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

No alternative text description for this image

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.

Over the last 14 years, I’ve built two successful companies and have spoken in over 14 international countries, sharing my expertise with a growing community of over 100,000 people.

My mission is to help companies create engaging content, generate leads, and profit from social media, and empower speakers to gain confidence, secure paid gigs, and become thought leaders.

I’m the founder of ZC Social Media, where we specialise in social media strategy, content creation, and lead generation, and of The Credibility Formula, dedicated to helping speakers become professional speakers and recognised thought leaders.

My portfolio:

→ I'm the founder & CEO of ZC Social Media, a social media agency with a vibrant online community of over 100,000 people
→ I’m the founder & CEO of The Credibility Formula, where I coach speakers to build their confidence and secure paid speaking engagements
→ I offer bespoke 1-2-1 training and consultancy to help businesses and individuals master social media
→ I lead the ZC Social Media Growth Academy, a programme designed to help businesses grow their online presence
→ I am a published author, recognised as a Top Voice on LinkedIn, and have made appearances on BBC, ITV, and BBC World News to share my insights on social media and thought leadership
→ I’ve had the privilege of speaking for NATO, a top brand to work with, further establishing my credibility on the global stage

My results:

→ 100k+ online community
→ 14+ years as the owner of ZC Social Media Agency
→ Speaker at events in 14+ international countries
→ Published author and recognised thought leader
→ TV and radio appearances on BBC, ITV, and BBC World News, Sky News, Ch4 and KMTV

If you want to learn more about how I built this, you can join my newsletter and receive a free video on “How to Get More Speaking Gigs from LinkedIn”:

→ GO HERE: http://www.zcsocialmedia.com/newsletter

If you want to explore 1-2-1 training or consultancy, visit my personal site:

→ GO HERE: http://www.zcsocialmedia.com

If you want to join the ZC Social Media Growth Academy:

→ GO HERE: http://www.zcsocialmediaacademy.com

If you want to join The Credibility Formula to gain confidence, get paid gigs, and become a thought leader, DM me.

Instagram: @zcairns
Facebook: ZoeCairnsUK
Twitter: @zoe_cairns
YouTube: @ZoeCairns

Zoe Cairns

16 YEARS OF ZC SOCIAL MEDIA.

And honestly… if you’d asked me back then where I thought I’d be now, I’d never have guessed this.

On 10 February 2010, I sat down with my boss and told him I was thinking about getting into social media and starting my own business. There was a recession. Uncertainty everywhere. There was definitely no “right time” to leave.

At that point, I was a mortgage broker and IFA. I loved what I did, but when the recession hit, it got tough, and it started to affect my health. After being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2008, I knew I needed a fresh start and something that worked better for me long term.

Tech had always been there in the background. At university, I wanted to build websites, but the dot-com boom meant jobs were hard to come by. So I began my career in a small mortgage broker IFA firm in Gravesend, never imagining I’d move from finance into social media.

Going from IFA one day to social media expert the next felt like a leap. Two very different industries. Plenty of raised eyebrows. So I networked everywhere and spoke wherever I could. I properly saturated Kent.

One conversation changed everything. Carole Black gave me my first big speaking opportunity at a Women in Business event with Best Business Events. From there, I kept saying yes and showing up, until I was told I’d “done” Kent and needed to look further afield.

That led to my first international speaking gig in Warsaw, Poland, with Maurits Bruggink and Seldia | The European Direct Selling Association. Press and media followed, including speaking at NATO in Montenegro (Thank you Franky Saegerman) , picked up by the KM Media Group as a “Kent businesswoman speaking at NATO” story. That moment shifted everything.

Working with Shu Richmond opened doors I never imagined. ITV, BBC World News, BBC, and more. 

Over time, I’ve spoken in more than 14 countries across Europe, India, Malaysia, Ireland, London, and the US.

Alongside all of that, ZC Social Media has grown and evolved, from management and consultancy to training, strategy, and a membership site I absolutely love. Building my personal brand has become one of my favourite parts of the journey.

None of this happens alone. I’m grateful for the collaborators, team members past and present, our brilliant current team, my hubby Gareth and our clients who trust us every day with their brands.

I’m excited about what’s next, especially where AI is going and how we’re helping organisations and small businesses use it in practical, workable ways.

If you’re thinking about a change or starting something you’re unsure will work, sometimes you just have to start.

 Even when the timing feels far from perfect 💜

International Social Media Speaker and Trainer |Social Media Consultant | Social Media Strategist | BSc Hons

There are so many people who are quietly brilliant at what they do… but hardly anyone knows about them.

They have experience.
They get results.
They care about their work.

Yet they’re watching others get the speaking slots, the podcast invites, the partnerships and the clients.

This is something I see all the time.

It’s rarely about who is better. It’s about who is visible.

You can be delivering excellent work behind the scenes, but if you’re not regularly showing up, sharing your thinking and putting yourself in the right rooms, people won’t automatically think of you.

And if they don’t think of you, they won’t choose you.

Visibility isn’t ego. It’s strategy.

When we start focusing on visibility properly, everything shifts. Conversations change. Opportunities increase. Confidence grows because you’re no longer hidden.

If you want stronger credibility, better opportunities and consistent growth, you have to make it clear who you are and what you stand for.

Here are three simple ways to start:

→ Share your thinking
Talk about what you’re seeing in your industry. Share lessons, opinions and patterns you’ve noticed. Let people see how you think.

→ Put yourself forward
Apply to speak. Pitch for podcasts. Reach out for collaborations. Opportunities rarely land in your inbox by accident.

→ Stay consistent
One strong, thoughtful post each week builds far more authority than disappearing for months at a time.

If you feel overlooked right now, it’s usually not a talent issue.

It’s a visibility issue.

And that can be fixed.

P.S. If you know visibility is the thing holding you back, and you’re ready to raise your profile properly, DM me about Influence starting in April.

MORE THAN 80+ BUSINESSES JOINED US  TO GET PRACTICAL WITH AI

Last Thursday was a brilliant day inside the Growth Academy.

We started with over 30 members joining me for our AI Workshop at The Bridgewood Manor Hotel & Spa

The aim wasn’t to overwhelm anyone with tech talk. 

It was to show them how to actually use AI in their own business in a way that makes sense.

During the session, we covered:
• How to write better AI prompts using my C.L.A.R.I.T.Y Method
 • How to build their own AI model to create personal brand images
 • How to create an AI Twin for consistent, on-brand photos
 • How to set up simple workflows to automate repetitive weekly tasks using tools like Make and Zapier

What I loved most was seeing the shift in confidence across the room. 

People who started the day unsure about AI were leaving with real results and clear next steps.

One piece of feedback really stood out. Fiona said:

“I’d recently completed a prompt engineering course elsewhere, and although I finished it, it was so dull and a real struggle. Your AI course was the total opposite. Your examples bring everything together, so it makes sense and comes to life in front of us.”

That’s exactly what I want, clear, practical and useful.

Later that afternoon, we hosted our quarterly FREE ZC Social Media Academy networking event, which this time was an AI Special. 

Over 60 businesses joined us alongside our members. I shared three simple AI workflows that people can start using straight away.

We also launched the new AI Studio LAB inside the Growth Academy, with more hands-on AI training coming soon.

We finished the day with pizza, feedback, and some open conversations about what’s coming in 2026. 

It was a brilliant day! One I loved was delivering and also working with some amazing Kent and Medway businesses.

p.s If you’d like to know more about the Growth Academy, send me a message and I’ll happily share the details.

Especially if you’re curious about our upcoming ManyChat Automation Masterclass.

Kathy Barbara Gareth Hanna Tawa Fiona Mark Roland Lorraine Teresa Angel Sapphire Charles Jude Amanda Clare Paul Katherine Phil Unchalee

I forgot the final line of my closing quote… in front of a full room.

I was speaking about social media and how consistency compounds. 

The whole session had built up to this final point. I wanted to end on a quote I love:

“If we always do what we’ve always done, we’ll always get what we’ve always got.”

I started confidently.

“If we always do what we’ve always done…”

And then my mind went blank.

I couldn’t remember the second half.

Internally, I felt that rush. I felt hot. I could feel the slight shake. You know that split second where everything feels louder in your own head.

I paused and said, “I can’t remember the exact wording, but here’s what it means.”

And I carried on.

I explained that if we keep doing the same thing without measuring or improving, we’ll keep getting the same results. 

As I was finishing that sentence, the original quote came back to me, so I delivered it properly.

Big round of applause.

Afterwards, people came up to me and said they loved the authenticity and how I handled it.

What that moment taught me is this:

→ Stay calm
 Your body reacts before your brain does. Slow yourself down. Breathe. The audience will follow your energy.

→ Focus on the message
 You don’t need perfect wording. You need clarity. The meaning matters more than the quote.

→ Keep going
 Momentum is more important than perfection. Most people won’t notice what you think was a mistake.

The more visible you become, the more moments like this you’ll experience. 

That’s part of growth.

Confidence isn’t about never wobbling.

It’s about knowing you can recover.

P.S. If visibility is the thing holding you back and you’re ready to raise your profile properly, DM me about Influence starting in April.

Something I've been working on behind the scenes for a while is finally ready to share. ✨

Influence, a 12-month, in-person personal brand programme.

One focused day together every month. A small group of just 8–10 people. And a full year of building the kind of visibility, credibility and authority that creates opportunities.

This is for business owners, consultants, and experts who know they're capable of more and are ready to take action.

We kick off in April, and I'd love to have the right people around the table.

If it sounds like something you want to know more about, just DM me, I'd be happy to have a chat. 💬

#PersonalBrand #Influence #ThoughtLeadership #Visibility

Should we ban social media for under 16s?

I’m talking about this on GB News later today and, if I’m honest, I’ve got mixed views.

→ Safeguarding comes first.

That’s the starting point for me. 

We can’t ignore the concerns around mental health, harmful content and how addictive some platforms are. 

If something is causing harm to young people, we should take it seriously.

I work in social media every day. 

And even as an adult, I can see how one post, one video, one comment can change your mood or how you feel about yourself. 

It doesn’t take much. 

So if that can affect us, of course we need to think about how it affects young people.

I don’t have children, but I’ve got two amazing nephews. I’ve watched them grow up online, through gaming, YouTube, social platforms and it’s just part of their everyday life now.

→ Preparation.

But here’s the other side of it.

Social media isn’t going anywhere. It’s how people communicate. It’s how businesses market themselves. 

It’s how a lot of young people will end up working.

Some leave school at 16 and go straight into work. 

Technology is moving fast. AI is moving fast. 

If we block access completely until 16, what happens then? 

Do they just turn it on one day and suddenly know how to handle it?

For me, schools should be teaching young people how this stuff actually works. 

How algorithms work. 
How to protect yourself. 
How to spot fake stuff. 

Not just “stay off it” but how to use it properly.

→ Accountability

And I’m definitely not defending big tech.

These platforms are built to keep people on them. 

That’s the model. 

So responsibility can’t just sit with parents and teenagers. 

The platforms themselves need to be held to account for how content is pushed out and what young people are being exposed to.

So yes, protect young people.

But we also need to prepare them and hold the platforms responsible.

It’s not a simple yes or no.

What do you think? Would love to hear your views 👇🏻

More AI tools won’t fix your content. A better setup will.

One of the biggest causes of AI overwhelm I see is people jumping from tool to tool, hoping the next one will magically make things easier. What works far better is having a small, intentional AI toolkit where each tool has a clear role and fits into a wider workflow.

Here’s what I actually use for social media content creation and client work.

→ ChatGPT
This sits at the centre of my workflows. I use it to map processes, streamline repeatable tasks, repurpose content efficiently, and reduce the time spent starting from scratch. It helps turn ideas, notes, and long-form content into structured outputs that can actually be used.

→ Nano Banana
Used for creating AI visuals when I want something more creative than standard stock imagery.

→ Perplexity
Great for research, summaries, and sense-checking topics when I want clarity and sources. You can do research in ChatGPT too, but this is my preference when I’m in research mode.

→ Opus Clips
Used to identify strong moments, cut clips efficiently, and then refine them with human judgement so they fit the brand and platform.

→ Fathom
This captures meetings, pulls out key insights, and helps turn client conversations into content ideas without relying on memory or messy notes.

The tools themselves aren’t the value. The value is knowing how to use them together to save time, reduce friction, and still produce work that’s thoughtful and on brand.

You don’t need every AI tool. You need the right few, used with purpose.

P.S. This is exactly the kind of thing we’ll be covering at From WTF to Ninja, our one-day, face-to-face event with me and Susie. Clear AI choices, simple workflows, and using AI without the overwhelm. https://lnkd.in/eth5vQva

Everyone talks about AI automation like it’s complicated… but it doesn’t have to be.

For most, the real problem isn’t a lack of tools. It’s time. 

Time to plan content. 

Time to review what worked. 

Time to sit there wondering what to post next.

This is where simple AI workflows come in. Not fancy systems. Not tech overload. 

Just one small setup that quietly helps you every week.

Imagine this. 

Every Monday morning, you receive a short social media plan. 

It looks at what you posted last week, what actually worked, what didn’t land, and what’s currently trending and working in your niche. 

From that, it suggests a few clear, relevant ideas for the week ahead, written in your tone and ready to use.

You didn’t ask for it. 

You didn’t sit down for an hour to plan it. 

It just… appears.

That’s the opportunity most people miss with AI. It’s not about doing more. It’s about removing friction from the things you already need to do.

When people see this for the first time, there’s usually a pause, followed by “oh… that would actually help me”.

And that’s exactly the point.

AI doesn’t need to be overwhelming to be useful. 

One simple workflow can save you time every single week and give you more headspace to focus on running your business.

P.S. This is exactly the kind of thing we’ll be building and walking through step by step at From WTF to Ninja. 

If AI feels confusing, messy, or you’re not sure how it fits into your business, this day is designed to change that. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eth5vQva

"We’re posting on the company page… but leadership aren’t really involved".

If you’re in marketing, you’ll know exactly what this feels like.

You’re planning the content calendar.
You’re making sure the page doesn’t go quiet.
You’re pulling the stats together each month to show what’s working.

But senior leaders either aren’t posting at all… or they’re resharing the company update with “Great work team 👏” and leaving it there.

Then the question comes back to you:

Why isn’t LinkedIn growing?

Here’s what’s often missing.

Company pages rarely grow on their own. On LinkedIn, people connect with people first. If leadership aren’t visible in a consistent and intentional way, the company page can only go so far.

When leaders aren’t clear on what they should be talking about, why it matters, or how it connects to the bigger picture of the business, LinkedIn becomes “a marketing job” instead of something the whole business stands behind.

So what actually helps?

→ Start with the company goals. What is the business focused on this year? Recruitment? Positioning? New services? LinkedIn should reflect that direction.

→ Align this with the marketing plan. Campaign themes and priorities shouldn’t sit separately from leadership content. They should support each other.

→ Define clear visibility pillars for leadership. Industry insight. Business updates. People and culture. Client stories. When leaders know what they need their posts to be focused on, posting becomes simpler and more consistent.

→ Audit and optimise senior profiles. If someone lands on a leadership profile, does it clearly position them and reinforce the company message?

→ Put structure and support in place. Most leaders aren’t unwilling. They’re unsure. With guidance and a clear plan, everything becomes easier.

Recently, I’ve been working with a large brand in London where we aligned the company page strategy with a leadership strategy, rewrote senior profiles, and mapped out content pillars for the senior team. The biggest shift wasn’t just engagement. It was focus and consistency.

It stopped feeling like marketing pushing content out alone and started feeling properly joined up.

P.S. We’re onboarding two LinkedIn management clients this month. If you’d like to explore a more structured LinkedIn approach for both your company page and leadership team, send me a message.

Should businesses post from company pages or personal profiles on LinkedIn?

I get asked this all the time.

Many teams and business owners aren’t sure where to focus. 

Do we put all our effort into the company page? Or should the directors and team be posting from their own profiles?

It can feel like one always gets left behind. 

When the company page is active, leaders go quiet. 
When leaders are posting, the company page looks flat. 
Then people say, “LinkedIn isn’t working.”

Here’s the reality. 

They do different jobs. And they work best together.

Personal profiles usually get more reach. LinkedIn is built for people. People follow people. When a leader shares their thoughts, experience or opinion, it feels real. 

That’s why engagement is often higher on personal profiles.

Company pages still matter. They build credibility. They show what the business actually does. Case studies, services, team updates, culture, job opportunities this is where it all lives. 

When someone checks you out, your company page needs to look active and clear.

So how do you balance both?

→ Clear role for leaders
Leaders shouldn’t just repost company updates. They should share insight, lessons, opinions and stories from their own experience. That’s what builds trust.

→ Strong, consistent company page
The company page should post regularly about services, results and what’s happening in the business. It needs to look alive and up to date.

→ Link everything together
Leaders can mention company projects in their posts. The company page can tag leaders. This creates more visibility in different feeds.

It’s not brand versus profile. It’s brand and profile.

When you use both properly, one builds relationships, and the other backs it up with credibility.

P.S. If you’d like a professional review of your LinkedIn company page and leadership profiles, DM me to book a discovery call.

I said yes to a TV interview. When I arrived, it wasn’t what I’d expected.

Not every opportunity is the right opportunity.

A tv journalist once messaged me asking if I could come up to London for an interview. It sounded exciting. Great exposure. A good platform.

So I said yes.

When I arrived, it wasn’t quite what I’d expected. It was a different show, a different tone and not fully aligned with what I thought I was walking into.

It wasn’t “bad”. It just wasn’t right.

And that moment taught me something important about visibility.

As your profile grows, more doors open. But not every open door should be walked through.

Here’s what I now do differently:

→ Research the platform properly
Don’t just look at the logo. Watch previous episodes. Look at the tone. 

See how guests are introduced and what type of conversations they have. Know exactly who the audience is and whether they are your audience. Visibility affects how you are positioned, so make sure you’re comfortable being associated with that platform.

→ Ask clearer questions upfront

What’s the angle of the interview? Are there any sensitive topics? Is it live or pre-recorded? Who else is on the panel? The more information you have beforehand, the more prepared and confident you’ll feel. Never assume the conversation will stay in your lane.

→ Protect your brand values
Exposure can feel flattering, especially when you’re building momentum. But ask yourself: does this align with how I want to be known? Does this support my long-term positioning? One appearance might not define you, but repeated misalignment will.

When you’re building authority, being visible isn’t about saying yes to everything.

It’s about being intentional about where you show up.

And remembering what you stand for. Your values. Your beliefs.

One minute of TV isn’t worth undoing years of hard work building your reputation.

P.S. If visibility is the thing holding you back and you’re ready to raise your profile properly, DM me about Influence starting in April.

Marketing can’t carry LinkedIn alone.

After my last post, I had a couple of marketing managers reach out saying, “This is exactly where we’re at… but what do we actually do next?”

So let’s talk about the first step.

If LinkedIn feels disjointed between the company page and leadership, the answer isn’t more posts or another content push.

It’s alignment.

Here’s what I would do first:

→ Plan a date to bring the leadership team together.

Not a quick chat in passing. A focused session purely on LinkedIn and visibility. Use that time to show how LinkedIn can support the business when it’s aligned properly. 

When leaders understand how their voice contributes to the bigger picture, things shift quickly.

→ Bring in someone to guide that session.

This is often where I come in.

Sometimes hearing it from outside the business removes the pressure from marketing and reframes LinkedIn as a business-wide opportunity rather than just a marketing task. 

In those sessions, I walk leadership teams through what good looks like, how personal visibility supports the company page, and what role each person plays.

It gives everyone focus and a shared understanding.

→ Then map the strategy properly.

Define leadership visibility pillars. Agree the themes that reflect the direction of the business. Clarify how personal profiles and the company page support one another. Decide what consistency looks like and who owns what.

When everyone understands the why and the how, action becomes much easier.

What works best is when LinkedIn stops being something marketing are chasing people about and starts being something leadership feel confident contributing to.

That shift doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when there’s structure and buy-in.

P.S. We’re onboarding two LinkedIn management clients this month. If bringing leadership and marketing into alignment on LinkedIn is something you’d like support with, send me a message.

It’s been a week since I shared Influence, and I’ve honestly been overwhelmed by the response.

One of the most common themes in the conversations I’ve had is this:

“I’ve got years of experience… but I’m not sure how to turn it into something bigger.”

And this is where personal branding really matters.

A personal brand isn’t just about posting on LinkedIn.

It’s about getting clear on what you know, what you stand for, and how that knowledge can become something scalable.

For some people, that’s a digital product.
For others, it’s a membership.
For others, it’s a structured programme or workshop.
But none of that works if your thinking is still stuck at “I just deliver services”.

Inside Influence, we spend time mapping this properly.

What do you actually know inside out?
What do people repeatedly ask you for help with?
What could that become if you structured it intentionally?

Because monetising your knowledge isn’t about adding more work.
It’s about packaging what you already know in a smarter way.

That’s a huge part of building a personal brand that grows beyond you.

There are five spaces remaining for April.

P.S. If you’ve been sitting on knowledge you know could become something more, DM me Influence and we’ll start the conversation.

#PersonalBrand #OnlineBusiness #ThoughtLeadership #Influence

Looking forward to speaking at The Kent Business Show on the 19th March.

#KBS2026

Final session – don’t miss this - How AI can transform your content #KBS2026
We are delighted to close the The Kent Business Show with Zoe Cairns one of the UK’s leading social media speakers.

AI is making it faster and easier to create great content and Zoe will show you exactly how to use it in your business. From coming up with ideas to writing posts and creating graphics.  You will see how AI can save you hours and help you stay visible.

If you promote your business online you will have the confidence to work smarter and stay ahead. Zoe is known for her practical down-to-earth advice so you will leave with ideas you can use straight away.

Zoe Cairns | 2.30pm | Whitstable Room
19 March
Ashford International Hotel

Just once a year — don’t miss this packed day full of opportunities.
Book your free place now: www.kentbusinessshow.co.uk

#KBS2026 #KentBusinessShow #AIforBusiness #SocialMediaTips #ContentCreation #KentBusiness #BusinessEvents #MarketingTips #WorkSmarter #Ashford #UKBusiness

If AI feels confusing or a bit overwhelming right now, you’re not alone.

At From WTF to Ninja, my part of the day is for business owners who know AI could help them, but haven’t quite found a way to use it confidently or consistently yet.

This isn’t about chasing every new tool or trying to do everything at once.

It’s about slowing things down and showing you how AI can fit into the way you already work.

We’ll focus on how to use AI to support your content and workflows in a practical, realistic way. I’ll guide you through choosing the right tools for your business, creating a simple system for content, and building a workflow that saves time rather than adding pressure.

You’ll see how to stop starting from scratch every week and instead create something repeatable that feels manageable and on-brand.

You don’t need to be technical. You don’t need to have used AI before. You just need a willingness to learn in a supportive, no-jargon environment.

If you want AI to feel clearer, calmer, and useful, this day will give you that starting point.

Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eth5vQva

P.S. You’ll leave with focus, confidence, and a plan you can actually put into action straight away.

If platforms can push content to millions in minutes…
Why can’t they stop harmful content just as fast?

I’ve been following the Mark Zuckerberg case and it’s really made me think. (News case here: https://lnkd.in/eSHta7CA)

Social media platforms are built to keep us on them. 

The scrolling, the suggested posts, the notifications, none of that is random. The longer we stay, the more money the platform makes.  That’s just how the model works.

For adults, that’s one thing. We can (hopefully) manage our time and make choices.

For young people, it’s different.

They are growing up with feeds that never end, content that can shape how they see themselves, and now AI making it even harder to tell what’s real and what’s fake. That worries me.

Where I think the bigger issue sits now is content moderation, especially with AI. 

The speed at which fake news, deepfakes and harmful content can be created is frightening.  Waiting until something has already gone viral before taking it down isn’t good enough.

If platforms have the technology to push content to millions within minutes, they should also have stronger systems at the posting stage. Not just reacting once the damage is done.

Social media has done amazing things for connection and business.

But we can’t ignore the other side of it.

What are your thoughts?

taplio

The Battle

Natasha Kiemnec

Zoe Cairns

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Performance ScoreNatasha Kiemnec's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreZoe Cairns's LinkedIn Performance

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taplio

The Battle

Natasha Kiemnec

Zoe Cairns

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);}Natasha Kiemnec's LinkedIn Performance

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Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreNatasha Kiemnec's LinkedIn Performance