Dave Gerhardt

Hey I'm Dave Gerhardt. I created Exit Five, which has turned into the top community for B2B marketing professionals. Before starting Exit Five I had a 10 year career in marketing and grew from PR intern to CMO. I even once had hair! My wife says I'm more handsome now though, and she's quite pretty so that means a lot -- but the internet just boxes me in as the typical bald guy tech bro. So oh look, another bald tech guy writing on LinkedIn! whoopty freaking do.

Anyway. Where was I... OH. Receipts! I wanted to talk about receipts, because in a world of fluff and online influencers, I actually have some receipts and I want to tell you about them here because it signals power, credibility, and makes it seem like I'm super rich, so: I used to be pretty good at marketing, and my work as a marketer played a key role (at least I think so) in helping two software companies to successful exits: Drift for $1B+ and Privy for $100M+. I certainly helped the founders make a bunch of money, and I was able to comfortably purchase a brand new Toyota Sienna minivan for my family in 2021.

Today I spend my time working on Exit Five, and it's actually been super fun and given me a bunch of purpose. We're a team of six full-time team members now, and we have a private online community and host in-person events around the world. Plus there's a popular podcast and newsletter for marketers. We reach something like 20 MILLION marketers with our content every year, and we've got a pretty special thing going on. I hope to keep it going. You can learn more about it all at exitfive.com.

I spent most of my life in the Boston area but now live in the woods in Vermont with my wife, two kids, two cats, and one dog.

You can reach me at dave@exitfive.com if you want, but TBD if I reply. Depends on the message. But please don't send me any more swag or books. But if for whatever reason you do want to send me something, I play the ProV1x golf ball and like the low numbers.

PS. Find my podcast “The Dave Gerhardt Show” on Spotify

Founder & CEO

Exit Five is a media company focused on B2B marketing. We help B2B marketers build successful careers through our content and community. Learn more at exitfive.com

The CEO should put the Product team and Marketing team together. 

In lock step. 

To drive momentum and success for the company. 

I see so much about Sales and Marketing. 

Not enough about Product and Marketing. 

There should be a vision. And a roadmap. And regular launches. Some small. Some big. And this becomes the operating system for the company. 

You can CREATE momentum for your company by doing this. Deadlines drive actions. 

These regular launches give Marketing and Sales regular opportunities to talk to new customers. 

The CEO should be in the middle of this.

PS. If this topic lands with you and you're a CMO: we've been running a super secret group for CMOs / VP Marketing doing $25M+ ARR at Exit Five over the last few months and we're now accepting new members. Community is more important now than ever and it's all about who is in the room. We have curated the right room for you. If you want a peer group like this you can apply for a spot here: tinyurl.com/23h2c5eh

Founder: Exit Five. Community Builder. Former CMO. Building the top community for B2B marketers right now at exitfive.com

I didn't want my team to publish this talk. It was too good. Should have only been for the memory of the people that went to Drive this year.

But I'm also a marketer and understand the power of social media and free content, so fine. 

We published my pal Harry Dry's talk from Drive 2025 yesterday, and if you missed it he gave a masterclass in storytelling.

The long lost art of conflict and emotion in the world of AI, PLEASE GO LISTEN TO THIS MAN.

The first line of this clip says it all "You should know so much about your category you could write a book on it."

You're not creating a category to fit into Gartner or G2. You are creating a category because you are literally inventing a new of way of doing things!

That's the opportunity.

I'll put the recording in the comments (audio only)

Founder: Exit Five. The top community for B2B marketers.

Helping visionary founders & execs be radically original on LinkedIn using The Creative Catalyst Method | Building $1M+ pipeline strategies | Founder @ Kennedy Creative

Most executives treat LinkedIn like a resume.

I treat it like a revenue engine.

I work with enterprise B2B executives and founders in the 7–9 figure range to turn authority into measurable growth.

Through The Creative Catalyst Method — a system built on content + outbound — my clients transform visibility into deal flow, building 7+ figure pipelines in as little as 6 months.

And the results speak for themselves:
	
• 30+ MQLs generated in less than 60 days
• Clients getting 3+ leads every week with content + outbound
• A 5-figure deal closed by an agency in under 60 days
• $100K pipeline built in less than 90 days for a SaaS company

What makes this possible isn’t just content.

It’s the combination of strategic positioning, executive voice, and consistent outbound touchpoints that makes your brand unforgettable — and turns authority into revenue.

If you’re an executive ready to move from authority → pipeline → growth, let’s talk.

👉 Book a call or connect with me here on LinkedIn.

Doug Kennedy

10 things I’m thankful for…

1. My wife, who holds everything together
2. My kids, who remind me what joy looks like
3. My clients who trust me
4. The opportunity to build something from nothing
5. The ability to provide for my family
6. Early mornings with coffee and quiet
7. The people who sharpen me and push me forward
8. The hard seasons that taught me more than the easy ones
9. The friendships that feel like family
10. The grace of God over my life, which is more than I deserve

Happy Thanksgiving! 

What are you thankful for?

Helping B2B executives turn authority into revenue on LinkedIn | Building 6+ figure pipeline strategies with content + outbound using The Creative Catalyst Method | Founder @ Kennedy Creative

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You’re an 8- or 9-figure founder. You’ve got traditional lead channels dialed in.

• SEO brings in steady traffic.
• Paid ads keep the pipeline full.
• Maybe you even run some TV spots.

You might even post on LinkedIn here and there.

But organic LinkedIn?

That’s for smaller founders. For personal brands. Not for serious companies.

Right?

Wrong.

Here’s why organic LinkedIn isn’t beneath you, it’s your biggest missed opportunity.

1. Your buyers are here. Every day.
	
• LinkedIn isn’t just for job seekers—it’s where decision-makers spend their time.
• The same C-suite execs you’re trying to reach through ads and outbound? They’re scrolling LinkedIn between meetings.
	
2. People buy from people, not just companies.
	
• A great company page is nice. A founder-led brand builds trust faster.
• Look at the biggest B2B companies crushing LinkedIn…their leadership is front and center.
	
3. Your competitors aren’t doing it (yet).
	
• Most 8-9 figure founders ignore organic LinkedIn, which means the ones who show up consistently win big.
• If your competitor’s CEO is in the feed every day, and you’re nowhere to be found… guess who has the advantage when buyers start paying attention?

Organic LinkedIn isn’t beneath you.

It’s your unfair advantage if you take it seriously.

Ready to get started? Send me a DM!

So many people post on LinkedIn without understanding why people engage.

But attention isn’t random, but it’s psychological.

Here are 10 growth tips backed by psychology and neuroscience to help you grow your audience and keep their attention 👇

1. Start with emotion: people decide emotionally and justify logically.
2. Mirror their language: we trust people who sound like us.
3. Use the Zeigarnik Effect: open loops keep readers hooked.
4. The “You” ratio: talk to one person, not a crowd.
5. Tell micro-stories: emotion makes content memorable.
6. Repetition builds familiarity: familiarity builds trust.
7. Use social proof: proof creates belief.
8. Create pattern breaks: variation resets attention.
9. Follow the rule of 3: our brains love rhythm and structure.
10. Stay consistent: credibility comes from showing up.

Each one of these principles taps into how the brain actually works and when you use them, your content connects deeper, faster, and longer.

If you want a library of ideas to put these tips into action:

👉 Comment “101” and I’ll send you my free guide: 101 LinkedIn Post Ideas

It’s the fastest way to stop guessing what to post and start growing with purpose.

10 LinkedIn Growth TIps

It’s almost 2026 and I still need to say this:

LinkedIn has changed since 2016. 

Far too many founders and CEOs don’t even have a banner on their profile. 

Here’s the change and why it’s important 👇 

LinkedIn 10 years ago: 

➔ Digital resume, listing work experience and education
➔ Networking was mostly connections, not conversations
➔ Primarily a job-hunting tool
➔ Company pages: basic info and job listings
➔ Content: text-only, low engagement

LinkedIn TODAY: 

➔ Hub for articles, videos, and thought leadership
➔ Used for recruitment AND sales 
➔ Engagement drives everything—comments, insights, discussions
➔ Personal branding takes the lead
➔ Multimedia: videos, polls, live streams, and more
➔ Two-way conversations that spark real connections

The companies that are going to dominate the market are already taking advantage of the platform to:

- build founder-led and executive brands
- establish authority in their niche
- fill their pipeline and drive sales

Those who don’t will lose opportunities. 

Are you still living in the past on LinkedIn, or are you building something to own the future?

I used to think I was a good writer.

I didn’t have the training.

I just enjoyed writing, so in my head…that meant I was good at it.

Then I joined this tiny chat group with a few guys who wrote online. 

Nothing fancy. Just a handful of people trying to get better and calling each other out.

And the rule was simple:

→ Drop your draft
→ Take the feedback
→ No hurt feelings

The first time they went through one of my posts, I felt it.

I wasn’t nearly as good as I thought.

I realized I had a few habits that were holding me back:

→ I wrote sentences that sounded great in my head but didn’t land
→ I rambled when I wasn’t sure what my point was
→ I relied on passion instead of clarity
→ I used extra words to make weak ideas feel stronger
→ I had a “voice,” but no real structure behind it

That group changed everything for me.

They gave me something I didn’t have before: a standard.

And once you see that higher bar, you can’t unsee it.

- You start noticing what makes writing sharp.
- You start tightening your ideas.
- You stop hiding behind fluff.

Here’s the part that stuck with me:

Most people aren’t bad writers.

They’ve just never had their writing pushed.

You don’t get better by writing alone in your corner. You get better when you let people tell you the truth about your work.

That’s when the real growth happens.

If you want that same push for your content and your brand, send me a DM and I’ll send you the one-pager for my Growth Partner Catalyst Program.

“Good news….your personal brand is gonna make it.

But you need to strengthen your message a bit.”

- Dr. Doug 

Most leaders don’t catch clarity erosion early because they’re so close to their own expertise.

Everything sounds great until you realize…”oh my audience isn’t interested in what I have to say.”

Here’s the checkup I give when I’m assessing a CEO’s messaging clarity:

1. The Identity Check

Can you explain who you are professionally in one clean sentence?

If it takes a paragraph, your authority is scattered.

2. The Expertise Line

What are the 1–2 things you want to be known for?

Executives who pick two lanes build influence.

Executives who pick ten build confusion.

3. The Stakes Analysis

Why does your work matter?

Leaders lose attention because they talk about tasks, not impact.

Stakes = what changes because of you.

4. The Repeatability Test

Could your ideal buyer repeat your message after reading two posts?

If not, it isn’t sharp enough.

Repeatability is the real KPI of positioning.

5. The Resonance Review

Are you speaking to the right people or the loudest people?

Executives who write for “everyone” get engagement.

Executives who write for someone get opportunities.

Your message is the foundation.

When it’s clear, everything else (trust, visibility, inbound) becomes inevitable.

If you want me to run this same checkup on your profile and content, DM me “AUDIT.” I’ll tell you exactly where your message needs to be strengthened.

The other day, I shared the last 10 years of my life with someone I had just met.

•  My relationship with God.
•  How I met my wife.
•  Why I moved to Delaware County, PA.
•  How I started writing on LinkedIn and X.

It’s a crazy story and I didn’t expect him to be all that interested. 

But to my surprise, he was locked in, listening to every word.

That moment reminded me:

→ Someone out there needs your story. People are drawn to real, authentic journeys.

→ Gratitude shifts everything. Telling my story reminded me of how good God has been.

I’m stepping into 2025 with excitement and gratitude, ready to build relationships that matter.

Your story matters too. 

Who’s someone you could share it with this week?

I posted something yesterday and my first thought was: This is horrible.

Not because the idea was bad…but because it didn’t sound like me at all.

Here’s what my post was missing (and why it matters):
	
1. Personality

My post had zero flavor. No beard jokes. No Star Wars references. Nothing that sounded like Doug.

And here’s the truth: personality is what makes writing memorable. It’s the quirks, tone, and edges that make a post feel alive.

When you strip that out, your content becomes generic, technically correct, and emotionally empty.
	
2. Deeper insight

I shared a point, but none of the meaning behind it. It was shallow, like a headline without an article.

Great content doesn’t stop at “what.” It digs into the “why,” the “how,” and the lived experience behind the idea.

Insight is the difference between a post people skim… and a post people save.
	
3. A unique angle

My post could’ve been written by anyone. 

No twist. 
No tension. 
No reason to stop scrolling.

Your angle (your worldview, your story, your interpretation) is the differentiator.

It’s what turns common ideas into uncommon content.

4. A strong hook

My hook didn’t hook ME… so it wasn’t going to hook anyone.

The first line is the gatekeeper. It creates curiosity, contrast, or a moment that forces someone to keep reading.

If the hook is weak, the rest of the post never stood a chance.

These 4 ingredients are what take a post from “fine” to “worth reading.”

Miss one and the post suffers.

Miss all 4 and…well, you get yesterday.

(I deleted the post so don’t even try to go back and read it lol) 

It happens.

• Sometimes we drift from our own voice.
• Sometimes we write fast instead of honest.
• Sometimes we forget what makes us us.

The fix is simple:

Re-center.
Reconnect.
And write from who you actually are.

That’s where the best content lives.

Have you ever lost your voice in your content?

The fastest way to lose sales on LinkedIn is weak positioning.

You can be great at what you do.
You can post consistently.
You can share valuable insights.

But if your positioning is unclear, broad, or generic…buyers won’t see you as the person to hire.

After writing for founders, CEOs, and operators across multiple industries,

I’ve noticed the same positioning gaps show up over and over and they quietly destroys trust, authority, and inbound

So I broke down the 7 biggest positioning mistakes and how to fix each one

👉 Swipe through the carousel

7 Positioning Mistakes That Destroy Your LinkedIn Sales

It didn’t click right away…

If I’m honest, it took closer to 6–8 months before anything meaningful happened.

In the beginning, it felt like I was talking into the void:

→ Posting late at night after work
→ Getting a handful of likes
→ Wondering if anyone was actually reading
→ Fighting the quiet urge to stop because “maybe this isn’t working”

But I showed up anyway…not because of motivation, but because I understood one thing:

Brands are built on repetition, not reactions.

And then the shift started…slowly, then suddenly:

→ Someone messaged, “I’ve been following your content for months.”
→ Someone else booked a call because “your posts changed how I think about this.”
→ People recognized my name before I even introduced myself.
→ Prospects showed up warm, already trusting me without a single sales pitch.

That’s when it clicked:

Personal branding works, but it works on compound interest, not instant gratification.

• Every post is a deposit.
• Every story is a seed.
• Every insight is one more brick in a relationship you don’t even know you’re building.

Most people quit right before it compounds. 

Right before the trust, the visibility, and the opportunities start stacking!

If you stick with it for 90 days with:

→ a clear message
→ a repeatable content rhythm
→ and consistency that outlasts the noise

…everything changes.

If you’re serious about building that kind of momentum, you don’t need more hacks….

you need a plan, accountability, and a system that removes the guesswork.

If you want a structured 90-day plan and someone in your corner each week, my Growth Partner program is built for that. DM me “GROWTH.”

A CRE leader didn’t say it directly, but I could tell he wasn’t convinced LinkedIn could work for him. 

But he heard it worked for other people and wanted to take the risk.

A fair place to start.

He didn’t want engagement. He wanted pipeline.

So we focused on the fundamentals:

→ Tightened his positioning
→ Clarified his message
→ Built content around the real problems his CRE buyers face
→ Paired it with a targeted DM strategy designed to start real conversations

By the end of our first week together: 

8 leads.

Here’s why this worked:

1. He got specific.

We stopped writing broad “real estate” content and shifted to content that spoke directly to decision-makers:
	
• buyer frustrations
• deal blockers
• investor mistakes 
• CRE challenges he sees every day

When your content speaks to the right people, the right people respond.

2. He wrote from real experience.

No generic market updates.

No surface-level industry takes.

We used:
	
• deals he’s worked
• objections he hears
• patterns he sees weekly
• insights only a practitioner would know

This builds trust faster than anything else.

3. His message and his outreach worked together.

Most people post and pray. We built a system.

His content attracted attention.

His DMs converted it.
	
• DM people who engaged with posts
• DM people who viewed his profile
• Open conversations with his ICP
• Outreach that matched his positioning

Content creates interest. DMs create opportunities.

He came in a tad bit skeptical.

He became a believer by the end of Week 1.

If you want your profile, content, and DM strategy reviewed and a plan to turn visibility into booked calls, book a call or DM me “AUDIT.”

taplio

The Battle

Dave Gerhardt

Doug Kennedy

Followers

Posts

Engagements

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Performance ScoreDave Gerhardt's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDoug Kennedy's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Dave Gerhardt

Doug Kennedy

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Dave Gerhardt's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDoug Kennedy's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreDave Gerhardt's LinkedIn Performance