Ty Hoesgen

Do you ever try to explain something in a meeting,
but it doesn’t come out as clearly as you want it to?

You over-explain.
You're not concise. 
Or you leave the meeting overthinking:

“I should have said that better.”

Most people assume they just need "more practice"
That’s rarely the problem.

It's actually about a lack of structure.
And how your brain responds to pressure. 

That's why I work with professionals who want 
to be seen as more clear, confident, and credible.

(especially in high-stakes situations)

So far, I’ve coached 330+ professionals with a 99% success rate. 

Many are managers, directors, executives, and founders. 
People in positions where clarity matters. 

Our work focuses on 3 things:

1.) Clear, concise speaking on the spot

2.) Confidence and composure under pressure

3.) Executive presence in important situations

Everything is customized and built around 
the real-life meetings, presentations, and 
conversations you'd like to speak better in. 

If crystal clear speaking would be helpful 
for you and your professional life,

DM me “CLEAR" to learn more.

Founder & CEO / Communication Coach

🧠 Advanced Growth Institute is dedicated to helping individuals and organizations from around the world master their communication and people skills. 

🏆 1.) Elite Private Coaching — for individuals who want to gain a positively unfair advantage in their life and career. 

💬 Our Elite Communication Accelerator is a private coaching program for growth-minded individuals who want to:

✅ Advance their career
✅ Become strong, influential leaders
✅ ​Get more respect
✅ Earn what they deserve
✅ ​Elevate their social life
✅ Form deeper relationships
✅ ​Live a less stressful life 

📈 AGI works closely with clients on their communication and people skills, helping them overcome unique challenges and accomplish their personal and professional goals. 

⭐ 2.) Custom Corporate Trainings — for organizations who care deeply about their team members and clients, and want to maximize their success in every interaction. 

🎤 Attendees are taught practical, science-backed communication strategies to boost sales, form deeper relationships, build trust and influence, listen with intention, and connect better with clients, co-workers, and customers.

✍️ Our captivating presentations have attendees smiling, laughing, rapidly taking notes, and leaving with a ton of actionable takeaways. 

📖 3.) Other Resources — best-selling books, courses, guides, video trainings

Have you heard about the 7 
deadly sins of speaking? 💀

1. Gossiping
2. Judging
3. Negativity
4. Complaining
5. Excuses
6. Lying
7. Dogmatism

In the video, I added 7 silly 
(& less deadly) examples of each. 

They're all about big arms 😅

This is from Julien Treasure's famous TED talk: 
How to Speak so that People Want to Listen

Which deadly sin are you making?

And if you’re a perfect angel:

Which one do others do that annoys you the most?

Speak clearly and confidently under pressure in 90 days (guaranteed) / World Class Certified Speaking Coach / 3x Bestselling Author / TEDx Speaker / 330+ clients coached

Loud voices get attention.
But calm clarity creates real success.

Today, many professionals want to stand out. 

But they're going about it the wrong way. 

They speak quickly.
They give long answers. 
They don't allow space for silence. 

This urgency can get you attention, 

but it's the wrong kind of attention. 

And it often scrambles your thoughts and weakens your message.

The people who stay calm under pressure 
and speak clearly on the spot...

Are the ones who've learned to balance peace with power. 

What are they doing?

→ Staying composed
→ Controlling their pace 
→ Starting points with clarity
→ Finishing points with authority
→ Listening fully before responding

They don’t treat these as speaking 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘴.

They treat them as speaking 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴.

And the people around them feel the difference.

Do you think you've learned to balance peace with power?

No one listened to my stories 
UNTIL I started adding this 1 thing: 

Lines of dialogue. 

One of the stories I tell is about a former piano student of mine.

He was struggling playing in front of people
and wanted to quit his lessons. 

Version 1 (before using dialogue):

Andrew came to me after a lesson.
He wanted to quit because he didn’t like playing in front of people.  

Version 2 (using dialogue)

Andrew came to me after a lesson and said:

"I suck at piano. 
I just can’t play good in front of people. 

I'm hopeless, and I wanna quit.” 

Do you see the difference? 

On top of all the clarity and confidence work 
I do with clients, storytelling is another fun 
thing that we'll sometimes add in. 

Tom Gavin
Nabil BA-MOH
Michelle Fritsch, PharmD, BCGP

are 3 awesome clients currently building their stories. 

All amazing people worth checking out!

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Helping leaders & teams communicate with clarity & confidence 🏆 World Class Certified Speaking Coach / 3x Bestselling Author / TEDx Speaker / Trusted by leaders at Amazon, Microsoft, & More

Welcome, I appreciate you being here. Quick question - can you relate to any of these?

→ You don't always explain your points clearly and concisely.
→ You sometimes feel nervous when speaking or presenting to groups.
→ You don't feel as confident in difficult situations (or around certain people).
→ You find it hard to organize and articulate your thoughts on the spot. 

If so, I totally get it. 

Even the lifetime overachievers and high performers feel this way sometimes. 

But what if you could make these 3 changes?

1) Learn to speak with unshakeable confidence
2) Master charisma to captivate any audience
3) Learn to organize and articulate your thoughts clearly and concisely 

(Especially on the spot or in high pressure situations)

If you do, you could gain:

— The ability to stay calm under pressure
— The power to own the room when speaking
— Increased respect from everyone you meet 
— A strong reputation in your company and industry 
— Open doors to new career/business opportunities

Now you might be thinking, 

"This all SOUNDS good Ty, but how the heck do you actually get there?" 😅

Great question. That's where coaching comes in! 

There are 3 key parts of my coaching program: 

1.) Personalized 1-on-1 coaching sessions tailored to your needs
2.) Step-by-step weekly plans to ensure constant improvement
3.) Messaging access for additional support and questions throughout the week 

Everything in the program is backed by science (and has been done with hundreds of people)

Because I know everything works, there's a 100% money back guarantee.

And if you're curious, here's a bit more about me:

→ Former shy, awkward farm kid who was a TERRIBLE speaker and loved avoiding people 

→ Today, 330+ professionals coached 1-on-1 across tech, sales, healthcare, finance, and more

→ World-Class Certified Speaking Coach
(Trained by Craig Valentine, former #1 ranked public speaker in the world) 

→ 3x best-selling author on communication skills 

→ TEDx speaker (recent talk given April 2025)

With all that said...

If you're ready to elevate your speaking skills and advance your career...

DM me the word “COMMUNICATION” 

Happy to have a quick chat about how everything works.

***Please mention whether you're interested in:

- 1-on-1 coaching programs
- Corporate group trainings

Book Your Free Strategy Session

Speak Like a Confident Leader in 7 Days

Heart of the City Piano Program (HCPP) is a volunteer-driven non-profit organization that provides music lessons to underprivileged youth.

AI Strategist | Driving Practical AI Adoption in Higher Education & Enterprise | LightLeapAI

CEO @ Asio Services | We build clear ERP systems with Business Central | Clarity before code. Always.

Wellness with Direction. Purpose with Power. Retirement, Reimagined.

Sometimes you have to look back

and remember how far you’ve come…

Even if it’s just passport photos. 😅 

-

P.S. How much do you look
like 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 passport photo?

No alternative text description for this image

One of my clients was a VP leading 200 people.
Sharp guy. Good at his job. 
𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘀...

→ He’d get interrupted sometimes.
→ His ideas wouldn’t always land.

He told me:

“I know I’m great at what I do, but I'm not 
sure if I always come across that way.”

We worked together on structure, pacing, and brevity.

→ It was like putting his communication on a diet.
→ We trimmed the ramble fat and made him lean.

(His speaking now has visible abs)

1 month in, his COO told him:

“You’ve been coming across better in 
meetings lately. People are noticing.”

It’s not about saying more.

𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 
𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴.

Because being great at what you do isn’t enough.

You have to be able to communicate it.

Do you agree?

How I removed filler words for good
(and how you can too)

3 Proven Techniques:

1.) Speak in shorter sentences. 

Long, run-on sentences 
= harder to control 
= more filler words 

2.) Slow your speaking pace. 

Faster speech 
= harder to control 
= more filler words 

3.) Proper breathing. 

At the end of your sentence, 
take a breath and inhale.
Then speak as you exhale. 

This forces you to pause more.

Anyone can remove their filler words. 
I've seen it with hundreds of clients over the years. 

That means you can too.

Which filler word do you use the most?

My client saw my post 
about her yesterday and
sent me a message...

When you work with awesome people, 
they always want to give 𝘺𝘰𝘶 a lot of credit. 

And you always want to give 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 a lot of credit.  

Especially when you work with 
kind, genuine humans (like this client)

It's pretty wholesome. 

Now when it comes to confidence, 

Even people like this in senior 
positions can still have challenges. 

I see it daily. 

So if you've ever thought: 

"I'm experienced. I should feel more confident." 

You are not alone.
And you can always get better. 

I'm rooting for you.

Once I stopped making this communication mistake, 
everybody started listening to me more. 

What was it? 

Using complicated/fancy words. 

Here’s why:

Studies show people consider messages 
more honest and trustworthy when a person 
uses simple instead of complicated words. 

This means if you use simpler language:

There’s a greater chance people will believe you. 

And buy into what you're saying. 

It also takes less brain power for your listeners to understand you.

So you’re doing everyone a favour by 
making it easier to absorb your message. 

I give an example of complicated vs. simple in the video. 

If you think you should be using big words
and developing a complex vocabulary...

There are better ways to spend your time. 

You’d be better off using that time learning 
to explain things in a simple, clear way. 

Have you ever thought "I need a bigger vocabulary?"

This 1 thing I learned makes me 
immediately sound more credible
any time I speak.

(Especially in high pressure situations)

It’s strategic pausing. Which is: 

1.) Pausing to gather your thoughts
2.) Pausing after saying something important. 

But I used to be TERRIBLE at this.

One day after giving an update in a team meeting,
my boss looked at me with a dead stare and said:

“Ty, slow down. You don’t get any prizes for finishing quickly.” 

I was incredibly embarrassed, but he was right. 

I needed to slow down and pause more. 

A well-timed pause does 3 things:

1.) Shows a high level of composure. 
2.) Gives your listeners time to absorb what you’re saying.
3.) Makes your words land with more weight. 

Silence is not weakness. It’s emphasis. 

It reminds me of a quote from Mozart: 

"The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between."

Agree?

(Embarrassing) When I was 8 years old, I used 
to climb trees to avoid talking to people.

Not for fun. To hide.

I was painfully shy.

Afraid of conversations.
Afraid of speaking up.
Afraid of being seen.

Fast forward a few years…

I was throwing up before meetings at my first corporate job.

Until 1 moment changed everything.

I learned something that would 
genuinely change my life forever. 

It's how I went from being AFRAID to speak...

To TEACHING people to speak for a living. 

I share the full story in this video.

If you’ve ever felt nervous speaking.
If you’ve ever replayed conversations in your head.
If you’ve ever asked yourself "Why am I like this?"

This will hit close to home.

"How do you help me build my confidence?"
There's a reason this is on my FAQ page. 

Think of your brain like a computer. 

Over time, different 'programs' get installed in your brain…

that cause you to think, feel, and speak a certain way. 

So if you’re confident in certain situations
but less confident in others, there are programs 
in your brain that are causing this. 

(Same goes with overthinking, doubt, etc.)

Most people think they can fix this by:

1.) Getting a ton of tips and tricks 

2.) Just practicing a lot

Most coaches will teach you that way as well.

But the problem is:

It’s like trying to add new software to a computer 
when you haven’t removed the bugs. 

That's why we need to:

1.) Uninstall the programs that are holding you back.

2.) Install new ones that help you feel more confident. 

We do this using neuroscience-backed techniques to reprogram your subconscious mind. (that fun nerdy stuff)

Which is kind of like reprogramming 
your system so it runs smoothly.

This is what allows you to overcome 

the nerves, doubt, overthinking...

And feel more

confident, calm, and in control when you speak. 

Have you ever thought of your brain like a computer?

Day 1: Terrible workplace environment. 
Stressed, overwhelmed.
Unclear communication. 

Day 60: Landed new job. 
Optimistic, excited. 
Clear, structured communication. 

Some of the changes we've seen:

→ Enhanced clarity when explaining points
→ Stronger, more confident nonverbal presence 
→ Large reduction in filler words and softeners 
→ Less doubt and overthinking about what to say 
→ Long answers are now tight and concise 

There's still some work to be done, 

But this client has made a lot of progress. 

Enough progress to rock those tough 
interviews and land the job she wanted. 

Can you remember the last time you wanted 
a fresh start and were applying for jobs?

And then you finally got the role you were hoping for?

I learned this weird thing about head 

position that changes how people see you.

If your head is straight,
you'll be seen as more firm. 

But if your head is titled, 
you'll be seen as more empathetic. 

If you're a communication nerd like me, there are studies published in journals like 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 and 𝘗𝘴𝘺𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 that dive more into this. 

Tilting the head lowers perceived dominance.

And significantly increases ratings of: 

- Warmth
- Trustworthiness 
- Empathy

A lot of empathetic people do this tilt without realizing. 

Do you think you're one of them?

If you hate leaving meetings thinking 
"I should've said that better"...

Do something about it. 

Learn to: 

➙ Organize your thoughts
➙ Articulate them clearly 
➙ Stay calm under pressure

No reason to keep replaying conversations in your head.

You can change how you speak.  

These are learnable skills. 

So if you hate second guessing or overthinking 
about what to say or how to say it

Do something about it.

You don’t have to struggle with 
something you can improve.

Agree?

If you overthink what to say 
in meetings or presentations,
this can change everything.

Before you speak, ask yourself:

What’s the one idea I want people to walk away with?

Start with that. Expand as needed. 

—> You’ll ramble less.
—> You’ll speak more clearly.
—> You’ll feel more in control.

A lot of people struggle when speaking on the spot because they’re trying to say too much at once.

They’re trying to sound smart.

Instead of being understood.

And they’re worrying way too much 
about what others think of them. 

(That used to be me too)

Here’s what I wish I knew earlier: 

When you simplify your thoughts,
People don’t see you as “less intelligent”

They actually see you as more credible.

—> You don’t need to overexplain.
—> You don’t need to impress anyone.

You just need to make your 
ideas easy to understand.

You got this.

Many professionals ruin their points when speaking. 
Are you one of them?

If you ever catch yourself using 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀
you might be in this group. 

(I definitely was)

It's not that you need more knowledge. 

You just need a particular set of skills. 

The skills of organizing your thoughts quickly
and then explaining them clearly and concisely.

Because if you can't get to the point quickly...

People will assume you have none.

They'll stop listening and zone out. 
(especially with attention spans these days 😅)

So if you want to sound more credible, trim the fat.

Make your messages lean. 

After all, why spend 3 minutes delivering a point 
that could have been made in 30 seconds?

If you're not super skilled at this 𝘺𝘦𝘵, it's all good. 

It's a skill that can be learned just like anything else. 

You got this.

If you want to command 
a room like the world's top leaders
(or simply want to land higher-level roles)

Master these 3 speaking skills.

1.) Crystal clarity

Deliver your message concisely
using the fewest words possible.

No extra fluff.

2.) Storytelling.

Share stories that people can relate to.

They make your messages
more memorable and persuasive.

3.) Strategic Silence

Get comfortable with those pauses,
especially after important points.

They give people a moment to think.
And allow your words to really sink in.

These are a lot of fun to work on with clients. 

But then again, as a communication nerd...

Everything we teach in the program is fun. 

Which of these 3 skills could you improve on?

Most communication tips are a waste of time.

There, I said it. 

You've heard it all before:

Speak clearly.
Make eye contact.
Project confidence.

The same tips get repeated everywhere.

But here's the truth:

If all you needed was tips, everyone would 
be an exceptional communicator, right?

The real problem isn't knowing 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 to do.

It's knowing 𝘩𝘰𝘸 to actually do it when it matters.

Habits don't change just because 
you read a list or watched a video.

If you want something practical:

The single most effective way to speak clearly on the spot is to train your brain to use frameworks.

Then you can organize and articulate 
your thoughts in a way that makes sense. 

A way that people actually understand and resonate with.

I put together my Top 3 in a doc.

Comment or message the word “FRAME” and it’s yours.

It also includes examples of how and when to use them.

You’re in a meeting at work
and have something useful to say...

But you either:

1.) Hesitate 
or 
2.) Jump in too fast

If you hesitate, the moment passes.
You think "I should have said something" 

If you jump in too fast, your thoughts rush out. 
You think "I should have said that better"

In both cases:

- You're overthinking
- Your thoughts aren't clear
- The right words just aren't coming 

You might even feel a little annoyed or frustrated with yourself. 

Most people think “That’s just how my brain works”

True. 

But your brain works that way because you
haven't trained it to do anything differently. 

Remember - your brain is like a computer.

We can uninstall old programs 
that are causing these things. 

And install new ones that help 
you think and speak better. 

If this resonates, happy to walk you through how it works.

“I’d speak better if I had time to prepare,
but I’ve got back-to-back meetings all day...”

This is true. 

But if the only time you communicate well 
is when you’ve had time to prepare...

You’re going to struggle in most situations. 

Why?

Because you don't HAVE time to prepare for everything.

So the problem isn’t your schedule.

It’s that no one ever showed you how to:

1.) Organize your thoughts 
2.) Get to the point fast 
3.) Articulate yourself clearly

And how to do it on the spot. 

Because once you can do that, your speaking 
skills don't depend on your calendar anymore.

So if you’re tired of going into meetings
‘hoping it’ll go well’

This might be something worth looking into. 

What do you think?

I help you sleep at night - I take the legal problems off your plate | Lobby on your Priorities | Speak to your people.

With over two decades of of experience in the field of executive leadership and law, I bring a wealth of knowledge and lived experiments to help executives overcome the challenges of leading teams of talented humans, achieving high retention rates and improving the bottom line.

#LeadershipDevelopment
#ExecutiveCoaching
#TeamTrust
#GrowthMindset
#LeadWithImpact

Cody Hand

You could be the reason someone stays...
Not home...
Not at work...
But the reason someone stays alive!

I ran across this amazing new project by Ben West out of the UK.
On the eighth anniversary of his brother dying by suicide,
Ben launched Reasons to Stay, a suicide prevention project reaching people at difficult moments through anonymous letters written by volunteers.
​
Anyone can write a letter, and anyone can read the letters.
and lives are already being saved. 

I wrote a letter this morning, and you can too. Link in the comments. 

Today, as the world carries some heavy weight, and loneliness is rampant, take a few minutes and
-> check on your friends.
--> check on yourself.
 --> spread kindness, and
----> head over to Reasons to Stay and write a note of encouragement.

Because we cannot talk about leadership, and selling, and all the other stuff happening around here without remembering that there are hurting humans among us that simply need a nudge to give it one more day.

Love,
Cody

General Counsel | Advocate | Executive Operations Leader | Author | Speaker shaping your work with trust and authenticity

Your people are confused and angry.
How do you lead a team these days when everyone is confused and angry.
Do you use your voice?
Do you provide space for them to use their voice.

As leaders, it is important that we provide space for our humans to be humans.
It is also important that we maintain the expectation that the work needs to be done.

I don't know where there answer is, 
But i do know that your people are looking to you.
They want to see that you will take a stand, 
and that you will respect them if their stance is different.

Do you need to exercise the nuclear option each day?
No
But
When your team needs to see you lead them into a fight,
gird yourself, know your argument, and get to it.

Leadership is tough on a good day.
In 2026, it is really tough.
Good luck,
Cody Hand

Not all painters use brushes.
Not all lawyer wear shoes.

When I first started my firm, my phrase was
"We don't think outside the box, we blow up the box."

I was frustrated with a legal culture that refused to think differently and modernize. To adopt new technologies to save the client time and money.

Thinking outside the box - that was a "courageous" way of saying "let's see if someone else has tried this and gotten away with it."

Lazy.

Perhaps your legal department is stuck in the 90s. 
question: Do you even need a full time legal department anymore?

Or do you need a General Counsel that has harnessed technology and a network. 
One person.
Less cost.
More.

As your General Counsel gets closer to retirement,
Or your team is tired of legal shutting down ideas,
Consider going a new route. 
Consider bringing your legal into 2026.

In NC - that is me.
In other states - I have a network of badass lawyers like myself.

Stop thinking out side the box.
Blow the damned thing to peices.
Cody

Stay curious.
On this Tuesday - pause your productivity and learn something new.
Like - how Diamonds are actually made.

What are you curious to learn today that might have zero impact on your work?
Cody

Here is a reminder that missing milestones with your family for an organization that will hire your replacement before the dirt settles isn't worth it. 

That's it. That's the #failurefriday post.

Have a great weekend,
Cody Hand

Do you want a reason to be outraged?
Simply look around - you will find one.
There are large and small reasons all around.

But being outraged about every single thing
means the weight of your opinion will matter less and less.

Do you want your opinion to matter?
Try then looking for reasons to be thankful.
Turns out - if you simply look around for moments of gratitude,
you will find those too. 

You find that which you seek.

And get this - when you lead with kindness and gratitude,
those moments when you do need to speak up and display outrage 
really really matter.
People listen, because if you, the kindness guru, get worked up about something,
then it must need to be addressed.

It is Tuesday, February 10. What are you thankful for?
Cody

I am an excellent lawyer.
- Charge by the hour.
- Pass my clients off to a junior.
- Uncap my earning potential by suggesting unnecessary work.
I don't do any of these things.
(Now read that backwards)

As a fractional counsel and estate planner,
I jettisoned the billable hour years ago.
I don't track time. I track productivity.
My clients pay one fee.
For my fractional GC clients: that fee is a set monthly amount.
For my estate planning clients: that fee is project based.

No surprise bills at the end of the month.

and only good work every day.
Cody Hand

You know that dream where you are falling...
The one that makes you jump out of sleep?

That dream can indicate a few different things:
- High Stress Level
- Feelings of helplessness, insecurity, or a situation in life that is spiraling out of control.
- The need to return to reality, especially if you have been too idealistic or unrealistic. 

My clients often come to me because one or all of these exist, and they are usually because of an unfinished project that could take me 30 minutes to complete.
 - The business filing that will protect you.
 - The crisis plan that will help you recover faster.
 - The estate plan that will give you the peace of mind that your kids are protected.

Very rarely is it something we cannot fix in a day.

So before you hit the ground,
take care of your stuff.
My name is Cody and I am a lawyer who sells sleep.

Your team needs a break....from YOU!

You should schedule that vacation - be gone for a while. 

Your team needs it for two reasons:
1. They need to see you modeling balance, and demonstrating that you trust them enough to leave for a break.
2. They need a break from you. Being constantly under a leader's watchful eye is exhausting, even if you are a great leader following all the rules. 

And what are the three things you should do before you go:
1. Designate a point of contact that will be "in charge" during your absence.
2. Make sure your designee follows the 24-hour crisis rule: if your designee cannot solve the issue within 24 hours, then they can call you.
3. Make sure everyone knows that you trust they will be ok without you.

And then here's the deal: when you go on vacation, don't check-in, text, call, engage on social media, etc.

Truly leave. Checking in demonstrates you don't trust them.

Now - where are you going?
Cody

You shouldn't try to make your Board happy.
You should demonstrate progress.

I had a meeting with a CEO this week, and they said "I never know which way to turn. I need to make sure my board is happy and make sure my internal people are happy."

Happiness is elusive. It is not measurable.
Not in the workplace.

You should work with your board to identify your goals for the term.
Then report to them on your progress.
If your board is engaged, they will appreciate your work,
which is mountains better than a happy board.

Similarly, your job isn't to make your team happy.
It is to give them a workplace and the resources to succeed, and that involves
Setting goals.
measuring success.
Recognizing success.

If you are struggling keeping all of you masters happy
(board and employees, not to mention customers)
Consider shifting your mindset to demonstrating progress.
because success is measurable. Happiness is not (and it is fleeting.)

Want to know more?
DM me - 
I am your general counsel, fractional exec, leadership coaching badass.
Cody

I trashed my content calendar.
I had the entire quarter mapped out.

Monday - highlight fractional counsel work.
Wednesday - Estate Planning 
Friday - #failurefriday related to contracting.

But somewhere along the way, 
(read: day 2)
it got stale. I got bored. I became another cold pitch.

But here's the deal:
I, in fact, do alot of "work" things.
- Fractional Executive
- Lobbyist
- Attractions enthusiast
- Political Consultant
- VRBO owner
- Travel Agent
- Coach

And each day I want to bring my whole self to you,
and engaging with content I created in a different mood wasn't working.

As a leadership coach, I counsel my executive clients to show up as themselves.
Not as their CEO made them,
Not as their college degree designated,
but as the human they are.

So - if your content calendar, or whatever construct "they" recommend, isn't working for you...

Trash it.
Have a great weekend,
Cody

Here's what happens when you start your business as an employee.
with an employee mindset.

You go in reverse.
You create the life that you WILL have, 
rather than the one you HAVE.

And this is where many entrepreneurs fail.

When I launched, I worked from home for two years.
Met with clients at their place, coffee shops, trade shows...
Last year I graduated to a coworking space where I have access to a conference room (and beer on tap...thanks Cary Founded!)

Many of my fractional GC clients are startups.
The ones that last know this: work with what you've got, not what you want.
The dining room table makes a great desk until you have the revenue to support the desk.

You have to leave the employee mindset behind,
because no one is in the background paying the bills with company money.
You are paying the bills with each hour you work.
And until the revenue outpaces the bills, 
work with what you have.

You CAN launch.
You CAN have all the trappings of success.
You CAN do the work to get there.
You SHOULD have a lawyer on your team early.

If you are in NC - that lawyer could be me.
Cody

PS - I guarantee this: once you have done it properly, by the time you have the resources for all the trappings of success, you likely won't want them. Try me.

Today marks the convergence of 4 significant events:
1. Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday: the day before lent when tradition is to  indulge one last time before the beginning of lent, which starts tomorrow with prayer and fasting.
2. Ramadan: Observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, communal prayer, reflection, and community.
3. The Chinese New Year: Marks the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. This is the year of the Horse.

These three having coincided since 1953.

4. Random acts of kindness day. Celebrated annually to encourage, promote, and celebrate selfless,,kind actions. Created in 1995 by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, the day encourages spreading joy and compassion through simple, intentional gestures, which can boost mental well-being and create a ripple effect of positivity. 

Not sure if you need another sign - but let's make today amazing for those in our universe by being kind, reflecting on the blessings we have, nurturing our community, and may success arrive as quickly as a galloping horse.

Ma Dao Cheng Gong, 
Ramadan Mubarak, and 
Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Stay Blessed,
Cody Hand

Rockstar client report...read on
👇 
I am doing asset protection and estate planning work for one of my fractional counsel clients. I do it because succession planning for a business is as important as proper formation.

As I am researching titles and deeds, I discover that everything my client owns personally is in a revocable living trust.

EVERYTHING!

Friends, this is an amazingly smart move.
They don't appear "wealthy,"
no giant mansions of flashy cars.
Not the "trust" type of lifestyle.

Except...

They care about their future.
They care about the future of their minor children.
and because someone before me cared about them,
they established a revocable living trust.

Now, when one, or both, dies,
the transfer of assets is amazingly smooth.
No court involvement is needed. 
No judicial intervention.
Just continuation.

I don't always recommend a revocable living trust.
But when I have a client with assets they want to pass on,
and they don't want their heirs to juggle grief and paperwork,
The first step is to establish a revocable living trust.
the second is to transfer everything into it. 

If you live in North Carolina,
I can get this done for you in 30 days.
If you live elsewhere, I can refer you to an attorney who can get this done for you.

Don't wait - things happen.
Cody

PS - own a business? Solo-preneur? Your trust can be the official owner, meaning that operations continue when something happens to you. However, if you are concerned about exposure to liability, we create a separate business entity outside of the trust, which almost completely shields your trust assets from exposure.

Whatever your lot,
learn to find peace.
At home.
At work. 
At play.

It is hard this week to focus on metrics, or productivity, or goal hitting, or any of the other, usually helpful, things we espouse here on LinkedIn. Doing the routine value laden posts seems trite and tone deaf.

Am I being overly dramatic? 
No - the world is on fire and the humans we live among are worried.

Burt those same humans:
- our children
- our spouses
- our neighbors
- our employees
- our customers

are looking to their leaders to understand their worry, not ignore it.
They are looking for the space to both worry and work.
and sometimes that means putting the work on low and slow so we can prepare the rest of our lives for the unknown.

and in the midst of all this, we ourselves need to find peace.
I find mine through meditation, exercise, and beautiful music.

How do you find your peace so you can lead well in times of chaos?
Cody

PS - check out the history behind this old hymn "it is well with my soul" in the comments. And check out more of Anthony and Jonathan and their amazing music.

If you didn't overeat last night, you missed out.
Here in the States, the superbowl is another excuse to indulge.
Eat the fried food.
Drink the beer.
Commune.

As your teams gather today,
Consider that it might be time for them to overindulge on what you can feed them.
It might be time for you to lay down your "boss" gavel, 
don the apron,
and serve your team.

2025 was a difficult year for many.
2026 has yet to prove any different, though we are only 5 weeks in.
If you want to build trust within your team, 
and empower your humans to exceed even their own limits,
it is time to feed them.

Feed them metaphorically by:
 - investing in their passions,
 - hearing their words,
 - demonstrating, with action, that you believe in their success,
 - and celebrating them when they win.

And also - feed them physically. 
In my research, teams that eat together - from the same meal - prepared by their leader - are the teams that perform the best with the least amount of division and turnover.

What are you waiting for?
DM and let's get the conversation started.
Cody Hand

PS - don't you dare brown-bag it.

The statement every leader fears:
"Run that by legal."

We know how that ends.
"NO!"

Most legal departments start with NO!
Either because they are too risk averse,
too lazy to find a solution,
too busy to care.

This is why you should inbed legal in your work from the jump.
Once the conversation goes from idea to development, bring them in.
Let them weigh in early.

I am a General Counsel,
and I don't start with no.
I ask to be engaged early so that we can avoid the No.

Now -sometimes I have to say no - but it is rare.
Sometimes I say "we cannot do it that way, but if we shift ____ we can."

If you leave your legal department siloed to review things at the end, you are wasting everyone's money and time. 

If your team fears legal, you are doing it wrong.

If you do it right - "run that by legal" is a welcome sign that the end is near and we are about to launch, because legal will likely sign off as they have been engaged during the process.

My name is Cody Hand. I don't start with no, and nobody should fear legal.

I always walk away a better person after time with Mike Rosado ✏ .
Yesterday we got to catch up over lunch.

Mike is an amazing creative.
His brain churns out some badass work.

We talked alot about AI, especially when it comes to creatives.
And the concern about a world where human's aren't creating.
I don't want to live in that world.

We talked about AI in legal - I use it for backoffice stuff - but only until I can sustain the salary of a full time human. 

Because - and this is Cody's theory - if we all eliminate the humans from our lives, we will go broke, because unemployed humans become former customers. 

So maybe we should deliberately be old school and have folks on payroll.

Anyway - check Mike out - his team is doing amazing things.

Founder, Chief Creative Officer, Brand Designer, Illustrator, Speaker | Host, The Pencil Pushers Podcast

A little PSA before the weekend hits:
Reach out to the artists.

Just get it to me by Monday...
#badboss #failurefriday edition.

1. Because it is on your mind, you text someone a request on Friday.
With a Monday deadline,
when it isn't urgent.

DO THIS: don't send the text. Compose an email that is scheduled to land Monday afternoon (because Monday morning is not the time for assignments.)

2. Because you cannot disconnect you work on Saturday and send out a bunch of emails. Even if not labelled urgent, when your team receives emails from the boss on a Saturday, they feel compelled to stop and respond.

DO THIS: If you cannot disconnect, and you should really try, schedule the email to go out Monday afternoon. Most every email platform provides a schedule send option. If your's doesn't, maybe it is time to upgrade your system.

3. Because they messed up, you shame them in front of everyone. The team, the board, the customer. It doesn't matter. You feel the need to provide "constructive feedback" BS on the spot, regardless of who is around. You aren't just humiliating them, you are signaling to the rest of the team that one day they will be berated. This squelches any innovation and only causes everyone to become "yes" people. If you do it in front of customers, you will likely lose them.

DO THIS: Praise publicly, criticize or construct privately, and not a "hey you, can you stay for a few minutes?) do it without everyone knowing.

A boss controls through fear and manipulation.

A leader embraces the humanity of the team they lead, providing space for growth and rest.

In a world where we still have jackass bosses running free, let's be leaders.
Cody

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