Paul Upton

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!

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

👉 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

I don’t believe in dream jobs.
I believe in leaders who build trust, respect, and great workplaces.

A dream job means nothing if the culture breaks you.

Every day, I see workplaces that:

❌ Hurt mental health
❌ Damage relationships
❌ Block real career growth

But I also see how the right leader can change everything.

Bad leadership looks like this:

❌ Keeping secrets
❌ Ignoring feedback
❌ Forgetting to praise
❌ Avoiding tough talks
❌ Letting bullying happen
❌ Not helping people grow
❌ Showing bias and losing trust
❌ Thinking only about their own gain
❌ Making random choices that confuse
❌ Playing favorites and dividing teams
❌ Giving too much work and burning people out

Great leaders do the opposite:

✅ Set clear goals
✅ Act with honesty
✅ Put well-being first
✅ Cheer for new ideas
✅ Listen and show care
✅ Stay open and honest
✅ Accept people as they are
✅ Share feedback that helps
✅ Give real trust and freedom
✅ Make everyone feel included

✅ Work together and lead by example

I have spent years leading teams and hiring top talent.

What I know is simple:

People stay for respect, growth, and peace of mind.

If you are searching for a new role,
Pray for a leader who lifts you up,
Not a title that sounds good on paper.

Everyone deserves a workplace where they can thrive.

♻️ Share this with someone who needs to see what leaders can do.
➕ Follow me for more on leadership and career growth.

No alternative text description for this image

70 interviews. 0 offers.
Next 10 interviews. 7 offers.
Here's what I changed...

Same person.
Different approach.

Here’s what changed:

- I stopped searching for that “right” answer
- I realized every hiring manager wants something different
- I focused on building real conversation, not rehearsed responses

The truth is:

- No one is perfect
- No answer is perfect
- Most people interview well enough to get in the room

But what makes you stand out?

It’s connection.

Hiring managers remember who understands their pain
Who listens
Who asks the right questions
Who shows they care about the work

Here’s how I flipped the script:

→ I listened first
→ I spoke honestly about my experience (no buzzwords)
→ I asked what frustrated them most about the role
→ I shared how I could help solve those headaches

Winning interviews are not about being the “ideal” candidate.

They’re about being real.
Being relatable.
Showing you want to solve real problems.

If you want more job offers—work on building trust, not perfect answers.

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

Comment "Connect" below if you want to learn how to build relationships that get results.

HR: We're promoting someone else to Director.

Her: I've led this department for 3 years. We hit 147% of target.

HR: You're a strong performer, but we don't think you're ready for leadership.

Her: Who did you select?

HR: Someone from outside. He has "executive presence."

Her: What does that mean?

HR: He interviews well.

---

She trained that external hire for 4 months.

He asked her how she built the systems that made the team successful.

She smiled and said nothing.

4 months later with LeaderUP's help,
So she could "interview well" too.

She accepted a Senior Director role elsewhere.

$65,000 more.
Direct reports: 34.
Scope: National.

Three weeks into her new role, her old company called.

"The new Director didn't work out. Would you consider coming back?"

Her answer: "No thank you."

---

If your company can't see your value, stop trying to convince them.

The right company will compete for you.

Not make you compete for recognition you've already earned.

Would you have waited—or walked?

♻️ Repost to help someone stuck in the same situation.

They reality was she was leading the entire department.

Stop waiting for your boss to decide you’re ready. Start acting like the market already has. 

Same talk.
Different year.

“You’re doing great work... but not ready yet.”

Next year:

“Love your impact... need more time in role.”

Year three:

“Keep doing what you’re doing... almost there.”

Meanwhile:

• “Not ready for VP” but you lead VP-level initiatives  
• “Need more experience” after you deliver $2M in results  
• “Work on visibility” while you train executives in every town hall  

You are not “not ready.”

You are not their priority.

The truth is:

• Readiness is subjective  
• Promotions are political  
• Gatekeeping hides behind “development feedback”  

You sit in calibration meetings as a fly on the wall.

They say:

“Let us see one more year.”  
“Who would back this promotion?”  
“Can we afford to lose them if they leave?”  

Those decisions say more about their risk and budget than your talent.

Here is your permission statement:

You do not need their permission to know your worth.  

You do not need one more “stretch assignment” to prove what you already do.  

You do not need to stay stuck in “almost ready” while others leapfrog you.  

The moment I started working with someone outside my company who could look at my skills without politics or history, everything changed.

We mapped my real scope.  
We priced my value to the market.  
We built a story that matched my impact, not my title.

Offers showed up from places that saw me as already ready.

You are not asking for a favor when you level up.

You are correcting an outdated view of your value.

How many years have you been “almost ready”?

Exceeded all goals.
Still got “Meets Expectations.” That’s not feedback, that’s politics.

My performance review made no sense.
Until I realized it was not about performance.

Here is what it said:

- “Exceeded all goals” → Rating: Meets Expectations
- “Strongest quarter in 3 years” → “Room for improvement”
- “Led the most successful launch” → “Needs more visibility”
- “Team retention at 95%” → “Work on leadership presence”

Director title.
Top results.
Blocked promotion.

Every time I asked what to do next, the answer changed.

One quarter it was: “You need more cross functional impact.”
I did that.

Next quarter it was: “You need more executive presence.”
I did that.

Next cycle: “We need to see this level sustained longer.”

When the goalposts keep moving, you are not playing the game.
You are the game.

The truth is: that review was not about my growth.
It was about their needs.

They needed:

- My numbers high
- My team stable
- My cost in the same box

Working with a career strategist was the shift.

They helped me see the pattern:
They needed me performing, not promoted.

Once I saw that, everything changed.

I stopped chasing vague feedback.
I stopped waiting for permission.
I built a plan to get to a place that matched my value.

If your review says “excellent work” but your rating says “stay in your lane,” that is data.
Not about your worth.
About their priorities.

Has your feedback ever contradicted your results?

Imagine training someone for 6 months.

Then hearing they’re your replacement for the VP role you fought for.

That is what happened to a Director before they started coaching with us.

12 years in one company.
Top reviews.
Clear promise of “You’re next for VP.”

Then leadership came with a “development opportunity.”

“Can you mentor our new hire? Great exposure for you. A chance to show your leadership.”

For 6 months, they poured everything into that person:

- Strategy
- Stakeholders
- Politics
- How to run the team when things go bad

Late nights. Extra calls. Deck reviews. Shadowing meetings.

Then the town hall.

“We’ve decided to go in a different direction for the VP role.”

The “direction” was the person they had trained.
Announced as VP.
Public praise.

No warning.
No honest talk.
No path forward.

They smiled, clapped on camera, then went home and broke down.

Here is what changed everything:

Working with a strategic career coach helped them see patterns they had been blind to for years.

- Loyalty did not lead to growth there
- They were already acting like a VP
- The market would pay for that level of impact

We rebuilt their story.
Repositioned their experience.
Targeted true VP roles.

In a few short months, they landed a VP position at a new company that valued their leadership.

40% pay increase.
Real authority.
Real respect.

Same person.
Different employer.

Sometimes the people holding you back are not your competition-they are your employer.

Has this happened to you?

If a reorg already has a deck and you never saw a draft,
you’re not being “aligned.” You’re being moved.

It is never “just a reorg.”
Someone benefits.
Someone loses.

A Senior Director I spoke with led a 15-person team.
High performer. Strong results. Great reviews.

Then one Friday: “Strategic restructure to drive efficiency.”

By Monday:
• Team cut from 15 to 3
• Scope reduced by 60%
• New org chart already in a polished slide deck

They were told: “You are still valued here.”

But here is what changed:
• Their “consolidated” team now sat under a less experienced leader
• Their title stayed the same, but the work got smaller
• They now reported to a former peer
• Key responsibilities were “redistributed” with no discussion
• The announcement went out before they even had a 1:1

The uncomfortable truth:
Reorgs are decided in closed rooms.
If you are surprised, you were not in the room.

When you see these signs, you are not paranoid. You are being messaged.

You are being told:
• “We want your knowledge, not your power.”
• “We want your name on the slide, not your voice in the room.”
• “We want you to exit yourself so we do not have to.”

Strategic leaders see the pattern early,
rebuild their story, and move to roles where their scope grows again.

They stop asking, “Why is this happening to me?”
They start asking, “How do I position myself before the next move hits?”

Have you ever been blindsided by a “strategic restructure”?

Dear Manager-turned-Job-Seeker:
The Applicant Tracking System (ATS) wasn’t built to find talent.
It was built to eliminate humans at scale.

Reality check
• 75% of your résumé never meets human eyes.
• “Must have 10 years of GenAI experience” = recruiter copy-paste, not a real requirement.
• Perfect keyword match? You just joined a digital cattle herd 300 deep.

Want interviews?
⭐ Bypass the bot. Get warm intros.
⭐ Solve a visible problem before you apply.
⭐ Talk to the budget owner—not the HR gatekeeper.
⭐  Position yourself in a compelling way.

Swipe left on the algorithm. Swipe right on real conversations.
Tag someone still obsessing over ATS scorecards.

Leaving after 1–2 years is not “job hopping” anymore.
It is risk management in 2026.

Markets shift fast. Reorgs hit fast. Layoffs hit fast.
You are not “unstable” for:

• Leaving after a Reorg that quietly erased your path to promotion
• Moving when your scope explodes but your title and pay stay flat
• Exiting a “stretch role” that stretches only your stress, not your skills
• Walking away when “next cycle” becomes the answer for the third year in a row
• Choosing a company that values your impact over one that values your silence

The uncomfortable truth:
They have a strategy for their org chart.
You need a strategy for your career.

From what I see with $150K–$500K leaders every week:

Leaders who stay “loyal” to the wrong company get:
• 2–3% bumps and vague promises
• More work, same title
• A slow leak in confidence and energy

Leaders who move with intention get:
• 25–30% pay jumps
• Real Director/VP scope
• Leaders who can state their value in one clear sentence

I lived this in my own path.
Every time I moved with a clear target and story, my career jumped.
Every time I waited “one more year,” growth stalled.

The new loyalty is this:
Loyalty to your future.
Loyalty to your health.
Loyalty to the leader you are becoming.

Companies that deserve you:
Build real paths, pay for impact, and treat you like a grown adult.

Companies that shame “job hoppers”:
Use guilt, low raises, and fear to keep strong people stuck.

Your career is not a lifetime sentence.
It is a series of strategic moves you make on purpose.

If you’re not being developed, paid, and positioned…
𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗼.

So choose one today:
A) Secure the internal path (with dates + scope)
B) Start the exit plan (quiet + intentional)

Comment “PLAN” and I’ll share the exact formula I use with $150K–$500+K leaders.

carousel.pdf

He asked to leave early for his kid’s school event. Then he started to give me all the reasons. I told him, “You don’t need to explain. Just go.”  

Work from home? Fine.  
Come in late after a doctor’s visit? Fine.  
Block 2 hours mid-day for therapy, gym, or rest? Fine.  

I don’t need a full story for every calendar change.  
I need clear outcomes and honest communication.  

Here is what I care about as a leader:  
You deliver what you own.  
You keep your word.  
You support the team and the client.  

How you do that in a week will look different for everyone.  
Some move fast in the morning.  
Some hit their stride at night.  
Some need space in the middle to be a present parent or to take care of their health.  

The truth is: top talent does not stay where they feel watched.  
They stay where they feel trusted.  

When leaders obsess over chairs and clock time, they lose:  
Creative energy  
Real loyalty  
Their best people  

When they focus on impact and trust, they gain:  
Better decisions  
Stronger ownership  
Leaders who grow faster  

You are not a time-stamp.  
You are a leader delivering real results in a real life.  

The future of leadership is not “butts in seats.”  
The future is flexible work with clear expectations and real trust.  

How long will you keep treating grown leaders like kids who need a hall pass to live their lives?

HR: We would like to make you an offer of $265,000 plus a 30% annual bonus.

Candidate: Thanks. I'd like to have a deeper discussion. What does work-life look like on this team?

HR: It is a high-visibility role. Leaders here are expected to be “all in.”

Candidate: Can you be specific? What does that mean week to week?

HR: Most leaders are online late. Weekends happen when needed. We look for people who go the extra mile.

Candidate: Are there some clear boundaries around evenings, weekends, and vacations?

HR: At this level, we expect leaders to do what it takes to meet the goals.

Candidate: Then I will have to pass.

-

This is the shift I see every day with strong leaders.

They are not only asking:
“How much does it pay?”

They are asking:
“What will this cost my health?”
“What will this cost my family?”
“What will this cost my future self?”

Money is important.
Scope is important.
Title is important.

But so are:
Sleep.
Time with people you love.
Work you actually believe in.
Leaders who respect your limits.

The truth is:
Your next offer is not just a number.
𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁.

You are not only negotiating salary.
You are negotiating 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲.

How long have you been saying yes to roles that cost you more than they pay you?

You prepare for the snow.
But do you prepare to enjoy your life?

Over the last few days, we had a lot of snow.
As the storm came in, we did what most people did.

We prepared.

• Bought salt for the driveway and sidewalk
• Stocked up on food and water
• Picked up a stack of library books in case we lost power

Lists, tasks, "need to do" items.
All important. All smart.

I saw how easy it was to stop there.
To only plan for problems.
To only prepare for what could go wrong.

But life is not only about clearing the driveway.

Life is also about the snowman.

In the middle of everything, we went outside.
We felt the cold air.
We rolled snow into big, heavy balls.
We built a snowman.

Simple joy.
Zero productivity.
High return.

Here is what many high performers forget:

• You prepare for risk, but not for joy
• You plan for work, but not for play
• You protect your time, but not your energy

In careers, it looks like this:

• You update the resume
• You grind for the promotion
• You say yes to more work

But you forget to design a life you enjoy living.

Next time you prepare for the storm, ask yourself:
Where is the snowman in your plan?

What would change in your career if you prepared not only to survive, but to enjoy your life too?

5 things you say in interviews that kill your chances. Stop making these mistakes.

“Thanks, I think we covered everything. I don’t have any questions.”

As a hiring leader, when I hear this, my brain says:

“Pass.”

The truth is: your words in an interview sell you or sink you. Fast.

Here are 5 phrases that quietly kill offers - and what I want to hear instead. ➡️

1) “I don’t have any questions.”

To me this says: low interest, low prep.

Say instead:
• “What are the top goals for this team in the next 6–12 months?”
• “If someone excels here, what do they do differently?”

Curious people win.

2) “I’ll take any job right now.”

I know the market is hard. I get it.

But desperation makes me think you say yes to any offer, any culture, any job.

Say instead:
• “I am focused on roles where I can use my strengths in X and Y.”
• “Here is why this role and company fit what I want next.”

Clear focus beats desperation.

3) “Autonomy is really critical for me.”

As a leader, I need people who can take input and still own strategy and results.

Say instead:
• “I value clear direction at the start, then space to execute.”
• “Helpful feedback from my leader helped me do X and Y.”

Coachability is a MUST at $150K, $250K, $500K+ levels.

4) “I don’t have any weaknesses.”

When I hear this, I hear: low self awareness.

Say instead:
• Name one real gap.
• Show how you work on it.
Example: “I used to avoid hard talks with my team. I worked on it by doing X. Now I do Y.”

Owning your growth is a green flag. ✅

5) “I'm looking for a challenge.  My last company didn’t really challenge me.”

I may agree with you inside, however, it sounds dismissive rather than driven.

Say instead:
• “I’m looking for a role that pushes me to learn faster and take on bigger challenges — your team’s projects sound like the perfect environment for that.”
• “I learned a lot there, but now I’m ready for bigger challenges to stretch my skills.”

If you’re ready to elevate your interview game and position yourself as a top performer — connect or DM me.  Let's get you the offer, not just the interview.

Yesterday, you said “after this reorg.”
Last quarter, you said “after bonus.”
Last year, you said “when the market calms down.”

There is nothing more painful than watching your career stay smaller than your potential.

7 brutal truths about staying stuck in the wrong role:

1. You “research” but never commit  
↳ Reading job posts is not a search. It is scrolling.

2. You update your resume more than your strategy  
↳ Resumes without a clear target are just decoration.

3. You wait for the “right timing”  
↳ Timing does not rescue you. Positioning does.

4. You have “reasons” your company will change  
↳ Hoping your boss wakes up one day is not a plan.

5. You fear a no more than you fear wasting years  
↳ A no is short term. A stalled career is long term.

6. You wait for confidence before you move  
↳ Confidence follows action, not the other way around.

7. You know this role is done for you but you stay  
↳ You do not need more signs. You need a decision.

The market is shifting with or without you.
Reorgs are planned with or without you.
Your title, pay, and peace move only when you do.

How long will you keep paying the hidden tax of waiting for “later” instead of building the role and life you actually want?

Share this with someone who has outgrown their role but is still on the fence about their next move.

The hardest problem is the one you keep avoiding. I used to waste years on easier wins.

In my career and in business, I learned to “optimize” everything.

New projects.
New tools.
New ideas.

But I was avoiding the real work.

The truth is:
Your biggest risk is not one stupid decision.
Your biggest risk is spending years on the second, third, and fourth best moves.

I saw this first as a leader.

We had teams that were “fine.”
Leaders who were “okay.”

But “fine” was the problem.

The real issue was culture and talent.
Fixing that meant hard talks, new standards, and turning people who were not a fit.
Morale dropped before it got better.

Six months in, it looked worse, not better.
But it was still the right decision.

The same pattern shows up in careers.

You:
• Tweak your resume again
• Take one more “safe” internal role
• Say yes to more work without more pay

All smart moves on paper.
All easy wins.

But you avoid the hardest problem:

• Your company will not grow with you
• Your boss will not promote you
• Your role will never match your potential

Real growth feels heavy.
Real growth feels slow.
Real growth can hurt before it helps.

Here is what I learned:

→ Name the hardest problem
→ Remove every distraction that keeps you from facing it
→ Give your solution time to work, even when it feels worse at first

Many of you have half-built bridges in your career.
You were one hard year away from a new level.
You quit in month one.

How long have you been avoiding the hard move that would finally change your career?

You are not “playing it safe.”
You are paying a secret tax for every 6 months you stay stuck.

You tell yourself you are “thinking about” your next move.
You read job posts, watch the market, update your resume a little.

But you do not have a clear strategy.
You are not moving with a plan.

In this economy, that has a cost.

Here is what 6 more months of “testing the waters” with no strategy often looks like:
• Same title
• Same pay
• Same manager
• Same stress

On the outside, nothing looks wrong.
On the inside, you feel it.

You start to pay a slow tax every 6 months:
• Confidence tax → you start to think you are “not ready yet”
• Energy tax → Sunday night feels heavy every week
• Health tax → your body is at home, your mind stays at work
• Money tax → you push back higher pay and bonuses
• Market tax → the market moves, your skills and story do not

I paid that tax in my own career.

I said: “I will move when the timing feels right.”
“I will wait and see what happens after this quarter.”

I watched postings.
I “thought about” moves.
I stayed passive.

Fast forward one year.
Nothing changed for me.
The market changed around me.

Here is the truth I had to face:
I did not have a career problem.
I had a strategy problem.

In a strong economy, you might get away with passive waiting.
You send a few random applications, take a call or two, and something lands.

Today that does not work.

Hiring managers want:
• Clear story
• Clear value
• Clear direction

If you are not clear, they move on fast.

What changed everything for me was when I stopped “thinking about it” and built a real plan.

Here is what I did:
• I chose the exact roles and levels I wanted
• I got clear on the impact I bring in numbers
• I mapped the leaders and companies I wanted to target
• I aligned their needs to my core strengths
• I set weekly actions for outreach, networking chats, applications, and interviews

Once I had the right strategy, doors moved faster.
Not slower.

Recruiters reached out.
Leaders saw me as a top 1% candidate.
Promotional offers showed up that matched my value.

The uncomfortable truth:
Waiting feels safe.
Passive “thinking” feels safe.

But with no strategy, you are not safe.
You are stuck.

In this economy, safety comes from:
• Clear direction
• Clear story
• Consistent action

Not from staying in place for “one more quarter.”

If you feel stuck in a role you have outgrown, you do not need 6 more months of thinking.
You need 6 months of focused strategy.

How would your career look 6 months from now if you stopped testing the waters and started moving with a real plan?

"We just cannot change the comp band. This is the max for your level."

After 6 years of “exceeds expectations” and extra projects, that is what their manager told them.

No real talk about scope.
No clear path to promotion.
No honest data on their market value.

So they stayed.
They told themselves it was safe.
They told themselves next year would be different.

Inside, something started to break.

Confidence dropped.
Energy dropped.
Self-worth dropped.

They stopped asking “What am I worth in the market?”
They started asking “Maybe this is all I get.”

Then a friend pushed them to get the help they needed and to test the market with a clear story and role target.

Four and a half months later, they had three offers:
• Same scope the company said was “too senior” for them
• $42,000 more than they thought was even possible
• Leaders who could explain their value in one clear sentence

That changed everything.

They did not just resign from a company.
They resigned from a low view of their own value.

Here is the truth I see every week with strong leaders:

• They accept “next cycle” instead of checking their real market value
• They wait for a title instead of acting like the owner of their career
• They tie their worth to one manager’s opinion and one pay band
• They do Director-level work while letting self-doubt grow

Your value does not start with a resignation letter.
Your value starts the day you decide to measure yourself by impact and market, not by one company’s limits.

You take control when you:
• Get clear on the roles and level you really want
• Put numbers to your wins so you see your own impact
• Test your story with real leaders, not just job boards
• Decide that “safe” is not safe if it shrinks who you are

The uncomfortable truth:
If you wait until you are broken to move, you carry that damage into your next role.

If you upgrade your view of yourself first, you upgrade every choice after.

How long have you been letting one company define your value?

The next promotion wave is not about more effort.
It’s about clearer positioning.

Here is what I am seeing with Managers, Directors, VPs right now:

They are not getting stuck because of skill.
They are getting stuck because nobody can clearly see where they fit next.

Emerging pattern:

• High performers keep stacking responsibilities
• Titles stay flat for 3–5 years
• Reviews say not “obvious next-level leader”

The shift in companies:

They used to reward loyalty and effort.
Now they reward leaders who are:

• Easy to “place” in the org chart
• Easy to “sell” to senior leadership
• Easy to “explain” in one sentence

In an AI, automation, and layoff-heavy market, your value must be simple and clear.
“Hard worker” is too vague.

What works now:

• Clear target: “Next 12–18 months I aim for Director of X / Head of Y”
• Clear brand: “I lead enterprise transformations that convert complexity into clarity—and strategy into measurable results.”
• Clear proof: 3–5 business outcomes you repeat everywhere, not a long task list

The uncomfortable truth:
If senior leaders cannot explain you in one sentence, they will not fight for your promotion.

In LeaderUP, when clients tighten their positioning, two things happen:

• More direct outreach from hiring managers
• More “You are exactly what we need” conversations in interviews

Not more hustle.
More clarity.

What would change in your career if everyone in your org could explain your value in one simple sentence?

If you never question your choices, you wake up one day and wonder: how did I get here?

Wrong company.
Wrong boss.
Wrong partner.
Wrong life.

You did not choose it.
You drifted into it.

I see this with leaders all the time.

They work like crazy.
They say yes to every ask.
They accept pressure at work and pressure at home.

Then one day they crack.

The truth is:
You do not end up here by one big decision.
You end up here by a thousand small ones you never question.

You say yes to the role you do not want.
You say yes to a culture that drains you.
You say yes to a life you did not design.

You stop asking:
What do I want?
Does this thing help me get it?

High agency starts there.

High agency is:
- Choosing your career on purpose
- Choosing your partner and friends on purpose
- Choosing your rest on purpose

Low agency is:
- Taking the job because “everyone would kill for it”
- Staying in a company that burns you out
- Letting others decide when you are “allowed” to rest

As a leader, you also shape agency for your team.

Your hard workers watch you.
If you never unplug, they will not unplug.
If you never say “take the day, unplug,” they will not feel safe to stop.

Support at home.
Support at work.
Clear choices about what you want.

That mix is where history gets made in your career.

Not by luck.
By design.

How long have you been living on default instead of design?

You don’t need another certification.
You need a clear target, a message, and a strategy.

A tech leader told me:
“I need more time. I want to prepare, refresh, study. Then I start my search.”

Six months later:
No offer.
More courses.
Same result.

Here is what I see with many smart leaders.

They say “I am getting ready” but they:
• Fear a no
• Hide behind more learning
• Hope the perfect role appears

Preparation feels safe.
𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿𝘆.

The truth is:
More skills do not fix a weak story and a random search.

You can add:
• New tools
• New methods
• New cloud certs

If leaders do not see you as a clear solution, you stay a name on a list.

The leaders who land fast think in a different way.

They do not ask “Am I ready?”
They ask “𝗔𝗺 𝗜 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿?”

Here is what they lock in:

1) Clear target

→ One level
→ One main lane
→ One type of company

Not “any senior tech role.”
More “Director of Platform Engineering in B2B SaaS, 200–2000 staff.”

When you get this clear, you know who to speak to.

2) Clear message

Your value story sounds like a business case, not a job title.

Not “I manage teams and projects.”

More:
“I lead engineering teams that cut waste in the stack and unlock new revenue. I turn slow, costly systems into fast, lean platforms that pay for themselves.”

Short. Strong.
Money and impact in one line.

Leaders care about:
• More profit
• Less cost
• Less risk
• Faster delivery

Your message must say:
“I help you win here.”

3) Clear strategy

You stop hiding in job boards.
You start moving toward real people.

You:
• Reach out to hiring leaders
• Build warm links in your lane
• Treat interviews as talks about business, not school tests

You show how you solve their pain today, not how many things you know in theory.

You do not need six more months of “getting ready.”

You need a few focused weeks to choose your lane, sharpen your value story, and move with a real plan.

What would change in your career if your message spoke money and impact as clearly as your skills speak tech?

Daniel Botero

On a Mission to Normalize Career Coaching! I help career coaches grow from inconsistent revenue to $10k- $80K+ months by building a high-converting offer, lead gen machine, and scalable backend...guaranteed!

I help career coaches scale to consistent $10k - $80k months with proven systems that drive consistent growth and efficiency. With over 10 years of experience, I’ve developed a results-driven framework that’s successfully transformed 85% of my clients’ practices into sustainable, 6 and 7-figure ventures.

My approach is designed for high-level coaches, recruiters, hiring managers, and industry experts who have the expertise but need structure to convert visibility into revenue. From lead generation and client acquisition to daily business operations, I provide the systems that turn views into leads, leads into clients, and clients into long-term success.

Together, we’ll establish scalable, efficient processes that replace guesswork with predictable outcomes. If you’re ready to achieve consistent growth, financial freedom, and a streamlined coaching practice, let’s connect. My mission is to empower coaches with the systems and strategies they need to thrive in a competitive market.

Here’s How We Help You Thrive:

1. Attract More Clients: Leverage proven strategies to consistently generate qualified leads and convert them into high-paying clients. No more guesswork—just results.

2. Scale Effortlessly: Build the right systems to scale your business while reclaiming your time. Imagine a coaching practice that runs smoothly, even when you’re not working.

3. Deliver Greater Impact: Increase the value you bring to clients without adding hours to your schedule. Achieve more impact, gain testimonials, and drive referrals.

Why Work with Us?

Our success stories speak for themselves. Scroll down to read client testimonials, or visit our website at https://www.opny.co/success-stories for more.

If you’re ready to grow your business or want to explore what’s possible, message me and apply for a free business audit here https://www.opny.co/linkedin-business-audit

Founder and CEO

OPNY CAREER ACADEMY
A Step By Step Guide To Graduating College With A Job

Gain Clarity
-Go from feeling lost to having clarity by completing our self-assessments that will help you create a target list of ideal companies and dream careers. 

Build Your College Strategy
-Maximize your college career by walking away from this online program with a personalized college strategy that will make you the ideal candidate.

Get Recruited Like A 5 Star Athlete
-Learn how to best market yourself to your dream employers and have them fighting for you to come work for them.

WHAT DOES THE ACADEMY INCLUDE?

25 Unique Lessons
-You will have access to all 25 lessons covering topics such as Self-Assessments, Personal Finance, Networking, LinkedIn, Resumes, Interviewing, and many more...

Weekly Live Coaching
-Every week, Daniel goes live on a private Zoom call to review that week's lessons and to answer any questions that you may have regarding your journey. 

All The Templates You Need
-We not only give you a step by step process, but we also give you access to all of the templates and examples you need to land your dream job!


For more information watch visit: opny.co

The best investment you’ll ever make is in yourself.

Careers change.
Titles change.
Companies change.

But the person you’re becoming compounds every single day.

It’s important to give your best at work.

But too many people stop there.

They invest all their energy into someone else’s goals.

And very little into their own growth.

Skills compound.
Health compounds.
Mindset compounds.

When you invest in yourself, everything else gets stronger.

The returns aren’t immediate.

But they’re unmatched.

Because no matter where you go next, you take yourself with you.

And that foundation is what everything else grows from.

I help career coaches grow from inconsistent revenue to $10K-$80K per month by building a high-converting offer, a LinkedIn lead gen machine, and a scalable backend... guaranteed!

The biggest difference between an average hire and an all-star isn’t talent.

It is grit.

And this comes after hiring a lot of people.

The best ones aren’t always the most impressive on paper.

They’re the ones who keep getting better without being told to.

I’ve seen people with perfect resumes struggle.

And others with “good enough” skills turn into diamond players.

The pattern is always the same.

They love the process of improving.

And they don’t wait for training to grow.

They’re already learning on their own.

Reading.
Testing.
Figuring things out because they want to.

When something gets hard, they don’t shut down.

They lean in.

They ask better questions.
They try again.
They improve a little each time.

Feedback doesn’t threaten them.

It fuels them.

That’s what grit looks like in the real world.

A quiet commitment to continuous improvement.

If you want to stand out in your career, build that muscle.

And if you’re hiring, never bet against lifelong students.

Follow Daniel Botero for more posts like this.

A good leader doesn’t just build a business.
 
They build people.

That means defending your team when it matters.
 
Taking the blame when things go wrong.
 
And passing the praise when things go right.

I’ve seen what happens when leaders don’t:

– Morale tanks
– Good people burn out
– Trust disappears

And suddenly, the problem isn’t the team.
 
It’s the leadership.

Your team isn’t just there to execute your vision.
 
They are the vision.

And if you’re not protecting them, supporting them, and helping them grow…
 
you’re not leading.

Great leaders don’t micromanage.
 
They don’t deflect blame.
 
They don’t hide when it gets hard.

They show up.
 
They listen.
 
They lead by example.

The way you lead shapes everything:
 
Your culture.
Your retention.
Your reputation.

So if you’re scaling, hiring, or just trying to build something that lasts…

Start with how you lead.

The business follows.

Great graph from Adam!
-------
Reshare ♻️ to help others who need to hear this.
And follow Daniel Botero for more posts like this.

Most solopreneurs aren't overwhelmed because they're bad at what they do.

They're overwhelmed because they're doing everything.

Sales. Delivery. Follow-ups. Content. Client Support. Operations.

All at once. All in their head.

From the outside, things look fine.

Money's coming in. 

Clients getting results.

Inside, it feels different.

What am I forgetting? 
Who needs me? 
What happens if I go away for a week?

That's not a motivation problem.

That's a structure problem.

When there's no clear plan:

→ Everything feels urgent
→ You react instead of lead
→ Growth creates stress, not freedom

The fix isn't working harder.

It's clarity.

Clear goals. Clear priorities. Clear systems.

Once that's in place, everything changes.

I see this all the time:

Clients who have revenue but no structure.

And once we build systems for their business, the pressure lifts.

There’s no better timing for me to tell you this:

The next level isn't more effort.

It's knowing what matters, what moves the needle, and what no longer needs you.

If you’re feeling this way, you’re not alone. 

DM me, and I will send you some resources to support you with finding clarity.

New Year's resolutions don't fall apart because motivation fades.

They fall apart because nothing is there once it does.

January works because energy is high and the goal feels close.

Then February arrives, and life takes its space back.

Work speeds up. Days fill up.

And the goal starts competing with everything else.

Not loudly. Quietly.

If I’m being totally honest, this isn't a willpower issue.

It's a support issue.

The goals that survive don't rely on how motivated someone feels.

They rely on something steady underneath.

That's why people who get in shape don't just hope it sticks.

They bring in a coach or a gym partner.

Not for new information.

For follow-through when showing up gets hard.

The same thing happens with learning a language.

Duolingo might be helpful at first.

But real progress comes from a teacher and a set time each week.

Career coaching businesses are no different.

Most coaches already know what they should do.

What slips is execution once the days get busy.

Tasks get pushed. Weeks pass.

And without support, no one notices.

But 2026 is not the year you will miss another goal.

That’s why you have accountability, which isn't pressure or guilt.

It's the one thing that will keep your goals from drifting.

Follow Daniel Botero for more posts like this.

Most business owners aren’t stuck because they lack ideas.

They’re stuck because they’re waiting.

Waiting to feel ready.
Waiting to feel confident.
Waiting for the moment it won’t feel uncomfortable.

So instead of building, they watch.

They read posts.
Save advice.
Make plans.

And call it progress.

But nothing actually changes from the sidelines.

Clarity doesn’t come before action.

It comes from it.

Every business that looks obvious now started unclear, awkward, and unfinished.

And no owner felt ready.

But they moved anyway.

And that doesn’t mean they are braver.

They just stopped waiting for permission.

They acted while it still felt messy.

And once they started, momentum took over in ways motivation never did.

So, take this post as your signal that you don’t need a perfect plan.

You need one honest step. 

Taken now, not someday.

Most coaches are selling their time.

The successful ones are selling transformations.

There's a huge difference.

When you sell time: 
→ You're capped by hours in a day 
→ Clients see you as expensive 
→ You compete on price 
→ You burn out faster

When you sell transformations: 
→ You price based on value delivered 
→ Clients see the ROI clearly 
→ You become irreplaceable 
→ You scale without working more hours

Here's how to shift from time to transformation:

→ Get laser-focused: 
Don't be a life coach for everyone. 
Be the career coach who helps sales professionals break into tech.

→ Lead with the outcome:
Instead of "12 weeks of coaching sessions," say "Land your dream tech job in 90 days."

→ Structure the journey:
Break your transformation into clear milestones. 
Clients need to see the path, not just the destination.

→ Price for the result: 
If you help someone land a $120K job, your $5K program is a steal. 
That's a 24x return on investment.

→ Show proof, not promises: 
Case studies beat credentials every time. 
Results speak louder than certificates.

The coaches charging $5K+ aren't smarter.

They just understand what they're really selling.

Are you selling hours or outcomes?

If you’re questioning that, DM me.

I would love to send you some resources to help you find that out.

All you really need is a little delusion and audacity.

That’s usually how anything memorable starts.

The people who build meaningful businesses aren’t the most prepared.

They’re the ones willing to move before it makes sense.

They start conversations early.
They share ideas before they’re polished.
They ship things that feel slightly ahead of them.

To everyone else, it looks reckless.

To them, it feels like momentum.

Action creates clarity, and movement builds confidence.

Those who move early stumble.

They adjust.
They learn faster.
They keep going while others are still deciding.

And over time, the thing that once looked “crazy” starts to look obvious.

If you’ve been holding back on something you believe in…

Don’t wait until it feels reasonable.

Reasonable rarely builds anything worth sharing.

A little audacity does.

Quote credits: Case Kenny

I don’t think you should quit your job right now.

In fact, most people shouldn’t.

Not because ambition is bad.

But because quitting without predictability is risk, not courage.

A job does more than pay the bills.

It gives structure.
It buys time.
It absorbs pressure while you learn.

When you leave without replacing that with something reliable, every decision gets heavier.

❌ You rush choices.
❌You chase tactics.
❌You experiment instead of building.

That’s when people confuse motion for progress.

The safer path isn’t staying stuck forever.

It’s being intentional with your energy:

Doing your job well while using your best thinking on something you’re building.

Not guessing.

Designing.

Systems instead of experiments.

Processes instead of hope.

Predictable inputs generate predictable outcomes.

That’s what makes the decision boring.

And boring decisions are usually the right ones.

You don’t quit when you’re fed up.

You quit when your income no longer depends on courage, but on consistency.

That’s not playing small.

That’s playing it smart.

----
Follow Daniel Botero for more posts like this.

Your career coaching program looks like everyone else's.

And that's not why it's not selling.

Resume help. 
LinkedIn optimization. 
Interview prep. 
Negotiation.

Every coach offers the same things.

Yet some are booked solid while others can't land a single client.

So Daniel, what's the difference?

Clarity.

The coaches winning aren't smarter.

They're just clearer.

Clear on who they help.
Clear on the problem they solve.
Clear on why someone should listen to them instead of the next coach.

And most coaches see this and panic.

So they overcomplicate everything and incorporate new frameworks or terminology.

That makes it worse.

Because clients aren't buying originality.

They're buying confidence and clarity.

So, what’s the solution?

You don't need a revolutionary method.

You need to answer two questions better than anyone else:

1. Who is this for?
2. What problem does this solve?

Get that right and everything else becomes easier.

----
Follow Daniel Botero for more posts like this.

Most business owners don’t fail because they lack talent.

They fail because they keep waiting.

Waiting to feel ready.
Waiting to feel confident.
Waiting for clarity to magically show up first.

Thinking feels productive.

It feels responsible.

It lets you tell yourself you’re “preparing.”

But nothing actually moves there.

I’ve never seen clarity show up before action.

It only comes after you start showing up.

Messy reps.
Awkward attempts.
Imperfect execution.

That’s where things click.

Not because you’re special.

But because momentum rewards action, not intention.

----
Follow Daniel Botero for more posts like this.

Trying to build a business alone feels like the right move.

You assume focus will create clarity.

That’s what Scott believed too.

He spent months working solo, putting in real effort, but feeling stuck in the same place.

Not because he wasn’t working hard.

But because everything felt equally important.

When we started working together, the shift wasn’t motivation.

It was direction.

We helped him define one clear offer.

We showed him what to work on first and what could wait.

And we gave him a structure he didn’t have to hold in his head.

Today, Scott runs a profitable six-figure business.

He serves a clear niche,
has a team supporting him,
and consistent leads coming in.

Most business owners don’t struggle because they lack discipline.

They struggle because doing it alone blurs priorities.

Support doesn’t replace effort.

It makes effort count.

If you’re working hard but can’t tell what’s actually holding you back, comment CONSTRAINT below or DM it to me.

I’ll send you a video that helps you spot the one thing slowing your career coaching business down.

A lot of people think growth comes from more visibility.

More views.
 
More likes.
 
More reach.

But that’s only half the picture.

Because not all attention is equal.

Some content gets seen, other content gets trusted.

Seen content is what people scroll past.

It gets a reaction.
A quick nod.
Then it’s gone.

Trusted content is different.

It slows people down.
It answers questions they haven’t fully formed yet.
It shows how you think, not just what you say.
 
Seen content creates recognition.

Trusted content creates belief.

And belief is what turns leads into clients faster.

I learned this the hard way in 2025.

I looked at surface-level metrics and assumed low views meant low value.

It led me to shut down two channels that were quietly producing our highest close rates.

And it wasn’t the only mistake.

I broke down the rest of the lessons in a recent YouTube video, so other business owners don’t have to learn them the expensive way.

Watch the full vid now: https://lnkd.in/eQureTec

If you've ever struggled to explain what makes your offer different…

You're not missing confidence.

You're missing structure.

At Opny, we use the 80/10/10 rule to solve this.

Here's how it works:

1️⃣ 80% is proven fundamentals

The things that already work and that clients expect.

✔️Resumes 
✔️LinkedIn
✔️Interviews
✔️Negotiation

Trying to reinvent this part usually hurts you.

People don't want experiments. They want outcomes.

2️⃣ 10% is you

Your perspective. Your background.

How you see problems differently because of what you've lived.

What feels "normal" to you is often the most valuable part to someone else.

3️⃣ 10% is your niche

Who you serve and how the fundamentals change for them specifically.

This is where relevance is created.

Same core process but a different context.

When all three are present, something clicks.

Your offer stops sounding generic.

Your messaging gets easier.

People understand why you instead of someone else.

Most coaches overthink originality and underthink clarity.

If you want to see real examples of how this rule works in practice, I break it all down in a video with a simple guide you can apply to your own business.

Watch it here: https://lnkd.in/eAtmCCAs

I heard we were throwing it back to 2016.

So I figured I’d join in.

Back then, I was working at Frito-Lay, doing public speaking and recruiting at college campuses.

And thinking I had it mostly figured out.

Looking back, a few things stand out.

First, I couldn’t get through a full sentence without stuttering.

Public speaking was part of the job, but confidence was still a work in progress.

Second, that haircut was… a bold choice.

Third, and this one hits deeper.

I cared a lot about the company.

Too much, honestly.

I took every problem personally.

I stressed over outcomes I didn’t control.

I fought hard to make things better.

And slowly realized how much energy it took to push against the current, and try to feel heard for something that wasn’t even mine.

This was ten years ago, two years before I left my corporate job, when I didn’t have clarity yet, just the first quiet signs of it.

That’s when a different thought started forming.

What would it feel like to put this level of care into something I actually owned?

That question stuck.

And over time, it turned into direction.

I’m proud of that version of Daniel.

Because there’s no such thing as overnight success, only seeds planted long before anyone notices.

And even before I had clarity, I had grit.

Sometimes that’s all you need to find what you’re meant to build next.

Most businesses don’t stall because people stop working hard.

They stall because focus gets diluted.

It usually starts with good intentions.

A new idea.
A new offer.
A new channel.

Everything feels like an opportunity.

So attention spreads.

And suddenly, the thing that actually drives results gets treated like just another option.

What makes this tricky is that nothing is “wrong.”

You’re still busy.
You’re still posting.
You’re still selling.

But growth slows anyway.

That’s because leverage doesn’t come from doing more things.

It comes from putting more weight behind the right ones.

Most businesses already have signals telling them what matters.

It can be in the form of:
- Revenue by offer.
- Profit by channel.
- Where clients actually come from.

When you don’t look at those numbers regularly, focus defaults to whatever feels most exciting.

And excitement is a terrible prioritization system.

The businesses that keep growing don’t chase everything new.

They protect what’s already proven and let the data tell them where attention belongs.

------
Follow Daniel Botero for more posts like this.

You can build a LinkedIn profile that converts to clients in 30 minutes.

But most career coaches never do.

Not because it's hard.

Because they're focused on the wrong things.

They tweak colors. 
Rewrite bios. 
Overthink wording.

And miss what actually drives clients.

There are only three levers that make LinkedIn work for coaches.

Miss one, and the whole thing stalls.

1. Your Offer

If your offer isn't clear, nothing else works.

A strong offer answers three things fast: 

→ Who you help 
→ What problem you solve 
→ What changes because of it

Specific beats impressive every time.

If people don't recognize themselves, they don't reach out.

2. Your Visibility System

Posting randomly isn't a strategy. 

Visibility comes from repetition with intention.

Content that gets seen.
A profile that explains the outcome clearly.
Paying attention to what actually works.

Your profile isn't a resume.

It's a landing page.

Its only job is to turn curiosity into conversation.

3. Your Sales System

Attention doesn't pay bills. 

Conversations do.

You need a simple way to move from Post → DM →Sales Call without chasing or convincing.

That’s when doing lead generation for warm and cold leads comes in handy.

Don’t wait for clients to come to you at the beginning.

Reach out to them and offer to help.

When these three levers work together:

LinkedIn stops feeling random.
Growth becomes predictable.
Clients don't feel like luck anymore.

Most people never set this up…

They just keep posting and hoping.

And the ones who win don't do more. 

They build the right structure once and let it compound.

If you’re working hard but can’t tell what’s actually holding you back, comment CONSTRAINT below or DM it to me.

I’ll send you a video that helps you spot the one thing slowing your career coaching business down.

How to make LinkedIn work for career coaches

In December, we announced one full $20K scholarship.

What happened next surprised us.

We received far more applications than expected.

And the quality was genuinely high.

Many coaches were already doing meaningful work.

Many were stuck in the same place for understandable reasons.

So, we decided to change the original structure of the scholarship.

And we want to acknowledge that directly.

Here's our thought process:

Our initial goal was never about giving away a single prize.

The goal was meaningful access and real support.

So we made a decision...

Keep the same total scholarship budget, but support two coaches at very different stages.

Each facing a real constraint. 

Each with clear potential.

The first scholarship went to a career coach building their business full-time.

Currently experiencing extreme income instability.

Feast-and-famine cycles. 
Inconsistent clients. 
Very little financial buffer.

We believe that with the right systems, they can build a predictable marketing and sales engine that creates stability.

The second scholarship went to a career coach working full-time at a nonprofit.

Already skilled. 
Already helping people.
But limited by time and capacity.

These scholarships were merit-based.

And they reflect how we think about opportunity at Opny.

We're building the world's most successful career coaches by equipping them with systems, accountability, and community to scale.

That mission shows up in our programs.

And it shows up in our decisions.

To everyone who applied: thank you.

To the scholarship recipients: we're excited to support what you're building next.

P.S. Stay tuned to see how these two coaches break through their bottleneck and come out with an incredible transformation!

Three coaches. Three different messages. Same month.

"Just signed my third client."
"Contract signed and paid in full."
"Four sales calls booked this week."

None of them is working 12-hour days.

They're not posting 10 times a day.

They're not chasing every lead that moves.

They did something different:

They stopped guessing and started following a system.

- Clear offer that solves one specific problem.
- Clear LinkedIn positioning that attracts the right people.
- Clear next steps that turn conversations into clients.

And what makes me proud the most:

They're getting results faster than I did when I started.

Not because they're smarter.

Because they're not reinventing the wheel.

They're standing on systems we spent years refining.

This is why we built Opny.

To transfer what took us years to figure out into a system anyone can follow.

And this is just the beginning.

Live interaction is becoming a real separator in 2026.

AI content is everywhere now.

Everyone sounds smart. 

Everyone has frameworks. 

Everyone has answers.

The hard part isn't finding information anymore.

It's knowing who actually understands the work.

That becomes obvious very fast in live settings.

When someone coaches live, you can hear how they think.

You can see how they prioritize.

You can tell whether they're solving real problems or just repeating things that sound good.

That's something I want to lean into more this year.

More real conversations and unscripted problem-solving.

So next Tuesday, January 27th at 9am EST, I'm hosting a LinkedIn Live Ask Me Anything.

Bring the questions you're stuck on right now.

Offers. Pricing. Focus. Clients. Growth. Structure.

The stuff that doesn't get solved by another carousel.

Take this as a chance to get clarity instead of more recycled content.

See you then!

Rakshit Goyal, Sandip Sontakke and 8 other attendees

Ask Me Anything: Career Coaching, Business, and YAP.

taplio

The Battle

Paul Upton

Daniel Botero

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScorePaul Upton's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDaniel Botero's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Paul Upton

Daniel Botero

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);}Paul Upton's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDaniel Botero's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScorePaul Upton's LinkedIn Performance