Russell Johnson & Associates

At Russell Johnson & Associates, we support our clients in attaining their full potential for fulfillment and self-actualization. Our methodology, tools, one-to-one consulting, and coaching are designed to meet the complex needs of executives and entrepreneurs. 

Our clients develop the clarity, strategy, tactics, mindset, skills, and confidence necessary to achieve objectives ranging from accelerated advancement to major career change. And we provide ongoing long-term support for further career growth.

WHAT WE STAND FOR

We are dedicated to empowering the individual because our world needs the full contribution of us all, and we all benefit from maximizing the value we create. 

Because services such as recruitment and outplacement are funded by employers, they perpetuate a distortion of the balance of power between the employer and the individual. Superficial services focused on employers' objectives leave countless high-potential people disempowered, unfulfilled, and not knowing why. Yet with career paths becoming ever more complex, we all need to see our career as our business and operate with the attributes of a successful business. 

We aim to help make this the ‘new normal’ rather than the rare exception.

WHAT WE DO

We help our clients develop the empowered mindset, vision, clarity, strategy, tactics, self-marketing skills, and confidence to achieve their full potential for contribution and self-actualization.

Our clients become free from the artificial constraints of the advertised job market. Whether they continue on their current paths, change direction, leave their jobs for self-employment, or vice versa, there’s a lasting difference. Through deepened awareness, clarity, and the skills to capitalize on these, they are no longer trapped in unsuitable careers. 

They work for purposes they want to serve and in roles where they can make their full contribution and enjoy the lives they want.

Founder and CEO

Empowered Careers

Empowered Careers helps people in early professional careers who find themselves stuck in unsatisfying roles to create fulfilling futures. 

Our philosophy corresponds to that of Russell Johnson & Associates, the firm through which we provide the extensive one-to-one support that senior-level clients need.

EPR Careers

I founded EPR Careers after a long search for career fulfillment when the experiences of a takeover at Arby's led me to acknowledge that I needed a new and more fulfilling career path than the corporate one I had been on. 

I was attracted to the autonomy of self-employment; however, I committed to supporting the transition to new ownership at Arby's and stayed on for two more years. Then, I left to devote full time to the search for the transformation I wanted.

I sought high-quality career support but was unable to find it in either the US or my home country, Australia. Recognizing that many executives and professionals needed such support, I established EPR Careers, initially with a partner whose experience in owning a recruitment business added another perspective to mine.
  
Over the ensuing 22 years, I developed a team with offices in Melbourne and Sydney, and we provided services throughout Australia and internationally. I led the development of EPR's services, continually refined our methodology, and built the firm into a global leader in its field. 

I focused on developing and refining our unique approach and we helped many thousands of self-funded clients to achieve their objectives. However, the business model needed more work. 

Others saw opportunities in this and the business was acquired in 2014 by a consortium of staff and former clients. They ultimately closed the firm in 2016. Meanwhile, I reflected on the lessons of my 22 years at the helm of EPR and subsequently launched a new firm incorporating those lessons.

Founder and Managing Director

Arby's

Founded in 1964, Arby’s was an established quick-service restaurant chain, part of the Fortune 500 and New York Stock Exchange-listed Royal Crown group. I joined the company as Director of Franchising with a mandate to expand the franchise system after a decade of stagnation and failed attempts to restart it. 

Over the next six years, I built a high-performing team and transformed the attractiveness of the franchise system and the strength of the Arby's brand. 

Led all franchising activities including planning, marketing, sales, administration, site selection and acquisition, financing, construction, fit-out of restaurant premises, franchisee induction and training, ongoing operational support, and relationships between the company and its franchisees. 

The chain was transformed from a laggard in the restaurant industry into one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing franchise systems and experienced its golden era. I advanced to Chief Franchising Officer and Senior Vice President, reporting to the CEO as equal number two executive of the company. 

Major Achievements:
•	Developed rigorous systems for franchisee support 
•	Quadrupled the number of franchisees
•	Achieved growth of well over 200 new restaurants annually, making the company one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing restaurant chains, employing over 50,000 people, with over 1,850 restaurants and more than 200 under development
•	Despite the turmoil of a takeover in 1984 and over a year without a CEO, the company was independently and repeatedly ranked in the top ten of the approximately 3,000 franchise systems in the U.S. at the time
•	With a new restaurant opening every 39 hours on average, Arby’s became recognized as the most significant turnaround of the period in the American restaurant industry, and one of the greatest franchising success stories of the era.

Chief Franchising Officer and Senior Vice President

International Multifoods Corporation

Joined the Franchise Division of International Multifoods, a Minneapolis, MN-based Fortune 500 and New York Stock Exchange-listed company in a head office role. After gaining initial franchising experience, relocated to Atlanta GA, managing franchise development in the Southern region of the US. Subsequently declined promotion to Director of Franchising at head office and instead accepted a role at the same level but with greater potential at Arby’s Inc.

Managed development of fast food franchises in several regions of the U.S. and in Canada.
	Selected franchisees and sites
	Assisted franchisees in real estate, financing and construction negotiations

Regional Franchise Manager

Unfulfilling executive career? Transform it before it traps you.

At 14, I was pulled out of school to get my first full-time job by a family crisis.

That disruption sparked a long journey through many industries and layers of the working world.

From office work to construction and self-employment in Australia, study in the UK and ministry in Africa, then from sales to senior executive roles in the US.

At Arby’s, I advanced to Chief Franchising Officer and led its transformation to one of the fastest-growing restaurant chains globally. 

With a new location opening every 39 hours, we were rated in the Top 10 of over 3,000 franchise systems in the US. 

Then, a corporate takeover harmed the culture.

I resigned to find a meaningful new path, then stayed on for a nearly tripled income. 

Two years later, I resigned again, to buy or create a business aligned with my values.

A few months on, I realized I was lost. 

I sought high-level, values and vision-based career support, and couldn’t find that either.

But that experience led me to finally recognize my calling—to fill that market gap.

Since then, I have spent decades helping executives worldwide align their careers with their deeper values and awaken their dormant clarity, confidence, energy and impact.

My colleagues and I have guided thousands through critical transitions, enabling them to align their careers with who they truly are—and with what they most want to contribute. 

I do this work because I believe that society needs more leaders doing work they find personally meaningful. 

And that begins with taking charge of their careers, rather than surrendering them to systems that meet their lower needs but not their higher aspirations. 

If you’re ready to reimagine what your career can be, let’s explore what’s possible.

📅 Schedule a conversation: https://rjacareers.com/schedule-a-call-rj/

Russell Johnson

Stuck in career quicksand? 
 
It's not necessarily your fault. 
 
Consider this: Analysis paralysis is often seen as the villain, freezing us in our tracks. But what if it's actually your superpower? 
 
In a world obsessed with speed, taking your time to analyze might in fact be your edge. 
 
It’s a characteristic of thoughtful people who don’t settle too easily. 
 
Yet too much of a good thing can be harmful. The trick lies in finding the balance. 
 
Start by setting a 'decision deadline'. Give yourself the freedom to explore options, but with a clear end in sight. 
 
Next, embrace the 'good enough' principle. Perfection is an illusion. Aim for progress, not perfection. 
 
And recognize and implement the power of iteration. We are living in times of rapid change. We need to be nimble. 
 
Finally, tap into your support network. Sometimes, a fresh perspective is all it takes to break the cycle of overthinking. 
 
Your analytical mind is a gift. Use it wisely. 
 
Ready to turn your analytical inclination into your career superpower? 
 
Let's break free from the quicksand, together. 
 
Engage below if you're ready for a shift. 
 
~~ 
 
𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘧𝘶𝘭, 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘦, Russell Johnson 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴. 

#SelfActualizedLeadership #LeadWithPurpose #LeadershipDevelopment

The Last LinkedIn Coach You'll Ever Need | I Help You Get Fully Booked (simple as that) - 710+ Client Wins / $1.4M Inbound

I am happy you are here, a warm welcome.

Where do I start? I have been helping people win clients on LinkedIn since early 2019.

I'll share with you some stats (bear with me):

• 80% of my clients get inquiries within 4 months
• 25 of them have crossed 6-figures on LinkedIn
• They altogether signed up circa 840 clients
• Over $2,6M in inbound leads 

What makes my approach so effective? 

My guess: A deep understanding of human nature/psychology, coupled with social selling for LinkedIn 

Add to that a very personalized and supportive approach, and you get the last LinkedIn coach you'll ever need on your side. 

Clients include the likes of: 

Thomas Erikson 
Edvin Vosylius
Ani Filipova 
Sope Agbelusi  
Nadine Stanton 
Maria Malik
Misha Rubin 

And currently working with: 

A CEO coach with 40,000 clients helped
A serial entrepreneur 
4 Career Coaches 
A high-performance coach 
2 Executive Coaches 
A world-class public speaker 

[as per 22nd May 2025)


If you are looking to save yourself lots of effort and time to build a following that buys from you, I am your guy! 

In the 3 months together, I make sure you learn and absorb my best strategies for where you are going. 

No CTA is needed. 


A bit about me; 

• I was born in Albania, (grew up in Greece) and have been living in Italy for 20 years.
• I have a deep passion for psychology 
• I used to play football - Under 17 Monaco team 
• I love family time, and Bud Spencer's movies
• When I am not working, you'll find me playing Tennis somewhere.

Xhoni Mimillari

People will tell you, “Wow, it’s expensive,” or
“That’s a lot of money”...

Till they hear what you invested and spent to build it.

Last week I did some calculations. 

In 2024, my clients have made, on average 2.5X what they paid me. 

That’s only based on what has been reported (it’s higher). 

So, if you are great at what you do & help people get results, don't get discouraged when you hear: 

“Oh, that’s a lot of money”. 

Be proud of what you charge, you paid for it with many late nights & early mornings.

And by investing in you.

€8000 is not cheap, but here’s what it buys you:

1. 9 years studying marketing & what makes people buy
2. Experience of 6 years in the LinkedIn trenches
3. Sophisticated insights after 1200+ coaching sessions
4. 10,000 hours of expertise distilled in 10-12 hours.

All that applied to your specific situation, beautifully personalized.
 
Lesson: consistency is undervalued daily and overpaid eventually.

What do you think? 
 
PS: Who here has put in years of work to charge a premium?

The Last LinkedIn Coach & Expert You’ll Ever Need - Trusted by 200+ Global Experts - See below why.

The strategy that helped me land 100+ clients is stupidly simple (and magnetic).  

And it has nothing to do with persuasion tricks.

It’s clarity.
It’s honesty.
It’s actually giving a damn.

If I can help you win? I’ll tell you how.
If I’m unsure? You’ll surely hear the doubts.
If someone else is better? I’ll point you to them.
If we’re not a fit? You’ll walk away with great advice

Trust is the real currency, not invoices sent to the wrong people. 

I am scaling my consulting business to 7-figures next year and my goal isn’t to look impressive. 

It’s quite simple: 

1. Say the truth & what I see 
2. Prove the claim & back it up 
3. Communicate clearly with precision 

That’s my sales process right there. 

Since 2018, I’ve seen many experts come and go. 

I mean, many of them… 

You can point at the exact same reason: 
→ Lack of congruency. 

People can smell from a mile away when you are in it for profit alone, not because you pour your heart into your work. 

Rant over, happy Monday. 

PS: Want to see if you are ready for what’s coming in 2026? Start here: xhoni.scoreapp.com

There's no announcement when it happens.

No champagne cork. No fireworks.

One day, you just realize: your business is carrying multiple six-figures a year.

It doesn’t just show in your bank account. 

It shows in the small, ordinary moments.

You notice it when Monday mornings feel lighter.

Conversations with potential clients feel different. 

When opportunities show up on a random Tuesday. 

A leadership coach I am working with was invited to 2 paid speaking engagements in Malta and London last week.

Yes, visibility and impact feel different. 

Money feels different, too.

Not like something to stretch or defend.

Like something to distribute.

You start thinking in terms of allocation, not survival:

• €800 here to free up 30 hours you'll never get back
• €3K there to hand off the tasks draining your focus
• €4K into amplifying the ideas already pulling the right people toward you

And it never feels like a gamble.

It feels like you're expanding (because you are). 

The truth is, not everyone wants to get to 8 figures. 

Some people simply want to: 

• Bring in $15K-$30K per month 
• Work with 10 happy clients at once
• Spend 90-min a day on LinkedIn
• Build & grow a strong community
  
And enjoy la vida!

And the best thing about it is this: 

You start noticing space.
Space to think.
Space to rest without guilt.
Space to imagine what you want next, 
without wondering if you can afford it.

And what’s interesting? 

Freedom doesn't come from the money itself.
It comes from the identity you built.

You've become the person who trusts their system, habits, and workflow. 

Someone who doesn't hope it works. 

Someone who knows it does.

I am speaking that into existence for you. 

Let this be your goal going into 2026 ♥️


PS: I am in Christmas mode, hoho!

The Last LinkedIn Coach & Expert You’ll Ever Need - Trusted by 200+ Experts Globaly - Message me to get all the details

I invest €125k/yr running my little consulting business. 

Obviously, that’s excluding taxes & Investments. 

Funny enough, last week I made a 6-figure investment, and in December I have the biggest tax bill lol. 

Merry Christmas. 

I don’t have to invest that because I have to, but because I believe in its growth & potential. 

So, I hire mentors, experts, and assistants.

The more AI advances, the more I invest in people… 

I plan to do so because that’s the signal I want to give: 

→ I take this seriously, and so should you. 

In 2026, I aim high and don’t want to get there alone. 

So here’s to investing more in ourselves and the business. 

I’ll see you guys at the top!

I am giving away €2200 worth of products in this post. 

I recently decided to do something new.

Create an assessment that in 2-min can tell you: 

1. Where you are with your LinkedIn & business 
2. Give you a proper plan for your next best moves 

That assessment page is finally live. 

→ This is where it gets fun (and nuts). 

For everyone who completes it in the next 48 hours, get: 

1. Obviously, a personalized report right after 
2. A 3-hour course on marketing psychology 
3. An in-depth playbook on LinkedIn’s algorithm 
4. 10 brilliant content blueprints + the psychology behind 
5. The exact video script that has made clients $400K 
6. Elite content scripts that are proven to get visibility 


These can easily save you 30-50 hours on content creation & LinkedIn effort. 

It does not end here. 


From this list, I’ll pick 20 people and gift them my €900 course on how to craft content that converts - [The 3.0 Legacy version]


I’ll pick 15 more and give them the manual with the 54 most powerful cognitive biases to use to drive purchase behavior & 10 ways to leverage each 🥶


That one is insane.


On top, I’ll pick 10 more and send them a personalized Loom video on how to level up their content & positioning (like you were a private client). 


🎶 It's starting to feel a lot like Christmas 🎄 


I don’t often do these, but when I do, there are real winners and tons of value added. 


Comment below “Assessment” and I’ll send you the link to complete it. 


Once you have, you’ll get an email with the resources, and you officially enter to win the other 3 gifts. 

→ The course
→ The manual 
→ The loom video


→ If you tag 5 of your favorite content creators below, you automatically win the manual with the 54 cognitive biases resource + the 3-hour course on marketing psychology. 


The giveaway is officially on, welcome. 


♻️ Repost this for others to join and win 
(if you do, I have goodies for you as well). 

See ya in the comments.


PS: Want more? See the link below my name 👆to access $1K+ worth of LinkedIn consulting (free).

Today I am exposing some LinkedIn myths. 

These are quite controversial!


𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝟭: Build your personal brand 

Cute, but if you have no clients (or a few), you need to get good at generating appointments and leads.

Otherwise, a great-looking logo with a website are as useful as a lifejacket in a kiddie pool.


𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝟮: You need great visuals & selfies. 

You need strong positioning and a clear message. 

2 clients recently got over 140K impressions in one post. 

One had only text, the other had a bit of a messy visual. 

It didn’t matter because the message was unignorable. 



𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝟯: Post daily, and you’ll grow 

Reality: Post quality stuff daily, and you’ll grow. 

People value quality, substance, and you valuing their time. 

If you don’t, posting daily will make you irrelevant, fast. 

Reminder: LinkedIn rewards watch time, relevance, and expert-level takes



𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝟰: More followers, more clients. 

I’ve coached some of the biggest creators on LinkedIn and people with 1200 followers. 

I can officially confirm that it is BS. 

Quality leads added + quality content = more clients 



𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝟱: You need to show your life to be relatable. 

People don’t care. 

True relatability comes from values shared, how you see the world, and strong opinions. 

And some behind-the-scenes. But we don’t care if you went to Disney. 



𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝟲: LinkedIn is dying and getting saturated. 

I have 4 clients on track to cross 6-figures, one recently broke past 7 figures. 

All from LinkedIn. 

All private clients, except 2, signed deals last week. 

It’s dying for people who aren’t adapting or leveling up. 

It’s harder than ever, true. 
It’s more crowded than ever, true. 
It’s never been so abundant, also true. 


 
𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝟳: AI makes content easier

It makes it easier for you to sound like a douchebag who lost wifi connection mid-sentence. 

The more you use AI to write, the less you train the actual skill to sound like a human. 

It gives the perception of “ease,” and it helps with speed for sure, but quality is lost for many creators in the process. And trust... 


What else did I forget? 


PS: Get past the BS and get 2026 ready here: xhoni.scoreapp.com

Here's a 2-min Masterclass on CONVERSION. 

I put in 100s of hours to learn these, enjoy:

For context:

I’ve coached some of the biggest creators on LinkedIn.

Including founders bringing $1M+/yr.

[save this to revisit] 


Breaking down the psychology of conversion [5 skills]:  


1. Subconscious Influence.

People are much more likely to buy if they get to their own conclusions about the ROI of your offer. 

Your job is to present facts & ideas so they can convince themselves of the value you bring. 

The mechanism:

When someone reaches a conclusion on their own, it bypasses the prefrontal cortex's skepticism filter.

Their inner dialogue begins to convince them of something. 

By the end of this post, you’ll get to your own conclusion about why people hire me. 



2. Trust Has Levels.

Level 1: Relatability Trust
You get me. You've lived this

Level 2: Technical Empathy Trust
You understand what others miss

Level 3: Competence Trust
You solved this problem before for others like me

Level 4: Authority Trust
Everyone in my space trusts you. Why shouldn’t I?

Unlock each level sequentially.



3. The art of progressive agreements. 

People don't go from "no" to "yes" in one jump.

They take micro-steps. Each agreement makes the next one easier.

Example: Selling a bag of chips. The agreements: 

1: There are other things you eat that aren’t healthy
2: You should treat yourself during a movie
3: Why others with the same hesitation buy them 
4: How it’s better than anything sweet
5: People like us deserve to taste something delicious

Also, consistency & identity bias is leveraged here. 

The bag of chips is already gone. 



4. Pre-Experience Effect.

Buyers are much more likely to buy if they can experience your offer in their mind. 

They need to feel:

• The ease 
• Time saved
• Status upgrade
• Emotional relief
• Identity shift
• What a typical morning looks like 
  
When someone mentally experiences your offer, neural pathways fire as if they already own it.

You also leverage the endowment effect 
(strong cognitive bias). 



5. Emotions that drive purchase decisions

Neuroscience shows: People decide emotionally, then rationalize logically.

The limbic system (emotion) fires first. The prefrontal cortex (logic) justifies after.

Trigger an emotion, and they will likely associate it with your offer

My top 5:

1. Confidence in the Future (optimistic excitement) 
→ This is going to work

2. Existential Security (relief about what's coming) 
→ I'm finally safe from this problem

3. Identity Consistency (who I am & want to become) 
→ This aligns with who I'm becoming

4. Social Hierarchy Positioning (belonging & status) 
→ This puts me ahead of my peers

5. Fear of Regret & Loss (pain avoidance) 
→ If I don't act, it’ll be expensive


The key ingredient: Use specificity & stories to take people to a place where the emotion is felt. 


Reached the character limit. I had 2-3 others in mind. 

Who wants part 2?

LinkedIn would be a much better place if people cared more about their audience. 

Genuinely. 

Not for personal benefit only. 

In 2026, I want to connect and meet many people who: 

• Are skilled & brilliant at their craft 
• Give a damn about their audience 
• Can see beyond a invoice & deal closed 
• Want to make an impact beyond the work they get paid to do. 

A true community of great folks! 


Maybe this turns into a new movement that makes LinkedIn a great place to be. 


I’ve been posting on LinkedIn for 6+ years. 


I’ve given away knowledge others charge for. 


I’ve helped 100s in the DMs & chats for free 


And I believe it’s one of the reasons I am still around with more demand than I can handle. 


I can stop posting content for the next 6 months and I’d still have a healthy pipeline. 


Because goodwill lasts and people remember who helped & supported when there was nothing to gain. 


That’s soft of people I want to hire, connect and partner up with. 


Who is with me? 

2026 looks bright. I’ll see you at the top!

We are going through some big changes on LinkedIn. 

And I think people aren’t preparing properly. 


Darwin said it well,

It’s not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most adaptable to change. 


It fits quite well with what I see today.

The Algorithm changes,
Marketplace skepticism grows, 
It’s more crowded than ever, 
And it’s getting more difficult. 

For LinkedIn gurus, it's not in their best interest to tell you that. 


Where I am getting to,

You can’t promote and market yourself as you did 2 years ago. 

→ You’ll lose to the ones who are more sophisticated & advanced with it. 

The ones who are:

• Reading the market
• Listening to their buyers 
• Moving with speed
  

I just got off a call with a client who made $34K in November and will cross the 6-figure mark in 2 months. 


She completely evolved her approach to getting & converting attention, and building trust quickly with strangers. 


How people buy & engage isn’t the same anymore. 


And if they perceive you as “just another one” in the first interaction, what are the chances they’ll buy? 

Close to none. 


This isn’t to alarm you, but to help you prepare and not overlook the fundamentals. 


It’s never been so noisy, and the truth? Most people are struggling…

Even the ones with 300-500 likes per post… 

Don’t think it’s about attention only. 


The DM you see from the client below, she gets circa 15 likes per post.
 
But she will get booked and possibly outearn some influencers. 


In the end, it all comes down to: 

1. Quality leads added
2. Quality conversations started
3. Content that converts & starts new convos 
4. Content that is engaging and builds trust 

How advanced and sophisticated you are in each will determine your results and income in 2026. 


If you need some mini-consulting & help, hit me up, and I’ll help & give good advice! 


PS: What changes are you seeing? 

PSS. Please, don’t leave AI comments on my posts; it's no bueno for your brand.

taplio

The Battle

Russell Johnson

Xhoni Mimillari

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Performance ScoreRussell Johnson's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreXhoni Mimillari's LinkedIn Performance

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taplio

The Battle

Russell Johnson

Xhoni Mimillari

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Russell Johnson's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreXhoni Mimillari's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreRussell Johnson's LinkedIn Performance