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 ...

Are you looking for a digital marketing expert who can help you achieve your business goals? Look no further. As a skilled marketer with expertise in social media, Facebook and Google Ads, and video editing, I have a proven track record of delivering results for my clients.

With my social media campaigns, I have increased engagement, followers, and website traffic for numerous clients. My Facebook and Google Ads campaigns have also generated impressive results.

Additionally, my video editing skills have enabled me to create engaging and effective content that resonates with audiences and drives conversions. 

Now, let's talk about how I can help you achieve your digital marketing goals. Whether you're looking to increase brand awareness, drive conversions, or improve your overall digital presence, I am here to help. Let's connect and discuss how we can work together to take your brand to the next level.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to grow your business. Contact me today to schedule a consultation and let's get started.

Sheza Yazdani

Helping CEOs and Founders Grow and Monetize Their Personal Brands on LinkedIn | $100K+ Results from intentional LinkedIn Growth Strategies | Personal Branding Strategist | CEO Focus Solutions

You don’t have a weak business.

You have a positioning failure.

Your work delivers.
Clients get results.
Revenue exists.

But online, your expertise isn’t recognised and that’s costing you authority, leverage, and inbound demand.

That gap between how good you are and how clearly the market understands it is a positioning problem. And closing that gap is exactly what I do.

I have generated $1M+ in organic reach, built a 13K+ following, and helped over 200 leaders position themselves for influence. That’s what strategic authority building looks like and that’s the work I build every day.

I I help proven experts, coaches, consultants, and B2B founders build LinkedIn personal brands that attract high-quality leads and establish authority.

As a LinkedIn branding strategist and personal brand expert, I specialize in:
• LinkedIn Profile Optimization & Personal Branding
• LinkedIn Ghostwriting & Content Strategy
• Authority Building & Positioning
• Lead Generation Systems
• B2B Brand Strategy

My Approach:
Instead of content volume, I focus on clarity. I help you position your expertise so the market instantly understands your value, then structure content that converts credibility into conversations and conversations into inbound demand.

As CEO of Focus Solutions, I build authority systems that clarify your strategic narrative, position your thinking so it can’t be confused or compared, and structure content that attracts clients, media, and real opportunities. 

No hacks. 
No theatrics. 
Just a repeatable system designed to make your name the one people remember.

I have taken a coach from overlooked to a $100K closed deal after a single high-authority post with over 1M views. 

I grew my own LinkedIn presence to 10K+ followers in under 12 months organically. 

And I have helped founders and experts build positioning systems that attract, convert, and compound without cold outreach or algorithm chasing.

If you know your work is strong but your online presence doesn’t reflect it yet, your next move isn’t more content. It’s clarity.

Book a strategy call via my Featured section, and let’s make LinkedIn the proof of the authority you already have.

DM me or book a call

https://calendly.com/sheza-yazdani/new-meeting

Someone asked me yesterday: "How long until I see ROI from personal branding?"

My answer made them pretty uncomfortable. 

But it was the exact same thing I told a founder six months ago who thanked me today. 

Here is what I told them:

“At least 90 days to get clarity.

180 days to build credibility.

And 365 days to become unforgettable."

They didn’t love hearing it.

Because here’s the thing:

If you are doing this because you want 10 new leads by next Friday, you shouldn’t even start. 

I know that’s hard to hear. 

Most agencies will try to sell you a "30-day transformation" because it’s easy to sell that.

But the truth is:

Building a reputation doesn't work like a vending machine.

Real ROI doesn't show up as a neat little number on a spreadsheet right away.

It shows up months later. 

It’s the way a room goes quiet when you start talking. 

It’s how an investor already knows your story before you even show them a slide deck. 

It’s the fact that great people want to work for you because they’ve seen what you stand for online.

The reason it’s uncomfortable is because you have to give a lot before you get anything back.

You have to be willing to be "out there" while everyone else is hiding behind a corporate logo.

That founder I spoke to six months ago? 

He was frustrated at first. 

He wanted results fast. 

But he called me last week to say that everything has changed. 

He doesn't have to "sell" himself as hard anymore. 

People already trust him before he even walks into the room.

Building a brand isn't an overnight trick. 

It’s an investment in the most valuable thing you own: your name. 

If you want a quick win, pay for an ad. 

If you want a legacy that makes your job easier for years, build a brand.

Have you been sold "quick results" by agencies? 

Let's talk about reality.

You are not being overlooked your expertise just isn’t recognised yet | I help proven founders with strong delivery turn LinkedIn into a predictable authority engine | CEO, Focus Solutions

Founder reflecting on personal branding ROI timelines emphasizing patience credibility and long term trust over quick wins
Message highlights that real brand value compounds through visibility consistency and reputation over months not days

Your expertise is invisible if your positioning is off.

You can have 25 years of experience (like Scott) or deep industry knowledge (like Ahlam)...

But if decision-makers can't "categorize" your value in 3 seconds, they move on.

In my latest carousel, I break down how we took two polar-opposite profiles and turned them into lead-gen machines:

✅ From Harvard alum to 4x viral authority. 

✅ From "silent profile" to Forbes features.

The transformation didn't happen by accident. 

We overhauled their niche, rebuilt their authority, and shifted from generic posts to conversion-driven content.

Swipe through to see the exact steps we took. ➡️

Is it time to turn your profile into an inbound machine? 

📩 Message me “POSITIONING” to get started.

I help proven experts with good businesses fix unclear positioning and build authority so their expertise finally gets recognised and trusted | CEO, Focus Solutions

From Invisible to In-Demand

I’m so sick of “helpful” content that no one actually trusts. 

It’s polished. It’s professional. It gets likes.

And it gets… zero leads.

So here’s the fix I have decided to share publicly: 

Stop writing to impress, and build your Proof Layer first.

In this week’s newsletter, I break down the exact 3 things every founder needs before they post:

→ A belief no one can Google
→ A client win that actually happened
→ A raw, messy note of what you really think

No tactics. No templates. 

Just a brain dump all about you that you’ll channel to drive real business revenue. 

Read it below, and drop one unpopular belief you’ve never had the guts to post.

Let’s make your content actually do something.

View newsletter: Personal Branding in 2026

Hi, I’m Sheza. This is issue #3 of Personal Branding OS, the no-fluff guide to building a personal brand that attracts leads, partners, and hires with

Open article: Why Your Content Doesn’t Convert (And the Fix No One Talks About)
 by Sheza Yazdani • 3 min read

Why Your Content Doesn’t Convert (And the Fix No One Talks About)

I review 30+ executive LinkedIn profiles monthly at Focus Solutions.

The ones that convert to $250K+ deals have 5 psychological triggers embedded throughout:

𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥 #𝟭: 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 (𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁)

Your profile should answer: "What will YOU gain by knowing me?"

The psychology: When you give value upfront, prospects feel compelled to reciprocate by engaging.

𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥 #𝟮: 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳 (𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰)

"Helped hundreds of clients" ❌
"Helped 47 SaaS founders raise $180M+ collectively" ✅

Research shows personalized messages with specific social proof see 45% higher acceptance rates than generic claims.

High-ticket clients don't trust vague testimonials.

They trust:

→ Named clients (with permission)
→ Specific results with numbers
→ Industry-relevant case studies
→ Recommendations from people THEY respect

𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥 #𝟯: 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗕𝗶𝗮𝘀 (𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻)

Your profile should demonstrate YOUR authority while making prospects feel recognized.

How?
→ Feature well-known brands you've worked with
→ Mention publications/podcasts where you've been featured
→ Show industry recognition (awards, speaking engagements)
→ But also: Use language that acknowledges your prospect's expertise

Example: "I work with visionary CEOs in [industry]..." positions your ideal client as the authority too.

𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥 #𝟰: 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 (𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝘆 + 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗱)

Generic profiles convert at 15%.

Contextually relevant profiles convert at 45%.

That's a 3x difference.

What this looks like:

→ Your headline addresses your prospect's current pain point
→ Your About section speaks directly to their stage of business
→ Your Featured section showcases work relevant to THEIR industry
→ Your activity shows you understand their world

At Focus Solutions, we map each executive's profile to their ideal client's buying journey.

Every section = a different stage of the journey.

𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥 #𝟱: 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 + 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆

People want what they can't easily have.

Profiles that convert don't sound "available to anyone."
They sound selective.

Language shifts:
❌ "Let's chat anytime"
✅ "I work with 3-5 clients quarterly"
❌ "Here's my calendar"
✅ "DM me to see if we're a fit"
❌ "We serve all industries"
✅ "We exclusively work with B2B SaaS scaling from $5M-$50M"

The more specific and selective you appear, the more high-ticket clients lean in.

A profile with all 5 triggers creates a psychological pull that makes prospects:

→ Remember you
→ Trust you faster
→ Reach out without being sold to
→ Pre-qualify themselves
→ Close faster when you DO talk

How many of these 5 triggers does YOUR profile have?

Drop a number 1-5 below and I'll give you one specific improvement you can make today.

Let's audit your profile together.

LinkedIn post explaining five psychological triggers used in high converting executive profiles including reciprocity social proof authority relevance and scarcity
Educational breakdown showing how specific language and positioning lead to trust faster decisions and $250K plus deal flow

The personal branding industry has a dirty secret.

Most agencies sell content creation and call it thought leadership.

But let me be clear:

Posting 3x a week about “leadership lessons” ≠ strategy.

Rewriting your About section ≠ positioning.

Having a Canva quote post ≠ authority.

At Focus Solutions, we refuse to play that game.

Here’s how we draw the line:

📌 Content creation = You sound active.

📌 Thought leadership = You sound irreplaceable.

📌 Content creation = Random tips that get likes.

📌 Thought leadership = Clear POV that earns trust (and inbound leads).

📌 Content creation = Surface-level storytelling.

📌 Thought leadership = Strategic narrative that aligns with your business model.

And the real difference?

Content gets you seen.

Thought leadership gets you chosen.

That’s why our clients don’t just look consistent.

They become the obvious choice before they ever get on a sales call.

What are you actually buying:

content or thought leadership?

Most people can’t tell.

Can you?

Message highlights how strategic narrative and clear point of view build trust inbound leads and make brands the obvious choice

The positioning book nobody talks about, but every CEO should read.

Everyone quotes Positioning by Ries & Trout.

But if you're building something innovative, here's the book that's actually useful in 2026:

👉 Obviously Awesome by April Dunford.

Most of my clients struggle with the same blind spot:

❌ They try to differentiate against competitors.

✅ But forget their biggest competition is… inertia.

In Dunford’s framework, “competitive alternatives” doesn’t mean your competitors.

It means what your customer would do if you didn’t exist.

Let that sink in.

When I applied this to Focus Solutions, here’s what changed:

We realized our real competitor wasn’t another agency.

It was the CEO thinking, “I’ll just do this myself”

Or worse: 

“We’ll figure it out later.”

So we shifted our messaging:

❌ From “Here’s how we’re better than other solutions”

✅ To “Here’s the risk of doing nothing (and why it’s costing you).”

That subtle shift?

It made our offer urgent instead of “nice to have.”

And conversion rates jumped.

Here’s how to use this today:

1. Write down what your customer does today without you.

(Manual process? Team hack? Ignoring the issue?)

2. Now rework your value prop to show why that’s no longer safe.

(Show hidden cost, wasted time, or growing risk)

3. Make that your new core messaging.

(Because buyers act to avoid pain more than to gain something new)

If your value prop isn’t landing, you don’t need “better copy.”

You need better positioning.

Start with this: Full summary of Obviously Awesome →

Have you read Obviously Awesome? If not, this is your sign.

I am 37.

I am a mother of three.

When I started my business my youngest had just been born.

No roadmap.

No certainty.

Just responsibility and the need to make it work.

I opened LinkedIn without knowing the direction.

I was building while learning.

Raising three kids while figuring out how to create financial stability.

My business is the same age as my youngest child.
We grew together.

Slowly.

Honestly.

From one person on my team to a 12 person in house team.

From surviving month to month to building real structure.

Along the way I worked with 70 plus clients.

Different industries.
Different goals.
Same pattern.

Most people do not struggle because they lack skill.

They struggle because they lack positioning.

That realization changed how I work.

And it changed how I lead my business.

Today I am less focused on doing everything.

More focused on clarity.

Positioning.

Building something intentional that lasts.

Being a mother taught me discipline.

Business taught me patience.

Consistency did the rest.

If you believe in yourself.

If you stay committed when it feels unclear.

Eventually everything starts making sense.

Happy weekend.

Follow me Sheza Yazdani.

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