Salina Yeung

📍Your LinkedIn Business Strategist | Create a Personal Brand that People Want to Follow + Converts Connections into Customers 🚀 | LinkedIn Learning Instructor | 🎙 Your LinkedIn Gal Podcast Host

Sick and tired of another boring corporate training? — Only to wait for the next bathroom break?

Your team deserves better. (And you know it!)

"The best ROI my team has ever experienced was hiring Salina!" 
— That's what the Head of Sales at VISA said about my workshop. 

When companies like LinkedIn, Visa, HubSpot need to up their Sales + Marketing Game, they call me. 

After all, whoever puts customers first WINS! 

This is my philosophy for every successful business. 

Solving big, complex problems for customers and relentlessly delivering exceptional business value brings me joy and is where I excel the most. 

As a B2B Sales & Marketing Leader with 12+ years working with top SaaS brands: LinkedIn, Zoom, Twilio, HubSpot, Clickup & more, I know exactly what it takes to build brands that customers LOVE + FOLLOW + CONVERT!

HIGHLIGHTS: 
✨ Grew my LinkedIn following to 22,000 and 8.5M content views with $0 ad spend

✨ Produced a Top-rated 4.8/5 LinkedIn Learning Course; Recognized LinkedIn Top Voice 

✨ Scaled high-touch strategic client success motion at LinkedIn (~128% YoY growth; 146% YoY for two consecutive years). Managed customer campaigns that generated over $38M in sales. 

✨ Built and led high performing teams covering 220+ global clients, which consistently exceeded adoption targets and renewals goals, while closely partnering with cross-functional teams 

✨ Acted as a trusted, key advisor for world’s leading SaaS Companies (Zoom, Twilio, Xero, HubSpot & more) to drive pipeline and revenue growth. Featured by LinkedIn News, Yahoo, Prezi, Daily Ad Brief.

MY EXPERTISE:
B2B Sales & Marketing Strategy | Leadership & Team Building | Sales Coaching | Revenue Growth | Consultative Selling | Customer Success Management | Product Marketing | Data Visualization | Storytelling | Communication

💁🏻‍♀️ Book me to speak about: 
→ LinkedIn™ Personal Brand Masterclass
→ LinkedIn™ Content Marketing Masterclass
→ LinkedIn™ Social Selling Masterclass

Want a B2B Sales & Marketing Strategy that brings you measurable ROI? 🚀

DM me and let's CHAT! 

👉 Check out my website: www.theinacademy.com

P.S. Get a taste of what my wonderful clients say about me✨  

Scroll ⬇️  for 3 secs: Recommendation section

CEO & Founder

theinacademy.com (formerly: LinkedIn-Pro) is the Go-To Educational Platform for Entrepreneurs and Businesses to Build impactful Brands on LinkedIn that Win Eyeballs, Trust and Clients.

Our mission is to empower entrepreneurs to go from unknown to visible and valued without breaking the bank. 

 📩 DM me "LinkedIn Insiders Suite" - create a LinkedIn Strategy that works for you + your business!

After nearly 20 years in financial services, one truth became impossible to ignore:

→ Relying on one income stream no longer works in the modern career.

I learned this the hard way after a sudden redundancy in 2018 - despite being a top performer and “doing everything right.”

That moment reshaped how I think about career and income security.

Not as something granted by any employer.
But as something built by YOU through capability, leverage, and options.

Instead of walking away from corporate, I chose a different path.

I built a second income stream alongside my career - not as an escape plan, but as a way to create stability, control, and decision-making power.

I’m not anti-corporate.
I value strong careers and meaningful work.

But I no longer believe one role should carry 100% of the risk.

📌 What I Do

I help mid-career corporate women build income optionality by turning their existing knowledge, skills, and experience into a profitable coaching or consulting side business, without quitting their 9-5.

This work is designed for women who are:
• Established and ambitious in their careers
• Time-poor but highly capable
• Financially responsible for their families
• Uninterested in “burn the boats” advice
• Looking for more control, not chaos

📌 What Clients Work With Me On

• Clarifying a viable coaching or consulting idea tied to real expertise
• Packaging experience into a high-value, sellable offer
• Creating a time-smart plan to sign 2–3 clients per month
• Corporate-safe visibility and content strategies
• Productivity systems that respect career + family demands
• Using AI tools to reduce friction and decision fatigue
• Structure and accountability that fits real life, not hustle culture

📌 What I Believe

A side business doesn’t require quitting your job.
It doesn’t require burnout.
And it doesn’t require pretending your career doesn’t matter.

It should integrate with your life and career, not compete with it.

You can build income options while excelling in a career you’re proud of.

That’s the Career-Integrated Entrepreneur™ approach.

If you’re exploring a second income stream in 2026, thoughtfully, strategically, and without panic, then you’re in the right place.

--------
Connect with me or send me a direct message.
I’m always happy to share resources, point you in the right direction, or just have a chat ☕️.

Cindy Excell

I was taught humility would take me far.
Instead, it made me invisible.
I grew up in China, where modesty was a virtue.
 
You worked hard.
Kept your head down.
And never spoke about your achievements.

If someone praised you, the correct response was:
“Oh, that’s nothing. Just doing my job.”
So that’s what I did.

I got top grades.
Moved to Australia.
Stayed as a top performer in my corporate career.
And I stayed quiet.

A few years into my career,
I missed out on a promotion I’d worked toward for years.
Not because I wasn’t good enough for the job.
But because I wasn’t 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯.
 
I believed humility was noble.
I didn’t realise silence was costing me opportunities.

Here’s what that experience taught me:
Doing excellent work is expected.
It’s the baseline.

But building a career you actually want -
requires something else.
 
You have to communicate:
• what you stand for
• what you’re good at
• how you think
  
 Clearly.
 Confidently.
 
Without pretending to be someone you’re not.
 
That’s what personal branding really is.
 
Not bragging. 
Not self-promotion.
 
It’s shaping how people experience you.
 
Owning your story. 
Helping the right people understand your value.

Because the opportunities that you desire -
rarely go to the quietest person in the room.
 
And the truth is:
• You can’t lead if no one knows what you stand for.
• You can’t grow if you can’t articulate your strengths.
• You can’t build income options if you’re still waiting for permission.
 
Personal branding isn’t ego.
It’s 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽.

And to stand out from the crowed, 
whether in the corporate setting, or as a business owner,
 It’s the missing link between where you are
and what to come next.
 
Do you think Personal Branding plays a critical role in your career?

Cindy Excell 

Helping Mid-Career Women Build Income Options Without Stepping Off Their Career Path| Business Coach | Private Client Adviser @Prime Financial Group |🎙️ Host of ‘Career-Integrated Entrepreneur’ Podcast

Tomorrow I go back to work.

This break felt different.

Quieter.
But intentional.

Over the past two weeks, I:

→ batched and scheduled the full month of LinkedIn content
→ recorded podcast episodes
→ wrote the full month of the Sunday Newsletter for my email list
→ set up systems for my side business that will carry me into 2026

All by choice.

I still rested.
I still spent time with people I love.
Watched movies.
Went to the beach.
Had long, unstructured days with family.

This wasn’t hustle.
It was deliberate preparation inside a calm season.
That’s why it worked.

I’m going back to my corporate job tomorrow, relaxed.
More importantly, well prepared - for a business I’m building alongside my career.

Because when real life speeds up,
I won’t be scrambling to keep up.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲:
↓↓↓
If you want career security, income options,
or a different path over time,
you can’t take the same actions as everyone else
and expect a different outcome.

Optionality is built ahead of time.
In moments like this.

👉 What’s one intentional choice you could make now, that would make the rest of your year feel calmer and more in your control?

Each year, building a side business alongside a corporate role teaches me new lessons. 

These are the ones I’m taking from 2025 into 2026.
 
1. It’s not about what you add.  It’s about what you eliminate, so you can focus on what actually moves the needle.
 
2. If you want a different outcome,  your actions have to reflect that.
 
3. Goals give you direction.  Systems that are created to fit real life will get you there.
 
Building a side business has a way of exposing habits you don’t notice at first:
 
• overthinking
• waiting for certainty
• overcomplicating simple decisions
 
The biggest shift came when I stopped asking:  
“What’s the perfect plan?”
 
And started asking:  
“What’s the simplest next step I can execute right now?”
 
That’s when momentum showed up.  
Less analysis.  
More movement.
 
Building a second income alongside a career isn’t just about money.  

It quietly reshapes how you think about:
• work
• income
• security
• option
• control
 
Learning by doing teaches faster than any book.
 
👉 If you’re building something alongside a full-time role,  what lesson are you carrying into 2026?

----
P.S. If you’re stuck with your side business and want to move it forward, I’m booking a small number of 90-minute Strategy Intensives. DM me ‘strategy’ and I’ll send you the details.

If you want to change your career trajectory…
Ditch the career lies I believed for too long.

Career lies I believed:
→ A corporate job is safer than entrepreneurship
→ Top performance guarantees job security
→ It’s too late to start a business after 40
→ Being employable means you can always “just get another job”
→ Career success means chasing the next promotion

I realised one day…
None of this was actually true.

And believing it kept me playing small while calling it “being realistic.”

Career truths I learned later:
→ A job without ownership gives you income, not security
→ High performance doesn’t protect you when the decision is out of your control
→ Starting later isn’t the problem; staying dependent on one income stream is
→ Employability helps, but leverage gives you choices
→ Promotion alone isn’t enough; real career security comes from ownership

What a relief.

Lesson learned:
Career security isn’t granted by any employer. 
It’s built by you.
And it only exists when you have ownership and control over skills, income, and optionality.

So unlearn rules you never consciously agreed to.

👉 Which career lie took you the longest to let go of?

-------

𝗣.𝗦. I write a weekly newsletter for women building a second stream of income alongside a career. If this resonates, you can 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝘆 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁.

Passive income isn’t the first step.

Proof of concept is.

I’ve spoken to people who’ve never run an online business before, and want their 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 one to be passive.

I get it.
I like passive income too.
In fact I’ll be exploring it behind the scenes in 2026, after years of high-ticket coaching.
But I didn’t start my online business that way.

Here’s the part that gets skipped.

If you’ve never monetised your expertise before,
And don't have a big audience,
You don’t have an income problem.
You have a proof problem.

Before systems.
Before scale.
Before “passive.”

You need to know:

→ Will people pay for this?
→ What do they actually want help with?
→ What language do they respond to?
→ Where do they get stuck?

That’s why online coaching or consulting is often the most effective first model.

Yes, it’s trading time for money (for now).
And yes - that’s intentional.

At the early stage, time-for-money:
→ teaches you the market fast
→ sharpens your positioning
→ shows you what 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 creates value
→ puts cash flow in your hands sooner

It’s the fastest way to:
→ validate your idea
→ get instant feedback
→ understand buyer behaviour
→ and earn while you learn

Passive income works best after you’ve done this part.
Not instead of it.

If you want to turn your existing expertise into paid work,
start with proof - not automation.

If you’re sitting on ideas, 
second-guessing your direction,
or unsure what’s actually worth pursuing -

👉 My 𝟵𝟬-𝗠𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 is designed for exactly that.

We’ll cut through the noise, unblock what’s stuck,
and map the most practical next step forward.

DM me ‘𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗚𝗬’, and I will send you details.

I paused my podcast for six months to give myself time and space to reflect on my career and my business.  And to get honest about the direction I wanted to take from there.
 
Last year brought a lot of change.  
Some planned. 
Some unexpected.
 
At some point, I realised I was trying to make decisions from 𝘯𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘦 instead of alignment.
 
What became clear during that time was this:
 
The Career-Integrated Entrepreneur path still feels deeply true to me. And remains deeply aligned with how I think about career and business.
 
I don’t believe in building a side business from urgency.  
I don’t believe in resentment towards corporate life.  
And I don’t believe ambition requires burning everything down.
 
What I 𝘥𝘰 believe in is:

• building high-income skills that create career options alongside income stability
• building a side business that fits a demanding career and life
• making decisions that respect the season you’re in
 
That realisation changed how I think about my career and my business.
 
In the latest episode of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳-𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘶𝘳™ podcast, I share the full context, the shifts, and what this next chapter looks like.
 
Link in the comments.

This was my first-ever LinkedIn post on 5 September 2020.

I’d already been posting on Facebook and Instagram for months.

But LinkedIn felt different.

On LinkedIn, I was known as a Private Wealth Manager working in a private bank.

Corporate. 
Professional. 
Credible.

At the same time, I was building an online fitness coaching business on the side.

Before hitting publish, my head was full of hesitation:
What would people in my industry think?
Would clients judge me?
Would colleagues question my credibility?
Would it look like I wasn’t serious about my job?

I sat with that post for days.

Then I hit publish.

And here’s what actually happened:

Nothing.

No backlash.
No public judgment.
No doors slammed shut.

Most people didn’t care.
Some were curious.
A few were quietly supportive.

The fear was far bigger in my head than it was in real life.

And even if someone 𝘩𝘢𝘥 judged me?
So what.

Over time, I noticed a pattern.

The people who questioned visibility
had never built anything themselves.

They weren’t creating.
They weren’t testing ideas.
They weren’t taking responsibility for outcomes.
They were just watching.

Here’s the lesson I wish I’d learned earlier:
Visibility doesn’t require permission.
It requires alignment.

When what you share reflects:
→ who you are
→ what you know
→ and where you’re heading

The fear fades once you move.

You don’t need to be loud.
You don’t need to overshare.

You just need to take the first step.
Most of the judgment you’re afraid of
never actually shows up.

And the small amount that does?

Let it fade into the background while you keep building.

👉 What’s one thing you’ve been holding back from sharing -
even though you know it’s aligned with where you’re going?

Not all side businesses are the problem.

How they’re built is.

I saw a post recently from an entrepreneur I deeply admire.

She shared a tough experience with an employee who ran 𝘵𝘸𝘰 side businesses.

In secret.
While employed.
And eventually… took clients from the company.

I’ve also heard similar stories privately from other founders.

Brilliant operators.
High-integrity leaders.

And a few of them said the same thing:
“I don’t trust employees with side businesses.”
Honestly?
I get it.

If you’re building a company, distraction, divided loyalty, and blurred ethics are real risks.

But here’s the part that doesn’t get said out loud enough:

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀. 
𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀.

There are 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 ways to build a side business.
And also very wrong ones.

I’ve always believed this:

If you want a side business that lasts…
If you want to build something you’re proud of…
You can’t do it quietly, dishonestly, or at someone else’s expense.

You’re paid for your time.
You’re trusted with responsibility.
That trust matters.

At the same time, it’s also reasonable to want:
→ Income options.
→ Career security.
→ Something you own.

Both can be true.

The professionals who do this well follow three non-negotiables:
→ No conflicts of interest
→ No use of employer time or resources
→ No secrecy that would fail the “comfortable explaining it” test

That’s how careers 𝘢𝘯𝘥 side businesses coexist.

If you’re thinking about building something alongside your role, do it with maturity.

You don’t need to choose between integrity and ambition.

But you do need standards.

Because the goal isn’t a side business.

The goal is 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘀.

Curious where you land on this -
Do you think side businesses and careers can coexist 𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺?

𝗣.𝗦. If you’re stuck with your side business and want to move it forward, I’m booking a small number of 90-minute Strategy Intensives. DM me ‘𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗚𝗬’ and I’ll send you the details.

As a mum of two, with a full-time job and a side business, this is my #1 tip to structure my weeks for my side business without burnout.
 
Most burnout doesn’t come from too much work.
 
It comes from too many priorities.
 
When everything matters, nothing moves.
 
I don’t plan my weeks around tasks.
 
I plan them around 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲.
 
One focus that decides:
 
• what gets worked on
• what gets deferred
• what gets ignored
 
Everything else becomes secondary.
 
That constraint removes friction.
 
Decision fatigue drops.
 
Progress becomes visible.
 
Busy weeks stop feeling chaotic.
 
Because they’re no longer crowded with competing goals.
 
Burnout isn’t a time problem.
 
It’s a focus problem.
 
One week.
 
One priority.
 
Everything else earns its place.
 
👉 If your side business feels busy but stuck, my 𝟵𝟬-𝗠𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 helps you define the right focus and structure your week around what actually moves things forward. 

DM me ‘STRATEGY’ and I’ll send you the details.

Most aspiring entrepreneurs get stuck at the starting line.

Because they take the wrong first step.

The first step is not figuring out:

- what the business should be
- is this the right idea
- will it work long term
- what my brand should look like
- what if I choose wrong

That’s not starting.

That’s stalling.

A sensible first step looks like this:

- take one skill you already use at work or personal life
- identify one problem people already come to you for
- have a conversation with real people
- run a small test

That’s it.

Starting doesn’t require confidence.

It requires real data.

And the fastest way to get that real data, is: 
- to talk to real people
- and test something small.

That’s how momentum actually builds.

And how real businesses start.

👉 What’s one problem people already come to you for - without you advertising it?

PS: If you want a clearer next move - without overthinking every option, my 90-Minute Side Business Strategy Intensive can help you cut through the noise.

DM me ‘STRATEGY’ for more details.

No alternative text description for this image

I was standing on the gym floor, clipboard in hand, counting reps for a client.

It was 2020.

I’d been passionate about fitness since I was 16.  
I’d just qualified as a Certified Personal Trainer.  
Turning it into a side business felt logical. 

This is the part most people don’t talk about.

Sometimes the “right” idea still feels wrong once you’re inside it.

I kept telling myself I’d grow into it.  
That the passion would kick in harder.  
That this was just the early phase I need to push through.

But it didn’t.

I didn’t enjoy trading time for money.  
I wasn’t energised in the environment I thought I’d be.  
And more importantly, I didn’t need a second job.

What I 𝘥𝘪𝘥 love were the conversations with clients. 
The mindset shifts.  
The habit changes.  
The moment someone realised they could actually sustain this, without relying on motivation.

It wasn’t the training.
It was the coaching.

That realisation forced a rethink — 
not of fitness, but of how I wanted to use it.
 
Once I stepped away from the gym floor 
and into fitness coaching, everything changed.  

The work felt aligned.  
The online business model made sense.  
And people weren’t looking for more workouts - they were looking for guidance.
 
We’re taught to do what we love.

But passion without alignment leads to burnout.  
And passion without structure leads to frustration.

Sometimes the idea isn’t wrong.  
It’s just not finished yet.

And recognising that is often the moment things start to move.

Agree?

Staying busy doesn’t build your side business.

Focused work does.

If you’re spending long hours, but nothing is moving,
this is usually why.

Your effort is spread across:
• learning
• planning
• consuming content
• building a product/service that has not bee validated
  
But not on what moves the needle.

Here’s the shift that changes this quickly:

Stop asking,
“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘰𝘯?”

Start asking,
“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬?”

One action.
One outcome.

Busy feels productive.
Focused progress creates momentum.

👉 What did you work on last week that actually moved something forward?

--------------

𝗣.𝗦. I write a weekly newsletter for women building a second stream of income alongside a career. If this resonates, you can 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 using the link under my name on this post.

Not every side project creates income optionality.

Only the ones that are repeatable and sellable do.

That might be:
• a skill others will pay for
• a clear offer that solves a real problem
• something you can reuse or scale over time

What doesn’t create optionality:
• side projects that produce random cash
• work that only works in one context 
• income with no repeatability

Extra income can feel like 'having an option'.

But without real leverage, it doesn’t change your position.

Income optionality is about choice.

And choice comes from ownership -
not effort alone.

👉 Is what you’re building creating leverage, or just keeping you busy?

-------
P.S. If you’re stuck with your side business and want to move it forward, I’m booking a small number of 90-minute Strategy Intensives. 𝗗𝗠 𝗺𝗲 ‘𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗚𝗬’, and I’ll send you the details.

Endless research will quietly kill your side business.

Read that again.

Because at first glance, this sounds wrong.

Everywhere you look, you’re told:

“Do more research.”

“Understand your ideal client deeply.”

“Know their thoughts, desires, pain points.”

And yes - research matters.

But here’s what I actually see with early-stage side businesses:

- Research turns into a hiding place.

The more research people do, the more data they collect.

The more data they collect, the more confused they become.

And suddenly, they’re drowning in insights… with no next step.

I’ve seen it over and over again.

I’ve worked with smart, capbable clients who fell into this trap:

- analysis paralysis

- endless note-taking

- refining personas that never meet the real world

I did this myself at the beginning.

It felt productive.

It looked responsible.

But nothing moved.

Here’s how you get out of the research trap:

- Give yourself a clear timeline. 

Two weeks. That’s it.

Use that time to:

- talk to real people

- notice repeated problems

- identify one clear outcome you can help with

Then make a decision.

Choose:

- one problem

- one type of client

- one solution you can confidently help them with

Then put an offer into the real world.

Test it through conversations.

Let actual feedback refine it.

Because no amount of research will ever replace:

- real conversations

- real objections

- real buying behaviour

If you don’t move past this phase, your offer never ships.

And a side business that never ships… never exists.

If this hit close to home, I’m booking a small number of 90-minute Strategy Intensives. 

👉DM me ‘STRATEGY’ and I’ll send you the details.

Thinking won’t build it.

Testing will.

If you want to build a side business as a mid-career corporate woman, here are the “rules” the internet keeps selling you (so you don’t accidentally follow them):

 1. Quit your job and go 'all in' - because you need that 'final push' to make your business work. Bonus points if you have dependents and a mortgage.
    
 2. Ignore the fact you’ve spent 10–20 years building real expertise. Start from scratch instead. Much more dramatic.
    
 3. Build six offers at once. That's how you build your 'product suite' to reach 6-7 figures.
    
 4. Do endless 'research' until you find a “perfect niche”.
    
 5. Assume time constraints are your biggest weakness. Never consider they might force better decisions.
    
 6. Treat your career and business like enemies. One must suffer so the other can succeed.
    
 7. Post content every day about “burning the boats.” Nothing says maturity like false urgency.
    
 8. Build an audience of strangers before using the credibility you already have. Warm trust is clearly overrated.
    
 9. Confuse speed with progress. Fast chaos beats slow traction every time.
    
10. Believe confidence magically appears 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 action. If it hasn’t arrived yet, you’re clearly not ready.
    
Follow these rules closely.

Stay overwhelmed.
Stay stuck.
Stay dependent on one income stream.

𝗢𝗿…

Do the opposite.

Build a second income 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 your career.

Use the experience you already have.

Let constraints sharpen your focus.

Take actions before you 'feel' ready so the insights you get will unfold your next step.

Create options without burning bridges.

That’s the quieter path.

And for most mid-career women, it’s the smarter one.

👉 Which “rule” did you need to unlearn most?

#sidehustlesuccess #entrepreneurhip #careersuccess

A quick update for my LinkedIn newsletter subscribers.

View newsletter: Corporate to Entrepreneur

If you’ve been subscribed to my weekly newsletter here, I wanted to share a quick update. Over the past few months, I’ve consolidated my weekly writin

Open article: A quick update on my weekly newsletter by Cindy Excell • 1 min read

High salary doesn’t equal career security.

Not for the reason most people think.

Security doesn’t come from 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 your income comes from.

It comes from how many options you have if things change.

Optionality looks like:
→ Transferable skills
→ Strong professional reputation
→ Multiple value levers
→ The ability to create, not just receive income

The most resilient corporate professionals I know don’t rely on one path.

They build career leverage.

That’s not a distraction from their career.

That’s leadership-level risk management.

👉 What’s your take on career security?

Your side-income plan failed because real life showed up.

Not because you lacked discipline.
Not because you weren’t committed.

It failed because the plan assumed:
→ endless evening energy
→ perfect consistency
→ zero pressure at work
→ no family, no life, no curveballs

That’s not how mid-career corporate life works.

You don’t get blank slates.

You get meetings, deadlines, kids, and mental load.

A second income doesn’t get built 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘦 your career.
It gets built 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 it.

If your plan only works when:
→ you’re fully rested
→ nothing goes wrong
→ work stays quiet
…it’s not a plan.
It’s wishful thinking.

If it can’t survive Monday morning,  it won’t survive long-term.

The smarter approach is boring:
→ fewer moving parts
→ smaller commitments
→ structure that respects reality

That’s how side income actually compounds.

One step at a time, without overwhelming.

👉 What part of this resonated most for you?

Ownership isn’t all-or-nothing.

It shows up in more than one form.

It can look like:

– Equity or partnership in a company
– Intellectual property you control
– Strategic influence you have in your industry
– Personal leverage you’ve intentionally built, i,e, a business

The mistake isn’t working for others.

It’s believing one structure guarantees long-term security.

Smart professionals don’t choose sides.
They build layers.

Career security isn’t about leaving your job to be your own boss.

It’s about never being cornered by a single outcome.

Do you agree?

20 years in corporate. 
5+ years building side businesses alongside it.
Here are 𝟵 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 I’ve learned:

𝟭/ “𝗤𝘂𝗶𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀” 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝗱-𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻.
→ Real power comes from building options, not burning bridges.

𝟮/ 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.
→ When income isn’t tied to one decision-maker, fear quiets down.

𝟯/ 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲.
→ You don’t need more credentials, just the courage to use what you know.

𝟰/ 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺.
→ Limited hours force focus on what actually moves the needle.

𝟱/ 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱.
→ A strong career funds growth while your business builds autonomy.

𝟲/ 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱.
→ Building something sharpens initiative, ownership, and clarity at work.

𝟳/ 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻.
→ Integration beats tug-of-war every time.

𝟴/ 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁.
→ Long-earned credibility creates trust you can’t shortcut online.

𝟵/ 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿-𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽™ 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵.
→ Independence built 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 your career creates control without panic.

𝗣.𝗦. Which lesson hit home for you today?

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