Darren Gibb

I teach coaches how to win more clients using Strategic Content that Converts | Ask about my CLOSE Framework

How many times have you tried to make LinkedIn ‘work’ for you? 🤦‍♂️

If it's not working, you're focusing on the wrong things. Here's why 👇

Because most LinkedIn advice focuses on fluffy nonsense
→ Hooks
→ Formatting
→ How to grow your account (whilst making no money).

(spoiler alert: I am unashamedly about helping you make $$$, not get likes).

It’s easy to look popular.
To fain popularity.
And to get people liking your content.

But what coaches truly suffer from is creating the right type of strategic content.

The type of content which attracts the right people
And repels the wrong.

The type of content which turns you into your prospects’ number 1 expert.

The type of content which strategically positions you as the ONLY solution to their problems.

And the type of content which - best of all - converts those followers of yours into happy, paying clients.

You’ve likely tried the free courses.
Paid some money to unlock the ‘secrets’ from the gurus…
Yet still don’t have a predictable amount of leads coming your way every month.

Or perhaps you feel that you’ve cracked LinkedIn and are ready for that next step:
Webinars, Masterclasses and Challenges (ask me about how I helped one of my clients, Andy, turn a $150 webinar into almost $50k 👀) 

LinkedIn and social selling isn’t difficult - and I make it easier with my CLOSE Framework:

→  𝗖ontent That Attracts & Repels
→  𝗟everage LinkedIn Intelligently
→  𝗢ptimized DM Strategy
→  𝗦trong Sales Strategies
→  𝗘nhance Expert Influence

It really is as simple as that.

And that’s what I’m known for (check out my testimonials for evidence).

If you want to CLOSE and make money.
Shoot over a DM saying 'CLOSE' to find out more.

But - I only work with hard-working coaches who are serious about 

→ improving their LinkedIn strategies
→ Serving more of their ideal clients
→ Know that everything takes work.

If this sounds like you, I look forward to chatting.

If not, I hope you still learn something from my content.

And if you’ve read down to here, drop a DM just to say hello. 

DM the word ‘STARBURSTER’ and I’ll send you over something I usually sell...

For free 🌟 

Also check out my website in my Featured Section to get some free gifts and also sign up to my newsletter.

Storytelling on LinkedIn Coach

Combining my knowledge and passion for storytelling with my knowledge for LinkedIn, I help coaches and solopreneurs use storytelling and proven strategies to improve their content and convert more followers into paying clients.

It's not DMs you're avoiding.

It's rejection (or damn scripts).

DMs feel sleazy. 

Spammy. 
Cringe. 
Desperate.

But here's why you find them morally repugnant 👇

What you believe about them - based on what you've experienced personally, or been taught - doesn't align with you.

Your values.

You know you need to do them...

But you'd rather be dignified than wealthy.

It feels like you're almost tricking them.

I remember my client Sam telling me he felt he was "bothering them."
Rachel felt they could "smell it coming."

And it was always because they were using scripts they had been told to use.
Verbatim.

So you shy away from doing it.

✅ You write another post.
✅ Hope for more congratulatory comments and likes (mostly from your peers)
✅ And 'double down' on 'content' instead

But running your own business is full of rejection. 

Which is why you run from DMs and don't book calls.

Because if you can avoid those two and only focus on fluffy content, at least the ego doesn't get bruised.

I know this because every one of the 120+ people I've coached came to me at the same point.

And I used to do the same.

It was when I learned that I was the prize.
I was there to be won.

That everything changed.

The energy. 
The confidence. 
The close rates.

After a week of applying it, Craig said:
"FLAME and TORCH are SOOOOO WORKING. I am having some incredible success... I've even been able to flip so I am now in the power frame."

He felt the switch immediately.
Frameworks remove the cringe.

(I'm showing you this framework on Jan 26th. No charge. dmstocalls.darrengibb.com)

If what you're saying feels cringy, then it is.
So cut it.

Experts diagnose in DMs.

Amateurs pitchslap - or teach and explain, becoming the "valued friend."

Others preach "provide value!" and "the right people will find you!"

That's bullshit.

Waiting to be found isn't a strategy. 
It's a lottery ticket.



🗣️ Let me know in the comments 
👉 Where do you feel the cringe most - the first message or the follow-up?



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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

A big reason your DMs don't book calls?

You get trapped in the friend zone. Every time. 

Most service experts are passionate.

Which means they love talking about it -
This is their place of expertise and comes naturally.

But here's what people miss every time:

Experts in DMs don't explain.
They don't justify.

They diagnose.

And when they allow a prospect to diagnose themselves?

A call follows almost every time.

You've shown them that gap that they're missing
(whilst allowing them to FEEL as if they've discovered it themselves).

Steve recently told me he felt as if he was "a library to be browsed, not a store to be bought from".

And it stuck with me.

Coaches are the worst for this
(through not fault of their own).

They naturally go into coaching mode in the DMs
(and then if they get sales calls, there too).

You coach them where they believe "Ok, now I know what to do, I don't need their (expensive) help any more."

You've heard it a hundred times:

"Give value, value, value - give it ALL away" 
(Yep, Hormozi can afford to do this - because YOU likely aren't his ICP).

And I tried it many moons again - it only makes it worse.

You become a free resource rather than a prized asset worth paying for,

Whilst you're "nuturing", they're finding someone who can directly solve their problem.

You become the friend, rather than their expert.

When you give too much value and they'll never pay.
Stop scratching the itch for free.

SO, what do you do instead?

Well, thanks for asking.

I'm hosting a 60 minute workshop on exactly this where I'll show you the exact system I use to book 5+ qualified calls every week - without the scripts, bs or ick.

Find out more here: dmstocalls.darrengibb.com


🗣️ Let me know in the comments
👉 Have you ever found yourself stranded in the comments?

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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

undefined undefined

Hey [first], I just wanted to quickly thank you for taking the time to comment on today's post, I appreciate it! How's everything going with you?

ChatGPT Webinar

In-depth comment

Another tool to be using is ChatGPT... And it just so happens I'm going to be running a free, LIVE 2-hour webinar showing you how we can be using it to help us to optimize our LinkedIn profile and create better content.

Seats will be limited.

Reserve yours, before it is full, at http://www.darrengibb.com/chatgpt 💥

Every guru teaches content strategies...

Yet never TEACH you how to convert clients.

Within 3 days of a bootcamp I ran last year, Harry booked -  and closed - his first client in his new business.
 
No engagement pods. 
No "get more confidence!" fluff. 
No magic.
 
Just a system for turning DM conversations into booked calls.
 
Here's what the gurus won't tell you:
 
Every January, they roll out the same promises: 

"Get more authority!" 
"Get more inbound leads than you can handle!" 
"Build confidence!"
 
Same empty words. 
Same AI-sounding copy. 
Same results: none.
 
The vast majority of people I work with have been through those courses and memberships.
 
✅ They understand what to post 
✅ They feel more "confident" 
✅ They have likes and "great post!" comments from engagement pods
 
But they come to me:
 
❌ Still broke at the end of the month 
❌ Inbound leads rarely come 
❌ No idea how to take a DM to a booked call
 ❌ Still losing sales calls
 
Content → DMs → Calls → Clients.
 
Most are teaching part 1 of that equation.
 
That's why Harry closed in 3 days whilst others are still playing about with the colours on their banners and writing cute posts for the wrong people.

He had followed all the 'rules'.
Been on the courses.
And was 'being consistent'.

Yet struggled to speak to the right people and close them with ease.

With my proven system he achieved this within 10 messages.
(and over $3m in client sales shows it doesn't only work for him).

Content → DMs → Calls → Clients.
 
The adults are focused on all four - with DMs as the bridge.
 
Because DMs and sales calls aren't that different. 
Master one, you've mastered the other.
 
🔥 If your content's working but your DMs aren't converting, comment below or DM me a "IT'S WORKING, BUT..."  and I'll send you over exactly what Harry used.

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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

Your 'vulnerable' content is costing you clients.
 
(this is gonna piss some people off 💅)
 
And it's killing more than your pipeline.
 
Over the past 3 years, it's been peddled by the gurus:
 
Show up.
 
"Be vulnerable." 
(Anyone remember the Crying CEO? 😅😭)
 
"Be consistent."
 
The gurus who peddled it built their 'personal brands' on this.
 
Did it give them followers? Yes. 
Likes and comments? Yes. 
A profitable business growing year on year?
 
Nope.
 
They're called vanity metrics for a reason. 
And they're engineered by fluffy, 'vulnerable' content.
 
So creators take this as a green light to create just that.
 
Sharing every worry. 
Every imposter moment. 
Every urge to quit.
 
Followed the next week by a 'success' story.

Followers know it doesn't add up.
 
Which is why you get emotionally invested fans.
But inconsistent paying buyers.
 
Your prospects need to see you as their expert. 
Having your shit together. 
Sharing authentic stories of your success. 
Understanding THEIR problems. 
And showing how you solve them.
 
Yes, vulnerability can be beautiful. 
Yes, it humanises you.
 
But not when your followers see a constant shitshow in your content.
 
It comforts them: 
"This person is like me!"
 
But it rarely pushes them towards transformative action.
 
How can they trust you to solve their problem when you're still drowning in yours?
 
Use vulnerability like this:
 
Talk about the situation you were in. 
The moment you didn't know how to break through. 
The realisation that shifted everything. 
The action thatyou then took. 
The bumps along the way. 
And the transformation.
 
Vulnerability is beautiful. 

But show you USED to be the person they ARE right now.
 
That's what builds trust. 
Confidence. 
And belief.
 
That's what turns "I love your content" into "How do I work with you?"
 
Buyers don't want pity parties. 
They want to be seen and emotionally led.


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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

$10k is sitting in your inbox right now*.
 
Not new leads. Old conversations...

The ones that "went nowhere."
 
Monday 26th January | 6pm CET | 12pm EST - I'm showing you where every leak happens and the exact fixes.
 
Register here: dmstocalls.darrengibb.com
 
You see, most people think they have a lead problem. 
They don't.

They have a leak problem.
 
Here are 4 places your deals are dying:
 
Lead Speed 
→ 23 hours to respond. 
↳ Your competitor already closed them.
 
Follow-Up Fear 
→ You follow up twice and call it dead. 
↳ 80% of sales happen after the 5th touch. Some up to 11.
↳ You're not "bothering them" - you're disappearing.
 
Proposal Purgatory 
→ Most coaches and consultants do NOT need to send proposals before a deal is done
↳ If you feel you MUST send one, your deal is too complex.
 
Pipeline Bullshit 
→ "I think I have some warm leads." 
↳ You can't improve what you don't measure.
 
"More content = More visibility = LOADS of inbound leads!!" is what they want you to believe.
 
Converting the leads you already have is what actually works.
 
 
P.S.
 
* That $10k in your inbox?
 
Find the conversations where symptoms or pain surfaced. Don't "check in". Ask how they're getting on with that specific thing.
 
A lot changes in 3 months.


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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

95% of you are paralysed in the DMs.
 
The "Nice Chat!" Fallacy kills your DMs and Sales.
 
People I work with, like Ryan whose close rate went from 20% to 80%, don't suddenly just get "good at sales". 

Because he stopped teaching in DMs and started diagnosing.

(I'm breaking this down live on the 26th: dmstocalls.darrengibb.com)
 
Those who struggle in the DMs typically struggle with sales.
 
This is what I call the "Nice Chat!" Fallacy.
 
In the DMs, it sounds like "Thanks so much, I'll reach out when ready!"
 
On calls, it's "Let me think about it and I'll get back to you."
 
Same pattern. Same result.
 
You've satisfied them. You've taught them by accident. And they're happy enough to 'work it out themselves' with the nuggets you've offered.
 
The pattern that kills your calls starts in your DMs.
 
Because if you manage to get them onto a call, you've already conditioned them to expect even MORE teaching.
 
Which, invariably, you give them.
 
It's when you say things like "I'd love to help!" or "Let me know if you're interested!" that leak this frame.
 
You sound over-enthusiastic. Needy.
 
And your prospect knows it.
 
When they ask to be taught, redirect with a question.
 
If you're an executive coach and they ask: "How do I lead my team better without becoming a micromanager?"
 
You should never answer directly.
 
Let them diagnose themselves.
 
Instead, ask: "What's the part you keep stepping back into… even though you know you shouldn't?"
 
This forces them to identify the gap they have. The gap they need your help to solve.
 
"Building rapport" is great until you become a free resource.
 
Rapport without urgency is just friendship in a suit.
 
 ____

The pattern that kills your calls starts in your DMs.
 
Fix the DMs first.
 
I'm covering the complete framework on January 26th. 60 minutes. How to turn DM conversations into booked calls — without the cringe.
 
6pm CET / 12pm EST
 
find out more and register here: dmstocalls.darrengibb.com

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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

How many of the following non-buyers...

Are you STILL wasting your time with? 

They feel like progress. 
You tell yourself "at least I'm getting calls booked!"
 
But underneath, you sense - even before getting on a call - that this person is never going to convert.
 
Because they never do.
 
The problem isn't that they exist.
It's that you keep feeding them your time.
 
Here are the Infamous Four:
 
🧠 THE BRAIN-PICKER → Sees you as a peer. Never the expert. 
↳ "Could we get a quick chat so I can pick your brain about something?"
 
🪟 THE WINDOW SHOPPER → Likes everything. Your biggest fan. Never responds to DMs. 
↳ Browsing, not buying.
 
🦵 THE TYRE KICKER → Books calls. Asks questions. Loves "working together." Never ready to.
 ↳ Wants to feel productive without committing.
 
🙍‍♂️ THE LONELY FOUNDER → Long calls. Tells you everything. Deep shares. Deeper pain. No budget.
↳ They'll send you a Christmas card. Never a payment.
 
I guarantee you've had them all.
(I went through a dark period where I attracted all four like a magnet.)
 
And here's where it stings: It's your fault.
 
Not theirs.
 
You haven't filtered them through your DMs. 
You got excited and let them book a call without real qualification.
 
That's 3-5 hours a week on calls that were never going to close. 

At only $600/hour, that's $120,000+ a year in wasted opportunity cost.

Yep. Read that back again.
 
Here's a quick filter you can use today: 

When someone says "Can we hop on a quick call?" - reply with: 
"What specifically are you trying to solve?"
 
If they can't name it, they can't pay for it. 

The Infamous Four can't answer that question clearly. 
Ever.
 
This will help you out until next week.

On Monday 26th January, I'm showing you the full framework that filters these four before they hit your calendar.
 
It's called FLAME:
 
• Find the issue
• Learn their attempts
• Aha Moment (break their false belief)
• Map the choice they can make
• Engage the call
 
Five DM messages. 

No more wasted discovery calls on someone who was never going to buy.
Only ones with those who can.
 
Monday 26th January. 6pm CET | 12pm EST. 
register here: dmstocalls.darrengibb.com
 
Let others rub their tummies. 

You've got deals to close.


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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

How Laura closed $560k on LinkedIn
 
(spoiler: it wasn't "POST MORE CONTENT!")
 
Laura is an experienced Executive Coach.
 
A glance at her content showed: 

→ Decent likes 
(sometimes from her ICP) 

→ Comments 
(mostly from fellow coaches) 

→ 'Thought leadership' topics 
(saying the same as everyone else)
 
But behind the content: 

→ Ghosted DMs 
→ "I'll get back to you later" 
→ "Can I just pick your brain..." 
→ Stalled conversations that felt warm but went nowhere.
 
Her target for the year was $500k.
 
So we installed my DM Framework.

(The same I'll unveil in 3 days (Jan 26th, 6pm CET | 12pm EST), 
No replay. 13 spots left.
Register here: dmstocalls.darrengibb.com)
 
We went back through those ghosted DMs. 
Through the proposals that got ignored.
 
One conversation she'd written off 4 months ago? 
Reopened with three messages. 
Closed at $280k.
 
Same expertise. 
Same market. 
Same positioning.
 
Different system.
 
Two weeks later, she messaged me:
 
"Darren, we need to revise the target."
 
My stomach dropped.
 
"That's now two closed deals totalling $560k. New target is $1M this year. Double that next year."
 
Her audience was already there. 
Her skills were already there. 

The system was what was missing.
 
The gap between her and you?
 
It's not talent. 
It's the layer you haven't installed.
 
 
PS
 
The question I'd ask yourself:
 
How many conversations in your inbox "went nowhere" that actually just needed a different approach?
 
That's what Monday is about.


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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

Everyone defines 'success' on LinkedIn differently.
 
Conversion to new business is a vital metric.
 
Your content gets saved and shared.
 
And your pipeline?
 
Flat.
 
The truth:
 
Visibility doesn't pay bills. 
Cheerleaders don't hire you. 
Likes don't book calls.
 
I see it constantly with coaches and consultants over 40 who've done the work:
 
Content thriving - pipeline empty.
Bookmarked and recommended - but never bought from.
Too proud to DM - still waiting for inbound to save them.
 
(Swipe through the carousel. Those who are ready will count how many describe you.)
 
Each sign comes with the fix.
 
Not theory. 
Not "try posting more."
 
The actual shift that turns attention into action.
 
If you recognise more than two?
 
That's not a content problem - it's a conversion problem.
 
I built a framework to fix exactly this.
 
Live session. 
January 26th. 
6pm CET | 12pm EST.
 
1 hour. 
My DM Framework. T
he exact sequence to turn conversations into calls.
 
18 spots remaining.
 
Sign up here: dmstocalls.darrengibb.com



PS
Want a more in-depth explanation of how to solve these signs?

DM or Comment below "GIMME DEPTH!" and I'll send over a guide I've just finished putting together to help you fix this faster 🙌


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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

5 signs you look successful on LinkedIn

Here's why DM scripts and automations fail:
 
They book bad calls with the wrong people.
 
Chances are you use them because you don't know what to say. 
(That's ok - it's an art, seriously.)
 
But following a mundane script attracts mundane people:
 
The Tire Kickers. 
The Freebie Collectors. 
The "Can I Just Pick Your Brain"-ers.
 
And because scripts don't book many calls, you get desperate. 
You accept anyone because it feels 'productive'.
 
I know this because I was there.
 
Spamming 100+ people per day. 
Offering bullshit lead magnets no-one asked for. 
Overexplaining everything, hoping to look like an expert.
 
It doesn't work.
 
So I built something different.
 
Not scripts. 
Not automation. 
A system that lets you sell with dignity.
 
On 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟲𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝘁 𝟲𝗽𝗺 𝗖𝗘𝗧 (12pm EST), I'm opening up to my network a 60-minute session where I'll walk you through:
 
→ The 7-8 message path from stranger to booked call 
→ How to qualify in DMs so you stop wasting time 
→ Why "nice chats" don't convert (and what to do instead) 
→ The phrases killing your deals
→ How to get calls booked.
 
This is for coaches, consultants, and fractional service providers who:
 
✓ Post consistently but aren't booking enough calls 
✓ Know they should be DMing but find it... uncomfortable 
✓ Want a system, not a script
 
Looking for copy-paste templates and automation hacks?
 
Walk on. 
They're not here.
 
I'm teaching skills, not painting by numbers.
 
𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟲𝘁𝗵. 
𝟲𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀. 
𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲.
 
Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/eFRg8P6K 

🗣️ Let me know in the comments:
👉 What's your LEAST favourite type of DM to receive which makes you 🤢🤮


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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

New Year's Resolutions...

How many of us have already broken them?

I personally don't set them.

They feel like a 'nice to have' rather than anything else.

I don't even really set myself goals either.

(yep, cue the productivity 'experts' coming for me).

Shit just kinda gets done and happens.

Perhaps I've always felt that I might fail them.. So what's the point in making them
(which is completely against my competitive personality).

But this year, I've decided to go against my own beliefs.

And make some big ones.

A few non-negotiable business ones.

One HUGE one I want to make happen.

And a few 'nice to have' personal ones.

5 in total
(see comments for one or two).

And since I have literally just made them, 
I haven't broken ANY of them (yet 😈).

Oh, and I'm back after Christmas, New Year's and a few extra days.

Hi. 👋

Some of you reading this will be feeling guilty for taking time off LinkedIn.

You know, actually living your lives rather than grinding against a seemingly unforgiving algorithm.
(shame on you).

Don't.

You needed it.

If you're like me, you worked your arse off last year - you deserved time to recouperate, rejuvenate and prepare for the year ahead.

(and anyone who tells you "there are only 51 weeks left in the year!!!!!!!!" also need a break).

But now the work starts.
The passion.
The grind.
Hard work.

Cos we've had that break, right?

Now, let's get to it. 💪

🗣️ Let me know in the comments:
👉 Did you take a break or grind it out?
👉 Have you made any resolutions you're going to keep? 😜

"I got 212 leads from one post!"
 
"I booked 87 calls this month!" [COMMENT!]
 
Yeah. 
Those posts are flooding your feed.
 
Here's what they're actually doing:
 
Manufacturing FOMO.
 
They KNOW you're struggling to book even 1 call a week. 

So they slap "AI" and "Agents" onto the front of it, 
And compound your fear that you just don't know what you're doing.
 
It's bullshit. 
And no-one's calling it out.
 
So let me ask you:
 
Out of 212 "leads" - how many are your ICP? 
How many are qualified? 
How many have a problem you can fix? 
How many have the budget to do so?
 
And those 87 calls... 
How are you fitting them into your calendar? 
How many are tire-kickers?
How many ACTUALLY convert?

Those as the numbers you never see.
 
After reviewing 15,000+ DM conversations with clients and working with over 150 of them 1:1, 
I don't need 87 calls a month.
 
I need 3-5 with the right people.
 
And I get to choose who those people are.
 
So the next time you see a hype post with massive claims, zero proof, from someone who doesn't even serve people like you...
 
Just remember:
 
Even if those numbers were real - and they're not - you'd still be sifting through a mountain of garbage to find one person worth talking to.
 
That's not leverage. 
That's desperation dressed up as automation.
 
Let the kids chase manufactured volume. 
The adults are working on conversion.

🗣️ Tell me in the comments
👉 What are YOUR first thoughts when you see those posts? 🤦‍♂️


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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

Every 'just circling back' I sent?
 
Another dead deal in the DMs.

"Just checking in!"
"Did you see this message?"
"Just making sure you saw this..."

Or, the most needy, most cringe.

"Just bumping this up!"

We've all done it
(more times than we care to admit).

I used to tell myself, "at least I'm following up!"

But in actual fact, I was killing a deal dead in the water.

Before it even had a chance to happen.

The moment you use phrases like this, you surrender your frame.

You are no longer the prize to be won.

Your energy becomes needy.
Insecure.
Desperate.

And they can smell it a mile away.

This energy puts them in control - and you lucky to receive a response.

Here are two plays I use to counteract being ghosted.

1️⃣ Find a recent post of theirs, comment on it, wait for a response and then re-open the conversation.
↳ No need reference what they ghosted you about - come back to that later by reframing it.

2️⃣ For one last throw of the dice, call it out directly and be prepared to exit gracefully.
↳ "Hey [name], I appreciate things get busy - no worries. Is this conversation worth continuing, or shall we leave it?

Either way, your frame stays intact.
 
I've had ghosts come back weeks later and book calls - simply because I didn't chase.
 
And the ones who don't? 
They were never going to buy anyway.
 
Let the gurus keep bumping. 
The adults offer one chance - and move on.


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I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

LinkedIn Gurus still preach the same broken playbook.

This is why you're getting likes, but no clients 👇

So many follow the 'content playbook' on LinkedIn:
"Just post"
"Tell stories!"
"Be consistent!"

Over time, they begin to get some engagement.

Justin knew this - "I was getting profile views and engagement on my content, but struggling to convert them into clients".

We changed this within a couple of weeks and got them converted.

You see, engagement feels good.
You feel seen.
You feel people see you as an expert.

But when you dive into that engagement, it's usually:
Industry peers hoping you'll also support their content.
Lots of fluffy comments, boiling down to "great post!"
AI bots and comments 🤦‍♂️

A consultant I was recently on a call with told me honestly:
"I'm crushing it on the outside... But crumbling on the inside".

I hear this every week on calls. 
Same story. 
Same frustration. 
Same confusion.

I recognise it because I lived it early on.

Content thriving.
Business dying.

Yes, content does the heavy lifting.

But without strategy
(the Oprah quotes don't work)

Without direction
(not talking about toxic bosses every day)

And without a conversion process
(honestly, no-one cares about your billboards)...

Then it's nothing more than performative theatre.

And every week you spend performing is another week funding an expensive hobby.

This content 'process' is your bottleneck

Posting for your peers rather than prospects makes for unpredictable months.

And not knowing how to read the right signals from the right people keeps your calendar empty.

The gap isn't your content. 
It's what happens after.

If you're here just to "network" and "build a community", please, follow this 'process' 👆

But those who are selling their services need to convert.

The Guru says: "Trust the process, keep posting"
Adults know: "Engagement without conversion is an expensive hobby".

Who you choose to follow will determine your success here in 2026.


___________________
Click here to follow --> Darren Gibb 

💾 Save to come back to later
♻️ Repost to help someone in your network

Bonus points if you ring the bell 😉

I post about all things LinkedIn, AI and Digital Marketing.

You're now 26 days into Q1.
 
Pipeline full? Great. Stop reading.
 
Still here?
 
Then let's talk about why your content is working, 
but your revenue isn't.
 
You're posting. 
Getting likes. 
Maybe even starting DM conversations.
 
But the calls aren't coming.

Every conversation that ghosts. 
Every thread that goes cold. 
Every "let me think about it" that never comes back.
 
That's not bad luck. 

That's a system failure.
 
Here's what I've seen fix that:
 
→ Steve: 40% → 80% connection rate. 4 new clients. Constant pipeline. 
→ Nathan: 10+ clients from LinkedIn in one year. Zero before. 
→ Maartje: 8 clients in 10 weeks. After years of inconsistency. 
→ Andy: $20k in month 1. $70k+ by month 3.
 
Same platform. 
Same effort.
 
Different approach in the DMs.
 
Today at 6pm CET | 12pm EST I'm breaking down exactly where deals die in the DMs - and the moves that bring them back.
 
No replay. 
No recording.
 
Also picking 10 people for a live DM Audit this week. 
Your conversations. 
Shared screen. 
Line by line.

Only available to those on the call.
 
Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/eFRg8P6K
𝟰 spots left.
 
One hour. 
Might fix your Q1.

What have you got to lose?

Jenny Gonzalez, Nikki Richmond FCA CTA and 4 other attendees

The Art and Tech of sending LinkedIn DMs [link in comments]

I talk a lot about DMs.

Come along and hear me talk more.

Also, take a look at the tech I've been using for my LinkedIn DMs which means I never miss a thread (cos we all know the native LinkedIn inbox sucks...).

No nonsense, no bs - and a great introuction to my webinar on Monday where I show you my DM framework (dmstocalls.darrengibb.com if you've not already signed up for that).

View company: Thought Leadership Branding Club

The Art and Tech of sending LinkedIn DMs

If you’ve ever stared at the LinkedIn “Message” box thinking…

“I don’t want to sound salesy… but I do need to start conversations.”

You’re not alone.

Most DMs fail for one reason:
They feel like a transaction, not a relationship.

That’s why we’re doing this livestream:
“The Art and Tech of sending LinkedIn DMs”
with Bobby Umar, Mitchell Tan, and Darren Gibb

Friday, January 16, 2026 — 11:30am ET

What you’ll walk away with:
✅Practical guidance you can apply immediately
✅Real examples (not theory-heavy frameworks)
✅Clear language you can adapt to your own voice
✅A balanced view of both the art (human nuance) and the tech (systems, structure, efficiency)

Bring one DM you’re about to send. We’ll give you better words and a better structure.

#LinkedIn #SalesLeadership #MarketingStrategy #Recruiting #BusinessDevelopment

Christopher Carew, Jake Erickson, MBA and 36 other attendees

LeeAnna Stock-Luoma  RD, LD, CD, CDCES 🇺🇸

Accountability Coach | Project Manager | Fractional Chief of Staff | Helping visionary coaches and consultants get sh!t done and ditch the overwhelm 💪 | Vegan 🌱 + Alcohol-Free

Your business has grown faster than your systems - and you're feeling it.

You've built something real. Proven offers. Loyal clients. A team that supports you. But somehow you're still the one connecting all the dots, holding all the context, making all the strategic decisions.

Your team handles operations. Your business coach guides strategy. But no one else sees the whole picture the way you do.

And honestly? You're exhausted from being the only integration point.

That's the gap I fill.

I'm a Fractional Chief of Staff who works with multi-six-figure coaches and consultants who already have operational support but need someone at the strategic level - someone who can:

🔹Share the load of holding your business's complexity
🔹Help you make better decisions faster
🔹Translate your business coach's insights into what's actually feasible
🔹Coordinate your most important initiatives
🔹Free you up to focus on the work only you can do

Here's how I work:

I provide strategic thought partnership with hands-on support. I manage 1-2 strategic initiatives at a time (like your book launch or new program rollout), optimize key systems, and coordinate team efforts on priorities. But I'm not managing your team day-to-day or running operations - that's what your OBM or VA does.

I work at the strategic level alongside you - the layer between your visionary thinking and your team's operational execution.

What clients say:
They describe me as a trusted thought partner and strategic integrator who brings calm, structure, and momentum to complex visions. I excel at soundboarding, asking the right questions, and connecting dots others miss.

With 25 years of experience across diverse sectors, I bring deep pattern recognition and the ability to see both the big picture and the details that make execution possible.

My approach:
I help you bridge the gap between vision and reality. I zoom out to see your whole ecosystem, then help you flesh out the projects, timelines, and systems that bring your biggest ideas to life. I remove roadblocks, identify what's missing, and ensure your systems, team, and operations finally move in sync.

Ready for a strategic partner who shares the load?

Let's connect ✨


A bit about me: I'm into house music, dancing, yoga, strength training, reading, and plant-based cooking. ISFJ + Human Design 3/5 Emo Projector 


✉️ GET MY WEEKLY INSIGHTS (too good for social) all about bridging the gap between your big vision and daily execution:

https://vibehigh.kit.com/87437b9dcf

Moriah Bacus, CAPM Ⓥ

When I tell people "I go out dancing," some assume I mean "clubbing" or "partying"... 

… all bottle service and selfies. Or me bopping around, phone in hand, documenting everything for IG.

Neither could be further from the truth.

𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝟮𝟬𝟬𝟮.

A few years out of the high-control religious environment I grew up in, I landed at IBM. Corporate job. Low-rise cubicles. Tethered to a phone.

My new coworkers? 90s ravers, so many working on the sprawling call centre floor.

They talked about warehouse parties, and DJs whose names meant nothing to me - I was used to Top 40 clubs. 

I was curious… I first heard house music on my Walkman back in the eighth grade - a compilation called 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 someone lent me to “dub” - and that was the extent of my knowledge. 

My coworkers were super welcoming. And one night, I went to the Guvernment for the first time. That night changed everything for me.

I started going regularly. Made friends. Filled guestlists for promoters I believed in. Eventually, I thought, why not do this myself?

In 2003, I met my now-ex at my favourite club. He was a DJ and promoter. We launched Unleash Entertainment together, marketing events and building a community around the music we loved. 

I created my own event series with partners. For years, I juggled nightlife work alongside full-time AND part-time jobs, finally wrapping things up around 2011.

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀?

I get to show up as just another dancer. No guestlist to manage. No door to worry about. Just me and the music.

And yes, I go alone a lot of the time. On purpose.

Because when I'm on that dancefloor - no phone, no chit chat, just movement, bass and that four-on-the-floor rhythm - 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 than just "going out."

I'm exercising. Processing. Releasing. Connecting with something bigger than myself and the beautiful humans around me who get it.

House music - deep house, classic house, afro house - is my medicine. It's somatic therapy. It's a spiritual practice. It's community.

As Eddie Amador put it perfectly:

"𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘤. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨."

𝟮𝟬+ 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗜'𝗺 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲. Still dancing. Still grabbing tickets to hear the DJs who resonate with me. Still leaving my phone in my bag where it belongs.

Coming home to myself, one beat at a time.

📸: Hosting a crossover Hip Hop + House music NYE party, 2004

Fractional Chief of Staff for Multi-Six-Figure Coaches + Consultants | Strategic Alignment System: Clarity, Capacity, Continuity | Stop being the bottleneck | Vegan 🌱 + Alcohol-Free

Moriah standing in front of a door with arms crossed, wearing a black fedora

"I think I need to have one of those clearing conversations you told me about."

My family member's voice was quiet when they called.

They'd been carrying tension with their cousin - someone they'd grown up with who had been part of their life for over 50 years. 

The conflict had been building for several years. Family gatherings had become awkward. Shared history felt contaminated by unspoken resentment. They were ready to give up - but they also knew they'd regret not trying one more time.

"I just don't know how to even start that conversation," they said. "What if I make it worse?"

This is the question I hear most often when I talk about clearing conversations.

Not whether they're needed.

But how to actually 𝗱𝗼 them.

The fear of making things worse keeps people stuck in relationships that are slowly dying from things left unsaid.

I developed the Clearing Conversations framework after navigating a professional relationship that had accumulated months of tension, assumptions, and unspoken resentment. When things finally came to a head, I realized we needed more than just "talking it out" - we needed structure.

What I found in my research was fragmented: academic conflict resolution models, therapy-based approaches, and corporate HR processes that felt sterile. 

What I didn't find was something practical and accessible for professional relationships where both people genuinely want repair but don't know how to get there.

𝗦𝗼 𝗜 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁.

• I've used this framework in my own relationships. 
• I've coached clients through managing interpersonal dynamics with their teams. 
• I've mediated conflict in my former role as Director of People and Development. 
• I guided my family member through repairing that 50+ year relationship with their cousin. Today, they're still in relationship with new boundaries and restored communication.

𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸, 𝗜'𝗺 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝟮-𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀:

𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝟭: Why we need clearing conversations, how to know when you need one, and the preparation work that determines whether repair is actually possible

𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝟮: The complete 6-phase process from making the request (the most intimidating part) through following up afterward to rebuild trust

This is the kind of nuanced, human-centred strategic work that often makes the biggest difference in a leader's effectiveness and peace of mind - and it's exactly what I bring to my Fractional Chief of Staff partnerships.

If you want the complete framework in your inbox starting Tuesday, sign up for my weekly newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/gE2RNuuK

The conversations we avoid are often the ones we most need to have.

After 2 years and 8 editions, this will be 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗶𝘅 in the Flow State of Mind series.

This project was a creative collaboration with my friend Sashy (AKA Sasha Basiri) - one that my clients and so many of you here in my LinkedIn community embraced. 

We’ve delivered 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟭 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗰 designed to support deep focus, presence, and creative momentum.

And, these mixes are evergreen 🌲 They'll always be here for you - whether you're dropping into deep work, finding your rhythm again, or seeking creative inspiration when your mind feels scattered.

❄️ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 - there's reflection and release as cycles complete and doors gently close. A pause to honour what's been, and make peace with change. And beneath it all, winter reminds us that new beginnings are already forming - roots strengthening in the dark, and clarity emerging.

Like all the mixes in this series, it features blended layers of progressive and organic house with smooth, extended transitions - pure energy to help you find and sustain your flow.

Whether you're closing out a chapter, focusing on a meaningful project, or grounding yourself before what's next, this mix is here to support you.

🎧 Listen to the Winter 2026 edition of Flow State of Mind here: https://lnkd.in/gwMAuEe6

I'll be sharing the full Flow State of Mind playlist in the comments so you can bookmark it.

As this chapter closes, I'll be turning my attention to new collaborations in 2026 - more to come soon.

Sashy and I hope this final mix supports you as you sharpen your focus and prepare for what's next.

💛✌️

Flow State of Mind winter 2026 edition mix artwork

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱? 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵?

Before I dive into working with a new Fractional Chief of Staff client, they complete a detailed intake questionnaire. It covers everything from their typical work week to their tech stack.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸.

They reveal how my client thinks about change, delegation, and growth.

Here's what a new client was most excited about:

"𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 '𝘱𝘭𝘶𝘨 & 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺' 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩. 𝘎𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘧𝘧 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦. 𝘉𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘐 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘰𝘧, 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬."

He knows what he needs: systems, prioritization, thought partnership. 

He's ready for collaboration, not just task delegation. He values honest feedback over being told what he wants to hear.

Here's where it gets interesting... what he's most nervous about.

"𝘓𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘰 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦. 𝘚𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘯𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘐 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬?"

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻'𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗴𝘀 - 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆'𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁. Self-awareness is the prerequisite for change.

What I've learned: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗽 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀.

Excitement without nervousness = not pushing hard enough. 
Nervousness without excitement = not bought in. 

Both together means you're ready.

My job is to hold space for the excitement 𝘢𝘯𝘥 the fear, and build a partnership that honours both.

For this client, his concern about setting unreasonable expectations was addressed through our 90-day Audit + Roadmap process, where we defined together what's actually achievable. 

His fear about balance informed how we structured the work with setup and documentation first, followed by execution later, so he's not overwhelmed while we build the foundation.

The intake questionnaire doesn't just gather information. 𝗜𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻.

If you're ready for strategic partnership that honours both your vision and your reality, let's talk. Send me a message, and we'll set up an introductory chat.

"𝗜 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗻𝘆."

The moment Alice said this, I knew we had something to work with.

Alice is a speaker, trainer, and facilitator. Between sessions with her business coach, I supported her with accountability, helping her implement guidance and stay on track as she built her business.

Her coach's direction was clear: find a way to genuinely believe in her value as a keynote speaker by answering these questions:

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘬𝘦𝘺𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳? 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴?

Without that belief, she couldn't confidently book gigs. She was underselling herself + struggling with imposter syndrome.

The typical solution? Affirmations.

So I asked: "How do you feel about affirmations?"

"Honestly? I think they're corny."

I laughed. "Me too."

And that's where the magic happened.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗱𝗼: 

❌ Push her to do them anyway
❌ Give up because she rejected the obvious solution 
❌ Default to another generic hack

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱: 

✅ Met her where she was 
✅ Got curious about who she is (creative, musician, experience designer) 
✅ Asked: What would feel authentic to YOU?

"𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗷𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲?"

Her face lit up. "𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗮 𝗷𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 - 𝗜'𝗺 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗴."

Alice spent the next few weeks: → Marinating on those questions → Writing lyrics → Composing music → Recording vocals, backup vocals + instruments

Now? She returns to that song when creating content, before important calls + LinkedIn Lives - whenever she needs to reconnect to her value.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗱𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀?

The creative process embedded those beliefs into her psyche. It's visceral. It's 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:

→ Creative problem-solving when obvious solutions don't fit → Holding space for people to find 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 way forward → Pattern recognition - designing solutions aligned with how clients are wired → Bridge-building between strategy + personalized implementation

Whether I'm supporting a 1:1 client between sessions or a multi-six-figure founder navigating priorities, the skills are the same.

𝗜 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.

Alice has a ritual that fuels her confidence - not because she forced a cookie-cutter solution, but because we co-created an idea that works for 𝘩𝘦𝘳.

💭 What 'should' or piece of 'good advice' have you been trying to force that just doesn't fit?

P.S. Alice and I share a deep passion for music + its unique power to shift our state and unlock creative flow. The new Flow State of Mind mix for focus + inspiration drops next week - perfect for deep work sessions where you need to get into the zone. Stay tuned! 🎶

By 4 PM, you've made 47 decisions. 

You're exhausted. 

Were any of these decisions strategic? Or were they just reactive?
 
This is 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗮𝘂𝗹𝘁 - one of the concepts from Shane Parrish's book 𝘊𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨.
 
He explains this as our tendency to "respond to feelings rather than reasons and facts."

When this default is running, we're not actually thinking. 

We're reacting from stress, overwhelm, and urgency. And, this default runs invisibly, making it hard to spot from the inside.
 
Strategy gets replaced by firefighting. You say yes to things you don't have capacity for because saying no feels harder in the moment. The business runs you instead of you running it.
 
𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝘀.
 
What breaks this cycle? 

A 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗮𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗿. 

I'm not running on your emotion or caught in your team's stress. I can see what you can't when you're in it, and create the space and structure for different decisions to emerge.
 
Mike Buccialia, Chief Soul Officer + Founder at Mindworx, described how I see past the emotion and overwhelm:
 
"𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵... 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴... 𝘐 𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 '𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘶𝘳' 𝘐 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘰𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮... 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘩 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥. 𝘖𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘐 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦... 𝘐 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘺𝘭𝘦."
 
The Emotion Default is just one of several that keep leaders stuck as bottlenecks. 
 
If this resonates, you might find my piece on 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗚𝗮𝗽 useful - it's about why this gap exists and the hidden costs of defaults like this running your business. I'll link to it in the comments.
 
My new service packages are almost ready to share. If you're curious about working together or want to learn more, please reach out.

3 Concepts That Explain Why You're Still the Bottleneck

𝗣𝗦𝗔: 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 "𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘀-𝗼𝗻" 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀.
 
I've attended several online events over the past few months where hosts opened with some version of: "𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘰 𝘸𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯."
 
And honestly? I'm over it.
 
Here's what that seemingly innocent request actually communicates:
 
"𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻."
 
Let me offer an alternative perspective: Many of your most engaged participants might be the ones with cameras OFF because they're not spending cognitive energy on:
 
→ Managing their facial expressions to look "appropriately interested" 
→ Monitoring their background for pets/kids/delivery people 
→ Processing the visual overwhelm of a Brady Bunch grid of faces 
→ Performing attentiveness instead of actually 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 attentive
 
For neurodivergent folks, especially 👋 camera-off can mean the difference between genuine focus and complete sensory overload.
 
𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵:
 
Just because 𝘺𝘰𝘶 might zone out with your camera off doesn't mean everyone else does. 

And, if you immediately assume someone with their camera off isn't engaged, that assumption says far more about your facilitation skills than it does about their commitment.
 
𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲.
 
It creates space for different types of participation. It trusts people to show up in ways that work for their brains, their lives, and their circumstances.
 
So maybe instead of demanding cameras on, ask yourself: 

• Am I creating content compelling enough that people 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 to engage? 
• Am I offering multiple ways to participate? 
• Am I designing for inclusion or compliance?
 
Your most attentive listener might be the dark square in the corner, furiously taking notes.
 
Trust that.
 
𝘗.𝘚. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐'𝘮 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢-𝘐𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘍𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳. 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘴𝘺𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘦-𝘵𝘰-𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 - 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.

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