Richard van der Blom

Tired of LinkedIn™️ not delivering the leads you need? Struggling to stand out in all the noise? Too much advice, not enough results? Running out of time to land new clients? Wondering how to turn connections into paying customers? I’ve got exactly what you need!  ☎️ 𝘁𝗲𝗹. +𝟯𝟭 𝟲 𝟱𝟱𝟭𝟭 𝟳𝟮𝟴𝟮

𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗔𝗺 𝗜?
I'm Richard van der Blom, born in the Netherlands 🇳🇱, currently living the Spanish 🇪🇸 life. My world revolves around my partner Evelina 🇦🇷, our delightful doodle Siena 🇩🇪, and an undying love for international cuisine 🍲 , travel, Pearl Jam 🎶 , and yes, a Gin-Tonic 🍸 . Once a technical wizard on the football ⚽️  field, now I get my kicks from steering businesses towards success on LinkedIn™️.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗲 𝗗𝗼
We specialize in leveraging comprehensive, evidence-based strategies to enhance LinkedIn™️ engagement and effectiveness for B2B clients. Our partnerships with a diverse clientele of over 900 companies and the mentorship of more than 300,000 professionals have enabled us to develop a robust repository of best practices and actionable insights. Our commitment to ongoing research in social selling, content optimization, and staying ahead of LinkedIn’s algorithmic updates ensures that our consultancy and training services are at the forefront of the industry, delivering customized solutions that drive tangible business outcomes.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁?

𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗨𝗕
An independent 100% dedicated LinkedIn™️ training and consultancy agency. Founded in 2009, we empower our clients with insights-based LinkedIn™️ training for sales, marketing and recruitment professionals as executives and consultants. In 7 native languages, online and on-site.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗕𝗘
Join my vibrant online community of 150+ members. We're all about leveraging social selling to amplify your online presence through continuous training, community events, and masterclasses. Learn from industry leaders and become part of a groundbreaking training community.

𝗞𝗲𝘆𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 
I bring the stage to life – either live or virtually – with insights that 99.9% of LinkedIn™️ experts can't match. Rated as the Best Keynote Speaker in over 80% of my engagements, I'm here to deliver strategies that truly make a difference and inspire business growth

𝗦𝗼...
Dive into the transformative world of insights-based LinkedIn™️ strategies and training – to see more results, with a more efficient and less time-consuming approach

📞 +31 6 5511 7282
✉ Or share your ambition with me via richardvanderblom@justconnecting.nl

Public Speaker / Keynote Speaker

Renowned international keynote speaker, deeply passionate and knowledgeable about a range of topics including LinkedIn, Social Selling, Content Strategy, and the evolving landscape of Sales. My expertise is in delivering insights-based, engaging, and impactful keynotes.

With a track record of delivering 60+ keynotes across cosmopolitan cities such as Buenos Aires, Marrakech, Austin, Paris, Copenhagen, Athens, Vienna, and Dubai, my global experience enables me to bring unique perspectives and insights to every event.

I'm proud to have been rated as the best speaker at 80% of all events I've attended, with an impressive average rating of 9.1 out of 10. As a speaker, I am dedicated to not just sharing knowledge, but also inspiring change and action. My talks are a blend of current trends, practical strategies, and forward-thinking ideas, designed to empower professionals to thrive in today's dynamic sales environment.

Dannos Tsakalos (CEO)
Richard was one of the 10+ international speakers who took the stage at our annual Social Media & Influencer Marketing Conference (Athens October 2023). He was the last who took the stage, yet he managed to captivate the audience and received an impressive rate of 9,5/10. Why? Because, in a nutshell, he is a gifted presenter, a true expert who delivers tons of actionable insights and useful tips around LinkedIn and how to stand out on it.

Michael Geary (CEO - SMPS)
I have had the pleasure of witnessing Richard in action at our annual marketing conference, Amplify A|E|C, and I am was impressed by his ability to captivate and engage audiences. He's a true master of a stage presentation and communication skills. Richard possesses the talent for making complex ideas accessible and compelling. He has the the ability to distill intricate concepts into clear, concise messages that resonate with our audience.

5 ways LinkedIn silently kills your post. 
No warning. No explanation. Just... gone.

Analyzed 600,000+ posts, found algorithm behaviors that LinkedIn will never publicly acknowledge. Some are brutal. Some are bizarre. All are real.

1.     The 60-Minute Cliff

Your post gets 50+ engagements in the first hour. Comments flowing. Likes stacking. You're thinking "this one's going viral."

Then... nothing. Complete flatline at minute 61.

We've tracked posts where 50%+ of ALL lifetime engagement came from that first hour — then the algorithm just... stopped distributing. No second wave. No extended reach. Dead.

Why? Our theory: LinkedIn's "quality gate" triggers at the 60-minute mark. If engagement velocity doesn't hit a specific threshold relative to your follower count, the algorithm assumes the content peaked. Distribution stops.


2.     The “See More” Shadow Ban

This one's eerie. Post something critical about LinkedIn, gender issues, religion, or politics. Get decent engagement. Someone clicks "see more" to expand your post and...

It vanishes. Not scrolls down. VANISHES. Gone from their feed entirely.

We've replicated this dozens of times. The post still exists on your profile. But it's been quietly removed from active distribution. No notification. No policy violation. Just algorithmic erasure.

3.     The Ambassador Penalty

This one breaks my heart. You have 15-20 loyal supporters. Real people. Genuine fans of your content. They comment on everything you post — manually, thoughtfully, because they actually care.

And LinkedIn punishes you for it.

When the same accounts engage with your content repeatedly, the algorithm flags it as "artificial engagement patterns." Your reach gets throttled. Sometimes immediately. Your biggest fans are accidentally killing your distribution.

4.     The Ghost Follower Drain

You have 10,000 followers. But only 2,000 are "active" (logged in within 30 days).
LinkedIn doesn't care about your total count. It calculates engagement rate against your 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦 follower base — including the ghosts.

So your 200 likes on a post? 
LinkedIn sees that as 2% engagement on 10K followers. Mediocre. Distribution slows.

Meanwhile, someone with 2,000 active followers gets 200 likes and LinkedIn sees 10% engagement. Exceptional. 


5.     The Hashtag Trap

Using hashtags should expand your reach, right? Not anymore.
Posts with 3+ hashtags now consistently underperform posts with 0-2 hashtags. But here's the strange part: it's not gradual. At exactly 3 hashtags, we see a 15-20% reach drop. At 5+, it's 35%+.

LinkedIn's spam detection now treats hashtag stacking as a manipulation signal. The very feature designed to help discovery is now triggering suppression.

The algorithm isn't evil. It's just optimizing for metrics we can't see. Understanding these hidden rules won't guarantee virality. But ignoring them guarantees suppression.

Which of these surprises you the most? Drop a number (1-5) in the comments

Helping B2B Sales & Marketing Teams Turn LinkedIn into a Lead Generation & Business Growth Engine | Social Selling Expert | International Keynote Speaker| 4x Investor

Your 2024 LinkedIn tactics are killing your 2026 reach.
Lifespan of posts have changed, and this is how you can extend them

Please understand this. The algorithm didn't just update. 
It fundamentally shifted — from network-based to interest-based.

Here's what that means for your post lifespan:

𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗻:
• 20% of total reach in first hour
• 65% in first 24 hours
• 85% in first 48 hours
• Post dies around 84 hours

How to extend it? Likes, comments, engagement from your connections and followers. Being relevant to your inner-circle.

Boost tactics? Pods. Replying to every comment.

𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗻:
• 40% of total reach in first hour (2x faster!)
• 55% in first 24 hours
• 65% in first 48 hours
• Last 5% often comes after 6-8 days

How to extend it? Saves, reposts, comments from 2nd and 3rd degree connections. Being relevant to your Interest Cluster.

Boost tactics? Paid promotion. Getting into Suggested Posts.

See the shift?

In 2024, your network decided your reach.
In 2026, your topic relevance decides your reach.

Your connections don't matter as much anymore.
Your content's fit to interest clusters matters more.

Pods? Mostly useless now — the algorithm sees through same-network engagement patterns.

The new currency? 
Strangers saving and reposting your content.

𝟰 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲:

1. Write for saves, not just likes. Ask yourself: "Would someone bookmark this to reference later?"

2. Create repost-worthy content. Give people something they want to share with their audience — not just react to.

3. Target interest clusters, not your network. Your ICP might be a 3rd-degree connection who's never heard of you.

4. Front-load value in the first hour. 40% of your reach happens there — make those first 60 minutes count.

The algorithm isn't broken.
It just stopped caring about who you know.

Now it only cares about what you know — and who needs to hear it.

Still optimizing for 2024? 
You're already behind.

Which shift surprises you most — the speed (40% in first hour) or the extended tail (6-8 days)?

Medical Writing Coach | Business Coach for Freelance Medical Writers | Helping clinicians build freedom-focused lives through medical writing ✍🏼

Sophie Ash, BSc (Hons) founded Prospology after her freelance medical writing business exploded, generating too many brain-picking requests for one person to handle.

Already living her dream life—travelling the world, working remotely, and leaving suffocating, depleting jobs in her rear-view mirror—Sophie set out to help other ambitious professionals achieve the same level of freedom with their own particular flavour.

With exceptionally high standards and a knack for community-building, Sophie developed The ‘Thriving & Free' Framework™, which delivers the perfect blend of business psychology, practical tools, and inspirational content to show her students what’s possible for them.

Prospology is the leading conduit for aspiring freelance medical writers worldwide, namely because:
✦ Its signature coaching program is rooted in freedom lifestyle design to ensure burnout is a thing of the past, replaced by a fully authentic, deeply fulfilling way of life.
✦ The company goes far beyond writing technique, tackling the topics no one else is talking about—from overcoming imposter syndrome, to securing high-paying clients with ease.
✦ The Prospologers Community is highly exclusive and collaborative, allowing its students and graduates to build and grow their businesses in a safe and uplifting environment.

Prospologers are HCPs, pharmacists, scientists, academics, medical translators, and/or journalists who want to take charge of their workload, schedule, and finances and create more freedom and flexibility by becoming successful freelance medical writers. 

Most have never had a business before, or don’t feel confident with branding, marketing, sales, negotiations, networking, and all the other things that come with entrepreneurship. But, with Sophie’s support and fully customizable 1:1 coaching program, they learn!

Featured on ABC 7, ABC 13, ABC 27, FOX, and KRON News, Sophie is regularly asked to speak at international conferences, on leading podcasts, and in established writing communities on burnout recovery, lifestyle design, and authentic self-leadership.

Graduates of The 'Thriving & Free' Medical Writer Program™ describe it as:
➤ Unlike anything they’ve experienced before.
➤ Transformative and well worth the investment.
➤ Changing their whole outlook on life.
➤ Giving them the tools to run their business with confidence.
➤ Helping them become the person they always wanted to be.
➤ Life-changing for those who put in the work.
➤ A gift that keeps on giving.

For your chance to become the next Prospologer, submit an application at Prospology.com.

Sophie Ash

I'm just gonna say it: I don't enjoy using LinkedIn.

Yes, I love to write. 
Yes, I love sharing wisdom.
Yes, I love connecting with people.

But I do not love this platform.

I use it because it supports my business in a particular way: exposing people to my brand, my methodologies, and my frameworks. That's it.

I do notice that my follower count goes up a little when I make an effort to comment on other people's posts, which is okay, I guess.

But it generally isn't worth the mental drain that scrolling and skim-reading posts that are either misaligned with my values, not useful or interesting, or missing the point gives me.

If you're feeling the same way, here are some things that help me:

1️⃣ I avoid the platform unless I'm feeling energized, positive, or particularly excited about life. That way, I'm still okay when my battery gets drained a lot.

2️⃣ I stay closely connected to my "why"—the reason I'm here, my work's purpose, and my boundaries. I'm not here to follow; I'm a leader.

3️⃣ I only write when I want to. I don't have a strict schedule to follow or targets to meet. If I have something valuable to share, I share it. If not, I don't.

4️⃣ I regularly block people who I consider to be disrespectful, ignorant by choice, or not fun to engage with. My mental health is more important.

5️⃣ I use other platforms for long-form content (Substack) and more direct communications (email), so I don't have to log in too often or feel limited.

6️⃣ I only engage with content authentically, meaning I know not everyone will agree and I'm cool with that. It's far more sustainable for me that way.

7️⃣ I have Google Docs that describe my ideal client (student, for me) and outline my content strategy, so I never have to worry about what to post or when.

8️⃣ I don't hesitate to remove connections or unfollow people who don't fit the criteria of my ecosystem. And I'm picky about who I connect with.

9️⃣ When I see something I respect or appreciate, I make a point of commenting and supporting that person. Positive reinforcement for the win.

🔟 I use LinkedIn more as a database of contacts rather than a social media platform. If I forget someone's credentials, I can take a look. It's handy.

All this to say, you don't have to use the platform if you don't want to.

I'll probably be here less and less as the years go by. (I'm mostly fully-booked these days anyway, so I don't rely on it.)

There are positives you can take from your time here, like new connections you'd never make if you didn't show up (shout out to my latest business bestie, Jack W.!).

But you don't have to love it. And you don't have to spend all your time here. 

Do you agree? And yes, I might block you if you don't—get over it 😅.

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I help ambitious professionals transform burnout 🥱 into financial freedom 💸 by healing their relationship with work ❤️‍🩹 and aligning with their true purpose 🎯.

👩🏼‍💻 Become the next Prospologer
📧 sophie@prospology.com

Sophie Ash, BSc (Hons), DipION

Freedom Lifestyle Coach | CEO @ Prospology — Helping driven professionals launch empowering freelance medical writing businesses.

Another winter, another trip to a sunny destination with a private, outdoor pool! ☀️👙 Nala was ready to leave before we were. You'd think she'd be used to her carrier by now 😅.

No alternative text description for this image

THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to fill out the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) survey and say such lovely things about my lecture. Here are some of the highlights:

AMWA Feedback Carousel

Here's an idea: Stop trying to guess which posts or comments are AI-generated and just live your life 😆

**ANNOUNCEMENT** After several years of publishing long-form content here on LinkedIn, I'm officially moving to Substack. It feels like a better fit for the in-depth, thought-provoking material I like to share.

My existing LinkedIn newsletters won't be deleted, but I won't be publishing anything new on them either.

No content will be migrated or repeated across platforms—I'll simply share Substack posts here for anyone who wants to check them out or discover the platform. New day. New start.

To learn more about the vision for an intent behind my new and improved publication, The 'Thriving & Free' Medical Writer, read the first post here: https://lnkd.in/gB_BgPFB

I'd love to see you over there! I'll be building this out with a great deal of focus and intentionality, so if you're new to freelance medical writing or thinking of breaking into the field as a freelancer, I encourage you to check it out.

#medicalwriting #newresource #freelance #entrepreneurship

I've been speaking so much that my website was A YEAR out of date 😜.

But now it's all looking fabulous and feeling a lot more manageable (without a pile up of new stuff to go in 🙈). 

Check it out! https://lnkd.in/g_jEBK3R

#medicalwriting #freelance #businesscoach #speaker

You're a very good narrative storyteller; you can find threads in any subject matter and weave them together like a pro.

You're well-qualified, and have been exposed to a wide range of medical goings on (on both sides of the desk).

You know the difference between giving people information and giving them tools to make decisions with.

You've never met a rabbit hole that you haven't willingly swan dove into, whether you knew about it or not.

You have a personal connection to healthcare, seeing first-hand how abysmal vital communication can be:

• The siloing of information
• Clinicians dumping things on patients
• Not providing critical guidance when needed

You've done a lot of work on yourself:

• Breaking 'people pleasing' habits
• Squashing imposter syndrome
• Committing to personal growth

You're emotionally intelligent, emphatic, and able to empower and connect with others easily.

And you're only interested in doing meaningful work that feels exciting and interesting.

BUT.

You don't know how to package yourself up properly and to whom.

Your skillsets are so broad and can be applied in so many different ways.

And without a clear picture of who you'll be serving, you can't reverse engineer that into your brand messaging.

You're struggling to put together a clear picture of how you want to present to prospects, so you stay stuck.

You watch YouTube videos, webinars, and attend standalone lecture and walk away feeling inspired but unsure.

• How does this relate to me?
• Am I already doing this properly?
• Which order should I attempt all of this?

You know the issue isn't you—it's not having a clear roadmap.

That's why The 'Thriving & Free' Medical Writer Program™ exists.

Working closely together, it takes you through:

➼ Deeply exploring your background, values, and motivations to uncover what truly drives you and makes you special.

➼ Digging below the surface to articulate who you are, how you work differently, and what keeps you engaged and passionate.

➼ Strategically packaging and presenting your qualifications, experiences, and story as the foundation of your brand.

➼ Developing a clear, compelling core message and unique selling proposition (USP) that attracts the right clients.

This strategic self-discovery and branding work is the essential foundation you need to build out your freelance medical writing business.

And it's why you feel like there are so many missing pieces (there are).

When you jump straight into trying to "leverage your connections," you don't even know what to say let alone how to turn it into opportunities.

When you try to set up meetings with prospective clients, you're met with silence, rejection, 'brain-picking' requests, or confused responses. 

When you speak to other freelance medical writers, you feel validated in your pursuit of this career but totally lost in terms of which steps to take.

If you're done trying to put a puzzle together with 80% of the pieces missing, let's talk—I can help.

Since it's Turkey Day for many of you, THANK YOU to everyone on my team and all my students and graduates for all that you do. 🤗🦃

Over a year since we completely redesigned and launched Prospology's website to better reflect our premium brand, I've FINALLY published the 'Team & Community' page. 🎊

This screenshot barely scratches the surface. You can check out the rest here: https://lnkd.in/gytAnWbT

I hope you're all off enjoying doing whatever it is you want to do and don't see this post for a few days. 😆

#community #collaboration #rebrand

I'm very grateful to have spent the day at a spa connecting with awesome entrepreneurs and setting goals for 2026/7. Thanks, Diana! 😍

When I was a kid, I used to put my outfit on for the next day before going to bed so I could wake up a bit later the next morning. 😄

I'm still just as obsessed with efficiency, but now I have a better understanding as to why.

Everyone's in-built operating system is different when it comes to energy.

Some have healthy relationships to rest; others not so much.

Some are drained or energized by their environments.

Some people burn out faster than others and are not built for "the grind."

I resonate with all of this. And one thing that's helped me understand it better is Human Design.

In Human Design, I’m a Projector, which basically means two things:

1️⃣ My energy doesn’t regenerate the same way most people’s does.
2️⃣ My strength isn’t in doing more, but in seeing more.

Projectors aren’t built to power through twelve-hour days. 

We’re not meant to be the engine of the machine. 

We’re the observers. The pattern-spotters. The people who can look at something for 5 minutes and understand what’s going on underneath it.

When I first learned my Human Design, it felt like someone had put language to something I’d been trying to explain and navigate my whole life.

It explained why I used to feel guilty for not being able to “keep up” with other people.

It explained why 4 hours of work wipes me out but a single insightful conversation can light me up for days.

It explained why pushing harder never led to better results, but slowing down, counterintuitively, did.

Being a Projector has shaped the way I live and build my business.

I work in focused bursts, not marathons.

I honour the natural ebb and flow of my energy, instead of forcing things.

I do my best work when I’m well-rested. And when someone asks for my perspective, rather trying to force my way in.

And I help my students the most when I’m guiding them intentionally and strategically, not whipping them into shape. 😄

The Human Design framework has helped me stop fighting myself and start working with how I’m wired.

Once I understood that my value isn’t in how much I can produce, but in the quality of insight I bring to the table, everything clicked into place.

Everything I'd put into place before properly looking into Human Design made total sense—it all matched up and was super validating.

If you haven't explored Human Design yet, I highly recommend it. 

I can't speak for its origins or foundations (because it sounds like absolute BS). But I can speak for its usefulness as a self-reflection tool.

I may not need to put my clothes on before bed anymore, but I sure as hell don't need to work more than 4 hours a day and it's the absolute best.

One of the first things I do when I start working with someone 1:1 is understand what energizes or drains them, so we can work with their natural rhythms.

What's your Human Design? ✨

P.S. I'm writing this from bed because Wednesday is my no meetings day, which also means no getting dressed and hibernating until I'm fully revived. 🙈

If I had to pinpoint the main reason why my students get more high-paying medical writing opportunities than everyone else, it'd be this:

I teach them how to SECURE the opportunities that others push away.

I look very closely at all previous and current interactions they have with prospective clients and immediately spot things like this:

🙅‍♀️ Delays to the point of conveying "I'm not ready to take this on"

🙅‍♂️ Excitement to the point of conveying "this seems too good to be true"

🙅‍♀️ Eagerness to the point of conveying "I have no other work at all"

🙅‍♂️ Questioning to the point of conveying "I don't know what I'm doing"

🙅‍♀️ Amenability to the point of conveying "I have extremely low standards"

I quickly intervene, explaining how their tone, language, level of detail, etc. sends hidden messages that would make the client BACK OFF.

And I suggest a thoughtful alternative approach that properly considers all agendas, levels of expertise, and client priorities, as well as the strength of the relationship they have (cold, warm, hot).

The result? Client-freelancer matches made in heaven. ✨

As soon as you start over-explaining, over-qualifying, or over-questioning, you're waving a HUGE red flag to the interested party. 

I get it: you want to sound collaborative, curious, and prepared. But there's a time and a place for everything, and this is not the time for f-ck-ups.

There's no replacement for genuine confidence. And that's always my #1 priority with all of my students—to equip them for anything that might come their way.

But there's also no easy way to make a bumpy transition smooth when you don't have a guide who can point out the landmines along the way! 💣

When you have someone holding your hand but letting YOU do the walking, you strike a perfect balance of building genuine confidence (business acumen, gaining client-facing experience, etc.).

And before you know it, you don't really need the guide any more. They're there in the distance in case you wanna give 'em a call. But you're navigating that path like a pro.

The best coaches don't teach you "proven" ways to succeed. They see the unique talents you possess and help you hone them to carve your own path that feels AMAZING and is sustainable for years to come.

You don't need more information/knowledge. You need more lived experience. 

But if you're instinctively kicking the ball in the opposite direction, you'll never learn how to score goals.

Bring in a coach who can help you become the next David Beckham—not just the footballer, the BIG BRAND name that keeps bringing in the dosh even after you retire. 💰

Know when to lead and when to listen.

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I help ambitious professionals transform burnout 🥱 into financial freedom 💸 by healing their relationship with work ❤️‍🩹 and aligning with their true purpose 🎯.

👩🏼‍💻 Become the next Prospologer
📧 sophie@prospology.com

I don't do many discovery calls, and my booking link isn't publicly available for anyone to access. But when I do, I make it count.

It's a BIG decision for someone to start a business. And when it comes to freelance medical writing in particular, I know a thing or two about what it takes to succeed, who's a good fit for this career, and what approach makes the most sense for each individual.

One thing I see very often in these calls is people focusing so much on what "makes sense" or what other people have said is "the best way" to enter the field that they lose sight of who they ARE and what matters to them.

This is a logical approach—it's all brand new to you, so of course you need to do your research and seek out some perspectives other than your own.

But when something is overwhelming (as is usually the case when you're in unfamiliar territory), it's even more important to be careful who you listen to and why.

It's so easy to get caught up in trying to relive others' lives or recreate their successes, rather than carving out a path of your OWN that works in today's market and technological era.

I truly believe that anyone can achieve anything they want to if they have the right training, support, and attitude. The much bigger question is: do they WANT to? And are they likely to thrive in that role?

I'm not interested in encouraging someone to pursue a career path that isn't a great fit for them. Nor am I interested in coaching someone who isn't likely to "make it" as a freelance medical writer.

I'm interested in finding out everything there is to know about someone—their values, belief system, priorities, lifestyle goals, financial needs, etc.—and helping them see a way forward that feels aligned, exciting, and sustainable.

Whether you're thinking of transitioning into medical writing straight from a PhD, right after a lay-off, alongside a clinical, academic, or pharma role, or after a sabbatical, there's a path that feels GOOD and will also be effective. We just have to figure out what it is.

If you're at a crossroads in your career and are seriously considering freelance medical writing as an option, I'm open to booking a couple more discovery calls before I need to turn my attention to launching my first book (YAY).

So feel free to comment, DM, or email me if you'd like to book in some time with me and I'll send you my link.

Note: This is not an in-depth strategy or coaching call to help you grow an existing freelance writing business—I have a separate (paid) link for those. I'm talking "Is this right for me and how should I approach it so it feels exciting, not terrifying?"

TLDR: Pursuing what you want with integrity is far more important than pushing for results based on other people's expectations of you plus fear of failure.

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I help ambitious professionals transform burnout 🥱 into financial freedom 💸 by healing their relationship with work ❤️‍🩹 and aligning with their true purpose 🎯.

What no one tells you about running a business by yourself... Learn from myself and Christine Lieu-Guzauskas in our latest YouTube video (and subscribe for more helpful content!).

https://lnkd.in/ghgcNvu2

Open video: What No One Tells You About Running a Business Yourself | Career Advice | Prospology on youtube.com

What No One Tells You About Running a Business Yourself | Career Advice | Prospology

You're a deep thinker, but not in the way you used to be.

Logic has served you well in your career, for:

- Making decisions and getting shit done
- Creating structure and a sense of identity
- Mapping out the way to achieving goals

But you're coming to realize that logic alone can't answer:

- Why you're unable to thrive in your current career
- Why things feel 'off' when they make sense on paper
- What you actually want out of life

And there have been so many downsides to relying on logic so much.

Yes, you're "successful," analytical, and hyper-competent.

But you're also perpetually burnt out, overwhelmed, and over-committed.

It's time for a re-frame.

You already know a heck of a lot about yourself, the world, and the medical industry.

And your history of burnout isn't an indicator of failure; it's important data for us to look at.

It tells us you want MORE out of life. 

But there's internal friction to contend with because you're not giving yourself PERMISSION to want more.

There's so much truth once you get beneath the logic. 

Truth that can help you connect all the experiences you've had to date and make sense of it all.

There's emotional psychology at play that explains why your body says "no" when something "makes sense."

Understanding this psychology can bring nuance, insight, and a sense of belonging you've been craving.

But all you know is what people around you see, say, and reflect back at you—

"X plus Y equals Z."
"This worked before so let's do it again."
"Let's rely on data to guide us."

Emotional depth or intuitive guidance isn't widely understood, and many people don't value it at all.

So every time you try to look at it or feel into it, you feel a strong sense of resistance and fear of not fitting in.

But not looking at it doesn't mean it's not there.
Not understanding it doesn't mean it's nonsensical.
Not validating it doesn't mean it's invalid.

These hidden dynamics are longing to be revealed.

There's a truth that feels both emotionally and intellectually satisfying.

There are ways of understanding yourself that will finally make your inner world feel coherent.

You just don't know it yet.

---------
I help ambitious professionals transform burnout 🥱 into financial freedom 💸 by healing their relationship with work ❤️‍🩹 and aligning with their true purpose 🎯.

👩🏼‍💻 Become the next Prospologer
📧 sophie@prospology.com

Most people focus on answering the question, "How do I get a steady flow of writing projects?" My question, since 2022, has been, "How do I stop the flow?" 😄

After stepping away from my medcomms agency, I avoided taking on writing projects for several years.

I didn’t want to repeat the cycle of over-responsibility, over-delivery, and burnout that defined so much of my early career.

And I didn't want any distractions from my full-time coaching work with Prospology. (I'm an all-or-nothing kind of person and didn't identify with being a medical writer anymore.)

But here’s the thing:

The demand for high-quality freelance medical writers didn't stop just because I did. I just didn't have a sustainable model to receive the work.

Now, I have multiple ongoing projects and more flowing in.

But I’m not the one doing the writing—my students are.

They’re delivering the work and getting paid for their efforts.

They're learning and growing in ways theory could never give them.

They're stepping into their new 'freelance medical writer' identities, 100%, and building confidence more than ever before.

And I’m supporting them with sales, strategy, client relationship management, and project management so that everything runs smoothly and efficiently.

No chaos.
No urgency.
No burnout (for anyone).

This is the opposite of how my agency days felt, and what rebuilding your relationship with work can look like.

It’s what happens when you stop trying to do everything alone and start designing a business around alignment, energy, and sustainability.

Many aspiring freelance medical writers fear success more than failure. They’re scared of recreating the exact patterns they’re trying to escape.

But you don’t have to take on every piece of work yourself.

You don’t have to burn yourself out to be successful.

And you don’t need a constant stream of clients to feel secure.

You need systems, support, and a relationship with work that actually feels freeing and sustainable long-term.

And your clients need structure, clear expectations, and well-managed professional environments to work in.

There IS a way for everyone to get what they need: writers, clients, and me as a coach. And I've figured out the formula for mutual success 🤩.

Attached is an email from a very happy client who's working with me and a talented Prospologer.

This season of my business feels collaborative, productive, and deeply aligned, and I’m excited to share more of it with you as we approach 2026.

If you’re craving a version of success that doesn’t cost you your wellbeing or feel like old work cycles repeating themselves, let's get you on the right track so that you feel more purposeful and excited than ever.

Sometimes all you need is someone to guide you along the way, with the right structure and frameworks in place, and you'll take the steps much more solidly and confidently than you ever would have alone.

Because the best kind of "cheating" is the legitimate kind 😅.

Succeeding in entrepreneurship isn't about big bank balances. It's when your business gives you peace of mind and permission to live life on your terms. 🥰

Since the reach for deep, long-form content is terrible here now, I'm probably going to launch a Substack and put my LinkedIn Newsletters to bed (at least one of them).

Have any other coaches, creators, or business leaders done the same? I'd love to hear how smooth the transition was and what you've learned!

Have you moved or migrated from a LinkedIn newsletter to Substack?

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The Battle

Richard van der Blom

Sophie Ash

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taplio

The Battle

Richard van der Blom

Sophie Ash

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);}Richard van der Blom's LinkedIn Performance

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Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreRichard van der Blom's LinkedIn Performance