Allan Dib

Lean Marketing

Helping people and organizations develop or enhance their marketing capabilities.

Founder

Hey, thanks for checking me out.

This is the bit where I’m supposed to tell you how awesome I am. It’s also usually written in the third person, which is kind of weird, so I won’t do that.

I think people read “about” pages and author bios for two main reasons. They want to know, “Is this person credible?” and “What can they do for me?” With that in mind, here’s a bunch of business stuff I’ve done that I’m proud of:

→ I’ve sold a lot of books. I’m in the top 0.01 percent of nonfiction authors.
→ My books have a lot of reach. They’ve been translated into over 30 languages and have impacted millions of entrepreneurs all over the world.
→ I’ve founded, scaled, and successfully exited multiple high-growth businesses across various industries, including IT, telecommunications, and marketing.
→ I’ve spoken to thousands of people at some amazing events and conferences.
→ I’ve made a lot of money along the way. I know money doesn’t buy happiness, but having grown up poor, I can tell you being rich is much better.
→ I work very reasonable hours. My business and work support my lifestyle, health, and relationships rather than being detrimental to them.

Here’s what I can do for you:

→ I’ll give you a clear, simple, and structured framework for marketing success.
→ I’ll help you and your team build your marketing skills, infrastructure, and capabilities.
→ I’ll help you grow your business revenue and profit.
→ I’ll help you increase the value of your business and create an asset that’s salable should you ever decide you want to exit.
→ I’ll help you build the kind of business that allows you to live life on your own terms.
→ We’ll do all of the above in a way that’s fun.

You can find out more about my programs, books, and content at LeanMarketing.com

Managing Dictator

I coach owners/entrepreneurs on how to build their in-house marketing capabilities. Here's how:

Read The 1-Page Marketing Plan: 
👉 It’s been called a “business bible” and “game-changer.”
👉 Huffington Post named it one of the 10 best marketing books for small business owners. 
👉 Universities across America use it as a modern-day textbook.
👉 Purchase it online at Amazon or through Barnes & Noble. More info here: https://successwise.com/book/ 


Or purchase the 1PMP Course - successwise.com/1pmpcourse/
👉 It follows the nine stages of the book, but we go deeper into tactical implementation.


Download the 1-Page Marketing Canvas Plan (1PMP) for FREE. 
👉 It provides business owners with a roadmap for marketing. 
👉 Use it to quickly & easily create a strategic marketing plan that propels your business: successwise.com/ 


Join the Marketing & Business Academy (MBA) - successwise.com/mba/ 
👉 Get instant access to an online community of like-minded entrepreneurs.
👉 Receive a vault of business-building content
👉 Attend weekly coaching calls with Allan: learn which proven systems help you leverage marketing and exponentially grow your business


Get 1:1 Coaching successwise.com/coaching/
👉 Invest in a specialized interactive marketing strategy and coaching program
👉 Learn how to implement sophisticated marketing strategies that get results
👉 Collaborate on strategy construction and development, agreed upon sales and marketing tactics, and goal setting  
👉 Enjoy unlimited email support and on-going campaign support.
👉 Let us hire and train your marketing team to make sure your marketing gets done.


"There are plenty of marketers out there but Allan is a level above them. The difference is Allan's marketing actually makes me money, not just him. He's always there. No question is too stupid for him to answer. He makes everything easy. If you're struggling to get traction in marketing, talk to Allan"
David Champion, Business Lighthouse

We free up online business owners from daily management so they have time to focus on their passions, strategy, and generating new business.

As a 7 or 8-figure founder with 5-25 employees, you’re drowning in operational chaos.

Your team asks you everything. You can’t take time off without fires breaking out. You built this business for freedom but feel trapped in daily management.

Sound familiar?

Unlike rigid operational frameworks that force you into one-size-fits-all systems, or generic consultants who give you cookie-cutter advice, I help founders with a personalized approach that works with what you already have.

Hi, I’m Lloyd Thompson, founder of VirtualDOO and author of “9 Ways to Leave Your Day-to-Day Operations.”

My team specializes in operational freedom for business owners who want their companies to run without them.

Our approach: Heart & Humour. We don’t just install systems that fall apart when we leave. We work with your team to build systems they own and understand.

We’re operating system agnostic - we take the best elements from multiple frameworks and tailor them to your specific needs. No long-term contracts, no rigid timelines.

Real results:
• William Wang saved $150K by avoiding an unnecessary hire
• Brendan Elias gained 20+ hours per week for product development  
• Tom Breeze automated processes that took hours into minutes

Ready to see where your business stands operationally?

Take my 5-minute Operations Readiness Assessment. I review every response personally and send you specific guidance within 24 hours.

https://virtualdoo.com/assess

Lloyd Thompson

I used to wear ‘busy’ like a badge. Now I see it for what it is: a trap.

Remember why you started your business?
I’m guessing it wasn’t to work harder than you did in a job.

When I left corporate, it took me more than a year to unwind the employee wiring in my head.

Five days on, two days off.
Early starts, late finishes.
The commute.
The fixed leave.
Someone else calling the shots.

Sound familiar?

In a recent conversation between Dale Beaumont and Omar Zenhom, Dale compared alcoholism with workaholism.
You can be addicted to work too.
And most founders don’t even realise they’re in it.

Nobody gets to the final moments of their life wishing they’d spent more time hunched over a laptop.

So when Nicole Baldinu and Omar invited me to spend a full day hanging out with a bunch of amazing business owners, playing games, laughing, and raising money for disadvantaged kids… I didn’t hesitate.

I didn’t need to ask permission.
My business ran without me.
And I came home with a full heart and a stack of new friends.
That feels like winning.

If you can’t take even one day off without things breaking, take my free assessment and let’s get you unplugged.

I fix operations for $3M-15M service businesses where everything depends on the founder

We were sitting in the surf when I said:

"I won't be here next week. I have to go back to the office."

This was during COVID.

He asked: "Are you looking forward to that?"

"No, not really."

"Then why do you do it?"

"What else would I do?"

That question sat between us for a moment.

Then he said: "What do you actually do?"

I told him.

And he said: "There's a way to do that without ever going back to the office."

Five years later, I’m running VirtualDOO and haven't been back.

Sometimes freedom is one question away.

James Schramko once told me something that stuck with me:
 “The key to a successful online business is to meet people offline.”

So when I trade my beach shorts for actual pants and battle my way into the city, the event has to earn it.

Yesterday did.

Gunnar Habitz ran a brilliant session on how agencies can partner to create better outcomes for clients. 

More importantly, it created space to connect with people I’d probably never meet from behind a laptop.

My approach to networking is simple… go deep, not wide.

Find a couple of people you genuinely gel with.
Add value.
See where it leads.
Work can come later. Relationships first.

Big thanks to Gunnar Habitz, ActiveCampaign, and all the amazing folks in the room.

Helping boutique marketing agencies scale through human connection, automation & AI-powered workflows | Agency Ecosystem Lead @ ActiveCampaign (APAC)

Thank you Sydney 🇦🇺

What an honour of bringing ActiveCampaign's Evolving Agency Series for marketing agencies and consultants to Sydney - the day after my Aussie passport arrives 🦘

In this series across multiple cities on the globe so far, we covered what matters to win clients in the age of AI such as:
- Scaling and sustaining agencies
- Productising tools & services
- AI for agencies

Special thanks to the contribution of Karen Chi, the VP of Global Sales of ActiveCampaign, as well as Ana Guzman, leading Customer Experience across all regions.

From my experience at events like this, it only works with an engaging crowd in the audience. I'm especially grateful that the person who taught me all about #marketingautomation was in the room as well (see how surprised he was showing a photo of 2018). Thanks 🔥 Razz Khan - Digital Marketing with AI

Special mention for the hospitality of Jason Goodall from the Institute of Managers and Leaders Australia and New Zealand - as a proud member from my first day in Australia it was more than just an event venue for me.

Next stop: Melbourne next Tuesday 25 November, see here: https://lnkd.in/gxSyVW3Y

How do you see your role as #marketing agency in an #AI world?

ROI is important. But ROE is transformative.

Return on Emotion.

When Tom’s team started smiling in meetings again, that’s when I knew we’d won.

Not because the systems were perfect. Not because the processes were flawless.

But because his people felt empowered instead of micromanaged.

Most operators focus on efficiency. We focus on effectiveness AND happiness.

When your team enjoys coming to work, everything else gets easier:
• Less turnover
• More innovation  
• Better customer service
• Faster problem-solving

Heart & Humour isn’t just our core value. It’s our competitive advantage.

How would you rate your team’s happiness level right now? 😊

The biggest bottleneck in your business is staring back at you in the mirror.

I know because I see it every day:

• Every decision flows through the founder
• Team asks permission for everything
• Nothing happens without your input
• You’re the answer to every question

You didn’t build a business. You built a very complex job where everyone reports to you.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: As long as you’re the bottleneck, your business can’t scale beyond your personal capacity.

The solution isn’t working more hours. It’s building systems that work without you.

Your team is more capable than you think. They just need permission to prove it.

What decisions are you making that someone else could handle? 🎯

I'll be honest: I struggle with Whiners.

They come to you with problems but no solutions.

It frustrates me because I see it as laziness.

Here's how I handle it now:

Active listening first. Acknowledge what they said.

Then coaching: "What were your three options? What's the one you suggest?"

Force them to think through solutions, not just dump problems.

Because here's the truth: if someone constantly complains but never acts, they're not looking for help.

They're looking for sympathy.

And that's not your job as a leader.

Last call for Business Blueprint pre-event chats.

We’ve helped:
- An agency owner identify $180K in wasted contractor spend
- A SaaS founder eliminate 25 hours/week of client onboarding work
- A course creator hand off all delivery (now does 10 hrs/week vs 40)

All three had the same problem: founder dependency.

If you're at Business Blueprint and want to see where your operational bottlenecks are, I've got 3 spots left this week.

15-minute diagnostic. Zero pitch. I'll tell you exactly what's broken and how to fix it.

DM me "Diagnostic" if you're attending.

See you in November.

Founder of VirtualDOO.com | Scale without being the bottleneck 🚀 | Free Ops Assessment 👆

Every “no” is a quiet investment in what matters most.

@milanicreative | Visual teacher simplifying complexity with visual metaphors | +20 years high school teacher

Time doesn’t disappear.
It’s given away, one "yes" at a time.

We make time for what we prioritize.
And the shape of a priority starts with the gentle art of “no.”

What's stealing your sand lately?

P.S. If you're new here, I'm Pejman Milani (milanicreative).

I've made hundreds of visual metaphors like this as friendly reminders to help live a more intentional and creative life.

If that's your jam, follow me for more daily insights.

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The Battle

Allan Dib

Lloyd Thompson

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The Battle

Allan Dib

Lloyd Thompson

Followers

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Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Lloyd Thompson's LinkedIn Performance

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