Lea 🌈 Turner

The HoLT

Director

Lea Does LinkedIn

Providing LinkedIn training, digital courses and in-person workshops for businesses.

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If Carlsberg made LinkedIn Trainers | 1-1 & Company Training | Join 470+ solopreneurs & small business owners in my membership community, The HoLT (ask me how)

You've tried communities before but they never live up to the hype, do they? The founder only shows up for calls, the chat is dead or clique-y, they're either women only, or full of d*ck swinging sales bros pitch slapping you into oblivion, and you only get the *good stuff* if you pay for the upsells...and you're left feeling...deflated, womp womp. 

*clears throat, stretches out arms, JAZZ HANDS* until... The HoLT!

We have none of that malarkey. 

No upsells, no tiered memberships, and categorically, absolutely, without question... no knobs. 

"But LEA, what is The HoLT?" I hear you cry. It's an inclusive, vibrant, fun, affordable community of over 500 small business owners, freelancers, side hustlers and employees, coming together for weekly masterclasses from ACTUAL experts, teaching every business skill you could possibly need to improve how YOU do business, from copywriting to confidence building, AI to automation, PR to passive income. 

And unlike other communities, we record every masterclass, add it to the library, and no matter when you join, you get access to ALL of them (currently over 150!)

But there's so much more; weekly community calls for informal networking, content support, tech clinics to tackle your IT nightmares, in-person co-working days, online co-working, wellbeing sessions, LinkedIn clinics... I could go on but I'd ruin your surprise and delight when you join. 

And unlike most founders, I am in The HoLT every single day (in sickness and in health, til death do us part) because I genuinely care about the members, love connecting people, nurturing them and supporting them. 

I was sick of being a lonely solopreneur. I had no one to share my wins & failures with, who'd understand, not judge me, to ask for reliable advice when I needed it without making me feel stupid, to learn with, grow with, and make it fun along the way. So, I created a safe space for others who felt the same. It has grown and evolved over the past 3 years, to become a magical space full of the sorts of people you WANT on your side in business, cheering you on and encouraging you when sh*t gets tough. 

We open the doors to 25 new members every month, and we'd love you to be one of them (unless you're one of the aforementioned knobs). Check us out and get on the waiting list at www.the-holt.com or DM me if you want to know more, I promise I don't bite!

PS. If communities aren't your *thing* we have The Vault. Access 150+ masterclass recordings with new ones added weekly, for just £20/month, no contract or commitment.

Providing bespoke 1:1 and group LinkedIn training, digital courses and in-person workshops for businesses. 

I apologise to anyone who woke up with “officially not a knob” stamped on their hand. 

And to those scratching tattoos of my face off various body parts.  

For the sore heads and aching cheeks. 

But last night was absolutely worth it. 

This is what real community is. 

It’s joy. It’s friendship. It’s mutual support and respect. 

It’s dancing, laughter, vulnerability, collaboration, shared values despite diverse experiences. 

There is no other community like The HoLT. 

Thank you for giving me the best job in the world 🩷

PS yes that’s the real life Backdoor Barry I’m sat on.

You can sit with us (unless you're a knob) | The-HoLT.com

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LinkedIn sort your goddamn sh*t out. 

When I switched my gender demographic last week to “prefer not to say”, my content reach doubled. And has continued to soar. 

As a result, there’s been a significant increase in inappropriate comments and messages from men I’m not connected with. 

And predictably, when I bothered to report this prime example, you tell me it “does not go against our professional community policies”.

WTAF?

So, if one of your male employees said this to one of your female employees, would that be acceptable? Or would they be hauled over the coals by HR?

And if this comment was actually reviewed by AI and not a “member of your trust and safety team”, why are you lying to us that our comments are reviewed by humans?

AND ALSO, why, when I ask ChatGPT whether it considers this comment appropriate on LinkedIn, it gave me a very definitive no, so if you ARE using AI for this, what inept toddler programmed it? (ChatGPT’s response in comments). 

This is NOT good enough.
You are NOT making women feel safe or valued on this platform. 

You’ve been promising to do better for the six years I’ve been on this platform and I’m yet to see evidence of any improvement. 

It’s frankly disgusting. 

Why isn’t our safety and respect a priority for you?

graphical user interface, text, application

“LinkedIn are not restricting reach of women’s content”

Well, I’d like LinkedIn to explain why, when I switched my profile gender identity from “woman” to “prefer not to say” on 17th November, my post reach rocketed.

- posted at a similar time 
- similar number of reactions
- same number of reposts 
- similar comment numbers 
- less replies to comments from me

And yet the difference is abundantly clear. 

I welcome women to try it with me. 

Go to your settings ➡️ account preferences ➡️ personal demographic ➡️ gender identity ➡️ select prefer not to say. 

And report back with your findings after your next few posts. 

If they’re not restricting women’s content, it’ll just be a fluke for me, right?

But if they are… I smell trouble ahead.

The most powerful marketing tools I've discovered are ones people rarely consider.

But I do, in droves, and the ROI is beyond anything else I've tried. 

They are these:

Personalisation and whimsy

On Wednesday, I welcomed 150+ members from The HoLT community to a party in central London. And I remembered every single name of my members. 

Not through revision, but because I am in there every day getting to know people. 

The drinks tokens had the faces of members on them. 
The entrance stamp for their hands said 'Officially not a knob'
I hired an actor to embody our fictional security guard, Backdoor Barry, with a full character profile I'd written so he could entertain the guests - even down to the name of his fictional dog. 
The party bags contained handmade HoLT keyrings my son and I had sat for hours making, attached with little pegs to thank you notes I had handwritten. 
Amusing temporary tattoos were hidden in the bathrooms for people to put on and show off.

All designed to surprise and delight the people I'm privileged to call clients. 
Hours well-spent to show them that they are important and appreciated. 
Made with love, to make them feel loved. 

And it's touches like this that people never expect but always remember. 
That they take photos of and post about, spreading the brand's message farther and wider.

There is not enough joy in the world.
But it is a feeling like no other to ensure you and your brand are remembered. 

So if I can recommend one marketing tip that has got me to where I am, with a multi six figure business I love working on every single day?

Make people smile. 

It works. 

Photo is of Backdoor Barry removing me from my own party. The rogue.

See you soon, partygoers!

I’ll be the one dressed like a K Pop song!

I’m currently rebuilding my website because honestly, it doesn’t answer the questions most people ask about the business. 

It should be launched in the new year, but in the meantime, here’s the answers to what lots of you are asking:

1. The HoLT has members all over the world, but most are in the UK. In fact 2 members in Aus & NZ met for coffee last week!

2. Masterclasses & calls are all between 10am-4pm GMT with occasional evening community calls. If you’re 8+ hours ahead you may find the live calls a bit late, BUT

3. All masterclasses are recorded & kept forever in the library (200+ already inside). Watch any time, like Netflix for biz.

4. YES we do welcome employed people. Whether you’re a lonely remote worker or just want to learn, we’re here for you too!

5. YES, we do offer discounts for 2+ people from the same biz. DM me to sort that. 

6. NO, it’s not an engagement pod. Posts requesting engagement on content are removed and I politely explain the rules. 

7. I know we joke, but it’s not actually a cult. Being a HoLTie is a mindset - where you cheer for people’s wins, ask for and share help, accept and respect differences, celebrate uniqueness, and value integrity and honesty. People who disrupt our efforts to make it a safe space are removed (only had to do this 4 times in 3.5 years). 

8. It’s £65/month or £650/year. You can cancel a monthly membership any time if it’s not for you. No hard feelings. 

9. There is no ‘typical’ industry in The HoLT, but MOST are online service providers. 

10. We are extremely active. The chat channels in our app are rarely quiet. People are friendly and supportive. No question goes unanswered. 

11. There’s no age limit! We have members from 25 to early 70s!

12. Yes you can gift a membership to someone.  We sell gift vouchers!

And lastly:

YES I’m in there. I’m not an absent founder who gets you in then disappears. 

I host community calls, speed networking, monthly question time, guest masterclasses, and I’m in and out the app ALL THE TIME. 

Any others I’ve missed?

We’re not officially opening the doors again this year, but I can slip you in the backdoor if you ask nicely 😉 

(Photo of me and my fab community manager and biz bestie Danielle Davies 🩷)

I've had so many people asking about the next party... They don't want to wait a WHOLE YEAR. 

So, I'm making a promise. 

We will do it again in the summer, but ONLY if we reach our target of 650 members. 

That's another 130 people inside The HoLT before March 2026. 

And then I will arrange a HUGE summer party for all our members and their friends. 

Can we do it?

If you're a solopreneur, small business owner, side hustler, or employee sick of working alone... The HoLT is THE number one community filled with gorgeous humans. 

The type you can turn to in crisis
The ones who will hold your hand when you need us
That will have you laughing so hard you're worried a bit of wee will come out
Who take business very seriously, while having serious fun doing it

Will you be one of the new members that helps secure a summer party?

Drop me a DM if you want in. 

There's a party bag with your name on it.

The A-Z that no one asked for, but…

A lot of people are curious about what types of business owners join The HoLT. 

Well, here's a list of just SOME of them:

A - Accountant, AI Expert, Automation Expert, Architect, ADHD Coach, Artist, Advertising Lawyer, Agile Coach, Author

B - Bookkeepers, Branding Designer, Bid Writer, Business Analyst

C - Counsellor, Confidence Coach, Content Creators, Career Coach, Celebrant, Copywriter, Customer Experience, Contract Lawyer, Cyber Security, CV Writer, Construction Lawyer, CFO

D - Drone Surveyor, Data Protection, Divorce Lawyer

E - Editor, Empowerment Coach, Event Producer, Executive Coach, Email Marketer, Employment Lawyer, Estate Manager

F - Funnel Builder, Financial Advisor

G - Graphic Designer, Ghostwriter, Growth Strategist

H - HR Consultant, Hypnotist

I - Instagram expert, Insurance Broker, Insolvency Practitioner, Inclusivity Consultant

J - Journal Creator, Journalist

K - Key account manager

L - LinkedIn Expert, Leadership Coach, Lead Generation, L&D Expert, Life Coach

M - Mortgage advisor, Mindset coach, Marketing Strategist, Motorcycle Tour Guide, Marquee Hire Franchise, Magician, Men’s Coach

N - Nutritional Therapist, NLP Practitioner

O - Online Events Specialist, OBM

P - Proofreader, Psychotherapist, Personal Trainer, Paid Ads, Public Speaker, Podcast Producer, PR Expert, Private Tutor, Photographer, Payroll, Paralegal, Project Manager, Psychologist 

Q - Quiz Builder, Quickbooks Pro

R - Researcher, Risk Management, Recruiter

S - S3x Therapist, Sales Trainer, Social Media Manager & Strategist, Speaker Trainer, SEO, Scuba Diving Instructor

T - Therapist, Tech Specialist, Transport Consultant, Technical Consultant, Translator, Travel Planner, Team Building Events, Tax Planner

U - Utility Savings Expert, University Lecturer

V - Virtual assistant, Videographer, Video Editor, Voiceover Artist

W - Website Designer, Website Developer, Wellbeing Expert, Wealth Management, Wheelchair Tennis Champion, Workshop Facilitator

X - Xero trainer

Y - Yoga instructor

Z - Zapier Pro

Imagine having access to all that expertise at your fingertips, any time you need help. 

And if you want the names of any of these brilliant experts, let me know and I'll pass them on. 

But what's even better... you'll be able to find them yourself, soon, when we release our Hire a HoLTie Directory!

Keep your eyes peeled. It's coming VERY soon!!

I’m finally embracing AI in my business 😟

I'm getting my first Custom GPT - say hello to BarryBot! 

Barry can answer all our HoLT members’ questions about our new HoLT Directory (coming very soon); how to fill in their profile for success, how it works, guidance on what to say, and we'll keep feeding him more questions as they arise. 

Next stage is to also make him able to recommend other HoLT members to meet based on interests and needs, recommend masterclasses based on what members are trying to achieve, and LOADS more!

And he’ll do it in typically gruff and amusing Barry style 😆

This won't be INSTEAD of me, it'll be as well as me, so members can get answers faster, any time of day. 

I refuse to clone myself with AI and mislead people into thinking they're talking to me, but a separate BarryBot will be SO helpful to our members!!

Slightly concerned what my wildly unhinged and creative mind will come up with now I’ve been unleashed on AI 😬

What ways are you leveraging AI to help your clients?

Niall Cleaver

Cupsly

Cupsly was designed as a reminder to slow down to make space for presence in a world that rarely pauses. An object of quiet confidence, crafted for those who lead with intention and dress with care because true connection doesn’t demand attention, it lives in the moments we choose to hold onto.

Founder

Social Library

Are you struggling to grow an engaging community for your business or personal brand.

Stop right there, I think I have you covered ⬇️

This is me (Niall), I'm a 22-year-old who is fascinated by growing communities in the online space. Actual communities that have meaning and purpose. 

The services we provide at Social Library 

➡️ Personal Branding (LinkedIn)

➡️ Guidance & support consulting


Drop me a message to discuss your social media strategy, review how well your current socials/posts are doing, and research how we can build your community and gain you more followers and leads.

or you can email us @

hello@sociallibrary.co.uk

Thistle Scientific Ltd - Where Customer Care Comes Naturally

Distribution Manager

Cleaver Scientific Ltd

Stores and Distribution Team Leader

Documenting the journey of crafting a timeless coffee cup brand | CEO & Founder of Cupsly

Hi, I’m Niall Cleaver, founder of Cupsly, a timeless reusable coffee cup brand launching in 2025.

But my story isn’t about a polished entrepreneur. My journey hasn’t been traditional. I left school without an English qualification, uncertain of what the future held. That failure shaped me, it forced me to think differently, fall into business, and ultimately embrace creativity, resilience, and the belief that change is possible, even when doubted.

Fast forward to today, and I’m the founder of Cupsly. The idea originated from my own frustration in my own life I couldn’t find a reusable coffee cup that matched my style. Everything felt cheap or uninspired, and I hated the idea of carrying something that didn’t reflect me. Cupsly is crafting a reusable coffee cup, elevating it into a symbol of fashion.

EVERY SIP STARTS A STORY

Do you know what I love about working for a family business?

The debates.

I know it sounds weird, but when two generations meet, there are always going to be differences. There's always the little comments like this:

- I think you should do it this way.
- I’m not sure that’s right.
- Are you sure?

But if you take a step back… this is healthy.

It’s what every successful business should be striving for. It’s these differences in opinions that keep it interesting, and it makes your business better.

Great businesses aren’t built by avoiding difficult conversations. They’re built by welcoming them, listening to them, and using them to move forward together.

So I guess I’ve got some more debates with the old man to have.

Growing Thistle Scientific, a UK manufacturer supporting researchers worldwide. Sharing real lessons in business.

People are getting building in public wrong.

I've seen it happen multiple times...

As someone who has shared a lot of my journey on this platform, and heard everyone telling me to share more and more, but I want to touch on something...

Building in public doesn't mean:

Sharing everything.
Doing it to tick a box.
Doing it because of pressure.

Sharing in public is about strategy.

There's so much pressure for everyone to keep posting and creating content that might not necessarily work for them, but because everyone is telling them to continue to do it.

That's what happened to me, and I fell out of love with it. Losing motivation and jsut doing it out of pure discipline, but I want to go back and create the content I used to love creating, the raw, unfiltered side of my life.

SO WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT

Get other people out of your head and do what's right for you.

Everyone loves to talk about career advice... but this has been by far the most impactful for me.

Curiosity doesn’t make you inexperienced.

When I joined Thistle Scientific, my first instinct was to worry about what I didn’t know: the jargon, the lab protocols, the decades of expertise my colleagues bring to the table.

But every time I asked a “basic” question or admitted I didn’t understand something, I noticed something powerful. It started a conversation for change.

Over time, I’ve realised curiosity belongs everywhere, especially in business.

Because the people who ask why are often the ones who move everyone forward.

You don’t need decades of experience to make an impact:

Sometimes asking, “Why do we do it this way?” opens the door to innovation.
Sometimes being the learner means spotting what others take for granted.
Sometimes, trying things differently brings the best results of all.

A reminder I carry with me every day:

Curiosity belongs in every business.

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The Battle

Lea 🌈 Turner

Niall Cleaver

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taplio

The Battle

Lea 🌈 Turner

Niall Cleaver

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);}Lea 🌈 Turner's LinkedIn Performance

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