Lara Acosta

Entrepreneur and investor building businesses online | Featured on Forbes, Kajabi + Semrush | Helped 3,000+ people build their personal brand.

Everyone wants to build a personal brand, and I figured out how.

With over 20M+ impressions, 300,000 followers across socials, and multiple 6 figures made, I can show you how you can build one too (without spending years figuring out how)

In 2022: I was unemployed and trying to get into a master's degree - downloaded LinkedIn
In 2023: I became #1 female creator on LinkedIn by building my personal brand and agency
In 2024: I'm building the best education platform to teach people exactly how to do it

Helped, coached and worked with 500+ build contents systems, increase engagement, improve their writing and beyond using proven strategies that worked for me. 

Here's how I can help you:

1. Subscribe to my YouTube (It's free, and better than people's paid courses!)
2. Join 15,100+ amazing people and subscribe to my newsletter. 
3. Join 500+ members inside Literallyacademy.com

And if you're not ready for either! Welcome to my profile anyway, I talk about writing, storytelling,  personal branding and tell a lot of stories.

See you on the feed 💖

Sponsorships + booking : mary@ladigitalmx.com

Founder

I spent the last 90 days testing every LinkedIn hack. 

Here's what actually works in 2026 (for any niche):

Everyone is talking about the "new" LinkedIn algorithm.
But I just see it as more of the same, but 10x more specific.

I've grown brands from 0-100,000 followers here.
Grown my own to 300,000+ in the same time.

Mastered every format here, and helped others too.

And there are 3 core elements you need to implement:

1. Hyper-specific content (3x a week)

• Solve one exact problem per post
• Use industry language your clients use
• Speak directly to one person

Jake Ward mastered this for "boring" SEO.
Built kleo.so to $60kmrr  as a result of exactly that 

Alex Vacca mastered this for GTM.
Scaled his business to $6M ARR too

Their content is hyper-specific but simple.

Clients want to work with them because they get it.
Users want to engage with them because they simplify it.

2. Proof-First Content

80% tactical step-by-step frameworks and screenshots.
20% stories on how you're doing it (use stories)

The 80% builds trust, the 20% engages them more. 

Educate and storytell. Always both. 

3. LinkedIn Video (let me explain...)

Video reach might be down right now.
But it's the fastest way to prove authority. 

LinkedIn video is ok.
Linkedin Lives? They're a goldmine.

We had a LinkedIn live with 200 people.
Made $10,000 from it. 

People buy from people they trust. Video accelerates this! 

I'd limit these to 2 a month, though, no pressure. 

I left a checklist for you in the image below for you to script your first Linkedin video too btw.

This is the no-bs blueprint for entrepreneurs. 

It's not about more volume, it's about more insights.

Dominating LinkedIn isn't just about virality right now.
It's about building a brand that earns trust.

Keep your focus on your 1 thing. 

The rest will follow.

PS: Who is your favorite "expert-led" creator right now? I want to follow more people! Tag them below! 

PPS: Jan 22nd, I'm walking you through the best way to master these 3 elements in 2026!

join us for free LIVE on the 22nd of January here: https://lnkd.in/eC5sm4cP

We're already at 4,000 sign ups! Come join us! 

See you thursday, love - Lara x

Entrepreneur and investor building businesses online | Featured on Forbes, Kajabi + Semrush | Helped 3,000+ people grow their personal brand and scale their businesses.

I posted on LinkedIn for the first time in 2023 after deleting it for an entire year...it changed my life. 

Here are 12 things that happened since my first post:

 1. Got featured on Forbes 4x times
 2. Became an investor for @Neutonic
 3. Been on my dream podcasts and events
 4. Moved to my dream apartment in London
 5. Built 3x businesses making 6 and 7 figures
 6. Built a community of 310,000 people on here
 7. Sold out a programme in 7 days made $200k
 8. Flew my parents in business class a few times
 9. Became friends with people I used to learn from
10. Scaled an Kleo to multi-6 figures in <4 months
11. Became LinkedIn's #1 Female Creator worldwide
12. Traveled around the world to speak at conferences

The CRAZIEST part? There's nothing special to me.
I was just a student trying to get a job after university.

Turns out that 1 single decision can change your life. 

If you've been waiting for a "sign" here it is. 

Remember my friend: the cost of being invisible is the opportunities you never get access to. 

PS: Drop ONE question you have about LinkedIn growth? 

PPS: I'm hosting a 3-day LIVE FREE challenge for LinkedIn Growth... join me here: https://lnkd.in/e3SHsCjw

Age 18: Couldn't speak in public. Had a stutter.
Age 21: Couldn't pitch myself. Felt insecure. 
Age 23: Couldn't increase my prices. Felt expensive.
Age 25: Built my first 6-figure business. Felt late. 

At 28: I run 3x multi-six and 7-figure businesses.

I speak in front of 1000s weekly (without stuttering.)

I never felt ready to do the things I did to get here.
I didn't wait until I had all the right skills to start.

Instead I: 

Found a hard skill I could learn fast (writing).
Relentlessly studied it and mastered it. 

My self-confidence grew, and so did I in the process. 

You don't lack confidence; you lack repetition. 

To every professional and entrepreneur who relates:

If you can't find a seat at the table. Build your own.

The company is better anyway. Build yourself. 
Don't let confidence and self-doubt stop you. 

Repost ♻️ to inspire others today. 

PS: I'm documenting everything step-by-step here from business to confidence https://lnkd.in/ePmtkSa8! see you there!

"Speak at the London School of Economics, for my dad"

I've had this as a goal for over 3 years. 

Last night, that dream I used to journal about came true.

When I started posting on LinkedIn, I had nothing to talk about. No "big" qualifications. No industry connections.

Just me, poor writing skills and a free LinkedIn account.

Weeks later, I'd gotten my first freelance clients.
Months later, I started building a marketing agency.
A year later it crossed 6-figures while I was at university. 

Not because I had the "perfect" plan.

But because I was willing to go for it without it. 

Post 4x a week about a skill you have.
Comment 10x more than you post (please).
Write about your story, not just what you know. 

That's it, the rest you'll figure out later. 

Start before you "feel" ready. Do it scared.

Make your family proud, just like I did mine. 🫶 

PS: What is your dream, tell me about it!

PPS: I'm hosting a 3-day LIVE FREE challenge for LinkedIn Growth... join me here: https://lnkd.in/e3SHsCjw

We ranked popular business books and got 494k views.

After reading over 200+ business books and building businesses... Timothy and I had VERY honest takes. 

Drop your list of books below so we can rank those next!

PS: Think and Grow Rich will ALWAYS be a staple for me!

pov: our ai startup just hit its first $190k month.

26 days. 1 webinar. 1 huge email campaign + linkedin.

our approach has been dead from day 1 simple:

1. build distribution first (organic linkedin content)
2. turn that into owned traffic (waitlist to email list)
3. build the product in with our users ( early access)
4. fix, test and iterate the product every week
5. pick a launch date (randomly) and promote 
6. send weekly emails pre-launch to warm list up 
7. build a promotion sequence for launch week
8. wrap up with a webinar and make a 1-time offer

this is exactly how we've done it. 

not paid a single penny on ads, marketing or influencers. 
we became our own "influencers" instead. 

crossed $100k 24hrs in. 
grew to $190k weeks later.

and our bets? we can cross $200k before february ends. 

and it's just the beginning... thank you for your support.

ps: we're hiring! if you want to join the Kleo team drop a comment and tell us why you'd like to join us. 

try Kleo here → https://lnkd.in/emEV_GhM

Yes, it's true. The "LinkedIn Algo" has changed... but landing high-ticket clients was never about impressions.

It's about what I call "content-offer" fit.

I learnt this after I grew to 20k followers.
And had no clear monetisation path. 

Viral content. An 'optimized' profile... Few closed deals.

This hurt - I didn't want to be a 'content creator'. 
I wanted to run my content into consistent revenue.

So my content and overall brand had to match my offer.

Here's what I did to land high-ticket clients from posts:

1. My content went from "broad" to "1 person 1 problem" - I spoke about their needs and wants not just me.
   
2. My engagement went from "adding everyone" to "10-15 hyper-personalised connection requests to my ICP.
   
3. My comments and dm's always focused on solving a problem or giving value not just "hey good post". 
   
   ^ this was a life-changer, I still get leads from just that. 
   
4. My "engagement" time went from just commenting on every post to looking at profile views and targeting them. 

Look today, your content is either converting clients or wasting your effort and time pursuing impressions.

The difference between both is content-offer fit.
Not the algorithm, or your "low impressions".

If you want to see me explain this in FULL depth and show you the step-by-step I've just opened my next programme to monetise your LinkedIn as a business owners (starts march 12th) https://lnkd.in/enAsWMSy

PS: Comment "dm" below if you want me to drop a full DM to close masterclass to convert 'lurkers' on Linkedin!

By 27 I built a $1M online business with 89% profit margins using LinkedIn a distribution channel.

Here’s how I’d do it all over again in 2026:

(If you’re not getting leads, this workflow will help you)

I call it the 3-Step AI Lead Gen System.

1. Content that builds trust fast
3. Tools like Apollo to scale outreach
3. Comment + DM strategy to capture intent

The lead-gen game isn’t about inbound vs outbound.

It’s about doing both, well at the same time.

• Build content that creates trust over time.
• Outreach to people who show interest using Apollo.
• Build a sales sequence with it to maximise lead gen.

My agency clients showed me how they are making $100k/mo without 100k followers using those 3 steps.

1. Post weekly educational content to nurture.
2. Use Apollo’s AI Assistant to find warm leads...
3. Build ready-to-message lists in minutes.

Land clients faster, instead of waiting for them.

You don’t need to play the lead gen game on hard mode.
Content builds attention but the right system converts it.

Apollo’s new AI Assistant is in beta and if you want to get access to it before everyone else you can try it out here: https://lnkd.in/eh7icQgH

#ApolloPartner 

PS: I recorded a 20-minute FREE masterclass for this.

Want it? Comment LEADS and i'll send it over now!

I just re-built an entrepreneur's LinkedIn strategy...

And turned Timothy's content into a $1M asset in less than 33 minutes LIVE so you can steal it.

Documented the step by step behind building an algorithm-proof brand that doesn't rely on "trends".

And focuses all on 2 things: attention and conversion.

In 2026 the game isn't how to get more impressions.
The game is how to convert them and grow faster. 

All without changing strategy whenever the algo shifts.

I showed him my LinkedIn system including

1. The Category of 1 Play (to own a market)
2. My Broad-Narrow-Niche Content Framework
3. Turning "ideas" into highly educational content 
4. Engineering viral stories that build engagement
5. How to turn that attention into revenue 

The playbook is there for you to steal.
Now the question is... will you implement it?

Watch the full video here: https://lnkd.in/evRTk2Qp

Probably my favorite strategy video so far.

Enjoy...and don't forget me at the top ;) 

PS: Next week I'm dropping our next session with one of the biggest entrepreneurs in our space... any guesses?

Last time I did this, 8,000 people signed up. 

I'm running a FREE 3-day LinkedIn Content Challenge.

Look I've built multiple 6 and 7 figures using LinkedIn.

Helped 100s of students and clients to the same.

Seen them grow from 0 to 100k followers.
Seen them go from $0 to $100k too.

The blueprint works. 

I'll be covering:

1. How I'm getting my clients to WIN on LinkedIn in 2026.
2. The exact "attention" playbook I use to get clients 
3. How I actually scaled from $10k/mo to $100k/mo

But... this time I'm not "just" teaching.

Every single day, you and I will be building your $100k business using content on LinkedIn LIVE. 

Starting February 26th - I'll be showing you exactly how. 

Register for the 3 Day Live Event here: https://lnkd.in/e3SHsCjw

PS: Comment "fast" below if you want a fast-track for this exact outcome and get started today. 

Over 200+ pages of content already. 100s of documents researched. But only 1 strategy remains true... 

It's time to peel back the curtain.

Melina Panetta

Operator → Modern Founder | I help Directors & VPs extract their “invisible genius” into a premium advisory business | Zero to validated in 10 weeks | Ex-Oracle, Workday, HP | 115+ Clients served

I help Corporate Directors & VPs launch six-figure advisory businesses alongside their 9-5 without alerting HR or burning out.

On paper, you’ve won.

You have the Director or VP title. You have the stock options. You have the respect of your peers.

But let’s be honest about the cost.

You're trading your life for a paycheck. 
You're answering emails at dinner. 
You're squeezing your "real life" into two days a weekend.

You're rich in money, but you're poor in time.

I know this because I lived it.

I spent 25 years leading $150M+ sales teams for Oracle and HP. 
I had the $100K bonuses and the "perfect" career.

But I realized I didn't own my success. I rented it.

So I left. 

I didn't retire. I just changed the business model. 

I stopped selling my time to a corporation and started selling my wisdom to the market.

Now, I travel extensively, spend time with my family, and work on my terms. 

And I help high-performing leaders do exactly the same.

Your experience is an asset--but right now, you are selling it at a discount.

I help you install the Modern Founder Method™ - a 10-week operating system designed to take you from overworked operator to validated founder. 

We build your new chapter on three pillars: 

🛠 Pillar 1: Capacity Engineering 
Reclaim 25–30% of your week using the "CEO Operating System." 
We stop the leaks so you can work on your future, not just in your current role. 

💎 Pillar 2: Invisible Genius Extraction
We pull the IP out of your head that you’ve normalized for 20 years. 
We package your worldview and "Edge Advantage" into a Category-of-One premium advisory offer with a clear ROI. 

🚀 Pillar 3: The Authority Operating System 
Install a repeatable 90-minute daily routine. You’ll learn "Safe Signaling" to build a presence and drive high-ticket leads without raising red flags at your current job. 

You don't need to start over. You just need to package what you already know. 

The Track Record:

Ex-SaaS Sales Director (Oracle, HP, Workday) 
Italian-American dual citizen (Living the lifestyle I teach)
115+ Founders guided to freedom 

👇 Ready to own your time?

1. Download the free Modern Founder Guide in Featured. 
2. DM me "READY" to discuss the next cohort.

Certified High Performance Mentor

I help leaders build systems for high-performance living. 

Whether you want more free time, meaningful work, or optimized health, creating systems will help you realize your full potential...and more.

I've read over 500+ books, spent tens of thousands of dollars working with high-performance coaches, and untold hours discovering personal systems.

It is a skill you can learn so that you can connect to your true purpose and reach your goals without indulging in the unhelpful BS that has been keeping you stuck.

Decide today to start getting the results you want in life.

Get in touch:

📧 melina@melinapanetta.com
☎️ https://calendly.com/melinapanetta/discovery

Most people told me I was too late to the game.
I left corporate at 47.
Got married at 45.

We're taught early that potential has a shelf life.

If you don't hit certain milestones by a certain age, 
you missed your chance.

I don’t believe that anymore.

I know too many people who built something real after 40:
→ After a layoff
→ After divorce
→ After illness
→ After years of playing it safe

My friend beat cancer at 42. Then went to medical school.
She's 67 now. Still practicing. One of the best in women's health.

Bernie Marcus got fired at 46.
He could've seen it as the end.

Instead, he started Home Depot at 49.
Today it's worth $343 billion.

Here's what I've learned:

The first 40 years weren't wasted. They built me.

The grief, the mistakes, the repairs, the hard lessons I didn't want to learn.

All of it matters now at 56.

There's no deadline on becoming who you're meant to be.

If you're rebuilding, restarting, or finally doing the thing you've been putting off, you're not behind.

You're right on time.

📌 Save this for the days doubt gets loud.
♻️ Share it with someone who thinks they're behind.
🔔 Follow Melina Panetta for more on building after 40
___
Join 600+ Leaders crossing the bridge here: https://lnkd.in/gWYD3-kx

Founder, Modern Founder Method™ | Building the ‘Second Act’ for Senior Leaders 40+ | Scale your 20+ year career into an Advisory Business | 115+ Founders Served | Ex-Oracle, Workday, HP

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The Battle

Lara Acosta

Melina Panetta

Followers

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Performance ScoreLara Acosta's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreMelina Panetta's LinkedIn Performance

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taplio

The Battle

Lara Acosta

Melina Panetta

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);}Lara Acosta's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreMelina Panetta's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreLara Acosta's LinkedIn Performance