There are two ways for Insurance Companies, Banks, Private Equity firms, MGAs, and insurtechs to approach complex risk in 2025:

1. Rely on generic solutions, potentially overlooking critical gaps.
2. Partner with specialized expertise that delivers clarity and tailored protection.

Many sit in the first category, often underserved by mega-brokers.

Your institution has unique strengths and ambitions. 

But is your risk management truly aligned? 

Or are you unknowingly exposed due to:

–  Coverage gaps hidden in the fine print?

–  Lack of access to sophisticated global markets?

–  Decisions made without credible peer data or advanced analytics?

–  Impersonal service that doesn’t grasp your specific operational realities?

The bigger problem?

You're leaving strategic advantage on the table and potentially facing significant financial or reputational risk down the line.

The solution?

Transform your risk management from a necessary cost center into a strategic asset through a bespoke, expert-driven partnership.

That’s my focus at LION Specialty.

My approach combines:

– Penetrating technical analysis honed by deep experience (including handling complex Fortune 100 accounts) to uncover what others miss.

– Global market access (London, Bermuda) and perspective, crafting solutions beyond standard domestic offerings.

– Process mastery & advanced analytics delivering clarity and confidence, not complexity.

– Authentic human connection, building partnerships that thrive.

(informed partly by my wellness background as a Pilates instructor… sustainable success requires balance)

–  Are you serious about closing critical coverage gaps?

–  Are you ready for risk management bespoke to your institution's needs?

–  Is it time for a partner who brings both sophisticated expertise and a refreshingly collaborative approach?

Let's connect and explore how we can elevate your strategy together.

Natasha Kiemnec

The SEC doesn't always send a lawsuit.
Sometimes they just ask for a "voluntary" interview.


That "voluntary" interview cost my client $250,000 in legal fees.

They received a request for documents. Not a subpoena. Not a Wells Notice. Just a request.

They hired top-tier counsel to respond (as they should).

They sent the bill to their insurer.

The Denial:
"This is not a Claim. A Claim is defined as a written demand for monetary or non-monetary relief. This is just a request for information."

Technically, the carrier was right.
The standard policy was silent on "inquiries."
The client paid the $250k out of pocket.

The Architect Solution:
We don't use standard definitions.
We expanded the definition of "Claim" to include "Pre-Claim Inquiries."

Now, when the regulators "just have a few questions," the policy responds.
It pays for the lawyers to answer those questions correctly—before they turn into a lawsuit.

If you wait for the subpoena, you’ve waited too long.
Your coverage needs to start when the risk starts.

Does your policy cover "Pre-Claim Inquiries" or just "Claims"?

One definition is worth $250k.

DM me "INQUIRY" and I'll check your language.

P.S. Ever been to Mexico City? One of the coolest spots I’ve frequented the last few years! It’s a vibe.

Natasha I.  Kiemnec, ARM

Managing Partner & Co-founder of LION Specialty | Global Financial Institutions & Private Equity Broker | Classical Certified Pilates Instructor

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What makes someone great?


The book, Good to Great, would tell you it’s disciplined people making consistent, focused decisions over time. 

In light of the Olympics, Lindsey Vonn has said, you have to believe in yourself when no one else does. You can give up, give in, or give it all you’ve got. 

The themes are consistent
Discipline
Focus
Internal drive 

For me, these have always been where I found my success. 

The competition with myself to be the best. 

It’s amazing what you find in the hours of pushing yourself. 

In a marathon
Hours of studying
Early mornings at the gym 
Late nights at the office 

If you’ve been there, you know what I’m talking about…

The one other thing I’ve unexpectedly found to bring that same drive in life, is love. 

In light of Valentine’s Day, a shout out to my fiancé taking his third bar exam coming up in a week. 

Not because he didn’t pass the first two but because he’s going to be barred in the whole country soon (except Louisiana - haha don’t worry I don’t want to move there next)

The drive, effort, dedication, commitment that he puts into his work makes me want to find the next level within…

So I’d add admiration and love for someone to that list of reasons to find a third or fourth gear in yourself. 

While it was yesterday, I thought I needed something more than insurance humor in celebration of the day. Happy Valentine’s!

So incredibly proud of you David Gutierrez ❤️

What’s your take on what makes people great?

Your $5M policy is not actually $5M.


Unless you structured it correctly.

Most D&O policies are "eroding limits."
Every dollar spent on lawyers reduces the limit available for the settlement.

If you spend $2M defending a frivolous lawsuit...
You only have $3M left to pay the judgment.

The lawyers get paid first. You get paid last.

We structure defense costs outside the limit, in addition to, or specific sub limits outside the limit. 

This means the insurance company pays for the defense or other limits in addition to the policy limit.

Your $5M limit remains fully intact for settlements and judgments.

Why this matters:
In a complex securities claim, defense costs can easily hit $500k-$1M before you even get to a motion to dismiss.

If that money comes out of your limit, you are underinsured.

If it sits outside, you have a dedicated war chest for the fight.

Don't let your legal bills eat your protection.

Check your declarations page. Does it say "Defense Costs Included" or "Defense Costs in Addition"?

What other sublimits are included, if any?

If it says "Included," you have less coverage than you think.

DM me "LIMITS" and I'll review it for you.

The easiest way for a carrier to deny a $10M claim is not a coverage exclusion.


It is a calendar error.

"Late Notice" is the silent killer of D&O claims.
Most policies require you to notify the carrier "as soon as practicable" or within a specific window (30-60 days).

But what counts as a claim?
Is it a lawsuit? A demand letter? A verbal threat?

If your General Counsel gets a letter on January 1st, handles it internally, and then notifies the broker on March 1st...
You might be denied. Entirely.
Not because the claim wasn't covered.
But because you missed the window.

The LION Process:

We don't leave "Notice" to chance.

1. The Definition Trigger
We negotiate the definition of "Claim" so it triggers only when a written demand is received by the Risk Manager or General Counsel—not just any employee. This prevents a mailroom mistake from voiding your coverage.

2. The Protocol
We build a "Notice Flowchart" for your legal team before the policy binds. Everyone knows exactly who to call and when.

3. The "Laundry List"
At the end of every policy period, we notice everything. Every potential circumstance. Every rumble of thunder. We lock in coverage under the expiring limits so you start fresh.

Process beats panic.

Don't let a clerical error cost you your limit.


Does your team know exactly what triggers a notice requirement?

DM me "NOTICE" and I'll send you our protocol checklist.

The insurance industry is approaching a 400,000-worker deficit.


CFOs, CUOs, and board members at regional insurers, reciprocals, and mutuals…

Here's the part most people get wrong: Gen Z isn't avoiding insurance careers. They don't know they exist.

In my 18 years in this industry, I've watched the narrative problem compound:

We're an industry that has exactly what younger generations want — meaningful work, people-first culture, good pay, career growth.

But we've done a poor job of telling that story.
Meanwhile, the talent we do have? We're burning them out. A CII study found 78% of employers have taken no steps to address secondary trauma in claims professionals.

We manage external risk all day. We should apply the same rigor to our own teams.

This week's Friday Five covers all of it — the talent gap, the burnout blind spot, and what leaders are doing differently (including 250 Pilates classes).

Comment "BRIEF" below if you're not on our distribution…

Stay covered!

P.S. If you're serious about building the next generation of insurance talent, it starts with telling your story. We've had great success being authentic on social media about who we are and what we stand for.

P.S.S. Getting out in nature, doing pilates, meditation helps with burnout. Can you guess where this is?

Innocent until proven guilty" is a legal right.
It is not an insurance right.


Most D&O policies contain a "Conduct Exclusion."
It states the insurer will not pay for claims arising from fraud or criminal acts.

That sounds reasonable. You shouldn't be insured for committing crimes.

The problem is the trigger.

In standard policies, the carrier can often stop paying defense costs as soon as there is a "fact in dispute" or a credible allegation of fraud.

If a plaintiff accuses you of fraud, the carrier can say:

"This looks like it falls under the exclusion. We are pausing defense payments."

You go bankrupt proving you didn't do it.

We change the trigger.

We demand "Final Adjudication" language.

This means the carrier must pay your defense costs all the way through trial and appeal.

They can only apply the exclusion if a judge or jury issues a final, non-appealable ruling that you actually committed the act.

We shift the burden of proof from you to the contract.

Check your policy for "Final Adjudication" wording.

If it's not there, you are exposed to the allegation alone.

This is just one of 10 tweaks we make to the conduct exclusion alone to ensure that you have defense cost coverage. 

DM me "CONDUCT" and I'll help you find them.

The single biggest leverage point…


Time

Most brokers start the renewal process 30 days before expiration.

They flood the market with submissions. They cross their fingers. They hope for appetite.
You get daily emails asking for "just one more thing" while trying to close your quarter.

We operate on a 150-day cycle.

Day 150: The Strategy
We map out exactly where we are headed. We identify the story we need to tell before we ever open a submission file.

Day 120: The Build
We construct the submission. We test every angle of the risk narrative.

Day 90: The Approach
The carriers see our first approach now. We are reading the market, not reacting to it.

Day 60: The Options
We have your options locked down.

Day 30: The Bind
Bindable terms in hand. No drama. No surprises.

One client saw their limits jump 25% at flat premium simply because we had the runway to position them properly.

You negotiate effectively when you control the clock.

If your renewal is July 1st, we should be starting right now.

DM me "TIMELINE" and I'll share our 150-day execution roadmap.

Early in my career, I said "Yes" to everything.
Every client call. Every project. Every "quick question."

I thought availability was a competitive advantage.

I was wrong.

Overcommitment is the enemy of excellence.
If you are always available, you are never deeply focused, creative, or unique.

I learned the hard way:

You cannot manuscript a complex policy while answering emails every 5 minutes.

You cannot negotiate a difficult claim while jumping on "quick syncs."

The Pivot:
The process was developed. 
Each day had a focus throughout the week. 
Each month prepared for the next. 
Always aligning with the client’s calendar 
150 days out from expiration. 
Sunday nights were for alignment of the week. 
Fridays for policy checking. 

It felt too structured but the focus helped my alignment,
the team,
The client. 

My clients stopped getting "fast answers."
They started getting better answers. 

Structure creates the space for 
deep work, 
unique, 
creative outcomes.

And deep work is the only competitive advantage that lasts.

What is one thing you need to “structure" this week to better align the team?

Kroll just surveyed 325 PE executives about cybersecurity.

The headline number: 80% experienced hold-period cyber disruption. Average financial hit per deal: $2.1 million.

But the number that stopped me...82% of PE firms have no dedicated cybersecurity leader managing portfolio risk.

Not "could improve their approach." 
No leader. 
Period!

When Flip and I review these reports for the Friday Five, we're looking for the data point that changes how our clients think about their next renewal. 

This week had three of them.

The $77.7 billion US data center construction surge creating entirely new risk classes for carriers. 

The PE cyber governance gap that predicts whether a firm absorbs a valuation hit at exit. 

And the plaintiffs' bar expanding its litigation analytics to 1,200 additional state courts.

Three forces. 

One common thread...the institutions slowest to adapt pay the most.

We broke all of it down in this week's Boardroom Brief.

Link in comments.

Comment "BRIEF" if you want it in your inbox every Friday.

If your insurance coverage doesn't work in a simulation, it won't work in a crisis.


We don't just place the coverage and file the binder.

We stress-test it.

Before the program binds, we run "Mock Claim" scenarios against the proposed language.

We simulate the specific nightmares that keep the C-Suite awake:

1. The Friday Night Hack

A ransomware event hits at 6 PM. Who do we call? Does the "Breach Response" definition actually trigger immediate counsel, or are we stuck waiting for carrier approval?

2. The Regulatory Subpoena

A short-seller report triggers a stock drop. The SEC calls. Does the policy cover the "Informal Investigation" costs, or does it only trigger after a formal Wells Notice?

3. The Nuclear Verdict

A jury awards $50M. Does the excess tower sit flush on top of the primary, or is there a gap in the attachment point that leaves you exposed?

We usually find the cracks during the simulation.
It is infinitely better to find them in a conference room than in a courtroom.

You stress-test your software.
You stress-test your financials.
Start stress-testing your risk transfer.

Ready to see if your program holds up?

DM me "STRESS TEST" and let's run a scenario.

Ps. This is how we react when we hear of another prospect’s program not working and they need a LION!

I’m exceptional at bar games. 


Corn hole / bags

Shuffleboard 

Darts 

Ping pong etc. 

And if you’re a guy reading this you’re probably like most other guys who think…

Ya I’m sure she is for a girl. 

Well I’d probably beat you too 😂

I’m rarely this confident about my ability but repetition lends itself to credibility. 

It’s not that people underestimate me. 

It’s that they never thought to ask. 

They just decide. 

That I wouldn’t be good

Couldn’t be that good or whatever it is

But the reality is that this happens everywhere in life at all times. 

It often happens with the megabrokers. 

Well, of course, they’ll be the best because it’s

Xyz or abc or whichever three letter broker it is. They’re the biggest or they have the most data or insert whatever assumption. 

But that really isn’t the case. 

What makes someone or some team exceptional is that 

Drive
Skill
Extra effort 
Hidden talent 

Being a guy with a sport or a mega broker with a deal doesn’t make you necessarily the best. 

At LION Specialty we pride ourselves on being that team that has that extra effort, and hidden talent. 

Curious what that looks like?

Come talk to us. 

What talent of yours often gets overlooked?

P.S.  for a little video proof… the ongoing dual between my fiancé and me… anytime there’s a game to be played… and yes, the record is 62 / 57 … me. We’ve kept score the whole time we’ve been together. For the record, he’s also pretty incredible at games.

Freedom of speech and press as given by this platform itself


How lucky are we to be able to have individual liberties that some only dream to have

•	Believe in who or what you wish
•	To gather with whom we wish 
•	The right to a fair trial if accused 

To get to use social media to promote

Our companies
Our ideas
Ourselves 

It’s seemingly sometimes lost on people but what a gift it really is. 

So today, I’m grateful for those who came well before this time, while many and much had to happen to get us to where we are, it was those founding fathers and first presidents who started us on this incredible path that we are on today. 

Happy Presidents’ Day

The most expensive gap in your insurance program isn't an exclusion.

It is a missing file.

Carriers deny more claims for "lack of substantiation" than for actual coverage disputes.
If you can't prove the loss, you don't get paid.

Most companies scramble to build the file after the crisis hits.
That is too late.
You are trying to find invoices and emails while your building is burning or your network is down.

The LION Process:
We build the documentation protocol before the policy binds.

1. The "Day One" Folder
We establish exactly what the adjuster will ask for.
Payroll records. Vendor contracts. Asset lists.
We keep them staged and ready.

2. The Communication Log
During a claim, every phone call needs a follow-up email.
"As we discussed..."
If it isn't written down, it didn't happen.

3. The Timeline
We map the event minute-by-minute.
"Breach detected at 4:02 PM. Counsel notified at 4:15 PM."
Precision kills ambiguity.

An adjuster's job is to ask questions.
Our job is to have the answers ready before they ask.

Is your claim file ready for an audit today?

DM me "DOCUMENT" and I'll send you our claim substantiation checklist.

Talk birdie to me


The line the from sweatshirt I’m wearing here. And a term that is on the minds of many pros this week at TPC Scottsdale golf tournament.  

As I watched these pros and amateurs tee off yesterday, I’m constantly reminded of the dedication and skill that it takes to get to the top of your game. 

While it starts with above average skill, it always comes back to finding beauty and comfort in the mundane. 

That extra effort to do the next rep, 
one more hour of practice,
one more review,
one more check

I see it in all aspects of life:

My cousin who did make a birdie yesterday in the tournament - has played golf for 40 years but just changed his golf swing recently to find that “next level”

Our team who reviews each document over and over again to make sure there are no mistakes. 

I’ll continue to believe that drive will allow anyone to outperform those around them. 

While it can’t be trained, it can be encouraged by team members who share that same desire to continue to level up. 

What are you doing to level up?

Right now we are perfecting our internal data to make sure we are accurately capturing it for the future!

A finance director joined a video call with his CFO, his CEO, and two colleagues.
None of them were real.


$25.6 million gone across 15 transactions before anyone caught it.

That was Arup, a global engineering firm, early 2024.

Attackers built real-time deepfake replicas of multiple executives on a live video conference. Convincing enough to override every instinct a trained finance professional had.

Financial institutions should pay close attention.

Your executives sit on hundreds of hours of public video and audio. 
Earnings calls, conference panels, LinkedIn clips, webinars. 

Every recording is training data for the next synthetic clone.

We just published Part 1 of our Deepfakes Miniseries in the Wednesday Intelligence. 

We mapped a deepfake loss across a typical FI insurance program, and the coverage fractures fast.

Most social engineering endorsements still require the instruction to arrive via email or written communication.

A deepfake video call? May not qualify.

Then there are the AI exclusions now spreading through D&O, E&O, and cyber forms. Broad language excluding claims "arising out of or related to artificial intelligence" can swallow a deepfake event whole. Even when the insured was the victim.

No single policy owns the full loss. And most of these wordings were written before attackers could clone your CEO's face.

We break down where the gaps hide, which carriers are already adapting, and six questions to bring to your next renewal.

Reply "DEEPFAKE" and we'll send our one-page Coverage Gap Checklist.

P.S.  this is only for those of you that are buyers of insurance!!

Bankruptcy doesn't just freeze your assets.
It can freeze your insurance defense.


A portfolio company filed Chapter 11.

The directors were sued immediately for "breach of fiduciary duty."

They called the insurer to pay for their defense.

The Bankruptcy Trustee stepped in.

"That policy is an asset of the estate. You cannot deplete it to pay for legal fees."

The directors were left paying $800/hour lawyers out of their own pockets while a $5M policy sat frozen in court.

We structure "Priority of Payments" clauses into every D&O program.

This language dictates that in the event of bankruptcy, the insurer must pay the individual directors first.

The estate only gets what is left over.

We also add "Side A" DIC (Difference in Conditions) coverage that sits completely separate from the corporate balance sheet.

You don't need insurance when things are going well.

You need it when the walls are closing in.

If your policy isn't bankruptcy-proof, it’s not finished.

Does your policy have a "Priority of Payments" clause?

DM me "PRIORITY" and I'll show you where to look.

Five events since 2017. Combined losses from billions to trillions. Physical damage across all five: zero.

NotPetya. 
The 737 MAX grounding. 
COVID-19 shutdowns. 
The Ever Given. 
CrowdStrike.

We went line by line through the coverage implications this week. The exposure class is Non-Damage Business Interruption, and for financial institutions running digital-first operations on legacy programs, the gap between what can shut you down and what your policy actually covers is measured in trillions.

But the article that stopped me was a Law360 piece on cyber policy restoration periods.
The distinction between “operations-focused” and “network-focused” language in your period of restoration definition is outcome-determinative. 

One version covers you through the full resumption of normal business activity. The other stops the clock the moment someone reboots a server — even partially.

That’s the kind of clause that determines whether your next cyber claim pays for twelve weeks of operational drag or cuts off at week two. 

Silence in insurance is dangerous. Especially in the definitions section.

We covered all of it in this week’s Friday Five, plus a forward look at parametric capacity that could compress payout timelines from months to days.

P.S. link in comments. 

P.S.S. Part 1 of our Wednesday Intelligence miniseries on deepfakes is live. What happens when bad guys deepfake your CEO — and six questions for your next renewal. Link in comments.

Your employee didn't get hacked.
They got tricked.

And your insurance policy treats those two things very differently.

A controller gets an email from the "CEO."
"Please wire $500,000 to this vendor immediately for the acquisition."
The email looks real. The tone is urgent.
The controller wires the money.

You file it under your Crime policy.
The carrier points to the "Voluntary Parting" exclusion.

"Your employee voluntarily sent the money. This wasn't theft. It was a mistake."

Or they point to the "Social Engineering" sub-limit.

"We cover this, but only up to $100,000."
You just lost $400,000.

We don't accept $100k sub-limits for the biggest risk you face.
We manuscript the definition of "Computer Fraud" to include "Social Engineering" and "Impersonation Fraud."

We stack the Crime policy limits with the Cyber policy limits to ensure you have full tower protection, not just a sliver.

If your policy penalizes you for being human, it’s the wrong policy.

Check your Crime policy today. Look for the 

"Social Engineering" endorsement.
Is it $5M or $100k?

DM me "FRAUD" and I'll review your limits.

There is a question plaintiff attorneys will ask after every data breach in 2027.
Most boards haven't even heard the premise yet.

"Did you use AI-powered security scanning tools to check your code?"

If the answer is "No," you might be negligent.

Last week, Anthropic released an AI tool that scanned production codebases and found 500+ vulnerabilities that human experts missed for 20 years.

These weren't minor glitches. They were exploitable flaws hiding in plain sight.

Traditional scanners check for "locked doors" (passwords, encryption).
AI checks for "structural weakness" (broken business logic).

We saw this with MFA.

Three years ago, Multi-Factor Authentication was "nice to have."

Today, if you don't have it, you are uninsurable.

AI code scanning is next.

When a defensive tool becomes widely available and highly effective, failing to use it stops being a "resource decision."

It becomes a "breach of fiduciary duty."

The window between discovery and exploitation is compressing from weeks to hours.
Your defense needs to move at the same speed.

Is your board asking about AI security, or are they waiting for the lawsuit?

We put together a one-page AI Security Standard-of-Care Checklist — 10 questions your board should be asking before your next renewal. 

The carrier application changes already in motion. The specific coverage intersections across cyber, tech E&O, and D&O. 

What the standard of care looks like now, not 12 months from now.

Comment CHECKLIST and I'll send it over.

Follow for daily Insights to live a longer, healthier life

Over the past decade, I’ve scaled revenue and client success at three SaaS companies from $3M to $50M+ ARR, delivering 110%+ net revenue retention and top 10% NPS scores (65+).

Today, we help recruiting agency owners & Principals ($5M–$20M billings, 5–20 recruiters) land new clients from LinkedIn by becoming a trusted authority in their market. 

Our clients are busy business owners. They don’t want to be “content creators.” 

They want done-for-you exec content that lands new clients. That’s what we do.

In the past 12 months, we’ve generated $5M+ in client billings from LinkedIn by positioning recruiting agency owners as the go-to authorities in their markets.

Our methodology:
→ Revenue Growth Engine - a 3-step system perfected with 40+ founders & recruiting agencies
→ Content strategy that generates demand for contingent and retained searches (not just likes)
→ Strategic outreach to initiate conversations with your ideal clients
→ All requiring just 1.5 hours per week from busy Principals and owners

Our results:
→ 40+ owners and Principals served
→ $5M+ in client billings generated from inbound leads via LinkedIn
→ 8+ qualified inquiries per month within 90 days (average client result)
→ Doubling client pipelines in under 6 months
→ Clients include 7 and 8-figure recruiting agencies commanding $75K+ fees and securing multi-search mandates

And we're just getting started!

We help recruiting business owners who are:
→ Tired of building trust from scratch and ready for clients who arrive pre-sold
→ Reliant on a referral pipeline that has plateaued and feels unpredictable
→ Ready to turn decades of expertise into an inbound client pipeline

Ready to turn LinkedIn into your #1 growth channel?
→ Book a 25-minute strategy call: 

https://calendly.com/rohan-karunakaran-mbww/1-1-strategy-call

Rohan Karunakaran

I sat down with LinkedIn’s first Chief HR Officer, Steve Cadigan, to share a few early lessons from his time at LinkedIn - well before it became the iconic company we know today.

Two moments from the early days stuck with me:

1// The “Obama validation” moment

When President Obama visited LinkedIn’s campus in 2011, signups jumped from 1 new member/second → 2 new members/second the very next day.

2// The “IPO perception shift” moment

On the day LinkedIn went public, membership doubled again - not because of a new product feature… but because of market validation. 

Big takeaway for founders/operators: 

Trust compounds. And visibility and perception can accelerate adoption as much as  product. In both earlier and mature stages of growth. 

Follow for the full episode dropping Friday !

CEO at Frontier | Podcast host at Founder-Led 🎙️

I’ve worked with 20+ executive search firm owners over the past year.

There's a pattern that keeps showing up:

Execs and Principals who post content consistently are booking 2–3x more meetings per month than equally qualified firms that stay invisible.

Real scenario I see all the time:

Two firms go after the same $125K retained search.
Similar experience, track record and ability to deliver.

But one firm has been visible on LinkedIn for the past 6+ months - posting regularly, talking about the market, sharing client wins, and showing how they think.

The other firm has strong operators… but almost no visibility.

When both reach out to the same hiring exec, the numbers aren't even close:

Visible firms: outreach-to-meeting rates land in the 30–40% range
Invisible firms: same outreach, same roles → more like 5–15%

That’s a 3–6x difference. 

Not because one firm is better at search. But because they're not strangers. 

The lift doesn’t come from 100s of outbound calls, more personalized outreach or sharper pitches. It comes from familiarity BEFORE the conversation ever starts.

Content isn’t about “personal branding.” It’s about turning a cold audience warm. THIS is where the real lift in meeting conversion starts. 

—

Retained search firm owners: what’s your biggest bottleneck right now - not enough conversations, or conversations not converting?

CEO at Frontier Studio | Podcast host at Founder-Led 🎙️

LinkedIn's first Chief HR Officer, Steve Cadigan, dropped this insight during our conversation and I keep coming back to it:

The companies winning right now aren’t the ones with the most resources or experience. 

They’re the ones who’ve learned to get out of their own way.

Two shifts he’s seeing:

1// Command-and-control is breaking

The most valuable companies are being built by smaller, faster, less hierarchical teams, where decisions happen close to the work, not at the top of the org chart.

2// Tenure is being replaced by 'rate of learning'

The strongest organizations are optimizing for rate of learning -  bringing in people who challenge legacy thinking and make better decisions faster.

AI is the obvious catalyst here. When the cost of intelligence and experimenting drops and the pace of change spikes, the advantage shifts to orgs that can adapt fastest.

Tesla is a clear example. Worth more than Toyota, Ford, GM, and Hyundai combined.

Not because they have more experience. Because investors believe they can out-innovate the incumbents.

Full episode in the comments below 👇

Just reviewed a recruiter's LinkedIn profile.

$150M org. 7,000+ employees. EY Entrepreneur of the Year.

Her content? Mostly podcast promos and company updates.

Great for brand awareness. But ineffective at building deeper trust, familiarity, and consideration with potential clients. 

This is the gap I keep seeing with search firm owners. 

Incredible operators. Hundreds of placements. Decades of pattern recognition.

But their content stays surface-level and could be written by anyone else. 

The stuff that would make a CEO or hiring manager stop scrolling:

- How you assess leadership talent differently  
- Why most retained searches stall at the same point 
- What separates firms that fill in 45 days vs. 120+

That’s the stuff that builds authority between conversations.

Educational content does something brand content can't - it makes a prospect feel understood before you've ever spoken. 

You want to 'get in their head' with how specifically you speak to the issues they're facing and how you'd solve them. 

Especially in exec search, where your average retainer is $100K+, arriving pre-trusted changes the sales cycle.

It's the difference between a 5-call trust tour and a 1-call close.

Most firms are sitting on decades of placement insight that never leaves the founder's brain. 

HUGE miss IMO. 

If you run a search firm and want to turn what you already know into inbound demand — DM me. Happy to share what we’re seeing work.

We're taught to chase achievement.

No one teaches us how to expand consciousness.

I came across this 2x2 and it stuck with me because it maps the relationship between the two - and how they reinforce each other.

And by consciousness, I mean self-awareness - the degree to which we’re awake to our patterns, motivations, and deeper purpose.

→ Playing the game - low agency, low consciousness. Running default scripts.

→ Winning the game - high agency, low consciousness Achievement driven by ego or fear.

→ Escaping the game - high consciousness, low agency. Insightful… but not impactful.

→ Evolving the game - high agency, high consciousness. Aligned and effective.

In my own life, breaking points - a stressful work environment and a relationship ending - forced an upgrade in consciousness

For some it's burnout, financial pressure, or a health scare - the universe giving us a shake toward a more joyful and aligned path. If we choose to listen. 

A disruption that asks: Is this actually aligned?

“Evolving the game” became a useful decision filter for me:

• Work with people I genuinely respect and enjoy
• Choose a lane that feels energizing, not draining
• Work in my 'zone of genius', delegate the rest where possible

Also, the path isn’t linear. For me, business stability came first. Consciousness expanded later.

Only then did I have the courage to step into the unknown and choose more aligned work.

Others may begin highly self-aware - and later build agency through action.

It's also easy to drift between quadrants. Staying in the “Evolving the Game” mindset isn’t automatic - it requires regular practice and commitment. 

Curious - does this framework resonate with you? Where do you see yourself on the map?

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taplio

The Battle

Natasha Kiemnec

Rohan Karunakaran

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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);}Natasha Kiemnec's LinkedIn Performance

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