Neeraj Shah ⚡️

I help CEOs & Founders⚡️Supercharge LinkedIn with AI ► ChatGPT Expert ►Lead Generation ► LinkedIn Strategy ► LinkedIn Training ► LinkedIn Marketing & Sales ► Personal Branding ►Get Your Free LinkedIn Assessment Below

► 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗜 𝗗𝗢: I help Founders & CEOs to attract & convert $10k+ clients using ChatGPT + Linkedin in just 15 minutes a day … WITHOUT wasting time, confusion, and spending a fortune on marketing.

► 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 > Usually clients come to me because they are frustrated they don't have a consistent flow of their ideal clients coming to them. Despite being talented, they are struggling with unpredictable cash flow and would love to be better rewarded for their work. Sound familiar?

That's why I've created my 𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗜 that helps busy Founders & CEOs build a solid personal brand and generate high-value clients in just 15 minutes a day through Linkedin with AI, so they never have to worry about where their next client is coming from.

► 𝗪𝗛𝗬 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗠𝗘 > As a LinkedIn Coach, I take the confusion, fear, and frustration out of getting leads with LinkedIn + Ai marketing - giving you a clear step-by-step path you can follow to win high-value clients predictably.

As a result of working with me, you will be able to translate your expertise in your niche with a profitable offering, and rapidly gain Expert Status in your field, becoming the go-to person for your audience. 

► 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗖𝗘𝗦 𝗜 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗𝗘:
👨🏻‍💻 Online Cohort & 1:1 (𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗜)
🙋🏻‍♂️ LinkedIn Personal Branding 1-on-1 Coaching & Consulting
🙋🏻‍♂️ 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗜 Mastermind - Master AI for Business - Save 20 Hours Per Week

► 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗬𝗢𝗨'𝗩𝗘 𝗦𝗘𝗘𝗡 𝗠𝗘:
⭐ BNI (I founded BNI In India & built it to 10,000 members)
⭐ PeopleHum's Top 200 Global Thought Leaders to Follow in 2021
⭐ Top 20 Mentor & LinkedIn Faculty on the GeniusU Platform supporting 1.7 Million Entrepreneurs
 
𝗧𝗬𝗣𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗕𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗦: I've personally helped the following types of business owners, consultants, and professionals grow their businesses, including:

⭐ Financial Advisors
⭐ Doctors
⭐ Consultants
⭐ IT & Software
⭐ Trainers & Coaches
⭐ Web & Social Media Consultants

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗦𝗔𝗬:
🗣 "Neeraj's mentoring helped me grow my company by 250% in 6 months. I highly recommend Neeraj for every dynamic entrepreneur that wants to grow faster" " - Jyotsna Ramachandran | Happy Self Publishing | Author, Consultant & TEDx Speaker

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗬 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞?
Connect with me here on LinkedIn!
☎ Like to find out more? Book a virtual coffee from my featured section or DM me

#linkedintraining #linkedintrainer #marketing #chatgpt #strategy #linkedin #workshops #coaching #personalbranding

LinkedIn Training ✅ ChatGPT Trainer ✅ LinkedIn Coach  ✅  Lead Generation Strategist ✅ AI Marketing 

⚡️ Supercharge Your LinkedIn Training for Business Leaders, Experts, Coaches & Consultants

During my business career, I have always utilised LinkedIn to stay ahead of my competitors. To this day, I still use LinkedIn for lead generation and to find new customers, and I will share with you real-life strategies used to create hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual sales revenue.

I'm the LinkedIn Faculty & Top 20 Mentor for the Global Entrepreneur Platform - GeniusU that serves 1.7 million entrepreneurs globally.

Who Should Attend?

✔ Sales Professionals
✔ B2B Marketers
✔ Entrepreneurs
✔ Business Owners
✔ Marketing Managers
✔ Coaches & Consultants
✔ Experts & Authors
✔ Educators/Students
✔ Career Professional

Upon completion of the course, each student will have a fully functional LinkedIn profile that clearly demonstrates your skills and experience. Participants will walk away with skills to keep increasing your visibility, effectively request recommendations, and strategies to generate leads in your target demographic.

⚡️What Will You Learn?

✔ How you can benefit from LinkedIn
✔ Set objectives and develop your strategy
✔ How to optimise your profile show you show up for key search phrases
✔ The secrets to building credibility fast
✔ Build your personal brand and eliminate competition
✔ How to make Groups work for you
✔ Strategies to generate leads in your target market

I run the LinkedIn online coaching program and service a number of businesses with customised corporate training; The Winning LinkedIn Formula is designed for business owners and sales leaders who want a direct response ROI from social media.

If you're interested in LinkedIn Training for yourself or your Sales Team, I'd encourage you get in touch for a chat.

Contact me at ns@neerajshah.me

LinkedIn Training Courses | Lead Generation | LinkedIn Profile Audit

Skills: Social Media Marketing · Social Media · Social Media Strategist · Coaching · Social Networking · Social Selling

Most people play LinkedIn like it's 2022.

Here's my complete playbook for 2026.

I've spent 5+ years testing what works.
650+ founders coached.
Thousands of posts analyzed.

This is everything I know, broken into 6 levels:

𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝟭: 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗽 (𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻)

Your profile should answer 3 questions:

→ Who do you help?
→ What's their biggest challenge?
→ How do you solve it?

Headline: Problem you solve + who you help
Banner: Your 24/7 conversion tool (not decoration)
About: Hook → Story → Offer → CTA

𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝟮: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀 (𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱)

→ Optimize for Saves & Shares (the new currency)
→ Brew 360 rewards time spent reading, not just likes
→ Visuals + Carousels dominate
→ Frequency: 3-5x weekly
→ Tone: Personal, human, authentic

𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝟯: 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝘅 (𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗲)

70% Value — Teach, frameworks, how-tos
20% Story — Personal lessons, your journey
10% Sell — Offers, CTAs, services

Most people flip this. They sell 70% and wonder why nobody engages.

𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝟰: 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮 (𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁)

1. Hook — Stop the scroll (first line = everything)
2. Problem — Identify the pain point
3. Story/Proof — Your experience or case study
4. Framework — 3-5 actionable steps
5. CTA — Clear next step

𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝟱: 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 (𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗲𝗹)

→ Comment on 15+ posts BEFORE you post
→ Reply to EVERY comment on yours
→ DMs: Start conversations, not pitches

Remember: 80% of my clients come from follow-ups, not first contact.

𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝟲: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝘆𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗱 (𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗢𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿)

Build from the bottom up:
1. Niche
2. Profile
3. Engagement
4. Schedule
5. Branding

Skip a level and the whole thing collapses.

That's the entire playbook.

Save this. Share it with someone who needs it. ♻️

P.S. Which level are you working on right now? 👇

Get 5+ Warm Leads/Week Using LinkedIn® + AI ► AI Expert ► Lead Generation ► LinkedIn® Coach ► 650+ Founders Helped ►LinkedIn®Training ► Profile Optimisation ►Personal Branding ►Free ChatGPT5 Cheat Sheet Below

Handdrawn Infographic How to Win on LinkedIn in 2026 by Neeraj Shah

The gunman said nothing. 
Just raised his weapon and fired.
 
She collapsed in front of me.
 
My wife. My world.
Gone in 7 seconds.
 
I moved to London 3 weeks later.
Alone. Shattered.
 
But something strange happened…

At a Tony Robbins event, they asked me to climb a 40-foot telephone pole.
 
Stand on top. 
Arms wide open.
 
Then leap forward - into my new identity.
 
That day, I screamed so loud I lost my voice.
 
Not in anger. But release.
 
And I wrote one sentence that would change everything:
 
“𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝘀𝗼 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗱𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴.”
 
That sentence turned into a book.
The book became a method.
The method helped 10,000+ others heal.
 
Still… there’s a part of me that wonders—
 
If I hadn’t climbed that pole…
Would I still be broken?
 
Would I even be alive?
 
Sometimes it’s not the “right step” that saves you.
It’s the 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽. 𝗔𝗻𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽.
   
𝗣.𝗦. Have you ever had a single moment that split your life into 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 and 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳?

Get 5+ Warm Leads/Week Using LinkedIn® + AI ► ChatGPT Expert ► Lead Generation ► LinkedIn® Coach ► 650+ Founders Helped ►LinkedIn®Training ► Profile Optimisation ►Personal Branding ►Free ChatGPT5 Cheat Sheet Below

I coach 50+ creators on LinkedIn & AI strategy.

These 14 tools run my entire coaching business:

My clients always ask: “What tools do you actually use?”

Here’s my complete AI coaching stack.

COACHING DELIVERY

↳ Notion: client progress tracking and resources
↳ Zoom: client sessions plus AI transcription
↳ Exly: LMS for my coaching programmes
↳ Loom: async feedback videos

AI WORKFLOW

↳ ChatGPT-5: client strategy sessions
↳ Perplexity: research for client industries
↳ Claude Opus 4.5: content audits and deep analysis

CONTENT CREATION

↳ NotebookLM: research, and source-grounded notes
↳ Canva: creating images and simple creatives
↳ Nano Banana: creating infographics
↳ Stanley: writing LinkedIn posts

BUSINESS OPERATIONS

↳ Calendly: booking discovery calls
↳ GetResponse: email nurturing
↳ Stripe: payment processing

Total monthly cost: ~$350
Monthly revenue: 5-figures from coaching

Most of these tools have free tiers.

You don’t need expensive software.
You need the right system.

Want my exact coaching tool stack?
DM me “TOOLS” and I’ll send you my 1-page blueprint.

Save this. Repost ♻️ to help a coach in your network.

I tried 𝘥𝘰𝘻𝘦𝘯𝘴 of AI tools in 2025.
 
But these 9 are the ones I use every week in 2026.
  
☑ I speak, AI writes
☑ I think in workflows
☑ I turn ideas into systems
 
Here’s my current stack:

➝ 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝘄 (𝗪𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗿) 
I speak, it writes. My fastest way to create content.
 
➝ 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗲 𝟰.𝟱
 
Trained on my voice. Writes like me, just faster.
 
➝ 𝗚𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶 𝟯 𝗣𝗿𝗼
Runs my GPTs, emails and campaign systems.
 
➝ 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗟𝗠
 
My second brain for research, writing and strategy.
 
➝ 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼
I build internal tools and apps around my IP here.
 
➝ 𝗡𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗼
 All my visuals and infographics now start here.
 
➝ 𝗯𝗼𝗹𝘁.𝗻𝗲𝘄
I build every landing and sales page on this.
 
➝ 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲.𝗰𝗼𝗺
Automates my entire content and sales workflows.
 
➝ 𝗻𝟴𝗻
Agentic workflows that act with zero input from me.

📍𝟰 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝟵 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗴𝗹𝗲.
 
Looks like Google’s not just playing catch-up…
 
They’re quietly winning the AI productivity game.
 
Save this for your 2026 setup.
 
And tell me - what’s in your stack?

I'm Neeraj Shah ⚡️ 

Click my name + follow 🔔

Boost profits by 20% and save 20 hours per week with AI

My 9 Most-Used AI Tools in 2026 by Neeraj Shah AI LinkedIn Expert

Your LinkedIn posts aren't just reaching your network anymore.

They're training ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI.

I noticed this shift three months ago when a client forwarded me a ChatGPT response about SaaS positioning.

Buried in the answer was a direct reference to one of my LinkedIn posts.

Not my website.
Not my newsletter.
My LinkedIn content.

The AI had read my post, understood my framework, and cited it as a trusted source.

That's when it clicked.

Everything's different now.

Here's the lesson most people are missing:

When someone asks ChatGPT about your area of expertise, it doesn't pull answers from thin air.

It references sources it trusts.

And right now, AI engines are increasingly using LinkedIn content to build those answers.

You're not just writing for humans anymore.

You're writing for the AI systems that will recommend you to thousands of people you'll never meet.

LinkedIn's 2026 algorithm already rewards this.

Not viral posts.
Not engagement bait.
Not generic advice.

Deep, structured insights from recognised experts.
The AI systems are hunting for the same signals:

• Topical authority (you write about one thing consistently, not everything)
• Clear, quotable answers (not fluffy advice that sounds nice but says nothing)
• Consistent expertise in a specific domain (six months of content, not six posts)

ChatGPT doesn't cite someone who posted "10 tips for better marketing" once.

It cites the person who's shared 50 posts breaking down positioning frameworks, pricing psychology, and conversion strategy.

Here's how to optimise your content for AI citations:
1. Pick one niche and own it
Write about the same topic consistently for at least six months. AI rewards depth, not breadth.

2. Use clear frameworks in your posts
Break down your expertise into repeatable systems. Number your steps. Name your methods. Make them quotable.

3. Answer specific questions your audience asks
Don't write vague advice. Address real problems with concrete solutions AI can extract and reference.

4. Write 2-3 posts per week minimum
Consistency signals authority. One viral post won't get you cited. Fifty valuable posts will.

5. Structure your insights like mini-articles
Use clear sections, bullet points, and logical flow. Make it easy for AI to parse and understand your expertise.

6. Reference your own previous posts
Build a body of work that connects. When AI sees you've covered a topic from multiple angles, you become the authority.

Your LinkedIn content is now building two audiences:

The humans who follow you today.
The AI systems that will reference you tomorrow.

Whilst everyone else chases likes and comments, ask yourself:

When AI answers questions in my niche, will it cite me or my competitor?

What topic could you own on LinkedIn for the next six months?

→ Save this for later

Google just raised the stakes.

Workspace Studio is now live.

And this isn't just another feature update.

It's a no-code AI agent builder—inside Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and Drive.

Let that sink in.

Any employee can now build AI agents using plain English.

No coding. No developers. No IT tickets. No waiting.

Just describe what you want automated, and Workspace Studio builds the agent for you.

Here's what the data says:

→ 20+ million tasks completed during early access
→ Rolling out to business customers now
→ Works with templates OR custom prompts

Still doing manual inbox triage?
Still copying data between apps?
Still formatting spreadsheets by hand?

That era just ended.

Here's what you can automate TODAY:

𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 & 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁:
• Auto-triage inbound leads from Gmail
• Label emails "to respond" based on priority
• Draft personalized replies
• Push qualified leads straight to Salesforce
• Route support tickets to Jira automatically

𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 & 𝗢𝗽𝘀:
• Parse invoices and statements from Drive
• Extract IDs, totals, and line items
• Post updates to Sheets with error-flagging rules
• Send alerts to Chat when anomalies appear

𝗣𝗠𝗢 & 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴:
• Convert feature ideas from Chat into user stories
• Run multi-agent chains: brainstorm → feasibility → UX flow → story
• Automate sprint documentation

And it connects to tools you already use:
↳ Salesforce, Asana, Jira, Mailchimp
↳ Plus custom workflows via Apps Script

But here's what most people will miss:

This isn't just about saving time.

It's about WHO controls the automation.

Before: You needed IT approval, developer resources, and weeks of waiting.
Now: Any employee can build their own AI agent in minutes.

That's not an incremental improvement.
That's a fundamental shift in how work gets done.

The Google AI stack keeps getting stronger:

• Gemini 2.5 Pro now in Workspace (better reasoning + coding)
• Scheduled Actions for "set and forget" workflows
• NotebookLM expanded to 80+ languages
• Audio file uploads → searchable notes and summaries
• Video Overviews for auto-generated explainers

Think about what this means:

Your daily inbox digest? Automated.
Your KPI snapshots? Automated.
Your calendar roundups? Automated.
Your invoice processing? Automated.

And you built it yourself. In plain English.

2026 is the year employees become agent builders.

The companies that win won't just USE AI.
They'll empower every team member to BUILD with it.

The question isn't IF you'll use Workspace Studio.

It's how fast you'll adapt—and how far ahead you'll get.

♻️ Repost to keep your network ahead of the curve.

💬 Which workflow would you automate first? Drop it below.

Most LinkedIn coaches teach you to sound like ChatGPT.

And it's undermining your business.

I see it every day.

Same hooks. Same frameworks. Generic "value adds."
Same forgettable content that blends into the noise.

Here's what nobody's telling you:

By 2026, efficiency will be the baseline.

Everyone has access to the same AI tools.
Everyone can generate "optimised" content in seconds.
Everyone can follow the same viral templates.

So if you're just doing what everyone else is doing…
You're not standing out. You're disappearing.

The real competitive advantage?

It's the messy stuff that doesn't scale:

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲.
Not a template. Not a formula. The way YOU think and speak.

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱-𝘄𝗼𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.
AI gives you 1,000 ideas. Expertise tells you which 999 to throw away.

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀.
People don't buy from algorithms when it matters. They buy from the person who picks up the phone at 9 PM when things go sideways.

I use AI every single day.

But I use it to amplify my voice - not replace it.

If your content could've been written by anyone…
You become replaceable.

Use AI as a tool. Don't let it become your identity.

𝗣.𝗦. Can people tell the difference between your posts and ChatGPT's output? Be honest.

Stop asking ChatGPT better questions.

Start building it a better brain.

Most entrepreneurs treat AI like Google.

They type a question.
Get a generic answer.
Then wonder why it doesn't work.

I used to do the same thing.

Until I realised something simple:

I stopped trying to prompt better.
I started feeding AI my actual business knowledge.

Here's what I mean:

Instead of asking "write me a proposal"...

I uploaded:
• My best proposals from the last 3 years
• Client feedback that led to wins
• Pricing structures that actually convert

Now when I ask for a proposal?

It writes like me.
It knows my process.
It understands my clients.

The difference isn't the prompt.
It's the knowledge base.

You wouldn't hire someone and expect brilliance on day one.

You'd train them.
Share context.
Build their understanding.

AI works the same way.

Feed it your:
• Past work that performed well
• Client conversations and outcomes
• Systems and frameworks you've built

Then watch it become your most valuable team member.

I've helped entrepreneurs save 20 hours a week this way.

Not by writing better prompts.

By building AI that actually knows their business.

This Saturday, I'm training 25 established entrepreneurs in the Titan AI programme on exactly this approach.

Stop treating AI like a search engine.

Start treating it like an employee worth training.

10 Lessons from being a coach for 10 years:

1. Sell before you build anything that matters
2. Proof always beats potential in business
3. Clarity converts better than clever ideas
4. Diagnosis creates urgency and trust
5. Systems create freedom, not hustle
6. Reputation compounds over time
7. Execution beats strategy daily
8. Cash flow buys thinking time
9. Distribution beats talent
10. Simplicity always wins

10 bonus lessons:

1. If it won’t sell, stop
2. Build after money's paid
3. Underpricing can buy speed
4. Content is positioning in public
5. One diagnostic can run a business
6. Accountability beats motivation daily
7. Lifestyle is a deliberate design choice
8. Consistency wins on LinkedIn long-term
9. Small systems beat heroic effort every time
10. AI is leverage when paired with real systems

♻️ Repost this if even one line hit home.

Read about my journey as I breakdown how I scaled my coaching business to muti-5 figure months.

View newsletter: Linkedin + AI Command Center

I didn’t wake up one morning with a coaching business plan, a brand deck, or a clever niche statement. I started because life cornered me. I needed a 

Open article: How to Scale Your Coaching Business Using LinkedIn by Neeraj Shah ⚡️ • 6 min read

How to Scale Your Coaching Business Using LinkedIn

I am a CFO and come with 20+ years of experience. And I use all that experience to help YOU extract meaningful work STORIES. 

But why? Why do you need stories? 
Because Linkedin profile is just a STATEMENT. 
The stories are the EXPLANATION.

Now think of it like this. When someone comes to your profile, they will see your amazing experience and a very visually appealing profile picture, but does that convey your

- understanding level
- judgment 
- intent 
- or thinking

Does it? 

NO. It does not.

You need stories that show them HOW YOU THINK. 

Job titles, years of experience, a good profile photo CANNOT do what stories do. I use my 20+ years experience as a C-Suite to help you find these moments from your own work. 

- Not made up stories. 
- Real ones you lived through but never spoke about. 
- We remove the fluff & keep only what shows your thinking clearly.

When a CEO or board member visits your profile, they are NOT really checking your resume. They are checking if they can (or should) TRUST you. YOUR STORIES answer that. 

-------------
But why me? Because I bring - 

↳ CFO experience with 20+ years in finance, strategy and leadership
↳ Audience of 100,000+ professionals on LinkedIn
↳ Read my client testimonials on my profile.
↳ Global experience, clients from US, UK, UAE, Canada and many geographies.

If this sounds interesting to you, drop me a message.

Gaurav Mehta

A CA degree or an MBA will not make you a CFO.


People must like you first. 

If they don’t, they won’t trust you with big decisions.

A CFO needs to work with the CEO, investors and teams. If people enjoy working with you, they will listen to you. If people find you rude or difficult, they will avoid you. No one wants a leader they don’t feel comfortable with.

Learn to listen, be patient and stay calm. 

Make others feel heard. 

When people like you, they support you. 
And support is what gets you to the top.

______________

⤴ If you are a senior finance professional, looking to improve your visibility through storytelling on LinkedIn, find more details here at gauravmehta.me

Linkedin Positioning & Branding for CFOs • 1 to 1 Mentoring for Finance Leaders • 50+ clients from US, UK, Canada, UAE •

10th Dec, I got an offer for a Director role in Jakarta

13th Dec, the offer was rescinded.

And the reason they gave me was :
The role was not senior enough for me

I had gone through MANY & MULTIPLE rounds of interview meetings with many stakeholders in both Indonesia and Singapore & after more than a month long process I was finally offered & it took them just 3 days to snatch it all away from me.

This was way back, a decade ago.

When an offer gets pulled after senior stakeholders have met you, the problem is rarely competence. It is almost always positioning and narrative mismatch. They did not suddenly discover I was weak. They suddenly realised they could not place me cleanly in their power structure.

There was no point mulling over it. 

I rebuilt my story for external audiences before I could crack another international role.

Senior roles are not awarded for effort or even competence. They are awarded for clarity of fit. 

So 

→ STOP sounding impressive and 
→ START sounding placeable.

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I run TaleBreeze, which offers branding and positioning for CFOs and Finance Leaders: www.gauravmehta.me

Storytelling for Senior Leadership • Linkedin Positioning & Branding for CFOs • 1-to-1 Mentoring • Visibility for Finance Leaders and Fractional CFOs • Resume and Linkedin Profile

This job, I worked there for 5 years. But during those 5 years, I would have told myself atleast 50 times, that I am quitting. I am not coming from tomorrow. 

The place was a mess. 

Sometimes boss changed abruptly, sometimes I was put in front of an angry client seeking a scapegoat, sometimes I was transferred to different division, the week I was on leave with family, the same week I was loaded with maximum work. There were tons of reasons to feel dejected. 

But also at the same time, it was the same place where I was promoted twice, salary correction twice, international projects to 3 global destinations, exposure was huge. 

If you are unhappy at work, first understand this.

Some places are badly run. Some places are unfair. Some places will test you more than they should. If you expect comfort there, you will suffer every day. If you expect learning, you might survive long enough to grow.

Develop a thick skin.

My parents, my brother & his family, and my family, we all were together last weekend. After dinner, we were ordering ice cream, I started telling my dad that he should also try Haagen Dazs ice cream, and last time I tried it, I liked it quite well. 

And in continuation I also mentioned its a French brand. 

Not sure where it came from. Because its not a French brand. My son who was sitting next to me, typed something on his phone, and quietly turned the display of the phone in front of my face. It said Haagen Dazs is an AMERICAN brand and not FRENCH. 

I would have been okay if he had said it out loud. Yeah a bit embarrassing but happy to be corrected, but he didnt want to make me get embarrassed and also couldn't let me continue with the mistake. 

Now let me tell you something. 

If you find a team member like this at your workplace, who has the courage to correct you when wrong and also not undermine you to take the credit, start investing in that resource. They have the ingredients to be the future leaders. 

A perfect combination of truth & dignity.

If you spot them, groom them.
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1-to-1 chat here: topmate.io/gaurav

When I accepted the CFO role in Malaysia, I had two options in front of me. One was to go alone and leave my wife and kids behind while the other was to take them along and let them experience a completely new world at a very early stage of their life.

Logically, going alone was simpler because it meant no school changes and no disruption to routines but the more I thought about it, the more I realised, for children growth is about how they see people, cultures, and newer possibilities.

Taking my kids along meant new schools, new accents, new friends, and the initial discomfort, but it also meant they would learn early that the world is bigger than one country, one system, or one way of thinking.

Eventually this decision was never about career convenience, it was about giving my kids a head start in understanding that the world is diverse, unpredictable, and full of opportunities if you are open to it.

The earlier they learn this, the more natural it becomes.

Everyone wants to go to Dubai to work. 


Most of the CFOs in my network have Dubai as their preferred place to work. 

Now I understand zero income tax, quality of life etc and probably there are enough opportunities too. But do you even know what you are competing with for those roles? 

Dubai is flooded with top tier talent. 
↳ Expat CFOs from Europe, the US, India and beyond. 
↳ Many with global experience.
↳ Big 4 background and 
↳ deep industry expertise.

Competition is brutal.

↳ Local businesses.
They prefer someone who understands the region, its regulations, culture and way of doing business. 

↳ And MNCs? 
They already have internal pipelines of talent.

How do you crack it then? 

You play a different game.
↳ Have connections who can vouch for you?
↳ Build a strong network in Dubai’s finance circle?
↳ Make decision makers aware of your expertise.

We all know, CFO roles aren’t usually posted. 
They’re filled through referrals.

If no one in Dubai knows you, 
your expertise doesn’t even matter then.
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gauravmehta.me

Never hire a team member recommended by your boss.


While it may seem an obvious choice. Your boss had worked with this person in the past. Knows their performance. Knows their work style. But this can turn out to be your biggest trap.

What will happen is

You will lose control over your own team dynamics. You won’t be able to manage them freely. You will hesitate to give feedback or take action because of the hidden power play.

And the worst case, the person will report more to your boss than to you.

It’s a political liability.

Build your team. On your terms.
Even if it takes much longer.

Unless if you feel too, its the right guy.
Make your boss happy :) 

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nas.io/gaurav

When I was working as the Finance Director and started to look out for a new job, I was very conscious of sharing my plans with anyone. I would not reach out to my network, I would hesitate asking anyone if they were hiring because I didn't want my existing employer to get any whiff about it. 

Today, every CFO I speak with, they have this hesitation that if they start writing and sharing their experiences on Linkedin, they current boss would start to feel they are looking out for a new job. 

And its a fair fear. 

What should you do then? 
Start sharing when you are not looking for a job. 

Writing early gives you control over the story. If you wait until you need a job, everything you share feels forced and rushed. When you write consistently over time, your market reputation builds quietly. So when an opportunity comes, it does not feel like a job search, it feels like a natural next step that others are already expecting.
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Want me to build you a one time strategy? 
DM me here : Gaurav Mehta

Companies love loyal employees

You know why? 

Because loyal employees hardly negotiate. 

They comply.

I have had 40% salary hikes and even 50% salary hikes in my career and I know the reason for the same. Because they knew if they wont, they would find it tough to retain me. 

But before you negotiate like that, make sure your work is top class, your network is well built and your presentation is best of all.

If they know that many people want you, the scarcity effect will always get you what you need.

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topmate.io/gaurav
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4 years. 100k followers. 

Consistent writing. 

I still remember the day I decided to write regularly on LinkedIn. There was no plan and no assurance that anyone would read what I wrote. I just started sharing what I was learning from work, from mistakes, and from real conversations with finance leaders.

In the first year, almost nobody read what I shared. But I kept writing because it helped me think clearly. 

Over time -

↳ People started saving posts.
↳ Senior leaders replied with thoughtful comments.
↳ CFOs started messaging with real problems.
↳ Clients came without me selling anything.

Today, the follower count looks impressive, but the real value comes doesnt come from 100k number, instead it comes from conversations and DMs, because they found something useful for them.

Platforms may change, algorithms may change, and formats may change too, but one thing that will not change is - 

Write to be useful, not impressive.

Always.

#100k
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If you are on borderline, thinking whether you should write here or not, I say, I feel you. Its overwhelming and its intimidating. But still, start small. Spend 15 mins a day, just commenting on other's posts, meaningfully, sharing your POV. Thats it. Do it for 30 days.
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Sardi ki chai, who can say No.
(who can say NO to tea in winters)

Last evening, after dinner, my wife casually asked if I would like to have tea. Now, I was full and was not sure if I wanted a cup of tea so I took a couple of extra seconds to think and decide. By the time I was decided and ready to say 'YES', she had already gone to the kitchen & had put water on the gas.

After a few years, you start to understand so many things without even one saying it out loud. She probably gauged, if I didn't immediately say NO, then probably I would say YES. And such understanding holds true in your professional relationships too. 

Doesn't it? 

What does your boss want, how does he need it, when he needs it, what will happen if this and that...... if you are smart through the years, you will learn to observe and make quick decisions.

You dont always have to ask what to do, you should already know most of the times :)
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