Sam Browne 🦖

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

Ready to Build a Profitable Personal Brand on LinkedIn?



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 🦖
LinkedIn For Founders is my proven system for LinkedIn.

It's the exact system I use to build my brand, attract an audience of buyers, and generate over $300k in annual revenue on LinkedIn. 

After 8 weeks working together, you will have:

- A LinkedIn profile optimized for growth
- A "client magnet" content strategy
- 100+ unique content ideas
- 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 starts with a free LinkedIn strategy call.

Click the link in my Featured Section, or copy and paste this link:

https://tally.so/r/ob6GKP

Linkedin Consultant

Linkedin coaching for 6 & 7 figure entrepreneurs.

I spent $5,000 on a coach.

Let’s call him Jack.

Conventional LinkedIn wisdom would tell you that my customer journey went something like this:

1 - Jack sent a connection request and I accepted.

2 - Jack started a conversation in the DMs.

3 - After a bit of back and forth, he pitched me his offer

4 - We booked a call, and I became Jack’s client.

But of course, that’s not what happened at all.
I have never bought anything this way.
Nor will I ever.

Here’s what actually happened:


1 - LINKEDIN PROFILE
Jack’s content showed up in my feed. I clicked through to his profile. I learned that he worked with people like me. I began following him.


2 - AUTHORITY CONTENT
Jack’s authority content shared his expertise.
I began to view him as an authority in his niche.


3 - PERSONAL CONTENT
Jack’s authority content showed me what he knows.
His personal content - his stories - showed me who he is.

Jack shared a personal story about how his parents had gone through financial hardship, and this was what motivated him to build a secure financial foundation for his own young family. 

He shared that he and his wife left London for a better lifestyle

I felt that we shared a similar approach to life. I began to trust him.


4 - LEAD MAGNET
He offered a lead magnet at the bottom of a post. I downloaded it. Now I was on his email list.


5 - MINDSHARE
Over the next three months, I read many of Jack’s posts and newsletters. After a while, he began to occupy space in my mind as a living, breathing human.

Through his authority content, I understood:
- What he offered
- Who he worked with
- What made him different
- The results he achieved for his clients

Through his personal content, I got to know:
- His personality
- His lifestyle
- His values
- His goals


6 - CALL BOOKED
Jack’s content had done all the foundational work.
I booked a call with him.


7 - CONVERSON
The call was about clarity. 

There was no urgency, or scarcity, or bonus offers if I sign right now. 

Instead, he walked me through what working together would look like, and answered my questions. 

After the call, he sent me a payment link. 
I invested $5k with him.


___


This is how to sell high ticket on LinkedIn.

It’s not about the “perfect DM script”.

It’s not about starting conversations where you pretend to be interested in someone in order to pitch them.

If you want to sell on LinkedIn, you need to do three things:

Build Authority
Build Trust
Share Your Offer

Do these three things, and you will have an unbeatable advantage:

Your competitors are just words on a page. 

You are a living, breathing human, and an expert, and someone your prospect knows, likes and trusts.

When it’s time to buy, you’ll be the only choice in their mind.

___

DOWNLOAD NOTION GUIDE
https://lnkd.in/e96crGKd

___


I'm Sam Browne 🦖

I help world class founders build profitable personal brands on LinkedIn.

Sam Browne 🦖 

Founder at LinkMinded | I help founders build profitable personal brands on LinkedIn | Featured by The Futur, Forbes and Entrepreneur

How To Get Clients on LinkedIn

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

𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦.

They have a clarity problem.

I’ve been told I can move a team:
Performance.
Culture.
Morale.
Skillset.

People assume I’m high-energy, high-five, espresso-fueled.

I’m not.

Here’s what actually moves teams:

I separate Strategy from Tactics — and I teach my team to do the same.

Most managers blur the two.
That’s when burnout begins.
For the team and the manager. 

Here’s the difference:

Strategy = Where we are going.
Long-term direction.
The “why.”
The framework.

Examples:
• Increase market share
• Build a feedback culture
• Improve profitability
• Expand the team
• Elevate skillsets

Now here’s where most leaders stop.

That’s incomplete.

Because strategy without tactics is just intention.

Tactics = What we are doing this week to move the strategy.
Specific.
Time-bound.
Executable.

Example:
𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 → Increase market share
Tactic → Analyze top prospects + launch targeted campaign

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 → Build feedback culture
Tactic → Schedule 5 skip-level conversations this month

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 → Improve profitability
Tactic → Call blitz on high-margin cross-sell opportunities

See the difference?

When leaders confuse the two:
• Teams feel busy but unclear
• Activity replaces progress
• Urgency replaces direction

In corporate settings, strategy is often handed to you.

But tactics?

That’s leadership.

Before your next team meeting, ask yourself:

1️⃣ Can I clearly state our strategy in one sentence?
2️⃣ Can I list the 3 tactics driving it right now?
3️⃣ Does my team know the difference?

If not, that’s your opportunity.

Clarity moves teams.
Energy sustains them.
Confusion drains them.

Which one are you creating?

#LeadershipDevelopment 
#Leadership
#ManagementSkills 
#Execution 
#Clarity

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

𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦.

They have a clarity problem.

I’ve been told I can move a team:
Performance.
Culture.
Morale.
Skillset.

People assume I’m high-energy, high-five, espresso-fueled.

I’m not.

Here’s what actually moves teams:

I separate Strategy from Tactics — and I teach my team to do the same.

Most managers blur the two.
That’s when burnout begins.
For the team and the manager. 

Here’s the difference:

Strategy = Where we are going.
Long-term direction.
The “why.”
The framework.

Examples:
• Increase market share
• Build a feedback culture
• Improve profitability
• Expand the team
• Elevate skillsets

Now here’s where most leaders stop.

That’s incomplete.

Because strategy without tactics is just intention.

Tactics = What we are doing this week to move the strategy.
Specific.
Time-bound.
Executable.

Example:
𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 → Increase market share
Tactic → Analyze top prospects + launch targeted campaign

𝐒𝐭

“𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞.”

Then the layoff came.

Bills due.
Insurance ending.
Family depending on you.

And the part that stings the most?

Your manager knew it was possible.

Leaders — this one’s uncomfortable.

Most companies know roles are at risk long before employees do.

The layoff rarely destroys trust.

👉 The false reassurance does.

Saying “You’re fine.”
Saying “There’s no reorg.”
Saying “We’re family.”

When you know uncertainty is brewing?

That’s not protection.
That’s avoidance.

Yes...early transparency carries risk.
People may look elsewhere.
Morale may dip.

But integrity > optics.

If you want to lead the right way when uncertainty hits:

1️⃣ 𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲
Don’t create guarantees you can’t control.

2️⃣ 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲
“Here’s what I know. Here’s what I don’t.”

3️⃣ 𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭
Temporary reassurance creates permanent damage.

4️⃣ 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞
Resume reviews. Interview flexibility. Network intros.

5️⃣ 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐲𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥
If they land well, you led well.

Because leadership isn’t tested when everything is stable.

It’s tested when people feel exposed.

And they will never forget how you handled that moment.

Are you building short-term calm…
or long-term trust?

#Leadership
#Trust
#ServantLeadership
#Management
#LeadingTheFront

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You're a great manager, but....
 
How lack of accountability cost me top talent.
 
Years back I was managing a team of account executives.
 
I had one employee who was a hustler.
 
Let's call him Kurtis 
 
Kurtis was:
 - Driven
 - Polished
 - Aggressive
 - Confident
 - Hard Working
 - And had great character.
 
We worked well together.
 
He was doing all of the right things and was a stand-out on the team.
 
Then.
 
He handed me a resignation letter.
 
I wasn't surprised.
 
He wasn't earning the income he needed, and he was given a good competitor offer.
 
It was more in his wheelhouse.
 
What did surprise me was the feedback he gave me....
 
Kurtis and I got along well.
 
Established a great working relationship and I learned a lot from him.
 
The feedback he gave changed how I viewed things.
 
He said:
 
"You are a great manager, I can tell you care about people but…
 
I have been working extremely hard and you have some people that barely do anything.
 
There's no accountability and it's demotivating."
 
He was right.
 
I had some AEs that were coasting on reoccurring revenue and hadn't brought in any business in a long time.
 
However, Joe had brought in 8 new accounts and was making less.
 
There was no dispute here -
 
It was my miss in the attempt to be create a fun culture.
 
However, a culture without proper accountability has its pitfalls.
 
I learned a lot from this conversation and appreciate it to this day.
 
People leaders are in place to move forward the company initiatives.
 
We can be people-first leaders, however it is also our responsibility to have the tough conversations and redirect misplaced teammates.
 
If not, you will lose top talent.
 
What we do to save underperformers comes at a cost of losing top performers.
 
Are you holding back on performance conversations?
 
Who on your team may be feeling discouraged because of it?
 
P.S. Has this happened to you?
 
Thank you for reading!
 
Your engagement and support fuels me to write every day.
 
--------------
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𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀. 😊
 
Repost to your network if it can help someone else. ♻

We get signs, if we are paying attention... 
Here was mine.

Yesterday I was walking through our future neighborhood with my 6 year old.
 
My other two kids were up ahead and I asked them if they wanted to walk the trails.
 
They said "no", but my little girl enthusiastically said yes.
 
Her and I took a long walk through a trail and when it came to an end, the road.
 
We could either head back to where the rest of the family was or keep going.
 
Instead of heading back, my 6 year old - Known for not liking long walks.. Surprised me and Said "Daddy, let's keep going."
 
We walked deep into the trail, alongside a brook.
 
She kept saying "I've walked so far and my legs aren't tired at all."
 
She was leading me.
 
My mind was racing, while she was telling me how beautiful it was.
 
Imagining every hole had an owl or a bunny living in it.
 
Pointing out pieces of quartz along the path.
 
Stopping for the occasional picture.
 
Then…
 
Out of nowhere, there was a small clearing at the water's edge.
 
Completely silent.
 
Positioned just right.
 
Humble, but profound.
 
This bench.
 
It was a reminder there is more out there, and we all have problems.
 
Someone was a leader to put the bench there, and to carve those words.
 
"Sit here to talk with God."
 
I felt peaceful.
 
Because I knew my brain wasn't the only one going 1000 miles an hour.
 
We all have our things.
 
That was my reminder to slow down and take refuge that it will all be OK.
 
Let this be yours.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦’𝐬 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞?

👉🏻The conversations you avoid.

Leaders don’t ignore problems because they’re careless.

They ignore them because they’re 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞.

"Difficult conversations" earned their name for a reason.

They feel risky.
They feel personal.
They feel like potential HR landmines.

So leaders hesitate.

But here’s what actually happens when you avoid them.

Think of bad behavior like a small wildfire in the woods.

When you address it early:
🔥 It’s manageable
🔥 It protects the surrounding culture
🔥 The damage is minimal

Ignore it…

And it spreads.

Soon the team assumes something dangerous:

“This must be acceptable here.”

That’s when culture starts burning.

And the painful truth?

You were holding the fire extinguisher the whole time.

Leaders own more than results.

They own standards, behavior, and culture.

So when should you step in?

Immediately.

If you're hesitating, run this quick leadership check:

1️⃣ 𝐈𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬?
Missed goals, lost customers, poor execution.

2️⃣ 𝐈𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭?
Negativity spreads faster than performance.

3️⃣ 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝?
Unaddressed behavior rarely fixes itself.

4️⃣ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲?
Usually discomfort.

5️⃣ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐭?
Culture damage.

That’s the real leadership test.

And here’s how to approach the conversation the right way:

1️⃣ 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
Describe the behavior — not the person.

2️⃣ 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭
Connect the behavior to results, culture, or team dynamics.

3️⃣ 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬
What needs to change and what success looks like.

4️⃣ 𝐆𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭
Make sure they understand and commit.

5️⃣ 𝐄𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭
These conversations are uncomfortable for them too.

Strong leaders don’t avoid difficult conversations.

They protect their culture by having them early.

Leaders:

What difficult conversation did you wait too long to have?

#Leadership
#LeadershipDevelopment
#Management
#TeamCulture
#DifficultConversations

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No one ever told me I was wrong for…..

 
 
Choosing my family over work. 
 
Not one manager.
Not one mentor.
Not a parent.
No one.
 
Why?
 
Because that's the relationship that matters.
And it's what I do it all for.
 
Does that mean I blow off work in the middle of the day?
No
 
But I am intentional with my time.
 
My priorities are clear to everyone that knows me.
 
As a leader, burn-out creeps up in many forms.
There's the dreams of escalations (it happens).
The dread of a calendar that's out of synch.
The meeting fatigue.
The e-mails from every device at all hours.
The to-do list that will forever replenish.
The personal weight of other people's livelihoods.
 
It compounds.
 
But for me - the one that hit me hardest was the missed time with my kids.
 
That was my changing point.
That was the WHY that made me solidify my systems.
Methods of leadership that allowed for team autonomy and not reliance.
Removing the chase for titles, and focused on performance without the burnout.
 
And guess what…
The opportunities came.
So did the performance.
And the titles.
 
All while being present for those that mattered most.
 
That can be you, too.
 
It became my passion to teach others the same, and I do.
Many that are colleagues, friends, and people along the way.
But I share what I experienced freely.
 
So that others can coach their kids teams.
Have a guilt-free weekend without e-mails and missed games.
Build travel around what works.
Be there.
 
At the end of it all, the only ones that will remember how much time you spent at the office.

Will be your family. 
 
Come on the journey to get your time back while leading incredible teams --> Matt Antonucci

On a mission to provide leadership lessons that build better teams, without the sacrifice.

Sunday reminder for leaders:

You’re not just building results.
You’re building stories.

And someone is going to tell one about you someday.

Your team will.
Your peers will.
Your kids will.

The question is — what will they say?

Will they say you were present?

Clear?

Calm under pressure?

Or just… busy?

Sunday is when I zoom out.

Because leadership isn’t just about hitting metrics Monday through Friday.
It’s about:

1️⃣ Being intentional with your time
2️⃣ Creating clarity instead of chaos
3️⃣ Leading people — not managing tasks
4️⃣ Protecting what matters at home

You can build performance without burning everything else down.
You can lead strong teams without sacrificing your family.
You can drive results and still be human.

But it won’t happen by accident.

It happens when you decide what kind of leader you want to be — before the week starts.

Take 10 minutes today.
Ask yourself:

👉 What actually matters this week?
👉 Where do I need to bring more clarity?
👉 Where do I need to be more present?

Leadership isn’t built in the big speeches.
It’s built in the small, repeated choices.

Make this week count.
—
#Leadership
#LeadingTheFront
#IntentionalLeadership
#PeopleAndPerformance
#SundayReflection

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Today is tougher than most for me, but I want to explain why. 

"No one remembers how long you stayed at the office.
 
But your family remembers every time you weren’t there."
 
I wished my dad Happy Birthday for the last time on this day in 2022.
 
Unbelievable to me it's been 4 years.
 
His text back, "been getting transfusions, better than a birthday cake."
 
Always humor in the face of challenges.
 
I think I got that from him…
 
He wouldn't be with us too long after that.
 
A lot of who I am... and who I am not is because of my father.
 
He had an entrepreneurial mind and passion for helping others.
 
He also was a young professional with 4 boys and a demanding career.
 
I wouldn't say that I learned all of my business principles from him.
 
He was a business owner for the majority of my life, and I have been a corporate employee.
 
Those paths are very different.
 
But we both shared the family.
 
I watched him grow his career while family time shrunk.
 
I was the youngest of 4, so the balance wasn't in the family-favor by the time I was old enough to notice.
 
We reconciled so many things and became extremely close in the nearly two decades before he passed.
 
So I can say the time with, was more valuable than the time without.
 
But the principles and feelings were indelible to me, how I raise my family, and my career balance.
 
That's why I often post here about the importance of time.
 
And how no one remembers how much time you spend at the office, except your family.
 
My dad was a businessman, and a mentor, amongst other things, and I miss him, so do my wife and kids.
 
If this post is meant to remind you that time is finite, and to honor the impact my dad made on me.
 
And the impact you can have on others.
 
Time…
 
It will catch up to all of us, and how we spend it is crucial.
 
Make sure you are doing everything you can to reclaim your time for the things that really matter.
 
That's why I post about systems and efficiency.
 
So leaders who are constantly feeling overwhelmed, and guilty about the time they are away from those they love can find another way.
 
Companies don't often teach new managers "Efficient leadership", or "Avoid burnout by working smarter."
 
Those things are learned through sacrificing time to gain wisdom, or having strong mentors.
 
Unfortunately, the time lost, can't be regained or bought back.
 
I am often reminded of that, and today, it's one of the heavy reminders.
 
Cherish people in your life because one day, with 100% certainty, they will be gone, or you will be.
 
Death remains undefeated, but how you live can carry your memory beyond.
 
Happy B-day, old man.

𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝: $𝟓,𝟎𝟎𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐀𝐜𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 - 𝙁𝙞𝙭𝙚𝙙 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙚

Leading in the community includes helping others reach their goals.

Last week, we were able to make two key employee's dreams come true.
 
They have been instrumental employees at their company for 20+ years.
 
The owner was looking to sell and they decided to act on the opportunity.
 
The seller was a client for 25+ years and asked if we could assist.
 
SBA 7(a) — Acquisition ➡️ Fixed Rate.
 
Industry:
Multi-State Staffing Agency
 
Use of Funds:
• Acquisition - No Real Estate Involved
 
Loan Amount:
• Allowable 7(a) limit.
• $5,000,000 💰😲
 
Rate:
• Extremely Competitive fixed-rate SBA 7(a) 
• No variable rate exposure
 
Term:
•120 Months
• No Prepay
 
🤝 Dream Team
(Grateful for the partners and clients who make these wins possible.)
 Jennifer Wall Arrowsmith, Katherine Lockhart Eric Kasanofsky Debbi Schubbe, Wendy Strickland-Busby 
 
🏆 How I Help Business Owners Win
 
• SBA 7a refinances - Get out of those Prime+ Rates!
• Large asset purchases
• Owner-occupied real estate (51%+ occupancy)
• Equipment & ground-up construction
• Owner Occupied Real Estate refinances
• Acquisitions (with or without real estate)
• Conventional financing
• Franchise financing
• Medical, veterinary, & dental practices
 
🤘 Why Bank of America SBA is different.
 
✔️ Up to 90% LTV
✔️ Up to 25-year fixed terms
✔️ Competitive fixed rates 
✔️ Predictable payments — no balloons, no surprises
✔️ Preferred Lender SBA - Underwritten and serviced in-house.
✔️ Dedicated Relationship Managers to support before, during, and after the close.
 
⚠️ Pro tip:
Don’t accept a Prime+ offer until we talk.
If you’re thinking about buying, building, refinancing, or restructuring —
happy to be a resource.
 
P.S. - I post on leadership on LinkedIn, but truly get to lead through my partners and clients at Bank of America. If you have financing questions, consider me someone to help. SBA specialty & general lending expertise 🪙.

The most at-risk leader isn’t disliked.
 
It’s the one everyone likes
while performance stalls.
 
I’ve seen more leadership careers end this way
than through conflict or blowups.
 
New managers often want it all:
Respected. Liked. Remembered.
 
I did too.
 
But when results are tied to the role, there’s a hard truth:
 
👉 Being popular without outcomes doesn’t last.
 
You don’t get removed because people don’t like you.
You get removed because the numbers never move.
 
That’s usually the miss.
 
Leaders build emotional equity
and never spend it on performance.
 
Strong leadership is people and results.
Not one. Not the other.
 
Here’s how the best leaders actually do both.
 
1️⃣ Define success early and make it visible
 
Clarity isn’t harsh. It’s respectful.
 
Be explicit about:
• What the team owns
• How success is measured
• What “good,” “great,” and “unacceptable” really look like
 
If people don’t know how they’re winning or losing, they start guessing.
And guessing kills performance fast.
 
2️⃣ Don’t just set goals --> show the path
 
Goals without guidance feel like pressure.
Metrics without method feel like blame.
 
Translate outcomes into behaviors.
Coach the process, not just the scoreboard.
 
When results miss, ask yourself:
Is this a will issue… or a clarity issue?
 
Most of the time, it’s clarity.
 
3️⃣ Use accountability as proof of care
 
This is where well-liked leaders hesitate.
 
They soften feedback.
Delay hard conversations.
Hope things fix themselves.
 
They usually don’t.
 
Clear accountability says:
“I respect you enough to be honest.”
 
Being direct isn’t unkind.
Avoidance is.
 
4️⃣ Spend your emotional equity
 
Being liked gives you leverage.
 
Use it to:
• Push for growth
• Hold the line when performance slips
• Ask more when it actually matters
 
If you never use it, it expires.
 
People don’t remember leaders who were just nice.
They remember leaders who helped them win.
 
A quiet question to sit with:
 
If results stalled tomorrow,
would your team say you were clear
or just kind?
 
That answer tells you exactly where to focus next.

Have you seen this type of leader in your organization? Loved but low performance? What happened?

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤?

Leaders — this one’s for you.

I once sat on a regional call where a new “immediate” metric was pushed.

So I flipped back through my notes from the last 2 months.
20 priorities.

Less than 5 were mentioned more than once.
I crossed out 15.
Focused on the 5.

Built a simple placemat for my team.

Told them:
These are what we’re going to be the best at.

We became #1 in the company consistently after that.

Here’s the truth:
𝐀𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫.

You cannot assume senior leadership has already prioritized the priorities.

Here’s how I cut through the noise:

1️⃣ 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬?
Is it macro or micro?
Calls → Appointments → Pitches → Sales → Revenue.
That makes sense.
But complex sub-metrics that require hours of tracking and barely influence revenue?
Usually noise.
If it doesn’t clearly tie to output, be cautious.

2️⃣ 𝐈𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞?
If it’s hard to:
• Explain
• Track
• Implement
It will die.
Or it should.
If your team can’t understand what “good” looks like in 20 minutes, you’re creating confusion — not momentum.

3️⃣ 𝐈𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐝?
Are multiple leaders talking about it?
Is it on every agenda?
That’s the echo effect.
Real priorities repeat.
Shiny objects fade.

4️⃣ 𝐈𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝?
If compensation, compliance, or promotion ties to it — pay attention.

But don’t just chase the WHAT.
Refine the HOW.
Systems win.
Clarity wins.
Focus wins.

When everything is urgent… nothing is prioritized.

Your job isn’t to pass stress down.

It’s to convert noise into clarity.

👉 Before chasing the next “immediate” metric, ask yourself:

𝐀𝐦 𝐈 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐲 — 𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐞?

#Leadership
#FrontlineLeadership
#ManagementDevelopment
#SalesLeadership

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➡️ Engage (like/comment/repost)
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𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤?

Leaders — this one’s for you.

I once sat on a regional call where a new “immediate” metric was pushed.

So I flipped back through my notes from the last 2 months.
20 priorities.

Less than 5 were mentioned more than once.
I crossed out 15.
Focused on the 5.

Built a simple placemat for my team.

Told them:
These are what we’re going to be the best at.

We became #1 in the company consistently after that.

Here’s the truth:
𝐀𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫.

You cannot assume senior leadership has already prioritized the priorities.

Here’s how I cut through the noise:

1️⃣ 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬?
Is it macro or micro?
Calls → Appointments → Pitches → Sales → Revenue.
That makes sense.
But complex sub-metrics that require hours of tracking and barely influence revenue?
Usually noise.
If it doesn’t clearly tie to output, be cautious.

2️⃣ 𝐈𝐬

New leaders—read this before you burn out.
I pulled real conversations from Reddit and X.
 
Thousands of managers.
Unfiltered.
Anonymous.
Brutally honest.
 
 
Here’s what keeps new leaders up at night 👇
 
1️⃣ Burnout & Overload
You become the “organizational glue.”
Pressure from above.
Pressure from your team.
Pressure from broken systems.
You’re exhausted by Wednesday.
 
2️⃣ Disconnect from the Front Line
Senior leaders see 4% of the real problems.
Front-line employees see 100%.
You’re stuck in the middle trying to translate both sides.
 
3️⃣ Delegation & Micromanaging
You were promoted because you were great at doing.
Now you’re supposed to stop doing.
But letting go feels risky.
 
4️⃣ Hard Conversations
Avoiding it feels easier.
Until standards slip.
And your credibility erodes.
 
5️⃣ Bureaucracy & Endless Meetings
Approval layers.
Unclear decisions.
Firefighting instead of leading.
 
6️⃣ Changing Priorities
No stable direction.
Mid-quarter pivots.
Teams planned to 100% capacity with zero buffer.
 
7️⃣ Developing Talent
You solve the queue instead of coaching.
High performers feel unseen.
Underperformers linger too long.
 
8️⃣ Imposter Syndrome
You look confident.
But internally?
You’re wondering if you’re built for this.
 
If this feels familiar, it’s not because you’re failing.
It’s because no one teaches the transition.
Leadership isn’t about working harder.
 
It’s about:
 
• Redesigning boundaries
• Clarifying priorities
• Coaching instead of rescuing
• Building feedback loops
• Protecting your energy
 
You don’t need more motivation.
You need systems.
 
Which one hits hardest for you right now?
 
#LeadershipDevelopment
#NewManagers
#FrontlineLeaders
#Burnout
#LeadingTheFront
 
 
Want more like this in your feed?
➡️ Engage (like/comment/repost)
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8 Pains of new leaders

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐛 𝐚 𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫. 🪜🚫
 
The days of sticking with one company and climbing the ranks are over.
 
There are still plenty of people doing it.
 
But more than ever, people are Zig Zagging their way to better opportunities.
 
This doesn't have to happen external to your company.
 
But don't just look at the obvious promotions either.
 
My experience has me moving between several industries and roles.
 
Most of them have been around leadership.
 
Or have had a leadership function to them.
 
(Many individual producer roles also require leadership.)
 
My recommendation for you:
 
➡️𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐬.
-Money
-Time
-Titles
-Industry
 
➡️U𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞.
-Network with other departments. 
-Network with other companies.
 
➡️𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧..
-Transferrable skills
-Interests to learn
 
➡️𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐨𝐧.
-How long do you want to stay in a role?
-What does growth look like to you?
 
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗽.🗺️
 
Sometimes that will be a zig-zag.
 
Don't believe me?
 
Look at my profile and my career journey. 
 
One thing is for sure.
 
I zig-zagged, but never took a step back in my:
 
-Time
-Money
-Fulfillment.
 
It doesn't mean I may need to step back in the future.
 
But if I do, I will have a plan to get where I want to go.
 
Whatever road takes me there.
 
I hope the same for you.
 
Bet on yourself for the opportunities that will fit your priorities.
 
When is a time your career journey took an unexpected turn, but put you in a better place? Let me know in the comments 👇🏻
 
 
Dive Deeper➡️ Matt Antonucci + Follow for more content.
 
𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐬. 😊

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐛 𝐚 𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫. 🪜🚫
 
The days of sticking with one company and climbing the ranks are over.
 
There are still plenty of people doing it.
 
But more than ever, people are Zig Zagging their way to better opportunities.
 
This doesn't have to happen external to your company.
 
But don't just look at the obvious promotions either.
 
My experience has me moving between several industries and roles.
 
Most of them have been around leadership.
 
Or have had a leadership function to them.
 
(Many individual producer roles also require leadership.)
 
My recommendation for you:
 
➡️𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐬.
-Money
-Time
-Titles
-Industry
 
➡️U𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞.
-Network with other departments. 
-Network with other companies.
 
➡️𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧..
-Transferrable skills
-Interests to learn
 
➡️

The fastest way to lose autonomy?
Ask for it.
 
The fastest way to earn it?
Ask this:
 
“What would you need to see from me to trust me with more freedom?”
 
I’ve asked this every time I’ve stepped into a new leadership role.
 
It changes the dynamic instantly.
 
When I meet with a new leader, I make it clear that I thrive on autonomy.
 
Being trusted to lead my team.
Trusted to do the right thing.
Given flexibility to make decisions.
 
This question can catch a leader off guard — often because they’ve never been asked.
 
Context matters.
 
You’re not asking to slack.
 
You’re asking to lead at a higher level.
 
I’ve always preferred being the low-maintenance, high-impact leader.
 
But that doesn’t happen by accident.
 
I asked my leader exactly what they needed to see from me to gain that freedom.
 
And here’s the key:
 
Once they answer, it becomes a roadmap.
 
A contract.
 
If I do X, I earn Y.
 
Now it’s on you.
 
You’ve exposed your intention.
 
They’ve given you the answer to the test.
 
Don’t drop the ball.
 
Here’s how to act on that feedback:
 
1️⃣ Clarify the metrics
Make sure “success” is measurable — not vague.
 
2️⃣ Over-communicate early
Before they chase you, update them.
 
3️⃣ Eliminate surprises
No leader likes being blindsided. Surface issues early.
 
4️⃣ Solve before escalating
Bring solutions, not just problems.
 
5️⃣ Be consistent
Autonomy isn’t earned in one big win — it’s earned in repeatable reliability.
 
Here’s what most people miss:
 
Autonomy is not given because you want it.
 
It’s given because you’ve reduced risk.
 
When your leader feels safe with your judgment, you earn space.
 
And space is where real leadership happens.
 
What’s one thing your leader would need to see to give you more freedom?
 
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.

The fastest way to lose autonomy?
Ask for it.

The fastest way to earn it?
Ask this:

“What would you need to see from me to trust me with more freedom?”

I’ve asked this every time I’ve stepped into a new leadership role.

It changes the dynamic instantly.

When I meet with a new leader, I make it clear that I thrive on autonomy.

Being trusted to lead my team.
Trusted to do the right thing.
Given flexibility to make decisions.

This question can catch a leader off guard — often because they’ve never been asked.

Context matters.

You’re not asking to slack.

You’re asking to lead at a higher level.

I’ve always preferred being the low-maintenance, high-impact leader.

But that doesn’t happen by accident.

I asked my leader exactly what they needed to see from me to gain that freedom.

And here’s the key:

Once they answer, it becomes a roadmap.

A contract.

If I do X, I earn Y.

Now it’s on you.

You’ve exposed your intention.

They’ve given you the answer to the test.

Don’t drop t

taplio

The Battle

Sam Browne 🦖

Matt Antonucci

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Performance ScoreSam Browne 🦖's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreMatt Antonucci's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Sam Browne 🦖

Matt Antonucci

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);}Sam Browne 🦖's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreMatt Antonucci's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreSam Browne 🦖's LinkedIn Performance