Co-Founder @ A1M. Award-Winning Marketer Building AI Tools. Mediocre Call of Duty Player.

It all started in 1995 when my grandpa bought a copy machine and I started making counterfeit bills with my classmates pictures where the dead presidents should be. I sold them for $2 a piece or 3 for $5 until the school shut it down, so I switched to selling mix tapes before moving onto building geocities sites for local businesses. 

Some kids grew up playing with dolls or legos; I grew up playing business.

My most profitable childhood venture was mowing the neighbors lawns - I later learned that this was partially because my grandfather was fertilizing their yards while they were at work. This was before Nest and Ring when the only home security was the stay-at-home parents in the neighborhood and they didn't snitch on each other. 

I had an unconventional childhood which left me with a strong sense of purpose and confidence that I could conquer anything I chose, regardless of my experience or expertise in an area, as long as I work hard.

This led me to be the first-in-the-family to do a lot of things; starting college part-time at 15, moving to Italy at 16 for a year abroad, launching and selling a company in my early 20s, moving from a 7,200 person town to NYC to work in VC-backed startups, publishing a book, selling another company, being on tv, speaking at conferences around the country, grad school, and more.

Nearly 3 decades after my first (childhood) entrepreneurial venture I'm still in the business of building businesses and love it.

Outside of my day-to-day work you can find me advising startups and mentoring the marketing & revenue leaders of tomorrow.

Jess Bahr🚀

I don't know what happened at ClickUp, but whatever it is it's working. 

They are hands-on the brand I'm expecting to have the biggest 2026.

Jess Bahr

B2B Growth Consultant | I Build Marketing Systems That Scale Traffic, Pipeline & Revenue

Jumping on the trend because 2016 was a life-changing year, hopefully in the same way 2026 will be. 

I unapologetically threw myself entirely into my career and work at Socialflow, including moving to Midtown just a few blocks from the office and easily make it to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Tumblr offices for client meetings and events.

Spoke at Social Media Week NYC, Social Media Breakfast Madison, DreamBank, made my TV debut on Al Jazeera Media Network, contributed to Social Media Today, LLC and a handful of other online publications.

Built and launched my first online course, on Pinterest advertising. Shout out to Michael Pomposello and Josh Satler for letting me use their office space to record. 

Hired Ethan Maruscak as an intern (which stirred up a lot of industry drama somehow) before re-hiring him as an intern again the next year.

Waited 14 hours in line for Snap Inc. Spectacles to be the first person who didn't make the cut to use the vending machine (!) but a stranger who saw my Periscope sold me an extra pair he bought. (I actually rage-DM'd Spectacles on twitter and Evan Spiegel himself responded. I later apologized.)

Not related to business at all, but at least 10% of my 2016 photos are of Liquiteria acaia bowls. Another 5% are screenshots of snapchats from Justin Kan or Morgan Brown holding post it notes with growth hacks and book recommends. 50%+ are screenshots of ads. IFYKYK.

Also, in 2016 I joined Equinox which was life changing in a different way.

Just a reminder, humans also create shitty content, not just AI.

Half my LinkedIn feed is 20 year-old versions of this guy trying to sell you nothing wrapped in AI.

What a time to be alive. The Pizza Index broke the news on Venezuela before the media did.

A lot of conspiracy theories start because people don't understand how marketing works.

This has nothing to do with B2B marketing.

A few years ago I switched to UPLIFT Desk for the sole reason that I had zero patience and they would ship it out faster. 

Betweeen the weight of too many ultrawide monitors, 3D printers, and a super heavy LIAN LI oversized case, standing desks don't last me too long until the frame starts beinding or the desktop starts warping.

This desk has become an exception though. 

I was very rough on it and the casters started bending out so I reached out to Uplift and they sent me replacement ones the same day. Turned out the casters failing caused an issue with the feet of the desk so I reached out again and just like the last time, they sent me replacement fee the same day. 

Hands down the easiest warranty claim/replacement experience I've gone through. 10/10 will continue buying from them.

Social Media in 2026 is a bit weird. 

Somehow my Facebook feed is a ton of pages I don't follow and LinkedIn is a ton of posts from people I don't follow that people I do follow commented on.

Since cancelling LinkedIn premium my impressions per post caps at 50(ish) and only a few engagements, so I've been running a few experiments organically.

(this post is an experiment, see bottom of text for more).

Here's what hasn't worked to increase visibility:
⋆ Renewing premium (maybe it has to be SalesNav, idk)
⋆ Posting more often
⋆ Sharing great resources (there's a video from Daniel Pink I shared a few weeks ago you should go watch)
⋆ Commenting on other posts

Here's what has worked:
⋆ Boosting the post, which LinkedIn has prompted me to do with every. single. post.


Anyway, Colin Stewart-Perreault 🧙 said I could get 500% more impressions if I post a pic from a private jet so here is a pic from the last time I flew private. Based on the headphones (which came free with the phone at the time) can you guess what year it was?

Things I left in 2025 - Google workspace.

Fastmail, for email and domain related stuff, has given me more features for just $6 a month.

Open article: Create your Fastmail account by join.fastmail.com

If you're a brand on TikTok and performance is starting to tank, you need to know that it isn't you, it's them. You're perfect.

If you don't have a slide deck with each month laid out, feel free to steal these from me: https://lnkd.in/g5Wx3_3K

A lot of people are worried about AEO when you can't even tell what they do from their website.

This might be absolutely nothing, but, I've been seeing a LOT more posts with a "repost" CTA.

Perhaps in this new weird LinkedIn algo shares are a higher intent signal?

also, why 'repost' and why not 'share'?

comment "SHARE" if you're going to test this.

I'll die on the hill that 2026 is the resurgence of IC responsibilities at senior levels.

It's creating an insane opportunity for young marketers who are willing to outwork everyone else in the room.

Yes, I said young, which we're not suppose to say. We're suppose to say "early career" or use other non-age centered terms but I'm saying "young" because I think that's exactly who it's going to be.

We are going to see someone in their mid-20s get a role like what I posted below, and absolutely crush it. 

In five years they're going to be a CMO speaking at a conference about how to do what they did when the reality is their growth is not repeatable and the tactics that made them successful aren't applicable to 90% of the businesses in the room.

Secondarily, we'll see a group of senior marketers who are able to bridge the gap and do the hands-on work while also building strategic direction (and probably category creation) without getting too lost in the weeds or getting discouraged being asked to prove ROI of initiatives that probably take 12 - 16 months to see any positive return.

Honestly I think the second group, senior leaders who can be hands on while also building long term strategy, is going to be much harder to find and some companies are going to burn through marketers before realizing they're trying to find a unicorn.

(If you're reading this and the role sounds like a fun challenge you should 100% apply. I have no affiliation with AirGarage, from the reserach I did the company looks solid and they're solving an actual market failure with revenue tied to it.)

I don't know if this is the best idea ever or completely unhinged and I should delete this post.

I want to host an SKO focused on my business growth/professional goals for the year and how the house and family stuff all fits in together with that. Just me, my husband, probably a 90 slide deck, and all of 2026 laid out. 

Our kid is optional on the attendee list because I already know she'll think this is cringe but she'll show up if there is free food.

Here's my thought process; Building a career, let alone a business, is not a solo venture. 

I sit at my desk and do 2026 and quarterly planning with myself, but my success is not solely dependent on myself, its heavily dependent on my husband as my partner in life even though he is not an active partner in the business. 

All of the house stuff and parental responsibilities impact my career and business so why not bring it all together?

For example, my husband being the primary caregiver for our kid directly correlates to my mental and emotional energy for work, so why not pull him in so he also can see how what he is doing directly translates to dollars in our family's pocket. 

We've dabbled in annual family planning for a few years now so maybe it's time to kick it up a notch.

I think where I'm feeling unsure about it is that, at this point in life, my business and I are one in the same so it feels unapologetically me-focused. 

I don't know though, it feels like the right move but also absurd.

What do you think?

Another 2026 prediction, that I think isn't going to last for just 2026, is more and more marketers leaving digital marketing in tech for totally unrelated fields.

Account Executive @ Warmly,

I’ve spent the last 5 years in SaaS helping early stage teams build pipeline, close deals, and drive revenue growth from the ground up. 

I’m currently a Mid-Market AE at Social Snowball, helping DTC brands grow through word of mouth channels (affiliate, influencer, referral). It combines my passion for SaaS sales, eCom, community growth, and new tech that actually drives results.

I love engaging in conversations around
• tactical tips to build & close more pipeline 
• eCommerce trends & growth hacks 
• modern tools for revenue teams 
• customer psychology + emotional resonance 

Outside of work, I love listening to live music in Austin, going to pilates, traveling, and practicing my French.

Let’s connect: https://tinyurl.com/bdetzvh6

Katherine Barnes (Sales Khaleesi) 🐉

hellloooo 2026, I’m ready for you. 
(now that I’ve had four shots of espresso and finally caught up on sleep)

one of my new years resolutions: create instead of consume.

because creating = an energy giver.
doom-scrolling = an energy thief. 

and since I love a good challenge...

I'm committing to my version of 75 hard:
posting every business day for the next 75 days.

but I never want to post just to post. I want to share things that actually earn a spot on your feed.

creative campaigns, real learnings, insights, and memes (because who doesn't love a good meme?)

sooo I need your help...
what do you actually enjoy seeing on LinkedIn? 💭

Katherine Barnes 

Mid-Market AE @ Social Snowball | I post about brand marketing & sales execution | eCommerce obsessed 🛍️

the best brands don’t need to sell you anything.

I drove an hour out of my way this weekend to go to the Disney World of gas stations.

Buc-ee's, Ltd. has a special place in my heart.

because I used to drive 14 hours straight from Virginia to Mississippi...and I hated every second of stopping for gas.

if you’ve ever road-tripped, you know how awful it is:

the bathrooms...
food options few and far between.
waiting forever for a pump.

vs buc-ee’s:

spotless bathrooms.
more pumps than you can possibly imagine.
food that doesn’t suck. (brisket sandwich, beaver nuggets, pecans are my personal fav)

and somehow, you're also shopping for a cowhide rug, camping gear, and household products you didn't even know you needed.

they solved a real problem, obsessed over the details, and branded the heck out of it.

now it’s not just a gas station. it’s a destination.

because once you’ve been to buc-ee’s, every other gas station feels.. unacceptable.

which brands do you think actually get this right? 🛍️

me: does my LinkedIn post sound cringe?
my brother:


“you’re like that carrie bradshaw meme”

... when carrie showed up unannounced at bigs door.

I started posting on LinkedIn after learning so much from other sales reps' tips and wanting to pay it forward. 

it felt vulnerable and definitely outside my comfort zone at first, but it turned into something I actually enjoy. 

here's why you should post too:

the worst that can happen is your post doesn't perform as expected and your ego takes a hit.

the best that can happen? 

+1 person who learned from you
+1 lead that turns into a sale
+1 brand partnership
+1 new connection that leads to a future business partner, mentor, or friend
+1 person who was scrolling through a bunch of AI brain rot and your post actually brightened their day in some way.

I joined Melissa Gaglione ⭐️'s Citrine creator program, which has been absolutely incredible. 

melissa has taught me so much about how to create valuable content, that feels authentically me!

and now I officially do not feel cringe, like carrie with the riding crop.

thank you, Melissa <3

so many brands are sleeping on something so simple…

a successful customer referral play.

83% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase if a friend or family member recommends it.

but the problem with most referral programs is they’re an afterthought.

they get tossed into post-purchase email flows
(I have thousands of unread promotional emails from brands)

there’s no real customer activation. 
ok so if I have to manually sign up or dig for my referral link… what’s in it for me?

...and then the incentives aren’t sexy.

a good referral program makes it stupid simple.

ClassPass does this really well:

in-app push notifications, right when booking a workout is top of mind 
bring a friend, get more credits.
one click. text your referral link.

easy. I’ve done this countless times without thinking about it.

Social Snowball ☃️ does the same thing for ecommerce brands.

it’s automated. no hoops for the customer to jump through.

the referral link is ready to go at checkout, when excitement is high and they’re thinking about their order on the way. 

met with a prospect yesterday and asked what made him book a call.

“my boss bought something online, they were using you, and he loved the referral flow.”

something the brand didn’t really think about…until someone else did it better 🤷🏼‍♀️

no one wants to be hard sold to.

learned that the hard way and it completely changed the way that I sell 👇🏼

I got into sales because I needed a job.
it was during covid, so I took the first offer I got.

minimum wage + commission.
selling tanning salon memberships and products.

I remember thinking, “the commission is probably just there to make the job sound better.”

and also…
no one is actually going to spend $200 on tanning lotion.

I had zero sales experience, so I memorized every product benefit.

when I pitched I sounded like a bad actress reading lines.

until I stopped trying to sound smart and perfectly polished.

I tried the products myself and ditched the science-backed jargon for “it’s like botox in a bottle.”

it felt way more natural and authentic.

once I stopped hard selling and started telling a real story, sales actually became kind of fun...

and the commission was very real.

my numbers didn’t go up because I was pushing harder,
they went up because what I was saying actually resonated.

what's the first sales lesson you learned the hard way? 😅

idk who needs to hear this…


but get off your damn phone this weekend 🙂

my screen time was at an all time high this week.

first week back after the holidays, had a lot on my plate, and my brain was in overdrive.

I have a lot that I want to accomplish this year….
but I absolutely do not wanna burn myself out to do it.

so yesterday, I finally put my phone and laptop away and pulled out my scrapbook.

it’s full of photos, matches, plane tickets, stickers
all to tell a story around some of my favorite memories:

spontaneously going to work with Gabrielle Stott in sayulita, mexico for a week
having a blast taking on saastr with Marissa Massaro
taking Nicole Baylis to all of my favorite spots in ATX

a few hours offline and I went from feeling exhausted to inspired about what’s coming in 2026.

what are your some of your favorite ways to unwind on the weekend? 🤸‍♂️ ✨ 🎨

taplio

The Battle

Jess Bahr🚀

Katherine Barnes (Sales Khaleesi) 🐉

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taplio

The Battle

Jess Bahr🚀

Katherine Barnes (Sales Khaleesi) 🐉

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);}Jess Bahr🚀's LinkedIn Performance

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