Blue SalesFly LLC

I help CEOS and Sales Leaders untangle the knots stopping growth. Most recently helped grow a healthcare consultancy from $6M to $47M. If you want growth, you need a GUIDE with a Map that knows the terrain. I’ve been turning around territories or product lines my whole career.

“Knots” cause all the sales problems. Not winning, not finding, not opening enough, and not at the right price. I’ll help you untangle the “knots” holding you back. You will gain a selling system customized to your business with the right people doing the right activities in the right sequence to accelerate your growth.

Founder / CEO

Membrain.com

Partner

SpendMend 

Joined to revitalize sales and marketing. I helped grow the company from a low seven-figure to nine-figure validation. I led the development and launch of a new brand, go-to-market strategy, sales process, CRM, and two new websites. I was instrumental in elevating the national accounts strategy that landed nationwide contracts with the two largest group purchasing organizations.

In 2022, after the second Private Equity event, I chose an exit and launched a company to share what I have learned.

Sr. Vice President Growth & Development

Sodexo

Senior Director Business Development

Steelcase Health

Area Healthcare Manager

Johnson Controls

Solutions Sales Executive - Healthcare

Hill-Rom

Area Vice President

Most CEOs I work with have a capable team—but still feel like sales is tangled, random, and not creating margin-rich growth.

After 25+ years fixing broken sales across industries, I’ve built and installed custom growth systems that get teams aligned, qualified, and closing with confidence. One client scaled from $6M to $47M by untangling their “sales knots.”

I help small to mid-market B2B CEOs and Founders:

- Map their Route to Revenue
- Uncover their Strategic Value
- Install the GUIDE Selling System™
- And build a sales process that earns margin, trust, and market share

The problem isn’t your product. It’s how your team sells it—and what your buyers believe when they hear from you.

👉 Ready to fix your broken sales system? Let’s map your Route to Revenue. DM me or visit www.bluesalesfly.com

Michael Koory

Jeep Thought  - How to show up 

Be prepared: 
   Do some research!
   Have questions to gain understanding!
   Show your value by how you engage. 

Demonstrate:
   Your questions and research speak louder   
    than what you claim. 

Presentation:
     If you are going to wear a t- shirt. At least 
     choose a clean one.

LinkedIn

li_at

JSESSIONID

(11) Messaging | LinkedIn

Talks about #sales, #saleshiring, #salesprocess, #salescoaching, and #salestraining

CEO Growth Advisor | Fixing Broken Sales & Untangling Revenue Knots | Creator of the GUIDE Selling System™

I spent the weekend untangling fishing line with my son. 

Every time I thought I had it, another knot showed up. 

He laughed, I grumbled, but we kept at it. 

Funny thing is, it reminded me of every sales process I've ever fixed. 

You pull on one thread, and three more pop up. 

Messaging misaligned. 

Hand-offs dropped. 

Nobody sure who's actually in charge of the deal. 

It's never just one knot. 

But here's the secret: you don't fix it by yanking harder. 

You slow down. 

You look for the pattern. 

You get curious, not frustrated. 

And eventually, the line comes free. 

Same goes for sales. 

If your team is stuck, don't just push harder. 

Step back. 

Find the real knot. 

Untangle it, and watch what happens. 

What knot are you wrestling with right now?

Growth isn't a mystery. It's a system.

Most companies stall because they try to fix sales with tactics. 

I fix sales with alignment.

That's why I built the Growth Flywheel - a system that starts with culture and ends with momentum. 

Here's how it works:

Culture sets the tone.

Strategy sets the direction.

Methodology is how you engage.

Process makes it repeatable.

CRM drives execution.

Coaching sharpens performance.

Accountability keeps it honest.

Talent keeps it strong.

Each turn fuels the next.

Each turn adds lift.

Each turn compounds.

This is how you shift "random wins" to predictable revenue.

Not with tactic hacks.

Not with pressure.

But with Your flywheel built to scale.

If you want growth that doesn't stall, build a system that can't stop.

#growthflywheel #salesleadership #ceo

𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙆𝙣𝙤𝙩

Your sales team (or you) is stuck and underperforming....Why?

Lately, I've noticed a misalignment between the message and the value.

The approach is off.

When things get tight, like being behind in Q4, the pressure increases.

The team starts really "selling."

Customers can feel it and are repelled. They go silent - ghosts.

Often, when there is no formal sales process, reps chase.

No cohesive plan, no focus on providing value, just pressure to "sell."

Prospect hide, deal push, and the stress rises.

I know, I've been there.

Sleepless nights, excuses, and stories about the moving deals....

It doesn't have to be that way.

What if you focused on helping your prospects and customers?

Do you know their goals? Where do they want to go?

Are they behind and feeling stressed?

Can you help them uncover what's holding them back?

Can you help them remove threats, problems, and obstacles?

Can you help them realize an opportunity?

Instead of pushing your product, help them remove their challenges.

Be a resource. Be a guide.

Check your MAP:

M = Method - How can you help, instead of sell?
A = Attitude - How can you be a server, instead of a seller?
P = Process - Are you following a process?

When you or your team are stuck, this simple check can change trajectory.

Untangle the Knot!

#salesknot - Confusion

Business Development and Sales are about helping customers move from where they are to where they want to be. 

It's about navigation.

If you're dealing with complex B2B sales, navigation is highly fluid. 

Change is hard. Even moving away from pain is challenging.

Are you giving your customer clear direction?

Or, are you adding to the confusion?

When making a change, there is always fear of the unknown.

And fear shuts down progress. 

It shuts down creativity.

It kills deals. 

Before every call or meeting, ask yourself, "Where is the customer at and where do they need to go?"

Does your meeting agenda get them there?

What threats, obstacles, problems, or opportunities might be in their way?

What milestones do we need to pass to keep them on track?

Eliminate anything in your questioning or presentation that might confuse.

And, if the customer is confused.

Or, you are...

Deal with it immediately.

If things get off track - stop. Redirect, and get everyone moving again.

Complex deals require a competent guide. 

Your customer must be confident in where you are trying to take them.

They must know you are prioritizing their safety and their journey. 

#guide #businessdevelopment #salesleadership #growth

No alternative text description for this image

Sales Knots – Something you’re doing or not doing that is strangling growth.

In business, as in life, we often overthink our challenges.

But what if we approached challenges through the eyes of a navigator?

Executives frequently employ navigational language—it's a powerful metaphor. It rallys the team.

Consider these questions:
·     Where do you want to go?
·     Where do your clients want to go?
·     Are you/they move toward or away from the desired destination?
·     What is the next and potential barrier in your path?
·     What's preventing you from advancing?

Sometimes, the solution lies in recognizing that next obstacle.

Think of it in terms of travel, pathfinding, and wayfinding:
·     Are there obstructions on your trail?
·     Do you lack clarity about your destination?
·     Are you even on the right path?

By adopting a navigator's mindset, we can more easily identify the threats, challenges, and opportunities that hold us back.

The path to success is a journey.

By aligning our goals with our clients' aspirations and addressing each barrier as it arises, we can drive meaningful progress.

So, as you navigate your professional journey, if you feel stuck.

Remember to ask, “Where am I trying to go? What’s in my way?”

Am I knotted? Is there something I’m doing or not doing that’s stopping my progress?

That’s your knot. So, untangle it.

If you need help, I’m right here beside you.

#SalesKnots #Leadership #GrowthMindset #SalesJourney

Insight Selling - Are you leading with Insights?

A #CEO recently told me,

"Most 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 are about as fresh as a three-week-old, all-you-can-eat buffet."

Ugh, are you serving up stale and nasty insights? (see the image)

Insight selling took off in 2011, thanks to the success of the groundbreaking book, "The Challenger Sale," by Matt Dixon and Brent Adamson.

It got another boost from the 2014 book, "Insight Selling," by Mike Schultz and John Doerr.

Both are excellent books. 

The premise is spot on. So, why did this CEO pan insights?

Well, first, what is an insight?

𝘈 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘢 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴—𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴.

So, why did this CEO pan insights? Shouldn't he want his people working with sales teams delivering insights?

Of course he does. Unfortunately, he's not seeing it. 

So, back to the earlier question, "What are you serving your customers?"

Here's 3 simples steps to go from "Slop House to Chop House" with insights:

1. Your Insights must be focused on your customers' success.
 Ask yourself these questions:
 Do you know their top 3 goals for the year? For 3 years?
 Are they off-track?

2. Uncover potential pitfalls in making purchases and implementation. 
 Then, show how you help them avoid the trouble.
 
3. What potential trouble is likely to rock their business plan?
 Are you future-casting scenarios to help them plan?
 How are you and your company thinking about challenges?

Too often, companies are serving features and benefits as if they were insights.

True insights are surprising. They cause course correction.

They get attention.

Insights are robust connectors. They make decisions move faster. 

They make you and your team indispensable.

What are you serving?

I used to think the hardest part of fixing a broken sales process was the technical stuff. The CRM, the scripts, the playbooks. 

But honestly, that's the easy part. 

The real challenge? Getting a team to admit something's actually broken. 

Nobody wants to say it out loud. Everyone's got a story about why the numbers are off, or why that big deal slipped through the cracks. 

But here's the thing. If you can't name the knot, you can't untangle it. 

I've sat in rooms where the tension is so thick you could cut it with a butter knife. People fidgeting, glancing at each other, hoping someone else will speak up first. 

And then, finally, someone does. Usually it's not the loudest voice. It's the one who's tired of pretending. 

That's when the real work starts. 

Because once you admit there's a knot, you can start pulling the right threads. 

You can stop blaming the market, or the product, or the competition. 

You can start asking better questions. 

What are we actually trying to solve here? 

Who needs to be in the room? 

What would "fixed" even look like? 

It's not comfortable. But it's the only way forward. 

So if your sales process feels stuck, ask yourself: are you willing to say what's really broken? Or are you still hoping someone else will do it for you?

I was in a planning session with a manufacturing sales leadership team last month.

Whiteboard. Coffee. Q4 pressure.

They had the usual list:
 - We need to close deals.
 - Pricing is getting squeezed.
- The sales cycle is too long.
- We need better reps.

All true. Also....not the root.

So I asked a simple question:
"𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀, 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴?"

We pulled up the TOPO Map and ran the exercise as a team. 

Within 20 minutes, the room got quiet. 

Because they stopped talking about what they sell...and started naming what their customers are trying to survive. 

𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙨 weren't "competitors."

They were the silent killers:
 - late shipments that trigger line shutdowns
 - supplier risk that turns into customer penalties
 - quality escapes that become "we don't trust you anymore."

𝙊𝙗𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙨 weren't "budget."

They were internal friction at the customer:
 - Engineering, Purchasing, Ops all optimizing for different outcomes
 - change requests stuck in approvals
 - fear of supplier changes, because the last one almost broke them.

𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙢𝙨 weren't "they need parts."
 
They were downstream issues and pain:
 - rework, scrap, expediting, missed production windows
 - quoting complexity and requests
 - tribal knowledge living in one person's head.

𝙊𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨 weren't "grow revenue."

They were transformations:
 - simplify SKUs, reduce variability, stabilize production
 - redesign for manufacturability
 - turn the supply chain into an advantage instead of a stress headache

Then the sales leader said the line that changed everything:

"𝗪𝗲'𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿.... 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗲'𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸-𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿."

That one insight rewired their strategy.

They stopped building a plan around:

 - product categories
 - capacity
 - "here's what we can do:

...and started building around 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲:

 - how they offer uptime protection
 - where they reduce complexity
 - where they prevent quality and delivery surprises
 - how they help teams execute change without chaos.

TOPO didn't just refine their messaging. 

It changed what they pursued, how they qualified, and how they coached. 

Because when you can name the customer's unseen TOPO... you stop selling parts and start guiding outcomes. 

If you're in manufacturing and your sales strategy still starts with your capabilities... run a 𝗧𝗢𝗣𝗢 𝗠𝗮𝗽 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲.

It'll change the conversation you have with your customers and the market.

𝗔 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗢𝗟𝗨𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗔𝗖𝗛 𝗧𝗢 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀
“Sales is at a breaking point—not because customers have changed.
 
But because sales haven’t. 

Traditional methods still chase qualification and discovery like it’s 2005. 

The GUIDE Selling System flips the lens. 

It doesn’t start with what we sell, but with why customers struggle to grow. 

In a world saturated with solutions, the real revolution is understanding. 

Not pitching. 
Not probing. 

But understanding what’s in the customer’s way—and walking with them through it.”

Recently, I was a guest on the Michigan Business Network podcast. https://lnkd.in/eUP-zREa

Jeffrey Mosher and I talked about the struggle sales teams face to gain traction with their customers. 

Please give it a listen, link in the comments.

How do you untangle #salesknots?

I'm skilled at untangling #salesknots.

Uncovering what's preventing your growth.

However, Christmas lights? Not so much. 

Fortunately, my wife's skills are next level.

The Journey and Progress

When seeking change or transformation, there are two fundamental decisions to make.

Where are we now and where do we want to go?

Advancement lies not just in setting a destination but also clarity of our current position.

Clarity is the compass.

And clarity forces the next question, “Where do we begin?”

Enter the Guide with a Map. They’ve been there before and know what it takes.

Basecamp – What resources to we have (tools, provisions, team) and where are we lacking? Can we get to the destination with our current resources? (probably not)

The Guide askes: Are you genuinely ready to move forward? Are you committed to the change that will and must take place? Have you identified your "why"?

This introspection is critical. It's easy to get lost if we aren't honest about what holds us back.

In essence, progress is about meaningful movement.

It's about understanding the terrain you're navigating and having the right support to guide you.

Whether you're on a solo expedition or leading a team, embrace the journey with a clear purpose, and ensure everyone is equipped for the path ahead.

Only then will the map transform from a piece of paper into a powerful tool for success.

How do you untangle a #salesknot?

Let me tell you about one. 

A B2B team with a killer product, but their pipeline looked like a bowl of spaghetti. 

Deals everywhere, but nothing is moving. 

The CEO was frustrated. The team was as well.

So we mapped it out, old-school style. Whiteboard, markers, sticky notes. 

Turns out, there wasn't a real sales process.

No one knew who the real decision maker was. 

There was no focus on value, only price. 

No wonder things stalled. 

We changed one thing. 

Every rep had to ask, early and often: "How does your organization make decisions?" 

Simple, right? 

But it broke the logjam. 

Deals started closing. 

The team got their confidence back. 

Sometimes the biggest knots are hiding in plain sight. 

You just have to look for them. 

What knot is slowing your team down right now? 

And what would happen if you just asked the obvious question?

How do you create growth?

I was frustrated and filled with questions.

Why did some engagements work when others didn't?

How can I help CEOs and sales leaders eliminate obstacles to growth?

The Growth Flywheel is the result of that frustration.

Hours spent questioning the wins and losses.

Painful self and project examination.

After the examination and journaling, I found the eight (8) factors.

1. Culture - If culture is bad, you can't grow. Fix this first, or don't start.

2. Strategy - Is the strategy infused with good culture and aligned to the goals?

3. Methodology - Does your method align with your culture? Is it yours?

4. Process - "If you can't describe what you are doing as a process, you don't know what you are doing - W. Edwards Deming.

5. CRM - Your system for making it a habit. It should make your team's job easier.

6. Coaching - How you make your team better.

7. Accountability - How you keep everyone honest. 

8. Talent - How you build the team that wins. 

This is the framework. Each section is vital if you want to build a revenue system and team. 

How's your system?

Take the simple assessment.

How did you do?

Growth Flywheel

Let me tell you about a knot I untangled this month. 

A B2B team with a killer product, but their pipeline looked like a bowl of spaghetti. 

Deals everywhere, but nothing moving. 

The CEO was frustrated. The team was burned out. 

So we mapped it out, old-school style. Whiteboard, markers, sticky notes. 

Turns out, every deal was stuck at the same spot: nobody knew who the real decision maker was. 

They were pitching to champions, but not guiding the process. 

No wonder things stalled. 

We changed one thing. 

Every rep had to ask, early and often: "Who else needs to be involved for this to move forward?" 

Simple, right? 

But it broke the logjam. 

Deals started closing. 

The team got their confidence back. 

Sometimes the biggest knots are hiding in plain sight. 

You just have to look for them. 

What knot is slowing your team down right now? 

And what would happen if you just asked the obvious question?

Public Speaking is Fun

Ever since my first speech class in High School, I've enjoyed public speaking. 

It's a great way to learn and share ideas.

Here's a short bit about a Leadership Lesson I learned while working in a factory. 

Sometimes, your team teaches you how to lead.

If you are willing to listen. 

This is from a DisruptHR Talk.

https://lnkd.in/gS2KeiyM

#leadership

Open article: LIGHT: Leadership Lessons at 2 AM | Michael Koory | DisruptHR Talks - DisruptHR by disrupthr.co

LIGHT: Leadership Lessons at 2 AM | Michael Koory | DisruptHR Talks - DisruptHR

#SalesKnot - How do you get through a slump?

Sometimes, everything you try misses the mark.

Nothing seems to work, and you feel like you're falling behind.

And, maybe you are falling behind.

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."
 - Epictetus

So what do you do?

I've been there many times. 

One bad call derails the day.

One bad week turns into a month.

What helped me was to depersonalize everything. 

Step outside yourself and view your activity and attitude.

What are you saying to yourself?

What are you believing?

Is your activity on point?

Activity begets more activity. Not just for motion's sake...

Sometimes, to get through a slump, you have to keep moving. 

Getting outside your head can give you a new perspective.

Stop and look at everything from the outside.

You'll see it, then start moving again.

Movement gives you a new perspective.

If you are doing the right things, movement gets you through. 

If you're not doing the right things, move to what works. 

Ask for help. 

Getting outside yourself and your ego gives you clarity.

Find someone who's been there, and if you're in business long enough...

Everyone has been there. 

Ask for help. Find a Guide.

#navigation #growthmindset #guide

In Grand Rapids, the wind is howling and cold.

Lake Effect snow is predicted up to 5" - 8" over the weekend. 

What does this have to do with growth?

Storms are a constant in life.

They cause noise, pain, and distraction.

You can be knocked off course from your desired destination.

It happens to all of us.

Leaders focus on what they can control and on the goal.

Leaders navigate threats, obstacles, and problems.

Leaders grab opportunities. 

So, when the noise level rises, and, the winds howl.

Focus on what is in your control. 

What you can do next. 

Smile and press on. We're on an amazing journey.


A

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲? 𝗜 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵.

The quarterly meeting was coming up, and no one was happy. 

The redesigned territories brought in new team members, and there was friction.

New people and new leaders. A perfect recipe for a meeting to jump the tracks. 

Unfortunately, the leader didn't address the issues. 

Question: If you have a high producer who is toxic to the team, what do you do?

Do you separate them from the team and let them do their thing?
Do you coach them about the importance of teamwork?
Or do you really have a team, or is it just a bunch of independents going after their own numbers?

Culture takes work. As a leader, you need to alternate between holding your ground on an issue and being confident enough to be challenged.

Not all your ideas are good ones - your team can help.

Over the years, I've been on all manner of teams, from excellent to exhausting. 

One thing I learned is that if the people who have to work together don't want to, they won't. 

And if they won't, you won't succeed.

And, toxicity? Deal with it immediately.

Route it out.

In the story above, a toxic team member was derailing every meeting. It was painful, expensive, and a waste of time. 

She had won a huge deal, so her leader didn't want to call her out.

She was a "performer." The approach was "She hit her number, so leave her alone."

But the cost of leaving her alone and ignoring her behavior was huge. 

Fortunately, she left. And guess what happened?

Not just in her territory, but across the team. 

Culture drives engagement and engagement drives performance. 

That's why Culture is the first thing on my Growth Flywheel. 

If the culture is bad, transformation will be challenging, if not impossible.

If you need growth, check your culture.

Is the team engaged?

Are they sharing or competing?

Are they leaning in and believing?

Are they being listened to?

Just like the line in the movie, Field of Dreams,

"If you build it, they will come."

Once you build a strong culture, recruitment and performance are much easier. it,

#salesknot - The "Update your CRM!"

You know the drill, you get the call - "Update your CRM!"

Your sales leader is presenting to leadership or the board.

They want an updated forecast.

So, you schedule the time to update all your deals.

Usually, you see the opportunities you missed, or forgot about...

"How long has it been since I was in here?"

It doesn't have to be that way.

CRMs don't have to suck even though most do.

The right ones can help you sell better. 

"𝗪𝗶𝗽𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗖𝗥𝗠 𝗶𝘀."

Check out this case study. 

https://lnkd.in/ezt6d3Da

#crm #ceo #revenuegrowth

Open article: Worksighted Case Study by membrain.com

Luke Shalom

CEO @ Grow Solo I help the C-suite turn industry expertise into predictable pipeline

Most founders are stuck in what I call "The Activity Trap".

They’re on LinkedIn every day:

DMing.
Posting.
Commenting.

Trying to be everywhere, still not getting consistent clients.

They’ve been told “show up and it’ll work.” But they’re doing everything and nothing’s compounding.

Instead of building leverage, they’re trapped in a cycle of rented results, ghostwritten content, and cold DMs that never convert.

Eventually they burn out:

- No time to sell
- No energy to market
- No leverage to scale unless they outsource again and hope it works

When you stop feeding the machine, the pipeline dies.

There’s a better way.

We install your Leverage Engine — a Trust-Led Outbound system powered by AI that turns LinkedIn into a client acquisition channel you own.

Everything runs in under 30 minutes a day.

With Atticus, we’ve helped 75+ B2B founders, consultants and experts:

→ Escape the Activity Trap
→ Scale without headcount
→ Drive 5–10 new deals per month from LinkedIn

Over $120M in pipeline booked without ghostwriters, appointment setters, or agency retainers.

Here’s how it works:

1. Attract

We install an AI content agent trained on your voice and expertise, built from 70+ top performers.
No ghostwriters. You own the engine.

2. Convert

A behind-the-scenes system moves prospects from cold to calendar.
By the time they book, they already trust you.

3. Activate

We build and install the full system in 60 days, fully trained, operational, and ready to scale inside your business.

Real wins from the system:

V, agency owner → 5–8 qualified opportunities/month + Forbes feature + six figures closed

B, M&A founder → $750K in sales-qualified pipeline

J, executive coach → 62 calls + $144K pipeline + price increase from $33K to $44K

J, startup consultant → 20 qualified calls in 20 days + $150K pipeline

B, career coach → 12 qualified leads in 8 days post-activation

This is for founders ready to shift from activity-trapped operators to leveraged dealmakers — where every post and DM builds trust, not just traffic.

Want your own AI Demand Engine installed?

Send me a message with “AI” and I’ll walk you through how it works and exactly what it would look like inside your business.

Founder

We help executives to build and monetize their brand on linkedin by scaling your content and turning it into leads, authority and thought leadership.

How?

Engagement + DM flows = Qualified meetings. 

Done with you. Done for you.

A few crazy things breaking past $50k profit months as a leveraged operator allowed me to do:

- Drive my entire client acquisition funnel on LinkedIn in less than 30 mins a day

- Take afternoons slow again. I finish most days at 3pm because our offers are mostly async delivery (we get paid for our minds and not our time).

- Worked from Colombia for 2 years without the business collapsing every time I travelled.

- Take 4 weeks of holidays this year fully offline (with only a little guilt).

- Be more present with my girl and pup instead of scrolling LinkedIn on the sofa.

- Generate a living income from just my investments > firmly on route to financial freedom.

- Reinvest heavily back into my own skills — I spent $30,000 in my training across mindset + sales this year.

- Perhaps my favorite of all… I finally flew my girl from Colombia to London last year. And this year we will go again to enjoy Christmas with my family (peep the picture of her smile man!).

I built this thing with just my laptop, LinkedIn and AI.

Now it’s put me in a position where I can support myself and the lives of those I love.

That’s what being a leveraged operator is all about.

Get leverage in the places that matter less.

And get more time with the people who matter most.

If you’re still deep in the grind of trying to hit above the $20k profit plateau…
Keep going.

A few simple changes could get you everything you’ve ever wanted.

PS: If you want to add $50k–$100k profit months with 90%+ margins using just LinkedIn, I’m hosting a LinkedIn client acquisition masterclass on the 12th. Smash this link to join biz owners gaining an unfair advantage in 2026 with AI: https://lnkd.in/gGNvBEfB

CEO @ Atticus | AI sales systems for founders | 5–10 deals/month from LinkedIn in <​30 mins/day I $125M+ pipeline generated for 100+ founders

March 2022: I hit 600,000 impressions in 60 days. Guess how much that added to my revenue?...

Exactly $0.

I posted daily.
DM’d like crazy.
My calendar stayed empty.

Back in March 2022, when I went all-in on my business, I had the metrics… not the money:

• 60 posts in 60 days
• 600,000 impressions
• 40 cold DMs per week

And still? Maybe 1 call a week.

That’s when I stopped chasing activity and started building leverage.

Here’s the truth most founders stuck at $20k per month profit don’t want to admit:

Consistency without leverage does not scale growth. It scales exhaustion.

I was doing everything LinkedIn “experts” said to do.

But nothing was translating into predictable deal flow.

So I audited a week of work and realized about 70 percent of my time was non-revenue.

Every morning felt like Day 1.
Staring at LinkedIn.
Anxiety bubbling up.

 “Why is everyone else winning but me?”

 “Another competitor posts a $50k month. Must be nice.”

I didn’t have a content problem.
I had a leverage problem.

Over the next 3 years, I rebuilt my entire client acquisition system around infrastructure, not effort:

- Identified the Rainmaker client persona (the one person I knew who was willing and able to afford me).

- Built an indoctrination strategy for my content—I identified the key ideas my audience needed to believe to buy from me.

- Created an AI content agent in my voice and trained on my brain. I was no longer spending an hour a day writing posts. I could create a week of content in 30 minutes. No AI slop because it’s trained on my library of content.

- Built a team of AI outbound agents that allowed us to scale our outreach to people in our sphere of influence from content and profile views.

Before → After:

- 4 to 8 calls per month → 35 to 50 a month
- $10k profit → $20k to $50k per month
- $270k closed in last 4 months

Try this for 7 days:

 Run an Activity Audit and highlight your activity traps.

- Log everything in 15‑minute blocks
- Tag each block R (revenue‑producing) or NR (non‑revenue)
- Circle your top 3 NR time sinks
- Kill / Automate / Batch anything NR
- Block 1 hour in your calendar for December 12 to join 100 founders building their own AI Demand Engine with LinkedIn on my webinar.

If you’re stuck in the trap, it might be time for a change.

Grab your FREE ticket to my LinkedIn masterclass here: leveragedoperators.com

I thought LinkedIn Thought Leadership Ads were “just brand.” I was wrong. They’re a sales-meeting machine if you structure them right. I spent $3,000 on ads, $1,000 on consulting, and 100 hours of study so you don’t have to. Here are 3 things we did to get our ads delivering leads in 60 days:

BACKGROUND

I sat in a café in Medellín with my father.

Me: “My LinkedIn reach is down 80%, feels like the end of the party.”

Him: “You always knew it wouldn’t last forever.”

Me: “I’m going to need an ad budget to fill the gap.”

Up to that point, I’d only dabbled with LinkedIn TLAs. Decent brand lift, but no leads. So over the last 60 days, I worked with Tom Casoo and learned a killer approach.

5 things that helped me drive meetings from TLAs

1) Having a founder-led brand helps.

Our content already hits the right eyes 300k–500k monthly reach so any spend pours gasoline on what’s circulating. Higher like counts also improve CTR and trust.

2) Tight targeting = better results.

I used to target every startup in the U.S. But our offer is specific: service business owners under $5M with a tech or service arm. Focusing on this ~2M TAM finally brought the right people in.

3) Having the right strategy.

 I stopped boosting random posts and split ads into:
 • Top + middle of funnel
 • Bottom of funnel

Every 2 weeks, I added top-performing posts to TOF/MOF and ran until we hit 1,000+ accounts reached. That became our retargeting pool. CPM was ~$30.

Then I fed that audience into BOF ads... our highest-converting client wins and framework posts. I track which posts cause Calendly bookings and spend more on those.

Pro tip: Add a direct CTA with your Calendly link or tell people to comment “GROW.” It meaningfully increased attribution.

Fitting engagements into our Atticus AI sales system.

We scrape likes, comments, and profile views, score them, and have our AI agent DM high-fit prospects with personalized context.

Adding ads multiplies your organic footprint. It’s just another way to show up in front of buyers... paid or not.

Stuck at $20K/month? I’m hosting a FREE LinkedIn Client Aquisition Masterclass on the 12th of December (usually $1,000 in consulting fees). 

I’ll show you how to build your own AI sales system to add another $50k a month using LinkedIn.

👉 Smash your revenue ceiling: https://lnkd.in/gkishZ_v

(40% gone. Don’t sleep on it.)

POV: thanksgiving after starting a business 😭 


P.S - Stay delusional, my entrepreneurial friends, and keep your cool as you eat turkey today. Happy thanksgiving!
-

Repost from @jimpapi

Every B2B founder wants to generate qualified sales calls on LinkedIn. 

But 95% have no idea where to start. Here are 5 outbound strategies that helped me generate over $125,000,000 in pipeline across 100+ companies (steal them):

1) Content-led outbound

This is where 99% of your hottest leads hide. If someone engages with your content, they already know who you are. Your cover photo acts as a sales billboard when done right.

Start conversations with this flow: 

Open-ended question > What they have tried > Curiosity gap > Pull to Zoom.

Spend 30 minutes a day on this and you will book an extra 5 to 10 calls a week.

2) Profile views and followers

Check profile views and net new followers (your followers list is arranged by who followed last) daily. When your ICP shows up, reach out and start a conversation using the same framework.

3) Messaging with intent

Cold outbound fails because it is unexpected and unwanted. Use an AI SDR to build lists based on intent events like funding rounds, job changes, new hires or key announcements.

Not all intent works for every industry. Ask what your ICP cares most about. For example, funded companies care more about ramp time than unfunded ones. Context matters.

4) The 800 open InMail hack

Every LinkedIn account has 800 extra free InMails on Sales Navigator. Tools with “open InMail campaigns” help you find these accounts fast. You can also check manually inside Sales Navigator.

5) Scaling outbound with multiple LinkedIn accounts

Get your team on Sales Navigator and use sales automation to multiply outbound across multiple open InMail licences. This loop doubles our monthly LinkedIn meetings.

Only do this once you have message market fit with at least a 20 percent response rate. Otherwise you will burn your total addressable market.
I learned all of this from running outbound for 100+ founders. 

If you want the exact AI outbound flow that books us 30 to 50 sales qualified calls a month in less than 30 minutes a day, join my free LinkedIn masterclass here: https://lnkd.in/gGNvBEfB

taplio

The Battle

Michael Koory

Luke Shalom

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreMichael Koory's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreLuke Shalom's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Michael Koory

Luke Shalom

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);}Michael Koory's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreLuke Shalom's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreMichael Koory's LinkedIn Performance