Mark MacLeod

Limitless.ceo

Limitless is an exclusive community of VC and PE-backed CEOs who want
to scale themselves and their companies without limits.

Founder

I coach startup CEOs to grow themselves and their business all the way to a massive exit

SurePath Capital Partners

SurePath Capital Partners is the premier strategic financial advisor to the global SMB Software market. With offices in Toronto and San Francisco, we aim to be the #1 advisor in this space globally and the one call CEOs and board make when they need to make a deal happen.

FreshBooks

I led finance and corporate development at FreshBooks - the #1 cloud accounting specialist for small business owners. Since 2004, over 5 million people have used FreshBooks to track time, organize expenses and invoice clients online and in the cloud.

Accomplishments:
- Closed $30M institutional funding round + other unpublished transactions
- Led the process to find a partner to backstop a new product line
- Sourced and closed other key revenue-generating partnerships

CFO + Chief Corporate Development Officer

Real Ventures

Venture Partner

Parter at Real Ventures where I focus on SaaS, freemium, e-commerce and digital media seed investments

Director, Fabric Technologies
Director, Context.io (sold to Return Path)
Director, Frank and Oak
Observer, Rewardli Inc.
Investor, Thinknear.com (sold to Telenav)
Investor, Localmind.com (sold to Airbnb)
Investor, Massive Damage Inc.
Director, Sweet IQ (sold to Reachlocal)
Observer, Unbounce.com
Investor, Engagio (sold to Influitive)
Investor, Origin.al Internet Company

General Partner

Tungle Corporation

CFO for Tungle - a great solution for meeting coordination.

Raised a $5M "A" round. Served as CFO through the successful sale of the company to RIM.

SaaS, E-commerce, Marketplace companies

Interim CFO, Shopify
Advisor, Well.ca
Advisor, Cakemail 
Advisor, Dok Dok Inc 
Advisor, Raymark
Advisor, Sitezoogle 
Interim CFO, Status.net Inc.

Advisor & CFO

Mobivox

Led finance, operations, legal, HR, strategic planning functions for this mobile communications startup. Raised an $10M B round led by Flybridge. Raised an additional $1M in China. Made major improvements to execution, ops, key metrics, etc.

Terrascale Technologies Inc.

Led finance, operations, customer support, IT and manufacturing for this venture-backed networked storage vendor. Negotiated the sale of Terrascale to Rackable Systems (NASDAQ: RACK) in a deal returning 10x on invested capital.

VP, Finance

Hexago

Prepared this 15 person IP networking startup for commercialization & ‘B’ round funding. Responsibilities included financing, all back office operations, investor + board relations and negotiation of all  agreements. Towards the end of my term, I was given increasing responsibility for OEM sales and strategic relationships.

I help startup CEOs go from $5M in revenue to a massive exit

Since 1999, I have sat at the right-hand side of the leaders of high growth technology companies as either a CFO, VC or deal maker. I served as CFO for software companies including Shopify (NYSE: SHOP) and Freshbooks. 

I was a General Partner in Real Ventures, one of Canada's largest and most active seed stage funds. My investments there include the fund's largest cash on cash and highest IRR returns to date. 

Most recently, I founded SurePath Capital Partners the leading investment bank for SMB SaaS companies where we did hundreds of millions in financing and exit transactions.

The thing I loved most about these roles was the one on one coaching and advisory conversations I had with CEOs. 

Since 2020 I have been coaching, investing in and advising CEOs + helping them execute game-changing deals.

I am a semi-active angel investor with a portfolio of 22 investments, 2 highly positive exits and counting.

In my spare time, I am a passionate CrossFit athlete and electronic music producer/ DJ. I also run Deep Down Music, a record label.

I coach, advise and invest in the CEOs of high growth technology companies & help them execute game-changing deals.

The Tokyo Test.

Before I hire anyone or partner with a VC, I ask myself one question:

Would I be excited to sit beside this person on a 14-hour flight to Tokyo?

If the answer is no, I pass.

Life is too short to work with people you don't actually like.

Skills matter. Chemistry matters more.

Use the Tokyo Test.

Helping VC-backed CEOs scale themselves and their companies without limits. | Host of The Startup CEO Show podcast

The most senior person in the room uses the fewest words.

Junior: 10 slides to explain the problem
Mid-level: 5 slides with bullet points
Senior: "We have a cash flow issue. Here are three options."

Brevity isn't about being short. It's about being clear.

It means you've done the hard work of:
- Cutting through the noise
- Identifying what actually matters
- Removing your own confusion first

If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it yet.

Watch how the best CEOs communicate:
- They get to the point
- They don't hedge with qualifiers
- They don't need jargon to sound smart

The CEO who says "Revenue is down, we need to cut 15% of headcount by Friday" is more senior than the one who sends a 2000-word memo about "organizational optimization initiatives."

You earn seniority when you stop needing extra words to feel credible.

Complexity is easy. Clarity is hard.

If you want to level up, start cutting.

Subscribe to my newsletter and get a 22 page presentation on the secrets of Limitless CEOs https://lnkd.in/gWqQBd-n

Bryn Jones grew PartnerStack for 4 straight years at 100% growth.

Most founders dream of that problem.

He told me it nearly broke him.

His insight: "Growth solves everything. Except it solves everything by letting you ignore problems.

You can only pave over so many cracks before the whole thing collapses.

The wildest part? Fixing those problems after Tech Winter hit was the most fulfilling work of his career. More than the hypergrowth years.

If you missed my podcast with Bryn, here is the interview. We cover:
Also in this conversation:
✅  How being on Canada's national swim team prepared him for 10 years as a CEO
✅  Why most partnerships fail despite their potential
✅  The one question that determines if a partnership will work
✅  Why he ignored his instinct and what happened next

Read it here:

Open article: PartnerStack's CEO Bryn Jones on 10 Years of Building B2B Partnership Networks and Why Growth Nearly Broke Him - Mark MacLeod by markmacleod.me

PartnerStack's CEO Bryn Jones on 10 Years of Building B2B Partnership Networks and Why Growth Nearly Broke Him - Mark MacLeod

Work hard. Play hard. Sleep hard.

This is my mantra.

Work hard: Anything worth doing is never easy. You need to push.

Play hard: Play makes life worth living. Most CEOs think this is a post-exit luxury. I disagree. For me, "play" is music and yoga. Non-negotiables.

Sleep hard: Another thing many CEOs skip. To show up as your best self and crush without burning out, you need to sleep like it's your job.

You are a mental athlete. Athletes sleep like it's their job.

Nobody is thinking about you.

Seriously.

Your competitor? Too busy with their own problems.

Your team? Thinking about their own issues.

Your board? Looking at the numbers, not judging you as a person.

The brutal truth: You're not the main character in anyone's story but your own.

So why are you making decisions based on what "they" might think?

❌ Holding back on that bold strategy
❌ Overthinking that honest conversation
❌  Not sharing your real challenges

Your anxiety about perception is burning energy that you need for  building.

The CEOs who scale fastest realize that only results matter. Not optics. Not opinions. 

Make the call. Say the thing. Take the risk.

They're all too busy worrying about what YOU think of them.

If your direct reports drain you, you have the wrong people.

Or you're doing their job for them.

I see this constantly with the CEOs.

❌  They finish a day of back-to-back 1-on-1s and they're exhausted.

❌  They spend more time fixing their team's work than doing their own.

❌  They dread certain meetings because they know it'll be them solving problems again. Or a certain team member just saps them of energy.

Here's what should happen instead:

✅  Your direct reports should energize you.

✅  You should leave your 1-on-1s thinking "damn, I'm glad they're on this team."

✅  You should feel excited about what they're building, not anxious about cleaning up their mess.

✅ You should get ideas from them, not just give them.

If that's not happening, there are only two reasons:

1. You hired wrong
2. You're not letting go

Hiring wrong is fixable. Make the change.

Not letting go is also fixable, but it requires you to change.

Stop jumping in to save the day. Stop being the one with all the answers.

Build systems. Train properly. Then trust.

Sometimes you need to watch things break to learn where the system needs fixing.

You can't scale a company where everything runs through you.

And you definitely can't sustain it.

Your team should multiply your energy, not divide it.

If they're not doing that, something needs to change. 

P.S.
This was my all star team at SurePath Capital. Each and every team member gave me enery and leverage.

This is the story of how a tax law professor built a $30M ARR company while still teaching classes.
 
Benjamin Alarie is the CEO of Blue J Legal AND a professor at U of Toronto law school.
 
He saw AI coming for the legal profession in 2011. Had a choice: watch it happen or build the future himself.
 
The kicker? He's not a software engineer. His co-founder moved from Australia because of a childhood friendship.
 
They started in 2015. Spent 7 years building with supervised machine learning. Then LLMs hit. They pivoted hard in 2023.
 
Now: 300%+ YoY growth. 10 new logos daily. Approaching $30M ARR.
 
The lesson isn't about AI or tax law.
 
It's about recognizing when your deep domain expertise intersects with massive technological shifts.
 
Ben knew tax research was painful because he'd lived it for thousands of hours. He could see exactly what needed to exist.
 
Most professors would write another paper. He built a company.
 
We talked about:
✅ Managing investors while maintaining an academic career
✅ Enterprise sales when your TAM is basically the Big 4
✅ Why LLMs changed everything
✅ The $500B tax compliance market nobody thinks about
 
Link in comments.

The new CEO flex: Your sleep score.

Remember when pulling all-nighters was a badge of honour?

That doesn't scale. It just makes it harder for you to build your company.

Elite performers know: sleep is performance.

8 hours. 90% sleep score. REM cycles optimized.

That's the real flex.

You're a mental athlete running a company worth millions.

Sleep like your business depends on it.

Because it does.

No small plans.

It takes the same effort to hit "achievable" targets as it does for "crazy" targets.

Same meetings. Same strategic planning. Same team-building.

The only difference? Your ambition.

Most CEOs set targets they know they can hit. Safe. Predictable. Boring. They do this so they can tell their investors they are "on plan".

As you get ready for 2026, consider setting seemingly impossible targets.

Google was famous for this with it's moonshot thinking.

Hitting 60% of a moonshot target may be much better than hitting 100% of an achievable target.

Early stage VC: "We make 30 bets a year. Let's take a shot."

Growth stage VC: "We make 3 bets a year. Prove everything."

This is the shift founders don't see coming.

Seed investors are building a portfolio. If 1 in 10 works, they win. They can afford leaps of faith.

Growth investors are making concentrated bets. If 1 in 3 fails, their fund is cooked. They can't afford to be wrong.

So they need:
✅  Three years of consistent revenue growth
✅  Proof of unit economics
✅  Evidence of repeatability
✅  Clear path to exit

They're not being difficult. They're being rational.

Your Series A took 20 conversations.
Your Series C will take 200.

The math is simple:
- Early stage: high volume, high failure tolerance
- Late stage: low volume, low failure tolerance

Build your pipeline accordingly.

If you're raising growth stage capital with a seed stage pipeline strategy, you're going to run out of runway before you find your lead. Growth investors want to track you for a long time before they invest. No FOMO decisions.

Don't get bitter. Get realistic. 

Subscribe to my newsletter and get a 22 page presentation on the secrets of Limitless CEOs https://lnkd.in/gWqQBd-n

P.S.
here's a random photo of me at the Calgary Stampede back when I was a VC. Cowboy hats are underrated

You can't see the system when you're inside it.

Your best thinking happens when you step out of the environment that created your current thinking.

Today I am joining Adrian Salamunovic to kick off the first Limitless Unconference in Tulum.

A group of ambitious humans are arriving. All builders. All on the go.

The goal is to reset. Take a breath. Take stock of what’s working and not. In our companies and our lives.

To engage in healing breath work and movement. To gain clarity and set our commitments and dreams for 2026.

I use retreats as a way to recharge, reset and recommit every year. My goal is to have one big retreat per year and 3 small ones.

This gives me perspective and direction. I slow down to speed up.

CEOs who build for the long term don't just work hard. They build in time to step back. Quarterly. Monthly. However often you need it.

Because perspective isn't found in the grind.

It's found when you finally stop grinding.

When you lose your health, you realize nothing else matters.

So many CEOs that come to me for coaching are killing themselves and can't keep up.

In this video Robbie Bent co-founder and CEO of Othership gets real about his journey. See comments for the full conversation.

P.S.
If you want to build a market-leading company without sacrificing your health, come join us at Limitless (see my featured post for the link)

Open video: ✂️ The CEO role will kill you on youtube.com

Want to 10x your company? Start by 10x'ing your capacity.

You can't scale what you haven't built in yourself first.

I see CEOs obsessing over growth hacks, fundraising strategies, and hiring plans.

But they ignore the most important variable: themselves.

Your energy. Your focus. Your ability to handle stress. Your decision-making under pressure.

Most founders hit a ceiling not because their market is too small or their product is wrong.

They hit a ceiling because they've maxed out their personal operating system.

The tree grows tall because its roots go deep.

Your company will only rise as high as your foundation is solid.

This means: sleep, exercise, mental health, relationships, nervous system regulation.

The boring stuff that everyone skips.

The biggest outcomes are founder-led. Always have been.

Zuck. Bezos. Jobs. Musk.

They didn't just build companies. They built themselves into people capable of leading those companies.

Stay grounded while you build.

Invest in your foundation as aggressively as you invest in your business.

That's how you become limitless.

Here's why meditation feels scary (at first)

The moment you sit down, the noise starts. Not around you—inside you.

You suddenly notice how busy your mind is. Thoughts. Loops. Worries. Stories.
It’s a lot.

But here’s the truth: that chaos was already there. You’ve just been working so hard to think clearly through it. This is why you're so exhausted. Why you can't think clearly.

Imagine how much energy you’d reclaim if your mind was actually clear.

Meditation shows you the mess then helps you clean it up.

Yes, it’s uncomfortable at first.

But on the other side? Clarity. Presence. Power.

Sit anyway.

The peace you’re seeking is already within you.
✨

Chase Dimond

Top Ecommerce Email Marketer & Agency Owner | We’ve sent over 1 billion emails for our clients resulting in $200+ million in email attributable revenue.

Currently building Structured — a top ecommerce email marketing agency.

We’re a top Omnisend and Klaviyo email marketing agency partner.

And I was recently voted as the #1 ecommerce influencer to follow by Shopify and Shopify Plus.

I was also given the Top Voice Award for Email Marketing by LinkedIn and was ranked as the top email marketer on LinkedIn by Favikon.

Since launching our email agency in June of 2018, we’ve helped our clients send over a billion emails resulting in over $200 million in email attributable revenue. 

A few of our current and past clients include:
- Poo~Pourri
- Eight Sleep
- Health-Ade
- Mixtiles
- The Chive
- Vessi
- CrossNet
- Orgain

If you’re looking to hire a great email marketing agency, send me an email with more here: chase@chasedimond.com

———————————————————————————

Outside my agency, I run a number of other fast growing businesses. And I’m fortunate to have over 750,000+ amazing followers/subscribers across my social channels and email newsletter.

If you’re looking to advertise to my audience, please send me an email with more info: chase@chasedimond.com 

———————————————————————————

Here are a few other things I've accomplished:

-Scaled a product I built, marketed, and managed to 500,000 visitors in 6 months without spending a single traditional advertising dollar.

-Generated 1.5 million visitors for a dating site within the first two months of launch without spending a single traditional advertising dollar.

-Acquired 500,000 subscribers in 10 months for a travel email newsletter I helped launch while spending very little traditional advertising dollars.

-Acquired over 1.5 million total followers on Instagram for the clients/companies I have worked with/for.

-Sold a business (social media tool that helps musicians automate growth and promotions) to the largest player in the space.

You can reach me via email: chase@chasedimond.com

My newsletter is your no BS guide into what's working in email marketing - I'll give you the latest tips + tactics to help you drive more revenue from your email marketing channel. 

Sign up (it's free) here: https://chasedimond.com/chase-email-newsletter

It’s not about collecting business cards or follower counts.

It’s about building bridges with people who get it - who challenge you, inspire you, and open doors you didn’t know existed.

The right network doesn’t just grow your career - it expands your mindset, your confidence, and your opportunities.

Here are 12 ways to build powerful, authentic connections:

1️⃣ Lead with curiosity. Ask, don’t pitch. People love being seen and heard.

2️⃣ Add value first. Share insights, introductions, or encouragement before asking for anything.

3️⃣ Show up consistently. Comment, engage, and participate where your industry hangs out.

4️⃣ Find your communities. Join professional groups, Slack channels, or niche forums.

5️⃣ Attend events strategically. Go where your next mentor, collaborator, or client might actually be.

6️⃣ Follow up. A short, thoughtful message can turn a conversation into a relationship.

7️⃣ Be generous with your expertise. Give more than you take - it builds reputation fast.

8️⃣ Don’t chase status. The best opportunities often come from peers, not big titles.

9️⃣ Stay authentic. Pretending to be someone you’re not is the fastest way to disconnect.

1️⃣0️⃣ Keep it human. Share stories, not sales pitches.

1️⃣1️⃣ Support others publicly. Celebrate others’ wins - it builds goodwill that lasts.

1️⃣2️⃣ Play the long game. Relationships compound like interest; nurture them with time.

The truth? You’re one conversation away from a completely different path.

Image credit: Tim Stoddart

I hired the smartest person in the room once.
They lasted 3 months.

I hired the kindest person in the room once.
They're now running that team.

(Credit: Daniel Disney) 

Here's what that sign gets absolutely RIGHT about building winning teams 👇

We're obsessed with IQ.
With credentials.
With "rockstars" and "ninjas."

But after 15+ years building sales teams, I've learned something brutal:

Smart people who lack humility? They're ticking time bombs.

Think about it...

That genius who won't listen to feedback?
That top performer who belittles teammates?
That "expert" who thinks they know everything?

They're not building your business.
They're slowly destroying it.

Here's what ACTUALLY happens when you prioritize kindness and humility:

↳ Team meetings become idea factories (not ego battles)
↳ Mistakes become learning moments (not blame games)
↳ Success gets shared (not hoarded)
↳ People actually WANT to help each other win

I've seen it firsthand:

The "average" rep who listened to everyone?
Became our top performer within 6 months.

The "inexperienced" manager who admitted what they didn't know?
Built the strongest team culture we'd ever had.

The "quiet" team member who always helped others?
Now our most valuable leader.

Because here's the uncomfortable truth:

Skills can be taught.
Systems can be learned.
Processes can be mastered.

But kindness? Humility? 
Those are CHARACTER.

And character is what determines:
- How they handle pressure
- How they treat customers
- How they respond to failure
- How they celebrate others' wins

Smart people might win alone.
Kind and humble people? They build dynasties.

So next time you're hiring, promoting, or building a team...

Don't just check their resume.
Check their character.

Because working with smart people IS great.

But working with kind and humble people?

That's how you build something that actually lasts.

Your peace of mind is worth more than any paycheck


🟡 Put Your Mental Health First: No Job is Worth Your Peace of Mind 

Your job should make you feel good, not stressed out

🟠 If work is keeping you up at night, it's time for a change. 

Your mental health comes first—always

🔴 Let's create workplaces where we can thrive without sacrificing our well-being

🟢 You deserve a job that lets you rest peacefully at night


Credit: Dr. Mohammed Shagil

Every marketer has been here.

Meanwhile, the marketing team is just trying to hold it together.

But here’s the truth —
Marketing isn’t about making things look good.
It’s about making things work.

✅ It turns chaos into clarity.
✅ It connects what the product does with what people actually want.
✅ It builds systems that create demand instead of chasing it.

When you treat marketing as design-on-demand, you get noise.
When you treat it as strategy, you get growth. 🚀

Image credit: @Kimberly Gordon


P.S. If you write emails and you’re looking for inspiration, check out:

inboox.ai

People will forget your title.

But they’ll NEVER forget how you treated them.

Everyone deserves respect.
Regardless of title or status.

I’ve seen people completely ignore cleaners, security & junior staff…

Only to light up when a senior exec enters the room.

It's embarrassing. 
And tells me everything I need to know.

I come from humble beginnings.
My parents taught me to respect everyone.

Here’s How To Lead With Humility & Build A Culture Of Respect:

1️⃣ Treat Everyone Like They Matter
↳ Because they do - everyone has a part to play.

2️⃣ Speak to People on Their Level
↳ Don’t talk at people. Speak with them.
↳ Be genuine - ask questions and listen. 

3️⃣ Show Gratitude Daily
↳ A simple thank you can mean the world.
↳ Especially to those often overlooked.

4️⃣ Promote DEI Beyond the Buzzwords
↳ Listen to diverse voices & celebrate differences
↳ Hire & promote inclusively - your team will benefit.

5️⃣ Ask for Feedback at Every Level
↳ Get 360 insight from everyone around you. 
↳ You'll see how you're actually perceived. 

6️⃣ Stay Grounded
↳ Don’t let your title make you forget where you came from.

7️⃣ Lead by Example
↳ People remember how you make them feel. 

How you treat others says everything about you.

Respect everyone.

You'll be a better person & leader because of it.


Credit: Dan Mian

Some years test your patience more than your strategy.

Not every year is about scaling fast, hitting every goal, or breaking records.
Some years are about surviving the turbulence and learning who you are when nothing goes as planned.

Those seasons don’t define your losses - they define your foundation.

Because:

👉 The lessons learned in difficult years become the instincts you rely on in successful ones.
👉 The resilience you build under pressure becomes the quiet strength that carries your team.
👉 The humility gained in setbacks makes you a better leader when you rise again.

You don’t lose when progress slows.
You build depth, discipline, and direction.

Growth doesn’t always look like expansion.
Sometimes, it looks like endurance.

Some years you win.
Other years - you build the person who will.

Image credit: UpSkillYourLife on Twitter/X

Marketing managers don’t sign up to do it all. They’re just expected to.

Write the copy.
Run the ads.
Design the creative.
Analyze the data.
Manage the projects.

No one can excel when they’re spread this thin.

Marketing managers shouldn’t have to wear every hat. They should be supported so they can focus on leading strategy and driving growth.


P.S. If you write emails and you’re looking for inspiration, check out:

inboox.ai

Working with smart people is great.
But it is not enough.

Because intelligence can solve problems.
But humility and kindness build cultures where problems don’t have to exist in the first place.

Here’s why it matters so much 👇

Kind and humble people:

They make collaboration effortless.
You don’t waste energy defending ideas or egos. 
You build together - faster, cleaner, and with more trust.

They create psychological safety.
When people feel respected, they speak up, share bold ideas, 
and admit mistakes early. 
That’s how teams innovate and grow.

They inspire long-term loyalty.
People don’t leave companies - they leave toxic dynamics. 
Working with grounded, genuine teammates keeps great talent around.

 Ways to practice kindness and humility at work:

Listen more than you talk.
You don’t need to have the loudest voice to have the strongest impact. 
Listening builds connection and earns respect.

Give credit - generously.
Acknowledging others’ work doesn’t diminish your own. 
It multiplies the trust and energy in your team.

Keep learning.
The moment you think you’ve “arrived,” you stop growing. 
Stay curious, stay open, and never let success make you unapproachable.

Kind people build strong teams.
Strong teams create big results.

Marketers don’t quit marketing.
They quit:

– companies that believe marketing is just “posting on LinkedIn”
– leaders who don’t understand how marketing actually works
– founders who refuse to trust the experts they’ve hired
– executives who treat every new idea as urgent
– managers who assign twelve “top priorities” at once
– leadership teams that want bold results but reject bold ideas
– organizations where insights are collected but never acted upon
– executives who cut budgets but double the targets
– founders who expect one person to do five jobs
– cultures that dismiss brand work as vanity
– leaders who pull headcount approvals after promising them for months
– timelines that confuse motion with progress
– teams where data matters only when it fits the narrative
– workplaces that celebrate constant “busyness” over meaningful results
– decision-makers who change direction every quarter and call it agility
– companies that undervalue strategy because it doesn’t produce instant ROI
– environments where creative work is micromanaged to death
– executives who equate “viral” with “effective”

Good marketing isn’t fragile.
Bad leadership is.

Marketers don’t burn out from the craft - they burn out from the chaos around it.

They love the process, the insight, the storytelling, the measurable growth.
What drives them away isn’t the work.
It’s being set up to fail.

Did I miss anything?

We live in a world obsessed with titles, but every person carries invisible stories of struggle, wisdom, and potential that no business card can capture.

When we lead with respect rather than hierarchy, we unlock something powerful: authentic human connection.

What i have learned about true leadership.

Real leaders don't wait to see credentials before showing respect. 

They understand that:
- Dignity isn't distributed based on job descriptions
- Today's intern could be tomorrow's innovator
- Every person has something valuable to teach us
- Character reveals itself in how we treat those who "can't help us"

Three simple shifts that change everything

1. Replace "What do you do?" with “What are you passionate about?"
Watch how conversations transform when you're genuinely curious about the person, not their position.

2. Listen for the story, not the status: 
Everyone has a journey. 

The most interesting people are often hiding in plain sight.

3. Practice "respectful curiosity": 
Approach each interaction wondering what you might learn, rather than what you might gain.

When you treat the receptionist with the same courtesy as the CEO, people notice. 

When you thank the maintenance team as genuinely as you thank your biggest client, culture shifts.

Respect isn't a favor you give; it's a standard you set.

Think about someone you interact with regularly but might overlook. 

What would happen if you approached them with fresh eyes tomorrow?

The most successful people I know aren't those who demand respect—they're the ones who give it freely.

What's one assumption you've made about someone that completely changed when you got to know their story? 


Credit: Makarand Utpat

Bad marketing feels like someone is selling to you.

Great marketing feels like someone is helping you.

Credit: therealhakam on Twitter/X

Marketing and advertising are not the same. 
(Credit: Nehal Kazim)

They have two different objectives.

Too many brands are still getting this wrong. 

I've seen 100s of brands at Ad Pros struggle to scale. 

It has nothing to do with their product or service. 
It's their marketing approach. 

They think marketing is just running ads and posting content.
But as advertising lead, I have to remind them there's more to it. 

Marketing is knowing your customers, creating trust, 
And showing them why they should buy from you and not your competitors. 

Here are the 6 foundational components of marketing and why they matter: 

1. Market Research

Understanding the landscape, trends, competitors, and customer needs. 
You can't position effectively if you don't know what's out there.

2. Target Audience

Knowing exactly who you're talking to. 
A clear profile of the customers you're trying to reach.
Vague audience definitions lead to vague messaging. 

3. Value Proposition

The reason people should choose you over alternatives.
Your value proposition should be specific and meaningful. 

4. Marketing Channels

The platforms and mediums where you connect with your audience. 
(Social, email, paid ads, and events.) 
Channel selection matters if positioning and messaging are locked in.

5. Content Strategy

The messaging, visuals, and stories that attract, engage, and convert.
Content isn't just what you post. 
It's how you communicate value across every touchpoint.

6. Marketing Campaigns

Planned initiatives to achieve specific marketing goals. 
Campaigns are the execution layer. 
They only work when the foundation is already solid.

If you're a small brand just getting started, 
Running ads and posting on social might work temporarily. 

But if your goal is building something that scales to 8 figures and beyond... 

You need to understand the full marketing system inside and out.

When you have clarity on your market, audience, and value proposition, 
Everything else becomes more effective and predictable.

Visual credit: reputeforge on Instagram.

Marketing is...

We often search for the “perfect candidate” - someone with every qualification, every skill, and years of experience. But in doing so, we overlook a simple truth:

(Credit: Makarand Utpat )

Most jobs are trainable.
What really matters is a person’s willingness to learn.

The real asset is a teachable attitude

Skills can be taught. Software can be learned.
Processes can be explained.
But curiosity, drive, and a growth mindset are priceless.

Here’s proof:

Every top chef once started at the sink, scrubbing dishes.

Every great designer once fumbled through their first Photoshop file.

Every confident leader once feared speaking up in a room.

Every skilled coder once Googled “how to write a loop.”

Every thriving professional once just had the courage to say, “I’m willing to learn.”

Skills are teachable. Hunger isn’t.
Hire for mindset. Train for mastery.

What employers should do

Hire for attitude, train for skill.
Build supportive onboarding and mentorship.
Create clear growth paths.
Reward effort, not just results.

The payoff:

When you give someone a chance, you don’t just fill a role, you build loyalty, reduce turnover, and uncover hidden potential.

Every expert was once a beginner.
Every success story started with someone who got a shot.

Let’s stop gatekeeping potential. Give people the opportunity to prove themselves.

THE 5 P'S OF MARKETING:

PRODUCT 
This is the core offering of your business.

PRICE 
Setting the right price is crucial for profitability and market positioning.

PROMOTION 
This encompasses all the strategies you use to communicate and market your product.

PLACE
This refers to the distribution channels through which customers access your product.

PEOPLE 
Your employees and customer service play a crucial role in the success of your marketing efforts.


HOW TO USE THEM:

PRODUCT
Know your audience's needs and preferences.
Keep innovating to stay ahead.
Deliver quality and reliability to earn trust.

PRICE
Research the market to find the best pricing.
Balance perceived value with competitive rates.
Adjust prices based on demand and market shifts.

PROMOTION
Create a marketing plan with ads, PR, and social media.
Customize promotions to connect with your audience.
Track campaign results and refine as needed.

PLACE
Choose the right distribution channels.
Streamline your supply chain for efficiency and satisfaction.
Make your product accessible when and where customers need it.

PEOPLE
Train employees to embody your brand.
Deliver exceptional customer service to foster loyalty.
Gather and act on feedback for continuous improvement.

Marketing without humor
is like pizza without cheese

You can serve it 

But 

No one’s coming back for seconds.
Funny doesn’t mean unprofessional.

It means relatable.
It means human.

People don’t remember the product.
They remember how you made them feel.

So make them feel good.

Add flavor to your brand. 
Not just features.

Marketers,

Here’s a table with 6 copywriting formulas for writing effective ads:

Bookmark this 🔖

No alternative text description for this image

Bad copywriting:

• Here's my product
• Here's what it does
• Here's what's so good about it

Good copywriting:

• Here's your problem
• Here's the benefit of solving it
• Here's why what you've tried has failed
• And by the way here's a product that will help you solve it

Credit: Dickie Bush 🚢

You can mute people in real life too.

It is called boundaries.

Setting boundaries isn’t rude.
It’s responsible.

You’re not meant to be available for everyone, all the time.
Protecting your time, focus, and mental space doesn’t make you cold — it makes you effective.

Boundaries aren’t walls — they’re filters.
They help you decide what gets your attention and what doesn’t.
Because not everyone deserves access to your time or mental space.

🚫 Situations where you need to stop wasting time and set boundaries:

Endless negativity.
If someone always brings problems but never solutions — stop being their emotional landfill. You can listen with empathy without absorbing their energy.

Unclear work expectations.
If you’re constantly saying “yes” to extra work, late calls, or unrealistic deadlines, you’re not being a team player — you’re burning out. Boundaries protect both your energy and your quality of work.

Relationships that drain instead of support.
When every conversation leaves you exhausted or doubting yourself, it’s a sign to step back. Not everyone is meant to stay in your circle forever.

🧭 Simple ways to set healthy boundaries:

Communicate clearly — not emotionally.
Boundaries aren’t ultimatums. They’re statements of respect.
→ “I can’t take calls after 7 PM.”
→ “I’ll join, but only if we can stick to 30 minutes.”

Protect your calendar.
Treat your time like money. If you wouldn’t give away $1,000 easily, don’t give away hours of focus to low-value conversations or tasks.

Practice saying no — kindly.
“No” isn’t rejection. It’s redirection.
You’re saying no to one thing so you can say yes to something that matters more.

Boundaries don’t push people away.
They teach people how to treat you — and show that you take yourself seriously.

Because when you stop pouring into things that drain you,
you finally have energy for the things that build you. 

♻️ Repost to remind others that protecting your energy is productive.

👉 What’s one boundary you need to reinforce this week?

Marketing 101: The B.S. Detector

People trust 4.6/5 more than a 5/5.

Don't position yourself as "too good to be true".

Credit: The Ad Professor


P.S. If you write emails and you’re looking for inspiration, check out:

inboox.ai

Most people never lose because they tried.

They lost because they never started.

Trying doesn’t guarantee you’ll win.
 But not trying guarantees you won’t.

Every idea, business, or dream you’ve ever admired
Started with someone willing to look a little foolish at first.

You don’t need perfect timing.
You need momentum.

💡Start small. Try anyway.

The worst that happens? You learn.

The best? You win.

Image Credit: dtop1percentmen on Twitter/X

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The Battle

Mark MacLeod

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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);}Mark MacLeod's LinkedIn Performance

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