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

Many women in leadership come to a point where the load grows faster than their capacity to carry it. 

Patience thins, confusion grows and you end up doing more and more… while feeling less and less like yourself.

I’m a leadership coach for emotionally intelligent women in demanding roles: 
The steady one, the strong one, the calm and capable one everyone relies on.

...all while you feel exhausted and find yourself wondering:

“Why am I this tired when I’m doing everything right?”
“How do I lead in a way that doesn’t drain me?”

I help you strengthen your self-leadership from the inside out — with boundaries, courage and practical tools — so you can lead in a way that feels grounded and genuinely YOU. This means doing the right things, for the right reasons, having energy left at the end of the day. 

Here are 3 ways we can work together:

I. Individual coaching or mentoring
Tailored support based on your needs, or my 7-week program for strengthening your mental, emotional and physical capacity.

II. Group program
Ledarprogrammet Perspeqtiv: a small-group leadership program for women leaders, on site in Malmö (Swedish).

Boundary Bootcamp: a 2 week challenge to help you set (and hold!) strong, clear boundaries and start prioritising yourself again. 

III. For teams & organisations
Team and leadership development, workshops and lectures.
Best discussed in conversation 🤓

With me, you get:
🌱 Grounded, research-backed methods blending coaching, neuroscience and emotional intelligence
🌱 A structured, warm space to reflect, grow and take real action
🌱 A certified ICF coach committed to your long-term capacity, not quick performance hacks

Based in Sweden. 
Working globally.
Languages: Swedish & English.

DM me to book a call — let’s chat!

Annika Mohlin 🌱

Ikväll är det gala-dags✨

Nominerad kandidat nr 7… det är jag det!

Så fint det känns. Stolt och glad över att lyftas fram som en kvinna som lyfter andra kvinnor 💛

Och jag är i gott sällskap: 13 andra nominerade som också gör skillnad – på sitt sätt, i sina sammanhang, för sina kvinnor. En ynnest att få vara med i ett sånt gäng. Något jag vill fira!

Hela Empower Her-galan firar och boostar kvinnor i alla åldrar, och det viktiga arbetet som görs för kvinnors ledarskap, hälsa och hållbarhet. Så häftigt - tack för att ni ordnar LIW Association Alexandra – för kvinnor & hälsa och @CC.Lifeboost

Jag ser fram emot att inspireras, mingla och fylla på med go energi. Det lär vankas bubbel och glitter också... som sig bör på gala, tänker jag ✨

Ska du dit?
Kom förbi mitt kontor på ett glas bubbel innan! 🥂

Vi ses Camilla Ekholst Jenny Ahlqvist De Souza Anna-Maria Lundgren Birgitta Manders Susanne Hindsö Ljunggren Elin Perttu - och vem mer?

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Talks about #coaching, #selfcare, #leadership, #communication, and #mediarelations

LIW Association

Alexandra – för kvinnor & hälsa

CEO Ledarskapskraft

⭐️ Dedicated leader with a passion for service and sales. I strive to contribute to the success of the organization. ⭐️

Kommunikationsspecialist | Internkommunikation | Medarbetarengagemang | Företagskultur | Projektledare | Externkommunikation | Marknadsföring | Verksamhetsstöd | Kommunikatör | Problemlösare | Relationsbyggare

Project Coach | Project Coordinator | Coach in transition and migration work | Project Manager | Trainer | Communications | Business Support | Sales | Contract Management | Business Support | Problem Solver

Tryckeriet från idé till wow. Kreativa. Personliga. Pålitliga.

Empowering People Leading Change | Organizational Change Management | Leadership Development | Training & Facilitation | Keynote & Guest Speaking

I help good girls become confident leaders of themselves and their teams | Coach for people-pleasers and perfectionists done being the good girl | Nästa grupp Ledarprogrammet Perspeqtiv startar februari 2026 🔭

Kolla dessa cheferna.
Första gruppen någonsin i Ledarprogrammet Perspeqtiv.

I fredags sågs vi för sjätte och sista gången. Då hyllade vi de kliv som var och en tagit under programmets tio månader. Både de egna och varandras.

För vi snackar KLIV, inte steg.

Det blir så i en liten, tajt grupp där man vågar lyssna inåt och tänka högt.

🎉Vi hyllade mod.
🎉Vi hyllade att stå i sina värderingar.
🎉Vi hyllade att våga utmana, att experimentera utan att veta hur det ska gå.

Jag är så stolt över dessa chefer, vår allra första "kull".

Jag är också stolt över att Elin och jag vågade säga "JA, vi kör”. Ibland vet man bara att något är rätt. Och då ska man köra.

Grattis till ”examen” Anna Wickholm Anna Assarsson Renée Sibolt Camilla Brink Schütz Tove Svärd Helene Jensen Vanja Söderblom och vi ses på julmingel i eftermiddag. Tillika första träffen med Nätverket Perspeqtiv ✨

🔭 Leder du andra och vill utvecklas i ditt ledarskap tillsammans med andra kvinnliga chefer? Då kan Perspeqtiv vara rätt plats.

💌 Sugen på att vara med? Hör av dig till mig eller Elin.
♻️ Känner du någon som borde veta om det här? Dela gärna vidare. Tack!

I help female leaders lead and succeed without self-compromising • Lead with boundaries and energy ​>​> leave the good girl behind ​• Nästa grupp i Ledarprogrammet Perspeqtiv startar februari 2026 🔭

How a red shirt helps me overcome self-doubt.
(a tip for all the good girls out there)

Research repeatedly shows that women carry far more of this than men:

Nasty thoughts sneaking up on us to tell us we’re 
> not good enough
> not smart enough
> not worthy of taking up space

Call them self-doubts or limiting beliefs — 
they’re ugly and paralyzing either way.

When those thoughts visit me, I know my confidence might shiver... which will change how I show up.

Enter: 
My red training shirt.
The one I wear when I lead my workout classes.

The gym floor is an arena where I feel fully confident.

I’ve been an instructor for 25 years. I know I’m good at it — and when I’m in that role, there's a certain energy and a certain vibe. A strong one.

So I visualize putting on that red shirt... 
...and with it, I shift myself into that energy. 

👊 Boom. I can do anything again.

✍🏼Tell me: what’s your “red shirt”, if you have one?
(If you don't, look in the comments and I'll guide you)

PS. If you like my content, I also have a newsletter: 
https://lnkd.in/dExxZiqj

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“I want to do this workshop every year.”
 
That's what a woman told me some weeks after doing my "design-the-new-year" workshop. 

It meant a lot that she said it — still makes me smile 😊
 
The good news?  
I 𝘥𝘰 run this workshop every year!  

More than 400 women have done it online already — many of them coming back again and again, to create a new, updated roadmap. 

Because what we do works. 

Every now and then women message me (or tell me, if I meet them) that they've reached a milestone or ticked something off that came to them during this workshop. 

Last week I opened registration for the 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗱 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗹'𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻.

In only 90 minutes, you’ll set your direction and craft a roadmap with the actions so that you can make 2026 a year with you firmly in the driver’s seat.

It’s free. It’s in English.  
You don’t have to speak — just show up and follow my guidance. Your roadmap is yours only. 

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

Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/dwaT_m3n

PS. I share the recording with all registered, so if you want to join but timing is bad — you can still do it on your own. 

📸 I run this workshop both online and IRL. Last Thursday I led it live at Börsdamerna. Thanks for having me!

This week it started. 

Someone mentioned Christmas gifts.
Another said her Christmas stress is ramping up. 

Soon all activities around school, sports, shows and concerts start lining up.... 

November and December are hectic. 

Sooo much that needs to be done and delivered.... 
You can feel it, right? 

But saying you don’t have time to take care of yourself,
is like saying you’re too busy driving to stop for gas.

To all busy, loyal, hardworking good girls who hold everything (and everyone) together:

If you want to feel less stressed, have more energy and actually enjoy the parts of life that matter most to you... 
...but feel you can't afford taking a break... 

...where will you end up? (hint: burnt out)

> Working more hours won’t make you less busy.
> Going nonstop won’t make you more productive.
> Saying YES to do more tasks won't create more hours in a day.

Just like stopping for gas is important,
so is stopping to recharge yourself. 

Even when life is busy.
E s p e c i a l l y when life is busy. 

If you read this and feel:
—Tired
—Tired of feeling tired
—Guilty taking time to rest 
—Constantly in production mode
—"I just have to finish this little thing too" 

>>> You need to stop for gas. NOW.

PS. I know that you know this already. And sometimes it's helpful with a little reminder 💛

PPS. If you like my content, I also have a newsletter: 
https://lnkd.in/dExxZiqj

It takes a village to raise a child, they say. 
Mine raised a very good girl. 

I learnt how to fit in long before I learnt how to be me. 

I'm done with those edits. 
The coming chapters look different.

Making a Good Girl

I thought I was being helpful.
It turned out I was standing in the way.

For a long time, I believed good leadership meant having the answers and always being available. 

That fixing things was the same as supporting. That stepping in with a solution was the best help. That getting back on track quickly was development. 

Until one day. 

A team member was stuck and came to ask about something. I immediately saw how we could solve it. It was simple – but I didn’t have the time to explain. 

So instead I asked: "What are your thoughts?"

Silence. I went back to what I was doing.

A little later, my colleague returned – with a plan. 
And it was better than mine 🌟 

I think that’s when it hit me.

Every time I stepped in to “help,” I was taking something away: 
> the belief in their own ability 
> the satisfaction of figuring it out yourself 
> the growth that comes from handling challenges

I was taking away opportunities to grow 😬

So I started doing things in a different way. Challenging and uncomfortable at first, no doubt: 

> I held back my answers
> Asked better (and more) questions
> Got more comfortable with being uncomfortable
> And resisted the urge to step in as some kind of problem-solving superhero (difficult for good girls like me) 

I learnt that I didn't have to carry everything. And I certainly didn't have to carry them. 

My version of being a helpful leader was my bad good girl stepping in. 

The real growth – for both me and the team – came when I started unlearning that.

Curious: what's a leadership lesson you've learnt from being "in it"?

“Next year will be different.”

I’ll slow down. I’ll start saying no. I’ll prioritise myself more.

Don’t know how many Decembers I’ve said that to myself.
And then… life happened:

High expectations, fully-packed calendar, delivering results, kids to activities, oh gosh any dinner ideas anyone…?

And oupppss I was back in the familiar good-girl-loop of being everything for everyone — except myself.

For me, it took a burnout to realise and change how I lead myself. 
I don’t want it to get that far for you. 
I want you to fast-track your learning and make better choices, sooner than I did. 

Let me help you a little bit: 
On January 6 I’ll run one of my favourite workshops.

✨ The Bad Good Girl’s 2026 Plan ✨

In this (free) workshop, you’ll
> Get clear on what matters to you: what you need, want and long for in 2026.
> Create a personal roadmap that puts you on the priority list (right where you belong BTW).
> Learn how to create more space for wellbeing, rest and a life you enjoy — without dropping your ambition.

Make 2026 the year you choose, not just cope.

Next year will be different 💪🏼

✍🏼 Registration is now open — comment "DIFFERENT" if you want to join.

Hope to see you there!

Sara Escobar, Johanna Birkfeldt and 126 other attendees

View event: The Bad Good Girl’s 2026 Plan

We leak a lot of energy trying to control what we can’t.

Like the November weather. 
And the 'emotional weather' of others: 

> How people react
> Whether someone’s disappointed
> Predicting needs before they’re spoken

This is classic bad good girl behaviour:

Working overtime in places where our influence is exactly.... zero.

Like unpaid ’emotional meteorologists’. 

I write about this in today's newsletter. 

Enjoy your weekends everyone!

November is… special, isn’t it? Not in the magical way — more in the damp, dark, “why is the sky made of wet wool?” kind of way. Not my favourite mont

Open article: A Bad Good Girl's Take on November by Annika Mohlin 🌱 • 2 min read

Varför vänder ni er bara till kvinnor?

Det är en av frågorna vi brukar få om Ledarprogrammet Perspeqtiv.

Svaret:
Så länge det ser ut som det gör i företagsledningar och bolagsstyrelser vill vi göra vad vi kan för att boosta och stärka kvinnliga ledare.

Perspeqtiv är förstås bara en pusselbit bland många. 

Ett mer jämställt och emotionellt intelligent samhälle kräver dialog och förändring på flera nivåer. Vi fokuserar på att stötta kvinnor i att stärka sitt ledarskap och sin kapacitet, samtidigt som vi hejar på alla – kvinnor och män – som driver utvecklingen från andra håll.

Vi brukar få fler frågor: 

— Behöver man ha direktrapporterande för att vara med?
— Gör ni Perspeqtiv på engelska?
— Hur länge ska man ha varit chef? 
— Tänker ni starta en online-grupp någon gång?
— Kan ni köra det här programmet inhouse bara för oss?

Bläddra i dokumentet om du är nyfiken på svaren 🤓

📅 Vi startar 3 nya grupper under 2026, den första i februari. Platserna har börjat gå åt. 
💌 Sugen på att vara med? Hör av dig till mig eller Elin på DM eller i mail.

Allt du skulle vilja veta om Perspeqtiv, men varit för skraj att fråga om

”Jag har varit chef i drygt två år. Det är först nu som jag känner mig som en ledare.”

Helene hade sitt team utspritt över hela Sverige och dåligt samvete för att hon inte räckte till.

”Jag vill vara en närvarande ledare. Men hur är jag det på distans?”

Det var utmaningen hon tog med sig till Perspeqtiv. Engagerad, nyfiken och trött på att försöka vara överallt samtidigt.

Ganska snart insåg Helene hur hon kan vara närvarande även på distans.

Efter några månader hade hon hittat sitt angreppssätt, sin struktur för hur hon leder sitt team; både gruppen som helhet och var och en individuellt.

Helene är en sådan som verkligen gör det hon säger att hon ska göra. Hon har reflekterat, testat, justerat och till slut hittat sitt sätt. Med ett helt annat lugn nu än för nio månader sedan.

Och något som alla i gruppen märkt:

Hennes generositet. Hon delar med sig, stöttar, speglar, bjuder på sina lärdomar och hjälper andra att växa. Är inte det ledarskap i sig? 😉

Imorgon har vi sjätte och sista träffen med den allra första gruppen i Ledarprogrammet Perspeqtiv. Tusen tack Helene för att du varit med och allt du bidragit med. Det ska bli så roligt att följa din fortsatta framfart!

🔭 Helene är en av de mer "nya" cheferna. De flesta har mellan 3-10 års erfarenhet. Medan några har över 15 år - och matar sin fortsatta nyfikenhet på att växa som ledare och människa.

Busy day today? Every day busy up until Christmas? 

Here’s how I stay calm and focused, even with a super tight schedule. 

Because it’s nothing but a myth that working nonstop will help you get more done (spoiler alert: it won’t)

The best way to keep doing high quality work is to: 
✅ Take a break

Try one of these today: 

🌱 Look out a window
Notice what you see — colors, shapes, shadows, textures... 
Using your senses helps your mind slow down and stay in the moment. 

🌱 Think of three things you’re grateful for
Say them out loud or write them down. 
Gratitude helps to boost your mood and will make you feel happier! 

🌱 Step outside
Take a 20-minute walk—or even stand outside for 5 minutes. 
Fresh air clears your mind and gives you new energy. 

Think you don’t have time? 
You DO. 

Taking short breaks will make both you and your work better. 

You'll feel better → your work will be better. 

AND: you'll have time and energy left for the things (and people ❤️) that matter most to you. 

Need support in making more space for you and what you love?

I can help. 
👇
Join my (free) workshop on Tuesday January 6, 2026. 

In just 90 minutes we’ll create your roadmap for 2026, with your goals, needs and well-being in focus.

✍️ Sign up here:
https://lnkd.in/dwaT_m3n

No matter age, industry or nationality, the women leaders I coach are talking about the same things.

Since recap and wrap season is here –
these are the patterns I'm noticing, wrapped up in a timely, seasonal outfit 😉

Curious: Does any of this feel familiar to you? 


PS. The rage-bait age thing? Yes, it's in the carousel too. 

PPS. I do my last coaching session for 2025 today. 
Thanks everyone who've trusted me to support you with your leadership, well-being, confidence... well: life 💛

What women leaders came for coaching on

Ranked #1 Global Positioning | Founder of Beyond Brilliant ™ | Award-Winning Founder & Speaker | Ex-U.S. Congress Comms Director | 35M +Views

Iza Montalvo is an award-winning journalist, founder, speaker and expert in strategic communication. 

For two decades, she has  reported news, shaped public narratives for elected officials, crafted messaging for high-stakes campaigns, and trained Fortune 500 executives to command any stage.

Her purpose is to help brilliant leaders move past modesty to master the art of what she calls "Graceful Self-Promotion” in the new Brilliance Economy.

Montalvo has observed that for two decades, natural modesty, the belief that "work should speak for itself" can hold back the most capable leaders from promotions, stages, and deals. 

She argues that this is not about imposter syndrome or lack of confidence, but a strategic blind spot where brilliant operators mistake necessary visibility for arrogance.

As the founder of the Beyond Brilliant movement, Montalvo teaches a unique approach to visibility rooted in the invisible mechanics of perception to ensure her clients' brilliance is seen and rewarded. 

Montalvo's work on influence and messaging has been formally recognized on the floor of the U.S. Congress and permanently archived in the Library of Congress.

Connect with Iza: She is available for keynote speaking engagements (including her talk, "Why Brilliant Women Undersell Themselves"), media commentary, and strategic consulting on influence and visibility.

Iza Montalvo 🧲

Everyone reads your presence before your words 💥 
(The 4 ways people read you)

Studies show people form first impressions in under 1 second.

If you show up small, people read you small. 
If you show up vague, people read you vague. 
If you show up steady people trust you. 
If you show up clear people follow you. 

The same principle applies to your leadership:

If you treat people like helpers, they shrink. 
If you treat people like thinkers, they grow. 
If you treat people like placeholders, they leave. 
If you treat people like owners, they lead. 

Leadership and visibility share the same rule: 

People respond to the way you carry yourself 
before they respond to the words you say. 

Skills get you in the room. 
Presence is what people follow. 

If you want people to rise around you, 
show them what rising looks like.

Leaders don't do things for you...
they inspire you to grow. Agree? 

PS: Get access to 74-high performing hooks
here: izamontalvo.com/joinnow

➕ Follow me Iza Montalvo 🧲 for more

Ranked #1 Global Positioning | Founder of Beyond Brilliant ™ | Award-Winning Journalist & Speaker | Ex-U.S. Congress Comms Director | 35M+Views

The first hour of your day is prime real estate.
Spend it on work that moves you forward.

I see the same pattern in almost every leader and operator I work with:

They open the day with tasks that look productive, but don’t change anything.

Email.
Admin.
Quick replies.
Low-stakes work.

It feels safe.
It feels tidy.
But it doesn’t shift the needle.

The important work, the one task that demands focus or courage
gets pushed to the afternoon.

Then the afternoon fills up.
Then the task gets carried to the next day.
And the cycle repeats.

Morning is the one window where your mind is clear.
No demands.
No fires.

Use that block for the work with weight.

A project that moves the business forward.
A decision you’ve delayed.
A problem that needs thought, not speed.
A task that shapes the week, not one that fills an hour.

Block your first hour.
Protect it.

You end the day lighter.
You end the week with momentum.

If this lands, try it tomorrow: give your first hour to the task you’ve been avoiding.

Watch what shifts.

♻️Repost if you agree 
➕Follow Iza Montalvo 🧲 for more

The real performance gap isn’t hours.
It’s operating systems.

Do you trade time for output?
Top operators trade focus for output.

I’ve reviewed teams with high output and teams with low output.
The difference is structural, not personal.

Meetings are tools, not habits.
30-minute max.
Agenda or cancel.

One protected deep-work block.

👍 Daily.
👍 No interruptions.
👍 No exceptions.

Delegation based on leverage.
If the task doesn’t match their rate → offloaded.

Recovery is built in.
Clear mind equals sharp execution.
Fatigue means poor judgment.

Work ends when thinking degrades.
Not when the clock hits a number.

Teams that operate this way show:

🔥 Higher throughput
🔥 Fewer errors
🔥 Stronger decisions
🔥 Lower turnover
🔥 Predictable results

Long hours don’t scale.
Systems do.

If your calendar is full, your judgment is weak.
If your day is reactive, your output is low.
If you stay late, your systems are broken.

Remove one low-leverage task today.
Replace it with one high-leverage block tomorrow.

♻️ Repost to help other high-performers
➕ Follow Iza Montalvo 🧲 for more 🧲

Ranked #1 Global Positioning | Founder |Award-Winning Journalist & Speaker | Ex-U.S. Congress Comms Director | 35M+Views

5 YEARS OF FOCUS 

If you feel behind, this is your sign: you’re not.

Every goal you label “out of reach” it’s possible next year.
I used to roll my eyes at reinvention.
Now I understand it.

Here’s what one focused year turned into:

🌟 Featured in Forbes
🌟 On a magazine cover
🌟 On a Times Square billboard
🌟 Gave an international talk
🌟 Joined the global faculty at Maven
🌟 Served clients across Europe
🌟Ranked #1 Globally in Branding & Positioning (Favikon)
🌟Brand partnerships 

…and more is on the way.

The shift wasn’t magic.
It was focus and career experience.
It was starting despite feeling "too old."

If you want a different 2026, begin with one step:

One clear sentence about who you help and how
One story that proves your work
Clean one part of your profile: Headline, About, or Featured

You don’t need a full plan.
You need a starting point.
And the courage to keep going.

PS: I’m opening the “Founder Authority Lab” a private container for founders. This is for founders who want authority, not just activity.

Limited enrollment. 

More details here: https://lnkd.in/eBvTaXW8

I spoke with a founder who’d been in his field for almost 20 years.
Not the “social media expert” kind of experience.

The real kind.

The kind that holds companies together when everything feels like it’s falling apart.

👉 He led teams.
👉 Handled crises.
👉 Built things people relied on.

But when he tried to build something for himself, a side income, a little freedom, nothing moved.

He spent months trying to understand how others were using LinkedIn and AI to make a steady income, book stages and get featured as experts in top-tier media.

As someone who has ran campaigns for big names, and learned how to leverage LinkedIn in 1 year, I understand the pain too well. 

Then he confessed…

“I’ve signed up for webinars”
“I’ve tried posting more”
“I’ve tried writing in the right tone.”
“I’ve tried figuring out personal branding”

Every attempt ended the same way:

🚫 No traction.
🚫 No interest.
🚫 No real path forward.
🚫 Less money in the bank.

One night, he told me he sat in his car after work for almost an hour.
He didn’t want to walk into his house and pretend he wasn’t disappointed.
He said, in a quiet voice:

“I feel like I did everything right. And it still didn’t turn into anything for me.”
That’s the part most founders never share.
That’s what I call “The Hamster Wheel Trap.”

You’re not stuck because you lack experience.
You’re stuck because you think: 

I need to post more motivational content.
Which is getting you messages like: 
"You're so inspiring"
but not DMs asking for your help. 

You wait for something to click.
You spend hours prompting ChatGpt.
And none of it works.

That weekend, I showed him the part he’d been missing:

✅ How to package what he already knows.
✅ How to use AI to reduce the time it takes.
✅ How to build a simple machine that brings clients, media and stages
to him.

He didn’t expect much.
Not after months of quiet failure.

But he tried anyway.
Eleven days later, he brought in $12,400.

He didn’t cry because of the money.
He cried because something finally worked.

He said, “I just needed someone to show me the part nobody ever showed me.”
If you’re in "The Hamster Wheel Trap", era read this:

Your experience isn’t the issue.
The missing system is.
And that can be fixed.

PS: If any of this felt too familiar, that’s not failure.
It’s a sign you have been carrying everything alone. 

I speak about these topics in my newsletter: 
Sign up here: izamontalvo.com/joinnow

📸 Hotel Catalonia, Santo Domingo, November 2025

♻️Repost to help others in your network 
➕Follow me Iza Montalvo for more

Ranked #1 in Global Branding | 35M+ Reach | 3M+ Media For Clients | Advisor To Fortune 500 & Public Figures | I Reengineer How You’re Seen For More Clients, Stages & Press 💫

She ran a company that moved markets. 
But online, her presence didn’t match her power.

That gap cost her millions in lost deals.

Most CEOs build their public presence like they're managing risk.
The ones who win build it like legacy.
This is perception engineering.

She came to me in August with a stacked résumé:

→ Board positions  
→ A leadership record
→ Negotiations across the US

Her public presence was polished and forgettable.
That’s the most expensive brand position a CEO can have.

So we tore the whole thing down and started again.
We rebuilt her public identity from the foundation.

No corporate filler. 
No recycled commentary. 
No messaging that sounded like her comms team.

🧲 We made her thinking unmistakable. 
🧲 We made her decisions quotable. 
🧲 We positioned her with the force she uses behind closed doors.

Here’s what happened when her presence finally matched her influence:

→ 120,000 + monthly impressions (up from 200) 
→ Prospects in her inbox without outreach 
→ Podcast hosts requesting her as a guest 
→ Media booking her without a pitch 
→ Industry peers treating her like the authority she is

This is what it took:

✅ A defined public identity 
✅ A messaging strategy using my proven frameworks
✅ A clear link between values and vision 

If your public persona undersells you, your deals run slower and your room access shrinks.

P.S. The gap between who you are and who you appear to be online is costing you more than you realize. 

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If your private success is bigger than your public presence…
this isn’t your fault.

(It’s your system)

Influence isn’t built from occasional brilliance.
It’s built from the signals you repeat,
the perceptions you reinforce,
and the identity you make your digital footprint.

There are only 3 things people use to judge your influence:

1️⃣ What they see you talk about
If your expertise isn’t visible, it isn’t perceived.
People assume you’re an authority when they can predict your point of view on a topic.

2️⃣ How consistently you show up
Repetition builds recognition.
Recognition builds trust.
Trust builds demand.
You aren’t under-valued, you’re under-seen.

3️⃣ The proof you make public
Wins. Lessons. Patterns.
Not to brag, but to signal what you know, how you think, and why you’re credible.
Private success only matters publicly when you translate it into visible evidence.

And here’s the part most people miss:

Your reputation doesn’t grow because you’re good.
It grows because you make your value unmistakable.

Influence grows when your signals become a system:
a repeatable rhythm that teaches people who you are,
what you stand for, and why your voice carries weight.

When you control the signals,
you control the perception.

When you control the perception,
you control the opportunity.

And the real shift is this:

You don’t need to become someone different to grow your influence.
Make the real you, the skilled, proven, exceptional you, the version people recognize.

Influence isn’t a spotlight.
It’s an operating system.

Build the system,
and the visibility follows.

PS: I talk about these topics every week in my free newsletter.
Sign up here and get 74 high-performing hooks: izamontalvo.com/joinnow

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Chief Executive Officer | Ranked #1 Global Positioning | Ex-U.S. Congress Comms Director | 35M+ Reach | 3M+ Media

Staying in a place you’ve outgrown isn’t loyalty.
It’s a slow kind of shrinking.

Most people don’t stay because they’re fulfilled.
They stay because it’s familiar.

Because it’s quiet.
Because it asks nothing new of them.
But there’s a cost to that kind of comfort:

💔 Your skills level off
💔 Your ideas stay small
💔 Your drive dims

Your network stays narrow
Your confidence stalls
You feel it long before you name it.

The meetings get predictable.
The work stops teaching you anything.
The ceiling lowers a little more each week.

You’re not dramatic.
You’re not impatient.
You’ve simply outgrown the room.

The people who move forward don’t wait for a crisis.
They pay attention to the early signs.
They choose places that stretch them.

They leave before their talent goes quiet.
You don’t need permission to want more space.
You only need to trust the part of you that knows when the season has ended.

Staying small isn’t stability.
It’s delay.
Leaving isn’t chaos.
It’s courage.

Your life expands the moment you do.

♻️ Repost if someone you know is staying somewhere they’ve outgrown
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The struggle isn’t blocking your rise, it’s shaping you for it.

Ever feel like every step forward comes with another test?
You’re not the only one.

But what if the leaders you admire didn’t rise despite their hurdles…
but because they stayed long enough to learn what those hurdles were trying to teach?

You treat this challenge like a glitch, like life dropped the wrong assignment on your desk.

But you know this pattern.

The moment you avoid is the moment that forces the shift you’ve delayed.
Not fate.
Not a lesson wrapped in a bow.
Just pressure pointing at what needs your attention.

Try this: 

1/ Take one breath before you respond.
It gives you space to see the situation, not your fear.
2/ Ask a clear question:
“What does this open right now?”
The answer often sits in plain sight.
3/ Change the method, not the aim.
If the straight line fails, use the turn.
The target stays the same.
4/ Look at what the moment exposes.
A gap.
A habit.
A truth.

Treat it as information, not judgment.
If you’re carrying something heavy today, don’t rush past it.
Stay with it long enough to understand it.

There’s direction inside it…
And once you see it, the next step becomes obvious.

PS: What is the obstacle in front of you trying to tell you?

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The Battle

Annika Mohlin 🌱

Iza Montalvo 🧲

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The Battle

Annika Mohlin 🌱

Iza Montalvo 🧲

Followers

Posts

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);}Annika Mohlin 🌱's LinkedIn Performance

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