Building Out

Owner

Founder

Heanton House Property

Property Investor

Urgent Care GP

NHS Appraiser

Portfolio GP

Macfarlane Wealth Partners

Partner

Royal Navy

General Practitioner

Doctor

As a doctor, former financial advisor, and property investor, I'm sharing the lessons I learned from being a busy, time-poor professional to building a life of time and financial freedom. 

My journey to financial freedom began with the standard advice of getting a great job, working hard, and hoping the system would take care of me.  After 20 years of service in the Royal Navy and as a doctor, I realised this was a myth.  This standard narrative will only take you so far, and I have started to seek better ways to build time and financial freedom for myself and my family. This realisation inspired me to share my journey and the lessons I've learned with you. 

My journey led me to earn my MBA, work as a financial adviser in London, and eventually transition into entrepreneurship. Investing in property and sharing financial lessons through our financial education start-up Building Out.  

I hope that sharing these lessons will help you on your path to Building Out a life of time and financial freedom.  The journey can be challenging, but it's certainly worth it!

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter at: 

www.building-out.com

Good luck on your journey!

Nothing on our website, blog, socials or newsletter is designed to provide financial advice and is for educational purposes only. For individual financial advice on your circumstance, please seek the advice of an FCA-approved advisor.

Diarmaid Mcmenamin

I asked 50 busy professionals what stops them from building wealth.
This is what they said: 

Nobody said "lack of money."

They said:

"I don't know where to start."

"It feels overwhelming."

"I'll figure it out later."

Translation: Comfort feels safer than action.

But here's the brutal truth:

Waiting for certainty is the most expensive strategy you can choose.

While you're "figuring it out," compound growth is working for someone else.

The move? One uncomfortable action:

→ Open the investment account

→ Schedule the financial review

→ Automate £100/month

Perfect clarity comes from movement, not meditation.

What's your one action this week?

As a doctor, former financial advisor, and property investor, I’m sharing the lessons on the path from being a busy, time-poor professional to building a life of time and financial freedom.

I ran the numbers on lump sum investing and the truth is uncomfortable.

Here's what the research actually shows.

Lump sum beats Dollar cost averaging (DCA) most of the time – not all the time, but most. If your goal is maximum long-term returns and you can handle the roller coaster, getting invested sooner usually wins.

Why? Cash drag reduces your compound growth. Performance matters more than perfect timing. Every month, waiting costs you potential returns.

So why is everyone still doing DCA?

Because the real risk in investing isn't volatility. It's you freaking out and doing something stupid. DCA shines in that anxious window right after you decide to invest. It keeps you from panic-selling when fear takes over.

Bottom line: Pick the strategy you'll actually stick with when markets drop 20%.

Want more straight-talking money systems? Join the newsletter at www.building-out.com

Motivation is a terrible business partner.

It shows up late.

Leaves early.

Disappears when things get hard.

But consistency?

Consistency is the reliable partner that builds wealth.

Think about it:

→ £100/month invested consistently = £60K in 20 years

→ £0/month invested when "motivated" = £0

→ One property viewed weekly = 52 opportunities/year

→ Property viewing only when "ready" = 2-3 opportunities/year

→ Daily 30-min skill building = 182 hours/year

→ Learning only when "inspired" = maybe 20 hours/year

The professionals achieving time and financial freedom aren't the most talented.

They're the most consistent.

What system can you commit to regardless of how you feel?

You don't need to be perfect with money. Just intentional.
Here's how: 

Pick a system, tweak it to fit your life, and ignore the rest.

Start with 50/30/20 if you need structure.

Add values-based habits as you grow.

Combine the two for long-term clarity.

You don't have to choose a side. You just have to choose you.

Your budget doesn't need to impress anyone. Just work for you.

I spent 6 months researching UK founders who built life-changing businesses. Here's what the data actually shows:

What I found completely shattered my assumptions about "the right time" to start. 

The myth we believe:

Founders are either brilliant 22-year-olds or wealthy 45-year-old executives with safety nets.

The reality:

- Tech founders average 30
- Fintech founders: late 20s-early 30s
- Healthcare founders: early 40s-mid 50s

Ben Francis started Gymshark at 19, delivering pizzas.

Anne Boden launched Starling Bank at 54.

Ali Parsa built Babylon in his 40s as a former refugee.

The pattern?

None of them waited to feel ready. They started with what they had, where they were.

If you're thinking "I'd love to build something but..." — you're already past the starting line. Most people never even get to the thinking stage.

The only barrier isn't your age, your job, or your circumstances.

It's waiting.

What's one small action you could take this week toward building the life you want?
What I found completely shattered my assumptions about "the right time" to start.

Here's what the data actually shows:

The myth we believe:

Founders are either brilliant 22-year-olds or wealthy 45-year-old executives with safety nets.

The reality:

- Tech founders average 30
- Fintech founders: late 20s-early 30s
- Healthcare founders: early 40s-mid 50s

Ben Francis started Gymshark at 19, delivering pizzas.

Anne Boden launched Starling Bank at 54.

Ali Parsa built Babylon in his 40s as a former refugee.

The pattern?

None of them waited to feel ready. They started with what they had, where they were.

If you're thinking "I'd love to build something but..." — you're already past the starting line. Most people never even get to the thinking stage.

The only barrier isn't your age, your job, or your circumstances.

It's waiting.

What's one small action you could take this week toward building the life you want?

You send an important email to a potential clientand get no response:


Three days pass. No response.

Your brain immediately fills in the blanks:

They're not interested.

They think my price is too high.

They found someone better.

I blew it.

You feel defeated. You don't follow up. You move on, convinced it's a lost cause.

Two weeks later, they email apologizing. They'd been traveling with spotty internet. They want to move forward.

How much anxiety did you create for yourself by assuming you knew what they were thinking?

This is what Ruiz calls the third agreement: Don't make assumptions.

We're all guilty of this. We assume we know what people are thinking. We assume we know why they did what they did. We assume we know how things will turn out.

Most of the time, we're wrong.

And here's the kicker: our brains are wired for negativity bias. When we don't have information, we tend to assume the worst.

This is catastrophic when you're trying to build wealth.

You assume you're not qualified for that opportunity, so you don't apply.

You assume your prices are too high, so you don't charge what you're worth.

You assume your partner will be upset if you invest money in yourself, so you don't have the conversation.

All these assumptions become self-fulfilling prophecies. Not because they were true, but because you never tested them.

Here's what this looks like in practice:

You're unclear about a client's expectations. Instead of assuming you know what they want (and potentially delivering the wrong thing), you ask clarifying questions. You confirm. You get on the same page.

You catch yourself thinking, "I could never earn six figures doing what I love." That's an assumption. You don't actually know that. So you research. You talk to people who've done it. You test the waters.

The result? You start living in reality instead of in the anxiety-inducing stories your brain creates.

Stop making assumptions. Start asking questions. Start seeking clarity. Start testing your theories.

You might discover your assumptions were completely wrong.

What assumption are you operating under right now that you haven't actually tested?

The question everyone asks is "Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA) or lump sum?" but that's the wrong question.

Here's what you should actually be asking.

The real question is: "Which strategy will I actually follow?"

I've seen both approaches work brilliantly. I've seen both fail spectacularly. The difference? Not the strategy. The person.

Lump sum wins when you have strong emotional discipline, can ignore 20% drops, are optimising for expected returns, and won't check prices daily.

DCA wins when you're building an investing habit; you'd freeze without a process. Peace of mind has real value, and you're actually new to this.

But here's what always loses: Waiting for the perfect moment, sitting in cash for years, letting fear make your decisions, never starting at all.

Pick one. Commit to it. Stop second-guessing. Then build the life that money is supposed to enable.

Because here's the real secret: The difference between DCA and lump sum over 20 years is noise compared to the difference between investing and not investing.

What's stopping you from starting? Build wealth without it taking over your life: [www.building-out.com](https://lnkd.in/ePYPd5tB)

I spent 15 years building a successful medical career while dreaming of freedom. Then I read about the Crystal Merchant and realised I was making his exact mistake.

In The Alchemist, there's a character who dreams of a pilgrimage to Mecca his entire life. He talks about it constantly. Plans it meticulously. But he never goes.

Why? Because as long as it remains a dream, he doesn't have to face reality.

Here's what I see with busy professionals constantly:

- Dreaming of starting a business but never taking action
- Planning property investments but never making an offer
- Talking about freedom but never leaving the secure job

The hard truth? As long as your freedom remains a comfortable dream, you'll never face the risk of actually building it.

Achieving time and financial freedom requires action, not just aspiration.

What dream have you been protecting by not pursuing?

When I work with professionals who want financial freedom, there's this myth that you need to make a dramatic leap — quit the job, go all in, burn the boats.

Sometimes. But usually? You need a smarter approach:

The Three-Step Freedom Build:

1. Keep your day job (your foundation)
2. Build your freedom engines (property, business, investments)
3. Transition when ready (move forward stronger)

This approach gives you:

- Capital for the next phase
- Skills you didn't have before
- Confidence in unfamiliar territory
- Proof you can succeed

My property portfolio was built exactly this way. NHS shifts funded the deposits. Financial advisory knowledge guided the investments. Small, consistent action while maintaining income.

Not dramatic. Not Instagram-worthy. But effective.

Stop waiting for the perfect moment to leap. Start building your freedom engines right now, even if it's just 10 hours a week.

I used to wait for perfection before sharing anything.

Here's what that perfectionism cost me:

→ 6 months building in silence

→ Zero feedback until launch

→ A product nobody wanted

→ Complete restart required

The shift that changed everything:

I started sharing before I was ready.

Messy first drafts. Half-baked ideas. "I don't know what I'm doing" moments.

The result?

Real-time feedback. Course corrections. Community validation. Faster iteration.

The lesson:

Consistency over perfection. Always.

3 ways to start before you're ready

1. Share your outline before writing the content
2. Post your framework while it's still rough
3. Announce your goal before you have the full plan

Your audience would rather see regular, authentic updates than wait for the "perfect" post that never comes.

Perfection is procrastination in disguise.

Movement beats meditation.

Do you have an idea for a business but don't know how to pitch it? Here's one way to be unforgettable!

I speak to people about building a life of time and financial freedom and hear the same excuses: not enough time, not enough money, and it's too late 

Open article: How To Be Unforgettable When Pitching Your Business by Diarmaid Mcmenamin • 5 min read

How To Be Unforgettable When Pitching Your Business

People rarely buy on logic alone.
They buy:

- Belonging
- Identity
- Story
- Emotion

Your product is just the vehicle. The feeling is what people are really buying.

Think about the brands you're loyal to. Is it really because their features are 10% better than the competition?

Or is it because of how they make you feel? What being associated with them says about you?

The coffee shop that makes you feel like part of a community. The tech brand that makes you feel innovative. The car that makes you feel successful.

That's what drives purchase decisions.

Features tell. Feelings sell.

When you're building your business, ask yourself: What emotion do I want people to feel when they use this? What identity does choosing my product reinforce for them?

Because if you only compete on features and price, you're in a race to the bottom.

But if you compete on meaning? You build loyalty that transcends logic.

People will pay more, wait longer, and defend you fiercely—not because you're objectively better, but because of what you represent to them.

What feeling does your product or service create? And are you leading with that in your messaging?

I used to treat money like a checklist.
Here’s the problem with that:

Pay bills. ✓

Save money. ✓

Don't go into debt. ✓

Joyless. Mechanical. Something to get through rather than feel good about.

Then I started tracking micro-wins, and progress became genuinely motivating:

Cleared that lingering credit card? Acknowledged it.

Emergency fund hit three months of expenses? Celebrated it.

Increased pension contribution by 1%? Marked it.

These aren't life-changing amounts. They're small victories that prove the system works.

But here's what I'd missed for years: discipline without rewards is just punishment.

If your financial journey is all restriction and zero celebration, you'll eventually rebel against your own system.

The brain needs evidence that effort leads to progress. It needs dopamine hits from wins, not just the absence of losses.

Behavioural psychology is clear on this: what gets celebrated gets repeated.

So I keep a simple list. Nothing fancy. Just a note in my phone where I log financial wins. Small ones count. Consistency counts. Progress counts.

Looking back at that list after six months is surprisingly powerful. You see accumulation. You see momentum. You see proof that the boring, daily decisions add up to meaningful change.

This isn't about being materialistic or obsessing over money. It's about acknowledging progress in an area of life that's easy to take for granted until something goes wrong.

Most people only notice their finances when there's a problem. But what if you trained yourself to notice when things are working?

What's one financial win from the past year that you haven't stopped to appreciate?

Maybe it's time to mark it, even briefly. Progress deserves acknowledgment.

Even when I was earning well, I felt guilty spending on myself.
Here's why:

That dinner out? Should probably cook at home.

Those concert tickets? Maybe save the money instead.

New running shoes when my old ones still work? Feels frivolous.

Every purchase came with a side of anxiety: "Should I be saving this? What if I need this money later?"

The irony? I could afford all of it comfortably. The problem wasn't my finances—it was my psychology.

Then I set up a separate "Spending" account. 60% of my income, allocated purely for living and enjoying life.

Same salary. Same expenses. Completely different mental framework.

Here's what shifted: the decision was made before the money even hit my main account.

If it's in the Spending account, I have permission to spend it. No guilt. No second-guessing. No mental gymnastics.

Want to upgrade my coffee? It's allocated spending.

Grab dinner with friends spontaneously? Allocated spending.

Book a weekend trip? Allocated spending.

Meanwhile, my emergency fund and long-term investments were automatically being topped up from separate accounts. Future me was taken care of without current me having to sacrifice enjoyment.

This isn't about reckless spending. It's about intentional enjoyment within a structure that protects your future.

Guilt-free spending isn't irresponsible. It's a feature of a well-designed system.

The alternative—constant anxiety about every purchase—is exhausting. That mental taxation probably costs more than any financial mistake you could make.

If your financial plan doesn't allow for joy, you won't stick to it long-term. Discipline without rewards is just punishment.

What would your guilt-free fund go toward? And more importantly, what's stopping you from setting one up?

You're successful in your career, but feeling trapped.
Here’s what to do: 

You dream about building something of your own. But every time you think about starting, a voice says: "It's too late. You should have started at 25."

Here's what that voice doesn't tell you:

Anne Boden was 54 when she launched Starling Bank.

Not 25. Not 35. Fifty-four.

After decades in traditional banking, she saw what needed to change. The industry laughed. She kept building anyway.

Today, Starling has millions of customers and has reshaped UK banking.

The truth nobody mentions:

Your years of experience aren't wasted time.

They're your unfair advantage.

You've seen the problems.

You've built the skills.

You understand the market.

The 25-year-old doesn't have that.

So here's my challenge:

Stop treating your age as a liability.

Start treating your experience as ammunition.

What problem have you been watching for years that you're finally ready to solve?

Most people judge their finances by their bank balance.

Here’s the problem with that: 

"Do we have enough to get to Friday?"

"Can we cover the holiday?"

"Will this month break us?"

But that's like judging your health by whether you had a salad once this week.

Here's what they miss:

A bank balance tells you what's happening today.

Net worth tells you what's happening overall.

The Truth:

→ You can feel good in your bank account and still be falling behind

→ You can feel stretched in your bank account and still be building real wealth

Only one number reveals the truth.

The Shift:

When I first calculated my net worth, everything clicked.

I stopped focusing on survival.

I started focusing on growth.

I became obsessed with the gap between income and expenses—the space that gives you freedom to invest, create, and build.

What tracking gives you:

- A reality check (no more self-delusion)
- Early warning signs
- Motivation from measurable progress
- Calm (because you know where you stand)

One review won't change your life overnight.

But it will change the way you think.

And that shift leads to better choices, clearer priorities, and more peace of mind.

Learn more at [www.building-out.com](https://lnkd.in/ePYPd5tB)

Most people think wealth requires a big income.
Here's the truth:

I used to think that too.

Then I met people earning £200K who were broke.

And people earning £50K who were building real wealth.

The difference?

Discipline beats income every single time.

You don't need more money.

You need better systems

What does the autumn budget mean for you? Here are some traps to avoid......

Most of the people reading this blog are well-paid, busy, time-poor professionals who aspire to a life of time and financial freedom. While it's impos

Open article: Autumn Budget 2025: 3 Tax Moves Every £100k+ Earner Should Make Now by Diarmaid Mcmenamin • 10 min read

Autumn Budget 2025: 3 Tax Moves Every £100k+ Earner Should Make Now

Most entrepreneurs don't go broke because their business failed.

They go broke because of one signature.

Here's what I mean:

You set up a limited company.

You think you're protected.

Then a landlord asks you to personally guarantee a loan.

You sign it because you need the deal.

One signature.

That's all it takes to bypass every liability protection your company gave you.

The business sinks?

You sink with it.

I've watched smart people lose their homes over this.

The fix is simple:

→ Refuse personal guarantees unless absolutely necessary

→ Keep business and personal finances completely separate

→ Build a firewall before you need one

Protect your downside before you chase upside.

Here's the problem with some traditional financial advice:

It assumes you're a robot.

"Mathematically, you should invest instead of paying off your mortgage."

But humans don't operate on spreadsheets.

We operate on:

→ Fear when markets crash 40%

→ Panic when redundancies hit our sector

→ Stress when family needs support

The "right" move on paper becomes impossible to execute in reality.

That's why the best financial strategy isn't the one with the highest return.

It's the one you can actually stick to when everything goes wrong.

Because life tests your plan exactly when you're least able to handle it.

Smart finance isn't about optimisation.

It's about durability.

Can your strategy survive reality?

Moe Choice

Today I want to give a fuckload of thanks

And show shitloads of gratitude

Which should be as easy as 1-2-3

Except most people can't even get to 1

Before I get to it though, I want to make a declaration

I do NOT:

• Subscribe to the idea that the world is a horrible place
• Buy into the notion that things used to be better
• Waste my time with pessimists and nihilists

Why judge, hate and complain when there is

SO. MUCH. OPPORTUNITY?!

Anyway.

What I am most grateful for is:

- My health and the health of my family 
- The wealth I have, and the opportunity for more
- The relationships I have with family, friends, & clients

And here are another 123 things I wanna give thanks for:

Elite Sports
The Internet
Jesus Christ
French Fries
Hot Showers
Liquid Stevia
Whole Foods
Waffle Cones
Board Games
Playing Cards
Trees & Parks
Clotted Cream
Amazon Prime
Paid Education
Athletic Greens
Cheese & Wine
Sesame Bagels
Micro Breweries
Savoury Crepes
Solopreneurship
Second Screens
Entrepreneurship
Netflix Downloads
Turmeric & Ginger
Cheese & Crackers
Apple Cider Vinegar
Foaming Hand Soap
Independent Thought
Electric Toothbrushes
Heated Steering Wheels
Fresh Bread & Salted Butter
Bananas & Blueberries
Soft Serve Ice Cream
Trusted Housesitters
Wireless Technology
Heated Toilet Seats
Boiling Water Taps
Collagen Peptides
Loyal Friendships
Coconut Yoghurt
Scrambled Eggs
Recorded Music
Real Journalism
Bamboo Boxers
Spotify Playlists
Cheeseburgers
Free Education
Running Water
Fresh Laundry
Smart Phones
Mug Warmers
The Unknown
Healthy Teeth
Conversation
Android Auto
Free Speech
Nail Clippers
Salt & Straw
Hiking Trails
Competition
Curve Card
Propercorn
Voicenotes
Full Moons
Half & Half
Live Music
Innovation
Sanitation
Sunshine
Medicine
YouTube
Jacuzzis
LinkedIn
Children
Intimacy
Science
Jet Skis
Dreams
Experts
Airlines
Debate
Movies
Towels
Kondo
Dance
Trains
LMNT
Apple
Beds
Turo
Tea
X


Happy Thanksgiving ✌️


PS - I am most grateful for all you mo-fos who got to the end of the list

Hopefully it inspires you to be a little bit more grateful today

____

is mentoring solopreneurs to $15k+ months

I am delighted to announce that...


#FuckBlackFriday


PS - The word black implies doom and gloom. No?

$3k months are quicksand

The harder you hustle, the deeper you sink

Sam Abazari was drowning in it
Working 80-hour weeks
Getting paid like a part-timer

Then something flipped inside The 216

Month 1: $3k → $10k 💥
Month 2: $10k → $18k 💥
Month 3: $18k → $26k 💥

Now? $40k months on repeat

Here's what nobody tells you:

Sam didn't need a new niche
Didn't need more certifications
Didn't need to "find his passion"

He needed to stop playing business
And start running one

The framework showed him:
• How to price without explaining
• How to sell without begging
• How to scale without burning out

First cohort filled in 48 hours
Raised his prices

Second cohort? Same story
Raised them again

That's not luck
That's math

While everyone else is chasing viral posts
Sam's chasing wire transfers

The difference?

One runs on hope
The other runs on systems

You can grind yourself to dust at $3k
Or you can learn the game and hit $40k

Your choice


Gangsta Shit 😎


PS – "Framework" literally means "frame for work"
Not "frame for thinking about maybe possibly doing work"

PPS – The only thing worse than being stuck at $3k?
Being stuck at $3k while pretending you're not

________________________

No alternative text description for this image

I was never broken

But the model I was using was

Now, every solopreneur who walks through my door says the same shìt:

"I'm lost"
"I can't sell"
"I'm burnt out"
"Maybe I should just go back to a job"

That's not the actual problem

The problem is you're running your business like it's 2010

Using frameworks that died when Facebook was still cool

Most people think they need more tactics

More funnels
More AI prompts
More morning routines

They don't

They need a model that actually works

Because when the model is wrong, every tactic fails

The game isn't about chasing the newest guru's course

It's about nailing the shìt that never changes:

• Positioning (so they choose you over everyone)
• Attention (so the right people actually see you)
• Persuasion (so they buy without the cringe)

Get those three locked

The tools can change
The platforms can die
Zuckerberg can rename everything again

But you'll still be making money

Because frameworks beat tactics
Every. Fùcking. Time.


Capeesh? 🤌


PS – My model’s never been scouted by Vogue...

But it makes money like it has

_________________________________________________

Sometimes I find myself questioning not what I do… but the very nature of doing

What is a “deliverable” truly?

A tangible output, or a conceptual manifestation of perceived value within a capitalist dialectic?

When we say “I help businesses grow”

Are we not merely perpetuating the illusion that “growth” itself is inherently desirable, rather than a symptom of existential inflation?

I once heard someone say, “Done is better than perfect.”

But is “done” ever done?

Or is it merely a convenient punctuation mark in an otherwise infinite paragraph of becoming?

We call it “posting”

But are we not, in essence, enacting a public rehearsal of our own relevance
performed daily for an algorithm that cannot love us back?

When I send an invoice, am I not simply converting my finite consciousness into a quantitative abstraction designed to maintain the illusion of progress?

When I take a client call, do I truly communicate… or merely participate in a mutually beneficial misunderstanding?

Sometimes I think the real ROIi's the reconciliation of the inner dialectic between purpose and panic

And perhaps, that’s the only deliverable that ever really matters


Philosopher shìt 🤔


PS - If this post didn’t make sense, you probably just need to read more

PPS - And if you don’t talk like you’ve swallowed a thesaurus, then you’ll never make it as a philosopher-preneur

_______________________________

You know what most solopreneurs are doing right now?

Fuçking around with their website

While their bank account screams for mercy

I just dropped 34 seconds of truth that'll hurt your feelings

But might save your business

Here's the deal:
You only have TWO jobs as a solopreneur
Just two
• Serve the people who paid you• Find people to pay you

That's it
That's the whole game

Everything else?

Pure procrastination dressed up as "productivity"

• Your new logo? Nobody cares
• That landing page redesign? Still nobody cares
• Your 47-page lead magnet? 

Guess what...You're hiding behind busy work

Because real work is scary

Real work means:
• Picking up the phone
• Sending that DM
• Having sales conversations
• Hearing "no" 20 times before one "yes"

But here's what kills me...
You'll spend 6 hours tweaking your Canva templates

But won't spend 6 minutes reaching out to potential clients

The math doesn't math

Watch the video
Let it sting
Then go do something about it


Capeesh? 🤌


PS – I looked up how to treat a sting 
Apparently, “action” works faster than aloe vera

PPS – Don’t worry, this post only hurts if it’s true

(Which it probably is)

_________________________________________________

Everything (Literally EVERYTHING) I do on Linkedin

Is designed for ONE outcome:

To get them on a call as quickly as possible

My DMs
My about
My banner
My content  
My comments
My masterclass
My featured section

Are ALL designed

To get them on a call as quickly as possible

99% of my clients struggle with this

They'll spend 6 hours perfecting their offer

But won't spend 6 minutes starting a conversation

Not scared of failure
Not scared of rejection

Scared of outreach
Scared of being seen
Scared of being rejected

You can't hide behind "I'm still working on my offer" anymore

But most people don't lose sales because they're pushy

They lose them because they never pitch at all

They're so busy being 'valuable' they forget to be valuable

Playing therapist when they should be playing closer

I see it every day:

17 messages deep:
"How's your weekend?"
"Love your content!"
"That must be so hard..."

Meanwhile the prospect is literally asking:
"Can you help me get what I want?"

And they miss it
Every. Single. Time.

DMs don't close high ticket items
Calls do

If you're resisting outreach
You're resisting income


Capeesh? 🤌


PS – There's someone in your DMs right now who needs your help

And you're out here sending "How's the year treating you so far?" BS

PPS – Yes, you can be kind AND 'salesy'

You're running a business, not a pen-pal service

________

The fear of losing is stronger than the desire to win
 
Most solopreneurs would rather not grow

Than risk what they've already built 

They'll say:
I don't want to change my offer
I don't want to niche down
I don't want to experiment 

Translation:
I'm scared to lose what's already working 

So they keep the same $3k offer that takes 40 hours

Instead of testing the $10k offer that takes 10

The real risk isn't losing what you have 

It's getting stuck protecting something that was only meant to be temporary 

Because playing not to lose…
is the fastest way to stop winning

Watch me break down why your brain would rather protect $5k/month
Than risk it for $50k 👇


Capeesh? 🤌


PS – Your brain treats losing money like physical pain

No wonder you're still selling the same shit from 2022

________

"Once I get $10k months, THEN I'll feel secure"

Kyle Bender dropped a truth bomb on my podcast

He said: "We have to feel things NOW if we ever want to feel them in the future"

I asked if that was advice for himself

"Of course. I thought I felt things, but I didn't feel anything"

Here's the mindfùçk:

Every solopreneur I know is playing this game

Once I get X clients, THEN I'll relax
Once I hit Y revenue, THEN I'll feel worthy
Once I have Z in the bank, THEN I'll stop panicking

But security isn't waiting for you at $50k

It's not hiding in your next launch

It's not coming after your 100th testimonial

Kyle nailed it: "Feel more now so you can feel less later"

Except here's the problem...

Try selling that to someone drowning in bills
Try pitching "feel your feelings" to someone in survival mode
Try explaining emotional work to someone with zero bandwidth

It's like telling someone on fire to meditate

But here's what I've learned

The people who make it aren't the ones who wait to feel secure

They're the ones who feel the fear
And invoice anyway

They feel the imposter syndrome
And show up anyway

They feel broke at $30k months
Because they learned to feel it at $3k

Your bank account can't fix what your nervous system broke

Start feeling it now
Or you'll chase it forever

Links to the full conversation in the comments 👇


Capeesh? 🤌


PS - Your nervous system processes 11 million bits of info per second

But can only consciously handle 40

No wonder we're all fùcked


_______________________________

The hardest thing I ever did wasn't building businesses or making money

It was walking away from all of it

I'd built up these businesses

Good money flowing in
Strong network
Solid reputation
I was known for something
Popular in Dubai, where I'd built everything

Access to whatever I needed

But here's what was eating at me: 

How do I keep all the good stuff—the income, the freedom, the lifestyle, but get rid of the investors breathing down my neck, the staff drama, the landlords, the endless obligations? 

I spent 3 years trying to figure out how to have my cake and eat it too

Then it hit me: The only way forward was to leave everything behind

So that's exactly what I did

Put my passport in my pocket
Booked a one-way flight from Dubai to London

Left everything I'd built
Started from scratch

Sometimes the cost of keeping what you've built is higher than the cost of starting over

And sometimes, starting over is the only way to build what you actually want


Capeesh? 🤌 


PS - Fun fact: The world’s tallest building in Dubai is 828m tall

Same height as my stress levels were before I left

_______________________________

CEOs keep hiring ghostwriters

And I get it

When you're running a $70B company

You don't have time to craft the perfect LinkedIn hook

But here's what they're missing:

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻'𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆'𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱

I've written over 1000 posts
I've used Ghostwriters
And I've used Ai

And I can tell you exactly what kills a personal brand:
Pretending to be personal

𝗔 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗱

Your audience knows when it's you
Or when it's actually Kyle from Marketing
Trying to "humanize your executive presence"

The posts that hit different?

• My $55K in 3 years confession
• The BMW road rage revelation  
• Calling out AI grifters

No ghostwriter would write those
(They'd get fired for even suggesting them)

Too risky. Too real. Too... me.

While Corporate CEOs keep delegating their voice
I'll keep creating the content I want to
In the way I want to

One of us is building an audience that actually gives a shit 
The other is building a content calendar


Capeesh? 🤌


PS - Most Fortune 500 CEOs have ghostwriters

I have ghosts from my past that appear in every post

_______

Everyone’s talking about thought leadership

Nobody’s talking about meme leadership

One uses jargon to sound smart
The other uses stupidity to tell the truth

So, in the spirit of efficiency (and because I refuse to pretend my brain has any room left for actual wisdom),

I’ve compiled this week’s carousel of internet genius

A visual anthology of:

• The guy who missed every single point ever made online
• The modern Moses who apparently left the commandments for crime
• A neurological PSA for anyone who says “I love Microsoft Teams”
• And a Linkedin post so painfully wholesome you can feel the engagement bait radiating off it

It’s humanity
It’s content


Gangsta Shit 😎


PS- If you don’t laugh at least once scrolling through this

Please close the app, touch some grass, and file a support ticket for your sense of humor 

_________________________________________________

Shit I Found On The Internet 

Linkedin keeps showing me "thought leadership"

X keeps showing me unhinged shìt that makes me question humanity

Guess which one I screenshot

The best memes aren't on Linkedin

They're in X threads at 2am where someone's having a complete breakdown

That's content
That's art
That's why I'm still scrolling at 3am like a degenerate

So here's this week's collection of internet gold

Swipe if you need to feel better about your life choices


Gangsta Shit 😎


PS - If Linkedin is where careers go to thrive, X is where they go to have a breakdown

And I'm here for it

Shit I found on the Internet 

My framework has the worst acronym in business history

POOP

Position. Offer. Outreach. Persuasion.

And yes, I named it that on purpose

Because while you're giggling at the name
I'm helping solopreneurs hit six figures

The framework isn't about money
(Though that's the six-figure part)

It's about freedom

Freedom to stop following someone else's blueprint
Freedom to figure out your own path
Freedom to actually think

Most "gurus" give you a process:
"Do this, then this, then this"

I give you questions:
How will you position yourself?
How will you test your offer?
How will you reach people?
How will you persuade them?

𝗜'𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼
𝗜'𝗺 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁

That's why it's a framework, not a process

Answer those four questions properly?
You'll hit six figures

Keep avoiding them?
You'll keep buying other people's "proven systems"

While they're selling you their success story
I'm helping you write yours


Capeesh? 🤌


PS - The name POOP also filters out people who take themselves too seriously
And those aren't my people anyway

_______

Another week, another deep dive into the internet's finest garbage

While you were being productive, I was collecting memes like they're rare Pokemon cards

Some people curate art galleries. I curate screenshots that make my therapist concerned

Here's this week's harvest, carefully selected from the depths of my 3am scrolling sessions

Swipe through if you dare. Your algorithm will never recover

"Shit I found on rhe Internet" Episode [whatever number we're on, I've lost count]


Gangsta Shit 😎 


PS - An FBI agent just texted me asking if I'm okay after seeing my search history this week

I told him these memes are for "market research" 

He's not buying it

_______________________________

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The Battle

Diarmaid Mcmenamin

Moe Choice

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Posts

Engagements

Likes

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

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