Brand Strategist | I position challenger B2B brands for lasting growth with audits and strategic workshops | Strategy @ SHFT Agency

I've been in the game for over a decade, exploring the marketing industry supply vertical, working with clients of all sizes to design brand strategies and work that deliver business growth and cultural impact.

A strategic storyteller obsessed with turning data into insights, I craft narratives that give brands a
voice worth hearing.

But to get good, I needed to embark on a journey to do things worth living.

I explored rich cultures from all five continents, learned five languages, and tried as many foods as I could. I sweat buckets in jungles, swam in oceans, watched the opera and stared at the Mona Lisa.

I now help Levoit—a billion-dollar company and #1 seller of air purifiers in the US—build their brand.

I also run my own shop, BAM BAM, where me and other brand and creative hustlers help startups and in-house leaders ditch template thinking to build and activate positioning that drives impact.

—

My capabilities include:

🟠 INSIGHTS: Market audit, category mapping, competitive analysis, customer interviews, action and desktop research.

🟠 STRATEGY: Positioning, category creation, value proposition, go-to-market, customer journey maps, briefs.

🟠 CREATIVE: Naming (brand/product/service), verbal identity, touchpoint design, creative briefs, integrated and tactical campaigns, social content, ongoing support for roll out.

Need any of this? Send me a DM. 📩

BAM BAM—Bring Your Own Brain

👊

Steph Egger

Stef Curcio

Growth Marketing Manager

LinkedIn client acquisition in <​15 mins/day | Trusted by the top 1% of LinkedIn’s Creators

“We don't have time to send DMs and create content”

This is the #1 LinkedIn lead generation problem for founders and teams.

- Some companies we’ve worked with have seen revenue boosts of up to 327% in <90 days -

⭐Some people who trust our services:
- Jasmin Alic (290k+ followers)
- Richard Van Der Blom (220k+ followers)
- Okoye Chinelo (150k+ followers)

… and many others.

Most businesses know they should have a DM strategy in place…

But let’s be real...

most people do not have time for this!

(And everyone hates DMs)

But LinkedIn lead generation comes hard for many for mainly 3 reasons:

1) Don’t know how to start a conversation
2) You are used to annoying pitch slaps
3) Have better things to do

We simply do this for you.

**Scale Acqusition**:

A system of AI agents that generates clients on autopilot

*Including*

✅Content Agent
✅Lead validator Agent
✅DMs Generator Agent
✅Appointment setter Agent

🔒**Safe:**
Avoid annoying account restrictions.

👬**Don’t burn through leads:**
Avoid the pray and spray approach.

⏱️**Timeline from start to results:**
Start to see 20%-50% reply rate in 14-21 days.


📈Case studies:

- Trevor Longino, Founder - Crowd Tamers, GTM agency: +$44k in revenue in 30 days
- Gal Agadi, Founder - Gravity, Content agency: +$90k in sales in 40 days
- Beatrice Vladut, Founder - B Branded, Branding: Doubled sales calls in 30 days
- Justin Fowler-Lindner, Founder - The Rose Garden, Lead generation agency: +12 clients in 90 days


✍️How to start:

Copy and paste the URL below to get and learn how to generate clients in <15 minutes a day:

https://bit.ly/15-min-acqusition

Founder

The FREE community for entrepreneurs that want to master Elegant Lead Generation

Join at: 

stefcurcio.com

Today I received this question in Jasmin Alić's Link Up community:

"How can I generate leads without compromising who I am?"

(Paraphrased, but this was the core of it)

The person who asked me that question has a strong intention for their business.

I could feel it in his question.

My thoughts immediately went to what most people think about outreach:

"You have to follow a bunch of strategies to make it work".

That is not true.

I have proved it many times through my DMs.

When I reach out, I offer support. 

And if my approach resonates, or I am asked, I state what I do.

That is it :)

I use no business strategy.

And it works.

Now, I can share my templates publicly.

(I do inside of my community)

But I always ask my clients not to copy and paste it.

Because to be sustainable, outreach must be fun first :)

P.S. Do you reach out to prospects on a daily basis?

Authentic, connection-based client acquisition systems | Win the human, win the deal | Trusted by the top 1% of LinkedIn’s Creators

Yesterday, a networking call turned into a sales call.

By asking this question:

"What can I do to support you?"

No strategy...

No manipulation...

No hidden agenda.

They invited me to a networking call.

I felt curious about the other person, so I gladly accepted.

I enjoyed hearing about how they grew and their business philosophy.

The other person organically stated their needs.

At that point, I asked: "How can I support you?"

No assumption they wanted ME to help them.

Soon, after, they asked to organize a sales call.

What's becoming more and more clear to me is:


1) Sales happen organically when there is trust

Both when people feel they can trust you as a person and as a professional.


2) And a need becomes self-evident

The receiver of the service becomes conscious that they need a service you can offer.


Looking back, I can see how I often failed because I was too concerned with things like:

"How can I win the prospect?"

"How can I create a need for my services on the call?"

"Am I going to be rejected again?"

It was all very tiring :)

But it does not have to feel like that.

P.S. Unrelated video of me playing some traditional Japanese games that I thought would be nice to share :)

Build and scale intentional Client Acquisition systems | Win the human, win the deal | Trusted by the top 1% of LinkedIn’s Creators

I stopped lifting weights in September.

And I will never go back.

I always thought I wanted to be stronger.

Jump higher and run faster.

In short, be more performative when I ball 🏀

I have been lifting weights since I was 14-15 years old.

But, no matter how much I trained...

I felt more stiff...

And running just kept getting harder every year.

It was when I bumped into the topic of Fascia...

When I felt that working on my fascia connection would be the "solution".

But, there was a problem...

To do it properly, I had to give up on lifting weights.

 And there, I felt attachment.

I clearly felt that I was attached to weight lifting for the way I looked...

And not how my body felt.

I wanted to "look strong"...

Not be strong.

And I feel it's the same with LinkedIn.

I fell for the "wanting to look successful" trap multiple times.

Rather than "becoming successful".

I tried to "look successful".

Through likes and views.

The most successful people I have met on LinkedIn...

Do not have a crazy following.

(With a few exceptions)

Their "success" is often generated on virtual calls...

In offices, cafes, and conferences...

And not under their posts :)

P.S. I am onboarding 10 more people next week to help them generate clients on LinkedIn with a client acquisition system that feels real and intentional. Comment or DM "connection" if you want to receive the Doc with the offer.

You can create clients out of thin air.

That is why I love DMs.

I worked with Louis Butterfield last year.

We got 4 clients high ticket clients in 21 days.

That was an additional $20k from DMs...

That likely he wouldn't have generated if we had not DMed.

I typically get 1-3 interested leads/day from DMs.

That I would not get without messaging.

And you can get interested leads and clients without an audience.

I have gotten leads for clients with <750 connections...

My approach is simple:

- Find what your prospects want

Which might or might not be related to your service

- Give it to them

Offer it to your prospects

- Make it effortless and fun

I look forward to getting my DMs in the inbox of my prospects.

- Extra: Be intentional, transparent, and release attachment.

P.S. I am onboarding 2 1on1 clients this month. If what I wrote here resonates with you, just comment or DM "onboard" and I will share a doc with my 1on1 program.

Your business can take off in a matter of days.

I really mean it. Let me explain.

As a thought experiment...

I created a new outreach strategy within my community.

I wanted to show my client D. that you could be direct and intentional.

I sent 5 DMs to test my theory, and I got 1 meeting.

(Screenshot of the reply in the comments 📌)

Also this week...

I onboarded a client by sending an initial DM asking if they wanted me to make an intro to anyone in my network.

It does not matter where you are in your business right now...

Whether you enjoy being direct in business or developing relationships...

You can turn the tides of your business around in a matter of days.

You do not need smart systems...

Sexy DMs scripts...

AI or automation.

(Although some of these are great to scale)

What you need is to pour your intention into a handful of DMs.

The "secret" (to me) is being intentional.

P.S. I am closing the onboarding of new members into my community this Saturday. Comment or DM "connect" to receive the doc with the offer.

"What were you looking for when you visited my profile?"
"How is LinkedIn treating you?"
"Goal for the new year?"

These are some common ways people do DMs on LinkedIn.

And what is taught in most courses.

I am sure some of them have built incredibly successful businesses doing this.

(I got 47 clients in year 1 of LinkedIn doing exactly this)

And I am sure some people love this way of doing DMs.

But that is not how I enjoy doing outreach. 

I don't enjoy:

- Long conversations for the sake of it.
- Spending a ton of time in the DMs.
- Throwing the bait and waiting.

I love being intentional.

I love stating my intention clearly upfront.

If I am offering support, you can count on me to actually support.

If I am here to do business together, I clearly communicate it.

If you are in, we move on.

If you are not, we go our separate ways.

For me, being intentional with outreach is either:

- Supporting my connections

And never mentioning business unless invited to.
(You have no idea how many clients and opportunities I am generating doing this).

- Talking business right away with intention.

Spend time researching leads, showing them the problem and the opportunity, and ask if there is a reason why things are the way they are. Later, systemize it to scale.

You do not need months to start generating leads. 

You can change your business in a week.

P.S. On Monday, I am starting another cohort for 10 people who want to generate leads with intention right now. Comment or DM "Gdoc" to receive the Google doc with all the info.

"I am in the helping business"

This DM came today, and stuck with me.

I say that my generation has lost touch with "the sense community".

In the old days, sales were all about connections and relationships.

(It still is)

However, we came to believe that somehow lead magnets, AI, and technology can replace the foundation of sales:

- Relationships

I love this motto that came to me a few days ago:

"Win the person, win the deal".

Give without asking anything in return to another human being...

And see them going out of their way to open doors for you.

P.S. If you are keen on learning more about this way of doing outreach. Comment or DM "1on1" and I will share my Gdoc to show you what it would look like to work 1on1 with me.

One thing I have learned about outreach:

It likes action.

It does not matter if you get it wrong...

Fail...

And get ghosted.

It's ok even if you pitch slap people...

What's important is:

- That you take the lesson.
- Apply the learnings.
- And move on.

You have a unique opportunity to get in front of your ideal clients.

It's up to you to make the best of it.

P.S. Do you DM at all?

I respect those who try DMs even if uncomfortable.

I see many in Jasmin Alić's Link Up.

I am often asked:

"How can I start with DMs?"

"Is this DM ok for my ICP?"

I have mad respect for anyone willing to get uncomfortable to manifest their dreams.

There is 1% of people on LinkedIn who create content.

I bet people who DM are way less.

So, if you are one of them. Congrats, you are positioned uniquely to succeed.

Here is what the average outreach journey for most people here:

1) Start sending DMs
2) Poor results
3) Give up

Now, the first 2 steps are there for most people.

I got it wrong many times before getting it right.

The important thing is that you do not stop.

You take the feedback and test something new.

(or hire someone who has done it before who you can trust)

If you want to create personalization...

Really read the post and give a well-thought-out comment.

If you want to be direct...

Show what the possibility would look like, ask your question, and make it about them (no pitch slaps).

If you want to network...

Connect, focus on giving to be remembered.

My general advice is:

- Be intentional

You can change the trajectory of your business in a matter of days.

Like P.: 15 DMs 2 meetings (screenshot below).

P.S. I have 1 open 1 on1 slot for my 1-on-1 program. If what I wrote resonates, comment or DM "1on1" to receive the details of the program.

I am learning this about the Japanese:

They need to see you often to feel safe around you. 

It's not necessarily about the quality of the interactions but the quantity. 

But that is not the same in sales.

In my experience, it's the quality of the interactions that makes a difference. 

A lead can see your content or receive your DMs 10 times...

But if they don’t feel anything from your posts or DMs...

It’s as if they’ve never seen your face before. 

You are still a stranger. 

You have not earned their trust. 

The best way to make an impact is to be intentional with your DMs. 

Making people feel the commitment to my intention. 

And make them feel: "There is something different about this guy. Let me see what he has to say". 

Today I tested a new, very direct intentional strategy to 5 cold leads.

5 DMs, 1 meeting (screenshot in the image).

To me, outreach is not about smart tactics to get an answer from a prospect...

But reaching out with intent.


P.S. I am launching a cohort for 10 people next week. If what I have shared resonates with you, comment or DM "connection", and I will send you the Gdoc with the offer.

I used to think automation was cheating.

Like I was starting a relationship on a lie.

Until I learned I could pour my intention into a system.

With time, I realized something: 

The grind and effort weren't the point. 

The connection was.

So I started using tools.

HeyReach.io became my partner.

Not to replace the intention in my DMs.

But to amplify it.

To reach more people with the same care I'd give if I were typing each message myself.

Because here's the truth.

Automation isn't bad.

It lets me show up for more entrepreneurs who need support.

It lets me scale my intention.

I love connecting with people. That hasn't changed.

What changed is the reach.

Now, I have more conversations.

Because the tool handles the volume.

And I handle the relationship.

1) Find somethign that works and feels good

2) Systemize and scale

P.S. What is your intention when you reach out?

I have internal battles when I see "success posts".

Jealousy comes up.

Things I did:

- Analyze their posts to find inconsistencies
- Calculate how much they are making
- Try to uncover lies

"Success only comes when you can be genuinely happy for others' success".

My mentor told me more than once.

It's hard to quantify how much time I spent trying to make others wrong...

(it's a lot 🤣)

Instead of focusing on becoming successful myself.

Now, some people might lie about their results...

However, that is none of my business :)

I still feel jealousy these days, but like any other feeling that does not serve me...

I let it go and move on.

And whenever I can, I praise others for their success.

In the past 2 weeks...

I have onboarded more cleints that I did in the last 3 months.

And I am happy to share my results publicly :)

I hope you can let yourself be inspired.

In a time where many look at LinkedIn as a dying platform...

Many are building their success.

It all depends on how you look at it :)

P.S. Still have 1 1-on-1 slot this month. Just comment or DM "1on1" and I will send you the details of my 1on1 program.

taplio

The Battle

Steph Egger

Stef Curcio

Followers

Posts

Engagements

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Performance ScoreStef Curcio's LinkedIn Performance

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taplio

The Battle

Steph Egger

Stef Curcio

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);}Stef Curcio's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreStef Curcio's LinkedIn Performance