audience & revenue growth tips for B2B startups and creators

My mission is to build predictable pipelines for B2B startups. I share what I learn along the way. 

Read more if you are ready to build your pipeline 👇

💡 I am super relevant if you are:

→ Indie Hacker
→ Freelancer
→ Early Startup Founder
→ B2B Sales Person
→ Creator (any profession)

✍️ I write about:

→ B2B sales
→ Go to market strategies
→ Signal-based prospecting

Little more about me:

Cryptocurrency Investor. SaaS Enthusiast. Agriculture Business Owner. 

Lived in 3 countries.

I'm a T-shaped growth person who has experience in sales, content marketing, and growth.

Drop me a LinkedIn message if you need any help.

We will keep it simple.

Twitter: @sehaokudan

https://calendly.com/sehaokudan/30min

Seha Okudan

Helping B2B founders turn LinkedIn into deals | GTM Strategist

5 worst discovery questions:

5 difficult scenarios for salespeople:
(Even for the top ones.)

5 difficult scenarios for salespeople:

Stop trying to fake urgency in B2B. 
(it doesn't work)

𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁:

→ Knowing pain
→ Understanding the impact of pain

𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝟮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀:

1️⃣ Not every problem is worth solving

Trying to create an urgency won't work if they don't have something that is worth solving.

Nobody will buy a strong painkiller for a mild headache, even if it’s the last day of a 20% discount.

If the impact of the pain is close to zero, no urgency will stick.

2️⃣ A problem can have different solutions

Even if the pain is real, buyers still have options.

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻:

•⁠ ⁠Build in-house
•⁠ ⁠Pick a cheaper workaround
•⁠ ⁠Wait until the budget frees up

Both a raincoat and an umbrella protect you from rain.

If you don’t show why your path is better, faster, or safer;

Urgency dies.

𝗧𝗟;𝗗𝗥

𝗧𝗼 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆:

-⁠ ⁠Find the pain that matters most
- ⁠Show the true cost of doing nothing
- ⁠Prove why solving it now beats later
- ⁠Position your solution as the safest path

Deals move when urgency is real. 

Not when it’s forced.

How do you create urgency without sounding pushy?

5 Unexpected Things in Sales
(hope they happen to you today)

5 Unexpected things in sales:

Contact data is out of control.
(for real)

Don't get me wrong.

I don't mind people pitching me.

I do it every day, too.

BUT

Every single week, some people:

- Add me to lists I never joined.
- Drop me into random waitlists.
- Email me again after I unsubscribe.
- Promise what no one can deliver.
- Sends emails written with poor prompts.
- Message me on WhatsApp out of nowhere.

I block them. They switch mailboxes.
I say, “I’m not a fit,” they keep texting.
I say it on the phone, they keep selling.

“I want to tell you about a promo…”
 “There’s a new offer…”

I don't want to click on report Spam.
I don't want to be rude.
I get it, we all try to make a living.

But this is not outreach.
This is not marketing.

This is SPAM.

Are some people ruining the industry?

Bad contact data can kill your business.
(real examples)

Your data provider is the most important part of your tech stack.
It is non-negotiable.

If your data is bad, you lose.
Simple as that.

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝟭:
Picked the best provider, tested ICP coverage.
Checked accuracy and verified test emails.
Only had HubSpot + the data provider (not ideal).

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀:
Hit targets.
Scaled the team.
Added new tools later.

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝟮:
Paid for expensive tool stacks for sequencing, etc.
Then, they selected the most cost effective data provider.

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀:
High bounce rates.
Burned mailboxes.
Low call connect rates.
The team missed targets.
The company started downsizing the sales team.

𝗠𝘆 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀:
1.  Build a sample list. Verify it.
2. Check coverage across your ICP + regions.
3. Choose tools that use waterfall enrichment.

If your data provider is wrong, nothing you do will work.
You cannot afford bad data.

How do you choose your contact data provider?

12 mistakes that cost you deals:

Sandra Macele

Marketing Consulting I Organizational Restructuring I Recruiting and Talent Development in MKT I Marketing Process & Budget Optimisation I Strategies (Creative, Communication, Product, Channel) I Creative Direction I Performance Marketing I Marketing Services (Video Production, Photography, Copywriting etc.)

Markets: EMEA & USA
Verticals coverage: B2B, B2C, B2B2C, G2C

INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE: Technology ● Government ● Fashion ● Architecture ● Pharma ● Media ● Banking ● Food Retail ● Other Consumer Goods

P.S.: Not all clients are stated here.

Chief Executive Overthinker

EKWB

Department Reorganization I Led diverse marketing teams (creative, product, communications, digital/e-commerce) 40 people I Strategies for Marketing, Sales, People I Budget Optimization I Crissis Management I Talent Recruitment & Onboarding I Markets: US & EMEA I Verticals coverage: B2C & B2B

Chief Marketing Officer

Transforming creative unit inside marketing | Consultancy on strategic projects I Creative strategies I Mentoring I Markets: US & EMEA I Verticals coverage: B2C

Marketing Consultancy

Doorson

Marketing Services I Marketing Consulting B2B

Creative Director and Consultant

SENSILAB

Performance Marketing I Creative Services I Marketing Consulting

Intra lighting d.o.o.

Creative Marketing Services I Marketing Consultant B2B

Creative Director & Consultant

Erpium / Creative Agency

Marketing Campaigns production and execution.

Creative Director

Ministry of Economy and Technology

Content and Communication for the activities of ministry I Processes organization

Strategic Marketing Consultant

HBO GO

Online marketing support for HBO Adriatic region.

Director and Producer

HS PLUS

Creative Department organization I Performance Strategies I Process Setting I Talent Onboarding I Markets: EMEA I Verticals coverage: B2C

Strategic Consultant

Studio Moderna

Led 20+ member creative department I Drove client results with impactful and engaging content, setting the stage for sustainable growth I Branding & Performance 

Markets: EMEA
Vertical coverage: B2C

Head of video production

Stop Milking Leads. Start Building People. I Community System Fuelled by your data >>> Check featured

YOU
You are choosing to work with people who believe in doing the right thing. You challenge the status quo and expect the same integrity and accountability (you have) from those around you.

ME
I’m a constructive idealist—bold enough to challenge outdated systems, yet grounded in making authenticity, impact, and trust commercially viable. With a background as a creative director, CMO, and consultant, I combine strategic thinking, sharp people instincts, and fearless storytelling to push brands and leaders to be both real and revolutionary.

I’m running 13 people through my new cohort. Meanwhile, I personally ran through all seven stages of an existential crisis.

Had a full 4-day anxiety spiral + impostor syndrome trial version that included:

“I suck. Shut it all down. Become a florist.”

I didn’t need a tranquilizer, but let’s just say the option wasn’t off the table.

Mistake #1:
I called it a Sprint.

Someone later corrected me:
“Sandra… this is an INTENSIVE.”

😃 

Mistake #2:
People were (and still are) REALLY invested.

I completely miscalculated how the structure of the cohort
would directly impact their emotions.

It is beautiful.
And terrifying (weight of responsibility).

Like watching human nature under a microscope.

But here’s the biggest upside:

From inside that meltdown of mine I had ...
I finally see clearly what people struggle with at scale with social media. 

And where any of us can help, and can not help.

So I wrote a mini report.

If you enjoy my content, I also have a newsletter: https://lnkd.in/eVyiJhHA

I study how emotion shapes trust and how trust earns market authority | Identity & Positioning | Brand Strategy

The Game is Psychological 

In my region, we have a term for that forehead vein that pops out when someone is being ridiculous: “žila glupača”. Literally, the stupidity vein.

It activates when:

→ you enter a dumb conversation
→ face someone with zero critical thinking
→ you’re smiling on the outside, screaming inside
→ when you listen to someone who complains for sports

Nothing works.
Everything is hard.
Life is unfair.

…and suddenly you feel the pressure rising in your forehead.

My stupidity vein activates at point #4.

What about yours?

P.S.: In my newsletter, I answer your questions every Sunday: https://lnkd.in/eVyiJhHA

13 points of a reality check

Brian Berkenstock was the first one to go. By the end of his story, I remember glancing at Olga and Humaira — all three of us were right on the edge of the ugly cry in front of everyone (my cohort).

:D

I’m so proud of Brian.

He’s one of the kindest, most grounded, and most deserving people I know.

Deserving of success.

Humble.
Patient.
Good to the core.

(And let’s not forget: elite-level emotional regulation :D)

Always your cheerleader, Brian.

May you keep creating beautiful words —
and shaping the world we all get to live in.

Your offer’s confusing | I make it clear and memorable | This means positioning, branding, and messaging that connects | Cats can be fuzzy, your offer cannot

There's no HOOK for today's post.
Just some...hesitation.

I'm doing something a bit out of the ordinary for me.
Sharing a personal story.
(With the help of Sandra Macele and her Authority cohort!)

I've been trying to walk a delicate line on LinkedIn.

On one side is BUSINESS.
On the other is SOCIAL.

The biz side is a piece of cake.

I have oodles of experience.
A solid offer.
And killer testimonials.

The personal/social side has been a challenge.

I like the social sharing aspect of LinkedIn.
And getting to know people beyond their banners.
But I don't like "trauma dumping." 
Which feels both revealing and artificial at the same time.

I first need some guardrails for myself.
Here's where I landed...

I'll try to share stories to inspire or help us look at things in a new light.

Let me know how I did.

A Life of No Regret

The coolest grandmother on Earth, G. Kofi Annan granny 🥰

Love your story K, everything is so inspiring! Respect!

For many more debates on our calls!

👏

I help health brands 2X clients/patients & grow revenue using a AI-enhanced demand + acquisition system ✪ Fmr @Saatchi, @Ogilvy, @McCann

What if everyone who rejected you was actually... right?

Hear me out.

My granny flew 5,000 miles to tell me I was ruining my life.
My professor compared me to an alcoholic.
My friends said my work wasn't worth $10.

They were all correct.

I spent years trying to conform.
Until my same rejected work sold for 6X more...to strangers.

The rejection was never about me.

This changed how I see every "NO" forever →

Finding Value in Rejection

This lady here 👇 sent me a very nice message Friday evening. 

“Hi, hello hello!
I’ve been nominated to ”Empower Her Woman of the Year”. …”

“… This ”Bad Good Girl” has something very appealing and recognisable in it. Big thanks for that!”…”

(Shortened message)

I am extremely proud of Annika Mohlin 🌱 

Even though I did help her with messaging, the key ingredients are the following:

- she breathes for her “Bad Good Girls”
- she’s a remarkable networker
- she’s approachable
- she’s a talented communicator 
- she has good emotional regulation (this online business requires it)
- she never gave up

The messaging alone can be a huge help, but YOU need to be the person, who is “obsessed with people you serve” first. 

No branding and messaging solutions can give you that. 

Hugs to Sweden and all the Bad Good Girls. I am one too 🤗

I help female leaders lead and succeed without self-compromising • Leave the good girl behind ​>​> lead with boundaries and presence • Nästa grupp i Ledarprogrammet Perspeqtiv startar februari 2026 🔭

”Stort grattis! Du är nominerad till Årets Empower Her kvinna. Vill du acceptera nomineringen?”

Ja men det är väl klart som attan att jag vill!

Någon har tänkt på mig och det jag bidrar med – det betyder SÅ mycket. Känner mig glad, stolt, rörd och överraskad (lite som när man hittar en kantarell ☺️).

För mig handlar mitt arbete om att stärka kvinnor i självledarskap, inifrån och ut. Jag vill att fler ska skaka av sig den ”duktiga flickan” och en gång för alla landa i att det inte är fel eller fult eller själviskt att prioritera sig själv.

Utan tvärtom: det är från den platsen vi kan vara ”våra bästa jag”. Det är där hållbart ledarskap börjar 💛

Så att få en nominering som handlar om mod, styrka och systerskap – W🤩W. Rena superinjektionen för att fortsätta med det jag gör!

Tack Anna-Maria och tack alla som ser, lyfter och stöttar kvinnor. Det är en av byggstenarna till ett mer jämställt och mångfaldigt samhälle. 

PS. Någon som är sugen på att gå på galan ihop den 25 november? 🎉 Hör av dig!

I know for the last week you've seen changes on my feed and some have reached out expressing the "concern" around my changed content (you miss my carousels).

However, I am running my first 2 rounds of cohorts which I want to perfect for the future ... 

... and part of the responsibility I took on myself is to support people who enrolled and trust me to guide them.

For you, it might not mean I lot.

For me, I am proud of these people and work they are sharing, because I know how many insecurities they had to overcome in a very short period of time.

This is Humaira Akhter ☕️

The best way you can support me, is to read her story and transfer that support on her if you feel connection.

Thank you for being on this path with me.

And Humaira - you go girl!

Stop finding a niche. Start naming your thread | Guiding seasoned solopreneurs to uncover & package their Genius Offer Blueprint™, one aligned offer without bro-hustle, fake scarcity, or burnout.

This isn’t a rags-to-riches story.

It’s a “wait… why am I still shape-shifting?” story.

I’ve spent most of my life trying to be excellent at work, at everything.

It’s a story I share to mirror you.

For anyone who’s been excellent but never felt like a genius…
For anyone who’s shape-shifted just to belong…
For anyone who keeps performing for permission, they no longer need…

This is a reminder:
You don’t have to earn what you already are.

Swipe through for a story of unworthiness, awakening, and stop proving.

Maybe you’ll find a little of yours in there, too.

P.S. Deep gratitude to Sandra Macele — mentor, friend, and creative mirror, who pushed me to tell the truth, even when it stung. 🙏🏽

The Ache to Belong

If I would bet my LinkedIn coins on somebody from content creators, I would bet on Ceres. 

Mark my words.

I wouldn’t be surprised if in a year from now she is in 100k of following. 

The work ethics are up the roof.

👏

Money Psychologist + Financial Coach ➜ I help women transform your relationship with money through psychology

We all have a story we inherited—from our families, our cultures, our experiences.

But at some point, we get to decide whether that story still fits us.
Whether it still serves us.
Or whether it deserves a rewrite.

Here is what I've learned: you don’t have to reject what formed you to grow into who you’re meant to be.

Transformation begins the moment you stop asking for permission and start living on your own terms.

This is a story of my own transformation, a story about self-empowerment.

How their mockery became my motivation—by Ceres Chua

Nothing screams authenticity more like three ghostwriters and an engagement pod.

🌿 👀 🌿

Goosebumps Margaret Sap . You hold so much beauty in your mind. 

Always your fan!

❤️💗

Self Leadership Development | Intentional Creativity Coach | Consciousness Curator - Now more than ever, radical responsibility means preserving your mind and opening your heart. What changes if you know yourself better?

Most of you reading this don’t know me. To give an idea: I wasn’t the girl with dolls and tutus, but with knights, castles, and cars.
 
From Hetfield’s lyrics to the Psalms of David, I love both thunder and grace.

And in my quiet corner, writing, reading, painting, making music, I travel within just as I’ve traveled all corners of the world without.

I’m appalled by the world’s silence and the permission collectively given to what should never be allowed. 

We live in a voice activated universe, so I answer the call to speak. 

Not to preach, but to witness.
I have a first small story to share. Just a taste.

Nice meeting you too.

Personal Story #1_Joy

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The Battle

Seha Okudan

Sandra Macele

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Performance ScoreSandra Macele's LinkedIn Performance

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taplio

The Battle

Seha Okudan

Sandra Macele

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);}Seha Okudan's LinkedIn Performance

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