Matt Gray

Founder & CEO, Founder OS | Proven systems to grow a profitable audience with organic content.

Over the last decade, I’ve built 4 successful companies and a community of over 14 million people.

My mission is to inspire 100 million founders to live their dreams through proven systems.

I help entrepreneurs remove themselves from operations, grow on autopilot with content and an engaged audience, and automate core systems.

I’m the founder of Founder OS, Gray Enterprises, and Bitmaker (acq. General Assembly).

My portfolio:

→ I'm the founder & CEO of Founder OS, a community of 650 entrepreneurs
→ I’m the founder & CEO of Gray Enterprises with a community of over 14 million people
→ I teach the Founder OS Program to help entrepreneurs scale their online businesses to $1M+ revenue
→ I coach entrepreneurs that need help with marketing, sales, systems, community, and growth
→ I advise early-stage companies in AI, Education, Creator Economy, and SaaS verticals

My results:

→ 14M+ people community
→ 2.5M+ people following Founder OS
→ 2B content impressions annually 
→ 0 advertisements
→ 80%+ margins

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Founder & CEO

Founder OS helps you build a predictable lead engine with organic content & make $1M+ online.

33 habits that (quietly) changed my life forever: 

1. Protect The First 4 Hours Of The Day

Your morning hours are sacred. Guard them like your life depends on it.

2. Write Before The World Wakes

Clarity comes in silence. Write first, react later.

3. Break A Sweat Daily, Energy Is Everything

Movement isn't optional. It's the foundation of everything.

4. Watch The Sunrise Often

Nature resets your nervous system better than any app.

5. Say "No" With Love

Protect your time without burning bridges.

6. Ask: "What's The One Domino That Knocks The Rest?"

Focus beats volume every single time.

7. Operate From Systems, Not Moods

Systems eliminate the need for motivation.

8. Journal My Fears Until They Dissolve

Writing exposes irrational thoughts.

9. Automate One Task Every Week

Compound small automations to leverage.

10. Build Once, Distribute Forever

Create assets that work while you sleep.

11. Re-Read My 10 Year Vision Weekly

Clarity fades without repetition.

12. Ask "Who Not How" Every Day

Delegation beats doing it yourself.

13. Leave One Day Plan-Free

Spontaneity feeds creativity.

14. Call My Parents Unprompted

Connection matters more than productivity.

15. Give Credit Publicly, Often

Generosity compounds faster than hoarding.

16. Build A Brand I Actually Admire

Don't build what you think will work. Build what you respect.

17. Return To Nature Every Week

Disconnect to reconnect.

18. Practice: Slow Is Smooth And Smooth Is Fast

Rush kills quality. Patience wins.

19. End Showers Cold

Discomfort training builds mental resilience.

20. Carry A Pocket Notebook Everywhere

Ideas don't wait for you.

21. Sketch Ideas Instead Of Typing Them

Visual thinking unlocks solutions.

22. Meditate On Impermanence

Everything ends. That makes today matter more.

23. Leave My Phone Outside The Bedroom

You before notifications.

24. Let Go Of One Grudge

Carrying resentment only punishes you.

25. Sing Alone In The Car, Loudly

Joy doesn't require an audience.

26. End The Day With Gratitude

What you focus on expands.

27. Eat Until I'm 80% Full

Discipline at the table creates discipline.

28. Eat The Same Lunch Every Day

Decision fatigue is real. Eliminate unnecessary choices.

29. Invest Automatically Monthly

Wealth is built through systems, not impulses.

30. Edit My Possessions Every 90 Days

Clutter in your space creates clutter in your mind.

31. Block One Full Week Per Quarter Fully Off-Grid

Deep rest creates deep work.

32. Sleep Without An Alarm

Your body knows what it needs.

33. Replace "I Have To" With "I Get To."

Language shapes reality. Choose empowering words.

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Matt Gray 

How to set a company strategy you'll actually use:

PURPOSE (Start Here)

1. Our One Sentence Mission

Strip it down until a 10-year-old could repeat it.

If you need a paragraph to explain your mission, you don't understand it yet.

2. Why The World Needs Us

This isn't about you, it's about the problem you're solving.

If the world wouldn't notice you disappeared, dig deeper.

3. What Would Break If We Disappeared

The answer reveals your true purpose.

UNIQUE ADVANTAGE (Your Moat)

4. The "Secret" We Believe That Others Don't

Every successful company operates on a contrarian belief.

5. What Makes Us Hard To Copy

Real competitive advantages take years to build.

If a competitor can replicate it in 90 days, it's not your moat.

6. Core Moat

Is it your brand? Your tech? Your network? Your execution speed?

Name it specifically. Own it completely.

7. Where We're Already Winning Disproportionately

Double down on what's already working before you chase what's not.

8. 10X Better Than Status Quo

Being 10% better doesn't change behavior.

You need to be dramatically superior to make people switch.

THE MARKET (Who You Serve)

9. Who Our Dream Customer Is

"Everyone" is not a strategy.

10. Their Biggest Pain / Unmet Job

What problem would they pay anything to solve?

11. Market We Dominate First

Win a niche beachhead before you try to conquer the world.

STRATEGIC CHOICES (Your Discipline)

12. What We Will ALWAYS Do

These are your non-negotiables.

The principles you'll protect even when it hurts.

13. What We Will NEVER Do

This is harder than it sounds.

Saying no defines your strategy more than saying yes.

14. Our #1 Priority This Year

Not three priorities. Not five. One.

Everything else is secondary or shouldn't exist.

15. Our Constraint / Bottleneck Right Now

What's actually holding you back?

Name it specifically or you'll never fix it.

16. How We'll Remove That Bottleneck

Talk is cheap. What's the actual plan?

EXECUTION SYSTEM (Making It Real)

17. Quarterly Targets (3 Max)

Pick three metrics that matter most.

Everything else is noise.

18. Monthly Milestones

Break quarters into months so you can adjust faster.

19. Who Owns Each Metric

One owner per metric. No committees.

STRATEGIC STORY (Your Narrative)

20. The Narrative We Want Team / Customers To Repeat

What do you want people saying about you when you're not around?

That's your strategic story.

21. Sticky Phrase For This Strategy

Mine is "We win because ______"

If you can't fill in that blank in five words, you're not clear yet.

The best strategy isn't the most sophisticated one.

It's the one your team can remember and execute on Monday morning.

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Notebooks are the new operating systems.

I know that sounds surprising, but hear me out.

Most founders have 17 half-filled notebooks scattered across their desk, car, and backpack.

Each one started with good intentions. Each one abandoned by week two.

Last year, I threw out every productivity app and went back to paper.

I built what I call "The Daily OS" a one-page framework that actually works.

Here's how to organize a notebook you'll actually use:

1. Theme Of The Day 

Start every day by naming what it's about.

Not a to-do list. An intention.

"Today is about deep creative work."
"Today is about strategic planning."
"Today is about connecting with my team."

This single sentence filters every decision you make.

2. Top 7 Priorities

Not 20 tasks. 
Not 50 emails. 
Seven priorities.

If you can't pick seven, you don't have clarity yet.

List them by impact, not urgency.

3. Meetings / Leverage Calls 

Here's the filter: Does this meeting create leverage or consume time?

If it doesn't compound, decline it or delegate it.

Only write down the calls that actually move needles.

4. Notes / Insights

Throughout the day, capture insights immediately.

Don't trust your memory. 

Write it down in the moment.

This section becomes your second brain.

5. The Scoreboard

Track three metrics daily:

• Gratitude (1 thing you're grateful for)
• Energy (1-10 scale, where 10 = you feel unbelievable)
• Revenue (1-10 scale, where 10 = you made significant progress)

Numbers don't lie. 

This scoreboard reveals patterns you'd otherwise miss.

6. End Of Day Reflection

Ask yourself 3 questions every evening:

What worked?
What didn't?
What will I accomplish tomorrow?

This 2-minute practice compounds into massive clarity over time.

The entire system fits on one page.

No apps. 
No syncing. 
No notifications.

Just a notebook and a pen.

Why does this work when digital tools fail?

• Because writing activates your brain differently than typing
• Because paper doesn't have notifications competing for your attention
• Because you can't optimize what you don't track, and this forces you to track what matters

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I'm finishing 2025 with less.

Not more goals. 
Not more hustle. 
Not more complexity.

Less.

Founders usually enter a new year by adding more projects, more meetings, more commitments.

Then they wonder why they're overwhelmed by March.

I spent the last week doing the opposite.

Deleting everything that doesn't move the needle.

Here's what I'm ruthlessly removing before 2026:

1. Instagram Before 9am

Your brain's sharpest in the morning, don't waste it scrolling.

I used to grab my phone before my feet hit the floor. 

Now I protect those first hours like they're sacred. 

Because they are.

2. Meetings That Don't Move The Needle

If it doesn't produce revenue, a decision, or a deliverable, cancel it.

I audited my calendar last week. 

Half my meetings existed just to "stay connected." Those are gone.

3. Software You're Not Actually Using

Check your subscriptions, cancel anything you haven't opened in 30 days.

I found $847/month in tools I forgot I was paying for. That's over $10,000 a year on digital clutter.

4. Your Lowest-Paying Client

They take 60% of your time for 10% of your revenue.

You know exactly who I'm talking about. 

Fire them. 

Your business will thank you.

5. Slack Notifications After 6pm

Your team will survive; you need to recharge.

I turned off after-hours notifications six months ago. 

Not a single emergency. 

Plenty of sanity gained.

6. The Project You Haven't Touched In 3 Months

It's not "on hold", it's dead.

Archive it. Stop pretending you'll get back to it. 

That mental weight is costing you more than you realize.

7. Coffee Meetings With No Agenda

"Pick your brain" equals wasting your time.

If someone can't send a clear agenda beforehand, they don't respect your calendar enough to deserve a spot on it.

8. Your 47-Item To-Do List

Write down 3 things that actually matter, do those.

Long to-do lists are productivity theater. 

They make you feel busy while keeping you from what's important.

9. The Need For Perfection

Ship the draft you've been sitting on for 2 weeks.

Done beats perfect every single time. 

Perfectionism isn't excellence, it's fear wearing a fancy mask.

10. Saying "Let Me Think About It"

You already know, decide now.

Indecision is a decision to stay stuck. 

Trust your gut and move forward.

Every "yes" to something meaningless is a "no" to something that could transform your business.

I'm entering 2026 lighter.

Fewer commitments. 
Fewer distractions. 
Fewer things competing for my attention.

More focus. 
More energy. 
More impact.

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10 Things To Delete Before 2026

10 phrases every founder should read:

1. "Revenue is vanity. Profit is sanity. Cash is reality."

2. "Your business should work without you, or it's not a business—it's a job."

3. "Systems run the business. People run the systems."

4. "Charge what you're worth, then double it."

5. "Problems are just undiscovered profit centers."

6. "You don't get what you deserve. You get what you negotiate."

7. "Focus is saying no to 1,000 good ideas."

8. "Your network is your net worth, but only if you give before you receive."

9. "Perfectionism is procrastination in disguise."

10. "The market doesn't care about your feelings."

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10 Phrases Every Founder Should Read

I read 112 books in a year, here's which ones you should read:

1. Deep Work By Cal Newport

In a world of constant distractions, focus is a priceless asset.

Newport teaches you:

• The value of deep vs shallow work
• How to avoid the trap of 'busyness' 
• How to create rituals and routines for focus

Conquer distractions with this book.

2. Zero To One By Peter Thiel And Blake Masters

This book redefines the startup landscape.

You'll learn to:

• Challenge conventional business thinking
• Grasp the philosophy of true innovation
• Learn how to build a monopoly 

Don't iterate.

Innovate.

3. Scaling Up By Verne Harnish

Grow your business smartly with Harnish's insights.

He talks about:

• Recognizing the barriers to scaling up
• Mastering the four major decisions in business
• Implementing actionable tools and techniques 

Scale with strategy, not just size.

4. The Power Of Now By Eckhart Tolle

Awaken your mind to the present moment.

Tolle guides you through:

• Achieving personal liberation 
• The profound concept of the 'Present Moment'
• Recognizing patterns of self-created suffering

Live now. 

Everything else is a dream.

5. Shoe Dog By Phil Knight

Learn about Nike's extraordinary journey.

Knight shares:

• The evolution of a global brand 
• The raw hustle of entrepreneurship
• The risks and rewards of his venture

Every empire starts with a single step.

This book makes this clear.

6. Built To Last By Jim Collins And Jerry I. Porras

Discover what makes visionary companies thrive.

Collins and Porras reveal:

• Timeless management principles
• The habits of successful companies
• The 'Preserve the Core/Stimulate Progress' concept

7. Rework By Jason Fried And David Heinemeier Hansson

Redefine the way you perceive business.

Fried and Hansson advocate:

• Challenging the norms of the corporate world
• Embracing a simpler way of working
• Less is more

Revamp your strategy. 

Less fuss, more clarity.

8. The Lean Machine By Dantar Oosterwal

Embark on a journey of streamlined processes.

Oosterwal presents:

• Harley-Davidson's remarkable transformation 
• How operational excellence can fuel success 
• The guiding principles of lean thinking 

Efficiency is precision.

9. The CEO Within 

Recognize and unleash the inner leader in you.

Dive into:

• Building trust and fostering team unity 
• Harnessing innate leadership qualities 
• Navigating corporate politics with finesse 

You can be the leader you've been looking for.

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How to monetize your expertise (without selling your soul):

Most experts are broke.

They have incredible knowledge but no system to monetize it.

Knowledge without systems is just expensive hobbies.

1. My Expertise Transformation Story

2017: Built my first system, hit $5,000/month

2021: Systemized everything, reached $150,000/month 

2024: Founder OS generates $464,000/month

Same expertise. Different systems.

2. The $100K/Month Math

$100,000 per month breaks down to:

• $3,333 per day
• 28 customers at $3,571 each
• 10 customers at $10,000 each
• 5 customers at $20,000 each

The higher your price, the fewer customers you need.

3. The Attract → Nurture → Monetize Formula

Most experts skip straight to monetization.

Big mistake.

My 3-step system:

• Attract strangers with valuable content
• Nurture them into believers
• Monetize believers into customers

Each step must be systematic, not random.

Step 1: The Expertise Amplification System

Your expertise is worthless if nobody knows about it.

My content strategy:

• Tell case studies (proof of expertise)
• Give contrarian takes (attention grabbers)
• Break down processes (step-by-step value)
• Share frameworks (your intellectual property)

Goal: Position yourself as THE authority in your niche.

Step 2: The Trust Acceleration Engine

Most experts think content is enough.

It's not.

You need a systematic nurture process:

Week 1: Welcome + immediate value delivery 
Week 2: Personal story + credibility building
Week 3: Case study + social proof 
Week 4: Soft introduction to your offers

Trust before transactions. Always.

Step 3: The High-Value Monetization Model

Here's where most experts mess up:

They sell their time, not their systems.

Wrong: $200/hour consulting 

Right: $20,000 systematic transformation

Scale your expertise, not your hours.

4. The Expertise Authority Stack

Layer 1: Valuable free content (builds awareness) 

Layer 2: Lead magnets (captures emails) 

Layer 3: Email sequences (builds trust)

Layer 4: Case studies (proves results) 

Layer 5: Premium offers (monetizes expertise)

Each layer feeds the next.

5. The Expertise Scaling System

Month 1-3: Document your methodology 

Month 4-6: Test with 5 pilot customers

Month 7-9: Systematize delivery process

Month 10-12: Build content machine 

Year 2: Scale to $100K/month

Systems first. Scale second.

Remember, your expertise is worth millions.

But only if you systematize it.

Most experts die with their knowledge.

Smart experts build systems that scale their impact.

Don't take your expertise to the grave.

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Founders are terrified AI will replace them.

I had the opposite realization.

I built an AI team that works while I sleep.

Here's how I built my AI team:

Step 1: Upload Your Universe

Feed it everything that makes you, you.

PDFs, books, posts, transcripts, brand guidelines, every piece of content that represents your voice and vision.

This becomes its knowledge base.

The more context you give it, the better it thinks like you.

Step 2: Train On Your Tone

Teach it to write like you. Think like you.

Upload examples of your best writing and tell it: "This is how I communicate."

The AI learns your patterns, your voice, your style.

Now it can draft emails that sound exactly like you wrote them.

Step 3: Connect Your Stack

Integrate it with the tools you already use:

• Slack → Daily syncs
• Notion → Task boards
• Figma → Visual output
• Google Drive → Summaries

Your AI team now lives inside your workflow, not outside it.

Step 4: Assign Roles

I created four distinct AI assistants:

• Writer GPT - drafts content in my voice
• Designer GPT - creates visual assets
• Analyst GPT - pulls insights from data
• Chief of Staff GPT - manages my calendar and priorities

Each one has a specific job. 

Each one operates independently.

Step 5: Chain Them Together

Here's where it gets powerful:

These AI assistants update dashboards, draft reports, and sync information without me.

They work while I sleep.

They hand off tasks to each other like a real team.

Step 6: Test + Tune

Feedback loops = faster learning.

The more you correct and refine, the smarter the system gets.

I spend 30 minutes per week tuning my AI team.

They save me 20+ hours per week in return.

You now run a company with 4 AI employees.

Founders are still treating AI like a search engine.

They ask it one-off questions and wonder why it's not useful.

But AI becomes transformative when you treat it like a team member.

Assign it roles. 
Give it context. 
Connect it to your systems.

That's when magic happens.

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I spent 3 years working 16-hour days and almost broke myself.

Now I have built successful companies while maintaining work-life balance.

The difference isn't more effort. 

It's systems.

Your hustle got you to $20K per month, but it won't get you to $100K. 

I learned this lesson the hard way so you don't have to.

Here's what transformed everything for me:

1. Content Creation Systems

The right systems turn strangers into buyers automatically. 

Not through endless hustling, but through systematized content that works while you sleep.

2. Team Operating Systems

Most founders stay trapped because they can't remove themselves from operations. 

Systems let you build teams that operate beautifully without your constant involvement.

3. Offer Scaling Systems

Breaking free from the 1:1 model requires systematic approaches to scale what you offer. 

This is how you create exponential rather than linear growth.

4. Consistency Over Hustle

Money loves systems, but wealth loves consistency. 

The entrepreneurs who build real wealth aren't working 80-hour weeks – they're consistently applying systems that compound over time.

5. Freedom Through Design

Poverty loves hustle. It keeps you spinning your wheels. 

True freedom comes through intentionally designed systems that eliminate the need for constant grinding.

Stop building your business like it's 1995. 

The old approach of outworking everyone else is the slowest path to growth.

Your freedom is literally one system away.

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Your Hustle Got You To 20K Per Month

I analyzed 10,000 sales calls and discovered something shocking.

The highest-converting calls had zero pitching.

Just stories.

Here's the systemized approach I use to sell without selling:

1. The Discovery

Stories activate mirror neurons in your brain. 

When I tell you about my transformation, you don't just hear it, you experience it. 

They literally feel your results.

2. The 4-Part Story Architecture

Every conversion story needs these elements:

Catalyst → (what changed)
Contrast → (before vs after)
Conflict → (what you overcame)
Conquest → (where you are now)

Example: "I was working 80-hour weeks, burned out and barely profitable. 

Then I discovered that 97% of success is systems. 

This insight changed everything, but I had to systematize every aspect of my business first. 

Now I work 4 hours per day while helping 14 million founders achieve freedom."

The gap between before and after = their desired transformation.

3. The Advanced Technique

Start story A, interrupt with story B, finish story B, then complete story A.

This creates hypnotic attention because the brain craves closure.

4. The Psychology Loop

Stories create emotion.

Emotion creates logic.

Logic creates action.

When you master this, you're not selling products - you're selling transformations.

The founder experience is everything. 

When founders hear your story, they see their future.

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How I Use My Story To Sell

Steve Jobs once said:

"Deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do."

11 more golden nuggets on decision-making from the founder of the first trillion-dollar company:

1. Efficiency

Jobs believed in making decisions fast, valuing efficiency over collaboration.

“When you innovate, you make mistakes. It's best to admit them quickly and get on with improving other innovations.”

2. Clear priorities

Knowing what matters most to you makes all decision-making far easier. 

“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful, that’s what matters to me.”

3. Trusting intuition

Don't fear the unknown.

"You can't connect dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. 
 
You have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. 

4. Cutting corners

Jobs knew excellence was a habit.

"When you're a carpenter making a chest of drawers, you're not going to use plywood on the back, even though nobody will see it. 

5. Get rid of your ego

We often cling to a viewpoint in fear of admitting we were wrong. But shedding your ego leads to the most growth.

“I’ll admit that I’m wrong a lot. It doesn’t really matter to me. What matters to me is that we do the right thing.”

6. First principles

Never blindly accept anything you're told. Always ask why.

The answer you invariably get is ‘That’s just the way it’s done.’ 

Nobody knows why they do what they do. Nobody thinks about things very deeply in business. 

7. The shortness of life

Whenever you're scared to take a big leap, recall death.

"Remembering that you're going to die is the best way to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. 

8. Simplicity

In a world of noise and distractions, the ability to concentrate on a few things that truly matter is a huge advantage.

One of my mantras is focus and simplicity. "Simple can be harder than complex; you have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple."

9. The power of collaboration

Interdependence, not independence, is key to success.

My business model is The Beatles: They were four guys who kept each other’s negative tendencies in check; they balanced each other. 

And the total was greater than the sum of the parts.

10. Just do you

It's easy for your dreams to be muted by the armchair criticism of others. 

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life and don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your inner voice.

11. The Genius Effect

Sometimes, if you have unwavering conviction and no one's on your side, persist. You might just change the world.

While some see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. 

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Most people are stuck in the same place they were 5 years ago.

Same habits. 
Same routines. 
Same results.

Then they wonder why nothing changes.

I used to be one of them.

So here's how to get ahead of 99% of people:

1. Lifestyle: Morning Routine

Your morning makes or breaks your entire day.

Take control by shutting out inputs, no emails, texts, or social media first thing. Kickstart your body with exercise before your mind gets cluttered. 

Schedule deep work when your energy peaks, not when meetings demand it.

Your morning isn't negotiable. Protect it like your business depends on it, because it does.

2. Lifestyle: Evening Routine

A supercharged morning starts the night before.

Write down your 5 needle-moving tasks for tomorrow so you wake up with clarity, not confusion. 

Ease into sleep with reading or meditation instead of scrolling.

Sleep is the ultimate performance enhancer. Treat it that way.

3. Upskilling: Storytelling

Sales, hiring, marketing, it's all storytelling.

There's no soft skill that'll benefit you more.  

Master these and you'll close more deals, attract better talent, and build stronger brands.

Facts tell, but stories sell.

4. Upskilling: Negotiation

The crux of negotiation is empathy and understanding.

By learning negotiation, you become a better listener, communicator, and persuader. 

Everything is a negotiation. Learn the game.

5. Upskilling: Learning to Learn

To succeed at something fast, you'll have to constantly pick up skills.

That's why you need a robust system for learning: learn by doing, with a purpose, and with accountability. 

Speed of learning determines speed of earning.

6. Monetization: Passion

To find what'll make you wealthy without sacrificing your sanity, you need to introspect.

What are you good at? 
What do you love to do? 
What does the world need? 

Passion without profit is a hobby. Profit without passion is prison.

7. Monetization: Sales

Sales is 20% selling and 80% prospecting.

Get good at finding and feeding the starving crowd, and you'll never worry about revenue again.

8. Monetization: Offer

If sales are full of friction, you're doing it wrong.

Great offers sell themselves. List out perceived roadblocks, identify an outcome, then package solutions to roadblocks into an offer. 

Don't sell a product, sell a transformation that eliminates their pain and delivers their dream.

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How To Get Ahead Of 99% Of People

I stopped treating Monday like the hardest day and started treating it like my competitive advantage.

While everyone else is dragging through Monday morning fog, I'm three steps ahead.

Not because I'm more disciplined, but because I have a system.

I call it the "Weekly Reboot Template".

So here's how to make Monday the best day of your week:

1. Reset Your Energy

Morning Rule: Sunlight + Silence + Sweat before phone.

No exceptions.

Get outside for 10 minutes. 

Sit in silence for 5. 

Move your body before you check a single notification.

This one habit sets the tone for your entire week.

2. Set The Intention

Answer two questions:

• This week I want to feel...
• My single word for the week...

Not goals. 
Not tasks. 
Feelings and focus.

"This week I want to feel productive and present."

"My word is 'clarity.'"

Everything you do filters through this lens.

3. Top 3 Priorities (In Order)

Not 10 priorities. Not 20 tasks. Three.

Write them in order of impact.

If you only accomplish these three things this week, would you consider it successful?

If no, rewrite them.

4. Delete What Doesn't Matter

Two questions:

• I'm saying "no" to...
• I'll automate or delegate...

Subtraction creates space for what actually moves needles.

Name what you're eliminating before you start adding.

5. Schedule Your Power Blocks

Block your calendar in three categories:

• Meetings
• Deep work
• Creative play

Don't hope you'll find time. 

Design time.

Protect your deep work blocks like they're investor meetings.

6. Design Your Environment

Two questions:

Where will I work from today?
What can I remove from my space?

Environment shapes behavior.

A cluttered space creates a cluttered mind.

Remove distractions before you need willpower to resist them.

7. End With Gratitude

Close your Monday with two reflections:

• One thing I'm proud of...
• One way I'll reward myself tonight...

Gratitude compounds momentum.

Celebrate the win before chasing the next one.

This entire template takes 15 minutes on Monday morning.

But it saves you 10+ hours of wasted time, scattered focus, and decision fatigue throughout the week.

Monday isn't the problem.

Starting Monday without a system is the problem.

I've used this exact template for the past year.

Every single Monday.

And Mondays went from my most dreaded day to my most productive day.

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Most founders are addicted to being needed.

The traditional business playbook says "hustle harder" and "be indispensable."

But I built a successful business while prioritizing time freedom.

Here's how to build a business that runs without you:

1. AED Implementation 

This is the exact system I use to remove myself from operations:

• AUTOMATE what's repetitive
• ELIMINATE what's unnecessary
• DELEGATE what's not in your zone of genius

When something lands on your plate, run it through this filter immediately.

Your most valuable resource isn't money, it's your attention.

2. Document Everything 

If you do it twice, write it down.

Write down:

• Screenshots or videos
• Tips and best practices
• Step-by-step instructions
• Common mistakes to avoid

Thousands of hours can be saved with a single document.

3. Your Team = Your Leverage

Most founders hire too late, too cheap, and without systems.

Here's your first three game-changing hires:

• Executive Assistant (buys back 20+ hours weekly)
• Content Manager (builds your audience while you sleep)
• Operations Manager (runs your systems when you're gone)

Hire for systems, not tasks.

The ROI on great people with great systems is infinite.

4. Freedom Architecture 

Design businesses around your ideal lifestyle rather than sacrificing life for business growth. 

• Control WHEN you work (time autonomy)
• Choose WHERE you live (location freedom)
• Decide WHO you serve (customer selection)
• Own WHAT you create (intellectual property)

Each "W" you surrender costs you.

This isn't just a business. It's about owning your life.

5. Strategic Deep Work 

Dedicate the first few hours of your day to deep, focused work on your needle-moving work.

No phone, no social media, no distractions.

This is when your mind is freshest and most creative.

Protect this time at all costs.

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Here's How To Build A Business 

My business was growing, but I was falling apart.

Then I realized the problem wasn't my circumstances.

It was my daily operating system.

Most founders optimize their business systems but ignore the system running their life.

9 habits I used to unf*ck myself: 

1. Say No by Default

Your time is the most precious asset you'll ever own.

Stop giving it to people who don't deserve it, especially energy vampires who drain you dry. 

My rule: if it's not a hell yes, it's a no. 

Conquer FOMO and put yourself first.

2. Get Addicted to Learning

I put time aside daily before bed to read.

At first, staying consistent was brutal, but the more I did it, the more the effects compounded. 

Your information diet is just like your actual diet: if you eat crap, you'll feel like crap.

3. Prioritize Nature

A study of 20,000 people in the UK found that just 120 minutes per week in nature improved health and well-being.

It's the planet's greatest healer. 

Whenever I'm in a rut, nature's always the spark that returns color to the gray.

4. Morning Routine

Your routine doesn't need to be 4 hours long or involve a cold plunge.

Just nail the basics: no phone first thing, a small win early like light exercise, and prime your mind for deep work through journaling. 

Your morning is the stretching before the sprint.

5. Embrace Loneliness

Twice a month, I do something normally "social" alone.

I'll eat dinner, go to the park, or attend a movie by myself. 

Solitude is an essential pillar to truly knowing yourself; it's the secret garden where self-discovery can bloom.

6. Choose Writing Over Complaining

Complaining isn't attractive; it repels ambitious people and fosters a negative mindset.

Write down your thoughts instead: you're forced to think slowly and deeply so your irrationality loses its edge. 

It's the therapy your therapist uses.

7. Pay it Forward

Random acts of kindness boost well-being in ways most people don't realize.

Hold the door for someone. Pick up trash outside. Give a compliment. 

The world's a closed system: if you send waves of positivity out, they'll find their way back to you.

8. Maintain Relationships

Human connections are the fabric of life, but you need to be intentional with them amidst life's chaos.

Schedule time weekly for thoughtful texts and calls to those you've neglected. 

It's a couple of minutes with an ROI you'll measure in years.

9. Focus on Your Health

I'm convinced most mental health problems are actually physical health problems.

Everyone I know who eats well, exercises daily, and drinks enough water has a Teflon mind that repels all negativity. 

Your body and mind aren't separate; they're the same system.

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(99+) Post | LinkedIn

9 Habits I Used To Unf*ck Myself

Kaci M.

9 ways to rewire your brain (based on science):

1. Cold Therapy  

Exposure to cold increases norepinephrine levels by up to 500%.

Norepinephrine enables brain plasticity and cell metabolism.

It can help you enhance:

• Mood
• Focus
• Attention
• Vigilance

A 3-minute cold shower provides huge returns.

2. Practice Breathwork 

Go through guided exercise on: 

• Diaphragmatic breathing 
• Coherent breathing 
• 4-7-8 breathing 

Find the techniques that help you: 

• Reduce stress 
• Improve mood 
• Battle anxiety

3. HIIT Workouts 

Exercise supports the brain on multiple levels.

• Increases gray matter
• Improves blood flow to the brain
• Regulates neurotransmitter levels
• Activates molecules that drive cellular adaptation

HIIT exercises maximize value/time.

4. Improve Your Sleep 

Sleep is essential for learning and memory.

Invest in your sleep by: 

• Using mouth tape 
• Buying blackout curtains 
• Getting a thermoregulated mattress
• Getting 0 screen time 2 hours before bed

5. Meditation 

Chronic stress reduces brain activity.

Use meditation to combat stress: 

• Maintain focus 
• Build emotional control 
• Center yourself during hectic times 

Building a consistent meditation practice will do wonders for your brain.

6. Learn Something New

The action of learning is plasticity.

When you learn something new, your brain physically changes.

• Pick up a new instrument 
• Study a foreign language 
• Learn a new skill

Learning something new every day keeps different parts of your brain active.

7. Eat Clean

A diet high in saturated fats and refined sugars:

• Impairs memory
• Raises stress levels
• Reduces learning capacity

But a diet with complex carbs and healthy fats:

• Improves mood
• Enhances memory
• Supports brain functioning

8. Ditch Positive Affirmations 

Affirmations do nothing to change our brains.

But asking ourselves questions does. 

• Who do I want to be? 
• What do I need to achieve to be that person? 

The process of searching for answers rewires our brain to think in a "can-do" manner.

9. Build Positive Habits 

40% of our daily actions are unconscious habits.

Employ the Habit Loop to build positive habits and cut negative ones. 

• Identify your cues 
• Control your cravings 
• Tailor your responses 
• Maximize your rewards

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Most founders burn out by Sunday night.

I used to be one of them.

I'd work all week, then fill my weekends with more work and by Monday morning, I felt more exhausted than I did on Friday.

Here's how to plan your weekend effectively:

1. Theme

What do I want to feel?

Start here, not with a to-do list.

Peace? 
Aliveness? 
Connection? 

Name the feeling first. Everything else follows from this.

2. Intention

This weekend is about...

Fill in the blank with one sentence.

"This weekend is about deep rest."
"This weekend is about creative exploration."
"This weekend is about quality time with family."

One intention. That's it.

3. Energy Reset

What will recharge me the most?

Not what you think you should do, what actually fills your tank.

For me, it's nature, movement, and solitude.

For you, it might be completely different.

4. One Domino

The one thing that makes everything easier.

What's the single action that would make the rest of your weekend flow?

Meal prep? 
A tough conversation? 
Organizing your workspace?

Do this first. 

Everything else becomes unnecessary or easier.

5. No-List

What will I do not do this weekend?

This is more important than your to-do list.

No email. 
No social media before noon. 
No saying yes to obligations that drain you.

Protect your weekend like you protect your bank account.

6. Adventure

One New Experience.

Create a story worth telling on Monday.

It doesn't have to be grand. 

Just something that breaks the pattern.

7. Connection

Who do I want deep time with?

Not surface-level hangouts. Deep, quality time.

Name the person. Schedule it. Protect it.

8. Creation 

One small act of art.

Journal. 
Sketch. 
Cook something new. 
Build something with your hands.

Creation is medicine for the soul.

9. Body

How will I move my body?

Hike, lift, swim, stretch, your body needs movement to process the week.

10. Mind

What am I reading or listening to?

Feed your mind something nourishing, not just entertaining.

11. Systems Reset

What do I want organized by Monday?

Clean workspace. 
Meal prep done. 
Calendar reviewed.

Set yourself up to win the week.

12. Sunday Reset

Three Questions:

What worked last week?
What drained me last week?
What is my intention this week?

The difference between founders who scale and founders who burn out?

They design their weekends intentionally instead of letting them happen accidentally.

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How to remove yourself from operations (and scale 10x faster):

1. Track Your Time on 15-Minute Intervals 

Free up time to focus on high-impact work. 

To track your tasks: 

• Use a timer 
• Review the list 
• Identify tasks to outsource 

2. Mark Tasks That Can Be Delegated

Delegating frees up time and boosts productivity.

Ask yourself:

• Do I like doing this?
• Is it repeatable?
• Can it be delegated?

3. Value Your Time at $2k/Hour

Setting a high hourly rate will make it easier to filter tasks to outsource.

Delegate tasks that are valued lower than this hourly rate.

4. Hire a VA to Scale Your Workflow

Delegate tasks to VAs who can do them 80% as well as you.

They won't have: 

• Efficiency
• Full context
• Years of experience

And they don't need to.

5. The Quality VA Criteria

During your search, filter for: 

• $10k+ earned
• High approval rating
• Native English speaker
• Great training services

Your VA must meet these requirements to be a solid hire.

6. Onboard Your VA

Effective communication = smooth operations.

Onboard your VA to discuss:

• How often you meet
• How you communicate (Slack, Asana etc...)
• How they should track and update you on completed tasks

Set expectations early to minimize unexpected challenges.

7. Create Systems for Each Task

Your VA won't know the full context of what they're working on and why.

Create documents and videos for each step:

• Create how-to's
• Draft best practices
• Record Loom videos

Clear and concise systems will 10x your VAs output quality.

8. Review Systems and Performance Weekly

With your VA, learn to track unexpected challenges that you're not prepared for.

• Create a new process
• Create new templates
• Change an existing process

Build these with your VA to optimize your working relationship with your VA.

9. Spend Quality 1-1 Time

Working together 1-1 for up to a month to help them learn the ropes.

• Meet often
• Give detailed and direct feedback
• Listen to their suggestions

Experienced VAs can 10x the efficiency of your processes.

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How To Remove Yourself From Operations

Tony Robbins once said:

"Clarity is power. The more clear you are about exactly what it is you want, the more your brain knows how to get there."

Here’s how to cut the noise and find your true clarity:

1. Clarity Helps You Understand What Truly Matters To You

Without clarity, you may spend years pursuing goals that don't matter to you, leading to unfulfillment.

But how do you find clarity in a world full of distractions?

The answer lies in the concept of Ikigai.

2. Ikigai Is A Japanese Word That Translates To "Reason For Being"

It's the intersection of four elements:

• What you love
• What you're good at
• What the world needs
• What you can be paid for

It's a powerful framework for discovering your reason for being, your "why."

3. Ikigai Is The First Step On The Journey To Clarity

It's the compass that guides you towards work that aligns with your values.

When you have a clear Ikigai, you can make better decisions and take action toward creating the life you want.

4. Finding Your Ikigai:

• Identify the four elements of Ikigai
• Journal daily about your passion and your 10-year vision
• Reflect on what gets you out of bed in the morning and fills you with energy and excitement

Discovering your Ikigai is a process of self-exploration.

5. Implement These 5 Golden Rules Of Ikigai

• Give thanks
• Follow your Ikigai
• Reconnect with nature
• Surround yourself with positivity
• Take it slow and enjoy the journey

6. Align Your Life & Work With It

This is where the real magic happens.

When you pursue what brings you joy and aligns with your values, your energy becomes electric.

Clarity fuels you to take massive action towards your goals.

When I aligned my life and work with my Ikigai, everything changed.

My content resonated deeply with my audience, and my reach exploded:

• Twitter grew to 214K
• LinkedIn grew to 266K
• Newsletter subscribers grew to 68K 

Clarity is the rocket fuel that propels you.

7. Use Your Ikigai As A Roadmap For Designing A Life You Love

• Build a team that shares your values
• Craft a business that supports your dreams
• Create content that lights you up and inspires others

With clarity as your guide, you can architect a life that truly serves you.

Clarity is not a one-time destination but a lifelong journey of growth & self-discovery.

Don't buy into the myth that success requires sacrificing your health and happiness.

You can have it all: a wildly profitable business and a deeply fulfilling life. 

Unlock your potential, and master the art of working when, where, and how you choose.

Clarity is the key.

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The best habit you can develop is building systems.

 Systems are your clone.

They encode your decisions. 
They scale your expertise. 
They multiply your time.

These 3 systems transformed my business from needing me to running without me:

1. Decision Systems = Your Brain in a Doc

When this happens, do that.

If client asks X, respond with Y. 

Your judgment becomes their execution.

I documented every decision pattern I was making repeatedly. 

Client onboarding. 
Pricing negotiations. 
Scope changes. 
Refund requests.

Now my team acts like me - even when I'm not there.

2. Content Systems = Your Voice on Repeat

Bank 60 ideas in advance. 
Batch create in a few hours. 
Post 7 days without thinking.

I stopped creating content daily and started creating content strategically.

One focused session gives me weeks of consistent output. 

My brand grows while I sleep.

3. Delivery Systems = Excellence on Autopilot

Client onboarding? Templated. 
Weekly check-ins? Scheduled. 
Results delivery? Systematized.

Every touchpoint in my client experience runs on rails. Consistency without chaos. Quality without constant oversight.

I installed these systems over 6 months.

Now my business runs while I travel 47 countries. 

Same revenue. 
Zero daily fires.

It feels slow at first.

Documenting processes takes time. 
Creating templates requires thought. 

Building SOPs feels like busy work when you could be "doing the real work."

But that's exactly backwards.

The "real work" is building the machine that does the work.

Everything else is just trading hours for dollars with a fancy title.

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The Best Habit You can Develop

Chris Donnelly

Founder (Business Acquired by Croud)

Founder | Follow for posts on Business, Marketing & AI

Cofounder of Searchable: 

An Autonomous SEO & AEO Growth Engineer 
Analyse, fix, & scale your website to drive customers

Work out how to master AI Search here: searchable.com

The short life story 

I decided to skip the corporate job & start a digital marketing agency at 21. Here is the journey so far: 

Age 21: Bootstrapped Adjust Media at university making websites 
Age 22: Left Uni and rebranded to Verb Brands
Age 27: Acquired DBD Media Ltd, their 20 staff & expanded to digital marketing
Age 28: Won Bugatti & recognised as leading luxury agency
Age 30: Sell entirety of Verb Brands to Croud & LDC in an 8-figure deal
Age 31: Founded Lottie Org w/ Will Donnelly (Grow revenue to 8 figures, raise $35m & hire 100 people).
Age 32: Launch my Media, Education and Investment business
Age 33: Launched the Creator Accelerator and reached 8 figures in revenue
Age 34: Co Founded Searchable

It’s been a journey. 

Through Searchable.com I help founders and marketers to grow their organic traffic on auto pilot with our autonomous Seo and Aeo tool: searchable.com

Through my investment company, we support and invest into Entrepreneurs running incredible businesses, and with our experience as operators, help them scale. 

If you are a founder of a profitable and growing company with approximately $1m+ EBITDA, and you want to see if you can grow faster, reach out. 

If you are not at that level yet, I produce resources to help you get there. 

I run a podcast called Wake Up, and produce content on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram for free.

Commercial enquiries for speaking or brand deals: enquiries@chris-donnelly.co.uk

Co-Founder

Found CRM by Lottie 

A cloud-based care home operation software, mapped and built specifically to the care and retirement industries unique customer journey and supports care homes with CRM, Occupancy, Administration and Finance

Found results in a higher conversion rate, better attribution of marketing spend, saved time and ultimately high occupancy.

"You do not rise to the level of your goals. 

You fall to the level of your systems."

- James Clear, Atomic Habits

Atomic Habits is a classic and one of my all-time favourite books.

It's probably a bit overdone on this platform by now, 
But that doesn't make it any less useful for founders. 

It was foundational in helping me build and scale multiple 8-figure companies. 

Clear's message is simple (but genuinely effective): 

Success isn't about big leaps or moments of "inspiration." 
It's about small, consistent actions that compound over time.

In other words: 

Success = Systems × Consistency × Time

First, start with The Habit Loop (The 4 Laws Of Behaviour Change)

This will help you build and break habits. 

Cue: Make it obvious
Craving: Make it attractive 
Response: Make it easy  
Reward: Make it satisfying  

(For the full breakdown, see the sheet 👇) 

Here are other key takeaways from the book: 

1. Tiny changes, big impact
Small 1% improvements compound faster than you think.

2. Identity-based habits win
Focus on who you want to become, not just what you want to achieve.

3. Systems beat motivation
Success is a result of structure as opposed to willpower.

4. Environment is stronger than intention
Shape your surroundings to make good habits the default.

5. Never miss twice
One mistake is a blip. Two is a new pattern. Acknowledge both.

But be warned...

Building habits isn't always smooth sailing. 

Here are 5 common traps that can occur while habit building: 
(And how to avoid them) 

❌ Chasing goals, not systems. 
✅ Focus on daily process, not the outcome.

❌ Expecting perfection. 
✅ Aim for consistency over intensity.

❌ Relying on motivation. 
✅ Build habits that don’t need it.

❌ Starting too big. 
✅ Start small enough that you can’t fail.

❌ Forgetting identity.
✅ Become the type of person who does the habit naturally.

Ultimately, it's your habits, not your "drive," that determine your trajectory. 

The more consistent you are, the bigger the compound effect over time. 

What's one habit you're building right now?
Drop a comment down below. 

I break down resources and strategies like this every week in Step By Step.

It's a newsletter for anyone who wants to build something ambitious.  

Join 200k+ founders learning how to build and scale smarter:
https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb

♻️ Repost to share this breakdown with others in your network. 
And follow Chris Donnelly for more valuable business resources.

If you give level 1 prompts, you'll get level 1 results. 

Here's how to go from beginner to pro: 

Prompting AI is the same as any skill.  
Level 1 inputs give level 1 outputs...

And learning how to prompt well is a process. 

Most people are stuck at level 1, maybe level 2 if they're trying.
But the real power of LLMs is hidden in levels 3 and 4.

That's where you stop getting generic outputs, and start: 

- Creating higher quality outputs with fewer iterations
- Building reusable systems that scale with your business
- Working with a 24/7 digital assistant trained on your data

Here are the 4 levels of prompting broken down: 

Level 1: The Commander

“Write me a post.”

Goal: Get something fast.
Mindset: Task-first, no context.

This is where most people stay. 
You get quick answers but generic results. 

How to improve:
- Add a clear role and goal to every request.
- Ask AI to explain how it got to the answer.

Level 2: The Architect

“Act as a content strategist. 
Build a LinkedIn post using this brief, audience, and tone.”

Goal: Add structure and clarity.
Mindset: Context-first, single focus.

You’re starting to give direction. 
You define who the output is for, the purpose, and the format. 

How to improve:
- Use simple structure: Role → Task → Context → Output.
- Include examples of great work to show the standard you expect.

Level 3: The Strategist

“Here’s the audience, style, and examples. 
Build three options, critique them, and improve the best one.”

Goal: Create consistent, high-quality work.
Mindset: Iteration and reasoning.

This is where results compound. 
You build systems, test ideas, and refine based on feedback. 

How to improve:
- Use feedback loops: create → review → refine → finalise.
- Ask it to think through trade-offs or risks before giving the answer.

Level 4: The Master

“You are my Growth Engineer. 
Use context from Notion, Google Drive, 
and previous brand frameworks to draft this week’s content plan.”

Goal: Automation and leverage.
Mindset: Integration and systems thinking.

AI becomes part of your workflow. 
It understands your data, preferences, and strategy. 

How to improve:
- Layer context from your documents, briefs, and past results.
- Build reusable prompt systems that evolve over time.

My team and I use level 3 and 4 prompting every single day.

It's how we produce content at scale and save countless hours each week.

How much do you know about AI prompting? 
Drop a comment down below. 

If you want your business to be discovered inside LLMs like 
ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity, you need to optimise for AI search.

That's exactly what we built Searchable for.

It's an autonomous SEO & AEO Growth Engineer, 
That can analyse, fix, and scale your website automatically...

Learn more here:
https://lnkd.in/epgXyFmi

--

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1. Follow Chris Donnelly.
2. Like the post.
3. Repost to your network.
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Founder of Searchable.com | Follow for posts on Business, Marketing, Personal Brand & AI

These 3 C-Suite roles determine your company's fate.

But most people don't know the differences...

Fundamentally, this is what it looks like:

CEO: Strategy, Leadership, Vision.
CFO: Stability, Stewardship, Finance.
COO: Execution, Efficiency, Operations.

If you're a new founder, it's critical to get these hires right.

Here's what each role does, and why it's important:
(Check the sheet for expanded info)

👤 Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
↳ The visionary and ultimate decision-maker.

❓ What They Do:
↳ Set long-term strategy and protect the company’s overall direction.

☄️ Purpose In The Company:
↳ Drive growth and create shareholder value.

⚙️ How They Do It: 
- Translate vision into actionable strategy.
- Hire leaders who are better than them.
- Allocate resources across departments.
- Represent the company to investors and press.
- Make the final call when priorities conflict.

📊 Main KPIs:
- Revenue Growth Rate (% YoY)
- EBITDA or Net Profit Margin (%)
- Enterprise Value / Valuation Growth (£ or %)
- CAC to LTV Ratio
- Strategic Goal Achievement(% of OKRs hit)


👤 Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
↳ The financial architect of the business.

❓ What They Do:
↳ Control the company's financial health.

☄️ Purpose In The Company:
↳ Protect the company's runway/maximise capital efficiency.

⚙️ How They Do It: 
- Create financial forecasts and models.
- Oversee accounting, audits, and compliance.
- Manage investor relations and capital structure.
- Monitor cash flow, costs, and margins.
- Build frameworks for sustainable growth.

📊 Main KPIs:
- Gross Margin (%)
- Operating Margin (%)
- Cash Conversion Cycle (Days)
- Burn Multiple (Net Burn / Net New ARR)
- Runway (months of cash on hand)


👤 Chief Operating Officer (COO)
↳ The execution engine of the company.

❓ What They Do:
↳ Oversee day-to-day operations and scale internal efficiency.

☄️ Purpose In The Company:
↳ Deliver operational excellence by turning everything into performance.

⚙️ How They Do It: 
- Design workflows, org structure, and more.
- Lead cross-functional execution.
- Implement systems and automation to improve output.
- Manage project delivery and quality control.
- Turn board-level strategy into daily accountability.

📊 Main KPIs:
- Operating Efficiency Ratio (Opex / Revenue %)
- Cost per Unit (£)
- Net Promoter Score (NPS)
- Employee Productivity (Revenue per FTE)
- Churn Rate (% of customers lost)

My idea is for this sheet to act as your compass.
Save it and refer back to it when you need !

(Or even better, download the high-res version at the bottom)

Once you have clarity on these roles... 
Everything else becomes easier.

Which role has been most pivotal to your business?
I'm curious to hear your thoughts in the comments ⬇️

--

📌 If you want a high-res PDF of this sheet:

1. Follow Chris Donnelly
2. Like the post
3. Repost to your network
4. Subscribe to: https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb

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

People second guess 41% of their choices every single day. 

Here's how to stop this in seconds: 

You have to master making smarter and faster decisions. 
Every. Single. Day. 

99% of people don't know how to respond to problems in their life. 
They waste precious time trying to address the symptoms... 

These 7 mental models will help you find real solutions, faster: 

1. The OODA Loop (By John Boyd) 

A continuous loop for rapid learning and response.

Steps:

Observe: Gather the facts.
Orient: Analyse context and biases.
Decide: Choose the best action.
Act: Execute fast, then loop again.

Use it for: Strategic pivots and crisis response. 

2. First Principles Thinking

Deconstruct problems to their foundational truths.

Use it for: Innovation, product design, and creative problem solving.

3. 6 Thinking Hats Model (By Edward de Bono) 

Switch between different modes of thinking instead of mixing them. 

How to use it:

1. Define the problem or decision.
2. Assign hats so everyone uses one hat at a time.
3. Cycle through all six then summarise under the Blue Hat.
4. End with a decision or action plan.

Use it for: Brainstorming sessions, strategy meetings, and conflict resolution.

4. The 80/20 Principle (By Vilfredo Pareto)

Identify the inputs that create the majority of your results.

How to use it:

1. List all your activities.
2. Measure outcomes: revenue, engagement, etc.
3. Identify the 20% driving most of the results.
4. Double down on those activities.
5. Eliminate, automate, or delegate the rest.

Use it for: Optimising systems, scaling operations, and reviewing performance.

5. Root Cause Analysis (By Sakichi Toyoda) 

This helps you uncover why something happened.

Use it for: Persistent issues, system failures, and complaints.

6. Occam’s Razor

The simplest outcome or solution is usually correct.

How to use it:

1. Define the problem.
2. List all possible explanations.
3. Apply the razor: 
Which explanation requires fewest assumptions?
4. Act on the Simplest Viable Answer.

Use it for: Diagnosing poor performance and evaluating data.

7. The 5x5 Rule

A simple framework for perspective and emotional control.

How to use it:

1. Pause before reacting.
2. Ask the 5x5 question.
3. Act, don’t overthink.
4. Reframe instantly.
5. Repeat daily.

Use it for: Handling business stress and overcoming overthinking.

These mental models will help you: 

- Understand the problems in your life and how to solve them 
- Get closer to your financial/business/personal goals 
- Make faster decisions to create more time in your life 

Do you use mental models for problem solving? 
Let's discuss in the comments below. 

I break down mental models and frameworks like this every week in Step By Step.

Join 200k+ founders learning how to think better and build faster:
https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb

♻️ Repost to share these models with your network. 
And follow Chris Donnelly for more personal development insights.

The more powerful AI becomes...

The more valuable you are, if you adopt the right skills.

The rise of AI has proven it to be a powerful tool. 
Specifically for performing tasks that would normally take hours.  

But even at its most powerful, it's still not human. 

AI can handle technical tasks, but it can't replace human judgement. 
It cannot replace the ability to connect with others.
And it cannot replace adaptability.

The future belongs to those who take action and improve these 8 skills: 

1. Analytical Thinking
↳ The ability to break problems down and see what drives results.

Spend 15 minutes today working out why a result happened.
Review your last three business decisions and look for patterns. 

2. Emotional Intelligence
↳ Understanding your emotions and how you respond to others.

Before your next meeting, consider how each person might feel about the topic.
End the day by asking yourself: Did I listen more than I spoke?

3. Adaptability
↳ Adjusting quickly when things don't go to plan.

Do one thing this week that forces you out of your usual routine.
When plans alter, reframe the situation with: What's still in my control?

4. Social Influence
↳ Moving people towards a shared goal. 

Before every conversation, be clear on the outcome you want.
Influence through conviction and consistency rather than pressure.

5. Decision-Making
↳ Choosing quickly and standing by the result.

Give yourself a 1-minute limit for small decisions. 
When unsure, ask: What will future me thank me for doing today?

6. Discipline
↳ Doing the work long after motivation wears off.

Start your day with one task that moves your business forward.
Remove one thing from your schedule that adds no real value.

7. Curiosity
↳ Staying open, interested, and willing to learn from anyone.

Read something today outside your industry. 
Ask "why?" more often. Especially when things are going well.

8. Self-Awareness
↳ Knowing your strengths, limits, and blind spots.

Ask someone you trust what they think you could do better.
Reflect weekly: What strength can you lean into more?

Try some of these challenges to strengthen that skill.
One small step at a time.

AI has changed the way I hire and evaluate my team. 

For founders, I encourage you to seek hires with these skills. 
Employees with these will be more prepared as AI develops. 

For job seekers, ignoring these skills and chasing shortcuts will show.

Now is the time to understand where there's room for improvement. 
 
What's one skill that AI can't replace? 
Drop it down in the comments. 

I break down lessons like this every week in my newsletter, Step By Step.

Join 200k+ founders learning how to build better:

Subscribe here: 
https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb

♻️ Repost to share these skills with others in your network. 
And follow Chris Donnelly for more on building in the age of AI.

Failed change is rarely due to resistance.

It's because a proper framework wasn't used.

And a structured roadmap wasn't put in place.

That's where the ADKAR model by Jeff Hiatt comes into play.

It provides the structure and framework for effective change management.

Which, by the way, is critical to any business.
Without change, you don't evolve, and you get left in the dust.

This is how it works:

Awareness 👋
↳ Create an understanding of the objective.

Desire ✋
↳ Cultivate a personal drive to embrace change.

Knowledge 🧠
↳ Equip your team with the necessary understanding of a new system.

Ability 💪
↳ Empower individuals and teams with the capacity to enact change.

Reinforcement 🔄
↳ Strengthen the innovation introduced by the change process.

If you read the sheet, you'll find a breakdown of each stage.

And typically, the perceived value of the model is low to begin with.

But with time, people gain knowledge, ability, and they recognise the tangible value.

These are 3 best practices for ADKAR that I've picked up:

1. Lead from the front 🙋🏻‍♂️
Change doesn't start with a process.
It starts from the leader.

2. Make progress visible 🏔️
If people can see the impact...
That's what keeps them invested.

3. Reward behaviour, not outcomes 🏆
This builds a culture of genuine progressions.
Which leads to results !

And so, if you want change in a business, consider your approach.

The wrong one can cost time, money, and even relationships.
Now, my question to you:

Where will you apply this model to first in your business?

New software implementation?
An AI/Automation project?
Customer Experience transformation?

I'm curious to hear your responses.

If you want a structured roadmap for building your personal brand...

I'm running a free live masterclass on Tuesday, 25th November at 3 pm GMT. 

I'll be breaking down the exact system that's produced 100s of the world's fastest-growing LinkedIn creators.

You'll learn:

- How to optimise your profile like a landing page
- The perfect post timing formula based on data
- The content formats driving the most growth right now
- The new comment strategy LinkedIn changed a few months ago (no one's noticed)

Plus we'll have a live Q&A for any burning questions.  

We're also officially opening doors for The Creator Accelerator 6 during the call.

And we have a few additional surprises for people who sign up ! 

Save your spot here 👇
https://lnkd.in/eZncE8sN

♻️ Repost to share this framework with your network. 
And follow Chris Donnelly for more strategies like this.

SEO is not the full picture for businesses. 

In 2025, it's just a piece of the search puzzle. 

Ranking on Google is not the primary goal anymore.
The search volume inside LLMs is increasing day by day.

Which makes GEO/AEO/AIO/SXO an untapped goldmine for visibility.

I launched Searchable fully this week and hundreds of marketers have signed up.

People are already seeing incredible results, which is amazing to see.
(Like 200% increases in AI traffic in under a month)

So, if you want to dominate search in 2025 and beyond...
There's still plenty of time to be ahead of the curve.

Get going by learning these terms 👇

🧩 SEO: Search Engine Optimisation
↳ Ranking pages on Google through keywords and backlinks. 

✅ Pros: Proven traffic driver, builds long-term authority.
🚫 Cons: Competitive and slow to drive results.
🏆 Rank by targeting high-intent keywords clusters and refresh content.

🧩 GEO: Generative Engine Optimisation
↳ Optimising to be cited by AI engines like ChatGPT or Perplexity.

✅ Early-mover edge, builds trust, captures new channels.
🚫 Harder to measure a direct impact.
🏆 Rank with entity-rich content, forums, clear tables & FAQs.

🧩 AEO: Answer Engine Optimisation
↳ Optimising for zero-click answers (snippets, AI overviews).

✅ Instant authority, high CTR when clicks occur.
🚫 Fewer clicks, volatile snippet positions.
🏆 Rank by answering in 40–60 words, using schema & PAA topics.

🧩 AIO: AI Optimisation
↳ Ensuring your brand appears accurately in AI training data.

✅ Builds trust when AI tools surface your business.
🚫 Influence on training data can be limited.
🏆 Rank with structured, consistent content on trusted sources.

🧩 SXO: Search Experience Optimisation
↳ Optimising the full on-site experience so visitors convert.

✅ Turns traffic into revenue, boosts retention.
🚫 Needs CRO expertise, drops if SEO/AEO/GEO stall.
🏆 Rank with fast, mobile-friendly UX, aligned content, clear CTAs.

I've seen it firsthand. 
These determine if your brand is found or forgotten.

To have it done for you, autonomously, you need Searchable.👇
https://lnkd.in/epgXyFmi

It's the first tool that will optimise for all 5.

Which part of the puzzle are you missing?
I'm curious to know in the comments.

♻️ Repost to help your fellow founder & CEOs.
And follow Chris Donnelly for more.

My LinkedIn profile generates millions in revenue...

Now I'm giving you my full playbook for FREE:

Comment PROFILE, and I will personally send it to you.

Most LinkedIn profiles are glorified CVs. 

They list job titles, but do nothing to convert visitors into customers.

Even top entrepreneurs are losing leads because their profiles don't sell. 

I've strategically optimised my profile to achieve three goals:

- Waitlist for Searchable
- Subscriptions to my newsletter
- Sign-ups for The Creator Accelerator.

The results have been huge:

✅ 210,000+ subscribers to my email list
✅ 5000+ people on the Searchable waitlist 
✅ 5 fully sold out Creator Accelerator cohorts (with another incoming...)

And now, I want to share exactly how I did that with you, free of charge. 

This information could potentially be worth millions...

If you implement it as soon as possible. 

These are the exact steps I used to turn 1000s of profile views into leads. 

Inside, you'll learn how to: 

✅ Write About sections that convert using the TRUST method
✅ Transform your experience into outcome-based credibility
✅ Turn your banner into a digital billboard that drives traffic
✅ Use the positioning formula that turns headlines into micro-pitches
✅ Create instant trust with your profile picture and brand consistency
✅ Follow the complete 30-day implementation roadmap with weekly milestones
✅ Implement the monthly optimisation system that prevents performance decay
✅ Build a strategic funnel flow that guides visitors from awareness to action

Your LinkedIn profile is either making or losing you money. 

There's no in-between. 

This playbook turns it into a powerful landing page.

As a bonus, everyone who grabs the playbook will get a seat for my live webinar: 

"How to go from 0-10k Followers on LinkedIn"

You'll learn when to post, the foundations of a perfect post,
And the content formats working right now.

Plus we'll have a live Q&A and 2 surprises for those who attend. 

If you're ready to turn your profile into a revenue generator,
Comment PROFILE, and I'll send you the link to the playbook.

♻️ Repost to help your network make the most of their LinkedIn presence.

A concept everyone should know about...

The Paradox Of Knowledge.

Years ago, I thought knowledge was the barometer for success.

The more I knew, the better I would become, the more I would earn.

That wasn't necessarily true.
Today, I feel like I have more to learn than ever.

That's the Paradox Of Knowledge.

When you start, everything feels simple.
But the more we learn, the less we realise we know.

From the outside, expertise can look like clarity.
But inside, it's just navigating higher-quality confusion.

These are the mindset shifts you need to adopt:
(So you don't waste time rowing in the wrong direction)

Firstly, learning isn't about collecting information.

It's about repetition, refinement, and reflection.
Learning something truly in-depth.

Secondly, expertise looks boring up close.

It's built by making the same decisions, but better each time.
99% of people chase variety. The top 1% chase precision.

Finally, stay a student even when you're a teacher.

The moment you think you've mastered something...
You stop growing.

Ultimately, mastery is a fallacy.

The sooner you learn that, the better.

Here's the thing:

You HAVE to take action without full clarity sometimes.
That's the way the world works, fair or not.

But that doesn't mean you stop being a student. 

Learning is forever !

The more you learn, the less certain you feel...
But the more capable you become.

Happy learning, folks.

Have you heard of this concept before?
If not, what do you think of it?

For more frameworks for thinking like this,
Check out my weekly newsletter, Step by Step.

Join 200k+ builders reading on a regular basis:
https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb

♻️ Repost to help your network grow together.
And follow Chris Donnelly for more lessons like this.

The Paradox Of Knowledge by Chris Donnelly

Top businesses aren't just optimising for Google. 

They're already adapting to AI: 

Ranking for classic search engines used to be the goal. 

But now, answer engines (ChatGPT, Claude, etc) are on the rise... 
 
If you want your business to stay relevant, 
You need to start investing in AI-driven rankings (AEO, GEO). 

In 2025 and beyond, I'd be putting time into these 3 types of search:
(See the cheat sheet for more details 👇) 

💻 SEO: Search Engine Optimisation
↳ Ranking pages on Google. 

⚙️ How it works:

- Identify high-intent keywords
- Build backlinks and internal linking
- Optimise content, speed and mobile experience

✅ Pros:
↳ Consistent traffic driver
↳ Builds long-term authority
↳ Underpins AEO and GEO efforts

🚫 Cons:
↳ Competitive and slow to show results
↳ Vulnerable to algorithm updates
↳ Requires ongoing upkeep

📈 How to rank higher:
↳ Focus on fewer, high-intent keyword clusters
↳ Refresh content quarterly
↳ Run technical audits

🤖 AEO: Answer Engine Optimisation
↳ Optimising for zero-click answers (like voice search). 

⚙️ How it works:

- Provide concise, direct answers
- Use schema mark-up (FAQ, How-to) 
- Format content bullets and headings

✅ Pros:
↳ Instant authority and visibility
↳ Strong for mobile and voice queries
↳ High CTR when clicks happen

🚫 Cons:
↳ Some users get the answer without clicking
↳ Snippet positions change frequently
↳ Requires constant content monitoring

📈 How to rank higher:
↳ Answer questions in 40–60 words
↳ Optimise for “People Also Ask” queries
↳ Add schema markup to FAQ and How-To pages

🎯 GEO: Generative Engine Optimisation
↳ Optimising content pulled by AI-driven search engines

⚙️ How it works:

- Publish clear, well-structured content 
- Build presence on credible sources (Reddit, Quora)
- Use AI-readable formatting

✅ Pros:
↳ Early mover advantage in AI search
↳ Positions brand as a trusted source
↳ Captures future-facing traffic streams

🚫 Cons:
↳ Hard to attribute direct traffic
↳ AI citation rules are still evolving
↳ Requires off-site presence, not just on your domain

📈 How to rank higher:
↳ Use entity-rich, fact-checked content 
↳ Get cited on known AI training sources
↳ Prioritise clarity with FAQs, tables, lists

Don’t get buried by brands already adapting.

It's not about just ranking on Google anymore. 

You're content is being cited by machines people trust for knowledge. 

Have you started optimising for AI search? 
I'd love to read your thoughts in the comments. 👇 

To prepare for this massive change in how we purchase... 
I'm publicly launching a new AI business, Searchable, very soon.

It's an Autonomous SEO & AEO Growth Engineer that will analyse, fix, and scale your website to drive customers automatically.

No leg work required from you. 
Just provide context, and the tool does the work for you.

Get started for free today: 
https://lnkd.in/epgXyFmi

♻️ Repost to help your network optimise their SEO.
And follow Chris Donnelly for more.

SEO has changed more in the past 2 years than in the last 20.

It's an entirely new game with new rules...

And most businesses have no idea it's happening.  

Ranking on Google page 1 used to guarantee visibility.

In 2025, that's no longer enough.

Your potential customers are searching in ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity.

If AI engines can't find and cite your content, you're invisible.

Here's what's shifting in search right now:

📺 Old SEO → Google or nothing
↳ If you didn’t rank page one, your brand didn’t exist.

💻 New SEO → AI search is here
↳ You must appear in AI answers and citations to stay discoverable.

📺 Old SEO → E-E-A-T optional
↳ Thin keyword blogs could rank.

💻 New SEO → E-E-A-T mandatory
↳ Proof, examples, and lived experience are now required.

📺 Old SEO → Keywords ran the show
↳ Stuffed headlines, tags, and paragraphs.

💻 New SEO → Intent runs the show
↳ Content must serve why the user is searching.

📺 Old SEO → Volume over depth
↳ Publish as many posts as possible.

💻 New SEO → Authority over volume
↳ Depth, interlinked clusters, and niche expertise win.

📺 Old SEO → Write for crawlers
↳ Meta tags and keyword stuffing ruled.

💻 New SEO → Write for AI engines
↳ Direct, structured answers that ChatGPT and Gemini can cite.

📺 Old SEO → Any backlink will do
↳ Even irrelevant links moved the needle.

💻 New SEO → Backlinks that count
↳ Trusted sources, PR, podcasts, and partnerships drive authority.

📺 Old SEO → Ranking was the finish line
↳ Page one meant you’d “won.”

💻 New SEO → Discovery never stops
↳ AI summaries, snippets, and citations keep visibility alive.

The rules of SEO are evolving faster than I ever imagined. 

Staying flexible, adaptable, and open to new ideas is non-negotiable. 

This is exactly why we built Searchable. 

It’s designed to:

- Show where your brand is visible (Google + AI search)
- Automatically optimise for SEO, AEO, and GEO
- Turn visibility into clicks and revenue

So you can prepare for the new era of search, without burning yourself out. 

Learn more here 👇
https://lnkd.in/epgXyFmi

Have you started optimising for AI search? 
Let me know in the comments. 

♻️ Repost to keep your network informed of SEO updates.
And follow Chris Donnelly for more on the new era of search.

Old SEO vs New SEO

If you're not using AI on LinkedIn... you're falling behind. 

This sheet will keep you ahead of the pack:

It still surprises me that some people still actively avoid using AI on LI.

Either that or they are using it, but terribly.

Much of that comes down to confusion.
On what the tool is and what it can be used for.

AI doesn’t just help you "write content faster."
It can help you think, plan, and produce at a higher level. 

That’s why I created this sheet, 
So you can use AI to dominate LinkedIn in 2025 👇

(It's what we've taught to hundreds of Creator Accelerator students !)

1️⃣ Audience Research

👥 You are able to quickly identify your ICP using AI. 
📜 Then, create an authentic positioning statement. 
📣 Finally, use ChatGPT to nail your brand messaging. 

2️⃣ Content Ideation

☑️ Identify pain points using Collab. 
☑️ Search for relevant topics and ideas with Saywhat. 
☑️ Visualise the ideas using Saywhat's Infogrpahic Generator. 

3️⃣ Content Creation With ChatGPT

☑️ Create and train a custom content writing GPT. 
☑️ Take the ideas from Saywhat and develop them with GPT.
☑️ GPT takes you 90% there, then you tweak it.

4️⃣ Creating Your Own IP

Step 1: Turn your process into IP.
Step 2: Create 2-3 CustomGPTs for key roles.
Step 3: Give the GPTs more info to become smarter. 

5️⃣ AI Do's And Don'ts

✅ Train with your actual voice.
✅ Give AI clear context before asking anything.
✅ Edit AI output to achieve perfection.
✅ Feed AI real audience pain points.

🚫 Publish raw AI output.
🚫 Copy others' outputs blindly. 
🚫 Use vague prompts. 
🚫 Make false assumptions about understanding.

Ignoring AI for content creation at this stage would be like refusing to learn how to drive because you can ride a horse.

Get off the horse and find your car keys.

It's your most competitive advantage as a creator.

Not knowing it will be your biggest blunder.

If you're feeling lost or confused...
I have good news for you !

This Thursday, December 4th, we are hosting:

"How To Save 100+ Hours Using AI On LinkedIn"

We'll explain exactly how AI can help you: 

✅ Generate ideas and turn them into content in minutes. 
✅ Conduct audience research, positioning, and storytelling. 
✅ Create a BTS co-founder to help you build and scale without burning out. 

Sign up here to join us 👇
https://lnkd.in/egCF25-c

The webinar we ran last week had THOUSANDS of sign-ups...
We had to turn many away. So sign up soon !

Are you using AI to create content right now? 
Let's discuss in the comments. ⬇️

--

📌 If you want a high-res PDF of this sheet:

1. Follow Chris Donnelly
2. Like the post
3. Repost to your network
4. Subscribe to: https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb

"It's only 30 minutes."

The world's most dangerous excuse. 

You might think that 30 minutes is a drop in the bucket. 

But when you take the long view, it's more than you think. 

If used well, 30 minutes could change your trajectory. 

Because small habits and actions truly add up over time. 

The major differentiator between an average achiever and the top 1% is how they use their time. 

They know that real success depends on increasing their baseline level. 

So, if you work to operate at a higher level than others, 
It is guaranteed to stack up over months, years and decades. 

Think of it this way: 

30 minutes a day is 182 hours a year.
That's over 7 full days.

If you spent 7 days reading, you'd gain knowledge and motivation.  
If you spent 7 days watching Netflix, you'd be completely depleted.  

7 days of learning to use AI properly would be transformational. 
7 days of sitting around and complaining would be... awful. 

Yet, the majority of people spend (at least) 30 minutes consuming, complaining...

Or doing things that don't move them forward every day.

Truly successful people spend it differently.

They don't spend 30 minutes on:

→ Endless scrolling through social media
→ Watching content that doesn't teach them anything
→ Spending more time tucked up in bed
→ Eating junk food to simply fill the time
→ Perfectionism that delays launching

Instead, they use those 30 minutes to:

→ Read something that challenges their thinking
→ Write down their schedule/action plan for the week
→ Put in time at the gym for their health
→ Learn a skill that will pay off for years
→ Spend quality time with the family

How you use your time is everything. 

And it's entirely up to you.

Success isn't a sprint; it's a life-long pursuit. 

And those who commit to making the most of their time, 
Will be the ones who get the most out of life. 

What's one bad habit you're dropping? And what are you replacing it with? 
Drop a comment below with your thoughts.  

If you want to spend two 30 minute time periods to best serve yourself in 2026, 
I’m hosting a free LinkedIn masterclass. 

I'll show you the fastest way to reach 10K followers, 
And sustain that growth to go even further...

Click here to save your seat: 
https://lnkd.in/eZncE8sN

♻️ Repost to share this wake-up call with your network. 
And follow Chris Donnelly for more insights like this.

It's just 30 minutes by Chris Donnelly.

No founder is too good for the fundamentals.

The top 1% always go back to basics: 

From experience, a lot of founders tend to overlook the fundamentals. 

They jump straight into execution without learning the language of business.

I would know... I was one of them. 

When I launched my first proper business,
I was clueless about the importance of these business terms. 

I thought I didn't need to learn them to succeed. 
That line of thinking cost me countless hours I won't get back. 

Don’t make the same mistake. 

Learn these 7 terms like the back of your own hand:  

1. EBITDA

Earnings Before Interest Taxes Depreciation Amortisation

It allows investors to see how much your business really makes. 

It’s one of the key numbers used to value a company.

2. Product-Market Fit

When your idea solves a problem that customers want to pay for. 

It ensures your business is actually addressing a customer need.

3. Working Capital

This is a simple equation: Current Assets - Current Liabilities

It’s the cash you’ve actually got available to keep things moving day to day. 

No working capital means no real business. 

4. Assets

Assets are everything your business owns that makes you money or holds value.

Such as: Cash in the bank, Equipment, Property, Your brand + IP

The stronger your assets, the stronger your foundation.

5. Leveraged Buyout (LBO)

LBO is basically buying a company with borrowed money.

You can use the company’s cash flow and assets to back that loan. 

If it works, you get the reward without risking all your own cash.

6. Amortisation

Spreading the cost of something you can't touch over the time you use it.

These are invisible assets that give your business real value.

Examples: Patent, Trademark, Licence 

7. Liabilities

Liabilities are what your business owes rather than what it owns.

This comes in a few forms: Wages, Loans, Mortgage, Tax

Knowing assets and liabilities is how you stay in control of your business.

If you don't know the parts of your business and how they function, 
You will waste time and resources trying to muddle through. 

Now I know these terms inside out, 
It's making it much easier to build my AI tech company. 

The process to build Searchable is different from building Verb. 

But this time I have the tools and knowledge to scale 10x faster. 

If you want the easiest way to prepare for AI search,
Searchable is the only tool you need. 

It analyses and optimises your content for SEO, AEO, and GEO, automatically.  

Learn more here:
https://lnkd.in/epgXyFmi

And if you want more free business building guidance,
Join 200k+ founders reading my weekly newsletter, Step By Step:

https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb

♻️ Repost to share these terms with your network. 
And follow Chris Donnelly for more business advice like this.

7 Business Terms Everyone Needs To Know

100 days ago I had an idea.

An idea that I think could change marketing forever.

I have been obsessed with AI since ChatGPT came out and been obsessed with digital marketing since I was 16 when I built my first website.

I've Founded or Co Founded 5 of my own companies so far in my career.

- Two were small and faded but I learnt a lot
- Verb Brands was 10 years bootstrapped and I sold for 8 figures
- Lottie is a 9 figure business now, growing under Will Donnelly's leadership
- The Creator Accelerator generated nearly 8 figures of revenue in its 1st year

I went to work with Lovable and again just had my eyes opened even further to the possibilities of AI and technology.

Then this idea hit me and I knew I had to go all in.

100 days

I went to San Francisco and started networking. I knew I would need technical co-founders who were legitimately 0.01 engineers, who were hungry and who were passionate about the idea.

Met Sam Hogan & Arya Nagabhyru

They were both AI engineers building in the AI agent space at YC companies.

Decided to co found. Started building.

Jammed on the idea non stop and eventually landed on a massively improved version of what I had brought to them.

Day 90
- Changed the name from Clicker to Searchable
- YOLO'd it and bought searchable.com 

Day 80
- Decided that to be the company we wanted to be. We had to be in person and our culture had to compete with the fast paced cultures of San Francisco.

- Moved the guys over to the UK so we are shoulder to shoulder working every single day.

Day 70
- Tested our product with a closed list entrepreneurs
- Hired the incredible Nik Gospodinov as a founding engineer

Day 50
- Invested my own cash into the business
- Working with enterprises with our tool and supporting with white glove
- Brands receiving 200% increase in traffic from LLMs

Day 30
- Started a waitlist, reached 5000 people
- Opened a beta account and had 100 companies join
- Opened a community and had 800 people join

(the power of personal brand ay)

Day 10
- Hired a SEO expert product manager Ivan

Day... well today

I have always been a founder that has built in public.
Therefore I wanted to give it to you. Raw as we build.

Introducing Searchable 
Searchable.com

Your Autonomous SEO and AEO Growth Engineer.

It is deep analytics for AI Search.

However it isn't just analytics, it provides the actions required to drive growth. 

Automatically analyse, fix, and scale your website to drive customers.

I want your feedback, I want your thoughts. No idea is a bad one.

Use it to get your business and your products found in ChatGPT and other LLMs

To celebrate the launch, I am giving my audience free credits to use Searchable

📊 Deep Visibility & Analytics Report
⌨️ 100 prompt credits
🧹 5 site audit credits
💻 1 article credit

Plus free step-by-step guides on how to prepare for this shift.

Comment SEARCHABLE if you want to get the credits and try Searchable for free.

Spaces are limited.

No alternative text description for this image

SEO has changed more this year than in the last 10. 

This is the new glossary you need for 2025/26: 

The SEO blueprint you were taught in 2022 is already outdated. 

The terms, strategies, and metrics that matter are different now. 

You don't need to know every SEO term by heart. 

But if you want your business to be visible in 2025/26, 
You need to know these 24 terms at the very least. 

Save this glossary to stay on top of AI search: 

1. SEO: Search Engine Optimisation
Improving visibility across Google and AI-driven platforms.

2. AEO: Answer Engine Optimisation
Designing content that appears in AI-generated results.

3. GEO: Generative Engine Optimisation
Ensuring your brand appears inside AI summaries.

4. AI Visibility: 
How often your brand is cited in AI-generated responses.

5. SERP: Search Engine Results Page
Where SEO and AI Overviews now coexist.

6. Zero-Click Results: 
When users get answers directly from AI without clicking through.

7. LLMO: Large Language Model Optimisation
Optimising for models like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude.

8. Semantic Search: 
AI's ability to understand context and intent.

9. Entity Recognition: 
How AI connects people, brands, and concepts in your content.

10. Embeddings: 
The way AI encodes meaning to determine content relevance and citations.

11. Chunking: 
Breaking content into sections AI can easily index and cite.

12. Passage Ranking: 
Google's ability to rank individual passages within a page.

(See the cheat sheet for the full list of terms 👇) 

The world is splitting between businesses who know these terms,  
And those who have no idea this shift is happening. 

It's your job to land on the right side of history...

Have you started optimising for AI search yet? 
Leave a comment below with your thoughts. 

If you want the easiest possible way to prepare for AI search, 
Searchable is the ultimate tool. 

It's an autonomous SEO & AEO Growth Engineer that 
Analyses, fixes, and scales your website to drive customers. 

Learn more here: 
https://lnkd.in/epgXyFmi

♻️ Repost to help your network master these terms. 
Follow Searchable for more practical lessons in AI search.

84% of executives say AI is critical to success.

Only 19% say they’re confident in their AI strategy.

This is due to the sheer size of the AI spectrum...

I've seen entrepreneurs and founders create 8-figure AI businesses in weeks. 
 
And I've seen others struggle to prompt a GPT correctly. 

That's why I made this pyramid. 

It will help you assess your AI fluency, 
And reveal the skills you need to brush up on. 

This is not just for business owners. 
It's for anyone hoping to stay ahead of the curve. 

Whether you're a GPT novice or already building with AI... 

See where you stand: 

🥉 Beginner

1️⃣ AI Foundations
↳ Understand what AI is, its origins, and where it’s going.

2️⃣ Prompt Engineering
↳ Improve your inputs for better outputs. 

3️⃣ Using LLMs For Work
↳ Speed up your research, writing and analysis.

🥈 Intermediate

4️⃣ Multimodal AI
↳ Use tools that combine text, image, audio, and video.

5️⃣ Workflow Automation
↳ Use AI for tasks like sorting email and cleaning data. 

6️⃣ Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
↳ Feed the AI custom data so it knows your business. 

🥇 Advanced

7️⃣ Agentic AI & Tool Use
↳ Build autonomous agents using tools, APIs, and logic.

8️⃣ AI In Decision-Making
↳ Model outcomes, simulate markets and forecast risks.

9️⃣ AI Product Integration
↳ Embed AI into your product or service.

And if you want to start now, follow these 3 key AI learning tips: 

✅ Build while you browse.
↳ Don’t just read articles or watch videos.
↳ Open the tool, try the use case and break something!

✅ Learn one tool, end-to-end.
↳ Stop sampling 10 and go deeper on 1.
↳ Understand the inputs, limits, and integrations. 

✅ Test it in your workflow.
↳ Reading does not equal learning.
↳ Run one real task through AI and analyse the result. 

I urge everyone to spend at least 10 minutes a day studying this. 

It's the key to future-proofing your career, 
And will be your ultimate competitive advantage as an operator. 

Which stage of AI mastery have you reached? 
Comment below. I'd be interested to see who's already committed... 

- - - -

📌 If you want a high-res PDF of this sheet:

1. Follow Chris Donnelly.
2. Like the post.
3. Repost to your network.
4. Subscribe to: https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb

Utilising ChatGPT properly has made me millions on LinkedIn...

And I'm giving you 4 of my CustomGPTs for FREE:

Comment CUSTOM, and I will personally send them all to you.

Most people see AI as a time saver - an efficiency tool.
While it does help with that... it's a bit of a reductive description.

What it can really do is level up your entire content workflow.

I've spent a ton of time and resource into improving these GPTs.
They've now been responsible for 100M+ views on LinkedIn this year.

As well as a hefty amount of revenue !

The 4 GPTs are:

🪝 The Scroll Stopping Hook Generator
💡 The Viral LinkedIn Idea Generator
💰 The High-Converting Lead Gen Generator
📊 The LinkedIn Algorithm Expert

With all of these, you can essentially:

1. Generate hooks that are proven to drive incredible engagement.

2. Use less brain power to come up with viral post ideas.
(Trained on posts that have generated 100s of millions of views this year alone)

3. Come up with angles for posts that generate dozens of leads per post.

4. Ensure every single post is optimised for the latest algorithm updates.
(Based on a database of 200k+ posts in the last quarter)

You essentially have a 4-man LinkedIn content team at your dispsoal. 

Again, I repeat, for free.

Us Founders are busy, busy people. 
I couldn't stay consistent without these, that's for sure.

Start using them, I promise you won't regret it.

As a bonus, everyone who grabs the GPTs will get a seat for my live webinar:

"How To Save 100+ Hours Using AI On LinkedIn"

You'll learn how to leverage AI into your all-in-one content assistant.

Saving you hours and improving your quality of content in the process.

Plus we have a live Q&A and 2 surprises for those who attend.

So if you're ready to start using GPT properly for LinkedIn,
Comment CUSTOM and I'll send you the link to the 4 GPTs.

♻️ Repost to help your network start growing rapidly on LinkedIn.

Your LinkedIn profile is your landing page.

But only if you know how to set it up: 

↳ Comment “PROFILE”, and I’ll DM you The LinkedIn Conversion Playbook. 
(More details below)

LinkedIn is still the best social platform for growing your audience, 
And generating high-quality leads simultaneously... 

But only if your profile is set up to do so. 

You have about 60 seconds to make your offer and expertise clear. 
Otherwise, you'll be losing leads to competitors who do. 

I've optimised my profile to achieve three goals: 

🖥️ Customers for my AI business, Searchable.
📧 Subscriptions to my Step by Step newsletter. 
👤 Sign-ups to the waitlist for The Creator Accelerator.

The results have been huge: 

📈 250,000+ subscribers to my email list.
✅ 4,125+ people using Searchable to optimise for AEO/SEO/GEO.
📊 5 fully sold out Creator Accelerator cohorts. 

If you want a profile like mine that generates and converts leads, 
Follow these steps to turn it into a landing page:

👤 Profile Picture
↳ Make it clear, high-quality, and on-brand (400x400px works best).

🔲 Banner
↳ State your offer and direct people where you want them to go.

⛓️‍💥 Headline & Link
↳ Share what you do, what makes you different, and why people should trust you.

🖱️ Featured Section
↳ Highlight your main offer. Make it visual, clear, and actionable.

✍🏻 Content
↳ Lead with value to push people towards your profile. 

👴🏻 Experience
↳ Include your formative roles and a description to build credibility.

☄️ Skills
↳ Prioritise the top 2 skills you want to be known (or hired) for.

✅ Call to Action
↳ There's no point upgrading your profile if people aren't directed towards it.

Optimising your profile will take a few hours out of your week, 
But it will change the course of your business for good. 

Right now, you have a choice: 

Stick with a low-revenue LinkedIn profile that repels potential leads. 
Or create a highly profitable one that generates them while you sleep. 

I know which one I'd pick every time. 

What part of your profile needs the most attention? 
Drop a comment below. 

P.S. I've made a 15-page in-depth resource.
On how to turn your profile into a revenue-generating machine...

It's called The LinkedIn Conversion Playbook.

Comment “PROFILE”, and I will DM it to you. 
(If we are not connected, I will reply asking to send the keyword with the connection request) 

♻️ Repost this to help others in your network land more clients.

Whether you're using GPT, Claude or Perplexity,

Weak prompts = Weak outputs 

The quality of your prompts determines your results.  

People tend to prompt each LLM the same, and that’s not always wise. 

But in case you don’t want to learn EVERY tool in detail, 
There are universal rules that can be applied to get good results.  

These will ensure 10x better results from most LLMs: 

(See the cheat sheet for more details 👇) 

1. Keep The Base Prompt Short

Pick one role, goal, or definition of success. 
The base prompt controls how the model thinks.

2. Add Context In Layers

Your prompt is the headline.
Your supporting files and data do the heavy lifting.

3. Multi-shot > One-shot

Show the model good vs bad examples.
These act like micro-training.

4. Give The Model A Thinking Path

AI doesn’t assume priorities.
Tell it the order: analyse → extract → prioritise → recommend → format.

5. Use Constraints Deliberately

Constraints reduce hallucinations, and ambiguity.
Word count, style, and format create clarity.

Context Stacking 

A modern prompt works like a modular system.
It’s almost like you’re assembling it.

Layer A: Role & Goal
Layer B: Memory
Layer C: Examples (Multi-Shot)
Layer D: Documents
Layer E: Parameters

Connectors & MCP 

This is where the next generation of prompting is going.

Use connectors to link AI to:

- Google Drive → briefs, scripts, docs
- Notion → wiki, strategy hubs
- Slack → decisions, updates, support
- AirTable → CRM data, ICP profiles

MCP (Model Context Protocol)

A technical way to tell the model:

- Which tools it can call
- What data it can fetch
- What the output format must be

If your prompts aren’t working, check for these mistakes: 

❌ Mixing tone, goals, and tasks
❌ Asking for everything at once
❌ Giving no examples
❌ Giving too many examples
❌ Forgetting constraints
❌ Zero logic or sequencing
❌ Five different prompts doing the job of one system

After months of building Searchable that uses agentic AI, 
I've learned that prompting is not just writing good instructions. 

It's about engineering a system that produces strong results, consistently. 

What's your formula for a good prompt? 
Drop it down below. 

AI is changing the way people search and discover brands. 
Searchable is the easiest way to prepare for that shift.  

It's an autonomous SEO & AEO Growth Engineer that 
Analyses, fixes, and scales your website to drive customers. 

Learn more here: 
https://lnkd.in/epgXyFmi

----

📌 If you want a high-res PDF of this sheet:

1. Follow Chris Donnelly.
2. Like the post.
3. Repost to your network.
4. Subscribe to: https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb

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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);}Matt Gray's LinkedIn Performance

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