Entrepreneurs, Tech & Sales: Own Your Voice on LinkedIn | Social Selling and Personal Branding —> Increase Pipeline & Brand Awareness | LEGO Flower Power 🌻

You're not a content creator. (Phew!!) 

You're a business owner leveraging content to grow your business.

2 very different ways to approaching LinkedIn.

You don't need to post daily. 
Chase the algorithm. 
Or become someone you're not.

You need conversations that turn into relationships that turn into revenue.

I'm on LinkedIn to help you get off LinkedIn.
The platform isn't the point. The relationships are.

That's what fills my cup AND my bank account.

---

Hi, I'm Natasha. 🙌

New mom. Breadwinner. Introvert who hates cold outreach.

I built my business to half a million in 2 years. All because of how I show up on LinkedIn.

Not by being loud. Not by gaming the algorithm. Not by sending soul-destroying pitch slaps in the DMs.

By building real relationships.

I've been "doing LinkedIn" for 10 years - as a scrappy sales rep who hated cold calling, running sales at Forbes Books, to now growing my own business exclusively through this platform.

I teach founders and executives to do the same.

---

Who is this for?

6-figure founders who've built something real.

You're good at what you do. Clients stay, refer, and thank you.

But on LinkedIn? Oddly invisible.

Your competitors aren't better. They're just louder.

The issue isn't confidence. It's knowing what to say and who to say it to.

---

Through my REALationship Growth Method I help founders go from respected offline to recognized online - without becoming someone they're not.

No hacks. No volume tactics. No influencer cosplay. 👀

Real outcomes:

→ Josie closed 3x 12 month contracts from one event
→ Michelle landed two $30k speaking engagements in three months
→ Dr. Ashley secured two speaking gigs in two weeks plus a five-figure client

If LinkedIn feels like noise, performance, or a mild existential crisis...

You're exactly who this is for.

DM me "LFG" and let's chat. 💜

Natasha Walstra

I hate drama. I have no bandwidth for it. I'm building a business, raising a toddler, and pouring everything I have into both.

But something came to my attention last week that I can't ignore.

Someone I trusted has been reaching out to my network - clients, partners, prospects. Scraping my posts and using my name to get in the door.

I'd be lying if I said it didn't sting.

Nothing prepares you when you realize not everyone operates with the same integrity you do. And that's a hard lesson when you assume the best in people.

The silver lining? It makes the right people stand out even more.

The ones who show up for you, the ones who protect your name when you're not in the room, the ones who would never use your success to build theirs.

Those are the relationships worth protecting.

So instead of losing any sleep over this, I'm focusing on how I show up. For me, for my family, for my clients, for all of you. And I'll keep doing it the way I always have - with integrity and real relationships.

All this to say, if you've received a message using my name, please know that's not a referral from me. Working with them reminded me why I don't operate that way. And never will.

Ok. Back to building.

You’re not a content creator. Good. You don’t need to be | LinkedIn personal branding & social selling for founders (not influencers) | Filling APRIL cohort - ask me about it! 🙌

I don't know what I was doing in college, but it sure wasn't this!

On Tuesday, I spoke at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina to an entrepreneurship class where every student is starting a business this semester.

Let that sink in...they're not just learning about entrepreneurship. They're doing it. Literally! One student has an AI automation company and already bringing on big clients! 🤯

What we covered:
→ Why LinkedIn matters even when you're 20 
→ My 3-step framework for a successful LinkedIn presence 
→ 3 things they could do today

I also gave them a custom GPT, the Profile Glow Up, I built to help with their profiles. 

The questions they asked were so on point:

"I have a job lined up, but I'm building a business on the side. How should I show up on LinkedIn?"

"What content should I create beyond 'about me' posts?"

"How do I get a company's attention without pitching in the DM's?"

These students are thinking about intentional relationship-building NOW.

While everyone else waits until they "need" to network, these future founders are already making trust deposits. 😎

AND what was cool about this on a personal note? 
This is the third time I've spoken to this class.

The first time was exactly 2 years ago. 
I was six months into my business. Terrified. 
I have no idea what I even said to them.

Now I'm back. More confident. Having FUN.
Growth is wild when you're paying attention.

P.S. Shoutout to Jeff Savage, PhD for inviting me back. We met at a previous startup, and one of the best things that came from it was meeting him. Some relationships outlast the circumstances that created them.

I got reprimanded by 4 men on a call at 10am.

By 2pm, the President of Nokia asked for my resume.

Here's the full story:

I was on a call with the CEO, my manager, and two other senior colleagues. They were telling me how badly I was performing, especially on my cold calls.

(to be fair, I was sh!t on those calls.)

But I'd started leveraging LinkedIn for outreach instead, focusing on quality over quantity, building relationships instead of dialing for dollars. (booked calls with top companies like Home Depot even!)

They didn't see it that way.

For 30 minutes, I sat there shaking, on the verge of a panic attack...or throwing my computer out the door - wasn't sure which.

The crazy part? I had an in-person meeting in San Jose with the President of Nokia a few hours later..to pitch the tech from the company that just yelled at me.

You can imagine how that went.

I walked in and said: "I'm so sorry, I'm not sure what I'm doing here. I think I'm going to resign tomorrow."

He looked at me and asked, "Do you have a resume?" Then gave me a tour of the office.

I resigned the next day. And although I didn't end up going to Nokia, it led me to a unicorn 3D printing company that actually embraced my crazy LinkedIn ideas.

Sometimes the thing that feels like rejection is actually redirection. 

The approach that got me scolded is now the foundation of my entire business.

Turns out I wasn't bad at sales, I was just bad at their version of it.

P.S. How did I get that meeting with the President of Nokia? Through my network. I'd started intuitively connecting with and reaching out to people who already knew me, trusted me, and liked me. Wasn't intentional then (it was just better than cold calling 😅). 

P.S.2 Even crazier? Yesterday I had a call with the VP of CX from that same company. She was there that day, making sure I didn't break things (in the most supportive way). She's been following me ever since. Now she wants to bring what I do to her current company. Talk about full circle moment!

I'm finally retiring my profile pic.

(long overdue)

My hair is 3x the length now, I've got a lot more wrinkles, and a whole different life.

The pic was fun while it lasted! You might not even know the original actually has a plant on my head - edited it out last year. It was a whole vibe (see below).

But a lot has changed since 2021.

Back then, I was newly in leadership as VP & Director of Sales at Forbes Books and I'd just moved to South Carolina (for the first time).  

I was very unsure of myself, very single, and honestly? A lotta bit lost.

Feels like a lifetime ago...and it was.

Now? 

I'm a Founder, a wife, a mother.

Same me. Just with more clarity, more stories, and a lot more life lived.

Here's to the next chapter. 🙌 

P.S. Peekaboo! Expect some new fun pics in the coming weeks! 📸

The CO— by U.S. Chamber of Commerce featured me!

They asked me to be part of their "Ask the Board" series - where they connect business owners with thought leaders to help solve their biggest challenges.

(A fictional fantasy board of directors. Pretty cool, right?)

They asked me to share how to build a reputation-first business that cuts through the noise.

I've got a lot to share on this, as you can imagine.

Your reputation isn't part of your strategy.
It IS the strategy.

Everything else... your brand, your relationships, your growth... flows from it.

In the article, I break down 7 ways to build a reputation-first business:

1. Why your LinkedIn profile is your reputation's home base 
2. The content balance that builds trust (hint: it's not just expertise) 
3. Why posting alone isn't enough 
4. What to show instead of polish 
5. How to turn clients into amplifiers 
6. The long game most people skip 
7. The one thing that makes you referable

With fluffy BS, exaggerated claims, and flashy marketing, people are looking for something REAL.

This is how you become it.

Take a look!

https://lnkd.in/eR25iWea

P.S. Still can't believe that the girl who was "too empathetic to be in sales" is now giving business advice in the US Chamber of Commerce. Pretty cool stuff if I can say so! 🤓

You know those days where everything just flows?!

Yesterday was not that day.

→ Didn't sleep a wink
→ Massive headache
→ Bombed a workshop 
→ Mixed up client work
→ Dog threw up everywhere 
→ Spoke gibberish on my cohort call
→ Showed up 13m late to a call (thought was an hour later)

The good news?

Apparently, there's some planetary alignment happening that explains all of this.

I'm choosing to believe that. 👀

____

Anyone else blaming the planets this week? 🪐
.
.
.
TGIF

We're in a trust recession.

Your audience has been burned by pitch slaps, AI nonsense, and fake connections.

Their guard is up. 
They're skeptical of everything.

Which means the game has changed.

Not more content. 
Not more reach.

→ More real. 
→ More proof.

So: how are you showing you do what you say you do? 

____

P.S. I heard someone go as far to say we're in a trust depression...which honestly is (depressingly) spot on. 

It's been interesting to see this even with clients who've *already* signed with me, still skeptic 😅 but I've got a really good example of a breakthrough...stay tuned 😎

I posted the same story 2 days in a row.

And it still got great engagement.

Different angle. But same story.

Why am I sharing this?

→ Nobody is paying as much attention to you as you think they are.

We're all the main characters of our own movie.
But we're barely a background extra in everyone else's.

That thing you said last week?
They already forgot.

That post you're worried sounds repetitive?
They didn't see the first one.

That story you've told 3x?
Someone's hearing it for the first time today.

If you feel like you're sounding redundant...GOOD!

That means people might actually be starting to associate you with that thing.

Repetition isn't annoying.
It's how you become known.

The real problem isn't saying the same thing too often.
It's saying so many different things that nobody knows what you're about.

So say it again.
And again.
And then one more time after that.

That's how they remember you.

P.S. What do you want to be known for? Share below!

I want to be known for making your LinkedIn experience fun, empowering, AND profitable. Think my content does a good job of doing that? : )
(and if that's not what your experience has been so far on LinkedIn, we probably should talk. DM "known" to start the conversation!

LinkedIn's algorithm got smarter.

It's called 360Brew.

It reads your content. Checks your profile. Detects the gaming (finally).

And it's why some people are panicking while others haven't noticed a thing.

This week's newsletter (a few days late, my b 🤓) what changed, what it means, and how to use it to your advantage.


___

p.s. TGIF! Has it not been the longest week?!

A top creator asked me something interesting at the end of last year. "Are you feeling the algorithm change? I used to get 30,000 impressions. Now I'm

Open article: LinkedIn's new algorithm: 360Brew by Natasha Walstra • 3 min read

I'm a day late for International Women's Day.

But let's be real, one day isn't enough anyways!

I want to celebrate the 39 women in the REALationship Growth Method right now.

12 that just kicked off in my third cohort. 27 in my other cohort and community.

Every single one of them is building something unique.

Growing businesses, dominating industries...showing up with heart, care, and an insane amount of strength.

But it's not just how they show up for their own businesses.
→ It's how they show up for each other. 👯‍♂️

The encouragement, the referrals, the "you've got this" when someone needs it most.

I wake up every morning genuinely grateful that these women trust me with their LinkedIn and business development strategies... it's not something I take lightly.

To my cohorts and my community:
You inspire me more than you know.

Keep building, keep showing up, keep being exactly who you are.

The world needs what you're creating.

Their like was the first move.

Your DM should be the second.

No one will get mad at you for sending a DM after they like your post.

In fact, they might even be grateful you reached out because, guess what,
Initiating conversations is hard!

And someone has to start the conversation - why not let it be you? 🤔

Plus, the way I see it:

- A like
- A profile view
- And definitely a comment

These are the digital (subtle) versions of starting a conversation.

It's them quietly waving saying,
"Hello, I hear you, and what you said makes sense!"

Now, don't go pitch-slapping them, please. 🙏

But connect, say hi back.
See where the conversation goes.

You never know what inspired that little hint of interest.

Might be your next client.
Might be a referral partnership.
Might be an intro to the best networking call you've ever had.

All I know is this:
The best opportunities only happen once words are exchanged.

____

PS. I know it might be time consuming. I have to admit I'm not able to do this all the time either.

But if you're not doing this type of follow-up, you're going to struggle to see results from all the effort you're putting into actually posting!

My challenge to you:

After your next 3 posts, send 5 DMs to people who engaged with each one.
Start small. See big impact.

I never felt rage towards tech until ChatGPT.

(I'm embarrassed to say that. I shouldn't have let it get to me so much, I know 🙈.)

But it just wouldn't listen!

The em dashes everywhere.
The "Here's the thing:" before every point.
The excessive praise.
The trying-to-be-my-bro energy.

I'd ask for direct,
I'd get fluff.

I'd ask for my voice,
I'd get... motivational poster.

So when I discovered Claude early last year, I literally couldn't believe my eyes.

It actually listens.
It's straightforward.
It remembers what I've shared.

Yes, it still makes mistakes. 
But it doesn't hallucinate to the extent that ChatGPT does. 

And it does SUCH a good job maintaining tone of voice and copywriting.

My writing changed significantly since I started using it.

I brain dump ideas. 
Based on my instructions, it turns them into posts. 

Always starting with my original thought. 
Never replacing it.

Which sparked a really cool idea:
What if I made custom Claude bots for my clients?

So easy they can't NOT post.
So I did.

Now all my clients get a custom ClaudeBot - loaded with information about them, my Know-Like-Trust content framework, and their brand voice, and my instructions.

All they have to do is speak into their phone and poof! - a post is there.

It's the opposite of garbage in, garbage out.

Is it perfect? 
No. But it gets to 80-90%.

And then there's the feedback from clients:

"I can write 8 new posts in 4x less time."

"It's one of my most satisfying relationships" 
(that one made me LOL)

"This stuff is really good."

AI isn't replacing your voice.
It's amplifying it - if you use it right.

____

P.S. I offer this not just for my 1:1 clients, but my cohort, also! I've got 1x 1:1 spot left for March and already filling my April cohort. 

You also get custom branding...AND video content. 

(yep, I'm basically an agency disguised as a coach. if you've been even the slightest bit curious, now's the time to lock it in before things change!) 

DM me "LFG" for deets!

This isn't Mad Libs, y'all.

I keep seeing the same posts over and over:

"[#] lessons I learned from [random experience]"
"What [unexpected thing] taught me about [business thing]"
"I was today years old when I learned [obvious insight]"

You might not even realize you're doing it.
Because AI follows templates, too.
And you ask ChatGPT for a post idea.
It spits out a framework.
You fill in the blanks.
And now you sound like everyone else. 👀

Your audience has seen that format 1000 times this week.
Their brain skips right over it.
You become background noise.

Templates exist for a reason and can be really great!
They're training wheels.
They help when you're stuck.
They give you somewhere to start.

But training wheels aren't meant to stay on forever.

The posts that stop the scroll?
They don't follow a formula.
They sound like YOU said them.

They make people think "I've never heard it put that way before."
Your unique voice is the whole point.
Not your ability to fill in blanks better than the next person.

Thoughts? 

😉


___

P.S. LinkedIn's algorithm, 360Brew, is suppressing AI content (I know, the irony, an AI penalizing AI), my guess is templates are going fall into that category because of how overused and 'swiped' so many have become.

Templates are helpful, and I don't mean to hate on them, but if you use them, do your best to make them YOURS.

Mad Libs, LinkedIn Edition

"It's working out gooood!"

My client was skeptical for weeks. Wouldn't try it.
Finally did. First post? Someone reached out.

This same approach has gotten me 160+ workshop registrations and 3 SOLD OUT cohorts. 

Without a single promotional post.

What is it?

Take a peek! 👀

P.S. Can you guess what it is? ; )

Question for you: if you don't tell people how to work with you, how will they know how to work with you? Really obvious question, I know, but I find 

Open article: How to sell in posts without actually selling (I sold out 3 cohorts this way) by Natasha Walstra • 3 min read

How to sell in posts without actually selling (I sold out 3 cohorts this way)

I got real on this one.

Just did a podcast with Nick Berry about why LinkedIn feels harder than it should for business owners.

Nick's interviewed top dogs like Jason Feifer (Editor-in-Chief of Entrepreneur Magazine), Dr. Benjamin Hardy (10x Is Easier Than 2x, The Science of Scaling), and other impressive people. I was so shocked to be asked on it.

This was his first episode specifically on LinkedIn for entrepreneurs.

We broke down:
→ Why most advice doesn't fit you
→ Why smart people act weird online
→ What to do instead

I also shared some personal stuff I've never talked about publicly.

Take a read (and a listen!)

https://lnkd.in/eFgkAg_D

(my most honest conversation about LinkedIn yet) Hey you! I was recently a guest on The Business Owner’s Journey podcast with Nick Berry. And I’m stil

Open article: You're going to want to hear this by Natasha Walstra • 3 min read

Everyone in my community wants 2 things:

Visibility and sales.

And one of the best ways to get both? Speaking.

So I brought in Marta Spirk, M.A.

Her story was powerful. 
Her framework was clear. 
And her interactive Bingo exercise got everyone thinking about their next move.

The feedback?
"This was a phenomenal session." 
"This was so valuable!"

I could talk about LinkedIn all day. 
But speaking? That's not my lane.

Part of building something that actually serves people is recognizing where your expertise ends and someone else's begins.

Marta was the right person to have in the room. 
And my people are better for it.

P.S. My April cohort of the REALationship Growth Method is filling up FAST. 

We're not just learning LinkedIn tactics, we're hearing from top experts, actually implementing together, and you guessed it, building REALationships. Spaces are limited, and the next cohort won't be until June! 

If you're curious to learn more, DM me "LFG" for more deets OR let's hop on a call! https://lnkd.in/ecAKhTAq

"There's no way anyone would respond to this."

My client said this about a DM I suggested she send.

It was a simple DM for when someone views your profile.

She thought it was weird, too forward, pointless.
She sent it anyway.

The response? A four-paragraph novel.

The person explained exactly why they'd checked out her profile, what they were looking for, what they were struggling with.

They went back and forth and then jumped on a call.
All from one "weird" DM.

Here's the reframe (and why she sent it anyways):

You're not bothering them, you're doing them a favor.

Most people have so much to say, they're just waiting for someone to start the conversation.

They viewed your profile for a reason, they're curious, maybe interested. 
But nervous to initiate.

So you go first.

And if they have no reason? They just won't respond. No harm done.

But more often than not? 
They're relieved you broke the ice.

The DM that feels awkward to send is usually the one that starts the best conversations.


____

P.S. I'm doing another live workshop! And you bet we'll cover this. 

April 2nd at 12:00 ET

Why Your LinkedIn Isn't Converting...and the System That Fixes It

Register here! https://lnkd.in/eg3Kq5iX

Brain fog, breadwinner, business owner... AND content creator?

No, thank you!

This week's newsletter is a permission slip for everyone who's been told they need to "show up more" but can barely remember where they put their coffee.

You don't have to become a content creator to grow your business.

You just have to play a different game.

Check it out 😎

P.S. I'm hosting my next live workshop! April 2nd at 12:00 ET!! Deets coming next week. In the meantime, register here:
https://lnkd.in/ejGSQN2Z

You expect me to be a content creator on top of everything else going on? No, thank you. I've got a multi-6 fig business I run on my own (with a few c

Open article: Brain fog, breadwinner, business owner, AND content creator? by Natasha Walstra • 2 min read

Brain fog, breadwinner, business owner, AND content creator?

Today’s the day!! 

LIVE MERCH LAB → Turning My “No Pitch Slaps” Into Swag! 

There’s a lot I’ve been saying lately that’s triggering (in a good way). 

Definitely could make for some good swag. 

And I love how Amanda Hofman turns your brand essence into company swag you’d *actually* wear. 

Can’t wait to see what we come up with today!! See you there!!

Branded Merch & Swag Expert | Chief Swag Officer | Your guide for sustainable & anti-boring branded merchandise | Print-on-Demand Shop Set-Up | NYC Marathoner turned Cyclist 🏃🏻‍♀️🚴‍♀️

Can LinkedIn advice become wearable? We’re about to find out.

Natasha Walstra is known for helping people sell on LinkedIn without being weird about it. She’s built her brand around making LinkedIn feel more human and helping you be more effective while you’re there.

Her signature rule: No Pitch Slaps. 

But Natasha’s message goes beyond one phrase. If her bold, honest, refreshingly real voice had to become wearable… what would actually make the cut?

In this 🎉 Live Merch Lab 🎉, we’re building Natasha’s very first merch line — translating her sharp, funny, straight-talking energy into something her community would genuinely want to wear.

If you care about building visibility without being cringe, spammy, or robotic, this session is for you.

In this live session, you’ll see:

→ How to brainstorm merch for your own brand while helping design Natasha’s
→ How to turn a strong point of view into something people proudly wear
→ What Natasha should absolutely NOT print
→ A live audience vote on the final picks

This isn’t a webinar. It’s a working session.

→→ RSVP to influence what makes the drop.

Bring your opinions, claim your (virtual) creative director seat, and help us decide what goes from idea to wearable.

Danae Gabriel, Kelly Edmondson and 34 other attendees

LIVE MERCH LAB → Turning Natasha Walstra’s “No Pitch Slaps” Into Swag

The most underutilized part of your LinkedIn profile?

→ Recommendations.

You might think no one looks at them. But if someone's about to spend $1000s with you? They're checking you out everywhere.

They *might* not notice if you don't have any...but they'll definitely notice if you do.

Here's one I got last week from Mahesh Guruswamy - CTO of Kickstarter when we worked together, now COO at Kajabi.

When someone's vetting me, they see this. They click his profile, they verify he's real, he held those positions, AND he said I'm "the real deal."

That builds trust faster than anything I could say about myself.

And right now? Trust is everything.
We're not in a trust recession...we're in a trust depression.

Everyone claims to be an expert, AI can write anything that sounds credible, and anyone can put "strategist" in their title.

How do you know who's the real deal anymore?
You don't - unless you can prove it.

Recommendations are one form of proof.

Real names, real titles, real companies, specific results.
 
Not a testimonial on your website that could've been written by anyone or a quote you could've made up.

A real person vouching for you in a way that AI (and potential clients) can verify.

If you don't have recommendations on your profile, you're asking people to take your word for it when where very few take anyone's word for anything anymore.
(Or at least, they want to trust, but they also just want a little proof to back it up. Recommendations give them that.)

P.S. I'm going to be sharing more juicy systems about why your LinkedIn isn't converting. April 2nd at 12:00 ET. LFG!

https://lnkd.in/epsuaE8z

Zoltan A. Vardy

I teach B2B founders how to close more enterprise deals faster using The Launch Code 🚀 Generated $2 billion in B2B revenue in my 30-year career📣 Speak about B2B sales & entrepreneurship

Struggling to sell your B2B tech product, even though you know it’s great?

I’ve been there. After 30 years in B2B sales — from leading $150M revenue teams at NBCUniversal to building my own startup — I’ve closed $2B in revenue by learning how to make skeptical buyers say “yes.”

That’s why I built The Launch Code, a proven blueprint trusted by 200+ founders in 26 countries to turn sales from a constant struggle into a repeatable growth engine. It’s designed to help founders win 3+ high-ticket clients per quarter.

👉 I created The Launch Code by blending my two worlds:

• Corporate sales leadership at the highest level

• Startup founder grit, speed, and focus

The result: a sales system that gives startup founders corporate-level structure without losing startup agility.

What you’ll learn with me:

✅ How to FOCUS your offer & message so buyers instantly get it

✅ How to STRUCTURE your sales process so you close more with less stress

✅ How to SCALE your sales so you stop doing it all yourself

Who I work with:

• Early-stage founders → use my video course + mentoring to land your first consistent high-ticket clients.

• Scaleup founders → work 1:1 with me to scale faster, build a high-performing team & break revenue ceilings.

Why listen to me?

🔹 Closed $2B+ in revenue
🔹 Carried $150M revenue responsibility as SVP at NBCUniversal 
🔹 Built & sold my own company
🔹 Investor in multiple startups
🔹 Author of The Launch Code & keynote speaker

📩 DM me if you’re ready to win 3+ high-ticket clients per quarter and turn sales into your growth engine.

Investor & Board Member

• The Launch Code is a blueprint that helps B2B tech founders sell and market to enterprise customers.
• Worked with 200+ founders from 26 countries.
• I share The Launch Code via a personal mentoring program, an on-demand course and a course + mentoring package.
• Startup accelerators can choose a course + group coaching package.

AI won’t fix your broken sales process.

50 ambitious founders in one room in Prague.
One big theme.

AI is powerful.
But it won’t save weak fundamentals.

What actually moves the needle in early-stage B2B?
Founder-led sales.

Not outsourced belief.
Not premature hires.
Not “let’s automate it and hope.”

We unpacked:
✅ Why founders should run the first 20-30 sales conversations themselves
✅ Why bad qualification kills more deals than bad pitching
✅ Why hiring a sales rep too early is often a very expensive mistake
✅ And why clarity beats AI tooling every single time

I could feel the shift in the room.
And in conversations with founders who bought a copy of The Launch Code, my book on founder-led sales.

Ideas turning into action plans.
Noise turning into structure.

My favorite moment?
The fireside chat with my former client, Radek Novotný, co-founder of Superface.ai.

No theory.
No LinkedIn soundbites.
Just what actually works inside an AI-first startup building real revenue.

Huge thanks to  Innovate Prague , Czech Founders, and Startup Kitchen  for curating such a sharp group of builders.

Now I’m curious: If you’re an early-stage B2B founder...

👉 What’s harder right now?

Building pipeline -- or building the right sales structure behind it?

Let’s compare notes.

#b2bsales #founders #startups #entrepreneurship

Sales & GTM Advisor to Scale-Ups | Scaling Founder-Led Businesses from $1M to $10M ARR | $2B+ Closed | Ex-SVP Global Sales, NBCUniversal | Keynote Speaker

No alternative text description for this image

Tegnap délelőtt újra bebizonyosodott számomra.

A cégalapítói értékesítés nem elmélet.
Hanem napi túlélési gyakorlat.

Az MVÜK Zrt. közösség tagjaival telt ház előtt beszélgettünk arról, hogyan lehet rendszert építeni az improvizáció helyett.

Mert a legtöbb alapító nem sales rendszert működtet.
Hanem hősként menti a bevételt.

És ez egy ideig működik.

Ami igazán megfogott, az a kérdések minősége volt:

✔️ Hogyan delegáljak úgy értékesítést, hogy ne essen vissza a bevétel?
✔️ Mikor válik a cégalapítói értékesítés a növekedés akadályává?
✔️ Hogyan lesz a “kapcsolati tőkém” helyett skálázható rendszer?

Pont ezért szeretek ilyen közegben beszélni.

Itt mindenki első kézből felel a bevételért.

A délelőtt számomra különösen fontos volt: ez volt A növekedés kódja c. könyvem debütálása.

30 év. 200+ vállalkozás.
Egy azonnal használható rendszerbe sűrítve.

Köszönöm a meghivást Iglódi Csaba-nak és Janos Horvath-nak, és a jelenlévő vállalkozóknak az aktív figyelmet és a bátor kérdéseket.

👉Most hozzátok fordulok:
Alapítóként hol akad el jelenleg az értékesítési folyamatod?
______________________________
For my international audience: 

Yesterday morning reminded me of something important:

Founder-led sales is not theory.
It’s daily survival.

At a full-house session with company owners, we discussed how founders can move from improvising revenue to building scalable sales systems.

The real challenge isn’t closing deals.
It’s knowing when founder-led sales becomes the bottleneck to growth.

The event was also special because it marked the debut of the Hungarian version of my book, 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙖𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙝 𝘾𝙤𝙙𝙚 — 30 years and 200+ companies distilled into a practical, immediately applicable framework.

#b2bsales #founders #növekedés #vállalkozás

You’re not building a product. You’re building a business.

Had a conversation with a SaaS founder recently. Brilliant team. 

Beautiful roadmap. Zero traction.

Why? 

Because they were obsessing over features... and ignoring the one voice that actually matters:

👉 The person who’s supposed to buy it.

This is the most common trap I see with tech founders: They build for what’s possible, not for what’s needed. 

They fall in love with the product, instead of the problem.

A business only exists if someone pays for what you’ve built. 
Until then, it’s just a project.

Talk to your buyers more than your backlog. 
Revenue is the loudest form of product validation.

#founderlessons #saas #b2bsales #productmarketfit #startups #buildwhatmatters #techfounders #customerdiscovery

My friends have no idea what I actually do.

And honestly? I don’t blame them.

Here are 3 reasons why:

1️⃣ They have a commercial mindset -- so the idea that I spend my time helping founders who don’t blows their minds. 

“Wait... they built a product without thinking about how to sell it?” Yes. Yes, they did.

2️⃣ They work corporate jobs -- and assume “entrepreneurship” means I drink flat whites and “ideate” in co-working spaces all day.

3️⃣ They’re not on social media -- so they genuinely don’t get why I’m “posting on LinkedIn again” instead of doing something useful... like emailing a deck or cold calling someone. 

The idea that your personal brand drives deal flow? 
Totally foreign.

Bonus: A lot of them don’t understand why I work this hard when, technically, I don’t have to… 😉

Here’s the thing: I love what I do. 

I love helping founders get clarity, simplify their sales, and grow. And yes, I'm pretty active onLinkedIn (don’t @ me).

So no, I can’t always explain my job in one sentence at dinner. But that’s fine -- they’ve stopped asking.

(Also I’m pretty sure a few of them still think I sell crypto.)

#founderlife #solopreneur #digitalbusiness #linkedinlife #workhardplayhardish #nicheproblems

undefined undefined

TLC Book

Stop waiting for the perfect time! Get a FREE chapter of my book on founder-led sales and start growing➡️ https://tinyurl.com/4js3p86z

TLC Book #2

Discover the mindset and strategies to master founder-led sales—sign up for a FREE chapter ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/4js3p86z

TLC Book #3

Startups thrive on hustle.
Scaleups thrive on systems.

Where are you on that journey?

TLC-High-ticket deals

Early-stage founder? Learn how The Launch Code will help you close more high-ticket deals➡️ https://tinyurl.com/yseb2h7v


Club Globalis Link

TLC Buy Book Amazon

Unlock the blueprint to mastering founder-led sales. The Launch Code is NOW AVAILABLE on Amazon➡️ https://mybook.to/thelaunchcode 

Online Book Release Registration

Hungary Book Release

Yes! Sign me up for The Launch Code book release event in Budapest ➡️ https://lu.ma/8lh2r7qb

Romania Book Release

Yes! Sign me up for the founder-led sales event in Bucharest ➡️ https://lu.ma/82n6akdm

TLC Book - Free & Buy

Get The Launch Code's first chapter FREE or buy it on Amazon - CLICK HERE ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/3wcn2tb8

Nothing Ventures podcast

Watch or listen here ➡️
1️⃣ Spotify: https://lnkd.in/dM5ZyNHq
2️⃣ Apple: https://lnkd.in/dg7KjR_E
3️⃣ YouTube: https://lnkd.in/dj3k2EEP

TLC-Accelerate rev growth

Ready to boost revenue growth? Check out The Launch Code and learn how ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/ytnbzd74


Speaker Reel Plug

For those who missed it — here’s what those four lucky people saw 👇

https://youtu.be/hYaXkDkF80U

Next time, bring friends. I’m worth the ears. 😇

Grow Your B2B SaaS podcast

Watch or listen to the podcast here ➡️
1️⃣ YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/wfu4yrvx
2️⃣ Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/48kkkm3a
3️⃣ Apple: https://tinyurl.com/3297nnra

Startup Revolution podcast

📽️ Watch the podcast episode here ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/a42knu5m

LaunchPod podcast

📽️ Watch the podcast episode here ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/3nadxxxa

Make It Happen Mondays Podcast

Watch or listen to the podcast here ➡️
https://tinyurl.com/48uatz4s

TLC Audio Book

Buy The Launch Code audiobook here ➡️
✅ Amazon: https://mybook.to/thelaunchcode
✅ Audible US: https://tinyurl.com/2v9nau72
✅ Audible UK: https://tinyurl.com/y9mreb4p
✅ Apple Books: https://tinyurl.com/yspdadu4


Warsaw Events - Sept 2025

Register here to attend these events ➡️
✅ Google For Startups: https://tinyurl.com/ybrvr864
✅ Venture Cafe Warsaw: https://tinyurl.com/4k6hancc

Benson Boone

What was your “front row moment” with a brand, artist, or company?

That point where you went from interested to fully invested?

👇 Drop it in the comments — I’m collecting examples for a follow-up post.

Office vs Home

✅If you're in-office full-time: what’s the biggest upside for you?

▶️And if you're remote-first: what do you think people miss most about the office?

Fire my client

This wasn’t an easy decision.
But I’ve learned the hard way: saying “no” early often protects your time, energy, and reputation later.

Curious to hear from other consultants, coaches, and founders:

What’s your biggest red flag in a new client relationship?

TLC Bootcamp

Curious how we structure the TLC Bootcamp behind the scenes?

Drop a message and I’ll DM you the 3-pillar framework I use to build a founder’s sales system from scratch.

VP Training

Get my free video training that helps founders:
•	Cut the fluff
•	Test their message with prospects
•	Increase clarity (and conversions)

👉 Check the link: https://tinyurl.com/2cd6cndv


Quit or conquer

Will you quit at 5PM today, or conquer what's left?
Reminder: consistency beats intensity. Every time.

👇What’s ONE thing you're committed to finishing today?


Measure to manage

If you’re not sure what to track, start with one metric tied directly to revenue.

For example:
→ Weekly sales calls booked
→ Email response rate
→ Avg. deal size by funnel stage

Clarity beats complexity.
What’s your go-to metric right now?


When to give up

TLC Tour Thanks

Vicket value prop

One thing that surprised us in this case: the product didn’t need to change. Just the way it was explained.

Messaging gives you strategic clarity about who it’s for and what changes for them.

👉 What’s one positioning mistake you’ve seen (or made) that cost traction?


Founder not product

Someone messaged me after this post and said:
“Selling still feels like begging.”

Totally get it.
That feeling is more common than you think...even in the boardroom.

But what if sales wasn’t about asking…
…but about offering clarity, direction, and momentum?

What’s your biggest mindset shift around sales?


Annual accomplishments

Reading through my own list made me realize how much I overlook the small wins.

But those “small” moments -- the tough calls, the messy fixes, the late-night emails -- often deliver the real breakthroughs.

What’s one underrated win you’re proud of this year?


Destination Plan

PRO TIP: If you're stuck on Step 2 (milestones), reverse-engineer it:

👉 Ask: “What would need to be true by Q1 to hit my year-end goal?”

This makes your strategy way more actionable.


Do less, not more

⚠️ Reminder: Saying “yes” to everything is saying “no” to what matters.
Drop your “STOP” below - your clarity could help someone else.


Spartan recommitment

Recommitment doesn’t need confidence. Just a first step.

What’s one small move you’re making this week?


VP Training podcast

I mentor entrepreneurs to help them build a repeatable, founder-led sales process that doesn’t collapse under stress.

If you're tired of winging it or second-guessing your strategy, let’s talk.

📩 DM me if you're ready to sell with structure (and sanity).


Czech Founders event

ANK book launch event

This is exactly why people hate cold emails.

One fake reference and trust is gone.

What’s the worst or most ridiculous cold email you’ve ever received?

Hetkoznapi Peldakepek podcast

medient-consulting

central-european-theme-parks-ltd

the-launch-code

mentor-equity

“I didn’t hear anything new... but I needed to hear it again.”

That’s the feedback I often get when I speak at events on B2B sales and entrepreneurship.

For a long time, I wasn’t sure how to take that. 
Was that a compliment? 
A critique?

But I’ve come to realize -- it’s neither. 
It’s something better:

💡 It’s clarity. 
💡 It’s timing. 
💡 It’s the right message, said the right way, at the right moment.

Because in sales, leadership, and startups -- the real challenge isn’t knowing what to do. 

It’s doing it consistently. 
It’s hearing something obvious... and finally having it land.

That’s what I aim for when I speak. 

Not just to inspire, but to anchor the truth in a way people can’t ignore.

If you're planning a team offsite, leadership session, or corporate event -- and you want someone who’ll say what needs to be said (with zero fluff), let’s talk.

#speaker #salesleadership #entrepreneurship #founderlife #startuplessons #growthmindset #clarityoverhype

There is no magic bullet in sales. Just this.

Two months ago, I sat across from a founder who had just lost their biggest client.

Not because the product didn’t work. Not because the pricing was off. But because their sales system relied on hope — not structure.

No pipeline review. No follow-up cadence. No clear positioning.

They were winging it, like so many do.

Here’s the truth I’ve learned over 30 years in B2B sales, startups, and scaleups:

📌 Motivation fades.
📌 Hacks stop working.
📌 Shortcuts lead nowhere.

What works? Systems.

The kind that drive clarity. 
Create momentum. 
And make boring consistency your biggest asset.

Sales isn’t about feeling inspired. 
It’s about doing the work when it’s uncomfortable. 
Saying the hard thing when it matters.
And showing up, again and again.

I don’t sell hype. 
I sell structure. 
The kind founders can apply today -- and scale tomorrow.

If you’re tired of advice that sounds good but changes nothing, this is for you.

Want to see how I help founders turn experience into predictable revenue? 

DM me.

#b2bsales #startups #founders #salesleadership #predictablerevenue

When the AI summary reads your soul.

Had a discovery call scheduled with a prospect.

They didn’t show.

And Zoom -- in its infinite, algorithmic wisdom -- sent me this summary:

“Zoltan expressed frustration and disbelief over an unspecified situation, using strong language to convey his dissatisfaction.”

Honestly? 10/10 accuracy. 

No transcript needed. 
No words exchanged. 
Just vibes. Strong, disappointed founder vibes.

AI didn’t just summarize the call. 
It summarized the emotional experience of being ghosted as an entrepreneur.

Somewhere in the cloud, an LLM whispered: "He’s talking to the void again. Mark it down as disbelief."

Founders, if you’ve been here -- I see you. 

And so does Zoom’s AI.

#founderlife #startups #ghosted #solopreneur #salescalls #zoomfail #founderhumor #techtherapy

Miért nem záródnak a nagyobb B2B ügyleteid miközben az ajánlatod jó? 🤔

A legtöbb cégalapító nem az értékesítéssel küzd.
Hanem azzal, hogy nincs mögötte rendszer.

Ha B2B cégalapító vagy, ez most neked szól.

Az elmúlt 30 évben 2 milliárd dollár értékű B2B megállapodás lezárásában vettem részt.

Pontosan látom, hol és miért akad el a növekedés.

Most egyedi lehetőséged van velem személyesen végigvenni:

✅ Hol szivárog a bevételed?
✅ Miért nem konvertálnak a nagyobb dealek?
✅ Hol kellene fókuszálnod?

Ha 𝗺á𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘂𝘀 𝟮𝟱-𝗶𝗴 𝗺𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗱 a lira()hu-n 𝘼 𝙣ö𝙫𝙚𝙠𝙚𝙙é𝙨 𝙠ó𝙙𝙟𝙖 című könyvemet, részt veszel az előrendelési nyereményjátékban.

🥇 60 perces stratégiai konzultáció Velem
🥈🥉 Partvonal ajándék könyvcsomagok

Ne inspirációt keress.
Építs rendszert.

Március 25-ig még beszállhatsz.

👇Keresd a linket az első kommentben.

This one is for my Hungarian network 🇭🇺

Hadd kezdjem egy kényelmetlen kérdéssel.
Alapítóként, cégvezetőként vagy B2B szolgáltatóként volt már olyan érzésed, hogy

✅  jó a termék,
✅ van érdeklődés,
✅ mégsem záródnak a nagyobb megállapodások?

A legtöbb alapító nem a terméke miatt nem nő.

Hanem mert az értékesítés nincs rendszerbe rakva.

A tavaly megjelent The Launch Code könyvem most magyarul is elérhető

A növekedés kódja: Értékesíts úgy, mint a legsikeresebb vállalkozók címmel,
 és március 17-én személyesen is beszélgetünk róla Budapesten.
📍 KLUSTER Coworking

Ott lesz velem két korábbi ügyfelem: Ákos Gergely és Peter Kalmar.
 
Ez nem motivációs este lesz.

Amiről szó lesz:

💭 Hogyan lesz az ad hoc értékesítésből működő struktúra,
 a bizonytalanságból fókusz.

💭 Hogyan lehet cégalapítóként magabiztosan lezárni nagyobb B2B ügyleteket.

Ha B2B-ben építed a céged, szerintem érdemes ott lenned.

Találkozzunk március 17-én. 🚀

Regisztráció és további információk az eseményben! 👇

Gabriella Bodi, Peter Kalmar and 3 other attendees

View event: Hogyan építs működő  értékesítési rendszert cégalapítóként?

Hogyan építs működő  értékesítési rendszert cégalapítóként?

A növekedés nem stratégia kérdése.
Hanem rendszeré.

𝗠á𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘂𝘀 𝟭𝟮-é𝗻 𝗮 Business Fest Szeged-en két oldalról vizsgáljuk meg a növekedés kérdését.

Az előadásomban megmutatom, miért a tudatosan felépített, alapító-vezérelt értékesítési rendszer a túlélés és a skálázás alapja bizonytalan piaci környezetben.

26 ország, 200+ alapító tapasztalata alapján egy konkrét, azonnal alkalmazható bevételnövelő rendszerrel fogsz távozni.

A fireside chat során Attila Kecsmar-al, 𝗮𝘇 Antavo AI Loyalty Cloud 𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗽í𝘁ó-𝗖𝗘𝗢-𝗷á𝘃𝗮𝗹 arról beszélgetünk, hogyan járult hozzá ez a szemlélet az Antavo globális növekedéséhez.

Elmeséli...

✅ Hogyan lesz egy szegedi startupból globális, enterprise SaaS vállalat?
✅ Mi változik, amikor a helyi ambíció nemzetközi növekedéssé válik?
✅ És hol bukik el a legtöbb cég skálázás közben?

Stratégia az egyik oldalon.
Valós skálázási tapasztalat a másikon.
Rendszer és végrehajtás.

Ez a kombináció különbözteti meg a stagnálást a valódi növekedéstől.

A rendezvényen debütál a könyvem magyar kiadása is:
𝘼 𝙉ö𝙫𝙚𝙠𝙚𝙙é𝙨 𝙆ó𝙙𝙟𝙖 (The Launch Code) – a helyszínen elérhető és dedikálom.

Ha B2B alapító, CEO vagy sales vezető vagy,
és nem inspirációt, hanem rendszert akarsz – 
ott a helyed.

👉Találkozunk Szegeden?

________

For my international audience...

On March 12 at Business Fest Szeged, I will give a keynote on why structured, founder-led sales is the foundation of survival and growth in tough markets. I'll also lead a fireside chat with Attila Kecsmar, co-founderr & CEO of Antavo, about what it takes to scale an enterprise SaaS business from Szeged to a global market leader.

I will also debut the Hungarian edition of my book, The Launch Code, called A Növekedés Kódja, available on site with book signing.

#vallalkozas #startup #ertekesites #novekedes #businessfest

If you’re not passionate about the problem, you’ll never survive the process.

Spoke to a founder recently who's building an event networking app.

The goal? 
Help participants connect more easily at business events. 

Sounds promising... until I asked a simple question:
“How many events have you actually been to?”

“...One.” 

And the idea wasn’t even his. It was his co-founder’s.

There it was. 

No insight. 
No energy. 
No connection to the problem.

Just someone going through the motions, building a business they didn’t believe in.

And here’s what happens when you do that: 
👉 You stop talking to users 
👉 You avoid the hard conversations 
👉 You build features no one asked for 
👉 You burn cash chasing activity, not traction

Founders! You can’t fake passion. 

You have to want the outcome. 

You have to feel the pain you're solving.

Otherwise, you're just writing code and burning runway.

Build what you care about, or don’t build at all.

#founderlessons #startupmistakes #eventtech #foundermarketfit #startups #productmarketfit #passionmatters #buildwhatmatters

Most founders think AI will fix their sales.

It won’t. It just makes bad sales faster.

That’s why founder-led sales matters more than ever.

On 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗙𝗲𝗯𝗿𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟰𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝘁 𝟭𝟴:𝟬𝟬, I’m hosting an in-person keynote and fireside chat in Prague called..

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱: 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿-𝗟𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗘𝗿𝗮.

I’ll share the framework I’ve used with 200+ startups across 26 countries to turn sales from chaos into a repeatable system.

And I’ll be joined by Radek Novotny, founder of Superface.ai — who has personally used The Launch Code to supercharge his sales and sharpen his founder-led motion.

We’ll talk openly about what actually works, what doesn’t, and where AI helps versus where founders still need to lead.

Founder-only. Curated audience. No fluff.

If you’re building your first real sales motion, this is for you.

👇Register now and join us in Prague (link in comment)

P.S. Copies of my book, The Launch Code, will be available for purchase and signing at the event.

#founders #b2bsales #startups #AI

A legtöbb vállalkozás nem a termék miatt akad el.
Hanem az értékesítés miatt.

Ha cégalapító vagy, ezt az eseményt nem érdemes kihagynod.

𝗠á𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘂𝘀 𝟭𝟳-é𝗻 a KLUSTER Coworkingben (Astoria) mutatjuk be 𝘼 𝙣ö𝙫𝙚𝙠𝙚𝙙é𝙨 𝙠ó𝙙𝙟𝙖 című új könyvemet.

De ez nem egy klasszikus könyvbemutató lesz.

Egy őszinte beszélgetés arról, hogyan tudják az alapítók az értékesítést
küzdelemből → tudatos, felépíthető és skálázható rendszerré alakítani.

Vendégeim két sikeres ügyfélem és alapító:

👉 Ákos Gergely (DOQSYS Business Solutions Ltd.)
👉 Peter Kalmar ([eureka])

Beszélgetünk a saját növekedési tapasztalataikról.

Mi működött.
Mi nem.
És mit csinálnának ma másképp.

A beszélgetés után közönség Q&A, ahol felteheted a legégetőbb B2B értékesítési kérdéseidet.

A helyszínen dedikált példányt is vásárolhatsz a könyvből.

A részvétel ingyenes, de a helyek száma korlátozott.

Ha érdekel, regisztrálj – és találkozunk március 17-én.

👇Link az első kommentben

#b2bsales #startups #founders #entrepreneurship #novekedeskodja

No, your outreach isn’t bad.
It’s just not relevant.

Bad messages talk about you.
Great messages solve their problem.

Use this 5-step structure next time:
👉 Desired outcome
👉 The pain they feel now
👉 Your solution
👉 Simple CTA
👉 Proof it works

It takes 15 seconds to read.
But instantly makes you worth talking to.

Most founders overcomplicate it.
Buyers don’t want poetry. They want clarity.

💬 How would your outreach change if you rewrote it from your buyer’s perspective?

#outboundsales #b2bsales #founders #startups

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The Battle

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Zoltan A. Vardy

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taplio

The Battle

Natasha Walstra

Zoltan A. Vardy

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 Walstra's LinkedIn Performance

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