Eric Melillo

Over the last two decades, I've led partnerships with 250+ brands, driven $100M+ in revenue, and built systems that scale businesses.Then in 2021, I hit a breaking point.So I walked away from the agency I built —forced to start over from nothing.And I had a revelation.The problem was never effort. It was missing structure.No path from content to clients. No predictable pipeline. No system.So I built one.Now I help coaches and founders do the same.I believe entrepreneurship should be sustainable, systems over grinding, leverage over hustle.How I help:🔹 Content and idea generation that attracts clients🔹 Funnel and offer structure that converts🔹 Lead generation, lead magnets, and DM strategy🔹 Newsletter setup and growth🔹 1:1 coaching or digital course buildout🔹 Tech stack, automation, and AI integrationAll done with you. Not another course to sit through.My Results:→ $100M+ revenue across 250+ brand partnerships→ 20+ years building revenue systems for Fortune 500s→ 1,000+ systems, 2,000+ automations, 5,000+ AI prompts deployed→ Helped 100s of coaches and founders build consistent income from their expertiseContent doesn't become clients by accident. I can show you the system.📩 DM me to talk about building consistent clients with AI and smart systems.AI Creator Accelerator is launching soon:→ www.ericmelillo.com/ai-creator-acceleratorThe Modern Creator (newsletter):Every Saturday, I share 1 exclusive growth system, automation, or AI prompt you won't find anywhere else:→ www.ericmelillo.com/newsletterhello@ericmelillo.comX: @EricMelillo_

Founder & CEO

ProScale OS helps scale your business smarter with proven automation systems & 10x productivity.

AI made content easier.

Original thinking got harder.

I've seen 6 different people post the same "infographic" this week.

Different colors.
Same insights.
All generated in under 5 minutes.

The result?

Every morning I scroll past the same post written 47 different ways.

Different creators.
Same prompt.

I've been guilty of this too.

❌ Chasing reach.
❌ Optimizing for impressions.
❌ Posting templates instead of thinking.

The shift:

Winners won't have the best AI prompts.

✅ They'll think differently.
✅ Start real conversations.
✅ Build actual connections.

→ While everyone automates
→ Winners focus on what doesn't scale
→ Real thinking. Honest responses. Actual conversations.

AI can't replicate:

Your perspective.
Your experiences.
How you think.

What works won't be the most polished.

It will be the most honest.

AI scales content.
Human connection builds reputation.

What's one thing you're doing to make your content feel less like everyone else's?
___

♻️ Repost if you think connection will beat automation.
🔔 Follow Eric Melillo​ for more insights on building leverage with AI.

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Helping Enterprise Companies Scale & Crush Competitors with HubSpot

One-person business builder | Helping experts turn their knowledge into income | Powered by systems, automation, and AI

Helping Leaders Build Leverage with AI & Smart Systems | Personal Branding | Authority Accelerator | Ex-Fortune 500 Systems Builder

Every failed business has one thing in common.

A founder who wouldn't change.

That's not a harsh judgment. That's reality.

Most startups don't make it past year 2.
They blame external factors.
The real culprit is internal.

I learned this after my first business failure where I spent months blaming the market, competitors, and timing instead of looking at my own poor decisions and leadership mistakes].

This framework changed how I operate:

1. Own Your Blind Spots

Most founders avoid the mirror.

→ You hired too slowly
→ You ignored customer red flags  
→ You built what you wanted, not what they needed

The market didn't reject your idea.
You rejected market feedback.

2. Revenue First, Perfect Later

Perfectionism is procrastination with a fancy name.

→ Your website doesn't need 47 pages
→ Your product doesn't need 200 features
→ Your launch doesn't need perfect timing

Ship something that works.
Improve it with real data.
Not imaginary feedback.

3. Face Hard Conversations Early

Avoiding tough decisions creates bigger problems.

→ Fire the wrong hire in week 2, not month 6
→ Tell customers "no" when you can't deliver
→ Address team conflicts before they explode

Every day you wait makes it worse.
And more expensive.

4. Question Your Assumptions Weekly

What you believed last month might be wrong today.

→ "Customers want this feature" - Do they?
→ "We need more funding" - Do we?
→ "The timing isn't right" - Says who?

Test assumptions.
Don't defend them.

5. Measure What Actually Matters

Vanity metrics feel good but don't pay bills.

→ Downloads don't equal revenue
→ Followers don't equal customers
→ Traffic doesn't equal sales

Focus on numbers that drive growth.
Everything else is noise.

The hardest part isn't building the business.
It's building yourself into someone who can run it.

When you stop blaming external forces, you start controlling internal ones.

That's where real success begins.

♻️ Repost this to help someone break free from these traps.
🔔 Follow Eric Melillo​ for more on building leverage and owning your path.

Attention is the most valuable asset you own.

I used to give mine away for free.

I was wrong.

Here's what I see every day:

Founders commenting on other founders for hours.
Executives chasing viral trends, not authority.
Creators posting for validation, not positioning.

Then wondering why nothing converts.

Because not all attention is equal.

A comment on a peer's post feels productive.
A comment on a buyer's post opens doors.

A viral post boosts your ego.
A strategic post builds demand.

When you reallocate your attention:

→ You attract premium opportunities
→ You command higher prices
→ You build trust with people who matter

Real influence isn't accidental.

It's strategic.

The shift happens when you:

✅ Create content that positions, not performs
✅ Engage where buyers are, not peers
✅ Build relationships before you need them

Your brand isn't measured by follower count.

It's measured by the quality of attention you command.

Before you post again, ask yourself:

Is this building demand or feeding ego?

That question changes everything.

🔔 Follow Eric Melillo​ for brand strategy that attracts buyers, not applause.

I Help Coaches & Founders Monetize Expertise | LinkedIn + AI + Smart Systems | Ex-Fortune 500 Systems Builder

I quit my job.

Then spent the next 6 months recreating it.

→ Worked 9 to 5 even though no one was watching
→ Felt guilty taking Tuesday afternoon off
→ Needed "enough work" to feel productive

I had freedom.

But I was still thinking like an employee.

Most people leave their job.
Very few leave the employee mindset.

Here's what actually changed:

1️⃣ Stop waiting for approval

Employees need sign-off.
Owners make decisions and adjust.

I sat on finished work for days. Tweaking. Perfecting.
Waiting for some imaginary approval.

→ You don't need another course to validate it
→ You don't need 10 more testimonials to raise prices

Ship it. Learn from real feedback.

2️⃣ Stop tracking hours

Employees get paid for showing up.
Owners get paid for outcomes.

I used to feel accomplished hitting 8 hours.
Even if 6 were busy work.

→ A 2-hour day closing a deal beats 10 hours of tasks
→ Track what drives revenue, not what fills your calendar

Your time isn't the product. Your results are.

3️⃣ Stop treating revenue like a bonus

Employees hope for raises.
Owners design them.

I used to say yes to every project.
Then wonder why I was busy but broke.

→ Revenue isn't what's left after expenses
→ It's the first number you build for
→ Every project must make money or save time

If neither, cut it.

You can quit your job in a day.

Unlearning the employee mindset takes years.

That's the difference between freedom and working from home.

___

P.S. Which shift took you the longest?

(I built an Owner Mindset Audit that shows where you're still thinking like an employee. Comment OWNER if you want it.)

♻️ Repost if someone needs this shift.
🔔 Follow Eric Melillo​ for systems that turn solopreneurs into owners.

If you spend $12K on mindset and don't raise your execution standard, save your money.

Mindset work has value, sure.

But here's what I see constantly:

• Buying course after course
• Journaling about goals for hours
• Consuming content instead of creating it
• Waiting to "feel ready" before taking action

Stop using mindset work as an excuse to avoid doing the hard things.

𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝:

Publish that post even if it's not perfect.
Make the sales call you've been avoiding.
Ship your product before you think it's ready.
Follow through on promises to yourself, not just clients.

The hard truth?

You don't need another course.
You don't need to "work on your mindset" for another 6 months.

You need to execute.

Real breakthroughs happen when you act despite the discomfort.
Not when you finally feel confident enough to start.


Audit your last 6 months honestly:
What's your ratio of mindset investment to actual execution?

♻️ Repost if someone needs to hear this.
🔔 Follow @Eric Melillo for more insights

AI made me slower for 6 months.

I thought I was being productive.
I wasn't.

I was paying $20/month to avoid making decisions.

I'd ask ChatGPT for 10 subject lines.
Stare at them for 20 minutes.
Pick none of them.
Ask for 10 more.

I'd regenerate the same email 5 times.
Each version different.
None better.

What should've taken 15 minutes took an hour.

And I see a lot of people doing the same thing with AI.

I call this AI procrastination.

They use AI to delay the hard part.
The part where you actually decide something.

→ "Write my bio"
vs "Make this clearer"

→ "Generate ideas"
vs "Which one wins?"

→ "Create my offer"
vs "Tighten this offer"

See the difference?

One requires you to decide first.
The other keeps you comfortable in uncertainty.

AI isn't a replacement for your judgment.

It's an accelerator for decisions you've already made.

Here's what works:

1️⃣ Decide first. Use AI to execute faster.
I write the rough draft. AI cleans it up.
I pick the direction. AI fills the gaps.

2️⃣ Use it for speed, not strategy.
AI writes faster than me.
It can't know my audience better than me.

3️⃣ Set constraints before you prompt.
"150 words. Grade 6. Focus on time savings."
Not "make this better."

The people winning with AI?

They give clear instructions.
They make the hard calls themselves.
They move 3x faster on decisions they've already made.

Stop asking AI to think for you.
Start using it to execute what you've already decided.

___

♻️ Repost if someone in your network is stuck in AI procrastination.
🔔 Follow Eric Melillo​ for systems that turn tools into revenue.

Creators don't run out of ideas.

They abandon them too early.

If you've been creating content for a while, you already have ideas that worked.

Posts about pricing.
Posts about positioning.
Posts about lead generation.

But most of them only appear once.
And then they're gone.

Most of those ideas never compound.
Not because they're bad.
Because you abandoned them too early.

I get it.
Chasing something new feels productive.
But it's not.

The best creators don't hunt for ideas.
They stay with the good ones longer.

Because every time you explain the same idea again…
It gets sharper.

You test it in a new format.
You answer objections.
You refine the language.

That's how ideas evolve.

One insight can become:
→ a post
→ a story
→ a framework
→ a carousel
→ a lesson
→ a client conversation

You don't need more ideas.
You need to compound the good ones.

That's how content compounds into clients.

Most creators will read this and still move on to the next idea tomorrow.

If your content isn't doing that yet…
I built something for you.

Turn Content Into Customers, Like Clockwork ⚙️

The exact framework behind 100+ inbound leads this year.

Inside you'll get:
→ Reverse-engineered posts that convert
→ Fill-in-the-blank post templates  
→ The 4-step conversion system

No cost. No fluff.

Get it here: https://lnkd.in/eNh4VEHg

Most failed launches happen for one reason:

The offer was built before the demand.

I learned this the hard way.

My first 3 launches failed.

The fourth finally worked.

Same audience.
Same expertise.
Different approach.

Most entrepreneurs create offers backwards.

They build something first,
then try to sell it.

Winners do the opposite.

They discover what people already want to buy,
then build that.

The infographic below shows the exact 5-step process I use before building.

Here's the process:

✓ Step 1:
Find 3 people already paying for a similar solution

Go to G2 or Capterra.
Filter 4-5 star reviews from last 30 days.

Find reviewers with public LinkedIn profiles.

DM them: "What were you doing the day before you bought?"

Copy their response word-for-word.

You'll discover the pain point that made them buy.

✓ Step 2:
Identify the specific outcome they bought

Ask: "What specific result did you need in what timeframe?"

Real answer: "I needed 10 qualified sales calls in 2 weeks."

Not "more leads."
Not "better outreach."

10 calls. 2 weeks.

Use that exact language in your offer.
It's already sold once.

✓ Step 3:
Map their biggest obstacle to getting that outcome

Ask: "What stopped you from doing this yourself?"

Real obstacles I heard:
→ "I tried for 3 months and got zero results"
→ "I don't know which tools actually work"
→ "I need this done by Q2 and can't afford to test"

These exact phrases become your positioning.
They tell you what feature to lead with.

✓ Step 4:
Package it as a transformation with a timeline and price point

Use this formula:
"I help [who] go from [pain] to [outcome] in [time] for [$X]."

Example:
"I help B2B founders get 10 qualified calls in 14 days for $2,500."

Test 3 versions at $1,997, $2,997, and $4,997.

Send each to 2 people.
The one that gets the most "yes" responses wins.

✓ Step 5:
Validate before you build anything

Find 6 people who match your ideal buyer.

Send them your one-sentence offer.

Ask: "If I deliver [outcome] in [time], would you pay $X?"

If 4+ say "yes" or "when can we start?" → Build it.
If not → Go back to step 2 and make the outcome more specific.

Don't build until you have pre-validated demand.

Be a research-first entrepreneur.

Guessing can work once.

Research works every time.

Comment "templates" below and I'll send the exact DM scripts I use.

🔔 Follow Eric Melillo​​ for more on building revenue generating offers.

Everyone wants more customers.

Fewer people focus on keeping them obsessed.

I spent $8K on Facebook ads in one month.

Lost 40% of new customers within 60 days.

That's when I realized: I didn't have a lead problem.

I had a retention problem.

Here's what I changed:

→ Rebuilt onboarding to eliminate first-week confusion
→ Cut response time from 24 hours to 2 hours
→ Added weekly check-ins for the first 90 days

Result: Churn dropped to 12%. LTV tripled.

The insight?

Winning customers is easy.

Keeping them obsessed is where you actually make money.

Here's what I see daily:

— Spending $50K on ads while support gets $500
— Building perfect funnels while onboarding stays broken
— Chasing new customers while ignoring why people leave

Meanwhile, companies like Zappos don't win by advertising loudest.

They win because customers become unpaid evangelists.

When someone loves working with you:

• They refer without being asked
• They defend you in conversations you're not in
• They ignore cheaper competitors
• They create word-of-mouth you can't buy

This happens in moments you think don't matter:

✅ Response time when something breaks
✅ Onboarding that eliminates confusion
✅ Small touches they don't expect
✅ Clarity on what comes next

I had a client stay 3 years despite competitors being 40% cheaper.

Why?

Weekly check-ins and proactive updates.

That's it.

The compound effect is everything:

Bad experience → They leave quietly
Good experience → They stay
Great experience → They become sales reps

The economics are simple:

Acquiring a customer: $200-500
Retaining a customer: $20-50

Retention isn't a customer service function.

It's your most underpriced growth lever.

Double your support budget before you double your ad spend.

Want my 90-day retention audit checklist?

Comment "RETENTION" and I'll send it over.

♻️ Repost this if retention has been your blind spot.
🔔 Follow Eric Melillo​ for strategies grounded in what actually works.

Leads

Most people are about to work next week the hard way.

Your competitors won't.

They'll use AI.

If you're not using it yet, you're working twice as hard for the same results.

Here's my Friday Freedom Stack.

Six AI shortcuts that'll make next week feel like a victory lap.

1. Plan Your Week in 5 Minutes

No more Sunday night panic.

Just dump everything on your plate.

Ask AI to prioritize.

→ Focus on what moves the needle
→ Ignore or delegate the rest
→ Start Monday with clarity

2. Stop Overthinking Every Decision

Analysis paralysis kills productivity.

Give AI your two options.

Share the context.

Ask what you're missing.

→ Get clear answers fast
→ Make confident choices
→ Take more action

3. Write Like You Know What You're Doing

Emails that get responses.

Reports that get read.

Let AI clean up your rough drafts.

→ Cut the fluff
→ Keep your voice
→ Sound professional without being boring

4. Learn Anything in 10 Minutes

New skills without weekend cramming.

Ask AI to explain any topic.

Request real examples.

→ Core principles only
→ Common mistakes to avoid
→ How to apply it this week

5. Automate the Stuff You Hate

Stop repeating the same tasks.

Turn them into systems.

→ Build checklists
→ Create templates
→ Save hours every week

6. Know What's Actually Working

Share your numbers with AI.

Ask what's working.

Get your next moves.

→ Decisions based on data
→ No more guessing
→ Focus on what pays off

This isn't about replacing your brain.

It's about supercharging it.

Here's why this works:

→ Takes 10 minutes to set up
→ Saves 5+ hours every week
→ Gets smarter as you use it
→ Works for any job

Your competitors are already using AI.

The real question isn't if you'll use it.

It's how soon.

👇 Which one will you try first?

I've put all 6 shortcuts in the carousel below.

💾 Save this for the weekend ♻️ and repost to help someone else work smarter next week.

🔔 And follow Eric Melillo​ for more practical AI shortcuts like this.

🎉 Happy Friday.

Your willpower isn't broken.

You're just deciding too much.

I used to think I needed better discipline.

Turns out I needed fewer decisions.

By 10am I'd already burned through 50+ choices:
→ Which client email to answer first  
→ What content to post today  
→ How to price this proposal  
→ Whether to take this sales call

By 2pm?
No focus left for revenue work.

Most people think this is a willpower problem.
It's a system problem.

Here's what changed:

1️⃣ Time-block by outcome, not task

Monday: Audience building  
Tuesday: Sales  
Wednesday: Delivery

Your calendar decides what you work on.  
You just execute.

2️⃣ Template repeatable conversations

I have 12 saved responses that handle 90% of my inbox.

Client onboarding.  
Sales inquiries.  
Partnerships.

10 minutes to write once.  
Saves hours every week.

3️⃣ Use binary decision filters

Every opportunity gets one question:
"Does this lead to revenue in 30 days?"

Yes → schedule it  
No → delete it

Your energy is more valuable than your time.  
You can buy back time with money.  
You can't buy back mental capacity.

🔔 Follow Eric Melillo​ for systems that simplify how you work.

♻️ Repost if someone you know is deciding themselves into burnout.  
💾 Save this if you're trying to simplify how you work.

7 brutal career traps that quietly stall smart professionals

and how to escape them

Most careers don't stall from lack of effort.

They stall from invisible traps.

• Working harder but getting nowhere
• Others advance while you stay stuck
• Success feels impossibly far away

Here are 7 traps to watch for:

1. Staying Comfortable Instead of Growing
↳ If you're not learning, you're slowly becoming replaceable.
↳ Pick one skill that scares you. Commit 30 days.

2. Waiting for Permission to Take Initiative
↳ Stop asking if you can lead. Just lead.
↳ Solve problems before anyone asks.

3. Confusing Activity with Impact
↳ Track what moves the needle, not what keeps you busy.
↳ Ask weekly: "What mattered most?"

4. Staying Silent When You Should Negotiate
↳ Document your wins monthly. Don't rely on memory.
↳ Practice asking for what you're worth.

5. Building Skills but Not Visibility
↳ If people don't see your work, it doesn't exist.
↳ Share wins. Speak up in meetings. Be known for something.

6. Ignoring the Business Side of Your Role
↳ Know how your work connects to revenue.
↳ Speak impact, not just task completion.

7. Never Stepping Back to Evaluate Your Path
↳ Block 2 hours monthly: "Am I closer to my goal?"
↳ If the answer is no for 3 months, change course.

The truth:

No one is coming to rescue your career.

Not a lucky break.
Not perfect timing.
Not someone else.

You have to own this.

Which trap do you see most often?

---

♻️ Repost this to help someone break free from these traps.
🔔 Follow Eric Melillo​ or more on building leverage and owning your path.

Posting daily used to get an A+ on LinkedIn

Now it might get you an F

Most creators still think LinkedIn rewards activity

They're optimizing for the old algorithm:

→ Post every day for "consistency"
→ Hit the 12pm sweet spot for maximum reach
→ Write long-form posts for dwell time
→ Use viral hooks for immediate engagement
→ Comment on 50 posts to feed the machine

That playbook died with Brew360

Here's what I'm seeing now:

50 likes + real conversation > 500 likes + silence

10 buyer saves > 100 creator likes

The algorithm tracks who engages
Not just how many do

Here's the shift:

Old playbook → F
New playbook → A+

❌ Post daily → ✅ Post to start real conversations
❌ Perfect Posting Time → ✅ Solve buyer problems
❌ Long-form for dwell → ✅ Content worth saving
❌ Viral hooks → ✅ Buyer-specific headlines
❌ Engage everywhere → ✅ Talk to your ICP only

What happens when you make this shift:

Your reach might drop initially

But the people who engage can actually buy

200 views + 8 saves
> 5,000 views + 100 likes

Brew360 amplifies posts to people similar to those who saved them

Buyer saves → more buyers see it
Creator likes → more creators see it

Stop creating content for creators
Start creating content for customers

Comment BREW and I'll send you the strategy.

🔔 Follow Eric Melillo​ for more LinkedIn strategy
💾 Save this if you're rethinking your content strategy

If you can't explain it fast, you can't monetize it.

Confusion kills sales.

I used to think sophisticated messaging meant complex explanations.

That more details = more credibility.

That jargon made us sound professional.

Then I noticed something odd:

The most successful people had the simplest pitches.

I watched smart founders struggle with elaborate presentations.

- 45-slide decks that put people to sleep.
- Tech specs no one understood.
- Pitches that confused more than they convinced.

They'd lose deals to competitors who said less.

Meanwhile...

The winners kept it dead simple.

One sentence a 5th grader could understand.
No jargon. No frameworks.
Just clear outcomes.

"We help restaurants get more customers."
"We cut your software costs in half."
"We turn visitors into paying customers."

→ Yet they were closing more deals.
→ Scaling faster.
→ Converting higher.

What did they know that the 'experts' didn't?

Clarity beats cleverness.

They weren't impressing people:
➡️ They were converting them.

They weren't explaining features:
➡️ They were selling outcomes.

They weren't using industry terms:
➡️ They were speaking human.

They weren't showing how smart they were:
➡️ They were making success simple.

• Every simple message built trust.
• Every clear pitch removed friction.
• Every jargon-free conversation moved prospects to yes.

It all compounded into messages that spread themselves.

I learned their approach.
Simplified my message.
Systematized it.

Now when someone asks what I do, they get it in 10 seconds.

Not 10 minutes.

And they remember it.

---

P.S. - If this hit home, follow Eric Melillo​ for more strategies that turn clarity into revenue.

♻️ Repost to help someone simplify their message.

I used to work 60 hours a week and make $3K/month.

Now? 35 hours. $8K/month.

What changed? I stopped hiding in busywork.

I was manually scheduling calls, invoicing in Word, tracking payments in spreadsheets, and sending endless update threads.

Every email felt urgent.
Every task seemed critical.
Meanwhile… nothing was actually growing.

Then I asked myself: What if I just… stopped doing some of this nonsense?

I asked 3 questions about every task:
→ Does this generate revenue?
→ Can it be automated?
→ Can it be delegated?

If all three were no, it died.

Here's what survived:

📅 Client scheduling → Calendly
💰 Manual invoicing → Automated billing
📋 Random admin → VA (10 hours/week, cheaper than therapy)

Result: same work. Less friction. More money.

Lesson: 
→ Working harder ≠ growing revenue
→ Clinging to busywork ≠ dedication
→ Complexity isn't cool. It's just heavy luggage you're carrying for no reason

Cut the nonsense. Automate. Delegate. Stop defending your busy.

💡 Fun fact: the thing you're "too busy" for? That's probably the thing that actually moves the needle.


This is how you buy back time while making more money.

♻️ Repost if your network needs to hear this.

🔔 Follow Eric Melillo​ for weekly systems that actually scale.

Your brand isn't broken.

Your behavior is.

I used to spend $3K on strategy decks that collected digital dust.

Meanwhile, I lost a $15K client because I took 2 days to reply to their email.

That's when it hit me.

Most brands don't struggle because of messaging.

They struggle because of behavior.

Here's what I see every day:

— Perfect "why." Cold inbox.
— Refined tone. Missed deadlines.
— New logo. Broken onboarding.
— Polished website. 48-hour replies.
— Great positioning. Average execution.

And then they wonder:

"Why isn't this converting?"

Your brand is a behavior stack.

Every action compounds into reputation:

1️⃣ Response time → Trust signal
2️⃣ Delivery consistency → Authority proof
3️⃣ Process quality → Client experience
4️⃣ Mistake ownership → Credibility builder

This stack either builds or destroys your brand.

This is fixable. It doesn't require a rebrand.

✅ Respond in hours.
✅ Deliver when you say you will.
✅ Fix systems before slogans.
✅ Own mistakes immediately.

Because here's the hard truth:

People don't buy your message.

They buy your behavior.

Is your brand leaking through messaging... or execution?

__

♻️ Repost if someone in your network needs this wake-up call.
🔔 Follow Eric Melillo​ for more insights that actually move your business forward.

Most entrepreneurs build from assumptions.

Then wonder why nothing sells.

I've watched this pattern destroy good ideas.

Founders spend months perfecting offers that never make a dollar.

They build in isolation.
Perfect the pitch.
Launch to crickets.

Meanwhile, the ones who get paid first struggle to keep up with demand.

Validation is someone paying you. Everything else is noise.

❌ Building alone in your head
✅ Building with paying customers

❌ "Would you buy this?"
✅ "Buy this now"

❌ Perfecting before selling
✅ Selling before building

❌ Surveys and feedback
✅ Credit cards and contracts

The market doesn't lie.

When someone pays upfront, selling the full version becomes automatic.

When no one pays, you're solving a problem that doesn't exist.

Your excitement isn't validation.
Payment is.

Period.

The difference between winners and wishful thinkers:

Assumption-driven: Build → Hope → Maybe sell
Proof-driven: Sell → Build → Scale

Real entrepreneurs don't build and pray.

They prove first. Scale second.

Stop building from assumptions.
Start building from proof.

→ Sell the outcome before the system
→ Get commitment before creating content
→ Validate demand before investing months

This is how you avoid wasted time and build something that actually sells.

Follow Eric Melillo​ for systems that turn proof into predictable revenue.

I've watched creators post daily for months.

Some break 10K followers.
Others stay stuck at 200.

The difference isn't posting frequency.
It's this:

1. Pick one specific topic you actually know about.
2. Find one person who needs to hear it.
3. Start a real conversation with them.

That's the whole damn thing.
Three steps.

You don't need to post daily.
You don't need a content calendar.
You don't need fancy graphics or carousels.
You don't even need perfect grammar.

YES they all help a long-term strategy but...

You only need one person to say:
"This helped me. What else do you have?"

Everything else in audience building comes after that moment.
Not before.

But most people do it backwards.

They spend months building the perfect setup before anyone validates them.

→ A content calendar.
→ A brand voice doc.
→ A polished website.

It feels like progress.
It's not.

It's hiding from the only part that matters:
Finding out if anyone actually cares what you have to say.

Step 1 takes one afternoon of reflection.
Step 2 takes scrolling comments on 3 posts.
Step 3 takes one genuine reply.

You could have your first engaged follower by tomorrow.

The brutal truth?

Most people quit after 3 months because they're posting to nobody.
Instead of building actual relationships.

Growth doesn't come from consistency alone.
It comes from conversations that turn strangers into followers who actually give a damn.

Your choice:
Keep posting to ghosts, or start building real connections today.

___

♻️ Reshare this if someone in your network needs to hear it.
🔔 Follow Eric Melillo​ for more real talk on audience growth.

P.S. If this resonated, you're probably in the invisible phase. You're not alone. Keep going.

Your personal brand isn't built overnight 

- It's built in the small moments you share, the lessons you post, and the authenticity you show.

But nobody talks about what that really means.

Everyone sees the highlight reel:

→ The viral post with thousands of shares
→ The speaking gig at the big conference  
→ The business breakthrough that "came out of nowhere"

What they miss completely?

5 years of posting into the void.
Failed launches that crushed my confidence.
Rejection emails I memorized word for word.
Sleepless nights questioning if I was delusional.
Moments I hovered over "delete account" and almost clicked.

Here's what I learned:

Your brand isn't built when you're celebrated.
It's built when you're ignored.

When your thoughtful post gets 2 likes from your mom and a bot.
When your big idea falls flat in front of everyone.
When you share something deeply personal and get crickets.

Those moments aren't setbacks.
They're the foundation.

Because showing up when nobody's watching builds the muscle for when everybody is.

Consistency when it's hard matters more than perfection when it's easy.
Authenticity in silence beats polish in the spotlight.

Your brand isn't what you post when you're winning.

It's what you keep posting when you're losing.

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁, 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸:

1. 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲. 

Not polished. 
Not perfect. 
Just real. 

Frame it as "Here's what I learned when X didn't work."

2. 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝟱 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲. 

Not "great post!" comments. 
Add your perspective, share a related experience, or ask a genuine question. 
Visibility starts with showing up for others.

3. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀. 

Not likes. Track saves, DMs, or profile views. 

These signal trust and interest—the foundations of your brand.

Your brand compounds. 

Every post is a brick. 

Every comment is a connection. 
Every lesson shared is proof you're the real deal.

Start small. 
Stay consistent. 
Let the work speak before the world does.

♻️ Share this if you know someone grinding in the quiet moments.
🔔 Follow Eric Melillo for frameworks that build real authority.

You'll spend 3 hours rewriting a hook for 20 extra likes.

But you won't spend 30 minutes fixing why your DMs don't convert.

That's not a time management problem.
That's a priority problem.

And it's costing you more than you think.

Here's what I see constantly:

↳ A creator will test 4 different headlines.
↳ Track engagement rates down to the decimal.
↳ Obsess over posting times and formatting.

Then ignore 3 qualified leads sitting in their inbox for 48 hours.

Same creator.
Same week.

The pattern is everywhere:

→ 6 hours perfecting a carousel = 847 likes
→ 20 minutes responding to "interested, let's talk" = $4,500 client

Guess which one gets prioritized?

Here's the truth most won't say:

Engagement feels urgent.
Revenue feels uncertain.

So we optimize for the dopamine hit instead of the bank deposit.

Out of the last 30 service providers I audited:

27 tracked engagement metrics daily.
None tracked DM-to-call conversion rate.

They didn't need better content.
They needed better conversion infrastructure.

Here's the shift:

🔵 Build for conversion first, engagement second

• Your profile should qualify leads, not just attract them.
• Your DMs should have a response framework, not chaos.
• Your calls should follow a structure that closes.

None of this gets likes.
All of it generates revenue.

🟠 Track what converts, not just what performs

• How many profile views became conversations?
• How many DMs turned into calls?
• How many posts created qualified pipeline?

If you can't answer these, you're flying blind.

🟢 Protect conversion time like it's billable

1 hour perfecting content that might go viral?
Or 1 hour talking to someone ready to buy?

The math isn't complicated.
But most creators get it backwards.

Great content opens doors.
But conversion infrastructure walks through them.

→ You don't need to post more.
→ You need to convert better.

If your engagement is up but your revenue isn't, start here:

Audit one week of your content against this question:
"Did this create a conversation or just a like?"

Then fix your conversion layer before you post again.

Comment CONVERT and I'll send you the DM response framework I use with clients.

♻️ Repost if someone in your network needs this reality check.
🔔 Follow Eric Melillo​ for frameworks that turn attention into revenue.

You Don't Have A Content Problem

Building AI prospect nurturing tool | Founder at Extrovert

Extrovert helps you track your prospects, customers, and relevant topics. AI suggests comments and DMs based on your playbook. You review and send. Build trust at scale in 15 minutes a day.

✨ Our users typically see:
→ 2-5x higher reply rates
→ 25%+ stalled deals reactivated
→ 60%+ connection acceptance
→ Up to 5x more impressions

Use cases:

1️⃣ Warm outreach
Comment on prospects 2-3 times before your first DM. They'll see your name in their feed and will more likely accept your connection request. By the time you message them, you're already a familiar face.

2️⃣ Pipeline nurturing
Regular sequence ends after 2-4 weeks. Their buying window could be 3+ months away. Extrovert keeps going, watching for signals and suggesting the right touch at the right moment.

3️⃣ Building personal brand
Track thought leaders your ICP reads and comment on their posts. Monitor topics across LinkedIn and join relevant discussions. Build a circle of friendly creators who engage with your content.

Features:

→ One clean feed
All your prospects in a single view. 

→ AI suggests, you decide
Full control over what goes out. The quality of manual outreach at a fraction of the effort.

→ Your voice, your context

→ Loops, not sequences
Unlike sequences that end after 2 weeks, Extrovert keeps suggesting DMs based on signals. The loop continues until they buy.

→ Reach prospects who don't post
Some people read but rarely post. Extrovert finds posts they engage with and suggests you comment there.

→ Track topics across LinkedIn
Join conversations where you can get discovered.

→ Bring your team or clients

→ Integrate with your stack
Sync prospects from your CRM, Clay, or sequencer. Connect to Make, Zapier, or n8n.

👉 Agencies and consultants
(DM for partner program and agency discounts: 20% lifetime commission)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ on G2 and Capterra
Used by hundreds of sales teams every day

➡️ Try free for 10 days: https://goextrovert.com
➡️ Short video: https://vimeo.com/1124664628

Oleg Sobolev

"Noticed you posted about X, so you need to buy my sh*t" is one of the least effective ways to reach out. BUT it can print money if these things are done correctly:

1. Know the difference: convo signal VS intent signal

Intent signal = they might be in buy mode (e.g. visited your pricing page)

Convo signal = opening for a human conversation. Like: they posted a win, attended a big event, got promoted, or launched a new feature.

Real intent signals are super rare, BUT convo signals are not.

Acting on convo signals is super powerful.

---

2. Convo signals are facts, not thought leadership

Good convo signal posts are:
→ "Back from SaaStr, here’s what I learned"
→ "Launched our new feature today"

Bad convo posts:
→ Thought leadership
→ How-tos

Commenting here is fine, but using these as "I saw your post about sales tips, here’s my product" = weird vibes.

---

3. Never mention the signal

The second you mention "I noticed your post" they know it's a Clay table talking.

Just react, comment on the post, DM with genuine congrats.

---

4. Never pitch in the same message

"Congrats on the launch! By the way, we help companies with X…"

→ Instant distrust

Just: “Congrats on the launch! How’s the feedback so far?”

One message = one purpose. Pitch comes way later.

BONUS: if they reply to your DM the algo will push your posts in their feeds. So you don't really need to pitch that much. Your content will do the selling. Aim for the reply.

---

5. Be known beforehand

If you’re a total stranger, even “congrats!” feels suspicious.

Feels 100% legit if they’ve seen your name before.

---

6. LI is the best channel for this

Email for this = surveillance mode. "Why are they emailing me about my LinkedIn post?"

It’s weird.

LI = natural. Comment on the post + DM = even more natural. 

Meet them where the signal happened.

---

7. Play the long game

The trigger is just one touch in a month+ long relationship.

→ React to their signals
→ Stay visible over the next weeks (comment, DMs, emails, whatever)
→ Pitch when timing AND context align
→ No worries if convo gets warm and cold and warm again

This is the strategy we're baking into our suggestion-based outreach approach at Extrovert.
→ Get feeds of suggestions (based on signals)
→ Review them (human judgment to get rid of slop)
→ Be known before you pitch. Stay visible until they buy.

Happy Wednesday, everyone ✌️

How many "I noticed your post" you've got this week so far?? :D

We solved lead nurturing | goextrovert.com ✨💬 Be known before you pitch. Stay visible until they buy.

I've built a follow up agent in Claude code

Reactivation is solved (~30% reply rate):

I'm super obsessed about playing the long game. Being consistent in quality follow ups is an insane edge (but gotta keep the effort per lead super low)

So I've built an agent in Claude Code that reactivates old LI DMs that never converted.

Early results:
~30% reply rate on average.

How it works:

- Agent scans your old LinkedIn conversations
- Filters for leads that still fit your ICP
- Drafts the reactivation DM
- You can review and edit the drafts and export to your sequencer

Basically turning dead conversations into pipeline again.

Want the script you can run + a Notion doc how to run it?
- comment ACTIVATE
- make sure we're connected

P.S. If you don't want to deal with all the technical setup yourself, happy to set up a reactivation campaign for you in Extrovert for free. That way you'll have an evergreen nurturing system (comments + DMs) that's super easy to run. DM me for details!

We analyzed 32,000+ connection requests sent by our users to finally settle the debate: do comments help with acceptance rates?

Commenting on someone's posts before connecting = 41% acceptance (average among all our users)

Going in cold = 26%.

That's 1.6x more connections accepted just by showing up first (wow!)

86% of users who commented before connecting saw higher acceptance rates compared to their cold requests.

--

There's a sweet spot - you don't need a ton of comments.
→ 0 comments: 25% acceptance
→ 1 comment: 34%
→ 2 comments: 40%
→ 3 comments: 43%
→ 4+ comments: plateu

The sweet spot is 2-3 comments before sending the request. After that, it plateaus. This held true across nearly everyone.

--

It obviously was super different across users. Quality comments, optimized profiles and precise prospect lists performed MUCH better.

The average lift was +17 percentage points.

Top performers hit 70% acceptance. That's 7 out of 10 prospects saying yes (sick!)

But even average users went from 25% → 45% just by commenting first.

--

Here's what I take from this:

The warm-up doesn't need to be long.

You don't need to comment for weeks. 2-3 thoughtful comments over a few weeks is enough to stop being a stranger (and break the "transactional" pattern)

And yet, almost nobody does it consistently (remember my data on how only 5.6% of founders comment regularly? I posted about this a while ago)

If you're sending connection requests cold right now, try this:
→ Pick your next 50 prospects
→ Comment 2-3 times on their posts before connecting
→ Send blank connection requests (they already know your name)
→ Track your acceptance rate (easy peasy in Extrovert), just shipped enhanced analytics

I'd bet money it goes up ✌️

sneakiest dm trick ever:


send a dm that triggers a reply. like *any* reply.

why?

when a person replies/sends you a dm, it's a VERY strong signal to the algo to show them your posts

you probably noticed that - when you dm somebody, you immediately start seeing their posts in your feed

so there is sometimes no need to pitch in your messages. just make them reply

and let the content do the selling

the best way to do it is to send dms that react to what happened on their side:

e.g. "saw you pivoted! how's it going?". "you've been to a conference a while ago, went well for you?", "saw you reconsidering your pricing, we need to do the same! getting any results so far?" etc.

it's only them. no "you" in the message. they are very likely to reply. 

if they do, you "refresh" your content targeting for them for several days/weeks

but how to surface that "convo restart" triggers? 

easy.

people post about them here allll the time. most posts are thought leadership/guides/lead magnets/etc. but you'll be surprised how many contain actual facts about them if you monitor them carefully

btw Extrovert helps me do that :)
- set up nurturing campaign
- it listens to their posts and understands them
- I comment once in a while
- if there is a "convo restart" signal - suggests me a dm
- I review, approve, boom. can easily do 10-20 of them per day
- compounds like crazy

P.S. can be done in an outreach sequence too:
- first dm, super optimized for replies (no pitching)
- wait several weeks till they see content, comments
- pitch dm comes way after (they probably checked your profile at that point)

I analyzed 30k+ US founders who post regularly

How many do you think actively comment? Make a guess

5.6%

That’s it.

I ran a Clay table of 30,000+ US founders who actively post. Then, I checked how many of them left 10 comments on other people’s posts in the last 10 days. Not a high bar, right? Basically, one comment a day.

Turns out only 5.6% are doing that.

Even crazier: when I dug into the comments, a huge chunk were stuff like "PLAYBOOK", "Congrats on your new role", or just some obvious AI-slop

Less than 2% were actually adding an opinion, showing expertise, and commenting outside their own buddy circle

I’ll be honest, this was pretty surprising for me

Commenting is one of the last untapped channels to be constantly seen OUTSIDE your network

Why do few people do it? 

My take:
- It requires doing something every day for weeks
- It’s mostly NOT fun
- It’s hard to measure the impact directly

Yet that’s EXACTLY why it works.

People tend to do things that are easy to scale, automate, or measure.

GOOD commenting is still mostly unscalable and a pain in the ass.

I'm honoured to join Frank Sondors 🥓 (The Machine 😄) live tomorrow to break down some strategies that I use to build a repeatable team wide process out of it.

700+ people already joined. RSVP now, it's going to be fun!

Link in the comments

I'm doing a webinar on how to use comments for reach with Frank Sondors 🥓 next week and I'm super exctied because we see things VERY differently:

Frank is the man-machine, built Salesforge.ai 🔥, a family of products that is a great fit for users with big TAMs, where you need volume, tool consolidation, and automated systems.

We at Extrovert optimize for limited TAMs where the sales cycles are long and relationships matter.

Although we have very different optics and our ICPs are very different too, we both agree that personal brand (across the whole team!) is super important, and commenting is a good way to grow visibility.

That's why I think the event next week would be interesting:

👉 How To Generate Half of Your LinkedIn Reach Via Comments

What we'll cover:
- How to treat comments srategically?
- What results you can expect? Does it actually work?
- 5 commenting strategies and how are they different?
- How to build relevant feeds for profiles and topics you care about
- How to make it a team sport
- Is it a only a branding activity or sales activity too?

📆 Tue, Mar 3, 2026, 4pm London time | 11am ET
RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/gJR7QNMc

See you there ✌️

We onboarded 380+ users last month, most are founders that don't have (1) a painkiller product and (2) huge TAM. There is one thing that gives them a massive edge:

Optimizing for the long game and keeping it systematic.

There is an interesting dichotomy going on. 

On one hand, most LI advice is made for people who have either a big TAM or a painkiller product.

1. act on intent signals (cool bro, but if my product is not associated with an immediate pain, how do I find the signal?)

2. draft an offer people feel stupid to say no to (do you know a lot of businesses capable of producing offers like that? be honest :D)

3. optimize for volume (yeah, but how fast you'll run out of leads?)

4. use AI agents/automation, etc (ok you made the thing "run while you sleep", but did it make prospects trust you?)

And this makes perfect sense, because most content creators pushing these narratives are agencies or product founders who *specifically optimize* for ICPs like that have:
- big TAM
- painkiller product/offer

On the other hand, when I talk to real founders, almost none of them have it:
- most TAMs are smaller than they seem
- most offers (even really good ones) are not "top-10 painpoints right now"

I think it's the reason why many GTM attempts fail - trying to apply playbooks that are not designed for this situation

I think one of the biggest (but boring!) edges is to optimize for the long game:
- retarget them with contact-level ads (hit Dag H.)
- build a proper nurture flow (yours truly, check out Extrovert)
- build evergreen return paths for content engagers, website visitors, etc (Stefan Repin is the man)
- create good quality content (ping Steve Lewis, MBA)
- host and participate in as many live events as you can

Am I missing something here? Please let me know in the comments.

The hardest clients for agencies (also the most sticky and profitable) are the ones with small TAMs and long sales cycles. I spoke to 40+ agency founders who figured it out:
	
When we started reaching out to lead-gen agencies about a year ago, too many of them said no.

Their model was built on GTM engineering, repeatable across clients, with as little manual labor as possible. The sequencer handles everything; humans don't touch it.

Makes sense. If your client has a massive TAM and a killer offer, volume works. Good list, good infra, good copy, let it rip.

---

But what about the client with 1,000 target accounts and a 6-month buying cycle?

Sequences don't work well there. You just can't blast 1k people for 3 weeks and move on (there's nobody to move on to he he 😅)

A year ago, most agencies just didn't take those clients.

---

Now I'm seeing a real shift:

1. More and more agencies are adding a social warm-up layer before outreach. Comments on prospects' posts for a couple of weeks, so the name is familiar before the DM lands.

2. Some are adding nurturing and reactivation as separate services. Instead of "sequence ended, here's your report," they keep going. Light touchpoints over months.

3. Others are combining content and outbound into one motion. Post, comment, DM, all working together instead of separate silos.

---

It's still NOT mainstream; most agencies still optimize for big-TAM clients.

But the ones making this shift are seeing two things happen:

1. Clients with smaller TAMs are suddenly serviceable. 

2. Churn drops because results don't stop when the sequence ends.

---

Stef Curcio, who's helped 150+ founders with outreach, told me recently that he's making Extrovert the core of his strategy now (automated outreach is the extra).

---

We built Extrovert around two ideas that fit this motion well.

1. First, everything is suggestion-based. No automation or agentic AI workflows. Instead, we offer suggestions that a real human reviews. No slop goes out, but it's still 5x faster than fully manual.

2. Second, we keep the effort per prospect as low as possible, BUT the interaction time as long as possible. Because we think when outbound is this saturated, lasting longer is the edge.

---

If you run an agency and this resonates, we have a proper partner setup. Done-for-you section on our site, special pricing, affiliate, joint content, creator program.

DM me, happy to chat ✌️

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