Most "strategy" is bullsh*t.

Complicated.
Dense.
Timid.

And fundamentally incapable of doing the job it's meant to do: inspiring bold action that creates incredible results.

Great strategy is simple.

It's clear.
It's brave.
It's mischievous.

You can explain it to anyone, and they won't only "get it"; they'll be energised by it.

Follow me if you want to learn how to do strategy this way.

Here's how:

_________

1. Work with me

Each year, I work with 10 clients, and do a number of speaking engagements.

This is for brands who are ready to cut through complexity, and make waves in their market with confidence and clarity.

I’m with you every step.

If this might be you, drop me a DM or check out www.basicarts.org/work-with-alex/ 

_______

2. Get a new strategy technique every week

...by joining 25,000+ others  in the best strategic thinking community on the internet, The Hidden Path. You'll also get two free tools to sharpen and tidy your thinking. Just go here:

www.basicarts.org/template

_______

3. Master the basics for the price of a cocktail

...by reading my book, No Bullsh*t Strategy. It'll teach you everything you need to know in one 138 page hit.

Just search for it on Amazon, or wherever you like to buy books.

______

4. Subscribe to my YouTube for weekly masterclasses

You'll find it here: youtube.com/alexmhsmith

______

5. If you're a small business or strategy pro...

...then you can get my entire approach, ready to roll, in the Strategy Shortcut System. Use it on your own business, use it on your clients - either way it's the fastest and funnest way of getting competitive advantage on the planet.

www.strategyshortcutsystem.com

_________

Never forget, business should be an adventure.

And strategy?  It’s the map.

Let's set out.

Alex

Alex M H Smith

Are there more important strategy skills than these?

Sure. But that's the boring stuff.

Here, I wanted to create a list of less obvious things. The skills people don't tend to talk about, but which I think are pretty damn useful.

Here's a brief explanation of each.

1. Writing well

Writing is thinking that you can share. And this is pretty much the whole of what strategy is - thinking then sharing it - so honestly, you can't do without this.

2. Feeling comfortable generalising

Strategy is about zoomed-out, big-picture perspectives. And that means painting with a broad brush. Some people don't feel comfortable doing this, and so strategy isn't for them.

3. Being a teensy bit negative

If you're doing strategy, you're trying to improve something. Which must begin with noticing what's wrong with it. You can't be a cheerleader for something, and change its path.

4. An eye for aesthetics

Partially this is about pattern-spotting (a core strategy skill). But it's also about influence. If you want to persuade people, then make it pretty.

5. A sense of humour

Yes, it helps with rapport - but more importantly humour comes from observation and lateral thinking. I don't really see how you can be a good strategist without being kinda funny.

6. Being a PowerPoint master

Oh man do I love PowerPoint (or Keynote in my case). And you've got to. Knowing the art of pleasing rhythmic presentations is huge, since this is how you're probably going to sell your idea.

7. Kindness and warmth

People won't listen to you if they don't like you.

8. Radical simplification

My favourite strategy question to ask is "give me this gist". Being able to simplify to the gist shows understanding, and drives clarity.

9. Curiosity

You need to just be generally interested in random "stuff", and gather it in the library of your mind - since you never know when the most obscure thing might come in handy.

10. An authoritarian streak

Hey, you don't have to like it, but eventually you're going to need to tell people what to do. Many great thinkers have been undone by not having the confidence to do this.

11. A distaste for perfectionism

A great strategy is always a bit of a punt, that might not stand up to minute scrutiny. So sometimes it's best to just trust your gut, and see how it goes.

12. A touch of cynicism

You are trying to work with how the world is - not how you wish it would be. So you need to be a realist about human nature, and the darker side of the world.

13. The ability to touch-type

This means you can write as quick as you can think. Insanely underrated.

14. Understanding branding

Most strategy is not branding - but a bit of it is, and it's the less "rational" part. You can't truly understand market dynamics without it.

15. Storytelling

A strategy, in the end, is a story. And it will work to the extent people are captured by it.

___

Got any more? Put em in the comments.

Refine all these skills, for free, here: https://lnkd.in/eJSPsGUf

No Bullsh*t Strategy | Helping the world’s most iconic brands make smarter, braver decisions | Author | Advisor | Speaker

Dr. Paul & Company

Peer and expert mentorship network to educate immigrants and help them qualify for talent based pathways to permanent residency in the US (EB1 & EB2 NIW).

- Scaled a social network from 0 to 38,000+ immigrants across social media platforms
- Educated 4,532 immigrants through webinars, masterclasses, bootcamps, and consultations
- Created the largest Slack community of 5,800+ connecting extraordinary visa aspirants with recipients, paralegals, and immigration lawyers
 

Now expanding each initiative through the integration of personalized mentorship and strategic partnerships.

Guest speakers / collabs with over 18 lawyers and paralegals including:

Brian Lisonbee , Dobrina Ustun, Sameer Khedekar, Emily Sumner , Amber Davis, Helen Partlow, Jocabed Botello, Jessica Yanez, Arianna Esfathiou ,Phil Kuck, Toni Xu, Ian Campbell, Nicole Gunara, Tess Douglas, Mary Ann Reid

CC Fischbeck, Jenna Schlintz , Alison Mooney , Benjamin Merrill, Maria Escobar

Founder

New York I-Corps Hub

Completed the National Science Foundation's I-Corps New York regional bootcamp, leading the exploration and commercialization of innovative immigration tech. 

Engaged in customer discovery, market analysis, and business model refinement to drive the integration of technology solutions within the high skilled immigration landscape.

Committed to advancing technology at the intersection of immigration for positive social impact.

Entrepreneurial Lead

Boomi

Principal User Experience Researcher

Pace University

Associate Professor

Research:

•	Adopted a multidisciplinary approach to examine the cultural, interpersonal, psychological, and health impact of using user-centered communication technologies. 

•	Designed and distributed online surveys to identify personas of 318 American college students who use dating apps for sexual gratification. Also, utilized survey design on a sample of 825 Singaporean users to verify the impact of user experience on attitude toward online dating algorithms.  

•	Collaborated with researchers in Europe and Asia to analyze advertisements used by 1,003 online dating websites across 51 countries. Suggested ethical and strategic advertising strategies to online dating stakeholders drawing on study’s findings. 

•	Conducted and synthesized research on college students’ sexual attitudes and behaviors. Based on insights, proposed hypotheses, and executed a nationally representative survey to verify hypotheses. 

             • Results demonstrated that dating apps have transformed the norms of college hookup culture 
              and shifted gender dynamics. Book endorsed by 20 practitioners, researchers, and scholars. 

Teaching:

•	Developed, redesigned, and taught 7 introductory, intermediate, and advanced courses on topics such as research methods, communication and technology, organizational communication, and interpersonal communication. Class sizes ranged from 15-90 students. Consistently received outstanding teaching evaluations (M = 4.1-5.0/5.0).

•	Presented and published innovative assignment and course design strategies in three international and national conferences, one peer-reviewed publication, and one book chapter. 

•	Advised approximately 50 students every academic year, guided six students on their senior research projects, three were featured in TOP 100 Scholars list at Pace University.

Assistant Professor

Hack for LA

•	Worked cross-functionally to streamline and structure the volunteer program for high-school students to hone their technical skills required for STEM careers.

UX Lead

Michigan State University

Quantitative Researcher: 

•	Executed a longitudinal secondary analysis of 4,002-participant responses comparing online versus offline romantic relationships. The research generated 75 citations and was covered by 89 national and international media including NBC News, Newsweek, Business Insider, CNET, and The Washington Post.

•	Utilized experimental testing and conversation analysis to demonstrate the positive and negative impact of Facebook profiles on personal relationships. Results used to guide the human-centered design of wearable technologies by Nordic research scientists.

Instructor: 
Independently taught courses and led recitation sections of larger classes taught by senior professors. The number of students enrolled in these courses ranged from 15 to 35. These courses include:

1. Introduction to Communication
2. Introduction to Public Speaking
3. Communication Research Methods and Theory
4. Organizational Communication

Doctoral Candidate: Completed the following courses

1. Communication Theory I & II
2. Communication Research Design I & II
3. Online Research Design
4. Advanced Analysis of Social Data
5. Human Computer Interaction
6. Technology for Behavior Change
7. Theories of Interaction Design
8. Advanced Interpersonal Communication
9. Self-Disclosure

Doctoral Candidate, Researcher, Instructor

Mentored and tutored NCAA basketball and football athletes to ensure their overall collegiate success.

Academic Mentor

Jadavpur University

Conceptualized a series of shows based on contemporary and cultural music called Music Hour for Jadavpur University Community Radio Station, RadioJU 90.8 MHz.

Radio Show Host

Hosted a series of events ranging from academic felicitations to corporate product launches to fashion shows and entertainment. Some of them include:
1. Felicitation ceremony of Olympic Silver Medalists Vijendra Singh and Sushil Kumar 
2. Annual corporate events of ICICI DIRECT, Arena Multimedia, Hindustan Petroleum, Pantaloons, and Fosters.
3. Cultural events of St. Xaviers College Alumni Association, Friends of Tribal Society of India, and Children's Book Fair in association with Reliance India Communications.

Host, Corporate and Entertainment Events

Planet M Retail Ltd

Hosted music product launches of local and national artists.

Radio Talk Show Host

Researcher | Published Author | Ex-Tenured Professor | I help Indian international students and professionals take charge of their American immigration journey

👋 Hi there! I'm Aditi Paul - Former tenured professor with over a decade of experience doing research on social media, online dating, and technology's impact on human lives.

Throughout my professional career, there was one thing that was a constant bother.

Dealing with immigration.

I've gone through the arduous F1  ▶️ H1B  ▶️ EB2  ▶️ EB1 route and finally earned my green card.

I know firsthand how challenging immigration can be. 

⭐️ This is why my goal is to help the next generation of immigrants navigate their journey with confidence and ease.

This is how I can help

✅ Follow me on Linkedin and Substack - I share insights about the EB1 process 5 times a week

✅ Join my exclusive Slack community of EB1 green card aspirants (There are over 5,300 people in there) 

✅ 1:1 call to jumpstart your EB1 prep (link : Topmate.io/draditipaul)

✅ Get a copy of The EB1 Starter Pack (link : Topmate.io/draditipaul)

or if you'd like to get down to business and work 1:1 with me

DM "GO" and I'll send you the details.


Disclaimer: Please note that all content I create on immigration matters is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. It is important to consult with a licensed attorney who specializes in immigration law. 


------------------------------------------------------------------

A snapshot of my professional profile:

► Conceptualized and executed seven research projects resulting in 

◊ 98+ quotes in popular media outlets including NBC News, Newsweek, Business Insider, The Washington Post, CNET, Bustle, and Psychology Today
◊ 25 speaking engagements at conferences, universities, and corporate events at IBM and TEDxBushwick
◊ 22+ media interviews
◊ $19,463 research funds acquisition
◊ 9 publications (research papers, reports, book chapters, and sole-authored book)
◊ 3 fellowships with Wikipedia, Association of National Advertisers, and New York University
◊ 3 research awards 

►  For more information, visit: http://www.draditipaul.com/

Aditi Paul, PhD 🟢

Everyone wants the big EB1 win.

But no one wants to touch the awkward start that makes it possible

I learned this through my journey of being an emcee

I got my first taste of being an emcee at Xavotsav - St Xaviers' annual fest. The high I felt was unreal

I was alive in a way I’d never felt before

I wondered.........Could I do this for a living?

So I started pitching myself to event management companies

I had no showreel, no online presence, no brand

Just a 19-slide PowerPoint deck

- With 5 blurry photos taken on a Nokia 7610
- A list of all the debate competitions I had won
- All caps, bold font, on a neon green background

Finally, summer of 2008. I got a gig.

Host Children's Carnival at Pantaloons Camac Street Kolkata

My job was to stand in the children’s section on the second floor, approach parents, host games with their children

For 3 straight hours

I made Rs. 1,500 

(That's $16 for anyone converting)

But that did not matter at the time

At the beginning, I did not need big

I needed proof

- That this thing could work
- That I was good at it
- That people were willing to pay me for it

That small step became the first step of something bigger

Since 2008, I have hosted:

Women’s Day at the Consulate of India in New York
Press junkets for Shazam and Little America
The Time 100 red carpet

But none of it would’ve happened…

if I didn’t first say yes to the mall gig

That’s exactly how EB1 works

People chase the big win

But the big win doesn’t come first

It comes because you’ve stacked dozens of “small, awkward, probably-beneath-you” wins

Consistently.
Deliberately.
Relentlessly.

So take the awkward gig

Make the cringe deck

Show up before you’re “ready"

The small win isn’t a detour

It is the path forward

-------------------------

This is how I help my clients get EB1 ready

I help them build that small-win-stack

So when the big win comes 

They are not just ready

They OWN that sh*t

Want to get EB1 ready the small-win way?

DM "GO" and I'll share the deets

Aditi Paul,PhD

Get EB1-ready with a proven game plan — make real progress in 4–6 hrs of focused work / week, so you can live in the US with freedom & ease | Served: 112+ Clients. 3900+ Customers | DM “GO” to work with me 1:1

I'm convinced : People who choose to stay on H1B forever 

Have a humiliation kink

I should know......I was one of them too

In fact, I had it easier than most

I did not even have to go through the lottery to get H1B. I just got it. Thank you, "cap-exempt" H1B

And for a while, it felt like a great deal

- I was living stress-free in the US
- Traveled across Europe with a Schengen visa
- Accessed countries that welcomed US visa holders

So I stayed on it. 

Then 2018 hit.......and the humiliation marathon began

My H1B was up for renewal. 
And I found myself chasing down my employer, begging them to file it under premium processing

That was the first time I felt humiliated

It wouldn’t be the last

In 2021, it happened again. 
This time during the COVID backlog when USCIS was crawling. And yet again, my employer waited until the last possible moment.

By 2022, I was exhausted

In 30 days my H1B would expire

I begged my HR team to move. Eventually, they wrote a letter to Senator Gillibrand’s office to expedite my H1B approval

These moments reminded me again and again

My legal status, my entire livelihood, was in the hands of someone else

And I was not willing to keep living like that

So when I hear people say things like:

“My EB2 priority date is next year, I’ll just wait.”
 
Or
 
“EB1 seems hard. I don’t think I can pull it off.”

I get it. I used to think that too

But here’s what I didn’t understand back then:

Every time I said NO to EB1, I said yes to:

- Yes to the begging
- Yes to the silence.
- Yes to depending on people 

Who don’t care about your future the way you do

For me, the choice became crystal clear

Even if EB1 made me play Squid Games on nightmare mode, I’d still play it.

Because the alternative?

That was NEVER an option for me

EB1 was it.

----------------------------

PS: If you're done waiting and ready to take control

Take that bold step toward EB1

I'm running a 60-day EB1 sprint 

So you close out 2025 with momentum

DM "60" and I'll share the deets

I got invited to speak at Ventures Beyond Borders accelerator

To a room full of refugee entrepreneurs

Honestly I did not go to teach 
(or worse, preach)

I did what the best mentors in my life did for me

They never told me what more I needed to do
The best mentors in my life helped me clear the clutter

So I could see what was already inside me

That’s what I wanted to do for them

And I did the only way I know how to do:

- Telling my own stories
- Sharing memes and GIFs 
- Recommending books that helped me 

Because really.......

How do you TEACH entrepreneurship to refugees?

It’s already in their blood

They’ve navigated uncertainty
They’ve made the most of what they had
They’ve carried a drive to leave the world better than they found it

You can’t teach that

I just wanted to hold up a mirror 

So they could see it, too

Thank you Johannes Lang for the warm invite

Please invite me back again 

I promise to share more memes :)

I thought a green card would magically erase my immigration anxiety

It did not

As a matter of fact, it has dialed my anxiety up

My road to get a green card was ridiculous 

- Found a job sponsoring H1B 
- Secured an EB2 priority date in 2016
-  Negotiated an EB1 upgrade with the Dean
- Got ghosted by the company lawyer for 9 months 
- Survived a deportation scare because my H1B was about to expire

And after all this drama

I finally got this piece of plastic called green card in 2022

Needless to say, I'm hella protective of it

So when the 2025 immigration updates started

First, the travel scare
Next, the ICE hunts 
It hit a nerve

It felt like the one thing I fought years for was suddenly under threat

The obvious question then is:

If I still feel scared after getting a green card....

Is it still worth it?

The immigration pundits say yes 
Because now I have more rights than on H1B

To be honest, I’m not entirely sure what those rights are

But the fact that I have to look them up 
And mentally rehearse how to use them
Tells you everything about the reality we live in

This year has made me realize one thing:

This system is designed to keep me (and you) in a constant state of panic

So I remind myself every day:

It’s my job to fight against that conditioning
To rebuild my nervous system
To earn my right to live free

One step at a time

One immigration milestone at a time


----------------------------------

PS: If you’re reading this thinking,

 “I don’t want to feel like this for the rest of my life in the US”

I built something for exactly that

It is The 60-Day EB1 Sprint 

to help you build momentum and actual progress 

So you close out 2025 one step closer to the green card goal

Doors close this Friday

DM "60"

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