Mandy McEwen

LinkedIn + Sales Navigator Trainer for Teams ⋒ Mod Girl® Founder ⋒ I blend 17 years of digital marketing + online selling to help brands grow via social selling ⋒ Midwest → West Coast ✈ Nomad

If you want to build a badass personal brand, learn the best ways to use LinkedIn to drive revenue, and want the easiest ways to stand out in a sea of sameness...

Hi, I'm Mandy and we should be friends. 

“I have a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career.”

And like Liam Neeson, you want me on your side. 

I help B2B founders and sales teams turn LinkedIn activity into real pipeline with a human-first system, custom AI tools, and a simple thirty minute a day rhythm. 

After founding my award-winning agency Mod Girl® Marketing in 2010 and spending the last 10 years specializing in LinkedIn, I've trained thousands of professionals and partnered with companies like T-Mobile, Continental, and Pavilion.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄: Standing out in B2B is harder than ever. Cold outreach doesn't work like it used to. The teams winning right now are leveraging LinkedIn and personal branding to build trust and pipeline - but most leaders don't have time to do it themselves.

That's why I founded Luminetics, a division of Mod Girl®. We help B2B companies and leaders master LinkedIn and Sales Navigator to build authentic brands that drive pipeline.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁:
 ✔ We've been in the LinkedIn trenches since 2015, before it was cool
 ✔ We've trained thousands through our 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿™ curriculum
 ✔ We built 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗪𝗮𝘃𝗲, the world’s first custom ChatGPT-powered GTM and social selling system that gives you the foundation, structure, and AI to build your brand and drive real pipeline while keeping every interaction completely authentic.

Whether you need full go-to-market strategy and consulting, team training, a Sales Navigator workshop, or an AI system your people can use daily, we make LinkedIn systematic, scalable, and authentic.

My work has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inc., and HuffPost. I'm a regular guest on the Sell Better Daily Show and frequently keynote on LinkedIn and AI-powered go-to-market strategies.

Want LinkedIn to drive real visibility, credibility, and revenue? 

𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀.𝗶𝗼 for more info on our LinkedIn social selling team training.

𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 for more info on my speaking and consulting. 

𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁𝘄𝗮𝘃𝗲.𝗴𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗶.𝗶𝗼 for more info on our AI-powered GTM membership.

P.S. Check out my podcast with Lindsay Rios: YourFutureBiz.com 

You'll learn a ton in less than 15 minutes per episode, promise!

LinkedIn + Personal Branding + Sales Navigator Trainer for SDRs, BDRs, AEs, and Marketers

People do business with people they like.

LinkedIn is the platform to make that happen.

I provide LinkedIn training and workshops for your organization so your employees learn how to effectively leverage the most powerful B2B social media network in the world.

From social selling to personal branding, content marketing, and relationship building, my top-rated LinkedIn training and workshops are exactly what your organization needs to finally see tangible results on the platform.

In order to capitalize on the LinkedIn boom, you don't turn to generalists. You turn to modern experts who have done it -- with successful results.

Luminetics, by Mod Girl Marketing, is at the forefront of it all and we are relentless in our pursuit to get you the best results possible.

Our bespoke LinkedIn training provides actionable strategies in a way that keeps your employees engaged, entertained, and excited.

Our interactive LinkedIn workshops ensure your employees actually DO the work. From optimizing their profiles to curating and posting content to engagement strategies to creating outreach InMail messages, and more.

What my clients are saying:

"Mandy is a breath of fresh air and a wealth of knowledge. She is a great communicator and able to deep dive into the world of LinkedIn and personal branding. I hired her for a virtual event workshop and she nailed it. The audience learned so much and my team and I were truly thrilled with her training execution." - Erica Maurer, EMRG Media

"When I hosted the Global Personal Branding Festival, I knew I had to get Mandy to share her knowledge with us. And what an unforgettable experience it's been! The journey of collaborating with Mandy has been enriching & insightful to me personally and of course her contribution to the festival has been inimitable!" - Tanvi Bhatt, Tanvi Bhatt International 

Send me a message here on LinkedIn and let's chat about empowering your team:

www.luminetics.io

Olá from Brazil. 

What are you up to this weekend? 

This is where I’ll be 🤙🏼

Social Selling That Actually Works | 16 Years in the Game | LinkedIn & Sales Navigator Trainer | Founder of Mod Girl Marketing & Luminetics | Island Nomad 🌴

No alternative text description for this image

My week in NC has been awesome, all thanks to my amigas I met on LinkedIn. 

Today - 
ANNABEL PICKENS and I recorded an episode for Your Future Biz(yourfuturebiz.com) in Leslie Douglas' dining room. 🤩 

Yesterday - 
I joined Will Aitken and Lindsay Rios for an episode on the Sell Better show where we talked about leveraging AI for social selling. 

Over 150 people joined us and are now getting free access to my new LinkedIn $trategist GPT. 🤖 If you joined us, thank you! 

Wednesday - 
Lindsay and I hosted our monthly "Ship It" session for our Wavemakers (nextwave.golumi.io). 

But, most importantly, it was Leslie Douglas' birfdayyyy, which we celebrated all day. 🥳 

Tuesday -  
Leslie and I recorded an episode for Your Future Biz in her adorable living room. Then I trained 100+ sellers at Brink’s Inc on how to prospect on LinkedIn. 👩‍💻 

Monday - 
Chill with Leslie Douglas and work day. 😎 

That's in addition to the 987 things I did for Luminetics this week. 

Don't forget about my furry assistant, Rocco. 😍 

Speaking of furry... peep ANNABEL PICKENS hat in the last pic. 

Grateful I get to spend time with these gems. 
💛



P.S. Tomorrow I leave for my 5-week Brazil workcation. Have you been?

Making Personal Brands Profitable with LinkedIn and Human-First AI | LinkedIn & Sales Navigator Trainer For B2B Founders + Teams | Founder of Mod Girl Marketing & Luminetics | Island Nomad 🌴

5 reasons you should start a podcast, or be a guest on more of them.

Most people judge podcasts by the wrong criteria.

Podcasts are leverage.

Here’s what they actually do for your business.

→ Reason 1: They build trust faster than almost anything else.

 15 - 60 minutes in someone’s ears creates familiarity.
 That’s hard to replicate with posts or ads.

→ Reason 2: They create pre-sold conversations.

 I’ve landed clients directly from podcast appearances.
 No pitch. No funnel gymnastics.
 Just “Hey, can we talk?”

→ Reason 3: They position you as the expert.

 Being invited to speak changes perception.
 You’re no longer another LinkedIn post.
 You’re the voice they remember.

→ Reason 4: They solve your “what do I post?” problem.

 Record once.
 Clip it up.
 Use it everywhere without sounding repetitive.

→ Reason 5: They make prospecting easier.

Outreach hits differently when people already recognize your name or voice.
Warm beats clever every time.

I’ve been a podcast guest for over 15 years.

It’s driven countless leads and real revenue for my business.

It’s also led to partnerships, opportunities, speaking gigs, and friendships I never would have had otherwise.

That’s exactly why Lindsay Rios and I started Your Future Biz.

Season 1 laid the foundation.
Season 2 goes deeper.

More guest conversations.
More tactical breakdowns.
More real talk on prospecting, sales, and marketing that actually drives revenue.

🎧 Check out our site where you can choose your fav podcast channel to listen and subscribe:

yourfuturebiz.com 

Season 2 is coming soon.

Are you currently a guest on podcasts or do you have your own? 

Feel free to share any episodes in the comments. 



P.S. I'm happy to announce I will not be wearing this sweater or any winter clothes until next winter 🤩 This was from last week when I was recording in Leslie Douglas' house. 

So excited to hit up the beaches here in Brazil.

Some people think it’s weird that I’m friends with these two gems. 

ANNABEL PICKENS and Chelsea Olsen  

And not weird because of Annabel’s amazing hat. Although my look in this picture says otherwise 😆

Or because Chelsea and I showed up to record a podcast in almost the same outfit.

But weird because they’re technically my social selling competitors.

My response?

You’re weird for thinking it’s weird.

I feel incredibly lucky to have women in my niche who I can relate to on a human level and a business level.

There is so much business out there. So much opportunity. So many people to help.

Scarcity thinking is exhausting.

Collaboration is energizing.

And when smart women in the same space start cheering each other on instead of side-eyeing each other, something powerful happens.

And when we start joining forces… watch out world.

I’ll choose abundance and alignment over insecurity every single time.

So, do you think it’s weird?

Are you friends with any of your competitors?

I missed my flight to Brazil.

3.5 hour delay to Miami last night. 

So now I'm stuck here until tonight when my rebooked flight leaves. 

Didn’t even leave the country yet and the “expect the unexpected” lesson showed up early.

When people ask me about the nomad life, I always say that line...
You have to expect the unexpected.

Apparently the universe wanted to make sure I reallllly meant it.

And get this...

Because I booked two American Airlines flights separately, Raleigh to Miami and Miami to Rio, they wouldn’t cover my hotel.

It's a weekend in Miami and last minute. So it cost me over $300 for a hotel room I never planned on needing.

Should I email American Airlines customer relations and try to get them to pay for it? I think the answer is yes.  

Then I had to cancel my Rio to Florianopolis flight.
Last-minute rebook.
$506 for a 90-minute flight.

Cool cool.

So the AA delay that was out of my control turned into about $800 in extra costs, plus a missed Airbnb night I already paid for in Brazil.

This is the part of the nomad life you don’t see.

You see the travel. The cool places.
You don’t see the unexpected chaos.

You see the freedom.
You don’t see the logistics and sunk costs and time that come with it.

That said...
Cowfish with Leslie Douglas and fam the night before I left was pretty epic.

And it’s 75 degrees in Miami.

I’m posted up at Starbucks working, walking 30 minutes instead of Ubering, getting my steps and vitamin D in.

Life is still good. Always.

Not complaining, just sharing so you see more of the reality of this life. 

And that’s kind of the deal you sign up for when you choose this path.

High highs.
Minor meltdowns.
A lottttt of patience.

But I wouldn’t trade it. 

🤙🏼

Help me wish this incredible human a happy birthdayyyyy. 🥳  Leslie Douglas. 
 
She's been hosting me in her fabulous NC home for a week. It's pretty much felt like my birthday because she is the best host. 

Yesterday, we recorded a podcast episode for Your Future Biz and Rocco made a cameo.

Stay tuned for season two. 

Now, Leslie Douglas, ANNABEL PICKENS, and I are working together and enjoying ANNABEL's delicious and adorable homemade bread 💛 

Proof in the comments 🍞 


Once again, LinkedIn coming in hot for putting these fabulous ladies in my life. Lucky me.

The new LinkedIn algorithm is judging your profile harder than your irrelevant selfie.

Your content might not be the problem. 
Your profile is.

You can write a great post. 
But if your profile does not match it, the algorithm notices. 
Buyers do too.

LinkedIn is prioritizing niche authority. 
Not scattered activity.

Your headline, about section, featured section, and experience all need to say the same thing.

If you post about B2B marketing but your headline says “Helping businesses grow,” you look generic.

If your profile says B2B marketer but you post about mindset and random quotes, you look inconsistent.

Confusion kills trust.

One niche. One problem. One type of buyer.

The algorithm rewards relevance. Not randomness.

Your profile must answer one question...

Is this person known for this?

When profile and content align, authority compounds. 
When they do not, reach shrinks.

Is your profile reinforcing your content or undermining it?

Want to know exactly what to fix.

Our LinkedIn $trategist GPT will show you what is stopping your profile from being buyer ready.

Grab it here ↴
https://lnkd.in/eng4HvxM

(it's free)

Want the ultimate shortcut? 

It will also show you how to use Lumi AI to optimize your entire profile in under 5 minutes.

Yes, size matters. 

Your audience is too big.

So don’t just go find every garden.
Don’t just go find everyone who has a garden to fix.

Look at the type of people who have them.

The size of the garden.
The location.
The environment they’re dealing with.

That’s how you get specific.

Then you build a Dream 100 list.
Companies you want to work with.
Real people you want to talk to.

Break them into 10 to 20 groups.
Talk to 10 people a week, minimum.

That’s it.

That's how you identify product market fit. 
That's how you get your first batch of clients. 
That's how you validate a new product. 

That’s how this actually works.

By the way, Lindsay Rios and I host a podcast called Your Future Biz.

The entire first season is live.
This is episode one.
Season two is on deck.

Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Search: Your Future Biz.

Videos are on YouTube and Spotify.

If you’re not sending voice notes on LinkedIn, why not?

Seriously.

Most people don’t even know the feature exists.
And when I tell you it’s the fastest, easiest way to stand out, I mean it.

Here’s a real example:

Jonathan Cohen found my YouTube videos.

He messaged me on LinkedIn.
Instead of typing out a long reply, I sent him a simple voice note.

It said something like this:

“Hey Jonathan, thank you so much for watching. I really appreciate it. Let me know if there’s anything specific you’re working on, happy to help.”

That’s it.

It took me 23 seconds.
Twenty three.

And it was the first voice note he had ever received on LinkedIn.

Think about that.

Everyone else is sending templated paragraphs.
I sent my actual voice.

Free tool.
Built into the platform.
No extra software.
No production.
No overthinking.

This is where people miss it.

You want to stand out?

Do the things other people are not doing.

→ Use your voice
→ Show personality
→ Sound human
→ Be memorable

Better yet, send a short video if you can.

Now they see you.
Hear you.
Feel like they know you.

That’s trust acceleration.

I break this down and a whole lot more in the YouTube video Jonathan just watched.

➡️ https://lnkd.in/evfqgYH7

So tell me...

Are you sending voice notes?

What’s stopping you?


P.S. We just launched a free custom GPT that builds an entire LinkedIn strategy for you in under 5 minutes. Customized for you based on your target customer. 

You can go grab it here:

➡️ https://lnkd.in/eng4HvxM

If Sales Navigator feels expensive, it’s because you’re using it like Google.

And it’s not Google.

It’s a signal engine.

Most people log in, search “VP of Sales,” build a list of 800 people, and start blasting messages.

Then they say, “It doesn’t work.”

Of course it doesn’t.

Here’s how to actually use it so it pays for itself.

Step 1️⃣

Stop searching titles only. Start searching behavior.

Layer in filters like:
→ Posted on LinkedIn in the last 30 days
→ Changed jobs in the last 90 days
→ Following your company
→ Headcount growth
→ Buyer intent signals (if you have this version)

Now you’re targeting people who are active, visible, or in transition.
That’s leverage.

Step 2️⃣

Build micro-lists.
Not 800 leads.
25 to 75 max.

People who clearly match your ICP and are showing signals right now.

Step 3️⃣

Warm before you pitch.

→ Comment on at least one post per person
→ Send a connection request referencing something specific
→ Message like a human, not a sequence

If you’re not warming accounts, you’re just paying for a premium spreadsheet.

Step 4️⃣

Use alerts daily.
Login and spend at least 5 minutes looking at your Sales Nav feed.
There is GOLD in there and hardly anyone uses it. 

Check:
→ Posted content
→ Company growth signals
→ Job changes

Those are natural conversation triggers.
Not “just checking in” emails.

Endlessly scrolling LinkedIn.com for posts to comment on is a time suck.

So engage from Sales Nav directly if you want to save time.

When you use Sales Navigator this way, it becomes cheap.

When you don’t, it feels expensive.

On YouTube, I break down exactly when Sales Navigator is worth it, who it’s for, and who should cancel it immediately.

Watch it here:
https://lnkd.in/epkYzJf5

Already paying for it?

Send me a message with your industry and ICP.

I’ll tell you how I’d set it up if it were mine.


P.S. Lumi helped me write this post. It's my custom GPT trained on my content and my voice. If you want to try it out for yourself, send me a message. 

Ok, I just gave you 3 call to actions which is a no-no in marketing. 
Hey, at least you have options :)

I sold paint, then windows, then started my company, Mod Girl Marketing.

Here’s my story...

Before I ever fell in love with digital marketing, I was in sales.

Home improvement sales.

I was selling paint in a Sherwin-Wiliams store as an assitant-manager. 
This was my first big girl job after finishing university. 

Then I sold windows as an in-home sales rep for Renewal by Andersen. My first big girl sales job. 

That’s where my sales career started.

Then in 2007, I Googled "how to make money online" like umpteen billion people have done. 

And somehow, I instantly fell in love with online marketing. You can call it an obsession. 

I taught myself HTML.
SEO.
PPC.
Blogging.

Anything I could get my hands on.

The obsession was real. I couldn't stop. 

I wasn’t formally trained. I don't even have a degree in marketing or business. (Psychology and Spanish degrees).

I was simply curious. And scrappy. And incredibly determined.

In 2010, I started my agency, Mod Girl Marketing.

I had no fancy playbook. Just grit, sales experience, and a deep belief that marketing should actually drive revenue.

In 2017, I started teaching people how to build personal brands and drive revenue on LinkedIn.

Fast forward to 2021.

I created Luminetics to focus strictly on LinkedIn and social selling.

Because I kept seeing the same thing over and over.
Smart people. Great companies.
Doing slimy, annoying outreach.
Or hiding completely.

We now work with Fortune 500 corporate teams and solopreneurs alike.

And the mission is simple...

Use LinkedIn to build trust.
Build personal brands that actually mean something.
Sell in a way that feels human.

Not pitch-slappy.
Not desperate.
Not weird.
Just real.

If you want the full backstory, listen to the Your Future Biz podcast with Lindsay Rios:

https://lnkd.in/eUxx8rqa

Season 2 is currently being edited and I’m really excited about what’s coming next.

And if you want to see what I've built in these 16 years since starting Mod Girl®... 

Social media agency - modgirlmarketing.com 
LinkedIn training  - luminetics.io 
LinkedIn speaker - modgirl.consulting
Podcast with Lindsay - yourfuturebiz.com

The Next Wave social selling AI membership - nextwave.golumi.io 

YouTube, IG, X, TikTok, FB - @mandymodgirl 

Free custom LinkedIn strategy built by AI in under 5 minutes:
https://lnkd.in/eng4HvxM


Take that LinkedIn algorithm. 6 links. Woohoo. 


Did you have interesting jobs that helped shape the professional you are today? I want to hear them!

Your LinkedIn posts aren’t dying after 48 hours anymore.

They’re either compounding.
Or disappearing forever.

Most of you are still posting like it’s 2024.

Quick hits.
Event recaps.
Trend commentary.
Content that expires in two days.

The algorithm has shifted toward evergreen.

Posts are resurfacing weeks later.
Months later.

If they’re timeless.

That means:

→ Fewer reactive posts
→ More foundational insights
→ More “this will matter in 6 months” content

I have posts from months ago still driving profile views and pipeline.

Because they solve a problem that doesn’t expire.

If your content only works this week, it won’t work long term.

Build assets.
Not updates.

Are you posting for today.

Or for compounding visibility?

If you’re not sure what your evergreen strategy should actually look like, we built a free AI that maps out a custom LinkedIn strategy for you in 5 minutes.

Comment below if you want it and I’ll send it over.

Make sure we’re connected so I can message you.

Need a amazing and reliable video editor? 
Check out my amigo, Shajjadul Islam Swajon. 

Here's a quick video describing my experience working with him. 

And no, he's not paying me to do this. 

I just think he's that cool and want to help spread the word about good people who deserve it. 🤩 

I've already sent a handful of new customers his way. 
And I'm happy to send more.

Helping Coaches Land DREAM CLIENTS with Video That Builds Credibility & Authority | Video Content Strategist

For Mandy McEwen, the real win wasn’t better videos.
It was removing a growth bottleneck she’d been tolerating for too long.


Mandy is the founder of multiple companies. Her personal brand drives revenue.

But video had quietly become a drain.

Short-form on LinkedIn. Long-form on YouTube. Freelancers. Agencies. Back-and-forth.

The edits were “fine.” But fine doesn’t scale a premium brand.
The real cost wasn’t bad editing.

It was:
● Low retention in the first 30 seconds.
● Content that got views but no leads.
● Looking average in a premium market.
● Losing hours managing revisions instead of building the business.

This is where most editors think too small. They optimize for polish.

But polish isn’t the game.

It’s like repainting a car with engine problems. It looks better in photos. But it still won’t win the race. Video works the same way.

When Mandy started with three short videos. yes, they looked more intentional.

But the real shift was positioning.↴ 
People engaged differently. They took her more seriously. The content felt deliberate.

 From there,
→ we built her speaker reel.
→ Supported her product launch.
→ Strengthened her YouTube presence.

But the biggest win?

She stopped babysitting the process.
No repeated explanations, micromanaging, mental load.

That’s when editing became partnership.

Here’s the lesson for every new editor ↴
❌ Your goal is not to make videos polished.
✅ Your goal is to remove growth friction.

Fix retention, positioning, lead intent.
Remove the time drain.

When you help your client win, you win.
Money is the by-product.

Trust is the asset. Leverage is the advantage. Partnership is the multiplier.

If you’re building your name as an editor, ask yourself something uncomfortable:

When a client hires you, are they buying cleaner cuts or are they buying relief from a problem that’s slowing their growth?

Our click-through rate looked amazing…

For the unsubscribe link. 🤦🏻‍♀️

We sent a January promo email.
At first glance, the clicks looked fine.

Good enough that most people would move on.

But I asked ActiveCampaign's AI one question:

What actually happened here?

It compared that email against our other sends and surfaced something obvious fast.

More people clicked unsubscribe than clicked the sales page.  👀

Ouch.

The email wasn’t sloppy.
It wasn’t pushy.
It wasn’t “too salesy.”

It just made people work too hard before they understood the value.

We opened with context.
We explained trends.
We warmed them up.

Meanwhile, the strongest proof was buried.

And that’s on me.

Even though I’ve been marketing online for 17 years, I still make mistakes.

Womp womp. 🫠

So here’s the real takeaway…

Next time you send a promotional email, make sure it does three things:

1. The outcome is clear in the first few lines.
2. The strongest proof is visible before people have to scroll.
3. The reason to click is obvious before you start educating.

That structure matters more than clever writing.

And here’s the part that changed how we’ll build moving forward:

Active Intelligence didn’t just show performance.

It benchmarked this email against our others and highlighted exactly where it broke pattern.

That’s the difference between “this didn’t work” and “here’s what to fix.”

Without getting stuck in the weeds of manual reporting.
So next time you send a promo email, don’t just look at opens.

Look at your unsubscribe rate.
Ask what caused it.
And fix the structure, not just the subject line.

If you want something to flag the blind spots in your emails before you even ask,
get a free trial of ActiveCampaign and run Active Intelligence on your last send: 

https://lnkd.in/e-RwNhqP  


#ActiveCampaignPartner

Want to learn and laugh this Thursday? 
Then join Will Aitken, Lindsay Rios, and me.  

Here's the dealio...

Most sellers are using AI on LinkedIn to create more activity.

Not more conversations.

There's a difference.

This Thurdsay, February 5th at 12pm ET, I'm joining Will and Lindsay on The  Sell Better Daily Sales Show to break down how top sellers are actually using AI for social selling in 2026.

We're covering the plays that work:

→ Using AI to spot buying signals (not just blast everyone) 

→ Creating content that warms up cold outreach 

→ Personalizing at scale without sounding like a bot

This isn't about automation for automation's sake.

It's about using AI as leverage to have better conversations, not replace the human connection that actually closes deals.

We'll walk through 3 repeatable plays you can run this week.

Register here: https://hubs.la/Q040dRwd0

Some of your fav creators are using Lumi tools to post better content faster and in their voice. 

Including my incredible amiga Aghya. 

Want to try it out for yourself? 

We may or may not have a special offer going right now after you try our free LinkedIn $tragegist GPT.

Step 1 - 

Get a custom LinkedIn strategy 💯 free and in under 5 min here:

https://lnkd.in/eng4HvxM

Step 2 - 

After you answer 3 questions and fill out the form, you’ll get a one time offer to try all of our Lumi tools inside the Next Wave at 50% off your first month. 

Spoiler alert - it’s for less than you spend on ramen for two people. 

So if you want to finally start getting traction on the platform, but you don’t know how and you don’t want to spend 3 hours a day on LinkedIn… 

You should join the Next Wave. 

Not only do you get all of our Lumi tools to help you crush it on LinkedIn faster, but you get access to me, Lindsay Rios, and a community of epic humans like Aghya.  

P.S. Ramen was the last meal Aghya and I had together in NYC a few weeks ago. I’ll post a pic below. 🍜

Follow my 30-Day Reset Challenge 🔔 (Hit the bell icon) | DadGirl that maybe knows a thing about B2B Partner Sales | Obsessed with Formula 1 & Fitness | Tell your 🐶 I said “Woof”

Day 19 of my 30-Day Reset Challenge

A layoff does one thing really well
It gives you a mission

And once you have a mission, motivation isn’t enough
You need leverage 💪🏻

In today’s world, it’s not about who can do the work
It’s about who can do it faster
Cleaner
With less friction!!!

That’s what’s made this reset feel manageable for me

In this video, I’m breaking down the *5 tools* that are helping me move with speed


💕 Lumi by Luminetics  
💕 Kondo: Superhuman for LinkedIn DMs  
💕 Wispr Flow  
💕 Notion  
💕 CapCut  


None of these replace thinking
They remove drag!!!

Together, they help me execute faster and build a real moat
And when you’re rebuilding, that matters…🌟


I’ll drop links for each tool in the comments!!
Along with what you get if you sign up using them…(and no this post is not sponsored)

So….


Which of these tools is your favorite? 1-5?👇🏻


⸻


Hi, I’m Aghya, and I got laid off right after closing the biggest deal in company history…

Now I’m on a mission to land my dream role & 2 brand partnerships in under 30 days.

This is Day 19.

Layoff to lift-off ⭐️

Do you think I’ll make it?

It’s been a while since I posted a poll, so humor me. 

What part of LinkedIn eats up most of your time? 

Vote below. 

Feel free to elaborate in the comments. 

Curious where everyone is actually spending their energy. 

And if there’s something entirely else, let me know.

What’s taking the biggest chunk of your LinkedIn time each week?

The author can see how you vote. Learn more

Cyber Risk Advisor | Speaker | Coach | #CyberSecurityMatters Podcast Host | Positive Troll | Board Director

Your biggest customer just told you they need proof of your cybersecurity practices in 60 days or they're walking.That $5M contract? Gone. 

Or your cyber insurance renewal got denied. 

Or you're sitting in a board meeting, and they're asking security questions you can't answer without sounding incompetent.

Here's what you probably tried: Your IT guy started talking about firewalls and acronyms. He wants $200K for new tools. You have no idea if you need them. 

Or you hired a big consulting firm. They sent a junior analyst with a 47-page report. It's in a drawer somewhere. You still don't know what to DO.

The truth most cybersecurity consultants won't tell you: They're boring as hell and can't talk to business leaders.

They lead with technology because they get vendor kickbacks. 

They'll tell you everything you're NOT doing (easy), but can't tell you what NOT to do (that requires business judgment). 

They can’t explain to you which risks are worth the money. 

I do this differently:

I start every engagement the same way: What makes you money? I don't care about compliance frameworks or your tech stack yet. 

I need to understand your critical business processes first. Then what data supports them. THEN we look at technology. 

I care about the systems that generate revenue and the contracts that depend on you proving you're not a security liability.

I work with manufacturing and B2B companies (50-2,000 employees) in three situations:

→Major customer demanding security proof or killing the contract - I helped a client keep their $5M Walmart contract. My fee? $150K. Easy math.

→Cyber insurance denied or demanding new requirements - Insurers want proof of fractional CISOs and real security practices. I provide that.

→Post-breach, board wants guarantees that significant breach cost never happens again - I rebuild programs from scratch and build sustainable security teams.

What you get:→No kickbacks on tools. No jargon in board presentations. No shelfware reports. Just a prioritized 12-month roadmap focused on protecting revenue and satisfying your customer’s cyber security questions.

My background:20+ years in cybersecurity. Companies from 50-2,500 employees. Built security teams from scratch. Fractional CISO for dozens of organizations.

Speaker at industry associations. 

I work with manufacturers and B2B firms honest enough to say "we need help."

If you're facing vendor security requirements, insurance issues, or board questions you can't answer, let's talk.

 https://meet-with-dom-vogel.appointlet.com/

Dominic Vogel

An uncomfortable truth about the cyber consulting industry:


Big firms are great at producing reports. Impressive documents. Deliverables that look good in board meetings.


But execution? That's not their business model.


They bill by the hour to create the plan. Then they leave. And you're stuck trying to figure out how to turn 200 pages of recommendations into real security outcomes.


That's where I come in.


I don't just write plans. I make plans come alive.


I take the complexity and turn it into clarity.


I take the theory and turn it into action.


I take the overwhelm and turn it into momentum.


And I do it with kindness because your team is already stressed enough.


A COO who sounded exhausted reached out to me the other day


"Dom, we paid a fortune for this plan from one of the big consulting firms. Everyone told us it was exactly what we needed. But we have no idea what to do with it. Our IT team looks at it and gets overwhelmed. Our leadership team can't figure out where to start. It's like we bought a Ferrari but no one can drive it."


I took a look at the plan


The plan wasn't wrong. It was actually quite thorough.


But it was completely divorced from reality.


It recommended enterprise-grade solutions for a 50-person company.


It outlined a three-year roadmap with no prioritization everything was labeled "critical."


It used technical jargon that made sense to the consultants who wrote it but meant nothing to the people who had to implement it.


It had zero consideration for budget constraints, staffing limitations, or the actual day-to-day operations of the business.


It was a plan designed to look impressive not to be executed.


So here's what I did at a fraction of the cost:


✅ I translated it into plain English. No jargon. No theoretical frameworks. Just: "Here's what this means. Here's why it matters. Here's what it looks like in practice."


✅ I prioritized ruthlessly. Not everything is critical. I identified what would actually protect their revenue-generating systems and their critical data. That became Phase 1. Everything else could wait.


✅ I made it actionable. Instead of "implement a zero-trust architecture," I said: "Start with MFA on your customer portal. Here's the tool. Here's the cost. Here's who implements it. Here's the timeline."


✅ I aligned it with their reality. Their budget. Their team. Their actual risk profile. Not some theoretical "best practice" written for a Fortune 500 company.


✅ I coached them through execution. A plan is useless if no one can implement it. So I walked alongside their team, answered questions, removed roadblocks, and kept them moving forward.


Six months later?


They'd implemented 70% of the prioritized roadmap.


Their team felt confident instead of overwhelmed.


Their leadership finally understood what they were paying for and why it mattered.


And they spent a fraction of what that $100K plan cost


Why?


We focused on doing instead of documenting

I Help Manufacturing & B2B Avoid Million-Dollar Cybersecurity Losses | Fractional CISO | 20+ Years Protecting Revenue, Not Networks | No Jargon, No Kickbacks | Proud Dad & Beard Grower

Let me tell you an uncomfortable truth about the cybersecurity consulting industry:


Most consultants are biased.


Not because they're bad people. Not because they don't care about your security.


But because they're incentivized to sell you specific solutions.


A consultant comes in to "assess your security posture." They find gaps real ones, usually. Then they recommend a specific solution.


Sounds helpful, right?


Until you find out they're getting a kickback from the vendor.


Suddenly, that "unbiased recommendation" isn't so unbiased anymore.


Maybe that $80K security tool is the right fit for your business. Or maybe there's a $15K solution that does exactly what you need but the consultant doesn't mention it because there's no commission on that one.


You have no way of knowing.


And that's the problem.


Businesses get sold tools they don't need.


Budgets get blown on "enterprise solutions" when a simpler approach would work.


IT teams get overwhelmed trying to manage five overlapping products because three different consultants recommended their "preferred" vendors.


It's not malicious. But it's not honest either.


I don't take vendor kickbacks. Period.


I don't get paid more if you buy expensive tools.


I get paid to tell you the TRUTH.


If a $5K solution solves your problem, I'm going to tell you that even if there's a $50K option on the table.


If you don't need a tool at all, I'm going to tell you to save your money.


If your current vendor is actually doing a great job, I'm going to tell you to keep them even if that means I don't get to sell you something new.


My incentive is singular: Help you protect what matters most, in the most effective and sustainable way possible.


Not the most expensive way. Not the flashiest way.


 The right way.


I worked with a manufacturing company that had been told by two different consultants they needed a $120K security operations center (SOC) platform.


They didn't need a $120K SOC.


They needed better visibility into their network, which we achieved with a $12K solution and some process improvements.


Saved them over $100K. Got them the security outcomes they actually needed.


Why would I do that?


Because I'm not trying to maximize my commission. 


And here's the thing: That approach builds trust.


 The kind of trust that turns a one-time engagement into a long-term partnership.


That CFO didn't just hire me for that project. She brought me in as a fractional CISO for all her companies. She referred me to her network. She became one of my biggest advocates.


Not because I sold her the most expensive thing.


 Because I told her the truth.


The next time a consultant recommends a tool, ask them:


"Do you have a financial relationship with this vendor?"


"Are there other solutions that could achieve the same outcome?"


"What happens if I choose a different product?"


You deserve unbiased advice. And if they can't give you that, find someone who can.

Ask a CEO about their top financial risks. They'll give you an answer.


Cash flow concerns. Market volatility. Rising costs.


Ask them about their top legal risks.


Contract disputes. Regulatory compliance. Employment issues.


Ask them about their top operational risks.


Supply chain disruptions. Equipment failures.


Ask them about their top personnel risks.


Key employee retention. Succession planning. Skills gaps.


They'll answer every single one without hesitation.


Now ask them about their top cyber risks.


Nine times out of ten?


They'll shrug. Look uncomfortable. And say:


"I don't know. Ask the IT guy."


And that right there? That's the problem.


Not because executives need to become cybersecurity experts.


But because cyber risk is a business risk and they're treating it like an IT problem.


You wouldn't shrug off a financial risk question and say "ask the CFO."


You wouldn't defer a legal risk question and say "ask our lawyer."


You wouldn't ignore an operational risk question and say "ask the plant manager."


Because as a leader, you own those risks. You understand them. You make strategic decisions about them.


But cyber risk? Too often, it's treated as someone else's problem. Something technical. Something you can delegate completely and never think about again.


And that's why we're losing.


That's why ransomware attacks are running unabated.


That's why breaches keep happening.


That's why companies lose contracts because they can't answer basic security questions.


That's why boards are blindsided when an incident happens.


Not because IT isn't doing their job. But because leadership isn't treating cyber as what it actually is: a strategic business risk.



If you're a CEO, a CFO, a COO, or any executive leader, you need to be able to answer this question:


"What are your top three cyber risks, and what are you doing about them?"


You don't need to know how firewalls work.


You don't need to understand zero-trust architectures.


You don't need to be able to configure endpoint protection.


But you do need to know:


What systems are critical to generating revenue?


What data, if compromised, would damage client trust?


What contracts depend on proving you're not a security liability?


What's your plan if you get hit with ransomware tomorrow?


That's not IT knowledge. That's business knowledge.


And if you can't answer those questions, you're shirking your responsibility as a leader.


I say that with kindness but also with urgency.


Because the cost of not knowing isn't just technical. It's financial. It's reputational. It's existential.


Because you wouldn't shrug off your financial risks.


You wouldn't ignore your operational risks.


So stop treating cyber risk like someone else's problem.


It's yours. Own it.


And if you need help understanding it and managing it I'm here. 


With kindness, clarity, and zero judgment.


Let's get you to a place where you can answer the question.

Let me tell you what you DON'T get when you work with me:


❌ No kickbacks on tools. I don't care what vendor is wining and dining me. 


❌ No jargon in board presentations. Your board doesn't need to hear about "zero-trust architectures" and "advanced persistent threats." 


❌ No shelfware reports. I'm not writing a 200-page document that looks impressive, collects dust, and changes nothing. If it's not actionable, I'm not delivering it.


Here's what you DO get:


✅ Unbiased truth delivered with kindness. I'll tell you what's broken, what's working, and what you're wasting money on. But I'll do it in a way that's honest and human. No shame. No fear-mongering. Just clarity and a path forward.


✅ A prioritized cybersecurity roadmap that makes sense. Not a wish list. Not "best practices" copied from a framework. A clear, sequenced plan based on your business, your risks, and your budget. And yes, we might even have some fun building it together


✅ A relentless focus on protecting revenue and people. Because cybersecurity isn't about compliance checkboxes or theoretical threats. It's about protecting the systems that make you money, the contracts that depend on trust, the reputation that keeps clients coming back, and the people who make it all happen.


Most cybersecurity consultants have conflicts of interest baked into their business model.
They're resellers. They get paid to push specific tools whether you need them or not.


They speak in technical jargon that makes them sound smart but leaves you confused and dependent on them


They deliver massive reports that check a compliance box but don't actually tell you what to do


And worst of all? They lead with fear instead of care.


I don't operate that way.


I'm not here to scare you into buying tools. I'm here to help you make smart, human-centered decisions about what you actually need.


I'm not here to impress your board with buzzwords. I'm here to give them clarity in plain English so they can sleep better at night.


Because cybersecurity shouldn't feel like punishment. It should feel like protection. And protection is an act of care.


I worked with a manufacturing company that had been sold six different "essential" security tools by three different consultants.


Half of them weren't configured. A quarter of them overlapped. And none of them were protecting the one system that actually generated revenue their customer portal


We sunset the tools they didn't need, reinvested that budget into what actually mattered, and built a roadmap focused on their critical business processes and on making the team feel supported, not overwhelmed.


That's what unbiased consulting looks like. 


You need someone who cares more about protecting your business and your people than padding their commission.


And that's exactly what you get. With kindness, clarity, and maybe even a few laughs along the way


With humanity at the center.

"I don't trust our IT provider and I don't know if I'm being taken advantage of."


That's what the COO of a $20 million dollar company told me when we first met.


His company was paying $15K a month for managed IT services. Every time he asked questions, he got tech jargon in response. 


Every time there was an issue, he was told it was "complicated" and would cost extra to fix.


He felt uneasy. Uncertain. Like he was flying blind while writing big checks every month.


So I became his IT couples therapist.


No, seriously. That's what I do.


I step into the messy, uncomfortable relationship between businesses and their IT providers and help both sides actually communicate.


I don't come in guns blazing, ready to fire your IT team. I come in curious, kind, and focused on understanding the truth.


✅ I talk to your IT provider in their language. I understand the tech. I know what's reasonable and what's BS. I can tell the difference between "this is genuinely complex" and "we're charging you extra because you don't know better."


✅ I translate for you in business terms. No jargon. No condescension. Here's what it costs. Here's whether it's worth it. And here's what you should be getting for your money.


✅ I remove inefficiencies and unnecessary costs. Sometimes your IT provider is doing great work but charging for things you don't need. I find the gaps, the overlaps, and the waste.


✅ I give you clarity. Because the worst feeling in business isn't paying too much it's not knowing if you're paying too much.


Here's what I did:


 Talking to the provider. Reviewing contracts. Understanding what was actually being delivered versus what was being billed.


Turns out? The IT provider wasn't malicious. They were just sloppy. Billing for licenses the company didn't use anymore. Charging "project rates" for routine maintenance. Providing coverage the business had outgrown.


I sat down with both sides like a couples therapist and facilitated an honest conversation.


The IT provider adjusted their pricing, tightened up their deliverables, and started communicating in ways the COO could actually understand.


The COO went from feeling uneasy to feeling confident. He understood what he was paying for.


 He trusted his provider again because now there was transparency.


And the company saved $4,500 a month. Over $50K a year.


Not by firing anyone. By creating clarity.


Most businesses don't have an IT problem. They have a communication and trust problem.


Your IT provider might be great but if you can't understand what they're doing or why it costs what it costs, you'll never feel good about the relationship.


Or your IT provider might be taking advantage and you'll never know because you don't speak the language.


I speak both languages. Business and tech. Risk and revenue. Strategy and systems.


And I do it all through my trademark kindness because no one benefits from blame, fear, or adversarial relationships.

Imagine how beautiful our world could be.


Not perfect. Not without conflict or struggle.


But beautiful because we chose to approach one another with empathy instead of judgment.



Most of the time, when someone acts in ways that frustrate us, anger us, or hurt us they're not acting from wisdom.


They're acting from pain.


Pain in their hearts. Pain in their souls. Pain they might not even fully understand themselves.


And that pain prevents them from showing up as their best selves.


So they react emotionally.


They lash out.


They withdraw.


They make decisions that don't make sense to us because we can't see the weight they're carrying.


And here's where we have a choice:


We can judge them by their actions alone react with anger, fear, or frustration of our own.


We can ask: "What might they be going through that I can't see?"


We can choose empathy over reaction.


We can choose understanding over judgment.


We can choose to see the full human being not just the behavior in front of us.


And when we do that? Everything changes.


Because empathy doesn't excuse harmful behavior.


 It doesn't mean we tolerate mistreatment or ignore our own boundaries.


But it does mean we respond thoughtfully instead of reactively.


It means we give people the space to be struggling and still worthy of dignity.


It means we recognize that our kindness, our understanding, our willingness to see someone fully that can be the thing that helps them find their way back.


The next time someone acts in a way that frustrates you—whether it's a colleague, a client, a family member, or a stranger—pause.


Before you react, ask yourself:


"What pain might they be carrying that I can't see?"


"What struggles might be driving this behavior?"


"How can I respond in a way that helps instead of harms?"


You don't have to fix their pain. You don't have to solve their problems.


You just have to choose empathy.


Because our ability to respond with kindness even when it's hard, even when we're frustrated, even when we don't understand that can make a real difference.


It can be the spark someone needs to find their strength again.


It can be the moment that shifts everything.


It can be the choice that creates the kind of world we all want to live in.


A world where understanding and support are at the forefront.


Let's be those people.


Starting today.

Anyone can tell you what you're not doing.


That part's easy.


A checklist can do it.


A framework can do it.


Honestly? AI can do it right now in seconds.


Ask ChatGPT about your security gaps and it'll spit out a beautifully formatted list of everything you're missing. 


Complete with recommendations, best practices, and a prioritized roadmap.


Free. Instant. Comprehensive.


If identifying security gaps is that easy, why are organizations still struggling?


Why are breaches still running rampant?


Why are security plans still sitting on shelves collecting dust??


Why are teams still overwhelmed, disengaged, and unsure what to do next?


Because knowing what to do and actually doing it are two completely different things.


And the gap between those two things?


That's where leadership lives.


It's not writing the plan. It's making the plan come alive.


It's not identifying the gaps. It's building the team and culture to close them.


It's not recommending the training. It's inspiring people to actually engage with it.


It's not pointing out what's broken. It's holding people accountable with kindness instead of fear.


It's not producing the roadmap. It's navigating the politics, the resistance, the budget constraints, and the competing priorities to actually execute it.


That's the hard part. And that's what most consultants and definitely AI can't do for you.


Because execution isn't a technical problem. It's a human problem.


And human problems require human leadership.


Real leadership isn't about being the loudest voice in the room.


It's not about wielding authority or instilling fear.


It's not about pointing fingers when things go wrong.


Real leadership is showing up with kindness, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to making things happen.


It's sitting with a team that's overwhelmed and saying: "I see you. Let's figure this out together."


It's holding someone accountable for a missed milestone not with shame, but with clarity and care.


It's inspiring a room full of skeptical executives to care about cybersecurity not because you scared them, but because you helped them understand what's actually at stake.


It's taking a 200-page security plan that nobody understands and turning it into something a team can actually execute step by step, with confidence.


That's what I bring to the table.


Leadership. Execution. Accountability. Delivered with kindness.


Security plans get executed.


Teams get trained and the training actually sticks.


Cultures shift from reactive to proactive.


Leaders stop deferring and start owning their cyber risk.


That's the transformation I create. And I do it all through kindness.


What's rare is someone who can make it happen.


With accountability. With humanity. With kindness.


That's what I do.

We're not ready for a security assessment right now.


That's what the CFO told me when we first spoke.


She was overseeing a group of companies.


 Multiple business units. Hundreds of employees. Millions in revenue.


And she had no idea what the current state of cybersecurity looked like across her organization.


I could have pushed harder. I could have leaned into fear. I could have painted worst-case scenarios until she felt backed into a corner.


But that's not how I work.


Instead, I was kind. But firm.


I said: "I understand you're not ready. 


But I want you to understand something too: The cost of action versus the cost of inaction is vastly different. If we do this assessment now, we can address gaps proactively. 


If you wait until after a breach, my cost will be 3x and that's just my cost. The real cost to your business will be far higher.


She thanked me for my time. And said no.


I didn't argue. I didn't guilt her. I didn't send follow-up emails painting disaster scenarios.


I just said: "I'm here when you're ready."


Five months later, my phone rang.


I was on vacation. Middle of the afternoon.


 Unknown number.


It was her.


"Dom, we need to talk. We just discovered we've been compromised. I need your help. And I know what you said your cost is going to be 3x now. I get it."


I didn't lecture her about ignoring my advice.


I didn't make her feel worse than she already did.


I responded with kindness and compassion.


"Okay," I said. "Here's what we're going to do. First, let's contain this. Then we'll assess the damage.


 Then we'll build you a roadmap so this doesn't happen again. We'll get through this together."


There was a pause on the other end of the line.


Then she said something I'll never forget:


"Dom, I didn't forget about the 3x. But I also didn't forget how you treated me when I said no. You were kind. You didn't resort to fear tactics. You didn't make me feel stupid. You just told me the truth and let me make my own decision."


She continued: "That's why I'm calling you now.


 Because I know you're going to help me fix this not shame me for it."


People remember how you make them feel especially when they're in crisis.


You can be right and be cruel. Or you can be right and be kind.


The outcomes might look the same in the short term. But in the long term? Kindness builds trust.


 And trust builds loyalty.


Not because I scared her. Because I respected her.


The next time someone says no to you whether it's a client, a colleague, a team member resist the urge to manipulate, guilt, or fear them into saying yes.


Tell them the truth. Give them the information they need to make an informed decision. 


And then respect their choice.


Because kindness isn't weakness. And patience isn't passivity.


It's leadership.


And when the crisis comes—and it will—they'll remember who treated them like a human being.


 And they'll call you.


And that's why people call me when it matters most.

We have sophisticated backups. We're covered.


That's what the construction company's IT guy told the CEO.


State-of-the-art backup system. Multiple redundancy layers. Offsite storage. Cloud replication. The works.


So when ransomware hit, they weren't worried.


"No problem," the IT guy said. "We'll just restore from backup."


Then they tried to restore a critical file.


A contract document they needed to close a $2 million deal. Time-sensitive. Client waiting.


Nothing happened.


They tried again. Nothing


They called me. I started digging. 


Hours passed. 


Then the truth came out:


The backups had never been tested.


They'd been running for two years. Generating reports that said "Backup Successful" every night.


But no one had ever tried to actually restore anything.


The sophisticated backup system was useless.


By the time they figured it out and recovered the file through other means the $2 million deal was gone.


Here's the brutal lesson:


Having a backup system and having a working backup system are not the same thing.


If you're not testing your backups regularly, you don't have backups. 


You have a very expensive false sense of security.


It's like having a fire extinguisher that's never been checked. It might work when you need it. Or it might not. And you won't know until it's too late.


Here's what I told them needed to happen! 


✅ Test your backups. Once when you set them up. Quarterly at minimum. Monthly is better.


✅ Test the full restore process. Don't just verify the backup ran. Actually restore files and make sure they work.


✅ Document your recovery procedures. When disaster strikes, people panic. You need clear, tested steps anyone can follow.


✅ Time your recovery. How long does it take to restore critical systems? Can you afford that downtime?


This isn't optional. It's fundamental.


I've seen this scenario play out too many times:


"We have backups."
"Great, let's restore."
"Oh… this isn't working."


And suddenly, what should have been a minor inconvenience becomes a business-ending crisis.


Here's what I told that construction company CEO:


"Your IT guy didn't lie to you. He thought you were covered. But he made a critical mistake: he trusted the system without validating it. In cybersecurity, trust but verify isn't just good advice it's survival."


We rebuilt their backup strategy from scratch. But more importantly, we built a testing cadence into their operations.


Now? They test quarterly. They know their backups work. They know how long recovery takes. They've practiced the process.


And they sleep better at night.


Who I am:
I'm Dom Vogel—the Dopamine Dealer on LinkedIn. I help manufacturing, construction, and B2B organizations build security that actually works—not just looks good on paper. I provide fractional CISO services that focus on validation, testing, and real-world resilience.

I put a picture of a luxury yacht on the screen.


Dead silence in the boardroom.


Finally, the chairman spoke up: "What does this have to do with cybersecurity?"


I smiled. "How many of you spend time on one of these?"


Several hands went up. This was a well-to-do board. $250M+ manufacturing company. 


Luxury lifestyle wasn't uncommon.


"Great," I said. "Now let me ask you this: How attached are you to keeping this lifestyle?"


They looked confused.


"Because if this company suffers a data breach and the board is found to have failed in its oversight duties around cyber risk management, you could be held personally liable."


"Personally. Liable."


I let that sink in.


"That yacht? Your vacation home? Your retirement accounts? All of it could be at risk if you're not fulfilling your fiduciary responsibilities when it comes to cybersecurity."


The room got very quiet.


Suddenly, cybersecurity wasn't some abstract IT issue they could delegate and forget about.


It was personal.


Here's what changed after that conversation:


They started asking the right questions.


They stopped deferring to "the IT guy" and started owning cyber risk as a board-level issue.


They brought me in as a fractional CISO to help them build real oversight, not just check boxes.


Not because I scared them. Because I made it relatable. 


These were smart, successful people. But cybersecurity felt distant technical jargon, compliance frameworks, things that happened to other companies.


A yacht? That's real. That's tangible. That's theirs.


And once they understood the personal stakes, everything shifted.


If you're presenting to a board and they're not engaged, you're speaking the wrong language.


They don't care about zero-trust architectures.


They don't care about penetration test results.


They don't care about compliance frameworks.


They care about what's at risk. And sometimes, you have to make it personal to get their attention.


I do it with kindness but also with clarity.


Because board members sometimes are only motivated when they understand their real personal stakes. 


Organizations need boards that actually lead on cyber risk instead of deferring it.


Because sometimes, all it takes is a picture of a yacht to wake people up.

🎯 DROP EVERYTHING and watch this. 🎯


My BRILLIANTLY AMAZING friend Mandy Morris, LPC delivered a TEDx Talk for the ages that genuinely stopped me in my tracks and I NEED you to see it.


She's talking about something we ALL carry but rarely name: trauma. Not the Hollywood version. The real definition a wound. 

And here's what blew my mind: those incredible stress patterns that helped us achieve? They were survival strategies. Genius ones. But survival isn't the same as freedom. 


If you're a high achiever who's ever felt stuck in the same cycles same work dynamics, same relationship patterns, same internal loops despite doing EVERYTHING "right"... 

Mandy just connected the dots in a way that will shake something loose


This talk is for every person who's been disciplined, capable, committed... and still wondering why certain patterns won't shift.


👉 Watch it here: https://lnkd.in/eN9VnCmM


Mandy, thank YOU for having the COURAGE to name what so many of us are quietly carrying. You are a true hero!!! 


Share this with someone who needs it today. You might just change their life. ❤️

Executive Psychology Coach & Co-Founder, SoFree™ | International TEDx Speaker | Creator of The Internal Edge™ | Helping High-Achievers Reset from Burnout, Rewire Stress Loops & Lead with Clarity

In my TEDx Talk, I name something no one likes to talk about.

There’s an invisible force shaping the way we think and react. And for high achievers, it often disguises itself as strength.

I’m talking about trauma.

Not as a buzzword. Not as something extreme. I mean the original definition: a wound. And we all carry them.

Many of the stress patterns that built our success were once survival strategies. They helped us cope, perform, and stay steady under pressure.

But survival is not the same as freedom.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in the same work environments, relationship patterns, or internal cycles despite being disciplined and capable, this might explain why.

👉 Watch the full talk here: https://lnkd.in/eN9VnCmM to see what decades of research say about rewiring those patterns and reclaiming real freedom.

I’m deeply grateful to the TEDxSwansea  organizers for creating a platform where conversations like this can reach more people. Mark Davies & Roxani Oikonomou  - thank you! It means so much to be able to share this message in spaces where high achievers are quietly carrying more than they show.

If you’ve ever wondered why discipline alone hasn’t changed certain patterns, this might connect some dots.

• Share this with someone who needs to hear it today. 

#HighAchievers #BurnoutRecovery #NervousSystemRegulation
Niki Papaioannou

taplio

The Battle

Mandy McEwen

Dominic Vogel

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Performance ScoreMandy McEwen's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDominic Vogel's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Mandy McEwen

Dominic Vogel

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);}Mandy McEwen's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDominic Vogel's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreMandy McEwen's LinkedIn Performance