Strengthening self-leadership for lasting high performance and a calmer life balance | Personal & professional growth | Great leadership begin from within | 25 years in Comms & Leadership

The women I work with are already successful.

Like yourself: competent, respected and trusted. You lead, deliver and are deeply committed to doing a good job - often without anyone needing to ask. 

But inside you often feel self-doubt and a sense of being out of sync with yourself.  

And, a growing sense that the way you’ve learned to succeed has come with a cost no one warned you about: 

More or less constant self-pressure, blurred boundaries and the feeling of always being “on.” 

So you keep going. 
Not because it works, but because it’s what you know.

Now imagine another way of leading yourself - one that’s grounded, sustainable and supports the life you want alongside your career.

That’s the work I do.

I help high-performing women strengthen self-leadership from the inside out — with boundaries, courage and practical tools — so you can lead yourself and your team without self-compromising. A way of working and living that both you and your well-being can stand behind.

Are you tired of feeling that you're giving everything, but has nothing left for yourself?

Are you ready to find another way to lead, work and live?

Then let's talk. 
DM me or send an email to annika.mohlin@growu.se

Or be the first to know about this:
https://annika-mohlin.systeme.io/programwaitlist


Based in Sweden. 
Working globally.
Languages: Swedish & English 🇸🇪 🇬🇧 

Annika Mohlin 🌱

This week 3 years ago I went back to work after my sick leave for exhaustion syndrome. 

Coming to terms with that word – and even worse: burnout – has been a journey for a high performer like me, with big ambitions in all areas of life. For a long time, I felt ashamed about it. 

Many of you know me as a happy, energetic and positive person. And I am.

But like everyone else, I have my dips. 
The autumn of 2022 was a deep one.

> I had worked far too much for too long.
> I was handling new demands and responsibilities without getting more resources for the team – sometimes not even a thank you.
> Life at home was intense: three active children, one was struggling a lot in high school and needed a lot of support.
> In the middle of all of this I lost my Dad.
 
What kept me going for as long as I did was that I prioritised the basics: sleep, food, exercise. And fantastic support from my husband. It was actually he who finally said: “Either you call your manager, or I will.”

The three months I spent at home made me rethink a lot of things. I reflected a lot, listened more carefully inwards and started making other choices. 

This is what helped me:
✅ Starting each day with breathing and practising taking control of my thoughts
✅ Reflecting and journaling about everyday happy moments
✅ Spending a lot of time outdoors, long walks by the sea
✅ Practicing setting boundaries with myself and others
✅ Being coached
✅ Exercising
And getting lots of love from family and friends ❤️ 
 
It can be hard to see the signs when things are becoming too much. I certainly didn’t.

So if you’re feeling low, easily irritated, unfocused or constantly on the run... please: slow down, check in with yourself and start putting yourself first a bit more. 

I was the last one to realise I had burned out.
Don’t be like me.

 📸 My ever loving support and I, on a shopping tour (can you see where?) with unconsciously colour coded outfits 😂

📧 If you like this kind of content, I have a newsletter too. Link to sign up in my profile.

Leadership that doesn’t cost you yourself | For women leaders done being the good girl | Authority without self-compromise | Popcorn Lover🍿| Waitlist is now OPEN👇🏼

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What a fr***in mess. I felt sooo stupid. 

Yesterday I ran my online workshop. Halfway through my screen froze and I got kicked out from my own meeting.

– Wow, you all look very focused, I said to the participants as they came back from setting their goals, and I felt so happy about the dedication I saw. 

Then I noticed: my screen had frozen completely. 
They couldn't hear me. 
I couldn't hear them. 

$hit. 

Luckily the meeting chat worked fine, so long story short I let everyone know I'd leave and rejoin the meeting, but it wouldn't let me leave so I tried leaving again but it wouldn't let me since it was just stuck, so I joined from my phone instead trying to keep up with what I was teaching while at the same time restarting my computer hoping it would let me back in. Which it did 🙏🏼

Phew. 
(if that felt chaotic to read, you've got a little hint of what I felt)

Participants were still around 💛
We went on from there. 
Everyone got their roadmaps for 2026✌🏼

I can't help but laugh at this. This is exactly the kind of mess you DON'T want “on stage” (or backstage, for that matter).

But this is leadership too. This is facilitation too – dancing in the moment, staying present when things wobble, bringing the process forward and trusting that “good enough” is enough. And if nothing else, it's a proof of being human.

Good thing tech support isn't part of my services 😬

Here's a question for you: 
What do you do when things don't go as planned?

3 years ago I sat in my car outside my office building, just as my doctor recommended.

“Just go there once before you start.
Don’t go in. Just look.”

So that’s what I did.
I sat there watching as a way of mentally preparing myself to go back to work after my burnout.

I remember it felt like returning with a version of myself I no longer fully trusted. Rough feeling to be with for sure. 

They say some things never quite go back to how they were after a burnout... I think they’re right (my husband agrees. He says there’s a 'before' and an 'after').

And yes, I sure miss some qualities I used to have.
At the same time, I’ve gained others.

I am grateful for the learnings, but hitting the wall like I did is nothing I recommend.

One of my biggest learnings is about setting – and keeping – clear boundaries. 

Not only with others.
But with yourself.

Knowing when to pause, rest and take care of yourself is a boundary in itself. 

Especially when the inner drive to push through and "just finish this little thing too" is hard to resist.

If this struck a chord, you might want to know that I’m running a small Boundary Bootcamp.

A 2-week challenge focused on building practical, sustainable boundary skills – for those who tend to give a little too much.

Read more on the link in my profile, or send me a DM.

I'm such a hypocrate.

Teaching balance and boundaries and last night I caught myself

> Watching Sweden shred Croatia in handball Euros
> Texting with my Mom
> Catching up on news reading Mark Carney’s speech

...all at the same time. Triple-tasking. Double-screening. 

And you know what else?

Some days I forget to pause. I lose track of time and just... keep going.

Which only makes me edgy and irritated. Far from my best self.

So how dare I talk about sustainable self-leadership, if I don’t even get my own basics right...?

Because I’m human.

Which means I don’t always get it right (who does?).

Here’s the difference from when my bad good girl ruled the show:

I don’t beat myself up about it.
I catch it, stop and return to what I know works.

Who said the coach can't make mistakes?

Slipping is normal.
Finding your way back is something you practice in small ways, every day.

Grateful for the reminder last night.
And for Sweden’s win!!

PS. Tournament is held in Malmö where I live. Anyone on site last night?

I've coached Comms Managers, CFO:s, Project Leaders, Marketing Managers. Over the years, one pattern keeps repeating:

They're exceptional at meeting everyone’s needs. 
Their own come last.

The reasons are familiar:

> There’s never enough time. 
> Doing things yourself seems faster (and better)
> They're afraid they'll be disliked if they say no

Still though: this logic doesn't hold up. 

When you don’t protect your boundaries and your energy, something will slowly fade away. Your sincere smile likely goes first. Then your presence and focus. Your temper. Worst case → you'll burn out (like I did). 

Leadership isn’t only what you give to others. 
It’s also about what you give to yourself, over time.

You can't be sharp, steady and effective if you permanently exclude yourself from your own priorities. 

Meaning: making space for YOU in your calendar.

And (sorry to say), this won’t happen on its own.

The tempo will not just "slow down". No one's coming to hand you more time.

You need to plan for it. With the same seriousness as the meetings you never cancel 😉

Something new is coming for women leaders who are tired of coming second in their own lives:

The first-to-know list is open >> https://lnkd.in/dNGbMbjR

I was the teachers' favourite in school. 

I'm sure you know the type: 

> Good grades
> Didn't cause any trouble
> Raised my hand before speaking and got seated to the rowdier ones to help keep them calm (how crazy is that?)

Oh, teachers loved me.
Later, managers did too.

I can see why – us good girls are easy to work with. 
We are very good at delivering without asking for too much in return.

I can also see this: 
Being “easy” earns you safety, praise and belonging.

Keeps you safe when you're young.
But in leadership?

Success built on fear – of disappointing, disrupting or being too much – demands constant proof.

It's tiring to be a good girl. 

And this is what I mean when I talk about being a bad good girl. 

How much of a bad good girl are you?
The Bad Good Girl Audit™ reveals 29 habits that women leaders use to stay safe, liked and in control – at the cost of their power and authority.

Comment AUDIT if you want to take the audit and get your Bad Good Girl profile pattern.

How much of a bad good girl have you become 

Here’s how to get really good at expressing clear boundaries. For free.

Step 1: Pick 3–4 real (or very likely) situations where you’ll need to set a boundary.

Step 2: Open your camera or voice notes.

Step 3: Record yourself saying it as if you were talking to the other person.
Do this for all scenarios.

Step 4: Watch or listen. What do you notice?

Step 5: Choose one thing to improve – then repeat from step 2.

You’ll likely spot things like:

> Rambling or over-explaining
> Saying ummmm.... 
> Sounding unsure or submissive
> Excusing yourself too much

Remember to breeeeeathe.
Keep it short. Keep it fun! You're playing. 

Do this 5 times, then review your first recording.
I’m pretty sure the progress will surprise you 🤓

Training boundary setting is like training any muscle.
This will build strength. And as a bonus, also your confidence.

Will you try this?

💛 This is one of the challenges I give the women in my 2-week Boundary Bootcamp. We just kicked off week two, and the wins the participants are sharing already make me so proud about their progress!

In October a woman joined Boundary Bootcamp after being close to burnout for a long time.

She was doing her job really well, being relied on, stepping in where things needed to be handled. 

From the outside, it looked like competence. 
From the inside, it was draining her.

In her check-in to the bootcamp she described full days, a constantly busy mind and very little space left for herself. 

Responsibility had its sneaky way of expanding, and she had bit by bit started to carry more than her own load.

A month or so after the Bootcamp she wrote me this:

“I’ve had great help from your sessions after being very close to burnout for a year. I felt a lot better after going through your 2-week program where I learnt to say no, delegate and not throw myself at every single task just to be good.”

Nothing about her drive or ambition disappeared. 
What shifted was how she related to it.

This is often how boundary work shows up.
As a series of small, conscious choices that create more room to breathe.

That’s the kind of change I care about.

graphical user interface, text, application

Hennes team hade fullt förtroende för henne.
Men uppifrån organisationen fick hon andra signaler.

När Anna kom till första träffen i Ledarprogrammet Perspeqtiv var hon osäker på om hennes sätt att leda verkligen var ett bra sätt att leda. 

Hon kände sig ifrågasatt och mikrostyrd. 
Inte riktigt uppskattad för det hon bidrog med, trots fina resultat och ett team som fungerade väldigt bra. 

Hon hade börjat tvivla på sig själv. 

Under programmets gång blev det allt tydligare att Anna har en mycket emotionellt intelligent ledarstil, och en inre kompass som leder henne tydligt och klart. 

Dilemmat var snarare om den här arbetsplatsen var rätt för henne. Och i att stärka hennes trygghet i hur hon leder, och hennes eget förhållningssätt till det. 

"Jag fick större tillit till mitt nuvarande ledarskap genom att bli speglad, utmanad och hjälpt av andra kvinnliga ledare i ett 100% tryggt rum." 

Hon började lita mer på sitt eget omdöme igen. Hon slutade tolka andras kontroll som en signal på att hon gjorde fel. Hon fick ord för allt det hon redan gjorde rätt.

Kort därefter tog hon nästa steg – till en arbetsgivare där hennes styrkor och ledarskap kommer till sin fulla rätt.

"Jag upptäckte att färdigheter som jag tycker är lätta och självklara, och därmed inte sett som speciella eller värdefulla, tvärtom är mycket värdefulla. Och att det inte alls är något alla gör, utan är en styrka i just mitt ledarskap."

Landa i sitt eget ledarskap, och sen landa på rätt plats. Den förflyttningen, på 10 månader – inte illa! 

Tusen tack Anna för att du valde att gå Perspeqtiv och stort varmt lycka till på nya stället! ✨

🔭 Nästa grupp i Ledarprogrammet Perspeqtiv startar i april. 
📧 Nyfiken? Hör av dig!

Who never blamed a Monday? Or January?
Easy explanations are tempting.
It takes more courage to ask why the same pattern keeps coming back.

“Oh, you know… it’s just one of those days.”

How many of "those days" are there? 

I surely had a few of them 😬
So I know they can be plenty. 

But who are we fooling? At some point, I had to ask myself a more honest question:

What if it’s not about timing at all?

What if the low energy, the resistance, the irritation keeps returning not because of the day, the hour or the colour of the sky... but because of something else?

You bet it was uncomfortable to realise that many of the habits and qualities that had taken me far in life were the same ones slowly wearing me down.

That insight came too late to me. I burnt out. 
But it can still change something for the better for you. 

I write about this in today’s newsletter.

We’ve made it past Blue Monday, the third Monday in January – supposedly the most depressing day of the year. The day when all kinds of shitty stars a

Open article: The convenience of blaming the calendar by Annika Mohlin 🌱 • 3 min read

There’s nothing wrong with New Year’s resolutions. But they won’t change a thing.

Action will.

Without a plan – and action of course! – resolutions stay what they are: thoughts, wishes, good intentions.

And you end up in the same place.

The gap between intention and action is where most resolutions fall apart.

And it’s also where clarity makes all the difference.

That’s what we’ll work on in my (free) New Year’s workshop on January 6. 

I’ll take you through a step-by-step process to help you:

>> Clarify where you want to be by the end of 2026 
>> Identify the steps and actions that will take you there
>> Anticipate challenges and how to handle them 
>> Make sure you stay on track and move forward 

You'll leave with a personal roadmap that's concrete, actionable and right for your life, your needs and your well-being. 

A roadmap for inspired, intentional action, that support your resolutions. 

If this sounds like a good way to start the year, I'd love for you to join! 

🗓️ Tuesday, January 6 (tomorrow!)
⏰ 13.00-14.30 CET 
💻 Online on Teams 
🌟 Free to join 

Sign up on the link on my profile, or here: 
https://lnkd.in/dwaT_m3n 

If you can't join live, I'll send out a replay to all who signed up. 

Looking forward to see you! 💛 

📸 Sweet words from previous participants... who also come back to update their roadmaps – because what we do works!

For female leaders done being the good girl | Lead yourself and others with clarity, boundaries and sustainable habits | Practice clear and kind boundary-setting in my 2-week challenge 👇🏼

Are you joining my New Years-workshop today?
Last chance to sign up... because we start at 13.00! 

This is a 90-minute workshop for ambitious women who want to keep performing at a high level + also have a life outside of work feeling happy and energized.

...which sometimes can be tricky, especially if you're stuck in good-girl-patterns that keep stealing your energy.

👉🏼 Taking time to yourself to listen inwards and get clear on what YOU want, and from there add concrete actions is a good way to start.

This workshop gives you time and structure for doing that.

So if you’re always there for others, but not-so-often for yourself: 

Here's a chance to really put yourself in the driver's seat, and create a roadmap for a year with YOU in focus. 

You'll also get some tools for energy and balance you can apply right away + a chance to join my 2-week boundary setting challenge with a little bonus 🎁

📅 January 6th = TODAY!
⏰ 13.00 - 14.30 CET
💻 Free to join, on Teams
✍🏻 Sign up here:

https://lnkd.in/dwaT_m3n

See you soon! 👋🏼

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Associate Certified Coach (ACC)

Certified GDQ consultant

The Daring Way - 

Co-Active Coach

ICF Member Badge

Företagsekonomi

Marketing the IKEA Way

Läst en termin i Madrid på Universidad Antonio de Nebrija

En termins studier i Madrid kombinerat med extrajobb som servitris på TGI Friday’s

Friskis & Svettis

Friskis & Svettis Malmö

Coaching female leaders to feel well, perform well and still have energy at the end of the day | Sustainable self-leadership | Personal & professional development | 25 years in Comms & Leadership | Ex-IKEA

🌱 I believe that people who feel well, perform well.
🌱 I believe that people who are self-aware, perform better and collaborate better. 
🌱 And I believe that in order to lead others, you need to lead yourself first. 

These beliefs are the foundation of what I do. My passion comes from my ability to help people grow and expand themselves beyond what they thought possible - and succeed. That's what I do best. 

🔸For you as a driven, high-performing professional or founder leading yourself.
🔸For you as a leader noticing that books, classroom trainings and TED talks don’t turn you into the leader you aspire to be.

I can help you start leading yourself in a more conscious way, 
get clear on who you are, 
where you're going and 
confident about the choices you make for yourself. 

So you can
🌱Perform and deliver — with a calmer mind and energy left at the end of the day. 
🌱Find a sustainable way of living and working — with ripple effects on both your leadership and your relationships.
🌱 Enjoy life on your terms and last in the long run. 

Why go with me? 
🔸With me you get a down-to-earth, warm and engaged partner who has been through the highs and lows of juggling a global manager role, a crowded diary and 3 kids. 
🔸You get a curious, open-minded ICF-coach who coaches by the high standards set by International Coaching Federation.  
🔸I bring energy, clarity and a holistic perspective (and a bit of playfulness). 

I am a great listener, but not afraid to challenge you. 
I have a creative mind, but can also be with serious emotions. 
I will hold a safe space, so you dare to look within for the answers I know you have. 

I can help you get to the front seat of your life and to design your unique roadmap, so that you can truly own your journey and fill it with what gives you energy and fulfilment.  

My approach mixes coaching with evidence based tools for self-leadership, stress management and well-being. The beauty is in the blend. 

All in a simple and action-oriented way - 20 minutes a day goes a long way. 
But those you need to commit to: I will give you the keys, but you have to turn them around yourself.  

📬I'm just a DM away. Let's talk! 

👋🏻
Here as HR or Manager? 
Happy to support your company and co-workers with developing (self-)leadership skills or communication skills. 

I am an appreciated facilitator thanks to my ability to create a safe, relaxed and inclusive space for participants. Talk to me about leadership development, creating effective teams or preparing your spokespersons for media engagements.

🌱Let's grow together!

An 8-week online program, available individually or in groups, in English or Swedish: 
for those of you who are longing to live life on your terms and are ready to take the driver's seat of your life. 

The program combines coaching with well-established self-leadership tools and techniques. You work at your own pace with a coach by your side to support you every step of the way.

Coaching Program: Own your Journey | English or Swedish | Next start January 2025

8 veckors online-program, enskilt eller i grupp, för dig som längtar efter att leva ditt liv mer så som du vill ha det och känner dig redo att sätta dig själv i förarsätet. 

Programmet är en blandning av coachning och väl beprövade metoder för självledarskap. Du arbetar på egen hand och tillsammans med en coach som finns med och stöttar dig hela vägen.

Coachprogram:  Äg din resa | Svenska eller engelska | Nästa start januari 2025

If you... 
Feel stuck. 
Want a change.
Search for the big meaning. 
Don’t know where to go next. 
Need action towards your goals. 
Want to grow your self-awareness.

Individual coaching online or IRL | Life | Career | Leadership | English or Swedish

För dig som vill växa i din chefsroll genom att jobba med verkliga utmaningar från din verksamhet och vara del av ett lärande nätverk med andra kvinnliga ledare: 
 
Vill växa och utvecklas tillsammans med andra kvinnliga chefer.
Är nyfiken på andras erfarenheter och perspektiv på dina utmaningar och ditt ledarskap. 
Vill fördjupa din självkännedom och hitta ditt trygga sätt att leda.
Tror på kraften i ett lärande nätverk där deltagarna stöttar och inspirerar varandra.
Har varit chef i några år.

Ledarprogrammet Perspeqtiv för kvinnliga chefer i Öresundsregionen | Start Februari 2025

I talk about the keys to sustainable self-leadership and how to last the long run.

Kick-off? Inspirational speaker? Action-oriented workshop? I can help.

Lectures | Workshops | Facilitation | Inspiration | Kick-offs

Welcome to browse around my website to learn more about me and GrowU. So far it's only available in Swedish. English yet to come!

Besök min hemsida för mer information |  Arbetar med företag och privatpersoner IRL och online

Jympa, Skivstång och Multifys 
Ledaruppföljare
Tidigare styrelsemedlem 

Leadership that doesn’t cost you yourself | For women leaders done with surface solutions | Authority without self-compromise | Popcorn Lover 🍿 | Get on the First-to-know-list 👇🏼

👋🏼Hello dear network – hej kära nätverk!👋🏼
De flesta som följer mig bor i Sverige. Jag skriver mest på engelska. Jag är nyfiken på vad du som ser mina inlägg tycker. Kan du hjälpa mig?

Most of my posts are in English, at the same time many of you are based in Sweden. 

I'm curious about how you experience it – and I'm asking everyone, not only Swedes.

Feel free to elaborate your answer - in Swedish or English - in the comments. Appreciate your help!
💛

What's it like for you reading my posts in English? 

To share or not to share... 💀

Excited to host this Live with 3 marketers + 3 coaches debating when it gets too much... and who gets to decide what IS too much. 

Log in and join us, bring your questions too!

Build leadership that doesn’t cost you yourself | I help female leaders lead themselves first | Self-leadership, boundaries & sustainable ambition | Get The Bad Good Girl Newsletter 📬👇🏼

For the people who think dangerously well. ​>​>​> Scaling Intellectual Authority / Thought Leadership 🌃 (Storyteller, raised on cyberpunk fiction.)

You’ve all seen it: The trauma-dump with a CTA. And then you wonder: Is this brave… or ...?

This audio Live is a real-time debate between people who build attention and people who protect nervous systems.

We are answering:
- Who decides when sharing becomes “over”sharing?
- When does “vulnerability” become “emotional burden” for the audience?
- Should you post while you’re still bleeding, or after you’ve processed?

We made a panel of 3 marketers vs 3 wellbeing coaches!

Team Wellbeing:
Our host Annika Mohlin 🌱 —  Self-leadership, boundaries, sustainable ambition.
Josh Perry — High Performance Coach (creation vs survival mode)
Emily Heird, LPC/MHSP — Licensed therapist & mental performance coach 

Team Marketing:
Jenni Reher — Marketing strategist, creator of Find Your Weird™ 
Sandra Macele — Identity & positioning strategist (thought-leadership infrastructures)
Robert van Tongeren — Content strategy that makes you look like a genius

Log in tomorrow, and bring your best questions ;) muahahaha ...

If finance gives you anxiety, let’s talk.

Here's how I can help:

☑️ Capital strategy & runway — aligned funding and cash clarity
☑️ Systems as leverage — integrated, scalable, one source of truth
☑️ Operating cadence — fast close, timely decisions, accountability
☑️ Actionable models — forward view that guides decisions
☑️ Strategy + execution — I own the plan; my team delivers
☑️ Investor-grade reporting — clear story, trusted metrics
☑️ Resource allocation — invest where returns compound
☑️ Unit economics — durable, scalable profitability

Hi, I'm Dave, a Strategic CFO and COO who works with fast-moving startups that need finance to keep pace. 

Most finance leaders live in the rearview. They speak in riddles. They show up once a quarter with a post-mortem. 

I operate in real-time. I break things down in plain English. I build systems so you stop firefighting and start leading.

Why you should trust me:

⚡ Accountant with 20+ years across UK & Australia
⚡ Owned nine-figure P&Ls at public companies
⚡ Built finance teams from zero to hero
⚡ Turned cash burn into cash flow
⚡ Grew revenue £8M in one year

Experience spans VC & PE-backed Tech, Big Four consulting, ASX-listed enterprises.

A bit about me:

I’m not your typical CFO.

Started out chasing a career in professional sport. When that dream died, I pivoted, joined KPMG, and learned to play the corporate game. I spent years trying to fit in.

Eventually, I stopped trying to blend in and embraced my differences: the way I think, lead, and work with people.

Since then, I’ve lived in Australia, 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 rapidly 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 open (replies might take a day or two).

Dave Leaver

Growth doesn't break your business.

It just shows you what was already broken.

Most companies chase scale. 
Few ask what scale will expose.

Here's what growth stresses:
→ Decisions that used to take hours now take days 
→ Cash that felt comfortable now runs out in weeks 
→ Leadership "alignment" that was actually just politeness

Small companies hide these problems. 
Scale makes them fatal.

The question isn't "Can we grow?"
It's "What breaks when we do?"

Most founders won't answer honestly.
Then they wonder why growth killed them.

What's the thing in your business that's working now but won't at 2x scale?

Strategic CFO Helping Bold CEO’s Build Unstoppable Businesses || +20 Years’ Experience || Ex-KPMG || Follow for Posts on Finance, Strategy & Leadership

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?

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𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲: How do you manage being a 𝗖𝗙𝗢, 𝗖𝗢𝗢, 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗿, and 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿?

I don't.

Not in the way you think.

I stopped trying to "balance" everything years ago.

Instead, I built systems that work whether I'm in the room or not.

Every role gets a clear framework.

- Financial work? 
- Blocked time for numbers, forecasts, decisions.

- Operations? 
- Delegated to leads who know their stuff better than I do.

- Client calls? 
- Batched together.

- Strategic reviews? 
- Protected slots in my calendar.

I'm not superhuman.

I just stopped pretending I could do everything at once.

And I hired people smarter than me in their areas.

You can't manage multiple roles by working harder.

You manage them by building better systems and trusting your team.

That's it.

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Not everyone clapping for you is in your corner.
Took me years to learn that.

Some will smile to your face.
Celebrate your wins in public.
Then say nothing when you're not in the room.
Or worse, they join in when someone else throws you under the bus.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵:
Loyalty isn't about who cheers loudest.
It's about who defends you when you're not there.

Most people won't.
👉 They'll stay quiet.  
👉 Protect themselves.  
👉 Let you take the hit.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴?
They don't just value your results.
They stand up for you when it counts.

The kind who:
🟢 Call out lies  
🟢 Shut down gossip  
🟢 Speak up when you're being misrepresented  
🟢 Defend you because they know your character

That kind of loyalty is rare.
Most leaders are politicians.

They'll back you when it's safe.  
Abandon you when it's not.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀?
Hold onto them.

Because if no one's watching your back, you're in the wrong room.

And it doesn't matter how good you are at your job.
Without air cover, you're exposed.

𝗦𝗼 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳:
Who's actually in your corner?

Not who likes your posts.  
Not who buys you drinks.

Who defends you when you're not there?
If the answer is nobody, you're in the wrong place.
.....................
𝗪𝗵𝗼'𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱? 

Drop their name below 👇

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♻ Share if you've learned this the hard way

The best manager I ever had?

They scared the living sh*t out of me.

But most managers want you cozy.
Because comfortable people are easy to control.

Real leaders?
They're actively trying to make you so capable that you outgrow them.

But weak managers are terrified of that.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗻:

𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 (𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂) 
↳ No hand-holding or shielding from reality 
↳ "Sort it out. I'm right here if you drown."

𝟮. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘀 
↳ No corporate waffle or yearly review bollocks 
↳ "That was shit. Here's exactly why."

𝟯. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 
↳ They see what you can't yet 
↳ "You're capable of way more than this."

𝟰. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 
↳ Zero micromanagement garbage 
↳ "It's yours now. Don't fuck it up."

𝟱. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 
↳ They connect you with power players 
↳ "This person can change your trajectory."

𝟲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗳𝗮𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗱 
↳ You're blind to your own evolution 
↳ "Six months ago you couldn't do any of this."

𝟳. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗽𝘂𝘁 
↳ You're a person, not a productivity unit 
↳ "Life matters more than deadlines. Always."

The difference?
Weak managers build dependence.
Elite leaders build freedom.

Most people have never worked for someone who genuinely wanted them to eclipse them.

If you have?
You know exactly how rare that is.
And how much it changes everything.

The best compliment I ever received:
"We didn't notice you were gone for two weeks."

That's leadership.
Building people who don't need you anymore.
.......................
Who pushed you hardest when you thought you'd break?

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The old growth playbooks are dead
Last week, our team built a product in 1 day.
Shipped a rough, lovable prototype by 7 pm. 

A PM led it, but it worked because engineering and leadership rallied behind learning over polish.

That’s the culture we must set: prioritise innovation over optimisation in a market that resets weekly.

Here's how to grow in today's world of AI:

𝟭. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝗳
Ship a minimum lovable product with a 60-second wow, your brand lives in your product.

𝟮. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰
Ship constantly and share updates, your social feed becomes the re-engagement loop.

𝟯. 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗴𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆
Remove all barriers to trying the product, with free trials. It's more effective than paid marketing.

𝟰. 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘀
Influencer marketing is 10x bigger than paid social, showing customers "what's possible". Build community

𝟱. 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Launch new capabilities and stand up new growth loops constantly vs. optimising existing ones

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝘆:
 • 𝟵𝟱% 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝟱% 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
 • 𝗧𝗼 𝟵𝟱% 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝟱% 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴

Most teams still build for permanence in a world of constant change.

The winners aren't the most experienced.
They're the most adaptable.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗲𝗿𝗮 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀:

→ Comfort with temporary wins
→ Passion for constant reinvention
→ Fire in the belly over résumé depth
→ Creating clarity from chaos, not waiting for it

Old mindset: "Let's optimise this feature."
New mindset: "Let's blow this up and build better."

The winners are building the future, while losers are defending the past.

The question isn't whether you 𝗰𝗮𝗻 adapt to AI.
It's whether you 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 to.

Are you optimising yesterday's solutions or inventing tomorrow's?

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?

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What 20+ years of experience taught me in leadership. 🙌

(Nobody warned me about any of this)

Most of this I learned the hard way. 
Some cost me teams. 
Some cost me sleep. 

All of them are true.

 • Adapt.
 • Delegate.
 • Own mistakes.
 • Fire likeable people.
 • Niceness isn't leadership.
 • Consensus creates mediocrity.
 • Loyalty doesn't pay mortgages.
 • Your best performer poisons teams.
 • Your exec team lies to you more often.
 • Most leadership books are useless theory.
 • Hiring slow firing fast is bullshit, do both fast.
 • The loudest voice isn't the smartest one ever.
 • Your legacy isn't who you developed, it's results.
 • Being liked matters far less than being respected.
 • People don't leave bad companies, they leave you.
 • If you're working weekends, your team definitely is.
 • If nobody's scared to challenge you they don't care.
 • You'll compromise values under pressure eventually.
 • Promoting your mate because they're loyal, backfires.
 • Transparency without action is performative leadership BS.

Experience doesn't make you better. 
Getting punched in the face does.

Which one made you uncomfortable?

I'm Dave Leaver. I write the finance and leadership advice I wish someone had given me earlier. Real talk only.

Last week we “closed” a big decision in 12 minutes.

(It’s bothered me ever since)

Everyone nodded. It felt efficient. We called it momentum. 

But… Fast agreement is usually a warning sign
Most leaders chase agreement early.
In practice, it often creates blind spots.

When teams align too fast:
🔴 Risks stay unspoken
🔴 Assumptions go untested
🔴 Accountability weakens later

Over time, those gaps show up as:
🟢 Surprise issues
🟢 Slow reversals
🟢 Finger-pointing


Before committing to a big decision, I use a simple check.

𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀:

1️⃣ 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁
 If no one pushes back, thinking stayed shallow.

2️⃣ 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲
 Someone must articulate what could go wrong.

3️⃣ 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽
 One person owns the outcome, not the group.


This isn’t about encouraging conflict.
It’s about protecting decision quality as scale increases.

Agreement feels efficient.
Tension is more useful.

So ask yourself:
What did your team agree on too quickly?

Call it what it is: you're not growing.
You're just making more mess at higher velocity.

You hit your ARR targets. 
The board loves you. 

But your finance team can't close the books on time.

That's not success. 
That's a problem waiting to explode.

Most founders celebrate revenue milestones. 
I celebrate when someone can actually explain where the money went. 🙌

Growth outpacing control kills businesses. 
Fast.

You're up 300% in revenue but cash is mysteriously tight. 
Why? 

Nobody tracked what actually got spent.
Finance uses six spreadsheets for one answer. 

Margin questions take days. 
Your CFO approves invoices manually.

This isn't about hiring smarter people. 
It's about building systems before you desperately need them.

🟢Process before people.
🟢Visibility before velocity.
🟢Control before chaos.

The companies that survive aren't the fastest growers. 
They're the ones who made operations boring early.

Every pound leaked started as "we'll fix that later." 
Later never comes.

Scale the engine, not just the output.
PS. What control broke first when you scaled?

PPS. I'm Dave Leaver. Finance and leadership content for people who are allergic to bullshit. If that's you, follow along.

The red flags that kill companies rarely show up on a dashboard. Most companies don’t fail in dramatic ways.

I’ve been in rooms where the founder was smart, driven, and well-intentioned.

And still, things slowly unravelled.

A few red flags I keep seeing 

𝟭. 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀.
Not bad numbers.
But missing conversations.

Reports come late.
Meetings get postponed.
Questions are answered with, “Let’s circle back.”

That’s not a finance issue.
That’s discomfort.

𝟮. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗵𝗮𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿.
The team is busy, Slack is loud, and calendars are full.

But no one can clearly explain:
– where the cash will be in 6 months.
– What must go right for survival
– which costs actually matter

Busyness becomes a cover for uncertainty.

𝟯. 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲.
They stop delegating decisions.
They stop sharing concerns.

It feels noble, but it’s dangerous.

𝟰. 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴.
One more hire will fix it.
One big client will change everything.

I’ve seen hope keep companies alive for months and kill them in the end.

𝟱. 𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀.
Keeping the wrong people too long.
Not admitting a strategy isn’t landing.

Because confrontation feels heavier than risk.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗖𝗙𝗢:

Companies don’t run out of money first.
They run out of honesty.

If you’re a founder reading this, ask yourself gently, not defensively:

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗺 𝗜 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘄?

That answer is usually where the real work is.

PS: Strong companies aren’t fearless.
They’re just brave enough to look early.

Follow Dave Leaver for more such content.

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

I’m an introvert. Still became a CFO.

Small talk drains me.
For most of my career, networking felt… unnatural.

So I didn’t do it.

I focused on the work and delivered results.
Built a solid career.

And for a long time, that was enough.

But if I’m honest, I was coasting.

Not because I lacked capability.
But because I stayed inside my comfort zone.

A few years ago, I made a deliberate decision:

Not to attend every event.
Not to “become extroverted.”
But to step slightly outside my comfort zone.

One coffee instead of none
One follow-up instead of moving on..
One conversation instead of avoiding the room.

Opportunities started coming to me.
Roles. Boards. Introductions. Ideas.

Things I used to chase earlier in my career now appeared through conversations I almost didn’t have.

What changed wasn’t my personality.

It was my exposure.

As CFOs, we’re trained to optimise systems, reduce risk, and focus on substance over noise.

But visibility isn’t noise.
And relationships aren’t inefficient.

They’re leverage.

Especially at senior levels, the next opportunity rarely comes from a job board.

It comes from someone who knows how you think.

I never knew what I was missing until I stepped just far enough outside my comfort zone to see it.

Curious how other introverted leaders approach networking:

Do you avoid it, tolerate it… or design it to work for you?

PS: You don’t need a bigger social battery. You need a smarter strategy.

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The Battle

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