Paul Upton

LeaderUP

👉 Message me on LinkedIn

I am one of the few career coaches who has Fortune 50 leadership & hiring manager experience. This gives me the perspective to know exactly what hiring managers (not just recruiters) are looking for in a Manager, Director, VP+, how to stand out, and what it really takes to be a top 1% Leader & Candidate!

I have partnered with recruiters, HR leaders, hiring managers, and leaders to understand and distill the most important qualities and traits of successful leaders and how to find these in candidates and develop them in leaders. 

Through all this and hundreds of interviews, I have learned what the Top 1% of candidates do and built a system that works to help leaders, aspiring leaders, and high performers learn these skills and get the jobs & opportunities they really deserve!

► I help YOU master YOUR resume + LinkedIn so you STAND OUT and get NOTICED

► I help YOU learn how to ROCK your interviews and build real, memorable connections with hiring managers & GET OFFERS!

► I help YOU learn the skills to negotiate like a PRO to get the best total compensation package possible

► I really care. My sole reason for LeaderUP is to help YOU find success and fulfillment in your career. Success YOU DESERVE and have earned by working harder, learning more, and putting in the effort to SUCCEED!

I have created the LevelUP Leadership Top 1% Candidate Coaching Program to help leaders get promoted and land their dream jobs using Top 1% Applicant Strategies, leveraging the top SECRETS learned from Expert Resume Writers, Recruiters, Hiring Managers, Leaders, and Top Candidates, as well as many failures, successes, and continuous improvement!

► LevelUP Leadership Top 1% Candidate Coaching Program

MESSAGE me on LinkedIn to learn more and how I can help you!
Email me at Leaderup.Program@gmail.com

Founder, CEO & Chief Career Officer - Career Expert | Career Success Coach | Leadership Coach

MTFH Solutions

Making the Future Happen Solutions was created to help move forward innovative ideas, services, minds and leaders. More info coming soon!

Feel free to reach out directly for more details, we look forward to potentially working with you!

Current Focus Areas Includes:
- Consulting Services
- Leadership/Executive Coaching
- Pre Sales, Sales Strategy & Execution
- Start-up Coaching & Mentoring

Founder & CEO - Lead Consultant & Managing Principal

CenturyLink

Was recruited and brought in to lead the transformation organization of over 150+, consisting of 3 main groups the Data Science & AI/ML team, Business Transformation & Portfolio Management team and lastly the System, Tools and Integrations team. Tasked with using data, automation, cutting-edge innovative technologies to transform the way Lumen North American operations operate.

Scope included all Copper and Fiber networks, national and international, consumer as well as enterprise products and solutions.

Our task was simple, to plan, execute and deliver large-scale transformation efforts, removing over $200M of cost savings and revenue acceleration per year. The complexity came in how to actually do this, having a laser-sharp focus on execution and delivering results, while fostering & maintaining the culture and spirit of innovation.

This included partnering, pushing the limits and innovating with the best minds, companies and consultants in the industry!

Executive Director Transformation & North America Operations

Comcast

Tapped to do what I did in the Xfinity Mobile organization but across all of Comcast's Products and Operations, including TV, Internet, Voice, Xfinity Mobile, Xfinity Home and more.

This new role expanded responsibilities and direct leadership of two additional teams, managing all digital data operations and Adobe Website Tagging and Analytics for all of Comcast Cable.

Consumer Experience Transformation - Director Strategic Enablement and Data Operations

SCOPE:  All of XM Operations | Strategy and Innovation for Data, Product, Design, UX, Customer Support, Retail and Marketing to take the business to the next level |  Delivery of Operational & Data Solutions | Customer Experience Insights and Customer Journey Deep-dives

◾️ Tasked with transforming XM to be customer focused and data driven in all our operational and strategic decisions

◾️ Built out the strategy, plan, change management and delivery of this vision:
      ◽️  Created processes, capabilities and building out a team to enable our data first goals
      ◽️  Defined Requirements, Building ETL and Aggregating OMNI Channel Customer Experience Data
      ◽️  Made data relevant, error free, available, understandable and giving access to everyone in XM
      ◽️  Identified, built and launched tools to enable self-serve analytics & insights
      ◽️  Established structured listening mechanisms to understand what’s most important to our customers 

◾️ Identified and quantified our top business-wide opportunities in our customer experiences and operations

◾️ Delivering cross functional programs and strategic solutions to the top issues across XM saving over $5M annually

Xfinity Mobile - Director Customer Experience Delivery, Operations and Analytics

SCOPE: National Responsibility | +5 major annual programs | $150M Budget | 18 matrixed reports | Leadership of Strategy & Operations of 5,000 Security Technicians | Quality & Performance of Over +600,000 Installations/year

◾️	Lead capital and opex programs to drive key operational and quality metrics including: Tech Availability, DOJ Tech & Order Support, Repeat Rates M1 Churn, Time in Home and NPS, Customer Experience & Install Quality

◾️	Develop requirements for new products and product enhancements based on field, customer insights & NPS data

◾️	Manage field launch of new products, development of install processes and quality controls for professionally installed XH products to drive improved customer experience, NPS and truck roll & call reduction 

Key Achievements:
◾️	DROVE QUALITY & REDUCED CHURN: Designed new metrics, led and nationally launched updates to the installation verification score (IVS 2.0) run on every install, utilizing a structured change management approach.
◽️	Reduced M1 Churn by 50 bps and drove 65% increase in mobile app downloads on day of job
◽️	68% improvement in sensor signal strength quality on new installs, reducing M1 Calls & Truck Rolls
◽️	Developed a dashboard in Tableau for field leads to improve management and performance of KPIs

◾️	REDESIGNED INSTALL PROCESS & CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE: Led strategy, planning and execution of the initial Perfect Install Program to review the end-to-end sales through installation experience.
◽️	Program delivered 20+ recommendations and 11 core projects to improve the Tech & Customer Experience

◾️	IMPROVED AVAILABILITY & PRODUCTIVITY: Drove the best 0-5 day tech availability and average time to install results in XH history EOY 2017 through strategic project planning & execution 

◾️	REDUCED DEFECTS: Reduced 37% of calls through root cause analysis of DOJ Tech call data, development of solutions and support of the program management of 3 functional work streams.

Xfinity Home - Sr. Manager Tech Operations and Strategy

Verizon

SCOPE: 8 Core Verizon Telecom Functions | 11 major programs | $400M Reduction Goal | 5 Matrixed Leads & 9 indirect reports | Business Transformation Project & Program Lead | Large Scale Change Management & Execution

▪	Internal business consultant working with executive leaders to drive large scale growth & opex reduction programs

▪	Led matrixed & cross-functional teams focused on strategic process, functional and organizational changes and transformational improvements contributing to deliver over $21.5M in hard savings in 2016 and projected $120M.

▪	Led, co-facilitated and participated in over 12 Kaizen and Lean Six Sigma workshops

Key Achievements:
◾️	TRANSFORMATIONAL PROCESS IMPROVEMENT: Transformation program lead to reduce $1B of WIP to over $400M and intervals from 229 days to 69 days, involving over 8 functional organizations.
◽️	Lead one program pillar and 5 key solution teams to re-engineer project creation, engineering milestones, automation, triggers and KPI’s to reduce +60 days in process time and $16.1M in hard savings.
◽️	Completed complex financial and operational analyses used to develop the strategy, scope and benefits of this large scale executive sponsored initiative.

◾️	DEVICE QUALITY MANAGEMENT: Successfully led a DMAIC program to create and implement a new vendor centric method of testing and validating products, platforms and services reducing overall testing durations and defects by over 75% and an estimated yearly savings of $4.4M.
◽️	All previous attempts had been unsuccessful due to system, reporting and organizational complexities.

◾️	DEVELOPED LEADERS: Coached 3 Green Belts on LSS methodology, tools and project management practices to successfully complete DMAIC and DMADV (Design) projects, leading to two of these green belts becoming fully certified and promoted to full-time black belt roles.

Business Transformation - Lean Six Sigma Black Belt

3rd Rotation - Verizon Leadership Program

SCOPE: Led Prepaid, Tablet Internet Channels, Chat Strategy & Execution and Advanced Analytics & Customer Insights

◾️	OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE: Designed and led a prepaid chat project to utilize specialized sales chat reps on prepaid pages resulting in a 27% gross add lift and improved customer satisfaction ratings. 

◾️	VENDOR & PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT: Led vendor management, project design, compensation model, training, implementation strategy and execution for the Verizon Wireless Sales Chat Program 

◾️	BIG DATA: Led BlueKai and Big Data adoption at VZW and developed strategic A/B testing for personalization and landing page optimization utilizing MECLABS, resulting in 20% lift in high-value customer segments.

Internet Sales, Marketing, Chat Strategy and Operations

2nd Rotation - Verizon Leadership Program

SCOPE: Led cell site planning & capacity for over 1200 sites, $400M in assets and $50M in mass calling event initiatives

◾️	BUDGET & FORECASTING: Led mass calling events planning for all of Houston-Gulf Coast region including network capacity planning, budgeting and equipment dimensioning of 85 events / event areas and over $50M in resources and assets.

◾️	CREATIVE INNOVATION: Saved over $9M by leveraging current assets in the maintenance of ALL HGC cell site’s CE, 1X, EvDO and backhaul capacity.
◽️	Co-led 2012-2015 LTE Interface capacity planning of over 1200 NB sites, sector-splits, and small cells.

Traffic, Capacity and Data Performance Engineering

1st Rotation - Verizon Development Program

◾️	ROLE 1 - Led new features, products, quality, reliability and customer experience of the FiOS product
◾️	ROLE 2 - Led the launch, operations, expansion, automation and performance of FiOS Self Install initiative

◾️	OPERATIONS LEAD: Created and led operational activities for the FiOS self-install project which directly led to reaching stretch goals of 11,000 self-installs acceptances by EOY 2011 and an expense savings of over $1.6M. 
◽️	Developed processes, call scripts, M&P’s, trained & led two out-bound call centers for self-install options
◽️	Led transitional & automation efforts of the self-install initiative to improve and scale this project nationally to a projected 70,000 self-installs by EOY 2012 and yearly savings of over $25M.

◾️	QUALITY, RELIABILITY & NEW PRODUCTS: Supported the launch of new FiOS products and improved quality & reliability of existing products and services reducing calls, truck rolls and customer affecting issues by over 40%; including X-box streaming, MRDVR, Flexview enhancements, widgets, Samsung Streaming, MoCA 2.0, MPEG4 and IPTV.

In Home Network Engineer & National Operations Special Assignment

McCreary Roofing Company Inc

•	OPERATIONS EXCELLENCE: Increased speed and accuracy of all new jobs and bid requests by 40% by standardizing the work flow process & increased productivity by implementing a Microsoft Access Database

•	MARKETING INNOVATION: Created a new value added marketing plan & bid presentation pamphlet resulting in 35% lift on accepted jobs.

Engineering, Marketing and Sales Lead

GE Transportation

◾️	BUSINESS PROPOSALS: Managed engineering technical proposals for new and existing markets including the Freightliner Guinea ES44ACi Locomotive worth over $40M; Co-managed all Superskids for ASIA & Russia

◾️	VENDOR & SUPPLIER OPTIMIZATION: Led a cost-benefit proposal to re-engineer GE equivalents to 14 Union Pacific cables, projected to reduce replacement cable costs and lost productivity time by 45%.

Locomotive Proposals Engineer

◾️	LEADERSHIP ROTATIONS: Completed 5 functional rotations in Material, Process, Lean, Quality and Engineering

◾️	PROCESS INNOVATION: Developed and successfully implemented a comprehensive material management and inventory tracking system utilizing Lean Kanban and JIT strategies to systematically automate inventory management resulting in a yearly savings of over $15M. 
◽️	Consolidated over 800 parts and eliminated an average of +5 hours and ~3.5 takt stopping shortages per/wk.

◾️	PROCESS AUTOMATION: Created a material-tracking and process tool that identified and prioritized backlogged high profile items in a continuously moving lean line resulting in Maincab ending 2nd Qrt 2008 on schedule for the first time in over 3 years.

◾️	SAFETY & ERGONOMICS: Led safety and ergonomic projects including installation of pneumatic vices to eliminate 90% of repetitive motion and increasing productivity by nearly 50%.

Manufacturing and Operations Lead

Want to get to your next Career Level? Or into a role you'll Love? ◆ We help you get there! | Sr. Leads ► Managers ► Directors ► Exec Directors | $150K/$250K/$500K+ Jobs

"With no exaggeration- Paul and the LeaderUP program changed my life!" – James
(See more in recommendations)

👉 Message me on LinkedIn

Why Senior Leads, Managers, Directors & VPs choose to work with me:
▶️ You want to break into your next leadership role, get promoted, or move to a promotional opportunity. Maybe you are seeking to break into your next level or senior leadership.

▶️ You're stuck in your current role, not much company growth, or growth opportunities. Or you do not like your current company/role and want to find a better one and level up your career to the one you deserve!

▶️ You're in a job search, you know you are good, but something is missing, you are not getting interviews, or are not getting offers!

▶️ You're tired of being frustrated & wasting time!

𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐞: I've spent the last 14+ years working at top Fortune 100 companies.
◾️ 10+ jobs over this time and 2 highly competitive leadership programs
◾️ 7 times promoted/found promotional opportunities (often they found me)
◾️ Most recently an executive director at a telecom leading an organization of 150+ people.

𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐈'𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝:
◾️ What it really takes to stand out in the Top 1% of leaders
◾️ How to be a great leader and more importantly how to develop this in others
◾️ How to hire the best, I've done over 500+ interviews and hired multiple high performing 10X teams

I am one of the few career coaches who has leadership/hiring manager experience and knows what they are looking for!

𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒!

I have put these learnings together and have created the 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐔𝐏 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐓𝐨𝐩 1% 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 to help leaders and aspiring leaders reach the next level and land their dream jobs/promotions. 

Are you someone who wants...
✅Wants more MONEY, TIME, FLEXIBILITY, and GROWTH?
✅Gets multiple offers and CHOOSES the best one for them?

And would rather...
✅Follow a proven step-by-step process that works!
✅With the 1:1 support, you need along the way!
✅That takes 70% less time & effort and 99% less frustration!
✅And finally, get that dream job that they deserve and are excited to jump out of bed for?

► LeaderUP Job Offer System & Coaching Program -  Reach out to learn more!

👉 Learn more: message me!

Three years, 60-hour weeks, and all I got was anxiety meds and a pizza party.

That’s not a joke. That’s my review of their “employee experience.”

Here’s the dirty secret about “professional” notice periods-companies can cut your job with zero warning. But when you decide to leave, they expect you to train your replacement. Two weeks. Smiling. No complaints.

How much notice do they deserve when they’ve been burning you out for years?

I watched someone start a new role Monday. First day, her boss listened to her idea and said, “Let’s go with that.” She got a 40% raise. She got real work-life balance. She got respect on day one.

She didn’t apologize for leaving dysfunction. She didn’t feel guilty for protecting her mental health. She didn’t give courtesy to a company that never would have done the same for her.

Stop believing you owe loyalty to companies that don’t value you.

Stop thinking you have to “tough it out” for the sake of professionalism.

The truth is: companies protect their bottom line. You have to protect your well-being.

If a company can let you go with no warning, you owe them the same. No more. No less.

Has a company ever asked you to give more than they’d ever return? How did you handle it?

Share if it’s time to normalize protecting ourselves the way companies protect themselves.

#leadership #mentalhealth #workplace

The hardest part of my career was admitting I needed help.
That night, surrounded by tissues and doubt,

I decided to ask for help. That changed everything.

I didn’t see it coming.

Years ago—after months of late nights and hitting impossible goals—I walked through my front door, hugged my wife, and cried.

Not a little.

The kind of crying where your whole body shakes.

I felt like I'd failed.

Despite pouring myself into every project, there was no promotion. No recognition. No “thank you.”

Instead:
➝ I was told to “improve.”
➝ I was told I wasn’t ready.
➝ I was told I wasn’t enough.

I started asking myself the hard questions.

What am I missing?
Am I a bad leader?
Why does this keep happening?

Fast forward six months—everything flipped.

→ 4 job offers
→ 2 internal promotions
→ $34K pay raise
→ A dream role leading a team

How?

It wasn’t luck. It wasn’t working harder.
It was a single turning point.

That night, surrounded by tissues and doubt,
I decided to ask for help.

Not easier said than done. HARDER than done.

(And for me, big-time ego. What if people thought I was weak?)

But I followed through.

Here’s what admitting I needed help looked like:

1/ I dropped my ego.
What got me here won't get me there. Sometimes career success requires admitting you can't figure it all out alone.

2/ I faced the truth.
I was fixating on the next role while neglecting my current job and actual capabilities. Time to work on ME!

3/ I sought guidance.
I committed to change and got a coach. They identified growth areas I'd missed or avoided—truths I needed to hear.

4/ I took action.
Despite initial fear, I trusted the process. Took massive action and IT WORKED!!!

The results?

→ Promotions.
→ A fulfilling career.
→ Clarity like I’ve never felt before.

The truth is, success isn’t about staying strong.
It’s about knowing when to lean on someone else.

If you’re stuck… don’t wait for a breaking point like mine.

Take the step.

(You might just surprise yourself.)

Since then, I've earned multiple promotions and built an amazing career!

This journey inspired me to become a career coach myself—now I help others achieve the same transformation!

Comment "Transform" below ↓
If you'd like to learn more about how we could help you!

♻️ Repost to help someone who’s ready for their breakthrough.

Upskilling isn’t optional anymore.
If you’re not growing, you’re falling behind—fast.

And here’s the harsh reality:

Many people don’t.

They stay in their comfort zone.
They avoid challenges.
They hope their current knowledge will be enough.

But it won’t be.

Growth isn’t just “nice to have.”
It’s your survival strategy.

The professionals crushing it right now?

→ They’re learning new skills every week.
→ They’re adapting faster than ever.
→ They’re building momentum—not excuses.

The ones struggling?

→ They think their past success will carry them.
→ They hesitate to admit what they don’t know.
→ They wait too long to pivot, then the opportunity is gone.

Here’s the truth:

The leaders who thrive in this fast-changing world are the ones who say, “I don’t know this yet—but I will.”

They act BEFORE it’s urgent.

They lean into being a beginner again.

They go ALL IN on leveling up their mindset, their skills, their careers.

It’s not magic. It’s discipline.

Want to know how to start?

1/ Admit you're stuck.
↳ Example: “I don’t understand AI, and I’m behind on it.”

2/ Pick one skill that will make you more valuable.
↳ Example: “I’ll learn AI to streamline processes in my work.”

3/ Break it into bite-sized steps.
↳ Example: “I’ll spend 10 minutes daily watching tutorials before work.”

4/ Find resources that match your style.
↳ Example: Visual learner? Watch videos. Prefer hands-on? Try free tools.

5/ Track your progress.
↳ Example: “After one week, I’ll summarize the basics in my own words.”

6/ Stay consistent.
↳ Example: “Every weekday at 8 AM, no excuses.”

This isn’t about perfection.
It’s about showing up every day and refusing to settle for “good enough.”

Because the skills you sharpen today will set you apart tomorrow.
What skill will YOU commit to learning this week?

♻️ Repost to inspire someone to start growing today.

If you want to learn the skills to level up your career and income?
Comment "LevelUP" below! ⬇️

3 years stuck. 12 rejections. Zack kept asking, what am I doing wrong?

He followed every rule.

Worked harder than anyone.
Delivered 30% over target.
Took every high-profile project.
Built skills nobody else had.

His reviews? Stellar.
His bonuses? Impressive.
His promotions? Nonexistent.

Managers kept saying, “Be patient.”
Feedback was always vague.
“Not quite executive material.”
“Need more seasoning.”
“Keep doing what you’re doing.”

Zack felt trapped.
He did everything right.
Still, doors stayed closed.

The truth is:
Performance was not his problem.
Positioning was.

LeaderUP’s assessment showed what was hiding in plain sight.

He spoke as a specialist, not a leader.
His resume listed effort but not impact.
He solved problems but didn’t move strategy.
He was seen as reliable, not visionary.

The better he got at his job, the more they kept him in it.

LeaderUP helped him break the pattern.

We identified the leadership stories he never told.
We reframed his wins to spotlight business results.
We changed how he spoke to executives.
We built his authentic leadership voice.

Twelve weeks later:

He interviewed for Senior Director.
They made a new role just for him.
His pay jumped 45%.
His team size tripled.

The lesson?

Excellence alone won’t get you promoted.
You must be seen as a leader before you get the title.

The system is built to keep high performers in place.

If you don’t position yourself differently, you hit the same ceiling again and again.

What invisible ceiling is holding you back?

Comment “CEILING” if you want to learn how to position yourself for your next level.

I watched others get promoted while I waited.  
Then I changed my approach-and my career exploded.

Here’s what no one told me:

• Hard work alone does not get you noticed  
• Loyalty does not guarantee progress  
• Job boards rarely deliver real results

Most people do what they know:  
• Polish the resume  
• Send more applications  
• Wait for luck to show up

But waiting is not a strategy.

When I wanted to break out, I did what top leaders do:

1) Get clear on your VALUE  
→ Write down three true strengths (no buzzwords)  
→ Ask trusted peers how you drive impact  
→ Figure out what sets you apart

2) Stop job-hunting. Start NETWORKING  
→ Reach out to decision-makers directly  
→ Share wins, ideas, and vision-not just your CV  
→ Connect with peers at the next level up

3) Build your personal BRAND  
→ Show how you solve problems others cannot  
→ Share stories of leading teams or driving results  
→ Let the right people know your goals

I used these steps myself:
• Seven promotions  
• Multiple leadership programs  
• Doors opened that I never saw before

Hundreds of clients have done the same.

The uncomfortable truth:  
Results speak louder than hours worked.

You deserve a job where you feel valued-and where you grow.

Ready to stop waiting and start leading?  
I built a free training on what hiring managers *really* look for.

Want a copy?  
Message me with “TRAINING” and I’ll send it over.

What would shift in your career if you focused less on resumes and more on relationships?

I stopped trying to be perfect in interviews. I started listening instead. That’s when the offers came.

Picture this-70 interviews, zero offers. Each one felt like an exam. I studied, rehearsed, tried to give flawless answers. I left every room feeling defeated.

The truth is: interviews are not tests. They are conversations.

What changed everything for me?

I heard: “People don’t hire skills. They hire humans they trust.”

That hit hard. I realized my mistake. I was trying to impress, not connect.

I shifted my approach:

• I asked what THEY needed
• I listened to their biggest challenges
• I made it about THEM, not me

Instead of performing, I connected. Instead of reciting, I listened.

Next 5 interviews?

4 offers. No change to resume. No fancy script. Just a new mindset.

Here’s what matters:

→ If you’re in the interview chair, you are already qualified
→ Rapport wins over rehearsed answers
→ Solve THEIR problem-not your anxiety about being perfect

Hiring managers want someone who understands, not just someone who answers.

I built the LeaderUP Interview System around this truth. It’s helped me-and hundreds of clients-stand out and get offers, fast.

Your resume gets you in the room. The way you connect gets you the job.

How do you approach tough interviews? Has connection helped you stand out?

Stuck in a toxic job? You’re following old rules that keep you trapped.

You know you’re a talented leader in tech.
But you’re still using the same playbook that got you here.
Now-those rules hold you back.

Here’s what I see every week:

• You polish your resume for the 100th time.
• You wait for your boss to notice your value.
• You hope HR will offer you something better.
• You keep working harder, hoping for a break.

Truth is: Companies changed. Hiring changed. Leadership changed.
But the job search strategies most people use? Still stuck in 2010.

The fix is simple, but powerful.

The LeaderUP 3 Keys Proven Framework:

1. Decision Maker Marketing - Position yourself as the solution to their biggest problems. Your resume and LinkedIn must scream impact at the level you want, not just the job you have.

2. Interview Pipeline Process - Build a personalized outbound plan. Reach out directly to decision makers. Use tools and automation. Stop waiting, start driving interviews.

3. Interview Process Certification - Learn how to become the answer hiring managers need. Consistently get offers by showing you solve real pain.

But that’s not all.

We dig deep to uncover your key unlocks:
→ What makes you unique?
→ Where do you deliver value no one else can?
→ Which growth areas will move the needle?

Then, we use the MASE Approach:
• Mindset: Growth over fear.
• Attitude: Show up with energy.
• Skills: Level up-hard and soft.
• Effort: Daily, focused action.

Imagine the shift:
You land the role you want.
You triple your impact, income, and satisfaction.
You wake up excited-recognized for your true worth.

The uncomfortable truth:
Success starts when you break old patterns and choose a new strategy.

What would change in your career if you stopped following outdated rules and started using a proven framework?

I see growth where others see only trouble. That’s my secret.

Most people scan the headlines, scroll through complaints, and get stuck on what’s wrong.

They say:
• The world is a mess
• My job is draining me
• Nothing ever changes

But here’s what they miss-what you focus on becomes your reality.

When you zoom in on pain, you get more pain.
When you point your lens at growth, you see new ways forward.

I’ve been there. Years ago, I hit a wall in my career. Stuck, frustrated, looking for someone to blame.

The truth is: I was feeding the problem with my attention. I was growing more stuck, not less.

Everything shifted when I started asking:
• What can I learn here?
• How can I grow from this?
• What part of me needs to change?

That’s when the doors opened. New roles. Promotions. More energy. Better teams. Not overnight-but every day, a little more.

The uncomfortable truth: The world will always have trouble. Pain. Problems.

But you choose what grows in your life. Your focus is the fertilizer.

If you want to be in the top 1%, start with your mindset-focus on growth, not trouble.

What would shift in your career if you focused less on pain and more on possibility?

Sara Simmonds

CEO Impact Innovator | Helping Purpose Driven Entrepreneurs Scale to $1 Million, $50 Million and Beyond | Follow Me For Systems On Sustainable Growth 🌎

With 100K+ followers, 14 years controlling $ Billion buying budgets generating $200M+ for corporates

Plus $10M+ growth for purpose led founder results and $50M+ in positioned expansion - I built the organic growth system for entrepreneurs I wished existed when I needed it most.

My $150K Lesson:

2007: Co-founded Sharkah Chakra, world's first award-winning impact jeans brand. Featured in Vogue, GQ. Winner/ 30 team members.

The insight: As a $Billion Dollar buyer, I saw what made offers succeed at scale. When I built my own brand, I realized most entrepreneurs don't think like buyers - they think like sellers.

The breakthrough: I stopped asking "What expert should I hire?" and started asking "What would make ME approve this budget?"

The answer: ONE Category of One business - fully integrated, perfectly aligned, impossible to ignore.

That shift changed everything

Impact Innovator OS - The Integrated Growth System

I built ONE system that integrates everything a Purpose Led Entrepreneur needs to scale:

Strategy - Your custom path to scale
Offer - Your Category of One Offer
Sales - Your revenue engine
Mindset - Your breakthrough leadership

Everything in-house. Everything you own. Forever.

My System Results:

£0 to £300K in 12 months without agencies
100K+ organic following through owned systems
Multiple 6-figure months, 40-hour weeks
Zero debt, 100% profitable

Founding Member Results Using This System:

Eugenie & Luis: $1M+ additional revenue
Ami: 0- $300K launch
Carol: $200K Sell out launches and scaling to $30MN
Rachel: $500K funding round achieved 
Jo: $2MN -$4MN Sales Increase 
Marie & Jason: Eliminated $144K agency costs
Alexandra: Closed $75K funding deal 
Paula: Scaled and exited in 12 months
Elizabeth: Ideal to Launch and 18 International Awards, plus Amazon Prime Distribution
Simon: High Ticket Offer launched in 90 days and Best Selling Author of his niche


Founding Member Access (Limited):

▸ Foundation: $15K - Build Your Category of One (12 months)
▸ Scale: $30K - Scale Your Growth System (12 months)
▸ Empire: $60K - Full Integration & Implementation (12 months)

(All programs replace $150K+ in agency costs with ONE in-house system you own forever)
(Limited spots)

For purpose-led entrepreneurs ready to scale to $1M, $50M and beyond as a Category Of One:

▸ Next Masterclass: "5 Systems to Build Your Category of One Business"
▸ Newsletter: Weekly buyer intelligence insights
▸ Strategy Session: 45-min Category of One assessment

→ DM 'SYSTEM' for founding member details
→ DM 'MASTERCLASS' for registration link
→ DM 'NEWS' for newsletter

Business Mentor

My client just sold out a $280K launch in 24 hours (Yes for real)

She achieved this: Using my Buyer Intelligence Systems.

Not fancy ads. Not a huge following. Just billion-dollar buyer psychology applied to her offer.

Here's what she had before we worked together:

Innovative product
Pioneer credentials
Mission-driven vision

Here's what was missing:

Clarity on which offer buyers actually want
How to connect credentials to influence
A system that converts at scale

We fixed all three in 90 days.

The formula? It's the same system I used when I controlled $100M+ in retail buying decisions.

I know what makes buyers say yes at scale. 

Because I WAS the buyer saying yes at scale.

If you're brilliant, purpose-driven, and stuck figuring out what buyers want—this is for you.

I'm sharing the exact formula in my masterclass: 

5 Virtual Unknown Buyer Secrets Monday, November 17th | 12pm CT

https://lnkd.in/dqNVxTFy

This is 10+ years of billion-dollar buyer intelligence in 90 minutes.

Because the world needs what you're building.

Love Sara

Founder Impact Innovator OS | The #1 Integrated Growth System for Purpose Led Entrepreneurs to Scale to $1M, $50M and Beyond as a Category Of One Business

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How I learnt the secret of success: Is celebrating each step you make

I used to never celebrate the journey

Until I realised success is one step at a time

Yesterday I was hiking in preparation for Patagonia, and something hit me hard.

I realized the exact moment I learned what real resilience actually means.

It wasn't when I was strong. It wasn't when everything was working.

It was when all I could do was take one more step.

Not the next ten. Not the summit. Just one.

One foot in front of the other. My process. My pace. Nobody else's.

That's when I learned: resilience isn't about being strong enough to see the whole mountain.

It's about being brave enough to just take the next step when that's all you can see.

My business didn't grow because I had it all figured out. It grew because on the days I couldn't see the path, I trusted my process anyway. 

One client. One call. One small decision at a time.

Your breakthrough won't come from having the whole map. It won't come from being where someone else is.

It comes from taking your next step. Even when - especially when - that's all you can manage.

The summit takes care of itself when you honor the step in front of you.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐧𝐞: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐃𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by everything on your plate.

But here’s the truth: 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫.

We live in a world obsessed with 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦.

Do more.

Be more.

Try more.

Buy more.

But 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 doesn’t make you happy.

It doesn’t bring wealth.

It doesn’t bring peace.

It brings 𝐞𝐱𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

And it distracts you from your soul’s real opportunity to make an impact that only 𝘺𝘰𝘶 can make.

Because right now, this moment,

is your moment.

Don’t waste it chasing what doesn’t matter.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭

I’ll never forget the moment I realised this.

I was about to close a $10 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥 

buying the collection of a world-famous luxury brand.

Sitting in a beautiful townhouse in Mayfair, London,

pen in hand, ready to sign.

And suddenly, it hit me:

this isn’t 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 luxury.

This is just stuff.

True luxury, real success 

comes from 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 that changes everything:

The one thing you do.

The one thing you buy.

The one thing you offer.

The one thing you say.

The one mountain you choose to climb.

That 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 transforms your life

and the lives of those around you.

As the buyer responsible for that $10 million budget,

I realised I was only buying the 1% of what I was shown.

The rest? Waste.

That was the day I walked away from meaningless luxury

and began my journey toward meaningful impact.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞

As a founder, learning to apply the 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘦

can transform your life faster in 12 months than in 12 years.

Because people don’t want 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 you do

they want the 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 you do brilliantly.


With that one thing, you can:

Transform your wealth.

Transform your business.

Transform your impact.

Transform your life.

𝐀 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞

One of the entrepreneurs I mentor told me recently:

“I spent 10 years doing more — until I discovered my one thing.”

By unlocking that one, unique part of their offer,

their business grew by $1 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 12 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐬.

That’s the power of focus.

𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧

Today, give yourself permission to rebalance.

To do less and achieve more.

To focus on the one thing you do exceptionally well

and let go of the rest.

If you’re ready to discover your “one thing” —

join me 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲 17𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 👉 https://lnkd.in/dqNVxTFy

I’ll be sharing 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 to unlocking your 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘖𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳

so you can scale as the 𝘰𝘯𝘦-𝘰𝘧-𝘰𝘯𝘦 leader you’re meant to be.

Meaningful freedom awaits.

You’ve got this.

𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐚

DO THE ONE THING THAT MOVES YOUR LIFE FORWARD

Commit to what you hate, not just what you love

I used to hate content.

Not because I couldn't do it. Because it felt like a waste of time.

My ego told me: "You're a buyer. A business woman. Not a content creator."

I was ready to throw it in. Get AI to do it. Outsource it to an assistant.

And then I said my mantra:

NO.

Show up for yourself first.

Learn for yourself first.

Build ALL the parts of your system for yourself first.

Because I know that not doing that is the fastest way to failure.

And also because I AM my product.

I don't just say things to my clients. I do what I say, not just say what I do.

So I committed. 30 days straight. Even though I resisted every single day.

The moment I got it done - even though it wasn't brilliant - everything shifted.

New scale-up ideas flowed.

Opportunities opened up.

Everything clicked.

But most importantly?

I realized I had let go of imposter syndrome.

Because doing that "dirty work" - the thing I resisted, the thing my ego said was beneath me

 - THROUGH THE PROCESS, I HAD BECOME.

Not by outsourcing it.

Not by AI-ing it.

Not by avoiding it.

By DOING it.

Here's what I know now:

The thing you're resisting in your work? That's not a block. 
That's your breakthrough.

The thing your ego says you're "too good for"? 
That's where you become who you need to be to scale.

The work you want to delegate before you've mastered it yourself? 
That's the exact work that will transform you.

Commitment isn't just about showing up for what you love.

It's about showing up for what you hate - because that's where you become.

I became the founder who could scale by doing the content I resisted.

What are YOU resisting that's actually your breakthrough?

Together we will transform our world.

Commit to what you hate as well as what you love 

Packing for Patagonia made me cry this morning.

Not because I'm sentimental.

Because my suitcase just showed me the living visual proof of the impact I make

And we make here at Impact Innovator OS

I'm taking 6 of our founders with me - not literally, but packing their genius in my case

Six founders. Six category-of-one brands. All are coming with me to the edge of the world.

I have in my suitcase: products, books, and coaching from the innovators I mentor.

Let's have a look at the IMPACT inside out:  

Carol Chyau - Carol's Category Of One Premium Yak Jumpers - to keep warm and stylish hiking

A year ago, Carol was "just" making sustainable jumpers. Now her yak wool is having $200K sell out launches, and is worn by the worlds to influencers 

Kristi Mayfield,- Kristi's Wine as a social power skill coaching wheel - to taste the best of Argentina

Kristi was "a brilliant wine educator" when we met, and now, 60 days later has launched

The number 1 network for wine as a social power skill in the US..

Vanessa Marshall - Vanessa's B CORP Impact shampoo in a bar - so I can travel light 

Vanessa had a brilliant impact beauty brand Jack59, figuring out how to scale to the next level. 90 days later, we have her game plan in place to double sales next year!

Simon Luthi - Simon's Personal Transformation book of the year - Rocket Shaman

Simon, when we met, was pioneering a brand new method of energy based executive coaching, together we simplified his innovation, now he is scaling 5 figure deals, and selling his services to the world's top 1%.

Jeannie Barsam - Jeannie's Not for Profit Gifing Brands - Collections from brands all sales go to charity

Jeannie had been running a not for profit for a few years, figuring out the best way to scale her genius. Together in 90 days, we have helped Jeannie scale to attract billion dollar partnerships, and have a roadmap in place to scale donations by millions    

Alexandra Merlino - Alexandra B Wild Play Longer  Outside Impact Sunscreen 

Alex is a passionate diver, hiker, and skin cancer survivor, we bonded over love of the outdoors and the lack of brilliant sunscreen - high quality and high impact. Together through Impact OS Alexandra has already raised £340K in funding and is set for an awesome launch next year in 2026!   

I am so proud to be taking each founder's genius with me, and proud to be part of their brilliant scaling impact. 

This is the transformation I help purpose led founders create:

Our members become friends together with each other and with me.

Because we all believe

Together we will transform our world

Love Sara

Ready to join us? DM Tribe to find out more

Out of office. Zero Slack. Zero client calls. Zero "quick questions."

My business is scaling without me.

Today is my first official day hiking in Patagonia, and this post is going out without me touching a thing.

Here's what's happening while I'm off-grid:

My team of 5 is running Impact Innovator OS.

My masterclass funnel is converting at 40%.

My clients are getting transformed through our frameworks.

My content is going out on schedule.

All without me touching a single thing.

This isn't a flex. This is what systems are actually FOR.

Most founders build systems to do MORE work.

I built systems so I could completely CHECK OUT.

Here's the billion-dollar buyer intelligence  Category-of-one founders know:

Your business isn't scalable if it can't run without you for a week.

Not "kind of run."

Not "survive."

Actually SCALE.

So here's my challenge for you:

Could your business scale for a week without you?

If not, you don't have a business. You have a job with extra steps.

The frameworks that make this possible:

✓ Masterclass funnel that converts without you on the call
✓ Team that owns outcomes, not just tasks
✓ Content systems scheduled weeks in advance
✓ Client delivery that doesn't depend on YOUR calendar

This is what 7-figure operations actually look like.

Not busier. FREER.

Enjoy this post. It went out while I was watching the sunrise over the Andes. 

If your business can't run without you, it will never scale beyond you 

DM Masterclass to find out how it's done

Why Amazon rejected me (and why I'm so glad they did)

Years ago, I interviewed at Amazon.

Final round.

They loved my buyer intelligence - the deep intuition to know WHAT in a brand or founder makes them sell and scale.

But in the end, they said no.

Why?

They wanted someone "data-driven."

I was "intuition-driven."

I even told them in the interview: "You need more high-impact offers with strong visual appeal - not just more stuff for stuff's sake."

They wanted rules. Systems. Data models that could be replicated.

I wanted to trust the intuition I'd been building since I was 5 years old - helping my Dad choose his sell-out brands.

That intuition isn't pointing a finger in the wind and praying.

It's buyer pattern recognition built over decades. It's billion-dollar buyer intelligence that sees what data misses.

Here is what I see data misses:

The cultural shifts before they show up in numbers
The founder energy that creates movements
The purpose that makes brands irreplaceable
Quality over quantity - high-impact over endless SKUs

Amazon chose data over intuition.

I walked away grateful.
Two weeks ago proved I was right.

Amazon laid off 14,000 people.
Most of them were brilliant at their jobs. That's not why they got cut.

Here's what actually happened:

They got cut because of commoditization.
The exact thing I warned them about in that interview.
When you optimize for "more stuff for stuff's sake," everything becomes replaceable. Including the people making it.

When your business model is built on endless commoditized products, AI can do that. Systems can do that. You don't need human intuition or judgment.

But when you build high-impact, Category-of-One offers with purpose?

You become irreplaceable.

The Old Way: Corporate Reality

Even "good" employees are getting cut
AI + "bureaucracy reduction" = you're expendable

Commoditization = anyone can do your job

The New Way: Purpose-Driven Reality

YOUR mission can't be replaced by AI
YOUR vision IS the business
You're building something that MATTERS, not just margins

Category-of-One = only YOU can do this

The Difference:

Amazon: 14,000 people woke up expendable
Purpose-driven founders: Wake up ESSENTIAL to their mission
Corporate: Optimize for quarterly profits
Purpose: Optimize for impact + sustainability
Commoditized business: Replaceable
Category-of-One business: Irreplaceable

This is why I chose to build my own purpose-driven business instead.

Because I knew I'd always be expendable there.

Those 14,000 Amazon employees? Talented. Skilled. Committed.

But they were building someone else's commoditized dream.

I chose to build my own Category-of-One mission.

And now I help purpose-driven founders do the same: become so essential to their market that they can never be replaced.

Not just another business. A mission only YOU can lead.

Ready to become irreplaceable? Join my masterclass Monday, November 17th, 12pm CT: 

https://lnkd.in/dqNVxTFy

Trust Your Intuition 

People often ask me my secret to helping founders sell out (here it is in 60 seconds)

People decide whether to buy you (or not) before they meet you.

My job for over a decade was to hunt out cool founders and brands and give them 6, 7, and 8 figure orders in the process.

Thousands of founders would bang on my door, and I would ignore them.

The one secret that made me buy - those who had a community of raving fans.

When you build that community, people hunt the world for you.

That's why I hunted out the coolest founders from the basements of Berlin (and your clients will too).

Those Berlin basement founders weren't trying to be seen everywhere. 

They had cult status among the buyers who mattered. 

That's what made them irresistible - and expensive.

This is exactly what I teach my clients to build. Not mass visibility. Cult status with your Dream 100.

The Dream 100 Formula:

Element 1: Category-of-One Thought Leadership

Become THE voice your Dream 100 follows (not one of many)

Element 2: Movement Building

Create strategic content and events - they feel part of something bigger

Element 3: Strategic Partnership Network

Credible leaders amplify your reach 24/7 - network effects compound your authority

Element 4: Founder-Led Sales System

Everything connects: your leadership → your movement → your partnerships → 24/7 inbound sales

When these 4 elements integrate, you stop chasing. You build a movement that sells 24/7.

Real status isn't about being seen by everyone. It's about being found by the right people.

Your Dream 100 is hunting for you right now.

Sign up to my newsletter to discover how to make sure they find you.

https://lnkd.in/dsVQABvv

Build Your Raving Fans In 60 Seconds

My client https://lnkd.in/d4TNyHCu Simon Lüthi just hit Best Personal Transformation Book of 2025.

We met on Zoom. Him in Seattle. Me in London.

And within the first 15 minutes, I felt it.

That energy that says: this founder is going to change the world.

Simon had created something pioneering - Transmutation Design™. Bringing energy work to corporations. Teaching leaders how to lead without burning out.

He'd lived the journey. Corporate executive → cancer → self-healing → building an entirely new methodology.

But here's what he told me on that call:

"I can't get people to understand what I do. I know it works. I've transformed my own life and my clients' lives. But I can't simplify it."

30 days later, we had it.

His Category-of-One. Crystal clear.

Not through a course. Not through an accelerator.

Through personal 1-1 work with me and the Impact Innovator OS peer group community

Where I could see him, feel his energy, and pull the thread that made everything click.

The breakthrough in 30 days:

Transmutation Design™ - defined and scalable
How to develop Intuitive Intelligence for executive decision-making
The framework Top 1% leaders trust
The positioning that opened global doors

The results in 60 days:

Best Personal Transformation Book of 2025
#1 New Release
High-ticket deals flowing
Top global partners reaching out

This is why I only invite 2 new founders to join Impact Innovator per month.

Because this level of breakthrough clarity doesn't come from templates or group coaching

It comes from personal 1-1 work where I can see YOUR specific genius and help you make it scalable.

Simon is now transforming how corporations lead.

And it started with one Zoom call where I saw what was possible.

Want to see what transformation looks like?

Read Simon's book "Becoming the Rocket Shaman": https://a.co/d/hGUzIGK

Then join my masterclass to build YOUR Category-of-One: Monday November 17th, 12pm CT: https://lnkd.in/dqNVxTFy

Together we will transform our world.

A friend calls me 'Stara' - Sara + star. I light up every room I enter. 

Not because I'm performing, but because I stopped proving.

Here is how I started to operate from self love rather than self loathing, proving or trying

I used to think magnetism came from doing more, being more,  or trying more

I thought if I just worked harder or closed that next deal

I would feel worthy, but it never happened

The more I tried to feel worthy by achieving, the less I achieved    

Then I realised: buyers don't choose you

UNTIL YOU CHOOSE YOURSELF

When I began to choose myself

Buyers choose me  because they FELT I was honouring my own light

Here are my 7 light warrior mastery tips for you

Implement them (and thank yourself later) 
 
1. Make decisions from your throne, not the gallery. You're not trying to earn the seat - you're already in it.

2. Stop treating your spiritual practice like a side hobby. 

My 1-2 hours of Buddhist chanting daily isn't "woo woo" 

It's the foundation that enables me to shine my light on the world.

3. Build relationships that nurture you, and do not extract from you.

Real radiance attracts =  real relationships. 

My top 1% network exists because we elevate each other, not use each other.

4. Understand that elevating your  consciousness and results aren't separate. 

Make time to do more elevating and receive more results = Simple Math

5. Stop asking "Am I enough?" and start asking "Is this a match for my frequency?" 

Not everyone gets access to your light; protect it.

6. Become known as number one in your purpose. Not by shouting louder, but by integrating your own light deeper.

7. Realise: the work you do on yourself IS the work that scales your business. 

They're not two paths. They're one becoming.

The moment I stopped proving my worth and started operating from it? 

My Results upgraded. My team upgraded. My entire reality shifted.

Not because I learned a new strategy. Because I let go and allowed my light to shine

This weekend, allow yourself permission to let go and allow your light to shine.

And ask yourself 

What would change if you stopped proving and started being? 

For more insights, sign up for my Impact Innovator newsletter here:

https://lnkd.in/dsVQABvv

Together, we will transform our world

Love Sara

My 7 Light Warrior Tips To Scale

Your Purpose Is Your Compass To Success When The World Feels Like It's Spinning Out Of Control (Like Now)

Read the news, and you'd never get out of bed.

(That's why I stopped reading it years ago.)

With the right formula to share your purpose with the world, you thrive and scale 24/7, no matter what is going on

Even if the zombies come! :)

Here is my advise: Proven over 20 years choosing which brands people buy and don't buy

If you want to scale, go INWARD to the heart of your unique innovation - and simplify it, that is what your dream buyers want.

Stop listening to the jungle drums of uncertainty and fear from the media, from well meaning friends, from family.

Start listening to really hard facts on purpose-driven data.

Here's what the data shows:

Purpose-driven businesses: 31% hit double-digit growth

Everyone else: 21% PWC

And this was WHILE the market dropped from 43% to 25% overall, PWC

Translation: When things get harder, the purpose gap gets WIDER.

Why purpose wins in chaos:

IBM's purpose: "Make a connected world smarter" 

Result: This mission became the focus of 25% of their research in year one - salesforce

Their Smarter Cities mission innovation delivered:

Stockholm: 22% traffic reduction + $92M revenue gain Salesforce
Malta: 15% water savings, 25% energy reduction salesforce
100+ cities transformed
Here's what billion-dollar buyer intelligence taught me:

When you can't see the path forward, purpose becomes your decision filter.

Most founders spin-chasing every lead, every trend, every "strategy."

Category-of-one founders ask ONE question: "Does this align with my unique purpose?"

That keeps you moving forward while everyone else panics.

Your unique purpose is your secret sauce to 7 and 8 figures.

Not your framework.

Not your funnel.

Your PURPOSE is what buyers actually want.

If you want to supercharge your results, the data is clear:-

Stop listening to the jungle drums of fear.
Start leaning into what makes you a category-of-one.

To get clarity on your unique purpose, DM "CLARITY" and I'll send you a private invitation to our upcoming masterclass.

The world wants YOUR purpose, turned up loud FACT

Purpose Your Key To Success

This is what purpose looks like in action. 💚

Together we will transform our world

Love Sara

Why do brilliant founders stay invisible, while others with weaker offers become no.1?

I have spent years uncovering what makes billion-dollar buyers choose one purpose led business over every other.

On November 17 at 12 PM CST, I'm hosting a live private masterclass revealing the 5 virtually unknown secrets that make customers choose your offer instantly

AND actually buy what you’re selling.

Here's what you'll learn:

1.⁠ ⁠Why being “different” keeps you stuck and what buyers really use to decide who wins the deal.

2.⁠ ⁠How some founders sell out $200K launches in 24 hours (without ads).

3.⁠ ⁠The 2 hidden secrets that make growth sustainable instead of a one-time spike.

This isn’t just another boring marketing class.

This is a live behind-the-scenes breakdown of the exact buyer psychology I've used to approve $100M+ in deals.

It's the same frameworks that have helped hundreds of purpose-led founders have the roadmap to scale to $1M to $50M and beyond without the need for outside experts.

👉 Seats are limited.

Register now and get the pre-video series before the live session.

Save your seat here: https://lnkd.in/daGbCRjA

Hamza Abuqalbeen, Damini Chomal and 13 other attendees

5 Billion-Dollar Buyer Secrets That Make Customers Choose You

This time next week, I will be starting a hike in El Chalten Patagonia Fulfilling a life Dream

To walk the path of innovators

I made myself this dream 10 years ago when I wanted to quit being a purpose led founder

Here is what saved me

The Innovator: Yvon Chouinard who founded Patagonia the $Billion Dollar Brand

Chouinard was a broke mountain climber not a business person with a desire to get rich

He simply had a dream to climb mountains

So he taught himself blacksmithing and made awesome mountain equipment.

His friends wanted them. He sold them from his car for $1.50 each.

He didn't set out to build a billion-dollar company.

He just refused to compromise what mattered to him.

When being a purpose led founder got tough for me,

And every bone in my body wanted to quit

I remembered Yvon famous words

"Impossible is the lamest of excuses" Yvon Chouinard

And I realised quitting does not make life easier

It just delays your dreams from being realised - because your dreams don't quit

They keep going back to haunt you - until you realise them

What stopped me from quitting was realising

Everything is "figurable outable" - Including how to build sustainable growth

Like Yvon for mountain climbers, I did the same for purpose led founders

When there was no roadmap for what I wanted to achieve, and help founders achieve

I figured out the roadmap over 10 years

And build the solution - Impact Innovator OS

What would you do if you knew your purpose was the path not the obstacle?

My Systems = Permission To Let Go

Systems aren't about control.

They're about permission to let go.

Most founders think systems mean MORE structure, MORE rules, MORE micromanaging.

They're building prisons, not processes.

Here's what I know with billion-dollar buyer intelligence:

The best systems don't need you watching them.

They need you TRUSTING them.

I just spent a week in Patagonia. Zero Slack. Zero check-ins.

My team ran the business.

My masterclass converted at 40%.
My clients got a transformation.
My content went out flawlessly.

Not because I had cameras on everyone.

Because I built systems that give my team permission to OWN their outcomes.

The difference between control systems and freedom systems:

Control systems: "Here's exactly how to do it, check with me before every decision"
Freedom systems: "Here's the outcome we need, here's the framework, you own the how"

Control systems: Team waits for your approval
Freedom systems: Team makes decisions and moves forward

Control systems: You're the bottleneck
Freedom systems: You're irrelevant to daily operations

That last one? That's the goal.

This is the shift:

Stop asking: "How do I build systems so I know what's happening?"
Start asking: "How do I build systems so I don't NEED to know what's happening?"

Your business will scale the day you become irrelevant to its daily operations.

Not because you abandoned it.

Because you built systems that give everyone else permission to own it.

That's not losing control. That's gaining freedom.

You have the power to protect your peace

I knew my billion-dollar buyer secrets were powerful (Join me at 12 PM CT time today LIVE)

I will be sharing all 5 secrets with you:

How you can get more customers to buy your purpose led offer ( while doing less) 

Why?

Your success is what drives me. 

Watching you break through, exit successfully, own your positioning, regain your confidence, this is why I built these systems.

Here are some of our recent 5 Star Trust pilot  Reviews

"I used Sara's knowledge to fine-tune elements which were decisive for the sale. I exited successfully while taking my company to the next level."
– Paula

"With Sara's support, we confidently stepped into a 'category of one' position—owning what makes our brand distinct and valuable. Within weeks, we were executing with focus and seeing measurable traction."
– Vanessa

"Sara's guidance helps you regain confidence back in your very own unique business value proposition."
– Sarita

"Sara's focused guidance helped me reconnect with the deeper purpose behind my work and articulate my value with much more confidence."
– Pramila

If you want the same results, join us today at 12 PM CT.

I'm teaching the 5 Billion-Dollar Buyer Secrets that get more customers to buy your purpose-led offer.

https://lnkd.in/dqNVxTFy

Sara

Mountains don't apologize for taking up space.

Neither should you.

Before I start working with founders many feel like this 

(and its natural by the way, its an old in built operating systems that needs to change)

They shrink their offers to feel "more accessible."

They soften their prices to avoid "being too much."

They dim their genius to not "intimidate" people.

Here is why that old operating system needs to change:

Working as a  billion-dollar buyer taught me this:

The most magnetic founders never apologize for taking up space.

Not because they're arrogant.

Because they know their PRESENCE is their value.

Mountains don't say:

"Sorry for being so tall."

"Maybe I should be smaller so you're more comfortable."

"Let me make myself less imposing."

They just ARE.

Solid. Unmovable. Unapologetic.

Today embrace this: You are allowed to:

Charge premium prices without justifying them

Have standards that eliminate 90% of people

Take up space in your industry

Be too much for some people

Shine without dimming for anyone's comfort

Stop asking permission to take up space.

Just take it.

Most founders think they need better branding, more content, or a “stronger niche” to convert buyers.

But that’s not why they’re being ignored.

Meanwhile, competitors with weaker offers…
smaller audiences…
and zero differentiation…

Are closing deals faster.

After spending years in high-level rooms where multi-million-dollar buying decisions happen, I learned something most founders never hear:

Buyers don’t choose the most impressive offer.

They choose the offer that triggers 5 specific psychological buying switches.

And almost no one is using them.

On December 8 at 12 PM CST, I’m hosting a private masterclass where we’re breaking down these 5 buyer switches in detail.

Not theory.
Not generic “positioning advice.”
But the exact mechanisms top buyers use to say yes - fast.

Here’s a preview of what you’ll learn:

1. Why “standing out” is often the reason you’re NOT getting chosen, and what buyers actually look for instead.

2. The strategy behind founders who sell out 200K launches in a single day without ads, funnels, or giant teams.

3. The hidden systems that turn unpredictable sales into steady, compounding growth.

These are the same frameworks I used to greenlight over $100M+ in deals, and founders have used them to scale from $1M to $50M without burning cash or hiring bloated agencies.

This masterclass is not public, and seats are extremely limited.

Everyone who registers gets access to the pre-training video series before we go live.

🔗 Reserve your spot: https://lnkd.in/dqNVxTFy

If you sell expertise, transformation, or innovation, don’t miss this. This one session could change how buyers see you forever.

Don't Fake It Till You Make It"

Starbucks just admitted what most brands won't:

Their purpose strategy misfired.

CEO Brian Niccol told Axios: "We had this strategy that was just a misfire of a purpose-driven store. It's like, well, the purpose is community connection. I think that's what got us off our game." TheStreet

Wait.

A $103B company with 40,000+ locations worldwide just said their PURPOSE got them OFF their game?

Here's what happened:

Starbucks tried to be everything to everyone.

Purpose became so broad it meant nothing.

Community connection? Great. But if your baristas can't make coffee fast enough, you've lost the plot.

Niccol's fix?

Go back to basics. "Above all else, a coffee company." Craver

This is the billion-dollar buyer intelligence lesson:

Purpose isn't about adding MORE missions to your business.

Purpose is about knowing your ONE thing so clearly that every decision flows from it.

The difference between purpose-washing and purpose as your operating system:

Say No To:- Brands trying to save the world while their core product suffers

Say Yes To: Brands whose purpose IS their product excellence

Look at Patagonia:

They don't talk about being a clothing company that cares about the environment.

They're an environmental company that makes clothing to fund the mission.
See the difference?

One is purpose bolted ON.

One is purpose built IN.

Most founders make Starbucks' mistake:

They add purpose to their pitch deck, their website, and their social posts.

But their operations? Still running on old systems that contradict everything they claim to stand for.

Category-of-one founders don't fake purpose till they make it.

They BUILD their entire business FROM purpose.

Every hire. Every offer. Every client decision.

Either it aligns with your purpose, or it doesn't belong in your business.

Don't fake it till you make it.

Make it real, or don't make it at all. 

Sign up to my newsletter here, for weekly strategic  on how to Be Impactful

https://lnkd.in/dsVQABvv

Read this if you want to stop  feeling like walking through GOOP growing your business 

$2M+ business.

And the founder wanted to quit.

Not because there business wasn't profitable.

Because every day felt like walking through GOOP.

Heavy. Sticky. Exhausting.

Never breaking through to the other side.

Here's what I heard on our first call:

"I'm working 60+ hour weeks. 

My offers convert, but they feel... generic. 

My thought leadership? Non-existent. 

I'm just another founder saying the same things everyone else is saying."

"I feel like I'm wading through mud. Every single day."

The problem wasn't work ethic.

The problem was no CATEGORY-OF-ONE positioning.

No billion-dollar buyer intelligence telling her what to say yes to and what to walk away from.

Just endless tasks, endless clients, endless sameness.

We worked together for 6 months.

Here's what shifted:

BEFORE: Walking through GOOP

Felt invisible in a crowded market
Working harder, not smarter
Burnt out from trying to be everything to everyone
Thought leadership? What thought leadership?

AFTER: Thriving in clarity

Category-of-one positioning that makes her MAGNETIC
Optimized offer that converts without her on every call
Team that owns outcomes, not just tasks
Thought leadership that positions her as THE expert

The difference?

This founder stopped trying to compete.
Started leading from unique genius.

The transformation:

Heavy → Light
Stuck → Flow
Invisible → Magnetic
Exhausted → Energized
Generic → Category-of-One

Same business. Different operating system.

Here's what I heard after 6 months:

"I finally feel like I'm running my business instead of my business running me. 

I'm not walking through GOOP anymore. I'm flying."

This is what's possible when you stop:

Trying to do what everyone else is doing

Working harder to prove your worth

Building offers that require YOU to deliver everything

And start:

✓ Operating from your category-of-one positioning
✓ Leading from inherent worth, not proving worth
✓ Building systems that give you permission to let go

Change the system. Change everything. 

One Day Or Day One You Decide

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The Battle

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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);}Paul Upton's LinkedIn Performance

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