Financial planning and education (without the jargon) I Creating blueprints for high-earning sales executives and business owners

I left the financial industry because I saw a problem.

People wanted to work with a planner, but they ended up becoming a number on a spreadsheet.

I had to leave to start something new.

And now?

I'm a fee-only planner who helps salespeople & equity compensated employees under 45 give a purpose to their paycheck.

I left the large financial institutions to start my own independent company. I did it so people could pay for real planning and not just an agenda to sell a hidden product. 

As a true fiduciary, Pashman Financial, LLC was built on that promise by focusing on you and you only.

🔵 Why people hire me? 

Well, people have come to me with the following problems:

- They want peace of mind with their money
- Their old advisor barely communicates with them
- They want an answer tailored to them, not from Google
- They felt pressured to buy a product that wasn't a right fit
- They are great at making money but struggle to keep it
- They want a simple plan that's easy to understand
- They want someone to hold them accountable
- They want someone they can trust

🔵 What are my services?

I help identify your goals, craft a financial blueprint that lays out action items to hit them, and monitor your progress. 

💵 Cash Flow Management  
📈 Equity Compensation
🏡 Real Estate Planning
📊 Investment Planning
📍 Retirement Planning
🛡 Insurance Planning
📚 Education Planning
💲 Tax Management
💳 Debt Repayment
📃 Estate Planning

🔵 Who do I serve?

Age: Individuals and families between 30-50 years old
Target: Sales pros, tech employees, other millennial families
Location: Virtually anywhere in the U.S.

But I love working with people that are driven to make a change. So even if you don’t fit these criteria, feel free to reach out. Your personality is everything. 

🔵 Why I'm different?

1) My model is primarily a flat fee service. No time trap. 

2) I do not require you to hand over your investments nor require a minimum to work with. Managing your assets is optional and I'll still assist you if you do it yourself. My focus is ongoing financial planning. 

3) I focus on how to increase your cash flow, not just your assets. I work with you to ensure your systems are set and consistently educate you on how your finances work. I get paid to truly keep you accountable over time.

You can find my pricing in my "featured" section on the website. 

Stop delaying action. Shoot me a message to schedule a complimentary intro.

Max Pashman, CFP®

70% of millionaires currently work with a financial advisor. 

Here's why many end up hiring one. 

They realize that financial planning is more than just a return. 

They also realize they have limited time on their hands. 

Like business owners, they outsource their skills

But there's so much than "what do i invest":

It's about:

- Goal Planning
- Debt Repayment
- Ongoing Education
- Emergency Fund Building
- Cash Flow Management
- Equity Comp. Planning
- Charitable Strategies
- Investment Planning
- Education Planning
- Insurance Planning
- Estate Planning
- Exit Planning
- Tax Planning
- Etc. 

And if your financial planner isn't addressing these properly with you?

It may be time to find a new one.

Helping Founders and Executives Plan for Early Retirement and Exit

If you have less than $100k, you shouldn't focus on returns.

In fact, it's a waste of your time. Here's why:

Charlie Munger once said:

"The first $100,000 is a b****.... but you gotta do it"

He wasn't talking about just returns, though. 

He was talking about your income. 

How quickly can you get it up there with your paycheck? 

In other words, what you save versus what you return. 

Just look at this example:

A 100% return on $1,000 is $1,000.

But a 10% return on $100,000 is $10,000.

10X less the return, yet 10x the dollar amount. 

And here's the best part about this. 

It's much easier to do the latter. 

In other words, it's much easier to save to $100,000 than trying to get a 1,000% return on an investment.

Not easy, but not impossible either. 

So if you haven't hit that number?

Focus on your savings rate. 

Not just your returns.

The market can wait.

If you grew up watching any of these as a kid:

- Spongebob
- Hey Arnold
- Powerpuff Girls
- That's So Raven
- Boy Meets World
- Hannah Montana
- Dexters Laboratory
- The Magic School Bus
- Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
- Fairly Odd Parents
- Wild Thornberrys
- Jimmy Neutron
- Lizzie McQuire
- Ed Edd n Eddy
- Dragon Ball Z
- Pokemon
- Yu Gi Oh
- All That
- Catdog
- Rugrats
- Arthur
- Doug

It's time to open up a Roth IRA.

75% of Americans regret not investing earlier. 
 
Here is the power of starting early (and the cost of waiting):
 
What you see in the illustration are 4 people: 
 
- 20 year old 
- 30 year old 
- 40 year old 
- 50 year old 
 
Now, as you get older, your income increases. 
 
Therefore, each generation can contribute more. 
 
So I ran a quick calculation. 
 
For ever 10 years, double the contributions. 
 
You can contribute more, but have less time to invest. 
 
Assuming an average return of 7%? 
 
The results are simply remarkable. 
 
A 20-year-old who is dedicated to starting early can outperform those with higher contributions. 
 
That doesn't mean high contributions don't matter. 
 
They absolutely do! 
Especially early on your journey. 
The difference, though, is returns helped. 
 
Over time, those returns made a difference thanks to time. 
 
It's really simple, but holds a huge lesson. 
 
There is power getting off to a good start. 

You should have started sooner. 

But you aren't too late.
 
Don't wait any longer!

Most don't realize they could put up to $72,000 in a Roth. 

Here's the "Mega Backdoor Roth" explained:

Compared to the IRA, the 401 k) has a couple of advantages, including: 
 
- Larger contribution limitations 
- Matching contributions 
- No income limitation 
 
In addition, it still offers a Roth component. 
 
But the part people overlook? 
 
The total contribution limit. 
 
On the employee side, it's $24,500 (2026).
 
Combined with the employer side it's $72,000. 
 
But there is another secret in it. 
 
If your employer allows it, they may permit additional after-tax contributions. 
 
This is taking additional income that has already been taxed and contributing it to a 401(k). 
 
For example: 
 
If the employee contributes $24,500 and the match is $7,500, that's $32,000. 
 
$72,000-$32,000 = $40,000
 
The employee can contribute an extra amount into there. 
 
But that's not where the magic happens. 
 
The magic is what you can do after. 
 
These contributions can be converted to a Roth account. 
 
This can happen in two ways: 
 
1) In-Service Distribution: Make an after-tax contribution + transfer it to an outside Roth IRA 
 
Or 
 
2) In-Plan Roth Conversion: Make after-tax contribution + transfer funds to the Roth 401k of plan 
 
Once again, your employer must allow both after-tax contributions and this type of transfer so check with them first. 
 
This strategy make large contributions to a tax-free account of this size is well known as a "Mega BackDoor Roth". 
 
It's a complicated process so always be sure to coordinate this with a financial professional. 
 
If you're looking to make great strides towards building your future, this is an option you shouldn't overlook. 
 
It's a great vehicle for financial independence.

Note: This is purely educational and should not be considered financial or tax advice. Consult with a professional on your situation before implementing this.

A $300,000+ earner with less than $15,000.

As a financial planner, I've seen more of these inquiries over the last year.

I can't stress this simple message to you all enough:

High income will take you to the next stage of your life. 

Zero planning around it will reverse that.

So when you get a bump in income…

What’s your game plan?

Let’s hear it.

Them: The 401(k) is a scam! 
 
Me: Why do you think that?
 
Them: It's locked until you are 60! 
 
Me: You can get it out early with strategies like 72(t), Rule of 55, Roth Conversion Ladder, and many other reasons. 
 
Them: Well it has high fees! 
 
Me: New 401k providers offer low-cost plans + low-cost funds and you can roll it out later if you really don't like it when you leave. 
 
Them: Well it has limitations! 
 
Me: Yeah but you're talking about $24,500 (2026) for a year, not including the match you get. 
 
Them: Well, the match has a vesting period! 
 
Me: So does equity. It's an incentive and still FREE money in the end. 
 
Them: Well, it was created to supplement your retirement, not fully fund it. 
 
Me: I agree. That's why you don't put all your wealth into a single vehicle and utilize multiple to your advantage.
 
Them: Yeah, well, it's taxed as income at retirement! 
 
Me: Yeah, that's precisely why you get a deduction upfront, and your funds grow tax-deferred, which helps retain wealth over time rather than tax sales and income each year. 
 
Them: Yeah well.... it still sucks! 
 
 
 
Not as many as the excuses made against the 401(k). 
 
It ain't all that bad as people make it to be. 
 
No one claims it will solve all your problems. 
 
But it's not a scam.

undefined undefined

pashman-financial-llc

schooloffinances

Make too much income for a Roth IRA? 
 
Here's how to get around it legally (Updated for 2026!)
 
First, what's the problem? 
 
The Roth IRA is a great vehicle for tax-free growth. 
 
But there are income limitations. 
 
For 2026, those limitations are as follows: 
 
- $153,000 for single filers 
- $242,000 for married filing jointly 
- $0 married filing separately
 
Make above these amounts? 
 
They get phased out or entirely ineligible. 
 
So what to do? 
 
Instead, you could contribute to the Traditional IRA. 
 
But are you contributing to a 401k? 
 
Those deductions might also phase out! 
 
This seems like a lose-lose scenario. 
 
But it opens for an opportunity. 
 
The good news is that you can use the IRA to fund a Roth IRA. 
 
This is known as a Backdoor Roth IRA. 
 
Here's what you could do: 

FIRST: Move all existing IRA money into an employer plan like a 401k. 
 
1) Open a Traditional IRA & Roth IRA 
2) Fund the Traditional IRA 
3) Do NOT invest the funds 
4) Initiate a Roth Conversion into the New Roth IRA 
5) Elect not to withhold taxes 
6) Invest in the Roth IRA 
7) File Form 8606 to show non-deduction in Traditional IRA 
 
This process is why having a Roth 401k is pretty handy: you can make any contribution with no income limitations. 

Remember, this is purely educational and is shown here for simplicity.
 
This is not financial or tax advice, so please consult with a financial and tax professional first.
 
But the door is open for tax-free money!

You've gotta find the right key.

Note: This is purely educational and not financial or tax advice. Seek a professional before acting on any of the information.

80% of their thoughts are on things they can’t control.

Here's why it's a losing choice:

If you spend all your time focusing on the things you can't control, you're investing in a losing strategy.

We see it all the time with money:

You can't control return rates.
But you can control savings rates.

You can't control tax laws.
But you can control tax planning.

You can't control interest rates.
But you can control your credit score.

You can't control contribution limits.
But you can control diversifying accounts.

You can't control risk of an asset.
But you can control your asset allocation.

You can't control when an emergency will happen.
But you can control the management of your short-term reserves.

You can't control tuition prices.
But you can control which vehicles to choose.

You can't control social security reserves.
But you can control your retirement vehicles.

You can't control inflation.
But you can control where your cash gets parked.

You can't control your death.
But you can control your estate plan.



Want to know why we do financial planning?

Because life is usually out of our control.

Your plan gives you the steering wheel.

Up to you how you steer with it.

Don't sleep on the wheel.

Cutting your Netflix subscription will make you a millionaire.

Here's how you can do it in a year:

- Cut the $18
- Take the $18 and invest it
- Get a return of 5,555,456%

Boom. You've got $1 million

Why aren't more Millennials doing this?

Let's normalize not having everything figured out by your 30s.

Purchasing a home without running the numbers is a coin flip. 

Yet, this is exactly how 99% of people do it.

They'll just look at what the bank will allow them to get.

But they don't look at your numbers:

- Your goals
- Your expenses
- Your future maintenance
- Your potential new furniture
- Your phantom costs not disclosed

And no, going with the notion that "it will pay off later" is not a good strategy. 

Please run the numbers before executing on a home purchase. 

You'd be surprised how unprepared some are for it.

It's not like you can change your mind very easily.

After all, it's only 30 years you are stuck with it...

If your business goes to zero, you close your doors.

If the stock you own goes to zero, they close their doors. 

If the index fund you own goes to zero, money is no longer a problem. 

Now take a look at these three and answer one question:

Which of the downsides is more likely to occur?

High reward comes with high risk. 

It's not about not taking risk. 

It's about managing it.

Welcome to Risk 101.

You can make 7 figures of income. 
 
But it's all useless without this: 
 
"The art is not in making money, but keeping it" 
 
This is especially true with HENRY's. 
 
What is a HENRY? 
 
→ H-igh 
→ E-arner 
→ N-ot 
→ R-ich 
→ Y-et 
 
I've seen this with many cases of successful business owners and tech executives. 
 
Lots of talented people making fantastic revenue and income. 
 
But not many of them without a game plan to keep it. 
 
The culprit is usually simple: 
 
Lack of financial planning. 
 
Without clarity, you don't know what to do with what you earn. 
 
You worked hard to earn your income. 
 
Now make it work harder for you to grow. 
 
But you don't have to struggle at it alone. 
 
If you do, you might need help at it.

"My commissions are taxed at a higher rate"

Not true always. Why is it wrong?

Let's look at an example here.

Selling Sally works hard at her job.

She typically gets half in salary and half in commissions.

She’s hit her quota and is excited for those commissions to kick in.

But when she checks her paycheck, she notices something…

Her commissions were "taxed" at a lower rate than her salary.

At first, this seems great, more money in her bank account!

But then, tax season arrives.

After filing her taxes, her accountant lets her know she owes a massive tax bill!

Now she's frustrated that she has to write a big check and wonders:

Did something go wrong with her return?
Did she get taxed more than expected?
Did she get hit with some penalty?
Nope.

She owes more because her employer withheld less than she actually owed.

And that's the key word here: withheld.

Whenever you have monthly income like a salary, it’s considered “regular,” which gets taxed progressively like usual.

But whenever you have irregular income like:

Awards
Bonuses
Commissions
Equity Compensation
Or anything that doesn’t pay monthly
…it’s considered “supplemental.”

And these irregular forms of income are withheld at different flat rates by default.

For commissions, the default withholding is 22% for the first $1 million and 37% for any amount beyond that (Federal rate for 2025).

This is just withholding, not the actual tax owed.

Since Sally makes $500,000, her actual marginal tax rate is 35%.

But her commissions were only withheld at 22%, which wasn’t enough.

So instead of getting a refund, she ended up owing the difference at tax time.

She didn’t pay more for her commissions.

She just had less withheld than owed.

Big difference!

(Sally is a hypothetical example, but you get the point)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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li_at

JSESSIONID

Talks about #money, #wealth, #investing, #personalfinance, and #financialplanning

I don't know who needs to hear this, but just because you can afford the down payment for a home doesn't mean you can afford the mortgage payments. 

☝ Read that again

For the love of g*d, stop using absolutes with your finances:

You don't need to max your 401(k).
But don't leave your match behind.

You don't always need life insurance.
But you should get coverage for your family.

You don't need live on the edge.
But you should know your limits.

You don't need to invest everything.
But you should understand your timeline.

You don't need to open a 529 for your kid.
But you should prepare to support them eventually.

You don't need to have a strict budget.
But you don't have to live a Ramsey life either.

You don't have to pay off all your debt now.
But you don't have to completely avoid it either.

You don’t need to own a home.
But you should have a housing plan.

You don’t need to pick individual stocks.
But you should understand what you own.

You don’t need to retire and quit work all together.
But you should build the option to choose your path.

You don’t need multiple income streams.
But you should protect against a single point of failure.

Read what you want and take advice from whoever. 

But your situation is not black-and-white. 

Stop thinking like it too.

Your child can borrow to pay their tuition costs. 

But you cannot borrow to pay your retirement costs. 

Remember this as you prioritize where your wealth goes.

Friendly Reminder: Robinhood is not meant for you to create a strategic means of creating wealth. 

It's a place to mess around with your "F*** You" money.

Big difference.

Jason Vana

Marketing Director

Attract the RIGHT customers to your business | Brand & content strategist | Founder at SHFT | Known as #sassyjason

Struggling to attract the right clients?

You have a brand strategy issue.

Attracting the right people requires understanding why they should buy from YOU, when there are 1000’s of other options easily accessible through Google.

In order to attract, convert, and retain the right clients, you need to:

- Know what makes your business unique
- Communicate what makes your business unique
- Create an experience that shows what makes your business unique

It’s all about highlighting your uniqueness.

That’s where my agency steps in.

Through collaborative workshops, research, strategy, and design, we will help you uncover, communicate, and build an experience around your uniqueness.

Working with us typically looks like:

- industry, competitor, and customer research
- brand and marketing workshops 
- brand and marketing strategies
- design (logos, websites, marketing materials)

It culminates in an Onlyness Action Plan — your 1 year, step-by-step brand and marketing to-do list.

All so you become the ONLY choice for your ideal customers.

And make a lot more money.

Want to learn more?

Send me a message.
Or book a call at shft.agency/discovery

Founder & CEO

We transform B2B service companies into the ONLY choice for their ideal customers. Our clients see a 20%+ increase in revenue with our brand and content strategies. 

Here's how we help:

◼️ Brand Strategy (customers, uniqueness, messaging, touchpoints, story)
◼️ Brand Design (logos, colors, fonts, collateral)
◼️ Content Strategy (demand gen, content creation)
◼️ LinkedIn (strategy, content, profile audits)

Interested in learning more? DM me or book a discovery call below.

Positioning is not a brand.
Positioning is not a design.
Positioning is not a product.
Positioning is not a message.
Positioning is not a pitch deck.
Positioning is not a case study.
Positioning is not a marketing tactic.
Positioning is not the content you create.

It's the space you own in the mind of your ideal customer.

How they think about you when you're not in the room. - Bezos
The gut feeling they have about your business. - Neumeier
The reputation you hold. - every marketer ever

And it's influenced by:

- your brand
- your product
- your message
- your case studies
- your marketing tactics
- your logo and colors
- your sale process
- your operations
- your pitch deck
- your content
- your price

Determine the space you want to OWN in the minds of your ideal customers.

Everything else should influence that perception.

Or, just let your website developer write your messaging.

I'm sure that will work, too.

(Hint: it won't)

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

Turn your sharpest edge into a market-leading position. I build b2b service brands that stand out + drive revenue. Founder/CEO at Shft.Agency. Brand Strategist. Known as #SassyJason

Operations > personality

Most branders and marketers will fight me on this.

Somewhere along the line personality became the "it" thing.

All driven by the "people buy from people" mindset.

Which is slightly true.

Yes, people buy from people.

But they buy from people who:
- they resonate with
- can solve their problem
- can paint the picture of their future
- provide value they can't find elsewhere

All of that revolves around one thing:

An uncopyable element.

Something you DO that no other business does.

Notice the emphasis on "do."

It's operations, actions, deliverables.

Not personality. 

Extract that uncopyable element from your operations.

Then build your brand personality, messaging, marketing, content, pitch decks, social proof, hiring practices — everything! — around it.

Your brand will show depth. Value. Differentiation.

And give customers a reason to choose YOU.

If you're into that sort of thing, that is.

✌🏼

#shftyoubrand

Create a brand system to attract better-fit, higher-paying clients. | I build b2b service brands that stand out + drive revenue. Founder/CEO at Shft.Agency. Brand Strategist. Known as #SassyJason

Shft is undergoing a rebrand.

And we started in a place most brand agencies ignore:

Our operations.

Most rebrands start with vibes.

Purpose, mission, vision, values, personality.

That's the path to blending in.

Because all of those can be copied.
(Yes, including your personality.)

But you know what can't be copied?

That one thing you DO that your competitors can't or won't do.

So we started there.

Dug into what Shft actually does differently.

You know what we found?

We don't brand based on vibes.
We brand based on operations.

The thing you DO.
The methodology you follow.
The one step in your process no one else does.

Hell, the first step working with us is an Offer workshop.

We dig into your offer, process, and deliverable to extract what makes you different.

THAT'S our uncopyable element.

Because most branders out there are personality creators.

They give you adjectives, stories, archetypes, mission statements...

But never touch operations, sales, or even your offer.

🤦🏻‍♂️

Our rebrand will be launching in a few months.

But I'll be sharing the process as we go.

So you understand why vibe branding is a sham.

And operational branding makes you stand out.

Stay tuned.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

Hey there!

Stoked to hear you're looking to find your unique brand differentiator!

Here's the link to download my B2B ‘Just Be Authentic’ Playbook:

https://findyourdifferentiation.com/?utm_source=social&utm_medium=linkedin&utm_campaign=launch_dm

I've spent weeks working on this resource, and I honestly think you'll find it super valuable.

Let me know if you have any questions as you go through it, and enjoy!

-Jason

Content Driven By Brand Strategy

📌 The best content is driven by a solid brand strategy.

- know your ideal customers
- know what makes your offer unique
- know your position in the market
- know the right tone and voice

Then create content that intersects all three.

You'll never create content your ideal customers love if you don't know who they are.

Want your content to generate real revenue?

DM me today or visit https://shft.agency/content 

Offer -> Brand Strategy

📌 The right offer matters.

No amount of marketing, content, or personal branding will help you sell a sh*t offer long-term.

And it certainly won't be something people pay a premium price for.

Nailing your offer is a core step in creating a profitable brand.

Need help with that?

DM me or visit https://shft.agency/services/brand-strategy to get started.

Clarity Call: Offer

📌 Productizing your strategy or service offer makes it much easier to sell.

Think of it like hiding your strategy behind a core deliverable. 

You sell the deliverable.
And your service/strategy is HOW you create the deliverable.

Need help with that?

We can nail it down in a 1-hour Clarity Call.

DM me or book a call directly at https://shft.agency/clarity 

Go Up Market

📌  You won't be able to successfully stumble up-market.

You need a solid brand strategy to help determine:

- your new ICP
- your new position
- your new price points
- your new differentiation
- your new brand personality

Getting that nailed down will make your transition up-market far more successful.

And by successful, I mean profitable.
For you.

Want to move up-market successfully?

I've helped 125+ businesses reposition their brand for maximum profitability.

DM me for more or visit https://shft.agency/services/brand-strategy 

Brand Strategy

📌 I'm not saying all is lost when you don't start with a brand strategy.

But, starting with one makes revenue generation far easier and faster than just 'testing' what works.

The need to 'test' is often the result of not having the right foundation for your business.

Get that foundation in place and you'll be able to move faster and make far more money.

Need help with that?

I might know a #SassyStrategist who can help.

DM me or visit https://shft.agency/services/brand-strategy to get started today.

Strategy myths = invisible chains on your business.

I see them everywhere.

And they hold back founders who should be making bank.

Here are 13 strategy myths I hear constantly (especially on LinkedIn):

1. "Strategy is just for big companies."
Small businesses need strategy MORE.

2. "We can figure it out as we go."
That's called guessing, not strategizing.

3. "Strategy takes too long."
Know what takes longer? Fixing years of random decisions.

4. "Our strategy is to work harder."
That's not a strategy. That's being stupid.

5. "We need to be everywhere."
No. You need to dominate somewhere specific.

6. "Strategy and tactics are the same thing."
Strategy is WHERE you're going. Tactics are HOW you get there.

7. "Good products sell themselves."
In what universe? Even Apple has a strategy.

8. "We'll pivot if it doesn't work."
Pivoting without a strategy is just flailing in a different direction.

9. "Strategy is too expensive."
Wasting money on the wrong things is expensive.

10. "Our team is too small for strategy."
Your team is too small NOT to have one.

11. "We just need more leads."
You need the RIGHT leads. That requires strategy.

12. "Strategy kills creativity."
Wrong. It focuses creativity where it matters most.

13. "We can copy what competitors do."
You're a special kind of stupid, aren't you?

These myths keep businesses stuck.

Strategy isn't a luxury reserved for Fortune 500 companies.

It's the difference between building something that lasts...
...and wasting time and money on "testing" stupid ideas.

Stop believing the myths.
Start building with intention.

That, my friend, happens with a strategy.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

13 Strategy Myths that Hinder Revenue | Shft Agency

Becoming uncopyable starts in with your operations.

Something you DO that your competitors can't or won't.

Take these uncopyable elements from some of our clients:

- IoT remote monitoring system that outputs a prioritized checklist
- Energy recruiter that presents candidate profiles instead of resumes
- IaC developer that upskills your developers on operational workflows
- MVP and website developer that designs a tech experience, not just a platform
- Vacuum pump remanufacturer that tests tolerances on every screw, nut, and component part

We built their position around those uncopyable elements.

Messaging, marketing, pitch decks, social proof, content, design, copy — it all points back to that ONE thing.

That's what your brand SHOULD do:

Make it clear why customers should choose you.

Because if you don't...

- you'll sound like every other business
- you'll confuse prospects
- you'll rely heavily on sales

And when customers don't know WHY they should choose you, they don't.

It's basic buyer psychology.

Find your uncopyable element. 
Own it in everything you do.

Or don't be surprised when prospects choose your competitors.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

----
PS - I'm sharing how in Saturday's Brand Shft email. Click the link in my bio to subscribe.

Most brands are built on a vibe:

- purpose
- mission
- vision
- values
- personality

Elements that FEEL important.
But don't really matter to the market.

Be honest:

When was the last time you purchased a SaaS product because the mission of the company resonated so deeply with you that you couldn't help but give them your money?

If you said anything other than never, you're lying.

Vibe branding is surface level.

And keeps you locked in a struggle to attract and convert your ideal customers.

That's why I focus on operational branding.

- extract your differentiation from your operations
- build your brand around that differentiation
- create a unique and ownable position

Start with your operations.
The one uncopyable thing you do.

(Hint: you do have one)

And create everything around it.

It gives your brand depth.
An ownable IP.
And makes you uncopyable.

Create a your brand on a vibe...
...and you'll blend in to all the AI-generated noise.

OR

Create your brand on the one uncopyable thing you do.

And watch as customers repeatedly choose you over the competition.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

----
PS - Find what makes you uncopyable in this Saturday's Brand Shft email. Link in comments and in my bio.

I run a branding agency. We do NOT have:

- purpose statement
- vision statement
- mission statement

And guess what? WE STILL LAND CLIENTS.

Shocking, I know.

According to most brand agencies, marketing gurus, and influencers, you can't operate without those statements.

You need to know your WHY.
You need a purpose.
Customers want to know your mission.

Bollocks. 

I didn't start Shft with a 'why.'
(other than wanting to work for myself)

And I don't feel lost, confused, or struggle to land clients.

Because your WHY doesn't really matter to clients.

You know what matters to them?

- You can solve their problem
- In a way that matters to them
- Within their budget

Show that, and your purpose, vision, mission, and values don't matter.

Here's how:

- Uncover your uncopyable IP
- Operationalize it
- Showcase proof
- Share your expertise

👆🏼 Doing that will get you further than spending months nailing your mission statement.

Because purpose, vision, mission, and values are great.

They should outline how your team acts.

But you know what makes money?

An Uncopyable IP.

- Process
- Operation
- Deliverable
- Methodology

Start there.

You'll make a sh*t ton more money.

While your competitors are still trying to finalize their mission statement.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

Treat AI like an intern.

It's great at performing mundane, repetitive tasks:

- finding patterns
- researching trends
- analyzing data sets
- clarifying your thinking
- creating low-level graphics
- organizing and qualifying leads

Hell, I use it to find competitors' social media profiles.
Pull analytics.
Find industry patterns.

And even point out what they AREN'T doing.

All things I could train an intern to do.

Because in order to get AI to do that level of work...

YOU HAVE TO TRAIN IT LIKE AN INTERN.

Give it examples.
Explain what to do.
Explain what not to do.
Document a process.
Review its work.

AI is NOT going to run your business while you sleep.

Or take a single prompt and spit out the most industry-shattering idea that will make you millions.

Or help you to stand out and do something different.

(it's not even built that way)

AI is an intern.

Treat it that way.

Or keep expecting it to be your strategist, content creator, and business coach.

Don't be surprised when you look, sound, and have the same offer as every other competitor on the market.

Because that's what AI will give you.

The average of everything it's trained on.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

Building a moat around your brand starts with one thing:

Your uncopyable element.

The one thing you DO that:

- your ideal customers want or need
- your competitors can't or won't do

Call it your onlyness, differentiation, uniqueness, USP, or your value.

Most founders look for it in their personality, purpose, or team.

And try to own some form of being the best.

(Industry leading, highest quality, single source of truth)

All those do is position your business as the same.

- same offer
- same value
- same message
- same look and feel

And ultimately competing on price.

Because vibe branding lacks one key element to business growth:

A real reason for customers to choose you.

Extract your uncopyable element. 
Build your brand around it.
Own that place in the market.

And watch as customers continue to choose you.

I'm sharing how to extract what makes you uncopyable in tomorrow's Brand Shft email.

Subscribe today to get it → https://lnkd.in/gvmiU8YE

Or, you know, keep pushing your mission statement and personality.

Like every other damn B2B company out there.

I'm sure that will make you stand out.

(NOT)

✌🏼

#shftyoubrand

Launching an effective brand requires:

- Uncopyable IP (operation, process, methodology)
- Deep understanding of their ideal customers
- Clear and compelling messaging
- Few, but aligned, offers
- Offer staircase to make selling easier
- Relevant experience (marketing, sales, operations)

THAT'S the bare minimum.

Especially if you want to stand out, increase revenue, and become the only choice for your ideal customers.

Not purpose.
Not mission.
Not vision.
Not personality.
Not even design.

You need the ability to communicate:

- The unique benefit you bring to the market
- For whom
- How

And turn that into a system to attract and convert clients.

The rest are nice-to-haves, but not requirements.

Looking to launch a new brand?
Trying to reposition your existing brand?
Want to go up-market and attract higher-paying clients?

Skip the purpose, mission, vision, and values.

Nail your uncopyable IP.
And develop a system to own it in the market.

That will take you further than any purpose statement or new design can.

Imagine that.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

----
PS - Create a launchpad for your new or repositioned brand with our Brand Launchpad offer. 4 weeks to get the necessities of a brand strategy. Only $7,500 and only taking on 2 clients this quarter. Learn more in the comments.

Brand awareness ≠ brand recognition

Yet, that's how most founders and marketers treat it.

Failed marketing campaign? It's brand awareness.
Failed tradeshow presence? It's brand awareness.
Failed content implementation? It's brand awareness.

As long as the market sees the brand name and logo, and can recall it, that's brand awareness, right?!

WRONG.

That's brand recognition, not awareness.

Let's clear something up right now.

Brand awareness is achieved when people know:

- the brand name
- what the brand does
- how the brand could impact them

Much deeper than brand recognition alone.

And the only way to achieve true brand awareness?

Brand inclusion.

Your brand shows up when and where ideal customers are searching.

Stop using brand awareness as an excuse for marketing's failures.
Or seeing it as brand recognition.

Awareness is about seeing your brand as a solution.

NOT just recognizing your damn logo.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

75% of Shft's revenue comes through my LinkedIn account.

And no, it's not from my content alone.

Ghostwriters and gurus will tell you that great content is enough to get leads sliding into your DMs like a thirsty married woman wanting you to join her and her husband.

(I've gotten that DM before multiple times...🤮)

Your content creates awareness.

It's meant to show people:

- you know what you're doing
- your unique point of view
- your methodology
- your personality

Now, sometimes you'll have enough awareness that a single post can create a flood of DMs and booked calls.

But that's putting the fate of your business in the hands of the algorithm.

And we all know that Linky Dink has been drunk for a year.

Revenue comes from systems.

Like this one I've used for the last 6 years ↓

- Created a LinkedIn Strategy
- Create content to help my ICP
- Engage before my post publishes
- Respond to comments on my posts
- Focus on DMs
- Schedule my time on LinkedIn

I'm sharing an in-depth breakdown, including resources to build your own system, in tomorrow's Brand Shft email.

Subscribe so you don't miss it → https://lnkd.in/gfNESZr3

That mix of content (awareness) and DMs (conversations) driven by a strategy wins.

Both for me
And for my clients

Develop your LinkedIn system.

Or don't be surprised when your ideal customers choose your competitors.

Simply because they did the work to generate leads.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

Finding your uncopyable element isn't hard.

Here's how I've done it for 145+ businesses:

- Map your process
From discovery to delivery, document everything you DO.

- Research your competitors
Look for what they can't or won't do.

- Research your customers
Understand what they want and need.

-  Extract what you do differently
Find ONE thing you do that your customers want or need and your competitors can't or won't do.

Don't look for the BIG thing.

The industry-revolutionizing idea.

It's often hiding in the small things you do.

- deliverable
- consultation
- methodology
- framework

The thing you think isn't special because you've done it 100 times for 100 different clients?

THAT'S often your uncopyable element.

Extract it.
Own it.

And watch it attract customers you never thought you'd land.

Struggling to find it?

I'm sharing my system in this Saturday's Brand Shft email.

Subscribe today → https://lnkd.in/gpDf2hFA

It's driven millions in new revenue for my clients.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

The Path to Becoming Uncopyable | Shft Agency

Brands rise and fall on one key element:

Their ability to communicate an Uncopyable IP.

Most brands don't know how to talk about what they do.

"We're the industry leading..."
"We optimize the collaboration between..."
"Awesome products for your business..."
"We build websites that sell."

Boring. Unclear. Confusing.

If prospects don't understand why they should choose YOU...

...THEY WON'T.

It's that simple.

Follow these 4 tips for communicating your Uncopyable IP:

- Speak about your customers, not your business
Don't start your message with "We." Start with "You."

- Highlight the transformation
No one cares about your product. They care about how your product changes them.

- Be clear and compelling
Clear alone doesn't incite action. Compelling alone can be confusing. Combine the two. You'll move prospects to convert.

- Talk about your Uncopyable IP
Align your message with what makes you different.

I run every client message through those filters.

Follow those tips.

You'll create a message that compels products to convert.

I'm sharing how in Saturday's Brand Shft email.

Subscribe today to get it → Link in comments cause reach.

Or keep sharing that boring, confusing, copyable message.

I'm sure that will make it easy for prospects to choose you.

NOT

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

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Max Pashman, CFP®

Jason Vana

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taplio

The Battle

Max Pashman, CFP®

Jason Vana

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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);}Max Pashman, CFP®'s LinkedIn Performance

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