Kanvas

We make new ideas compelling, viable, and investible. We help innovative leaders and founders explore new products, services, functions (e.g. Innovation Labs), or ventures. 

"Kanvas for Start-Ups" -> 

We help founders secure funding, manage burn, and confidently make business decisions. We translate their vision into a compelling, viable, and investible business model.

We offer business model courses to our partner Venture Capital firms, accelerators, and universities to support their portfolio companies. Our capstone content is our six-week "Dreams to Dollars" program.

When we co-invest with our VC partners, we have a proven track record of directly contributing to multi-million dollar raises. 

Example engagements, services, and client references available upon request.

Founder + Partner

HF Scale Partners

Investing @ HF Scale Partners. HF Scale Partners invests in leading growth and late-stage technology companies through direct equity investments and secondary liquidity transactions. Investments include Canva, Anthropic, Epic Games, Eight Sleep, Anduril, ShieldAI, Pipe, Public.com, AngelList, Ellevest, Boom Supersonic, Possible Finance, Webflow, and more.

Principal

The Venture Mentoring Team

The Venture Mentoring Team (VMT) is a nonprofit educational 501(c)(3) dedicated to fostering the startup community by training and certifying mentors, and connecting them with the best and brightest entrepreneurs to help startups reach their full potential.  The organization is composed of 200+ experienced entrepreneurs and executives with corporate, legal, academic, profit and not-for-profit backgrounds who donate their time and talent. The VMT mentors startups to gain traction and sustainability up to their Series A funding.

NYC Chapter President

Certified Mentor for: eMerge Americas (Miami's premier tech conference), Target Forward Founders, Babson College, and more.

Certified Mentor

National Science Foundation (NSF)

One of my best career moments is serving as an Industry Mentor during the U.S. NSF's National iCorps Winter Cohort #3, 2024. Read for more:

About NSF I-Corps:

In NSF’s I-Corps competitive national program, top researchers in science and engineering fields are immersed in a hands-on experience of customer discovery — a key step in the entrepreneurial process that involves talking to potential customers, partners, and other industry stakeholders.

Selected teams are awarded up to $50,000 to conduct 100+ customer discovery interviews during a seven-week course. Through this process, the teams learn how to evaluate the potential for translating their laboratory invention into a successful product and/or service.

About the accepted research:

The Graham Test is a training and concussion assessment system that uses stability and reaction time in sport-specific positioning, with a primary focus on equestrians. As a lifelong equestrian, I'm deeply passionate about the impact this kind of system could have on our sport.

About the role:

NSF I-Corps Teams include a mentor – an experienced entrepreneur who can guide the team as they refine their business models, gain insights from their customer market, and pivot down alternate paths.

Industry Mentor (ICORPS PROGRAM)

Techstars

Mentoring startups on business models and go-to-market strategies. Since 2006, Techstars has worked with startups across a range of verticals, from aerospace to finance, logistics, and retail, connecting them to a network of successful mentors and partners. Each year, Techstars chooses over 500 early-stage companies to join one of their 3-month, mentorship-driven accelerators, investing $120K and providing hands-on mentorship and access to the Techstars network for life.

Affiliated Programs: Techstars New York Comcast

Mentor

Hustle Fund

Angel investing alongside Hustle Fund, seed to Series A. 
Focusing on systemic issues that keep me up at night (e.g. FemTech, financial literacy, digital health)

Angel Squad Member

Global Women in VC

The world’s largest global community for women in venture capital to connect, collaborate, and create new opportunities. Learn more here: https://www.women-vc.com/

Member

Forbes

Founding member of Forbes’ invite-only, private networking forum for leading women to exchange ideas, innovation, dialogue, and support one another.

ForbesWomen Forum

Day One

I participate in Office Hours and Group Mentoring sessions to help founders fine-tune their business models and pitches. It's a blast.

Day One is building an ecosystem to power the next generation of entrepreneurship. Our Fellowship program is purpose built for early-stage entrepreneurs to tap into a vibrant community, powerful network, and guidance from experienced operators, investors and founders.

Better.com

Learned a lot driving strategy and execution during hyper-growth. Highlights below:

+ Drove strategic planning initiatives across C-Suite to facilitate decision-making (e.g. 2020 strategy roadmap, investor relations, quarterly Board Meeting materials)
+ Orchestrated optimizations across the biz during hyper growth, including scaling onboarding capacity of the underwriting function by 200% (in one month!)
+ Managed weekly executive metric gathering and presentations. Became intimately familiar with things like CAC and LTV, and how their fluctuations provoke insights/action. Took a SQL course, too
+ Organized a new cross-functional Data Governance team to standardize company-wide metrics reporting. Motivated to make my weekly executive metric presentations a little easier (!) and to eliminate KPI confusion I saw popping up in different teams
+ Participated in investor meetings and crafted materials as the business prepared for its Series D raise ($200MN)

... caught the 'startup bug' while I was here. Passion projects evolved accordingly. Left to pursue them, and been an entrepreneur ever since.

Strategy & Business Operations

Founder & Partner @ Kanvas | Foster Innovation, Develop Business Strategy, Drive Growth

Katie Nowak

Honored to host a breakout at the All Raise VC Summit tomorrow on a topic we’re all navigating: what do you do when IPOs stall?

At "Choose Your Exit: Liquidity When IPOs Stall," we will be in dialogue on all things re: liquidity in venture!

Topics may include:

✨ how expectations around liquidity is shifting generally,
✨ secondaries-as-a-strategy (for investors and their founders),
✨ stories of founders and investors navigating off-cycle exits, and
✨ how to keep stakeholders (LPs, GPs, founders) aligned through it all.

We can't wait to share best practices and learn from each other.

If you’re at All Raise, we hope to see you there! 

Looking forward to co-hosting this important topic with Seyonne from Stepstone. 

I will be channeling our fearless leader at Altra, Jamie! 💫  

-

I'm Katie Nowak, an investor, innovation leader, and new venture designer sharing examples & lessons weekly.

Follow me + hit 🔔 to stay tuned!

Innovation Leader, New Venture Designer, Speaker @ Kanvas || Investor @ Altra Venture Partners

If you're in the Bay Area,
here's a holiday event you don't want to miss! 🤯 

I'm delighted to be a Founding Member at Aureum Leaders Circle, a community of founders, investors, and executives here in the Bay Area.

At our first annual holiday party, we will be reconnecting with old friends and building new relationships that will last a lifetime. :)

Here are a lot of communities out there, but I have been blown away by the quality of what Mohammad has created - he has an incredible gift of identifying smart, genuine humans...

...and keeping them engaged! The Aureum Leader Circle is officially my most active group chat.

Just one month into ALC, and I've:

✨ met rockstar founders (like Anatoly)
✨ made intro's to investors in my network
✨ received comp'd tickets to national conferences 
✨ attended events I never would have found otherwise
✨ brainstormed new investor events with ecosystem partners
✨ forged new ideas of how we can support the venture landscape

…and so much more.

So join us!!

December 4th, Fairmont San Francisco.
Seats are limited, don’t miss yours → https://luma.com/z2fuqofy
Comment "Founder Fuel" for an exclusive discount.

___

I'm Katie Nowak, an innovation leader, new venture designer and investor sharing stories & lessons weekly.

Follow me + hit 🔔 to stay tuned.

Join me @ Founder Fuel - Dec 4th, SF Fairmont Hotel

Here's a secret to selling faster,
no matter what industry you're in - 🤯 

Build trust, systemically.

Recently, I connected with a founder who said buyers pick his B2B solution because they trust him.

...but he noted that building trust takes time (sometimes months) and that slows sales cycles. Especially in new markets.

Plus, there are only so many 1:1 lunches you can do!!

So, we brainstormed how he could accelerate trust at scale.

Here are some examples we came up with:
✨ co-deliver with respected implementation partners
✨ build his leadership teams' personal brands (hi LinkedIn)
✨ publish thought leadership with real market insights/wins
✨ speak at industry panels or on podcasts customers follow
✨ host relevant discussions/roundtables within the industry
✨ bundle with complementary products already in customers’ tech stack
+ many more.

In all sectors, trust is the root driver of most deals and referrals.

When you find ways to build it at scale, your sales cycles shrink, and your credibility compounds.

Social proof is a ~ mystical, magical ~ thing!!
(Humming Benson Boone's song while I type that 😂)

-

How does trust factor into your growth strategy?

Which of these strategies are you going to try...

...and what else should we add to the list?!

Tell us below in the comments 👇 

—

I'm Katie Nowak, an investor, innovation leader, and new venture designer sharing examples & lessons weekly. Follow me + hit 🔔 to stay tuned.

2025 is the year of AI dominance in venture capital. 🤯 
These market insights make it official - 

According to CBI Insights Q3 2025 Venture Market Report:

✨ For the first time, AI startups command 50%+ of VC funding
✨ The U.S. market represents 85% of AI dollars invested, globally
✨ Mega-rounds are taking the lion's share (yes we see you Anthropic, OpenAI), so while dollars are up, deal count is down.

Venture aims to back the next wave of innovation - and this year, the data tell us it's a full-throttle bet with AI at the core.

...anyone surprised?!

Jokes aside, here’s what I’m thinking about:
+ How might these investments reshape how we live, work, and play?
+ What lessons will we look back on, five years from now?
+ How do we plant seeds for what comes next? :)

Would love to hear your reflections and ideas. Drop them in the comments!

(P.S. I’ll tag CBI’s full Q3 report below if you want to nerd out, too 🤓)

—

I'm Katie Nowak, an investor, innovation leader, and new venture designer sharing examples & lessons weekly. Follow me + hit 🔔 to stay tuned.

Thrilled to join the investor panel for Desafía SF’s 1:1 Office Hours on Nov 17!
Here's why -

Ten high-growth startups are flying in from around the world with big ambitions to scale in the US. The teams are building across hot industries like Fintech, CleanTech, HealthTech, and AI.

Their impressive innovations include:
✨  Zero-emission delivery fleets
✨ VR medical training & digital neuro-rehab for patients
✨ Grid optimization already used by 30+ utilities
✨ AI copilots for wealth management, dev automation & video intelligence
✨ A platform to launch institutional-grade funds in days

They’ve collectively raised $20M+, backed by global VCs, corporate partners, and real customers. 🤯 

Can't wait to meet the teams, understand their solutions, and help shape plans re: what it will take to grow in the US market.

Big thanks to Founder Institute and the wonderful Serephina Ha for bringing together this amazing lineup! I'm thrilled to be a part of it. 

-

I'm Katie Nowak, an investor, innovation leader, and new venture designer sharing examples & lessons weekly.

Follow me + hit 🔔 to stay tuned!

Desafía SF 1:1 Office Hour with Investors

Here’s the growth strategy hiding in plain sight, 
no matter what your company does - 🤯 

Your personal brand!! 

Here are three key takeaways from talking brand (and seeing it work):

✨ Your brand works harder than any pitch deck.

People do business with people, not logos. 

(Say it louder for the people in the back!)

A well-tended brand bridges cold intros, opens unexpected doors, and quietly shapes the narrative even when you’re not in the room.

Quick ideas to build brand:
+ Speaking on podcasts/panels
+ Sharing good vibes at industry events
+ "Giving" first when building relationships
+ Writing thought leadership content (LinkedIn!!!)

✨ Authenticity isn’t a buzzword... it’s your moat.

Trying to sound like everyone else? 
Using ChatGPT to write your LinkedIn?

We notice! And its unfortunately forgettable. 

Show up as you are. The quirkier the better IMO, as my followers know by now 🤣

Over time, consistency and honesty make you memorable (and magnetic) in a sea of sameness.​

✨ Treat your brand like a product your company offers.

...because it is!

Experiment, measure, and iterate your brand, just like you would any new offering.

For example - writing content online? 
+ Test messages and platforms.
+ Ask peers/colleagues for feedback.
+ Measure engagement metrics.
+ Double down on what connects.
+ Sunset/reword what doesn't land.
+ Offer real value to your audience along the way!

-

Over the last several years, I've invested in my brand and ended up creating my own business model design course, an ever-expanding business, and my dream role in venture. 

It's been the single best career move that I've made.

If I can build my brand, so can you!

-

So tell us - what’s one move you’re making (or resisting) on brand right now?

And if you posted on LinkedIn today, link it so we can support you!

See you in the comments 👇 

—

I'm Katie Nowak, an investor, innovation leader, and new venture designer sharing examples & lessons weekly. Follow me + hit 🔔 to stay tuned.

Today, Dyson is a multi-billion dollar household name.
...but it took 5,127 prototypes to get there. 🤯 

Here's what I love about the Dyson story:

✨ Patience brought the hardware moat to life.

A lot of people would have quit after 100 prototypes. 
Dyson made it to 5,126.
(The 5,127th worked!)

Ask yourself: 
+ What is your relationship with patience, today?
+ What areas of your business could use a learning mindset (focused on experiments, not fearful of failure)? 
+ How could you nurture that mindset over time?

✨ Boring problems can have exciting solutions. 

A vacuum sounds boring. 
...but solving it better changed an industry.

Ask yourself: 
+ What boring problems is your industry overlooking, today? 
+ What is the resulting opportunity, near-term?
+ Where could it grow, long-term? (Thank you, Dyson Airwrap!)
+ How are you uniquely positioned to solve it?

✨ Constraints force creativity.

Dyson had no funding. No manufacturer backing (because they wanted to keep selling vacuum bags ugh). No shortcuts.

...and look what he created!

Cheers to his wife for supporting him in the early days. 🥂 

Ask yourself: 
+ How could our perceived financial limitations actually be an advantage?
+ How might we generate revenue along the way to my North Star vision?

---

It's been awhile since I've highlighted another entrepreneur's story!

What inspired you from Dyson? And who would you want to hear about next?

Tell me in the comments :)

—
I'm Katie Nowak, an investor, innovation leader, and new venture designer sharing examples & lessons weekly. Follow me + hit 🔔 to stay tuned.

Helping impact-driven brands capture attention, hearts, and sales. Strategic messaging and catchy copy that make you the obvious solution.

Brand Messaging Strategist & Website Copywriter

Educator, Consultant, Speaker, and Trainer

I’m a copywriter on a mission - to help values-driven businesses meet their marketing goals. Because you can be motivated by doing good things AND increasing your bottom line.

You love your business, but either don't have the time, expertise, or desire to write the content you need to market it. Luckily for you, that IS my business and exactly what I love to do.

You know your brand inside and out. With my thorough research and discovery process, I will too. I write authentic and relevant content that your target audience actually wants to read. Your voice + my words = copy that connects and converts.

ABOUT YOU:

☑ You’re busy juggling multiple responsibilities and deadlines
☑ Your content sounds blah, or isn’t generating leads and sales
☑ You would rather poke your eye out than write marketing communications

ABOUT ME:

☑ Well, I’m (a bit) Type-A - I thoroughly research your product or service and your ideal prospect, pay attention to every detail, and always meet a deadline
☑ I believe in doing the right thing, always - no gimmicky sales tactics, just authentic copy that helps you meaningfully connect with your customers
☑ I approach everything with curiosity - I’ll ask the questions needed to nail your brand voice and figure out what sets you apart from your competition
☑ I love to collaborate with others - I’m happy to strategize with your designer, SEO expert, or anyone else involved in the project, including getting feedback   

WHO DO I WRITE FOR?

Good people doing great things, as long as our values align. Some of my favorite industries to write for are: health and wellness, nonprofit, sustainability, travel/tourism, and education. You know the value of your business. I help current and prospective clients see it too. 

Ready to connect? 
🔵 DM on LinkedIn
🔵 hello@stacyeleczko.com
🔵 https://stacyeleczko.com/contact

Web Copy | Website Content | Email Marketing | Sales Pages | Marketing Communications and Strategies

Stacy Eleczko🔅

Anyone else want to throw their laptop out the window this week? Just me?

I’m not necessarily all woo.

But I’m not not woo either. 

And this week, all my tech is making me want to go Office Space. Apparently Mercury is in retrograde and that’s why. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I’d have a #SpotlightSeries post ready to go… but I placed my dumb faith in a saved draft on LinkedIn instead of jotting it down where I usually do.

So if you need me, I’ll be burning sage over my Wi-Fi router and whispering affirmations to my laptop.


📸 Pic from a quick family trip to the mountains last week (because nature calms me). We’re doing college tours… not sure how that happened since he just started kindergarten.

Be the brand they remember, not the one they scroll past | Brand messaging strategist & website copywriter for impact-driven B2Bs ready for reach beyond referrals | Speaker 🎤 | Book lover 📗| Cookie connoisseur 🍪

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In today’s Saturday Shenanigans spinoff, I bring you not a clever ad, but the latest cold pitch to land in my inbox.

And I have to say… this is a first.

Now, even though I don’t send cold pitches myself and I’m not a sales expert, I do help clients with email sequences. 

So let’s break this down from a copywriter lens.

Here’s what Brock actually did well:

• He started off with my name (and spelled it correctly).
• He told me where he found me. Clear, specific, direct.
• It’s brief and respects my time.
• And he attempted some risk reversal by assuring me he wouldn’t share these videos with anyone else.

Honestly? Not bad.

But here’s where Brock lost me:

I genuinely don’t know what the benefit is for me.

Sure, $100 for three minutes is decent money, but what’s the value proposition here, Brock?

Give me something.

A functional benefit: “Your feet will be contributing to a greater cause.”

An emotional benefit: “You’ll feel confident knowing your arches are appreciated.”

A social benefit: “Join a community of creators who take foot content to new heights.”

Help me understand why I should care beyond the cash.

And listen, I have questions:

• What exactly does one do with their feet for 3 minutes?

• Are there special lighting requirements? Audio??

• Do my toes need to project confidence and authority?

• Is there a storyboard? A creative brief?

• Should I warm up? Stretch? Hydrate? Oil the cuticles?

Despite my curiosity, this didn’t make me want to take action. Unless “mark as spam” counts as a CTA.

Here are a few constructive suggestions that might have helped Brock convert:

• A clear offer: “Here’s exactly what I want, why, and what you get in return.”

• A stronger hook: “Your feet may be the missing piece of my business model.”

• Social proof: “Top creators trust me with their… um… content.”

• A positioning statement: “I’m the leading boutique agency specializing in niche digital assets.”

• A CTA that inspires confidence: “Reply ‘TOE’ to get started.”


Your turn 👇🏻 

- What’s the most ridiculous cold pitch you’ve ever gotten?
- Or what advice would you give Brock for improving his outreach?

graphical user interface, text, application

I once dated a guy in college just because he was hot.

Squeezed into the crowd of people waiting to get into the Florida State vs. Duke basketball game, I ended up practically sitting in his lap.

I apologized and his friend joked “Don’t be sorry. You guys make a cute couple.”

We laughed and ended up talking until it was time to head to our seats, but not before he handed me his number. (Yep, this was back when people called.)

I saw him the next night and he was just as cute as I remembered. But he was also kind of boring, and not really all that clever.

And (not my finest moment) I didn’t care enough to overthink it.

Let’s be real. I wasn’t looking for love. 

I stuck around for a month, until, well, I got bored.

Why am I telling you this?

*𝘴𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺*

Because your marketing might be doing the same exact thing.

Just because someone:

→ downloaded your lead magnet
→ commented on your post
→ visited your website

…doesn’t mean they’re your ideal client.

Most service businesses make the same mistake: confusing attention for connection.

Content that just grabs attention is a vanity metric.

Content that grabs the attention of the right people fills your pipeline with buyers.

Otherwise, you end up with:

- Website visitors who click around for 30 seconds, then disappear
- Discovery calls where you end up “explaining what you do” for 40 minutes
- A growing email list full of people who will never buy from you

When your copy gets the right message to the right people at the right time, you:

- attract qualified leads who want to buy
- repel unqualified leads (that’s a good thing)
- make it easy for the right people to say “yes”

Hot dates don’t make for lasting relationships, and attention alone won’t grow your business.

So, here's the real question: is your messaging helping you attract your best-fit clients, or are you still entertaining everyone who lands in your lap? 🤷‍♀️

This isn’t a post about red/blue, left/right, for/against.

It’s about basic humanity and refusing to stay silent.

About paying attention when it would be easier not to.

“I stay out of all that” often shows up when it’s easy to look away because the fear, the danger, and the consequences aren’t happening to them.

My values are simple: integrity, people first, and kindness.

They guide how I show up, what I stand for, and what I won’t ignore.

It’s why I run my #SpotlightSeries every week.

They’re simple acts of recognition. No angle, just showing up for people the way I think we should.

But those aren’t just my core business values. They’re my non-negotiables in my personal life too.

And even though I don’t usually bring these conversations to LinkedIn, living my values doesn’t stop at my work. 

Last night, showing up required something different from me.

Armed “immigration enforcement” made their way to NC this week. 🧊

First, in Charlotte. Yesterday, they were in my backyard.

So I went into the streets—because staying home while families in my community are living in fear is something my values won’t let me do.

And to be very clear about what’s happening here:

They are not “enforcing the law.” They are directly targeting the Latino community, not criminals. Families. Workers. Kids.

There’s a reason these agents are wearing masks.

And it’s not because they’re doing the right thing.

People who stand on the right side of humanity don’t hide their faces.

If you think staying quiet keeps you “out of it,” it doesn’t.

Silence is a choice. And it’s loud.

Talking about community when you’re growing a business is easy.

Talking about community when your neighbors, your kids’ teachers, your grocery clerk, and local families are terrified?

That’s where it counts.

No child should walk into school wondering if today is the day they get torn from their family.

No parent should have to choose between going to work or staying off the radar.

No one should have to strategize to get groceries without being seen.

If this makes you uncomfortable, good. You’re supposed to feel something.

If we truly want change, it won’t come from “thoughts and prayers” energy.

It comes from organized, consistent, real-world action—the kind that prevents us from repeating the ugliest parts of our past.

🔦 So today, I’m spotlighting organizations doing the real work: protecting families, offering legal support, spreading accurate information, and showing up long before last night.

CHIRLA  
National Immigrant Justice Center  
Immigrant Defense Project  

Support them if you can.

Donate. Volunteer. Share. Stand with the people in your own community.

If you have a voice, use it.
If you have a vote, use it.
If you have a platform, use it.

Community isn’t something you build for visibility.

It’s something you protect when it matters.


PS: Debate policy if you want, but dehumanizing people by calling them “aliens” or “illegal” isn’t welcome here.

Let’s make Saturdays for shenanigans again.

Once upon a time, I used to post ads every Saturday. Some clever, some cringe, most somewhere in between.

They always sparked great conversations (and plenty of debates) but after a while it started to feel like an obligation instead of fun.

So I stopped.

Apparently, that left at least one person (looking at you, Elizabeth Howell 😂) with nothing to look forward to on Saturday mornings. 

And honestly? I can’t help myself. My brain just sees marketing lessons everywhere.

So here we are. The return of Saturday Shenanigans.

This week’s gem?

“Open 24 hours… closed between 2:00am and 5:00am Fri–Sun.”

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when your website says one thing, your LinkedIn says another, and your emails say something else entirely, it’s this. 👇🏻

Technically true. But confusing as hell.

That’s the danger of inconsistent messaging. It erodes trust before you even realize it’s happening.

I’ll let you decide which one’s worse: the sign, or how much I enjoy overanalyzing it.

>>>>>>

👋🏻 I’m Stacy, a messaging strategist & website/sales copywriter.

I help brands clarify how to talk about what they do so the right people say yes faster.

Do you want to be an influencer or do you want to be influential?

It’s a question every founder creating content should ask.

At some point, we confused visibility with virality.

I’m not sure where we got the idea that showing up more (or louder) is the same as showing up with meaning. 

The brands who actually stay top of mind? 

They’re not chasing algorithms; they’re building credibility. One clear, trustworthy message at a time. 

Visibility builds awareness, but clarity builds alignment. And alignment? That’s what turns attention into action.

Influencers chase visibility: followers, likes, reach. They want to be seen.

Influential brands focus on impact, the kind that shapes perception and earns trust.

Influencers create content that gets engagement.

Influential brands create perspective that moves people, and moves business forward.

That’s what brand messaging is really about. Not just being seen, but being memorable.

It’s the difference between being a content creator and a strategically positioned brand.

An influencer wants to grow an audience. 👏🏻
An influential brand wants to build authority. 💡

And the real difference?

One is chasing numbers. The other is earning trust.

That’s where real influence begins—with messaging that builds the kind of trust visibility alone can’t buy.

So the next time you’re thinking about how  to show up as a brand, ask yourself:

What do your buyers actually need to see to trust you?

Because real influence isn’t reach; it’s resonance with the right people.

I’m not big on performative gratitude, but I am big on acknowledging the people who show up, support, challenge, and celebrate with you. 

Gratitude is a big part of why I do this #SpotlightSeries every week. It keeps me grounded in what matters. 

And this week, I want to call out a few people I genuinely can’t imagine doing this “solo” business thing without.

These are the people who make my day-to-day lighter, my decisions clearer, and the whole thing a lot more fun.


To Lee Densmer and Renee Lynn Frojo ✨

We may have met on LinkedIn, swapped referrals, and collaborated long before we ever met in person, but Mexico City changed everything. 

That retreat solidified something I genuinely value. You’ve both become people I feel like I have by my side every single day. 

Whether it’s a win, a challenge, or an unhinged screenshot from the internet, our group chat is where I go first. You’re both brilliant in business but even better as friends. 


To WENDY SHORE

Building Content Circle with you has been wild, fun, challenging, messy, and unbelievably rewarding (sometimes all at once).

You bring sharp ideas, thoughtful pushback, and flexibility when it matters most. And you somehow always understand my talk-to-text messages, even when they come through looking nothing like what I meant. 

I’m so grateful for your partnership. You make the work better and the chaos funnier (perfect combo).


To Brian Ondrako

Thank you for being someone I can text with new ideas, half-formed thoughts, or my latest harebrained pivot, and then grab coffee and talk business for hours. 

You bring clarity, collaboration, and a grounded perspective every time, and I’m grateful for it.

And I can’t wait to share the stage with you soon and actually start turning our “we should do that next year” ideas into real 2026 projects.


To Gina Torres-Perryman

You were the first person I met at the first in-person networking event I ever attended, and I’m so glad you were. You’ve become a true friend. 

People naturally gravitate toward you for a reason. You’re an incredible connector who’s brought so many great humans into my world, and you’re the kind of person who will hype someone up and offer honest feedback when they need it. 

Everyone needs someone like you. 


💛 If there’s someone in your life who deserves to hear your gratitude, consider this your reminder to tell them today.

Be the brand they remember, not the one they scroll past | Positioning and messaging strategy + copywriting that build trust so your brand can grow beyond referrals | Speaker 🎤 | Book lover 📗| Cookie connoisseur 🍪

Design doesn’t come first.

It never has.

Design wins attention. Copy wins trust.

And that trust? That’s what turns attention into action.

Because copy connects. It resonates and moves people to act.

And design amplifies it, by:

- guiding the eye
- signaling what the brain should prioritize 
- making your words easier to understand 

When the two work together, people get it faster and trust it more.

Strong copy can stand on its own. But paired with great design? It’s unstoppable.

And that harmony between words and visuals is the balance most of us are trying to create.

If you’ve ever found yourself in Canva chaos, trying to make something that looks good and converts, you’ve probably seen me there.

The options usually look like this:

😫 Spend hours tinkering in Canva until it’s fine-ish
🥱 Or use a pre-made template that looks like every other one out there

You just want something that looks cohesive without looking like everyone else’s. (Because blending in is never the goal.)

Same.

On November 12, I’m learning how to change that.

If you’ve been stuck in design purgatory too, maybe it’s time we learn together.

Swipe through the carousel. I think you’ll want in.👇🏻


#ContentCircle 
Nadia Fernández

Better content, by design

My last newsletter… sucked?

I struggled to get started writing it. I didn’t feel great about it while I was in it, and I definitely didn’t want to hit send.

But I skipped the week before, so skipping again wasn’t an option.

And while I might be a little dramatic about how bad I thought it was, the truth is: I wasn’t proud to send it.

It also got more unsubscribes than any newsletter I’ve ever sent.

Maybe it was the contrarian points and it repelled the right people. 

Maybe it just… wasn’t that great.

I genuinely don’t know. And honestly, I don’t think it’s worth dissecting.

But I do know 2 things from here on out:

1.	If I don’t feel good about shipping it, it’s not going out.
2. If I don’t feel good about shipping it, it’s not going out. 

(not a copy-paste accident, just a reminder for future me)

This week, though, I think I made up for it. Even if some people don’t love it, I feel proud to hit send, and that’s enough for me.

The subject line? If clarity were enough, this email wouldn't exist.

Want to weigh in and let me know if I’ve atoned?

Or join a whole bunch of other smart subscribers (minus the 6 who left 😅)?

👉🏻 https://lnkd.in/ed8gpjkC

-----

👋🏻 Hi, I'm Stacy, a positioning & messaging strategist. I help B2B brands clearly communicate what sets them apart so they get more of the right people to say yes faster.

You've been warned: I come with a side of sass.

Want to make me lose my mind?

Tell me to do something slowly or to “take baby steps.”

But in 2023, that’s exactly what I had to do.

Back then, I was just another person with a LinkedIn profile I’d created 11 years earlier and completely ignored. 

Fast forward to today, and LinkedIn is where most of my opportunities start, including this one: 

being invited onto the podcast of the person who taught me how to show up here in the first place.

When I started my business, everyone kept telling me I “needed to be on LinkedIn.” 

So I showed up, but I had no idea where to begin.

That’s when I joined Ilise Benun’s 21-Day LinkedIn Challenge.

She helped me build a habit and a mindset that actually stuck. 

I’ll be honest: her approach drove me a little nuts at first. 

She moved slowly and focused on tiny steps (definitely not my default setting). It felt…too simple.

But by the end of those three weeks, everything clicked.

Those tiny steps, the ones that felt almost too small to matter, are what made consistency doable and they ended up shaping how I run my business today.

It’s how I set goals, how I break down big projects, and how I support Content Circle members who feel overwhelmed or stuck.

Baby steps may sound boring, but they’ve been one of the most effective tools in my business. 🤷🏻‍♀️

So when Ilise invited me to be a guest on her podcast, I said yes immediately.

We talk about our similar approaches to marketing and the role of AI in our businesses.

And there’s a moment in the conversation where we both name the number one thing we believe is essential for building a sustainable, thriving business.

(Hint: it’s not tactics or tools.)

If you want to hear it, give the episode a listen now or hit save to listen later.

And if you know of a copywriter who’s worried about being replaced by AI, tag them below or hit repost. 

🎧 https://lnkd.in/e59Kikxh

Talking about impact is easy. Putting your money where your heart is—that’s rare.

When people ask who I like to work with, I often say: “Good people doing good things.”

And I can always tell I’ve met the right person when they lean in after I say it.

Julie was my second-ever client. I wrote her website copy, and she’s been on retainer ever since.

She’s truly the epitome of good people doing good things.

(Learn more about her work here: https://lnkd.in/ecYGW89R)

✏️ Through her education consulting business, she provides free resources and professional development for teachers because she believes every child deserves access to meaningful mathematics education.

🏠 She and her husband, co-owners of McKee Homes, channel that same generosity into charitable work.

(Learn more about how they help:
https://lnkd.in/epNi3fPM)

Together, they also partner with the Rockhouse Foundation in Jamaica to support Sav Inclusive, a school serving children with and without disabilities.

🌪️ Recently, the Sav Inclusive community was devastated by Hurricanes Melissa.

Families and staff are now working to rebuild and meet even their most basic needs.

In my work, I help businesses like Julie’s clarify their message and amplify their impact.

👉🏻 This time, I’m asking you to help amplify their efforts.

If you’re able, please donate, repost, or share this link to feed the families of Sav Inclusive and help them begin to rebuild their lives: https://lnkd.in/ezyEq2X6

This is what “good people doing good things” actually looks like. 

#SpotlightSeries

Staying top-of-mind takes more than “visibility” and “consistency.”

We’re told “just be visible and consistent,” but visibility without substance is forgettable.

If you want to be the first person people think of when they’re scrambling to fix the problem you solve, you need to take up mind space before they ever need you.

That doesn’t happen by churning out endless content. It happens when you:

- Deeply understand your audience—so you’re speaking to them, not just at them

- Show up where they already are—with messages they instantly recognize as “for me”

- Say the thing they need to hear—so choosing you feels like the obvious choice, not risky

If you’ve been feeling more out of sight, out of mind than top-of-mind (and like your brand disappears the minute you stop posting), consider this your invitation to get strategic.

And if you’re near Raleigh, or know someone who is, come join us on December 8th.

I’m speaking about how to use customer insights to clarify your message and resonate with the people you want to reach. 

I’ll be joined by:

🎤 Larry Long Jr 🎤  and Brian Ondrako , on using podcasting and stages to grow with intention

🔗 Melissa Cohen , Donnie Boivin , Kevin D. Turner, and WENDY SHORE, on growing on LinkedIn with real strategy

🤝 Plus: networking, roundtables, and a happy hour where your first drink is on one of the amazing sponsors 

If you want 2026 to be the year you build reach, not just hope referrals carry you, this room will help you do that.

If you know someone in North Carolina who’d benefit, tag them so they don’t miss it.

🫵 And if you’re ready to own your spotlight, grab your seat: https://lnkd.in/esGcPKj9

——

Special thanks to:

David Williams, event photographer 

William Bissett, happy hour sponsor 

Transfer Co. Food Hall, for providing the amazing venue and atmosphere

You ever picture something in your head, and then the reality just doesn’t match?

Yeah, that.

I (generally) stay in my lane, but I also know when to call in backup.

My lane? Words. The kind that make people stop scrolling, lean in, and actually care.

But I know even the clearest, most resonant message hits harder when it looks the part.

Strong visuals aren't just about making things pretty. They help your ideas stick and your brand feel credible. (the whole having a good wingwoman idea.)

Even though I know this, I don’t bother adding visuals half the time because I know I’ll lose an hour in Canva and hate the result.

That’s why I’m so excited for our next Content Circle Guest Expert Workshop with Nadia Fernández.

In one focused hour, she’ll show us how to:

✅ Create on-brand Canva designs without starting from scratch
✅ Make your posts look professional and uniquely yours
✅ Save time while creating visuals that strengthen your message

It’s $47 and includes the replay, so you can come live or catch it later.

When your message looks as good as it sounds, people don’t just notice it, they remember it.

🗓️ November 12th at 12 pm EST 
🔗 https://lnkd.in/eFwaWaJ3

And if you’ve ever had a “well… that didn’t turn out like I planned” moment, you’ll appreciate these. 👇🏻

I pride myself on never missing a deadline. In October, I missed every single one—on purpose.

(It wasn’t rebellion; it was survival.)

I took most of September off to travel, and came back fired up to “hit it hard”. 

You know, that weird combo of feeling motivated and mildly panicked.

But instead of hitting the ground running, I hit my head. Literally.

Yep, didn’t plan on adding a mild concussion to Q4.

At first, I thought I could rest a few days and power through. Because that’s what high-functioning, Type A business owners think we should do, right?

We push. We rally. We make it work… until we can’t.

And when you physically can’t, your brain gets very loud, very fast.

I watched DMs pile up, emails go unanswered, and tasks on my to-do list stay unchecked. It was brutal.

The deep-work stuff—VoC patterns, messaging guides—yeah, all of it slid down the calendar.

We moved timelines, adjusted scopes, reset expectations, and not one person made me feel like I was dropping the ball.

My clients didn’t just say ‘take your time.’ They meant it, and they acted like it.

(Yes, I do know how lucky I am.)

Still, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t stressful. Sooo much worry and guilt.

The oh-shit-who-did-I-accidentally-ghost kind of guilt. (If you reached out weeks ago and it went unanswered, now you know why.)

If you run a business, you know today’s results come from what you did months ago.

In September, my site said “Booking for January 2026.” Now it’s November, and it still says that, but it doesn’t feel as confident this time.

Because I’m acutely aware that the things I didn’t do in October, the stuff I’m still playing catch up on, lay the groundwork for what’s next. 

If you’ve ever had life yank the plug on your best-laid plans, you get it.

So yeah, this has been the hardest 6 weeks in business. But also some of the best.

Because a year ago, this would’ve sent me into a tailspin. There’s no way my business could’ve handled it. 

In a weird way, it solidified the work I’ve done this year on the foundational parts.

And it turns out… missing every deadline didn’t break my business. (Pretty sure. Ask me again in January.)


———


👋🏻 I’m Stacy, a brand messaging strategist and copywriter, who usually never misses a deadline. I help brands clarify what sets them apart and clearly communicate it in a way that gets people to say yes faster.

At least once a week, I end up talking with founders or teams who are great at what they do, but trip over their words as soon as they try to explain it.

They’re smart, they’re experienced, and their clients adore them.

But when they try to put their value into words especially for people who didn’t come through a referral, they can’t quite get it right.

Here’s what I hear on repeat:

“People say our content is strong, but it’s not doing anything.”

“We know what we’re trying to say, but it’s not coming out clearly.”

“We get interest, but the people reaching out aren’t the ones we want.”

“We’ve rewritten our headlines to focus on benefits, but nothing changed.”

“We’re losing work to people who aren’t nearly as good, and we don’t get why.”

Let’s call this last one out for what it is:

Your not-nearly-as-good competitors aren’t winning because they’re better; they’re winning because they’re clearer.

You’re not missing confidence. 

You’re missing insight.

You can’t clearly and precisely articulate your value when the only data you’re pulling from is memory, assumptions, or language built for an earlier version of your business.

This is why I push Voice of Customer (VoC) so hard. Because without real audience insight, you end up guessing. (And guessing is expensive.)

Here’s what solid, honest VoC actually gives you:

✔️ the phrases your best clients actually use when they describe the problem you solve
✔️ the moment they realize, “Okay, I need help with this”
✔️ the real reason they hire you (it’s almost never the one you think)
✔️ the hesitations that slow them down
✔️ the line between someone who’s a perfect fit and someone who’s not—in their words, not yours

When you have that level of insight, people understand the value of your work without you over explaining.

Your differentiation is obvious.

And the right-fit clients show up because they recognize themselves in what you’re saying.

Instead of asking what you do, they ask “When we can we start?”

If you want a first simple step, do this:

Pull the last three times someone said yes to working with you and write down the exact words they used when they explained why.

That’s your first piece of real VoC (and it’s almost always more useful than another round of headline tweaks).


If you could ask your audience one VoC question that would finally fill in a missing piece for you, what would you ask? 👇🏻


P.S. Step 2: Follow Matt Thomas 🥁. He has something coming soon that will literally change the face of how we collect and use VoC insights.

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Stacy Eleczko🔅

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