Michelle J Raymond

Business LinkedIn Trainer - B2B Marketers/Business Owners my LinkedIn G.R.O.W.T.H Masterclass & B2B Community Builder are your secret to growth. Company Page Expert. 2XLinkedIn Author.

Are you running your company’s LinkedIn strategy in-house and wondering how to improve your results? You know your audience is here, but the advice available can be confusing or unsuitable for your business.

👉 Why Most LinkedIn Advice Doesn’t Work for B2B
Most LinkedIn advice is too generic or focused on shortcuts that deliver little more than vanity metrics. Hacks and automation will not build trust or meaningful relationships and will not grow your business. 

👉 Build a Strategy That Fits YOUR Business
Whether you’re starting out looking for more engagement or ready to turn followers into business growth, I’ll design a strategy tailored to your goals, resources, and team. 

👉 What You’ll Get When We Work Together:
• Company Page Expertise: Turn your LinkedIn page into a community where your audience engages and your brand thrives.
• Profile Rewrites That Work: Showcase your team’s expertise and attract the right opportunities.
• Social Selling Training (G.R.O.W.T.H. Framework): Equip your team to build relationships, nurture trust, and sell without sounding salesy.

👉 Who I Work With
I partner with businesses globally that are driven to lead their industry. These businesses are open to new ideas, willing to invest time, and not looking for quick fixes. If that sounds like you, we’ll work well together.

👉 The Power of Two: Build Your Brand AND Your People
Your LinkedIn strategy should grow your business and empower your team. I focus on the Power of Two: building a strong company brand while helping your employees grow their personal brands. When these work together, you get exponential results.

👉 Here’s What Makes My Approach Stand Out:
• Tailored Solutions: Every business has different goals, resources, and challenges. I design strategies that fit your unique needs because one size never fits all.
• Ethical Expertise: I don’t rely on hacks, automation tools, or engagement pods. My approach is rooted in trust, relationship-building, and long-term success.
• Proven Results: With over two decades in B2B sales and social selling, I bring practical, actionable insights that drive real growth.

👉 Work With a Recognised LinkedIn Expert
• International LinkedIn speaker.
• 2 x Best Selling Author - Business Gold (Company Pages) and The LinkedIn Branding Book.
• Host of the Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast and cohost of The LinkedIn Branding Show.

Global LinkedIn Pages Expert - LinkedIn Strategist and Trainer - B2B Social Selling Consultant

Have you noticed you're no longer seeing posts from people you actually want to hear from? You're not imagining it, and this post is for you.  

B2B Marketers - LinkedIn changed how your Feed works, and here's what you need to know.

Backstory - LinkedIn Engineering team released a long technical blog about what and why. Because I'm a LinkedIn nerd, I've read it all, so you don't have to. You can thank me later. 

If you have been using LinkedIn for a long time, as I have, you probably viewed it as a professional networking platform. ie the "social" in social media was important to you. 

You connected with someone - you saw their posts. Simple. 

Going forward, things are different. 

The new AI doesn't just look at who you follow anymore.

⚠️ It reads what a post is actually about, then finds the right person to show it to. Whether they follow/connected with you or not.

The new feed learns in real time. 

Make good choices = good outcomes.
Lurk and take no action = LinkedIn controls your destiny. 

Think of it as a choose-your-own-adventure book. (I loved those books).

Things to understand - 
1) Clarity and alignment are crucial - Pages, Profiles and Posts all need to be coherent. What topics do you want to be known for? The more specific, the better! 
2) Every action you take eg content, profile update, connection, comment etc creates context for LinkedIn to change your feed within a few minutes. It's up to you to stay on track. 
3) Topics - topics drive everything. Pick 1-3 topics and stick with them. 

The reality is, LinkedIn's new system rewards expertise that is easy to understand and consistently demonstrated.

You don't need to post more.

You need to show up with more clarity.

The algorithm didn't get harder. It got smarter.

And now, so have you. 😀

So this week, no more scattered activity. Get back to your Game Plan and focus. If you don't have one? We need to talk.

Company Page Led Growth ​> Scale with employee advocacy on LinkedIn. Work with me - Company Page Management, Page Admin Training. Employee LinkedIn Training. #Timfluencer

You heard AI cites LinkedIn, so you thought more posting more was the answer...I hate to break it to you, but what might be popular on LinkedIn doesn't make it true. 

I wrote this article to dispel some myths because they have been driving me crazy. 

NB - All my secret SEO how-tos for LinkedIn are reserved for my paying clients. I've had enough of the "inspired by" crew stealing my stuff 😀

Feel free to Book an Intro call b2bgrowthco.com

A recent study by Semrush analysed more than 230,000 AI prompts and looked at which websites are most frequently cited in AI answers. One result immed

Open article: Why LinkedIn Is Being Cited by AI (And What Marketers Are Getting Wrong) by Michelle J Raymond • 4 min read

Why LinkedIn Is Being Cited by AI (And What Marketers Are Getting Wrong)

The way LinkedIn determines which posts you see in your feed has changed significantly, and I think it's important that marketers understand. 

It's a pretty full-on technical document, which I've done my best to simplify. 

What's most important to understand is that the Feed aims to determine which topics you are most likely to spend time on and engage with. 

Notice I said what TOPICS and not what people?

If you don't feed the beast the right info, you get a feed that is a waste of time and not enjoyable. 

Every action, almost in real time, adjusts what is shown in your personalised feed. 

Good actions > take you closer to where you want to be.
No actions > LinkedIn guesses (good luck with that).

This change explains why you don't see posts from people you like as much anymore - it's all about the topics. 

Do you like the change?

PS I save all the secret how-to stuff for my paying clients so that the "inspired by crew" don't steal it 😀

Big news. LinkedIn’s engineering team just released information on their new Feed system. Consider this your Dorothy moment, where we get to pull back

Open article: LinkedIn’s New Feed Explained: What B2B Marketers Need to Understand by Michelle J Raymond • 4 min read

LinkedIn’s New Feed Explained: What B2B Marketers Need to Understand

Tim Tam Tip - one thing I love as much as Tim Tams, is digging into Company Pages to figure out what’s holding back their success.

You’d be surprised what a fresh set of eyes, that isn’t too close to the action, can discover. 

Your Page should make it obvious -

What you do.

Who you do it for.

What makes you different.

When you eat, sleep and live the brand you make a lot of assumptions about how clear things are to strangers.

If your Page isn’t hitting your KPIs, rather than blame LinkedIn and the algorithm why not take back control send me a DM and we can set up a time to chat?

We can talk about how my Page Audit & Strategy can transform your Page results and free you up to focus on what matters in your business 😃

Happy Friday!

No alternative text description for this image

I can’t do a LinkedIn Audit & Strategy for your B2B in 30 seconds, for free, like an LLM. Nor do I ever want to.

To give you a B2B tailored LinkedIn strategy that will be effective for your business will take me time.

It will also take -

My 20+ years of B2B selling experience in my career.

My 10 years of social selling experience on LinkedIn.

My six years of Company Page focus and employee LinkedIn training.

It takes me time to ask the right questions to get to the right answers.

I takes me time researching what’s working and what’s not on LinkedIn.

I love the time it takes to experiment and do things others aren’t doing so your brand will stand out. 

It will take my experience combined with yours to come up with the solution you can implement sustainably over the long term.

When my clients work with me they go forward with confidence.

Not crossing their fingers and hoping ChatGPT is pointing them in the right direction when their gut tells them otherwise. 

Good things come to those who wait 😃

PS If you want to take time to ensure your business isn’t wasting time and money on an ineffective strategy you know where to find me.

🎉Tim Tam Tip - Company Pages AREN'T a waste of time! 
For years, I've been saying this, and now I have the data to back it up, thanks to the team at Dreamdata.

Turns out their research confirms something I’ve known in my gut for a long time 👉Your LinkedIn Company Page is a buying signal.

Here’s what they found:
• 9.4% of MQL journeys include a Company Page impression
• 15% of SQL stage journeys include a Company Page impression
• 17.9% of closed deals include a Company Page view

That’s nearly 1 in 5 deals where someone checked out the Company Page.

But wait, it gets even better than that (yes, really).

The average time from the first Company Page impression to a won deal is just 90 days.

As I've always shared in Page Admin training with clients, B2B buyers are looking beyond relationships with any one human. Especially on big deals that take time.  

This suggests buyers are visiting your Company Page during the evaluation phase.

They’re checking:
• Credibility
• Expertise
• Whether your company feels like the right partner

Combine this with Semrush research into AI citations, showing that Company Pages are more likely to be cited by Perplexity, and it's been a pretty great week for me on the Company Page front. 

Time to celebrate with a Tim Tam or two. 🎉

2026 - The Year B2B discovered new ways Company Pages contribute beyond the home feed. 

PS This photo was taken in 2024, when Liliane Abboud and I visited the Dreamdata office in Copenhagen, met the team and traded Tim Tams for Danish butter cookies. 😀

If you want access to the full report, head to their company page or website to find the details.

Firstly - this one is a long one. But it's also as long as it needs to be, so you are up to date with the latest research and how to interpret it. 

Secondly - things change quickly. New research will come. Often, research conflicts with each other, so take it all with a grain of salt.

Thirdly - the answer is always to get back to marketing fundamentals. 

Fourthly (is that a word?) - if you want to optimise your B2B's LinkedIn presence for AI citation, I can help. 

Fifthly - I love that the research backs what I've always said - your Company Pages is important for things beyond just impressions. Go the Power of Two.

And then.....and then.... and no and then... (this one's for Susie Steed and anyone else who loves a good dated movie reference. 🤣)

In my previous article, I explored how marketers can increase their chances of being cited in AI answers using LinkedIn. "Why LinkedIn Is Being Cited 

Open article: LinkedIn and AI Citations: What the Latest Research Really Means for B2B Marketers by Michelle J Raymond • 5 min read

LinkedIn and AI Citations: What the Latest Research Really Means for B2B Marketers

Is it time to put some love back into your LinkedIn Company Page? Let's look at the pros and cons of internal management vs outsourcing. 

Working with clients and their Pages over the last 6 years, I've seen both ways be successful. Like everything, there isn't a one-size-fits-all. 

I'm writing this now because there is a lot going on in marketing. 

Headcounts and budgets are being slashed. 
Platforms are delivering less and less organic reach. 
Marketers are being asked to become experts across more and more. 

If you're struggling and your LinkedIn Page growth is on your KPI's but way down your list of fun things to do....this one's for you 😀

If you’re part of a B2B marketing team or business leader responsible for your brand’s LinkedIn Company Page, this question has probably crossed your 

Open article: Outsourcing LinkedIn Company Page Management vs Managing Internally: What’s Right for Your B2B Team? by Michelle J Raymond • 4 min read

Outsourcing LinkedIn Company Page Management vs Managing Internally: What’s Right for Your B2B Team?

⚠️You can't just dump content on your social team at the last minute and expect it to perform. This is one of the great insights from Melissa Dawson, Senior Corporate Social Media at WD, about what it takes for high-performing corporate social.

Melissa has helped transform WD's corporate social presence, growing their audience by 30% and driving 83M+ impressions.

This has been through a combination of organic and paid, company page and employee advocacy.  

Thanks, Melissa Dawson, for sharing your practical hands-on experience with the podcast listeners.
 
If you want more out of LinkedIn for your business, this episode is for you! 

Let's all just agree, no last-minute dumping, you want something posted on the social team going forward 🤣

High-performing corporate social on LinkedIn is not about going viral. It is not about one big post, and it is definitely not about being handed a fin

Open article: Why Most Corporate B2B LinkedIn Strategies Underperform by Michelle J Raymond • 5 min read

Why Most Corporate B2B LinkedIn Strategies Underperform

Enragement gets engagement. But on its own? That’s just performative noise we don’t need.

The LinkedIn posts that really land combine two things:
Enragement + empathy.

✋ Enragement stops the scroll.
 💘 Empathy makes the message feel true for the people you want to reach.

That’s the difference between a post people react to, and a post people recognise themselves in.

I love working with Patricia Romboletti to share her important messages on LinkedIn for those in career transition.

It takes courage to share a strong point of view.
It takes heart to take a stand for others.

700+ likes
  65 comments
  41 reposts
 (and counting).

Because when people feel like someone is speaking up for them…
They don’t just react.
They rally.

So if you want engagement, sure enragement helps.

But if you want real impact, make sure people know exactly who you’re standing up for.

That's the kind of LinkedIn I wish for more of. How about you?

PS Time for a Tim Tam to celebrate this message resonating far and wide.

Michelle J Raymond with a giant Tim Tam box. 

Slack channel. Drop your post. Everyone go like and comment.
Is that employee advocacy? Or just an engagement pod with payroll?

I saw this called out recently as “bad marketing”.

The idea being that your audience should decide if the content is good, not your coworkers. And I get that to a degree. 

If the only people engaging are your team, what does that actually say?

But I think it's more nuanced than this.

Organic reach is getting more difficult. I believe LinkedIn is a team sport and
teams should support each other.

So the issue for me isn’t the coordination.

It's intent.

There’s a difference between amplifying good ideas and ticking a box because you feel like you have to.

One builds credibility, and the other just looks busy.

So a simple test: If your employee advocacy program disappeared tomorrow… would anyone outside your company notice?

This has been fun for me to ponder. Penny for your thoughts.

I saw a LinkedIn post recently that stopped me mid-scroll. It called out a company for asking employees to drop their posts into Slack, so the team co

Open article: Is Employee Advocacy Just an Engagement Pod With a Company Logo? by Michelle J Raymond • 5 min read

Is Employee Advocacy Just an Engagement Pod With a Company Logo?

Fun things you find amongst your 41,000+ photos on your phone. This was used in a LinkedIn post July 2021.

Back then my business had a completely different name.

I hadn’t done the rebrand (or should I say brand) and set up branding guidelines. 

Before I had professional photos (that one I took in the garden and removed the background)

Before I had another 5 years of learning and experience.

But the message is till the same - B2B buyers are online - your teams need to be too.

‼️More important - have fun and just post.

You never know where you’ll be in 5 years if you just get started. 😃

PS It’s more fun to watch if you play with sound. Dare you not to smile.

Is B2B marketing serving customers…or dashboards? 🤔

You know I've been on a mission on the podcast to get us back to marketing fundamentals and focus on customers. 

After reading Moni Oloyede's Substack and enjoying her content I knew she was exactly the right person to help us get back to "good marketing".

Together we challenge the metrics-first mindset that dominates marketing that is causing the drift away from customers. 

From MQL obsession to marketing attribution and misunderstood buyer behaviour, this conversation questions what we’ve prioritised and what it’s costing us.

If you’re responsible for LinkedIn strategy, demand generation, brand or pipeline this episode will make you think differently.

Are you a marketer that's been caught in the tug of war between dashboards and what you know you works?

Marketing was never meant to be a reporting function and yet, for many B2B teams, that is exactly what it has become. If you're measured on followers,

Open article: Has B2B Marketing Lost Its Way? Rethinking MQLs, Attribution and Customer Focus by Michelle J Raymond • 4 min read

Has B2B Marketing Lost Its Way? Rethinking MQLs, Attribution and Customer Focus

If you remember 90s work motivational posters, you’ve probably survived more than a few “this changes everything” moments in marketing.

Websites were the future.
Then SEO.
Then social.
Then inbound.
Then growth hacks.
Now AI.

LinkedIn is no different.

Every year, there’s a new feature, a new format, a new “secret” to visibility.

But here's the thing -

✅Visibility doesn’t replace positioning.
✅Features don’t replace clarity.
✅Activity doesn’t replace strategy.

LinkedIn hasn’t changed the marketing fundamentals.

It still rewards brands that understand:
 • Who they’re for
 • What problem do they solve
 • Why they’re different
 • How they build brand recognition over time

The real advantage on LinkedIn isn’t chasing every update.

It’s knowing which ones support your strategy and ignoring the rest.

Confused which is which? That's what I'm here for. 

I work with marketers to give them confidence in their LinkedIn strategies. 

Question: Which of these images would you put up in your office as a reminder to always stick to marketing fundamentals? 😂

90s Social Media Workplace Inspo

It's a huge ditto from me Moni Oloyede! Know Thy Customer should be the number one commandment of every marketing strategy, which then informs your business's LinkedIn strategy. 

Everything else is a distraction or means you aren't building on a solid foundation. 

I loved recording this podcast episode because it was all about getting back to the fundamentals of good marketing.

I really enjoy Moni's content because she makes me think. Unafraid to go against the popular opinion. (Check her featured section for the YT video on marketing attribution being a scam for some more fun 😀)

Check out the full episode on Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast.

Where is the line between employee advocacy and engagement pod? 
Something I try and answer is this week's podcast, after a post today caught my attention (I'd share it, but I got blocked - yes really)

Blue Corner - A company shares its smart marketing strategy of dropping the link in a Slack channel and encouraging the team to swarm the post. The goal is to increase reach. 

Red Corner - Someone calling this out as practically an engagement pod, and that they should let the real audience determine the quality of the content. This is just artificial inflation. 

I can see both sides to this argument. 

On the one hand, I absolutely encourage teams to work together. Scaling your brand with employee advocacy is literally in my headline. 

On the other hand, I take the point that this actually stops the person from learning what does/doesn't resonate with their audience. 

Penny for your thoughts to help me work through this one...

When a company drops a post link in Slack and asks the whole team to go like it, that's...

The author can see how you vote. Learn more

Billy Samoa Saleebey

Founder of Podify | Launching Video Podcasts for Speakers, Authors & Founders | Amplifying Purpose-Driven Voices, Building Unstoppable Brands | Ex-Tesla

𝗠𝗬 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬:
In 2019, I left Tesla as the Head of Global Sales & Product Training and went ALL IN on podcasting

I left my career but I found my calling. Here's what happened 👇

Spent a decade making movies - My feature film, Rolling, won awards, went to festivals all over the world, and got picked up for distribution in 2009

In 2010, I decided to make a pivot

I wanted to make a difference so I got into the renewables space

Helped scale a small solar company scale to become one of the biggest in the country

Got recruited by SolarCity

When Tesla acquired SolarCity, I got the opportunity to create the Onboarding Program for Tesla

Every new hire who starts at Tesla, goes through this program

I became the Global Head of Sales and Product Training, one level removed from Elon

Then I got the call...

Elon didn't want a global head of sales training

I could have stayed in corporate, but it was time to do my own thing

I started my podcast, Insight Out

Quickly realized how much work it is, so built a team

It became clear that others could also use help, so I started Podify

Today we help 40+ podcasters produce, promote, and monetize their shows

______________________
𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗥 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦 🚀
🎙️Insight Out - Top 1% Globally
▶️ Co-Founder & CEO of Podify
🎞️ Audience Award Best Feature - Rolling
🎥 Million+ views on YouTube
🤝 30K+ on LinkedIn - Millions of content views 
🏆 Top 100 LinkedIn Sales Star
🚗 Global Leader at Tesla
🥇All-Time Sales Record Holder
📺 Creator of SCTV 

______________________
𝗠𝗬 𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡 🌎
To help visionaries and change-makers amplify their VOICE to make their mark on the world!

______________________
𝗠𝗬 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗬 🎙
We help podcasters and brands produce, edit, promote, and monetize their shows - Podify.com

______________________
𝗠𝗬 𝗣𝗢𝗗𝗖𝗔𝗦𝗧 🎙
Insight Out dissects how the world’s most impactful people have made their mark - insightoutshow.com

______________________
𝗪𝗛𝗢 𝗜 𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗠𝗘𝗘𝗧 🤝
People who are changing the world

______________________
𝗪𝗛𝗢 𝗜 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 👊🏻
Brands, influencers, celebrities, podcasters, athletes, speakers, radio/TV personalities, entrepreneurs, and executives

______________________
𝗙𝗨𝗡 𝗙𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗦 🤙🏻
🌎 World Traveller (42 countries 6 continents)
🍜 Ramen Addict
👨‍👦Dad to Kid Epic (YouTube)
⚾️ Little League Coach

______________________
𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗖𝗧 𝗠𝗘 📲
📆 Book a FREE podcast strategy call:
calendly.com/billysamoa/podify

📫 Media requests: saleebey@gmail.com

I post here daily: Hit 🛎 to be notified

Follow #BillySamoa

Co-Founder & CEO

Podify, LLC is a podcasting services and technology company that specializes in the production and promotion of digital media and podcasts. We work with podcasters and companies to provide audio editing, video editing, search engine optimization, web development, writing, analytics, transcription, publishing, media management, advertising, marketing, and social media support. Our clients subscribe to our monthly membership to receive these services and our mission is to help their podcasts achieve high production quality while reaching their target audience. We also create applications, technology, and automated tools to help create a more efficient workflow to produce a podcast.

This is 49.

One year away from 50…
 
And I feel like I’m just getting started.

Recently, someone my age told me they’re “slowing down.”

I feel the exact opposite.

The next half century?
I believe it will be the best chapter of my life.

This year has brought something even more powerful than progress.

Clarity.

I’ve crystallized who I serve and why.

I work with purpose-driven, mission-driven leaders and entrepreneurs.
 
People building companies that do well AND do good.
Businesses that exist for impact, not just income.

That clarity is shaping everything:
• I’m rebranding my podcast to Built For Impact (this is the first time I'm publicly sharing this)
• I’m interviewing leaders whose missions are bigger than themselves.
• I’m telling stories of companies that prove business can be a force for good.

And something interesting is happening…
I’m attracting the right people.

Founders.
Operators.
Builders.
Leaders who care deeply about the dent they leave in the universe.

On the personal side:

I’ve been walking more. A lot more.

So far this year I've lost 16 pounds.

16 more to go to be a high school weight!

But beyond the weight, walking has also given me mental clarity.
 
Time to think.
Time to listen. (to books, podcasts, friends)
Time to reflect.

My wife created a "birthday table" for me with photos from every season of my life.

It stopped me in my tracks.

The seasons.
The growth.
The setbacks.
The wins.

Life isn’t about the destination.
It’s about the journey.

And the journey is measured less by net worth…
and more by the value of your relationships.

My wife.
My son.
My parents.
My extended family.
Cousins who texted today.
Friends who reached out with a birthday call.

It’s the people.
That’s the real wealth.

I think about life as a wheel:
Love
Family
Friendship
Health
Wealth
Purpose
Work

If one part is missing, the ride gets bumpy.

My goal now is simple:

Build a life where the wheel is full and balanced enough to roll smoothly.

More ups than downs.
More depth than noise.
More purpose than pressure.

And if you get a random text from me in the coming weeks, just saying hello…

It’s intentional.
Relationships matter.

49 feels like alignment.

And I’m excited for what 50 and beyond will bring.

If you’re building something that makes the world better I’d love to connect.

Built For Impact.

I'm excited to share that my feature film Rolling is now on Amazon streaming! Last year, we landed a new distribution deal, which means a new generation can watch it!

Before Podify, before Tesla, before solar...I spent a decade in the film industry. 

And you may not know, I directed, produced, and co-wrote a feature film. 

Yes...

Over 20 years ago, a group of friends came together to make a movie about ecstasy.

We took it to film festivals around the world, it won multiple audience awards for best picture, got picked up for distribution, had a small theatrical run, and was on Netflix, and all the major platforms. 

The DVD was even on the shelves at Blockbuster (remember those days?!?!)

But more than valuable than these milestone achievements, was how working on the movie impacted my life, and the lives of so many who were involved. 

We were young. We were ambitious. We had no idea how meaningful that journey would become.

What started as a creative project turned into lifelong friendships resulting in deep bonds and relationships I still treasure to this day. 

Many of the cast, crew, and producers from that film are still very close. Even marriages happened because of Rolling!

That experience shaped more than a movie…it shaped my life.

Now, 17 years after its original 2009 release, Rolling is streaming on Amazon as part of a new distribution chapter that will bring it to multiple streaming platforms.

I’m incredibly grateful.

Many have asked for a link to watch it, so here it is!

If you have a chance to watch, share, or help us introduce it to someone new, it would mean the world.

Here’s to stories that keep rolling.

Here is the link to Rolling on Amazon:

Most people think this tiny pocket inside your jeans is just a design quirk.
It’s not.

It was originally made for pocket watches.
 
Later, people used it for coins.
 
Today, it mostly does… nothing.

And that’s the point.

The pocket didn’t fail.
 
It did exactly what it was designed to do.
We’re the ones who forgot why it exists.

That’s how systems quietly turn into drag.
Not because they’re broken.
 
But because their original purpose disappears and no one questions them anymore.

This happens in business all the time.
 • A weekly meeting no one can explain
 • A report everyone produces but no one uses
 • A tool the team inherited, not chose
 • A process defended with “we’ve always done it this way”

At some point, the context changed.

The system stayed.

High-performing founders don’t just optimize execution.

They re-audit intent.

They regularly ask:
 • Why was this built?
 • What problem did it originally solve?
 • Would we still design it this way today?

Because scale doesn’t collapse from bad ideas.

It collapses from forgotten ones.

If you can’t explain why something exists in one sentence, it’s already costing you.

The drawer under your oven isn’t for storage...

Most people use it for pans.
Baking sheets.
Random stuff that doesn’t fit anywhere else.

But that drawer wasn’t designed for storage.

It’s a warming drawer.

Its job is to keep food at serving temperaturewithout overcooking it.

Hidden in plain sight.
Quietly doing its job.
Completely misunderstood.

Business works the same way.

Most teams aren’t lacking resources.
 
They’re misusing them.
 • A tool that’s treated like a toy
 • A process that’s used out of habit, not intention
 • A role that’s filled, but never fully activated
 • A meeting that exists because it always has
 • A dashboard no one actually uses to decide
 • A metric that’s tracked but never acted on
 • A hire brought in for expertise, then ignored
 • A playbook that’s documented but never followed
 • A strategy deck that lives in a folder, not behavior
 • A piece of software running at 10% of its capability
 • A feedback loop that stops at “good job”
 • A calendar full of priorities that don’t move the needle
 • A leader promoted for vision, then buried in operations

Not because people are careless, but because no one ever read the manual.

The biggest gains in your business usually don’t come from adding something new.

They come from finally using what you already have the way it was designed to work.

Those extra holes on Converse sneakers aren’t decorative.
They’re optional capacity.

Yes, they help with ventilation.
That’s the obvious part.

They’re performance features designed to:
 
Lock the heel in place during lateral movement
Reduce foot slip under load
Increase stability during training

Most people never use them.

Not because they’re useless.
But because no one told them they existed.

That same pattern shows up everywhere in business.

Not in obvious ways.
In expensive, quiet ones.

Examples I see all the time:
• Calendars used for meetings: not energy design, focus blocks, or recovery
 • CRMs used as databases: not automation engines or follow-up systems
 • Cameras used on auto: while manual settings could double output quality
 • Teams hired for execution: while their strategic leverage goes untapped
 • PM tools used for tasks: not dependency mapping, risk surfacing, or clarity
 • Podcasts used for distribution: not relationship-building, deal flow, trust
 • Social media used for awareness: not audience research, message testing
 • SOPs written for compliance: not speed, delegation, or creative freedom
 • Analytics viewed as reporting: not behavioral insight or decision guidance

Here’s the truth:

Most people don’t need better tools.
They need deeper fluency.

Tool switching feels like progress because it’s visible.
Mastery feels slow because it’s internal.

But leverage lives in depth.

The people who compound fastest don’t add more.
They extract more.

They ask better questions:
- What am I only using at a surface level?
- What feature did I skip because it felt “advanced”?
- What capability would change outcomes if I actually learned it?

That’s how pros separate themselves from hobbyists.

Not by owning more gear.
 
By understanding what they already have.

Before you buy the next tool, platform, or system:

Learn the extra lace holes.

What’s one tool you already use every day that you suspect you’re under-utilizing?

🐸 Are we the frog in the AI pot...warming slowly, smiling calmly, and not realizing what’s coming?

Most big shifts don’t feel like emergencies at first.

They feel like conveniences. Efficiency. Progress.

Until one day the temperature isn’t “warm” anymore.
 
It’s… different.

And with AI... the water is heating fast.

Where the “temperature rise” really is

The credible risks aren’t killer robots.
 
They look more like this:
• Quiet job replacement, not overnight, but drip-by-drip
• Enormous power concentrated into very few companies
• Truth becoming harder to verify
• Increasing dependency → decreasing human capability
• Economic & social pressure on people who can’t adapt fast enough
• AI influencing decision-making at scale without transparency

Most people don’t notice risk as long as life seems easier
 
That’s the “warming water.”

The uncomfortable truth

AI isn’t inherently an existential threat

But misaligned incentives + rapid capability growth + global scale = real risk if we don’t take governance and alignment seriously

And hoping it turns out fine has never been a great strategy

So what do we do, practically, right now?

Here’s a simple framework I use when thinking about “future-proofing” in an AI world:

1. Awareness over denial

Don’t panic. Don’t dismiss.
Stay informed through credible sources, not headlines or hype.

2. Augment, don’t compete

Assume AI becomes a baseline tool, like calculators or the internet.
 
Ask daily:
“How does AI make my work 10–100x more effective?”

People who partner with AI will outpace those who avoid it.

3. Invest in deeply human skills

These compound in value:
• judgment
• ethics
• leadership
• creativity
• storytelling
• relationships
• taste
• emotional intelligence

AI amplifies these, it doesn’t replace them easily.

4. Own something AI can’t take

Ideally more than one of these:
• your audience
• your reputation
• your network
• your perspective
• your domain expertise

These are moats.

5. Push for responsible guardrails

Support:
• transparency
• safety research
• alignment work
• policies that protect humans
• accountability in powerful AI systems

We want progress, but with brakes, seatbelts, and airbags.

6. Build resilience

Assume change will accelerate.

Design your life & business for adaptability:
• recurring learning
• multiple income paths
• flexible identity (you are not your job title)

Antifragile beats comfortable.

The big mindset shift
The danger isn’t that AI becomes smarter than us tomorrow
The danger is we slowly hand over agency without noticing

We outsource:

thinking → decision-making → meaning.

The “frog” doesn’t die because the water gets hot.
 
It dies because it stops paying attention.

My takeaway

AI isn’t doom, it’s leverage.

But leverage amplifies everything, including our blind spots

The goal isn’t fear

It’s clear-eyed responsibility, proactive adaptation, and building the kind of society that remains human-centered even with non-human intelligence

This is what great marketing looks like...and most founders will completely miss why. 👇

Not because they’re bad marketers.

But because they’re addicted to explaining instead of revealing.

Here’s the truth:

People don’t believe claims.
 
They believe behavior.

This ad works because it doesn’t say anything.

It forces your brain to conclude the message on its own.

And when your brain completes the story…

You trust it more.

That’s persuasion at a neurological level.

Here are 7 reasons this ad outperforms 99% of marketing:

1. It externalizes the benefit

Bad marketing says:
“We’re delicious.”

Great marketing shows:
“Look what happens when this exists.”

Show the impact, not the features.

2. It creates behavioral proof

No testimonials.
No guarantees.

Just implied truth:
“If cats are climbing walls for this… it must be irresistible.”

Implied truth > stated truth.

3. It uses object-centered storytelling

You don’t see the brand talking.

You see the world reacting to the brand.

That shifts the story from:

“We are great”
to
“This changes behavior”

That’s much more powerful.

4. It builds desire through pursuit

Movement = attention.
But pursuit = desire.

When something is being chased, our brain automatically assigns it value.

Most brands talk.

Great brands make you lean toward them.

5. It collapses logic and emotion into one frame

Logic says:
 “This product must be good.”

Emotion says:
 “I want the thing everyone wants.”

When those stack, you win.

6. It removes the need for copy

If you need paragraphs to explain your value…

You don’t have clarity.

This ad is a masterclass in strategic subtraction.

The fewer words required, the stronger the idea.

7. It makes the audience do the thinking

And when people participate in the meaning…

They remember it longer.
And defend it harder.

Because now it’s their conclusion, not yours.

This isn’t just ad creativity.

It’s a lesson for anyone building a brand, podcast, or company:

Stop telling people what you do.
Start showing the world that changes when you exist.

When your work genuinely creates transformation…

You don’t need to scream.

You just need to design moments where the truth is undeniable.

Thoughts?

What cold plunging taught me about running a business
I’ve been experimenting with cold and hot therapy.

And the evidence is overwhelming:
 
Stress your body in the right way… and it gets stronger.

It turns out the same principle applies to business.

Here’s how.

1. The hardest part is getting in

Staring at cold water is worse than being in it.

Same with:
 • Shipping the first product
 • Posting the first video
 • Making the first sales call

The anxiety before action is always louder than reality.

Action quiets fear.

2. Discomfort builds capacity

Cold exposure trains your nervous system.

You learn to stay calm while it’s uncomfortable.

Business is constant discomfort:
 • Firing
 • Hiring
 • Saying no
 • Raising prices
 • Making decisions with imperfect data

Your success depends on how well you self-regulate when things get hard.

3. Adaptation happens slowly, then suddenly

The first plunge shocks your system.

By the tenth?
 
You breathe. You focus. You handle it.

Business works the same way.

At first, every problem feels like a crisis.
 
Over time, your tolerance grows.

Leaders aren’t born calm.

They train for calm.

4. Consistency beats intensity

One ice bath doesn’t change anything.
Neither does one great post.
 
Or one amazing quarter.

Small repetitions build big identities.

Do the right thing.
Do it again tomorrow.

5. Exposure reveals weak points

Cold shows you:
 • Where your breath breaks
 • Where your body tenses
 • Where you lose control

Business does too.

Pressure exposes:
 • Weak systems
 • Bad assumptions
 • Fragile culture
 • Missing processes

Pressure isn’t the problem.
Hidden fragility is.

6. Recovery matters as much as stress

Cold. Heat. Rest.
Stress + recovery = growth.

If you only run your business in “stress mode,” you burn out.

Leaders who last schedule:
 • Thinking time
 • Delegation
 • Boundaries
 • Real rest

Not because they’re soft.
Because they’re serious.

7. You never stop feeling the cold

It doesn’t get easier.
You get stronger.

Business doesn’t calm down.
 
You grow into the version of yourself who can handle it.

And that’s the game.

If you’re a founder or leader, ask yourself:

Where do I need more controlled discomfort?
 
And where do I need more intentional recovery?

Because growth doesn’t come from comfort.

It comes from learning how to stay steady in the cold.

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The Battle

Michelle J Raymond

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

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