Matt Barker

I make posting on LinkedIn fast, easy and fun. $3M+ revenue driven. 75M+ impressions. 250k+ followers.

I help you grow on LinkedIn using fast, easy and fun to write posts.

Results:

- 50+ clients helped since January 2022
- 2,500+ customers served
- £70k 4 day course launch (The Digital Copywriter)
- 2 x £100k+ digital products launched
- $3M+ in new client revenue driven
- 75M+ organic social views earned
- 200k+ LinkedIn followers gained
- 10,000+ LinkedIn posts created
- 13,000+ email subscribers driven

If you'd like to work together on growing:

- Your LinkedIn profile
- Your team's LinkedIn profile
- Your brand's LinkedIn profile

And growing in a way that is fast, easy and fun to do?

Just DM me so we can discuss how I can help you do that.

Writer

Join 11,000+ readers who get daily tips on attracting dream clients online with digital copywriting.

My business goal: hit $300k in 2025. I'm at $292k.

Here's the monthly revenue breakdown (so far):

Jan → $17,936
Feb → $19,668
Mar → $12,336
Apr → $22,808
May → $16,614
Jun → $37,206
Jul → $41,286
Aug → $41,413
Sept → $28,101
Oct → $47,441
Nov → $6,772 (10 days in)

I have no co-founders, team or payroll.

All gone to me, the tax man + a few contractors along the way.

But I use cheap tools I use to save time / make money:

- Loom saves me 20+ meetings and 30+ hours/month
- Zoom to speak to anyone worldwide anytime
- magicpost.in to write, schedule, analyse LinkedIn posts
- Skool where i host my private linkedin writing club
- Calendly saves hours of back and forth arranging times
- ThriveCart easy payments for clients / customers
- Kit write and send 5 x emails/week

I love my lean little business.

Growing LinkedIn profiles with fast, easy and fun writing.

What else would you like to know?

p.s. pic is me doing by best impression of a bro marketer 💪🫠

Matt Barker 

Fast, Easy & Fun LinkedIn Writing. Advisor @ magicpost.in. LinkedIn Writing & Growth Consultant.

A useful piece of LinkedIn advice:

Don’t worry about posting every day.
Don’t stress about people’s opinions.
Don’t overthink what your post says.
Don’t get anxious leaving a comment.

Nobody is thinking about you.

Cold, hard truth:

We’re all as irrelevant as each other.

Just go have fun :)

(found this cool image on ig by drex.dsgn)

Could your LinkedIn game be better?

I've posted 513 times this year. I never miss a day.

I'll teach you how here: https://lnkd.in/eE-6AE8f

Hold my beer. Save yourself 10 months learning LinkedIn. 

And copy my 3 step writing process:

(i’ve written over 5,000 posts using this)

1. Write the hook FIRST

- Hook first drives direction of the post
- Stops me swerving off writing nonsense
- Gives my writing purpose from the off
- Helps me stay on topic throughout
- Directs focus on the problem I’m solving

6 hook templates for you to try:

- How to {dream outcome} without {main obstacle}
- The best way to {dream outcome}
- How I {dream outcome} in {specific timeframe}
- My biggest struggles as a {type of person} were:
- It’s weird {type of person} still use {tool} to {outcome}.
- I’ve been {action} for {timeframe}.

2. Share stupidly, weirdly transparent details

- I educate with 75% of my posts
- It keeps people coming back to my posts
- Share every detail of your process
- If you think it’s boring, it’s not - i PROMISE you
- People are obsessed with behind the scenes stuff
- Help the reader solve a problem on the spot
- Add context to the detail you give
- Relate to own experiences, stories, learnings
- Actionable, actionable, actionable.

4 ways to structure educational posts:

- Problem → list why it’s bad → quick solution
- Hook → step by step guide → TL;DR
- Hook → numbered list of insights → summary
- Problem → agitate → solution

3. Sign off the post

- Simple takeaway the reader can remember
- Last line read → last thing they remember
- People forget the point of the post by the end
- Need to remind them or the message gets lost
- Emotional endings create action
- Think about it: beginning → middle → end
- Catch the reader off guard right at the end
- Make them think, laugh, sob, something

6 simple methods to sign off a post:

- A ‘yes or no’ question
- A motivational line
- An abrupt, sudden ending
- A funny comment
- A single emoji (i like ✌️)
- A Callback → re-iterating the hook

Then, schedule each post in magicpost.in and finito!

I’ve used this silly, simple writing process for 3+ years.

Over 5,000 posts.

And now magicpost.in is the engine I run it through.

Never fails me.

✌️

I’m calling it: this might be my boldest prediction ever.

The last time I shared this, I got ridiculed.

You'll want to save this for later.

I might take this down tomorrow, it's that bold.

This is MEGA news. 

Possibly my biggest, boldest prediction in years.

I might never predict something or call something quite as bold or as big as this ever again.

Share this!

In 2022 it was selfies.
In 2023 it was carousels.
In 2024 it was infographics.

In 2025 it was being human.

My most engaged posts from 2025, had hooks like:

- "My 1st LinkedIn post got 22 likes."
- "I'm 32. English. Married. I run a one man writing business."
- "I'm a simple guy. I don't need to:"

Weird to say that "being human" was a way to win.

But there's SO many people on LinkedIn that write posts like their manager or high school English teacher is breathing down their neck.

No matter the "way to win". Selfies, carousels, infographics.

They're all nothing unless you figure out human writing.

5 bits of writing advice for you:

1. Remove the stick from your butt
2. Stop thinking everyone's watching you
3. Write from your Lived Experience
4. Don't rely on ChatGPT to write for you
5. Use tools to accelerate your writing / creativity

Learn. Writing.

Not sure where to start?

I (conveniently) put together a 30 page book on building a LinkedIn audience for you here: https://lnkd.in/eJvYp7wa

It's totally free.

Fast, Easy & Fun LinkedIn Writing. Advisor @ magicpost.in. LinkedIn Writing & Growth Advisor.

10 things that held me back from enjoying writing on LinkedIn:

1. Perfectionism
2. Overthinking every sentence
3. Worrying about judgment
4. Comparing my writing to others
5. Waiting for the "best" idea
6. Forcing a voice that wasn't mine
7. Obsessing over metrics
8. Starting without a clear point
9. Over-editing as I write
10. Caring what people think

What would you add?

I'll be honest:

Most people I meet HATE writing on LinkedIn.

Or they're fed up of it. Or they can't be bothered.

After 4 years, I've figured out ways to make it fun.

I'll teach you how here: https://lnkd.in/eskmexTD

p.s. throwback pic to me in Feb 2023, launching my first ever digital product. it was a free 7 days of linkedin templates email course that pitched a PDF guide with 30 more templates for $97. that product ended up generating over $100k and 1,000s of customers. mad, eh!

90% of successful LinkedIn writing is being active:

- work on projects / with clients
- participate in hobbies and interests
- test your skills and expertise in the field
- live a normal, unspectacular life
- have opinions on things

Then write on LinkedIn what:

- lessons you learned
- outcomes you drove
- failures you overcame
- emotions you felt
- problems you solved
- steps you took

You ARE the ideas.

Write from your Lived Experience.

Easiest, fastest and most fun way to write.

At some point, I had to stop:

- overthinking every word i write
- stressing over who was watching me
- second guessing and doubting myself
- worrying if i was "doing it right"

And just say "screw this" and hit post.

Action is the best cure for being in your own head.

I have zero doubts of this.

After 4 years, 2,382 posts, 57M impressions:

If you're in your own head, with writing on LinkedIn.

Force action. Force posting.

Worked for me ✌️

I'll teach you my best frameworks for LinkedIn writing here: https://lnkd.in/eskmexTD

First LinkedIn post possibilities:

- Woah: Three job offers in the DMs
- That's dumb: Radio silence for 48 hours
- Actually pretty fun: 50 thoughtful comments
- Freaking crazy, man: 10,000 views overnight
- WOAH: Speaking invitation from dream company
- Don't love it, don't hate it: 12 likes from colleagues
- Least problematic outcome: Mum comments "proud of you."
- Won't happen, but imagine: Goes viral and breaks LinkedIn

I said this 1 year ago today. But I still stand by it:

Writing online is THE best confidence hack.

4 years ago I was too scared to go put a business card in a cafe.

(not even lying. ask my wife 😂)

Today I teach ex-Morgan Stanley C-suites, Amazon leaders and 7 figure business founders to write on LinkedIn.

I write on LinkedIn every single day.

Here’s 13 benefits of writing on LinkedIn that you probably wouldn't ever think of, but make a MASSIVE difference to your confidence:

1. You get better at writing → the more you write the easier it gets to say what you really think.

2. You find your voice → writing helps you figure out how YOU like to share ideas.

3. People see your skills → sharing what you know shows others that you’re good at something (aka self promotion).

4. You build a good habit → writing teaches you to stick with something and builds discipline.

5. You see that your ideas matter → when people like or comment on your posts, it reminds you that what you say is actually worth something.

6. You get stronger inside → sharing your thoughts and getting bad/negative feedback builds thick skin.

7. You stop worrying about what people think → the more you write, the less you care about being judged, super freeing.

8. You find your people → writing online helps you meet others who care about the same things you do.

9. Cool things can happen → your posts could lead to new jobs, clients, friends and other exciting chances.

10. You get more creative → writing helps you think of new ideas and look at things in fresh ways.

11. You see how far you’ve come → over time, you’ll notice how much better your writing and ideas have gotten.

12. You learn more about yourself → writing helps you process your thoughts and what you really think of things.

13. You feel good about helping others → your posts might inspire or teach someone else and that is an awesome thing.

Write.

Watch yourself become a more confident person.

✌️

Wanna grow your confidence and write on LinkedIn?

I'll show ya. 

I put together this 4 hour training course for you here: https://lnkd.in/ekj8PEhs

But I'm closing it today. 

So if you wanna improve your writing / grow your confidence?

Get on it!

After 4 years writing on LinkedIn, I know:

Being 100% original, all the time, is HARD.

- feels like everything already exists
- why listen to me when it’s been said before?
- i’m not creative ALL the time
- my own ideas don’t work as well as other writers’

So I’ll let you in on a little secret.

I’m not 100% original all the time.

Because writing that already worked, is already proven.

So the best strategy is:

Do more of what worked.

Here’s my exact 15 step process to keep writing banger post after banger post and keep getting more LinkedIn post engagement (without needing to be 100% original every time):

1. Go to magicpost.in
2. Go to Metrics
3. Select last 30 days
4. Sort by likes
5. Click on a post
6. Click Save as template
7. Go to New post
8. Select Template mode
9. Find the template you saved
10. Click Use this template
11. Select Close similarity
12. Write an opinionated subject, 5-10 sentences
13. Click Generate a post
14. Tweak and edit to make it ‘you’
15. Schedule to post

This process MASSIVELY increases my odds of hitting another big post.

And I don’t need to be 100% original.

I just need to do more of what works.

But now it’s your turn.

You should try this with magicpost.in if you’re:

- A ghostwriter wanting to grow your client’s profile
- A solopreneur wanting to get more engagement
- An employee wanting to quickly write + post content
- A consultant wanting to scale your LinkedIn posts

Or if you’re struggling for engagement on your LinkedIn posts.

(because who isn’t in 2025, eh?)

Re-use your best posts → get more engagement, faster.

How to Quickly Write Banger LinkedIn Posts

My business goal: hit $300k in 2025. I'm at $296k.

Here's the monthly revenue breakdown (so far):

Jan → $17,936
Feb → $19,668
Mar → $12,336
Apr → $22,808
May → $16,614
Jun → $37,206
Jul → $41,286
Aug → $41,413
Sept → $28,101
Oct → $47,441
Nov → $11,250 (17 days in)

I have no co-founders, team or payroll.

All gone to me, the tax man + a few contractors along the way.

But I use cheap tools I use to save time / make money:

- Loom saves me 20+ meetings and 30+ hours/month
- Zoom to speak to anyone worldwide anytime
- magicpost.in to write, schedule, analyse LinkedIn posts
- Skool where i host my private linkedin writing club
- Calendly saves hours of back and forth arranging times
- ThriveCart easy payments for clients / customers
- Kit write and send 5 x emails/week

I love my lean little business.

Growing LinkedIn profiles with fast, easy and fun writing.

What else would you like to know?

p.s. i shared this exact post last monday and it went bonkers! so sharing again, in case you missed it.

p.p.p.s for all the people who messaged / commented willing me on to hit my $300k goal, thank you! i don't post this to gloat. there's loads of people who make more money than me. i post this to be transparent and helpful for anyone who finds this kinda stuff helpful

4 years ago, I didn't have AI to write my LinkedIn posts.

(yep, I did it manually like a chump 😅)

Instead of getting clients and making money, I'd:

- Waste my time overthinking every word I wrote
- Sit there like a prat trying to think of cool ideas
- Spend 1 hour/day on this activity that made me $0

I was a beginner in a time Before AI.

But in 2025, beginners don't need to waste time.

I just cloned myself to write LinkedIn posts in 5 mins.

Yes. I created an AI clone of myself.

But instead of:

- Spending 100s hours teaching myself AI
- Spending 100s hours building agents
- Spending 100s hours on prompts

I clicked one button in magicpost.in and it took 5 minutes.

Here’s the stupidly simple 8 step guide (below).

In this guide you’ll learn how to:

- Write posts in your tone of voice every time
- Clone yourself as your own ghostwriter
- Create first drafts in less than 2 minutes
- Make instant tweaks to make posts mobile friendly

I love writing LinkedIn posts from scratch.

But magicpost.in is:

- SO fun to use this way.
- SO easy to use this way.
- SO fast to use this way.

Clone yourself → make writing LinkedIn posts simple ✌️

P.S. Simple question: do you use AI to write?

I do! It's how I write so much, in little time :)

How to clone yourself to write LinkedIn posts in 5 minutes

It's exactly 1 month 'till Christmas.

That means it's basically 1 month until:

2026. 

What. The. FOOK. Year's flown by. As it always does.

But one thing you may have on your list for Santa this year is:

Grow your LinkedIn.

That's great. Until you remember that you can't do this:

Stay consistent.

- can't post consistently
- can't think of ideas consistently
- can't create a system to do it consistently

It's the number 1 problem, hands down.

I've been a total psycho and posted on LinkedIn for 4 years.

- 2,300+ posts
- 60M+ impressions
- 185,000+ followers

It's been a ride.

I now am able to post 2 x per day and do it all in just one day of the week.

So the rest of the week I focus on my health, making money and life.

Today, on a live & FREE LinkedIn Live, I'll show you how I:

1. Plan my LinkedIn posts
2. Write my LinkedIn posts
3. Schedule my LinkedIn posts

...for a whole week, in less than 2 hours.

It's at 4pm UK time, TODAY.

Last chance to grab a seat here: https://lnkd.in/e_iRRvXH

(542 people are joining so far, don't miss out)

Plus, I have a gift for everyone who joins me on the Live.

So make sure you join and hang about to the end to get it.

✌️

MagicPost just dropped a new Calendar feature.

Here's how I'm using it:

1. Capture an idea on the day I want to post it
2. Fill my calendar up with post ideas
(really useful so i don't forget ideas)
3. Click 'Convert to Post' straight from the calendar
4. Write the post in the editor tab that opens
5. Add any media / emojis etc I wanna add
6. Schedule at the time I post e.g. 9:57am
7. Click 'Schedule Post'

Finished.

I love this because before (even though I was already using magicpost.in to write and schedule my LinkedIn posts) I used Google Sheets for planning my posts out.

Now I just do it in MagicPost so it's all in one place.

Try it out for ya self: magicpost.in

Cheers to MagicPost for making this whole LinkedIn stuff very easy, efficient and simple 🫡

My LinkedIn posts started getting more impressions when I:

Had fun writing them.

But most people avoid posting all together.

Because they think LinkedIn is "serious."

Here's what changed everything for me:

1. I stopped writing for everyone
2. I wrote like I talk
3. I shared what I actually think
4. I stopped overthinking every word
5. I wrote from my Lived Experience
6. I let my personality show

Now, this ain't easy. 

But if you're still stuck in that LinkedIn is "serious" thinking?

I put together 4+ hours of training on:

- Writing hooks that attract the right audience
- Storytelling that isn't cringe or embarassing
- Getting more clicks on your links in posts

(there's a nuance to that last one)

17 lessons. 6 modules. 

But these trainings are a BF special.

Only available to the internet until Tuesday.

After that they'll disappear, only for my clients.

It's here: https://lnkd.in/ekj8PEhs

Happy writing!

5 tools you should use to run a one person writing business:

- Kit (for email marketing)
- magicpost.in (for LinkedIn content)
- Loom (for client feedback)
- Trello (for project management)
- Skool (for my community)

What did I forget? 

Tag 'em.

Helping 9-5 pros build their Corporate Offramp | Land 1st client in a 1-person business you control

You’ve outgrown your 9–5. 
Now what? 

You’ve built a solid career. Maybe even a great one. But lately… 

The Sunday scaries hit a little harder.
You keep wondering, “Is this really it?”

You don’t hate your job. You’ve just outgrown it. And the money is the only part that serves you. 

You’ve done everything right.
But you still feel boxed in by meetings, org charts, and the constant anxiety of “restructuring.”

You know your skills are worth more – but no one’s shown you how to turn them into something of your own.

You're not trying to blow up your life.
You just want to know it’s possible.

That’s what the ‘Corporate Offramp’ is for.

It’s my step-by-step system to help high-performing professionals:
→ Package their skills into a client-ready offer
→ Build a simple audience of people ready to work with them
→ Land their first client in 120 days—without quitting their job

You’ll start earning outside your 9–5 and finally take control of what’s next.

This isn’t about quitting tomorrow.
It’s about progress. Building something – before you need it. 
And when you’re ready to start having control over your time. 

What others are saying:

“What really stands out about Brian is his authenticity. And his responsiveness is in a league of its own. His mix of broad entrepreneurial knowledge, specific expertise in areas like LinkedIn strategy, and straight-talking advice puts him at the top of my list.” 
– Melissa, ex-ed tech exec

“I started building while still in my 9-5, and landed my first client within 3 months (..before being let go by my company!).”
– Cassie, former tech manager

Here’s how to get started:

📥 Grab the Free 5-Day Solo Business Blueprint in my Featured section – and get the exact roadmap to land your first client without quitting your job (or even changing your LinkedIn profile). 

🎯 Want a faster path?
Join me for the Fast Track to Freedom Workshop – where I’ll walk you through:

• What to focus on (hint: not your website)
• Where 90% of your effort should go
• How to build an audience (without posting daily)
• The path to your first paid client – in 120 days

🎟 Save your seat: simplemanguide.com/workshop

Your 9–5 got you started.
Your next move is on your terms.

Brian Gallagher

The real risk isn’t leaving your job.

It’s staying just long enough that the comfort…

Becomes overwhelming.

People frame risk as walking away from stability. But stability’s not real. Just ask the people who thought they were ‘safe’ at Amazon or Microsoft.

The real danger is slower. Quieter.

You start caring a little less. You’re no longer motivated by what you're doing. You move through your days on autopilot.

You get lulled into sleep. Unsure what even makes you feel alive anymore.

You let people steal your time with fake urgency and pointless meetings.
You tell yourself you’ll make a move when things calm down.

But that moment never comes.

I remember when it started happening to me. The pay got better. The hours eased up.

On paper, everything looked fine.

But I didn’t like what the years ahead looked like.

I watched people higher up the ladder still asking permission for the simple things — a doctor’s appointment, a softball game, a random Tuesday.

And I knew if I didn’t draw a line, I might never draw one. I’d wait for the next bonus. Then the next. Then the next.

And 20 years later, I’d be so deep in it that walking away would feel impossible.

That’s how comfort works.
It feels just good enough that you stop questioning it.

Comfort doesn’t just keep you in the job.
It keeps you from becoming the person who’d ever leave it.

It’s a slow slide toward a life you never chose.

No alternative text description for this image

In my last role, I was a VP in investment banking.

On paper? Looked great. But in real life… 

Yikes.

I’ll admit – the instant status it gave me when I told people what I did made me feel important. 

But I was constantly stressed. 

If I wasn’t at the office, I was dreading the next email ping from a managing director. 

Why? Because I had no visibility as to how my week would look. 

One minute I had a long weekend train trip planned. And an email ping could mean having to cancel everything. 

Honestly, it was chaos. 
But I kept telling myself it was “worth it.” 

Everyone seemed impressed with my title, so I was on the right path. That’s what I thought. 

Eventually I caved and said yes to something different. 

I started a fitness studio concept with a friend (while still at my job). 

Just a few classes a week. Nothing fancy.
But it was ours. We made the calls.

It didn’t make me rich. And unfortunately, it didn’t become my forever thing. 

But besides being the most fun I’ve ever had ‘working’, it did something else for me: 

It broke the cycle.

And once I got a taste of calling my own shots,
I couldn’t go back.

Now I help other people build something of their own too.

Because I’ve experienced both sides: 

Waking up dreading the work day. 
Waking up excited about what I get to build. 

And know I’m certain on which I’ll keep choosing.

I did a breathwork session last week.
Two words kept repeating.
And they stayed with me all week.

Kindness.
Vulnerability.

Two simple words. But they are the difference between forcing connection and creating real connection.

Kindness reminded me that everyone I talk to is carrying something I cannot see.

Clients. Prospects. Friends. Family members.
People on here scrolling through their day.

When I remember that, I show up better. My coaching is better. My conversations are better. My patience is better.

Vulnerability reminded me that the people I trust most are the ones who let me see the full picture.

Not the “everything is amazing” picture.
The human one.

So I am choosing to bring more of that into how I show up here.

And I will start today.

I am going through a breakup.

It has been difficult, but being around family, and keeping my schedule full, helps.
Movement helps. And so does work.

And during that breathwork session, something small set me off, and I realized how much I had been holding.

And yes, for a bit, I pulled back on some things while I got my footing again (work included).

But this experience is giving me something important.

A deeper appreciation for how much our personal lives shape the way we show up in our work.

A deeper understanding of what my clients feel when they are trying to build something while holding the rest of their life together.

And a deeper commitment to lead with kindness and vulnerability in every part of my life. Not just my business.

I want the people who follow my work to feel that they are seen, not judged.

And I want them to know that building a solo business is not separate from real life. It happens inside real life.

Work does not happen in a vacuum. Life does not pause while you build something meaningful. 

Who you are matters just as much (if not more) as what you do.

That breathwork session reminded me of that.

And it marked a change how I plan to show up here moving forward.

My brother’s dog, Norman, always helps too :)

There’s a point where learning stops helping — and starts hiding you. Brad was there too…

He’d been reading, thinking, and planning for months, but none of this got him any closer to his goals. 

Until he decided to stop collecting information and start building momentum.

One small shift – a few simple strategies, some accountability, and the courage to share his ideas publicly – changed everything.

The moment that started it all? He hit publish.

From there, things opened up fast.
Conversations he’d never had before.

And new confidence hammered home the realization that he didn’t have to get it perfect to make progress.

That confidence led to real connections, online and in real life.

Soon, Brad was turning his interest in health and leadership into work that actually paid him.

In fact, he’s earned income from three separate and distinct businesses he’s started. 

And now, if a layoff ever came, he wouldn’t panic. He’d have options. And the proof that he can create his own.

You don’t need more ideas. Or more knowledge. You need a first step.

If you’re ready, send me a note and I’ll share what that could look like for you.

The most motivated I’ve ever felt in my work didn’t come after a big win or a big paycheck.

It came on an ordinary morning in New York, with a plan, a coffee, and a blank page.

I remember the first time that feeling hit me.

I’d just gathered feedback on my first product – a simple ebook on slimming down in 30 days. I knew what to fix. The best days were still ahead.

I’d wake up, head to Gregory’s Coffee on 31st and 6th, order a cold brew (jet fuel!), and get creating.

It was the first thing I sold completely on my own. No extra work to deliver.

And when that first email pinged – a stranger had bought my book while I was sitting on my couch reading – I’ll never forget it.

It wasn’t about the size of the sale. It was about the shift it created.

I found the thing that I’d wake up early to build. And I had the plan to do it. 

Finding that bridge is a massive turning point. 

That’s when the work becomes exciting.
That’s when building something of your own becomes the most motivating thing you’ve ever done.

That’s when you stop being an employee in your own career. 

And start being the CEO of it.

She was tired of doubting herself.
So she gave herself a shot.
And now, she’ll head into next year with.. 

New business energy.
Her first client (maybe more by then). 
And the quiet confidence she can do this on her own. 

Marie started with me in August. 

She’s still in her full-time role. Still figuring things out. 

At the time, she was getting clients through an agency – paying a cut to the middleman, and wondering if she could actually do this on her own.

She didn’t need to start from scratch, but needed a better understanding of the value she brought. 

After just a short time together, she was able to clearly articulate… 

• The problem she solves
• The person she solves it for
• The outcome they can expect

Which allowed her to sign her first client (and earn a 3x ROI on her investment in the program). 

All in just a few months. 
Not because she blew up her life – but because she started.

Most people wait for January. For a clean slate. For the “right time.”

But the last quarter? It leaves plenty of time to see results.

If you started now, by January you could:

• Have an offer you’re proud of
• Be building the right audience
• Already see proof this path is real for you

It doesn’t take a massive disruption. Just a methodical approach, with small steps that compound.

If you’ve been feeling that quiet pull to build something of your own… don’t wait for the calendar to give you permission.

I’m hosting a free, live workshop this Tuesday.

It’s designed for mid-career professionals who want to start a one-person business—without quitting their job or guessing their way forward.

We’ll cover:
• How to clarify your offer
• Who to help, and how to reach them
• What to do first to land your first client

Join us here: https://lnkd.in/dbBue_6h

Arrivederci Italian sunshine (for now).. PHL-bound in a few hours :)

At some point, you stop saying you’ll figure it out later – and realize you’ve been circling the same thought for years:

I want to start my own thing, but I don’t know where to begin.

And then the questions start to pile up: 

What would I even do?
How do I start without risking what I’ve built?
What if I fail and regret it?

So, you wait. I see it all the time.

People reach out, we talk about what their next move could look like, and then they disappear. A year later, sometimes more, they come back – same job, same questions, same stuck feeling.

Sure, they saved money by waiting. But they lost something more valuable. 

Time.

Until one day, they look up and realize a decade has gone by in a job they knew stopped fitting years ago.

I get it. I was there too. 

At first, there’s doubt.

You scroll through other people’s posts, quietly wondering if you could ever do what they’re doing. You change jobs, hoping a new title will make it feel different. It doesn’t.

Then comes curiosity.

You start exploring what your skills are really worth. You tinker with ideas. Maybe you even earn a little money on the side. Enough to prove it’s possible.

After that, something subtle changes.

You stop asking if you’re capable and start noticing opportunities everywhere.

People ask for your help. You begin to realize your job isn’t your identity anymore. It’s just your funding.

Eventually, confidence replaces doubt.

Your one-person business starts bringing in real income. You feel in control again.

And one morning, you sit down at your laptop and think, this is my life now.

That’s when you understand: you had it in you all along. 

You just needed a plan.

If you’re somewhere between doubt and confidence, the live workshop starts in a few hours – a free working session to map your first steps toward your off-ramp.

Join us here → https://lnkd.in/dbBue_6h

I had an eye-opening call with someone last week. 

It made me realize what a job interview really is… 

It’s an audition for your own career. 

The person on the call said: 
“I’m done. I never want to go through another interview again.”

They’re tired of pretending and of being told no by people who never really saw them.

The anxiety. The prep. The “hope you get lucky.”

The rounds of interviews where you give your best self, only to get ghosted, rejected, or land in a role nothing like what you were promised.

You’re totally auditioning. And I remember that feeling well.

Always second-guessing and doubting myself. 
Wondering if one wrong answer or one bored hiring manager was going to cost me the life I was hoping for.

That’s why twenty years without a job interview feels like a milestone.

It’s not just freedom from a boss, but freedom from depending on someone else – for them to reply, to notice, to choose you.

You start moving on your own terms again.

Building your own business gives you a different kind of safety. The kind that comes when you stop waiting to be chosen.

That moment when you realize you’re done interviewing is quiet, but it changes everything.

If you’re there now, I’ve put something together that might help:

Free workshop tomorrow → https://lnkd.in/dbBue_6h

And just maybe – you’ve already had your last job interview.

“It’s been four months and I still feel stuck.”
Someone told me this the other day.
Here’s what many underestimate when starting out: 

Just how easy it is to waste time trying to figure everything out on your own. 

And when building while still employed, it’s not helpful to see 15 different paths. All promising places to start, but unsure as to which is most viable. Which leads to revenue fastest. Which has the least speed bumps. 

So what do I see most people do? 

Dabble. Start researching. Build a website. 
Try one thing, then second-guess themselves and switch. 

And four months go by. Then six. Then a year. 

And somewhere quietly in the background, they’re thinking:
“I thought I’d be further along by now.”

Time spent stuck doesn’t just slow you down.
It starts to convince you maybe you weren’t meant for this.

You can figure it out alone. Lots of people do. 
But it usually takes them 18–24 months of guessing, circling, rebuilding, and trying to reverse-engineer the right sequence.

Or…

You get help. You get a map. You talk to someone who’s already walked the road.
And you collapse that timeline down to a fraction of what it would’ve been.

Some of my clients have signed their first client in less time than most people spend thinking about how to start.

Most people don’t fail.
They just run out of time and energy they didn’t know they were burning.

So if you’re four months in and still stuck, nothing’s wrong with you.

You’re most likely trying to navigate a process in the dark that someone could’ve lit up in a single conversation.

The question is no longer:

Can you do it alone?

It’s:

How much is the extra 12–18 months worth to you?

Here’s how I started my first business.

(Hint: it did not go as planned.)

• Spent 6 months writing a business plan
• Paid $6,000 for a logo and brand kit
• Built a full website
• Lined up investors
• Took meetings with anyone who would give advice

And here’s how it went: 

Our branding was off. 
The main part of our class wasn’t engaging. 
We were guessing the entire time.

We didn’t learn this through planning. 
We learned it the moment we actually taught the class.

Direction came from doing the work.
Not preparing to do it.

After making every early mistake, here’s how I get clients started now:

1/ They get clear on their Big 3
The person, the problem, the outcome. 

2/ They clean up their online presence
Simple and easy to understand. 

3/ They grow an audience of relevant people
Not big. Relevant.

4/ They start real conversations
No pitching. Just being human.

Here’s what happens when you start like this:
• Anton had inbound conversations within two weeks.
• Marie signed her first client in under three months.
• Brad generated income from three different offers he created himself.

The confidence came after the action.
Not before.

It’s not that you can’t do it. It’s that it’s unclear what to do first.

Once you know the right sequence, the whole thing gets simpler.

We’ll walk through that sequence together in my live workshop on Tuesday. 

Join us here:

Open article: Workshop by simplemanguide.com

The hard part isn’t choosing.
It’s what happens before that: 

The limbo.

You go back and forth, trying to anticipate what you’ll lose with each option. You imagine every scenario, weigh every angle, and start thinking in circles.

Eventually, the pressure of not deciding becomes heavier than the decision itself.

And in the middle of all that, it’s easy to lose sight of what you might gain – not just from the path you choose, but from the clear vision and calm that comes after you choose it.

Once the decision is made, things get lighter. You can focus again. You’re no longer trying to live in two futures at once. You can stop running through pros and cons and finally begin shaping a plan around the direction you picked.

Starting a business is like this for a lot of people.

They think about it for months. Sometimes years. They wait for perfect timing, or a sign. They watch others do it but tell themselves they’re not quite ready.

What could be a season of momentum turns into a season of idleness. Moving – but not really going anywhere. 

Either way, you’re expending energy.

One way, you’re using it to your advantage.
The other – it just drains you. While nothing changes in your life.

And the longer you wait, the heavier it gets.

If you’ve been struggling to figure out the right next steps, and feel like you’ve just been swirling around in uncertainty… 

I’m hosting a free, live workshop this Tuesday to help lay out the roadmap for you. 

It’s for the ones who feel the pull to build something real – but also value the stability they’ve worked hard for.

We’ll cover:
• How to craft your elevator pitch
• Who to help, and how to reach them
• What to do first to land your first client

Join us here: https://lnkd.in/dbBue_6h

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The Battle

Matt Barker

Brian Gallagher

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taplio

The Battle

Matt Barker

Brian Gallagher

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Matt Barker's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreBrian Gallagher's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreMatt Barker's LinkedIn Performance