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.

Big goals = big discomfort.

Small goals = silent regret.

When you're around people chasing massive goals,
something shifts.

You start to believe bigger is possible.
You become more.

Do this to design your environment for maximum growth:

1. Audit your circle
↳ Who do you spend the most time with? Are they pushing limits or settling?
↳ Surround yourself with fire-starters who make you uncomfortable (in the best way).

2. Join high-aspiration spaces
↳ Masterminds, growth communities, where big thinkers gather, energy rises.
↳ Proximity breeds possibility.

3. Seek mentors with 10x vision
↳ Learn from those who’ve already gone where you want to go.
↳ Borrow their belief until you build your own.

4. Cut energy drainers
↳ Limit time with people who complain more than they create.
↳ You can’t soar while dragging anchors.

5. Normalise big conversations
↳ Make goal-setting, risk-taking, and growth the default in your daily dialogues.
↳ Big dreams feel more achievable when they’re spoken often.

Big goals aren’t just built, they’re caught.

And the right people make them contagious.

Remember:
The right room changes everything.

♻️Repost to help someone in your network.
🔔Follow Luke Tobin for more professional growth strategies.

cc Colby Kultgen (shout out for the image and powerful reminder!)

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

Every time you wait for "the perfect moment," someone with half your talent but twice your audacity is moving ahead of you.

The world doesn't always reward the most skilled or the most prepared. 

It rewards the people who show up, speak up, and take the risk of being told "no."

Let's address this..
Missed opportunities hurt more than rejections. 
A rejection is a data point; a missed opportunity is a "what if" that haunts you. 

If you’re waiting for permission to dream big or bet on yourself, this is it.

How to stop hesitating and start acting:

1. The 5-Second Rule: 
If you have an impulse to act on a goal, move physically within 5 seconds or your brain will kill the idea.

2. Audit Your "What-Ifs": Ask yourself: 
“What is the actual cost of a ‘No’?” Usually, it’s just a bruised ego. The cost of a "Never Tried" is a stalled career.

3. Lower the Stakes: 
Stop trying to make your first move a "grand slam." Just aim to get on base. Send the DM, post the rough draft, or book the meeting.

4. Embrace "Good Enough": 
Perfectionism is just procrastination in a fancy suit. Done is better than perfect when "perfect" never leaves your hard drive.

Stop letting your talent stay a secret. 

The gap between where you are and where you want to be is usually just a few moments of audacity.

What’s one thing you’ve been overthinking lately? 
Let’s commit to doing it this week.

♻️Repost to inspire others in your network.
🔔Follow Luke Tobin for more mindset and growth tips.

cc Dora Vanourek (shout out for the image and message)

We are our own worst critics.

I spent years thinking I wasn't doing enough. 

I compared my "behind-the-scenes" to everyone else’s "highlight reel."

But here is the truth: 

While you’re worrying about your mistakes... 
Others are inspired by your progress.

While you’re doubting your worth... 
Others are studying your work ethic.

The "mess" you see in your head? 
To someone else, that looks like a masterclass in resilience.

If you’re stuck in a cycle of overthinking, here are 5 ways to get out of your head and back into the game:

1. Audit your evidence, not your emotions. 
- Your brain will tell you that you’re failing because you feel tired. 
- Feelings aren't facts. Look at your "Done" list for the week. 
- The data usually proves your anxiety wrong.

2. Focus on "B-" work to start. 
- Perfectionism is just procrastination in a suit. 
- Aim for "good enough" to get the momentum moving. 
- You can’t steer a parked car, but you can optimise a moving one.

3. Stop comparing your "Input" to their "Output." 
- You see the 4:00 AM struggles, the deleted drafts, and the coffee-stained notes. 
- You only see their polished final product. 
- It’s an unfair comparison.

4. Change your "Who." 
- Instead of asking "Who am I to do this?", ask "Who am I helping by doing this?" 
- Shifting the focus from your ego to your impact kills imposter syndrome instantly.

5. Embrace the "Spotlight Effect." 
- We think everyone is judging our mistakes. 
- Truth? Everyone is too busy worrying about their own mistakes to notice yours. 
- You have more freedom than you think.

The bottom line: 
While you’re wondering if you’re "good enough," someone else is looking at you for inspiration.

Don't let them down by quitting.

♻️Found this helpful? Share it with your network.
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cc Justin Welsh (shout out for the inspirational message and image)

A hard truth:

Regret = The price of comfort

You don't need more time.

You need more courage.

Most people don’t fail from trying. 
They fail from waiting too long.

Here’s how to build the courage to jump.
(Even when it’s scary):

1. Make the fear visible
↳ Write it down. Name it. You can’t fight what you won’t face.

2. Shrink the leap
↳ Break it into one bold step. You don’t need a plan, just a start.

3. Take action within 24 hours
↳ Delay kills momentum. Movement builds belief.

4. Surround yourself with risk-takers
↳ Bravery is contagious. So is settling.

5. Track your jumps
↳ Keep a “courage log.” Let your past bravery fuel the next one.

6. Rehearse your bold move
↳ Visualise the conversation. Confidence builds in repetition.

7. Limit input, increase output
↳ Too much advice leads to paralysis. Make a move then adjust.

8. Set a “no turning back” trigger
↳ Commit with a consequence.

9. Anchor to your future self
↳ Ask: “What would the future me thank me for doing today?”

10. Celebrate courage, not outcomes
↳ Reward the jump, not just the landing. That rewires your risk muscle.

Reminder:
Courage isn’t loud.
It’s quiet decisions made in uncomfortable moments,
that change your life.

You don’t need to be ready. 
You just need to go.

If you wait for certainty,
you’ll miss everything worth having.

♻️Repost to help someone take a leap of faith.
🔔Follow Luke Tobin for more personal growth tips.

cc Eric Partaker (shout out for the image and powerful message)

The way you speak to yourself in private sets the ceiling on your results.

Not motivation.
Not discipline.

But your internal narrative.

Your brain doesn’t argue with your self-talk.
It goes looking for proof that it's true.

Do this to rewire your mindset architecture:

1. Tune your filter (RAS)
- Your brain searches for evidence to proof what you already believe. Feed it better signals.

2. Swap “I can’t” for “How can I?”
- Statements close doors. Questions open search mode in your brain.

3. Add “yet”
- Most limits aren’t permanent. They’re unfinished.

4. Use identity-based language
- You act in line with who you think you are. Choose the identity that serves the outcome you want.

5. Audit your inner critic
- If you wouldn’t say it to a friend, it doesn’t belong in your head.

6. Use the observer technique
- Create distance from the thought. Regain objectivity and reduce the emotional spike.

7. Remove “should”
- Replace shame with agency. “Choose” is a different operating system.

8. Reframe anxiety as excitement
- Same body signal, but a different story. You get to decide the label.

9. Let confidence compound
- Small daily narrative shifts build self-trust over time. Track your proof.

10. Protect your mental environment
- Your inputs become your inner voice. Curate what you consume and who you listen to.

This isn’t self-help.
It’s mindset architecture.

Rewrite the script and the behaviour follows.

Which one do you need most right now?

♻️Found this helpful? Share it with your network.
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Your self-talk sets the ceiling for your growth 

"Service businesses are dead. Why invest in them?"

Three months ago, everyone said I was crazy.

Today, we're proving them wrong.

We launched Unusual Group in October with a clear mission: 

Build the ecosystem of support, founders need to scale-to-sale successfully. 

The industry has been struggling and it's no surprise. 

Traditional rollup groups and network agency models are broken.

So we built something different. 

An industry first membership model that gives founders and their teams the strength and resources of a business 10x their size. 

Support with;

- Strategy
- Operations 
- Sales & Marketing
- Productisation & IP
- Finance, Legal, HR & IT
- AI & Technology
- Exit Planning & Positioning 
- Optional Capital Investment 

After three months, here's how its going;

• 100+ applications received 
• 7 agency partners onboarded (5% acceptance rate) 
• Group valuation approaching £10m 
• 90 pieces of press coverage 
• £400k ARR 

An ecosystem that supports founders in ways the market has never seen.

This isn't about rolling up agencies or stripping identity.

It's about creating the infrastructure that lets great founders do what they do best, without the ceiling that comes with going it alone.

If you're running an agency and you've been watching from the sidelines, 
now's the time to get involved. 

Our next cohort goes live in February.

Apply via our waitlist: https://lnkd.in/exReKAKu

Follow me, Luke Tobin for more building in public content.

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

Nick Bradley

Most founders leave millions on the table when they exit. Not because they built bad businesses - because they optimized for revenue instead of enterprise value.

I bridge the gap between founder-led businesses and investor-grade companies. I work exclusively with founders targeting 8-9 figure exits, and with PE firms and Family Offices optimizing their portfolio - applying the same strategic and operational frameworks to both.

The difference comes down to infrastructure. Buyers pay premiums for businesses that run on systems, not heroics. Where leadership is developed, not dependent on the founder. Where growth is predictable and margins are protected.

This isn’t 6-month “exit prep.” It’s 12-36 month transformation work - installing the operational rigor, financial discipline, and strategic planning that institutional buyers demand and PE sponsors require from portfolio companies.

My Background:

I spent 10 years as a Private Equity CEO and Operating Partner across 27 transactions totaling $5B+ in exits. I’ve sat on both sides of the table - building businesses and evaluating them for acquisition. I’m also the author of “Exit for Millions”, the #1 bestseller on building businesses for premium exits.

How We Work:

FOUNDERS

Building enterprise value: 12-month group mentoring program for scale-stage founders focused on creating predictable revenue, leveraged operations, and consistent cash flow.

Preparing for exit: 30-day intensive showing what your business is worth today, what it could be worth, what’s limiting value, and the roadmap to close the gap.

INVESTORS 

Operating partner engagements for portfolio companies needing growth, scale, turnaround work, or exit optimization.

Our mission: To build and install the infrastructure and discipline that compounds enterprise value.

📧 nick@highvalueexit.com

CEO & Founder, Exit Specialist / Business Scale-Up Mentor

We Help Successful CEOs, Founders, & Entrepreneurs Build High Value, High-Impact, Exitable Businesses.

​Our passion is empowering growth-minded business owners to scale rapidly towards a high-value exit and ultimately, freedom.

That’s why we’ve developed exclusive masterminds, full-service partnerships, and dedicated support to accelerate your impact, and give you back the power and control you deserve.

Our Scale-to-Sale Methodology is the result of 60+ years of combined experience with private equity firms and business transactions, designed specifically for rapid scale toward financial independence.

In working with us, you will gain the focus, direction, and momentum to intentionally and consistently grow your company’s value…

Giving you the leverage and power you need to generate rapid, impressive growth, and with it, the freedom to live your life on your terms.

Three words PE firms repeat constantly:

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲.

If your business doesn’t tick all three boxes, they walk.

Here’s what each actually means:

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲:

Not “we had a great quarter.” But “we can forecast revenue 90 days ahead within 10% accuracy.”

Revenue isn’t random. It’s systematic. You know where it comes from and when.

𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲:

Not “our founder landed an incredible deal.” But “our process generates 40-60 qualified leads monthly regardless of who’s running it.”

Success isn’t heroic. It’s documented. Anyone following the system gets the same result.

𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲:

Not “we’re growing fast by burning cash.” But “we’re profitable at scale and our unit economics prove it.”

Growth doesn’t require founder sacrifice. The business funds its own expansion.

PE firms are militaristic about this.

Randomness is risk. Uncertainty is risk. Risk kills multiples.

I’ve watched them walk from $30M EBITDA businesses because revenue was unpredictable.

And I’ve watched them pay premium for $8M EBITDA businesses because everything was systematic.

𝗜𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲? 𝗢𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲?

#PrivateEquity #BusinessSystems #PredictableRevenue #ScaleUp #InvestorGrade #SystematicGrowth #ExitStrategy

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The Battle

Luke Tobin

Nick Bradley

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The Battle

Luke Tobin

Nick Bradley

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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

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Performance ScoreLuke Tobin's LinkedIn Performance