Luke Tobin

Founder of Unusualgroup.com | Follow for posts on Business, Marketing, Investing & AI

Commercial and speaking: sponsorship@luketobin.com

3 exits, different industries, each one bigger than the last. Turned a £100 investment, into an eight-figure agency exit in 5 years. 

I help founders turn self-doubt into leverage, and leverage into exits.

My last business started with £100 and a lot of imposter syndrome. No funding. No safety net. Just a laptop, a tiny runway and lots of grit. Five years later, we sold for eight figures. It was one of the fastest growth-to-exit stories in the UK at that level.

That was exit number three. Before that, I built and sold a hospitality business and an e-commerce brand. Different industries, same scale-to-exit playbook. Build lean. Price for profit. Systemise delivery. Think like a buyer long before you ever meet one.

Now I back other founders and work on fixing what is broken in the agency world.

Current work:

Unusual Group (Founder)
We take minority stakes in agencies and plug them into the capital, infrastructure and operator support they need to grow margins and become exit-ready.

Tobin Capital (Owner) 
I invest in more than 25 brands, including SpaceX, Atom Bank, and Honest Mobile. When I invest, you do not just get capital. You get an operator in your corner on pricing, operations, hiring and exits.

A-Frame Venture Studio (Partner)
We build consumer brands from scratch. Our first brand, Mirth Water, is now live in the United States at drinkmirth.com.

The Success Method Newsletter
Every week, more than 100,000 founders get my breakdown of how to turn self-doubt into an advantage in their business. I share how I structure deals and exits, the pricing moves and margin levers that work in practice.

Book (Q2 2026)
My first book, on how founders can turn doubt into an asset rather than a drag on growth, is coming in Q2 2026 from a major publisher.

In total, I have started seven businesses. Two failed. Three exited. Two, I am still building. The failures taught me more than the exits. Self-doubt never went away. I learned how to use it as a filter to make better decisions in hiring, pricing, partners, and exits. That is what I teach and invest around now.

Today, I share what actually works with more than 800,000 founders across my channels. The playbooks, the red flags, the live deals and the parts of the mental game most people never talk about.

If you are an agency owner or founder who wants to raise, exit or fix your margins in the next 12 to 36 months, send me a DM.

Newsletter (100K plus subscribers): www.luketobin.com/newsletter

DM me about: investments, agency exits, speaking

Investor

The next‑generation personalization AI for e‑commerce.

Success that burns through your mental bandwidth isn’t success.

It’s mismanagement disguised as commitment.

Early in my career, I thought being available meant being valuable.
Every ping got a reply.
Every meeting got a “yes.”
Every spare minute became a catch-up slot.

On paper, it looked like momentum.
In reality, it was erosion.

High performance isn’t about being always on.
It’s about knowing when to switch off so your decisions stay sharp.

These are the boundaries that keep my focus intact:

1. Control inputs.
No phone before strategy, no Slack before thinking.

2. Batch reactions.
Email and messages twice a day, everything else waits.

3. Protect transitions.
Five minutes between calls to reset the brain.

4. Create unreachable hours.
Evenings or weekends when nobody gets access.

5. Guard energy like capital.
Spend it where it compounds, not where it’s wasted.

This isn’t self-care.
It’s self-leadership.

Because success that costs your sanity will eventually cost your results.

Which boundary protects your focus the most?

♻️ Repost to help more leaders build sustainable success.
🔔 Follow Luke Tobin for more personal growth insights.

cc Dr. Carolyn Frost (shout out for the image and powerful message)

3x Exited Founder | Follow me for posts on Business, Marketing, M&A & Success Psychology

Most people are chasing the wrong luxuries.

And it’s costing them the ones that matter most.

The truth is… it’s not about how much money you make, or the brand you wear.

The real luxuries are simple.

These aren’t handed to you.
You have to create them. Protect them.

Because in the end,
it won’t be the title,
the money,
or the status that matters.

It’ll be whether you had peace in your heart,
purpose in your work,
and people to share it all with.

That’s the real richness.

That’s the life worth building.
♻️ Repost to help inspire others.
🔔 Follow Luke Tobin for more mindful tips.

cc Scott Caputo (shout out for the image and the powerful reminder)

We are often told to "play it safe".

But, safety doesn't help you grow.

Here's what does:
1. Taking chances on the dreams that scare you.
2. Betting on yourself when no one else will.
3. Choosing courage over comfort, every single time.
4. Believing in the vision only you can see.
5. Acting on what feels like destiny, even if you're unsure.

The truth is:
Every bold move looks unrealistic until someone makes it real.

Why? 
Because the world has always been shaped by people who were willing to look a little “crazy” in pursuit of something bigger.

The innovators. 
The builders. 
The dreamers.

Fear will tell you to wait.
Doubt will tell you you’re not ready.
But growth only happens when you decide to move anyway.

Reminders when chasing your dreams:
If it feels impossible → it’s probably worth the risk.
If people doubt you → you’re likely onto something powerful.
If it feels like destiny → that’s your sign to leap.

At the end of the day, I've learnt that regret weighs heavier than failure.

And the world needs more people who are brave enough,
to follow the dream that feels like destiny.

♻️Repost to help inspire someone in your network.
🔔Follow Luke Tobin for more personal growth tips.

cc Codie A. Sanchez (shout out for the image and powerful reminder!)

Nothing kills you faster than your own mind.

Don't stress over things that are out of your control.

Most people are losing the game before they even start. 
Why? 
Because they’re obsessed with the "noise." 

Which means that you're wasting your most valuable asset: Your Energy.

If you want to scale, whether it's your business or your life, you need to be ruthless with your focus. 

You have a finite amount of mental capacity every day. 
Stop spending it on things where you have zero leverage.

If you’re ready to stop being a passenger in your own life, start here:

1. Audit Your Inputs: 
- Guard your first 60 minutes of awake-time like your business or life depends on it.

2. The "So What?" Test:
- Next time you’re stressed, ask: "Can I influence this in the next 5 minutes?" If the answer is no, move on. If it’s yes, do it. 

3. Set Non-Negotiable Boundaries: 
- Define when you are "on" and when you are "off." High performance requires high-quality recovery.

4. Master Your Self-Talk: 
- Stop saying things to yourself that you wouldn't let a stranger say to your best friend. 

5. Focus on Output, Not Optics: 
- Stop worrying about how the "brand" looks and start worrying about what the "work" is. 

A gentle reality check: 
Everything out of your control is a distraction designed to keep you average.

High performers don't have "easier" lives. 
They just have a tighter filter. 

They double down on their attitude, their boundaries, and their execution.

♻️Found this helpful? Share it with your network.
🔔Follow Luke Tobin for more on cultivating a growth mindset.

Most people overestimate what they can achieve in a month

and underestimate what they can build in a year.

Progress rarely looks exciting while it’s happening.

It’s not dramatic.
It’s repetition, refined.

The truth is, nothing meaningful scales overnight.
It compounds quietly, in systems, skills, and relationships.

In business and in life, I’ve learned:
Momentum isn’t a spark.
It’s friction mastered.

The days that feel slow, repetitive, or unnoticed are usually the ones where foundations are forming.

When growth stalls, I don’t double the effort, I double the focus.

I look for the one action that will compound over time,
not the ten that just make me feel busy.

Because high performance isn’t about speed.

It’s about stamina.
Anyone can start fast.

Few stay consistent long enough for the results to catch up.

💭 What’s one thing you’re quietly building that will pay off next year?

♻️ Repost to remind someone that slow isn’t failure, it’s formation.
🔔 Follow Luke Tobin for more insights on focus and sustainable growth.

cc Justin Wright (shout out for the image and essential reminder!)

The action you're most scared to take is usually the right one.

Deep down, you know what you need to do.

You've been thinking about it for weeks. 

Trying to convince yourself that you need more time, maybe more information, or just a better moment to make that particular move.

But that moment isn't coming.

Some of the best things I've done in business felt completely wrong at the time. 

And there was always a reason; it was too early or felt too risky.  

That feeling of unease is just part of it.

So whatever you've been putting off, make the move.

♻️ Repost if you needed to hear this today. 
🔔 Follow Luke Tobin for more.

cc Justin Welsh (Shout out for the powerful reminder!)

Most founders start the sale process in the wrong place.

Before you think about valuation, you need to answer three questions. 

1. Can someone quickly understand your business? 
2. Are your clients likely to stick around?
3. And if you stepped back, would it still run without you?

If any of those questions make you feel uncomfortable, it's worth paying more attention to that area.

Succeed helps founders get ready, find the right buyer, and manage the whole process, without getting messed around.

Take our free exit assessment:
https://lnkd.in/ey8-zd9G

♻️Repost and save to help other founders in your network.
🔔Follow Luke Tobin for more on agency growth and exit planning.

Jeremy Prasetyo

World Champion turned Cyberpreneur | Building an AI SaaS company to $1M ARR and sharing my insights along the way | Co-Founder & CEO, TRUSTBYTES

While everyone's talking about AI, the Agentic Web and Web3,
few understand how to turn them into competitive advantage, 
even fewer into institutional advantage.
That's where I come in.

I'm a former World Champion turned Tech Founder and Emerging Technology Strategist who decodes tomorrow's tech for today's leaders. 
Through my unique ability to break down complex technologies into actionable strategies, I help organizations transform uncertainty into opportunity.

As CEO of TRUSTBYTES and an internationally recognized keynote speaker, I bridge the gap between cutting-edge innovation and real-world implementation. 

My expertise spans:

→ Emerging Tech Translation
- Transforming AI and blockchain complexities into clear strategic advantages
- Converting technological uncertainty into market-leading opportunities
- Building innovation flywheels that compound over time

→ Leadership Acceleration
- Mentoring the next generation of tech-savvy leaders
- Guiding institutional transformation with practical frameworks
- Creating bridges between legacy systems and emerging technologies

→ Strategic Innovation
- Designing AI-driven business flywheels that scale
- Developing institutional-grade technology strategies
- Engineering frameworks for sustainable growth

Through high-impact keynotes, executive mentorship, and hands-on leadership, I empower decision-makers to turn technological complexity into market dominance. 

My approach merges deep technical insight with battle-tested business acumen, helping organizations thrive in rapid change.

Tech moves fast.
Markets move faster.
But institutional transformation?
That's where most leaders get stuck.
I'm here to change the game.

Follow me for actionable insights on emerging tech, leadership, and exponential growth. 

Let's build tomorrow's advantages today.

CEO & Co-Founder

FIGHTING CYBERCRIME LIKE IT'S 2030
Find more bugs in less time while saving up to 80% of cybersecurity resources.

HOW IT WORKS
TRUSTBYTES secures exponential technologies like Web 3.0, AI or Quantum TECH with its advanced AI that delivers unparalleled accuracy. By deploying self-learning AI agent swarms that adapt to evolving threats we protect systems with superior vulnerability detection and mitigation.

THE PROBLEM
$8 Trillion in Damages
Cybercrime Damages did cost the world $8 trillion USD in 2023.
Until now, global cybercrime costs grew by 15 percent each year.
But this number will grow exponentially, as hackers start using AI or even Quantum TECH.

Threat to Humanity
Warren Buffett calls cybercrime the biggest problem facing humanity - a threat exceeding nuclear weapons.
The answer lies in fighting fire with fire through AI counterforce.
TRUSTBYTES is that enabler for CISOs - an advanced AI system augmenting human experts to proactively remediate cyber threats before damage occurs.

OUR SOLUTION - SECURING EXPONENTIAL TECHNOLOGIES

➝ Web 3.0 - Smart Contract Auditing Suite

➝ Securing AI Systems

➝ Securing the Quantum TECH era


For more details visit: trustbytes.io

The advice that changed everything for Matthew McConaughey 
⤵

Most people don’t need permission to chase their dream.
They need someone to look them in the eye and say:
"If you're gonna do it - do it right. No excuses."

That's exactly what Matthew McConaughey got.

One sentence from his father became the launchpad for everything:
"Don't half-ass your dream."

It wasn’t comfort.
It wasn’t praise.
It was the wake-up call we all need.

Let’s break it down:

1/
 ➠ Permission vs. expectation

 ➝ We're raised to seek approval
 ➝ And to follow safe, respectable paths
 ➝ But "safe" often leads to silent resentment

↳ So stop playing by rules that were never yours


2/
 ➠ McConaughey's moment

 ➝ He was set for law school
 ➝ But wanted to chase film instead
 ➝ He feared disappointment

↳ What he got was belief - because he owned the choice


3/
 ➠ What his dad really said

 ➝ "Don't half-ass it" meant: go all in
 ➝ It wasn’t coddling - it was a challenge
 ➝ If you choose it, then back it with force

↳ Commitment is the cost of clarity


4/
 ➠ What that means for you

 ➝ Dreams aren't hobbies
 ➝ They're responsibilities
 ➝ And they demand effort

↳ Half-hearted effort kills more dreams than failure ever will


5/
 ➠ Why it still matters

 ➝ Owning your path inspires others
 ➝ Taking action changes identity
 ➝ Regret haunts the untried

↳ One act of courage often unlocks another


Most people wait for belief.
For an external validation.
For someone's permission.
But belief is earned by doing - not by waiting.


▶ What if "support" looked more like challenge?
▶ Who's waiting for you to act so they can believe?
▶ When was the last time you didn’t half-ass something?


//

Repost this ⇄

//

Source: Matthew McConaughey, “Greenlights”

//

Follow me for daily posts on emerging tech and growth: https://lnkd.in/gqzS_9Tf

//

World Champion turned Entrepreneur | Follow me for emerging tech, leadership and growth topics | Co-Founder & CEO, TRUSTBYTES (Techstars ’25)

China isn’t replacing classrooms with AI.
They’re testing what happens when humans become data.
⤵

That distinction matters.

This is not about futuristic furniture.
Not about tablets built into desks.

It’s about what changes when learning is continuously measured.
And when behavior becomes a metric.


1/

➠ this is still an experiment
not nationwide
not universal
not evenly distributed
Only selected schools.
Mostly well funded regions.
Mostly pilot programs.

That’s how big shifts always start.
Quietly.
Before they scale.


2/
➠ what is actually being measured
interaction
posture
attention
response speed

Screens replace paper.
Sensors track behavior.
Dashboards summarize students.

Teaching becomes visible.
Students become readable.

Learning turns into signals.


3/
➠ why institutions want this
faster feedback
automated grading
performance clarity

Teachers save time.
Administrators gain insight.
Systems gain control.

Personalization sounds humane.
Optimization sounds efficient.

Both depend on defining ideal behavior.


4/
➠ where the tension lives
constant observation
psychological pressure
unequal access

Attention becomes a score.
Emotion becomes data.
Silence becomes compliance.

Urban schools accelerate.
Rural schools lag.

The gap widens quietly.


This is not about screens.
It’s about incentives.

What behavior gets rewarded.
What behavior gets flagged.
What behavior gets trained out.


Uncomfortable questions worth sitting with

▶ who defines attention
▶ who owns the data
▶ who audits the system
▶ who protects the child


//

Repost this ⇄

//

Source: Video via Alvin Foo

//

Follow me for daily posts on emerging tech and growth: https://lnkd.in/gqzS_9Tf

//

There has never been a better time in history to start…
…here’s why:
⤵

The ground is shaking. That’s your signal.

When everything feels unstable, most people freeze.

Founders shouldn’t.

Volatility is not a warning sign.
It’s a starting gun.

And right now, the clock speed of entire industries is accelerating.


1/
➠ The clock just changed

➝ AI is compressing industry timelines
↳ Code is being commoditized
↳ Workflows are being rebuilt
↳ Old playbooks are breaking

This is not a feature update.

It is a pace reset.

When the speed of progress increases, anything built for the old tempo becomes friction. And friction kills incumbents.


2/
➠ Speed beats size

➝ Big companies have scale and capital
↳ But they iterate slowly
↳ Layers slow decisions
↳ Legacy resists change

When experimentation becomes cheap, scale stops being the ultimate advantage.

If code is generated on demand…
If products can be rebuilt overnight…
If testing costs close to zero…

Then iteration becomes leverage.

Startups win because they:

➝ Move quickly
↳ Test constantly
↳ Pivot fast
↳ Ship daily

In a fast clock cycle, speed compounds.


3/
➠ The shake-up is the setup

➝ Markets feel unstable
↳ Business models feel exposed
↳ Assumptions feel fragile
↳ Certainty feels gone

Good.

Everyone is facing the same disruption.

But not everyone will respond with urgency.

When the clock cycle shifts this dramatically, startups almost always win.

Not because they are smarter.

Because they are faster.

And we have never seen the ground shake like this before.

So the better question is not,
“What happens to my industry?”

It is,
“How fast can I rebuild within it?”

▶ What if instability is the advantage?
▶ What if scale is slowing you down?
▶ What if caution is the real risk?
▶ What if this is your window?


//

Repost this ⇄

//

Source: Sam Altman via @‌multiprenur

//

Follow me for daily posts on emerging tech and growth: https://lnkd.in/gqzS_9Tf

//

A new Silicon Valley startup just crossed $10B.
Its product? Your profession.
⤵
 
Knowledge used to be power.

Now it’s data.

Training material.

Expertise turned algorithms.
 
And your Stanford PhD?
Training the system that replaces themselves:


1/
➠ AI Progress Is Human-Led

➝ Experts identify model mistakes
↳ They measure them precisely
↳ They create scoring rubrics
↳ They reinforce better outputs

AI doesn’t improve by magic.

It improves because professionals teach it how.

And that raises the obvious question.


2/
➠ Are They Training Their Replacements?

➝ Yes
↳ In structured workflows
↳ At scale
↳ For speed

Entire professions are being distilled into repeatable logic.
But here’s the nuance.


3/
➠ What Actually Gets Replaced

➝ Pattern-based decisions
↳ Documentation
↳ Analysis
↳ Predictable judgment

What remains is harder to codify.


4/
➠ What Stays Human

➝ Context
↳ Ethics
↳ Empathy
↳ Accountability

The question is not whether AI will replace knowledge workers

The question is
▶ which parts of your expertise are defensible?
▶ Are you building skills that scale with AI?
▶ Or tasks that get absorbed by it?

 
//

Repost this ⇄

//

Source: https://lnkd.in/dsetVE5e

//

Follow me for daily posts on emerging tech and growth: https://lnkd.in/gqzS_9Tf

How Valentine’s Day Became a 27 Billion Dollar Machine:
⤵

Most think it is about love

It is about systems

A fixed date
A rewritten narrative
Scaled production
Engineered expectation
Algorithmic amplification


1/
➠ From martyr to marketing moment

➝ A third century execution fixed February 14 in the calendar
↳ Repetition made it permanent

➝ Mid February rituals already normalized pairing
↳ Symbolism accelerated adoption

➝ Medieval poets reframed the date as romance
↳ Story changed behavior

Calendar created attention

Culture reassigned meaning


2/
➠ Printing made emotion scalable

➝ Rising literacy normalized written affection
↳ Emotion moved through paper

➝ Industrial printing reduced cost and increased reach
↳ Romance became repeatable

➝ Ornate cards turned feelings into products
↳ Inventory replaced intimacy

Standardization creates category

Category creates market


3/
➠ Corporations engineered expectation

➝ Heart shaped chocolate linked product with romance
↳ Packaging signaled love

➝ National card distribution normalized participation
↳ Not giving stood out

➝ Diamonds equaled permanence
↳ Price became proof

Demand was shaped

Obligation outperformed spontaneity


4/
➠ Media amplified pressure

➝ Income growth expanded spending power
↳ More joined

➝ Television broadcast idealized romance
↳ Comparison intensified

➝ Hollywood globalized expectations
↳ Pressure scaled

Private ritual became public signal


5/
➠ Algorithms optimized monetization

➝ Prix fixe menus increased margins
↳ Scarcity sold

➝ Bundled experiences raised spending
↳ Upselling normalized

➝ Social media amplified visibility
↳ Silence implied neglect

➝ One click purchasing removed friction
↳ Data timed emotion

Trigger

Campaign

Purchase

Signal


6/
➠ Why 27 billion is predictable

➝ Broad participation multiplies volume
↳ Spending compounds

➝ Stacked categories inflate totals
↳ Averages rise

➝ Luxury anchors raise baseline
↳ Expectations escalate

➝ Skipping feels risky
↳ Compliance wins

Seven centuries of reinforcement

One predictable outcome

Culturally enforced consumption ritual

What if fewer participated

Proof without price

Opt out

Choice

//

Repost this ⇄

//

Source: https://lnkd.in/dhdJ5Vzv

//

Follow me for daily posts on emerging tech and growth: https://lnkd.in/gqzS_9Tf

//

taplio

The Battle

Luke Tobin

Jeremy Prasetyo

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreLuke Tobin's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreJeremy Prasetyo's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Luke Tobin

Jeremy Prasetyo

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);}Luke Tobin's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreJeremy Prasetyo's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreLuke Tobin's LinkedIn Performance