Luke Matthews

Co-Founder | Lifestyle Blogger |  Content Marketer | Storyteller 

I teach you how to write with AI (and win LinkedIn)

Building a business in public on LinkedIn™ is a challenge. 

The internet has changed. AI slop is everywhere and everyone is trying to figure out how much to share? 

Should you share selfies?
Do you need video?
How much of your personal life do u disclose?
Why do posts about pizza do better than talking about ur business?
Is AI safe to use? 

It's a lot to figure out.

You also have a real business and a reputation to uphold. 

You want to take advantage of more opportunities through visibility on social media, but you know there are privacy risks that come with that.... 

Most AI models take your data and sell it. 
Most social media platforms take your data and sell it.
Most marketers don't understand this, which can expose your company.

That's where I come in. 

I've been marketing for over 10 years on social media, built over 250k followers across all platforms, and I've ghostwritten for some of the biggest personal brands in the world. 

I've shared some of the most unhinged content you will ever see. Streamed drunk from the Scottish highlands, given away 1000s of dollars of pizza, hosted live meme competitions and roasted other influencers LIVE...

I've also been banned over 10 times on LinkedIn and experienced a lot of drama by sharing real opinions that not everyone enjoyed.

So you could say I've learned the hard way how to find the line for what to share and how much to share. 

Despite the wild journey, I do value privacy and staying hidden. 

It takes skill to build a personal brand that not only generates revenue for your company but also remains secure and private. 

But the truth is finding that line between private and public is hard. 

I help you find that line.
I help you use AI without giving away all your personal info.

So if that interests you give me a follow and subscribe to my free newsletter that dives deeper on how to use private AI, approach social media minimally and make it your slave and not vice versa. 

--

𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘆?

Follow me and subscribe to my email list to learn how to use AI tools safely and securely without exposing your data and private life to the world. You can subscribe by clicking any link in my profile as they all go to my newsletter on Substack. 

--

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁?

Email me at luke@wizardofoddmarketing.com

Founder - Lead Wizard & Ghostwriter

Linkedin & Twitter Ghostwriting Services for CEOs, Influencers, and Tech companies. 
Reach your audience with a sprinkle of magic, the power of explosive copywriting, and let the WIZARD OF odd MARKETING help make your biz a LOT  less boring.

Hollywood is no longer relevant. 

We don't watch movies. We don't care about celebrities. 

And now.... We don't need the directors or big budgets either. 

Everyone focus on the doom and gloom of AI.

But AI gives the small creators a chance. 

This animated holiday short by Artlist was made by 3 people in 3 weeks. 

No Studio. No massive budget. 

Just AI tools on Artlist. 

Try it here: https://lnkd.in/ejKNGHgQ

In 2025 you can create almost anything with the right tool, a creative skillset and a determined mind. You don't need a big budget or famous movie stars (I guess u could make an hot AI avatar tho)..

Now with that being said...

I'm gonna go put on the Hobbit because for some reason I enjoy watching that trilogy over the holidays!!

PS What's your go to holiday Christmas movie?

Brand partnership • I got banned 10x so you don’t have to. Learn to separate your private and digital life by using AI tools securely (and discover how to build online without the drama).

I have been banned over 10x on LinkedIn. 

The brutal truth is the system ain’t fair…

In business and in life those willing to cater to the system (and exploit you) end up profiting from it. 

Social media has made this reality worse. 

It’s not about how skilled you are.
It’s about how skilled you can talk. 

(& it’s about who u know aka how good you are at kissing up to leaders and using errr befriending them on your climb to a seat at the table)

I decided this rat race wasn’t for me. 

So I’m playing a different game now. 

Rebuilding in the shadows. 
Learning new skills. 
Making new friends…

Friends that are hackers, rebels and the anonymous geniuses defending digital freedom…

Because look, complaining about broken systems accomplished nothing…

Action wins. 

PS Hi LinkedIn. Who’s still here?

2 posts in a week whoa 🤓

Luke M

Vibe coding has risks. But you can deploy securely.

4 ways to use replit safely (in an isolated work sandbox)

Let's be real. The idea of just telling an AI to build an app feels fast and loose. Because it is.

AI suggestions can be riddled with vulnerabilities. replit's own research says up to 40% of them can be insecure.

So, just blindly trusting an AI to write your code is like leaving your front door wide open.

You don't do that.

But you also don't have to code like it's 2005. The power of vibe coding is real, you just have to be smart about it.

It's about control. It's about isolation.

I run my digital life in sandboxes. replit is no different. It's a powerful tool, and I use it inside my secure workflow. Here's how I do it without exposing my data:

1. 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲. 
  
This is non-negotiable. Hardcoding API keys is a rookie mistake. replit's built-in Secrets manager encrypts them and keeps them completely separate from your source code. I can even set them at the account level and reuse them without ever pasting them into a prompt. Simple.

2. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱. 
  
Just like I use different OS environments, replit runs every project in its own isolated container on GCP. This is a fundamental security principle. Your app isn't touching other apps. It's sandboxed by default.

3. 𝗜 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝘀. 
  
Not every idea needs to be public. For anything sensitive, I use replit's Private Apps feature. Only people I invite can access them. You decide who gets in. Not the entire internet.

4. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁. 
  
Replit builds full-stack apps by default, separating the front-end from the back-end. This means sensitive logic and data processing happen in a secure, hidden environment, not in the user's browser. It's the right way to build, and it's automatic.

The point isn't to avoid powerful tools. 
It's to use them without becoming the product.

You can move fast without sacrificing security. 

You just need the right environment and the right controls.

PS Do you vibe code? (How do u protect your data if so...)

Start here: https://lnkd.in/ecZX3z4S

I used to spend 8 hours a day engaging on LinkedIn. 

In 2025 I spent less than 30 minutes a day... 

So why change?

Well for starters I shut down a lot of things this year. I ghosted the platform for months, I shut down my old businesses and went into the shadows to consider a rebuild. 

But last year a lot changed on the platform.

Commenting alone is now far less effective for growth.

There are too many AI comments.
There are too many thought leader ads.
There are too many virtual assistants focused on ROI.

The odds of your comment alone being seen, considered and replied to simply went down a lot. 

So here's what I have been doing in Q4:

I comment for 15 minutes a day.
I make sure each comment is interesting.
I follow up the comment with a simple DM. 

(oh and yes I remove all my comments, posts and footprint 30-60 days after with a pretty cool AI tool.... DM if your curious why I do this!) 

No you wont get a ton of reach or follower growth this way!

But you will start conversations....

PS Have you changed your strategy in 2025?

I got banned 10x so you don’t have to. Learn to separate your private and digital life by using AI tools securely (and discover how to build online without the drama).

It's easy to get 1000 likes a post (like I used too)

Here's how to be a LinkedIn influencer: 

1. Talk about LinkedIn. 
2. Be good looking and post pictures.
3. Write short, broad content. 
4. Spend all day commenting. 
5. Do this for 90 days. 

OR 

69. Pay a team to do it all for you. 

But here's the truth about this blueprint. 

You missed the window when this was possible for anyone. It's too late now on LinkedIn to do this organically. The market has changed, agencies don't work as well, organic is dying and this actually isn't the best strategy unless you want to pretend the old system still works. 

The better way? 

Cut the dopamine. Pick a niche. Speak to that niche. 
Accept less reach. Accept slower growth. 

But reach a very targetd audience. 

In summary...

You need a real skill and a real niche to focus on.

The generic LinkedIn growth expert is playing an old game to take your hard earned money by fooling you with cheap dopamine. 

You will never become them. 

You don't need a personal brand.

You just need to be an expert with a real skill and a specific niche.

PS Who bought cool AI tools for Black Friday?

I changed my profile picture to a cartoon for 6 months. 

Here's what it did for my business....

1. I gained -1000 followers in 189 days.
2. I gained - 90% profile views in the last 90 days. 
3. I gained -500 subscribers in 2025. 
4. I have 0 comment on revenue :D

All jokes aside... 

Cartoon profile pictures are a challenge on LinkedIn. 

People like faces. It's the cost of doing business here.

During this 6 months I learned a lot.

I've cleaned up years of accounts and content. 
I've learned to separate public and personal data.

I have a work environment (with tools and an email).
I have a personal environment (on separate devices).

I have decided to use my name and face here for now.

Because the truth is....

Altho I scrubbed years my content, comments and likes I do not have the hacker skills as of yet to remove all the video clips, pictures and posts shared about me by other digital creators.

It seems I did too good a job at marketing myself lol.

PS How was your 2025 internet person?

I now separate work and my personal life.

But not for balance... I do it for privacy.

If you wanna work 16 hours a day and find joy in that then I see no reason at all to say that's unhealthy. 

So this post isn't about encouraging balance.

I mean, I'm the guy who posted 3x a day and spent 8 hours+ a day commenting and connecting on LinkedIn for years who now has a cartoon profile pic, posts 1x a week and barely comments...

I enjoy the unhinged and unbalanced life.

More fun. More purpose. More stories.

And yet I've worked hard to seperate personal and business in 2025.

That's meant shutting down a lot of social media accounts, AI tools, services, clients and ways that I show up on the internet. 

I use Linux for personal stuff.
But Windows for work. 

I use a rebuilt android OS for personal stuff.
And only use an IPhone hardened for work.

I still post on LinkedIn for work. 
But I removed all pics and stories connected to my life.

I could go on and on...

But for me, seperating work and my personal life hasn't been about balance. It's been about privacy and being more intentional with my time, my words and my efforts... 

I believe the internet is no longer a place for authenticity. 

It's simply a place to do commerce. 

So look, do you but if your password is the same for your bank and your LinkedIn account....

Maybe it's time for an audit of yourself eh peasant? 

🧙‍♂️

Do you share your live location with social media apps? 

I do not. Here's a quick why/why not list... 

✅ Positives to location sharing:

It's convenient (easy to meet up & connect)
It's social proof (events, hotspots, clout)
It gives you steak recommendations. 

✖️ Negatives to location sharing: 

It creates movement patterns for 1000s to study.
It allows your data to be harvested more easily.
It establishes a physical digital footprint.

I have always been careful to not share my live location.

I analyze every photo or post written and consider what kind of footprint I'm leaving behind. 

Am I paranoid? 

Perhaps... But this elder-millennial is gonna keep walking the line between using tech and disappearing into the shadows..

PS Sharing any photos adds to your risk. 

This photo has clues in it. 

Where do you think this photo was taken?

The gatekeepers are losing their grip.

For years, "world-class" meant big budgets, big teams, and exclusive tools. You had to be part of the club.

That era is over.

AI has kicked the door down. A new report from Artlist, based on insights from 6,500 creators, calls this "The third wave of democratization."

What does that mean?

It means anyone with a laptop can now produce studio-quality work. It means a couple of skilled individuals can take on companies in the hundreds. It means the playing field is wide open for anyone willing to learn.

Of course, when anyone can make anything look perfect, the game changes.

It's no longer just about technical skill. It's about taste. Vision. Strategic thinking.

As the report says, direction now matters more than ever. AI handles the production, but only you can choose the ideas that move people. Your choices are what set you apart.

This is why I find AI so appealing. It's not about replacing humans; it's about empowering the ones that choose to accept the new game. It is the great redistributing. An opportunity for anyone willing to learn, not just those with deep pockets.

The little guy has a chance. The rebel. The creator with a dream. The expert with a real skill.....

I think that's pretty cool.

PS if you want to read more about the state of AI check out the AI Trend Report 2026 from Artlist (who sponsored this post).

https://lnkd.in/gf7e8aXE

How to pay $0 with 9 private AI tools.

(I replaced my tech stack with these brands)

This summer I quit using most AI tools that required overpriced monthly subscriptions/credits and stored my data in their clouds. 

So I had to replace 99% of my tools. 

From $500 to less than $25 a month.

Here's my list:

Notion >Crypt(.)ee for note taking and ideas.
Airtable > AppFlowy for content management.
G-Suite > Proton for secure email and file hosting.
ChatGPT > Okara for private open source AI. 
Loom > Cap so I can record my screen with video.
Perplexity > DeepSeek with Ollama for research.
Canva > Penpot for self hosting creative assets.
Manus > Venice for AI research purposes.
Slack > Signal cz I don't need all the fluff.

So yeah this list is a lot longer.

But I know your attention span is short.

I'm still getting used to some of these new tools.

(and I paid for Proton Premium too btw)

The truth is, it's inconvenient. 
I was used to my tool stack. 

Learning new software and setups is a challenge.

But avoiding subscriptions the best I can and maintaining max control of my data is my decision maker.

PS Yes I left out the self-hosting tools and process...

(I gotta make you follow for more somehow right?)

I am a terrible community leader. 

So join my group chat for remote workers to kick off 2026...

5 years ago I ran a free Discord during lockdowns that featured:

Meme battles.
Free pizza. 
Daily chats. 
Live gaming sessions....

Yes. Yes it ended with me firing all my admins, unhinged topics/rants and a slow descent into madness that ruined a community of 1000+ remote workers...

So why do it again? 

Well since I ghosted LinkedIn for most of 2025 I'm curious if anyone will join and I'm curious how many of you work remote, feel like there's no community online anymore and just wanted a place to chat with some fellow nomads.

This time I'm hosting on telegram. 

It's free. Not sure about pizza. No growth tips or value given.

Just simply a remote workers hangout place during your work days.

If that sounds cool comment WOO and I'll send u the link.

PS How long will this chat last?

Merry Christmas to everyone scrolling the LinkedIn feed alone with a half eaten box of chocolate...

You are either a workaholic OR...

The holidays are a hard time for you. 

If that's you comment GRINCH and I'll share a link to my free telegram chat for remote workers. 

Come hang out while you finish that box of chocolate.

No grift. No growth tips. No value except a casual online chat.

Oh and maybe a meme battle lets see what happens.

Happy holidays!

PS I'm grilling a steak tonight how about you?

Roman Pikalenko 🇺🇦🦩

Turning Impact Leaders into Authority Figures Through Powerful Stories | Ghostwriting LinkedIn & Educational Email Courses ✍️📚

I help climate deep tech founders build founder visibility that compounds.

Because when investors, customers, or top talent Google your name…

You don't want them to find nothing but your Crunchbase profile. 

You want them to see credibility. Clarity. Momentum.

Most of my clients are:

- Series A founders with scientific or technical backgrounds
- Deep in climate, water, food, or materials innovation
- Short on time but serious about becoming the go-to in their category

I ghostwrite their:

- LinkedIn thought leadership (to build traffic engine)
- Educational email courses (to convert attention into demand)
- And sometimes, their articles, newsletters, or even books

💬 I’ve worked with 10+ founders across 8 countries, helped generate $300k+ in LinkedIn-attributed revenue, and ghostwritten 1,000+ posts that have reached millions — while helping my clients build audiences filled with investors, partners, and talent.

You’ll never hear me say “you need to post more.”

Because most founders aren't struggling with content ideas. 

They're struggling with ROI. They don't see how LinkedIn translates to pipeline, partnerships, or talent acquisition.

That’s what I do.

If you want to build long-term authority, not just chase likes, we should talk.

💌 DM me “Pinky” and I’ll show you how I help founders build founder gravity — without sounding like a LinkedIn bro.

(And yes, I’ll tell you why it’s Pinky.)

Or just stick around and follow — I post regularly on founder visibility, deep tech storytelling, and LinkedIn strategy for serious operators.

Growth Marketer

~ Running company social media marketing operations
~ Running paid ad campaigns on social and Google Ads
~ Inbound and content marketing

Holy sh*t, I did it.

This year, I made my first €100,000.

€118,605.20, to be exact (so far). 

And honestly? It still feels surreal.

Here's why:

—

It took way longer than the gurus promised.

Almost 3 years.

Not 6 months. Not 90 days. Not "one simple funnel that'll change your life."

I left my marketing job in 2023. The first year was a mess. The second year, I was still figuring it out. This year? This year, it finally clicked.

Most people quit before they get here because they think it should happen faster.

I almost did too.

—

I didn't sell out.

50% of my peers in the personal branding space went a different route:

→ Joined engagement pods to fake their numbers
→ Made friends with gurus who'd promote them in exchange
→ Sold generic courses to "founders and agencies"
→ Turned into coaches every year, then pivoted back when it didn't work
→ Stayed broad and generic because niches are "limiting"

I stuck with climate tech.

A niche everyone said was too narrow. Too hard to monetize. Too specific.

And it paid off.

—

It's mine.

I'm an immigrant in Finland. I started with no network. No connections. A degree that didn't automatically open doors.

I worked service jobs throughout COVID. Got rejected by every single company in Helsinki. Bartended at night while trying to break into marketing during the day.

My parents spent their entire lives grinding. Working jobs they didn't love, trading time for money, building a life so I could have more options than they did.

And now I do.

I work with climate tech founders solving the world's biggest problems, helping elevate their voice and brand presence on LinkedIn.

I choose my clients.
I choose my schedule.
I choose how I spend my time.

That freedom? That's what €100,000 actually means to me.

—

So what changes now?

Nothing.

I keep building. I keep growing.

But I do it at my own pace. In my own direction. Because I believe it's best for me and my business.

Not because some coach told me I should.

—

If you're building something on the side and it's taking longer than you thought → that's normal.

If you're betting on a niche everyone says is too narrow → stick with it.

If you're one year in and it still feels messy → keep going.

You can't lose if you don't quit.

What a helluva way to end this year, eh?

Roman Pikalenko 🇺🇦🍉

I turn $10M+ Series A climate tech founders & execs into LinkedIn thought leaders to attract capital & talent | Helped 3x LinkedIn Top Voices & 10+ climate tech founders | Obsessed with solar right now ☀️

What do you give farmers who've been exploited for generations?

Sarela Herrada's answer: Fair pay, direct market access, and the dignity they've always deserved.

This week's founder spotlight isn't the most tech-heavy I've featured.

But after reading Sarela's story, I knew she belonged here.

Sarela was born and raised in Lima, Peru on her family's organic chicken farm.

She learned early what real farming looked like. Hard work, respect for the land, connection to Pachamama (Mother Earth).

At 14, she moved to the US.

Years later, she discovered the dark side of the food industry:

→ Farmers paid pennies while middlemen pocket the profits
→ Indigenous farming practices ignored for industrial shortcuts
→ Small farmers locked out of US markets

In 2020, she co-founded SIMPLi with her husband, Matthew Cohen, to change that.

The traction came fast:

→ First Regenerative Organic Certified ingredients from Peru to the US
→ Now the #1 bean brand at Whole Foods
→ Woman- and minority-owned company
→ Named EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2024
→ Featured in Inc. Female Founders 250

And she did all this while giving birth to her second child and pursuing a Wharton EMBA.

Her core superpower? Customers want transparency.

They want to know their food supports real farmers, not exploitative supply chains.

Which is why Sarela is building infrastructure:

→ Removing middlemen who've stolen from farmers for decades
→ Honoring Indigenous practices passed down for generations
→ Proving regenerative agriculture can scale profitably

In her words: "It's up to this generation to make the change that will impact our home, our Pachamama, our only Earth."

That's the kind of founder I wanted to spotlight during Christmas week.

Someone giving back.
Someone honoring roots.
Someone making sure the people doing the hardest work finally get what they deserve.

—

Liked Sarela’s story?

Tag a founder whose story deserves more attention OR comment below: 

Who should I spotlight in the new year?

Wishing you and yours a meaningful holiday season 🎄

#ClimateFounderSpotlight

2 billion people lack access to clean water.

And climate change is making it worse every year.

This Nigerian-born engineer is building a solution that cleans water, captures carbon, and creates fertilizer → all at once.

Meet David Gory Jr, M.S., MBA., Co-Founder and CEO of Airbuild Inc.

David was born and raised in Nigeria, where access to clean water and electricity wasn't a given. It was a daily struggle.

Growing up, he drank water from wells because the natural water sources were too polluted to use.
"
I experienced firsthand what it meant to live without access to clean water or electricity," David recalls.

At 16, David came to the United States for college, determined to build a future where communities wouldn't have to choose between dirty water and no water at all.

His vision crystallized when he met Richard Mariita, MSc., Ph.D., MBA Candidate, who had lost family members in Kenya to waterborne diseases.

Their shared mission? Use nature's own solutions to tackle the global water crisis.

In 2023, David co-founded Airbuild with Richard and John William Bucur, building on years of research into algae-powered water treatment systems.

Their breakthrough?

🌊 Using algae to treat polluted water
🌱 Capturing carbon from the atmosphere in the process
♻️ Creating biofertilizer as a valuable byproduct

Triple impact from one biological system.

But scaling a biotech solution for water treatment wasn't exactly smooth sailing.

The team spent years perfecting their algae cultivation process and convincing skeptics that a nature-based solution could work at an industrial scale.

The persistence paid off.

Today, Airbuild has:

→ Secured land in Green River, UT for their first commercial deployment
→ Designed a system that will treat 50% of the river's flow at full scale
→ Connected their solution to the Colorado River—the water source for California, Arizona, and Nevada
→ Proven their technology can scale profitably by selling carbon credits and biofertilizer

Their algae-powered system:

💧 Treats water pollution without harsh chemicals
🌍 Captures atmospheric carbon dioxide
🌾 Produces biofertilizer for agriculture
📈 Generates revenue from byproducts

At full deployment, Airbuild will process millions of gallons of water that feed into one of America's most critical river systems.

For communities: clean water without waiting decades for infrastructure.

For the climate: proof that solving multiple crises at once isn't just possible—it's profitable.

—

From drinking well water in Nigeria to treating rivers that supply three U.S. states.

That's the kind of lived experience that builds world-changing climate solutions.

—

Do you believe nature-based solutions can solve our water crisis at scale?

—

I plan to share more stories of exceptional climate leaders like David every Monday for #ClimateFounderMondays

Follow me by clicking the bell icon on my profile to be the first notified about it next week 🔔

I took 3 weeks off from my newsletter while traveling in Japan.

No warning. No "I'm taking a break" email. No guilt.

I just... stopped sending it.

And you know what happened when I came back?

Nothing.

—

Most writers go through an anxiety spiral:

"Should I tell my subscribers I'm taking a break?"
"What if they forget about me?"
"What if people unsubscribe?"
"What if I lose momentum?"

I've been there. I get it.

But your audience isn't as fragile as you think.

—

What I did instead:

Week 1 in Japan: Didn't send the newsletter. Didn't think about it.
Week 2 in Japan: Still didn't send it. Enjoyed my trip.
Week 3 in Japan: Nope, still nothing.

Came back home: Sent the newsletter like nothing happened.

Just picked up where I left off.

—

The results?

Zero complaints.
Zero angry emails.
Zero unsubscribe spikes.

My open rates? Same as before.
My engagement? Same as before.

Turns out, people have lives. They weren't sitting there waiting for my newsletter like it was the next season of their favorite show.

—

Stop overthinking it.

If you need a break, take it.

Your audience will still be there when you get back.

And if they're not? They probably weren't your people anyway.

—

I run my newsletter (and my business) on my terms.

Sometimes that means writing every week.

Sometimes that means disappearing to Japan for 3 weeks.

Both are fine.

—

What's something you've been stressing about that probably doesn't matter as much as you think?

Photo: Me and Bambi in the deer park of Nara

I once fired a client who called me a know-it-all.

They hired me to help the CEO build his visibility on LinkedIn.

I shared some honest feedback on their content idea.

They didn't like what I said.

Called me a know-it-all.

I ended the engagement that week.

—

Look, I get it.

Nobody likes being told their idea won't work.

But if you hire a premium ghostwriter and then get defensive when they give you expert advice... what exactly are you paying for?

—

You're not just hiring me to type up your thoughts.

You're hiring me to build you a content system.

→ To build content that actually gets results.
→ To push back when something's off-brand.
→ To tell you when a post won't land with your readers.

That requires trust.

And if you can't handle strategic pushback, we're not going to create anything great together.

—

The best client relationships I have?

They're the ones where founders are curious WHY I’m saying what I do.

That's what premium ghostwriting looks like.

Not a yes-man.

A thought partner.

—

Founders, honest question:

Would you rather hire a ghostwriter who challenges you or one who agrees with everything?

Drop your take in the comments.

If the cement industry were a country, it would be the 3rd largest CO2 emitter on Earth.

This architect-turned-materials-scientist just opened the UK's largest ultra-low-carbon cement plant.

Meet Dr. Elizabeth Gilligan and Sam Clark, Co-Founders of Material Evolution.

Cement accounts for 8% of global emissions. Yet it remains the most widely used building material.

Liz started as an architecture student at the University of Plymouth.

During her studies, she became fascinated with sustainable materials—embedding found objects in resin blocks, reframing waste as construction aggregate.

Part science, part art.

That curiosity led her to pursue a PhD in sustainable cements at Queen's University, Belfast.

After completing her doctorate, Liz stood at a fork: academia or action.

"Morally, I couldn't look the other way while the world was on fire," she recalls.
She chose action.

Sam Clark brought operational expertise and shared her vision to tackle one of the world's hardest emissions problems.

In 2020, they founded Material Evolution in Liz's parents' garage during COVID-19.

With labs shut down, they transformed the garage into their first laboratory.

"We bought our first machine off eBay," Liz recalls. They produced two tons of experimental material right there.

Their breakthrough?

🏗️ Patented alkali-fusion process using industrial waste (steel byproducts)
🔥 Zero heat required, eliminating energy-intensive kilns
♻️ 85% lower CO2 emissions vs ordinary Portland cement

The result? MevoCem: stronger, more durable, and dramatically cleaner.

But scaling a garage experiment into industrial cement production wasn't exactly smooth.

They joined Techstars during peak pandemic, routed through Bermuda, then did "Mentor Madness" during a hurricane, taking turns standing outside holding phones overhead for internet.

They relocated to Middlesbrough for abundant steel waste, then spent years convincing a risk-averse industry to trust a cement replacement.

The persistence paid off.

In October 2024 (just 8 months after breaking ground) they opened the UK's largest ultra-low-carbon cement plant in Wrexham.

Today, Material Evolution has:

→ Launched 120,000-tonne capacity factory at industrial scale
→ Raised £15M Series A (led by KOMPAS VC, Norrsken VC)
→ Earned Liz Forbes 30 Under 30 recognition
→ Set goal: remove 1 gigatonne of CO2 by 2040

Their MevoCem cement:

🌍 85% lower emissions vs traditional cement
💪 Stronger and more durable than Portland cement
♻️ Made from industrial waste bound for landfill
🏭 Zero heat—no fossil fuel kilns

As Sam puts it:

"We hope this facility proves that cement decarbonization isn't just a possibility in the future. It's a reality on the ground today."

—

Did you know about Liz, Sam, and Material Evolution's work?

—

I share more stories of exceptional climate leaders every Monday for #ClimateFounderMondays

Follow me by clicking the bell icon on my profile to be notified next week 🔔

Many founders on LinkedIn are trying too hard to be “authentic.” They think it means:

- Sharing vulnerable stories
- Talking about their traumas
- Posting their dog/cat/parrot every other day

But here’s what they forget:

They’re leading a business.

And when the signal gets drowned out by lifestyle content:

- Investors don’t take them seriously
- Quality hires roll their eyes and move on
- Customers go with the competitor who speaks to their pain

Authenticity ≠ oversharing.

Especially in climate tech.

If you want to build a personal brand that drives leads, PR, and funding… focus on:

→ Talking about real customer problems 
→ Sharing the story behind why you started 
→ Asking if your content is helpful, not just “relatable” 
→ Showing both wins and roadblocks 
→ Proving you’re up to the task — whether you’re a PhD founder or building your first company

That’s how you earn attention that compounds.

—

Are you struggling to differentiate your tone from your company’s?

PS. If you watched The Last of Us Season 2, I'd love to hear what you think of it. I have some....thoughts.

My client has 4 business verticals and posts 5x/week on LinkedIn. Most founders think this is a recipe for disaster. Is it?

"Won't I confuse my audience?"

"Should I just pick one vertical and stick to it?"

Here's what we do instead (and why it works):

—

Her company operates in 4 distinct verticals:

1/ Wool insulation for pharma cold chain in Australia
2/ Wool insulation for pharma cold chain in India
3/ Denim insulation for builders
4/ Contract manufacturing

Each vertical has a different audience. Different pain points. Different buyers.

When we started working together, the obvious question was:

"Do we focus on one vertical, or talk about all four?"

My answer: all four. But with structure.

—

Here's the exact framework we use:

Step 1: Ask which vertical is the priority right now.

Not all verticals are equal at all times. Sometimes she's launching a new product. Sometimes she's scaling one division.

They just launched a new denim insulation line 2 weeks ago, for example.

We align the content calendar with business priorities.

Step 2: Organize content by days of the week.

Monday and Tuesday? Denim insulation for builders.
Wednesday? Contract manufacturing.
Thursday and Friday? Wool insulation for pharma.

Her audience knows what to expect. And she doesn't feel scattered.

Step 3: Monitor each vertical as a separate improvement opportunity.

Here's where most people mess up.

They look at overall engagement and say "content isn't working."

We track performance by vertical. Separately.

Different verticals attract different audiences with different activity levels on LinkedIn.

—

The surprising results?

Contract manufacturing and denim content perform the best overall.

Consistent engagement. Steady growth. Predictable metrics.

Buuuuuut…….

Wool insulation topics get insane engagement when we share company wins.

Why?

Because the denim audience is highly active on LinkedIn. They engage heavily when they see proof of impact.

The pharma audience? Less active overall. But they're there. And they convert.

—

What we learned:

Don't avoid multiple verticals. Structure them.

Different audiences behave differently on LinkedIn. And that's fine.

Track each vertical separately. Treat them as independent experiments.

Some verticals will outperform on engagement. Others will outperform on leads.

Both matter.

—

If you're running a business with multiple verticals and think LinkedIn won't work for you, give this strategy a try.

—

What's your biggest challenge with posting about multiple products or services?

"If I go on vacation, I don't want to think about LinkedIn."

That's a fair and common concern.

But you don't have to drop your LinkedIn entirely to stay present.

If you go away for 3 weeks in Japan (like I just did), you can stay visible with almost zero creative effort in 3 simple ways:

1/ Recycle your best-performing posts instead of creating anything new.

Your top posts earned engagement for a reason. Reposting them does three things:

• Keeps your posting cadence alive
• Reinforces ideas your audience already loved
• Saves you from burning creative energy while you're supposed to relax

Most people won't even notice you've posted it before.

2/ Share raw travel observations.

A photo with a one-paragraph caption. A quick reflection tied to your niche. An observation about how stepping away resets your thinking. 

Travel naturally creates content, and people engage out of empathy and curiosity. 

3/ Set an away message that redirects attention.

Your inbox will still fill up while you're gone. Instead of a generic "OOO," link to something valuable:

• Your latest newsletter
• Your best lead magnet
• Your sales page
• Your calendar for post-vacation calls

This keeps conversations warm and moves people through your ecosystem while you're offline.

—

Staying present on vacation isn't about grinding from hotel lobbies.

It's about keeping the lights on with smart, low-effort signals.

What's your vacation LinkedIn strategy? Do you post? Go silent? Something else?

Most climate tech founders focus on 2x their followers.

But the ones who actually build Category Leadership? They focus on something else entirely.

What most founders focus on:

→ Being the most visible founder on LinkedIn
→ Growing to 10,000+ followers
→ Posting every single day
→ Appealing to everyone

This builds awareness. But not necessarily trust.

—

What the best founders understand:

→ Owning a specific problem space so completely that when someone thinks about that problem, they think of you first

→ Building authority where people trust your expertise and come to you for solutions

→ Teaching what you know, not just what you sell

This builds category leadership. And that's what attracts the right investors, partners, and talent.

—

Here are two examples:

Example 1: "Climate tech founder".

Not much uniqueness. It's a job title at most. 

Example 2: "The founder bridging textile circularity and fashion supply chains using chemical recycling to scale polyester reuse".

Now, THAT is a category.

Look at regenerative agriculture. Same sector. 

Different categories:

• Ron Hovsepian (Indigo): Carbon markets + AI analytics
• Anastasia Volkova, PhD (Regrow Ag): Supply chain verification at scale
• Chuck de Liedekerke (Soil Capital): Monetizing soil health data

Each owns a unique angle. Each attracts different investors, customers, and talent.

—

How to start building category leadership:

1/ What specific problem are you solving?

Not "climate change" or "sustainability."

What exact challenge, in what sector, for what audience?

2/ What's your unique angle?

What do you know, believe, or do differently?

3/ Who needs to hear from you?

Investors? Partners? Customers? Talent?

Once you have clarity on these three, your content writes itself.

—

Category leadership is being the first person someone thinks of when they have a problem you solve.

In climate tech, that's your competitive advantage.

—

What specific problem space are you building authority in?

PS. Struggling to build your category leadership? Every Monday, I share the exact strategies and frameworks I've used in the past 2.5 years with my climate tech founder clients who've already raised Series A. 

Click "view my newsletter" next to my name for more.

3 words changed how I run my business in 2025 (hint: they're from Alex Hormozi):

More. Better. New.

It's Alex Hormozi's framework for growth, and it forced me to stop chasing shiny objects.

The framework is simple:

→ MORE: Do more of what's already working
→ BETTER: Improve how you're doing it
→ NEW: Only after maxing out More + Better, try something new

Most founders jump straight to "new" when growth slows.

New tactics.
New channels.
New strategies.

They forget the low-hanging fruit: doing more of what works and doing it better.

Here's how I applied it in 2025:

MORE: I amplified what was already working.

→ Posted on LinkedIn 7x/week (most of the year)
→ Sent emails 2x/week (after a 1.5-year break from newsletters)
→ Reached out to 3,000+ climate-tech founders and execs
→ Wrote free posts for prospects to show what I could do with their existing content

As a result, I got more visibility, more conversations, more trust → and more revenue.

BETTER: I optimized my existing systems.

→ Shortened client onboarding with surveys and a hands-off approach
→ Built a process for documenting clients' tone of voice
→ Got better at handling sales objections through free consulting
→ Doubled down on climate tech positioning (multiple prospects told me they reached out because of this)

This led to better clients, better retention, and better close rates (≈30%).

NEW: I experimented (but only after maxing out More + Better).

→ Joined a paid community
🔥 closed 2 clients within a week

→ Launched an educational email funnel
🔥 got my first inbound via email

→ Tried to pitch in public
🔥 landed 3 clients

→ Built a climate founder highlight series
🔥 consistently my top-performing content

→ Relaunched my newsletter
🔥 now have space for longer-form content

And it paid off with new revenue streams, new audience growth, and new credibility.

—

If I'd jumped to "new" tactics first, I would've fragmented my focus and missed the easy wins.

It's what I used to do in the first 1-2 years of my business:

I'd buy every course
Follow every LinkedIn expert
Sign up for every industry newsletter

Only to stay mediocre at 100 things.

This year, instead, I maximized what was working, optimized it, and THEN added new experiments.

That's how I now manage 6 incredible clients without burning out, working ≈30-40h/week, and making more than I ever had in my life.

—

What will you do MORE of in 2026?

Comment below. I'd love to hear what's already working for you.

I've never really connected with Christmas 🎄

I grew up in an Orthodox society where the New Year mattered more, but we had the same traditions.

When I moved to Finland, I started celebrating Christmas properly.

But Christmas was always just... nice. Commercial holiday.

This year, there's something new. A spiritual side to it now.

Earlier in the year, I got curious about paganism, specifically Norse and Celtic traditions. And funnily enough, I discovered it through Heilung, a band that describes their music as "amplified history from early medieval northern Europe."

Their music is raw. Ritualistic. Based on ancient runes and pre-Christian spirituality.

It pulled me in.

The more I learned, the more I realized: Christmas as we know it? It comes from paganism.

→ Evergreen trees brought indoors to honor life through winter
→ The Yule log burned for days as sacred fire
→ Yule, the Norse winter solstice celebration
→ Feasting to trust there will be enough
→ Gift-giving as ritual abundance

Even Odin—the Norse god—was called Jólnir ("the Yule one") and rode across the winter sky during the longest nights.

Sound familiar?

What resonates with me here the most is the connection to nature, seasons, and the earth.

Especially because I work in climate tech.

I've never been religious or spiritual.

But paganism, rooted in nature, honoring the turning of the year, respecting the darkness before the return of light, is filling that gap.

—

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate 🎄

And to everyone else: may the longest night bring you peace, and may the returning light remind you that everything moves in cycles.

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