Sam Szuchan

Founder @ Soleo. LinkedIn strategy for industry leaders. Clients work w/ Apple, Amazon, Google + published in FT, Bloomberg, etc.

Creator of influence. Nice things folks have said about me:

"Recently, a lot of Sam's posts have been taking off. Last week, he helped me reach 400K+ enterprise professionals with a single post. A third of them from companies with 10,000+ employees. When recruiting teams start sharing your content internally, you know you're doing something right."
—Very major recruiting tech CEO

"Each time that I post [a post Sam made], 100+ people enroll in a course that changes their lives, and my business does twelve or thirteen grand in revenue in that day. A total win-win."
—B2B educator you 100% definitely follow

"Sam helped me clarify my goals and think strategically to reach 150K people in my target demographic – largely founders, CEOs, and senior execs. Prospects frequently mention my LinkedIn content."
—CEO of very cool agency working with Google and many other big tech co's!

"Sam's ability to understand who you are and become an extension of you online is second to none. He provides strategic direction, insightful research, and a relentless desire to bring your strengths and knowledge to light."
—Forbes 30u30 founder who basically invented consumer-facing recruiting tech

You have probably read a few dozen posts I've written without realizing it. Thanks for stopping by :)

Founder

Formerly Saga. Leveraging the world's largest B2B platform to create overwhelming lead pipelines for B2B firms.

"As long as the history books get it right, take some pride in letting the newspapers get it wrong."

Sam Altman wrote that in 2020. A year earlier, he walked away from Y Combinator's presidency to bet everything on OpenAI. 

Everyone thought he was insane.

YC was the most powerful platform in startup land. Direct access to hundreds of founders per year. The ability to shape how an entire generation thinks about building companies. A reputation machine that had already minted Airbnb, Dropbox, and Stripe.

Remember, this was 2019 - way before OpenAI’s rise. He left YC for (what was then) a nonprofit-controlled AI lab that still looked more like a research shop than a product company.

Looking back, EVERY move he made throughout his career was the maximum leverage option available to build influence, way before anyone realized:

- Chose computer science at Stanford in the early 2000s when finance was the prestige path
- Dropped out to do YC and build Loopt when he could have gone straight to Google or Facebook
- After Loopt, launched Hydrazine Capital to invest in YC companies, making himself essential infrastructure for the next generation of founders
- Became YC president at 28 and turned it into a distribution network across hundreds of startups
- Left YC to become CEO of OpenAI's new "capped-profit" structure

Throughout his entire career, he's been 5-10 years early on the most influential position possible. It's happened too many times to be a coincidence.

His pattern works because he understands how influence compounds. Every YC batch, he met dozens of founders at their most malleable stage.

He saw the raw decks, the dysfunctional teams, the early flashes of product-market fit. Some became Instacart, DoorDash, and Coinbase.

Each founder he helped became a future allocator of equity, attention, and introductions.

Their founders remembered who took them seriously when they were pitching half-finished slides.

"The question isn't 'How do I stop caring what people think?'" Altman wrote. "It's 'Whose opinions should I care about and on what timescale?'"

November 2023 proved the pattern works. When OpenAI's board tried to oust him, hundreds of employees threatened to walk. Microsoft made it clear the partnership was with Altman, not the corporate shell.

He didn’t survive through maneuvering.

He survived because of the protective layer of influence he built.

Because influence isn't a cooler job title—

It's pure leverage.

It's a 15-year bet on who and what matters later, and how you can own it before anyone realizes it’s the next big thing.

“The newspapers will get it wrong. The history books will get it right.”

That's the bet he's made his entire career - and he's making it again.

What could you build by choosing history books over newspapers?

P.S. Full breakdown of Altman's 15-year playbook in the comments

Sam Altman Chose Influence Over Billions (And Got Both)

Are you looking for a digital marketing expert who can help you achieve your business goals? Look no further. As a skilled marketer with expertise in social media, Facebook and Google Ads, and video editing, I have a proven track record of delivering results for my clients.

With my social media campaigns, I have increased engagement, followers, and website traffic for numerous clients. My Facebook and Google Ads campaigns have also generated impressive results.

Additionally, my video editing skills have enabled me to create engaging and effective content that resonates with audiences and drives conversions. 

Now, let's talk about how I can help you achieve your digital marketing goals. Whether you're looking to increase brand awareness, drive conversions, or improve your overall digital presence, I am here to help. Let's connect and discuss how we can work together to take your brand to the next level.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to grow your business. Contact me today to schedule a consultation and let's get started.

Sheza Yazdani

Helping CEOs and Founders Grow and Monetize Their Personal Brands on LinkedIn | $100K+ Results from intentional LinkedIn Growth Strategies | Personal Branding Strategist | CEO Focus Solutions

$1M+ organic reach. 13K+ followers. 200+ leaders positioned for influence. 

That’s what strategic authority-building looks like, and that’s what I build.

You’ve got the credibility. The track record. The offer.

But your audience still doesn’t get why you’re the one. 

That’s not on them, it’s on your positioning.

Closing that gap (between how good you are and how clearly the market sees it) is exactly what I do.

I help CEOs, founders, and coaches go from “posting online” to becoming the voice of their industry.

As CEO of Focus Solutions, I build authority systems that do 3 things exceptionally well:

1. Craft a strategic narrative that separates you from the noise
2. Position you so your audience wants to engage
3. Architect content that pulls in clients, media, and opportunities

Not tactics. Not hacks.

A real, repeatable system designed to make your name the one people remember.

The results speak for themselves:

- Took a coach from overlooked to a $100K closed deal after a single high-authority post (1M+ views)

- Grew my own presence to 10K+ followers in under 12 months without paid traffic

- Helped 20+ founders, coaches, and service providers build positioning systems that attract, convert, and compound

- Enabled clients to consistently generate qualified inbound leads without cold outreach or algorithm chasing.

If you're:

A coach who’s brilliant but overlooked

A founder tired of posting with no traction

A CEO who knows your voice needs to lead the market, not follow it…

Then your next move isn't more content. 

It’s clarifying who you are, what you stand for, and why your market should care.

If you’re ready to become a thought leader of your industry, book a call via my Featured section and let’s discuss your strategy.

Let’s make LinkedIn your most profitable asset and the proof of the authority you already are.

DM me or book a call

https://calendly.com/sheza-yazdani/new-meeting

I've spent years in growth marketing:

→ Helped scale multiple startups 
→ Now consulting founders on sustainable lead generation 

My thing? 

Systems that work while you sleep.

In which clients go from feast-or-famine to predictable pipeline

Here's what I've been testing in the background:

A lead generation framework that doesn't require you to become a content machine or chase every trend.

Real results from founders I've worked with: 

→ 3x'd qualified leads in 6 weeks 
→ Filled calendar without paid ads 
→  Built a waitlist of 40+ dream clients 

I'm opening 5 spots for founders who: 

→ Are doing $5K-$20K/month but it's unpredictable 
→ Have been in business 1+ years 
→ Want 8-15 qualified calls monthly 
→ Are tired of referral dependency 
→ Want control over their growth in 2025

No fluff. No "post 3x daily." Just a system that actually converts.

Starting January 6th. Spots close December 20th.

If you're ready to stop leaving revenue to chance, DM me "GROWTH" and I’ll share the details.

Partnering with CEOs Founders and Coaches to Build Industry Thought Leaders through Strategic Narrative Positioning and Content Architecture | CEO at Focus Solutions

A bold announcement offering a proven lead generation system for founders who want predictable revenue without chasing trends.
Highlights results like tripled qualified leads and a waitlist of dream clients with limited spots available.

Most CEOs think personal branding requires volume.

This newsletter digs into a problem most founders never say out loud which is:

The more the world pushes you to “show up,” the less space you have to think.

It connects Josef Pieper’s old warning about the loss of silence to today’s reality, where CEOs are expected to post daily, be vulnerable on cue, narrate every move, and keep up with a content machine that drains more than it delivers.

Instead of telling leaders to do more, it argues for the opposite:

A brand built from clarity, not performance.

View newsletter: The Positioning Playbook

In 1985, philosopher Josef Pieper wrote Leisure: The Basis of Culture, where he warned of a world where work becomes so consuming, it eats the very si

Open article: The founder’s paradox: Everyone sees your business, but no one sees you. by Sheza Yazdani • 3 min read

The founder’s paradox: Everyone sees your business, but no one sees you.

Everyone keeps saying “just be clear.”

But clarity is not the reason people remember you.

Clarity is why they understand you.

What makes them remember you is coherence.

A pattern. A worldview. A presence they can feel.

If your content is clear but still invisible, it’s probably not a messaging problem.

It’s a depth problem.

Here’s what to build instead (and why your brain is wired to forget the rest):👇

If your content is clear but still forgettable, this is for you. There’s a moment where every founder realizes that people understand what they do… an

Open article: Clarity is a trap. Here’s what to build instead. by Sheza Yazdani • 2 min read

Clarity is a trap. Here’s what to build instead.

“Visibility doesn’t just attract attention. It earns recognition.”

And today, I’m honored to share something special:

I have been featured in Titanium Magazine’s Top 50 Global Inspirational Women to Look Out for in 2026. 

From building a business while raising three kids.

To help over 80+ CEOs, founders, and experts build personal brands that create demand before the first call.

To lead Focus Solutions as CEO.

This recognition isn’t just about me.

It’s about what happens when women own their story and show up every single day even with all the odds stacked against them.

Over the past 3 years, I’ve:

→ Built systems that convert content into high-value clients
→ Helped 50+ experts turn dead profiles into trusted personal brands
→ Challenged the noise of vanity metrics by building brands that actually drive business ROI

Being recognized alongside change makers like Dianah kamande, Heba Othman, Sally Hammoud, and Dr. Pavani Kadiyala reminds me:

There is power in being intentional.

There is power in building a legacy that leads.

And I’ll keep showing up for the voices that haven’t been heard yet and the leaders ready to rise with clarity and credibility.

P.S. A Special thanks to the The Prodigy and Love Charmaine Uychoco for the recognition.
#TheProdigyOfficial #TitaniumMagazine #Top50 #Trailblazers #WomenOfPurpose #Thailand2026

Professional portrait of a woman smiling confidently, dressed in business attire, standing against a clean background. This image accompanies an announcement celebrating her recognition as one of Titanium Magazine’s Top 50 Global Inspirational Women to Look Out for in 2026.”
(If the image is different, just tell me and I’ll tailor it.)

✅ HIGH-PERFORMANCE HASHTAGS (Authority-based + Discovery + Niche)
I’ve kept them balanced so LinkedIn won’t suppress the post (max 8–12 recommended).
Hashtags:
#WomenInLeadership
#InspirationalWomen
#Top50Women2026
#TitaniumMagazine
#PersonalBrandingExpert
#FounderStory
#WomenWhoLead
#CEOLife
#BrandStrategy
#WomenInBusiness
#LeadershipJourney
#TheProdigyOfficial
Want me to rewrite the post for maximum reach, authority, and depth — or give you an optimised hook + format based on LinkedIn’s 2025 algorithm?

Thank you New In Asia, for the feature!

I wrote this for founders doing meaningful work but still fighting for attention.

When I started Focus Solutions, I wasn’t sure what would resonate.

I just knew one thing:

Founders deserve messaging that does justice to the value they deliver.

Because it’s frustrating to do exceptional work and still be overlooked.

It’s exhausting to show up with heart and still feel like you’re shouting into the void.

The truth I’ve learned?

Content isn’t about more posts, better visuals, or perfect hacks.

It’s about earning the belief that leads to action. You can read the complete feature here:

To read the complete feature see the link in the comments ⬇️

Why “just post consistently” stopped working.

In January, I gave my clients the advice everyone was giving at the time:

“Don’t worry about perfection. Just post consistently. Trust me, it’ll work.”
And to be fair: it did work for a while.

Most of them started showing up 3–5x a week, writing solid posts, engaging in comments.

They were doing everything right.

But by April, I started noticing something strange.

Their impressions were dipping.

Cold reach was dropping.

The same quality of content that got them results in February suddenly wasn’t landing anymore.

And it wasn’t just them.

I saw the same thing on my own account.

So I dug deeper. I tested. I tweaked.

And what I realized is: LinkedIn had quietly changed the rules and most people didn’t notice.

The truth?

Posting consistently still matters. But now, it’s not enough.

You can’t just show up and expect growth.

The platform started rewarding different behaviors and the kind of content that used to work just doesn’t perform the same way anymore.

What actually worked for me and my clients this year was this:

- Intentional content sequencing
Your posts need to talk to each other.
One post introduces an idea, another builds on it, a third deepens it.
You’re not just posting you’re telling a cohesive story over time.

- Narrative positioning
People don’t remember tips. They remember people with a point of view.
So we stopped focusing on isolated how-to posts and started shaping content around what made each person distinct.

- Behavioral signals over vanity metrics
It’s not about likes anymore.
LinkedIn now prioritizes deeper signals: saves, replays, link clicks, profile views.
So we shifted how we wrote making content more useful, more revisitable, more clickable.

- Ecosystem leverage
 Instead of treating posts as standalone, we looked at the bigger picture:
→ Who’s commenting on your posts?
→ Are you replying with depth?
→ Are you showing up outside your own content bubble?

Because your reach isn’t just based on your posts it’s based on how you behave across the platform.

So now, when a new client joins me, we don’t just set a content schedule and call it a day.

We ask:
What do you want to be known for?

Who needs to see this?

What journey are we taking your audience on?

If you’ve been consistent this year but feel like you’re hitting a wall. DM me “POSITIONING” and I’ll send you the exact system I’m using with my clients in 2025 to build visibility, not just momentum.

A minimalist LinkedIn-style graphic explaining the shift from basic content consistency to narrative positioning, intentional content sequencing, and behavioral signal optimization. Highlights 2025 LinkedIn algorithm changes and how strategic authority-building outperforms volume posting for founders, CEOs, and coaches.”

This is keyword-dense but natural — perfect for ranking on Google Images + AI search engines.

Primary (Core Authority Keywords)

#AuthorityPositioning
#PersonalBrandingExpert
#NarrativePositioning
#LinkedInStrategy
#ContentStrategy
#ThoughtLeadership
#BrandStrategy
#DigitalPositioning
#ExpertBranding
#FounderBrand
#ContentSequencing
#BehavioralSignals
#DemandCreation
#Authority#AuthorityPositioning
#PersonalBrandingExpert
#NarrativePositioning
#LinkedInStrategy
#ContentStrategy
#ThoughtLeadership
#BrandStrategy
#DigitalPositioning
#ExpertBranding
#FounderBrand
#ContentSequencing
#BehavioralSignals
#DemandCreation

Your new year might start on Jan 1st. But mine starts today. 

I turn 36 today.

And this time, I didn’t want to write a list of “business wins” or pretend this year was all tidy and strategic.

Because honestly, it wasn’t.

It was the most growing up I have done in a while: in business, motherhood, and just being a person.

Here are 7 things I am taking with me into this next year:

🎈 Some people will praise your work and still never pay you.
 Clapping is not commitment. I have learned to separate support from alignment.

🎈 Having an office doesn’t make you more legit. But feeling proud walking into it? That does.
Hired 15+ people this year and created a space for the work I love that’s a win I didn’t even know I wanted.

🎈 Just because you can write for everyone, doesn’t mean you should.
 I used to take on clients because I could help. Now, I only say yes if I want to.

🎈 I used to chase growth. Now I build systems.
 No more “winging it” at midnight. I needed structure more than I needed inspiration.

🎈 You can build a brand around your values or you can slowly resent your own voice.
 I have tried both. I won’t compromise again.

🎈 Being visible doesn’t mean being online all day.
Some of my best content was written after I logged out, took a walk, and remembered who I am offline.

🎈 My kids don’t care how many followers I have. They care if I’m present.
That one keeps me grounded on the days I feel behind.

If you have been meaning to work on your personal brand and haven’t made time, this is your sign.

P.S. To celebrate turning 36, I am offering a huge discount on my done for you LinkedIn service and Profile optimization for 3 people this week only.

DM “36” if this feels like your moment.

(Winners will get a DM and a shoutout from me publicly!)

Thank you for being here, whether you’ve been silently reading or loudly cheering.

I see it. And I don’t take it lightly.

Here’s to growing, evolving, and showing up as we are.

A warm reflective image of a female personal branding strategist celebrating her thirty sixth birthday and stepping into a new year of growth business clarity motherhood and identity evolution. The visual represents LinkedIn personal branding authority building female entrepreneurship business storytelling content strategy and founder mindset. This supports search visibility for topics like personal brand systems authenticity leadership visibility content creation and digital growth in Pakistan and global markets. hashtag#PersonalBranding hashtag#BrandStrategy hashtag#LinkedInGrowth hashtag#WomenEntrepreneurs hashtag#FounderLife hashtag#BusinessGrowth hashtag#ContentCreator hashtag#ThoughtLeadership hashtag#WomenInLeadership hashtag#DigitalBranding hashtag#AuthenticBranding hashtag#FemaleFounder hashtag#GrowthMindset hashtag#BrandPositioning hashtag#StorytellingForBusiness hashtag#SocialMediaStrategy hashtag#EntrepreneurMindset hashtag#ClientAttraction hashtag#WomenWhoCreate hashtag#Sm

If people need to pull up your profile to describe what you do, your brand isn’t sticky.

Your positioning should live in their mind, not your headline.

And yet, I see profiles every week with lines like:

“Transformational coach for high performers.”

What does that even mean?

Here’s the test:

Can your dream client explain your value in 3 seconds without looking you up?

If not, your positioning won’t get you clients. Or referrals.

Sticky positioning does 3 things:

It’s emotionally precise (“burned-out founder” > “ambitious professional”)

It’s visually concrete (“build a business that doesn’t burn you out”)

It’s memorable (triggers a mental shortcut like “She’s the one who helps…”)

I help clients craft lines that stick.

So they become the first name their clients think of when a problem hits.

📌 If your positioning isn’t working while you sleep, it’s not working at all.

DM me “STICKY” and let’s fix your positioning today.

Carousel showing a breakdown of what makes brand positioning sticky with short statements highlighting emotional precision visual clarity and memorability. The graphics emphasize how clear positioning helps clients remember you instantly and how vague headlines weaken credibility. The final slide invites readers to refine their positioning so it works even when they are offline.

People do not buy talent

They buy certainty that you are right for them

Trust is built through proof not promises

Random testimonials are noise without a system

Real authority comes from repeated visible patterns

Your brand is trusted when your results feel predictable

Read the full article to build your Proof Ecosystem and turn trust into demand

When people don’t buy from you, it’s rarely because you’re not good. It’s because they’re not sure if you’re good for them. That’s the difference betw

Open article: What if people trusted you without needing to be convinced? by Sheza Yazdani • 4 min read

What if people trusted you without needing to be convinced?

You've been on LinkedIn all year, but what has your content actually done for your business?

Have people messaged you saying, "I've been following you for a while, and I'm ready to work with you"?

Has your content built trust before the sales call?

Or has it just existed… with no real ROI?

Here's what I do every December: 

I open my DMs and look at who actually reached out to work with me.

Then I go back and find the exact post they saw before they messaged.

Last year, I had someone reach out in March saying they wanted help with their positioning. 

I asked what made them DM me. 

They said: 

"You posted about how your client was getting engagement but the wrong people were reaching out. That's exactly what's happening to me."

That one post, naming a specific problem my ideal client faces, did more for my business than 50 posts about "knowing your niche" or "being authentic."

Here's what most people get wrong:

They think if they post "valuable tips" consistently, clients will eventually show up. 

But tips don't convert. Clarity converts.

When someone reads your content and thinks "wait, is she talking about me?" that's when they reach out. 

Not when you give them 5 ways to do something. 

But when you describe their exact situation so specifically they feel seen.

This December, instead of posting the perfect posts through the slowdown, I'm looking at my wins.

A founder reflects on a year of LinkedIn content and realizes only problem specific posts created real client demand. The message highlights that clarity and naming the clients real situation is what drives outreach not generic tips

If your best posts in 2025 didn’t get the reach they used to, here’s why (and what to do about it)

LinkedIn introduced a new ranking model called 360Brew.

It’s a 150B parameter AI system that replaced the old algorithm.

It’s now running the show across your feed, job suggestions, people recommendations… everything.

Here’s what changed:
1. It reads your content like a human.

No more surface-level metrics like likes or hashtags.

It uses natural language understanding to see if your content actually matches what you’re known for.

👉 So if your profile says you help founders with branding…

But you post generic motivation or random tips → you confuse the model → reach drops.

2. It looks at your entire presence, not just the post.

360Brew checks your headline, About section, content history, and how consistent you are in one niche.

👉 If your posts are all over the place or your profile is vague, you get downgraded.

3. It scores how “on-brand” you are.

Every time you post, 360Brew checks:

1. “Does this fit the person’s expertise?”
2. “Is it relevant to their audience?”
3. “Is this content helpful, not fluffy?”

If yes → it boosts your reach.

If no → it shows it to fewer people.

So what do you do now?

Here’s what I tell my clients (and what works)

✅ Tighten your niche. Pick 2–3 core topics. Stick to them. Be known for something.

✅ Align your profile. Make sure your headline, About, and skills clearly reflect what you talk about.

✅ Encourage deeper engagement. Ask questions that spark real responses. Avoid shallow likes.

✅ Post consistently. The more consistently you show up with clarity, the more the algorithm understands your value.

You don’t need to post more.

You don’t need better hooks.

You need better alignment.

And if you’re struggling with showing up on LinkedIn in 2026 the way the platform wants you to? I’m always here to help. 

DM me “2026” or book a call in my featured section.


Totally agree with this. 360Brew is forcing creators to stop posting randomly and actually show up with a clear identity. When your profile and content finally match your niche the reach comes back fast.

Big audiences don’t build category leaders. Clear language does.

Most experts compete by saying: “I’m the best at what I do.”

Category designers flip the script.

They say: “I’m the only one who sees it this way.”

That’s the difference between being a “leadership coach” vs. being the creator of “anti-burnout leadership.”

One competes. The other commands.

Want to design your own category?

Here’s how:

1. Find your enemy.

What’s the outdated belief your market still clings to? Name it.

(Ex: “More visibility = more leads” is a belief I challenge.)

2. Reframe the game.

What do your best clients need to believe before they buy from you?

(Ex: “LinkedIn isn’t content. It’s a dealflow engine.”)

3. Name your lens.

Give your POV a name. Make it yours. That’s your intellectual property moat.

(Ex: My Brand DNA Method, because most content misses the source code.)

You don’t need more reach. You need language people repeat.

Comment “CATEGORY” below and I’ll send you my Category Clarity Template.

Minimalist text graphic on category design and clear positioning over generic expertise.
Highlights how naming your enemy belief and unique lens creates authority.

You’re being ignored because you’re not showing up like an expert.
(and it’s wasting your time)

Here’s why it matters.

- You’ve hit the top.
- You’ve got the title.
- You’ve made the money.
- But on LinkedIn? Crickets

Why?

Because 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵

Experts are defined by the unique value they bring. 

Not by titles, not by accolades, but by the 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 you can offer that no one else can.

It’s a familiar trap:
→ Post your success story
→ Talk about how you “made it”
→ Hope people see your expertise

𝘕𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴.

Success is a given.

Expertise? 

That’s earned by teaching what others can’t.

Try this:

Stop showcasing what you’ve done
Start showcasing what you’ve learned.Real expertise comes from:
→ The tough lessons,
→ The decisions that didn’t work,
→ The unique insights you’ve gained that no one else has.

I did this for a client last month. 

A CEO with a massive following. 

But on LinkedIn? 

He wasn’t seen as an authority.We changed the game:

→ Focused on depth, not breadth.
→ Shared lessons from real failures
→ Highlighted decisions, not just outcomes

Now he’s seen as a thought leader, not just another CEO with a successful business.

The key:
→ Focus on what only YOU can teach
→ Share the hard truths
→ Go deeper, not wider.

Want to stop blending in and start being the expert you were meant to be? Let’s talk

A minimalist text graphic emphasizing that success and job titles do not equal expertise on LinkedIn. Highlights the shift from showcasing achievements to sharing real lessons failures and unique insights to build true authority and thought leadership.

Seth Godin never says “I’m a marketer.”

But everyone sees him as one anyway.

Why?

Because he didn’t build his positioning through a title.

He built it through decades of behaviour that made the label obvious.

You recognise him as a marketer because:

• He wrote 20+ books about how people make decisions
• He publishes daily essays that dissect attention, trust, and change
• He founded altMBA, a school built around teaching people how to create value
• He popularised concepts like “tribes,” “shipping,” and “permission marketing”
• He shows up with the same worldview every single day, consistently, relentlessly

That’s how positioning works.

Not by declaring an identity…

 …but by repeating a perspective so consistently that people start naming it for you.

This is brand psychology 101:

We assign roles based on patterns, not titles.

It’s how the brain reduces complexity: we create shortcuts.

And that’s exactly what most founders get wrong on LinkedIn.

They put “Coach” or “Strategist” in their headline and expect people to believe it.

But people don’t believe titles.

They believe behaviours.

They believe:
• Your worldview (what you stand by)
• Your transformations (who you’ve helped)
• Your lived experiences (what shaped your perspective)

These repeated patterns form your “mental shortcut”... your real positioning.

If you want people to see you as the go‑to expert in your niche, don’t announce who you are.

Show them, consistently, until the title becomes inevitable.

👇 Save this as your positioning starter pack.

Minimalist quote graphic featuring the line “When your brand earns trust, awards follow” over a clean neutral background, paired with a short branding lesson inspired by Seth Godin about how positioning is built through consistent behavior, worldview, and proof over time rather than titles or self-declared labels.

This year proved one thing:


Your name is leverage.

And most people still treat it like an afterthought.

Build your brand now.

Wishing you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving with love and happiness 💗

My content didn’t start working when I had more time. 

It started working when my third kid was born.

Pressure forces clarity. 
Clarity builds authority. 
Authority drives inbound.

For context my LinkedIn profile tells you I have worked with 50+ CEOs. And helped clients attract leads without chasing them.

But here’s what it doesn’t tell you:

→ I posted for 6 months with zero inbound leads
→ I posted daily for 1 year until I saw one viral post
→ I wasted hours writing “smart” posts no one read
→ My first few clients found me through referrals, not content
→ I had no niche, no clear message, and no offer that converted
→ I almost gave up because I thought I was too late to stand out

I made every mistake in the book:

– I copied what top creators were doing instead of finding my voice
– I confused reach with relevance, and burned out chasing likes
– I built a content system before I had a positioning strategy

Here’s what changed everything:

✅ I stopped writing for the feed and started designing perception.
– Content is not just content; it’s your pitch, your proof, your positioning
– The best content doesn’t just go viral, it gets forwarded to decision-makers

✅ I stopped talking to everyone and started writing for one person.
– One ICP per post
– One problem per message
– One goal: build trust before the DM

✅ I stopped chasing clarity. I engineered it.
– I defined my POV
– Created boundaries for what I do (and don’t do)
– Built systems to scale without sounding like everyone else

None of this happened overnight.

I just kept showing up.

Even when the algorithm was working against me.

Even when I wasn’t sure if anyone was watching.

Even when the leads didn’t come.

If you’re creating and it feels like no one cares.

Keep going.

You don’t need to be perfect.

You only need to be real and consistent enough for the right people to find you.

Join my newsletter https://lnkd.in/dxGpK6AZ and follow me for more posts on personal branding Sheza Yazdani

“Screenshot-style text post about the founder of a personal branding agency sharing the real path behind growing her business: posting for months with no leads, early mistakes in content, lack of niche, and the eventual shift toward positioning, perception design, ICP focus, and message clarity. Encourages creators to stay consistent and authentic so the right clients can find them.”

HASHTAGS (High-signal, low-noise):
#PersonalBranding #LinkedInGrowth #BrandStrategy #ContentMarketing #MarketingAgency #FounderStory #AudienceBuilding #ChatGPT #GoogleSEO #ContentStrategy

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The Battle

Sam Szuchan

Sheza Yazdani

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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 Szuchan's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreSam Szuchan's LinkedIn Performance