Brian Dordevic

Delivering profitable web design with SEO first approach. Official Google partner.

I started as a $4/hr offshore virtual assistant and became a USA citizen & business owner.

I help you generate more profit with your existing traffic efforts by optimizing conversion rates, improving your site speed & content strategy.

Chief Executive Officer

As the CEO of Alpha Efficiency, I steer the strategic direction of the company while managing an expanding team of 30+ professionals, spearheading growth initiatives, and driving operational efficiency.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) & Achievements:

Team Leadership & Management: Championed a culture of performance and accountability that led to a 35% boost in operational efficiency. Regularly oversee talent acquisition and retention strategies to ensure our team is well-equipped for success.

SEO & Content Management: Supervised the creation and execution of our SEO strategy, which saw a remarkable 60% surge in organic website traffic within six months, augmenting our brand's digital visibility.

Paid Media Strategies: Pioneered the deployment of innovative paid media campaigns, resulting in a 50% increase in brand awareness and a 30% rise in customer acquisition, significantly expanding our market footprint.

Performance Benchmarking: Developed and implemented performance benchmarks to ensure constant progress. The systematic monitoring of these metrics brought about a 20% improvement in overall productivity.

Stakeholder Management: Successfully maintained robust relationships with key stakeholders, attaining a 90% satisfaction rate, testament to our commitment to delivering value and fostering transparency.

Financial Management: Maintained stringent control over fiscal operations, consistently delivering profitability and surpassing financial objectives by 15% in the previous year, solidifying our position in the market.

This multifaceted role requires a delicate balance of leadership, strategic thinking, and operational excellence. It's my mission to continue propelling Alpha Efficiency forward, driving sustainable growth, and adding value for our stakeholders.

I just hit 12,000 followers on LinkedIn.

• No celebration
• No screenshot
• No dopamine hit

Just a quiet confirmation.

Numbers only matter when they reflect something real.
And this milestone does.

Not because of the count.
But because of the process behind it.

Three years ago, I was “the SEO guy.”

I wrote for Google first.
Humans second.

Intent over attention.

And there is a massive difference.

When someone searches Google, they already want something.
They are raising their hand.

Your job is simple:
Answer better than everyone else.

SEO writing is a drive-thru.

• They order
• You deliver
• The most organized kitchen wins

Social media is the opposite.

Nobody is ordering anything.

You are competing with Netflix, Slack pings, TikTok, and mental exhaustion.
You have to create hunger where none existed.

That shift humbled me.

I had to unlearn structure.
And relearn persuasion.

I stopped asking, “Is this optimized?”
And started asking, “Does this land?”

I studied storytellers.
Not marketers.

I watched how anticipation is built.
How tension is held.
How emotion carries ideas further than logic ever could.

Slowly, something clicked.

I stopped obsessing over keywords and started chasing clarity.
I stopped tracking backlinks and started tracking behavior.
I wrote for humans first.

Ironically, my SEO got better too.

Growth stopped feeling fragile.
It started feeling inevitable.

Not because of hacks.
But because I kept showing up when it made no sense.

When I was tired.
When clients were on fire.
When posts got buried.

I still wrote.

That consistency built trust.
Opened conversations.
Closed deals.
Changed how I see the game entirely.

I used to understand how content works.

Now I understand why it sticks.

This is not explosive growth.
It is earned growth.

And at this pace?

Increasing follower count is 100% irrelevant.
Changing lives and removing fiscal anxiety is.
Only focus is on providing value and getting paid for it.

It is alignment plus consistency plus time.

Because once you understand how humans work, you stop chasing reach.

And start building a life that compounds.

Helping Law Firms increase AI & Local SEO visibility to maximize client intake. | Add 7-Figures worth of cases per year from organic traffic. | My Local Gap Calculator tells you how much you lose every month

AI is not the problem. Your incentives are. AI is not going to use itself.

If you think your boomer salary is going to save your company, you are dead wrong...

The problem is that those that know how to use AI, are building companies not making themselves poor in a job.

They won't work for a salary when they can print 7-figure years. If you think this is an exaggeration, you lack imagination. 

Offer a cut of the pie to those with a brain, or get left behind.

Need help transforming your employees into AI machines? 

Reply with TRANSFORM and we'll talk.

Not being in top #3 on Google Maps costs you 7-Figures per year in lost deals.

This is how you climb to the top and get that massive revenue share:

• Fast Site
• High Quality Backlinks
• Local citations optimized
• Content written to convert
• Topical Authority Map that tells Google you know your stuff

If you want to know how much you're leaving on the table, click on the link in the comments. We'll tell you exactly how many leads are there for your industry.

I don’t know who needs to hear this but...

You need $0 down to start an online business.

• Free AI = DeepSeek
• Free Landing Pages = Carrd
• Free Video Hosting = YouTube
• Free traffic = Social Media Profiles

Poor people have bad imagination. Get creative.

You've seen the posts:

"I don't even use Google anymore." (These numbers are scary...)

Big talk.

But what does the data actually show?

Google went from 8.5 billion searches a day to 13.7 billion.

More people are Googling than ever.

Need help getting on the most powerful AI engine on the planet?

I'm taking 2 new clients in February. If your company does over $3 million per year, your business is qualified for growth.

Some call it AIO...

Others call it GEO...

Old timers want to cling on to SEO...

I say to all of them.

Get.
More.
Backlinks!

Ask me how if you want ones that move the needle.

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Every few years, marketing declares another rivalry:

Radio vs. TV.
TV vs. digital.
PR vs. content.
SEO vs. AI.

But reality doesn't do clean cuts.

The so-called replacement consistently resolves as reinvention.

And this is how it looks in real time:

1. SEO Has Been “Dying” Since the Early 2000s

Two decades of predictions haven’t stopped search growth. They’ve only exposed how often tactics expire while demand continues to shift.
https://hubs.la/Q03ZKW2P0

2. Marketer’s Favorite Hobby: Declaring Things Dead That Still Print Money

Radio died. TV died. PR died. Email died. And yet they’re all still here, evolving while the industry chases the next funeral headline.
https://hubs.la/Q03ZKWZR0

3. The Fastest Way to Lose Narrative Control in AI Search

When brands avoid specifics, generative engines treat it as a gap that needs to be filled, and they fill it fast.
https://hubs.la/Q03ZKXVN0

4. AI Marketing That Actually Held Up in Production

Instead of chasing novelty, these teams treated AI as plumbing. The outcomes were faster execution, cleaner workflows, and measurable gains.
https://hubs.la/Q03ZKYMB0

5. Google’s December Core Update Has Landed

Now comes the hard part: understanding whether your current visibility is stable, temporarily tolerated, or already on borrowed time.
https://hubs.la/Q03ZKWH70

The illusion of replacement hides continuity of control.

We hype "new" systems as total takeovers, and lose focus on what really works.

If you want to see where your next opportunity hides, let me tell you in a call here: https://hubs.la/Q03ZKY9j0

SEO is officially in its “Facebook 2018” era.

Back then, Facebook lost millions of visits and businesses fled to Google for safety.

Now, that safety net is gone too.

Seniors are already planning for a 40% drop in search traffic over the next few years.

(No more hoping-against strategies)

And once traffic decline becomes a planning number, not a fear, everything shifts. 

Let's get into what happened last week:

1. Publishers Are Planning for a 40% Traffic Loss

Search was supposed to be the stable channel. Now publishers are reallocating headcount, formats, and revenue models around their decline.
https://hubs.la/Q03_LWQM0

2. Google Is Teaching People How to Read Curiosity

Google is now actively teaching users what to explore next while they’re still figuring out what they’re interested in.
https://hubs.la/Q03_LYSv0

3. Two Content Economies Are Emerging (Exposure No Longer Pays the Bill)

For 20 years, publishing meant visibility in exchange for knowledge. Now answers stay inside machines, and content creators are being told to accept less.
https://hubs.la/Q03_LXB50

4. Your Best Buying Signals Never Make it to the CRM

Deals expand right before they close. New voices enter, urgency rises, and the most valuable signals never make it into the CRM that’s supposed to catch them.
https://hubs.la/Q03_LWmH0

5. The Social-to-Search Halo Effect SEO Isn’t Measuring

Not all demand starts with a query. Some of it starts with a feeling that sends people searching days later. Ignoring it means letting curiosity resolve on someone else’s terms.
https://hubs.la/Q03_LZxs0

We’ve moved past organic guarantees.

Today, reach depends on systems that can actively shape demand:

AI for discovery.
Ads for paid attention.

I'll show you what that setup can actually do for you. 

Pick a time: https://hubs.la/Q03_LVZR0

New Year’s Eve is behind us.

I started January 5th with a work sprint. One rock. One focus.

Here’s what separates people who adapt and those who don’t:

Most people blame external pressure. 

• War
• Gas prices
• Difficult year

Very convenient. 

Because then you don’t have to examine your own decisions.

But tough times don’t define you. You define how you respond to them.

In every downturn, a small group does exceptionally well. They didn't ignore reality. They adapted faster.

What separates them? 

Structure.

For me, 2025 was one of the best years on record. Most of that traces back to one decision: focus on recurring revenue.

Before that, my business was fragile. Revenue came in bursts. Planning felt theoretical. Every month was a reset.

That realization didn’t come from scrolling. It came from forcing the numbers to tell the truth.

Here’s what most people get wrong about planning:

They plan to feel organized, not to make tradeoffs.

Unrealistic plans create false confidence. Ignoring your capacity creates burnout. Never adjusting creates quiet failure.

The solution? Quarterly planning.

Long enough to set direction. Short enough to correct mistakes before they compound.

A real rock solves an active problem, changes future options, and creates second-order effects. If it doesn’t do all three, it’s not a rock.

Most ideas get eliminated at this stage. Nice-to-haves don’t change the game.

The cost of continuing as usual:

Busy weeks. Incremental progress. Another year where effort increases faster than leverage.

Poor planning doesn’t fail loudly. It fails quietly.

Planning isn’t about controlling the future. It’s about creating structure that allows good decisions to emerge.

The people who do well aren’t waiting for clarity. They create it.

Let’s build that structure together.

Did you know that 88% of urgent clicks go to companies located in Google's Maps Tri-Pack?

If your business is not located in first 3 spots, you are missing on fastest profit on the internet. (Here's how to easily climb to the top):

1. Fix your citations
2. Get fresh reviews (from Google Local Guides)
3. Make sure content of your site is optimized for Local SEO
4. Don't forget to double check your phone number is working

These may sound simple, but roadblock up to 7 figures annually of free orgaic traffic.

Want to learn how much revenue you're leaving on the table? 

Check out our Google Profit Gap Calculator, and ensure you take proper action.

Remember when buying online took around 20 minutes across 5 sites?

Google just shrank it to 10 seconds on one screen:

Customer asks about rugs → sees Rugs USA's 20% off → taps buy.

Curiosity hits search. Wallet hits empty.

(Keep reading for more brain-tickling updates)

1. Google’s Commerce Update Redefines the Buyer's Journey

New commerce tools link AI-driven research directly to checkout, offers, and retailer-controlled experiences inside Google Search and Gemini.
https://hubs.la/Q03-FkDM0

2. SEO in 2026 Looks a Lot Like a YouTube Strategy

AI Overviews are pulling answers from video like it’s primary evidence, turning YouTube into the center of modern SEO.
https://hubs.la/Q03-FkFx0

3. 230 Million People Already Ask ChatGPT About Health

Now OpenAI is formalizing that behavior with a locked-down Health environment, signaling a shift from casual health questions to sustained, data-grounded use.
https://hubs.la/Q03-F8-L0

4. Google Says “Stop Writing for AI” (Even If It Works Today)

Many teams are restructuring content to “please AI,” but Google just went on record saying this shortcut might age very badly.
https://hubs.la/Q03-Ff4G0

5. AI Search Is Solving the Question, Not the Market

"A feature designed to ensure completeness becomes a bug when completeness overrides utility." 
https://hubs.la/Q03-Fk_40

Google now owns the journey end-to-end. 

Profits chase whoever controls that unified experience.

Secure top visibility before Q1 slips: https://hubs.la/Q03-FcdY0

How many AI agents are currently working for you?

Ghostwriter & Messaging Strategist helping leaders achieve 70% opt-ins with a Microstory Journey using the 3-Minute Story Blueprint to build trust and convert hesitant prospects into eager customers.

Most businesses struggle to convert leads because they rely on forgettable downloads and meaningless discounts that fail to create an emotional connection. 

Prospects don't just need information, they need to feel valued, to trust you, and to experience genuine engagement. 

That's why I created the concept of the Microstory Journey, a 5-day emotional experience that uses the 3-Minute Story Blueprint to touch hearts, build authentic connections, and establish unshakable trust, turning hesitant prospects into eager customers ready to take action.

AWAI Verified Copywriter
Case Studies Certification
Sales Enablement Certification

WRITING SERVICES I PROVIDE:

📨 5-Day Education Email Courses
💲 Ghostwriting on Social Media Platforms
📰  Newsletters
🌐   Web Content
✍️   Blog Posting
📧   Email Marketing
🛒   Sales Pages
📱   Facebook/Google Ads 

WHOM I WORK WITH: I help executives, CEOs, founders, & coaches.

3 Simple Steps to Powerful Messaging
1. Define your goals and messaging. 
2. Develop a customized storytelling strategy. 
3. Execute and refine messaging for maximum impact.

HERE'S WHAT TO DO NEXT:
Email me at mike@mikehays.net OR
Book a call with me at https://calendly.com/ask-mikehays

Mike Hays

Stop Saying 'Should.' 

It's Killing Your Progress.

"I should prospect more." 
"I should post on LinkedIn." 
"I should work out."

Yet nothing changes. The list grows longer while your results stay flat.

Here's what actually happens when you 
replace "should" with different language:

Scenario 1: Your prospecting goal.

↳Old language:
"I should reach out to five prospects today."
Then guilt when you don't. Repeat tomorrow.

↳New language:
"I'm reaching out to five prospects today."
Or admit: "I'm choosing not to prioritize this right now."

↳Result: You either act or you own the choice. No guilt loop.

Scenario 2: Your content creation.

↳Old language:
"I should post three times this week."
Followed by excuses about time, perfectionism, fear.

↳New language:
"I must post three times this week to build my authority."
Or: 
"I'm not ready to commit to this yet."

↳Result: Clarity replaces confusion. Action replaces avoidance.

Scenario 3: Your personal commitments.

↳Old language:
"I should work out tomorrow morning."
Then snooze the alarm. Feel terrible. Repeat.

↳New language:
"I will work out tomorrow at 6 AM."
Or: "I'm prioritizing sleep over exercise right now."

↳Result: You honor your decision either way.

"Should" is the language of obligation without commitment.

It keeps you stuck in a cycle of intention without execution.

When you eliminate "should" from your vocabulary, 
you force yourself to either commit or let go.

Follow Mike Hays for more communication insights.

Mike  Hays

Messaging Strategist & Ghostwriter for Leaders - I help you turn short stories into trust, influence, and premium clients with my Microstory Journey using the 3-Minute Story Blueprint.

You know exactly what you need to do.
But you're still not doing it.

Here's why:

Your brain isn't lazy.
It's just running a calculation you don't see.

Every decision comes down to emotional math:
↳ Pain of taking action vs. pain of staying stuck
↳ Whichever feels heavier wins

I used to think I lacked discipline.

Turns out, I'd just linked massive pain to starting:
- Anxiety about failing publicly
- Worry about wasting time
- Fear of looking stupid

Meanwhile, staying stuck felt... safe.

Uncomfortable, sure. But familiar.

The shift happened when I realized:
Inaction has a cost too.

It's just quieter.
More gradual.
Easier to ignore.

So I started asking myself:

"What's the real pain I'm avoiding here?"

Usually, it wasn't the work itself.

It was the vulnerability. The visibility.

The possibility of being wrong.

Once I named it, the math changed.

Taking action became less scary than staying invisible.

Here's what I realized:
You're not avoiding action because you're broken.

You're avoiding it because right now, it feels riskier than standing still.

What pain have you been avoiding by not taking action?

Follow Mike Hays  for insights on doing the work that matters

How To Get Complainers to Stop Complaining
Without Losing Your Mind.

You enabled the complaining the moment you 
started validating every grievance.

And now you're stuck in an endless loop of 
negativity instead of progress.

But here's what most people miss - 
stopping complainers isn't about dismissing their concerns.

It's about redirecting their energy strategically.

Here's what's really happening:
↳ Your empathy becomes their permission to continue
↳ Chronic complainers seek attention, not solutions
↳ They control the conversation through negativity

Here's how to break the pattern:

1. Acknowledge Once, Then Pivot

↳ Validate briefly, then shift to action
↳ Don't get trapped in the complaint cycle
↳ "I understand. What's one thing you can control here?"

2. Ask Solution-Focused Questions

↳ "What would make this situation better?"
↳ Move them from problem to possibility
↳ Force their brain to think differently

3. Set Boundaries Early

↳ Be clear about your role
↳ People respect confident limits
↳ Define what conversations you'll engage in

4. Model the Energy You Want

↳ Stay solution-oriented in your responses
↳ Your tone sets the standard
↳ Don't match their negativity

What Most People Are Overlooking:
Everyone can listen.
Everyone can sympathize.
But only leaders can transform complainers into problem-solvers.

Quick Question:

When was the last time you got stuck in someone's complaint spiral?

How did you handle it?

Follow Mike Hays for more communication strategies.

They make it look so effortless.

That's what people say when they see polished work.

But here's what they don't see the invisible architecture behind it.

I used to think making work look easy meant hiding the effort.

The late nights.
The revisions.
The moments of doubt.

But the more I refined my process, the more one truth became obvious:

Work doesn't look easy because you hide the struggle.

It looks easy because you've done the hard work 
so many times that it becomes second nature.

And there are only two approaches to this:

The exhausting way
→ Reinventing the wheel every time
→ Burning out to meet deadlines
→ Starting from scratch repeatedly
→ No systems or frameworks
→ Relying purely on inspiration



The strategic way
→ Learning from past projects
→ Refining with each iteration
→ Making complexity invisible
→ Building repeatable processes
→ Creating templates and frameworks

One drains your energy.
The other multiplies your impact.

The best professionals aren't naturally gifted
they're systematically prepared.

They know that mastery isn't about working harder.

It's about working smarter until the complex becomes simple.

They've failed enough times to know what works.
They've refined their approach until it flows.

Not to show off.

But to deliver consistent excellence without the chaos.

Making work look easy isn't about pretending it's effortless.

It's about doing the behind-the-scenes work so well that others only see the result.

When you build the right systems, excellence becomes your baseline.

What's one process you've refined that now feels effortless?

Follow Mike Hays for more insights on strategic communication.

"Quick question" is never actually quick.

Feel That Stomach Drop?

I used to think it was just me.
Then, one day, I realized something:

"Those two words trigger an instant physical reaction."

I wondered why my stomach tightened every time I heard it.

It's always said like it's small. Casual. Friendly.
But the second you hear it, your body knows better.

Because "quick question" doesn't mean a question.

It made perfect sense to me.

It means a conversation.
With follow-ups. And feelings.

It's the verbal equivalent of: "We need to talk."

That pause you feel in your soul? You're not imagining it.

Here's what I learned about "quick question":
- Your stomach knows before your brain does
- Recognition beats explanation every time
- The tone is casual, the stakes are not
- It always leads somewhere bigger
- It's never one question

So here's my takeaway for anyone who's felt that tightness:

You're not overthinking it.
You're reading the room correctly.

Comment: "I've heard this one," and I'll share
the follow-up script that names what happens next.

Follow Mike Hays for more communication insights.

What's Controlling Your Life Right Now?
It's Not What You Think.

(And it's definitely not your circumstances)

Most people believe their life is shaped by what happens to them.
But here's the truth I've learned:

↳ Your decisions create your reality, not your conditions.

There are three decisions driving everything in your life right now:

1. What You Choose to Focus On

↳ Your focus determines your experience
↳ Not what's happening around you
↳ But where you direct your attention

2. Your Emotional State

↳ Your emotions shape your actions
↳ Your state creates your outcomes
↳ You can change how you feel in any moment

3. Your Blueprint

↳ The standards you've set for yourself
↳ What you believe you deserve
↳ These are your expectations

Here's What Most People Miss:

↳ They wait for conditions to improve
↳ They blame circumstances for their results
↳ They give their power away to external factors

The Real Shift Happens When:

↳ You rewrite your blueprint
↳ You realize you control your focus
↳ You take ownership of your emotional state

Your life doesn't transform when you get the promotion, 
find the relationship, or hit the income goal.

It transforms the moment you decide differently.

When you stop waiting for permission from your 
circumstances and start making different 
decisions, everything changes.

So here's my question for you:

Which of these three decisions do you need 
to take back control of today?

Follow Mike Hays  for more insights on intentional living

Fear Will Move You Forward 

But It Will Never Set You Free.

I've been thinking about what really drives most of us.

Here's what I've noticed:
Fear is the default setting.

Fear of failing. Fear of being judged. Fear of not measuring up.
It's exhausting, and it keeps you stuck in reaction mode.

Here's what I've learned:
• Both create movement, but only one creates freedom
• Fear pushes you away from what you don't want
• Vision pulls you toward what you do want
• Vision gives you energy; fear drains it

The shift happens when you stop running from 
something and start moving toward something.

When I switched from "I can't mess this up" to 
"I'm building something meaningful." 
Everything changed.

The work felt different. The decisions became clearer.

The pressure turned into possibility.

Fear will always be there, that's normal.
But it doesn't have to be in the driver's seat.

So ask yourself

What would you create if fear weren't calling the shots?

What vision would pull you forward if you let it?

Drop a comment or send me a DM
 I'd love to hear what drives you.

Follow Mike Hays for more communication insights.

Ever replay one harsh comment all day?

I do.

Someone once told me my work "lacked depth."
Not in a meeting. Not with context.
Just a quick message, then silence.

I couldn't shake it.

I replayed it during lunch.
During my next call.
Even while brushing my teeth that night.

The comment wasn't even detailed.
But my brain filled in the gaps with worst-case scenarios.

Here's what I learned:

Our minds magnify criticism.
→ One negative comment outweighs ten compliments
→ We loop it, dissect it, personalize it
→ It becomes louder than reality

But here's the shift:

That comment forced me to ask better questions.
Not "Am I good enough?"
But "What specifically can I improve?"

I reached out. Got clarity. Made changes.
The work got stronger.

Harsh comments sting because they touch something real.
The goal isn't to ignore them.
It's to separate the noise from the signal, fast.

Because replaying it won't help.
But responding to it will.

What's one comment that pushed you to level up?

🔔 Follow Mike Hays for more leadership strategies

You're watching the wrong thing during presentations.

The Signal That Tells You 10× More

That's what I realized after years of watching presentations.

But here's what most presenters miss:

The slides don't tell you if your message is landing.

The faces do.

People think I'm weird for watching faces instead of slides.

I used to obsess over perfecting every bullet point.
Tweaking fonts.
Rehearsing transitions.
Making sure the data looked flawless.

But the more presentations I attended, the clearer one truth became:

Your audience's reaction matters more than your content.

And there are only two ways to present:

The oblivious way
→ Never checking for understanding
→ Finishing on schedule regardless
→ Reading bullet points verbatim
→ Ignoring confused expressions
→ Staring at your own slides

The adaptive way
→ Reading the room constantly
→ Noticing when energy drops
→ Responding to nonverbal feedback
→ Pausing when faces show confusion
→ Adjusting pace based on engagement

One delivers information.
The other creates connection.

The best presenters aren't just speakers, they're observers.

They know a furrowed brow means "slow down."
They see glazed eyes and shift tactics immediately.

Not because they're mind readers.

But because they prioritize resonance over rehearsal.

Watching faces isn't weird.

It's the difference between presenting at people and communicating with them.

Your slides support your message, but faces reveal if it's working.

What do you pay attention to during presentations?

Follow Mike Hays for more communication insights.

Marketing isn't about volume.

It's about clarity.

We often assume more content equals more attention.
But in real business, especially when competing for seconds
positioning shows up in much quieter ways.

I started paying attention to the brands that 
consistently cut through the noise.

↳ They simply knew exactly why they mattered.
↳ They weren't everywhere.
↳ They weren't louder.

And once you notice it, you can't unsee it.

Most entrepreneurs skip the critical step:
Defining what makes them irreplaceable.

They plunge into content, ads, and campaigns
but struggle to explain their unique value in a single sentence.

The assumptions?

↳ "Our product speaks for itself."
↳ "We'll figure it out as we grow."
↳ "People will understand what makes us special."

But without clarity, your message gets lost
and your budget gets burned.

Three truths about positioning in the attention economy:

1. If you can't explain your edge clearly, 
don't expect your audience to figure it out.

2. You're not competing for market share.
You're competing for milliseconds of attention.

3. Vague positioning doesn't win that battle.

Here's what sets standout brands apart:

↳ They lead with relevance.
↳ They craft messaging that cuts through noise.
↳ They anchor every campaign in a crystal-clear answer to: 
"Why should I care?"

Compare that to those stuck in generic slogans, 
feature lists, and "we're better" claims.

One approach resonates.
The other fades.

Before your next campaign, pause and ask:

What makes us the only choice for the right people?

Can you explain your unique value in 10 words or less?

Follow Mike Hays Mike Hays for more messaging insights.

How Saying Less Helped Me Hear More.

I've been guilty of this for years.

Nodding along while mentally rehearsing my response.

In meetings, I'd:
➤ Plan my counterpoint
➤ Wait for the pause
➤ Polish my story

I wasn't listening.
I was loading.

Then I realized something:

The people I trusted most never did this.
They asked follow-up questions I didn't expect.

So I changed my approach.

Instead of preparing what to say next, I started tracking:

• Where their energy shifted
• What they didn't say directly
• What they emphasized twice
• Questions that would go deeper

That's when conversations became different.

Because real listening isn't about silence.
It's about curiosity.

Stop rehearsing your brilliance.
Start discovering theirs.

The best responses come from what you actually heard, 
not what you planned to say.

Follow Mike Hays for more leadership advice.

5 massive communication shifts you'll see this year

Do you have the skills to stay ahead?

1. People are drowning in AI-generated content
In 2026, the volume of AI-produced text, images, 
emails, pitches, and posts will reach saturation.

 When everything starts to sound the same, human voices stand out.
 Real communication becomes a filter and a relief in a world of infinite noise.

2. Trust becomes the rarest commodity
In an AI-heavy world, human connection signals credibility.

Tone, pacing, hesitation, and enthusiasm 
these are trust cues that AI still struggles to replicate.

Voice becomes a verification layer.

When you hear someone speak, you hear intentions, 
emotions, and authenticity.

3. Quality and clarity beat quantity
AI makes it easy to produce more… but not necessarily to matter more.

Professionals who communicate with precision, empathy, and presence become more influential because their words carry weight, not volume.

The more automation grows, the more value we place on the craft of clear, thoughtful communication.

4. Technology is shifting us back to voice-by-default
Wearables, AR, ambient computing, and voice 
interfaces reduce typing friction.

Speaking becomes faster than writing.

And when people speak more, they connect more naturally.

5. Human connection becomes a competitive advantage
Teams that communicate well outperform those that don’t.
Sales calls convert better when there’s warmth.

Leaders who speak with clarity and energy build stronger followings.

In 2026, communication isn’t a soft skill it’s a differentiator.

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Introducing the Fishbowl Practice

The First Method That Neutralizes Criticism Anxiety

(The drill that builds emotional armor)

I help smart people stop talking like robots.
But here's what nobody tells you:

↳ The fear of criticism keeps you sterile.

My Fishbowl Practice changes that:

1. Write Your Worst Nightmares Down

↳ Every harsh comment you fear
↳ Every cruel judgment possible
↳ Drop them in a fishbowl

2. Pull One Daily

↳ Record your response on camera
↳ Just you and the discomfort
↳ No script, no safety net

3. Watch Your Transformation

↳ Week one: You'll stumble
↳ Week two: You'll find your voice
↳ Week three: You'll own your message

4. Build Resilience Through Repetition

↳ Criticism loses its power
↳ Your authentic voice emerges
↳ Confidence replaces performance anxiety

5. Turn It Into Content

↳ Your growth becomes your story
↳ Your vulnerability becomes your authority
↳ Your responses become YouTube Shorts

The Real Win:
When you can handle the fishbowl, real comments feel easy.

I'm starting this series next week.
Each episode: one comment, one raw response, zero editing.

Quick question:

What's the harshest comment you're afraid to receive?

⤵️ Drop it below
Follow Mike Hays for authentic communication strategies

"I wasn't ready for that."

We say it all the time.

But what does it really mean?

Most people think it's about surprise.
About being caught off guard.

But I've learned something different after years of working with leaders and founders.

"I wasn't ready for that" actually means three things:

↳ First: I didn't prepare mentally.
We knew it could happen, but we didn't visualize it. We didn't rehearse our response.

↳ Second: I underestimated the emotional weight.
Logic told us one thing. Reality hit differently. The gap between knowing and feeling is massive.

↳ Third: I didn't build the support system.
We tried to go it alone. No mentors. No peers who'd been there. No framework to lean on when it mattered.

Here's what I've noticed:

The leaders who say "I wasn't ready" the least aren't the ones who predict everything.

They're the ones who prepare differently.

They don't just plan for outcomes.
They prepare their mindset.
They build their network before they need it.
They create frameworks that work under pressure.

Being ready isn't about knowing what's coming.

It's about building the capacity to handle what you can't predict.

The next time you catch yourself saying "I wasn't ready for that," ask a better question:



🔔 Follow Mike Hays for more strategies on leadership and growth

Messaging Strategist & Ghostwriter for Leaders - I help you create instant credibility that gets replies, calls, and conversions with my Microstory Journey using the 3-Minute Story Blueprint.

Have You Ever Won the Argument

But Lost Every Relationship in the Process?

Being right doesn't matter if nobody wants to work with you afterward.

Yet most of us prioritize correctness over connection every single time.

Here's what I've learned about the cost of being technically right:

Scenario 1:

You catch an error in someone's presentation.

↳Old approach:
Point it out immediately in front of everyone.
Make sure they know you spotted it first.

↳New approach:
Pause. Consider the setting.
Pull them aside later with a quiet heads-up.

↳Result: They fix the error and remember your respect.

Scenario 2: A team member suggests a flawed strategy.

↳Old approach:
Shut it down with data and logic.
Prove why it won't work, point by point.

↳New approach:
Ask questions that guide them to see the gaps themselves.
Let discovery replace demolition.

↳Result: They learn. They don't resent you for it.

Scenario 3: Someone challenges your expertise publicly.

↳Old approach:
Defend your credentials with force.
Make them feel small for questioning you.

↳New approach:
Acknowledge their perspective.
Share your reasoning without needing to dominate.

↳Result: The room sees your confidence and their dignity intact.

Being right with the wrong tone doesn't build influence.

It builds walls.

When you choose connection over correction, people actually hear you.

So here's what I'm asking myself now:
What's more valuable, winning the point or keeping the relationship?

Follow Mike Hays for more communication insights.

I used to think "watch me fail first" was about humility.
But it's actually about permission.

Most people wait for proof before they start.
➤ They need someone else to go first.
➤ They need validation.
➤ They need certainty.

I realized something different:

"Watch me fail first" means I'm willing to be the example.

Not because I want to fail.
Because I'm willing to learn in public.

Here's what that actually looks like:

• Testing ideas before they're perfect
• Sharing lessons while I'm still learning
• Making mistakes visible so others can skip them
• Building credibility through transparency, not perfection

The leaders I respect most aren't the ones who never stumble.

They're the ones who stumble forward and document the path.

Because when you say "watch me fail first," you're really saying:
"I'll take the risk so you don't have to guess."

That's not humility.
That's leadership.

Stop waiting for permission to be imperfect.
Start creating the path others are afraid to walk.

Your willingness to go first is your competitive advantage.

Follow Mike Hays for more leadership advice.

I blamed my audience for three years.
(they weren't the problem)

The silent killer in every conversation:

Clarity isn't what you say, it's what they understand.

My Wake-Up Call:

→ Perfect presentations
→ Detailed explanations
→ Logical frameworks
→ Zero conversions

I kept thinking:
"Why don't they get it?"

The Real Issue:
↳ I prioritized being right over being clear
↳ I explained features, not transformations
↳ I spoke my language, not theirs

Then I shifted everything:

New Approach:
↳ Watch their faces, not my slides
↳ Test every message with real people
↳ Ask "what did you hear?" not "did you understand?"

The Results:
↳ Clients repeating my message back perfectly
↳ Referrals using my exact words
↳ 3x higher engagement rates

The Truth:
If they didn't get it, your message failed - not them.

Quick Question:

When was the last time you tested your message before blaming your audience?

Struggling to capture attention in conversations?

Start with vulnerability.

I used to think I needed perfect stories to connect with people.
Then, one day, I realized something:

My mistakes were more interesting than my wins.

I wondered why some conversations felt flat while 
others sparked instant connection.

The difference wasn't polish or perfection,
it was honest, human moments that people could relate to.

It made perfect sense to me.

So, I started opening conversations differently.

Weeks went by.
And engagement transformed with every vulnerable opener.

Networking events? Deeper connections.
Client calls? Trust built faster than ever.

And because I led with authenticity,

I stopped trying to impress everyone
and started building real relationships that mattered.

Here's what I learned about conversation starters:
- "I regret this…" invites empathy immediately
- "Don't do what I did" positions you as a guide
- "This is embarrassing" breaks down walls instantly
- Vulnerability creates permission for others to open up
- People remember how you made them feel, not how perfect you sounded

So here's my takeaway for leaders and communicators:

Lead with your humanity
or keep having forgettable surface-level conversations.

Comment: "I lead with vulnerability," and I'll share my conversation framework for building instant trust.

I lost three "best friends" before I spotted the pattern.
(Now I see the red flags instantly)

The brutal reality about fake friendships:

They drain you slowly until there's nothing left.

Here are the 5 toxic behaviors I finally recognized:

1. The Scorekeeper

↳ Tracks every favor obsessively
↳ Reminds you what they've done
↳ Never celebrates your wins

2. The Ghost

↳ Vanishes when you need support
↳ Reappears when they want something
↳ Always "too busy" for your problems

3. The Competitor

↳ Turns everything into a contest
↳ Minimizes your achievements
↳ Can't handle your success

4. The Energy Vampire

↳ Every conversation drains you
↳ Only talks about their drama
↳ Never asks how you're doing

5. The Gossip

↳ Shares your secrets casually
↳ Talks behind everyone's back
↳ Creates unnecessary drama

Real friends show up consistently, celebrate 
genuinely, and protect your trust.

Quick Question:

Which toxic behavior have you experienced most?

Share your story below
🔔 Follow Mike Hays for more relationship insights

I shot 39 videos to get ONE right.

Was it worth it? Here's what I discovered.

Most creators say, "just hit record and post."
But after my marathon reshoot session, I learned:

↳ Perfectionism vs. progress is real.
Here's what I found on both sides:

The Pros:

Clarity improved dramatically
↳ By video 20, I knew exactly what to say
↳ Each take refined my message
↳ Confidence grew with repetition

Delivery became natural
↳ Eye contact felt genuine
↳ No more reading scripts robotically
↳ Energy levels peaked at the right moments

The Cons:

Time investment was massive
↳ Editing through 39 takes? No way, didn't do it!
↳ 3 hours for one 60-second video
↳ Diminishing returns after take 25

Overthinking killed spontaneity
↳ Started sounding too rehearsed
↳ Lost the raw, authentic moments
↳ Perfectionism became procrastination

The Key Insight:
↳ Beyond that? You're polishing, not improving.
↳ There's a sweet spot around 5-7 takes.
↳ Done beats perfect every single time.

My new rule:

Three takes maximum, then ship it.

What's your video recording process? One take or multiple?

Drop your number below
🔔 Follow Mike Hays for more content creation insights

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