I Grow & Monetise Podcasts | CEO & Founder of Voics | Podcast Host at Kickoff Sessions

Most people think scaling to $1M+ is about posting more, working harder, or hiring faster.

It isn’t.

It’s about installing a simple, repeatable Ecosystem:

• One painkiller offer
• One content engine that attracts buyers
• One sales system that scales without more work

At Voics, we help coaches and agency owners grow from $20K to $100K/month and beyond by building this exact system.

No spreadsheets.
No duct-taped tools.

Just a clear business and predictable sales.

The Ecosystem breaks down into three things:

Offer – Build something painful enough to sell easily
Content – Create assets that generate leads, not likes
Sales – Run a simple system that closes consistently

To date, we’ve helped 500+ coaches and agencies generate $30M+ in client revenue.

I’m also the founder of Aura, an AI-driven sales platform built to run this entire system in one place.

If you’re serious about scaling sales properly, you’re in the right room.

Darren Lee

In 2018, I failed at dropshipping.

In 2019, I failed to build a startup.

In 2020, I worked a soul-destroying 9–5.

In 2021, I created content that got no views.

In 2022, I was laughed out of a tech company.

In 2023, I bombed more sales calls than I’d like to admit.

In 2024, I grew Voics to hundreds of active clients.

In 2025, I scaled Voics to multiple seven figures & launched Aura.

In 2026, I'm scaling Voics to $1M/month and Aura to $1M ARR.

In the beginning, nothing makes sense.

In the end, everything makes sense.

If you feel lost right now…

Keep chewing glass.

Brighter days are coming.

I used a FAKE name to buy my friend’s coaching program…

My friend wanted to launch a coaching business.

He was terrified of what others would think of him.

What would his friends think?
What about his family?

He thought no one believed in him… but I did.

So that day, I created a fake email and a fake name…

And I bought his program.

(Paid in full, like all great friends do)

What happened next was wild…

After I bought it, he had the confidence to sell it.

Then scale it.

Now he runs a super successful coaching business.

To this day, he has NO IDEA I bought it lol.

The truth is this:

Everyone just needs ONE person to believe in them.

With that belief, anything is possible.

The rest is history.

I started my career like most people.

College degree. No real direction.

Out every weekend.

No idea what I actually wanted to do.

But deep down, I knew I wanted to achieve more.

By 23, I had already started and failed multiple businesses.

All of them went to zero.

Until I found content. That changed everything: 

1. Signed my first few clients

2. Built a simple offer around what I knew (content)

3. Doubled down on offers, content and sales 

From there, it snowballed:

Started managing some of the biggest YouTubers in the world.

Ran their businesses (sales, marketing, ops).

Scaled their backend.

Saw exactly how they grew, from the inside.

Scaled Voics into a media company, made my first $1M online. 

Then I started showing others how to do the same.

Fast forward to now:

- We’ve helped 600+ coaches / agency owners scale their online business

- Built a multi 7-figure company (profit)

- Launched a 6 figure software company 

- Spoken on stages around the world

And we’re just getting started.

This is the power of content.

This is what happens when you stop playing small and go for it.

At 19, I worked at Skechers.

At 29, I own a multi–7 figure business.

Back then, I worked two jobs to get through university.

Skechers by day, Apache Pizza (IYKYK) or some random job by night.

I hated working for other people.

(I was the worst employee lol)

So I built my own job.

Today, my business runs on three core pillars:

1. The Problem

In 2021, I started making content for founders.

Helping entrepreneurs make money with content. 

That agency still runs today 

(Growing more than ever actually thanks to my amazing team).

Now we’ve scaled into a media company and education business.

2. The Traffic Source 

Content is the reason everything worked.

Building online opened thousands of doors.

I just had to run through them as a delusional kid.

3. The Sales Process 

No formal training. Just 1,000+ calls.

Most failed. Many fell on my face. Some hit.

I listened, adjusted, and got better.

That system has now helped 500+ entrepreneurs scale using content, offers, and sales.

If a guy who started in Skechers selling kids shoes can do it, you can too.

-
P.S. What was the worst job you had that set you up for life afterwards?

Made it to 30 with a house full of love, calendar full of sales calls and a head full of hair🖤

I just hosted the largest mastermind in Bali.

Helping 40+ entrepreneurs scale to 7 and 8 figures in revenue.

But my first mastermind was in my kitchen…

Only a year ago.

Progress isn’t based on years of experience.

Progress is based on getting shit done as fast as humanly possible.

I went from running events in my little kitchen to renting out the Ritz-Carlton for $100,000.

How? SPEED.

Many of our clients have also hit their first $50K/month, $100K/month, and even…

$1M/month following the exact same principle.

If you want to get shit done, focus on getting the work done.

P.S. 
Want to attend our 5th mastermind with over 50 entrepreneurs in September?

Comment “Mastermind” and I’ll get you set up right away.

I just released a FREE 2-hour sales course.

It shows you how to:

- Book more calls
- Close more calls
- Fix a broken sales process
- Turn leads into revenue

Built specifically for coaches and agency owners.

Want the full training?

Comment “SALES” below.

Anyone who shuts down their coaching business is full of sh*t.

I know this because my business generated $500K/mo.

And the same guys who shut down their business are the same guys who preach:

“Work 2 hours a day.”
“I log off at 4pm every day.”
“I know something you don’t.”
"Sell from a Google doc."

It’s all virtue signalling and fake ‘unique mechanism’ marketing.

And honestly… it’s unethical.

Because they don’t live that life.

Here’s what I know to be true:

Building a business is tough.
Scaling is tough.
Hiring is tough.

Firing is even worse.

I will never tell you this is easy.

I chewed glass my entire 20s.
Blew up three businesses before 23.
Then became a liquid millionaire in my 20s.

This sh*t is hard.

But if you do the right things, for long enough, it works.

So don’t quit your business like all the guys who “found themselves” and started padel instead.

Chew glass.

Getting married in my 20s made me millions.

Before that, I was -$10,000 in debt, stuck in a dead end corporate hellhole.

I may as well have signed the papers to a lifetime of mediocrity.

But here’s how it changed everything:

(And created a multiple seven figure business [profit] in my 20s)

Getting married in my 20s...

The biggest lie you’ve been told online:

You have to struggle for years before it starts working.

Bullsh*t.

You can skip the 3 hardest years of trial and error by simply learning the right skills.

In 2026 isn’t about “waiting your turn.”

It’s about mastering 3 core skills:

1. Sales & Psychology

Learn how to sell, speak like a human, and close.

2. Offer Building

Solve a painful problem for a specific person. One offer is all you need.

3. Marketing (Content)

Organic or paid but you need a consistent traffic engine.

This is exactly how to go from $0 to $100K with nothing but skill.

Unpopular opinion:

It’s 100% acceptable to only create content for leads.

You started your business to become an entrepreneur.

Not to become a dancing monkey on TikTok.

You don’t need to be liked, you need to get leads.

(With your content and in life)

Here’s how you do it:

1. Solve a painful problem

Pick the largest TAM and nail one specific problem.

For Voics, we help coaches scale their revenue.

Problem: getting leads and closing clients.

2. Throttle volume

Content, at its core, does one clear job:

Show people you’re still alive.

That’s it.

Why?

Most people quit their business and vanish.

Time in the game, expressed through content, is an unfair advantage.

3. Show what you believe in

Info alone is a total waste of time in 2026.

Nuance is where the game is at.

I’m a strong believer in sales calls and building sales teams.

It’s a hill I’m willing to die on.

I even built a sales software around call funnels called Aura lol.

Rinse, repeat, and never give up.

How to get your next 10 clients without selling your soul:

(As an agency owner or online coach)

And… I used to make all these mistakes before building a $535K/month biz:

1. Positioning

You need to be the guy (or girl) in your niche.

What’s the one thing you can outshine everyone on?

Positioning isn’t thinking you’re better than everyone else.

It’s having belief and conviction in what you do.

That’s what makes you a category of one.

2. Offer Stacking

One funnel, one product and one offer is brutal to scale.

You’re constantly kicking people through a funnel.

Instead, pull them into your ecosystem with a series of offers.

This isn’t ‘more’ work, it’s more access to you.

People pay based on proximity and speed.

We help entrepreneurs make more money.

But how we help them is completely different.

- Some want us to do it for them
- Some want us to do it with them
- Some want to sit in my Bali villa and build it together

Everything is priced accordingly.

3. Simple Sales System

No one is coming to buy from you randomly.

I mean no one.

You have to go to them if you want to increase sales velocity.

For the past few years, I’ve been running lean sales teams.

The entire process, from content that generates leads to onboarding, gets smoother every month.

If you have a terrible sales process, your whole operation is cooked.

People must be able to enter your world and buy with ease.

Whatever gets you the result.

If you want the full Ecosystem Model we roll out for all our clients, comment ‘Course’ and I’ll personally send it to you.

Your next 10 clients aren’t far away.

How to sign high-ticket clients consistently:

Build a simple, scalable Ecosystem.

Right now, you’re pushing leads through a funnel.

Trying to out-market a terrible offer.
Trying to out-sell bad marketing.

But the problem isn’t your effort.
It’s the lack of a scalable Ecosystem.

Do leads trust you?
Do they feel you’re the right solution?
Do they believe your solution will work for them?

You need to be able to answer YES to all three to sign clients.

On March 26th, I’m running a LIVE workshop helping coaches and agency owners sign high-ticket clients consistently.

If 2026 has felt hard as nails, there’s a better opportunity.

A simpler opportunity.

And I’ll show you exactly how to create your own Ecosystem to sign more clients.

Register here:
https://lnkd.in/g-q4Kip4

See you there.

I was literally afraid of sales calls…

Genuinely, I was afraid the prospect would show up.

And I’ve seen this trend repeatedly with entrepreneurs.

People say they “hate” sales, but they actually just fear it.

Once you know the small things you need to track,

It becomes repeatable, enjoyable, and scalable.

All you need is a simple system to track:

1. Total calls

Is your lead volume increasing or decreasing?

2. Show rate

Are prospects showing up willing to solve their issue?

3. Close rate

Are you attracting the right buyers into your world?

4. Total cash collected & revenue

How much money are you actually making on these calls?

Knowing these numbers allowed me to hit multiple seven figures a year at Voics.

Now, at Aura, you can manage all of your sales in one central spot.

No more spreadsheets managing spreadsheets.

Simple and effective.

Unpopular opinion:

A-Players show themselves in the first 24 hours.

B-Players b*tch, complain, and quit before shit gets good.

It’s better to hold back an A-Player by the reins.
Than to try to motivate a B-Player to get out of bed in the morning.

(And put their pants on the right way...)

As a founder, focus all your energy on finding your A-Players.

Develop talent.
Invest in team coaching.
Call them at 5pm on a Saturday.
Buy them lunch and dinner occasionally.

Do whatever you can to acquire and retain talent.

Because 1 A-Player is worth 100 B-Players.

Trust me.

Unpopular ways I scaled my business to multiple 7 figures:

1. Moved to 100% in-office 

Shit just gets done in person.

That’s it.

2. Went all in on paid media

Organic content has a ceiling.

I’d prefer my lead flow not to be based on an editor’s feelings that day. 

I spent 6 straight months locked away learning ads.

Paid off (literally).

3. Built a large sales team 

I tripled the sales team and fired all B-players. 

I only hire 3+ years of sales experience now.

Voics interviews up to 50 people a month now.

4. Spread my focus

Voics is a media company (content agency and sales agency) and consultancy.

As well as adding Aura to the mix (sales AI software).

5. Build a leadership team

My COO runs all operations across every product.

My Chief Education Officer runs all consulting.

Everyone does their own shit.

6. Split the teams up

I broke our total company (20+ team members) into a series of ‘pods’.

This ensures we don’t mess with each other’s stuff.

Do your stuff at an excellent level.

Don’t ask the sales team about your thumbnails.

Here are the results:

250+ new high-ticket clients.

7 figures in straight profit.

Became a liquid millionaire in my 20s.

My ‘secret’ is simple:

Chew glass. 

Don’t whine.

Keep going.

Most digital entrepreneurs think they need:

- better content
- more offers
- more sales calls

But here’s the uncomfortable truth...

Your content might actually be pushing clients away.

Not because it’s bad.

Because it’s incomplete.

Every buyer must internally say three yeses before they buy anything.

1. Logical Yes
“Can this person actually help me?”

2. Emotional Yes
“Do I trust this person?”

3. Value Yes
“Do I like how they solve the problem?”

Miss one…

Sales calls don't close.

Miss two…

You get ghosted (the uncomfortable truth).

Most entrepreneurs accidentally build their content around only one yes.

Authority content - Logical yes only
Personal content - Emotional yes only
Sales content - Value yes only

So prospects receive mixed signals.

They like you.

But they aren’t convinced.

Or they believe you…

But they don’t feel connected.

Or they trust you…

But they don’t like your method.

So they hesitate.

And hesitation kills deals.

The businesses signing high-ticket clients consistently structure everything around generating all three yeses simultaneously.

At 30 years old, I run a consulting firm and a tech company.

But at 23…

I had three failed businesses.

I failed at events.
I failed in ecommerce.
I failed in software.

Then, in 2020, I slowed down.

It was time to listen and learn…

And I started creating content.

That’s when things snowballed.

I began consulting some of the largest brands and entrepreneurs on their content.

That’s how my company Voics was born.

What started as a simple agency…

Turned into a media company and education business.

We hit 50 clients.
Then 100.

Today…

Voics has helped 500+ coaches and agency owners scale their businesses.

Many to $1M per year.
Some to $1M per month.

Here’s how we do it…

Through a system Voics created called The Ecosystem.

It’s a framework designed to help businesses:

- Create offers
- Attract leads
- Close more clients

My mission is pretty simple:

Make business scalable, repeatable, and enjoyable.

As a result…

More coaches and agency owners are hitting record months than ever.

Today Voics generates $535,000/month with multiple seven figures in annual profit.

But I noticed something…

Even successful entrepreneurs struggle with sales.

Booking qualified leads.
Tracking numbers and reports.
Improving their sales calls.

Most businesses are duct taped together with Zapier.

And that’s why many never reach $1M/year or $1M/month.

So I built the solution.

My software company, Aura.

Aura helps entrepreneurs and sales teams:

- Book qualified calls
- Track performance
- Improve close rates

All in one platform.

Now Voics and Aura work together to help entrepreneurs scale.

If you want to see how this works…

I created a three-hour free course that breaks down the entire system.

How to scale your coaching business using the Ecosystem Model.

Comment “COURSE” and I’ll send it to you.

If you want to know the actual secret to scaling your business…

It’s not some magical funnel.

It’s this: scale your care.

That’s the real game.

Because most online business owners don’t actually care enough.

Not about the client.
Not about the result.
Not about what happens after the payment clears.

So what happens?

They sign clients.
They get paid.
Maybe even paid in full.

But the clients don’t stay.

They don’t get the result they really wanted.
They don’t feel understood.
They don’t feel deeply seen.

And eventually they leave.

After making $500K+ per month and working with hundreds of clients...

The difference between the people who stay small and the people who build something real is painfully obvious:

The ones who win actually give a f*ck.

They know their clients.
They understand the business.
They understand the pain.
They understand the actual desire underneath the surface-level goal.

That’s what allows someone to trust you.
That’s what allows someone to open up.
That’s what allows someone to stay.
And that’s what allows your business to compound.

Because the truth is…

If you don’t care about the result, you won’t get the result.

And if you want to make more money, you need to solve deeper problems for people.

That starts with understanding why you’re building in the first place.

If this hits home, watch the video below.

This is one of the most important pieces I’ve recorded in a long time.

Here’s the simplest path to $100K/mo:

The right product.
A working traffic source.
And a simple sales process.

I recorded a 46-minute masterclass with William Brown on scaling the right way to $100K/mo.

This is EVERYTHING you need to break out of the $30K/mo jail…

And build the easy path to $100K/mo.

We went back and forth on sales teams, ads, and multiple offers.

So you don’t have to.

Watch it here: https://linktw.in/wpgVuf

Lester Chng

Cyber CEOs Brand Strategist. I build your brand as you build your business. | Senior Cybersecurity Advisor | Author | Naval Officer | CISSP | 🇨🇦🇸🇬 |

You head a leading cybersecurity firm.
But your online presence doesn't reflect it.

In fact, being invisible is damaging. 

You understand the power of thought leadership.
You know LinkedIn shapes deal flow and adds credibility in the industry.
You just don’t have the cycles (or the copy) to share your expertise and experience.

You have stories worth telling.

The insights from being in the trenches.
The deep conversations with your ace teams.
The hard discussions with your clients. 

Don’t let this wisdom go to waste.

That’s where I come in.

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

How we work together.

Profile & Positioning
=> Rebuild your LinkedIn profile so visitors see industry authority, not “another vendor.”

Content engine
=> Ghostwritten posts that leverage your insights and expertise into engaging LinkedIn posts. 

Outreach campaign
=> Targeted DM campaigns and audience-building strategies that build your authority and land you on podcasts and conference stages.

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

You focus on growing your firm and protecting your clients.
And we will ensure the industry, clients, prospects, and investors can’t ignore it.

Let’s build the personal brand that commands the cybersecurity conversation and drives business.


Worked with global client portfolio 
- MSPs
- MSSPs
- Agentic AI SOC
- AI-powered GRC 
- Operational Resilience 

Senior Advisor, Financial Crimes Unit Exercises. BMO Fusion Centre

Execution of Financial Crimes Unit Exercise and Drill Program
• Design and execution of exercises and drills to operationalize the Financial Crimes Unit Fusion Centre
• Scenario creation and exercise execution for Information Security, Enterprise Fraud Management, Physical Security, and Global Crisis and Continuity Management teams 
• Providing effective challenge of incident response readiness through exercise observation
• Execution of enterprise-wide Purple Team Exercise


Cybersecurity Exercises: Purple Team, Ransomware, DDoS, Malware, Data Corruption, Data Breach, 3rd Party Incidents
Fraud Exercises: ATOs, Attack on Payment systems, Business Email Compromise, PII Breach
Physical Security Exercise: Active Assailant, Civil Unrest, Bomb Threats
Crisis Exercises: Disaster Recovery, Business Continuity, Operational Resilience, Fire Incidents, Natural Disasters, Utilities Disruption

I lost my voice on many occasions.  
 
But LinkedIn helped me find it again. 
 
I lost my voice when I left the Navy. 
12 years in service.  
It remains a part of me. 
Naval terms. Military speak.  
Barking orders and receiving them. 
 
And then I left the Navy.  
 
I lost my voice when I left the country. 
34 years in the land. 
I will always belong there. 
Singlish, slang, and all I knew. 
Culture, habits, being a local. 
 
And then I left the country. 
 
I lost my voice when I began abroad. 
8 years since I landed. 
I wonder if I'll ever belong. 
New nuances, new circumstances. 
 
And then I began again. 
 
I lost my voice when I lost my job. 
I will never forget the letter. 
"Changing business requirements" 
I told myself this will never be a chore. 
 
And then I found my voice. 
 
You may find this platform a bore. 
"I need a job" 
"I am excited to...." 
"🚀🚀🚀🚀🤖🤖🤖🤖" 
"Are you interested in buying.." 
 
But it has allowed me to find my voice. 
 
Cause one day, I may lose it again. 
 
Have you lost your voice before?
What steps are u taking to mitigate?

undefined undefined

bootcamp

Sign up here:
https://catalystcorporatetraining.classe365.com/form/view/AutoBootCamp?_gl=1*9rfqtg*_ga*MTQ4NTczNDM0MC4xNjk4MjQxODM1*_ga_YYXBQS6S5Q*MTcwNzgzMzEyNi4xODEuMS4xNzA3ODMzMTYwLjI2LjAuMA

I help cybersecurity founders build authoritative LinkedIn brands | Senior Cybersecurity Advisor | Author | Naval Officer | CISSP | 🇨🇦🇸🇬 |

You know Canada is on the up when Dad sends you a TikTok (no i dont have an account) about the upcoming increase in defence spending.

What about Canada do you appreciate?

I like the cold...... what about you?

Building a cyber company is not for everyone.

Do you even have the commitment to do so?

I interviewed Eldon Sprickerhoff to get his insights for the next generation of founders. He is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence and a mentor at Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University. 


𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿. 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 “𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗱”

𝘘: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘬𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴?


I kept seeing the same patterns: some passionate and brilliant technical founders hitting predictable walls - raising capital without understanding dilution consequences, scaling teams without proper foundations, pursuing growth without sustainable unit economics, or worse: flailing in the market with a product/offering that didn’t have an obvious value or importance.

What frustrated me was that these weren't unsolvable problems. They were challenges we had faced and eventually figured out, often painfully. I realized this knowledge could help others avoid the same expensive mistakes.

The recurring theme was the gap between technical excellence and business fundamentals. Founders could build incredible technology but struggled with identifying their true “ideal client profile”, minimally viable offering, go-to-market strategy, fundraising dynamics, or organizational design. "Committed" became my way of sharing survival strategies that weren't readily available elsewhere.


𝘘: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴?

Right now, I'm focused on helping the next generation of cybersecurity founders build enduring companies. Through my consulting and advisory roles, I'm seeing exceptional technical talent that needs guidance on the business side.

The masterclass is a way to scale that impact. I can only mentor a handful of founders directly, but the principles I learned building eSentire are broadly applicable. I want to help founders avoid the mistakes that nearly killed our company early on and accelerate their path to product-market fit and sustainable growth.

What excites me most is seeing founders take these lessons and apply them in ways I never imagined - solving problems that didn't exist when we started eSentire. The cybersecurity landscape keeps evolving, and I want to help the best founders navigate it successfully.


If you enjoyed this interview series, please follow Eldon and get his book at https://lnkd.in/gS2HNAnY


P.S. Have you read Committed? 
Get it already.

Dear LinkedIn,
Here is what it is like using the app. 

Suggested

Suggested

Suggested

Sponsored

Suggested

Sponsored 

Suggested

Sponsored


What’s up with this feed?

Did you even consider the experience?

Pls bring my connections’ posts. 

Sincerely,
Everyone.

LinkedIn

Running naval wargames and designing cyber exercises at a bank are more similar than people expect.

It did help that the big boss at the bank was a former naval aviator. 

He knew with a fusion centre structure of managing security incidents across cyber, fraud, physical security, and crisis management, the teams needed a robust training program to drive operational excellence and achieve full operating capabilities. 

That was the first task. 

Get back to basics. 
Sort out the procedures. 
Drill the response teams. 

Do you run drills for your teams?

Or assume they will respond to your expectations?

It is RSAC in a couple of weeks. 
Yet your meeting calendar is scarily empty.

Your VP Marketing has been urging you to post more on LinkedIn during the lead-up to RSAC.

But is has been crazy busy with client demos, contract negotiations, partner agreements, manpower turnover, investor updates, fund-raising, and just LIFE.

The start of the year flew by and you didn't realize RSAC is just around the corner. The conference that costs a pretty penny but you don't feel like you have good momentum going into the event.

Your last LinkedIn post was a report of a company announcement 3 weeks ago. Your DMs are all full of spam. And you ignored your VP Marketing's email to post more.

But where do you start? What do you post about?

I have 2 resources for you.
1. The Cybersecurity CEO’s Personal Brand Blueprint
2. 5 LinkedIn Posts Templates for Cyber CEOs

You have 1 week to catch up.

Don't waste another year at RSAC.

DM or comment "RSAC" and I'll send you both.

When I first moved to Canada, I remember reading about their Navy and Air Force capabilities (don’t ask me why I didn’t bother abt the Army). 

12 Halifax frigates. Ageing, 1990s
4 Victoria subs. Second hand. 
6 OPVs. Still coming online. 
12 Patrol crafts. 

F18s - started from 1982….


And to defend coast to coast….
to the True North

Was an impossible task. 

This Defence budget and Strategy is long overdue and may be the silver lining in this rocky new world. 

We are all pulling in the same direction. 

Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University will offer every company in every Catalyst program strategic insights to help them explore and pursue opportunities in Canada’s growing defence sector.

Stay connected and pull together.

Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University

The reason your posts fall flat? 
They read like press releases.

Most posts I see on LinkedIn read like they were written by a corporate communications team.

They’re clean. Safe. 
Approved by six people.
And boring as hell. 

Here are a few lessons that I gained after writing >1000+ posts. 
⸻

Lesson 1: Write as you would speak. 
You don’t need big words or long sentences.
Short. Direct. Clear.
If you wouldn’t say it in a conversation, don’t write it in a post.

⸻

Lesson 2: Share what it means, not just what happened.
Describe what you learned from it.
What changed for you? 
For your clients?
That’s the part people care about.

⸻

Lesson 3: Write to one person.
Think of someone specific — a client, a peer, a younger version of yourself.
Write as if you’re speaking to them.
That’s what makes people stop scrolling.

⸻

LinkedIn isn’t a press room.
It’s a coffee chat. 

Incorporate these lessons and the posts will start landing.

Whose posts do you enjoy reading?

4 types of people in tabletop exercises.

And how to deal with them.

It is every facilitator's nightmare. You spend hours designing and scheduling a tabletop exercise and you practice and envision every conversation, pushback, scenario.

Yet you still feel unprepared because you don't fully know who the audience is, what they are like, and whether they will chew you up and spit you out.

Here are the 4 archetypes and how to manage these characters.

1. The Know-it-all

If we all conduct a blind survey in the room and ask everyone to close their eyes and point to the person who "Knows-it-all", they will all point to the same person.

How to tell who this person is?

Don't worry. When the exercise reaches the first discussion point, this person will start talking about Step A to Z on what he or his team will do. He knows his plans, critical processes, who to call, what to ask, what to investigate, how long it takes, priorities etc

How do you handle the "Know-it-all"?

This is a good thing.
Don't discourage the sharing. Instead leverage what the person is sharing and post some of the things he raised to other teams.

Example:
Know-it-all: For this particular incident, we will triage and send out the initial report within 30 mins

You: That is excellent. Operations team (or any other team that should receive the report), is the information within the initial report sufficient or what other types of info will help your team's processes?

Know-it-alls are good for keeping the flow of the exercise. Leverage them well.

2. The Forever-Skeptic (FS for short)

Signs of the FS.
- This will never happen
- We have implemented tools for this
- This inject is not applicable for our env

I know. 
You may find yourself sweating at this point. But don't worry, leverage your exercise design partner to help expand on the inject to make it relevant.

OR if all else fails. 
This is one trick that works.

Ask the FS straight up. 
"Is there a similar inject or scenario where in your experience and expertise, you know will triggers an event/incident that needs your team's response?"

1. This strokes FS's ego.
2. You have trapped FS. He can't say there is no such scenario.
3. Smile and pivot from FS's suggestion.
4. Rem to tie it back to the overall scenario.

3. The Conversation Hogger

Signs of the Hogger
- This is a no brainer. If you record the whole, the hogger probably took up 70% of the air time.

It is likely that the hogger has gone too far down a rabbit hole. 

Acknowledge the hogger's contribution and bring others in the convo.

4. The silent ones

No sound. No inputs. No involvement.
Ask them directly what they think or they would do. 
Do it with every inject.

What other characters are there and how do you deal w them?

Running the Naval Wargaming & Simulation Centre provided a strong foundation for running cyber exercises.

Here was what a typical week looked like.

• detailing injects
• designing exercise scenarios
• preparing exercise with instructors
• running exercises for warfare teams
• keeping up to date with naval tactics
• tracking and assessing performances
• planning out future exercise schedules
• conducting pre and post-exercise briefs
• discussing the ship's exercise objectives
• ensuring teams are up to date on Red Team tactics

Now you can understand the transferable skills in Cybersecurity exercises.

Sick of tabletop exercises?

Here are other training tools to use. 

Picture this. 
You designed and planned for your tabletop exercise for months. 

The date is decided and you sent out the calendar hold. 

“Urghh”. The synchronized groans echo across the office space. 


Johnny Smarty Pants: “I bet it’s an AI or ransomware scenario again”. 

Jimmy Old Timer: “Time to dust off the old playbook”. 


How do you think the exercise will go?
Probably the same as the last 5..

Even MSPs know that this is a problem. 
“Our clients are bored of TTXs”.


Here’s how to shake things up. 

1. Use short drills instead
2. Execute unalerted exercises
3. Ask delegates to be the primary 
4. Allocate budget for a simulation ex

You can and should incorporate some variety and creativity in your training. 

Otherwise it’s a bloody snooze fest. 

Everyone know it and just goes through the motion at your tabletop. 

Depressing stuff. 

P.S any other bright training ideas?

It’s 2026 and it’s still a VUCA world. 

Volatilite
Uncertain
Complex
Ambiguous 

No wonder there is a continued demand for crisis mgmt professionals. 

VUCA was introduced in 90s to describe the post Cold War period. 
Still as relevant today. 


In fact, things may escalate. 

BANI is added to the frame with pandemics, AI, and whatever’s next. 

Brittle
Anxious
Nonlinear 
Incomprehensible


Stay safe out there. 

P.S Just saw the missile attack on the base in Bahrain where I was stationed back in the day.

Imagine exercising the exact scenario a couple of weeks before an incident. 

This is how some teams would have managed the lead up to this weekend. 

The sharpest teams would have tracked the escalation and highlighted the threat scenarios weeks ago. This can only happen if your threat intel teams covers beyond just cyber. 

The risk teams would be pulled in and have a quick reassessment. This can only happen if your intel and risk teams know how to work together. 

The exercise and security teams collaborate to rapidly design and develop exercise scenarios. This can only happen if leaders carve out time. 

The leadership team prepare briefs to the executive leadership and board. This can only happen if there is trust. 

Can you predict when something kicks off? Nope but you can certainly prep for it in advance. 

And when you run the exact scenario weeks before it actually happens. 

Imagine the credibility your team gains. This doesn’t happen by chance but by an intricate and established machinery. 

P.S 
how are you actively managing risks?

If the message is still unclear, do this. 
- review last few major incidents 
- identify the most relevant scenarios
- refresh or recirculate response plans
- stand up a quick incident drill 
- plan for a near term exercise 
- run the exercise and note lessons
- update leadership on readiness


Write a quick doc on this process. 
That is your response playbook. 
Don’t fumble the next crisis.

LinkedIn  isn’t rocket science. 
10 things you can do today that will take less than 1 min. 

Forget the polished profile. 
Funnel content tactics. 
Funky AI graphics. 

Keep it simple. 

Do one of these (or all) and make LinkedIn work for you. 

1. Send a DM to refer someone
2. Send a DM to encourage someone
3. Comment on a stranger’s post
4. Reconnect w an ex colleague
5. Congratulate an achievement
6. Say hi to a stranger in your field
7. Say hi to a stranger not in your field
8. Ask for insights from an expert
9. Ask someone for that referral
10. Ask someone if they need help

Try it out. 
Let me know how many you hit today.

P.S when was the last time you did any of the above?

Here is what Cyber CEOs should post on LinkedIn. Save this for ideas.  

Most Cyber CEOs only repost their company's content.
Or share updates about the latest hacks. Or they post random AI blogs.

But here's the thing:

- Those posts are generic.
- They don't stand out.
- They don't show leadership.

You are the leader. Lead by example.

Share customer success stories.
Talk about business lessons. 
Have a contrarian viewpoint. 

This is how you can stand out:

→ Highlight customer success stories.
Share real examples of how your company helped clients.
It builds trust and showcases your value.

→ Discuss lessons learned.
Talk about your experiences and what you’ve learned.
It shows you are growing and learning.

→ Voice strong opinions.
Take a stand on industry issues.
It positions you as a thought leader.

By doing this, you'll not just be another CEO. You'll position as aa leader who leads by example.

Make those posts count. 

Here are 26 types to choose from.

Type 1: Authority Posts
Examples:
Deep dive into project implementation
Demonstration of expertise
Client transformation
Knowledge sharing
Client testimonial
Opinions
Insights
Trends

Type 2: Personal Posts
Vision for company
Vision for products
Lessons learned
Founder stories
Team culture
Challenges
Leadership
Resilience
Wins

Type 3: Trust Posts
Highlight value proposition
Talk about problems solved
Demonstrate solutions
Customer pain points
Decision making 
Social proof
Principles
Results
Values

Building a product isn’t the hardest part for cyber founders. 

It’s building trust. 

- Enterprise buyers make a decision about a founder before they ever get on a call. 

- Investors decide whether to respond to your email based on what they find when they search your name. 

-Partners size you up against competitors who’ve been showing up publicly for years.

You can have the best product in the market and still lose the deal to someone with an inferior solution and a stronger presence.

Trust is built before the conversation starts and your presence on LinkedIn shouldn’t be overlooked.  

What does your LinkedIn say about you to someone who’s never heard of your company?

It’s RSAC week and if you are the Head of Marketing and your CEO only makes 1 I’m going to RSAC post. 

U know u have missed an opportunity.  

An opportunity to raise awareness. 
An opportunity to warm up leads. 
An opportunity to stand out. 

Now all you can do is pray that the thousands that walk by your booth will be pulled in by the free tshirt. 

And spend 45 seconds giving yr marketing reps a slight nod every once in a while, with a sheepish smile. 

And a thank you. Before scurrying away with their prize in hand. 

You’ll never hear from them again. 

Whilst it’s too late to scramble a post sequence that’s meaningful, don’t get caught unprepared again. 

Drop me a DM, I’ll send you a 6 weeks pre-event LinkedIn post calendar for Cyber CEOs. 

Enjoy the hoarde. 
Stay safe.

Cybersecurity marketing truth:

Conference booth: $40,000 for 72 hours of exposure
LinkedIn: $0 for year-round client acquisition

Let me explain why this matters:

The math simply doesn't add up anymore.

That $40K RSAC booth gets you:
- A week of fighting for attention
- Hundreds of scanned badges (most whom will never respond)
- A team of exhausted sales reps
- Maybe 2-3 qualified opportunities if you're lucky

Meanwhile, the most successful cybersecurity leaders I work with are building personal brands on LinkedIn that generate:
- Continuous inbound leads
- Speaking invitations
- Media opportunities
- Partnerships
- Investor interest
- And yes, actual customers

The key difference? 
Trade shows are transactional. 
LinkedIn is relational.

Here's what a strategic LinkedIn approach for cybersecurity leaders looks like:

𝟭. 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻
Don't try to be everything to everyone. Are you an identity expert? Cloud security specialist? OT security veteran? Pick your lane and own it.

𝟮. 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲
CISOs don't need another vendor telling them breaches are bad. They need practical insights from someone who's been in the trenches.

𝟯. 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀
Most security content feels like it was written by robots for robots. Talk about the human elements - the stress, the politics, the wins.

𝟰. 𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆
Building or selling security solutions is hard. Share your progress, setbacks, and lessons. Vulnerability builds trust.

𝟱. 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆
This isn't about posting once a month. It's about showing up regularly to add value to industry conversations.

The cybersecurity industry has a trust problem. Your LinkedIn presence helps solve that by building relationships before the sales pitch.

Is a LinkedIn-first approach right for every security company? No.

But if you're spending $200K+ annually on trade shows without a personal brand strategy, you're leaving opportunities on the table.

What's your experience with cybersecurity marketing? Is LinkedIn working for you or is the trade show circuit still your primary channel?


P.S who has the best pre-RSAC game?

5 things Cyber CEOs do on LinkedIn that harms their brand and rep. 

Before you dismiss it as trivial, your prospects, clients, partners have and will take a glance at your profile. 

How will you show up in their snapshot assessment? Can you risk of they form an early impression?

1. Empty Profile

This may be acceptable in 2010. 
It will raise more questions than answers and you don’t want that. 

2. Unprofessional Pic and Banner

If you don’t accept a shoddy website, why would you accept an unpolished profile?

3. Boring copy across page 

From your headline to your about section and even your outdated experience page. 

If it screams a lack of attention and effort, doesn’t really move the needle forward does it?

4. Effortless content

Repost, repost, repost, repost

And you wonder why this platform sucks. 


5. Full on AI Bonanza

We have all seen it. 
Posts with more fluff than insights. 
Comments that don’t make sense. 
Spam DMs that lead to being reported. 

This is a straight road to being banned.  



When was the last time you audited your profile and campaign?

P.S what else are folks doing wrong here?

I distilled my LinkedIn lessons in a free 5 day email course for Cyber CEOs. 

LinkedIn can be confusing: 
 
- What to write
- How often to post
- Does my profile matter
- Can I copy from my website
- Do I really understand networking
 
No, you won't become an influencer
Yes, your clients are here and reading

But just not reading your content.

Yet.
 
Get a head start on your competition.
Or do you want to keep remaining invisible?

📌 Here's where I would start: 
https://lnkd.in/gMkXZFie

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