Helping brands get rankings and revenue from Google, LLMs, AI Overviews | CEO of Contact.so | Mentions.so | Kleo.so

I help tech companies turn attention into predictable revenue.I am the CEO and co-founder of: • Contact (Most innovative SEO + AEO Agency in the World) • Kleo (AI tool that helps you create content optimized to go viral, build an audience, and get you customers)• Mentions (Helps you track your visibility and rank in ChatGPT and other LLMs)Across these businesses, we’ve built and scaled multiple bootstrapped, profitable companies, while also helping dozens of teams grow through SEO, LinkedIn, and AI-driven distribution.Most teams have the same problem: they invest in content, rankings, or social, but none of it compounds into a reliable acquisition engineMy work focuses on building distribution systems that actually scale:• Programmatic SEO and AEO that compounds• Organic content and distribution designed to convert, not just get likes• Content that helps you rank and get recommended by ChatGPT and other LLMsI work with tech teams and founders who want predictable growth without hiring massive teams or chasing tactics that stop working in six months.Here on LinkedIn, I share what we’re learning while building and scaling these companies, so other founders can avoid the mistakes that slow growth and waste years.My goal is simple: be the most transparent founder in the world, share everything, and hide nothing (so you can steal all our tactics to grow your own business) If you’re building a real business and care about predictable demand, following me will be useful.☎️GETTING IN TOUCH IS EASY:📞 Schedule a 30-minute free brainstorm and jam session with me here: https://calendly.com/trykleo/30min (Zero pressure, and if you need to reschedule, go right ahead.)

Rob Hoffman

SEO?
“Just add some keywords”
”Get green lights on Yoast”
”Let’s write a blog and rank #1?”
”Can’t we just buy some backlinks?”

But SEO in 2026 is a totally different beast.

Here’s what it actually involves:

- Total Addressable Search Market
- Google Search Console
- “Don’t change URLs”
- Quick win keywords
- Customer research
- Programmatic SEO
- Entity optimization
- LLM optimization
- Keyword Insights
- Topical authority
- Site architecture
- Schema markup
- Core Web Vitals
- Monthly reports
- Log file analysis
- Google updates
- Brand mentions
- Screaming Frog
- Technical audit
- Content decay
- Internal linking
- XML Sitemaps
- Topic clusters
- “llms.txt file?”
- Search intent
- Link building
- “It depends”
- Crawlability
- Canonicals
- Robots.txt
- Digital PR
- Mentions
- Semrush
- E-E-A-T

Just adding keywords or getting green lights on Yoast doesn't get SEO results.

True SEO and holistic marketing does.

PS. Want to see what SEO in 2026 looks like?

Join our first ever LIVE session later today. RSVP here (it’s free): https://lnkd.in/eiF7S-yM

Daily tactics to grow revenue with organic content and AEO / SEO. | My businesses: Contact.so | Mentions.so | Kleo.so (all bootstrapped, all profitable, all growing)

"I don't know how to do SEO in 2026"

Start from level 1 in The New SEO Game:

SEO isn't just Google rankings anymore.

It's now "Search Everywhere Optimization".

Reframe your “New SEO” project as a game, and you'll become addicted to levelling up.

Level 1: Traditional SEO

- Fix technical problems killing your rankings
- Research keywords and target quick wins
- Optimize on-page elements (titles, content)
- Earn quality backlinks through outreach and PR

Level 2: AI Search Optimization

- Format content so AI can parse it easily
- Build pages that AI platforms want to cite
- Structure information for machine consumption
- Test how your brand appears in AI search results

Level 3: Paid Search Visibility

- Run Google Ads for high-intent keywords
- Target competitor terms with YouTube Search Ads
- Capture Bing traffic through Microsoft Ads
- Measure paid performance across every platform

Level 4: LLM Answer SEO

- Produce authoritative content LLMs trust
- Build a knowledge base for AI training data
- Position your brand as the definitive source
- Monitor brand mentions in LLMs with Mentions

Level 5: Brand Authority SEO

- Get unlinked brand mentions across the web
- Feature in industry roundups and expert lists
- Build brand recognition without traditional backlinks
- Track brand mention volume and sentiment

Level 6: Community SEO

- Provide value in relevant Reddit threads
- Share expertise on Quora in your space
- Engage in Slack communities and Discord servers
- Build reputation in industry forums and groups

Level 7: Parasite SEO

- Repurpose content on Medium and LinkedIn Pulse
- Publish beehiiv newsletters to rank in Google
- Guest post on high-authority platforms/websites
- Leverage existing domain authority for quick rankings

Level 8: Platform-Specific SEO

- Optimize for Amazon search if selling products
- Focus on YouTube SEO for video content
- Master TikTok's algorithm for short-form content
- Optimize App Store listings for apps/extensions

Level 9: Topic Domination

- Own conversations across ALL channels
- Create content ecosystems to reinforce each platform
- Become the go-to expert mentioned everywhere
- Monitor and maintain authority across all channels

Completed all levels?

SEO is constantly evolving in 2026.

Stay ahead or get left behind.

PS. Need help levelling up?

Join our first ever SaaS SEO in 2026 LIVE session tomorrow, March 4th. 
RSVP here (it’s free): https://lnkd.in/eiF7S-yM

We analysed 1,000s of AI answers to find out how LinkedIn content can improve your AI visibility.

Semrush found that LinkedIn is the 2nd most cited website in AI answers (behind Reddit).

But their only other insight?

"LinkedIn: A steady rise across all AI platforms"

So we went much deeper with Mentions and analysed 4.8M AI answers and 13.4M citations.

Here are 7 key insights we found:

1. Almost half (42.5%) of all AI prompts we’re tracking cite LinkedIn at least once. Huge reach for a single platform.

2. AI citations of LinkedIn grew by 72% in just 6 months. AI tools are finding and using LinkedIn content more every month.

3. 85% of LinkedIn citations come from Google’s AI products (AI Mode and Overviews). Using LinkedIn for AI visibility is mostly playing a Google game.

4. LinkedIn Pulse articles get 8x more citations than regular LinkedIn posts. Long articles work way better than short posts for AI visibility.

5. LinkedIn Pulse articles are doing two things at once: They help content rank on Google and then get picked up by AI answers.

6. Company pages get cited more often than any other LinkedIn page type. If your company page ranks well, it is cited more consistently by AI.

7. AI loves LinkedIn most when people ask about people, companies, experience, and practical advice.

Here are the types of prompts where AI is most likely to pull from LinkedIn (from highest to lowest):

- Hiring and HR questions (69.17%)
- Real examples and case studies (65.12%)
- “Who is this person or company?” (58.89%)
- Learning and training topics (57.04%)
- Software and tools (56.10%)
- “Why” questions (54.76%)
- “How” questions (49.72%)
- “Best” or “top” lists (48.92%)
- Recommendations (48.59%)
- Reviews and opinions (48.21%)
- Comparisons (47.35%)
- “What” or “which” questions (45.14%)
- Everything else (33.34%)

We’re currently building an AI visibility strategy for beehiiv using these exact insights.

Worth sharing the process in real-time?

Our SEO Agency is trending on X News right now... last time this happened the CEO of Google himself weighed in.

If you haven't seen it yet, Jake Ward published a controversial article yesterday.

It breaks down his AI-powered SEO experiment that will likely redefine how founders think about organic content and SEO in 2026.

So far, the results are insane:

- +466% SEO traffic growth in 60 days
- 13,000+ pages published in just 3 hours
- 50% of those pages aren't even indexed yet

People think SEO is slow. But this proves it could be the fastest growth channel for startups in 2026.

The two biggest takeaways for founders looking to invest in this growth channel:

1. Content today is built like software, not written.
2. People want to interact with content, not read it.

I've talked to dozens of founders over the past weeks, and one thing is clear…

Most know this is a growth channel they can't miss out on, but have no idea where to start.

If that sounds like you, or you’re wondering whether this would work for your site, DM me or book a call (link in comments).

I called my shot last year, then spent 183 days making it happen:

Launched 2 businesses in 4 cities and hit $75k MRR.

I lived out of a suitcase, built in public, experienced setbacks, took massive risks…

But here’s what calling my shot has made painfully clear:

1. Define the shot before you take it

I asked myself: What would the best 6 months of my life look like?

I wrote down the answer. Then showed it to my co-founder, Jake:

"We’ll spend 6 months moving from city to city, meeting interesting people. Launch two businesses and grow them fast. Build in public, and get invited on all the podcasts we've been fans of for years."

And it all came true.

You can't call your shot if you don't have total clarity on what it is. Write it down. Make it specific. Then do it.

2. Go to where the interesting people are

Whatever shot you're calling, you will need people.

I spent 6 months moving from city to city, connecting with unique and talented people.

The people I met ended up becoming my co-founders, clients, and team members.

Moving cities is your competitive advantage because so few people are willing to do it.

3. Be the first to drink the Kool-Aid

People want to join a mission and get excited about something. So don't be afraid to sell it.

You may never arrive at the original destination, but here's a secret: nobody cares.

Most people just want an excuse to go on an epic adventure.

Dream big, define your vision, then build a team around it.

4. The biggest mistake is moving so slow you don’t make any

Our first CTO quit. And we didn't let it slow us down.

In less than 24 hours we:

Met with a new candidate
Made a handshake deal for equity and comp
Flew him across the world to sleep on our couch

If you make mistakes, good. That means you're moving fast enough.

You can't steer a stationary ship.

5. Be loud and unapologetic

I’ve documented everything we built on platforms like LinkedIn and X.

People told me not to share our numbers and growth strategies publicly. But I did it anyway.

I used Kleo to turn my ideas and stories into posts (like this one) that got attention.

That attention turned into:

- 2 dream podcast appearances
- Incredible talent asking to work with us
- lead flow for all three of our businesses

The most powerful lesson in all this (for business and life)?

When you call your shot…Call it loud.

Life is short. So tell the world exactly what you want, then go get it.

Helping founders make predictable revenue from organic content and rankings on LinkedIn, Google, and LLMs | CEO of Contact.so | Mentions.so | Kleo.so

I run 3 businesses. $400K MRR (total). All growing fast.

Is there some "secret sauce?"

Kind of:

It's called a constraints analysis.

This is the highest leverage skill any Founder can develop.

Before I show you how I do it, remember:

Like any other skill, you build this one through repetition.

Repeat this system every month.

Keep honing your craft.

Hope this helps someone level up their business in 2026.

Watch the full video here: https://lnkd.in/eSjVPsgj

At A Better Jones, I help startups, small businesses, and solopreneurs accelerate their growth. 

A Better Jones

If I could only give one piece of advice to entrepreneurs struggling to grow…

It would be this:
 
Less. But better.
 
That’s the shift that changed everything for me.
 
Last year, after 6 years of trying to do everything...
 
→ I hit multiple 6-figures
→ I started scaling toward 7
→ I felt more joy, more momentum, and more clarity than ever before
→ And I finally started building a business that felt like mine
 
But let me be clear:
 
That didn’t happen because I added more.
 
It happened because I cut.
 
I spent my first 6 years doing all the things:
 
• Showing up on every platform
• Offering 5 different services
• Starting new projects every few months
• Trying to scale before I had a strong foundation
• Always feeling behind, scattered, and overwhelmed
 
Sound familiar?
 
Here’s what changed:
 
→ One Ideal Client
→ One Offer Ecosystem
→ One Core Platform
→ One Clear Message
 
That’s it.
 
And it worked.
 
Because growth doesn’t come from volume.
 
It comes from alignment and focus.
 
Less. But better.
 
💬 DM me ‘MILLION’ if you’re ready to get clear, cut the noise, and finally scale with a business that feels as good as it grows.

Kasey Jones 🏔

I help consultants end referral reliance and reach systematic, predictable $30k+ months via differentiated positioning & leverage, instead of headcount & time | 31k+ News Subs | Mix of Jocko Willink & Mr. Rogers

I used to scope projects based on what the client told me.
 
30 days in, I'd realize they had no idea what was actually wrong.
 
They weren't lying. They're symptom aware, not problem aware.
 
And I'd end up in a lose-lose-lose situation every time.
 
Until I stopped trusting their self-diagnosis and started leading with discovery.
 
👉 Swipe through to see the 3 traps—and how to avoid them

Carousel - 3 mistakes I made when I started working with c

I used to find sales calls really draining.
 
Even once I got clear on my offer, the calls were still harder than they needed to be.
 
Because even when YOU'RE clear, if your prospect isn't — you're doing double the work.
 
So I built 7 emails that go out between...
 
"Call booked" and "Call happens."
 
Now my prospects show up already knowing:
 
→ Who I am
→ How I think
→ And Why I'm different.
 
The call becomes the easy part.

I broke down the entire Booked-to-Bought Sequence in a recent newsletter — every email, what to include, and why it works. Link is in the comments.

XOXO,
Kasey

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[Carousel] What I wish I knew before I started taking sale

You don’t need to be louder.
 
You need to be less filtered.
 
Because here’s the truth:
 
Your content isn’t falling flat because you’re bad at writing. It’s falling flat because you’re trying to be liked.
 
And here’s how that shows up:
 
1️⃣ You edit the bold thing you actually wanted to say.
 
You write the spicy thing first.
 
Then you water it down to sound “professional.”
 
And suddenly, your truth becomes just another “value post.”
 
→ Magnetic brands don’t soften the edge.
 
They own it.
 
2️⃣ You post what you think you should say—not what you need to say.
 
You sound smart.
 
You’re “on brand.”
 
But it’s missing the part that actually moves people.
 
→ Likability blends in.
 
Magnetism stands out.
 
3️⃣ You keep trying to resonate with everyone.
 
So you play it safe.
 
You shrink your voice.
 
You become forgettable.
 
→ If no one’s pushing back, no one’s leaning in either.
 
The shift is simple (but uncomfortable):
 
Stop posting for approval. Start speaking from self-trust.
 
👉 DM me Toast and I’ll send you access to the Toast & Roast Library — real audits of real brands, showing what’s working, what’s not, and how to shift from “likable” to magnetic as hell.

I used to bend over backwards to be likable.
 
→ Say the “right” thing. 
→ Keep it polished. 
→ Be agreeable.
 
Don’t ruffle feathers.
 
And guess what?
 
• I was liked. 
• I was safe. 
• I was forgettable.
 
Because likability isn’t the same as magnetism.
 
Magnetism doesn’t ask to be liked. It asks to be true.
 
Magnetism has an edge.
 
It’s specific.
 
It tells the truth even when it’s inconvenient.
 
It repels the wrong people—so it can attract the right ones deeply.
 
And that’s the difference:
 
🖤 Likability is about fitting in.
🖤 Magnetism is about standing the fck out.*
 
The moment I stopped trying to be liked?
 
→ My voice got stronger.
→ My brand got bolder.
→ My people got louder.
 
So if you’re stuck in the loop of “sounding right”…
 
Maybe it’s time to sound real.
 
✨ What would shift if you stopped chasing likability and started trusting your magnetism?

I used to work so hard to be likable.
 
→ Say the right thing. 
→ Sound smart but not “too much.” 
→ Keep it polished. 
→ Keep it safe.
 
And guess what?
 
It worked. But only sort of.
 
People kind of liked me.
 
Thought I was “easy to work with.”
 
Didn’t mind being around me.
 
But it wasn’t the real me.
 
And wearing the mask, day in and day out, was EXHAUSTING.
 
And lonely.
 
But here’s the truth no one says out loud:
 
Likability will build you a brand. But it won’t be
 
Here’s what I wish someone told me:
 
1️⃣ Likable people blend in. Magnetic people stand out.
 
Being likable makes you agreeable.
 
Being magnetic makes you unforgettable.
 
2️⃣ The more magnetic you become, the more you’ll repel.
 
That’s not failure—it’s filtering.
 
You’re not here for everyone.
 
You’re here for the right ones.
 
3️⃣ Likability is often self-abandonment in disguise.
 
It’s not your voice.
 
It’s your voice, edited for approval.
 
4️⃣ People will call you “too much.”
 
And that’s the version of you they actually remember.
 
The version that moves people.
 
5️⃣ Magnetism isn’t a marketing tactic. It’s self-trust.
 
It’s the clarity that comes when you stop performing
 
and start owning your truth—fully.
 
So if your brand feels muted…
 
If your content feels safe but stale…
 
If your voice feels “off” even though the strategy is “right”...
 
Here’s the real diagnosis:
 
You’re not too quiet. You’re too likable.
 
👉 Want to know if your brand is magnetic—or just… likable?
 
Comment “Toast” and I’ll send you access to the Toast & Roast Library — a collection of brand tools to help you audit what’s working, what’s falling flat, and how to build authority that actually pulls people in.

Here's what those 6 months looked like:
 
• Great engagement on LinkedIn. 
• Thoughtful comments. 
• People telling me they loved my work.
 
BUT zero clients.
 
I was trying to appeal to everyone. Being "professional."
 
Making sure I didn't sound too niche or alienate anyone.
 
Then I wrote ONE post that was different.
 
It was about a 9-figure CEO who reached out because everyone else's websites looked the same—super polished, perfectly branded, saying all the right things.
 
"I don't want that," he said. "I don't want to look like everybody else."
 
So I wrote a post that leaned into everything that made me different.
 
→ My unconventional background. 
→ My opinionated approach. 
→ The stuff I'd been hiding to look "professional."
 
That single post brought in three qualified leads and $15,000 within two weeks.
 
One of those leads? Six figures over the next two years.
 
The difference? POSITIONING.
 
In my newsletter, I break down:
 
→ Why referrals dry up when you're positioned broadly (and the trap that keeps you there) 
→ The upmarket fear that's actually keeping you stuck at lower rates 
→ The 4-question Positioning Precision Framework 
→ Why narrow positioning creates MORE opportunities, not fewer
 
The consultant known for ONE thing gets hired by dream clients at premium prices.
 
The consultant known for everything competes for on price for whatever they can get.
 
Stop hiding what makes you different. It's exactly what premium clients are looking for.

XOXO,
Kasey

Common mistakes consultants make with scoping—and why it leads to burnout, resentment, or awkward money conversations.
 
Every consultant learns this eventually:
 
You scope the project based on what the client tells you. 

30 days in, you realize they had no idea what was actually wrong.
 
They weren't lying. They're symptom aware, not problem aware.
 
They know something hurts. They don't know why.
 
Here's what I learned:
 
1. Their diagnosis is almost always incomplete. They tell you about the symptom. You scope a solution for that symptom. But the symptom isn't the problem.
   
2. You'll end up in a lose-lose-lose situation. Either you do extra work for free and burn out. Or you accept mediocre results and damage your reputation. Or you ask for more money and create an awkward conversation that often kills the relationship.
   
3. The fix isn't working harder—it's diagnosing before you deliver. When you do the discovery work, you control the scope. No more surprises. No more resentment.
 
The consultants who avoid this trap aren't smarter. 
They just stopped trusting the client's self-diagnosis.

I grew up believing I was always doing something wrong.
 
That no matter how hard I tried, I was falling short.
 
For years, that belief drove me.
 
Made me push harder, work longer, never stop.
 
But it also made me sabotage everything I built.
 
→ I'd hit a goal and immediately discount it. 
→ I'd get close to a breakthrough and pull back. 
→ I'd set a target and procrastinate — because if I never really tried, I couldn't really fail.
 
The only reason anything changed is because I stopped trying to out-hustle the problem and started doing the work of actually changing who I was operating as.
 
That's not a one-time fix. It's a practice. 

And I still catch old patterns sneaking back in when I'm stressed, tired, or scared.
 
Does any part of this story sound familiar to you?

The worst advice I ever received about keeping clients:
 
"Just deliver great work."
 
I followed that advice for years.
 
And I kept losing clients anyway.
 
Here's what nobody tells you:
 
Great work is table stakes. Your clients expect it. That's why they hired you.
 
I used to deliver the project, then sit and wait.
 
→ Maybe they'd come back. 
→ Maybe they'd ghost. 
→ Maybe they'd refer me somewhere else.
 
But I was always reactive. Always waiting for them to decide what happened next.
 
That's not running a business. 
That's being an employee with extra paperwork.
 
The consultants who keep clients for months (or years) aren't necessarily doing better work.
 
They're designing the journey before the first deliverable lands.
 
The shift that changed everything:
 
Stop waiting to be told what's next. 

Start mapping the entire path forward—so you're the obvious choice for all of it.
 
You didn't start your business to be reactive. 
You started it to be in control.

I spent years thinking I wasn't built for 7-figure success. 

Turns out, my brain was sabotaging me the whole time.
 
Here's what it looked like:
 
→ 𝗚𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱—then finding a way to mess it up 

→ 𝗔𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗳𝘂𝗹—then immediately discounting it 

→ 𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹—then procrastinating so I couldn't really fail 

→ 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 "𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁"—then repeating the same patterns
 
For years, I thought something was wrong with me.
 
That I was broken somehow.
 
But here's what was actually happening:
 
My old beliefs were running the show.
 
• Beliefs that said I wasn't good enough. 
• That I didn't deserve it. 
• That people like me don't get to have that.
 
And those beliefs don't just disappear because you set a new goal or make a vision board.
 
They run in the background—quietly pulling you back to what feels familiar.
 
The only way out?
 
Rewrite them. 
Intentionally. 
Consistently.
 
Not through willpower. 

Through becoming someone new.
 
Drop a 🔥 if any of these signs hit home.

Polished brands don’t build trust. Aligned ones do.
 
If you’re doing all the right things…
 
→ Posting consistently 
→ Saying “the right” words 
→ Following the strategy
 
But people still aren’t buying?
 
You’ve got a trust leak.
 
Not in your character.
 
In your clarity.
 
Here’s how to know:
 
1️⃣ You keep rewriting your messaging
 
It always sounds good—but never quite right. You’re chasing resonance and rewriting for dopamine.
 
2️⃣ Your content gets engagement—but no leads
 
Likes. Comments. Crickets in the DMs. That’s a brand problem, not an algorithm one.
 
3️⃣ You’re attracting interest—but not from the right people
 
You’re being seen—but not understood. Your signal’s fuzzy, so the wrong people are saying yes.
 
4️⃣ You’ve built a voice that sounds smart… but not like you
 
You’re filtering your power. Watering it down to be more “professional.” It’s costing you your magnetism.
 
5️⃣ You’re calling it a visibility problem—but it’s not
 
Visibility without clarity is just noise. You don’t need to be seen more—you need to be seen truly.
 
6️⃣ You’re hiding behind what’s worked before
 
Old positioning. Old messaging. Old strategies. And wondering why they don’t feel good anymore.
 
If any of this hit?
 
You don’t need a full rebrand.

You don’t need a prettier logo.
 
You need to run a f*cking audit.

XOXO,

Kasey

Because the truth is…
 
Most of you don’t need a tighter niche. You need a better filter.
 
Here’s what I mean:
 
Most “experts” will tell you to niche down based on demographics:
 
→ Job title
→ Industry
→ Company size
 
But the best consultants and coaches I know?
 
They can deliver wildly powerful results across a wide range of roles, industries, and business models.
 
So how are they supposed to pick just one?
 
Here’s the reframe:
 
Niche by situation, not by status.
 
Get crystal clear on the urgent problem your best-fit clients are facing.
 
→ What’s high-stakes for them?
→ What outcome matters most?
→ What’s costing them time, money, or peace right now?
 
That’s your niche.
 
Not who they are.
 
But what they’re going through.
 
When you get this right:
 
✅ You write more specific, high-converting content
✅ You attract more urgent, qualified buyers
✅ You build offers that feel magnetic to the people who need them most
 
So if you’ve been resisting “niching down” because it feels limiting —
 
Try this instead.
 
It’s more effective.
 
More human.
 
And way more scalable.
 
DM me NICHE if you want help finding yours — I do this in my sleep, and I can usually help you nail it in 15 minutes or less.

I'd get close to something I wanted — then find a way to blow it up. 

Every. Single. Time. 

Until I realized what was actually happening.
 
I grew up believing I was always doing something wrong.
 
That no matter how hard I tried, I was falling short.
 
In some ways, it drove me. Made me relentless.
 
But in a lot more ways?
 
It created a level of perfectionism that led to constant self-sabotage.
 
→ I'd get close to something I wanted and find a way to undermine it. 
→ I'd achieve something meaningful and immediately discount it. 
→ I'd set a goal and procrastinate — because if I never really tried, I couldn't really fail.
 
The only reason I've gotten to where I am is because I've done the work of actually reprogramming my operating system.
 
Not just setting goals. 
Not just making plans.
 
And here's the thing — the work is never done.
 
→ I still catch myself listening to my inner critic instead of my inner coach. 
→ I still find old patterns sneaking back when I'm stressed or scared.
 
This isn't a destination. 
It's a practice.
 
I wrote about this in a recent newsletter — including an exercise I do with every client that's one of the most powerful tools I've found for rewriting your programming.

💡 If any of these 5 signs hit close to home, that newsletter will help. 

Link is in the comments.

Some of you are running a business that’s burning you out without you even realizing it.
 
• You're functioning. 
• You're delivering.
• You're "Doing fine."
 
But underneath?
 
You're anxious, exhausted, and lowkey resentful.
 
And you don’t know why.
 
Here’s your burnout gut check:
 
→ You’re booked out, but underpaid
→ You dread sales calls because you don’t know what you’re selling
→ You secretly hope prospects don’t say yes
→ You’re changing your offer every other week
→ You haven’t had a real weekend off in 2 months
 
Sound familiar?
 
Here’s the truth:
 
A misaligned business model will quietly destroy your energy, your confidence, and your ability to grow.
 
It’s not about working fewer hours.
 
It’s about building smarter foundations:
 
→ 1 High-Converting Offer
→ 1 Repeatable Sales Process
→ 1 Aligned Lead Source
 
That’s what we build inside The Essentialist CEO Collective.
 
Not just a business that pays the bills.
 
A business that pays you back.
 
What’s one thing in your business you’re tolerating right now that’s costing you more than it’s worth?

I spent years setting goals and making plans that didn’t work.
 
• New Year's resolutions 
• Vision boards 
• Detailed strategies
 
And every single time, I'd end up right back where I started.
 
For the longest time, I thought it was a discipline problem.
 
→ That I just needed to try harder. 
→ Wake up earlier. 
→ Want it MORE.
 
But here's what I finally realized:
 
My subconscious was running on beliefs that were formed when I was 7 years old.
 
Beliefs that said I wasn't good enough.
 
That I was always doing something wrong. That no matter how hard I tried, I was falling short.
 
Those old beliefs don't care about your goals.
 
They run in the background—quietly sabotaging everything you're trying to build.
 
→ Getting close to what you want, then finding a way to undermine it 
→ Achieving something meaningful, then immediately discounting it 
→ Procrastinating on big goals so you can't really fail
 
You can't outwork your old beliefs.
 
You have to rewrite them. One by one.
 
That's the real work.

Drop 'HELL YES' in the comments if you're ready to rewrite your old beliefs this year.

I tried 10+ lead gen strategies UNTIL I figured out I only needed 3.
 
(Spoiler: None of them are lead magnets…)
 
I was doing it ALL:
 
• LinkedIn 5x a day
• Lead magnets
• Networking events
• Podcasts
• Cold outreach
 
You name it, I’ve tried it.
 
I was everywhere. And getting NOWHERE.
 
Then I figured out that I only needed 3 lead sources:
 
• One owned platform (where my clients actually are)
• Strategic partnerships (people who serve my clients before/after me)
• Targeted networking (where my CLIENTS hang out)
 
That's freaking it.
 
→ No lead magnets.
→ No being everywhere.
→ No scattered energy.
 
Master these 3. Let them compound.
 
Everything else is just noise.

Why helping yourself is harder than helping others (even when you do this for a living)
 
I can coach my clients through their limiting beliefs like it's obvious.
 
I can spot their patterns from a mile away.
 
But when it comes to my own stuff? Blind spots everywhere.
 
→ I can see exactly why they're self-sabotaging 
→ I can pinpoint the old beliefs holding them back 
→ I can map out exactly what they need to do differently
 
And yet...
 
I still catch myself doing the same things.
 
Listening to my inner critic instead of my inner coach. 
Letting old patterns sneak back in when I'm stressed or tired or scared.
 
Here's what I've learned:
 
That's not a character flaw. That's being human.
 
The people who are best at helping others are often the worst at doing it for themselves.
 
Which means you have to be intentional about this work in a way most people aren't.
 
You can't just know better. You have to build the systems, the practices, the habits that rewire your brain—even when you can't see your own blind spots.
 
Drop a 🙃 if you're great at helping others but struggle to help yourself.

I followed every bit of ‘discipline’ advice.
 
I woke up earlier. Made more lists. Set bigger goals.
 
I tried:
 
• Stricter routines 
• More accountability 
• Harder deadlines
 
And every single time, I ended up right back where I started.
 
Because here's what I didn't understand:
 
My conscious mind was setting goals.
 
But my subconscious—the part running the show 95% of the time—was operating from beliefs formed decades ago.
 
Beliefs that said I wasn't good enough. That success wasn't for people like me. That I'd probably mess it up anyway.
 
You can't out-discipline a belief problem.
 
→ Your willpower runs out 
→ Your motivation fades 
→ Your old patterns pull you back
 
The only thing that actually worked?
 
Rewriting the beliefs themselves.
 
Not just setting new goals. 
Actually becoming someone new.
 
That's the work most people skip. 
And it's the only work that matters.
 
Drop a 🌟 if you've ever blamed your discipline when the real problem was deeper.

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The Battle

Rob Hoffman

A Better Jones

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The Battle

Rob Hoffman

A Better Jones

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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);}Rob Hoffman's LinkedIn Performance

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