Dan Go

Body transformation coach to entrepreneurs. On a mission to help 1 million people transform their bodies by 2027. Follow me for posts on high performance & health optimization.

You didn’t build your business on motivation.

You built it on systems, identity, and becoming the kind of person who does the work whether they feel like it or not.

But when it comes to your body? You’re still trying to willpower your way through it. And it keeps failing.

That’s not a discipline problem. It’s an approach problem.

I’m Dan Go. I help entrepreneurs and executives build bodies that match their ambition — not through harder workouts or stricter meal plans, but by changing the way they see themselves.

Sound familiar?

You’re waking up tired no matter how much you sleep. The brain fog hits by 2pm and you’re running on caffeine and adrenaline. You avoid photos. You dread the beach. You tell yourself “I’ll start Monday” but Monday never comes. You’ve tried every diet, every app, every 30-day challenge — and none of it stuck because none of it was built for how you actually think.

You know what it feels like to operate at 60% when your business demands 100%. You know the quiet frustration of crushing it professionally while your body tells a completely different story. And you know, deep down, that the gap between where you are and where you want to be isn’t about information — it’s about something else entirely.

That’s what I solve.

I work with entrepreneurs who are ready to stop treating their body like an afterthought and start treating it like their most valuable asset. The energy, the focus, the confidence, the presence — it all changes when your body is finally working for you instead of against you.

My work has been featured in GQ, CNN, Entrepreneur, and Fortune. I write The High Performance Journal, read by over half a million entrepreneurs every week.

If you’re done being the smartest person in the room with the worst body, I built this for you.

→ Apply: https://www.dango.co/dan-go-coaching-landing-page-1

Chief Executive Officer

We specialize in helping entrepreneurs lose the excess weight, build muscle & increase energy with ease and minimal stress.

At High Performance Founder, we are client-obsessed helping entrepreneurs become the healthiest versions of themselves.

Our "North Star" is our clients results with a big focus on sustainability. Our standard is helping clients reach their fitness goals within 12 weeks.

We've spent the last 18 years dialling in a process that just works!

Don't take my word for it — check out our Case Studies below from our successful Clients.

Want to learn more? Watch free training:
→ https://highperformancefounder.com/testimonials/

7 non-obvious reasons why everyone needs to walk at least 30 minutes a day:

30 minutes of walking just 3x a week increases the size of your hippocampus. That's the part of your brain responsible for memory and learning.

Here's what else walking does that nobody talks about:

1. It kills visceral fat without cortisol spikes.
Running and HIIT elevate cortisol. Walking burns fat while keeping stress hormones low. For busy entrepreneurs already running on fumes, that matters more than you think.

2. It regulates blood sugar after meals.
A 15 minute walk after eating reduces glucose spikes by up to 30%. No supplement does that.

3. It enhanches your creativity.
Stanford research found walking increased creative output by 60%. Every stuck feeling you've had in front of a screen could've been solved with a 20 minute walk.

4. It protects your heart better than you'd expect.
Walking 30 minutes a day cuts cardiovascular disease risk by 35%. Not running. Walking.

5. It's the only exercise you can do every single day without recovery.
You can't deadlift daily. You can't sprint daily. You can walk daily for the rest of your life. Consistency beats intensity. Always.

6. It improves sleep quality.
Regular walkers fall asleep faster and get more deep sleep. And deep sleep is where growth hormone does its job. That means better recovery, better body composition, and sharper thinking.

7. It compounds everything else you're doing.
Lifting? Walking speeds recovery between sessions. Dieting? Walking increases your deficit without triggering hunger. Stressed? Walking lowers cortisol in 20 minutes.

Walking is the foundation most people skip because it feels too simple.

My best performing clients all walk 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day. Not because I told them to. Because once they started, everything else got easier.

Your brain gets sharper. Your body gets leaner. Your stress drops. Your sleep improves.

Want a free walking protocol to improve your brain and burn belly fat?

Grab it for free at the link below → https://lnkd.in/gyEmMMsa

I help entrepreneurs get lean, focused, and high-performing without sacrificing their business. Body Transformation Coach to Entrepreneurs. Apply below ↓

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I'd rather walk 2 miles than run 2 miles. And it burns more belly fat than most people realize.

Everyone thinks you need to destroy yourself in the gym to lose stomach fat.
Sprints. HIIT. Burpees until you see God.

Meanwhile, walking is sitting right there torching visceral fat better than almost anything else. And nobody respects it.

Here's what most people don't know:

Belly fat is different from regular fat. It's visceral. It wraps around your organs. And it responds to cortisol.

Know what spikes cortisol? Intense exercise you can't recover from.
Know what lowers it? Walking.

That's why runners with six-day-a-week habits still carry belly fat. They're overtraining and under-recovering. Their cortisol stays elevated. And their body holds onto the exact fat they're trying to burn.

Walking flips the script.

Low intensity. Low cortisol. High fat oxidation.

Your body actually prefers to burn fat as fuel when you're walking. Not carbs. Fat.

I lived in Hong Kong for years. People there walk everywhere. Up hills. Through markets. To the train. Back from dinner.

Nobody calls it "exercise." It's just life.

And they carry almost zero belly fat compared to Western countries built around cars and couches.

When I came back stateside, I felt the difference in weeks. More bloating. Worse sleep. Midsection thickening despite still lifting 4 days a week.

Nothing changed except how much I walked.

My clients who finally lose the stubborn belly fat aren't the ones adding more gym days. They're the ones who start walking with intention.

Fasted morning walks. Post-meal walks. Incline walks. Walking meetings.
Simple. Boring. Effective.

I put together a free walking workout designed specifically to target belly fat. No running. No equipment. Just a protocol that works with your biology instead of against it.

Grab it free here: https://lnkd.in/gyEmMMsa

My client was crushing it in business. 8-figure company. Team of 40. Deals closing left and right.

But his health? Falling apart.

40 pounds overweight. Blood pressure meds. Couldn't run a block without gasping.

He wanted to change but didn't know where to start. Too many conflicting opinions. Too many "experts" telling him different things.

Here's what I told him:

Look at what the average person does. Then do the opposite.

He was contrarian by nature. Built his business by zigging when everyone zagged.

So we applied the same thinking to his body:
• Started lifting 3x per week
• Hit 10,000+ steps daily
• Prioritized 7-8 hours of sleep
• Got outside in natural light every morning
• Cut the processed garbage and ate real food

90 days later:

27 pounds gone. Energy levels doubled. Blood pressure meds? His doctor took him off them. And he started running again for the first time in 15 years.

The uncomfortable truth?

Being average is a choice. So is being a high performer.

You already know what average looks like. You see it everywhere.

The question is: are you willing to do the opposite?

♻️ Share this with someone who needs to hear it

- Dan

PS. Want to transform your body without sacrificing your business? Join 500,000+ high performers in my newsletter 👇

https://lnkd.in/gSFC9CMU

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5 cheat codes to living longer than 99% of humanity:

1. Lift weights using proper form. This improves quality of life.

2. Do both low-intensity and high-intensity cardio. This improves V02 max, which lengthens life.

3. Eat a Mediterranean-based diet. Lots of fish, veggies, and nutrient-dense foods. This helps improve both length and quality of life.

4. Fix both your quality and quantity of sleep. This gets rid of the waste build-up in your brain and body.

5. Surround yourself with a good community. Friends are what make life worth living. Find ones that fit your vibe and share space with them.

Focus on these 5 pillars, and you'll be fit and energetic well into your 80's and 90's.

✍🏼 Agree or disagree?
♻️ Reshare if this was helpful. 
 
- Dan 
 
Ps. If you liked this post you'll enjoy my newsletter. 
 
Every week I share tips on how to get lean, boost energy, and live longer. 
 
Join 495,000+ subscribers here 👇

https://lnkd.in/gSFC9CMU

You overestimate what you can do in 6 weeks but underestimate what you can do in 6 months.

You can transform your health in 6 months.

You can build a business in 6 months.

You can practically get started on creating your dream life...in 6 months.

But this requires effort, consistency, and a will to improve.

You have what it takes. Can you believe in yourself enough to get started?

I'm helping 5 high-performing entrepreneurs build lean, energetic bodies that match their level of success.

If that's what you want too...

Follow me and DM "ENERGY" and I'll see if you're a good fit 🤝

(Must be an entrepreneur, founder, or executive)

If you want to get your shit together in 2026 do this

The 30-Day Science-Based Protocol To Lower Inflammation

Heart disease. Diabetes. Alzheimer’s. Accelerated aging. It all traces back to inflammation.

The scary part? You can be inflamed for years and feel “fine.”

In tomorrow’s newsletter, I’m breaking down the 4 hidden warning signs and the exact 30-day protocol to fix them.

Click below to join 490,000+ readers and get it first ↓

www.dango.co/newsletter2

7 health cheat codes I know at 46 I wish I knew at 26: 
 
1. Avoid drinking tap water and, if possible, drinking water in plastic bottles. They contain endocrine disrupters that may affect your hormones. Instead, drink water from glass or metal bottles. 
 
2. Intermittent fast the opposite way: In the morning, eat a protein-rich meal and have an early dinner. This helps build muscle and improve your sleep quality. 
 
3. Get morning sunlight upon waking. When sunlight hits your eyes, it turns on your circadian rhythms, which wakes you up and also helps you sleep later on. 
 
4. When eating a meal, eat your protein first, vegetables second, and carbs last. This regulates your blood sugar and insulin levels. 
 
5. Become a nose breather. This helps filter out dust and allergens, boost your oxygen uptake, and humidify the air you breathe, while mouth breathing can have negative effects on your health. 
 
6. Cold exposure for mood and recovery. Cold exposure, like cold showers or cold plunges, has been shown to reduce inflammation and improve recovery while boosting your mood. 
 
7. The water test for hunger. When people are hungry, they may be dehydrated. Instead of reaching for a snack, drink 500ml of water and stay busy for 20 minutes. If you're still hungry, then go eat. If you forgot about it, you were either bored or dehydrated. 
 
Try any of these out and see how they affect your quality of life. 
 
One small change can result in a compounding effect of good health throughout your years. 
 
Which one hit the hardest for you? 
 
- Dan 
 
Ps. If you liked this post, you'll enjoy my newsletter. 
 
Every week, I share tips on how to get lean, boost energy, and live longer. 
 
Join 495,000+ subscribers here 👇

https://lnkd.in/gSFC9CMU

Swimming is an underrated form of cardio. 
 
It’s a full-body workout. 
 
It increases lung capacity. 
 
It has a low impact on the joints. 
 
I’d much rather prefer to swim than run a few miles. 
 
What about you? 
 
✍🏼 What are your thoughts on this? 
♻️ If this helped you, spread the word. 

- Dan 
 
Ps. If you liked this post you'll enjoy my newsletter. 
 
Every week I share tips on how to get lean, boost energy, and live longer. 
 
Join 500,000+ subscribers here 👇🏼

https://lnkd.in/gSFC9CMU

The 5 Worst Foods For People Over 40

There are 5 foods most people are eating but are silently driving visceral fat storage, inflammation, and faster aging.

Most 40+ year olds are eating at least 3 of them daily.

In tomorrow's newsletter, I'm breaking down all 5 and showing you simple swaps that fix them.

Click below to join 500,000+ subscribers and get it first:

https://lnkd.in/gzyviRFf

13 steps to losing 30+ pounds and get into your best shape by the summer:

1. Stop drinking alcohol
2. Eat 3 nutrient dense meals a day
3. Lift weights 3x a week
4. When lifting use progressive overload
5. Get a walking treadmill and do walking meetings
6. Aim for 7500 steps a day
7. Fix your sleep environment (cool room, blackout shades)
8. Get 7-9 hours of sleep
9. Sleep on a schedule
10. Track your weight every day (get a weekly average)
11. Start being appreciative for what your body can do
12. Bake all these into your identity
13. Follow me on LinkedIn 😉

That identity shift is exactly what we engineer inside our coaching program for entrepreneurs.

In the last 12 months, we've helped 200+ founders lose 30+ pounds while scaling their businesses...without living in the gym or eating like a monk.

Inside, you get:

· Your custom nutrition protocol (built around your travel schedule)
· 3x/week training programs designed for busy founders
· A dedicated private coach
· Direct access to me and my coaching team
· Guaranteed results

We're opening 10 spots this month. DM me "COACH" and I'll send you the details to see if it's a fit.

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At 46, I lose fat without losing muscle using three simple workouts.

Walking: 7-10K steps daily. Burns calories, lowers stress, aids recovery. Sneak it into calls, meetings, errands.

Strength training: 2-3x weekly. Preserves muscle in a deficit. Keeps metabolism high. Non-negotiable.

HIIT: Once weekly. Spikes calorie burn. Torches visceral fat. Just enough to boost results without killing recovery.

Most people do too much cardio and lose muscle.
Or lift too much and burn out.

This combo strips fat while keeping you strong.

Simple beats complicated every time.

I created a FREE guide with a 30-day protocol to help you lose 14+ pounds of fat. Follow me and DM “POUNDS” and I’ll send it to you.

My client was dealing with serious hunger. He could control his diet, but would mess it up at night until he ate breakfast.

John came to me desperate. CEO of a tech startup. Skipping breakfast for 3 years because "intermittent fasting burns fat."

The reality: He was binging at 9pm. Every. Single. Night.

His hunger hormones were so screwed up that his body thought it was dying.

Here's what actually happened when he skipped breakfast:

• Cortisol spiked (stress hormone)
• Ghrelin exploded (hunger hormone) 
• Willpower crashed by 3pm
• Metabolism slowed to preserve energy
• Muscle disappeared (body ate itself)

By dinner, he wasn't hungry. He was possessed.

The "healthy" salad turned into wine, bread, cheese, dessert. Another 2000 calories of "just a bite" while watching Netflix.

The fix was stupidly simple:

40g protein within 90 minutes of waking.

That's it. 3 eggs and Greek yogurt. Or a protein shake with berries.

Week 1: No more 9pm binges
Week 4: Down 8 pounds
Week 12: Lost 27 pounds eating MORE food
Month 6: Best shape of his life at 44

He's in full control of his diet. Losing fat. Building muscle. Closing deals without brain fog.

The uncomfortable truth:

Skipping breakfast doesn't make you disciplined. It makes you metabolically broken.

Your ancestors didn't fast because they were optimizing. They fasted because they had no food. When they found food, they ate immediately.

You're not fasting. You're starving yourself into storage mode.

Then wondering why you can't stop eating kid's goldfish at midnight.

Protein within 2 hours of waking:
- Kills cravings
- Preserves muscle
- Stabilizes blood sugar
- Makes fat loss automatic

Stop trying to outsmart your biology.

Feed the machine properly. Watch it work.

💪 When do you eat your first meal?

- Dan

P.S. Want to get lean, healthy, and energetic in a way that fits your lifestyle?
 
Each week, I share tips on how to get lean, boost energy, and optimize the body.
 
Join 500,000+ subscribers here 👇🏼

https://lnkd.in/gzyviRFf

View newsletter: The High Performance Journal

Welcome to 4 Minute Fridays, my weekly newsletter, where I reveal cutting-edge tips to help you get lean, boost energy, and live longer. What's In Sto

Open article: 4 Minute Fridays: The Harsh Truth About Counting Calories, Eat This Jelly To Boost Your Brain Power & The Tea I Drink Every Night To Go To Bed by Dan Go • 5 min read

4 Minute Fridays: The Harsh Truth About Counting Calories, Eat This Jelly To Boost Your Brain Power & The Tea I Drink Every Night To Go To Bed

The only supplement that makes you stronger AND smarter.

Creatine.

What it does for muscle:
- 5-15% strength boost
- Faster recovery
- More muscle, less fat
- Works in 7 days

What it does for your brain:
- Sharper memory
- Better focus
- Fights depression
- Protects neurons

$10/month.
5 grams daily.
Most studied supplement ever.
Zero downsides.

Yet 90% of people skip it.

They’ll spend $200 on pre-workout garbage. But won’t take the one thing proven to work.

Here’s the kicker:

Your brain uses 20% of your body’s energy. Creatine is cellular energy. Do the math.

Not just for meatheads. For anyone who wants to think clearly at 70.

Start today. Thank me in a week.

I created a FREE guide that breaks down exactly how to take creatine the right way to maximize results. Follow me and DM “CREATINE” and I’ll send it to you.

Chris Donnelly

Founder (Business Acquired by Croud)

Co Founder of Searchable.com | Follow for posts on Business, Marketing, Personal Brand & AI

Cofounder of Searchable: 

An Autonomous SEO & AEO Growth Engineer 
Analyse, fix, & scale your website to drive customers

Work out how to master AI Search here: searchable.com

The short life story 

I decided to skip the corporate job & start a digital marketing agency at 21. Here is the journey so far: 

Age 21: Bootstrapped Adjust Media at university making websites 
Age 22: Left Uni and rebranded to Verb Brands
Age 27: Acquired DBD Media Ltd, their 20 staff & expanded to digital marketing
Age 28: Won Bugatti & recognised as leading luxury agency
Age 30: Sell entirety of Verb Brands to Croud & LDC in an 8-figure deal
Age 31: Founded Lottie Org w/ Will Donnelly (Grow revenue to 8 figures, raise $35m & hire 100 people).
Age 32: Launch my Media, Education and Investment business
Age 33: Launched the Creator Accelerator and reached 8 figures in revenue
Age 34: Co Founded Searchable

It’s been a journey. 

Through Searchable.com I help founders and marketers to grow their organic traffic on auto pilot with our autonomous Seo and Aeo tool: searchable.com

Through my investment company, we support and invest into Entrepreneurs running incredible businesses, and with our experience as operators, help them scale. 

If you are a founder of a profitable and growing company with approximately $1m+ EBITDA, and you want to see if you can grow faster, reach out. 

If you are not at that level yet, I produce resources to help you get there. 

I run a podcast called Wake Up, and produce content on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram for free.

Commercial enquiries for speaking or brand deals: enquiries@chris-donnelly.co.uk

Co-Founder

Found CRM by Lottie 

A cloud-based care home operation software, mapped and built specifically to the care and retirement industries unique customer journey and supports care homes with CRM, Occupancy, Administration and Finance

Found results in a higher conversion rate, better attribution of marketing spend, saved time and ultimately high occupancy.

SEO, AEO, and GEO aren't the same thing.

Understanding the difference is essential: 

The vast majority of businesses still optimise for SEO alone. 
But that's only because they haven't realised what's changed.

They are now competing for attention with SEM, PPC, and AI Overviews...

They bet losing hands because they refuse to accept the game has changed. 

Visibility is fragmenting across three layers: 

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)
This is the model we've optimised for over the past 20 years.

AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation)
Get your content extracted into answer boxes, on Google and in AI responses.

GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation)
Get cited in AI-generated responses on ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Claude.

(Btw, If you don't know where you stand in any of these...

We've created this free visibility report to analyse your current gaps: 
https://lnkd.in/g6XApkfm)

Here's what you need to know right now: 

➡️ SEO = Appearing in traditional search engines (Google, Bing)

Focus: Rankings and click-through traffic
Outcome: Your page appears in search results

➡️ AEO = Content extracted into Google Snippets and short AI answers

Focus: Featured snippets, answer boxes, "People Also Ask," quick AI responses
Outcome: Your content is displayed as the answer (often zero-click)

➡️ GEO = Cited in detailed AI responses on ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, etc. 

Focus: Being referenced in longer, synthesised AI-generated content
Outcome: Your brand/content is cited with attribution in AI answers

It's not hard to get ahead of this in 2026. 
There aren't that many brands optimising for all three. 

But the ones that are, are already: 

- Structuring content for extraction
- Building authority for citations
- And reinforcing traditional SEO foundations 

To put it simply: 
Acknowledge the game has changed, and start playing accordingly. 

Do you understand the difference between SEO/AEO/GEO? 
Comment below with your thoughts. 

Searchable is the easiest possible way to prepare for all three at once. 

And our free visibility report is a great starting point to see where you stand.

Find your gaps here: https://lnkd.in/g6XApkfm

You then have a 14-day free trial to plug those gaps !

♻️ Repost this to help others optimise for all three layers.
Follow Chris Donnelly for more on mastering AI search.

Everyone wants to know which AI is "the best."

The answer isn't simple. But here's the breakdown:

I've spent months testing every major AI model.  

And they all have different strengths and weaknesses. 

The real skill is knowing which AI to use for each specific task. 

Here's how the top 6 stack up in 2026: 

(See the sheet for more details and updates 👇)

1. Claude Opus 4.5
The model I rely on most.

Best for: Strong reasoning and long-form thinking
Handles complex documents without losing structure
Downside: Less spontaneous with creative ideas

New updates: 
Claude Code, Cowork, and Excel will change how technical teams work.  

2. ChatGPT-5.2
Still the most versatile tool available.

Best for: Strong reasoning and multimodal support.
Fast for content, workflows, and experimentation
Downside: Costs increase quickly with heavy usage

New updates: 
With Health features, Atlas, and Apps, ChatGPT has captured more of the market.  

3. Gemini 3
Google’s model, now properly usable.

Best for: Multimodal understanding across documents and data
Very good for research-heavy work inside Google-heavy teams. 
Downside: Creative output can feel restrained

New updates: 
Nano Banana with revolutionary image creation, Gemini 3, and personal intelligence. 

4. Perplexity
The fastest way to get reliable answers.

Best for: Real-time search with clear citations
Transparent sources reduce guesswork 
Downside: Limited creative generation

New updates: 
Learn Mode for structured, guided understanding and a new AI browser, Comet. 

5. Grok 4.1
Strong awareness of what’s happening now.

Best for: Real-time trend and cultural context
Useful for social listening and narratives
Downside: Limited use for structured or technical work

New updates: 
The new image generation feature is impressive (if not controversial !).  

6. DeepSeek 3.2
Open-source, highly efficient for technical teams. 

Best for: Strong quantitative and STEM reasoning
High performance relative to cost
Downside: Limited documentation outside Asia

New updates: 
3.2, which is essentially DeepSeek 3.1 with better reasoning and stability. 

Each model will serve a slightly different purpose. 

I encourage everyone to test them and make up their own mind. 

The more you experiment, the more value each one can provide.  

Which LLMs are you already using? Which ones are you most curious about? 
Drop a comment below. 

P.S. We built Searchable to make it as easy as possible to prepare for AI search 
that happens within these LLMs. 

It's an autonomous SEO & AEO Growth Engineer that: 
Analyses, fixes, and scales your website automatically to drive customers. 

Learn more and get started with a 14-day free trial 👇
https://lnkd.in/epgXyFmi

----

📌 If you want a high-res PDF of this sheet:

1. Follow Chris Donnelly
2. Like the post.
3. Repost to your network.
4. Subscribe to: https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb

"LinkedIn is dead now." Heard this a million times.

No, it isn't, you just need the right approach:

So many founders post randomly and run out of steam in weeks. 

A strong brand can change the trajectory of your business. 

But only if you have a strategy to scale it properly. 

I recorded a 19-minute guide to prepare you for all the recent updates 👇
https://lnkd.in/gQFQcRza

Watch the video to get up to date. Then follow these steps:  

(See cheat sheet for the full breakdown) 

1. Your North Star

Your personal brand needs one clear North Star for the next 90 days.

Ask yourself:
What does success genuinely look like 12 weeks from now?

2. The Positioning Triangle

Personal brands win when three things overlap:

1. Your expertise
2. A painful market problem
3. Your point of view

3. The Audience Clarity Map

There are only 3 groups you need to speak to: 

- Buyers: The people who will pay you
- Aspirational followers: The people who amplify you
- Learners: Early-stage, curious, watching quietly

4. The Content OS

This is how I structure every content system I build: 

1. Teach – frameworks, tactics, step-by-step
2. Think – opinions, observations, contrarian takes
3. Build – behind-the-scenes, lessons, mistakes
4. Sell – results, stories, clear offers

5. The Attention Engine

Consistency in personal brand requires a weekly execution system.

1. Idea Sourcing (60 minutes)
2. Batch Writing (2 hours)
3. Daily Engagement (15–20 minutes)
4. End-of-Week Review (20 minutes)

6. The Trust Ladder Framework

People buy from you because you’ve earned their trust based on: 

1. Awareness
2. Relevance
3. Authority
4. Proof
5. Action

7. The Content Feedback Loop

Your audience will always tell you what to create next.

Each week, analyse:

- Your highest-performing post
- Your lowest-performing post
- Which topic resonated the most
- Which format could be repeated

8. The 3-Level Personal Brand Funnel

A strong personal brand is built to sell.

Your funnel should follow:

1. Top of Funnel: Content geared towards reach
2. Middle of Funnel: Deeper education (cheat sheets, carousels, etc)
3. Bottom of Funnel: Proof and clear transformations

9. The Growth Scorecard

You only need 5 metrics to know if your brand is working: 

- Number of views
- Follower growth
- Engagement rate
- Inbound leads
- Newsletter signups

Your personal brand is either your biggest asset or a complete time drain.

The difference is the strategy you use to manage it. 

What part of your personal brand are you struggling with the most? 
Drop a comment below with your thoughts. 

If it's the LinkedIn algorithm throwing you off, that's an easy fix. 

My recent video is less than 20 minutes should clear up your concerns: https://lnkd.in/gQFQcRza

♻️ Repost to share this system with your network. 
And follow Chris Donnelly for more on building your brand.

Don’t be the person who gets caught producing terrible AI output. 

Instead, steal 1 of these 8 frameworks: 

This is where you should start with AI:
Mastering the art of prompting.

Prompting basic questions will get you basic answers.
Honestly, it is a misuse of insanely valuable technology.

My team and I have learned this deeply as a skill.

The results are amazing:

- Streamlined and optimised operations.
- Tasks are being automated, freeing up time.
- Therefore, more time spent on truly valuable tasks.

These are the 8 prompt frameworks I use to power my businesses:

1️⃣ R-T-F
Role: Specify the role you want the AI to assume.
Task: Define the task you want the AI to perform.
Format: Indicate the format in which you want the output.

2️⃣ S-O-L-V-E
Situation: Define the context or situation.
Objective: Specify the goals.
Limits: Define any limitations or constraints.
Vision: Outline the vision or goal.
Execution: Plan the steps for execution.

3️⃣ T-A-G
Task: Define the task at hand.
Action: State the action needed.
Goal: Clarify the goal to be achieved.

4️⃣ R-A-C-E
Role: Specify the character you want the AI to play.
Action: State the basic instruction or the job you need to be done.
Context: Provide the background information the AI will need.
Expectation: Describe the outcome you need.

5️⃣ D-R-E-A-M
Define: Define the problem or context.
Research: State the research needed.
Execute: How to execute the plan.
Analyse: How to analyse the results.
Measure: Define how to measure the outcomes.

6️⃣ P-A-C-T
Problem: Define the problem.
Approach: Describe the approach.
Checks: Write about potential compromises.
Test: Define the test or measurement.

7️⃣ C-A-R-E
Context: Give the context.
Action: Describe the action needed.
Result: Clarify the expected result.
Example: Provide an example for clarity.

8️⃣ R-I-S-E
Role: Specify the role.
Input: Describe the input needed.
Steps: Could you ask for steps to follow?
Expectation: Describe the expectation.

AI is the single biggest source of leverage across all my businesses.
But we couldn't have achieved any of it without learning how to prompt.

If you spend 1-2 hours scrolling on Instagram per day...
I know you have time to learn these prompting techniques.

My newsletter shares resources like this, every single week.

There is always something you can apply the exact same day.

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I also have 30+ free learning resources for you.

Which prompting technique will you try first? 
Let me know how it goes in the comments.

♻️ Repost to help your network learn vital AI skills. 
And follow Chris Donnelly for more on leveraging AI in 2026.

There is a reason everyone is talking about Claude Code.
It is the most powerful AI tool available.
This is the full breakdown you need to understand it:

You now no longer need to know coding to code.

You don't need to write the code; you just manage the agents that write it.

People are building some incredible apps and websites using it in a couple of hours max.

Which is pretty crazy, all things considered. Yet another seismic moment.

However, if you don't know where to start, it can be a tiny bit confusing. 

Which is why I've created this all-in-one guide,
Aiming to get you up to speed in just a couple of minutes:

(Save this sheet for when you come to test Claude Code !)

So, what is Claude Code? 🧑🏻‍💻

It's a command-line tool built by Anthropic that sits inside your terminal and works across your entire workflow.

Anthropic's Claude Code Beginner Guide: https://lnkd.in/eB5N3mx7

Next, what is the optimal workflow? 🔀

This is the flow that works best:

Start in plan mode (Shift+Tab twice)
↓
Write your goal clearly
↓
Let Claude break it into steps
↓
Review & iterate the plan
↓
Switch to auto-accept edits mode
↓
Claude executes the plan end-to-end
↓
Review output → Refine if needed

The key is a good plan. Without that, you'll get tons of revision rounds.

The Claude Code Creator's (Boris Cherny) Setup: https://lnkd.in/e8JF3ca7

But what can you actually use Claude Code for as a founder? 💻

1. Synthesise customer feedback
2. Draft documents & presentations
3. Build code & prototypes
4. Research & competitive analysis
5. Automate repetitive workflows
6. Create reusable skills

Plus many more. Like I said, people are building full websites and apps with this.

50 Ways Non-Technical People Are Using Claude Code: https://lnkd.in/ebK25X6M

What are the Power Features worth knowing about? 📲

1. MCP (Model Context Protocol)
This is like a USB-C for AI - one interface for your entire tool stack.

2. Skills (Reusable Automations)
These are task-specific instruction packages Claude auto-loads when relevant.

3. CLAUDE .md (Project Memory)
A markdown file that gives Claude permanent context about your project.

Connect Claude Code To Tools Via MCP Guide: https://lnkd.in/epQbcNst
Extend Claude With Skills Guide: https://lnkd.in/en_jt5sg
Writing a good CLAUDE .md File Guide: https://lnkd.in/e_UttjWa

And finally, you can find some useful dos and don'ts in the sheet below.

With all of that covered, you should be good to start building.

If you're planning on doing so, let me know in the comments.
I will try and guide you in the right direction !

For more on building using AI, you'll want to read my newsletter, Step by Step:
https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb

💾 Save and repost this so your network sees this.
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Stop wasting months building your first website. 

Here's how to use Claude Code to create it in 10 mins:  

2 years ago, founders needed time and developers to build a website. 

Those days are (fortunately) long gone. 

It's just one of the many reasons everyone's talking about Claude Code. 
But it's a huge one if you're trying to launch this year. 

Especially if you're doing it alone...

ChatGPT can generate code snippets. 
That's helpful for smaller projects. 

But Claude Code can: 

- Build complete applications
- Set up hosting
- Deploys your site
- And give you a live link to share immediately 

Here's how to build a website in 10 minutes:

1. Open Claude Code

Start a new project in Claude Code (claude.ai or desktop app).

2. Define Your Goal

Before you write a single word, get clear on your goal.

Pick one primary goal: Collect email signups... book calls... sell a product, etc.

3. Write Your Detailed Brief

"I need a website for [your business/project]. The main goal is [specific outcome]. Style should be inspired by [reference site 1] and [reference site 2]. Include these features: [list 3-5 key features]. Target audience is [describe who]. The main CTA should be [specific action]."

4. Add Reference Sites

Give Claude 1-2 websites to reference for style and structure. 
Claude will analyse them and apply the best elements to your site.

5. Let Claude Plan

Claude creates a full plan and shows you the structure before building.

6. Review & Approve

Check the plan before Claude builds and make any changes to save time later.

Review Checklist:

☑️ Does the site structure match your brief?
☑️ Are all key features included?
☑️ Does the tech stack make sense?
☑️ Is the design direction aligned with your references?
☑️ Are the pages and sections correct?

7. Claude Builds

Claude writes all the code, sets up hosting, and deploys your site. 
Can take up around 10-20 minutes. 

Go make yourself a coffee or check LinkedIn. 

8. Go Live

Claude provides deployment links. Your website is live and ready to share.

Seems too good to be true? 
I would have thought so too... 

But I've tried it and seen what it can produce. 
Impressive stuff. 

And that's not the only thing founders are using it for. 
Claude Code can create product MVPs, internal tools, SaaS platforms...and more! 

Eventually everyone will learn this and it won't be an advantage. 
But you can still be an early mover if you act now. 

That means learning AND implementing these tools as soon as you can. 

Have you built anything with Claude Code yet?
Comment down below. 

♻️ Repost to help founders in your network move faster.
And follow Chris Donnelly for more on building with AI.

- - - -

📌 If you want a high-res PDF of this sheet:

1. Follow Chris Donnelly.
2. Like the post.
3. Repost to your network.
4. Subscribe to: https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb

Claude Cowork is a non-negotiable for non-technical founders.

Here's the full breakdown so you can get started: 

Founders assume they need to handle all the minor details of their business. 

That was certainly true when I started building VERB back when I was 21.
But Claude Cowork has basically removed the need to do any admin. 

You just tell Cowork what you want done, and it handles it. 
Kinda wild.

People are automating entire hours-long workflows down to minutes.

The way we build businesses will, once again, no longer be the same. 

But you probably aren't prepared to handle this shift right away.
Building is hard enough without blindly navigating a new platform...

This all-in-one guide should give you everything you need to get started:  

(Save this sheet so you can test Claude Cowork confidently !)

First of all, what is Claude Cowork? 🖥️

Cowork is an AI assistant that lives on your computer and does things for you.

→ It reads your files and controls your browser
→ Opens Gmail, Google Sheets, Slack, Notion
→ Fills in forms, sends emails, and organises folders

Anthropic's Claude Cowork guide: https://lnkd.in/gkf5tpEK 

I’ve also included a comparison of Code and Cowork in the sheet below 👇

You can start with Cowork and graduate to Code when you need more control.

Coworker Code (reviews + comparisons): cowork-code.com

There's no reason to wait either. 

You can set up Cowork today in about 5 minutes: 

1. Download the Claude desktop app
2. Install the Chrome extension for browser control
3. Mount the folders you want Cowork to access
4. Start with something simple: "Organise this folder by file type and date"

Don’t over-customise at first. Get value first, then add Skills and Plugins for specific tasks.

Claude Help Center: https://lnkd.in/gVT83EM9

The sheet also has details on: 

- Core features
- An example workflow
- 10 prompts you can run today

When I built Searchable, automating admin and repetitive tasks freed up hours every week to focus on strategy and product.

Cowork handles the work that doesn’t need your attention. 

If you're planning on testing Cowork, let me know in the comments. 

I'll give as much guidance as I can to get started ! 

For more on building using AI, you'll want to read my newsletter, Step by Step: https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb

💾 Save and repost this so your network sees this.
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99% of people are learning to use the wrong AI tools.

If you are a CEO, you don't need to understand Claude Code...

Same as if you were a CFO, you don't really need to know Cursor.

What you first need is an understanding of which tool types you need.

Then deciding from there which tool is best for you.

I've broken it down in the graphic below by use case. 👇
(The tool you're probably currently using, and what to replace it with)

1. Writing 
❌ Old: Google Docs
✅ New: Claude

Claude is the gold standard for writing using LLMs.
It has the best conversational tone that matches human writing.

2. Research
❌ Old: Google Search
✅ New: Perplexity Comet

Comet is Perplexity's AI-native browser with agentic capabilities.
Powered by their LLM that excels in detailed market research.

3. Coding
❌ Old: Stack Overflow
✅ New: Cursor

Cursor is a complete behavioural shift for coders. 
Simply put, hit a problem:  

→ ask Cursor in your editor 
→ get a solution written for your specific code 
→ apply it in one click.

4. SEO/AEO/GEO
❌ Old: SEMrush
✅ New: Searchable

Cheeky plug, but I do believe we are the market-leading tool for a reason.
With Searchable you get the analytics, actions, and agentic workflows to increase your visibility drastically.

5. Pitch Decks
❌ Old: PowerPoint
✅ New: Gamma

What used to take hours of edits and fine-tuning...
You can now create a near-perfect pitch deck in 5 minutes using Gamma.

6. Outreach
❌ Old: Mailchimp
✅ New: Clay

Mailchimp is a broadcast-style approach - one message to many people.
Clay is a completely different animal. It gives you data enrichment and personalised outreach at scale.

7. Speech To Text
❌ Old: Rev
✅ New: Willow AI

Willow, in my opinion, is the best of the AI-powered voice dictation available.
You no longer need to type. You can now write with your voice at 5x speed.

8. Email
❌ Old: Gmail
✅ New: Superhuman

Forget spending time writing emails in archaic systems.
Superhuman will help you send high-quality and effective emails in a heartbeat.

9. Productivity
❌ Old: Trello
✅ New: Claude Code

I'll be honest, Claude Code is hard to fit into one binary category.
However, it is probably the most efficient AI tool out there on the market.

With these tools, you could probably avoid the outlay of a couple new hires.

And by the time you do hire, you've built leverage with an enormously capable and high-margin team.

I've seen this progress over the years, and I knew I eventually needed to establish my own company in the space.

And once I saw the gap, Searchable was born.

If you are looking to increase visibility and traffic to your business at rapid pace... look no further.

Click this link and grab a 14-day free trial: https://lnkd.in/epgXyFmi

Share your favourite AI tool in the comments, always on the hunt for some great ones !

♻️ Repost to help your network build with AI.
And follow Chris Donnelly for more.

LinkedIn just replaced its entire algorithm.

And most people have no idea...

This isn't a small update. 

LinkedIn has killed its old ranking system entirely 
And replaced it with an AI language model that: 

- Reads your content
- Judges your profile
- And decides whether you deserve to be seen.

If you'd like to understand what has happened, I made a 19 min video. 
Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gxFXSsET

The tactics that worked well for you in the past simply won't cut through in 2026.

Most creators won't catch on to this for another 6-12 months. 
By then, the people who moved first will have already locked in the audience, the authority, and the clients. 

This is that window.

In the video I go over: 

1. What LinkedIn's new AI algorithm actually rewards (and what it now punishes)
2. The content format that converts followers at the highest rate right now
3. How to turn LinkedIn attention into actual revenue for your business
4. A pre-validation method that takes the guesswork out of every post
5. Why most personal branding advice is making it harder for you

I did a video like this on my previous channel,
And it went on to become my highest-performing video on that channel. 

Every bit of advice I share comes from my own experience. 
As well as the data we're seeing across 100s of accounts every single day. 

So if you want to start making LinkedIn work for you this year. 
I deeply recommend you give this video a look. 
 
Once again, you can check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gxFXSsET

For those who may not know, after reaching 173,000 subscribers on YouTube. 
I decided to start again from scratch. 

The reason was to start a new kind of channel. 

I loved the podcast and interviews we did previously, but I wanted to share something new.

Something to genuinely help entrepreneurs build exceptional businesses.
Whilst showing how you can utilise leverage, your personal brand and AI.

So if you'd like to support the channel, check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gQFQcRza

I have very ambitious goals with this, so any support early on is very much appreciated ! 

💾 Save this to re-visit later and repost to help others take on LinkedIn
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The number one most ineffective phrase within business: 

”Let’s create a plan”. Here’s why: 

An incorrect plan means poor execution and no growth.

In order to approach your business with clarity... 
Adopt these 3 types of planning 👇

Strategic Planning 🗺️

What is it:
Sets the long-term vision and direction for the business.

Timeline:
3-5 years out.

Use case:
Deciding to expand into a new market.
Choosing to build a product vs acquire one.
Planning a fundraise or an exit.

Suited to:
CEOs, Founders, Co-Founders, Board Members.

Top tips:
Keep it to 3 priorities max.
Decide what you WON'T do.
Revisit it annually.

Common errors:
Setting goals so vague they could mean anything.
Avoiding the hard trade-offs.
Trying to go after 5 markets at once and winning none.

Tactical Planning 🔀

What is it:
Turns the strategy into specific initiatives and projects.

Timeline:
1-3 years ahead.

Use case:
Launching a European sales team to support expansion.
Hiring 10 engineers over 6 months to ship a new product.
Running a paid beta programme for a new features.

Suited to:
Head of Departments, VPs, Senior Managers, COOs.

Top tips:
Assign one owner per project.
Set quarterly checkpoints.
Kill projects that aren't working.

Common errors:
Taking on too many initiatives at once.
Building plans that sound good but have no clear owner.
Spending 3 months planning and 1 month executing.

Operational Planning ⚙️

What is it:
Daily and weekly execution of tasks and processes.

Timeline:
Days to 12 months.

Use case:
Weekly content publishing schedule.
Daily sales outreach targets and pipeline reviews.
Monthly reporting cadence.

Suited to:
Team Leads, Managers, Project Managers, Individual Contributors.

Top tips:
Build SOPs for anything done more than twice.
Track the 2-3 KPIs that actually matter.
Keep plans realistic.

Common errors:
Confusing being busy with making progress.
Losing sight of why you're doing the work.
Overloading teams with tasks.

I see many teams blending all three and lack clarity to progress.

When you separate it into these three approaches, it's a bit of a progress unlock to be honest.

Give your team the clarity they need to grow !

Anyway I'm curious to hear your experience with planning in your business...

Is it something you or your team typically struggle with?
Let me know and I'll see if I can provide guidance.

- - - -

📌 If you want a high-res PDF of this sheet:

1. Follow Chris Donnelly.
2. Like the post.
3. Repost to your network.
4. Subscribe to: https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb

I'm 35. I started building businesses at 21.  

If I were to do it again, I'd focus on these skills: 

I've spent the better part of 15 years growing startups.
And when I say I've learned lessons the hard way, I mean it. 

Some mistakes were unavoidable, but others could have been solved faster. 

It really all came down to the skills I did or didn't have. 

If I could snap my fingers and have learned these at 21, I would. 
It would have saved countless hours of making and learning from mistakes. 

There are others, of course, but these are my top 10: 

1. AI Literacy
↳ AI is the biggest shift in how work gets done since the internet. 
↳ If you don't understand how to use it, you'll be left behind. 

2. Agency
↳ Agency is the belief that you can change your circumstances. 
↳ Without it, you'll always be waiting. Start small, but start now.  

3. Adaptability
↳ The entire business landscape will be completely different in 5 years. 
↳ If you can't adapt quickly, you'll be stuck in a dying market.

4. Critical Thinking
↳ Most people accept information at face value. 
↳ Critical thinkers question assumptions and make better decisions. 

5. Systems Thinking
↳ Systemising anything makes it easier to handle. 
↳ If you can't see the system, you can't fix it or scale it.

(Try subscribing to my newsletter to work on this !
Here: https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb)

6. Public Speaking
↳ Your ability to communicate ideas clearly determines your outcomes. 
↳ It's a non-negotiable.

7. Negotiation
↳ Everything is a negotiation. Salary, contracts, partnerships, deals. 
↳ If you don't know how to negotiate, you leave money and opportunity on the table.

8. Time Management
↳ Time is your only non-renewable resource. 
↳ If you can't manage it, you'll be "busy" without making progress.

9. Delegation
↳ You can't scale if you're doing everything yourself. 
↳ Learning to delegate effectively is the only way to grow beyond yourself.

10. Pattern Recognition
↳ The best founders spot patterns early.  
↳ Pattern recognition is how you get ahead of trends.

Find the full breakdown in the carousel below 👇

Save this. You'll need it as things start to move quicker and quicker and quicker...

If you're in your 20s, learning these will put you ahead, I promise.
And if you're not, it's not too late to start. 

But do start now. Things will only get more competitive with time...

For more in-depth advice on what it takes to build smarter today, 
Subscribe to my newsletter Step by Step: https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb

What's one skill you're focused on in 2026? 
Comment down below. 

♻️ Save this and repost to help others upskill early on. 
And follow Chris Donnelly for more resources like this.

 I'm 35... 

SEO was never "easy"... but it was simpler.  

Then the behavioural shift happened that you cannot ignore.

And now SEO is not just about Google anymore. 

It's expanded to LLMs and AI Overviews on Google. 

You might not even know if you're visible in these AI responses or not...

(Btw, Searchable has a free tool that checks your visibility and gives you a full report: https://lnkd.in/g6XApkfm)

ChatGPT processes 2.5 billion searches daily.

And a good chunk of those are going to determine purchases...

Businesses are still in denial about it, but I suggest you don't be. 

Here's what you need to know 👇

1️⃣ There are 3 types of search visibility: 

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)
Outcome: You rank higher on Google, so more people find your website.

AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation)
Outcome: You become the direct answer Google gives.

GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation)
Outcome: AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini cite your brand.

2️⃣ Old SEO is not the same as New SEO. 

Old SEO focused on:

- Keyword density and exact match phrases
- Backlinks at volume (quality was secondary)
- Page rank and domain authority
- Getting clicks to your website

New SEO focuses on:

- Natural language and question-based content
- Authoritative citations from trusted sources
- Entity recognition and schema markup
- Being cited before the click happens

3️⃣ You need to be found inside LLMs. 

There are 4 levels to this.

Level 1: Crawlable
AI can access your website.

- AI crawlers are not blocked in robots.txt
- Site loads fast, clean HTML, updated sitemaps
- But being crawlable doesn't mean being visible

Level 2: Understandable
AI can make sense of your content.

- Schema markup implemented 
- Clear headings, Q&A formatting, short paragraphs
- Answer-first structure so AI can extract what it needs

Level 3: Trustworthy
AI recognises you as a credible source.

- Backlinks and citations from high-authority domains
- Real author bios with visible credentials on every page
- Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Google Knowledge Panel claimed

Level 4: Citation-Worthy
AI actively recommends and cites your brand.

- Original research and proprietary data
- Content that answers specific questions 
- Recently updated and fact-checked regularly

When we built Searchable, we implemented all this knowledge into the product to help businesses rank inside LLMs 
(Without working harder)...

And I'm thrilled with the results so far: 

£1 million turnover in 60 days
700+ paying customers
Winning clients daily from legacy SEO competitors.

It's completely automated to find gaps and fix them autonomously.

Which you can find with our free AI Visibility Report: https://lnkd.in/g6XApkfm

Has your business started optimising for the new SEO?  

💾 Save and Repost to share this guide with your network. 
And follow Chris Donnelly for more on SEO/AEO/GEO.

For decades, marketing operated in a clear funnel. 

Now, it's taken on a completely new shape: 

And most marketers have yet to respond accordingly. 
Some might call it a network, others a web. 

But the point is that it's more complex, with far more touchpoints. 
And most businesses are only showing up at one or two touchpoints.

Therefore missing out on huge opportunities for visibility.

(To find where you're missing out, we actually have a free tool for just that at Searchable. Grab your free visibility report here: https://lnkd.in/g6XApkfm) 

This is what marketing actually involves in 2026... 

☑️ Google Search

What to do:

- Target conversational queries, rather than short-tail keywords.
- Strengthen your E-E-A-T signals by adding and updating content regularly.
- Answer questions directly in the first paragraph to capture featured snippet positions.

☑️ AI Search (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude)

What to do:

- Structure your content with clear definitions, FAQ sections, and schema markup.
- Write in natural language that answers specific questions.
- Get mentioned on third-party sites, forums, and trusted publications. 

☑️ Social Search (LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, X)

What to do:

- Participate in genuine conversations in your niche. 
- Share original educational content that get saved and reshared.
- Publish consistently so the algorithm associates your profile with your topic.

☑️ Video Search (YouTube, TikTok)

What to do:

- Write video titles as questions people actually ask.
- Add full transcripts to every video so AI crawlers can parse the content.
- Create short summaries of longer content and publish them as Shorts or Reels.

☑️ Community & Trust Platforms (Reddit, Quora, G2, Trustpilot)

What to do:

- Seed value-driven answers on Reddit threads relevant to your category.
- Encourage customers to leave detailed reviews that mention specific use cases.
- Monitor and respond to mentions so AI platforms see active brand engagement.

☑️ Traditional Search (Bing)

What to do:

- Don't ignore Bing. ChatGPT pulls heavily from Bing's index.
- Optimise for Bing with clean structure, fast load times, schema markup.
- The brands that do are showing up in ChatGPT results their competitors aren't.

☑️ Voice Search (Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant)

What to do:

- Write in natural, conversational language that mirrors how people speak.
- Answer "near me" and "best for" queries explicitly in your content.
- Format key pages as direct question-and-answer pairs.

Again, to spot where you are missing opportunities...
Highly encourage you to grab a free visibility report here: https://lnkd.in/g6XApkfm

Do you see marketing as a funnel or a network? 
Drop a comment below. 

♻️ Repost to share the new search model with your network. 
Follow Chris Donnelly for the latest updates in SEO and AI search.

90% of startup tasks can be automated by AI (Harvard) 

Here's how to build a $1M business by yourself: 

2 years ago, start-ups required: 

- A team of 50 
- Millions in VC funding
- A fancy office in San Francisco

But AI has eliminated the need for all that.  

Today, you can start a business with just: 

- Zero employees 
- A laptop and a good wifi connection
- Knowledge of the right AI tools

There is almost no barrier to entry at this point in time. 

All you have to do is follow these steps 👇

1️⃣ Spot the Pain 
↳ Find a boring pain point (repetitive, costly, ignored).
↳ Map out the workflow: inputs → steps → outputs.

2️⃣ Start as a Service 
↳ Do the job manually as a productised service.
↳ Prove demand before automation. Charge from day one.

3️⃣ Choose Your Business Model 

✅ Productised Services 
✅ Cohorts/Courses 
✅ SaaS/Micro-tools 
✅ Templates/Digital Assets 

4️⃣ Build a Marketing Engine 

✅ Find pain points with Listen Labs & AI research.
✅ Build a site and create content (Lovable + Searchable).
✅ Use Clay + Mutiny to personalise content. 
✅ Track traffic and mentions in ChatGPT or Perplexity using Searchable.

5️⃣ Create an Operations OS 
↳ Rule: If it repeats → automate. 
↳ If it needs judgement → template.

✅ Use Lindy for inbox, scheduling, CRM.
✅ Fathom is great for call memory.
✅ Cursor builds internal automations.
✅ Precision is the cockpit of live KPIs.

6️⃣ Sales Engine 
↳ Follow this pipeline: Capture → Qualify → Nurture → Close → Expand.
↳ Use Gamma decks to show problem → proof → plan → price.

Then follow one of these formulas: 

£3k/mo × 28 clients = £1m
£1k product × 84/month = £1m
£199 SaaS × 420 subs = £1m

(With the math laid out like that, it's not as daunting !)  

We're entering the era of 1-person, AI-powered businesses, 
Which makes this a golden age for founders. 

And as always with these things, the early bird will get the worm...

Which, in this case, means earning millions in revenue. 

But be aware: 

The perfect business doesn't stand a chance if customers can't find you. 
Google matters, but so do LLMs (ChatGPT, Perplexity) and AI Overviews. 

That's why 100s of founders are already using Searchable. 

It's an autonomous SEO & AEO Growth Engineer that analyses and fixes your website automatically to ensure visibility everywhere your ICP is searching. 

Learn more and get started for free: 
https://lnkd.in/epgXyFmi

And if you're still unsure about where to start, subscribe to Step By Step. 

It's a practical, digestible breakdown of everything I've learned building multiple 7- and 8-figure businesses over the last 15 years. 

Join 200K+ founders already learning 👇
https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb

♻️ Repost to share with potential founders in your network. 
And follow Chris Donnelly for more on building smarter in 2026.

AI Agents and Agentic AI are not the same thing. 

Your competitors already know the difference:  

There are actually 3 major types of AI workflows you need to know.

Each one fills a slightly different gap in your business.  

But be warned: the window is narrowing. 

Your competitors are already using them to automate their businesses.  

Here's how they differ (and how to use them properly): 

🤖 Non-Agentic AI
↳ Basic prompt-response AI with no memory/reasoning. 

⚙️ How it works:

- User types a single prompt, model processes 
- Generates a direct response immediately 
- Interaction ends with no context retention

✅ Pros:
↳ Fast, cheap, and universally accessible
↳ Requires no technical build or integration
↳ Great for clear, one-off tasks

🚫 Cons:
↳ No reasoning or context awareness
↳ Quality depends heavily on prompts
↳ Struggles with multi-step work

📈 How to build fast:
↳ Open ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini
↳ Write clear, specific prompts with context
↳ Copy output, edit as needed, and repeat

🧠 Agentic AI
↳ A self-managing AI system that can plan and execute. 

⚙️ How it works:

- The system breaks your goal into sub-tasks
- Connects to tools, APIs, data sources 
- Evaluates results with feedback loops

✅ Pros:
↳ Handles complex, changing projects 
↳ Can integrate with tools and databases
↳ Produces more reliable outcomes 

🚫 Cons:
↳ Slower and more expensive than agents
↳ Requires human oversight and guardrails
↳ Risk of overbuilding for simple problems

📈 How to build fast:
↳ Start with a code-native LLM like Claude Code
↳ Give structured goals, constraints, & acceptance criteria
↳ Add an execution loop and persist memory

⚡ AI Agent
↳ Single-task AI worker designed to automate one task.

⚙️ How it works:

- User defines one clear responsibility
- Agent receives inputs, accesses connected tools
- Executes and outputs without guidance

✅ Pros:
↳ Automates repetitive, time-consuming tasks
↳ Quick setup and cost-efficient
↳ Easy to test and refine within roles

🚫 Cons:
↳ It can't handle broader projects 
↳ Breaks if inputs are unclear or data is missing
↳ Needs orchestration to work alongside other agents

📈 How to build fast:
↳ Define one clear outcome with measurable success criteria
↳ Connect the agent to structured inputs (e.g. CRM)
↳ Use worfklow tools like Zapier, MNake, or n8n

TL;DR: 

AI Agents perform single-task automation. 
Agentic AI is for multi-step problem solving.  

Dominant businesses have graduated to building these AI systems.  

Searchable is the perfect starting point for Agentic AI. 

It analyses your site, identifies visibility gaps across Google and AI search, and optimises your website for SEO and AI search.

Letting you focus on your business.

Start your 14-day free trial here: 
https://lnkd.in/epgXyFmi

--

📌 If you want a high-res PDF of this sheet:

1. Follow Chris Donnelly
2. Like the post
3. Repost to your network
4. Subscribe to: https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb

If you want to start a business, you need to know the rules.

These are 15 KPIs every Founder should know: 

Follower growth can boost confidence and visibility. 

But those types of metrics don't drive sustainable growth and profitability. 
Without tracking the right KPIs, it's impossible to grow your business.  

That's why I've combined the top 15 into one cheat sheet. 

You should save it if you're serious about scaling this year 👇

But I'll give you a quick rundown here as well: 

(See the cheat sheet for how to calculate each one) 

1. Net Revenue Retention (NRR)

Measures revenue kept after churn, contractions, and expansions.
This is the north-star for SaaS/AI businesses.

2. Customer Lifetime Value (LTV)

Average revenue a customer generates over their relationship with you.
Always paired with CAC to prove ROI of growth.

3. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)

Average spend required to win a new customer.
Set budgets and check efficiency of growth.

4. LTV to CAC Ratio

Compares lifetime value of a customer to acquisition cost.
Validate sustainable growth. Rule of thumb: >3 is strong.

5. Monthly Active Users (MAU)

Number of unique active users in a month.
Measure adoption and stickiness.

6. Churn Rate 

Number of customers or revenue lost in a period. 
Track retention. Rising churn = weak product-market fit.

7. Burn Multiple 

Cash burned for every $1 in new ARR. 
Use it during fundraising and growth phases. 

8. EBITDA 

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation. 
Measure profitability at scale.

9. Operating Cash Flow 

Net cash from operating activities. 
Confirm the business can fund itself.

10. Customer Retention Rate 

Percentage of customers who continue to buy from you over a set period. 
Measure loyalty and product-market fit.

11. Revenue Growth Rate 

Percentage increase in revenue over a given period. 
Show business momentum and scalability.

12. AI Search Visibility 

Share of prompts where your brand/product is surfaced in AI answers. 
Measure discoverability in AI-led search.

13. Runway (Cash Runway) 

How many months your business can operate before running out of cash. 
Balance growth vs. cash preservation.

14. Experiment Velocity 

Number of product, content, or GTM experiments shipped. 
Track speed of iteration and learning.

15. Gross Margin 

Profitability after direct costs, including AI infra. 
Prove scalability and efficiency to investors.

Social media is useful for many things. 

But it tells you very little about the long-term health of your business. 

These are the metrics that matter if you want to scale. 

What are the primary KPIs you're tracking in your business? 
Leave a comment below. 

--

📌 If you want a high-res PDF of this sheet:

1. Follow Chris Donnelly
2. Like the post
3. Repost to your network
4. Subscribe to: https://lnkd.in/eUTCQTWb

Claude is now considerably better than ChatGPT.

These 8 prompts will help you get 10x output:

I mean, with Claude...

You have Cowork for automation, 
Code for building (now integrated with Figma !), 
and the core model for strategic thinking.

If you're a founder, you'll get more out of prompting Claude than any other AI tool.

But most people still use it to write pretty basic content (at best)...

Follow these steps to prompt Claude properly:

✅ Be specific about context
Give Claude your company stage, team size, budget, and constraints. 

✅ Ask for reasoning
Saying "tell me why" forces the LLM to show its work and catch flawed logic.

✅ Define your output format
Once you do this, you do get usable results much faster.

✅ Set the role
Try "you're a hiring manager at a top startup" to calibrate the response, for example. 

✅ Provide examples when possible
Reference competitors, past work, or style guides even.

✅ Iterate in the same conversation
Claude remembers context. Refine answers instead of starting fresh each time.

Here are 8 prompts that turn Claude into a $10k consultant:

1. Pressure-Test My Business Idea

Forces Claude to identify the 5 biggest failure risks, analyse existing competition, and tell you what market conditions need to exist for success. 

2. Build My Go-To-Market From Scratch

Generates a 90-day GTM plan broken into pre-launch, launch week, and post-launch phases.

3. Stress-Test My Pricing

Analyses if you're underpriced, overpriced, or positioned wrong. 

4. Prepare Me For a Board Meeting

Drafts a confident board update covering progress against goals, key metrics, biggest risks, and clear asks. 

5. Evaluate Whether I Should Build or Buy

Walks through the build vs buy decision with cost, time-to-value, maintenance, and strategic risk analysis. 

6. Write a Job Description That Attracts A-Players

Creates a JD that attracts high performers by being specific about challenges, impact, and who thrives in the role. 

7. Map My Competitive Landscape

Analyses each competitor's positioning, pricing, strengths, and weaknesses. 

8. Plan My Next Hire

Tells you which hire gives you the biggest leverage based on your bottlenecks. 

Claude can be a free 24/7 strategic advisor...

But you have to know which questions to ask and how to ask them.  

These prompts will do just that. 

We built Searchable to respond to very similar prompts. (No coincidence) 

You can ask it strategic questions about your visibility against competitors... 

And it will give you detailed analytics and actions for both traditional and AI search.

We have a 14-day free trial up and running: 
https://lnkd.in/epgXyFmi

Have you started using Claude yet? If so, what's your take? 
Drop a comment below. 

♻️ Repost to help founders in your network build smarter.
And follow Chris Donnelly for more on building with AI.

I worked at Lovable for 3 months (a now $6bn company). 

It inspired me so much, I built my own AI business...

The lessons I learned while working there were invaluable. 

I ran their marketing team, set up their education and influencer programs.
I witnessed firsthand how they operate.

Honestly, what I saw... 
It explained why they were able to grow to a $6bn valuation in 12 months.

I've explained the exact Lovable process in 22 mins here: https://lnkd.in/g2sVUekp
(It's the 2nd video on my brand new channel !). 

But I've also detailed the steps below. 

Here's their 6-step playbook to become a fast-growth startup:

✅ Step 1: Build In A Validated Trend 

Lovable spotted three massive trends colliding at the same time:

- AI proved that anyone could do creative work
- Building software was painfully slow
- Speed to market became everything

The key was they found where demand already existed.

✅ Step 2: Hire A-Players 

Lovable set an impossible mission from day one:

"We're going to be the biggest and best."

A-players thrive in that environment.

✅ Step 3: Weaponise A Mission 

Most companies have boring missions that nobody cares about.

Lovable's was specific and emotionally charged:
"We're making engineering accessible to non-technical people."

That shifts power from the technical elite to everyone else. 

✅ Step 4: Ship Fast, Learn Faster 

Most startups spend months building in secret before launching anything.
Lovable shipped an MVP called "GPT Engineer" immediately and asked for feedback. 

They iterated in hours, with the community directing how it should look. 

✅ Step 5: Build Viral Mechanisms

Lovable built virality into their product from day one. 
Every build was shareable, and every user became a distribution channel. 

✅ Step 6: Lower The Barrier, Increase The Funnel 

Lovable had massive success with a freemium model and low friction to try.
The best way to prove value is letting people experience it. 

Free tier gets people in. They convert once they've felt the value.

My time at Lovable was brief in the grand scheme but packed with lessons. 

They are proving how quickly you can grow with a small but powerful team.

You can watch the full breakdown of their process 
And subscribe to my new YouTube channel here: https://bit.ly/3OPoTAp

I cover a some extra lessons, so if you want to know it all, check it out.  

💾 And don’t forget to save this sheet to refresh your memory later. 
♻️ Repost to pass it on and follow Chris Donnelly for more on building smarter.

Demand generation ≠ lead generation.

Not knowing the difference is killing your business:

One is about visibility and interest in your business. 
The other is about actual conversions that generate revenue. 

You need both to feasibly grow a business. 

Putting the mechanisms in place early will help a lot down the line. 

Here's a clear breakdown of each: 

🫴 Demand Generation
↳ Build awareness and interest before buyers are ready to purchase.

Role: Create trust and visibility across your entire market. 

Where it sits: Top of funnel—before people are ready to buy.

Who it targets: ~95% of your total addressable market, many of whom are unaware. 

Tactics:

- Ungated content
- Thought leadership
- Educational videos
- Newsletters
- Communities

Mindset: Provide value up front so buyers trust and remember you. 

Difficulty:

- Hard to measure with traditional metrics
- Requires consistent, value-led content
- Takes time before it shows pipeline impact
- Must work with sales alignment
- Needs strategic distribution channels

How success is defined:

- Brand recall and recognition
- Trust and expertise established
- Increase in high-intent inbound over time
- Higher conversion when buyers are ready
- More efficient pipeline overall

🤝 Lead Generation
↳ Capture contact information and convert people showing buying intent.

Role: Move ready buyers quickly through validation to a sale.

Where it sits: Mid/bottom of funnel—when people are ready to talk to sales.

Who it targets: ~5% of your market that is meaningfully ready. 

Tactics:

- Landing pages with forms
- Gated eBooks
- Demos
- Free trials
- Direct-response ads

Mindset: Capture and move them through validation to a sale.

Difficulty:

- Easier to count leads and MQLs
- Shorter feedback loops
- Conversion optimisation is measurable
- Risk of low-quality leads
- Can feel productive without creating demand

How success is defined:

- Number of leads captured
- MQL and SQL counts
- Short-term conversion from form fills
- Immediate pipeline contribution
- Optimisation of capture mechanisms

Lead gen might be more measurable and feel productive.

But the pipeline will dry up if you never build demand.

✅ Demand generation fills the top of the funnel with buyers who trust you.
✅ Lead generation converts that trust into sales when buyers are ready.

But be warned, AI is shifting demand generation as we speak.  

You need to think beyond Google to the new places customers search...

Namely ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and other AI platforms. 

Not to worry - we built Searchable to help you prepare for this.  

It ensures your business gets cited where it needs to be for demand gen. 

So you can convert that awareness into warm leads and customers. 

Start your 14-day free trial and see how you get on: 
https://lnkd.in/epgXyFmi

♻️ Repost to help other founders increase their revenue. 
And follow Chris Donnelly for more on building and scaling businesses.

Marketing teams waste $1,000s chasing trends...

But ignore the only thing that really matters: 

Having a great product. 

It’s the foundation of marketing.

Happy customers and word of mouth is, and always will be, the best marketing.

If you can develop your MVP and get real feedback from real users...

They will become your product champions for life. 

If you want compound growth, you need to prioritise your marketing properly. 

Here's what to focus on, in order:

(Scroll down for the most important layer…) 

🖼️ The Surface Level
What people focus on first (and typically get stuck on)

Goal: Get attention fast.

What this is:

- AI tools and automations
- New channels and formats
- Virality and reach tactics
- Shiny tool stacks
- Prompt tricks and hacks

What actually happens:

- Short-term traffic spikes
- Results depend on algorithms
- Messaging stays inconsistent
- Little learning compounds
- Growth remains unpredictable

🏗️ What Starts To Work
Where effort turns into tangible output.

Goal:
Create consistent high-quality output.

What this is:

- Content calendars
- Regular posting cadence
- Repurposing workflows
- Personal brands as distribution
- SEO as execution and hygiene

What actually happens:

- Output increases steadily
- Brand visibility improves
- Teams stay busy
- Attribution stays unclear
- Revenue impact remains limited

🧱 What Actually Matters
Where your marketing drives growth.

Goal:
Generate qualified demand and conversions.

What this is:

- Clear ICP and positioning
- Sales and content alignment
- Intent signals over impressions
- Warm outbound and partnerships
- SEO → AEO → GEO optimisation

What actually happens:

- Conversion rates improve
- Sales cycles shorten
- Trust compounds over time
- Marketing works before the click
- Demand becomes predictable

🏞️ What Never Changes
The foundation everything else depends on.

Goal:
Build long-term leverage.

What this is:

- Product that delivers a clear outcome
- One defined audience
- Strong value proposition
- Simple, repeatable offer
- Clear positioning and USP

What actually happens:

- Marketing becomes an asset
- AI systems understand and trust you
- Search visibility compounds
- Brand recognition strengthens
- Growth becomes sustainable

Don't waste time on surface-level tactics if your product still needs work. 

A viral post won't help if you don't have a clear ICP.

Start at the foundation and work your way up.

Ps. 

When you've established that foundation, use Searchable. 

It's an autonomous SEO & AEO Growth Engineer that analyses, fixes, and scales your website for visibility with traditional and AI search. 

Learn more and start your 14-day free trial: 
https://lnkd.in/epgXyFmi

What are you prioritising in your marketing right now? 
What needs more of your attention? 
Drop a comment below. 

♻️ Repost to help your network prioritise their marketing. 
And follow Chris Donnelly for more on building and scaling smarter.

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