Ronak Shah

CEO & Co-Founder at Obvi | EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2022 | Featured on Inc. as 1 of 22 High Achievers | Chew on This Podcast Host

As the CEO of Obvi, I lead the company's vision to offer the most obvious choice of transparent products that deliver real results without sacrificing taste. Obvi, which has been featured on Inc. as one of the 22 high achievers of 2022, has grown rapidly since its launch in 2019, thanks to our innovative and customer-centric approach to product development, marketing, and community building.

With over a decade of experience in accounting, finance, and e-commerce, I have developed strong competencies in customer relationship management, analytical skills, communication, and technology. I have successfully completed enterprise-scale projects involving technology conversions, re-branding, custom CRM development, report design, and release management. As an EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2022 and a co-host of Chew On This podcast, I am passionate about sharing my insights and expertise on DTC content and strategies with other founders and entrepreneurs. I am also a growth ambassador for Gorgias, a universal tool for CX that I endorse and use for Obvi.

Chief Executive Officer

Obvi was founded with one objective in mind: present the most obvious choice of transparent products which present real results without having to sacrifice taste. At Obvi, we believe the industry as it is currently, is facing a phenomenon which is known as the paradox of choice; that is, the more choices there are, the less satisfied the customer is starting to become. We have set out to make that choice as obvious and easy for our customers. Simple and transparent formulas with a cutting-edge flavor systems make any Obvi product, the obvious choice.

Year 3 pitching to Walmart  … need the best vibes sent our way for Obvi  🙏🏻

LFG Ashvin Albert Raj Ankit

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At Obvi, we run on one simple financial rule: Every dollar must return $3+.

Not $2. Not $2.50. $3 minimum.

We bootstrapped Obvi from $10K to over $40M in revenue. Zero VC funding. That means every dollar we spend is a dollar we earned, and we can't afford to be loose with it.

When you're bootstrapped, you don't get second chances. You can't just raise another round to cover your mistakes.

So the 3X rule became our filter for everything.

New marketing channel? 3X or we don't test it. 
Hiring decision? That person needs to generate 3X their cost. 
Product launch? Software tool? Same filter.

This isn't about being cheap. It's about being disciplined.

When you're this disciplined, you can actually take BIGGER swings than VC-backed brands burning through cash. 

Because the bets that DO work often return 5X or 10X, and you have the cash flow to double down immediately—not six months later after another board meeting.

Most founders see a rule like this as handcuffs. For us, it's rocket fuel.

Last month we were supposed to be in our new Obvi office. This month, one of my employees is working out of their shoe closet and I'm set up in my son's bedroom.

We didn't choose this. But we're figuring it out anyway.

For 6 years, Obvi has been an in-person team. That's how I built this company. That's how I work best. 

I'm fully against working from home—I need the energy, the collaboration, the focus that comes from being together.

Then reality hit. Office delays forced us remote for 2 months while our new space gets ready.

So here we are. One team member literally set up in their shoe closet because that's the only quiet space in their apartment. I'm working out of my son's bedroom with a makeshift desk. Others are on their couches trying to take Zoom calls with decent lighting.

None of us had real home offices. Why would we? We've been in-person for 6 years.

Here's the thing though—when you have to operate in a way that completely contradicts how you believe things should work, you can't just push through with the same approach. You have to fundamentally change how you communicate, how you structure your day, what you're willing to accept as "good enough."

It's uncomfortable as hell. But watching our entire team adapt and just do what needs to be done has been incredible.

We're still hitting our goals. Still staying efficient. Still moving the business forward from bedrooms and closets.

Sometimes the best growth doesn't come from doing things your way. It comes from being forced into a completely different way and realizing your team will rise to meet it anyway.

Two months. Then we're back in person where we belong. But this sh*t has been a masterclass in adaptability.

Margin is brutally hard to find in DTC right now. So when we find the rare lever that generates pure profit with zero effort, we jump on it.

That’s why we just implemented Rokt Pay+ at Obvi. Here's what it is →

Trying to boost revenue usually comes with different tradeoffs:

- Launch new products = R&D + inventory risk + COGS

- Raise prices = risk CVR hit

- Add upsell products = more COGS + shipping costs

- Free shipping threshold = lower margin

You're constantly trading one thing for another.

But something Rokt Pay+ is different. It’s a simple, incentivized add-on to your checkout.

When customers reach your payment page, they see a simple banner offering them something (like cashback or rewards) for using Apple Pay or PayPal.

Brands like Apple Pay and PayPal then reward you when customers choose their payment method.

This is a no-brainer. Your customers were already going to use these methods anyway. Now you just get paid for it when they do.

The banner is minimal, designed to match your checkout flow. Meaning no disruption to the customer experience.

This is a brand new product and things are early, but so far Aftersell by Rokt is reporting an average of $20-25 cents in pure profit added per order. 

We’re happy to test this because we've been running Rokt Thanks for a while now and it adds 5 figures per month directly to our bottom line. Zero operational lift or trade-offs. 

When the same team told us about Rokt Pay+, it was an obvious “yes”. 

The math is simple:

- No impact on conversion (heavily tested)

- No new products to manage

- No supply chain complexity

- Customers see premium brands (Apple, PayPal)

Obviously, this won't 10x your business. But $20-25 cents per order adds up fast for us.

That could cover payment processing fees. Fund a new hire. Give us more budget to fund marketing spend. 

We just turned this on, so we’ll share our numbers once we have enough data.

But if you're looking for margin and not finding it in the obvious places, this is worth a look.

#ROKTpartner

There are at least 5 ways your DTC brand can trigger sales tax obligations that have nothing to do with how much you sell.

Most founders have no idea these exist. And states are actively auditing back to 2018.

Here's what can randomly create a six-figure tax liability:

THE BASICS: Economic nexus = $100,000 in sales OR 200 transactions in most states (California is $500K). At $5M in revenue, you could be obligated in 30+ states.

But that's just the beginning.

The weird/scary stuff…

1. Your inventory creates instant nexus 

Amazon moves your FBA inventory between warehouses without asking. Each state where your products sit = physical nexus. We woke up with obligations in states we'd never directly sold to.

2. Marketplace facilitator laws don't cover everything 

Amazon collects tax on marketplace sales, but you still must register in states where inventory is stored. Your Shopify/DTC sales? Still your responsibility. Multi-channel = tracking it all yourself.

3. Affiliate programs trigger nexus 

Pay commissions to influencers or affiliates? Pennsylvania: $0 threshold. One sale = nexus. Illinois: $10K. Georgia: $50K. Most founders have no idea this exists.

4. Trailing nexus = you can't just leave 

California requires continued collection for the rest of that year PLUS the entire following year after you fall below thresholds. Colorado, Washington, Arizona have similar rules. The obligation follows you.

5. States audit back to 2018 

The Supreme Court Wayfair decision changed everything in June 2018. If you had nexus but never registered, there's no statute of limitations. Back taxes + penalties + compounding monthly interest.

THE SCALE: 

-13,000+ tax jurisdictions in the US
-100,000+ changes to tax rules annually 
-Different filing frequencies and thresholds by state 
-Manual tracking = 9-10 hours/month (and you'll still miss things)

Consequences for screwing this up are huge. Besides a sudden tax bill, penalties are 10-30% of unpaid taxes. Interest compounds monthly. States can legally shut down your website until you're compliant. For brands on thin margins, this is a potential death blow.

Good News…

When we started, there weren't great solutions. But now you don't have to be a sales tax expert.

Platforms like Kintsugi handle this: real-time nexus monitoring across all states, automatic registration, automated filing, AI support. Free tier for monitoring and alerts.

For multi-channel brands, it's the difference between 9+ hours monthly on compliance vs. having it completely off your plate. 

Bottom line: Sales tax gets exponentially more complex as you scale. The obscure triggers and state variations are designed to trip you up. But you can get ahead of it before audit letters arrive.

If you don’t have sales tax compliance handled yet, check out Kintsugi: https://lnkd.in/eAY8C8_k 

#Kintsugipartner

Most CTV campaigns fail before they even start.

Not because of bad creative or weak targeting, but because most of the “views” you’re paying for aren’t human.

In 2024, bot fraud accounted for 65% of all fraud in CTV environments. That means bots, spoofed Roku devices, and fake streaming apps are inflating your reach while your real customers never see the ad.

It explains why so many CTV tests look great in a dashboard; cheap CPMs, strong completion rates, but drive almost no conversions.

To help brands clean up the chaos, Vibe.co put together a 2026 CTV Performance Playbook.
It’s a deep dive into the state of CTV right now: what’s broken, what’s working, and where the real opportunity sits.

Here's what you'll learn:

-CTV is booming—but flooded with fraud, recycled inventory, and unverifiable impressions.

-Vibe.co’s curated supply enables more accurate targeting and cleaner feedback loops.

-AI accelerates production and reduces cost—allowing rapid testing of message, pacing, and offers.

-Verified lift studies from WorkMagic and Northbeam show exclusive results.

The full playbook covers how brands are achieving 55% lower CAC on CTV versus paid social, how to verify real viewers, and which metrics actually predict customers, not just “views.”

If you want to understand how to make CTV actually perform in 2026, click the link in comments to access the full guide.

#Vibepartner

The #1 Done-For-You LinkedIn Growth System for Execs & Visionaries | We Don’t Just Advise, We Execute | Clients Gained 1M+ Followers in 2024 & 6-7 Figure Deals with Nike, NASA, US Army & More | Book Your Strategy Call 👇

After 10+ years building 15+ award-winning brands, and fueling 8-figure exits, I realized I was playing too small..

I craved a bigger impact.

So I launched Brain Apes to serve visionary founders and execs who want real traction and more influence, without endless trial and error.

What we do:

→ We blend real-world business development and social media expertise, no “copy/paste” course nonsense here.

→ We live in the trenches, delivering presence, strategy, and results that speak for themselves:

🥇 Scaled an org to 200+ employees
🥇 Got a franchise acquired for 8 figures
🥇 Built 37 award-winning brands in 2024
🥇 Added 1M+ followers to clients in 2024 alone
🥇 Fundraised $300K+ in wellness tech pre-seed
🥇 Built a portfolio of award-winning cannabis brands
🥇 Elevated 20+ coaches to 4-5-figure offers that sell
🥇 Managed and monetized 6, 7 and 8-figure audiences
🥇 Helped a local biz win 85+ awards (most in the state)
🥇 Scaled multiple retail & service-based businesses to 7/8+ figures and win awards 

What clients say:

“Working with you in 2024 was so helpful for account growth for my co-founder and me. In total, we added over 40,000 followers and generated millions of impressions. It also helped us raise funds for Prescribe Life—we’re over halfway through our $500K pre-seed raise. You and your team were awesome!”
– Oli J., Co-Founder of Prescribe Health

“Thanks to the offer stack you helped me build, I’ve been closing $20K offers. Also, I can’t believe how quickly you grew my LinkedIn: 0 to 8K in just a few months! You seriously delivered.”
– XK, Founder & Master Coach

“One of THE BEST decisions for my business and life! It’s only been seven days and my LinkedIn is exploding: at least 10X reach, more high-quality interactions, and tons more calls booked for my publishing services!”
– Ben Gioa, Founder of Leadership Awake LLC

Our formula:

1. Nail your positioning and offer
2. Boost content performance
3. Go on offense and get attention

You could spend 120+ hours a week to figure it all out…

Or let us handle everything for you.

(Our Strategy + Your Expertise) x Our Team = Audience Growth & Revenue.

→ We don’t work with everyone.
→ We always have a waitlist.
→ We’re not cheap, but we deliver on our promises (and then some).

Ready for massive results and unstoppable growth?

Book a free executive strategy call with me. 
I’ll give you clarity, no punches pulled.. 

And if we’re a good fit, we’ll craft an offer to work together.

Ready to see what’s possible for your brand in the next 90 days?

Claim your spot here:
brainapes.com/strategy

Jordan Murphy 🧠🦍

Stop Solving Non-Existent Problems

Are you stuck solving problems that don’t even exist? 🚫

Many entrepreneurs get paralyzed by potential fulfillment issues long before they make their first sale.

Here's why that's a mistake and how I broke free from it:

↓

Worried about how to fulfill orders you don’t even have yet?

The truth is you'll have more resources when it comes time to fulfill.

→ It’s a common trap for new entrepreneurs because you can’t solve problems you don’t have yet.

→ They fixate on potential issues instead of securing their first customer.

↓

Focus on making your first sale before anything else.

• Create an offer so irresistible people can’t say no.
• Forget about fulfillment til you have clients.
• Your first priority is to get a "YES."

I see this all the time.

I recently helped a client shift their focus from fear to sales.

→ They were worried about being overwhelmed by too many clients.

→ Yet, they hadn’t made a sale yet.

→ We reoriented their strategy to close deals first, solve issues later.

Pro tip: Focus on solving problems for free and then let them know you have services if they'd like your continued support. You need proof and traction to scale faster.

↓

Here’s the simple truth:

Sell first, learn from it, and then refine.

• Each sale provides invaluable insights.
• You’ll understand what clients truly value.
• And you’ll see which parts of your offer can be streamlined.

So, what’s the actionable step today?

1. Create an offer that feels like a no-brainer.
2. Get out there and start selling it aggressively.
3. Learn and iterate based on real customer interactions.

↓

When I started Brain Apes, I focused solely on getting those first clients.

→ I didn’t worry about scaling or fulfillment.

→ I poured all my energy into making irresistible offers.

→ The result? A business that took off faster than I could have imagined.

Remember, no sales = no business.

• Don’t let the fear of future problems paralyze you.
• Your goal's to make people feel crazy for saying no.
• Once you’re overwhelmed with orders, you start optimizing.

↓

So stop solving problems that don’t exist.

• Focus on making those first crucial sales.
• Use early customer feedback to refine your offer.
• And then, build a scalable system based on real, not hypothetical, issues.

Because you can’t steer a parked car.

1. Start selling.
2. Learn from each experience.
3. Let your customers guide your refinement process.

Embrace the chaos of early sales - it’s where the real growth happens.

Need help making more sales or getting more leads?

You need more volume.. guaranteed.

Learn how we can put that volume on autopilot for you.

Hit my profile and book a call.

(get yours while it’s still free)

シ


♻️ Smash that repost button! ♻️
🔔 Follow me for the daily goodness 🦍

P.S. 💬 What’s your offer?

JSESSIONID

li_at

Talks about #growth, #branding, #business, #marketing, and #wellnessbrands

He Doesn't Know Every Detail. He Knows the Next Step.

A kid builds a trick shot.

But he's not planning the whole thing upfront.

He sets up one piece. Tests it. Watches what happens.

Then uses that information to set up the next piece guiding toward the end goal.

Each attempt tells him what to do next.

He's not guessing. He's building step by step.

This is how you actually build something.

Not with a perfect plan.

Not with a five-year roadmap that accounts for every variable.

Not by figuring out the entire thing before you start.

You build by knowing the next step.

Most founders waste months (at best) trying to see the whole path.

They want to know exactly how the product will scale before they build v1.

They want to map out year three before they've closed their first customer.

They want certainty about the end before they're willing to start.

And while they're planning, someone else is testing.

Someone else is setting up the first piece, watching what happens, and adjusting.

Someone else is building step by step.

And by the time the planners are ready to start, the builders are already three steps ahead.

Here's what that kid understands that most people don't:

You can't know the end until you start.

The trick shot reveals itself as you build it.

Each attempt gives you information you didn't have before.

The path forward only becomes clear when you take the step.

This is iterative strategy.

You don't need to see the whole staircase. You just need to see the next step.

You don't need perfect information. You need enough information to move forward.

You don't need certainty about the outcome. You need clarity about the next move.

And then you move.

You test. You learn. You adjust. You build the next piece based on what the last piece taught you.

The best companies I know were built this way.

They didn't start with the master plan.

They started with a hypothesis and a first step.

They shipped. They watched. They learned.

And then they built the next step based on what they learned.

The strategy emerged through building, not before it.

Because what you learn is:

The market will teach you things no amount of planning can predict.

Your customers will show you paths you never saw coming.

Your product will evolve in ways you didn't expect.

You can't plan for that. You can only respond to it.

And the only way to respond is to be in motion.

To be testing. To be building. To be learning from each step.

So here's the question:

What are you waiting to have figured out before you start?

What's the next step you already know, but you're not taking because you can't see the whole path?

Because you don't need to know the end.

You just need to know the next step.

And then take it.

What's one thing you're overplanning that you could just start testing?

📹 littlebroslegit
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シ

He Built the Momentum Before Anyone Got On

A man built a wooden swing in his backyard.

Seats 4 people. Wraps around a pool. Suspended by rope.

But here's the part most people miss:

Before anyone gets on, he spins it. Over and over. Coiling the rope upward.

Building tension. Storing energy. Creating momentum.

Then everyone loads on. Gets in their seats.

And when they release it, the swing descends as it uncoils.

Spinning faster and faster.

The fun part only works because of what he did first.

This is how you actually build something.

Everyone sees the spin. The speed. The results.

They see the team celebrating. The customers flooding in. The revenue growing.

They see the momentum.

But they don't see the coiling.

They don't see the months you spent building the product before anyone cared.

They don't see the systems you put in place before you had a team to run them.

They don't see the audience you built before you had something to sell.

They don't see you spinning the rope, alone, building the momentum before anyone got on.

Most founders want the results without the setup.

They want the swing to spin without doing the coiling.

They want momentum without building it first.

They want the team, the customers, the growth, but they skip the part where you're alone in the backyard winding the rope.

And then they wonder why nothing takes off.

Here's what that guy understands:

The descent is automatic. The coiling takes effort.

Once the system is built, once the momentum is there, the results feel effortless.

People get on. The swing spins. Everyone has a great time.

But that only happens because someone did the work first.

The best businesses I know were built this way.

The founder spent months, sometimes years, coiling.

Building the product. Testing the market. Refining the message. Creating the systems.

Alone. Unglamorous. Invisible.

And then, when the momentum was ready, they let people on.

And it looked effortless.

It looked like an overnight success.

It looked like they just got lucky.

But the momentum was built long before anyone was watching.

So here's the question:

Are you trying to spin without coiling?

Are you expecting momentum without building it first?

Are you waiting for people to get on before you've done the work to create the ride?

Because the swing only spins if you wind it up first.

The business only scales, the audience only grows if you build the foundation.

The team only thrives if you create the systems.

You have to build the momentum before anyone gets on.

What's one thing you're building right now that no one sees yet?

📹 justinflom
🔔 Follow me for daily insights  🔔
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シ

He Let Go Mid-Air and Trusted the Timing

A guy sends it off a massive ramp.

Goes up. Flips his bike mid-air. Lets it go.

The bike flips faster than he's flipping.

He's front-flipping through the air. The bike's doing its own thing.

Then he catches the handlebars. Perfectly.

Pulls the bike back into control. Whips it into another front flip.

Lands it.

The bike flipped twice. He flipped once. Perfect timing.

He let go mid-air and trusted the timing.

This is the hardest thing for leaders to learn.

Letting go.

Not at the comfortable moment. Not when everything's stable.

Mid-air. When you're already committed. When it feels like the worst possible time.

But sometimes that's exactly when you have to let go.

Most leaders hold on too tight.

They try to control everything. Micromanage every detail. Keep their hands on the handlebars at all times.

And they wonder why they can't pull off the bigger moves.

Because some tricks require release.

Some outcomes only happen when you let go and trust the timing.

Here's what that guy on the bike understands:

You can't flip the bike twice while holding on the whole time.

To land the trick, you have to let go.

Not recklessly. Not without preparation.

But at the exact right moment, you release control.

And you trust that the timing will bring it back together.

The best leaders I know have learned this.

They let go of decisions their team can make.

They let go of control over processes that don't need their hands on them.

They let go of micromanaging outcomes and trust the people they hired.

Not because they don't care. Because they know the trick requires it.

You can't scale while holding onto everything.
You can't grow while controlling every detail.
You can't pull off the bigger moves while gripping the handlebars.

But here's the part most people miss:

Letting go isn't the same as giving up.

That guy didn't just throw the bike away and hope for the best.

He let go with timing.

He knew when to release. He knew when to catch. He knew the rhythm.

And that's what made it work.

Strategic release requires:

Knowing what to let go of.
Knowing when to let go.

Trusting the timing of when it comes back together.

And then catching it at exactly the right moment.

Most founders fail at one of these:

They let go of the wrong things.
They let go at the wrong time.

They don't trust the timing and try to grab back too early.

Or they let go and never catch it again.

But the ones who master it? They scale.

They pull off moves no one else can.
They land tricks that look impossible.

Because they learned to let go mid-air and trust the timing.

So here's the question:

What are you holding onto that you need to let go of?

What would become possible if you released control and trusted the timing?

What's one thing you let go of that felt terrifying but ended up working?

📹 rwilly
🔔 Follow me for daily insights  🔔
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シ

He Wasn't Playing Pool. He Was Playing Him.

Two guys playing pool.

One guy takes his shot. Sinks a ball.

While the other guy watches the ball go in, he grabs another ball with his mouth. Pops it in the pocket.

Fake chalks his cue with another ball. Slides another into a pocket.

Walks around. Lines up the eight ball. Game winner.

Sinks it.

Game over.

The other guy never saw it coming.

He wasn't playing pool. He was playing him.

This is what happens when you don't realize what game you're actually in.

You think you're competing on skill.

They're competing on something else entirely.

And by the time you figure it out, the game's already over.

I see this in business all the time.

You're focused on building the best product.

Your competitor's focused on controlling distribution.

You're optimizing features.

They're locking up partnerships.

You're playing product. They're playing access.

And they win before you realize you were in different games.

Or:

You're competing on price.
They're competing on brand.

You're racing to the bottom trying to be cheaper.
They're building a moat where price doesn't matter.

You're playing pool. They're playing you.

Here's the thing about meta-games:

They're invisible until it's too late.

You don't see the moves because you're watching the wrong thing.

You're focused on the ball going in the pocket.

You're not watching what's happening while you're distracted.

And that's exactly when they make their move.

The best competitors understand this.

They know the stated game isn't always the real game.

They know that while you're focused on one dimension, they can win on another.

They know that misdirection is a strategy.

And they use it.

So here's the question:

What game do you think you're playing?

And are you sure your competitors are playing the same one?

Because if you're optimizing for the wrong game, you've already lost.

If you're focused on product while they're focused on distribution, you lose.

If you're focused on features while they're focused on network effects, you lose.

If you're focused on price while they're focused on brand, you lose.

Not because you're bad at your game. Because you're playing the wrong one.

The smartest move?

Step back and ask: what game is actually being played here?

Not the obvious one. Not the one everyone says they're playing.

The real one.

The one where balls are being pocketed while you're watching somewhere else.

The one where the game's over before you realize it started.

And if you're the one being played:

Pay attention to what's happening when you're distracted.

Question what looks smooth and confident.

Ask yourself: are they playing pool, or playing me?

Because the game you think you're in might not be the game you're actually losing.

What's one time you realized too late that someone was playing a different game than you?

📹 thepointerbrothers
🔔 Follow me for daily insights  🔔
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シ

He Never Had the Lead. He Never Lost His Composure.

Two guys. Head to head. Pop all the balloons first.

Multiple obstacles. Different tools. Pure competition.

The guy on the right has the lead the entire time.

Faster. Ahead. Winning.

The guy on the left? Behind. The whole way.

But he never panics. Stays focused. Never loses his composure.

And at the very end, he wins.

This is what separates the leaders who last from the ones who burn out.

Not speed. Not being ahead. Not having the early lead.

Composure.

The ability to stay calm when you're behind.

The ability to execute when the pressure's on.

The ability to keep moving forward when everyone else is ahead of you.

Most founders panic when they're not winning.

They see a competitor raise more. They panic and overspend.

They see someone else launch first. They panic and rush their product.

They see slower growth than expected. They panic and pivot too early.

The panic costs them more than being behind ever did.

Here's what that guy on the left understood:
Being behind doesn't mean you're losing.

It just means you're behind. Right now.

And right now doesn't determine the outcome.

Your composure does.

Your ability to stay focused on your process while everyone else is focused on the scoreboard.

Your ability to execute your strategy even when it looks like it's not working yet.

The best leaders I know have been behind more times than they've been ahead.

They've watched competitors get more attention.

They've seen others hit milestones first.

They've had quarters where the numbers didn't look good.

But they never lost their composure.

They didn't panic. They didn't abandon their strategy. They didn't let being behind change how they showed up.

They stayed calm. They stayed focused. They kept executing.

And more often than not, they won.

Not because they were faster.

Because they were steadier.

Composure is a competitive advantage.

When everyone else is reacting, you're responding.

When everyone else is panicking, you're executing.

When everyone else is watching the scoreboard, you're focused on the next balloon.

That's how you win.

Not by being ahead the whole time.

By staying composed when you're not.

So here's the question:

Where are you behind right now?

And are you panicking, or are you staying composed?

Are you abandoning your strategy because someone else is ahead, or are you trusting your process?

Because the lead doesn't matter if you lose your composure.

And composure always has a chance to win.

When's a time you were behind but stayed composed and it paid off?

📹 howridiculous
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シ

I'm pissed no one showed me this sooner.

Last month, a client was burning 11+ hours a week on demo calls.

Same pitch. Same slides. Different prospects.

By call 12? His energy was dead. His close rate was dropping. And he was ready to hire two more sales reps just to keep up.

I told him: "We're not scaling your exhaustion. We're replacing the repetition."

Here's what we did:

Built an automation that turns presentations into AI-narrated videos.

Gamma creates the slides → Synthesia adds an AI avatar → ElevenLabs clones his voice.

Zero filming. Zero editing. Just polished video content that sounds and looks like him.

The result?

→ 11+ hours back in his week
→ Prospects watching on their own time
→ Higher engagement (they pause, rewatch, come to calls already sold)
→ Close rate went up because he's only talking to qualified leads

He's not exhausted. He's not repeating himself. And he's closing more deals.

Here's the thing..

Most software is a minivan.

Built for teams of 47 people. Loaded with features you'll never touch. Requires three tutorials just to do one thing.

Meanwhile, you're a solo founder who needs a deck out by 9 AM.

You don't need all this. You just need to move fast.

Gamma is the single-seater.

No extra seats. No wasted space. No compromise.

Just you, the machine, and the road.

Most people think it's just an AI presentation tool.

And yeah, it makes beautiful decks.

But it's actually a machine that takes your messy thoughts and turns them into polished output in whatever format you need.

Presentation. Document. Website. Carousel. Whatever.

You stop worrying about fonts and spacing. You focus on your message. It handles the rest.

Legit impressed with the product, so I read into their founder - Grant Lee - and it made perfect sense. And now I'm more impressed.

He spent years drowning in slide decks as a consultant. PowerPoint sucked and nobody was building the alternative.

In 2020, he and 2 co-founders started building from a two-bedroom apartment.

4 years later:

→ 50 million users
→ $50M ARR
→ Profitable since early 2024
→ Built with just 30 people

30 people. Props bro 👊

That's the single-seater energy.

When you're running that lean, you can't afford bloat.

You build exactly what people need because you're close enough to feel it.

↓

Btw want the exact resources we used to build this workflow?

Comment "VIDEO" and I'll send the drive link.

📹 adamsevani
🔔 Follow me for daily insights 🔔
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シ

The Wheel Moves. He Stays Centered.

A guy built a custom one-wheel vehicle.

Monster truck-sized tire. Cockpit in the middle.

The wheel rolls and spins in every direction.

But the cockpit? On a rotational axis.

As long as he stays engaged, he stays oriented. Stable. Facing forward.

The moment he disengages the clutch, he spins with it.

This is what leadership looks like.

The market moves. Your competitors move. Your team moves.

Everything around you is constantly spinning.

Your job isn't to control the wheel.

Your job is to stay centered while it moves.

And that requires staying engaged.

Most leaders try to stop the wheel from spinning.

→ They react to every market shift.
→ They panic at every competitor move.
→ They let every setback throw them off balance.

And they wonder why they're always dizzy.

And that emotion is a waste of energy..

The wheel is going to move. That's what wheels do.

Fighting it doesn't help. Resisting it doesn't stop it.

The only thing you can control is your center.

But you have to stay engaged to stay centered.

The moment you disengage, you spin with everything else.

How you stay engaged and centered:

Presence.

Being here. Right now.

Not in the story about what's spinning around you.

Not in the drama of what might happen or what just happened.

Just here. Centered. Present. Engaged.

I practice this with something simple: smiling.

Not because everything's perfect.

Because I choose to rest in the smile.

As often as I can remember, I smile.

A real one. A grounded one.

The kind that says: whatever is, is.

Without the undesired, distracting emotional drama.

That smile is my engagement. My anchor. My center.

The wheel is always moving.

There will always be something to react to.

But you don't have to go with it.

You can let the wheel spin and stay exactly where you are.

Centered. Present. Smiling. Engaged.

Not because you're ignoring reality.

Because you're not adding unnecessary drama to it.

The best leaders stay centered.

The market crashes. They stay centered.

The competitor launches. They stay centered.

The deal falls through. They stay centered.

Not because nothing bothers them.

Because they've practiced staying present enough that they don't get pulled into the spin.

They stay engaged. They don't disengage and spin with the chaos.

This is a practice.

You notice when you're getting pulled into the spin.

You come back to your breath. You come back to the present moment.

You smile. You rest in that smile. You stay engaged with your center.

The wheel moves. You stay centered. But only if you stay engaged.

What's one practice that helps you stay centered when everything's spinning?

📹 millybampainti
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シ

We are all in a unique position to help someone.

Are you using your skills to help others?

↓

Everyone has a unique blend of skills and experience.

And if you want to really make a difference...

→ You need to stop doubting yourself.

Here's how to create unwavering confidence:

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽? 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲.

Like when I was juggling a full-time job while building Brain Apes.

Doubts were there, but my focus on my unique skills and resources led to a successful launch and a mid 6-figure run rate within 2 months.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.

Being anywhere but right here, right now is disempowering.

The only place in time that you can think, act and feel in alignment with ultimate potential is right now.

So I love breathing techniques and smiling to get present, remember that and feel gratitude.

(Shoutout the 4-7-8)

It clears the noise, sharpens focus, and brings out the best in me.

It's not just mindfulness, it’s strategic mind renewal.

𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲.

Balance your goals, manage your expectations:

• Set macro goals for the big picture
• Break them into micro-steps
• Get directionally aligned
• Keep showing up

Small steps lead to giant leaps.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱-𝗼𝗻.

I did when I left my 9-5.

Playing small does not serve you, nor the world.

It's scary, but your potential is on the other side of fear.

Remember, great risks often lead to even greater rewards.

𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆.

Each challenge is a chance to practice presence.

Embrace your struggles as opportunities to grow stronger.

My journey is a testament to this transformative mindset.

Everything you want is on the other side of failure.

Fail fast, learn faster.

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁.

They have the power to change lives.

My mission? To help you leverage them.

I've done it, and so can you.

Stop doubting, start doing.

𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿, 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁.

Through action, presence, and strategic goal setting.

Let's build that confidence together.

シ

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🔔 Follow Jordan Murphy 🧠🦍 for more.
💬What’s your top skill?

TRUST YOUR TEAM

I've burned teams to the ground, accidentally setting them up for failure.

Hiring the right people is key, but once they’re in?

It’s even more crucial to empower and trust them.

But micromanagement?

That’s a recipe for stagnation.

Trust and autonomy, on the other hand, fuel creativity and performance.

When your team feels valued and in control of their roles, they grow.. and so does the business.

That builds a culture that thrives on engagement, innovation, and retention.

Here’s how to build an empowered, self-driven culture:

1. Hire with Intention
Seek not just skills but alignment with your values and mission.

2. Trust Your People
Give them ownership over their work, and avoid over-managing.

3. Encourage Autonomy
Empower decision-making and provide the tools they need to succeed.

4. Invest in Leadership
Develop leaders who know how to nurture and elevate their teams.

5. Foster Open Communication
Create a space where ideas and feedback flow freely.

6. Celebrate Wins
Recognize achievements, big or small, to motivate and retain top talent.

7. Promote Balance
Help your team balance work with life, it pays back in loyalty and performance.

8. Equip Teams with Resources for Growth
Provide access to training, mentorship, and development programs to support continuous learning.

9. Encourage Creative Problem-Solving
Let employees tackle challenges their way, giving them room to bring fresh ideas and solutions to the table.

10. Check In Regularly
Make time for honest, two-way feedback, showing your team you’re invested in their growth and open to improving your own leadership.

Building trust isn’t about blind, hands-off management.

It’s about being intentional in how you empower and support each team member.

Please slow down and be there with your team.

Don't have a media team yet?
Wanna work with me and mine?

Let's build the brand your reputation deserves.

📅 Grab a free strategy call with me
Click: Book an appointment (atop this post)

シ

♻️ Be kind. Smash that repost button.
🔔 Follow Jordan Murphy 🧠🦍 for more.
💬 Which (1-10) is the most important to you?

Share it below!

You're not losing, you're learning.

(If you're an ROI thinker.)

Here are 10 key shifts to adopt this mindset:

↓

1. Embrace failure as a powerful tool.
Failure isn't a setback; it's a step forward.

• Iterate and refine your approach
• Extract all value from every situation
• Develop clarity through systematic question flows

↳ Failure is the ultimate teacher.

2. Bet on yourself.
As an ROI thinker, I bet on my abilities.

• My first high-ticket coaching sale was $9k
• Reinvested in my business with a key hire
• Freed up my time to focus on strengths

↳ This bet transformed my business.

3. Reinvest strategically.
ROI thinkers know where to put their money.

• Invest in resources that unlock more time
• Look for investments with compounding returns
• Focus on building exceptional products and services

↳ Strategic reinvestment fuels growth.

4. Hypothesize and test.
Approach challenges with a scientific mindset.

• Test, learn, and iterate
• Develop hypotheses based on data
• Build action plans around these hypotheses

↳ This methodical approach ensures progress.

5. See the silver lining.
Every setback is a hidden opportunity.

• Reframe failures to find their value
• Use setbacks as learning experiences
• Maintain a positive, growth-oriented mindset

↳ Optimism fuels innovation.

6. Place calculated bets.
ROI thinkers take calculated risks.

• Make informed decisions based on data
• Assess the potential upside of every investment
• Embrace the possibility of failure as part of the journey

↳ Calculated risks lead to high rewards.

7. Think beyond the dollar ROI.
ROI isn't just about money.

• Focus on long-term benefits
• Evaluate the holistic return on any investment
• Consider the impact on time, skills, and resources

↳ Broaden your perspective on returns.

8. Lean into your skills.
Trust in your abilities to generate income.

• Use your skills to create opportunities
• Continuously develop and refine your talents
• Leverage your strengths to maximize returns

↳ Skills are the foundation of ROI thinking.

9. Build exceptional products.
Quality attracts investment.

• Focus on creating high-value offerings
• Deliver exceptional results consistently
• Ensure your products solve real problems

↳ High-quality products drive ROI.

10. Systematize clarity.
Clear processes lead to better outcomes.

• Use structured question flows for clarity
• Streamline your decision-making process
• Develop systematic approaches to problem-solving

↳ Systems enhance efficiency and results.

↓

You're not losing, you're learning:

➠ Adopt the ROI mindset
➠ Make smart bets on your resourcefulness
➠ Transform setbacks into setups for success

↓

Business is fun when you play it like a game.

But losing sucks.

If you’re sick of losing.

I’ve got the done-for-you solution to grow your brand and grow your business.

But spots are limited.

Book a strategy call and let’s jam.

シ

♻️ Be kind. Smash that repost button.
💬 Which key shift (1-10) hits for you?

They Both Asked If the Other Was Okay First

A guy flying down the sidewalk in a drift cart.

A car pulls out of a garage. No warning.

Smash. Direct hit.

He gets up quick. She gets out of the car.

And they both immediately ask if the other is okay.

No blame. No anger. No "what were you thinking?"

Just genuine concern for each other.

They both asked if the other was okay first.

This is what great culture looks like.

Not in the polished moments. Not in the all-hands meetings.

In the crashes.

When something goes wrong. When there's impact. When blame would be easy.

That's when you see what's real.

Most teams don't operate like this.

Something breaks. Someone made a mistake. There's a collision.

And the first instinct is: whose fault is this?

Who do we blame? Who dropped the ball? Who's responsible?

And that instinct kills trust faster than the mistake ever could.

Here's what those two people understood:

The crash already happened.

Blame doesn't undo it. Anger doesn't fix it.

The only thing that matters in that moment is: are you okay?

The best teams I know operate this way.

A launch fails. A client churns. A hire doesn't work out. A strategy falls apart.

And the first question isn't "who screwed up?"

It's "are you okay?"

Not because accountability doesn't matter.

Because people matter more.

And when people know you care about them first, they'll own the mistake second.

But when blame comes first?

People hide mistakes. They cover their tracks. They point fingers before anyone can point at them.

And your culture becomes about not getting caught instead of actually solving problems.

Here's the difference:

Blame-first cultures ask: Whose fault is this?

Care-first cultures ask: Are you okay? What do you need? How do we fix this together?

One creates fear. One creates trust.

And trust is what lets you move fast.

Because when people know that mistakes won't be met with blame, they take smart risks.

They try new things. They move quickly. They innovate.

They know that if they crash, the first question will be "are you okay?" not "why did you do that?"

That's psychological safety. That's how you build something real.

So here's the question:

When something goes wrong on your team, what's the first question you ask?

Is it "whose fault is this?" or "are you okay?"

Because how you respond in the crash reveals everything about your culture.

The collision's going to happen.

Things will go wrong. Mistakes will be made. There will be impact.

The question is: do your people feel safe enough to get up, dust themselves off, and keep going?

Or are they bracing for blame?

Build the kind of culture where the first question is always: are you okay?

The accountability can come later.

The care has to come first.

What's one time someone checked on you first instead of blaming you, and how did that change things?

📹 barragegarage
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シ

His Mind Created a Reality That Doesn't Exist

A guy hides his right arm.

Places a fake arm next to his left arm where his right arm should be.

Someone hits the fake arm with a hammer.

He screams. Jumps up. Feels pain.

From an arm that isn't his.

His brain created a reality that doesn't exist.

And his body responded like it was real.

Here's what most people don't understand:
You can't trust your brain.

Your brain isn't showing you reality. It's showing you a story.

A story built from past experiences, old patterns, assumptions you've been running on autopilot for years.

And that story feels real.

Just like that pain felt real.

Just like your limiting beliefs feel real.

But it's not.

You are not your mind. You are not your thoughts.

Your thoughts are a record of the past.

They're patterns. Loops. Stories you've told yourself so many times they became your identity.

But they're not you.

You are the awareness observing those thoughts.

You are the present moment consciousness that can choose to believe them or not.

That's where your power is.

Your personal reality is created by your personality.

Not your circumstances. Not your resources. Not your market.

Your personality. The way you think, act, and feel.

And here's the part that changes everything: 
You can change your personality.

Not someday. Right now. This moment.

The constant present effort of being the person you aspire to be is how you become that person.

Moment by moment. Thought by thought. Action by action.

Most leaders are trapped in a personality they built in the past.

They're running patterns from five years ago.

Making decisions based on fears that aren't relevant anymore.

Operating from a version of themselves that no longer serves where they're trying to go.

And wonder why they're stuck.

I’ve learned firsthand:

The moment you become aware that you're not your thoughts, you unlock everything.

If you're not your thoughts, you can choose new ones.

If you're not your past patterns, you can create new ones.

If your personality creates your reality, you can build a new one.

And when you do that, your reality changes.

Because you changed.

Your mindset limits the life, business, and outcomes you can create.

If you believe you're not capable, you won't try.

If you believe you've hit your ceiling, you'll stop reaching.

But those beliefs aren't real. They're as real as that fake arm.

The pain you feel from them? That's real.

But the source? It's constructed.

This is about awareness and imagination.

Awareness: recognizing when your mind is creating a false reality.

Imagination: seeing the version of yourself that exists beyond those limits.

The more you connect with this, the more you unlock your infinite potential.

Because you stop believing the illusions holding you back.

What reality is your mind creating right now that doesn't actually exist?

📹 gettishow
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シ

He Was So Focused on Perfect, He Lost Everything Else

A guy laying tile. Big piece. Precision matters.

He lines up the edge. Keeps it tight. Lays it down slowly.

So focused on getting it perfect.

Loses his balance. Front flips over the tile. Lands on his head.

He was so focused on perfect, he lost everything else.

This is every founder who's ever perfected themselves into failure.

Obsessing over the product while the market moves on.

Perfecting features while customers churn.

Optimizing the pitch deck while running out of runway.

Getting the tile perfect while falling on your head.

I see this constantly:

The founder who won't launch until it's "ready."

Six months of polish. Every edge perfect. Every detail dialed in.

Meanwhile, their competitor shipped three months ago with a worse product and already has traction.

Perfect tile. Landed on their head.

Or the leader who:

Perfects the org chart while culture collapses.

Optimizes processes while top performers quit.

Refines the strategy while execution stalls.

So focused on the details, they didn't notice they were falling.

Reality about perfectionism:

It's not about standards. It's about fear.

Fear of shipping before it's ready.
Fear of being judged for something imperfect.
Fear of the market rejecting what you built.

So you keep perfecting. Keep optimizing. Keep adjusting the edge.

And you don't notice you're losing your balance until you're already upside down.

The best founders I know ship imperfect things.

Not because they don't care about quality.

Because they know that balance matters more than perfection.

They know that a good product in the market beats a perfect product in development.

They know that momentum matters more than polish.

They keep their balance while they lay the tile.

Because here's what that guy learned:

The tile doesn't matter if you're on your head.
The edge doesn't matter if you can't stand up.
The precision doesn't matter if you lose everything else trying to achieve it.

Fundamentals first. Always.

So here's the question:

What are you perfecting right now while losing your balance?

What detail are you obsessing over while the fundamentals slip?

What tile are you laying so carefully that you don't notice you're about to fall?

Because perfect doesn't matter if you're on your head.

Ship it. Adjust it. Improve it.

But don't fall over trying to make it perfect.

The market doesn't reward perfect. It rewards present.

And you can't be present if you're face-down on the floor hahah

What's one thing you perfected that didn't matter because you lost sight of what did?

📹 lejulio228
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シ

He Knew the Path Before He Got Fancy

A guy on a dirt bike rolls in fast. On a wheelie.

Pulls a U-ey. Still in the wheelie.

Goes off-road into a drainage ditch beside a steep staircase.

Stuntin on the seat. Still in the wheelie. Going uphill. On a narrow track.

Climbs to the top. Non-stop wheelie.

See, he knew the path before he got fancy.

This is the difference between reckless and impressive.

Most people try to get fancy before they know the path.

They add complexity before they've mastered the basics.

They innovate before they've nailed the fundamentals.

And they crash.

That guy on the bike? He didn't just wing it.

He knew the drainage ditch. He knew the climb. He knew the narrow track.

He'd done the path enough times to know exactly where he was going.

And only then did he add the fancy stuff.

The standing on the seat. The sustained wheelie. The style.

Because he could. Because the path was already mastered.

Most founders do this backward.

They try to differentiate before they understand the market.

They try to innovate before they've nailed the core product.

They try to scale before they've proven the fundamentals.

And they wonder why it falls apart.

Progression is the key:

You can't get fancy until you know the path.

You can't add style until you've mastered the substance.

You can't stand on the seat until you've proven you can hold the wheelie.

Fundamentals first. Always.

The best companies I know followed this sequence:

They mastered the basics. They understood their market. They nailed their core offering.

They did the boring work of getting really, really good at the fundamentals.

And then, once the path was clear, they got fancy.

They innovated. They differentiated. They added the style that made them stand out.

But the style was built on a foundation of mastery.

Not the other way around.

Because here's what happens when you get fancy too early:

You lose the wheelie.

You crash in the ditch.

You don't make it up the hill.

The fancy stuff only works when the fundamentals are locked in.

So here's the question:

Are you trying to get fancy before you know the path?

Are you adding complexity before you've mastered the basics?

Are you standing on the seat before you've proven you can hold the wheelie?

Because the path comes first.

Master it. Know it. Own it.

Then get fancy.

What's one fundamental you mastered before you added the fancy stuff?

📹 juan_felizzola_wb
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シ

Same Swing. 6x the Leverage.

A guy on the tee box. About to drive the golf ball.

But his club is 6x longer than normal.

He swings. Easy. Great form. Minimal effort.

Smashes the ball.

Same swing. 6x the leverage.

This is what most execs don't understand about scale.

They think scaling means working 6x harder.

Hiring 6x more people. Spending 6x more hours. Grinding 6x longer.

But that's not scale. That's just more.

Real scale is leverage.

It's finding the tool, the system, the position that multiplies your output without multiplying your input.

Same swing. Different club.
Same effort. Different result.

Most people are swinging a normal club as hard as they can.

Maxing out their effort. Pushing to the limit. Burning out trying to hit it further.

And they wonder why they're exhausted and the ball's not going much further.

Because they're optimizing effort instead of optimizing leverage.

The best founders I know aren't working harder than everyone else.

They're working with better leverage.

They found the 6x club.

That looks different for everyone:

For some, it's automation that does in minutes what used to take hours.

For some, it's a business model where one sale creates recurring revenue instead of one-time payment.

For some, it's content that reaches millions instead of dozens.

For some, it's a team structure where decisions happen without them.

For some, it's positioning in a market where customers come to you instead of you chasing them.

But whatever it is, it's leverage.

Same swing. Multiplied result.

Here's the difference:

Working harder = swinging the normal club harder (diminishing returns, burnout)

Working smarter = finding the longer club (multiplied returns, sustainability)

Most people are stuck in the first one because they don't even know the second one exists.

So here's the question:

What's your 6x club?

What tool, system, or position could multiply your output without multiplying your effort?

Where are you grinding with a normal club when a longer one exists?

Because the effort isn't the problem.

The leverage is.

You don't need to swing harder.

You need to find the club that turns the same swing into 6x the result.

That's how you scale without burning out.
That's how you grow without grinding.
That's leverage.

What's one area where you found leverage that multiplied your results?

📹 steve.waltman
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シ

He Thought It Was Flat. It Wasn't.

A guy walking. Hands in his pockets. Confident.

Sees what looks like chalk street art. A brick staircase drawn on the walkway.

Steps right onto it.

His foot plummets. Drops straight down. Gravity pulls him to the bottom.

Gets up immediately. "I'm fine. Just embarrassed. I thought it was chalk."

He thought it was flat. It wasn't.

This is every founder who's ever skipped validation.

The market looks flat. The opportunity looks obvious. The path looks clear.

So you step.

And your foot hits air.

I see this constantly:

The founder who assumes product-market fit without talking to customers.

The exec who hires based on the resume without checking references.

The leader who enters a market because it looks good from a distance.

They thought it was flat. It wasn't.

Here's the thing about assumptions:

They look real until you test them.

That chalk art looked convincing. From where he was standing, it made sense.

But he didn't check. He just stepped.

And the moment his weight committed, reality corrected him.

The cost of not validating:

You don't just lose time. You lose momentum.
You don't just waste money. You lose credibility.
You don't just make a mistake. You fall in front of everyone watching.

And then you have to get up and explain why you didn't check first.

The best founders I know validate everything.

They don't assume the market wants it. They ask.
They don't assume the hire is great. They check.
They don't assume the partnership will work. They test small first.

They tap the ground before they step.

Not because they're scared. Because they're smart.

Because they know that what looks flat from a distance might have real depth.

Validation isn't about being cautious. It's about being accurate.

Talk to 10 customers before you build the product.

Do a trial project before you commit to the partnership.

Check references before you make the offer.

Test the market before you go all in.

Tap the ground. Make sure it's actually flat.

I’ve learned:

1. Confidence doesn't protect you from gravity.

2. Assumptions don't change reality.

3. And the market doesn't care that you thought it was chalk.

If it's a hole, you're going in.

So here's the question:

What are you about to step into that you haven't validated?

What looks flat from where you're standing that might not be?

What assumption are you making that could cost you the fall?

Tap the ground first.

Ask the questions. Test the assumptions. Validate before you commit.

Because getting up and saying "I thought it was flat" doesn't undo the fall.

What's one assumption you made that turned out to be a real hole?

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シ

The Eyes You See Aren't the Eyes That See

An artist covers her eyes with her hands.

Takes a brush in her mouth.

Draws a face on her hands. Eyes included.

Perfect precision. Incredible detail.

Without seeing.

The eyes you see aren't the eyes that see.

This is what most people don't understand about awareness.

You think you see with your eyes.
You think you perceive with your senses.
You think the face you show the world is the one that's looking.

But it's not.

The eyes you see are the constructed ones.

The persona. The image. The version of yourself you've built for others to perceive.

The polished LinkedIn profile. The confident exterior. The "I've got it all figured out" face.

That's not what's actually seeing.
That's what you want others to see.

What's actually seeing is behind all of that.

The awareness. The consciousness. The part of you that observes your own thoughts.

The part that notices when you're stressed, when you're performing, when you're not being real.

That's what sees.

Not your eyes. Not your thoughts. Not the constructed face.

Your awareness.

Most leaders are so identified with the face they've painted that they forget what's actually looking.

They think they ARE their thoughts.
They think they ARE their persona.
They think they ARE the image they've constructed.

And they lose access to what actually sees clearly.

Because here's the truth:

Your thoughts don't see. They interpret.
Your persona doesn't see. It performs.
Your constructed reality doesn't see. It protects.

What sees is the awareness behind all of that.

The part of you that can observe your thoughts without being them.

The part that can notice your patterns without being controlled by them.

The part that can see clearly because it's not attached to the story.

This is why presence matters.

When you're present, you're not identified with the painted face.

You're not lost in the thoughts, the persona, the constructed reality.

You're the awareness that sees all of it.

And from that place, you see clearly.

You see what's real vs. what's constructed.
You see what matters vs. what's noise.
You see the path forward because you're not blinded by the story you've been telling yourself.

The best leaders I know have this quality.

And that awareness gives them clarity no one else has.

So here's the question:

What face have you painted that you think is the one that sees?

What persona are you so identified with that you've forgotten the awareness behind it?

What constructed reality are you living in that's blocking your actual potential?

Because the eyes you see aren't the eyes that see.

The awareness behind all of it? That's what actually sees.

And the more you connect with that, the clearer everything becomes.

What's one way you practice separating from your thoughts and connecting with awareness?

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シ

He Was Stuck Before He Knew What Was Happening

A guy resting in his chair.

Two guys walk up. Slide a long pole under the armrests. Above his lap.

Wedges him in. He's stuck.

They lift the pole. He goes up with the chair. Flipping upside down. Spinning. No control.

They carry him around. He can't do anything about it.

Finally released. They run away.

He gets up looking for retaliation.

He was stuck before he knew what was happening.

This is what bad leadership feels like.

You're sitting there. Doing your job. Trusting the environment.

And before you realize it, you're trapped.

It happens in a meeting.

You're asked to "help out" on a project.

Then you're "the best person for this."

Then it's "already committed to the client with your name on it."

And suddenly you're stuck.

Wedged into work you didn't agree to. Spinning with responsibilities you never signed up for.

At the mercy of leaders who trapped you before you could say no.

It happens with toxic cultures.

You join excited. The job looks great. The team seems solid.

Then you notice the blame. The gaslighting. The lack of psychological safety.

But by then you're in. You've relocated. You've committed. You've told everyone about the new role.

And you're stuck.

Wedged into a situation you didn't see coming.

It happens with bad partnerships.

The deal looks good on paper. You shake hands. You sign.

Then the terms change. The expectations shift. The reality doesn't match what was sold.

And you're stuck.

Because unwinding it is harder than enduring it.

Here's what that video shows:

The trap happens fast.

One moment you're fine. The next moment you're wedged in.

And by the time you realize what's happening, you've already lost control.

The best way to avoid getting stuck?

See the pole before it slides under the armrests.

That means:

Asking the hard questions before you commit.

Watching how leaders treat people when things go wrong.

Recognizing when a culture lacks psychological safety before you're deep in it.

Seeing the trap before you're wedged in.

Because once you're stuck, your options are limited.

You can endure it and lose yourself.
You can fight it and burn bridges.
You can leave and start over.

None of those are great.

The best option is not getting stuck in the first place.

So here's the question:

Where are you stuck right now that you didn't see coming?

And more importantly: what are you going to do about it?

Because being stuck isn't permanent.

But the longer you stay wedged in, the harder it is to get out.

And if you're a leader:

Are you the one sliding the pole?

Are you creating a culture where people feel stuck, spinning, at your mercy?

Because they'll get out eventually.

And when they do, they won't be looking to come back.

What's one time you realized you were stuck before you knew what was happening? How did you get out?

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シ

Your title doesn’t define your power.

Your skills do. And when leveraged correctly, they can become your personal goldmine.

I’ve seen it happen time and again: talented people thrive when they step into the right roles or build something uniquely theirs.

The secret? Recognizing that your value is independent of the box others put you in.

Here’s how you can harness your skills to thrive, whether you’re climbing the ladder or building your own:

1. Redefine Your Value

🔹 Your skills are your toolkit. The problem isn’t your talent, it’s the context in which it’s used.

🔹 Align what you love doing with where you can make the biggest impact.

🔹 If the world undervalues you, it’s not a reflection of your worth.. it’s a sign to reposition.

2. Find the Right Fit (or Create It).

🔹 The right environment elevates your performance and energy.

🔹 Can’t find it? Build it.

🔹 When I created Brain Apes, I leaned into my expertise and replaced my 9-5 income within months. Why? Because I built a system where I could thrive.

3. Say Yes to Asymmetry.

🔹 Growth isn’t always balanced, it’s strategic.

🔹 For months, I worked 14+ hour days, stacking my future while holding a full-time job.

🔹 That imbalance led to a thriving business, industry recognition, and new partnerships.

4. Develop a Personal Brand.

🔹 Think no one’s watching? They are. And opportunities go to the visible.

🔹 Showcasing your skills online transforms chance encounters into strategic growth.

🔹 A strong personal brand makes you magnetic to the right roles, clients, top talent and partnerships.

5. Invest in Yourself Relentlessly

🔹 Knowledge is leverage. The more you master, the more valuable you become.

🔹 Courses, mentorship, skill-building it all compounds into new opportunities.

6. Own Your Unique Offer

🔹 The most successful leaders and consultants? They know how to articulate their value.

🔹 Your mix of skills, experience, and perspective is unmatched.

🔹 The better you communicate it, the more unstoppable you become.

7. Action > Overthinking

🔹 Fear and stress aren’t stop signs, they’re pointers.

🔹 They point you back to the present moment, where you’re taking intentional action despite uncertainty.

🔹 Clarity comes from action. Start now.

Here’s the truth: the world needs people like you to step up.

Whether you’re leading from within a company or building something of your own, your skills aren’t just valuable - they’re transformative.

And if you’re serious about making your skills work for you, not against you.. we need to talk.

I help founders and executives build powerful personal brands on LinkedIn. If you’re ready to turn your expertise into influence, impact, and income for your business:

1. Go to my profile
2. Book an appointment

No fluff. No gatekeeping.

Just clarity and a roadmap for your next level.

シ

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