𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁-𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀
It’s not just about scaling your business.
It’s also about scaling you.
From Fortune 500 companies to fast-growing startups, I’ve coached leaders at every stage. Today, my mission is focused: helping first-time founders scale themselves as fast as they scale their companies.
 
𝗠𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀
Your startup can only grow as fast as you do. As a first-time founder, you’re under pressure from investors, your team, and your family—all while learning on the fly skills that others spend decades mastering. Whether you’re raising capital, hiring your first team, or pushing toward product-market fit, I help you close the gap between where you are and where your company needs you to be.
 
𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗠𝘆 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀
I bring 20+ years of coaching 10,000+ leaders, founder experience, and cutting-edge insights from neuroscience and behavioral psychology. The result: a proven path to accelerate both personal and company growth. My frameworks help you:
• Transform self-doubt into clarity and influence
• Build and inspire high-performing, durable teams
• Raise capital while staying true to your vision
• Create sustainable success without burnout
• Leverage your existing strengths while closing critical skill gaps
• Grow yourself as fast as your company 
 
𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗜 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲
My one-on-one clients are founders who:
• Want tailored, responsive coaching that meets them where they are
• Care deeply about building strong teams and cultures
• Aim to create both impact and enterprise value
• Refuse to accept that success means sacrificing their families, health, or lives outside the company
• Are willing to grow personally and professionally to become the leader their company needs 
 
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁
From doubling revenue to unlocking fundraising rounds to transforming team dynamics, my clients consistently achieve breakthrough results—while building lives they actually want to live.
 
𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁?
Visit www.andrewpoles.com/contact or DM me here.

Andrew Poles

This is one of those leadership truths that sounds simple and may take years to embody. Early on, being the hero feels like care, competence, and responsibility. Over time, it quietly becomes a ceiling. 
The real work is shifting from proving your value to building others’ capacity and confidence. 
When people grow stronger around you, leadership stops being exhausting and starts being expansive.

Coaching first-time founders to grow themselves and their companies | 3x Founder | 22+ years coaching partners like NASA, Dell, Schwab + 10,000 people worldwide

Your success, my mission | CEO @ Polished Carbon | Former CIO $4B company | DEIB ally | Sharing 25 years of hard-won wisdom on people-first leadership + emotional intelligence + self-mastery

Leadership isn't about being the hero.

It's about creating heroes.

You don't earn your team's respect by showing off
your superpowers.

You earn it by helping them discover their own.

Because true leadership is seeing potential
in someone before they see it in themselves.

Then showing them how to unlock it.

It's not about:
➟ Being the smartest in the room
➟ Solving all the problems
➟ Having every answer

It's about:
➟ Asking the right questions
➟ Drawing out hidden talents
➟ Building confidence in others

Your legacy isn't measured by your achievements.

It's measured by the people who grew
stronger under your guidance.

Remember:

Great leaders don't create followers.
They create more leaders.

That's the privilege of leadership.
That's the responsibility.
That's the gift.

Your superpower isn't what you can do.

It's what you help others become.

♻️ Agree? Repost to share with your network.
🔖 Follow Justin Wright for more on leadership.

You and me against the problem - never you against me, or me against you.

That is a key shift that allows for productive disagreement between cofounders.

How many times do we find ourselves at odds over some issue or decision with someone with whom we share decision making or execution responsibility, and then quickly, the disagreement over the issue becomes a break in the relationship inside of which we're attempting to work out the issue? 

What I find works is to practice - it's always you and me against the challenge. Never one of us against the other. 

In marriages. In co-founder dynamics. In Board meetings. On teams.

You & Me. 

Check out the full interview. Link in the comments.

It was great to be interviewed on The Secrets of the High-Demand Coach podcast with Scott Ritzheimer. 

We dove deeply into the issues of co-founder tension, how to run a business when you disagree, covering situations where one co-founder has more legal control than the other as well as situations where control is shared and decisions must be agreed upon. 

Having seen several co-founder relationships blow up unnecessarily over challenges of disagreement, I know how challenging this topic can be to navigate. 

I’d really love if you gave this episode a listen.

Open article: Podcast Template with Scott Ritzheimer – Ep. 0–duplicate-1 by scalearchitects.com

Podcast Template with Scott Ritzheimer – Ep. 0–duplicate-1

Who knew we could learn so much from trees about how to build powerful companies?

In this interview with Scott Ritzheimer of the Start, Scale and Succeed Podcast, we explore the intricacies of co-founder dynamics and how to successfully navigate some of their thornier aspects.

Part of our discussion centered on what I feel is a hidden secret to greasing the gears of performance - human connection.

Do you tend to the quality of your connections with the people you partner with and lead? 

If not, you might want to reconsider. 

For the full interview, see link in the comments below.

Most founders I work with are running on a fuel they never question: chronic dissatisfaction.

It drives results–but it also quietly burns you.

This article introduces a different fuel for elite performance–one that keeps your edge without costing you your health, relationships, or joy. 

If you’ve ever felt afraid to slow down or feel “good enough,” this is for you.

Most leaders I work with are driven by a deep, often unspoken fear: If I let myself feel satisfied, I’ll lose my edge. We’ll stop pushing. There will 

Open article: And Why “Satisfaction” Isn’t the Answer Either by Andrew Poles • 4 min read

And Why “Satisfaction” Isn’t the Answer Either

The holidays are supposed to feel whole.
But for a lot of leaders, they don’t.

Old tensions with teammates.
Unspoken resentment with a cofounder.
Judgment you’re still holding against yourself for a decision that didn’t work.

This issue isn’t about being “nice.”
It’s about forgiveness as a leadership skill–and why it might be the thing that restores trust, clarity, and momentum in your company heading into the new year.

If relationships at work feel heavier than they should this holiday season, this is for you.

The word holiday comes from holy day. And before “holy” was a religious word, it meant something simpler—and deeper: set apart, venerated, whole, unbr

Open article: The thing that actually nourishes collaboration gets buried under performance, pressure, and expectations. by Andrew Poles • 4 min read

The thing that actually nourishes collaboration gets buried under performance, pressure, and expectations.

This proverb keeps coming back to me.
Not because it dismisses sorrow - but because it draws a clean line between *experiencing* it and *living inside* it.
We don’t get to control the thoughts or emotions that pass through on a hard day.
We DO get to choose whether we let them take up residence and start shaping our identity, our decisions, or our future.
That small pause - one breath, one reset - is often the difference between wisdom and rumination.
And over time, those pauses compound.

NYT Bestselling Author | Entrepreneur | Investor

This proverb lives rent-free in my head.

(read it once and you'll see why):

"You cannot prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can prevent them from building nests in your hair." - Chinese Proverb

If you attach yourself to the sorrow, continue to think all of the negative thoughts it brought about, repeat the patterns of your past, dwell in the pain, and bemoan your bad luck, you allow the nest to be built.

If you pause, breathe, give yourself a moment to reset, and choose a balanced response, you send the birds flying off into the distance.

The choice is yours…

—

♻ Repost to remind someone: don’t let sorrow build a nest.
🔔 Follow Sahil Bloom for more life wisdom like this.

—

📌 Want 50 simple rules for living calmer and clearer?

Download my Most Powerful Life Hacks PDF (free) and join 800,000+ who get my newsletter: https://lnkd.in/edxXi82t

This is a solid reminder that momentum doesn’t come from hype - it comes from clarity. 
Looking back honestly isn’t about judgment; it’s about separating what actually worked from what just kept you busy. 
The quality of 2026 will be shaped less by new goals and more by how cleanly you integrate the lessons from 2025. Reflection done this way becomes a strategic advantage, not a sentimental exercise.

Founder at Bloomful | Helping founders and execs build a credible LinkedIn presence | Keynote Speaker, Medical Doctor, Ex-BCG

Your strongest 2026 starts with a brutally honest look at 2025.

Growth always demands reflection.

Future successes depends on the questions you ask today.

7 powerful questions to supercharge your 2026:

1. Where did you show resilience this year?
↳ When did you prove your strength or resilience?
↳ Use resilience to tackle bigger challenges in 2026.

2. Who supported your growth this year?
↳ Who made a real difference to your growth?
↳ Invest in meaningful relationships to fuel success.

3. What fears held you back this year?
↳ What stopped you from acting on what mattered?
↳ Stop avoiding fears; face them head-on instead.

4. Where did you excel & create impact?
↳ What moments made you feel proud of your work?
↳ Lean into strengths to have bigger impact in 2026.

5. What brought you the most joy this year?
↳ What moments or people made you happiest?
↳ Prioritise what lights you up to build a fulfilling '26.

6. What would you do differently in 2026?
↳ What choices would you approach differently?
↳ Turn the lessons into a smart strategy for next year.

7. What vision will guide you into 2026?
↳ What inspires you when you imagine life in a year?
↳ Let a clear, bold vision drive your decision making.

As the year wraps up, taking time to reflect
Helps set the stage for a successful 2026.

What’s your top tip for reflecting on the year?
Let me know in the comments below👇

📌 If you like this content, you might like my free newsletter—sign up here: https://lnkd.in/ekfMRpWJ

♻️ Repost to help others plan their best year yet.
➕ Follow Dr. Dupe Burgess for more.

7 Powerful Questions To Supercharge Your 2026

What's the answer to unequal co-founder, or decision maker, authority?

What do you do when one co-founder will have the ability to overrule the decision in nearly every case? Is that a workable situation?

That depends, but the work of determining if this can be a workable agreement mostly falls on the co-founder or decision maker who is ceding authority to their partner.

It can work if the right work gets done IN ADVANCE.

Otherwise, I've seen this situation broil, and turn into co-founder resentments that can cost you the company.

For a full discussion on how to navigate co-founder tension, see the full interview with Scott Ritzheimer on his podcast Start, Scale and Succeed. 

Link in comments below.

Strategic CFO, currently scaling the world’s coolest AI-powered Referral & Influencer marketing platform.

Here’s why you need me in your corner...

✅  Finance as a Growth Weapon
↳ Tactical insights to turn revenue, profit and cash into scale.

✅  Strategy That Executes
↳ Simple frameworks that drive action, not complexity.

✅  Leadership & Operator Mindset
↳  No bullshit. Just what works when the pressure’s on and time is short.

Because when you’ve got runway pressure, fundraising focus, team chaos and rapid revenue growth — you don’t need another spreadsheet. 

You need someone to cut through the crap and help you move with confidence.

⚠️ Tired of recycled, AI-generated advice from people who’ve never done the job?

Follow me. I’ll show you what’s worked across $2M to $2B businesses — from startups to enterprise giants.

.............................

Why Trust Me?

⚡  FCCA-qualified CFO, +20 years in UK + Australia
⚡  Built best-in-class finance teams from scratch
⚡  Executed million dollar efficiency projects
⚡  Flipped P&Ls into profit, cash into green
⚡  Scaled ARR by £8M in 12 months
⚡  Managed billion-dollar P&Ls

I've worked across:
↳  VC/PE-backed SaaS scale-ups
↳  KPMG (consulting + advisory)
↳  ASX-listed $2B+ enterprises
↳  And everything in between

Real wins. Real wipeouts. Real lessons.

.............................

My Story (The Human Bit)

I’m not your typical CFO.

I grew up playing high-level sport, chasing the professional dream. When that path closed, I pivoted — trained as an accountant, joined KPMG, and tried hard to “fit the accountant mould.”

I spent years in stuffy suits and talking in corporate code.

Eventually, I stopped trying to blend in — and started leaning into what made me different: the way I think, lead, and work with people.

Since then, I’ve lived in Australia, I’ve built finance functions from scratch, scaled companies across continents, and earned trust in rooms filled with operators, investors, and founders trying to figure out how to grow fast without losing the plot.

Now I’m back in the UK — still not your typical CFO.
And that’s entirely the point.

Let’s connect. DMs are open (I respond to all my messages - It might just take me a few days!)

If you're trying to sell me something for Mention Me. Please do not cold call. Dm or Email me and I'll respond if I'm interested. Gracias!

Dave Leaver

Stop setting yourself on fire to keep employers warm.

I'm going to be direct:
If you're working late, crushing goals, and propping up your entire team...

And they still skip over you for promotion?
You're not the issue.
They are.

Most people think they haven't worked hard enough.
That's absolute garbage.
👉 You're not lacking drive.
👉 You're being exploited.

Here's what organizations that actually respect you look like:
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝘁 
↳ Not just nod and ignore 
↳ They change things when you speak up

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 
↳ Not the minimum they can get away with 
↳ What you actually earn for them

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 
↳ Real training, not bollocks e-learning 
↳ Actual opportunities, not empty promises

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 
↳ No guilt for leaving on time 
↳ Boundaries aren't treated as betrayal

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 
↳ Not hire some external twat who knows nothing 
↳ Reward the people who built the place

If your employer can't do these basics?
You owe them nothing.

Zero loyalty. Zero extra hours. Zero sacrifices.

Loyalty is earned.
Not demanded at gunpoint with threats of "limited opportunities."

Stop giving everything to people who'd have your replacement hired before your desk was cold.

✅ Protect your energy.
✅ Know your value.
✅ The right place won't make you beg for recognition.

Here's the harsh reality:
You're replaceable to them.
Make sure they're replaceable to you.
.......................
What company squeezed you dry then tossed you aside?

🔔 Follow Dave Leaver for career reality that actually helps
♻ Share if you've wasted years somewhere that never deserved you

I am done planning 2026...


Instead, I am just gonna implement my 2025 learnings.

It's not about what you learned.
It's about what you're willing to unlearn.

You need more clarity.
You need more speed.

Speed beats perfection in execution

2025 rewarded the fast movers.
Not the perfect planners.

Launch it at 80%.
Fix it live.

𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲:

Stop collecting frameworks.
Start making decisions.

Stop building perfect systems.
Start building trust with your clients.

Stop waiting for certainty.
Start moving with conviction.

What's one thing you're unlearning in 2026?

------------------------------------------
🔔 Follow Dave Leaver for more finance truth
♻ Share if you've seen "perfection" destroy growth.

I fired our top salesperson.
Revenue went up 30%.

This person was untouchable:
→ Biggest deals
→ Highest revenue
→ Board favourite

Everyone loved the wins.
Finance saw the truth.

The numbers:
33% churn within 12 months

Wrong customers. Wrong fit. Wrong budget.

𝗗𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿. 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗮 𝗵𝗶𝘁. 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲:
▶️ Customer success drowning in complaints
▶️ Product blamed for sales failures
▶️ Implementation costs 3x forecast
▶️ Entire team copying this approach

We were scaling failure.
But no one wanted to kill the golden goose.

I ran the numbers:
✅ Deals mapped to profitability
✅ Implementation costs tracked
✅ True lifetime value calculated

The data was brutal:
High acquisition costs.
Low lifetime value.
Negative unit economics.

We were paying top commission to destroy margins.

𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗘𝗢:
👉 "We can't afford this success."
👉 Pushback was instant:
👉 "Top performer."
👉 "Board will panic."

𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲?
We're already losing. We're just calling it growth.
We made the call.

Revenue dipped. Everyone panicked.

Then the team started asking:
→ Is this customer a fit?
→ Will this deal make us money?

Close rates dropped.
Deal quality went up.
Churn collapsed.

𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝟭𝟮 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀, 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝟯𝟬%.
This time it was profitable.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵:
Revenue isn't the goal.
Profitable revenue is.

High performers who tank unit economics aren't assets.
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆'𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀.

If your top performer is breaking your business model, they're not your top performer.
𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆'𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝘅.

What metric is your company celebrating that's killing you?

🔔 Follow Dave Leaver for more finance truth
♻ Share if you've seen "growth" destroy profitability

Your marketing is broken.
And you don't even know where.

Most businesses hemorrhage customers at every stage. 
Then wonder why growth stalls.

I see it constantly: 
→ They blame the product 
→ They blame the market 
→ They blame the economy

Meanwhile, their funnel is full of holes.

There are 5 stages every customer goes through.
Most companies fail at 3 of them.
𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟱 𝗔'𝘀.

And if you can't diagnose where you're bleeding customers, you're just burning cash.
Here's the breakdown...👇
----------
The truth?
You don't have a sales problem. You have a funnel problem.
And most of you are stuck at stage 1.

Which stage is killing your growth?
🔔 Follow Dave Leaver for more brutal marketing truth 
♻ Share if your funnel is leaking cash

Most people rebel against the wrong things.

I once sat in a meeting I’ll never forget.
Performance had fallen off a cliff.
Cash was burning.
Everyone knew it.

And the debate?

▶️ “Culture”
▶️ Dress codes
▶️ Email etiquette

Not one person challenged the strategy.
Then they wondered why nothing changed.

Most people rebel against the wrong things.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁:

It's not about noise and optics.
It's about breaking patterns that don't work.

👉 Challenging leaders who take credit for others' work
👉 Saying "this isn't working" when others pretend it is
👉 Calling out strategies everyone knows are broken
👉 Speaking up when everyone else stays quiet
👉 Refusing to waste time in pointless meetings

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲:
Fake rebels fight against accountability.
Real rebels fight against that bullsh*t.

Fake rebels pretend it’s fine. 
Real rebels fix the dysfunction.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲:
👉 Admitting your strategy failed
👉 Firing a high performer who's toxic
👉 Choosing authenticity over approval
👉 Being the only one saying "we need to pivot"
👉 Walking away from revenue that kills margins

The pattern I see:
People who fight the wrong fight get ignored.
People who tackle what actually matters earn respect.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲.

The truth:
𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻.
𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

And the willingness to be uncomfortable while others stay quiet.

The choice:
𝗙𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆.
Or stand out and risk being told you're difficult.
I chose difficult.

𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.

What broken pattern are you tolerating that you should challenge?

🔔 Follow Dave Leaver for more uncomfortable truth
♻ Share if you've ever stayed quiet when you should've spoken up

Leaving a shit job isn't a weakness.
𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲.

Feels terrifying though, doesn't it?
Feels like admitting defeat. 
Like you couldn't hack it. 
Like you failed.

Rubbish.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵:
Leaving is one of the biggest wins of your life.
Because you chose yourself over a paycheck. 
Your mental health over fake security. 
Your dignity over desperation.

Walking out opens the door to what you deserve:
✅ A role where you're not treated like garbage 
✅ An environment that doesn't destroy you daily 
✅ A future where you're valued, not exploited

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴:
𝟭. 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 
↳ Walking away requires balls 
↳ You picked yourself over safety 
↳ That's strength, not surrender

𝟮. 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 
↳ Toxic places damage you 
↳ Give yourself permission to recover 
↳ Rebuild what they destroyed

𝟯. 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 
↳ What do you actually want now? 
↳ What environment won't drain you? 
↳ What work excites you instead of killing you?

𝟰. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗲 
↳ Find people who support your decision 
↳ Tell your story without shame 
↳ Quality humans celebrate your courage

𝟱. 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 
↳ Leaving isn't failure 
↳ It's redirecting toward better 
↳ Your best chapter starts now

𝟲. 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 
↳ Refresh your CV today 
↳ Message one valuable contact 
↳ Develop one marketable skill

Each action creates momentum.
Picking yourself isn't selfish.

𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

The people who judge you for leaving?
They're either trapped themselves or too scared to make the same move.

Their opinion doesn't pay your bills. 
It doesn't protect your sanity. It doesn't matter.

You do.
.......................
What toxic situation did you finally escape from?

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♻ Share if you know someone rotting in the wrong place

4 controversial mindsets to adopt in 2026

(I guarantee they'll help you win)

I spoke to an old boss over Christmas.
He’s out of corporate life and absolutely loving it.
 
Why?
 
No politics. No empire-building. No d*ckheads.
Just decisions, accountability, and outcomes.

But most companies pretend these truths don’t exist:

𝟭. 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂.

People protect themselves first.
They’ll throw you under the bus if it helps their agenda.

Stop enabling empire-building. 
Ensure outcomes matter more than egos.

𝟮. 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮, 𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.

If they can't show you numbers, they're selling fiction.

Always ask for evidence before acting.
Numbers over narrative.
Every. Single. Time.

𝟯. 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝘁 “𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁”.

More meetings. More decks. More delays.  
Accountability is scary and easy to avoid.

Assign a single owner to every key decision. 
No owner = no outcome.

𝟰. 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲.
 
When you dislike someone, it's easy to dismiss their perspective. 

That's dangerous. Business shouldn't be personal.  

Separate ego from evaluation. 
Judge the thinking, not the person. 

𝗠𝘆 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲?

No-one owes you anything, so
If you want to win, learn the game 
and play it better than anyone else.

..................

Which truth is your company pretending doesn't exist?

🔔 Follow Dave Leaver for more brutal business truth
♻ Share if you're done with pretty lies

We’ve launched HP-1 and the reception has been incredible.

After months of development, we went live just two weeks ago, and the response has blown us away. 

The feedback, the stories, the momentum… we’re beyond grateful!

On a personal note, it’s been my go-to during one of the busiest holiday seasons yet: 

✅ Sharper focus 
✅ Consistent energy 
✅ Fewer distractions

It's earned a permanent spot in my daily supplement stack as I head into a very full 2026. 

I can’t wait to see how our brand evolves!

Want to give it a go? 

Use code 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗥𝟮𝟬 for a New Year treat.

You're welcome!

Burnout isn't about working too hard.
It's about pouring everything into people who don't give a shit.

You're the high performer.
The one who actually cares.

Staying late to fix everyone's mess.
Covering for teammates who can't be bothered.
Giving 110% to leaders who barely notice.

And slowly, it kills you:
→ Exhaustion that sleep won't fix
→ Sunday dread that sits in your gut
→ Numbness where passion used to be

You're not broken.
You're just tired of being the only one who cares.

Here's how to stop burning out for people who don't deserve it:
𝟭. 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝘃𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀
They always need help but never offer it.

𝟮. 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀
Help people learn. Don't do their job for them.

3. 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆
Stop giving 100% to people giving you 20%.

4. 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝗽𝘁𝘀
When they forget your work, you'll have proof.

5. 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀
Invest in the 2-3 people who actually have your back.

The brutal truth?
Some people will never care as much as you do.
Stop trying to make them.

Your job isn't fixing lazy people.
It's protecting yourself from them.

The right people will notice your effort.
The wrong people will take it for granted.

𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲'𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝘁.
𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆.

Most people won't change.
But you can change how much you give them.

𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆.
Who's draining you that you need to cut off?
🔔 Follow Dave Leaver for more workplace reality checks
♻ Share if you're done caring more than everyone else

Algorithms demand content. 
Finance demands margin.
𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵.

But not how most brands do it.

Most brands hire random influencers. 
▶️ Pay fixed fees. 
▶️ Hope for results. 
▶️ Then wonder why CAC climbs.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀.

Here's how we do it at Mention Me.

👉 First, recruit from your customer base. 
Not Instagram randoms. 
People who already bought. Already give a shit. 
𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.

👉 Second, commission tiers based on outcomes. 
Not posts. Not impressions. Actual conversions. 
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗖𝗔𝗖 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆.

👉 Third, rights-cleared UGC powers everything. 
Ads. Emails. Product pages. One piece works across channels. 
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗽.

👉 Fourth, clear briefs with brand safety guardrails. 
Scale without constant rework. 
𝗡𝗼 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵.

👉 Fifth, add referral overlays. 
Views become advocates. 
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱. 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝘁.

This isn't creator marketing. 
It's performance marketing using creators.

The difference? 
One burns the budget.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻.

🔔 Follow Dave Leaver & Mention Me 
♻️ Share if you're done burning cash

If your CAC depends on auctions, your forecast depends on luck.
And luck is not a strategy.

Micro-influencers remove that volatility fast.
👉 They shift cost from guessing to earning.
👉 They shift tracking from cookies to truth.
👉 They shift creative from noise to conversion.

Commission replaces fixed fees.
𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀.

Cookieless tracking replaces guesswork.
𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲, 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗹𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗧𝗩.

Not likes. Not impressions. Actual value.

UGC scales lower-funnel performance.
It converts because it feels real.

One platform replaces agency sprawl.
Less overhead. Less chaos. More control.

And with control comes stability.
Faster payback.
Smoother cash flow.
Cleaner forecasts.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿:
 → CAC:LTV guardrails by cohort
 → Payback in weeks, not quarters
 → Contribution margin over vanity metrics

Because predictable growth beats auction luck.
Every single time.

Follow Dave Leaver & Mention Me
♻ Share this if you’re done gambling and ready for control.

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The Battle

Andrew Poles

Dave Leaver

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The Battle

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Dave Leaver

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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);}Andrew Poles's LinkedIn Performance

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