Sam Browne 🦖

Lifestyle Entrepreneur 🏝️ I Help Experienced Entrepreneurs Grow Their Audience & Income on LinkedIn ✍️ Featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur & The Futur

You’re seeing other founders in your space crushing it on LinkedIn.

They’re booking calls, landing clients, and getting booked to speak on podcasts and stages.

But every time you post, you get crickets.

You might get a few likes, and a few comments here and there..

But actual leads? Clients reaching out, ready to work together? Nowhere to be found.



Here’s what’s happening:

❌ You’re creating content without a strategy.
You are not building momentum towards long-term authority and trust.
You’re throwing ideas against the wall and hoping something sticks.

❌ Your profile lacks clarity.
Your prospect has no idea who you are, what you offer and why they should care.

❌ There’s no clear pathway to lead generation.
Even when the right people engage, you are not effectively moving them from comment to client.


There’s a better way. 
It starts with a proven system.


LINKEDIN FOR FOUNDERS
After 8 weeks working together, you will have:

- A profile optimized for growth
- A content strategy tailored to your market
- A library of 100+ unique content ideas
- 10 LinkedIn posts co-written with me
- 25 content templates to build authority and trust
- Proven lead gen frameworks to book ideal fit clients
- The confidence, skills and training to succeed on LinkedIn

Zero “figuring out” required.

100% done-with-you, every step of the way.



CLIENT FEEDBACK

🟦 “I landed my first five-figure client within 6 weeks, with fewer than 300 followers! Sam shows you what to focus on so LinkedIn no longer feels like you're shooting in the dark.” - Laura Kluz, Authoria

🟦  “Sam's ideas are sharp, tested, and effective. It's a system, and it works. The first time I truly embraced his "hook and net" technique, I generated a $25k opportunity.” - Jon Itkin, In The Kitchen

🟦  “After working with Sam, I’ve grown a much bigger audience, I’m getting inbound leads, and I’ve run 10 successful cohorts, with over 100 agency owners. The ROI speaks for itself.”- Laura Humphreys, Growth Busters & SMASH

🟦 “I’ve added thousands of followers and tripled engagement. I've been featured on industry webinars and podcasts. I’m also consistently hitting £20,000 months.”- Aaron Norris, AN Coaching & Consulting



APPLY NOW

1:1 coaching is by application only

Click the link in my Featured Section, or DM me to learn more.

Linkedin Consultant

Linkedin coaching for 6 & 7 figure entrepreneurs.

Helping Managers Lead with Confidence | Practical Leadership Advice & Motivation | SVP, Bank of America (Views My Own)

Struggling with leadership?
You’re not broken — you were never taught how it actually works.

Most managers are promoted for performance, then expected to figure out leadership under pressure.
Real people. Real consequences. No margin for error.

I know that world well.

Early in my career, I believed great leaders had all the answers.
That belief cost me sleep, confidence, and time with my family.

Here’s what I learned the hard way:

Great leadership isn’t charisma or control.
It’s psychology, trust, motivation, and the ability to create calm in chaos.

That’s the work I focus on.

I help frontline leaders build motivated, self-sufficient teams—without burning themselves out.

With a background in psychology and 17+ years leading top-ranked sales teams, I develop people-first leadership systems that hold up in the real world.

No hype.
No corporate jargon.
No “rah-rah” motivation.

Just practical frameworks that help leaders:
• Think clearly under pressure
• Lead with confidence without burning out
• Build teams that perform—even when they’re not in the room

Why listen to me?

🏆 #1 National Sales Rep (multiple organizations)
🏆 Led #1 National Sales Teams
📉 Lowest attrition rates
🎓 Psychology applied to real leadership decisions
📈 Consistent internal promotions
💀 Burned out hard—and rebuilt sustainably
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Built a career and a family (not one at the expense of the other)

What you’ll find here:
• Actionable leadership lessons
• Psychology-backed strategies that actually work
• Real stories from the trenches
• Burnout reduction without performance loss
• Systems you can apply immediately
• The occasional dad joke (fair warning)

My promise:
Practical systems for coaching, accountability, and boundaries—so work doesn’t follow you home.

If you want a team that respects you, trusts you, and grows with you—you’re in the right place.



(Currently SVP, Bank of America — views my own.)

Matt Antonucci

Nothing beats watching a bunch of Florida kids waking up to a ground full of snow.

Except going out there and joining them.

#sundaysnow
#familyfirst

Neighbor kid joined in on my son beating me up too 🤣

Motivate your team to thrive without you, so you get your life back. | SVP, Bank of America (Views My Own)

No alternative text description for this image

Monday's don't suck, your preparation does. 

Mine did too for a looooooong time. 

If you're looking at Monday not knowing what the week will look like, here's a tool. 

Not everyone is a digital planner. 

Here is a Business Rhythm I used for years to keep myself in check. 

No sign up - No DM needed - Yours if it will help. 

Feedback is appreciated though!

Print, fill, execute, repeat. 

Let me know how it works for you and please share if it could help anyone else in your network. 

Have a wonderful day!

Free Business Rhythm

𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 —
𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐭.

Policy updates aren’t neutral events.

They shape culture.

They signal trust.

And they decide whether your team leans in — or checks out.

As a leader, it’s your job to deliver changes like:

 • Time & attendance policies
 • Compensation updates
 • Scope-of-work shifts
 • Office or remote work changes

If you don’t do the work to prepare the message,
don’t be surprised when engagement drops.

Here’s the 𝟔-𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 I use when delivering change:

 𝟏. 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐡𝐲 (budget, performance, risk).
 𝟐. 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐈𝐈𝐅𝐌 — even if it’s long-term.
 𝟑. 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡.
 𝟒. 𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. 𝐎𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞.
 𝟓. 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐞.
 𝟔. 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐮𝐩𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 (𝐇𝐕𝐀𝐂 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲):

A dispatch team moved to a point-based attendance system.
1 point = late.
2 points = call-out.

Why?

Missed appointments were quietly destroying revenue.
The loss of revenue reduced or eliminated bonuses

The hidden WIIFM?

If attendance had improved, bonuses would have existed.
High performers would’ve earned more.

The leader didn’t just announce the rule.

They:
 • Explained the big-picture impact
 • Met 1:1 with employees
 • Showed real numbers tied to pay
 
That’s how you get buy-in.

𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.

Save this for the next difficult conversation you’ll have as a leader.

Every three weeks, I had chemo.
The only thing I looked forward to was crab knuckles.
 
Life throws a lot at you.
Some of it is unplanned.
Some of it, you know is coming, despite not wanting it.
 
For me 13 years ago, that was my chemo.
It wasn't a fun time.
Statistically, you have seen someone go through it, or went through it yourself.
 
Not exactly something to look forward to.
But something my wife did, made it bearable…
Even something I would look forward to.
 
Crab knuckles. 🦀
 
If you never had them, they are some of the best, meatiest, part of a crab leg.
 
There was a place about 1/2 hour from our house called the Crab Shak II.
 
Older restaurant overlooking a bay.
 
Tons of character, it was kind of dark, private, and a hidden gem.
 
When I was diagnosed and we started to get into the new "routine"
 
She suggested we go there the night before every chemo.
 
While I was feeling my best, had an appetite, and we could connect.
 
The food was always amazing and I got the same thing each time.
 
It was something I would look forward to.
 
Get through the next 3 weeks and I get a great meal with my new wife.
 
Seems simple, but when things got tough , that 1-2 hour meal was a mental miracle.
 
When I think back of going through treatment, I don't think of the bad stuff, but those dinners.
 
The point here?
 
Tie the ugly with the beautiful when you can.
Find something you love and place it before the hard thing.
It will help you get through tough times.
 
 
This is also a reminder - Life is short, precious, and unpredictable.
 
Don't squander your time on things that won't matter in 5 years.
 
And if you never had crab knuckles before, try to find a place that serves them!
 
Most people already have a ritual that could carry them through hard times.
They just haven’t named it yet.
 
This is how leaders create resilience, not by removing pain, but by giving people something to move toward.
 
Good leaders don’t remove hard moments.
They help people create anchors that make them survivable.
 
If this resonates, pass it to someone who’s in a hard season.

🍽️ The Bystander Effect—Explained by a Broken Serving Dish
 
This story came from a family member, but you’ve seen a version of it at work.
 
A small gathering.
Food on the table.
A glass serving dish sitting over a heating can.
 
Suddenly - POP!.
The dish explodes.
 
No one is hurt, but glass is everywhere.
 
What happened next was the most interesting part.
 
Ten people stood around… talking about it.
 
“There’s glass over there.”
“Careful—there’s a piece by your foot.”
“Wow, that really shattered.”
 
No one moved.
 
So one person grabbed a broom and dustpan and started cleaning.
 
Still, ten people watched.
 
More pointing.
More commentary.
No help.
 
Imagine if even three people jumped in.
Five minutes. Done.
 
Instead?
 
👉 Too many generals.
👉 Not enough infantry.
 
This is the bystander effect—but with a twist.
 
Most people understand the first freeze:
 
“Someone else will handle it.”
 
“I don’t want to overstep.”
 
“Maybe it’s not my place.”
 
That explains inaction.
 
What’s more telling is what came after.
 
They didn’t help.
They directed.
 
Which raises a harder question:
 
Did sweeping feel below them?
Did they assume, “He’s got it”?
Or did they confuse leadership with commentary?
 
Because here’s the workplace parallel 👇
 
Teams stall not because people don’t care…
But because too many people confuse ownership with observation.
 
Leadership isn’t pointing out the glass.
Leadership is picking up the broom.
 
Real ownership sounds like:
 
“I’ve got this.”
 
“How can I help?”
 
“Let’s knock this out together.”
 
If everyone waits for permission…
Nothing moves.
 
If everyone points…
Nothing changes.
 
And if leaders model commentary instead of action?
 
That behavior spreads fast.
 
🧠 Question for you:
In your workplace, do people grab the broom, or just point at the mess?
 
#Leadership
#Ownership
#WorkplaceCulture
#LeadershipDevelopment
#LeadingTheFront

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🔔 Follow for actionable leadership lessons that build better teams.

𝟗𝟒𝟎 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬.

That's all you get.

940 weekends with your kids before they’re grown

Gut-punch, right?
 
Nine hundred and forty.

That’s it.

After that, they’re packing bags, chasing dreams, and building lives of their own.

And here’s the truth most people don’t want to admit:

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫.

There will always be one more task.

One more email.

One more crisis.

One more “I’ll be home a little late.”

 
But our kids?

They don’t wait.

They grow—every second—whether we’re watching or not.

 
Early in my career, I let work follow me home.

Stress. Burnout. Mental exhaustion.

And the people who paid the price weren’t my coworkers…

…𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲.

 
That’s exactly why I write the way I write.

For the managers drowning in responsibilities.

For the leaders who feel guilty closing the laptop.

For the people who care—but are stuck working in the business instead of on it.


Because when leadership isn’t done right, it spills everywhere.

Into your home.

Into your patience.

Into the time your kids will remember for the rest of their lives.

 

Here’s the mindset shift that changed everything for me:

 

1️⃣ 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞.

If you give it 100 hours, it will gladly take 101.

It never ends.

 

2️⃣ 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞.

940 weekends.

Maybe fewer.

That’s the real urgency.

 

3️⃣ 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬—𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬—𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤.

When you build systems… delegate well… coach instead of carry…

you create margin.

You create peace.

You create a version of yourself your family deserves.

 

This is why I help struggling managers become balanced, confident leaders:

Because when you get leadership right, you get your life back.

And when you get your life back, your family gets you back.

Your team needs a leader.

Your family needs 𝐲𝐨𝐮.

Make sure you know which one is irreplaceable.
 
#Leadership #Parenting #WorkLifeBalance #LeadingTheFront #EmotionalIntelligence
--------------
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➡️Engage (like/comment/repost) 
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𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀. 😊

I've been posting on LinkedIn over 2 years now

I don't have 100K followers.

Don't follow me for growth hacks.
 
I didn't originally post with a plan in mind.
I just wanted to focus on helping other leaders out.
 
When I started, I was leading a team, and there were a lot of new leaders promoted.
 
We would connect and I was a mentor to them.
 
It was clear, there were a TON of gaps between what the company taught and what experience provided.
 
Many new managers can't see the forest beyond the trees.
 
They are inundated.
 
So I started writing on here.
 
It's been a lot of fun, but can also be challenging.
 
Balancing between personal brand and my career isn't always easy.
 
I could use this platform for my work, and in part, I do.
 
I've met business owners, brokers, and other connections for lending that I wouldn't have.
 
More importantly, this has helped me reinforce my beliefs.
 
I don't write anything I wouldn't put my name on.
 
The powerful messages for me are around family, gratitude, and the value of time.
 
I've made some good friends; many are international.
That would have never happened otherwise.
 
I've posted about leadership, fatherhood, remembrances, and a lot of other things in my life.
 
Lately, it has been more specific content and leadership messaging.
 
I think that is important, because that's the goal, but I want you to continue to know me.
 
Not long ago, I learned there was power in vulnerability, not being emotionless like I thought.
 
I also learned that balance creates great leaders.
 
When you can't enjoy your own life, you can't be a catalyst of joy in others, especially at work.
 
This year I am going to be more intentional with you getting to know me as I help guide.

Posts are from experience, not theory. 
 
There's a lot to my story and challenges that I think can help.
 
Just to start:
 
I have…
 
-been a career chameleon - changing industries successfully many times.
-inherited teams who didn't want me, then became my top advocates.
-had to rebuild my career 2X through Cancer and Retinal Problems.
-built a family with time as the core currency.
-navigating the challenges of being a professional parent.
-started businesses and limped them along.
-Fell in love with woodworking as a hobby…
 
The list goes on.
 
All while sticking to my mission of leaving more good in the world after being a part of it.
 
I'm here to help others… That's why I write, mentor in DMs, take ad hoc phone calls from struggling leaders, and work with clients for their capital needs in my career.
 
I look forward to getting to know you more too.
 
Struggles, fears, wins, and goals.
 
Thank you for being part of this with me.

Last Friday, my son taught me something about leadership I won’t forget.
 
When we make decisions for our kids.
 
We often think about the stories they will tell their future families.
 
For example.
 
Every Friday morning, I grab a guitar to wake them up for school.
 
It's a few chords I know made into an on-the-spot terrible song about school.
 
They half smile, groan out a "stooooopp!"
 
And I move from room to room.
 
Last week, I didn't.
 
I just went to wake them up.
 
The first thing my son said…"Where's the guitar?"
 
I realized that I was making a memory.
 
I realized this isn’t about guitars.
It’s about consistency.
That’s how trust is built — in families, teams, and careers.
 
 
Something that I envisioned they would tell their kids about some day.
 
"My dad used to wake us up with a guitar every Friday,"
 
I thought about the stories I tell.
 
Not only about my parents, but about prior leaders.
 
I term stories of warning and those of warmth.

 Remembering those that stifled or started chapters of my career.
 
Having this future vision impacts much of what I do.
 
How I respond, how I coach, how I parent.
 
One day we will all be gone and all that will be left is our story.
 
Often it will be told by others.
 
The stories people tell about you are written in the small, repeated moments…not the big speeches.
 
The question isn’t what story you want told.
It’s what story your daily behavior is already writing.

P.S. What's something you hope your kids, or your team will tell about you?

Last Friday, my son taught me something about leadership I won’t forget.

When I make decisions for my kids

I often think about the stories they will tell to their future families. 

For example. 

Every Friday morning, I grab a guitar to wake them up for school.

It's a few chords I know made into an on-the-spot terrible song about school. 

They half smile, groan out a "stooooopp!"

And I move from room to room. 

Last week, I didn't.

I just went to wake them up. 

The first thing my son said…"Where's the guitar?"

I realized that I was making a memory.

I realized this isn’t about guitars.
It’s about consistency.
That’s how trust is built — in families, teams, and careers.


Something that I envisioned they would tell their kids about some day.

"My dad used to wake us up with a guitar every Friday,"

I thought about the stories I tell. 

Not only about my parents, but about prior leaders.

I term stories of warning  and those of warmth.

Remembering those that stifled or started 

Hope feels scarce these days.

I see it too often.

we get stuck in the grind.

It’s not a matter of being unmotivated.  

We aren’t lazy.  
We are strong-willed and tenacious.

We’re running with everything we have, but sometimes unsure of the destination.

When you see each other out there, say something.

Let each other know it’s noticed.

That you can see the future when they can’t.  
That you’re in it with them.

Success, failure, and the journey can all be lonely.

When they can’t see the finish line on the horizon, pull them close — shoulder to shoulder — and point out the great things ahead.

He was rushing the pitch…
 
So I told him, then we worked on it together.
 
Complete stranger, just trying to make a living, butchering cold calls.
 
Just an inbound cold call on a Friday- Couldn't tell what he was selling. '
 
Talking too fast, cutting words off, expecting a "no thank you."
 
By the end, he restated his value proposition, gave w quick "much better" and wished him luck.
 
That 3 minutes of coaching may have fed his family through better conversion.
 
 
 
I get a lot of DMs and calls selling services.
 
The old me would just ignore and move on.
 
Now, I really find joy in helping these people out.
 
 
With DMs - I have a few single member media agencies pitching.
 
I ask them about their background, onboarding process, portfolio…
 
Then I give feedback and offer some assistance on what I see work.
 
 
For context - I work with multi-million dollar companies as my day job.
 
We learn how they got there by speaking directly to the owners.
 
We see which media and other companies are scaling and which are failing, so this is all from real accounts.
 
And I was in marketing and advertising for several years.
 
It helps that I've been a sales professional, leader, and trainer for 18 years.
 
Why not help someone out? It only takes a few minutes.
 
Next time you get a terrible cold DM and you know you can help, give some feedback.
 
Even if you aren't buying, you are returning value… And that's never going to be a bad ROI. 

What's stopping you from helping someone today?

12 Things I wish I knew as a manager starting a family. 
 
(The last one is a gamechanger)
 
The reality?
 
It's rough.
 
At least for me it was. 
 
We had our first 2 kids 11 months apart. 
 
On the outside I was a driven, motivated, and optimistic leader.
 
On the inside, I struggled.
 
Once you promote.
 
The rest of your life may follow. 
 
More Money
 
More "stable".
 
And you want to start a family. 
 
Be ready for 💩 to hit the fan. 
 
I wasn't as prepared as I thought. 
 
I am a cancer survivor.
 
I had a retinal detachment and 9+ surgeries. 
 
But balancing newborns, marriage, and leadership…
 
That was the hardest time of my life. 
 
Because it wasn't just about me. 
 
"ME" felt like it disappeared. 
 
It felt like I became a machine.
 
And the output?
 
→Providing for the family. 
 
→Delivering for your team.
 
→Proving your worth to your company.
 
Either parent can feel this. 
 
As a leader, you have to bring energy to work.
 
Even when you have none. 
 
When you get home.
 
It starts all over. 
 
Often, more intense.
 
We got through the rough patch.
 
But it changed us forever. 
 
Here things I wish I knew.
 
 
1. 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 (𝗶𝗳 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱).
-> This is more important for routines, than bonding IMO, your job will be fine!
 
2. 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 (𝗘𝗔𝗣, 𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆, 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀)
 ->Better to have them and not need them, then the alternative. 
 
3. 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲
-> for us it was 10P-3A for me and 3a-7A for her to be "on call".
 
4. 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗡 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗺 - 𝗛𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆
->Leverage resources.
 
5. 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
->Bottle or breastfeed? How long? Who does what?
 
6. 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗕𝗢𝗧𝗛 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂.
-> Away from the kids, doing something you like, not something you HAVE to do. 
 
7. 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 "𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁" 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁.
-> What happens if the in-laws and grandparents are too busy to help?
 
8. 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱.
->Throw the expectation of control out the window for a while and learn to adapt. 
 
9. 𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.
->Plan conversations. Use support to let out frustrations. Understand your partner's needs.
 
10. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗢𝗞.
-> You've got here once; you can do it again. Parenting has no do-overs.
 
11. 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿.
-> Don't make rash decisions in the moments that impact the future. 
 
12. 𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀. 
-> Heated moments will happen; comparisons devalue your co-parent's feelings and cause a fight response.
 
Someone in your network needs this. 
 
𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀. 😊

12 Things - Manager Starting A Familiy

You were never around

My daughter reminds me of that a lot
 
Half joking, half serious.
 
She was 4 when I shifted my time management.
 
I still hear it 7, years "reformed"
 
But before that, she was right.
 
I'd leave before everyone woke up.
 
And be lucky if I got 20 minutes to tuck them in.
 
First in and first out at the office.
 
But why?
 
Looking back, I see how it hurt more than it helped.
 
Not just at home, that part is obvious.
 
But my team engagement and brand.
 
I was always at the office.
 
They come in early - I was there.
They were working late - I was there.
 
And I am sure it felt suffocating.
 
All because I thought I had to prove something.
 
Archaic thought processes mixed with insecurity.
 
They liked me, but loathed that I was there all the time.
 
My overwork wasn't building benefits, it was eroding them.
 
I ended up changing over time, and taking a different approach.
 
It was freeing for me, and my team.
 
More importantly, for my family.
 
Not one extra hour in that office made a difference in the long run.
 
Trust me, you can't get the time back at home.
 
Looking back, it's easy to see, I guess that's the gift of experience.
 
So for you - If you are the "first in, last out" manager - Leaving a family waiting.
 
Stop - and truly evaluate - Is it making a true difference?
 
Team collaboration, and the feelings of autonomy develop in your absence.
 
But it won't develop if you never leave.
 
The irony is this:
 
I thought being present proved leadership.
 
In reality, my presence was preventing it.
 
Teams don’t grow because you’re always there.
 
They grow because they learn to operate without you.
 
Leadership isn’t measured by hours seen….
 
It's measured by what works when you aren't there.
 
As a family man, I'd do anything to get those hours back
 
but now I know where the priorities are.

I had to fire 25%+ of my team.
 
Because of something I did.
 
Within my first 2 months on a job..
 
(It's good it happened.)
 
First off - It's important to note.
 
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗿.
 
Long ago
 
In a company far far away...
 
I took over a large team.
 
Biggest in my career.
 
They hadn't had a leader for 10 months.
 
I was walking into a loosely managed situation.
 
When I got there.
 
I started digging to understand the team.
 
One of the things I looked at was customer retention.
 
For a population of the team, the metric was an outlier.
 
Customer retention and cancel was extremely high.
 
But how could that be sustainable?
 
There was a chargeback system in the commissions.
 
These reps should be starving based on that model.
 
Instead, they were winning awards.
 
Making large bonuses.
 
And were "untouchable".
 
My gut told me something was off.
 
So I dug.
 
Where no one had looked in a long time.
 
What I found was shocking.
 
Due to an issue 18 months earlier.
 
The Chargeback portion of the incentive was suppressed.
 
The problem?
 
Everyone assumed it was turned back on.
 
My data showed it wasn’t.
 
Reps were cheating.
 
Getting paid for the sale.
 
And never getting charged backed when it auto-cancelled.
 
When I brought this to my director.
 
I'll never forget the conversation.
 
Me: Explaining the situation
Him: "That's impossible"
Me: "Whenever I hear those words, I've found it's very possible."
 
 
This was a HUGE reputational risk for me.
 
New leader.
 
Implying unethical behavior for one of the top teams.
 
It would tank my performance on scorecards.
 
It would decimate much of the team.
 
But the risk of not saying something would tear my ethics apart.
 
I submitted my analysis to the incentive team.
 
And
 
I was right - They never turned the chargeback suppression off.
 
It's unknown how much money was inaccurately paid out.
 
I would assume in the $100s of thousands.
 
What was apparent.
 
Is that it was a monumental find.
 
It was fixed and launched us into months of investigations.
 
Ultimately, I had to sit across from many "top performers" and remove them from the company.
 
They knew what they had done was wrong.
 
But worse.
 
Their previous leadership encouraged it.
 
That was one of many issues ai have found with incentive systems in my career.
 
But it will stand out to me forever.
 
Trust your gut.
 
Lead with ethics.
 
Take the time to challenge assumptions.
 
We built the team back on a basis of skill, ethics, and client-focus.
 
And climbed the rankings.
 
We also had the lowest attrition in the company after the big 'correction."
 
There was one huge warning sign before I took the job.
 
👇🏻In comments👇🏻
 
#leadwithintegrity 
#salesethics 
#trustyourgut
 
P.S. Have you ever experienced something like this? Do you think these reps should have lost their jobs?
 
Join over 5400 people in my community.

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In the last 90 days, I’ve watched smart leaders misread LinkedIn 

for the same reason companies misread culture breakdowns silence creates.

I noticed it this morning - 
 
LinkedIn feels different lately…
And everyone has a theory.

“The algorithm hates long posts.”
“No, it’s videos.”
“Only big creators are winning now.”
“Engagement pods are killing reach.”

Sound familiar?

Because this isn’t a LinkedIn problem.
It’s a human behavior problem.

What you’re watching play out on LinkedIn is the same thing that happens inside companies every day:

👉 Lack of clarity
👉 No official explanation
👉 Silence from leadership

And suddenly… the culture gets hijacked by hearsay.

No one is lying.
But no one actually knows, either.

So assumptions fill the gap.
And assumptions turn into “us vs. them” thinking.

That’s how water-cooler talk becomes workplace toxicity.

Here are 5 ways to spot it early in your organization — and how to correct it:

1️⃣ Everyone has a theory, but no one has facts

What it looks like:
“I heard leadership is changing comp plans…”
“They’re probably outsourcing.”
“They only promote favorites.”

Leader move:
If people are guessing, you’re under-communicating.
Say what you know, what you don’t, and when you’ll know more.

Clarity beats certainty.

2️⃣ Productivity drops, but conversation increases

What it looks like:
More Slack messages.
More side conversations.
Less actual output.

Leader move:
Redirect energy to what’s controllable.
Re-anchor people to priorities, not rumors.

Idle time breeds stories.

3️⃣ Language shifts to “they” instead of “we”

What it looks like:
“They don’t care.”
“They changed the rules.”
“They’re watching us.”

Leader move:
The moment “they” shows up, trust is slipping.
Reinsert yourself into the narrative early.

Silence creates separation.

4️⃣ High performers become cynical first

What it looks like:
Top talent stops volunteering ideas.
They disengage quietly — not loudly.

Leader move:
Pull them in before they check out.
Cynicism in high performers spreads fast because it sounds credible.

5️⃣ Feedback turns sarcastic instead of direct

What it looks like:
Jokes.
Eye-rolls.
Passive comments disguised as humor.

Leader move:
Sarcasm is unexpressed concern.
Create a safe lane for direct feedback or it will leak sideways.

Here’s the leadership truth most miss:

When there’s no narrative from the top,
people will write their own.

And they’re rarely generous authors.

LinkedIn didn’t become “toxic.”
People filled a clarity gap with assumptions.

Same thing happens in teams.
Same thing happens in companies.

Culture isn’t destroyed by bad intent.
It’s eroded by silence.


Where have you seen this play out; online or at work?

#Leadership 
#WorkplaceCulture 
#Communication 
#Trust 
#LeadingTheFront

Want more like this in your feed?
➡️ Engage (like/comment/repost)
➡️ Go to Matt Antonucci and click/tap the (🔔)
🔔 Follow for actionable leadership lessons that build better teams.

“In the last 90 days, I’ve watched smart leaders misread LinkedIn —
for the same reason companies misread culture breakdowns.
Silence creates 
LinkedIn feels different lately…
And everyone has a theory.

“The algorithm hates long posts.”
“No, it’s videos.”
“Only big creators are winning now.”
“Engagement pods are killing reach.”

Sound familiar?

Because this isn’t a LinkedIn problem.
It’s a human behavior problem.

What you’re watching play out on LinkedIn is the same thing that happens inside companies every day:

👉 Lack of clarity
👉 No official explanation
👉 Silence from leadership

And suddenly… the culture gets hijacked by hearsay.

No one is lying.
But no one actually knows, either.

So assumptions fill the gap.
And assumptions turn into “us vs. them” thinking.

That’s how water-cooler talk becomes workplace toxicity.

Here are 5 ways to spot it early in your organization — and how to correct it:

1️⃣ Everyone has a theory, but no one has facts

What it looks like:
“I heard le

Would you do 3 interviews?
 
How about 7?
 
As a candidate or employer.
 
Personally, I found that the more outside of the industry you are, the more interviews you end up having.
 
When I would break into a new industry, there was always this side-eyed interest.
 
I would surprise them with confidence and competence, but they would have trouble trusting I would "get it" in the new industry.
 
In 2019 I was interviewing with 2 employers in new industries for me.
 
The first one - put me through 7 interviews, even had me prospect for them. (Successfully)
 
The second one was late in into the interview process. 

They offered me after 2 interviews (prescreen and real one).

I took the offer, and I think it worked out well for everyone :)
 
Moral of the story - If you have a strong candidate - Do a good job interviewing once or twice and offer.
 
As a leader, you can either capture great talent, or drive it away..
 
Be honest - What was the highest number of interviews you ever put a candidate through and what was the result?
 
Spoiler for my findings below.
 
Credit to Noah Little for prompting the thought - This was a comment on his post from a few days ago.

Most people don’t lack motivation.

They lack connection to what they’re working toward.

That’s why I always start with the WHY.

One simple tool I use with teammates is what I call a Motivational Matrix connect. 

It’s a structured conversation to understand:
• Career goals
• Personal goals
• Life priorities outside of work

Then we connect the dots.

Here’s what makes it powerful 👇

1️⃣ It aligns daily work with a real outcome
Not vague “growth” — actual goals with timelines and numbers.

2️⃣ It creates ownership
When someone can see how today’s effort moves tomorrow’s life, motivation becomes internal.

3️⃣ It turns goals into action
Once the vision is clear, you can build a simple plan to get there.

I was reminded of this recently.

I caught up with a former teammate about work.
He lit up and shared he’d crossed a goal off his list.

A new car for his growing family 🚗

What stuck with me wasn’t the purchase.
It was the pride — and the fact that he connected it back to those early conversations and action plans.

That’s the moment leaders miss.

People don’t just want to hit goals.
They want to feel seen, supported, and capable of winning.

If you lead people:
➡️ Take time to understand what they’re working for
➡️ Tie the day-to-day to something that matters
➡️ Help them build a clear path forward

If you don’t lead people yet:
Schedule this conversation with your leader — and make sure it goes both ways.

Don’t underestimate what happens when work finally connects to life.

If you want a simple structure for having this conversation, stay tuned, I am working on something for you.

**𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧’𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩.
They’re failing at time.**

I’ve watched great managers lose 10+ hours a week to prep, notes, admin, and follow-ups.

I know I have too.

Not because they’re inefficient.
Because the job quietly buried them.

AI doesn’t replace leadership.
It removes the friction that’s killing it.

Here’s how the best frontline leaders are using 𝐀𝐈 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰 👇

1️⃣ 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟏:𝟏𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐬
Generate coaching questions based on role, tenure, or recent performance.
Better conversations. Less prep.

2️⃣ 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
Drop in call notes or observations.
Get summaries, priorities, and follow-ups instantly.

3️⃣ 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐞-𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐬
A struggling rep ≠ a top performer.
AI helps tailor development by skill gap, not guesswork.

4️⃣ 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 (𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡)
Draft feedback → reframe for clarity and empathy.
Direct and human.

5️⃣ 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐠
Performance summaries, recap emails, documentation.
AI handles the busywork so you can actually lead.

6️⃣ 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧
Role-play accountability, promotion, or corrective talks.
Walk in calm. Confident. Prepared.

7️⃣ 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞
Feed in metrics, notes, or trends.
AI flags burnout risks and coaching opportunities early.

8️⃣ 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠—𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫
Create outlines, drills, scenarios, and micro-learning.
Consistency without starting from scratch.

9️⃣ 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠
AI becomes their thinking partner—so you’re not the bottleneck.

🔟 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤
When leaders stop drowning in tasks, they focus on people.
That’s where performance actually improves.

Many leaders are asking:
“𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐀𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐞?”

The smart ones are asking:
“𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤?”

If you lead frontline managers, this shift is already happening.

𝘐'𝘮 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥-𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴

And it’s separating good leaders from overwhelmed ones.

If this was useful, follow Matt Antonucci for practical leadership lessons that help teams perform without burning out.

If this hits you like it hit me, then we are on the same page. 
If you want to figure out ways to grab more hours back as a leader.
All while having a top performing team - That's why I am here. 

Credit: Shellie Edington / Benny Johnson IG posts.

Too good not to share...

Your job as a manager is 80% coaching and 20% admin.

Yeah right. 🤣

This is the lie I was fed as a front-line manager.

Even when I had 22 direct associates across a large footprint. 

Actually - I've been told it in most of my leadership roles. 

I should be conducting 1:1s and side by sides 80% of my workweek. 

The rest ….

150 emails a day.
Action plan creation.
Reviews.
Fire drills.
Client escalations.
Leadership meetings (my manager).
Leadership meetings (other managers).
Leadership business plans..
Reporting,reporting,reporting.
Inter-office travel..
Cross-Department connects.

Should only be 20%.

Somehow the math here, 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣'𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙝-𝙞𝙣𝙜.

Even at 60 hours per week.

And it wasn't just me - my peers felt it too. 

Still feel it.

If you're nodding along - 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰. 

And It's pretty much 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦.

The disconnect between the second level-leadership and the front line leader is growing. 

Delegation from the "top" causes a feeling of inadequacy and anxiety for front-line leaders.

And that happens often. 

So what can you do?

You may never get to the 80% coaching stat that is thrown around.

But you CAN get better at your systems for the rest. 

Blocking your admin tasks, having deep work blocks for reports, etc. 

But the most important thing?

Build an autonomous team. 

One that understand the mission
Executes the Mission
Is self-motivated.
Self-Accountable
And has fun doing it. 

Sounds like a Unicorn team?

It's not - 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩.

This is where you SCALE coaching. 

Where your 1:1s have traction.

Where everyone on the team knows what to do, why to do it, and HOW to accomplish it. 

You become a coach, not a crutch. 

Oh - and you stop taking the stress home with you.
(That was my true WIN)

How do you start? 

I recommend a time audit and a Business Rhythm. 

I have a basic format if you want it - Just let me know and I can share it. 

Is not easy to get to that Unicorn Team - 🦄

But I have done it - Many times. 

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜 - 𝐈𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐝.

If you would like to know how, follow along for practical leadership lessons that help teams perform without burning out.

“𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞.”

What's worse, they actually laughed when they said it.
On a speakerphone.
In front of people who counted on me.

They were reacting to a revenue target I had committed to.

The problem?

We were a small location, competing against GameStop, preparing for a midnight release of Modern Warfare 3.

Year: 2011
𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭: $𝟎

The target required 3–4× the traffic of stores much bigger than ours.

Most people would’ve backed down.

I didn’t.

Here’s what I did instead.

1️⃣ 𝐈 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧.
Not vibes. Not hope.
Clear projections, responsibilities, and execution.
Shared it with the team and leadership.

2️⃣ 𝐈 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐬.
Dozens of partners already working with us.
I called. Explained the vision. Asked for support.
Result: giveaways, displays, buzz, word of mouth.
Cost: $0

3️⃣ 𝐈 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲.
Army/Navy stores. Niche businesses. Enthusiasts.
One owner went all in.
Result: fatigues, ghillie suits, immersive décor.
It looked like the developers built the launch themselves.
Cost: $0

4️⃣ 𝐈 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬.
Recruiting stations loved the theme.
Result: Humvees, real heroes, competitions for people in line.
Sponsored by the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force.
Cost: $0

5️⃣ 𝐈 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞.
TVs. Sound systems. Accessories.
Packages. Coaching the team on cross-offers.
Result: We sold TVs at a game release.
Cost: $0

6️⃣ 𝐈 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐥𝐲.
Local businesses. Community. Even radio.
Cost: $0

The outcome?

𝐖𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞.
𝐈𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐞’𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐝.

Fourteen years later, people from that team still tell me how electric it felt.

Why does this matter?

At the time, I was making about $12/hour.

But I took ownership of something way beyond my pay grade.

That single project:

Changed how leaders saw me

Opened doors to higher-level roles

Gave me permanent confidence in my ability to execute

High-agency people don’t say “that’s not my job.”
They ask: “How do I make this the job I want?”

Leadership isn’t a title.
It's a behavior. 

That’s how careers actually compound.

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Matt Antonucci

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The Battle

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