Helping professionals launch another income stream in 2024. Click + Follow for posts and articles on business.

I work as a senior digital adviser and strategic sounding board for founders and entrepreneurs building online.My role isn’t to provide formulas, playbooks, or constant direction. Instead, I help people think more clearly about ideas, business models, and decisions — drawing on perspective shaped over decades of working across multiple internet cycles, from early email and web, through mobile, marketplaces, performance marketing, and now AI.Alongside this work, I write and research the business game — an ongoing exploration of how business actually works in practice: incentives, timing, leverage, and why many people lose by copying what looks successful without understanding the rules underneath.Some of this thinking is tested in public through a small working lab called Strategy with Danny, where founders pressure-test one clear offer and learn what actually converts before they scale systems, teams, or platforms.I’m not a coach or a traditional consultant, and I’m not embedded in execution. This work is best suited to independent founders who want a calm, experienced perspective to pressure-test ideas, spot risks early, and avoid scaling the wrong thing at the wrong time.Most of my value comes from pattern recognition, context, and judgment — helping reduce noise, fragility, and unnecessary complexity in how businesses are built.

Danny Mallinder

Very few people choose the business game.
They just start playing.

Most think they are struggling with execution.
They are not.

They are struggling with something earlier.
They never chose the rules they are living under.

Pulled in by confident voices.
Podcasts. Threads. Timelines.
Revenue goals and hustle norms borrowed from others.

Every business rewards something different.
Some reward speed.
Some reward depth.
Some demand constant presence.
Others reward quiet consistency over years.

None of these are wrong.
But they are not interchangeable.

Here is the pattern I keep seeing:
- depth thinkers stuck in speed games
- freedom seekers trapped by visibility
- misalignment blamed on tactics
- builders exhausted by volume

Most business problems are downstream.
They start before pricing or marketing.

I wrote a short essay on this idea.
Choosing the game before you optimise it.

Read it here:
https://lnkd.in/eKePpQBw

Are you playing a game you actually chose?

#businessdesign
#foundermindset
#longtermthinking

Most people pick businesses for money.

That is how they waste years.

A business is not just income.
It is a direction of travel.

Once something works financially, it locks you in.
The schedule.
The stress.
The identity.

People do not fail by choosing badly.
They succeed in the wrong direction.

The pattern I see every year:
→ money first, alignment later
→ identity built on momentum
→ success that becomes a trap
→ staying because leaving feels like failure

2026 will not be wasted by inaction.

It will be wasted by full commitment to the wrong game.

#businessdesign
#founderjourney
#strategicthinking

With over 15 years of global experience, I specialize in building leaders, solving complex management challenges, and stewarding organizational transformation. I have led organizations across various sectors, managed multi-million-dollar budgets and teams of 250+, and expanded programs supporting diverse populations and initiatives.

I am passionate about designing innovative learning programs that enhance leadership capacity, foster creative problem-solving, and drive sustainable growth. My expertise spans strategic planning, change management, team building, and leadership communication. I take pride in guiding leaders to navigate transitions, build strong stakeholder relationships, and lead with integrity and adaptability.

✨ I regularly share insights on leadership and management here on LinkedIn, and I’m available for consultations. Let’s connect and explore how I can support your growth and development.

🌐 Book a Consultation @ https://calendly.com/daliaamin-sunlitstrategies/consultation

Dalia Amin

Most organizations only think about succession planning when someone is about to leave.
By then, it’s already too late.

Succession planning isn’t about predicting exits,
It’s about building continuity, capability, and confidence at every level.

Here’s what strong HR teams and leaders do to prepare:

1️⃣ Identify roles, not people.
Ask: Which positions would create risk if they became vacant tomorrow?
Start there, not with who you “like” the most.

2️⃣ Spot potential early.
Look for learning agility, communication, and resilience.
Technical skills matter, but potential determines long-term success.

3️⃣ Create stretch opportunities.
Let emerging talent lead parts of meetings, manage projects, or shadow strategic decisions.
Succession planning happens through exposure, not theory.

4️⃣ Document what leaders actually do.
Most leaders hold invisible knowledge.
Capture process maps, relationships, decision points, and context before they disappear.

5️⃣ Make it a living system, not a yearly exercise.
Review talent quarterly.
Update plans as people grow, shift, or outgrow roles.

Succession planning isn’t about replacing leaders,
It’s about ensuring the organization never loses momentum.

The strongest teams aren’t the ones with the best leaders.
They’re the ones that are prepared for leadership to change.

Speaker | Global Leadership Strategist | Organizational Architect | Problem Solver

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A few days ago, my brother and I were talking about globalization, not the opportunities, but the hidden costs.
The things we don’t notice unless we slow down.

We spoke about how the world has never been more connected, yet so many people feel more isolated, overwhelmed, and uncertain in their identity.

Economic systems move faster than humans can emotionally adapt.

We chase efficiency, but often lose community.
We gain access to everything, but lose a sense of belonging to something.

And as we talked, one line stayed with me:
“A global world gives you endless choices, but no map.”

For leaders, this matters.
People aren’t just dealing with workload, they’re navigating identity, pace, and pressure in a world that moves faster than their nervous systems.

The best leaders today develop not just performance frameworks, but human frameworks of stability, clarity, belonging, and pace.

Because in a globalized world full of noise, the rare gift a leader can offer is grounding.

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Start noticing moments of discomfort as signals, not warnings. When they show up, practice the three steps. Over time, your nervous system learns that challenge is manageable, and confidence grows with each small win.

Leadership is not becoming harder because people are less capable.
It is becoming harder because the way we have been leading no longer matches the reality we are in.

Many leaders I work with are not struggling with skill or effort.
They are struggling with:
 • Constant urgency
 • Fragmented focus
 • Disconnected teams
 • Quiet, accumulating burnout

As we move toward 2026, leadership is less about doing more and more about leading differently.

On February 3rd, I am hosting a public webinar on what focused, human, and sustainable leadership actually looks like now and the practical shifts leaders can start making immediately.

If you are navigating leadership in complexity, this conversation is for you.
📌 Register now for Leading Forward: Focused, Human, and Sustainable Leadership for 2026

Registration Link: https://lnkd.in/efgYc_T7
Event Link: https://lnkd.in/eftc4g3U

If you’re leading people through complexity, this session is for you. Join us live and be part of the conversation.

Tips for New Managers: What No One Tells You

Stepping into your first management role is exciting and overwhelming.
Here are three things every new manager should master early:

1️⃣ Don’t try to prove yourself, try to understand.
Your first 30 days should be 70% listening.
You’re not there to show authority; you’re there to learn context.

2️⃣ Shift from “doing the work” to “enabling the work.”
Your value is no longer in tasks. It’s in removing obstacles.

3️⃣ Give feedback early, not perfectly.
Silence is what damages trust.
Feedback is what builds it.

Your first months will shape your leadership style for years. Choose curiosity over control.

If 2025 taught us anything, it’s this:
Leaders aren’t struggling with capacity. They’re struggling with noise.

Economic uncertainty.
AI acceleration.
Role creep.
Employee burnout.
Constant change.

The leaders who thrive in 2026 will be the ones who master:
✔ Deep focus in chaotic environments
✔ Clear priorities communicated simply
✔ Decision-making with incomplete information
✔ Emotional steadiness when others panic

2026 is not the year of doing more.
It’s the year of doing the right things better.

Fact: Leaders who show empathy drive 3x higher engagement levels.

According to Catalyst (2021), employees with highly empathetic leaders report 61% higher innovation and 76% more engagement.

Empathy is no longer a “soft skill”
It’s strategic.

When leaders listen deeply, they don’t just manage performance; they ignite potential.

Growth often hides behind discomfort.

Next time you face resistance, that uneasy moment before a tough conversation or bold decision, try this:

1. Label it. (“I’m uncomfortable because this matters.”)
2. Breathe, don’t retreat.
3. Take one micro-action. Action reduces fear faster than thinking.

Courage isn’t loud, it’s steady.

Tips for Middle Managers: The Most Unseen Role in the Organization

Middle managers hold the tension between strategy and reality.
And it’s one of the hardest roles in any company.

Here are three survival skills every middle manager needs:

1️⃣ Translate strategy, don’t just pass it down.
Your team needs clarity, not copy-paste.

2️⃣ Advocate upward.
Senior leaders don’t see the ground-level friction unless you surface it clearly.

3️⃣ Protect your calendar like a boundary.
Middle managers drown not from workload, but from fragmented time.

Middle leadership is where culture actually lives — and where strong organizations are built.

Leadership today is not about having all the answers.
It is about creating clarity, stability, and trust in uncertain environments.

On February 3rd, I am hosting a 60-minute webinar for leaders across sectors and career stages who want to:
 • Lead with greater focus
 • Build stronger human connection with their teams
 • Stay effective without burning out

This will be a practical and grounded session. Not theory, not trends, but focused on the real shifts leaders must make as we move toward 2026.

If you are leading people, influencing decisions, or navigating complexity at work, you are welcome.

📌 Register now for live webinar → Leading Forward: Focused, Human, and Sustainable Leadership for 2026

Registration Link: https://lnkd.in/efgYc_T7
Event Link: https://lnkd.in/eftc4g3U

Customer Experience Starts Long Before the Customer Arrives.

One of the biggest service-industry myths is that customer experience begins at the front line.
It actually begins with employee experience.

Employees who feel supported, recognized, and empowered deliver better service — every time.

In 2026, the best-performing companies will be the ones whose leaders:
✔ Build coaching cultures, not controlling ones
✔ Recognize small wins weekly
✔ Train teams in emotional intelligence and communication
✔ Remove friction from internal processes

Happy teams don’t happen by accident.
They’re designed — the same way great customer journeys are.

Want to communicate like a leader, not a lecturer?

Here are 3 powerful books that sharpen your influence and message:
📘 Talk Like TED by Carmine Gallo
📙 Crucial Conversations by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan & Switzler
📗 Simply Said by Jay Sullivan

Each one teaches a different dimension of powerful communication — from storytelling to empathy to precision.

As we move into Q1, try this:
Instead of setting dozens of goals, choose one habit to anchor your leadership.

Real change doesn’t come from doing more
It comes from doing the right thing consistently.

Pick one habit that strengthens your foundation:
✔ Daily 10-minute reflection
✔ A weekly no-meeting block
✔ A monthly strategy reset
✔ A quarterly skill stretch
✔ One courageous conversation each week

Q1 isn’t about intensity
It’s about building rhythms that carry you through the year.

A reflection question for leaders:
What is currently draining the most energy from your leadership role?
Is it:
 – Endless priorities
 – Constant availability
 – Emotional labor with little space to recover
 – Feeling responsible for everything, all the time

Burnout is often framed as a personal resilience issue.
In reality, it is frequently a leadership systems issue.
In my upcoming webinar, we will explore:
 • Why focus has become a leadership responsibility
 • How leaders unintentionally normalize burnout
 • Practical ways to reconnect with teams without adding more meetings

Leadership in 2026 requires clarity, humanity, and sustainability, not exhaustion.

If this resonates, I would love to have you join the conversation.

📅 February 3rd, Tuesday | Public Webinar
📌 Register now for → Leading Forward: Focused, Human, and Sustainable Leadership for 2026

Registration Link: https://lnkd.in/efgYc_T7
LinkedIn Event Link: https://lnkd.in/eftc4g3U

Tips for Senior Managers & Directors: Leadership That Scales

At senior levels, impact isn’t measured by how much you do,
But by how much your leadership enables others to do.

Here’s what effective senior managers practice:

1️⃣ Context over control.
Your job is to define direction, not micromanage execution.

2️⃣ Build a bench, not a dependency.
If everything still requires you, you don’t have a system — you have a bottleneck.

3️⃣ Choose clarity over charisma.
Teams don’t need inspirational speeches; they need clear priorities and steady guidance.

Senior leadership is about creating sustainability, not spotlight.

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