Iconify Consulting Group (ICG)

• LinkedIn Personal Branding • Strategic Market Positioning • Brand Consulting

Co-founder & CEO

Jaipuria Institute of Management

Guest Faculty

Gwalior Smart City Incubation Centre - GIncube

Startup Mentor

Narayana Business School

Guest Speaker

Indian Institute of Management Bangalore

XIM University

Careerflow

Social Media Marketer

K J Somaiya Institute of Management

National Institute of Technology , Patna

VICE Media

Social Media Marketing Project

As Co-founder & CEO of Iconify Consulting Group and a PhD scholar in personal branding, I help companies and leaders use LinkedIn as a strategic channel.

My work sits at the intersection of Corporate and employer branding, GTM (through LinkedIn) and personal branding. I’ve partnered with 270+ leaders across Fortune 500, Nasdaq, Inc. 5000, Silicon Valley, YC and Wall Street; recognized as an award-winning LinkedIn creator and ranked among top voices in LinkedIn personal branding. 
I’ve delivered executive sessions at top B schools, drawing on 14,000+ mentees and five years operating LinkedIn as an enterprise channel. 

Open to consulting and advisory.

Email: mishka.rana@iconifyconsultinggroup.com

MISHKA RANA

Entrepreneurship is a luxury. It’s all about:
Freedom to work when you want.
Vacations whenever you feel like it.
No boss to report to.
Making your own rules.
Building something that’s yours.
Getting paid for your passion.
Designing your dream life.

And honestly, that’s true

But it also means: 

- Working when everyone else is sleeping.

- Taking calls on vacations you already paid for.

- Being your own boss and your own accountant, intern, marketer, and janitor.

- Writing invoices on Sundays and brainstorming at midnight.

- Getting rejected ten times before one “yes.”

- Spending more time fixing problems than celebrating wins.

- Carrying the weight of every decision, every mistake, every month-end.

- Running payroll before your morning chai.
And realizing your “day off” doesn’t really exist. 


It gives freedom but it also gives full-time responsibility. You trade 9–5 for 24/7, and somehow… still love it.

Because at the end of the day, it’s yours.
All the chaos, all the creation — yours. 😊


(And yes, I’m probably typing this while on “vacation.” lol.) 


#entrepreneurship #freedom #founder

CEO @ICG | LinkedIn Thought Leadership + Employer Branding for Enterprises & C-Suites | B2B LinkedIn Marketing | Trusted by Fortune 500, Nasdaq, Silicon Valley & YC Leaders

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The New York Times just confirmed what I've been telling my corporate clients for years: Employees are the new influencers.

Here's the reality check your C-suite needs:
While you're splurging budgets on celebrity endorsements and macro-influencers, your most authentic brand ambassadors are sitting in cubicles next to you. 

The NYT highlighted companies from Delta to LEGO putting employees front and center, because audiences are craving authenticity over aspiration.

Trust is the new currency. Period. Here's what smart companies are realizing:

1. Authenticity Beats Algorithm: 63% of 18-34 year olds trust what influencers say about brands more than the brands themselves and your employees ARE influencers in their networks

2. Cost-Effective Reach: An employee advocacy program costs 1/10 of paid advertising (or less)

3. Talent Magnetism: Brands with successful employee advocacy programs are 58% likelier to attract and 20% more likely to retain talent

4. Revenue Impact: On average, an employee advocacy program involving 1,000 active participants can generate $1,900,000 in advertising value

86% of US marketers are expected to use influencer marketing in 2025, and the smart money is betting on the influencers already on your payroll.

The companies that will dominate in 2025 understand this:

Your employees have collective networks of millions Their voices carry more weight than your corporate messaging.

How to Turn Your Team into Your Brand Army: 

1. Start with Culture: Employee advocacy happens because of positive workplace engagement. Fix your internal brand first.

2. Provide Content & Training: Don't leave them guessing. Give them shareable content and social media guidelines.

3. Measure & Amplify: 58.8% of employees in formal programs spend 5+ hours weekly on business-related social activities. Track what works and scale it.

4. Incentivize Participation: Offering employee influencers a bonus, pay bump, extra PTO or other perks makes others more likely to volunteer.

While your competitors are still throwing money at influencers who don't give a damn about your brand values, you could be building an army of authentic advocates who live and breathe your company culture daily.

The question isn't whether employee advocacy works, the data proves it does. 

The question is: Are you brave enough to trust your people with your brand?
Because if you're not, your competition will be.

At Iconify Consulting Group (ICG), we've helped Fortune 500 companies build employee advocacy programs that drive real ROI! And it works wonders :)

LinkedIn | Linkedin News | LinkedIn News India 

 
#EmployeeAdvocacy #PersonalBranding #CorporateBranding #BrandStrategy #B2BMarketing #BrandBuilding

Sometimes a book reminds you why experience still matters more than theory.

Just finished reading is "From Boardroom To Startup - What Amazon Taught Me About Scale, Allianz About Stability - And Why I Left Both." written by someone I deeply admire, Kai Michael Czeschlik and it’s easily one of the most grounded leadership reads I’ve come across this year.

Kai has led large-scale operations at Amazon, Allianz, Telefónica, and TUI and now runs a fully remote CX company. What struck me most was how honestly he contrasts the “rules of leading” in corporates versus startups. Not as clichés, but through lived experience, the kind that only comes from leading thousands of people and building something from scratch. He writes about how in corporates, leadership is about navigation steering through systems, aligning silos, optimizing complexity.

In startups, it’s about propulsion creating momentum from uncertainty, leading without buffers, and making decisions with imperfect data.

Both require discipline. Both demand humility. But they test very different muscles.

The way he ties customer experience (CX) to leadership DNA is especially sharp. Most leaders still see CX as a function, Kai frames it as a reflection of how you lead from the inside out.

It’s the kind of book you don’t rush through you pause, underline, and think: Have I been leading or just managing survival?

Highly recommend for anyone who’s ever led teams across two worlds: scale and chaos, process and passion.

#bookrecommendation #leadership #startups #careerdevelopment

Years!!! That’s how long India waited for this moment 🏆🇮🇳

Half a century of near wins, heartbreaks, and quiet hope until the Indian women’s cricket team lifted that trophy.

And the only thing that kept them going that long wasn’t luck. It was trust.
In the game. 
In each other. 
In every drop of effort. 💙

Kinley says it right, Trust in Every Drop!

#kinley #cricket #icc #womensworldcup #ad

Now this is smart marketing! 👀 Spotted a Swiggy bag that also carried the Biryani by Kilo logo and it instantly stood out.

Simple idea, massive visibility.

It’s not often two brands share the same space, but when they do it right, it turns into a moving brand story that reaches consumers all day, everywhere.

Love how this brings creativity out of the screen and onto the street.

Props to Swiggy and Biryani By Kilo for pulling this off 👏

#marketing

It all comes down to how you treat people. Humility has become the most overused aesthetic in leadership and yet the most under-practiced one.

It’s the new social currency. Everyone wants to look grounded. Few actually are.

I met someone recently whose public image and actual behavior existed on opposite ends of the spectrum. It wasn’t shocking, just a reminder of how often perception scales faster than integrity.

That’s the paradox of modern personal branding. 

Most people treat it like image design: what you say, how you show up, how often you post. 

But the strongest personal brands are not built on what’s visible; they’re built on consistency.

Consistency between how you show up online and how you behave when there’s no one watching.

Credibility doesn’t live in your content. It lives in repetition of truth, in how predictably people experience you across contexts, power dynamics, and rooms.

In 2025, algorithms might shape visibility. But only behavior sustains it.

The way you treat people is your brand: long before your title, content, or credentials.

Reputation travels faster than algorithms ever can.


#leadership #thoughtleader #humility #socialmedia

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I help B2C brands win with a clear message, a clear positioning & content that attracts your ideal customers ■ Personal branding for B2B Founders & Professionals on LinkedIn

You’re posting content every week

but only a handful of leads seem to come in...
( or sometimes no leads at all ).

Engagement is unpredictable. 
Likes don’t turn into sales.

And your audience still do not seem to know what you do.


That sucks, but I know you're here 
so it doesn’t stay that way.



Most professionals, founders and brands are stuck because:

→their message is inconsistent 
→their positioning is unclear
→their content is scattered



My job is to help you;


→ Clarify your brand positioning so your audience instantly understands your value. 

→Create content that moves the needle; driving engagement, leads, and revenue. 

→Turn your LinkedIn and other social channels into a predictable growth engine, not a guessing game that consumes your time.


Think of me as your content strategist + clarity coach:

I help you tell your brand's story in a way that resonates, builds authority, trust, and converts


with content that moves the needle.


If you’re tired of posting and not seeing results 

let’s work together to fix your messaging, content, and positioning.  



Use the link in my featured section to book a 30-minute clarity session with me to get STARTED. 

see you soon.

Lysa Deniran

You'd think that more knowledge brings more confidence. 

(yet I realized the opposite to be true)

This takes me wayyy back to my early days on LinkedIn. 

→I used to post without thinking it twice
→Send connection invites on a whim
→Talk to people more comfortably


In other words:

my enthusiasm was through the roof.


But as I started paying more attention to how posting on LinkedIn should be like:


→I got more anxious about posting
→Overthought every invite I sent 
→Felt less free talking to people 


You'd think the latter would be the case.


But it wasn't. 

It seems to me the more you know, 
the more you realise you don't know much.


the more you tend to DOUBT yourself.


But the moment you stop counting on knowledge to define you


And instead owning who you are 
flaws and all

and showing up regardless;

The less anxious you become.

It's not about being the best
or the most knowledgeable


It's your awareness that what you know "now" shouldn't change the core of who you are 

more knowledge should align with your core values 

not shrink it.

I got my first paid international client on LinkedIn at 3K followers. 

March 2023:

I had been posting on LinkedIn for about 2 weeks after a 3-month break.


Truth is, I took that break because I felt so frustrated and wanted to quit.

I wasn't getting the results I wanted, and my last project was unpaid.

But I got so angry and determined. 

I decided to give it one more shot.

Back then:

→I wasn't an expert
→I wasn't doing any outreach yet
→I couldn't write content that got me leads


Some weeks before I went back to posting, I started following a LinkedIn creator in my industry. 

She was dropping a lot of golden tips and had a lot of engagement.

I could relate to the fact that she too almost quit LinkedIn, got burned out

but picked up her pace again.


That was the turning point for me.

By closely studying what she posted 


I gradually learned how to:


1\ clarify my offer for my ideal client 

I identified who I wanted to serve + what I wanted to do for them.

My LinkedIn headline read:

"Helping Startups and Startup founders create content that grows their target audience on LinkedIn."



2\ optimize my profile to speak clearly to my ICP

my LinkedIn banner made it clear what I do + who it's for

my headline told my ICP how I did it + the desired result

my feature section provided a calendly link to help clients easily reach out to me

my bio went in depth by:

→leading with a pain point
→showing them the cost of inaction 
→explained how I could help them
→emphasized the transformation they desire
→ended with a clear CTA to DM me or book a consultation using my calendly link


3/ create content that attracted my ICP and grow my audience 

I must admit I struggled here a lot.
I only knew how to create content that attracted industry peers.

But I took extra time to learn how to write posts for my ICP

I imagined I was talking to 

→1 ideal client 
→with X problem
→who needed to know I understood their problem 
→see actionable steps that solved that problem 
→plus reach out to me if they ever need my help getting it done

My first attempt at doing this got me 2 potential leads. 

I ended up working with one of them.

Honestly, I was ecstatic. 
"you mean the formula actually works?!"

Ever since, I worked to improve my writing
and client outreach efforts. 

This helped me achieve more results with LinkedIn. 

I'm no expert.

But I believe anyone who applies these tips to their profile & content will gain more engagement and attract leads.

When you write for industry peers or on broader topics:

→know what resonates with them
→write like you're talking to 1 person

When you're writing to attract clients:

→state the problems they're dealing with 
→show them clear steps that solve those problems 
→write like you're talking to 1 ideal client 

The rules never really change. 
Test, rinse, and repeat
to see what works.

I set a goal to learn a new language this year.

(and it’s been nothing like I expected)

Before then:

I heard that learning a new language reduces your chances of getting alzheimer’s disease.

so I said, "sign me up".


(i'd rather speak a new language than forget my own name in english haha)


I practised in Duolingo for 6 months.
(a number of slip ups in btwn)

But I kept at it.


July this year, I broke my streak ☹️.
My almost 200 days streak gone.

just. like. that.


I honestly thought I'd never come back to it again.

But I started a new learning streak this month.


maybe it was Duo's endless sea of emotional blackmails that convinced me

or maybe it was my subconscious pushing me back to the promise I made to myself.


But I'm also learning that it's okay to start again.
"to pick up from where you left off."

No matter how many times it takes.


My consistency journey on LinkedIn hasn't been linear.
I've had weekly breaks, monthly breaks

up until recently, a year and a half break.


Yet each time, I come back with more clarity and resolve.

To continue where I left off.


I'd do that no matter how many times I lose sight of what I'm doing.

I'd do it no matter how many streaks I break on Duolingo. (sorry, duo).


This is probably not the consistency message you expected to hear

But it's been the reality of my journey. 

pretty sure it's someone else's, too.

A single comment I made got 900+ impressions

(on a post with less than 20 reactions)

I had to do a double check when I saw the LinkedIn notification.

And nope, I wasn't imagining it.

Here’s what this means:

→A  post with a high number of engagement can have low impressions

→ A post with a low number of engagement can have high impressions.


The reverse can also be the case.

As this usually depends on:

→The creator's 1st degree connections 
→How helpful the content is for a specific audience 


This changes how we should view commenting on LinkedIn. 


Don't only leave strategic comments under big accounts with valuable content. 

Do so under small accounts that post valuable content as well.

(especially those of your ICP)


These posts can rake in very high impressions too and that is visibility that you need.

I've been noticing a number of new changes on my LinkedIn feed and pretty sure I'm not the only one.

#linkedIn #linkedincontent

Writing on LinkedIn is HARD.   

Not because you can’t write. But because every time you want to

it feels like you're having a mini identity crisis.

your brain immediately goes:

→ What do I even write about?
→ What if no one engages?
→ Why does this already sound cringe?
→ I wish I could write like that creator
→ Why would anyone listen to me?
→ Do I even have anything new to say?

And that fear?
It drains your confidence fast.

But catch this:

for every new thing you start
it's going to feel that way.

You’re going to doubt yourself
(more times than you'd like to admit) 

But if you want it so bad:

That job
That client 
That community
That financial freedom 
That content that hits the right spot


You have to stay through:

→ the messy beginnings
→ the unsure moments
→ the “maybe this will never work” days

There’s no shortcut.
Only your commitment to the process.

So here’s how to make LinkedIn writing simpler:

1/ Write every day 

rough drafts count. even if you never post them.

Try different post styles and formats.


2/ Share your journey.

The messy parts.
The fails.
The tiny wins.

Trust me, people relate to this.


3/ Know who you’re speaking to.

→the problems they face
→the emotions it causes 
→the solutions they need

Write with them in mind.

4/ Share your own perspective.

What you like about your career.
What you don’t.
What you’re learning.

The what/why/how behind your own path.

5/ Too shy to post your pictures on LinkedIn?

→try pictures that don't show your face 
→try quotes and simple carousels 


Canva templates make this super easy.


6/ Make friends here.

Start by connecting with smaller creators who write content that you like 

I'd recommend creators who don't have a huge following yet.

(1k-7k followers at most)

→Ask them questions.
→Share your journey.
→Grow together.


7/ Build your inner confidence.

Baby steps first.
Big steps when you can.

Identify the beliefs holding you back and replace them with positive affirmations 


8/ Rest. Seriously.

Don’t doom-scroll.
Don’t refresh your feed 100 times.
Don’t stalk creators for hours.

Set boundaries:

→ 20 mins to engage
→ your preferred posting time
→ 10 mins to reply
→ 5 mins to catch up

Adjust based on what supports your mental and emotional health.

Know when to unplug.

What tip are you applying first?

And before you go 

Hey you, I see you trying 
and I want to say one thing

" Thank You. "

Thank you for showing up even when you feel out of place.

Thank you for showing up even when it feels hard.

Thank you for even giving it a try. 

I'm here cheering for you until you win ❤️

Most founders and professionals still struggle to post consistently on LinkedIn.

I see it all the time.

They have the knowledge.
They have the experience.
They have the ideas.

But making time to show up?
That’s where the struggle begins.

So when they finally do post…

→Their content feels rushed.
→Their messaging isn’t clear.
→Their audience doesn't stop scrolling.

If this is you, pause.

These habits are hurting your personal brand.
And slowing down your LinkedIn growth.

If you want to take creating content on LinkedIn more seriously…

Do this instead:

→Make time to understand your audience.
→Dig into what they’re struggling with.
→Study the stages of your customer journey.

Then make a list:

Problem → Solution you can provide.

On weekends, write 3 posts solving those problems

Pick images to support the message.
(a picture of you at work or a regular selfie, yes!)

Share personal experiences too, not just educative posts.

Because your stories teach better than you realize.

And if all this sounds like a lot. I get it.
IT IS.

so if you’re overwhelmed thinking about getting this done…

Get some help from someone who understands audience psychology and can create content that grows your brand.

Someone like me. 

I can:

Show you how to DIY using a simple plug-and-play system.

OR

Take the wheel and help you create content in your voice with a clear  understanding of what your brand actually represents. 


The goal isn’t to replace you.

It’s to buy back your time and energy so you can focus on:

→Client calls
→Meetings
→Work Travel
→New opportunities
→Growing your business

You have just 24 hours in a day.
And there's only "one" of you.

Don’t crash out trying to do everything alone.

If you’re a founder or professional feeling the pressure of writing your LinkedIn content and running your business behind the scenes, send me a Dm. 

Let's talk.



#linkedincontent
#linkedinfounders 
#linkedinprofessionsls

Society says: "your 20s are your best years."

But I certainly disagree with that.

They say:
 
→you will never be this young again. 

→you won't get a chance to have as much fun as you do now.

→Enjoy this time to the fullest.

(but it's been more of a juggle than fun)


I can see why some will say that. 

Perhaps because they've had to juggle more responsibilities in their latter years than they did in their 20s.

But that gap has gotten shorter.

The rules no longer apply.

Young people in their 20s are dealing with:

→cost of living going up more than ever
→the pressure to build a career before they’ve even built themselves
→the constant comparison loop on social media
→balancing friendships with building a career and figuring your life out
→ fear of never being able to afford a home or stability.
→guilt for not being as financially successful as expected.
→fear of choosing the “wrong” path and ruining your future.

none of this makes our 20s as easy as its painted to be.

If you ask me, I'd say

20s are more for building  
and less for having fun.

(I personally think the real fun starts at 30 haha)

It's a reconstruction phase.

A decade where you tear down who you were told to be
and step into who you actually are.

And that process?

It’s messy.
It’s lonely.
It’s terrifying.
It’s beautiful.

If you’re in your 20s and you feel like you’re drowning in the weight of expectations, 
you’re not alone

And you're not wrong for feeling that way.

it's one of the most complicated growth season of our lives.

And one day, you’re going to look back and realize:

This chapter didn’t ruin you.
It built you into the adult your latter years could count on.

Keep going.
You’re doing better than you think.

Yesterday I posted something that I nearly talked myself out of sharing 

(that post ended up bringing me 27 new followers)


That is to say:

→27 persons saw that post
→Found it helpful
→And decided my content was worth following. 


Look:

1/ If you’re still finding it hard to get clients on LinkedIn
Start Posting. 

2/ If you want to connect with more people on LinkedIn
Start Posting.

3/ If you want to draw more attention to your product or service on LinkedIn 
Start Posting. 

4/ If you want to grow a supportive community for your brand on LinkedIn 
Start Posting. 

And lastly;

5/ If you’re still looking for your first job or an internship through LinkedIn

Go ahead and start posting. 


You can choose to do it the silent way.
But posting gets you to your goals faster.


you don't need to have big engagement 
you don't even need to be an expert

for people to grow interest in what you have to say.


Start posting:

→content that resonates with your target audience 
→content that solves your ICP's problems.
→content that shows where you are on your journey 

and your network will gradually increase. 


P.S. there are people scrolling through LinkedIn every day. They rarely engage with posts.

But are looking to hire or work with someone in your industry 

they are your ideal clients
they are job recruiters

you want to be visible so they find you.
 

Tell me, what's stopping you from posting on LinkedIn?

I'm in the comments or send me a Dm.

✌️.

taplio

The Battle

MISHKA RANA

Lysa Deniran

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreMISHKA RANA's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreLysa Deniran's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

MISHKA RANA

Lysa Deniran

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);}MISHKA RANA's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreLysa Deniran's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreMISHKA RANA's LinkedIn Performance