can help you land jobs 40% faster with a 7x raise?

 👉 Grab a free 30 min Clarity Call with our team and we'll show you how: https://lnkd.in/gdysHr-r

 The 5-50-5 Method For More Job Offers:

8 Steps To Personalize Your Resume For Any Role (In Less Than 10 Minutes):

Personalized resumes win more job interviews.

But most job seekers don’t know how to do it quickly and effectively.

Here are 8 steps to personalize your resume for any role (in less than 10 minutes):

1. Start With A Master Resume

This is a version of your resume where you have all of the content and experience from your career.

The idea is to keep it in one place so you can easily save a new version of this doc and adjust your experience.

I recommend creating yours in ResyBuild.io for easy duplicating and editing.

2. The 10-Minute Optimization Process

When you see a new role you want to apply to:

- Save a new version of your resume
- Remove irrelevant content
- Identify and weave in keywords
- Update your Highlight Reel

Let’s break down each of these into more detail:

3. Save A New Version Of Your Resume

When you see a role you want to apply to, save a new version of your resume.

Use this naming convention for easy referencing:

[Name] Resume - Job Title - Company - Date

4. Remove Irrelevant Content

Review the job description and identify the key responsibilities and goals for the role.

Next, review your resume and remove any content that isn’t relevant to this particular role.

If you’re struggling, try uploading your resume and the JD to ChatGPT and asking it to remove irrelevant content.

5. Identify Keywords & Skills

Pull up the job description and copy the content.

Head to ResyMatch.io and scan your resume vs. the job description.

Identify the top 5–10 skills where you have a “Skill Gap.”

Keep these handy.

6. Personalize Your Content

Go through the bullets on your resume and identify areas where you can naturally weave in your target keywords.

How many should you add? 

Aim to close the “Skill Gap” from your ResyMatch scan for the top 5–10 keywords.

7a. Update Your “Highlight Reel”

Every resume should have a “Highlight Reel.”

This is a section at the top of your resume where you include the 3–5 most relevant pieces of experience.

You can (and should!) customize it for each role you apply to.

More on these at: https://lnkd.in/eUn8D4tx

7b. Update Your “Highlight Reel” (Continued)

First, update the section title to align with your target job. 

Ex: [Job Title] Summary

Next, update your bullets so you have the most relevant experience up top.

Finally, layer in any additional keywords you’re missing.

8. Run A Final ResyMatch Scan

Before you apply, run a final scan in ResyMatch.

Make any adjustments you need to get a score of 70–75+ (you don’t need to go higher).

Once you’re there, your resume is fully personalized and ready to be submitted!

🔵 Our client Jeff used our ResyMatch x Highlight Reel framework for each role he applied to. That led to a dream job offer at Amazon.

👉 Want us to apply the same resume personalization system to your search? Book a free 1:1 call: https://lnkd.in/gdysHr-r

8 Steps To Personalize Your Resume In Under 10 Minutes:

This daily LinkedIn strategy will help you win more jobs.

The best part? It takes less than 10 minutes per day:

Context: What Is It?

This strategy revolves around comments.

Comments on LinkedIn are networking and visibility at scale.

But only if you use them the right way.

I call that way "Value Driven Commenting."

Here's how it works:

1. Value Driven Comments Are A Triple Threat

Investing in daily Value Driven Comments (VDCs) is a 3-for-1 deal.

They help you:

1. Get noticed by post authors
2. Get noticed by the author's audience
3. Find your own voice on a platform

Best of all?

They take 10-15 mins / day.

2. Map Out Your Prospect Criteria

You want to aim for a minimum of 20 contacts.

These people should meet 3 criteria:

- They work at one of your target companies
- They can influence the hiring decision for your target role
- They consistently share content on LinkedIn

3. Use LinkedIn To Find Them

Here's how:

- Go to LinkedIn
- Search for role-related keywords
- Click the "Posts" filter
- Click "All Filters" > "Author Company"
- Add target companies

Now you have a list of people at your target companies writing about your target job.

4. Bookmark Their Post Feed

It's a pain to click through individual profiles to find new posts.

Do this instead:

- Go to their LinkedIn profile
- Under "Activity," click "Show All"
- Click on "Posts"
- Bookmark the page!

(Big thanks to Justin Welsh for that tip).

5. Leave VDCs On New Posts

When a contact shares a new post?

Leave a Value Driven Comment!

Don't write, "love this" or "thanks for sharing."

Instead, try this 3 part formula:

- Tag the post author
- Reiterate their point
- Add your own unique value

Aim for 2-4 sentences.

6. VDC Example

Here's a quick example of a VDC I recently left.

The parent post was focused on 4 types of content any creator could use to build a following.

I replied with:

"Start with these and create 10 posts for each.

Share 1-2 per day.

When you're close to running out, analyze the top 10% of your posts.

What topics, styles, and deliveries did best?

Write 40 more posts incorporating those insights.

That's how you grow!"

My comment got 32 reactions and a bunch of replies.

7. Rinse & Repeat Daily

VDCs work best when performed consistently over time.

When you show up daily with positive support?

The post author recognizes that.

So does their audience.

I'd recommend planning for 2-4 weeks of consistent VDCs before you see any reciprocity.

Happy commenting!

📣 Our client Rose used VDCs and landed a $15k raise in 90 days.

This is just one of many strategies we teach our clients to help them get an edge on LinkedIn.

We'll show you the rest on a free Clarity Call: https://lnkd.in/gdysHr-r

 One LinkedIn Strategy For More Job Offers:

7 Tips For Managing Rejection In Your Job Search:

1. Realize You’ll Hear “No” Most Of The Time

Job searching is a game of tails.

This means that you’re going to be told some form of “No” the vast majority of the time.

But the upside from getting a single “Yes” is large enough that it can outweigh hundreds of “Nos.”

Realizing this will help normalize all of the “Nos” you may be running into.

Keep your eye on the prize.

2. Set The Right Expectations

Continuing that thread, take it one step further and use data to see how many “Nos” you should expect.

Look up benchmarks for:

 - Online application reply rates
 - Networking message reply rates
 - Interview success rates
 - Etc.

That data will show you just how many “Nos” are normal before you get that coveted “Yes.”

3. Rejections As Lessons, Not Failures

When a rejection happens, reflect on what you could have done differently, or better.

Oftentimes, rejections mean we’re missing a piece of the puzzle or we need to level up in some area.

Maybe it’s how your resume conveys your value, how you’re approaching networking, etc.

If you find the lesson in each rejection, it will take you one step closer to success.

4. Track & Gamify The Process

This is what helped me overcome rejection in my search.

I started tracking every aspect of my job search (# apps, # networking messages, replies, interviews, etc).

I leveraged the data to A/B test different strategies at every stage.

That meant each “No” transitioned from a failure to a data point I could use to tangibly improve my process.

5. Find A Community Of Active Job Seekers

Oftentimes, when we’re doing hard things, we just need to know that we’re not alone.

Finding a community of like-minded job seekers can make all the difference.

It could be one you build on your own or one that you join.

But having a space to vent, share ideas, get help, and connect with others is key.

6. Take The Space You Need

You’re a human being, which means you are crazy resilient. 

But also that you have a limited capacity for handling negative emotions.

If the rejections are piling up and feel like too much?

Take a day off. Take two! Do something just for you.

All of the opportunities will be here when you jump back in.

7. Leave The Door Open

If you’re rejected during an interview process, don’t cut ties.

Instead, message everyone you engaged with, thank them for their time, wish them well with the hire, and ask to stay in touch.

This is how I landed my job at Microsoft. It’s also how many of our clients have landed offers.

Rejection isn’t permanent. It’s simply one more step in the journey.

🧠 Managing rejection is easier with the right system and community behind you.

We help peoples bounce back faster and land offers they’re excited about, while offering support along the way.

 👉 Book a free 30-min Clarity Call and let’s map it to your search: https://lnkd.in/gdysHr-r

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The Battle

Codie A. Sanchez

Austin Belcak

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taplio

The Battle

Codie A. Sanchez

Austin Belcak

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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);}Codie A. Sanchez's LinkedIn Performance

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Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreCodie A. Sanchez's LinkedIn Performance