Oliver Yonchev

Oliver is an entrepreneur, speaker and the founder of cocreatd - a private investment office that builds new startups. 

Previously he served as CEO of Flight Story, the global group he co-founded with Steven Bartlett in 2021. Exiting in 2024.

For over a decade, Oliver has been at the forefront of marketing, media and tech, helping guide some of worlds most successful companies: Amazon, Apple, Coca-Cola, TikTok, Google, Disney & Uber to name just a few.

Currently building: Foundrs, Meet-Ting, Potentially, Unreasonable, Perspectiv, NineSixteen, CreatdStudio, Discovrd, Prompt University, System7 + more coming soon.

Chief Executive Officer | Co-Founder

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT 👀… 

I remember when ChatGPT 3 was released, it felt like a significant technology moment…

While experimenting, I started to consider how the work I was doing would change; the second order impacts. What happens in a world where we get to the answer, the product or service, instantly? 

Where the gatekeeper is a new form of intelligence we don’t yet fully understand…

I shared my thoughts on LinkedIn, thinking out loud about what I believe to be a new world, a new world of discovery, how it could influence business, how it was going to affect marketing, and how skills and value in marketing would change.

So when James, Paul, Simon and I launched cocreatd 18 months ago, we were really keen to get involved in the new era of search and discovery at some point….

Then last summer we met the amazing Francesca Brookes.

We started to discuss the search industry, and beyond some insightful and thoughtful takes - it was the sheer excitement and optimism for what comes next. Her understanding that change is a massive opportunity - and now was a moment to capture, not sit by idle.

Soooo we decided to co-create a new company together… 4 months of experiments, quiet testing, working with some institutions and technology companies, we landed on a thesis, developed our offer, augmented our methods with technology, and we’re now ready to go public! 

Discovrd - the AI search and intelligence agency.

If you’re interested in speaking with us, we’re offering a FREE mini audit for your company, either leave a comment with your website link, or send me a DM. 

(Also got to give our folk their flowers… Exceptional work from Perspectiv on website (in the comments) and NineSixteen Studios on the launch video 🤌)

cocreatd.com | entrepreneur | investor | speaker

I've raised tens of millions and pitched hundreds of times - and despite all that experience, it's always bloody HARD!

That's why I partnered with Notion to help launch their AI Founder's Kit.

It's a FREE pack for founders.

You get:

• $300 Supabase Credit
• $60 Vercel Credit
• 1 Year Framer launch 
• Upto 6 months of Notion Business with AI to run your startup from one place

Even more valuable (in my opinion):

• A vetted list of 30,000+ investors, incubators, and accelerators 
• 50 pitch decks from YC, a16z, and Sequoia-backed startups 
• Guides on pitching and fundraising from founders who've been successful

If you're a founder, building a business, or ever plan to raise money, this is for you!

Leave me a comment with the word "NOTION" and I'll DM you #AD

WANT TO START A COMPANY? 👀

cocreatd and Foundrs are hosting a FREE LUNCH SESSION to help at Oneder in Shoreditch London; 22nd January….

Starting a business is filled with unknowns. Its intimidating. It can be confusing. 

But despite that, I truly believe that there is no better time to start than today!

So if you’re someone who wants to demystify starting and building we’ll be discussing:

1 - business admin: how to set up correctly.

2 - investment: how to pitch and access funding. 

3 - technology: how to use AI and automation to do more with less.

4 - tell alls: (possibly the most valuable part) our personal business building horror stories so you can avoid! 

I’ll be joined by two of the founders we work with:

Callum Sommerton, co-founder of Foundrs, former Mishcon de Reya LLP lawyer and youngest appointed CEO of a London PLC.

Daniel B., founder or Meet-Ting and former Global Head of Social at TikTok and global director at adidas.

If you’re interested in attending, DM me or leave me a comment and I’ll share you link to sign up 🫶

graphical user interface, application, PowerPoint

Hey y'all... we're very, very, VERY excited to partner with Google and VEED.IO for a FREE in person PROMPTING WORKSHOP next week...

Prompt University is a community, that exists to help the world learn to prompt. We believe prompting, is the most valuable skill of this decade, and most still don't know the fundamentals.

So we're hosting our first ever in person "PROMPT CLUB"...

We'll be debating, workshopping, networking and more, at VEED HQ in Shoreditch, London on Wednesday 4th February.

This is a rare opportunity to learn and work directly from leaders at Google and VEED, get hands on with Veo, Nano Banana, Gemini, and VEED Fabric, and have a great time, whilst walking away with some new skills! 

The format: meet up, then a discussion on what's coming in 2026, the ethics of AI content, and best practices + followed by a series of workshop of prompting best practice for concepting + image and video creation. 

Join... myself co-founder of Prompt University + the amazing Lisa Vecchio, Global Marketing Director at VEED + Antony Hill, Partner and Gen AI Creative Industries Leader at Google + Lucas Perraudin, the Founder, AI Partners.

We're looking for marketers, creatives, and content leads who are serious about AI and creativity...

LIMITED SPACES (only 50 spots) - everyone gets free VEED credits to use during the session.

SIGN UP NOW: https://luma.com/o8p0vjm5

Pls share or TAG anyone you think would benefit from joining us!

CONFESSION: I've not been active on LinkedIn for two reasons:

1 - Priorities... focused on other things.

2 - Inspiration... like most people, I've grown jaded with the formulaic, news aggregation and AI slop that fills our feeds… there's no shortage of content, but there's certainly a shortage of original thoughts or daring commentary that provokes…

Sooo I made a decision: if I'm going to contribute anything online, I'll try my best make it meaningful, or at the very least, useful!

I've been building startups for 10+ years now. Exits, IPO’s, failures the ever growing list and THIS MOMENT feels different… the tools, the speed, the rules, the possibilities, all changed…

And of course we’re all just figuring it out, but I believe this would be a nice challenge for me to take on, when it comes to what I share - so I’m going to try and get some level of consistency writing longer form.

Writing helps me crystallise sporadic thoughts and experiences into something useful… so what I'm working through may resonate with others…

I'm calling my newsletter Day Zero. It's about building companies in the age of AI. 

I wrote my first piece, which sets the scene: the irony of building a business today. Have a read, if you like it, pls sign up and share your thoughts!

There's a poetic irony to the world we live in. Technology has made it easier than ever to start a business. You don't need the resources you once did

Open article: The Business Paradox: Easier than ever to start. Harder than ever to stand out. by Oliver Yonchev • 7 min read

The Business Paradox: Easier than ever to start. Harder than ever to stand out.

Tomorrow (Thursday) I'll be doing a FREE lunch and learn on BUSINESS BUILDING....

With the wonderful Callum Sommerton and Daniel B. at Oneder in Shoreditch.

If you're London we have a few places left... simply sign up here: 

https://lnkd.in/ehNMxYGE

The LinkedIn Authority Accelerator is Open! | Founder @ Mentoria Digitals. | Top 20 LinkedIn Branding Worldwide

Most LinkedIn “strategies” are built for creators chasing engagement, not founders closing serious deals.

That’s the trap:

• Post daily
• Build an audience
• Hope attention turns into revenue

I call it the Creator Funnel Fantasy.

It looks productive.
It feels busy.
And it keeps founders optimising for visibility instead of trust.

Because LinkedIn isn’t a content platform.

It’s a signal-rich revenue environment where the right message, seen by the right buyer, creates momentum long before a conversation begins.

That’s where I come in.

I design Signal-Led LinkedIn Growth Systems™ for B2B founders who:

• Run real businesses (£200k–£5m+ ARR)
• Don’t want to perform for the algorithm
• Need positioning that converts into pipeline - quietly and consistently

What this actually looks like:

1. Signal Compression
→ Clarifying positioning, proof, and narrative so high-trust buyers immediately recognise relevance

2. Profile Conversion Architecture
→ Turning your profile into a decision surface, not a biography that moves silent readers to action

3. Warm Demand Flow
→ Creating inbound conversations without chasing, convincing, or public selling

How we work together depends on your leverage point:

• Advisory & Coaching - for founders who want to own the system and think at a higher strategic level
• Consulting - for teams who want structure, clarity, and execution guidance
• Done-For-You - for leaders who want the system built, positioned, and operated on their behalf

In all cases, the outcome is the same.

LinkedIn stops being a résumé.

It becomes a revenue-aligned growth system - one that attracts the right buyers, filters out the wrong ones, and converts attention into commercial outcomes.

I don’t optimise for virality.
I don’t build audiences for vanity.

If you’re done chasing likes and ready to engineer signal - you’ll know what to do next.

📩 Book a private discovery call via my Featured section.

Learn more here: https://www.mentoriadigitals.com/

Ayesha Ameer

How to build a LinkedIn strategy that actually works in 2026

(5 steps most people skip)

Most people don’t need better content on LinkedIn.

They need a clear strategy.

In 2025, almost everyone I spoke to had already “done LinkedIn” in some form:

– posted inconsistently
– updated their profile
– tried outreach
– maybe even hired help

And almost all of them said the same thing:

“I know LinkedIn matters. I just can’t get it to turn into real opportunities.”

That’s not because LinkedIn is confusing.
It’s because most people build it backwards.

Here’s the order that works in 2026.

1. Decide what LinkedIn must produce (not “growth”)

Answer this in one sentence:

What should LinkedIn make easier for you this year?

Examples:
– warm inbound from the right people
– higher reply rates to outreach
– faster trust before a sales conversation

If this isn’t clear, LinkedIn becomes a habit, not a strategy.

-----

2. Fix your positioning so the right people “get it” fast

This is where momentum quietly leaks.

Your positioning should immediately answer:
– who this is for
– what problem you help with
– why someone should talk to you

If someone has to think “Is this relevant to me?”
You’ve already lost them.

-----

3. Turn your profile into a conversion surface

Your profile has one job:

Make starting a conversation feel obvious and low-risk.

That means:
– proof shows up early
– outcomes are clear
– the next step is easy

If your profile looks good but doesn’t generate messages, it’s not working.

-----

4. Use content to remove hesitation

Content isn’t there to impress peers or chase likes.

In 2026, strong LinkedIn content does one thing:
It removes friction before someone reaches out.

Every post should make a reader think:
– they understand my situation
– they see the problem the way I do
– this would be an easy conversation

Posting consistently without this won’t help.

-----

5. Add outreach only once the signal is clear

Outreach works when LinkedIn has already done the heavy lifting.

When positioning, profile, and content align:
– messages feel relevant
– replies increase
– conversations move faster

When they don’t, people assume “outreach doesn’t work”.

-----

If you want help setting this up properly, I’m opening a small number of calls for people who want a straight answer to one question:

Can LinkedIn realistically become a strong opportunity channel for me in 2026?

On the call, we’ll look at what’s missing, where people drop off, and what would need to change for LinkedIn to work this year.

Book here: https://lnkd.in/ePCS-YVK

LinkedIn Signal-Led Growth Systems™ for Founders and Execs | Founder @ Mentoria Digitals. | Top 20 LinkedIn Branding Worldwide

This pretty much sums up what I’m seeing heading into 2026.

People are trying way too hard here on LinkedIn.

Everything’s polished.
Everything’s framed.
Everything sounds like it went through 3 rewrites and a Canva carousel.

What actually seems to be working?

Talking about what you’re doing.
Sharing opinions before they’re perfect.
Hanging out in smaller, niche pockets instead of shouting to everyone.

You don’t need to master copywriting.

Pick up the basics then stop overthinking and write like yourself.

Post a few times a week.
DM people.
Try to sell something.
Feel awkward.

The cringe fades quicker than you think.

When everyone’s desperate to look impressive, being a little more real builds trust fast.

Not loud real. Not oversharing real.

Just human enough that someone thinks: “Yeah. I’d reply to that.”

If my LinkedIn content delivered zero results today, here’s what I’d fix immediately.

(Save this ♻️ if you care about outcomes, not optics.)

1. I’d stop publishing “value posts” that go nowhere.

No more:

- Generic tips that sound smart but sell nothing
- Posting for the algorithm instead of the buyer
- Polished content that earns likes, not leads

I’d create content that moves the business forward.
Not content that just looks good in the feed.

2. I’d get ruthless about ONE thing I’m known for.

Not 5 things.
Not “helping people grow.”

One clear outcome.

For example:
→ Building LinkedIn pipeline for B2B founders
→ Turning LinkedIn into a predictable revenue channel

This is how you become the obvious choice without shouting.

3. I’d prioritise long-term conversations over quick wins.

- Depth over reach
- Relationships that compound
- Fewer viral posts, better-fit clients

The best clients don’t come from a single post.
They come from consistent positioning and earned trust.

4. I’d check fit before sending a single DM.

No spray and pray.
No automated messages that feel hollow.

I’d look at:

- Whether my offer actually solves their problem
- What their profile and business signal
- Alignment on budget, timing, and intent

Quality over quantity. 

5. I’d track what actually matters.

Not likes.
Not comments.
Not compliments.

I’d measure:

- Revenue closed
- Pipeline generated
- Calls booked from LinkedIn

If my content isn’t driving 2–3× pipeline, I’d change it.

6. I’d create content that compounds.

- Clear positioning that builds authority over time
- Educational posts that stay relevant for months
- Content that works even when I’m offline

Not daily posts that disappear in 24 hours.

-----

Most people don’t need more content ideas.

They need clearer positioning and better signal.

If you’d like a second set of eyes on how your LinkedIn currently shows up, and whether it’s actually set up to convert, you’re welcome to book a call here: https://lnkd.in/ePCS-YVK

The last 2 weeks taught me something I didn't expect...

Here's what happened: 

My family came over from Norway.

Which meant...

• Pancakes at times I'd usually be checking notifications
• Long conversations with no start or end time
• Shared breakfasts
• Slow mornings
• Cinema trips

It was genuinely lovely.

But it also gave me DISTANCE.

And distance does something powerful to your judgment.

When you're inside your usual routine, everything feels important.

• Every habit feels justified.
• Every decision feels right.
• Every task feels necessary.

You don't really see your work. 
You just maintain it.

Stepping out of that rhythm creates contrast.

And contrast is revealing.

I started noticing things that had been invisible before:

• Things I was doing out of habit, not intention.
• Things that felt productive but weren't moving anything forward.
• Decisions I'd been making on autopilot because I hadn't slowed down enough to question them.

It reminded me of something I see all the time with LinkedIn.

When people say:

"Content feels harder than it should."
"My positioning feels fuzzy, even though I know what I do."
"I'm doing everything right, but it's not really landing."

The issue is rarely effort. 
It's PROXIMITY.

You're too close to your own work to judge it clearly.

One simple reset I'm carrying forward now:

Before adding anything new, I remove first.

I ask myself what I'm continuing just because I haven't paused long enough to question it.

And what would actually improve if I stripped 20 - 30% away.

Almost every time, the signal gets clearer.

Not because I worked harder.

But because I finally gave myself enough space to think properly.

-----

P.S. When was the last time your routine got disrupted in a way that actually improved your thinking?

(Also - pancakes before emails might be onto something!)

Your ICP is on LinkedIn right now.

Here’s why they can’t find you.

I speak to founders every week who say:

“I know my ideal clients are here.
I see them posting.
I just can’t get in front of them.”

What’s actually happening:

LinkedIn shows your content to your existing network first.

And for most people, that network looks like this:

- 40% old colleagues
- 20% random connections from years ago
- 20% people selling to you
- 10% loosely relevant
- 10% actual potential clients

That 10% sees maybe 1 in 10 of your posts.

So you post consistently…
And your ICP barely notices.

Meanwhile, they’re scrolling LinkedIn right now.

They’re engaging with:

- clearer narratives
- simpler decision frames
- familiar names

Not because those people are better.

But because they’re in the feed when decisions are forming.

How to fix it in 4 steps (without posting more):

1. Define who must see you

Not “founders” or “decision-makers.”

Be specific:

- role
- seniority and industry
- the problem they’re actively solving

If you can’t describe them clearly, LinkedIn can’t surface you to them.

----------

2. Shrink your audience on purpose

Stop creating content for everyone you’re connected to.

Create content that:

- speaks to one decision-maker
- names their problem directly
- makes them think, “this is about me”

----------

3. Place signals where decisions are forming

You’re not waiting to be discovered.

You’re intentionally placing your best thinking in front of:

- the roles you want
- the companies you want
- the conversations they already care about

Repeated exposure builds familiarity.
Familiarity reduces risk.

----------

4. Earn the right to the conversation

Trust on LinkedIn isn’t built through viral posts.

It’s built when someone has:

- seen your ideas
- agreed silently over time
- recognised your name

At that point, the DM doesn’t feel cold.

----------

Your ICP doesn’t need more content from you.

They need to see you consistently and intentionally.

That’s the difference between posting on LinkedIn and building a system that actually brings clients.

If you want help setting this up properly, let's chat: https://lnkd.in/ePCS-YVK

If I had to rebuild my business today, I’d do 1 thing differently.

I’d build systems that don’t require burnout to work.

For a long time, everything looked right from the outside.

The business was growing.
Clients were coming in.
Momentum was there.

But behind the scenes, I was tired in a way rest didn’t fix.

Still ambitious. 
Still driven.
Yet something felt off.

I realised I was building a life that didn’t leave much space for me.

- Work bled into everything.
- Meals became functional.
- Movement became optional.
- Time with family barely existed. 

That realisation changed how I built.

Not because I wanted less growth.

But because I wanted growth that didn’t cost me my health, my faith, or my presence.

Now this is what I see constantly with founders I work with.

Founders doing well.
£500K to multi-seven figures.
Past survival. Past panic.

And yet:

• carrying the business everywhere
• constant background pressure
• guilt when switching off
• always mentally “on”

At this stage, the problem isn’t motivation.

It’s mental load.

The business works but only because you’re holding it together.

I learned this the hard way:

If your business only works when you’re exhausted,

It’s not a growth issue.
It’s a structure issue.

So I build differently now.

Still ambitious.
Still serious about outcomes.
But with systems that protect energy and a life that actually feels lived.

That’s exactly why I build LinkedIn systems that are sustainable, save time, and leave room for what actually matters outside the business.

It’s simple. And that’s the point.

If you’re reading this, build systems that work without you being exhausted.

It’s one of the best decisions you’ll ever make.

Most think LinkedIn growth comes from doing more.

More posts. More visibility. More outreach.

That’s why they burn out and still don’t close consistently.

Because the real driver of clients on LinkedIn isn’t volume.

It’s positioning.

Not aesthetics.
Not trendy hooks.

Positioning as in: why choosing you makes immediate sense over every other option.

When that’s clear, something interesting happens:

- Fees stop being questioned
- Negotiations shorten (or disappear)
- Conversations move faster

Not because you’re better at selling.
But because you’re no longer being compared.

When positioning is unclear, one of two things always shows up:

→ You blend in

So buyers default to price. And price-led decisions never favor the strongest option.

→ Or you overcomplicate the message

You explain what you care about - not what helps the buyer decide.

And when people don’t instantly “get it,” they don’t engage.

They scroll.

This is the quiet reason LinkedIn feels noisy but ineffective for so many capable founders.

The content isn’t the issue.
The effort isn’t the issue.

The frame is.

That’s why I work with Signal-Led Positioning™️.

Not to make clients louder on LinkedIn but to make them distinct.

When the signal is right, results follow quickly:

- One client generated 8 qualified inbound leads in under 5 days without increasing posting frequency
- Another secured 20+ sales-ready conversations in under a month from people already aware of their value
- Another landed a high-value deal directly attributed to LinkedIn, with zero negotiation on fees

Same platform.
Same effort.

Different positioning.

Because when your profile, content, and conversations all point to the same conclusion:

“This is the person I should speak to.”

In 2026, the advantage isn’t posting more.

It’s being the easiest to choose.

----------

If you want help applying Signal-Led Positioning™️ so your LinkedIn starts driving qualified conversations (not just visibility), book a call here: https://lnkd.in/ePCS-YVK

If you’ve paid £3k/month for LinkedIn content before and thought: "Wait… what did I actually get?"

It's not just you.

I see this constantly with founders who spend £2 - 5k/month on "LinkedIn content" and walk away with:

- decent impressions
- polite engagement
- zero pipeline

Here's why that happens.

The real issue isn't the agency. It's the model.

Most founders are sold generic authority content.

It sounds good on paper:

- "Trust compounds over time"
- "Build thought leadership"
- "Share value"

So what happens?

1. You sign the retainer expecting inbound demand
2. Posts go live consistently
3. Your network engages (peers, old colleagues, other founders)
4. Months pass
5. You’re told: “You just need more reach”

But reach was never the problem.

The flaw in generic authority content:

It never answers the two questions your ICP subconsciously asks:

- Why do I need this?
- Why you specifically?

So they think: "Smart founder. Interesting posts. Not sure where this fits into my buying decision."

And they scroll.

You don't become memorable. 
You become interchangeable.

That's the quiet killer of founder-led LinkedIn.

What actually works (and what I run with clients):

We don't post more. 
We build signal.

Inside my LinkedIn Signal-Led Growth™️ system, everything starts with one thing:

Making the right buyer feel called out, not impressed.

That means:

1. Precision problem content

Not "insights". Not trends. But posts that surface uncomfortable, specific problems your ICP already feels and recognises as expensive.

2. Signal compression

Every post reinforces:
- why your approach is different
- what decision it connects to
- who it's for

3. Demand paths (not vibes)

Content doesn't "build awareness". It creates momentum → profile → offer → conversation.

This is how founders stop being consumed as content creators and start being evaluated as buyers' shortlists.

If your LinkedIn feels busy but not profitable, it's usually not a consistency problem.

It's a signal problem.

And no amount of posting fixes unclear positioning.

If you're a founder who wants LinkedIn to drive actual demand, not just engagement, book a call with me here and I will help you: https://lnkd.in/ePCS-YVK

Employee content isn’t about posting more.

It’s about building trust through alignment.

I was reminded of this when I saw a post about ClickUp.

They have around 15 employees actively creating content on LinkedIn.

That number, on its own, isn’t the point.
What it signals is.

Because when multiple people from the same company show up publicly, something happens:

Your point of view becomes visible.

Not through a logo.
Through PEOPLE.

When teams are aligned, you start to notice a few things:

→ Trust adds across individuals, not just the brand
→ The message sharpens naturally across different voices
→ Familiarity builds faster because the signal is consistent

Not because everyone is saying the same thing.

But because they’re seeing the problem the same way.

That’s where employee content REALLY works.

The leverage doesn’t come from volume.
It comes from coherence.

Buyers don’t scroll LinkedIn thinking:

“Wow, lots of employees are posting.”

They think:

“I keep coming across the same belief, expressed from different angles.”

That repetition creates confidence.
And confidence creates authority.

This is also where LinkedIn has been quietly heading.

Not toward louder brands.
Not toward more output.

But toward organisations where reputation is carried collectively, through people who are aligned, not scripted.

P.S. If someone read your team's posts back-to-back, would they recognise a clear point of view - or just individual activity?

taplio

The Battle

Oliver Yonchev

Ayesha Ameer

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreOliver Yonchev's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreAyesha Ameer's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Oliver Yonchev

Ayesha Ameer

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);}Oliver Yonchev's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreAyesha Ameer's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreOliver Yonchev's LinkedIn Performance