Jerry Macnamara

ProvenChaos

Business is not only the economic engine of the world, but it is also the engine of cultural change. Our mission is to positively impact a healthier, happier world where people live life on their terms, with intention, because of better business. By equipping our CEOs with frameworks to lead and a support system to help, businesses will fulfill the promise to their customers, vendors, and employees.

ProvenChaos. Weird company name, right? 

Let me explain because you’ve probably experienced it yourself.

You’ve Proven there is a pain point you can solve in the market, but you feel in Chaos because your systems, people or processes haven’t kept up. Or, maybe you feel in chaos personally because the business is stealing all your energy and time away from your family, so there is a lack of fulfillment despite your success.

That’s ProvenChaos.

Have you ever had that ProvenChaos feeling? I bet you have.

Learn how we can help at ProvenChaos.com

Founder and CEO

Best Places to Lead Show

Your company has the potential to be great. The leader’s responsibility is to unlock that potential - or doom it to mediocrity.

On the Best Places to Lead show, you’ll learn the hard-fought lessons from the front lines earned by business leaders who have already had their teeth bashed in and lived to tell about it. We’ll share the tips, tricks, mindsets, and frameworks that allow great leaders to lead differently. Register to attend live, ask questions, and level up.

The show airs every Thursday at 3:30 pm ET / 1:30 pm MT.

Host

JerryMacnamara.com

Jerry Macnamara helps businesses and people succeed. He consults to entrepreneurs, business owners and managers about creating value-driven organizations, which deliver results. The goal is to intentionally uncover the Soul of the organization and engineer strategic plans that produce highly accountable environments and deliver results.

Chief Thinker

12 Mavens

Soccer Classroom

Soccer Classroom is dedicated to helping volunteer soccer coaches find fun, inspiring and positive ways to develop youth soccer players. By using a "player-first" mentality, coaches will see the big picture of player development which leads to long-term success on the field.

Soccer Classroom is Jerry's "community service" project. Through this online coaching platform, Soccer Classroom reaches over six thousand fans on Facebook and over half a million coaches and players in countries all over the world. The magnified resulting impact on players and teams is immeasurable.

If you are a business, coach or administrator who can add value to the Soccer Classroom community, we invite you to connect with us.

Creator

McCoy and Company

McCoy and Company (MAC), the commercial arm of North Florida Field Services, Inc., spun out from the parent company in December 2014. Utilizing the same white collar approach to a blue collar business, MAC services Property Managers, Owners and Architects in realizing their construction visions.

NFFS General Contractors

Founded in 2007 by Marti McCoy with $5,000 and a borrowed trailer, NFFS General Contractors has grown to be a leader in the REO home repair, property preservation, maintenance and inspection of residential homes. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida with additional offices in Tampa, NFFS completes restoration work across the state of Florida for Banks, Hedge Funds and Equity Funds. The company is a Top 10 Vendor nationally to Fannie Mae.

NFFS was named the Fastest Growing Company in Northeast Florida in 2012 by the Jacksonville Business Journal. The company maintained a three year average annual revenue growth rate of 372%. In 2013, the company earned place #18 on the JBJ list and joined the Inc 500 Fastest Growing Companies list at #8 Construction industry, #15 in Florida and #238 nationally with a four year growth rate of 1,808%. In 2014, the company again was profiled in both the JBJ as a Fast Company (#7 growth, #8 total dollar growth) and Inc. magazine at #904 nationally. (Profile: http://www.inc.com/profile/north-florida-field-services) Florida Trend magazine recognized NFFS as one of the "Best Companies to Work For in Florida" in 2014. (http://www.floridatrend.com/article/17368/best-small-companies)

Jerry's central role is running the business-side of the company: setting the strategic direction, solving the problems of growth while maintaining and expanding profitability. 

In 2013, the Jacksonville Business Journal recognized Jerry an "Ultimate CEO" for leading NFFS through this high-growth cycle as well as his contributions to the community.

In 2014, the Jacksonville Business Journal recognized Jerry as a "40 Under 40" award recipient.

TotallySoccer

Totally Soccer is a leading provider of soccer jerseys, uniforms and field equipment to teams and clubs across the country. The direct from the factory approach makes buying soccer gear easier, cheaper and faster.

Totally Soccer leveraged its infrastructure and systems to smartly branch into other sports to offset seasonality and increase buying power. The company owns and operates a suite of sports websites that sells custom sports uniforms.

President

Jogo

Jogo is a leading producer of team sports apparel throughout North America. To secure his Management Consultant Visa, Jerry was certified as an expert in the US soccer market. In this position, he built systems and procedures to align manufacturing, sales and marketing.

Sales & Marketing Consultant

Soccer Post

Soccer Post is a franchise company specializing in providing soccer equipment to youth and adult teams, clubs and leagues. Jerry helped the organization grow from a single location to expanding the operation to thirty-five stores selling over $15MM across the country. As VP of Operations, Jerry wrote the training manual, opened the stores and interfaced with vendors such as Nike and Adidas. 

Entrepreneur magazine recognized Soccer Post as a Franchise 500 company.

Vice President Operations

Helping CEOs Scale without Stress | Franchise 500 (2x), Inc500 (2x) & Biz Journal Fast 50 (3x) + Trend Best Places to Work | Ultimate CEO | Proving Good Guys Finish 1st since 1974 | Host "Best Places to Lead"

Your business is working, but can it do more?
 
Like most business leaders, you've likely spent sleepless nights obsessing over your company's future. You’ve closed your office door, scratched your head, and wondered what to do next.

You're anxious about losing your best employees while regretting not letting go of underperformers sooner.

Does this sound at all familiar?
Feel Trapped: You lack a clear execution plan and are overwhelmed by daily crises, running from fire to fire.

Employee Frustrations: Miscommunication and unclear directions leave you shouldering the burden alone.

Unmanageable Growth: Scaling your business feels impossible without the right systems and processes.

Fear Over Joy: Constant fear paralyzes and frustrates you, stealing the joy from your work.

It doesn't have to be this way. With a proven track record leading award-winning companies across multiple industries, I’ve developed a system that drives success. 

Here are some of the results I’ve produced:

Franchise Growth: I helped grow a franchise company from $5MM to $15MM in just 18 months, earning a spot in the Franchise 500 (2x).

Manufacturing Excellence: I transformed a forty-year-old manufacturing company to achieve a 98% on-time delivery rate.

Successful Exit: I started, scaled, and successfully sold an internet business.

Construction Leadership: I led a construction company from $7MM to $30MM in three years, making it to the Inc 500 (2x) and Best Places to Work.

Here’s the truth…
Your product doesn’t matter. 
Your service doesn’t matter. 
Your industry doesn’t matter. 
Your channel doesn’t matter. 

Your business is widgets, plain and simple…  and the only thing that matters is your leadership approach.

However, on-the-job training is stressful and costly, eating away at your opportunities and profits.
If you want to scale without stress, join our exclusive mastermind of high-growth B2B CEOs. Learn from my experience and avoid the pitfalls that can derail your progress.

Book a call: https://calendly.com/jerrymacnamara/25-minute-zoom

Helping impact-driven brands capture attention, hearts, and sales. Strategic messaging and catchy copy that make you the obvious solution.

Brand Messaging Strategist & Website Copywriter

Educator, Consultant, Speaker, and Trainer

I’m a copywriter on a mission - to help values-driven businesses meet their marketing goals. Because you can be motivated by doing good things AND increasing your bottom line.

You love your business, but either don't have the time, expertise, or desire to write the content you need to market it. Luckily for you, that IS my business and exactly what I love to do.

You know your brand inside and out. With my thorough research and discovery process, I will too. I write authentic and relevant content that your target audience actually wants to read. Your voice + my words = copy that connects and converts.

ABOUT YOU:

☑ You’re busy juggling multiple responsibilities and deadlines
☑ Your content sounds blah, or isn’t generating leads and sales
☑ You would rather poke your eye out than write marketing communications

ABOUT ME:

☑ Well, I’m (a bit) Type-A - I thoroughly research your product or service and your ideal prospect, pay attention to every detail, and always meet a deadline
☑ I believe in doing the right thing, always - no gimmicky sales tactics, just authentic copy that helps you meaningfully connect with your customers
☑ I approach everything with curiosity - I’ll ask the questions needed to nail your brand voice and figure out what sets you apart from your competition
☑ I love to collaborate with others - I’m happy to strategize with your designer, SEO expert, or anyone else involved in the project, including getting feedback   

WHO DO I WRITE FOR?

Good people doing great things, as long as our values align. Some of my favorite industries to write for are: health and wellness, nonprofit, sustainability, travel/tourism, and education. You know the value of your business. I help current and prospective clients see it too. 

Ready to connect? 
🔵 DM on LinkedIn
🔵 hello@stacyeleczko.com
🔵 https://stacyeleczko.com/contact

Web Copy | Website Content | Email Marketing | Sales Pages | Marketing Communications and Strategies

Stacy Eleczko🔅

Anyone else want to throw their laptop out the window this week? Just me?

I’m not necessarily all woo.

But I’m not not woo either. 

And this week, all my tech is making me want to go Office Space. Apparently Mercury is in retrograde and that’s why. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I’d have a #SpotlightSeries post ready to go… but I placed my dumb faith in a saved draft on LinkedIn instead of jotting it down where I usually do.

So if you need me, I’ll be burning sage over my Wi-Fi router and whispering affirmations to my laptop.


📸 Pic from a quick family trip to the mountains last week (because nature calms me). We’re doing college tours… not sure how that happened since he just started kindergarten.

Be the brand they remember, not the one they scroll past | Brand messaging strategist & website copywriter for impact-driven B2Bs ready for reach beyond referrals | Speaker 🎤 | Book lover 📗| Cookie connoisseur 🍪

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In today’s Saturday Shenanigans spinoff, I bring you not a clever ad, but the latest cold pitch to land in my inbox.

And I have to say… this is a first.

Now, even though I don’t send cold pitches myself and I’m not a sales expert, I do help clients with email sequences. 

So let’s break this down from a copywriter lens.

Here’s what Brock actually did well:

• He started off with my name (and spelled it correctly).
• He told me where he found me. Clear, specific, direct.
• It’s brief and respects my time.
• And he attempted some risk reversal by assuring me he wouldn’t share these videos with anyone else.

Honestly? Not bad.

But here’s where Brock lost me:

I genuinely don’t know what the benefit is for me.

Sure, $100 for three minutes is decent money, but what’s the value proposition here, Brock?

Give me something.

A functional benefit: “Your feet will be contributing to a greater cause.”

An emotional benefit: “You’ll feel confident knowing your arches are appreciated.”

A social benefit: “Join a community of creators who take foot content to new heights.”

Help me understand why I should care beyond the cash.

And listen, I have questions:

• What exactly does one do with their feet for 3 minutes?

• Are there special lighting requirements? Audio??

• Do my toes need to project confidence and authority?

• Is there a storyboard? A creative brief?

• Should I warm up? Stretch? Hydrate? Oil the cuticles?

Despite my curiosity, this didn’t make me want to take action. Unless “mark as spam” counts as a CTA.

Here are a few constructive suggestions that might have helped Brock convert:

• A clear offer: “Here’s exactly what I want, why, and what you get in return.”

• A stronger hook: “Your feet may be the missing piece of my business model.”

• Social proof: “Top creators trust me with their… um… content.”

• A positioning statement: “I’m the leading boutique agency specializing in niche digital assets.”

• A CTA that inspires confidence: “Reply ‘TOE’ to get started.”


Your turn 👇🏻 

- What’s the most ridiculous cold pitch you’ve ever gotten?
- Or what advice would you give Brock for improving his outreach?

graphical user interface, text, application

I once dated a guy in college just because he was hot.

Squeezed into the crowd of people waiting to get into the Florida State vs. Duke basketball game, I ended up practically sitting in his lap.

I apologized and his friend joked “Don’t be sorry. You guys make a cute couple.”

We laughed and ended up talking until it was time to head to our seats, but not before he handed me his number. (Yep, this was back when people called.)

I saw him the next night and he was just as cute as I remembered. But he was also kind of boring, and not really all that clever.

And (not my finest moment) I didn’t care enough to overthink it.

Let’s be real. I wasn’t looking for love. 

I stuck around for a month, until, well, I got bored.

Why am I telling you this?

*𝘴𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺*

Because your marketing might be doing the same exact thing.

Just because someone:

→ downloaded your lead magnet
→ commented on your post
→ visited your website

…doesn’t mean they’re your ideal client.

Most service businesses make the same mistake: confusing attention for connection.

Content that just grabs attention is a vanity metric.

Content that grabs the attention of the right people fills your pipeline with buyers.

Otherwise, you end up with:

- Website visitors who click around for 30 seconds, then disappear
- Discovery calls where you end up “explaining what you do” for 40 minutes
- A growing email list full of people who will never buy from you

When your copy gets the right message to the right people at the right time, you:

- attract qualified leads who want to buy
- repel unqualified leads (that’s a good thing)
- make it easy for the right people to say “yes”

Hot dates don’t make for lasting relationships, and attention alone won’t grow your business.

So, here's the real question: is your messaging helping you attract your best-fit clients, or are you still entertaining everyone who lands in your lap? 🤷‍♀️

Most business owners don’t have a content problem.

They have a positioning and messaging problem they keep trying to solve with more content.

If your marketing feels scattered, inconsistent, or ineffective, that’s not a tactics issue. It’s a strategic one.

That’s exactly what I’m digging into at the Own Your Spotlight Summit on Monday, December 8 here in Raleigh.

🎤 I’m talking about:

- The disconnect between what you think you’re communicating and what your buyers are actually hearing

- Why you can’t fix sales problems without fixing your messaging

- Why your message isn’t triggering the “Oh, that’s me” moment, and what to change so it does

And you’re not just coming to sit in a ballroom listening to talks.

You’re in the room with:

✔️ Built-in networking throughout the day
✔️ Conversations with people doing the work
✔️ A happy hour at the end, with your first drink on our sponsor

And the speaker lineup is stacked:

Melissa Cohen, Kevin D. Turner, ANNABEL PICKENS, Larry Long Jr 🎤, WENDY SHORE,  Donnie Boivin, Brian Ondrako  

If you’re worried this will be another hype-filled event, it’s not.

You’ll leave with messaging that aligns with what your buyers need and a clear sense of how and where to use it next.

If you’re local to Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, or anywhere close, I’d love to get more local business owners in the room.

Tag a friend, client, or colleague who should be there. (And yes, reposting helps. I don’t ask often.)

If you want to walk into 2026 with a clear message and a strategic visibility plan, this is where you’ll walk away with the practical tools to get there.

If you’re a “plan ahead” person, grab one of the remaining seats now. 👇🏻

If you’re a “wait until the last minute and roll the dice” kind of buyer, hit save so you don’t forget. 

📍 Raleigh, NC
📅 Monday, December 8

💫 ownyourspotlightsummit.com (use STACY30 for $30 off)

If you want the link in your DMs, comment SPOTLIGHT (not a spammy guru tactic, just me making it easier for you)

See you there?


———

And… a huge thanks to our sponsors:

David Williams  and RTP Photo & Video  📸
William Bissett  and Portus Wealth Advisors 🥂
Transfer Co. Food Hall

Be the brand they remember, not the one they scroll past | Positioning and messaging strategy + copywriting that build trust so your brand can grow beyond referrals | Speaker 🎤 | Book lover 📗| Cookie connoisseur 🍪

This isn’t a post about red/blue, left/right, for/against.

It’s about basic humanity and refusing to stay silent.

About paying attention when it would be easier not to.

“I stay out of all that” often shows up when it’s easy to look away because the fear, the danger, and the consequences aren’t happening to them.

My values are simple: integrity, people first, and kindness.

They guide how I show up, what I stand for, and what I won’t ignore.

It’s why I run my #SpotlightSeries every week.

They’re simple acts of recognition. No angle, just showing up for people the way I think we should.

But those aren’t just my core business values. They’re my non-negotiables in my personal life too.

And even though I don’t usually bring these conversations to LinkedIn, living my values doesn’t stop at my work. 

Last night, showing up required something different from me.

Armed “immigration enforcement” made their way to NC this week. 🧊

First, in Charlotte. Yesterday, they were in my backyard.

So I went into the streets—because staying home while families in my community are living in fear is something my values won’t let me do.

And to be very clear about what’s happening here:

They are not “enforcing the law.” They are directly targeting the Latino community, not criminals. Families. Workers. Kids.

There’s a reason these agents are wearing masks.

And it’s not because they’re doing the right thing.

People who stand on the right side of humanity don’t hide their faces.

If you think staying quiet keeps you “out of it,” it doesn’t.

Silence is a choice. And it’s loud.

Talking about community when you’re growing a business is easy.

Talking about community when your neighbors, your kids’ teachers, your grocery clerk, and local families are terrified?

That’s where it counts.

No child should walk into school wondering if today is the day they get torn from their family.

No parent should have to choose between going to work or staying off the radar.

No one should have to strategize to get groceries without being seen.

If this makes you uncomfortable, good. You’re supposed to feel something.

If we truly want change, it won’t come from “thoughts and prayers” energy.

It comes from organized, consistent, real-world action—the kind that prevents us from repeating the ugliest parts of our past.

🔦 So today, I’m spotlighting organizations doing the real work: protecting families, offering legal support, spreading accurate information, and showing up long before last night.

CHIRLA  
National Immigrant Justice Center  
Immigrant Defense Project  

Support them if you can.

Donate. Volunteer. Share. Stand with the people in your own community.

If you have a voice, use it.
If you have a vote, use it.
If you have a platform, use it.

Community isn’t something you build for visibility.

It’s something you protect when it matters.


PS: Debate policy if you want, but dehumanizing people by calling them “aliens” or “illegal” isn’t welcome here.

Do you want to be an influencer or do you want to be influential?

It’s a question every founder creating content should ask.

At some point, we confused visibility with virality.

I’m not sure where we got the idea that showing up more (or louder) is the same as showing up with meaning. 

The brands who actually stay top of mind? 

They’re not chasing algorithms; they’re building credibility. One clear, trustworthy message at a time. 

Visibility builds awareness, but clarity builds alignment. And alignment? That’s what turns attention into action.

Influencers chase visibility: followers, likes, reach. They want to be seen.

Influential brands focus on impact, the kind that shapes perception and earns trust.

Influencers create content that gets engagement.

Influential brands create perspective that moves people, and moves business forward.

That’s what brand messaging is really about. Not just being seen, but being memorable.

It’s the difference between being a content creator and a strategically positioned brand.

An influencer wants to grow an audience. 👏🏻
An influential brand wants to build authority. 💡

And the real difference?

One is chasing numbers. The other is earning trust.

That’s where real influence begins—with messaging that builds the kind of trust visibility alone can’t buy.

So the next time you’re thinking about how  to show up as a brand, ask yourself:

What do your buyers actually need to see to trust you?

Because real influence isn’t reach; it’s resonance with the right people.

I’m not big on performative gratitude, but I am big on acknowledging the people who show up, support, challenge, and celebrate with you. 

Gratitude is a big part of why I do this #SpotlightSeries every week. It keeps me grounded in what matters. 

And this week, I want to call out a few people I genuinely can’t imagine doing this “solo” business thing without.

These are the people who make my day-to-day lighter, my decisions clearer, and the whole thing a lot more fun.


To Lee Densmer and Renee Lynn Frojo ✨

We may have met on LinkedIn, swapped referrals, and collaborated long before we ever met in person, but Mexico City changed everything. 

That retreat solidified something I genuinely value. You’ve both become people I feel like I have by my side every single day. 

Whether it’s a win, a challenge, or an unhinged screenshot from the internet, our group chat is where I go first. You’re both brilliant in business but even better as friends. 


To WENDY SHORE

Building Content Circle with you has been wild, fun, challenging, messy, and unbelievably rewarding (sometimes all at once).

You bring sharp ideas, thoughtful pushback, and flexibility when it matters most. And you somehow always understand my talk-to-text messages, even when they come through looking nothing like what I meant. 

I’m so grateful for your partnership. You make the work better and the chaos funnier (perfect combo).


To Brian Ondrako

Thank you for being someone I can text with new ideas, half-formed thoughts, or my latest harebrained pivot, and then grab coffee and talk business for hours. 

You bring clarity, collaboration, and a grounded perspective every time, and I’m grateful for it.

And I can’t wait to share the stage with you soon and actually start turning our “we should do that next year” ideas into real 2026 projects.


To Gina Torres-Perryman

You were the first person I met at the first in-person networking event I ever attended, and I’m so glad you were. You’ve become a true friend. 

People naturally gravitate toward you for a reason. You’re an incredible connector who’s brought so many great humans into my world, and you’re the kind of person who will hype someone up and offer honest feedback when they need it. 

Everyone needs someone like you. 


💛 If there’s someone in your life who deserves to hear your gratitude, consider this your reminder to tell them today.

My last newsletter… sucked?

I struggled to get started writing it. I didn’t feel great about it while I was in it, and I definitely didn’t want to hit send.

But I skipped the week before, so skipping again wasn’t an option.

And while I might be a little dramatic about how bad I thought it was, the truth is: I wasn’t proud to send it.

It also got more unsubscribes than any newsletter I’ve ever sent.

Maybe it was the contrarian points and it repelled the right people. 

Maybe it just… wasn’t that great.

I genuinely don’t know. And honestly, I don’t think it’s worth dissecting.

But I do know 2 things from here on out:

1.	If I don’t feel good about shipping it, it’s not going out.
2. If I don’t feel good about shipping it, it’s not going out. 

(not a copy-paste accident, just a reminder for future me)

This week, though, I think I made up for it. Even if some people don’t love it, I feel proud to hit send, and that’s enough for me.

The subject line? If clarity were enough, this email wouldn't exist.

Want to weigh in and let me know if I’ve atoned?

Or join a whole bunch of other smart subscribers (minus the 6 who left 😅)?

👉🏻 https://lnkd.in/ed8gpjkC

-----

👋🏻 Hi, I'm Stacy, a positioning & messaging strategist. I help B2B brands clearly communicate what sets them apart so they get more of the right people to say yes faster.

You've been warned: I come with a side of sass.

Want to make me lose my mind?

Tell me to do something slowly or to “take baby steps.”

But in 2023, that’s exactly what I had to do.

Back then, I was just another person with a LinkedIn profile I’d created 11 years earlier and completely ignored. 

Fast forward to today, and LinkedIn is where most of my opportunities start, including this one: 

being invited onto the podcast of the person who taught me how to show up here in the first place.

When I started my business, everyone kept telling me I “needed to be on LinkedIn.” 

So I showed up, but I had no idea where to begin.

That’s when I joined Ilise Benun’s 21-Day LinkedIn Challenge.

She helped me build a habit and a mindset that actually stuck. 

I’ll be honest: her approach drove me a little nuts at first. 

She moved slowly and focused on tiny steps (definitely not my default setting). It felt…too simple.

But by the end of those three weeks, everything clicked.

Those tiny steps, the ones that felt almost too small to matter, are what made consistency doable and they ended up shaping how I run my business today.

It’s how I set goals, how I break down big projects, and how I support Content Circle members who feel overwhelmed or stuck.

Baby steps may sound boring, but they’ve been one of the most effective tools in my business. 🤷🏻‍♀️

So when Ilise invited me to be a guest on her podcast, I said yes immediately.

We talk about our similar approaches to marketing and the role of AI in our businesses.

And there’s a moment in the conversation where we both name the number one thing we believe is essential for building a sustainable, thriving business.

(Hint: it’s not tactics or tools.)

If you want to hear it, give the episode a listen now or hit save to listen later.

And if you know of a copywriter who’s worried about being replaced by AI, tag them below or hit repost. 

🎧 https://lnkd.in/e59Kikxh

Staying top-of-mind takes more than “visibility” and “consistency.”

We’re told “just be visible and consistent,” but visibility without substance is forgettable.

If you want to be the first person people think of when they’re scrambling to fix the problem you solve, you need to take up mind space before they ever need you.

That doesn’t happen by churning out endless content. It happens when you:

- Deeply understand your audience—so you’re speaking to them, not just at them

- Show up where they already are—with messages they instantly recognize as “for me”

- Say the thing they need to hear—so choosing you feels like the obvious choice, not risky

If you’ve been feeling more out of sight, out of mind than top-of-mind (and like your brand disappears the minute you stop posting), consider this your invitation to get strategic.

And if you’re near Raleigh, or know someone who is, come join us on December 8th.

I’m speaking about how to use customer insights to clarify your message and resonate with the people you want to reach. 

I’ll be joined by:

🎤 Larry Long Jr 🎤  and Brian Ondrako , on using podcasting and stages to grow with intention

🔗 Melissa Cohen , Donnie Boivin , Kevin D. Turner, and WENDY SHORE, on growing on LinkedIn with real strategy

🤝 Plus: networking, roundtables, and a happy hour where your first drink is on one of the amazing sponsors 

If you want 2026 to be the year you build reach, not just hope referrals carry you, this room will help you do that.

If you know someone in North Carolina who’d benefit, tag them so they don’t miss it.

🫵 And if you’re ready to own your spotlight, grab your seat: https://lnkd.in/esGcPKj9

——

Special thanks to:

David Williams, event photographer 

William Bissett, happy hour sponsor 

Transfer Co. Food Hall, for providing the amazing venue and atmosphere

You ever picture something in your head, and then the reality just doesn’t match?

Yeah, that.

I (generally) stay in my lane, but I also know when to call in backup.

My lane? Words. The kind that make people stop scrolling, lean in, and actually care.

But I know even the clearest, most resonant message hits harder when it looks the part.

Strong visuals aren't just about making things pretty. They help your ideas stick and your brand feel credible. (the whole having a good wingwoman idea.)

Even though I know this, I don’t bother adding visuals half the time because I know I’ll lose an hour in Canva and hate the result.

That’s why I’m so excited for our next Content Circle Guest Expert Workshop with Nadia Fernández.

In one focused hour, she’ll show us how to:

✅ Create on-brand Canva designs without starting from scratch
✅ Make your posts look professional and uniquely yours
✅ Save time while creating visuals that strengthen your message

It’s $47 and includes the replay, so you can come live or catch it later.

When your message looks as good as it sounds, people don’t just notice it, they remember it.

🗓️ November 12th at 12 pm EST 
🔗 https://lnkd.in/eFwaWaJ3

And if you’ve ever had a “well… that didn’t turn out like I planned” moment, you’ll appreciate these. 👇🏻

I pride myself on never missing a deadline. In October, I missed every single one—on purpose.

(It wasn’t rebellion; it was survival.)

I took most of September off to travel, and came back fired up to “hit it hard”. 

You know, that weird combo of feeling motivated and mildly panicked.

But instead of hitting the ground running, I hit my head. Literally.

Yep, didn’t plan on adding a mild concussion to Q4.

At first, I thought I could rest a few days and power through. Because that’s what high-functioning, Type A business owners think we should do, right?

We push. We rally. We make it work… until we can’t.

And when you physically can’t, your brain gets very loud, very fast.

I watched DMs pile up, emails go unanswered, and tasks on my to-do list stay unchecked. It was brutal.

The deep-work stuff—VoC patterns, messaging guides—yeah, all of it slid down the calendar.

We moved timelines, adjusted scopes, reset expectations, and not one person made me feel like I was dropping the ball.

My clients didn’t just say ‘take your time.’ They meant it, and they acted like it.

(Yes, I do know how lucky I am.)

Still, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t stressful. Sooo much worry and guilt.

The oh-shit-who-did-I-accidentally-ghost kind of guilt. (If you reached out weeks ago and it went unanswered, now you know why.)

If you run a business, you know today’s results come from what you did months ago.

In September, my site said “Booking for January 2026.” Now it’s November, and it still says that, but it doesn’t feel as confident this time.

Because I’m acutely aware that the things I didn’t do in October, the stuff I’m still playing catch up on, lay the groundwork for what’s next. 

If you’ve ever had life yank the plug on your best-laid plans, you get it.

So yeah, this has been the hardest 6 weeks in business. But also some of the best.

Because a year ago, this would’ve sent me into a tailspin. There’s no way my business could’ve handled it. 

In a weird way, it solidified the work I’ve done this year on the foundational parts.

And it turns out… missing every deadline didn’t break my business. (Pretty sure. Ask me again in January.)


———


👋🏻 I’m Stacy, a brand messaging strategist and copywriter, who usually never misses a deadline. I help brands clarify what sets them apart and clearly communicate it in a way that gets people to say yes faster.

At least once a week, I end up talking with founders or teams who are great at what they do, but trip over their words as soon as they try to explain it.

They’re smart, they’re experienced, and their clients adore them.

But when they try to put their value into words especially for people who didn’t come through a referral, they can’t quite get it right.

Here’s what I hear on repeat:

“People say our content is strong, but it’s not doing anything.”

“We know what we’re trying to say, but it’s not coming out clearly.”

“We get interest, but the people reaching out aren’t the ones we want.”

“We’ve rewritten our headlines to focus on benefits, but nothing changed.”

“We’re losing work to people who aren’t nearly as good, and we don’t get why.”

Let’s call this last one out for what it is:

Your not-nearly-as-good competitors aren’t winning because they’re better; they’re winning because they’re clearer.

You’re not missing confidence. 

You’re missing insight.

You can’t clearly and precisely articulate your value when the only data you’re pulling from is memory, assumptions, or language built for an earlier version of your business.

This is why I push Voice of Customer (VoC) so hard. Because without real audience insight, you end up guessing. (And guessing is expensive.)

Here’s what solid, honest VoC actually gives you:

✔️ the phrases your best clients actually use when they describe the problem you solve
✔️ the moment they realize, “Okay, I need help with this”
✔️ the real reason they hire you (it’s almost never the one you think)
✔️ the hesitations that slow them down
✔️ the line between someone who’s a perfect fit and someone who’s not—in their words, not yours

When you have that level of insight, people understand the value of your work without you over explaining.

Your differentiation is obvious.

And the right-fit clients show up because they recognize themselves in what you’re saying.

Instead of asking what you do, they ask “When we can we start?”

If you want a first simple step, do this:

Pull the last three times someone said yes to working with you and write down the exact words they used when they explained why.

That’s your first piece of real VoC (and it’s almost always more useful than another round of headline tweaks).


If you could ask your audience one VoC question that would finally fill in a missing piece for you, what would you ask? 👇🏻


P.S. Step 2: Follow Matt Thomas 🥁. He has something coming soon that will literally change the face of how we collect and use VoC insights.

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Stacy Eleczko🔅

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