There are a few sides of me. 

VP of Sales for an organization called Skye & Co-Founder of SaaSBros. and have most recently launched a LinkedIn & Social Selling Cohort ran monthly.

You will see me pivot from one to the other with content, just stay with me! 

At Skye - my job is to evangelize our business and build community around learning, development and coaching. 

At SaaSBros - my job is to evangelize our business and build community around helping non-traditional talent break into tech sales.

For the Cohorts - my job is to empower people to use their voices and change their lives by coaching around linkedin and social sellling.

The stuff that matters is below :)

Father | Husband | Son | Brother 

Personal Mission Statement - 

To build, encourage, support and love my family and all others we encounter.

Show kindness
Show empathy
Show gratitude
Show grit
Show respect

And most importantly

Believe.

Darren McKee

I partner with talent & organizational development leaders to build global executive coaching programs AND I coach individuals and teams how to build on Linkedin and master the art Social Selling (Side Hustle)

Founder of Darren McKee Co. & 531 Social (New Company)

As of December 2025, I’ve coached over 2000 individuals where I helped them build their brands and master social selling strategies. From founders, to account execs, to photographers, to cs leaders, to coaches to landscapers. No one is exempt from building a brand and social selling, it is 2025.

1:1 Coaching
Team Trainings 
Monthly Cohorts
Speaking Engagements

The stuff that matters is below :)

Father | Husband | Son | Brother 

Personal Mission Statement - 

To build, encourage, support and love my family and all others we encounter.

Show kindness
Show empathy
Show gratitude
Show grit
Show respect

And most importantly

Believe.

Fulfillment Policy:

For LinkedIn & Social Selling Trainings - You can reach me at darren@darrenmckee.co - Your payment is non-refundable as it reserves a spot in the training for you and  is not refunded due to your lack of participation. Once your payment processes, you will be added to your specific group and sent calendar invites prior to launch day. We do not guarantee a specific outcome from our programs and, by submitting your payment, you agree to indemnify Darren McKee from any claims arising from your actions or inactions during and after your participation in the program. By executing the stripe payment, you agree to the above.


For 1:1 & Team Social Selling and LinkedIn Trainings - You can reach me at darren@darrenmckee.co - Your payment is non-refundable for any reason. Further,  decisions you make via the insights and trainings I share during the sessions are your responsibility to implement. You agree to indemnify Darren McKee and take responsibility for any impact to yourself or your business. By executing the stripe payment, you agreeing to the above.

Co-Founder

Almost half a million people have viewed my LinkedIn profile since early 2022 you might want to save this post because I am going to tell you why this deeply matters and how to possibly achieve this yourself (p.s. 940 folks saved this post last time I shared something similar)

And no, nothing is gated - you just get it here by reading.

When you get someone to your profile:

they can binge content (learn) 

they can read recommendations (trust)

they can go to your website (tracking & revenue)

they can confirm authenticity (more trust)

they can see where you engage (new people to learn from)

they can see common connections (more trust)

they can read about you (curiosity) 

How to do it:

1 - Comment often on other's content because this puts your name in rooms you have never been in before. Not just little comments because you feel like you have to but deep and interesting thought filled engagement. And for the LOVE OF ALL THINGS LINKEDIN - please stop engaging solely with your 1st degree connections. Aim for 15 comments per day to new people.

2 - Create content from 4 pillars, you can't look the same daily. The 4 pillars are here in this post via a visual (https://lnkd.in/ekkgGrgs)

3 - Follow 5 people daily, many of you expect followers but never follow anyone.

4 - Connect with humans you actually want to engage with, it is wildly important to actually take a look at someone's profile before you add them into your sphere. Do they post? Do they engage? Can you learn from them? Do you have common connections? Are they kind? Do they add value to you? Can you add value to them?

5 - Recognize people when they actually visit your page. Closed my largest deal of the year with a CMO of a massive org by simply saying, "Mark! Thanks for stopping by, appreciate you." Went on to coach his entire revenue org out west. 

6 - Don't be afraid to click the repost (don't add thoughts) when you see good content in your feed, I am tracking this data hard right now and my profile views deeply spike when I do this - gets you into another sphere of talented humans.

7 - DM's are everything. New connections, dm them. Old connections, dm them. Introduce people to people in DMs (did you know you can send group dms to folks? yea that is a game changer)

8 - Be sure your profile is complete. Headline easy to read, like 5th grade level. About section filled out. Featured section done. Banner photo complete. Recommendations down below. The list goes on but you have to have get your house in order here if you want people to come visit. 

Ok.

That is enough now, go do some of this stuff and watch what happens over the next 15 months. Your mind will be blown by the opportunities that fall into your lap after 450 days of consistency!!

darrenmckee.co 
531social.com

LinkedIn & Social Selling took me from the mailroom to the boardroom in 10 years | Founder of Darren McKee Co. & 531 Social

Imagination + the ability to tell a story + the gift of filling a room = future unicorn humans

Tyler Pigott from StoryBrand and myself talking through origin stories and the state of trust currently on social. P.S. - Tyler might be the easiest person on the planet to talk to, dude has a wild gift of making you feel seen.

I Help Event Entrepreneurs Acquire The Skills They Need To Shape, Manage And Grow Their Businesses, Significantly Increasing Their Value Without Adding To Stress Levels

Is your Event business struggling to reach the next level?

Are you facing issues that are stopping you from growing?

Are you finding it difficult to diagnose where the biggest problems are and how to solve them?

When I set my own event business up, I hoped to make enough money to support myself.  Five years later when we were approached to merge our company into bigger one, we discovered that we had spent 5 years creating no value in our business at all.

❌ We had never set a goal and vision, and had never made a plan

❌ We had no culture and had too many people doing the wrong jobs

❌ We were “making do” with sub-standard offices and equipment

❌ We had no marketing strategy and had no clue how to promote ourselves or to who

❌ We never thought of reaching out and investing in help and advice

So many Event Businesses have started this way.  No goal, no plan, no vision for what they want to achieve and after a few years of growth through repeat business and referrals they start to stall, but they have no idea why or how to solve the problem.

Over the last 7 years Kershaw Partners have worked with dozens of Event Businesses, diagnosing where the barriers to growth are, removing them and helping them to build more successful, more profitable and ultimately, if they are looking for an exit strategy, more valuable Event Businesses.

We start this process with a 2 Day Diagnostic Business Review.  We help you to take a step back from your business for a couple of days and draw a line in the sand. 

The 2 Day Review will:

✔ Help you to clarify your vision, ambition and objectives for the business and plan for them

✔ Make sure that you have the right people on the journey with you and that you are set up to achieve your objectives

✔ Enable your team to do the best job possible by having the best “tools” to work with

✔ Help you define a marketing strategy to find, retain and maximise the value from your customers

✔ Show you what structures you need to put in place so that the business can Run on Rails and not be so dependent on you

✔ Show you how to create value in the business so if you want to there is an option to exit your business.

This is what our clients say:

“I have spent a lot of money on consultants in the last two years, and other than the money I have spent with Kershaw Partners, the rest of it was a waste" (James Middlehurst, Kalm Kitchen) 

"We have used consultants in the past, but none who have walked the walk and are so grounded." (Ben Leslie, Yahire)

To find out more book a call at https://go.oncehub.com/IntroductoryCallwithDavid

David Watt

ADHD nearly held him back until he realised it could be his advantage.
 

On a recent episode of the Events Matters podcast, I sat down with Jason Brown, Founder & CEO of Technical Solutions Audio Visual Limited, to talk about his unconventional journey into the events industry.
 
From the military to freelancing to leading a growing business, Jason shared what it really takes to move from hands-on operator to CEO, and why a client-first mindset has always mattered more than profit.
 
We talked openly about ADHD and dyslexia, building strong team culture, navigating generational differences in the workplace, and the realities of scaling a business while being a dad. Jason also shared how AI and project management tools have helped level up organisation, communication, and efficiency across the business.
 
An honest conversation about leadership, culture, and doing business differently.
 
👉 If you haven’t already, go back and listen to this episode. There are real takeaways for founders at every stage.

https://lnkd.in/eir2sEEN

Partner | Event Business Marketing and Growth Specialist

I trained as a chef before I ever ran events.

 
 
In 1994, I left my job to train as a chef. Food was, and still is, a genuine passion of mine. I worked in professional kitchens for several years and loved the intensity.
 
That experience gave me three lessons that have stayed with me ever since.
 
Pressure.
When service starts, it starts. There is no easing into it. You either deliver, or you don’t. Learning to stay calm when everything around you speeds up is a skill that transfers into every part of business.
 
Preparation.
A kitchen runs on what happens before the doors open. If the prep is wrong, the service fails. The same is true in events. What people see on the day is only possible because of what happened quietly in the background.
 
People.
No chef succeeds alone. A kitchen only works when everyone understands their role and trusts each other. Talent matters. Teamwork matters more.
 
I realised quite quickly that I was not destined to be a chef. I was a very good cook, but to operate at the very highest level requires both artistry and discipline. That was a difficult thing to accept at the time.
 
But those years shaped how I lead.
 
Whether it was building an agency, navigating economic shocks, or delivering major international programmes, it always came back to the same three things.
 
Pressure. Preparation. People.
 
Different environment. Same fundamentals.
 
What early experience still shapes how you run your business today?

Cindy Eisenhuth's story is one of the most incredible I've heard.
 

As a young woman, Cindy emigrated from Australia to the UK, ready to pursue a career in hospitality. Arriving in London at the height of a culinary boom, she quickly found herself working in the city's most renowned venues.
 
In one of the most famously unforgiving and male-dominated sectors, she found her calling.
 
Working alongside celebrity chefs. Serving Princess Diana. The highs were high, but the pressure was always on.
 
Inspired by her "old-school hospitality" roots, Cindy went on to create Catering, Logistics & Events Ltd (CLE) - a global events company delivering extraordinary hospitality experiences across the world.
 
The exceptional attention to detail, unshakeable resilience and solid work ethic that saw her succeed in London's kitchens has powered 20+ years of event delivery at the highest level. She is a true industry stalwart.
 
What always strikes me about Cindy is her passion. She speaks with such enthusiasm about her work, the industry, and her desire to pass her knowledge on to the next generation. To this day, she still mucks in at events alongside her team - a firm believer in leading from experience, not theory.
 
I have been inspired by Cindy's story for a long time and it is such a privilege to have her on this week's episode of Event Matters. We discuss her story, her learnings from over three decades in the industry, and her plans for the future. You don't want to miss this one.
 
🔗 https://lnkd.in/e6jbzchd

Storytelling will define success in 2026


Humans have connected through stories for as long as we’ve existed. Long before sales decks, funnels, or algorithms, we listened to narratives. That hasn’t changed, only the platforms have.

I’ve always been a big believer in storytelling in business. People like Michael Hauge, a former screenwriter turned business coach, talk about this brilliantly. Yes, people need to understand your message. But more importantly, they need to feel it.

In 2026, the businesses that stand out won’t be the loudest. They’ll be the ones that can tell a story people recognise themselves in.

So, how are you using storytelling in your business?

Even when your agency is busy and clients are happy, key commercial decisions are made. Pricing, prioritising opportunities, and forecasting revenue can still feel heavier than they should.
 
 
That tension isn’t a sales problem. It’s a clarity problem. And left unresolved, it slowly creates friction: opportunities are assessed on instinct rather than intent, confidence drops during commercial conversations, and growth becomes inconsistent, even when demand exists.
 
Our Sales Success Accelerator on 23rd February is designed to address exactly that. We’re bringing decades of experience in complex, relationship-led sales into one focused day for event and experiential businesses.
 
You’ll leave with practical approaches to:
- Identify the opportunities that truly matter
- Navigate commercial conversations with confidence
- Keep growth steady, even when demand is high
 
It’s not too late to join, but be quick! There are only a couple of spaces left to spend a day sharpening the commercial side of your business, with actionable insights that make sales work for you, not against you.
 
📅 23rd February
🔗 https://lnkd.in/eznhkfCB

He lost key clients overnight, and everything changed.
 
 
I recently sat down with Andrew Charlton, Founder & CEO of Hashtag Events, to talk about his journey from law to the events industry and the realities of building a business.
 
We covered losing key clients overnight during the 2007 financial crash, why community-led networking became the foundation of his success, and how that led to the launch of the North East’s first business expo.
 
Andrew shares honest insights on growth, failure, brand building, surrounding yourself with better people, and why innovation - including AI - is essential for the future of events.
 
A grounded conversation about the highs, the lows, and the moments that make entrepreneurship worthwhile.
 
👉 If you haven’t listened to it (or need a reminder), have a listen to the episode. Plenty of takeaways in this one.
 
https://lnkd.in/ezBmeJhs

You need a plan so you can change the plan.

Here’s the truth: planning isn’t about certainty. It’s about adaptability.

A plan gives you direction, clarity, and a framework for decision-making.

The thing is, anyone can follow a plan. The real skill is knowing when to pivot, adjust, or even scrap the plan entirely. Businesses don’t grow in straight lines, they grow through iteration, learning, and adaptation, and knowing when to start changing direction is an important factor in success.

If you’re rigidly attached to your plan, you’ll miss opportunities. Whereas, if you’re flexible, your plan becomes a tool, not a trap.

What’s one area of your business where being adaptable has made all the difference?

If you’re still undecided about next week’s Sales Masterclass, that hesitation is exactly why it’s relevant.
 

And with only a few places remaining, it’s probably time to make the call!
 
In many event businesses, sales isn’t obviously broken, which is precisely why they’re often left untouched.
 
But beneath the surface, qualification becomes habitual rather than intentional.
Value is assumed rather than clearly articulated.
 
Commercial confidence varies depending on who’s leading the conversation.
 
Nothing dramatic. Just small inefficiencies that compound over time.
 
Next week’s session is designed to bring clarity and structure back to that side of the business, practical thinking, grounded experience, and a more deliberate framework for winning and growing the right work.
 
If it’s been on your mind, I wouldn’t leave it much longer.
 
📅 23rd February
🔗 https://lnkd.in/eznhkfCB

As soon as I heard about Karnival, I knew I had to get Jason Mulhall on the Event Matters podcast...

 
Jason's story is one which I believe will ring true for many entrepreneurs. He started in law, moved to banking and business consultancy, before finding his passion in food and events. He now runs Karnival, a business which brings the best of street food to settings across London - offices, parties, sporting events, street markets and more.
 
It was an unconventional route. But in hindsight, it makes perfect sense.
 
In this episode, Jason shares how his time as a business consultant equipped him with the tools needed to start and run a successful business. In particular, the essential skills of attention to detail, storytelling and persuasion which still underpin his work today.
 
He has some great advice for any young people teetering on the edge of taking a risk with entrepreneurship. I would highly recommend this episode to anyone grappling with that decision!
 
Having briefly pursued a career in the food industry myself (a post for another day perhaps...), Jason's perspective on the power of food, its role in reviving corporate culture, and his passion for the people at the heart of the industry really hit home for me.
 
I have been truly excited to share this episode. I hope it will resonate with you as much as it did with me.
 
Listen now - https://lnkd.in/e298WGtq

I've seen two major shocks hit the events industry: the 2008-2009 financial crisis and COVID-19.

 
The 2008 financial crisis had a deeper and longer impact than many people realise. In a few years, I watched projects go from thriving to operating in a bleak economic reality, with turnover falling sharply. The effects of that period are still being felt today.
 
COVID was different. Sudden, brutal, and disruptive. Furlough helped in the short term, but it didn’t remove the underlying fragility. What it did show, though, was resilience. When restrictions lifted, events came back quickly because people value face-to-face connections.
 
In real terms, it doesn’t feel like much has improved since 2007–2008. Real wealth and real confidence remain under pressure, and that context matters when making business decisions.
 
How are you adapting your business to today’s economic reality?

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David Watt

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Darren McKee's LinkedIn Performance

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