Kiin.co - Linkedin Ads Agency

I founded Kiin in 2020 after recognizing a gap in the market—very few people truly understood how to run LinkedIn Ads effectively. Since then, we’ve worked with 150+ clients and managed millions in ad spend, helping B2B companies generate demand, capture leads, and scale their marketing efforts on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn Ads Agency Founder (est 2020)

Kiin.co is a LinkedIn ads agency with a focus on scaling B2B companies.

Founder

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Cine Society

Lisbon's best roof top cinema. 
www.cinesociety.pt

Co-Founder

B2BHero.co

B2Bhero.co is on a mission to help small business owners and B2B software founders understand how to grow.

Understory

At Understory Agency, I shape LinkedIn Ads strategy, B2B demand generation, and growth execution—driving data-backed results through precise targeting, optimization, and full-funnel campaign design.

LinkedIn Ads Specialist

Proud To Be Sengwer

Grassroots activists defy intimidation in a struggle for their ancestral forest homeland, and with it, their cultural identity as Sengwer.

Follow citizen journalist Elias Kimaiyo as he overcomes serious injury by the Kenya Forest Service to mobilise a network of Sengwer activists. Despite forced evictions where their homes are repeatedly burnt down, they record human rights abuses and monitor environmental damage to the Embobut Forest

Independent Filmmaker

LinkedIn Ads Specialist | B2B Youtuber/Blogger | Rooftop Cinema Owner

I've been running B2B ads for 9 years, diving deep into LinkedIn Ads in 2020—that’s 5 years of laser-focused expertise on the platform. Since then, I’ve managed millions in ad spend for 150+ clients, helping businesses scale their demand generation, lead gen, and revenue strategies.

💡 What I do:
👉 I run Kiin, a niche LinkedIn Ads agency working with budgets up to $100K/month
👉 I help B2B companies own their demand, lower CPLs, and convert more pipeline
👉 I design and execute high-performing LinkedIn campaigns that drive real ROI

🔹 Want to scale your LinkedIn Ads profitably? Let’s chat. Book a call: https://calendly.com/phil-kiin/30min
🔹 Learn more at www.kiin.co

Philip Ilic

I'm building out a LinkedIn Ads strategy for a B2B SaaS right now.
Sales-led. HR tech. ACV $50k+.
Here’s the strategy👇

We’re anchoring around one high-quality ICP list and using it across:
+ LinkedIn Ads
+ Signal-based outbound
+ Warm outbound

The strategy is to connect LinkedIn ads and specifically lean heavily on thought leader ads + outbound as one coherent system. 

Whereas LinkedIn ads are great to warm up an audience through its amazing ability for content distribution, outbound is a great conversion mechanism. 

Top of Funnel
We push broad, relevant content to the entire list, not to convert, but to get them engaged, and familiar with the brand.

Goal: build a high-quality 180-day retargeting audience. 


Middle of Funnel
This is where we build trust and familiarity. Content distribution, demand gen part. 

Running:
+ 180-day retargeting
+ Thought Leader Ads
+ Zero-click content
+ Demand-gen educational posts

We're not driving traffic. We’re distributing content, who we are, what we do, why it matters.

Bottom of Funnel
This is often what i launch first. It's fast to launch and drives early results.

We’ll run:
+ Single-image ads
+ Conversation ads (with incentives also)
+ Retargeting + cold campaigns

Single-image ads convert warm users, but can work cold too when your TAM is big enough (there's always someone in-market).

Conversation ads (especially incentive-based ones) work targeting HR really well for some reason.

Outbound
Outbound is split into 2:

1️⃣ Signal-based: 
Clay picks up intent signals (profile views, ad engagement, site visits, etc.). Those get piped into tools like HeyReach or Instantly for personalised outreach.

2️⃣ Warm outbound: 
After a few weeks of LinkedIn Ads warming the list, we hit the entire ICP with outbound. 
—
p.s. if you’d like us to build out a GTM system, which connects LinkedIn + warm outbound schedule a call with me here: https://lnkd.in/d-rYinXh

LinkedIn Ads Specialist | Dm Me To Access My full LinkedIn Ads Playbooks👇 | Rooftop Cinema Owner🍿

I’m currently designing a signals-based outbound system to sit on top of a client’s LinkedIn ad campaigns.
Here’s what I’m building 👇

1. Turning social engagement into conversations

Their thought leader ads get a steady flow of reactions/comments.
So we’ll automatically pull all that engagement into Trigify → send it to Clay for ICP checks → and then warm contacts go into a small HeyReach sequence (with an Instantly email fallback).

2. Fast follow-up for content + demo leads

Content downloads and demo requests will go into short HeyReach sequences with:
 • Connection request
 • InMail
 • A quick email via Instantly

Each lead type gets slightly different messaging, but the idea is the same: respond quickly while the intent is warm.

3. Company-level engagement → warm outbound

LinkedIn shows which companies engage with your content.

We’ll collect these accounts, enrich them in Clay and run a warm:
 • Email sequence (Instantly)
 • LinkedIn connection sequence (HeyReach)

4. Website visitors → warm outbound

Anyone hitting the website (via your tracking tools) goes straight into:
 • A warm email flow
 • A LinkedIn connection flow

The goal here is to capture any existing demand in the market using the above as signals.

I have a LinkedIn ads client with a super low lead gen form fill (for a demo) to actually booking in the calendar ratio. 
Close to 0%.

Most ppl say, ‘oh that’s because lead gen forms don't work’.

Honestly, that is not the reason. 

I have multiple clients where we use lead gen forms, and the demo-to-booking-to-turning-up rate is over 50%. 

When i dug deeper into this client, turns out the SDR was on holiday, and when they are not on holiday, the follow up was super week.

They follow up with just an email like a day later...
...and thats it. then they call it a day. 
and come back to us saying lead gen forms are sh$t. 

If you want this ratio to work you need to have the full follow up. 
Here is what i suggest:

1. Set up an automation where leads get pinged to slack so the SDR can follow up with in minutes / or hours not days. 

2. They need to follow up with a connection request/ email right away thanking them for booking in and making sure they actually scheduled. 

3. If there is no answer then should follow up the next day with an inmail message. 

4. Some of the best ratios i have seen is if they call the contact just to secure the time of the demo. 
This call part honestly works super well. 
Just a quick ‘hey i see you signed up for a demo, when is a good time to do it’ type of call. 

5. Have really good marketing email automation. a few emails over the next few days. 
Try to keep it helpful, good content to keep them interested. 

Without a good follow up lead gen forms can under perform.

Matching your LinkedIn ads budget to your audience size matters a lot

When the budget is small compared to your TAM, what i love to do is scrape a list which has an extra layer of intent signals on top. 

So instead of targeting all B2B SaaS companies (for me for example)…

...maybe b2b saas which is actively hiring for a specific role, 
or just got funded or is using your competitor 
or has some new technology they just added to their site. 

Things like…

B2B SaaS + funded in last 90 days
B2B SaaS + hiring for GTM roles
B2B SaaS + hiring for RevOps roles
B2B SaaS + installed HubSpot in last 30 days
B2B SaaS + increased LinkedIn ad spend
B2B SaaS + new CMO in last 90 days
B2B SaaS + expanded to US/EU recently
B2B SaaS + launched a new product
B2B SaaS + attending SaaStr
B2B SaaS + trending on G2


Layering in this extra layer of intent can be quite powerful to make sure that small budget hits the highest intent audience rather than spraying and praying. 

I just tried this on our internal account and performance increased quite a bit. Will release this month's results on Monday.

This month I started targeting a list + intent (with my Linkedin ads)
...this dropped my cost per scheduled sales call from £333 to £184.

If you have a large enough TAM, then try focusing your linkedin ads budget layered in with an intent. 

My intent was recently funded B2B SaaS. 

Trying some lists with companies with open job roles related to demand gen. 

only works with large enough TAMs where you can segment your audience. 

Full results coming tomorrow for the months results

Here is how in November we dropped our cost per sales call from $441 to $243
We spent $3,230 on LinkedIn ads for Kiin.co - Linkedin Ads Agency.
Here are the results 👇

This month we spent more and the budget was super concentrated on just one ad initiative:

Thought leader ad ➜ landing page (asking for email) ➜ ridiculously strong follow-up.

➜ our cost per call dropped by close to half
➜ cost per lead stayed roughly the same: $18.82
➜ 8 phone calls scheduled
➜ 2 clients acquired at roughly $1,600 CAC (worth $45,000–$65,000 LTV)
➜ increased the lead-to-sales-call from 3.75% to 7.69%

So the thing that changed most between October and November is the lead-to-sales-call rate nearly doubled, which basically dropped the cost per scheduled call by half.

So what happened here???

I think the main thing is that i got a list of companies with an intent signal on top.

The cost per lead from this list was very similar, but the big change was that way more of them actually wanted to speak with me about LinkedIn ads 
(I've converted 2 so far, maybe more in the next months).

The second thing I started doing is not only following up with a LinkedIn connection request / message but also with an email.

The follow-up email included more content about how we work and our strategies, and asked them if they wanted a free audit.

I think converting 7.69% of leads to scheduled calls is elite level.

But one thing Omar Aboushady and I chatted about is including a quick call step. 
We’ve seen this work super well with clients. 

Will add this in January and let you know how it does.

----
p.s. i run LinkedIn ads + GTM motions for sales-led B2B SaaS. Reach out if you need any help 🙌

#linkedinads #gtm #linkedin

11% of ppl who watched my long-form Linkedin ads video…
…clicked my CTA to book a call 👇
Here’s how I make long-form video for B2B companies that ppl actually watch (and convert).

I send every new…
+ prospect
+ lead
+ anyone who engages with me
+ my Linkedin ads (especially rtg)
+ anyone who signs up for my assets gets redirected

...basically any excuse to send this video to my ICP.

Watching the analytics, ppl watched over 45% of the videos on average.
I go over this from time to time, and the ones who convert often watch 100%.

Some ppl watch 2–3 times (I see you 😅)

what’s even crazier is that 5% of the ppl watching are clicking my CTA (book a call with me).

I have another video, watched a lot less (162 times) but the CTA was clicked 11% of the time 😱

not all of them actually book,
but that’s pretty insane!

Here is how I recommend you make a high-impact video:

Firstly don’t make it a webinar.
Secondly don’t make it basically just a demo.

1. Packaging of the video is everything:

you need to package it up in a really good way. the packaging is everything.

We are marketers, so how do we sell ppl on this?

Start with the title and work backwards.

For me, it was pretty simple, it’s just our internal system on how we run Linkedin ads for clients.

I packaged it as…
$1.2 million Pipeline: our exact Linkedin ads strategy.

The other one is called…
Linkedin thought leader ads: how we generate millions in pipeline.

Ok you’re getting a pattern on my namings!! not very original, I know.

I was speaking to a client about their webinar packaging recently.

Ultimately they just wanted to do a live demo for groups of ppl.

But what we discussed was that very few ppl will want to sign up to a demo.

but if we package it as something educational and actually deliver it as educational, then a lot more ppl will want to turn up (and watch more than 20 seconds)

2. Make sure you have a really good hook / structure.

I keep mine pretty simple:

a) strong one-liner hook
I go straight into the meat, no: “hello my name is xyz” stuff 🥱

More like...
“this is how we helped 5 Linkedin ads accounts scale to millions in pipeline in the past 8 weeks”
...make sure it’s true of course!

b) show social proof

If you’re showing how you did something, show the proof.

I do this by name-dropping clients (the ones who allow me to), and showing real results.

c) go into the educational part

but keep to the point.
no faffing. no talking around a topic too much. be concise.

d) have a good CTA

If you want ppl to book 1:1 demos, then call it out.

I keep my vids mostly under 20 minutes.
The first is 12 minutes long, the second is 17.
——
 p.s. if you want help scaling out your GTM motion with Linkedin ads, GTM. outbound, video etc, here to help, just reach out 🤭

#linkedinads #gtm #demandgen

I'm currently analysing 10s of thousands of pounds in conversation ads to work out why some do so well and others fall flat. 
Here are some preliminary results...👇

1. The cost per open matters a lot.

Pretty obvious, I guess, but the cost per open varied from as little as 15 cents to as much as £3.50, which will never get the cost per lead low enough.

I imagined the main metric to get the cost per open down would be the open rate.

But the one with 15 cents per open actually had a relatively low open rate (28%), compared with others above 40%.

Still trying to work this out. 

Will release more research around this on my newsletter, will leave a link in the comments.

2. If you’re running lead gen forms inside convo ads, keep a close eye on the form open rate and the form completion rate.

Some campaigns had high completion rates but super low form open rates.

The angle/positioning of the message and specifically the words you use in the convo ad makes a big difference in getting people to open the form. 

Incentives also help a lot (see below).

3. Incentives work really well.

Every time I put an incentive ($100 Amazon gift card) into these, they seem to get a lot more leads.

(And those leads actually convert to pipeline and revenue, for any cynics.)

4. The open rate matters a lot.

On the most successful campaigns (ones with most leads/good cost), the open rate was often above 35%, even 40%+.

AB test your subject line. 

One thing that worked consistently was stating the incentive directly in the subject line.

I’ll bring out a more comprehensive, data-backed report on all of this, plus how to turn these insights into actionable steps.

Sign up to my newsletter to be the first to get it (link in comments)👇

I've had a lot of success with driving leads with gated assets. 

But most ppl say these leads are...
+ super low value
+ have no intent
+ and waste sales time. 

I think they are just looking at it wrong. 

Here is how i am running it and why it works for me...

1. The asset has to be genuinely valuable

Not a gated PDF pretending to be useful.

I am using an asset that is actually helpful, practical, and worth saving.

Because the asset is strong, the cost per lead stays low.

Pairing this with thought leader ads helps even more, as the social proof around the person delivering the message improves performance across the journey.

2. The landing page conversion rate matters a lot

It needs to be above 40%.

Thought leader ads help here because the likes and comments create credibility.

People see the content, recognise the person behind it, and then even an average landing page converts well because the social proof has already been built.

My cost per lead is currently under $20
...and these are senior marketers in B2B companies.

3. You need a proper outbound and marketing follow up

Most of these people are not asking for a demo. 

Out of one hundred leads, you might only find three or four who are genuinely in market. 
That is exactly what you are mining for.

Anyone downloading a LinkedIn Ads resource probably has LinkedIn Ads on their mind.

They are trying to figure something out. 
Some are ready now, some are not.

Once a lead comes in, I go outbound.

With the Instantly.ai and HeyReach.io integration, I can set up a connection request and, if they do not accept, they receive an email and an InMail.

This can be automated or handled manually, but either way you have to follow up.

My conversion rate from lead to booked call is roughly 3.8%.

 So around four calls for every one hundred leads, which puts the cost per booked call at around £300.

This month it will be lower, because I have made a few improvements that I will share soon (literally, like half).

These calls convert well because people have already consumed my videos and content.

Almost half of all sign-ups read every follow up email, so by the time they book a call they are warm and informed.

I am converting roughly 1/3 calls.

Even if you assume 1/4, the customer acquisition cost sits around a thousand bucks.

For me that is great, because the average lifetime value of a client is in the tens of thousands.

Even in a worst case scenario it sits around at around 6-8k.

Most people dismiss this system because they believe it means sales chasing low intent leads.

There is some truth in that, but the mindset needs adjusting.

You only need three or four in-market people out of one hundred for this to work.

It is about getting the economics right...
+ CPL low (for us under 20 bucks)
+ CVR Lead to demo high (for us 3.8%)
+Demo to revenue at a good rate (for us 1/3)

---
p.s. if you are running linkedin ads and want a free audit feel free to send me a dm :)

I run different Thought Leader Ads for different parts of my market. It just works better.

I’ve run more general ones too, and they work fine.

But if your audience is as broad as mine, I’d segment the audience slightly.

For example, we’ve had a lot of success with HR tech/SaaS.

So I’ve now pulled together a big(ish) list of HR tech companies and I’m designing a few Thought Leader posts specifically for that market.

Stuff like: “How this HR tech company reached X results with LinkedIn ads” type posts.

That builds the social proof, and the ads actually resonate with that audience.

It helps them believe it might work for them too, because they’re seeing a near-identical example of it already working.

What I’m doing for my clients, when possible, is getting super specific and strategic with the Thought Leader Ads we run.

The organic strategy is often totally different from the posts we should pick to push with ads.

And the advice of the nature of 'run the most engaging posts' is bullsh$t. Honestly it needs to be more strategic. 

The post of you and your cat might get 100 likes but i not sure if you should put money behind that. 

The TL ad ones need to be way more strategic.

paul arnesen

As an HR and strategic talent management consultant, I lead the transformation of HR and people processes for businesses of all sizes, with a particular emphasis on the technology sector, to foster a supportive and inclusive work environment. My approach entails developing and implementing robust strategies to strengthen your company's human resources, especially for the people and establishing solid systems to ensure long-term organisational success.

I help startups and established businesses enter global markets by providing expert headhunting and recruitment services, often by using modern digital marketing techniques. My expertise is in efficiently locating and recruiting the right personnel, which is critical for developing a solid human capital base and launching and scaling successful international businesses.

I specialise in recruitment strategy, recruitment marketing, employer branding and cross-cultural management practices and provide strategic human resource advisory and agile interim HR solutions. My extensive knowledge of agile talent strategies and cross-cultural management ensures that your human capital is fully optimised for international success.

HR & Strategic Talent Management Consultant

Company Confidential

Increased the global workforce from 5,000 to 12,000 employees and contractors. Led company-wide recruitment restructuring, overseeing a critical initiative to restructure global recruitment operations following the client's long-term vision.

Grew a candidate database to over two million leads. Established online recruitment channels and utilised advanced social media marketing and PPC techniques to attract a large pool of potential candidates. Over 2 million candidates are organised and tagged for optimised recruitment processes and outsourcing.

Currently providing strategic HR advisory and interim solutions, focusing on recruitment strategy and execution for various projects. Leading up to 10 people.

The specifics of this leading tech company in the online entertainment industry must be kept confidential as part of a non-disclosure agreement. Regardless, it is noteworthy that they have pioneered an innovative talent outsourcing model. This company caters to a global audience and attracts and trains a diverse talent for hosting, moderation, support, and assistance roles. Their approach expertly blends technology with creative talent management, setting new standards in the entertainment industry worldwide, while details of their operations and achievements are kept confidential under the NDA.

Strategic Recruitment Advisor

Talentroo

Developed tailored staffing strategies for a diverse client base, focusing on the unique challenges of
international and remote workforces.

Managed a team of over ten freelance and contract recruiters, orchestrating client projects to success and ensuring excellence in service delivery.

Built collaborative relationships with global companies such as Medivet, DeepCode, and Lano, delivering
bespoke HR solutions that resonated with their business models.

Independently launched Talentroo, shouldering the multifaceted roles of web dev.

Founder | Talent acquisition consultant

- Assisting in recruitment projects for Norway for client such as Eqiunor, and any other clients in the EMEA, conducting targeted recruitment projects to meet diverse client needs within AMS.
- Collaborating closely with stakeholders across Norway and EMEA to ensure recruitment solutions are tailored, effective, and aligned with specific project goals.
- Utilising expert knowledge of the Norwegian and EMEA job markets to guide sourcing, assessment, and placement processes, ensuring successful outcomes for AMS's recruitment projects

Senior Recruitment Specialist

Moa Solutions OÜ

Roles included Owner at Diginom Solutions, Co-Owner and Consultant at Flaneur Web Solutions AS, and Independent Business Owner at Moa Solutions OÜ.

Multidisciplinary Consultancy: Provided services that spanned GDPR, Data Protection, and Online Privacy Consultancy, offering a comprehensive approach to client needs in these areas.

Global Client Engagement: Worked with a diverse clientele worldwide, gaining valuable experience in cross-cultural communication and international business practices.

Digital Marketing Expertise: Had the opportunity to work on digital marketing efforts, including SEO, PPC, and lead generation, which helped broaden my skill set.

Business Management: Managed the operational aspects of various businesses, from client acquisition and relationship management to service delivery and quality assurance.

Independent Contractor

Company confidential

As a Global Strategist, I oversaw the strategic planning and development of teams across South America, Eurasia, and Asia within the legal employment frameworks. This position required on-site and online training to ensure operational compliance and effectiveness across multiple regions.

One of the unique and challenging aspects of my job was developing global, multilingual marketing strategies for their travel service with the marketing team. These strategies helped me gain valuable experience building target global campaigns for different cultures and people.

I also established their remote communication channels and procedures suitable for different time zones, allowing for effective asynchronous work. This initiative was critical for ensuring continuous and seamless collaboration among geographically dispersed teams.

In this position with this international travel company (they ended operations due to the pandemic), I oversaw the coordination of 90 to 120 contractors engaged in data processing, data entry, and customer support. I also managed a large IT and marketing team. My strategic initiatives and leadership contributed significantly to the company's strong presence in the travel sector while managing a diverse workforce across multiple continents.

Global Strategist

Sports Club Sarpsborg

General Manager for 20-30 full-time and part-time employees.

General Manager

Employee Policies & Orientation: Initiated new HR practices and established employee policies. Conducted orientation sessions for new team members to help them align with company goals.

Team Expansion & Management: Managed daily operations, including salaries, budgeting, and scheduling. Facilitated a 10% increase in headcount to meet the organisation's evolving needs.

Conflict Resolution: Acted as the liaison between management and employees to address issues, manage contracts, and resolve work-related problems.

Talent Attraction/Employer Branding: Created a new employer profile and established a strong social media presence to attract new talent.

Advisory Role: As an HR Advisor, while still a student, I had the chance to work on job descriptions, feedback systems, and performance management, enriching my early career experience.

Human Resources Manager

ANSA - Association of Norwegian Students Abroad

Worked as an adviser and leader for a team of volunteers supporting all Norwegian students in New Zealand, 
Arranged social gatherings and meetings with professional organisations and people in New Zealand. Volunteer position.

Chairman New Zealand

Konica Minolta Nordics

B2B Seller of digital solutions for copy, scan and print to businesses of all sizes. Direct customer contact and focus on problem solving for customers. Found prospects through leads and bidding processes. Conducted between 10- 30 calls on average per day. Measured on various incentive-based programs and competitions designed to assist with goal achievement. Follow-up of over 50 existing customers. Responsible for product implementation and relations with new unique assigned clients.

Sales Consultant

Coca-Cola Enterprises Norway

Responsibility for my own client portfolio of grocery stores. Ensured that the stores always had goods in store and in stock. Responsibility for carrying out campaigns for Coca-Cola in store by new product launches and other promotions. Daily customer follow-up and contact with the store managers. Annual, monthly and weekly sales figures were measured and compared with previous years. Top 3 seller in Norway within the same segment two years in a row.

Hey! I am Paul

A snapshot of me:

I am your go-to for modern HR, great talents and workplace culture. Great with global teams, strategic HR, and cross-cultural management practices. Ready to chat over virtual coffee? I am happy to connect.

The extended version:

I lead the charge in creating HR and people solutions that enable businesses and their employees to work efficiently globally. With over 20 years of professional experience, with more than 10 in Human Resources, I specialise in developing dynamic, inclusive environments where innovation takes centre stage.

My aim? To set businesses' up for global growth! It all comes down to strategically combining cutting-edge HR and talent practices with a good understanding of cross-cultural dynamics. My projects range from creating environments that foster creativity and professional development to improving online recruitment strategies for global talent.

What distinguishes me? It's the freedom I allow clients and teams to experiment, develop, and innovate, which leads to ongoing progress and excellent results. My motto is to create an environment where people feel free to be themselves, dive in, and enjoy themselves, with proper guidance.

Working with me means getting a combination of strategic vision and a people-focused, hands-on approach. I can help you up your HR and talent plans by streamlining your hiring procedures or fostering a culture of ongoing learning and development.

Let's connect if you're prepared to grow your company using tactics that celebrate diversity and creativity while finding, nurturing, and retaining elite talent.

Just a quick note so you are aware:

I'm all about sincere relationships and worthwhile connections. I'm all ears if you're willing to make meaningful changes rather than just a fast sale.

I am excited to partner with you on this journey of growth and success. My virtual door is always open for a conversation that sparks transformation.

Paul Arnesen

Integration Looks Different When You’re Living It

Here’s a thought for a Friday.

I live in Italy, and Italy talks a lot about integration. Politicians debate it. Journalists analyse it. People argue about it online. Like many other places around the world. 

But integration feels very different when you’re the one actually trying to build a life here.

You feel it in the small moments. At the grocery store, where fast (spoken) Italian and local dialect make you realise you’re still learning the rhythm. At the public office, where forms seem written in another universe. And in social life, where friendships grow slowly and quietly, almost like layers you have to earn.

Meanwhile, the media frames migration as numbers, borders, and flows. But you live the human version. The daily adjustments. The polite misunderstandings. The moments where you feel welcomed, and the moments where you don’t.

That’s why integration isn’t just political. It’s cultural. And it’s deeply personal. And on a Friday, it’s worth pausing to notice the gap between how it’s discussed and how it’s actually lived.

Global HR & Talent Acquisition Leader | Scaling International Teams | Recruitment Operations & People Strategy

Let’s put words to something many people working across cultures recognise but rarely name. 

Leading in global environments often means navigating meaning, not just language, and much of this happens quietly, in everyday interactions.

If this is part of your reality, you may find my latest (and first) article for the Cultural Proficiency Exchange (CPX) useful.

Open article: Leadership as Translation: The Invisible Work Of Belonging by open.substack.com

Leadership as Translation: The Invisible Work Of Belonging

Sharing my new piece on cross-cultural leadership from our Cultural Proficiency Exchange (CPX) Substack. 

Substack will be exclusive for CPX, so have a read and follow there if you are interested in global HR and cross-cultural topics.

It has been a while! Many of you here follow my writing on HR, cross-cultural leadership and global teamwork. It’s the work I’ve dedicated most of my 

Open article: Why I’m Sharing New Writing on a Different Platform by Paul Arnesen • 1 min read

Why I’m Sharing New Writing on a Different Platform

Here’s something I learned the hard way working across many different cultures:

People don’t respond to your intention.
They respond to what your behaviour means in their culture.

That simple truth changes how you see silence, hesitation, directness, and trust in global teams.

If you’re navigating this too, you might appreciate my latest article for the Cultural Proficiency Exchange (CPX)

Open article: Your Leadership Defaults Aren’t Universal by cpxexchange.substack.com

Your Leadership Defaults Aren’t Universal

Leaders working across regions know this tension well. The data says one thing, but the lived experience tells another story.

Global teams don’t interpret metrics the same way. Culture shapes how people read belonging, trust, and inclusion. And that’s exactly why strong numbers can still hide quiet gaps.

When you look beyond the data, you start to see how people understand their place within the system. You see what the dashboard can’t capture. You see the reality inside the metrics.

That’s the work that builds trust.
That’s the work that strengthens global teams.

How do you make room for these different interpretations in your own organisation?

View company: Cultural Proficiency Exchange (CPX)

Why the distance between data and lived experience matters for global teams.

This framework explores how leaders can read the realities inside the numbers, and the human experiences that strong metrics often hide.
For organizations working across cultures and regions, this perspective matters because trust and belonging are shaped not only by the data, but by how people interpret their place within it.

(Full post linked in the first comment.)

#leadership #culture #inclusion #belonging #cpx #globalbusiness #crossculturalcommunication

Not All Sheep Graze on Equal Ground

Here’s a thought for a Friday.

I never studied in my home country. Every degree I earned came from a system built on norms I didn’t grow up with. People talk about international education as if it’s effortless and exciting, but it feels very different when you’re the one trying to find your footing in unfamiliar terrain.

You feel it in the everyday moments.
In lectures, where a shared context is assumed.
In seminars, where your style is misread.
In assignments, the most challenging part is decoding expectations that no one explains.

And what’s been on my mind this week is how quickly classrooms become uneven when cultural awareness is missing.
Some start on steady ground.
Others start on a slope.

But that slope teaches you things no curriculum covers: how to observe, adapt, and question assumptions others don’t even notice.

So as this week ends, I’m grateful for that climb. It shaped how I understand people and how I help teams bridge cultural gaps today.

The toughest environments often teach the skills you rely on the most.

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Philip Ilic

Paul Arnesen

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taplio

The Battle

Philip Ilic

Paul Arnesen

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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);}Philip Ilic's LinkedIn Performance

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