Growth @Rifa AI | Making AI work like your most reliable teammate | Previously @ Topmate | 30u30 IQ

AI isn’t replacing people. It’s replacing processes that slow them down.

At Rifa AI, we’re building intelligent agents that automate back-office conversations across chat, voice, email, and support without breaking ops.

The goal isn’t to sound human.
The goal is to get work done, with AI that can reason, act, and complete entire workflows across tools.

Our best users don’t even realize they’re talking to a bot.
That’s the point.

Before this, I led growth at Topmate and picked up a few hard truths:
 → Shiny doesn’t scale
 → Funnels lie
 → Speed breaks things, but it also builds them

Rifa is a tougher game. The stakes are higher.
You’re shipping into systems where mistakes cost trust, not just clicks.

That’s why I care about:
 → AI that’s functional, not performative
 → Growth that’s compound, not chaotic
 → Shipping like it’s a reflex, not an event

If you’re building at the intersection of AI, ops, and velocity, let’s chat.

Shubham Khoker

I just saw Ankit's post about Topmate hitting profitability, and I couldn’t scroll past without smiling.

To the world, "profitability" is a financial metric. To me, having been in the trenches with Ankit and Dinesh, I know it’s a badge of pure grit.

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: My time as Head of Growth at topmate.io was my real MBA.

It was the most intense classroom I’ve ever stepped into. Working with both of you gave me my earliest instincts for product, growth, and just... how to operate in absolute chaos without losing clarity.

A lot of the DNA I carry today as a founder comes straight from those months. The pace, the difficult decisions, and the relentless execution.

You don’t forget teams like that.

Seeing them hit profitability is a reminder of what consistent execution looks like when most people would have given up.

Huge congratulations to Ankit, Dinesh, and the entire team.

This win is well-earned. So proud to have been a small part of this journey.

Everyone’s busy calling themselves “AI-first.”
But your customers don’t care about it. 

When we first started pitching to healthcare clients, I thought leading with “AI-powered” would make their eyes light up. Instead, it usually made them lean back in their chairs, because for most healthcare stakeholders, AI-first sounds risky.

They’re not thinking about the model you used.
They’re thinking: what happens if it fails? Will it violate compliance? Leak data? Or give the wrong answer to a patient?

So now, I start those conversations differently.
About what we’ve done to make sure AI actually works when it’s supposed to.

Every voice agent we build passes through a simple checklist before going live:
→ Does it log every interaction for audit trails?
→ Does it know when to stop and escalate to a human?
→ Does it meet every compliance protocol, even if no one’s watching?

Once that foundation is clear, then the conversation about automation begins.

AI might get you in the door, but risk management keeps you in the room.
That’s what actually builds long-term trust.

I predict AI will vanish by 2030.
And I say that as someone who spends every single day building with it.

Not literally, but in how we talk about it. 
Five years ago, AI was a buzzword.
Today, it’s a feature.
Five years from now, it’ll just be invisible infrastructure.

No one will brag about “AI-first” anymore, just like no one says “internet-first” today. Because the best technology always disappears behind the experience.

When we deploy voice agents in hospitals, no patient ever says, “Wow, this AI bot is amazing.”

They just say,
“Finally… someone actually picked up.”
That’s the direction we’re headed. AI won’t live in headlines or product launches.

It’ll live inside workflows, quietly fixing things that humans don’t have the time or patience to.

So, here’s what I’m betting on:
𝟭/ 𝗔𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲.
We’ve hit peak hype, and the next winners won’t be the flashiest demos; they’ll be the ones that never break in production. 

𝟮/ 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝗮𝘁.
In healthcare, reliability is the foundation. The companies that bake guardrails in from day one will outlast the ones chasing speed.

𝟯/ 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿.
Typing, clicking, searching; all of it will fade into natural conversations. Your voice will become the universal remote for how you access systems.

And maybe that’s the irony:
AI will be everywhere, precisely because it will feel like it’s nowhere.
By 2030, the best AI won’t feel like AI at all, it’ll just feel human.

If that happens, what’s one part of your workflow you hope disappears first?

Building should feel hard.
But it shouldn’t feel blurry.

Most people assume burnout happens when you work too much.
In my experience, it’s when you don’t know what you’re working towards anymore.

The chaos creeps in quietly: 
→ Too many priorities
→ Too many opinions
→ Too many half-baked “let’s just test it” plans

Suddenly your calendar’s full, your brain’s fried, and you're still not moving.
And the worst part?
You start confusing activity with progress.

I’m not anti-hustle.
I’m anti-chaos.

The only thing that’s ever pulled me out of a spiral wasn’t rest—it was clarity.
Clarity of: 
→ What problem actually needs solving
→ What to drop (even if it’s shiny)
→ What not to chase this quarter

Because burnout isn’t just about energy.
It’s about direction.

And sometimes the most productive thing you can do is… stop and think.
That’s not a “growth hack.”
That’s survival.

Tag a founder who needs to hear this.

The first time I had to let someone go, I didn’t sleep that night.

I kept replaying the conversation in my head; the silence after I said their name, the way they nodded slowly, the awkward gratitude at the end.

Nothing prepares you for that moment.
When we hired our first person at Rifa AI, it felt like validation, like someone believed in what we were building.

But when it doesn’t work out, it hits differently.
You start asking yourself if you could’ve coached better, communicated sooner, or just seen it coming.

That’s when I learned something that never makes it into startup books:
Company culture isn’t defined by how you celebrate wins. It’s defined by how you handle endings.

Hiring is about hope.
Firing, when done right, is about honesty.
Both take a piece of you.

And both, in their own way, make you a better builder — and maybe, a better human.

When you’re a non-technical founder building a technical product, impostor syndrome moves in next door, rent-free.


There have been times when the team was deep in conversation about inference speeds and vector databases, and I’d be there, nodding, jotting notes, then Googling half the terms later, only to realize I still didn’t get all of it.

However, I’ve learned that it’s part of the job.
I’m lucky to have a co-founder who lives and breathes the tech side (that’s Sameer). My role has always been to connect what we’re building to what the customer actually feels.

So I stopped pretending to understand everything and started asking the simplest questions again.

Every time I asked a “dumb” question, the conversation got clearer for everyone in the room. We stopped over-explaining to each other and started building something users could actually use.

Over time, it has become my strength. I stopped trying to sound technical and focused on what I can understand and build with.

Yeah, impostor syndrome still drops by sometimes, but I’ve learned to make peace with it.

If you’re a non-technical founder quietly sitting through a technical meeting, feeling like an outsider, you’re not behind.

You’re just seeing the problem through a different lens.
And sometimes, that’s exactly what your team needs.

Everyone says “talk to your customers.”
I’m taking that advice one notch higher, and I’ll pay you for your time.
No clickbait. Stay with me till the end.

As we explore the healthcare vertical at Rifa AI, I’ve realised something important:
You can’t automate an industry you don’t understand.
You can’t sit behind dashboards and guess how frontline workflows operate.

So before we ship anything in healthcare, I want to learn from the people who actually hold the system together. The ones who deal with chaos, patient load, insurance calls, and operational bottlenecks every single day.

That’s why I want to speak with:
→ Front desk staff at hospitals/clinics
→ Patient coordinators
→ Medical receptionists
→ Nurses who work closely with ops/patient flow

I’m not looking for confidential data. I’m looking for operational reality. I want to know where the friction is, what the "unwritten rules" of your workflow are, and what tools drive you crazy.

And yes, I’m happy to compensate for your time.
It could be a paid virtual meeting or a conversation over a coffee.

If you work in US healthcare operations and are open to a 30-minute paid chat (or know someone who fits), drop me a DM, tag them below, or share this post.

If you’re planning to build a startup, here’s the part that no MBA or mentor ever tells you.

Last week, when Anisha Jain and the HIVE team at the University of Chicago asked me to speak to their students, I said yes instantly.

Because I remembered what it felt like to be in their shoes.
Hungry to build something, unsure where to start, and confused by all the startup terms around “AI,” “product-market fit,” “fundraising,” and “the right time.”

Back then, I thought progress would be about finding the perfect idea or learning the right framework. But, once you get past the excitement and the theory, you hit the part where nothing looks linear, certainty disappears, and you have to build even when your confidence doesn’t show up with you.

That’s the phase that actually teaches you what matters, and here’s what I learned during that phase:
1. Start with a problem that keeps bothering you.
You don’t need to know how to code on Day 1. What you really need is a problem you can’t ignore... something you’re willing to think about even when no one’s watching.

2. A co-founder is someone who believes in the same future you see.
Skills can be hired, but what you can’t hire is someone who shows up on hard days with the same energy as you do.

3. Investors look for clarity more than big pitches.
If you can explain what you're building, who it helps, and why now is the right moment, the conversation changes instantly.

4. Your early job will teach you more about building a company than any “startup guide.”
For me, most of my instincts came from Topmate, the messy days, the mistakes, the adrenaline, the long nights. That’s where I learned how startups actually work.

None of this shows up in the pitch decks or the headline interviews. But it’s exactly what determines whether you ship something real or just talk about it.

So, if you’re at that stage: excited, overwhelmed, curious, questioning everything, that’s exactly where most real journeys begin.

P.S. What’s one lesson your founder journey has taught you?

I thought I knew what leadership was.
Then I became a founder.

Turns out, leading one branch of the company and leading a company are two completely different things.

When I was working as a Growth Head, it was about ownership within a structure.
We had a clear direction, a set goal, and a team to rally.

Someone had already built the walls of the house; my job was to optimize the rooms, fix the wiring, and ensure growth. There was stability, even in chaos.

At Rifa, I quickly realized leadership from the ground up is a whole different game.

There is no existing structure. You are literally building the walls while simultaneously deciding what kind of house you even want to live in.

The shift is profound, and honestly, sometimes scary.
You stop being a functional head and become the emotional backbone of the entire operation. Every product pivot, every client bet, every tough hiring call has effects that you simply cannot delegate away.
 
They need someone who can admit, "Yes, this is fog," and still be the first one to take a step forward.

That's the real leadership muscle I had to build, and that’s the part most leadership books skip:

The silence that comes with being responsible for everything, and the humility it takes to show up every day, even when you don’t have all the answers.

If you've made the jump from employee to founder, what surprised you most about leadership?

People keep asking me, "When will your AI be smart enough to replace a nurse?"

I tell them that's the wrong question.

The right question is, "How can our AI be reliable enough to handle the 5 hours of administrative work that burns a nurse out every single day?"

The goal isn't to replace our heroes, it's to give them room to be human. Isn’t it?

You don’t need a dev team or a $50K budget to build a voice agent anymore.
Hard to believe, but that’s where we are now.

I’ve seen companies spend months wiring together APIs, vendors, and compliance checks just to make a phone line “talk.” By the time it goes live, the use case has already changed.

That’s the gap we’re closing with Rifa.
Building automation shouldn’t feel like building another product; it should feel like setting one up.

With our platform, you can design, test, and deploy a compliant AI voice agent in minutes. 
You don’t need to know coding. 
You can simply drag, drop, and go live on any phone number.

And it doesn’t stop when the call ends.

→ Your CRM updates automatically.
→ Follow-ups get scheduled.
→ Issues get flagged without anyone touching a dashboard.

Because real automation shouldn’t add another layer of complexity, it should remove it. That’s what we’re betting on at Rifa: making AI powerful and practical for the people who actually use it.

If building automation were this simple, what’s the first workflow you’d hand off?

We are building an AI Voice Agent to automate phone calls. But to get our first 10 customers, I had to make hundreds of phone calls myself.

That’s the irony of building in AI today. 
Everyone wants to automate everything, including product development and GTM.

But here’s the reality I’ve seen time and again, from leading growth to now building Rifa…
AI can automate workflows, but can’t automate trust.

And when you are selling into industries where a single mistake has consequences— healthcare, finance, compliance-heavy ops—that difference matters.

These buyers aren't looking for a "cool AI tool." 
They're worried because the risk surface has expanded:

_ "What if the response is wrong?"
– “Who is liable for the model’s error?”
– “How do I explain this to an auditor?”
– “What does this break in my existing workflow?”
– “What happens if the model behaves unpredictably?”

These aren’t objections you solve with a funnel, or a case study, or an automated sequence.
These are objections that need context, interpretation, and reassurance. 

And this is where old-school GTM suddenly becomes a superpower again because it helps buyers process risk at a human pace.

That’s why the AI companies that are winning right now have strong trust-building mechanisms:
• High-context conversations
• Non-scalable onboarding
• Long-form demos
• Domain fluency
• Founder-led selling in v1
• Field intelligence from real calls

Because GTM in AI is about risk translation before efficiency or growth. 

If your product is AI-first, your early GTM must be risk-first. 
And right now, risk is still interpreted by humans, not workflows.

See, AI will eventually sell AI.
We’ll get there.

But we're in the messy middle, where technology has leapfrogged, but buyer psychology hasn’t caught up.

The biggest mistake you’re making as a founder is trying to make your GTM move as fast as your tech. While in reality, it should match the pace of your buyer’s fear.

Don't let the hype trick you into hiding behind your screen.

P.S. Are you also seeing traditional channels outperform the automated ones right now?

Lorraine K. Lee

Wiley

➡️ unforgettablepresencebook.com

*𝑷𝑹𝑨𝑰𝑺𝑬*
If you’ve ever felt that your hard work wasn’t enough to move you forward, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞. It shows that the answer isn’t to become loud, flashy, or inauthentic. Instead, the secret is to follow Lee’s advice and craft a professional presence that reflects who you are while making sure the right people notice.”
–Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of 'The Power of Regret' and 'To Sell Is Human'

'Unforgettable Presence' is 𝐚 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 who want to foster deeper connections and seamless collaboration across any setting. Through tactical frameworks and relatable stories, Lorraine K. Lee shows us how both teams and individuals can communicate with purpose, build confidence, and create lasting impact.
–Eric S. Yuan, Founder and CEO of Zoom

In business and in life, how you show up matters. 'Unforgettable Presence' is your guide to making every interaction count. Lorraine K. Lee offers 𝐚 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥.
–Everette Taylor, CEO of Kickstarter

In a world where early-in-career individuals are pressured to have an authentic personal brand from day one on the job, 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭. Lorraine K. Lee breaks down complex topics into clear, actionable strategies for anyone serious about leveling up.
–Natalie Marshall (aka Corporate Natalie), Content Creator and Advisor

'Unforgettable Presence' is 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 and owning your value at work. Lorraine K. Lee breaks it down with actionable advice and relatable stories that anyone—from entry-level to exec—can use to get noticed and make moves. 
–Vivian Tu, NYT Bestselling Author of 'Rich AF'

Best-selling author of Unforgettable Presence: Get Seen, Gain Influence, and Catapult Your Career

Business Insider

Writing thought leadership pieces on career advancement, communication frameworks, leadership strategies, and how to get ahead at work.

Contributing Writer

CNBC

Writing thought leadership pieces on career advancement, communication frameworks, leadership strategies, and how to get ahead at work for CNBC's Make It. Multiple articles have trended at #1.

RISE Learning Solutions

RISE Learning Solutions helps organizations and teams RISE to become more Respected, Influential, Successful, and Empowered. RISE Learning Solutions is a holding company for all of Lorraine Lee's business ventures.

RISE was founded by Lorraine K. Lee, who speaks, consults, and teaches clients how to stand out and supercharge their professional presence — meaning both *how* and *where* others see you.

Recent speaking clients include Zoom, Cisco, and Atlassian; recent consulting clients include Inspiration At Work (on behalf of the National Institute of Mental Health) and UC Irvine.

See more of Lorraine's work and testimonials below.

Founder

Stanford Continuing Studies

Invited to teach flagship public speaking and presentation course, "The Art of Public Speaking." (Fall 2024) Received 4.7/5 rating (avg scores are 4.5-4.6)

***

Invited to teach "Essential Video Communication Skills for Today's Workplace," a 3-week virtual course covering video communications, virtual presentations, and virtual meetings. (Fall 2023)

⭐️ Course Rating: 4.86/5 (average Stanford Continuing Studies course is 4.4-4.6/5)

Instructor, Stanford CSP

Lorraine K. Lee | Leadership and Professional Development | Corporate Keynote Speaker

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𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐀𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆

✨Two years ago, I received a federal grant from the 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 to create a program to alleviate the emotional distress associated with unemployment. Although I had a strong vision and desire to help a lot of people, I had a limited budget and was overwhelmed by the notion of creating a visually appealing and content rich online product. Throughout the entire process of developing the DRIVEN prototype, 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 on everything from working with Prezi software to ensuring our actors were positioned effectively in front of the right type of webcams and lighting. She is endlessly patient, generous, and thorough, and I'm so very lucky to count her as a part of the DRIVEN team today and hopefully in the future as the program evolves.
—𝘈𝘓𝘌𝘟 𝘓𝘌𝘝𝘐𝘛, 𝘞𝘖𝘙𝘒𝘍𝘖𝘙𝘊𝘌 𝘍𝘜𝘛𝘜𝘙𝘐𝘚𝘛, 𝘞𝘚𝘑 𝘊𝘖𝘓𝘜𝘔𝘕𝘐𝘚𝘛, 𝘐𝘕𝘛'𝘓 𝘉𝘌𝘚𝘛𝘚𝘌𝘓𝘓𝘐𝘕𝘎 𝘈𝘜𝘛𝘏𝘖𝘙

✨ My team and I were brainstorming how to build our company's LinkedIn presence, and Lorraine has a proven track record of building brand presence on LinkedIn from the ground-up. In our call, Lorraine was able to walk me through the foundations of where to get started. Our conversation was a great jumping off point, and she was able to guide me to focus on some approaches to 𝐦𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐑𝐎𝐈 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬.
—𝘒𝘈𝘛𝘐𝘌 𝘒𝘞𝘖𝘕, 𝘔𝘈𝘙𝘒𝘌𝘛𝘐𝘕𝘎 @ 𝘔𝘈𝘎𝘐𝘊 𝘌𝘋𝘌𝘕

Consultant

• Launched 18 LinkedIn Learning courses across a variety of topics. Popular ones include: Virtual and Hybrid Meeting Essentials, Nano Tips for Giving and Receiving Feedback, Nano Tips for Managing Up, How to Speak So Others Will Listen Nano Tips, Nano Tips for Self-Motivation
• Selected as an instructor for Stanford CSP's flagship public speaking course, "The Art of Public Speaking"
• Selected as one of the first 30 LinkedIn Nano Learning Instructors, and one of 2,500 LinkedIn Learning Instructors worldwide
• Invited to be instructor for a cohort-based course platform called Maven, founded by Udemy co-founder; Part of Maven's 3rd cohort, made up of 145 instructors from 27 countries in 100+ cities (out of 2,000+ applicants); Launched and led 3-week course for inaugural cohort titled, "Engage Your Virtual Workforce"

Online Course Creator and Instructor

🎙𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐊: 𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐊𝐋𝐄𝐄.𝐂𝐎𝐌/𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆

🏆 Named a Top Virtual Keynote Speaker - ReadWrite (2020)
🏆 Finalist: Global Conference Speaker of the Year - WomenTech (2022)
🏆 Survey results: Speaker rating: 4.8/5, 100% learned something new, 98% found the session valuable (2023)

𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐤𝐞𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫, with experience speaking to global audiences ranging from Fortune 100 companies to startups, including Zoom, Cisco, Atlassian, and GitLab. She’s also a 5x-LinkedIn Learning Instructor with more than 300,000 followers on LinkedIn. 

Lorraine speaks on a wide range of topics, and each of her talks receive rave reviews: In 2022, she was rated a 4.92/5 as a speaker with 100% of attendees saying they learned something new.

Popular talks:
➤ How to Have Better Meetings (#2 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘦-𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘵 𝘈𝘵𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘛𝘦𝘢𝘮 '22 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦)
➤ How to Build Your LinkedIn Presence
➤ How to Make a Memorable First Impression on Video
➤ How to Present Like a Pro
➤ How to Stand Out On Video and Beat Zoom Fatigue

𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐀𝐘𝐈𝐍𝐆 (More at lorraineklee.com/testimonials)

✨ I [...] recently invited her to speak at Zoom as part of our internal speaker series. Lorraine led a masterclass in engaging an audience virtually, including using cutting-edge tools to elevate virtual storytelling. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐞'𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬. — 𝘈𝘙𝘜𝘕 𝘑, 𝘡𝘖𝘖𝘔

✨Her presentation was 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐬 on how to improve our video communications. Her presentation encouraged engagement in an authentic way that made everyone enjoy the call. — 𝘚𝘈𝘔𝘈𝘕𝘛𝘏𝘈 𝘓𝘌𝘌, 𝘎𝘐𝘛𝘓𝘈𝘉

Top-Rated Keynote Speaker and Trainer

LinkedIn

• Created 15 LinkedIn Learning courses across a variety of topics. Popular ones include: Virtual and Hybrid Meeting Essentials, Nano Tips for Giving and Receiving Feedback, Nano Tips for Managing Up
• Selected as one of only 2,500 LinkedIn Learning instructors worldwide
• Selected as one of the first 30 LinkedIn Nanolearning Instructors.

View courses here: https://www.linkedin.com/learning/instructors/lorraine-lee

LinkedIn Learning Instructor

Prezi

I was the first Editorial hire at Prezi, the leading presentation software in creating engaging visual communications.

As Director, Head of Editorial, I led a growing team that worked closely with influencers and thought leaders to create educational, informative, and engaging presentations and meetings with Prezi. I was the creator of Prezi's Meeting Guidebook (an internal and external-facing resource), and a founding member and lead for Women@Prezi.

• Drove tens of thousands of registrations through webinar program that focused on topics incl. hybrid work, presentations, and public speaking, with expert guests from Slack, Stanford, and more
• Build relationships with subject-matter experts and business leaders to create and live stream Prezi videos with goal of 1) building top-of-funnel awareness 2) driving leads and 3) creating content library that grows user engagement and acquisition
• Grew Prezi Video awareness and adoption through virtual conference collaborations, reaching 100K+ professionals across target audiences
• Co-led PR with CMO and agency; Partnered with CEO to define swim lanes and secure thought leadership, momentum and product launch stories in top-tier publications, including The Wall Street Journal; Managed LinkedIn strategy for CEO
• Authored Prezi’s Meeting Guidebook as part of a task force selected to build out Prezi's virtual-first meeting policies; Collaborated cross-functionally to distribute playbook internally and externally
• Exceeded company average scores for team engagement and management categories, based on employee engagement results
• Founded and led Women@Prezi ERG; Organized and moderated multiple Speaker Series; Published quarterly newsletter

Director, Head of Editorial

• Built relationships with subject-matter experts and business influencers to create Prezi videos with goal of 1) driving top-of-funnel awareness and 2) creating content library that grows user engagement and acquisition
• Launched Prezi’s Presentation Pros cohort to strengthen Prezi’s positioning as a market leader in the presentation space; 86K+ views on creator videos and 5K+ visits to landing page in first 6 months
• Conceptualized Prezi’s first Big Ideas campaign, feat. 15 videos from Influencers such as Hooked’s Nir Eyal, an Emmy Award-winner, Udemy’s VP of Learning, and a CDC Public Health Advisor (https://blog.prezi.com/big-ideas-2021/)
• Oversaw editorial initiatives across business and education verticals, incl. editorial calendar and email campaigns centered around sales audience; “emerging educator influencer” outreach strategy on Twitter; and virtual conferences strategy (https://prezi.com/virtual-conferences/)
• Hired to lead Prezi’s first-ever Editorial team, with focus on business and education verticals; managed two direct reports, 2 contractors, and a rotating quarterly intern

Managing Editor

Maven

• Invited to be an instructor for a new cohort-based course platform called, Maven, founded by the co-founder of Udemy and the co-founder of altMBA. Maven has raised $20 million in a Series A round led by Andreessen Horowitz
• Part of Maven's 3rd cohort, made up of 145 instructors from 27 countries in 100+ cities (out of 2,000+ applicants)

Join the waitlist: http://maven.com/lorraine-k-lee/video-linkedin
Join the newsletter: https://courses.lorraineklee.com/signup

Course Instructor

• Developed social media strategy for LinkedIn Editors across Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn; Implemented paid campaigns that surpassed LinkedIn CTR benchmarks by +947% (FB) and +175% (Twitter) while lowering CPC up to 95% (projected savings of ~$1.3M); Mentor university interns on quarterly basis for social initiatives like crafting weekly content insights email for stakeholders, including then-SVP of Product (current CEO of LinkedIn)
• Lead editorial strategy for LinkedIn’s first newsletter product; Wrote weekly newsletter curating top newsletters; selected pilot participants; Educated writers on publishing best practices 
• Conceptualized and hosted #FemaleFounder video series, one of the most engaging series on our LinkedIn News Page
• Wrote and reported for LinkedIn Lists franchise; Co-led first List webinar to educate and excite honorees; built first content calendar to spark member conversation
• Mentored university interns on quarterly basis for initiatives including crafting weekly content insights email for stakeholders; and creating and translating the Content Creator's Guide (https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/100132) to more efficiently educate members about LinkedIn and how to create impactful content (85% helpfulness score)
• Established GDPR compliance across Editorial tools and processes

News Editor, Special Projects

News Editor, San Francisco // February 2016-October 2016
News Editor, Hong Kong (on assignment) // November 2016-November 2017
 
• Wrote Daily Rundown, a digest of breaking news and trends delivered to ~170 million members; script for video digest (https://www.slideshare.net/LinkedInPulse/tagged/Daily%20Top%20Headlines)
• Wrote heds, deks, and descriptions; curated first- and third-party content for the top stories feature, an editorially-driven way to see and discuss today’s news and views
• Operationalized processes for LinkedIn Influencer program to ensure active engagement by participants
• Operated independently as the sole US editor in the Asia-Pacific region as part of 24-hour global news team
• Supported launch of LinkedIn's first-ever video app, "Record"; collaborated with LinkedIn Influencers to create content for app launch

News Editor, Daily News

🎙️ Virtual Speaker | 300K+ Followers | LinkedIn Learning Instructor | Consultant | Editorial + Tech | Ex-LinkedIn, SlideShare, Prezi | I help organizations and teams stand out and supercharge their professional presence

📖 Grab your copy of Unforgettable Presence, an instant #1 Amazon bestseller and Next Big Idea Club must-read: https://amzn.to/3Hdv79r

My career grew exponentially and unexpectedly in 2021 when I decided to get more comfortable with public speaking. 

Full of nerves, I spoke whenever and wherever. In a surprising turn of events, speaking became a small side hustle while I led Prezi's editorial team.

Then I got laid off in 2022. The combination of that side hustle, the career brand I had created, and my 10+ years of experience as a founding editor at numerous tech firms like LinkedIn and Prezi gave me the confidence to start my own company, RISE Learning Solutions, where I am now a keynote speaker and trainer, content creator, and instructor teaching courses to global audiences with LinkedIn Learning and Stanford Continuing Studies.

Looking back, I've realized that all the opportunities that have come my way have happened because of my 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 — both in terms of 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 others see me. I believe being intentional about these two things are the most critical factors to someone's professional success, and it's why I'm so passionate to share all the skills that fuel presence: from presentations and communication to managing up and LinkedIn.

🎙️ Keynote Speaker and Trainer: In 2023, 100% of surveyed attendees say they learned something new; 98% of attendees said they found my sessions valuable; and I received a speaker rating of 4.9/5.  Past clients: Amazon, Zoom, Cisco, ServiceNow, and McKinsey and Company.

👩🏻‍🏫 Instructor @ LinkedIn Learning and Stanford Continuing Studies. I also create custom courses for organizations. I've empowered more than 250,000+ LinkedIn learners with all 15+ of my courses rated 4.7/5 and up. Watch: lorraineklee.com/linkedinlearning

✏️ Content Creator: I publish on LinkedIn M-Sat, and share bite-sized career and leadership tips through my free weekly newsletter, Career Bites (lorraineklee.com/subscribe).

🏆 Named a LinkedIn Top Voice
🏆Top virtual keynote speaker by ReadWrite
🏆Featured in Inc, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, CNBC, and more

🎓 BSJ from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism

📧 DM me or email me at contact@lorraineklee.com if you'd like to collaborate! (See what it's like to work with me in my 200+ recommendations 👇🏻)

🥊 Outside of work, I can be found doing muay thai and eating my way through San Francisco

Top-Rated Virtual Keynote Speaker and Trainer

I’m still in awe from attending the star-studded launch party of All the Cool Girls Get Fired event at Tory Burch in Beverly Hills! 🤩

Thank you to fellow cool girls and authors Laura Brown and Kristina O’Neill for inviting me and for including my insights around personal branding and LinkedIn in the book.

I was fired in 2022.

Here’s what got me through it:

✨ Announce it (and share what you want to do next)

A post that says “I was laid off” will get social media likes, but won’t lead your audience to take action.

A post that says “I was laid off and I’m looking for GTM Director-level roles in a mid-size B2C startup” gives them the info they need in order to help you.

✨ Build your brand as early as possible

Don’t let your company be your entire brand.

Instead, let it be one part of your story, and shape the rest of it around 𝙮𝙤𝙪.

It will be one of your best safety nets after a layoff.

✨ You’re not alone.

In fact, getting fired means joining an elite group of “cool girls” who will end up better than they ever thought possible (even if it doesn’t seem like it yet).

Btw: You’ll also learn from household names like Oprah, Lisa Kudrow, and Katie Couric in the book, too! 😍

🎁 I have a signed copy I am gifting to one of you! 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 “𝗖𝗢𝗢𝗟” 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗹𝗲!

(and follow me on Instagram (instagram.com/lorraineklee) for the behind-the-scenes video recap!)

***

PS: Navigating a layoff? Check out my FREE LinkedIn Learning course: https://lnkd.in/gpkDbCFV

PPS: Want other bite-sized tips and strategies to future-proof your career? Join 60,000 others who are subscribed to Career Bites: lorraineklee.com/subscribe

📘Grab bestseller Unforgettable Presence to go from overlooked to unforgettable 🎙️ Corporate Keynote Speaker & Trainer 👩🏻‍🏫 Instructor: LinkedIn Learning, Stanford 💼 Prev. Founding Editor @ LinkedIn, Prezi

This morning I woke up to 330,000 of you 🥹 … which means it’s time for a proper (re)introduction!

👋 Hi, I'm Lorraine! 

Here’s what you won’t see in my headline:

→ I studied journalism, then spent the first decade of my career as a founding editor in tech
→ I struggled with getting noticed, recognized, and rewarded at work in my early years
→ I'm an introvert who had to learn this was a strength, not a weakness
→ I was laid off in 2022 and decided to bet on myself

That bet changed everything. Now, I do so many things I wouldn't have dreamt of even a few years ago:

→ Corporate keynote speaker for companies like Google, Amazon, Figma, Zoom and Omnicom
→ Instructor at LinkedIn Learning (19 courses!) and Stanford Continuing Studies
→ Bestselling author of 𝙐𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚
→ Featured in CNBC, CNN, Forbes, Bloomberg, Fast Company, Financial Times, and more! 

That "bet" turned into speaking on stages I once only dreamed of, teaching hundreds of thousands of professionals to own their voice, and building a business that helps people go from overlooked to unforgettable.

If you’re new here, here’s how I can support you:

✨ Subscribe to my free newsletter Career Bites — bite-sized tips to grow your career and leadership in under 3 minutes.

✨ Book me as a speaker. I’ve led hundreds of sessions at companies like GitLab, Zoom, Cisco, Atlassian, and Figma (rated 4.9/5.0 overall).

✨ Grab a copy of my book, 𝙐𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚, for frameworks that help you go from overlooked to unforgettable.

Now that you know a little more about me… your turn!

👇 Drop a quick intro in the comments — who you are, what you do, and one fun fact about you!

I spent 5 years in corporate waiting for a promotion that never came.

Even as my scope grew.

I was managing interns, leading projects, taking on more — but my title stayed the same.

When I finally switched companies, I jumped levels. Same skills. Different results.

That's when it hit me: Promotions aren't rewards for performance. They're bets on potential.

I’d been focused on the wrong thing.

Your boss isn't tracking your extra hours. They're watching for signals that you can handle the next level.

Here are 5 daily habits I wish I’d started earlier to signal my potential:

1️⃣ Think two levels up. 
Stop solving today's problems. Start preventing next quarters. In meetings, ask: "How will this scale when we're twice this size?"

2️⃣ Document your decisions, not just your tasks
Anyone can check boxes. Leaders leave breadcrumbs. Send weekly emails: "Made X decision because Y. Result: Z."

3️⃣ Build bridges before you need them
Have coffee with one person outside your department monthly. Expanding your network expands your opportunities.

4️⃣ Share what you're learning
Post insights. Lead lunch-and-learns. Write internal blog posts. Leaders teach — start now. 

5️⃣ Ask for problems, not projects
"What's keeping you up at night?" beats "What can I help with?" every time. Solve headaches, not to-dos.

I thought working harder would get me promoted. But promotions go to people who work differently.

Your performance proves you can do your job. 

Your potential proves you can do the next one. ✨

Y/N: Do you agree?

* * * * * *

👋 I'm Lorraine—keynote speaker and bestselling author. I help rising leaders build an unforgettable presence and stand out at work. Follow for more actionable career tips!

♻️ Reshare if this resonated with you!

📘 PS: Ready to go from overlooked to unforgettable? Grab the book: https://amzn.to/3Hdv79r

In late 2022, I got laid off from Prezi. 

It wasn't news I expected, even though so many tech layoffs were happening. 

It turned out to be one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.

That unintentional favor has led to so much. Because of my layoff: 

• I turned my side hustle into a full-time business (almost done with year 3!).
• I continue to grow my skill set, speaking, consulting, and teaching.
• I get to meet and work with so many accomplished and kind people I wouldn’t have met otherwise.

My vision for my future became clearer and I had more focus. 

And I feel like I’m constantly growing and fulfilling potential in me I didn’t even know was there. 

Looking back, my layoff turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

✨It taught me that sometimes the unexpected path leads to the most rewarding destinations. 

If you’re feeling sad, frustrated, or discouraged, this is a reminder that something better is out there. It just hasn’t quite found you yet.

💬 Share your stories of unexpected career turns in the comments!
 
PS: For anyone not sure what to do after their layoff or in need of support, I made this free LinkedIn Learning course and hope it will help: https://buff.ly/3BXt7j8 ♥️ 

* * * * * *

👋 I'm Lorraine—keynote speaker and bestselling author. I help rising leaders build an unforgettable presence and stand out at work. Follow for more actionable career tips!

♻️ Reshare if this resonated with you!

✉️ PS: Want to join 60,000+ others who get bite-sized career tips each week that help them work smarter, not harder? Subscribe: lorraineklee.com/subscribe

Taking a moment to appreciate the people who've made a real difference in my journey these last few months 🙏🏻 

(Make sure to give them a follow, too!)

Ryan Leffel and I met through his podcast. Then he asked me to join him in New York for a UXDX event. Then he suggested I speak at Priceline. Thank you for always thinking about the next opportunity for me!

Dorie Clark carved out time literally the morning of a flight to meet me in person for the first time. She generously shared her experiences and ideas. (Say hello to us on Instagram: https://lnkd.in/gh2N7KFs)

Che Ugwuala, MBA and I connected over LinkedIn, started talking about ways to collaborate, then he went above and beyond to organize and facilitate a fireside chat at Google’s New York office. 

Brandon Smithwrick 🧠 and I met at Hubspot’s INBOUND Creator program and when I recently reached out with some questions about the creator space, he generously wrote me a very long text with his answer the same day!

Kendra Stone, MBA hosted me at ServiceNow in New York and made what could have been a standard office visit into something memorable. She offered up the office in case I needed good internet (I did for a virtual event), reserved a room for said event and even got a monitor brought in, and took me out to lunch with the team (thanks, Marc Monday!). 

So appreciative of all of you! 💙

Who's been your unexpected champion this year?

Five years into my speaking career, and I’m now speaking alongside Neil Patel Ali Abdaal, and Seth Godin 🌔. 🤯

Ten years ago, I was the introvert avoiding presentations at ALL COSTS! 😂

When I did present, I was:
…trying to hide the fact that my hands were shaking
…sweating through my shirt (lol)
…wondering if I’d ever feel confident speaking to a room of 10 people, let alone thousands.

Digital Cut 2025 brings together some of the most influential digital minds on the planet for three days of deep dives into:

✨ AI & Automation
✨ Marketing & Advertising
✨ Content Creation
✨ Product-Led Growth
✨ RevOps & Data

I’ll be discussing what presence looks like in the age of AI, and how an introvert who once hid behind her laptop built a career helping millions show up with clarity, confidence, and credibility.

And I can’t wait.

Will I see you there? 

FEB. 6-8, 2026 | Register here: https://digitalcut.co/

I probably lost out on $100K over the course of my career by not negotiating my first salary.  

It’s one of the things I regret most early in my career. 

I recently spoke on a panel for Robert Half to talk about how today’s pay conversations are changing, and what both employers and employees can expect in this new landscape. 

Thanks to the Robert Half team and our AMAZING panelists: Hanna Goefft, Lachlan Ma💡, and Robert Hosking. 

Watch below for my favorite takeaways! 

For the full VOD, visit: https://lnkd.in/gvn7nC-5  

***

Plus check out the full Salary Guide for the data and insights you need to make your next money move: https://lnkd.in/g6aKh6kV

#RobertHalfPartner

I spent the first 5 years of my career thinking I was being polite. In reality, I was undermining my worth:

"Sorry, can I just ask..."
"I might be wrong, but..."
"This is probably a dumb question..."

Sound familiar? I was sabotaging my own authority — and didn't even realize it. 🥲

Your words tell people how to treat you. And the language that feels “polite” early in your career can quietly hold you back later.

Here are 7 phrases that make you sound junior (and what leaders say instead):

1️⃣ "Sorry to bother you..."
Say instead: "Do you have 5 minutes to discuss X?"
Leaders value their time and yours. Be direct.

2️⃣ "I think maybe we should..."
Say instead: "I recommend we..."
Own your expertise. You were hired for your judgment.

3️⃣ "Does that make sense?"
Say instead: "Happy to answer any questions."
Assume clarity. Let others flag confusion if needed. 

4️⃣ "I'm not sure if this is right..."
Say instead: "Based on my analysis..."
Make a confident recommendation based on the information you have.

5️⃣ "Just a quick thought..."
Say instead: "I've been thinking about X and here's my take..."
Take out unnecessary qualifiers.

6️⃣ "Ugh so sorry for the delay..."
Say instead: "Thanks for your patience!"
Turn apologies into appreciation. It changes the entire dynamic.

7️⃣ "I'll try to get it done..."
Say instead: "I'll have it to you by [date]."
Trying is hoping. Committing builds trust.

Start speaking like the leader you want to be. ✨

Which phrase are you guilty of overusing?

* * * * * *

👋 I'm Lorraine—keynote speaker and bestselling author. I help rising leaders build an unforgettable presence and stand out at work. Follow for more actionable career tips!

♻️ Reshare if this resonated with you!

📘 PS: Want more communication scripts that command respect? Check out my book, 𝙐𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚: https://amzn.to/3Hdv79r

I grew a 6-figure business in less than 2 years.

And I couldn't have done it without these 5 tools.

As my business gained momentum, so did all the overwhelm. 

Client emails, presentation deadlines, team chaos — I was getting it all done by grinding harder, but it wasn’t sustainable.

Then I went down a rabbit hole trying to find the tools that would help me work smarter, not harder.

These are 5 of my favorites I encourage you to try:

Gamma for 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨
Beautiful decks (and proposals!) in minutes. AI-powered presentations that look professional. There’s a reason you’re seeing them all over your feed.

Superhuman Mail for 𝙀𝙢𝙖𝙞𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙩𝙮
Many people know it as an AI-native email app, but it’s more than that for me. I love it as a super useful inbox collaboration tool. My team uses the comment feature all the time, and AI summaries save me from needing to read 20-email threads.

Airtable for my 𝘾𝙍𝙈
I’ve experimented with different tools, and Airtable’s filtering capabilities are a huge plus in helping me look at different groups and segments at a high level.

Asana for 𝙏𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣
Simple and perfect for my task needs. Before Asana, I had a super complicated task tracking process in another tool, but Asana is the one that has the whole team happy. :)

Canva for my 𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙨
I'm not a designer, and I don’t need to be with Canva! If you like my designs here and on Instagram, this is where they’re made.

Tools don't build businesses, but the right tools let me focus on what actually matters: serving my clients and growing my impact.

With the hours saved, I get to land bigger clients, create better content, and yes — finally sleep. ✨

Which tool has been a game-changer for your business? I want ALL the recs! :)

* * * * * *

👋 I'm Lorraine—keynote speaker and bestselling author. I help rising leaders build an unforgettable presence and stand out at work. Follow for more actionable career tips!

♻️ Help your network by sharing this post.

📘 PS: Ready to go from overlooked to unforgettable? Grab the book: https://amzn.to/3Hdv79r

If you're qualified but recruiters at top companies aren't messaging you, this is for you 👇

The job market is tough, but I'm still seeing great candidates land offers in just 1-3 months.

I know what it feels like to work hard, think you're doing everything right, and still get overlooked.

That's why I'm hosting a FREE LinkedIn Workshop with Superinterviews tomorrow! (Nov. 7 @ 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET.)

The amazing Kasey ✨ KD ✨ and I will discuss:
✨ The strategies recruiters use to search
✨ What recruiters are actually looking for in candidates
✨ Ways to update your LinkedIn profile so it finally gets seen

Plus: There may or not be some LIVE LinkedIn teardowns too (don't worry, we are nice) 😬 

Spots are limited, so grab your seat now!

REGISTER: https://luma.com/vwbl7hfs

#SidebarPartner

Just wrapped up my third year in business!!! 🥹 And to think it all began from a layoff.

As part of my annual tradition, I’m sharing a business recap and my favorite lessons with all of you in this special edition of Career Bites — the one time a year it’s more than 3-minute read. 😂

Read the full recap ⤵️

*****

PS: Want my previous recaps?

Year 👆: https://lnkd.in/gBgWDJ7b 
Year ✌️:  https://lnkd.in/gE8dQ7Cd 

#CareerBites #careertips #solopreneurtips #entrepreneurtips

Hi Reader, It’s been 3 years since I was laid off and began this crazy journey of solopreneurship (or should I say, entrepreneurship, now that I’ve ma

Open article: what I learned in year 3 of solopreneurship by Lorraine K. Lee • 10 min read

what I learned in year 3 of solopreneurship

For way too long, I used my introversion as an excuse to avoid networking events. (And if I did muster up the courage to go, I’d awkwardly stand off to the side)

Then I realized that the best connections happen when you stop seeing networking as schmoozing and view it as a way to help others.

Here are 4 ways introverts can build powerful professional relationships (without pretending to be extroverted):

1️⃣ 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
Add event attendees ahead of time to create a “warm” intro.

You may even end up having people come up to you first because they recognize you (it’s happened to me!). 

2️⃣ 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀
Skip loud, crowded happy hours. 
Choose events with sessions you want to learn from and industry leaders you want to meet.

3️⃣ 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟯-𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄-𝘂𝗽
→ 24 hours: "Great meeting you. Here's that resource we discussed."
→ 2 weeks: "Saw this [article] and thought of you."
→ 6-8 weeks: "I have a friend you might be interested in meeting, let me know!"

Consistency and follow-through build trust.

4️⃣ 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸
Go beyond surface-level questions.

❌ What do you do for work?
✅What are you excited about right now?

Your introvert superpowers—deep listening, thoughtful questions, strong writing—are relationship gold. .

Stop fighting your nature. Use it. ✨

Swipe for exact scripts and templates 👉

Y/N: Do you enjoy networking?

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👋 I'm Lorraine— I help rising leaders build an unforgettable presence and stand out at work. Follow for more actionable career tips!

♻️ Reshare if this resonated with you!

📘 PS: Ready to go from overlooked to unforgettable? Grab the book: https://amzn.to/3Hdv79r

4 Ways to Build Relationships (even as an Introvert)

So many emails fail before they even start. 😬

And when that happens, you’re not just losing replies —
you're losing opportunities, trust, and influence.

Not because your idea is bad…
but because one sentence is killing your credibility. 😣

If your emails are getting ignored, it might not be your message — it might be your opener.

👉 I'm sharing the 3 phrases that are quietly working against you (and what to say instead) in today's newsletter. ⬇️

#CareerBites #careertips #credibility

I recently sat down with Mo Bunnell on Real Relationships, Real Revenue to talk about what personal branding really means today. We dug into authentic

Open article: 3 email phrases your boss secretly hates by Lorraine K. Lee • 4 min read

My team and network are full of podcast lovers, so I asked them to share their go-to listens for career growth.

After dozens of recommendations, these six came up more than once:

🎧 Think Fast Talk Smart — Matt Abrahams
Practical communication tools to speak clearly under pressure.

🎧 Psychology at Work — Melody Wilding, LMSW
Insights on emotional intelligence, confidence, and navigating tough work moments.

🎧 Future of HR Consulting — JP Elliott, PhD
Real-world insights on modern HR, talent strategy, and what leaders need to build strong, people-first organizations.

🎧 Get Hired — Andrew Seaman
Actionable job-search advice from one of LinkedIn’s top career experts that teaches you how to find work aligned with your interests, values and strengths.

🎧 Tiger Sisters — Cherie Brooke Luo & Jean Luo
Smart, honest conversations about career, identity, and ambition.

🎧 Career Contessa — Lauren McGoodwin
Career guidance for women navigating growth, job changes, and leadership.

Some teach presence.
Some teach psychology.
Some teach leadership.

All of them teach you something you can apply right away.

PS: If you're curious to hear every podcast I've been on, here's the playlist: https://lnkd.in/gMqXSuyG

What are you listening to right now? 👇

* * * * * *

♻️ Reshare to help more people discover their next great listen!

My Favorite Podcasts

When imposter syndrome hits, these phrases always show up first:

(I know because I used to use them… a lot!)

In meetings: "Sorry, can I just quickly..."
In emails: "Maybe we could try..."
To compliments: "Oh, it was nothing really."

Sound familiar? 😅

I noticed these phrases rear their ugly heads early in my career, and it’s something I now see teaching and coaching so many other ambitious professionals.

Here are 5 phrases quietly killing your presence (and what to say instead):

1️⃣ "𝗦𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗯𝘂𝘁..."
→ Replace with: "I need your input on..."

You're not bothering anyone. You're doing your job.

2️⃣ "𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗱𝘂𝗺𝗯 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻..."
→ Replace with: "I'd like clarity on..."

There are no dumb questions. Only missed opportunities to learn.

3️⃣ "𝗜'𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲..."
→ Replace with: "Here's my perspective..."

If you've thought it through, trust your analysis.

4️⃣ "𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗜 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗹𝘆..."
→ Replace with: "I have an update on..." or "Let's discuss..."

Stop shrinking your ideas. They matter.

5️⃣ "𝗜 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗺𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱..."
→ Replace with: "I recommend we..."

Leaders don’t minimize. They communicate with clarity and conviction. 

The shift is subtle but powerful. 

When you stop apologizing for taking up space, people stop questioning whether you belong there. 

Which phrase are you guilty of using most?

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👋 I'm Lorraine—keynote speaker and bestselling author. I help rising leaders build an unforgettable presence and stand out at work. Follow for more actionable career tips!

♻️ Reshare if this resonated with you!

📘 PS: Ready to go from overlooked to unforgettable? Grab the book: https://amzn.to/3Hdv79r

A strategic introduction led to my biggest speaking client this year. Here's the exact 4-part intro formula that turns connections into contracts:

Most people think intros are just about being nice.

But as a business owner, I know introductions and word of mouth can make or break your pipeline. The difference? Knowing what separates intros that die in inboxes from ones that turn into real opportunities.

Intros that go nowhere:

❌ "You two should really connect!"
❌ Vague context about why you're connecting
❌ No clear next step or call-to-action
❌ Making the intro without permission

My 4-part formula that actually converts:

✅ Get permission first — "Would you be open to an intro to [Name]? They're looking for [specific need you can solve]"
✅ Draft it yourself — Send them a copy/paste template to make it effortless (game-changer!)
✅ Give them an out — "No pressure if now isn't the right time" shows respect for their bandwidth
✅ Be their hype person — Include specific wins or expertise for both parties. They'll remember this when making intros for YOU

This system helped me land keynotes at Cisco, ServiceNow, and TripAdvisor — all from strategic introductions, not cold pitches.

Swipe for the exact templates →

How do you approach professional introductions? What's worked for you?

* * * * * *

👋 I'm Lorraine—keynote speaker and bestselling author. I help rising leaders build an unforgettable presence and stand out at work. Follow for more actionable career tips!

♻️ Reshare if this resonated with you!

📘 PS: Ready to go from overlooked to unforgettable? Grab the book: https://amzn.to/3Hdv79r

How to Ask for an Intro (without burning bridges)

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Hope you’re all having a wonderful time reconnecting with family and friends. 🧡

Tech taught me a lot — but nothing prepared me for losing my job. 😣

One morning in November 2022, a single meeting invite changed everything.

After a decade in the industry — LinkedIn, SlideShare, Prezi — I thought I was secure. I’d built programs, led teams, and delivered results.

But none of that matters during a layoff.

What I didn’t realize at the time was how much that moment would transform my career. It forced me to rethink who I was outside of a company name, and it pushed me to make decisions I never would’ve made if I’d stayed comfortable.

This week's newsletter breaks down the lessons that helped me turn a layoff into something better.

👉 If you’re facing a layoff, uncertainty, or a pivot of your own… this one's for you.

#CareerBites #careertips #layoffs

Big news — I’m heading to SXSW! 🌟 I’m so excited to share that I’ll be speaking at SXSW 2026 in Austin! I’ll be co-hosting the LinkedIn Creators Meet

Open article: 3 things no one tells you about getting laid off by Lorraine K. Lee • 4 min read

3 things no one tells you about getting laid off

CNN asked me one question: What kills executive presence?

In my interview with Maribel Aber, I shared how there are many phrases we use everyday that are quietly sabotaging our credibility.

The phrases we think make us polite? 
They're actually making us invisible.

Phrases like:
→ “Sorry”
→ “Does that make sense?”
→ “I think…”
→ “I feel…”

The biggest shift in presence starts when you stop apologizing for showing up and start speaking like you belong in the room.

Here's what 10 years in corporate and tech taught me: The words you choose influence your presence. 

Choose wisely. ✨

Watch the full segment to hear the exact language swaps that command respect instead of undermining your authority. 

* * * * * *

👋 I'm Lorraine—keynote speaker and bestselling author. I help rising leaders build an unforgettable presence and stand out at work. Follow for more actionable career tips!

♻️ Reshare if this resonated with you!

📘 PS: Ready to go from overlooked to unforgettable? Grab the book: https://amzn.to/3Hdv79r

💬  𝗜 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗹𝗹 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘁!)

I'm creating 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 for ambitious professionals like you.

And with your help, it can be even better!

I'm running a short survey (<5 minutes, promise!) to hear directly from you about the biggest challenges and goals you face in your career right now.

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗜'𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲:
→ Aggregated results from 100+ professionals
→ A free career resource based on the top themes
→ Early access to what I'm building (if you want it)

It’s anonymous, takes less than 5 minutes, and your input will directly shape what I create next.

Ready to help me help you? ☺️

👉 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://lnkd.in/gpDxPShe 

𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞 𝗬𝗢𝗨!

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