Lester Chng

Cyber CEOs Brand Strategist. I build your brand as you build your business. | Senior Cybersecurity Advisor | Author | Naval Officer | CISSP | 🇨🇦🇸🇬 |

You head a leading cybersecurity firm.
But your online presence doesn't reflect it.

In fact, being invisible is damaging. 

You understand the power of thought leadership.
You know LinkedIn shapes deal flow and adds credibility in the industry.
You just don’t have the cycles (or the copy) to share your expertise and experience.

You have stories worth telling.

The insights from being in the trenches.
The deep conversations with your ace teams.
The hard discussions with your clients. 

Don’t let this wisdom go to waste.

That’s where I come in.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How we work together.

Profile & Positioning
=> Rebuild your LinkedIn profile so visitors see industry authority, not “another vendor.”

Content engine
=> Ghostwritten posts that leverage your insights and expertise into engaging LinkedIn posts. 

Outreach campaign
=> Targeted DM campaigns and audience-building strategies that build your authority and land you on podcasts and conference stages.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You focus on growing your firm and protecting your clients.
And we will ensure the industry, clients, prospects, and investors can’t ignore it.

Let’s build the personal brand that commands the cybersecurity conversation and drives business.


Worked with global client portfolio 
- MSPs
- MSSPs
- Agentic AI SOC
- AI-powered GRC 
- Operational Resilience 

Senior Advisor, Financial Crimes Unit Exercises. BMO Fusion Centre

Execution of Financial Crimes Unit Exercise and Drill Program
• Design and execution of exercises and drills to operationalize the Financial Crimes Unit Fusion Centre
• Scenario creation and exercise execution for Information Security, Enterprise Fraud Management, Physical Security, and Global Crisis and Continuity Management teams 
• Providing effective challenge of incident response readiness through exercise observation
• Execution of enterprise-wide Purple Team Exercise


Cybersecurity Exercises: Purple Team, Ransomware, DDoS, Malware, Data Corruption, Data Breach, 3rd Party Incidents
Fraud Exercises: ATOs, Attack on Payment systems, Business Email Compromise, PII Breach
Physical Security Exercise: Active Assailant, Civil Unrest, Bomb Threats
Crisis Exercises: Disaster Recovery, Business Continuity, Operational Resilience, Fire Incidents, Natural Disasters, Utilities Disruption

I lost my voice on many occasions.  
 
But LinkedIn helped me find it again. 
 
I lost my voice when I left the Navy. 
12 years in service.  
It remains a part of me. 
Naval terms. Military speak.  
Barking orders and receiving them. 
 
And then I left the Navy.  
 
I lost my voice when I left the country. 
34 years in the land. 
I will always belong there. 
Singlish, slang, and all I knew. 
Culture, habits, being a local. 
 
And then I left the country. 
 
I lost my voice when I began abroad. 
8 years since I landed. 
I wonder if I'll ever belong. 
New nuances, new circumstances. 
 
And then I began again. 
 
I lost my voice when I lost my job. 
I will never forget the letter. 
"Changing business requirements" 
I told myself this will never be a chore. 
 
And then I found my voice. 
 
You may find this platform a bore. 
"I need a job" 
"I am excited to...." 
"🚀🚀🚀🚀🤖🤖🤖🤖" 
"Are you interested in buying.." 
 
But it has allowed me to find my voice. 
 
Cause one day, I may lose it again. 
 
Have you lost your voice before?
What steps are u taking to mitigate?

No alternative text description for this image

Running naval wargames and designing cyber exercises at a bank are more similar than people expect.

It did help that the big boss at the bank was a former naval aviator. 

He knew with a fusion centre structure of managing security incidents across cyber, fraud, physical security, and crisis management, the teams needed a robust training program to drive operational excellence and achieve full operating capabilities. 

That was the first task. 

Get back to basics. 
Sort out the procedures. 
Drill the response teams. 

Do you run drills for your teams?

Or assume they will respond to your expectations?

You know Canada is on the up when Dad sends you a TikTok (no i dont have an account) about the upcoming increase in defence spending.

What about Canada do you appreciate?

I like the cold...... what about you?

undefined undefined

bootcamp

Sign up here:
https://catalystcorporatetraining.classe365.com/form/view/AutoBootCamp?_gl=1*9rfqtg*_ga*MTQ4NTczNDM0MC4xNjk4MjQxODM1*_ga_YYXBQS6S5Q*MTcwNzgzMzEyNi4xODEuMS4xNzA3ODMzMTYwLjI2LjAuMA

Building a cyber company is not for everyone.

Do you even have the commitment to do so?

I interviewed Eldon Sprickerhoff to get his insights for the next generation of founders. He is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence and a mentor at Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University. 


𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿. 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 “𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗱”

𝘘: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘬𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴?


I kept seeing the same patterns: some passionate and brilliant technical founders hitting predictable walls - raising capital without understanding dilution consequences, scaling teams without proper foundations, pursuing growth without sustainable unit economics, or worse: flailing in the market with a product/offering that didn’t have an obvious value or importance.

What frustrated me was that these weren't unsolvable problems. They were challenges we had faced and eventually figured out, often painfully. I realized this knowledge could help others avoid the same expensive mistakes.

The recurring theme was the gap between technical excellence and business fundamentals. Founders could build incredible technology but struggled with identifying their true “ideal client profile”, minimally viable offering, go-to-market strategy, fundraising dynamics, or organizational design. "Committed" became my way of sharing survival strategies that weren't readily available elsewhere.


𝘘: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴?

Right now, I'm focused on helping the next generation of cybersecurity founders build enduring companies. Through my consulting and advisory roles, I'm seeing exceptional technical talent that needs guidance on the business side.

The masterclass is a way to scale that impact. I can only mentor a handful of founders directly, but the principles I learned building eSentire are broadly applicable. I want to help founders avoid the mistakes that nearly killed our company early on and accelerate their path to product-market fit and sustainable growth.

What excites me most is seeing founders take these lessons and apply them in ways I never imagined - solving problems that didn't exist when we started eSentire. The cybersecurity landscape keeps evolving, and I want to help the best founders navigate it successfully.


If you enjoyed this interview series, please follow Eldon and get his book at https://lnkd.in/gS2HNAnY


P.S. Have you read Committed? 
Get it already.

Dear LinkedIn,
Here is what it is like using the app. 

Suggested

Suggested

Suggested

Sponsored

Suggested

Sponsored 

Suggested

Sponsored


What’s up with this feed?

Did you even consider the experience?

Pls bring my connections’ posts. 

Sincerely,
Everyone.

LinkedIn

It is RSAC in a couple of weeks. 
Yet your meeting calendar is scarily empty.

Your VP Marketing has been urging you to post more on LinkedIn during the lead-up to RSAC.

But is has been crazy busy with client demos, contract negotiations, partner agreements, manpower turnover, investor updates, fund-raising, and just LIFE.

The start of the year flew by and you didn't realize RSAC is just around the corner. The conference that costs a pretty penny but you don't feel like you have good momentum going into the event.

Your last LinkedIn post was a report of a company announcement 3 weeks ago. Your DMs are all full of spam. And you ignored your VP Marketing's email to post more.

But where do you start? What do you post about?

I have 2 resources for you.
1. The Cybersecurity CEO’s Personal Brand Blueprint
2. 5 LinkedIn Posts Templates for Cyber CEOs

You have 1 week to catch up.

Don't waste another year at RSAC.

DM or comment "RSAC" and I'll send you both.

When I first moved to Canada, I remember reading about their Navy and Air Force capabilities (don’t ask me why I didn’t bother abt the Army). 

12 Halifax frigates. Ageing, 1990s
4 Victoria subs. Second hand. 
6 OPVs. Still coming online. 
12 Patrol crafts. 

F18s - started from 1982….


And to defend coast to coast….
to the True North

Was an impossible task. 

This Defence budget and Strategy is long overdue and may be the silver lining in this rocky new world. 

We are all pulling in the same direction. 

Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University will offer every company in every Catalyst program strategic insights to help them explore and pursue opportunities in Canada’s growing defence sector.

Stay connected and pull together.

Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University

The reason your posts fall flat? 
They read like press releases.

Most posts I see on LinkedIn read like they were written by a corporate communications team.

They’re clean. Safe. 
Approved by six people.
And boring as hell. 

Here are a few lessons that I gained after writing >1000+ posts. 
⸻

Lesson 1: Write as you would speak. 
You don’t need big words or long sentences.
Short. Direct. Clear.
If you wouldn’t say it in a conversation, don’t write it in a post.

⸻

Lesson 2: Share what it means, not just what happened.
Describe what you learned from it.
What changed for you? 
For your clients?
That’s the part people care about.

⸻

Lesson 3: Write to one person.
Think of someone specific — a client, a peer, a younger version of yourself.
Write as if you’re speaking to them.
That’s what makes people stop scrolling.

⸻

LinkedIn isn’t a press room.
It’s a coffee chat. 

Incorporate these lessons and the posts will start landing.

Whose posts do you enjoy reading?

Sick of tabletop exercises?

Here are other training tools to use. 

Picture this. 
You designed and planned for your tabletop exercise for months. 

The date is decided and you sent out the calendar hold. 

“Urghh”. The synchronized groans echo across the office space. 


Johnny Smarty Pants: “I bet it’s an AI or ransomware scenario again”. 

Jimmy Old Timer: “Time to dust off the old playbook”. 


How do you think the exercise will go?
Probably the same as the last 5..

Even MSPs know that this is a problem. 
“Our clients are bored of TTXs”.


Here’s how to shake things up. 

1. Use short drills instead
2. Execute unalerted exercises
3. Ask delegates to be the primary 
4. Allocate budget for a simulation ex

You can and should incorporate some variety and creativity in your training. 

Otherwise it’s a bloody snooze fest. 

Everyone know it and just goes through the motion at your tabletop. 

Depressing stuff. 

P.S any other bright training ideas?

4 types of people in tabletop exercises.

And how to deal with them.

It is every facilitator's nightmare. You spend hours designing and scheduling a tabletop exercise and you practice and envision every conversation, pushback, scenario.

Yet you still feel unprepared because you don't fully know who the audience is, what they are like, and whether they will chew you up and spit you out.

Here are the 4 archetypes and how to manage these characters.

1. The Know-it-all

If we all conduct a blind survey in the room and ask everyone to close their eyes and point to the person who "Knows-it-all", they will all point to the same person.

How to tell who this person is?

Don't worry. When the exercise reaches the first discussion point, this person will start talking about Step A to Z on what he or his team will do. He knows his plans, critical processes, who to call, what to ask, what to investigate, how long it takes, priorities etc

How do you handle the "Know-it-all"?

This is a good thing.
Don't discourage the sharing. Instead leverage what the person is sharing and post some of the things he raised to other teams.

Example:
Know-it-all: For this particular incident, we will triage and send out the initial report within 30 mins

You: That is excellent. Operations team (or any other team that should receive the report), is the information within the initial report sufficient or what other types of info will help your team's processes?

Know-it-alls are good for keeping the flow of the exercise. Leverage them well.

2. The Forever-Skeptic (FS for short)

Signs of the FS.
- This will never happen
- We have implemented tools for this
- This inject is not applicable for our env

I know. 
You may find yourself sweating at this point. But don't worry, leverage your exercise design partner to help expand on the inject to make it relevant.

OR if all else fails. 
This is one trick that works.

Ask the FS straight up. 
"Is there a similar inject or scenario where in your experience and expertise, you know will triggers an event/incident that needs your team's response?"

1. This strokes FS's ego.
2. You have trapped FS. He can't say there is no such scenario.
3. Smile and pivot from FS's suggestion.
4. Rem to tie it back to the overall scenario.

3. The Conversation Hogger

Signs of the Hogger
- This is a no brainer. If you record the whole, the hogger probably took up 70% of the air time.

It is likely that the hogger has gone too far down a rabbit hole. 

Acknowledge the hogger's contribution and bring others in the convo.

4. The silent ones

No sound. No inputs. No involvement.
Ask them directly what they think or they would do. 
Do it with every inject.

What other characters are there and how do you deal w them?

LinkedIn  isn’t rocket science. 
10 things you can do today that will take less than 1 min. 

Forget the polished profile. 
Funnel content tactics. 
Funky AI graphics. 

Keep it simple. 

Do one of these (or all) and make LinkedIn work for you. 

1. Send a DM to refer someone
2. Send a DM to encourage someone
3. Comment on a stranger’s post
4. Reconnect w an ex colleague
5. Congratulate an achievement
6. Say hi to a stranger in your field
7. Say hi to a stranger not in your field
8. Ask for insights from an expert
9. Ask someone for that referral
10. Ask someone if they need help

Try it out. 
Let me know how many you hit today.

P.S when was the last time you did any of the above?

Running the Naval Wargaming & Simulation Centre provided a strong foundation for running cyber exercises.

Here was what a typical week looked like.

• detailing injects
• designing exercise scenarios
• preparing exercise with instructors
• running exercises for warfare teams
• keeping up to date with naval tactics
• tracking and assessing performances
• planning out future exercise schedules
• conducting pre and post-exercise briefs
• discussing the ship's exercise objectives
• ensuring teams are up to date on Red Team tactics

Now you can understand the transferable skills in Cybersecurity exercises.

It’s 2026 and it’s still a VUCA world. 

Volatilite
Uncertain
Complex
Ambiguous 

No wonder there is a continued demand for crisis mgmt professionals. 

VUCA was introduced in 90s to describe the post Cold War period. 
Still as relevant today. 


In fact, things may escalate. 

BANI is added to the frame with pandemics, AI, and whatever’s next. 

Brittle
Anxious
Nonlinear 
Incomprehensible


Stay safe out there. 

P.S Just saw the missile attack on the base in Bahrain where I was stationed back in the day.

Building a product isn’t the hardest part for cyber founders. 

It’s building trust. 

- Enterprise buyers make a decision about a founder before they ever get on a call. 

- Investors decide whether to respond to your email based on what they find when they search your name. 

-Partners size you up against competitors who’ve been showing up publicly for years.

You can have the best product in the market and still lose the deal to someone with an inferior solution and a stronger presence.

Trust is built before the conversation starts and your presence on LinkedIn shouldn’t be overlooked.  

What does your LinkedIn say about you to someone who’s never heard of your company?

Imagine exercising the exact scenario a couple of weeks before an incident. 

This is how some teams would have managed the lead up to this weekend. 

The sharpest teams would have tracked the escalation and highlighted the threat scenarios weeks ago. This can only happen if your threat intel teams covers beyond just cyber. 

The risk teams would be pulled in and have a quick reassessment. This can only happen if your intel and risk teams know how to work together. 

The exercise and security teams collaborate to rapidly design and develop exercise scenarios. This can only happen if leaders carve out time. 

The leadership team prepare briefs to the executive leadership and board. This can only happen if there is trust. 

Can you predict when something kicks off? Nope but you can certainly prep for it in advance. 

And when you run the exact scenario weeks before it actually happens. 

Imagine the credibility your team gains. This doesn’t happen by chance but by an intricate and established machinery. 

P.S 
how are you actively managing risks?

If the message is still unclear, do this. 
- review last few major incidents 
- identify the most relevant scenarios
- refresh or recirculate response plans
- stand up a quick incident drill 
- plan for a near term exercise 
- run the exercise and note lessons
- update leadership on readiness


Write a quick doc on this process. 
That is your response playbook. 
Don’t fumble the next crisis.

Cybersecurity marketing truth:

Conference booth: $40,000 for 72 hours of exposure
LinkedIn: $0 for year-round client acquisition

Let me explain why this matters:

The math simply doesn't add up anymore.

That $40K RSAC booth gets you:
- A week of fighting for attention
- Hundreds of scanned badges (most whom will never respond)
- A team of exhausted sales reps
- Maybe 2-3 qualified opportunities if you're lucky

Meanwhile, the most successful cybersecurity leaders I work with are building personal brands on LinkedIn that generate:
- Continuous inbound leads
- Speaking invitations
- Media opportunities
- Partnerships
- Investor interest
- And yes, actual customers

The key difference? 
Trade shows are transactional. 
LinkedIn is relational.

Here's what a strategic LinkedIn approach for cybersecurity leaders looks like:

𝟭. 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻
Don't try to be everything to everyone. Are you an identity expert? Cloud security specialist? OT security veteran? Pick your lane and own it.

𝟮. 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲
CISOs don't need another vendor telling them breaches are bad. They need practical insights from someone who's been in the trenches.

𝟯. 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀
Most security content feels like it was written by robots for robots. Talk about the human elements - the stress, the politics, the wins.

𝟰. 𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆
Building or selling security solutions is hard. Share your progress, setbacks, and lessons. Vulnerability builds trust.

𝟱. 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆
This isn't about posting once a month. It's about showing up regularly to add value to industry conversations.

The cybersecurity industry has a trust problem. Your LinkedIn presence helps solve that by building relationships before the sales pitch.

Is a LinkedIn-first approach right for every security company? No.

But if you're spending $200K+ annually on trade shows without a personal brand strategy, you're leaving opportunities on the table.

What's your experience with cybersecurity marketing? Is LinkedIn working for you or is the trade show circuit still your primary channel?


P.S who has the best pre-RSAC game?

It’s RSAC week and if you are the Head of Marketing and your CEO only makes 1 "I’m going to RSAC" post. 

U know u have missed an opportunity. 

An opportunity to raise awareness. 
An opportunity to warm up leads. 
An opportunity to stand out. 

Now all you can do is pray that the thousands that walk by your booth will be pulled in by the free tshirt. 

And spend 45 seconds giving yr marketing reps a slight nod every once in a while, with a sheepish smile. 
And a thank you. Before scurrying away with their prize in hand. 

You’ll never hear from them again. 

Hated reading that?

While it may be slightly late to "build authority", at least try to raise awareness for your organization with a last minute 5-post sequence.

Drop me a DM, I'll send you:
1. The Cybersecurity CEO’s Personal Brand Blueprint
2. 5 LinkedIn Posts Templates for Cyber CEOs


Stay safe.

Here is what Cyber CEOs should post on LinkedIn. Save this for ideas.  

Most Cyber CEOs only repost their company's content.
Or share updates about the latest hacks. Or they post random AI blogs.

But here's the thing:

- Those posts are generic.
- They don't stand out.
- They don't show leadership.

You are the leader. Lead by example.

Share customer success stories.
Talk about business lessons. 
Have a contrarian viewpoint. 

This is how you can stand out:

→ Highlight customer success stories.
Share real examples of how your company helped clients.
It builds trust and showcases your value.

→ Discuss lessons learned.
Talk about your experiences and what you’ve learned.
It shows you are growing and learning.

→ Voice strong opinions.
Take a stand on industry issues.
It positions you as a thought leader.

By doing this, you'll not just be another CEO. You'll position as aa leader who leads by example.

Make those posts count. 

Here are 26 types to choose from.

Type 1: Authority Posts
Examples:
Deep dive into project implementation
Demonstration of expertise
Client transformation
Knowledge sharing
Client testimonial
Opinions
Insights
Trends

Type 2: Personal Posts
Vision for company
Vision for products
Lessons learned
Founder stories
Team culture
Challenges
Leadership
Resilience
Wins

Type 3: Trust Posts
Highlight value proposition
Talk about problems solved
Demonstrate solutions
Customer pain points
Decision making 
Social proof
Principles
Results
Values

5 things Cyber CEOs do on LinkedIn that harms their brand and rep. 

Before you dismiss it as trivial, your prospects, clients, partners have and will take a glance at your profile. 

How will you show up in their snapshot assessment? Can you risk of they form an early impression?

1. Empty Profile

This may be acceptable in 2010. 
It will raise more questions than answers and you don’t want that. 

2. Unprofessional Pic and Banner

If you don’t accept a shoddy website, why would you accept an unpolished profile?

3. Boring copy across page 

From your headline to your about section and even your outdated experience page. 

If it screams a lack of attention and effort, doesn’t really move the needle forward does it?

4. Effortless content

Repost, repost, repost, repost

And you wonder why this platform sucks. 


5. Full on AI Bonanza

We have all seen it. 
Posts with more fluff than insights. 
Comments that don’t make sense. 
Spam DMs that lead to being reported. 

This is a straight road to being banned.  



When was the last time you audited your profile and campaign?

P.S what else are folks doing wrong here?

I spent years simulating attacks and training naval warfare teams. 

Wargaming and simulation to hone tactical nuance, command and control, and making decisions under pressure.  

These played out in a simulation centre so that when the teams are out at sea, they have the confidence and clarity in execution. 

It is not so much different to readiness in cyber incident response. 

I started building and running tabletop exercises and cyber range simulations for banks, regulators, manufacturers, ministries. 

Same discipline, different domain. 

Subject teams to pressure and guide how they handle it. 

What I kept noticing had nothing to do with firewalls or detection tools. It was about who could communicate clearly when the pressure builds. 

Who could look at a chaotic situation and build a clear picture of what was happening, what it meant, and what needed to happen next.

The technical teams usually understood the problem. The ones who succeeded were the ones who could explain it to everyone else in the room.

What are some horror stories you have seen during incident response and exercises?

LinkedIn Growth Hacker✌️ ||Believe in Smart work💥 || Content Creator🖋️|| Believe in Opportunities💫|| Adding a little spark✨

LinkedIn Growth Hacker | Brand Builder | Marketer | ML Engineer | Public Speaker | Featured at Times Square

Most LinkedIn profiles get views. Few get growth.

I help creators, professionals, and brands turn their LinkedIn presence into a growth engine, attracting visibility, opportunities, and authority.

Many people have incredible skills or products, but their profiles don’t reflect their value. I change that.

I’ve scaled my own LinkedIn to 130,000+ followers, not with luck, trends, or gimmicks, but with a proven system of growth-focused content, strategic branding, and audience-first engagement.

Now, I help others do the same. My focus is on amplifying your authority, building a strong personal brand, and growing your audience, so you become the go-to name in your niche.

What I do:

✅ LinkedIn Growth Strategy 
✅ Content Creation & Branding 
✅ Brand Collaborations & Campaigns 
✅ Profile Optimization

If you want to scale your LinkedIn, grow your influence, and turn your brand into a visible authority, let’s connect.

➡️ DM me or email: v.toshniwal2828@gmail.com

Always open to meaningful conversations, collaborations, and opportunities in AI, ML, and tech-driven products.

Currently seeking Tech / Machine Learning Engineer opportunities.

Vidhi Toshniwal

My developer quoted me ₹5,00,000
for a simple internal app.

All I wanted was:

➡️ Track my clients’ LinkedIn post performance
➡️ See engagement data clearly
➡️ Monitor growth trends
➡️ Generate clean reports

Nothing complex.
Just clarity.

₹5 lakh.

For a minute, I convinced myself…
“Maybe that’s the cost of building software.”

Then, while scrolling LinkedIn, I discovered Replit.

I decided to try it.

That decision saved me ₹5,00,000.

No servers.

I described what I wanted.

And I had a working, full-stack app.

Not a mockup.
Not slides.

A real app with logic, data storage, authentication, ready to use.

That’s when I understood something powerful:

Replit isn’t just for experimenting.

It supports the full journey:

👉 Start — Turn an idea into something real, fast.
👉 Build — Everything in one place.
👉 Scale — Production-ready, secure, built to grow.

Biggest realization?

We don’t always need a full tech team to validate an idea.
Sometimes we just need the right platform.

₹5 lakh saved.
One idea shipped.

If you’re sitting on an idea because “it’s too expensive”,

Maybe it’s not.

Maybe you just haven’t started yet.

➡️ https://lnkd.in/gg9cPEwR

P.S: I have already saved 5 Lakh Rs.  
Now it's your turn 😎

I used to type everywhere.

On the bus.
At the cafe.
Even in random co-working spots.

My brain would move faster than my fingers. Mistakes. Backspaces. Endless edits.

Then I tried something different.

I started speaking instead of typing.

With Wispr Flow, everything I say turns into perfectly formatted text, emails, Slack messages, notes, even code. It works across every app I use.

➡️ 500ms latency
➡️ 85% zero-edit rate
➡️ Emoji commands & whisper mode
➡️ Works in 70+ apps

72% of my work today? Voice-only. My keyboard barely gets touched anymore.

And now, Android users can finally join in. Same speed, same accuracy, same magic.

Work anywhere. Speak naturally. Get more done.

My keyboard? Officially retired.

Try it yourself and see how much faster you can get things done.

https://wisprflow.ai

Wispr Flow

Wispr Flow 

A mentor once told me,

“Invest in yourself early. The returns compound for life.”

At that time, I didn’t fully understand it.
Now I do.

We spend years working hard…
But hesitate when it comes to upgrading our own skills.

Here’s the truth:

𝙊𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩.
𝙎𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢.

This Holi season, instead of just adding color to your clothes…
Add value to your career. 🎨

Right now, Coursera Plus Annual is available at ₹7,499 (instead of ₹13,999) until 9th March.

Access to 10,000+ programs.
Top universities.
Industry experts.
One subscription.

We always say “I’ll start learning soon.”

Soon becomes next month.
Next month becomes next year.

And suddenly we’re behind.

Building your future is important.
But building the right skills is what makes that future powerful.

This could be the smartest ₹7,499 you invest this year.

If growth is on your mind, don’t ignore this.

Here’s the link:
https://lnkd.in/gZ9P499A

Let’s upgrade ourselves 🚀

Building a 24/7 financial assistant used to sound like something only Wall Street firms could afford.

Now anyone can do it in minutes.

I recently built a simple Autonomous Financial Intelligence System using Kimi Claw.

Just a smart AI agent that:

➡️ Tracks financial data
➡️ Generates automated reports
➡️ Sends insights on schedule
➡️ Remembers preferences over time

Instead of constantly checking dashboards and market updates… the system brings insights to me.

A few things I love about it:

✓ Runs 24/7 in the cloud
✓ Generates weekly and daily financial reports
✓ Uses thousands of built-in skills for analysis
✓ Stores data and past insights with persistent memory

The carousel breaks down the exact steps I used to build it with Kimi Claw.

Now it's your turn.

Do check out
➡️ https://www.kimi.com/bot

Kimi AI 

Google just reset the AI career ladder.

One certificate.
Built for real work.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲.
𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝘁.

That gap?
It’s widening every single month.

𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗜𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗜𝗙𝗙𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘.

𝗚𝗢𝗢𝗚𝗟𝗘 𝗔𝗜 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗙𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗖𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗘

➡️ 6 short, practical courses
➡️ 20+ hands-on labs
➡️ A final project where you build a real AI solution

You’ll work with tools used in real jobs:

– Google AI tools
– Gemini
– NotebookLM
– AI Studio

Why this matters (a lot):
AI isn’t “nice to have” anymore.
It’s becoming baseline skill expectation.

This certificate:

✓ Is built from real job-market data
✓ Teaches how to apply AI, not just talk about it
✓ Ends with a Google-backed certificate employers actually trust

If you’re a professional in 2026 and
AI is still “optional” for you, the market has already decided otherwise.

Learn how to build with AI, not compete against it.

👉 Start here: https://lnkd.in/gRUcR9QP

AI won’t take your job.
But someone who knows how to use it might.

#ai

I think we’re underestimating what AI agents can actually do.

I watched Abacus AI Deep Agent take a simple prompt and build a full working app in minutes.

Not slides. Not concepts.
An actual product with frontend, backend, database, and logic already connected.

That’s when it clicked for me.
👉 http://deepagent.abacus.ai

Here’s what stood out:

• FULL-STACK APPS FROM ONE PROMPT
UI, backend, databases, and forms built together in one flow.
And now mobile apps too. Describe your idea, and Deep Agent builds a full app ready to publish.

• LAUNCH AN ONLINE STARTUP IN MINUTES
Landing pages, login systems, payments, and data storage created in the same build.

• COMPLEX SOFTWARE & SAAS WITH SIMPLE TEXT
You explain how it should work.
Deep Agent handles the structure and builds it.
CRMs, internal tools, Notion-style systems, and HR software usable tools.

• MICRO-SAAS IDEAS THAT FEEL REALISTIC
Resume tools, niche utilities, and lead magnets are easier to test and launch.

• APPS & GAMES CREATION
Sudoku, Minecraft-style builds, Conway’s Game of Life, and interactive tools.

• CREATE YOUR OWN CHATGPT-STYLE APPS
Founder assistants, workout planners, research helpers, and domain-specific AI apps.

• REPORTS, DECKS & PRESENTATIONS
Charts, visuals, structured insights - ready quickly.

• SPREADSHEETS → INTERACTIVE DASHBOARDS
Upload Excel or CSV files and get metrics and visual breakdowns.

• IMAGE & VIDEO GENERATION BUILT IN
Work with text, PDFs, images, videos, and code in one place.

• TURN RESEARCH PAPERS INTO AUDIO
Deep Agent converts research into listenable conversations.

• DEEP AGENT BROWSER EXTENSION
Describe a workflow, and it executes it step by step.

For founders, this speeds up idea testing.
For teams, it changes how work gets executed.

👉 Abacus AI Deep Agent
http://deepagent.abacus.ai

I thought people were exaggerating when they said “AI agents change everything.”

Then I watched one quietly build an app from scratch.

In a few minutes, it had the frontend, backend, database, and logic in place.
Nothing fancy on the surface - it just… worked.

This is Abacus AI Deep Agent 
An AI agent that handles execution the way a small engineering team would.

👉 http://deepagent.abacus.ai

Here’s what really stood out:

➡️ FULL-STACK APPS FROM ONE PROMPT
UI, backend, databases, and forms created together in one flow.
And now mobile apps too. Describe what you want, and Deep Agent builds a full app you can publish.

➡️ LAUNCH AN ONLINE STARTUP IN MINUTES
Landing pages, login systems, payments, and data storage are handled together instead of pieced apart.

➡️ COMPLEX SOFTWARE & SAAS USING SIMPLE TEXT
You explain how it should look and work.
Deep Agent figures out the structure and builds it.

CRMs, internal tools, Notion-style systems, HR software built for real usage.

➡️ MICRO-SAAS IDEAS THAT FEEL POSSIBLE
Resume tools, niche utilities, and lead magnets ideas that used to feel heavy now feel worth trying.

➡️ APPS & GAMES GENERATED QUICKLY
Sudoku, Minecraft-style games, Conway’s Game of Life, and interactive tools - ready to use as soon as they’re created.

➡️ BUILD YOUR OWN CHATGPT-STYLE APPS
Founder assistants, workout planners, diet tools, research helpers, domain-specific AI tools.

➡️ REPORTS, DECKS & PRESENTATIONS
Charts, visuals, and structured insights put together in minutes.

➡️ SPREADSHEETS → INTERACTIVE DASHBOARDS
Upload Excel or CSV files and get metrics, explanations, and visuals automatically.

➡️ IMAGE & VIDEO GENERATION BUILT IN
Work with text, PDFs, images, videos, and code in the same place.

➡️ TURN RESEARCH PAPERS INTO AUDIO
Deep Agent turns long papers into audio conversations you can actually listen to.

➡️ DEEP AGENT BROWSER EXTENSION
Describe a workflow, and it executes each step automatically with no manual setup.

For founders, this changes how fast ideas can be tested.
For teams, it changes how work gets distributed.

Worth keeping an eye on.
👉 Abacus AI Deep Agent
http://deepagent.abacus.ai

Cancel your AI subscriptions.

I know that sounds dramatic. But I actually did it after 2 years of paying for almost every AI tool out there.

I was opening ChatGPT for writing, research, and summaries.
Gemini for images.
Kling for videos.
Another tool for vibe-coding apps.
Another one for presentations.

Nothing was wrong with the tools. The problem was fragmentation.

Then I moved everything into ChatLLM by Abacus hi AI. - 

One place for all major AI models
GPT-5.2, Claude 4.6, Gemini 3 Pro, Grok 4.1 Fast, DeepSeek, LLaMA, same workspace, same context.

Images and videos without switching products
Nano Banana Pro, FLUX, Seedream, Ideogram for images.
Sora, VEO, Kling, Runway, Luma, Grok Imagine for videos.

Full-stack apps, websites, and SaaS from prompts
Type an idea and see it live. Layout, colors, copy, and logic all editable.

Presentations that don’t feel empty
Simple inputs turn into structured decks with research, charts, and flow.

An assistant who keeps working in the background
Tasks, searches, and workflows progress even when I’m not active.

PDFs become interactive
Upload documents, ask questions, and extract notes instead of reading line by line.

AI text that sounds human
Generate, humanize, choose a tone, and use it as-is.

Real-time web research
Answers come with sources, visuals, and context.

Deep Agent for real outputs
Apps, reports, dashboards, workflows, micro-SaaS.

A code editor that actually supports building
Write, run, debug, and improve without chaos.
At some point, it stopped feeling like using tools.
It felt like working inside one system.

That’s why I cancelled everything else.  Try it now, it’s only $10 a month - http://chatllm.abacus.ai

I was flipping through a magazine when a full-page ad made me pause.

“The best camera we’ve ever made.”

Naturally, I assumed it was a camera brand.
The product styling, the setup, the confidence in the line, everything pointed to a serious professional camera.

Then I opened the page.

The camera quietly slipped into a pocket.

And the line read:
“It’s also a smartphone.”

That small reveal changed the entire story.

What looked like a professional camera ad was actually showcasing the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, a smartphone built around a camera-first philosophy, co-engineered with Leica.

It’s a clever reminder of how far smartphone photography has come.

Features like advanced imaging tech, innovations such as LOFIC and 200MP continuous optical zoom, and the optional Photography Kit Pro are pushing the boundaries of what we expect from a phone.

What I appreciated most wasn’t just the product story, it was the storytelling.

In a time where most ads compete for attention on screens, this print execution creates a genuine “aha moment.”

One simple twist turns curiosity into admiration.

Smart idea.
Unexpected reveal.
Memorable storytelling.

#Xiaomi17Ultra

As a creator, I see hundreds of brand campaigns every week.

Most of them? Copy-paste energy.
Bold claim. Pretty visual. Quiet fine print.

But this one actually made me stop scrolling.

POCO just launched something called the Fastest BS Service.

The idea, since their X8 Pro Series needs zero disclaimers, they'll help other brands hide theirs. They brought in India's fastest rapper, Gaush, to speed-rap competitor fine print so fast nobody can understand it.

The brands winning with Gen Z aren't the loudest ones.
They're the most honest ones.

POCO didn't just launch a phone.
They launched a mirror at the entire industry.

9000mAh battery. Dimensity 9500. 3Mn+ Antutu score.
No asterisks. No conditions.

All Power. No BS.

Honestly the kind of campaign I wish I could say I ideated. 😭

📍 https://lnkd.in/gwqUC5eQ

Yaar koi mujhe batao how is Manyavar so good at this??

They just dropped a Wedding Music Video with Vijay and Rashmika and I am not okay. 

The video is SO cute, the chemistry is insane, and Amit Trivedi ka music? Chef's kiss.

But also, let's talk about the big brain energy here. Manyavar didn't make an ad. They made a wedding film that people actually want to watch and share. No voiceover or "buy now." Just a beautiful story about a wedding that almost  just happened.

They literally created a cultural moment.

The timing is also wild. When Vijay and Rashmika are the hottest topic on the internet, Manyavar already had this in the bag. That's not coincidence, that's someone on their team who really understands the pulse.

Bohot din baad kuch aisa dekha jisme brand feel hi nahi hua. 

And that's the biggest compliment you can give a marketing team.

Vedant Fashions Limited - Manyavar-Mohey 

#Manyavar #WeddingMusicVideo #VijayRashmika

When I was younger, I used to get irritated when my nani asked too many questions.

“How does this work?”
“Who decides this?”
“What happens if it fails?”

At the time, it felt unnecessary.
Today, it feels like wisdom.

Every AI system I’ve seen break in production broke for the same reason:
no one truly understood it.

It worked in demos.
It impressed in meetings.
But when something went wrong, there were no clear answers, only guesses.

The strongest teams I’ve worked with build differently.

They slow down first.
They analyze intent before writing logic.
They design how agents interact, not just what they output.
They build systems they can explain without slides.

That approach is exactly what Architect enables.

It follows the same discipline:
analyze → orchestrate → build.

Nothing hidden.
Nothing assumed.
Just glass-box transparency from the start.

Funny how nani’s questions ended up becoming a blueprint for how AI should be built.

I’ve been exploring Architect and seeing how it applies these principles to real workflows:
https://lnkd.in/g6grt-M6

I never thought that a task as simple as booking a househelp could teach me a business lesson.

Last week, I tried Urban Company for the first time.

Service done. Payment done. I thought that was it.

Then the app asked:
“Do you want to book the same professional next time?”

A tiny question… but a genius idea.

Because in service businesses, the hardest part isn’t getting a customer once.
It’s making them come back.

Urban Company quietly solves that problem. The next time you open the app, the professional you already trust appears as a preferred option.

Just comfort and familiarity.

Most companies chase the first sale.
The smart ones? They make the second sale effortless.

Small product decisions = big retention wins.

P.S: What’s one small feature in a product or service that made you come back again and again?

I was reading an article this morning, and one thing just stopped me, the new Tata Punch.ev has been revealed at a starting price of Rs 9.69 lakh (ex-showroom). And once I went down that rabbit hole, I couldn't stop.

Now I follow car launches quite closely, and the EV space especially has been fascinating to watch. But what Tata has done with the new Punch.ev genuinely surprised me.

The safety package alone is something else. Over 60 safety features, including Hill Ascent and Descent Control, Electronic Stability Program, Hill Hold Control, ISOFIX child seat anchors, and even an SOS calling function built right in. That's not just car safety, that's peace of mind at a price most people wouldn't expect.

Then there's the connected car experience through IRA.ev, which comes standard across all variants. We're talking about real-time charge status, remote diagnostics, geo-fencing, valet mode, and alerts for everything from an open door to an abrupt charge cut-off. And if that wasn't enough, you can control the car from your smartwatch, lock, unlock, switch the AC on, and precool the cabin before you even walk to the parking lot.

On the comfort side, a voice-assisted electric sunroof, cooled glovebox, 90-degree door opening, and 366L of boot space are the kind of everyday touches that make ownership genuinely enjoyable rather than just practical.

A lifetime battery warranty on the 40 kWh pack ties it all together. Tata isn't just selling a car here; they're selling safety and confidence.

The more I read, the more I felt this isn't just a good EV. It's a genuinely good car.

I stopped paying for most of my AI tools.

Not because they were bad.
Because using them together became exhausting.

Every task meant opening a different product.

One tool for writing and research.
Another for images.
Another for video generation.
Another for building apps.
Another for presentations.

The tools were powerful. The workflow was messy.

That’s where Abacus AI changed the workflow.
https://abacus.ai/ 

Start for as low as $7!!
Instead of jumping across tools, everything runs inside one system.

Here’s what that looks like:

1. Multiple frontier models in one workspace

GPT-5.4, Gemini 3.1 Pro, Claude 4.6, Grok 4.1, DeepSeek V3.2 and others available inside the same workspace.

2. AI video generation

Use models like Kling 3.0, Sora 2, Luma, Runway, Wan 2.5, and Veo 3.1 to generate videos from prompts.

3. AI image generation

Create visuals using Nano Banana Pro, Seedream 4.5, FLUX, Ideogram, Recraft and ChatGPT Image Gen.

4. Humanize AI content

Turn AI-generated text into natural, human-sounding writing and adjust tone easily.

5. Build full apps and websites

Type a prompt and generate full-stack apps, websites, or small SaaS projects.

6. AI-generated presentations

Provide a topic and generate structured slides with research, charts, and flow.

7. Secure OpenClaw agents

Create a personal Telegram agent that can handle emails, schedule meetings, book tickets, and connect with tools securely.

8. AI coding environment

A desktop workspace with a CLI, AI code editor, and assistant to build and run projects without switching tools.

9. DeepAgent for real outputs

Generate research reports, dashboards, apps, travel plans, workflows, and more from a single prompt.

At some point, it stopped feeling like using separate AI tools.

It felt like working inside one system.
Try now 👉🏻 https://abacus.ai/  Start as low as $7 - Do everything with AI

A B2B fintech brand just made me stop scrolling. That doesn't happen often.

Cashfree Payments dropped "One of Your Kind" and it is nothing like what you expect from a payments company.

No product pitches. No feature talk. Just the real moments behind building BigBasket, Third Wave Coffee, RedBus, Heads Up For Tails and more.

As someone who lives and breathes brand storytelling, this is how you build emotional equity in a space everyone treats as a commodity.

Every business builds its own way. The infrastructure behind it should understand that.

This is what intentional brand building looks like.

Shoutout to Akash S. and Reeju Datta for bringing this story to life. 👏

#CashfreePayments #OneOfYourKind

For over a decade, Cashfree Payments has powered payments for 1 million+ businesses across India.

Working closely with startups, D2C, SaaS, travel and growing businesses reveals something quickly.

No two successful businesses operate the same way - each is one of a kind. 
Some brands scale through flash sales.
Some run marketplaces with multiple sellers.
Some deal with COD orders and returns.
Some start selling globally from day one.

Every business solves problems in its own way. And their payments need to work the same way.

At Cashfree Payments, we build payments around how businesses actually operate and what they need. Whether you are processing your first hundred orders or scaling to millions of transactions.

Cashfree Payments. One of Your Kind.

bigbasket | | redBus | Heads Up For Tails | Third Wave Coffee | Prashanti Sarees

#OneOfYourKind

Today’s social media scroll came with a pleasant surprise.

I came across RADHA Diamond and Gold Jewellery, and for a moment it felt like the jewellery brand KISNA diamond and Gold Jewellery had introduced a new identity.

But the idea behind it was far more meaningful and unique.

For Women’s Day, the brand chose to rename itself, placing a feminine power at the forefront as a tribute to the strength, grace and wisdom.

It’s a subtle gesture, but one that speaks volumes.

Because sometimes, the most powerful tributes simply place women where they truly belong, at the heart of it all.

#InternationalWomensDay #HonouringHer #TodayIAmRadha #KISNADiamondAndGoldJewellery #CelebratingWomanhood

taplio

The Battle

Lester Chng

Vidhi Toshniwal

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreLester Chng's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreVidhi Toshniwal's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Lester Chng

Vidhi Toshniwal

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);}Lester Chng's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreVidhi Toshniwal's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreLester Chng's LinkedIn Performance