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.

Financial freedom isn’t just for the lucky few.

With the right systems, anyone can turn their knowledge into income —
without wasting years figuring it out.

So I built the frameworks I wish I had.

And it changed everything.

That’s when I went all in —
proving that escaping the 9–5 isn’t just a dream, but a system anyone can follow.

Now I help solopreneurs escape the 9–5 and build profitable one-person businesses —
without wasting years guessing.

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 solopreneurs replace their 9–5 with life-changing income

Solopreneur OS is launching soon — join the waitlist:
→ www.ericmelillo.com/courses/entrepreneur-os

The Modern Solopreneur (newsletter):
Every Saturday, I share 1 exclusive growth system, automation, or AI prompt you won’t find anywhere else:
→ www.ericmelillo.com/newsletter

hello@ericmelillo.com
X: @EricMelillo_

Founder & CEO

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

Some people follow you.
Some follow your content.
Some follow what they think you can do for them.

Understand the difference.

The test is simple:

Take a brief break and:

Stop posting daily.
Stop giving tips.
Stop being "useful."

Watch who stays.

When your audience grows:

- 90% want information
- 8% want access
- 2% want you

That 2% becomes your real community.

Most audiences are built on algorithms.
Few are built on alignment.

Followers ≠ fans.
Views ≠ loyalty.
Engagement ≠ connection.

Build your audience wisely.

Quality > virality.
Depth > reach.
Trust > trends.

The people who believed in your voice before the numbers showed up?

Those are your people.
Invest everything there.

Want to grow an audience that actually converts into customers - not just scrolls past?

Comment SYSTEM and I'll send you my Content-to-Customer System.

Then go find your 2%.

(43) LinkedIn

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LinkedIn Login, Sign in | LinkedIn

Helping ambitious professionals escape the 9–5 and build profitable solo businesses using systems, automation, and AI.

Nobody warns you about the hidden cost of running a one-person business.

And it’s not burnout.

It’s overwhelm.

You’re juggling so much that you convince yourself you need the “perfect system” before you start.

And that becomes the actual problem.

Not the messy to-do list.
Not the unfinished project.
Not the workflow that feels clunky.

The problem is staying stuck in setup mode.

I see solo operators frozen by:

• “What if I choose the wrong tool?”
• “What if my system breaks?”
• “What if I can’t keep up?”

So they obsess.
They reorganize.
They watch tutorials.

Meanwhile, people with half their skill are out there executing, shipping, and getting clients.

Not because they’re more productive.

Because they actually started.

When I built my first real system, it was chaotic.

But I used it anyway.

And that messy system saved me more time than the 20 “optimized” ones I tried building before.

This is exactly why I created my Solo Ops Productivity System.

A simple, practical way to run your entire one-person business without drowning in tasks, tools, or mental clutter.

How to organize your work, build repeatable systems, automate the boring parts, and stay focused without burning out.

Hundreds of solo operators used it to finally stop overthinking and start moving.

The only real failure?

Letting overwhelm keep you from building the thing that could change your life.

90% of entrepreneurs can’t explain their offer in 1 sentence.
The other 10% print money.

Which one are you?

The distinction is simple:

An offer answers “Why should I buy from you?”
A service list answers “What do you deliver?”

Offers create demand.
Services create confusion.

Offers stay relevant for years.
Service menus change every month.

I’ve watched too many founders mistake activity for revenue.

They’ve got:
Packages.
Retainers.
Hourly rates.
A laundry list of deliverables.

But ask them their offer?

Silence.

Or worse:
“We do social media, websites, ads, editing, funnels, newsletters…”

That’s not an offer.
That’s a resume.

Remember the agencies drowning in “DM me for prices”?
Perfect work. Zero demand.

Then look at the ones scaling fast:
Clear offer. Clear outcome. Clear monetization.

Real offer example:
“We help coaches turn one idea into a 90-day content system that generates inbound leads—done with you in 3 weeks.”

That’s clarity. That’s value.
That’s something people want now.

Then the monetization plan supports it:

Q1: Interview 30 coaches to validate the pain
Q2: Build a 3-week repeatable delivery system
Q3: Launch a $997 beta with 10 clients
Q4: Package it into a $2.5k scalable program

See the difference?

The offer is the promise.
The monetization is the engine behind it.

When you nail your offer first:
✓ Sales get easier
✓ Pricing stops feeling random
✓ Positioning becomes obvious
✓ Marketing has a clear direction

When you skip the offer and jump to monetization:
❌ Every price feels “too high”
❌ Nobody knows what they’re buying
❌ You attract the wrong customers
❌ You stay stuck selling time, not outcomes

The uncomfortable truth:
Your competitors with clear offers are taking your market.

While you're perfecting deliverables,
they're perfecting results.

While you're adding more services,
they're making one irresistible offer.

Stop trying to monetize chaos.
Start with a real offer.
Then build revenue systems around it.

Offers create demand.
Monetization captures it.

Your growth depends on knowing the difference.


♻️ Repost it to your network and follow @Eric Melillo for more actionable growth insights.

90% of creators can’t explain their offer in 1 sentence.
The other 10% sell out before they ever build.
Which one are you?

The distinction is simple:

Validated offers ask “What are people already trying to buy?”
Ideas ask “What do I feel like creating?”

Validated offers solve real demand.
Ideas solve boredom.

Validated offers generate revenue fast.
Ideas generate folders full of half-finished products.

I’ve watched too many creators confuse activity with monetization.

They’re building full courses.
Writing long sales pages.
Designing modules.
Creating slides.

But ask them who wants it?

Silence.

Or worse: “People should want this. It’s valuable.”

That’s not validation.
That’s guessing with confidence.

Remember Clubhouse? Massive hype. Zero monetization clarity.
Remember Gumroad creators who pre-sell with 1 tweet? They get paid before building.

Real validated offer example:
“Help solo founders build and sell a $500 offer in 14 days — using their existing skills — without needing a website.”

That’s clarity. That’s focus.
That’s saying no to everything except the transformation.

The plan supports it:
Day 1: Identify top 3 skills → pick 1
Day 2: Create audience poll
Day 3: Collect responses & find the winning struggle
Day 4: Turn struggle → offer
Day 5: DM test it with 20 people
Day 6: Pre-sell to warm audience
Day 7–14: Deliver the product people already paid for

See the difference?

Offer validation is your path to revenue.
Offer building is just your task list.

When you validate first:
✓ Sales come before the product
✓ No wasted time
✓ Clear messaging
✓ Predictable monetization

When you skip validation and jump straight to building:
❌ You create things nobody buys
❌ Your audience stays silent
❌ You assume instead of confirm
❌ You confuse “working” with “earning”

The uncomfortable truth:
Creators who validate are taking the money while others are still perfecting their ideas.

While you’re polishing modules, they’re getting Stripe notifications.
While you’re guessing, they’re confirming.
While you’re building in silence, they’re selling with proof.

Stop creating in the dark.
Start validating in public.

Validation chooses what matters.
Building brings it to life.

Your income depends on knowing the difference.
You don’t need a big audience, just one offer that converts with the right system.

♻️ Repost to help a creator who keeps building before selling.
Follow Eric Melillo for practical offer creation + monetization systems.

The goal is no more meaningless content.

Let me explain:

I spent years posting randomly online.

Ideas nobody engaged with.
Threads nobody read.
Videos nobody watched.
Content that felt hollow.

I wasn't tired of posting. I was tired of posting stuff that didn't move the needle.

Then I started building a system that listens first.

And guess what? Sometimes I post MORE now than I ever did.

But it doesn't feel like work.

Because it matters.
Because my audience responds.
Because I know every post has a goal.

That's the difference.

Intentional content grows you.
Meaningless content drains you.

Most creators aren't trying to "go viral" forever. They just want their time online to count for something.

So if your engagement feels low, ask yourself:

Am I tired of creating?
Or am I just tired of posting without a system?

The answer changes everything.

I built my Content Growth System to show you exactly how I made that shift.

Lessons on building an audience, creating posts that resonate, and turning attention into opportunities that actually matter.

This is your chance to build content that matters.

__

Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Eric Melillo for more.

Want the complete system for turning content into revenue?

Comment SYSTEM and I'll send it to you.

Your business is not overwhelming because you are “busy.”
It is overwhelming because you do not have a system.

I learned this the hard way.

When I started as a solopreneur, every week felt chaotic:

Client work stacked.
Content scattered.
Follow-ups forgotten.

It was not a workload problem.
It was a system problem.

So I built a simple Weekly Execution System.
(20 minutes to set up. Saves hours every week.)


List your priorities for the week
Split into three buckets: Money, Growth, Admin.

Assign each task to a day
Only what fits. No overload.

Review daily
Check off, adjust, repeat.

Chaos disappears when you have a repeatable framework.
Tasks stop slipping. Deadlines stop sneaking up.
Your week stops controlling you you control your week.

Systems do the heavy lifting.
Your brain gets free.
And your business finally feels manageable.

It takes 20 minutes to set up.
It saves hours every single week.

Focus, clarity, and consistency win more than hustle ever will.

Read this doc 👇

♻️ Repost it to your network and follow @Eric Melillo for more.

Want the complete system for turning content into revenue?

Comment SYSTEM and I'll send it to you.

SYSTEM

Most founders think monetization comes after everything is perfect.

They add more services, tweak features, and hope people buy.

Here’s what actually works:

Start with one clear offer.
Test it.
Get paying customers.
Refine based on real feedback.

Your revenue doesn’t come from perfecting every detail.
It comes from clarity, value, and execution.

The businesses that scale fast?
They pick one problem, promise one outcome, and monetize it before adding anything else.

Offers don’t sell because they’re complex.
They sell because they’re understood, wanted, and irresistible.

Stop guessing what might work.
Start selling what people actually want.

Most people don’t need more motivation.
They need fewer moving parts.

Because chaos isn’t a personality trait.

It’s a systems problem.

When you finally build a simple structure around your day:

Your brain stops scrambling.
Your focus sharpens.
Your work stops feeling like a fire drill.

And the best part?

You get your mental clarity back.

No more guessing what to do next.
No more juggling 12 open loops.
No more ending the day wondering where the time went.

Systemizing yourself isn’t about becoming rigid.

It’s about creating just enough structure
so you can operate with calm, not panic.

If you want to get out of “overwhelm mode” and into “I actually have my life together” mode…

Read the doc 👇

If you want the free system that turns your content into customers on LinkedIn and X, comment “SYSTEM” and I’ll send it over.

It’s the exact framework that top creators used to generate 1,769 comments and convert them into revenue.

You’ll get the full breakdown here:
Content → Customers Funnel
(landing page, flow, templates, follow-up sequence, everything)

Comment SYSTEM and I’ll send it your way.

Shared from Hypefury

This might piss some people off, but it’s the truth…

Your sales don’t suck because of your offer.
Your sales suck because you don’t have a conversion system.

Everyone talks about “posting more content.”
Almost nobody talks about building a path that turns attention into revenue.

Here’s the contrarian take:

Content doesn’t make you money.
Systems do.

I watch creators posting daily, viral even —
yet they’re broke.

Why?

Because content without a system is just noise.

Meanwhile, someone with a tiny audience and a tight conversion system closes $5K–$20K months quietly.

Not because they’re better.
Because they’re structured.

Here’s the conversion system that actually moves money:

One problem → one promise
(Clarity is the real conversion hack.)

Content that leads somewhere
(Not viral ideas — directional ideas.)

DM funnel with intent-based triggers
(Comments, saves, questions → start conversations.)

Proof engine
(Tiny wins, screenshots, progress updates, micro-testimonials.)

One clear CTA every week
(Stop offering 10 things. Sell one thing well.)

Fast follow-ups
(You’re losing sales by replying slow. Speed converts.)

This creates what I call the Conversion Loop:

Your content sparks curiosity.
Your DMs catch interest.
Your proof builds trust.
Your follow-up closes.

Simple. Predictable. Repeatable.

But here’s the part most people won’t like:

You don’t need more reach.
You need a system that converts the reach you already have.

While slow movers chase virality, you’re closing clients.
While they obsess over “visibility,” you’re building predictability.
While they create more content, you create more customers.

The market rewards clarity, not chaos.
Systems, not hope.
Execution, not endless ideas.

Stop trying to go viral.
Start building a conversion engine.

Enjoy this?

♻️ Repost it to your network and follow @Eric Melillo for more.

Want the complete system for turning content into revenue?

Comment SYSTEM and I'll send it to you.

Feeling stuck is the worst.
But don’t tap out yet.

Just build one tiny thing today.

A clearer plan.
A small habit.
A 10-minute workflow.
A simple system.
A better way to do the same task.

Momentum doesn’t show up loud.
It starts as a quiet nudge.

I wasted years waiting for the “perfect moment.”

Perfect clarity.
Perfect routine.
Perfect energy.
Perfect timing.

None of that ever came.

You know what actually moved my life forward?

Installing a few tiny solo-ops systems that removed the chaos:

System 1: A daily execution system that keeps work moving
System 2: A content engine that runs even when I’m tired
System 3: A simple automation stack that saves 5–10 hours a week

None of these were fancy.
None required software overload.
All they did was remove friction.

And that changed everything.

Here’s what I learned:

Big goals don’t collapse from lack of motivation.
They collapse from lack of systems.

Start small.
Start messy.
Start today.

Install one system.
Then another.
Then another.

That’s how solo operators gain leverage.
That’s how your time stops leaking.
That’s how real progress compounds.

If you want to get out of the “stuck” cycle, build one system today — even a tiny one.

Systems don’t care where you start.
Only that you do.

♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Eric Melillo for more.

Nobody wants to hear this. But it's true.

Going solo is lonely.

You push yourself.

It's not about constant motivation.
Not about endless energy.
Not about never feeling stuck.

It's showing up. Energized or exhausted.

Even when no one's watching.

I've noticed a pattern with solopreneurs who actually make it:

They don't wait for external accountability.
They don't need a team to validate their work.
They don't quit when motivation fades.

They just show up.

Most people can't handle that reality.

They start strong for a few weeks.
Hit their first low-energy day.
Convince themselves they need more support.

Then they watch someone else succeed solo and think, "They're just built different."

No. They just showed up on the days you didn't.

That's the game.

Progress isn't about having a team behind you.

It's doing the work when you're exhausted.
Showing up when you're the only one who will.
Trusting yourself when there's no external push.

That's how you win solo.

Not with perfect energy. With unstoppable consistency.

So if you're building alone and some days feel impossible...

Good. That means you're still in it.

Keep going. Keep showing up.

Solo doesn't mean small.

Solo means unstoppable when you refuse to quit.

(92) Post | Feed | LinkedIn

Everyone wants growth.

Very few want the awareness.

They want 100K+ followers.
Not 1,000+ hours of studying what works.

They want viral posts.
Not the pattern recognition it demands.

They want engagement.
Not the discipline to notice what resonates.

But you must pay the price of growth, and it's awareness.

Every. Single. Day.

Here's what that actually looks like:

- Tracking what sparks real conversations, not vanity metrics
- Noticing what lands in DMs when no one's watching
- Doubling down on ideas that make people share
- Studying your data to find the patterns that matter

Not sexy. Not fast.
But necessary.

The problem? Most people fail because they don't pay attention.

They post randomly instead of strategically.
They chase volume instead of resonance.
They ignore signals instead of following them.

Awareness without action is just knowledge.

That's why I've built 3 different frameworks for:

- Content that resonates
- Audience understanding
- Pattern recognition that drives growth

Repeatable processes that make daily awareness easier.

Because when you know exactly what to watch for every day, growth stops being random.

Stop chasing everything.
Start noticing what works.

Remember:

Growth isn't about posting more.
It's about thinking better when others won't.

The price is awareness.
The system makes it payable.

Growth isn't random.

It's repeatable.

Most creators post blindly.
They pray for traction.
It rarely comes.

Here's what actually works:

+ Repurpose one idea across 3 formats.
(Thread, video, carousel - same message, different entry points.)

+ Engage before you post.
(Comments on others' content become your research and warm audience.)

+ Give people something they can use today.
(Not inspiration. Not theory. Actionable steps.)

+ Track what works, kill what doesn't.
(Double down on winners. Most creators never look at the data.)

💾 Save this. 
🔄 Reshare. 
➕ Follow

Audience

Everyone’s obsessed with “growing an audience.”

Meanwhile, the creators who grow the fastest?

They’re not obsessed with growth.

They’re obsessed with saying something real.

They post imperfect ideas.
Share half-formed thoughts.
Tell stories that feel too personal.
Hit publish when it still feels messy.

While you're sweating over the perfect hook…

Remember this:

That creator you’re comparing yourself to?

They don’t remember your last post.

That expert you’re scared of disappointing?

They’ve never once noticed your typos.

That stranger judging your content?

They watched 1.2 seconds and bounced.

We spend years trying to create for an audience that isn’t even paying attention yet.

• Polishing every sentence
• Copying “viral” formats
• Posting what we think people want

But the truth?

You don’t grow by performing.
You grow by revealing.

This isn’t discouraging.

It’s permission.

Real, practical, algorithm-proof permission.

Because once you stop trying to impress everyone, you finally:

Say what you actually believe.
Post what you’d share with a friend.
Show the parts you think aren’t “strategic.”
Become unforgettable because you’re unmistakably you.

Stop creating to fit in.
Start creating to be recognized.

Audience growth isn’t about reach.

It’s about resonance.

I only started growing when I stopped writing like a “LinkedIn creator” and started writing like myself.
That shift took me from shouting into the void… to building a community that listens.

If you want to grow an audience that actually cares, start with the thing most people avoid:

Say the thing you’ve been scared to say.

That’s the voice people follow.

What would you post today if you didn’t care about looking “on-brand”?

Post that.

♻️ Repost it to your network and follow @Eric Melillo for more.

I see this pattern everywhere.

The businesses stuck in chaos?
Still doing everything manually.

The ones scaling quietly?
Automating everything they can.

Here’s why:

The world moves too fast for manual work.
Your competitors aren’t wasting hours on repetitive tasks.
Your customers aren’t waiting for slow processes.
Your market isn’t slowing down.

So you’ve got two choices:

Keep doing things the hard way.
Or build systems that work even when you’re not.

I’ve automated dozens of workflows this year alone.

Client onboarding.
Lead qualification.
Payment reminders.
Project updates.
Internal ops.

Not because it’s trendy.

But because it frees up time, reduces errors, and keeps growth consistent.

The moment you think “I’ll automate later”
is the moment your competitors pull ahead.

Your workload isn’t standing still.
Your team’s burnout isn’t standing still.
Technology definitely isn’t standing still.

So why would your operations stay manual?

Stay efficient.
Stay automated.
Stay ahead.

That’s how modern businesses win.

The companies actually winning aren’t just “using AI.”
They’re running on AI.

Quiet, invisible systems that handle:

1) Inbound messages
Set one AI agent to scan, sort, and label every message by intent in real time.

2) Routing & triage
Auto-assign each message to the right person, based on tags, urgency, and past behavior.

3) Follow-ups
Trigger automatic reminders + retry sequences so no lead goes cold.

4) Tone-matched replies
Train an AI on your brand voice. Let it draft replies that sound like you instantly.

5) Images & voice notes
Use AI to turn text into visuals or voice replies so responses feel more human.

6) Daily KPIs
Generate a daily dashboard that shows bottlenecks, response time, and pipeline health.

The real leverage isn’t working harder, it’s building AI that works while you focus on growth.

Start small: automate one task today

Most creators launch offers nobody wants.

They spend weeks building.
They write long sales pages.
They design courses.
They hope someone buys.

Here’s a faster way:

1️⃣ Ask your audience 1 simple question
2️⃣ Collect the top struggles
3️⃣ Pre-sell an offer by solving it

Same expertise.
Completely different approach.

Old way = guess → build → hope
New way = ask → validate → sell

In 30 days, I validated 3 offers with under 5k followers.
Result?

Pre-sales

No funnels. No big launches. No wasted time.

Validated offers are unbeatable:

✅ Lower risk
✅ Higher conversions
✅ Fast revenue

Stop building in the dark.
Start testing first.
Sell what people actually want.

Random hustle doesn’t close deals. Systematic sales does.

10 steps to predictable sales:

Define your ideal customer
Map Lead → Pitch → Follow-up → Close
Script every conversation
Track conversions
Follow up consistently
Offer clear next steps
Automate reminders
Test & refine messaging
Overdeliver value
Delegate repetitive tasks

Most people think sales means:

Discounting more.
Pitching harder.
Adding more bonuses.
Chasing more leads.

That’s old thinking.

Modern sales works differently.

It’s not about pushing harder.
It’s about building a system that guides people to say yes naturally.

Here’s what I learned:

Clarify the offer so there’s no doubt what it does.

Remove every tiny objection before they even ask.

Make the path to buy so simple, they don’t have to think.

Follow up quickly and intentionally — timing matters more than persuasion.

Proof matters: show results, not promises.

Do this, and the numbers speak for themselves:

Higher conversion rates

Faster sales cycles

Less “selling” anxiety

Predictable revenue

Sales isn’t about working harder.
It’s about designing the system that makes buying effortless.

Stop trying to push.
Start building the path.

Your prospects will take it.

Solopreneurship is exhausting.

• You are your own boss
• You are your own strategist
• You are your own salesperson and closer
• You are your own marketer with no backup
• You are your own operator and problem solver

But it’s still 100x better than building someone else's dream.

Extrovert

Worktec

neodom | TELETASK integrator

Building AI prospect nurturing tool | Founder at Extrovert

"Oh, I know you!" -
best prospects say before they buy.
Here's how winning teams show up everywhere:

Extrovert helps sales teams increase conversion, fight ghosting, and stay top of mind with AI prospect nurturing.

🧠 How it works:
→ Monitor prospects' posts
→ Spot relevant topics with AI
→ Help your team comment genuinely
→ Save time with AI-copilot which knows your context and voice
→ Track engagement and identify prospects who are ready for the pitch
→ Build a systematic team-wide activity
→ All in 15 minutes per day

✨ Key outcomes:
→ 40% reply rates on outreach sequences (vs 5-10% industry average)
→ ~20% of prospects start conversations themselves (before your first DM)
→ 70% connection request acceptance rates (vs 30%-50% industry average)
→ Bringing back 20-25% of stalled opportunities
→ Building stronger long-term relationships
→ Staying top of mind

➡️ Perfect for
→ Companies selling to mid-market and enterprise customers
→ CROs, BDRs, SDRs and AEs
→ CMOs and B2B branding leaders 
→ Partnership managers
→ Founders who sell
→ Investor relations leaders and fundraisers
(any customer-facing role really)

→ Leadgen agencies and sales consultants
(DM me for affiliate program and agency discounts: 20% lifetime commission)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ on G2 and Capterra
Used by leading B2B sales teams worldwide

➡️ Try free for 10 days: https://goextrovert.com
➡️ Short video: https://youtu.be/iWQc-T1jUDc

Oleg Sobolev

We just presold 5x more annual plans for Extrovert 2.0 than any launch so far and I think we found a very promising approach to GTM:

We're shipping a major update in less than a week, and shared a Black Friday early bird offer among our users.

I have never seen a response like that before. 

We have sold 5x more annual plans compared to our previous promotions (and we haven't even shipped the product yet!) 

Dozens of people messaged me and said they are excited about the change, asked to reactivate trials.

Makes me think we're onto something with this shift.

Right now, Extrovert helps you comment. That's great, but it's only one piece of outreach.

The new version covers the entire process:
→ Comments (to warm them up)
→ Connection requests (after X comments or Y days)
→ DMs and follow-ups (the new part)

You upload your DM playbook (templates, objection handling, resources, pricing, calendar link, etc). 

When it's time to message a prospect, you get a draft that:
→ References their recent posts if there's something relevant
→ Adapts to their profile and your conversation history
→ Uses your playbook but sounds like you wrote it
→ You review it, edit if needed, and approve. That's it.

The key difference from regular sequencers: this never stops. Instead of a fixed 30-day sequence, it keeps looking for signals (their posts, time passed, conversation gaps) to suggest the next move. Conversations can go cold and get revived naturally, multiple times.

Suggestion-based outreach. "Be known before you pitch. Stay visible until they buy" direction.

The early bird offer is still there. 

Anyone who goes for Annual Business or Pro plan in November will get: 
→ 20% OFF for life (not just the 1st year 🙌)
→ Full setup done by us
→ Weekly progress calls with our founders and campaign improvement recommendations for the first month

Please DM me if you'd like to give it a go.

We definitely found a painful problem worth solving, and approach that resonates with people. 

I am extremely grateful:
→ To all of our users who stuck with us even when the product wasn't fully there
→ To all people who agreed to an interview a while ago (40+ founders and GTM pros) and provided feedback about their jobs to be done. Those interviews shaped this shift 
→ To everyone who went for an early bird offer and believed in us. That means a LOT for us as a bootstrapped company.

THANK YOU. Would not be possible without you.

Super pumped for what's coming. 

Will update as soon as we ship. 

Now back to building 🫡

Suggestion-based warm outreach | goextrovert.com ✨💬 Be known before you pitch. Stay visible until they buy.

After 16 months building AI for sales, I've seen 4 main approaches to outbound. Here's the one I think will dominate in 2026:

Here are the main approaches I see:

1. Fixed Sequences (The Transaction)
Playbook:
→ Upload prospects
→ Set up a 2-4 week sequence
→ Sequence ends, move on
Problem:
→ You're betting on a specific timeframe
→ No context about what's happening in their world
→ Can't make them longer (they'd feel robotic)
→ When the sequence ends, you stop touching them
Reality: Most buying windows are MUCH longer a sequence can provide

2. AI SDRs (The Hype)
Promise:
→ Fully autonomous
→ Infinite scale
→ Set it and forget it
Problem:
→ LLMs are terrible at complex scenarios
→ They miss subtle details constantly
→ Without human approval, they shoot themselves in the foot fast
Reality: Lower effort, but quality drops off a cliff.

3. Manual (The Art)
Approach:
→ Rep monitors prospects manually
→ Personalizes every touch
→ Uses CRM + social selling tools
Problem:
→ Requires talented, motivated reps
→ Success belongs to the person (not the process)
→ Hard to scale
Reality: Works beautifully for top 5% of reps. Fails for everyone else.

4. Suggestion-Based Outbound (The Future)
Here's what we're betting on:
→ AI monitors everything: posts, signals, engagement history, company news
→ It spots perfect moments: "Sarah posted about your topic," "David was at a conference," "Alex hasn't heard from you in 3 weeks"
→ It drafts the right message for the right person at the right time
→ You review and approve (or reject)
Why this works:
→ Infinite time horizon (loop vs sequence)
→ Context-aware (reacts to their world)
→ Human judgment on every touch (no AI slop sent out)
→ Scales without compromising quality

Old thinking: "How do I automate outreach?"
New thinking: "How do I stay present for 6+ months without burning out my team?"

That's the game we're playing now.
We're shipping the v1 in the next few weeks.

What am I missing here?
Is there a 5th approach that actually works at scale?

"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:

1️⃣ Wait for it

Wrong approach: 
Build a list of prospects → scrape for ANY signal → blast them.

Right approach: 
Add them to a monitoring system → wait for a real signal → act when it actually pops up.

Many outreach attempts fail because there is no real signal (just some random scraped post). Wait for it.

2️⃣ 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.

3️⃣ 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.

4️⃣ 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.

5️⃣ LinkedIn is the best channel for this

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

It’s weird.

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

Meet them where the signal happened.

6️⃣ Be known beforehand

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

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

7️⃣ 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.

8️⃣ 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 Friday, everyone ✌️
No "I noticed your post" on weekends please :D

We doubled replies and 4x’d meetings by combining the best of inbound and outbound. Sharing all the details live this Thursday:

Live Webinar: The Social First GTM System
👉 Recording here: https://lnkd.in/dbmD9M6d

1. Capture inbound with lead magnets: 
🌀Ruzgar, Founder, LeadShark 🦈
(has more data on lead magnets effectiveness than anyone on LinkedIn)

2. Build relationships on socials: 
Yours truly, Oleg
(I know a thing or two about nurturingprospects on socials)

3. Put it all together in a GTM system 
David, Founder, Growth Momentum
(one of the best GTM systems experts I know)

It's going to be paaacked! We just have no time for fluff :D

Here’s why you’ll want to tune in:
1. See the system we’ve built to 2.2x reply rates & 4x booked meetings
2. Learn how to use LinkedIn engagement to warm up prospects
3. How to capture and use social signals
4. Real examples, frameworks, and results from active campaigns

👉 Recording here: https://lnkd.in/dbmD9M6d

Date: Thursday, 13th November
Time: 10 AM PT | 7 PM CET 
Hosted by: Growth Momentum

Find posts → Comment well → Be remembered | Founder at Extrovert

Open article: The Social First GTM System · Luma by luma.com

I have 70%+ connection acceptance rates.

The strategy comes down to timing it like this:

I send blank connection requests.

But only after I've already interacted with people. When they see my name, they recognize it. The request doesn't need explanation at that point.

The trick is knowing WHEN to send it.

Here's the framework:

1. If they post regularly:
→ Send after 2-3 comments on their posts. 
I don't rush comments. It might take several weeks. They've seen my name. I'm not a stranger anymore.

2. If they don't post:
→ Comment 3-5 times on posts they interact with.
This is "indirect engagement" - I comment on content from people they've recently interacted with. There is a big chance they will see those posts. They see my name in their feed even though they're not posting themselves.

3. If 4 weeks pass and I didn't have a chance to comment:
→ Send the request anyway
Don't wait forever, even if I haven't hit my comment targets.

4. If they never post or engage with anyone:
→ Send immediately.
Some people just lurk on LinkedIn. They're never going to give you engagement signals, so I don't wait.

The manual version of this was painful.
I used to just remember everything 🙈 Who I commented on, when, how many times. 
For 50 prospects, it was annoying. 
For 200, it was impossible.

So we automated it in Extrovert.
You set your rules once (2 direct comments, 4 indirect, 30-day max, etc.). Then the system tracks everything and sends requests automatically when the timing is right.

P.S. Your go-to: blank requests or personalized notes?

Suggestion-based outreach is live now, and so many people wanted to try it that we 2x-ed our monthly revenue in a few days. Breaking it down LIVE this Thursday:

We've just shipped our biggest update so far:

Suggestion-based outreach.

We had an early bird pre-sale last week, and I have never seen a response like that before. It was the most successful launch for us so far. 

That makes me think we're onto something with this approach.

That's why I'm super excited to say that it's finally LIVE now.

Before today, Extrovert helped you comment. That's great, but it's only one piece of outreach.

The new version covers the entire process:
→ Comments (to warm them up)
→ Connection requests (after X comments or Y days)
→ DMs and follow-ups (the new part)

You upload your DM playbook (templates, objection handling, resources, pricing, calendar link, etc). 

When it's time to message a prospect, you get a draft that:
→ References their recent posts if there's something relevant
→ Adapts to their profile and your conversation history
→ Uses your playbook, but sounds like you wrote it
→ You review it, edit if needed, and approve. That's it.

The key difference from a regular sequence: this never stops. Instead of a fixed 30-day sequence, it keeps looking for signals (their posts, time passed, conversation gaps) to suggest the next move. 

Conversations can go cold and get revived naturally, multiple times.

It's available for everyone to try for free now.

This Thursday, we're hosting a live event to cover everything about it

→ Why we believe suggestion-based outreach is so powerful
→ How to stay top-of-mind relentlessly untill they buy
→ How to keep effort per prospect as low as possible
→ How to set up your comment and DM playbook to get suggestions that sound like you
→ Workshop format, interactive, practical, focused, no theory
→ Would be useful if you're already an Extrovert user or would just like to learn more

Thursday, 4th of December
5pm CET / 11am EST
Register here: https://luma.com/ddh3vggi

See you there 🤘

After 2 years in outbound, my biggest learning is:

Nobody needs our shit.

A bold statement, but bear with me. Let me define "need" first. 

In my view, it means your prospect has a job to be done that your product solves - and it's in their top 10-30 priorities right now.

I say: for 99.9% of products (even with strong PMF), this is not the case.

For a simple reason: buyers aren't stupid. If they have a pressing problem and there's a solution that makes them 10x more efficient, they'll find it themselves.

Test this yourself:
→ How often does your buyer do the job your product or service does?
→ Can your product provide 10x more efficiency for it?
→ What happens if your buyer doesn't buy your product or service today?

I was honest with my answers, and I realized:

Most prospects don't need my product. At best, some of them might sometimes think about testing it.
→ Not all of them. Some of them.
→ Not now. Sometimes.
→ Not implement. Think about testing.
→ Not definitely. Might.

This post is not meant to discourage.
I think it changes the way to think about outbound.

For example here's why some LI advice fails:

1. "Be more relevant"
Yes, relevance helps. It's one of the biggest levers you have.

But you can't be relevant enough to create a need that doesn't exist. Even if you nail their exact pain point, most prospects still won't be in a buying window.

2. "Act on intent signals"

Someone liked a post about your category. Now they're ready to buy?

I like 50 posts per day. Half of them I don't even read hehe

Public data shows interest at best. It might help you prioritize, but it won't tell you who's actually ready to pull the trigger.

3. "Nail your messaging"
Your message is clear. Your value prop is compelling. Your email is personalized.

Is that enough if they don't need what you're selling?

Of course not. A perfect message just gets you a foot in the door. It doesn't create timing.

So what do we do then?

I say stop expecting conversions from first touch. Most prospects need 6+ months of visibility before timing aligns.

→ Build return paths. Website tracking, retargeting, content, nurture sequences, LinkedIn engagement - give prospects multiple ways to come back when they're ready.

→ Measure differently. Track how many prospects stay engaged over 90+ days, not who replied to the 1st message.

Cold outreach feels harder because we're all treating it like a sprint when it's actually a marathon.

The long game is the only game.

The Social First GTM webinar was a blast!

A recap if you missed it:

Last week we ran a webinar on the Social First GTM System with David from Growth Momentum and 🌀Ruzgar from leadshark 🦈.

Here are the key takeaways:

Foundation:
→ Define your ICP and their needs first
→ Mix content types: top-of-funnel (lead magnets), middle (educational), bottom (product demos)
→ Capture engagement signals in real-time, enrich in Clay, sync to outbound sequences
→ Review and iterate weekly

Engagement:
→ The sequence: Comment → Connect → Wait → Message → Nurture
→ Warm-up moves reply rates from 10% to 40-50%
→ Leave 2-3 thoughtful comments over several weeks (long timeframes!)
→ If prospects don't post, comment on content from people they follow (indirect engagement, we have this feature in Extrovert)
→ Send blank connection requests. They perform best
→ Wait 7-30 days after connection acceptance before first DM (20% will message you first)
→ First message = question, second message = pitch
→ Never end your sequences. Follow up for months

Lead magnet mechanics:
→ Definetely NOT dead. Ruzgar shared recent examples with 6k+ comments!
→ First 30 minutes determine success. Respond to comments immediately
→ Use automated delivery (leadshark 🦈) to engage at scale
→ Enrich and score leads automatically
→ Mix lead magnets with other content
→ Don't expect instant results, test and iterate

Making It systematic:
→ Sync lists between LeadShark → Clay → Extrovert → CRM
→ Move prospects between lists as they progress (lead → ghosted → active → customer)

Expected results:
→ 70% connection acceptance (vs 30-50% industry average)
→ 40%+ DM reply rates (vs 5-10% industry average) with proper warm-up
→ 20% of prospects DM first before any outreach
→ One LeadShark customer generated 35,000+ unique commenters across 100 lead magnets since August

📺 Recording here: https://lnkd.in/dbmD9M6d

P.S. What's your stance on lead magnets? Yay or nay?

I think we figured out something too powerful:

Suggestion-based outreach

After 16+ months building an AI product for sales teams, we clearly see 2 things:

→ AI is brilliant at spotting perfect moments and drafting initial ideas. But it flops spectacularly in full auto mode.
→ DM sequences give you consistency (set it and forget it). Beautiful. But their main flaw is timing and relevance. You can't plan for someone's conference visit, their growth announcement, or their perfect-timing post about the exact challenge you solve.

So I think we found a middle ground:
Suggestion-based outreach.

Here's how it works:
→ AI watches everything: posts, engagement history, signals
→ It notices what matters: Alex posted about scaling. Sarah engaged 3 times. David was at a conference yesterday
→ It suggests the perfect action at the perfect moment
→ You review and approve

You maintain control. AI handles timing and context. 

You have 3 streams of activity:

Comments:
→ Make sure you maintain consistent touchpoints with the desired frequency
Connect requests:
→ Make sure you connect at the right time, when they already know you
DMs:
→ Make sure you DM them if something relevant happened on their side OR at least once per month, even if not

Log in, review suggestions, go on with your day.

This system is aimed at playing the ridiculously long AND social first game. Staying present, being helpful, showing up at the right moments. Our bet is this is where the edge is now.

Now you can do it at scale.

We're rolling it out this month.
Want early access? Comment SUGGESTION below and I'll set you up with free test access.

Time to make outreach human again 🤘
(with a little help from AI)

We onboard 200+ founders monthly, and most struggle with follow-ups because it's incredibly hard to make them net positive for the prospect. Here's how to fix that:

First, let's reframe what a follow-up actually is.

I think it's helpful to think not only about emails or DMs, but about any interactions with your prospect - a message, a comment, content, etc.

Every interaction has 2 sides:
→ You
→ Your prospect
And it can be net positive or net negative for them

Most follow-ups are taxes:
 They extract attention, create guilt, demand responses. The prospect loses, you lose (because they ghost).

But some interactions are deposits. 
They give value, require nothing back, build familiarity. Both sides win.

There are 3 main criteria for good interactions:
→ Net positive for the prospect (they gain something, feel nothing bad)
→ Low effort for you (you can't manually craft perfect messages for 200+ prospects)
→ Meets your goal (keeps you visible, pushes them to a decision)

Most salespeople optimize for #3 only (also for #2 hehe). 

That's why "just checking in" exists. It meets YOUR goal (status update) but taxes THEM (obligation to respond).

Tax:
→ "Just checking in"
→ 10-page audit they didn't ask for
→ Detailed proposal when they're drowning in work
(YES! You can tax them by being too helpful!)

Deposit:
→ Quick, useful tip that solves their problem
→ Commenting on their LinkedIn post
→ Sharing a win from a similar customer, no ask attached
→ Reacting to something happening in their world

Deposits often react to their world. Taxes often inject into it.

That's why social is crazy good for deposits:
→ You can see what's happening in their world (posts, updates, activity)
→ You can react without creating a response obligation
→ It's socially acceptable to engage without an agenda

What these interactions might look like:
They launched a feature:
→ Comment
→ DM: "Congrats on shipping this. How are your users responding?"
They attended a conference:
→ Comment
→ DM: "Saw you were at WebSummit. Go well for you?"
They went quiet during a deal:
→ Comment on their recent post about something unrelated
→ Share a customer win relevant to their industry, no ask
National holiday or birthday:
→ Light DM acknowledging it

Taxes compound into silence. Each one makes them avoid you more.

Deposits compound into trust. Each one makes them remember you positively.

Audit your last 10 prospect interactions:
→ How many required something from them?
→ How many gave something with no strings?

Be honest :D 

Most of mine were taxes when I started paying attention to this.

The teams that figure out how to systematize deposits will win the long game.

Because they'll be the only ones still visible when prospects are actually ready to buy.

Personalization doesn't fix being a stranger:


A stranger who knows your dog's name is still a stranger.

Actually, they are even worse - they are a stranger who knows your dog's name :D

That's creepy.

Personalization × Recognition = Impact

If recognition = 0, the research doesn't matter.

Same message hits completely different based on WHO sends it:
→ From someone you've never seen: "How do they know this?" 🚩
→ From a familiar face: "Oh nice, we have that in common!"

The best teams figured this out.
Show up in feeds before you show up in inboxes.
Be recognized before you reach out.
It takes TIME.
But then personalization actually works.

OR

Just go with the simple pitch and play the relevance game.

What's the weirdest thing a stranger sent you? I'll go first 👇

Biggest lie I hear all over LinkedIn is that you only need two things to succeed in outbound: (1) Relevant list and (2) Good offer. There is a third super important ingredient:

→ Being trusted and staying visible long enough until they're ready to buy.

This 2-element formula works in exactly TWO scenarios:

Scenario 1: Your TAM is massive and you're fine with 1-2% conversion rates. Volume play. Scales beautifully IF your market is like that.

Scenario 2: You can spot a signal in public data that 100% indicates buying intent RIGHT NOW. (And no, "liked 3 posts about your topic" doesn't count. Is it a good signal: yes. Is it a guaranteed intent: hell no.)

Most businesses have neither of these.

Which means we need to get honest about a painful truth:

In the buyer's mind, where does our solution rank on their problem list?
Top 3?
Top 10?
Problem # 54? 
More likely (be honest ha ha)

Now think about a 2-week or even month-long sequence. 

It's essentially a bet that problem # 54 will magically jump to the top of their priority list during that random timing window.

They'll suddenly:
→ Pay attention to the offer
→ Invest mental energy to evaluate the solution
→ Decide if they trust us

All because we sent 3 messages over 4 weeks.

The math doesn't work. Which is why booking rates are 1%.

Here's what I see happening now in GTM:

Teams are getting incredibly sophisticated with elements 1 and 2. Better data, better targeting, better deliverability, messaging, channels, offers. The tools are amazing.

But element 3, building trust and maintaining presence over months, is still mostly manual. More art than science territory for skilled social sellers.

And that's exactly why I think there's a MASSIVE opportunity here.

The best "sequence" isn't a sequence at all. It's an endless flow of touchpoints - some soft (comments, likes, content impressions), some direct (messages, emails). It keeps you present until their problem # 54 makes it to the top-5.

This territory is untouched by AI.

Yet.

🔑 TAKEAWAY: 

The teams that figure out how to systematize long-term relationship building will have an unfair advantage.

Because they'll be the only ones still visible when prospects are actually ready to buy.

P.S. Where do you think your solution *honestly* ranks on your prospect's problem list?

Weird idea for lead gen agencies -

sell the reply to a client twice:

Just had this Idea I wanted to validate with you. 

I've spoken to 10+ agency owners recently, and often the cycle is:

→ Agency runs outreach, gets replies
→ Pass replies to the client
→ Client fails to follow up consistently
→ Lead goes cold
→ Client gets poor results

 And I thought: 
 
 What if we build a system that allows us to follow up relentlessly:
 → It suggests actions, agency rep reviews, and posts
 → Listen to the prospect's activity. Something relevant happened? Suggest a DM (e.g., they attended a conference, and we generate - "hey, say you were at WebSummit, went well for you?")
→ If no trigger event happens, still suggest a DM every 30 days
→ The DMs are low friction, just to revive a convo (not a sales sequence). Getting a demo is still the client's responsibility
→ The suggestions know the client's style and, most importantly, their sales playbook
→ Suggests comments on their posts every 2 weeks, too, to add touchpoints
→ If prospects don't post, suggest comments on posts from people they follow (indirect engagement)
→ Suggestion-first system keeps the effort per lead as low as possible

So theoretically:

→ We got a reply
→ Client lost it due to a lack of proper follow-up
→ We put the prospect into follow up campaign
→ Follow up relentlessly, revive the lead
→ Deliver reply to the client from the same lead again :)

What do you think of this? Building this right now, and would love to hear your feedback - do you think this flies? Anything I'm missing?

P.S. hit me up if you want to try this as soon as we ship (appox. 2 weeks)

crazy theory:

what if they know??

what if prospects can tell it's automated

what if they've seen this before

maybe they run outbound too...

and they know you can do {{insert_personalization}} in a sequencer

and maybe they don't hate it. just... process it differently

like an ad?

hmmm...

nah! they ain't gonna know.

taplio

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Eric Melillo

Oleg Sobolev

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taplio

The Battle

Eric Melillo

Oleg Sobolev

Followers

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);}Eric Melillo's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreEric Melillo's LinkedIn Performance