Core Bridge Partners

Alternative Investments professional serving as an outsourced COO/CFO to hedge funds and private equity firms. Two decades of experience in middle and back office operations, compliance and investor relations. Expert in investment vehicle launches and operations, spanning equities, derivatives, credit, distressed, global macro and private equities. Proficient in the complete life cycle of trading vehicles including open and closed end funds, domestic and offshore parallel and master-feeder structures, separately managed accounts, side pockets and Special Purpose Vehicles.

CFO and COO

GrowthLine Capital Management LLC

GrowthLine Capital is a long biased, high return seeking equity long/short fund that invests in companies benefiting from innovation driven disruptive change that can become multiples of their current size.
Developed and manage all operations including middle and back office, compliance, financial planning & analysis, management & administration and human resources of a rapidly growing financial firm.

Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Compliance Officer

Spruce House Investment Management LLC

Led all operations of a $2.6B Hedge Fund that grew from $800M.  Developed and managed all operations including middle and back office, compliance, financial planning & analysis, management & administration and human resources of a rapidly growing financial firm.

Chief Operations Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Compliance Officer

Flintlock Capital

· Cofounded a discretionary global commodities hedge fund.
· Raised $160M from institutional investors in two years.
· Hired key employees including a Risk Manager, a Research Analyst and a Controller.
· Developed operational and risk policies, procedures and controllers for the funds and managed accounts.
· Managed the daily fund and business operations.
· Directed the business development and marketing efforts of the firm.
· Established and maintained strong relationships with prime brokers, futures commission merchants, broker/dealers, attorneys, compliance professionals, and auditors in order to quickly establish the firm and launch our funds.

Co-founder, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Compliance Officer

Tower Capital Asset Management

· Managed the daily operations of an SEC registered long/short equity fund of hedge funds with $650M in assets under management in five funds and a managed account platform. The firm previously sold $1.8B (13 funds) to a European bank.
· Supervised the operations team that conducts daily reconciliation and produces monthly NAVs for all funds. Conducted daily review of all fund performance and risk to ensure accuracy in front, middle and back office operations.
· Conducted operational due diligence on prospective hedge funds. Updated Tower Capital's Investment Process© to include a more formalized operational due diligence method.
· Formalized operational policies, procedures and controls by writing the firm's Standard Operating Procedures to bring all operations up to industry best practices. Managed external auditors for completion of all fund audits.
· Launched a $180M managed account platform consisting of a Bermuda Segregated Accounts Company with eight underlying funds. Oversaw the operational due diligence of underlying portfolio managers and negotiate contracts with prime brokers, fund administrators, accountants and other service providers.
· Upgraded the firm's information technology to industry best practices. Developed the firm's strategic IT plan and integrated IT across functional departments in alignment with strategic plan.

Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Compliance Officer

Scout Capital

· Managed the day-to-day operations of an SEC registered $2.5B long/short equity hedge fund consisting of seven entities ­ two offshore funds, two domestic funds and three managed accounts.
· Directed the implementation of a new Investment Management System (IMS), which included a new Trade Order Management System (TOMS) and a new Portfolio Management System (PMS). Conducted due diligence, supervised the implementation team and coordinated multiple vendors to ensure timely and cost effective completion of new systems.
· Established new trading and operating procedures to exploit the efficacy of new IMS across front, middle and back office operations. Ensured complete and seamless transition from legacy trading and portfolio management systems.
· Managed the investment company with responsibility for the development of a $4M annual operations and information technology budget. Implemented cost savings initiative by outsourcing financial model building to an overseas firm.
· Coordinated new office and IT build-out. Saved $250K of planned $3.8M construction and IT budget.
· Negotiated multiple contracts and agreements ­ Prime Broker Credit Facility, ISDAs, research agreements, executing broker agreements, liquidity providers, IT vendors and subleases.
· Managed legal review of contracts to include credit facilities, subleases, employee agreements and research agreements.
· Developed and wrote company Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Plan. Established the firm's two DR sites.
· Hired key officers and employees to include a Chief Financial Officer, IT Manager and five Research Analysts. Streamlined human resources by implementing new HR software and establishing new hiring and termination procedures.

Director of Operations

Concordia Advisors

· Operations manager for an FSA and SEC registered $2.2B multi-strategy hedge fund. Worked directly with the Chief Operating Officer to manage the daily business operations of the firm and lead special projects.
·   Led the launch of four new funds: an ERISA Multi-Strategy Fund ($100M), a Municipal Opportunities Fund ($85M), a Credit Relative Value Fund ($150M) and an ERISA Fixed Income Multi-Strategy Fund ($25M).
·   Hired key employees including a Chief Compliance Officer, IT Manager and Investor Research Manager.
·   Formalized and wrote the firm's middle and back office Standard Operating Procedures.
·   Coordinated with the IT Manager to develop Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery plans with redundancy among New York, London and Bermuda offices.
·   Successfully met requirements for all books and records during an unannounced SEC audit.

Business Manager, Operations

Eastman Chemical Company

· Interim Chief Financial Officer for Eastman Diagnostics, a start-up company developed within Eastman Chemical Company. Acquired $5M company and closed $1.5M licensing agreement. 
· Developed financial integration plans for new corporation and conducted due diligence, analysis and risk assessment on multiple acquisitions.
· Led a team that implemented a portfolio management tool to enable senior managers to track developing businesses, apply financial rigor and mitigate risk by balancing the portfolio.
· Analyzed, forecasted and developed $16M annual business plan for eighty-four person department.

Financial Analysis Manager

U.S. Army

Captain, ODA 593, 5th Special Forces Group
· Led Special Operations unit capable of training and leading a 500-man foreign military and paramilitary force using host nation's own equipment and communicating in their native language.
· Led deployment to Kazakhstan to train host nation's military for Operation Balance Kayak.
· Planned and supervised 4-month, $14.7M overseas deployment of a 71-soldier Special Forces unit that trained 350- member foreign military organization in light infantry tactics, communications and battlefield medical procedures.
· Primary Special Forces Advisor and liaison to Kuwaiti Army during Operation Desert Fox.
· Developed Operations Plan Crimson Gold, the plan for the US Embassy in Kuwait in the event of a terrorist attack.
· Developed and directed training for foreign military and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency in Deliberate Decision Making Process, Counter-Narcotics Operations and Intelligence Collection & Dissemination.

Captain/Lieutenant, 3rd Ranger Battalion
· Planned and executed special projects for an Airborne Ranger Battalion of 440 personnel capable of no-notice worldwide deployment to conduct Special Operations in support of U.S. policies and objectives.
· Prepared organization to spearhead Operation Uphold Democracy, the planned invasion of Haiti.
· Awarded Army Commendation Medal. Selected for Special Forces Assessment and Selection.

Lieutenant, 82nd Airborne Division
· Leader of a reconnaissance unit that gathered analyzed and distilled information necessary to determine critical elements and provide key intelligence in support of a 650-soldier Airborne Infantry Battalion.
· Rated top junior officer in battalion on Officer Evaluation Report.
· Awarded Army Commendation Medal. Selected above 26 other lieutenants to serve in the elite Ranger Regiment.

Special Operations & Airborne Infantry

Former Green Beret & Airborne Ranger now CEO of Rising Wealth Club & CFO/COO of GrowthLine Capital

I joined Core Bridge Partners and as the former CFO/COO of multiple multi billion-dollar hedge funds as well as two start-ups. I leverage my 20+ years of experience in alternative asset management and my MBA from the Kellogg School of Management to help small and medium sized hedge funds, PE/VC and Family Offices with their operational needs and help grow their companies. I have a proven track record of leading, managing and helping to scale multiple funds.  

My background as a former US Army Special Forces commander ("Green Beret") has equipped me with exceptional leadership, decision-making and problem-solving skills, as well as a strong sense of integrity, loyalty and service. I enjoy working with talented and diverse teams and CIOs , building long-lasting relationships and creating value for my clients and partners.

David Walker

While the "Metabolic Overload score" is not a widely adopted metric, Cagle's underlying argument—that physical infrastructure, particularly energy, could limit AI's growth—is a potential consideration for investors. However, it is not part of mainstream financial analysis...so we'll have to wait a bit and see.  IMHO.

Former Green Beret & Airborne Ranger. CIO, COO, CFO, investor, and author.

Father & Humanist | Strategy Advisor & Scholar | Founder of DecisionDNA

Last week I argued that AI is THE bubble. 
Today I provide the receipts.
We just released the first AI Bubble Index report.

The key number?  132x.

Not a P/E multiple.
A Metabolic Overload score.

AI is deploying capital 132 times faster than the  infrastructure can absorb.
The bottleneck isn’t silicon.
It’s watts.

The Physics of the Wall:
• FERC interconnection completion rate collapsed from 14% → 3%
• 2,900 GW stuck in queue. Only ~3% will ever connect based on our data
• Nadella: “I have chips I can’t plug in.”

He won’t be the only one

Prof. Procyon Mukherjee recently identified the "Hyperscaler Rebellion" against Nvidia, building on Howard Yu's thinking. 
They are right about the shift, and our data suggests the driver isn't only strategy; it's physics.

Some hyperscalers are shifting into "Island Mode": building power islands just to stay alive

xAI is running unpermitted gas turbines in Memphis.
That isn’t innovation. It's triage. And a dash of desperation. 

'Smart money' already sees it: US utility short interest is the highest since 1995.
Shorting the one thing that we all need?

Power?

Warren Buffett would disagree. (Michael M. Terry, CFA - I just did it...)

But the short sellers may have a point

The triggers are already on the calendar:
• CoreWeave credit cliff: March 2026
• Oracle $38B raise while flirting with an S&P downgrade
• Nvidia sits at the center of a circular financing loop that needs liquidity to spin

This is not dismissing the 'promise' of AI. 
AI is real and what it could do is earth-shattering; the valuations are not.

The system’s metabolism can’t keep up.
It will slow because physics can’t be bent.

Full 16-page report in comments. 👇

PS. those who signed up got the draft report on 30 November - thank you for your trust and support. 

#AIBubble #Macro #Metabolism #Infrastructure #DecisionDNA

With the unemployment rate at 4.4%, seems likely that a Fed rate cut will happen in Dec.  But, never forget that all FOMC members are humans.  And humans suffer from bias (political and personal).  Just a fact...about humans.

BlackRock Global Chief Investment Strategist

Competition for capital is increasing as AI build out becomes more #capital intensive. 

So yes, I care a lot if the #Fed is cutting this December, but in the grand scheme this environment means SECULAR trumps CYCLICAL. 

And it was brought to my attention yesterday, and I thought was good perspective so I am also sharing here, that the last time we had massive infra fibreoptics build out short term real #rate was at 4%.

Very good point.  Stay nimble my friends.

Chief Investment Officer & Member of the Executive Committee at Syz Group ¦ 250,000+ followers

View Charles-Henry Monchau, CFA, CMT, CAIA’s profile

When Zoom ($ZM) was $600/sh in 2020, it had $20 million in income. Now, Zoom is $87/sh with $2 billion in income. What does that tell you about the current AI companies?

Source: Kevin Malone
@Malone_Wealth

This is great for stock pickers and not so great for indexers.

Founder & CEO at Lion Economics | Formerly Wavteq | FDI | Trade | AI

The Most Dangerous Chart in Finance? 

If you read the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Economist or studies from J.P. Morgan you will have seen "The Chart." 

You know the one: It plots the S&P 500’s P/E ratio against 10-year forward returns. It shows a tight, terrifying line suggesting that at current valuations, our future returns will be very low.

It’s compelling. It’s "statistical." 

Stuart Kirk wrote last week in the FT that he "massacred" his equity funds - selling his entire portfolio worth approaching $1m to move into cash. It’s a drastic, bold move https://lnkd.in/egVw97U2

Before you sell your equity, fueled by the relentless barrage of overvaluation charts and bubble fears, you need to understand why the "The Chart" is fundamentally flawed:

1. Fake Correlation: The chart relies on rolling 10-year periods. That means the data point for Jan 2000 is 99% identical to Feb 2000. This massive overlap creates a fake, inflated R-squared (correlation).

2. The Outlier Trap: The terrifying downward slope is heavily anchored by a single black swan event - the Dot-Com bubble. Remove that anomaly and other black swan events (GFC and Covid), and the "predictive power" is significantly lower.

3. The "New Normal" for P/E: Overvaluation assumptions assume a static world where a P/E of 20x means the same thing in 2025 as it did in 1950. It doesn't. We need a dynamic approach that accounts for structural change:

 - Hardware to Software: The S&P 500 has transformed. In the 20th century, it was capital-intensive industrial/hardware companies. Today, it is dominated by asset-light, high-margin, wide-moat software businesses. These naturally command (and deserve) higher multiples. This also helps to explain why the US market is more "expensive" than most foreign markets.

- Globalization: US companies have a massive global runway for growth that didn't exist 50 years ago. Today, around 40% of US S&P 500 revenues are overseas. 

- Tax & Tariffs: Modern tech/software giants face different effective tax and tariff realities compared to the industrial giants of the past, leading to better after-tax earnings retention.

- The Supply/Demand Squeeze: We are witnessing "De-equitization." The number of US public stocks has roughly halved in 30 years, yet the "wall of money" chasing them (retail apps, passive flows, and foreign ownership now at over 20%) has exploded. Scarcity drives premiums.

I’m not arguing the market is cheap - or that Stuart is wrong. 

And while bubbles do occur, history overwhelmingly shows that time in the market beats timing the market.

I usually post about direct investment more than portfolio investment, but I follow equity and bond dynamics closely and this is one chart I think every investor should scrutinize before acting on.

#Investing #SP500 #Economics #DataScience #StockMarket

Very interesting to see money supply expanding this aggressively even as global central bank balance sheets have been contracting.
What will happen once central banks inevitably need to expand their balance sheets again? 

Source: Tavi Costa, Bloomberg

View Till Christian Budelmann’s profile

Extreme fear levels

We may have been „bubbly“ a couple of weeks ago, but as of this moment, it’s hard to categorize the market as „frothy“ when CNN’s Fear & Greed index is sitting at one of its most „extreme fear levels“ of the last year.

It’s truly astonishing… the sentiment is (almost) as bearish as it was at the market’s lowest point in the first half of April. That’s not what complacency looks like.

Bergos AG  

Bankhaus C. L. Seeliger KG  

#investing
#markets
#sentiment

Source: CNN (link in the comments section), Bespoke Investment Group / The Bespoke Report, November 21, 2025, page 22 (link in the comments section)

They are correlated to each other because they are both correlated to Global Liquidity.  No surprises here.

Independent Macro Strategist | Financial Markets Commentator | • Historical • Macro Trends • Metals • Energy • Equities • Bonds • Real Estate • Crypto • Systemic Risk | Author of “Beyond The Headlines”

🪙 BITCOIN’S TICKING TIME BOMB? 💣

For me, Bitcoin’s recent decline is just the start of something bigger. It’s meteoric rise hasn’t been a revolutionary shift in finance, but rather a high-risk wager linked to the volatile U.S. tech sector. And if the AI bubble bursts-Bitcoin’s ticking time bomb is likely to explode right alongside it.

🎲 Bitcoin: A Tech Stock Gamble In Disguise
Bitcoin has long been hailed as:
✅ The "great liberator" from traditional finance
✅ The ultimate hedge against economic collapse
✅ The key to unlocking financial freedom
But Bitcoin is a leveraged bet on tech stocks—a digital game of craps. Over the past 13 years, Bitcoin has shown a staggering 94% correlation with the NASDAQ 100 3X Leveraged ETF, making it almost indistinguishable from one of the most volatile financial products in existence.

🔎 Bitcoin's Dirty Little Secret
The NASDAQ 100 is home to the most high-growth, high-risk U.S. companies. These stocks skyrocket during tech booms but crash hard during busts—just like we saw with the Dot-Com Crash in 2000. The 3X Leveraged ETF amplifies those swings:
📈 A 1% gain in the NASDAQ translates to a 3% surge in the ETF
📉 A 2% loss in the NASDAQ causes a 6% plunge in the ETF
And Bitcoin? It mirrors these moves. So, if we’re holding Bitcoin, we’re essentially gambling on tech’s rollercoaster ride.

🔮 What Happens If The Tech Bubble Bursts?
Right now, U.S. equities are in a super-bubble, with tech valuations completely overextended. The NASDAQ 100 is trading at its highest valuation relative to the M2 money supply ever. The only time this level of overvaluation has been seen? Just before the Dot-Com Bubble burst. Back in 2000, the NASDAQ 100 plummeted 84%, while the 3X Leveraged ETF fell by an estimated 99%. With Bitcoin’s 94% correlation to this ETF, Bitcoin could fall 99%, its price crashing from $126K to just $1.26K—a level we haven’t seen since 2017.

🟠 Fool’s Gold?
Bitcoin’s proponents call it "digital gold," but what of gold itself? In the 1970s, it soared 25X—only to crash 70% over the next two decades. Bitcoin—far more volatile than gold—could well suffer a similar fate: a massive crash followed by years of stagnation.

⏳ Is The Bull Run Over?
Gold took 28 years to recover from its 1980 peak. If Bitcoin is destined to be the "digital gold" of tomorrow, it may need to follow the same painful path—years of stagnation.

⚠️ Final Warning
Bitcoin is not a safe haven. It’s a speculative tech play, with all the volatility of a leveraged stock. For those of us who are holding Bitcoin—or thinking of jumping in—now may be the time to rethink our strategy. The truth is, Bitcoin’s ticking time bomb will explode. Just when that occurs, though, is anyone’s guess.

📩 Want To Navigate The Coming Storm?
Subscribe to my free newsletter 👉 https://lnkd.in/eS9HPvh2
 
💬 FYI—Lyn Alden, Scott Melker, Benjamin Cowen, David Morgan, Angus Taylor, Mike Trading, Dante Cook, Eddie Tofpik MSTA, ACI-UK, James Butterfill, Oscar Consuelo

I think it's funny how they drew a line at a certain point in time.  All across the globe, geographic boundaries have changed thousands and thousands of times over dozens of centuries.

Vice President at Northern Trust Corporation | POPM Product Owner Securities Lending | Passion to decipher market moves

Mario Nawfal/Reuters: 🇨🇳🇺🇸 XI ON THE PHONE WITH TRUMP: “TAIWAN RETURNS TO CHINA - THAT’S THE POST-WAR ORDER.” Xi Jinping on a call with Trump:

Taiwan’s “return to China” isn’t negotiable - it’s part of the post–World War II world order.

Xi’s message:
China and the U.S. once fought fascism together - so maybe they should team up again to “protect” the outcomes of WWII.

Meanwhile, Taiwan’s government is reading this like, “Yeah, absolutely not.”

And Japan? Already signaling it could respond militarily if China attacks Taiwan - which Beijing is now calling a “diplomatic crisis” because Tokyo said the quiet part out loud.

Xi tried to sweeten the call by bragging that U.S.-China ties have “stabilized” since Trump eased tariffs and Beijing restarted soybean shopping. 

But this line about Taiwan is the real headline.

This wasn’t a request - it was Xi testing how far Trump will bend before the real Taiwan showdown begins.

Interesting perspective.  However, even if we crash, your 2047 breakeven is probably too far off.  American ingenuity + AI + robotics = growth and eventual recovery.  My guess is even with a huge reset in equity markets due to lofty valuations, that America recovers faster than 18 years.  I am betting on Buffett's view of American ingenuity as a cornerstone of the nation's miraculous economic success and an unfailing force for future growth.

🌐 S&P 500: BLIND FAITH IN THE “NEW NORMAL?” 🚨

I’m still watching Wall Street spin its latest narrative with a mix of fascination and growing concern. Strategists insist today’s sky-high stock valuations are not a bubble… it’s the “new normal.” Yet, every time I hear that phrase, my mind drifts back to the truth of 1929, 1966, and 2000.

🎩 FLASHBACK TO 1929
Analysts back then claimed U.S. stocks had reached a “permanently high plateau.” What followed?
💥 An 86% crash
💥 Three years of devastation
💥 Lives and fortunes destroyed

🚨 TODAY’S VALUATIONS
🔺 Buffett Indicator—Highest since the “Roaring 20s” Bubble (1929)
🔺 CAPE Ratio—Highest since the “Dot Com” Bubble (2000)
🔺 Forward P/E Ratio—Highest since 2000, based on projected (not actual) earnings
🤔 And yet, Wall Street assures us it’s all… “normal”

🪦 “THE LINE OF DEATH”
For months, I’ve highlighted what I call “The Line of Death”—a resistance line on the inflation-adjusted S&P 500 that has held since 1966. It repelled markets during:
📈 Nifty Fifty Bubble (1966) ➡️ 65% crash lasting 16 years
💻 Dot Com Bubble (2000) ➡️ 65% crash lasting 9 years
📍 And now, in 2025, we’re hammering that same line again
 
🤖 THE AI NARRATIVE
Every era has its story:
🔷 1966—“The Nifty Fifty” (must-own blue chips)
🔷 2000—“The Internet will change everything”
🔷 2025—“AI is rewriting the future”
🔍 Yes, bubbles always feel rational… until the house of cards collapses

🚨 THE "AI BUBBLE" OF 2025
By some measures, today’s S&P 500 valuation is the highest in 96 years. If the wheel turns full circle:
🔻 S&P 500 could crash 65% over the next 12 years
🔻 From 6,750 points today ➡️ 2,360 points by 2037

⏳ “THE LINE OF PAIN”
What’s worse than a crash? The waiting game:
⛔️ 1966 Peak: Not revisited until 1993 ➡️ 27 years later
⛔️ 2000 Peak: Not revisited until 2017 ➡️ 17 years later

🫀WHAT THIS MEANS FOR US
If there is a reiteration of events… we may not see a return on our S&P 500 investment today until 2047. That means:
👩‍🎓 Aged 20 (graduating) ➡️ Aged 42 before we breakeven
👨‍👩‍👧 Aged 40 (with a family) ➡️ Aged 62 before we breakeven
👵 Aged 60 (nearing retirement) ➡️ Aged 82 before we breakeven
⚠️ Half a working life… just to get back to square one

🙏 WHY I SHARE THIS
I don’t write to scare anyone. I write share what I see—certainly not marketing slogans dressed as strategy. Here on LinkedIn, my commitment has been built around:
📚 Strong research
🎯 Painting a clear picture
💡 Offering insights to help people prosper

✅ Could “The Line of Death” be wrong this time? Yes
❌ Has it ever been wrong before? No

⚖️ FINAL THOUGHT
1️⃣ If Wall Street strategists are right ➡️ we’ll miss some upside
2️⃣ If history repeats ➡️ we’ll avoid a generational setback
🤔 So… do we believe in a “new normal” or do we trust history?

📩 WANT TO NAVIGATE THE COMING STORM?
Subscribe to my free newsletter 👉 https://lnkd.in/eS9HPvh2
 
💬 FYI—Lyn Alden, Patrick Karim, Kevin Wadsworth, Rick Rule, Otavio (Tavi) Costa, Mike McGlone

Best line:  "The American bet is simple: own the most compute, win the AI race."

The US has 5,381 data centers — more than China (449) and every other major nation combined. The American bet is simple: own the most compute, win the AI race.

But China isn’t playing that game.

Instead of chasing data center volume, China open-sourced frontier models (DeepSeek, Qwen, Baichuan) that run on cheap hardware.

DeepSeek trained a frontier model for $5–6M (vs. tens of millions in the US).

Inference costs are ~280x cheaper than ChatGPT.

Modular data centers deploy in weeks, built around ultra-low-cost power.

China isn’t scaling infrastructure. They’re scaling efficiency — and commoditizing intelligence.

Meanwhile, the US is hitting a wall: the power grid.

Data centers already use 6% of US electricity, headed to 11% by 2030.

Spare grid capacity has fallen from 26% → 19%, on track for <15%.

Some regions face 7-year waitlists just to connect new facilities.

Ohio alone rejected 17 GW of new data center interconnection requests.

You can build data centers. But can you power them?

China can.
By 2025, their installed capacity hits 3.99 TW (up 19% YoY). Renewables are nearly half of all generation. In the first five months of 2025 alone:

197 GW solar added

46 GW wind added

By 2030, China is expected to have 400 GW of spare power capacity — over 3× global data center demand.

The US built the most data centers.
China built the power to scale whatever it wants.

The real race isn’t about who has more compute today — it’s who can power their compute tomorrow. And on that dimension, China is pulling ahead.

Source: StockMarket.news, Apollo

Retail #investors and Quants dominate US #stocks #trading 

Source: Empirical research, RBC

Central banks have completely messed up market messaging. First Fed's schziophrenic communications sent Dec rate cut odds from 80% to 30% to 100%, and now the BOJ just send Dec rate hike odds to 80% from 20% ten days ago!

Source: zerohedge

S&P 500 $SPY Put Volume on Thursday was the 2nd largest ever 
Historically this has usually occurred near bottoms 

Source: Barchart

Mate, you are missing the bigger picture.  American consumers have ALWAYS paid the price.  Go back to the last administration, the one before that, and the one before, and again and again and again.  Go back multiple decades...a century even.  It's always the same...the Amercian consumer always pays the price.  Period.  In the words of David Byrne, "Same as it ever was."

Finest Known, LLC - AVP of Client Development - President's Council - Opinions are my own

IMO, So far Trump's #tariffs have #backfired and now he's about to make another big #mistake by adding fuel to the #inflation fire by #cutting rates. 

I believe both Trump and Bessent are truly out of touch with reality on both issues, and unfortunately American consumers will wind up #paying the #price for it. 

Trump & Bessent will actually making the economy #less affordable. Prices are not all down across the board.

Most investors think downturns hit like a lightning bolt. 
History shows they arrive like clockwork. 
Quietly, relentlessly, and long before anyone panics.

I was reviewing century-old market charts late last night, tracing S&P 500 peaks and valleys. The patterns jumped out at me: every major top aligned perfectly with a long-term rhythm few pay attention to. The data didn’t lie — it had been whispering the same story for over 150 years.

What I discovered:
-The Benner Cycle, a 27- and 54-year rhythm, predicted peaks in 1929, 2000, and 2007
-Years labelled “favourable” historically outperformed “unfavourable” by 2–4× with lower volatility
-2026 marks the last high-valuation window before a multi-year strain period
-The cycle reflects structural human behaviour, capital flows, and credit expansion, not headlines or quarterly reports

The market’s calm today isn’t reassurance. It’s a signal. Recognising long-term rhythms allows you to prepare before the crowd even notices the shift.

Are you tracking cycles that could quietly redefine your strategy?

There is always a storm on the horizon...the key is trying to figure out if it will make landfall and/or when.

Vice President, Business Development & Strategy at CheaperTeam | Scaling U.S. companies with top-tier human VA’s in offices worldwide | Fully managed teams in Europe, Mexico, Philippines & Kenya | CheaperTeam.com

🚨 𝗔 𝗕𝗜𝗚 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗠 𝗜𝗦 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗚! 🌪️⚡

Look at these yields…

- U.S. 10Y is going up.

- U.S. 30Y climbing.

- Australia’s 5Y and 10Y pushing new highs.

- Germany, France, Spain, all drifting higher at the same time.

And yet everyone’s still running around yelling “no recession,” “everything is fine.”

Meanwhile the bond market, which is usually right long before stocks wake up, is basically tapping us on the shoulder saying: “Hey something’s off.”

Here’s why this matters:

When yields rise everywhere, the entire world gets more expensive to finance.

- Governments pay more.
- Corporations pay more.
- Housing slows.
- Credit tightens.
- Consumers pull back.
- Emerging markets get crushed.

None of this hits instantly, it stacks. Slowly. Quietly. Then suddenly.

This is exactly how downturns start: not with a crash, but with a slow, boring climb in yields that everyone ignores because stocks are still pumping.

And that’s the funny thing…

Equities love pretending nothing’s wrong, right up until the moment everything finally breaks.

Bond traders aren’t doomers. They’re just the only ones who don’t fall for the storyline.

So while people are busy arguing about AI, flipping memecoins, or celebrating new ATHs, the bond market is quietly tightening the screws on the entire system.

You don’t need to panic.
You just need to stop acting like rising yields are a background detail.

Every major financial “Uh Oh" moment in the last 30 years started with charts that looked exactly like this.

Pay attention now, or wonder later why nobody warned you.

Source: NoLimitGains

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For anyone interested in investing & market trends, my latest insights and weekly take are out now in my weekly newsletter: check it out here & please subscribe 👇
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Would love to hear your thoughts!🙏

#investing #stockmarket #stocks #wallstreet #finance #economy

Could be FUD.  But...Stay nimble my friends.

According to a Bloomberg article, Michael Saylor’s company, Strategy $MSTR, faces one of its most significant challenges yet: the risk of being removed from major stock indexes like the MSCI USA and the Nasdaq 100, according to JPMorgan analysts. 

Such exclusions could trigger up to $2.8B in outflows from MSCI-linked funds alone and threaten nearly $9B of passive exposure tied to the company. A decision is expected by January 15, 2026.

The threat strikes at the core of Strategy’s identity. The firm became a mainstream proxy for bitcoin by issuing stock to buy #bitcoin, then using rising BTC prices to fuel more issuance and accumulation. At one point, the company traded at a large premium above its Bitcoin reserves — but that premium has now evaporated, reflecting weaker investor conviction.

MSCI is reconsidering its index rules, proposing to exclude companies whose digital asset holdings exceed 50% of total assets, classifying them more like investment funds. This puts Strategy directly in the crosshairs.

Meanwhile, both Bitcoin and Strategy’s share price have plunged, with the stock down more than 60% from its peak and Bitcoin down over 30% from its recent high—breaking the feedback loop that once boosted Strategy’s valuation with each BTC purchase. Its equity now trades only slightly above the value of its Bitcoin holdings.

Despite the pressure, Saylor continues aggressively buying Bitcoin—adding 8,178 BTC this week, bringing total holdings to 649,870 BTC.

Following up on prior posts about the US affordability debate:

This chart from the Financial Times illustrates why housing has become one of the areas of key policy focus for the Administration.

#economy #affordability #housing #markets Financial Times

Xocial Gong, LLC

At Xocial Gong, we help small business owners, startups, and freelancers build visibility, trust, and traction using LinkedIn — without relying on paid ads or complicated funnels. 

Our strategy is built around a simple truth: most people don't get business on LinkedIn because they’re using the wrong approach or none at all. We fix that by helping you optimize your profile, doing targeted outreach, and filling your calendar with meetings from prospects who are already interested in what you offer.

Our philosophy is rooted in the concept of the Link(Ed)In Net(Work)ER — also the title of my upcoming book. It’s about making genuine connections, doing the work that drives results, and using smart, human-first systems to grow your business.

What We Do:

Profile audits and optimization for visibility and credibility

Strategic outreach campaigns to connect you with decision-makers

Messaging frameworks that start real conversations

Calendar booking with qualified leads (no cold pitching, no fluff)

Ongoing support to keep your pipeline full and your presence sharp

Who We Serve:

Small business owners, solopreneurs, consultants, founders, and sales professionals who are ready to scale — and tired of being invisible online.

I don’t call myself a marketing expert or a sales guru. I’m just someone who cares, who’s done the work, still doing the work, learned what actually moves the needle, and now helps others do the same. That’s why I call myself the Chief Helpfulness Officer.

📲 Curious how we can help? Text me directly: +1 323-690-1659

Founder, Chief Helpfulness Officer

Iron Dog Fitness

I am the owner and founder of Iron Dog Fitness Personal Training.  I am a personal trainer with over 23 years of experience in the health and fitness industry.  My primary objective is to help you achieve your personal health and fitness goals. I don't put together a cookie-cutter workout and nutrition plan. I walk you through an initial assessment that is designed to target not just your goals but what you need to work on to assure a successful outcome specific to the plan we create together just for you.

USA Weightlifting Sports Performance Coach
International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation Certified Kettlebell Trainer
USATF Level 1 Coach
CIF Certified Coach

*Specialties: 
- Certified Kettlebell Trainer 
- Heavy Rope Training
- Optimum Performance Bodywork 
- Active Isolated Stretching Techniques 

For more information go to www.irondogfitness.com

Founder, Entrepreneur, Personal Trainer

Commerce Business Council

I proudly serve as a Ambassador as well being an active member of the Commerce Industrial Council Chamber assisting the chamber in the city of Commerce promote local business and build strong relationships with the community.  My services include assisting in promoting chamber events and informing members of the many benefits of chamber membership. My goal is to help every chamber member maximize the benefits of chamber functions as well as services provided and informing them of the many benefits available to them through the city.

Ambassador

I proudly serve as a Ambassador as well being an active member of the Commerce Industrial Council Chamber assisting the chamber in the city of Commerce promote local business and build strong relationships with the community. My services include assisting in promoting chamber events and informing members of the many benefits of chamber membership. My goal is to help chamber members maximize the benefits of chamber functions as well as services provided and informing them of the many benefits available to them throughout the city.

Ambassador Chair

AME -  Alliance of Multicultural Entrepreneurs 

Promote the vision of AME (Alliance of Multicultural Entrepreneurs), membership drive, social media marketing campaigns, seek sponsorship and facilitate networking events. Establishing and maintaining a strong business relationship between the business community and AME.

Board Of Directors

Board of Advisors

Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce

Volunteer in the promotion of the chamber, membership outreach, membership retention, event planning and organization and facilitation of networking events, grand openings and ribbon cuttings.

Project NEO

Outreach to the community to introduce them to the mission of Project NEO and it's free tutoring program for students of the Alhambra Unified School District. Fundraising, MC at events; help organize, coordinate and facilitate fundraiser events. 
Help with providing direction and making relevant decisions to grow and expand the mission of Project NEO to other community schools by providing a school-based learning program for at-risk youth.

President

Board of Director

Vice President

Santa Fe Springs Chamber of Commerce

As an Ambassador my responsibilities are to help facilitate chamber events, welcome and greet people as they arrive to chamber events as well as introduce prospective members including new members to current members.  My other responsibilites is to coach members on the benefits of chamber membership as well as introduce them to the various opportunities they have to get involved in activities of the chamber to help residents of the City of Santa Fe Springs.

MONTEREY PARK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Help with strategic planning for the advancement of the Chamber and member benefits. Establishing and maintaining a strong business relationship between the business community and the city of Monterey Park. Advise prospective members of the benefits of chamber membership and maximizing the results of participation. Membership retention and expansion. Establishing a healthy relationship amongst businesses and the community.

Executive Board Member

SOUTH GATE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE A CORP

Primary function is to help the Executive Director in promoting the South Gate Chamber of Commerce, helping members understand the benefits of Chamber membership and introducing prospective members to the chamber. Assisting with chamber functions such as grand openings, open house, ribbon cutting and networking events. Help local businesses thrive in the community by building strong relationships within the community.

Board of Directors

LAPD Centurions Football

As part of the LAPD Centurions Football program my responsibilities primarily are to design and implememt a pre-season and in-season strength and conditioning program to help improve athletic skills, prevent injury and improve strength.

Head Strength & Conditioning Coach

Chief Helpfulness Officer at Xocial Gong LLC | LinkedIn Strategist | Community-Driven Brand Builder

What is a Personal Link(Ed)In Net(Work)ER?

Let’s break it down:
Link(Ed) = education, connection, access
Net(Work)ER = doing the work, increasing your net, becoming the responder who moves relationships forward

It’s a philosophy, a strategy, and the title of my upcoming book. (A free course is in the works too — stay tuned 📚👀.)

I started as a personal trainer with no marketing budget and no visibility. Before I even named my company Iron Dog Fitness, I had a tough realization: no one knew who I was. That sparked a journey of self-education and strategic experimentation.

I learned that Facebook creates awareness, LinkedIn builds trust, and newsletters keep you top of mind. I built my brand around these pillars, eventually growing from unknown to in-demand — and along the way, I helped others do the same.

As I volunteered with chambers of commerce and nonprofits, I used my newsletter and outreach to revive participation and drive real engagement. One councilmember even asked for my help on his mayoral campaign based on the transformation I sparked in his local chamber. That’s when I knew I wasn’t just promoting myself — I was building a repeatable system.

Today, I run Xocial Gong LLC, a LinkedIn-focused marketing agency for small business owners, startups, and freelancers — people like me, who wear too many hats and have too little time or budget.

Most of my clients don’t need to advertise on LinkedIn. They just need to optimize their profile, apply the right etiquette, and use proven outreach methods to get in the door with decision-makers.

That’s where we come in.

Xocial Gong is the “Link” and “Ed” educator that helps you get “In” with your ideal customers. We increase your “Net” profits by doing the “Work” for you on LinkedIn — using “ER” (Effective, Responsive) strategies to fill your calendar with quality leads who are already interested in what you offer.

Let’s connect if you’re ready to turn LinkedIn into your #1 relationship-building tool.
📲 Text me directly: 323-690-1659

Damien Orozco

The "I’m waiting on marketing to fix this PDF" excuse just died. 🪦

If you’ve been tab-switching between ChatGPT, Canva, and Adobe all day, your workflow just got a massive upgrade, and the "App Wars" just officially heated up.

Here’s the news:

Adobe just announced they are integrating Photoshop, Express, and Acrobat directly into ChatGPT.

Whtat this means for you:

You can now use a simple text prompt to trigger high-level edits, create designs, or merge PDFs without ever leaving the chat interface.

Why this actually matters for Lead Gen (The Meat):

Most people are looking at this as a "cool tech feature." They are missing the bigger picture.

For sales pros and thought leaders, friction is the enemy of execution.

Every time you have to open a new app to resize an image, fix a typo in a sales deck, or tweak a whitepaper, you lose momentum. This integration removes that friction. It brings the creation to the conversation.

Canva and Figma beat them to the punch back in October, but Adobe entering the Chat gladiator arena brings "pro-level" tools to the massive ChatGPT user base.

Here is my take:

I’ve seen too many brilliant lead magnets and sales assets sit in "draft mode" because the creator got stuck on formatting.

This integration isn't about making you a graphic designer; it's about making you a faster communicator.

Need to personalize a PDF case study for a prospect? Do it in the chat.
Need a quick visual for a LinkedIn post about your new offer? Prompt it in the chat.

Speed to market = Speed to lead. 

Most of us have heard this before: Success loves Speed.

Your Turn:
Are you sticking with the user-friendly vibes of Canva, or are you ready to embrace the power of Adobe now that it's text-based?
Let’s argue in the comments. 👇
#LinkedInTips #SalesEnablement #AI #Adobe #LeadGen #StanSocialSprint

(10) LinkedIn

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Chief Helpfulness Officer at Xocial Gong. Your personal Link(Ed)In Net(Work)ER. We hook'm, book'm and all you do is close'm. Let's grow your business. Find out how! 👉🏾📞🗣️💬 +1 323.690.1659

This is so humbling and awesome. I was recently featured by the LinkedIn team in their “Community Member Spotlight” in Club Navigator Community.

Here is how this all got started: 

📧 Hi Damien,

I hope you’re having a good week!

I just reached out via LinkedIn. I’m Francesca, the new Community Manager in the Sales Navigator Community. I’ll be helping Eva to continue to grow and support the Community by providing opportunities for members to gain and share valuable insights. 

Over the past few months, we have been noticing your contributions and engagement in the Community, and we’d love to feature you in the next “Community Member Spotlight” that will be shared next week.

This totally caught me off guard, and quite honestly, my eyes got a little teary with happiness.

It's nice to be recognized for just being yourself. I do my best to share useful information and comment with valuable insights, and admittedly sometimes challenge a post.
#AttitudeofGratitude #Humbled #EntrepreneurLife #IAmI #BeYourSelf #StanSocialSprint

Looking for a way to fill your sales calendar without cold calls or awkward DMs? 👀

The old-school referral is still the most powerful growth engine for any small business.

But most people aren’t using it right on LinkedIn.

Here’s how to make referrals work for you (and for others):

1. Make it easy for people to refer you 
Don’t wait for someone to “remember” what you do. Share a simple one-liner about who you help and how. Post it on your profile and in your content. Example: “I help local gyms attract new members through social media.”

2. Ask directly – but make it specific 
A vague “Let me know if you hear of anyone” never works. Instead, try: 
“Do you know any gym owners who want more signups this month?” 
The more specific, the better the results.

3. Give referrals often 
Spot a need in someone’s network? Connect the dots. Comment on someone’s post with a tag and quick note. “@JaneSmith – thought of your bakery after reading this!” 
People remember those who help them win.

4. Use LinkedIn’s recommendation feature 
Take 5 minutes to write a LinkedIn recommendation for a client or partner. This is more public than a DM and gets noticed by their network, too.

5. Follow up with gratitude 
When someone sends a referral, thank them publicly (when appropriate) and privately. People are way more likely to refer again if they feel valued.

The best part? Referrals work both ways. The more you help others grow, the more growth comes back to you.

Want to keep your sales calendar full? 
Start by asking for one referral today—and give one to someone else in your network.

Who will you help next?

#StanSocialSprint #SmallBusinessTips #LeadGeneration #ReferralNetwork #LinkedInGrowth

Why LinkedIn doesn't work for me.

I hear this one all the time.

Here’s the funny part: It’s usually not LinkedIn. It’s how we’re using it.

Let’s break down the most common excuses (or reasons) and how to fix them.

1. "No one sees my posts."

Try mixing things up. Post content that actually solves a problem for your network. Use questions or share a quick story. Stories and solution-based content always get more attention. 💡

2. "I get connections, but no messages."

Don’t just collect contacts; start real conversations! Send a friendly note. Ask what they’re working on. Be curious, not salesy! 🫱🏾🫲🏾

3. "I post, but no one engages."

Do you engage with others first? Comment on their stuff. Give before you ask. LinkedIn rewards people who act like humans, not robots. 😄

4. "LinkedIn is full of spam."

True, sometimes. But you control your feed. Unfollow, block, or mute the noise. Connect with people who actually care about their work and reputation. 🧹

5. "It takes too much time."

You don’t have to spend hours here. Fifteen minutes a day gives you enough time to comment, post, and connect. Small actions add up over time. ⏰

Bottom line: LinkedIn actually works👉🏾 if you do. If you want to win a game, you have to show up. Swap the excuses for small habits that build trust and real relationships.

Sounds simple, but it’s proven to work time and time again.

#LinkedInTips #LeadGeneration #SmallBusinessGrowth #BrandBuilding #RelationshipMarketing #StanSocialSprint

Ever get a random cold call and cringe a little (actually probably a lot)?

Let’s be real: cold calling feels like knocking on doors people want to keep shut. 😮

But here’s what makes LinkedIn different. 🤔

On LinkedIn, you can actually build a relationship before pitching anything. 
It’s like showing up to someone’s party with something to add, not just a sales script.

Here’s the difference:

Cold Calling 

Pros:

🤔 Sometimes it’s the only way to reach prospects who aren’t on LinkedIn.
😃 If you’re quick and clear, you can get immediate answers.
😃 Builds phone confidence and grit.

Cons:

👉🏾 You interrupt someone’s day
👉🏾 They don’t know you or trust you.
👉🏾 You have seconds to make it work, or you’re out.


Relationship Building on LinkedIn 

Pros:

😃 You start with value, not a pitch.
👀 People see your name and face before you ever start a conversation
🗣️You can comment, share, and connect long before you ever “sell”.
🤗 Turns a cold call into a warm call if your prospect connects with you here.

Cons:

☹️ Not every ideal prospect is active on LinkedIn or even has an account. ⏰ Building genuine relationships takes time and consistency.

Bottom line:
 
There’s still a place for cold calling, especially for prospects who live off LinkedIn. 
But when you connect on LinkedIn first, your “cold” calls can suddenly feel a lot warmer.

Stop being a stranger. Start being a connection people actually want.

Have any tips you'd like to share 🤔 Drop them below 👇🏾
#LinkedInTips #LeadGeneration #RelationshipMarketing #BusinessGrowth #SmallBusiness #StanSocialSprint

Ever stared at your LinkedIn post, counting Likes and wondering what you’re missing? 👀

It’s easy to get stuck in the “Like trap”. A post takes off, and you start thinking you’ve cracked the code. Or... you get ten Likes and start doubting every word.

But here’s what most people get wrong about Likes 🤯 Likes are not a trophy, and they’re definitely not a sign you’ll win new business. ☹️

A Like can mean a lot of things:

👉🏾 Someone agrees with you (or barely reads it, hits Like, moves on)
👉🏾 They want you to notice them (they might be trying to win your business)
👉🏾 They're supporting the person you tagged or the event you shared
👉🏾 They're trying to get the attention of your network
👉🏾 They're your fans, and they love your content (could be prospects, power partners, or customers cheering you on)
👉🏾 Or, sometimes, accidentally hit the "Like" button.

None of these means they’re about to become your next client.

So, what do you really need to track if you want to see growth and land real leads? 📈👀🤔💭

Watch for the things that happen behind the scenes:

👉🏾 Are more people checking your profile after a post?
👉🏾 Did views on your 'Featured' section or 'Services' page jump?
👉🏾 Did you get more connection requests, or even better, more DMs with real questions?
👉🏾 Are people actually commenting, therefore starting conversations?

The best signals are off the main stage. The DM that says “I liked your post, can we chat?” is worth 100 Likes. 💬

So next time you post, don’t sweat a low Like count. Obsess over the right metrics: Profile views. DMs. The way people talk to you after they see your content.

If you want to stop chasing vanity metrics and start building real business through LinkedIn, send me a DM, or drop a comment below, and let’s talk strategy.

#LinkedInTips #LeadGeneration #BrandBuilding #BusinessGrowth

Ever look up in December and wonder where the year went? 🎯⏳

I think every small business owner does.

Eleven months fly by before you even realize it. Some things go exactly as planned. Others... not so much. 🤷‍♂️

Maybe you finally nailed that new outreach strategy. 💡 Or grew your LinkedIn presence and brought in new leads. 📈 Maybe you tried something bold that just didn’t hit like you hoped. 😅

The wins and the misses both count. Looking back, those “off-script” moments usually teach us way more than any plan ever could.

What worked for you this year? ✔️  
What surprised you? 🤔  
What totally flopped? ❌

Now’s the time to take stock so you can use every single lesson in December. There’s still a whole month left to finish strong. 💪🎉

December doesn’t have to be about slowing down. It can be your best month, if you want it to be. 🌟

So here’s what I’m doing: looking at the results, tweaking what didn’t work, doubling down on what did, and using every lesson to push harder this last month. 🔄

What about you?  
What’s one lesson you learned in the past 11 months, or what are you planning to do differently in December? 📝

Let’s hear it. Your reflection might help someone else wrap up the year on a high note. 🚀✨

#SmallBusiness #EntrepreneurLife #LinkedInTips #YearEndReflection #StanSocialSprint

First impressions on LinkedIn aren't just important, they are everything. 👀

Think about the last person you met online. Did you trust them more if they had a clear, friendly photo? Or did you hesitate if the image felt outdated or low quality? 🤔

Your LinkedIn profile picture is your digital handshake. 🤝📸 It's the first thing people see, along with your LinkedIn banner, whether they're recruiters, clients, or potential partners. 

People make snap decisions fast. ⏱️

Here’s the cold truth: 👇🏾

A blurry selfie or a cropped party photo sends the wrong message. People may wonder whether you take your business seriously, and theirs, if they were to do business with you. 🚫 It sounds harsh, but we all do it, even if it's unconscious.

Your photo doesn't have to be professionally shot, but it should be clear, recent, well-lit, and show you at your best. Smile. Look approachable. Wear what you’d wear to an important meeting. 😊👔👗

I’ve seen clients make this one change and suddenly experience more profile views, higher engagement, and more incoming connection requests. It’s a small adjustment that can spark bigger results. 🚀📈

Here’s a quick checklist:

👉🏾 Is your photo current (taken within the last 2 years)? 📅
👉🏾 Does it show your face clearly? 🧑💼
👉🏾 Would you trust someone with this picture? 👓
👉🏾 Does it reflect the professional image you want to project?👀
👉🏾 If they ran into you randomly at a street corner, would they recognize you from your profile photo? 🤯

If you’re unsure, ask a trusted friend for honest feedback. Sometimes, a fresh eye spots what we miss. 👂🧐

Remember, on LinkedIn, you rarely get a second chance at a first impression. Your photo is your first step to building trust before a message is ever sent. 💡🛤️

When did you last update your profile picture? If it's been a while, maybe today’s the day to take that small but powerful step. 📲

Want a professional headshot? 🤔💭 Comment 'headshot' below and I will connect you with a professional photographer in my network.
If you're a photographer, give yourself a shout-out below so people can reach out to you. 📸👀😃

#LinkedInTips #PersonalBranding #ProfilePhoto #FirstImpression #LeadGeneration #StanSocialSprint

Anyone else here tired of people trying to sell you AI prompt collections, the next AI software, or both 🤔💭 Do you already have an encyclopedia of AI prompts?

🛑 Stop Copy-Pasting Your Prompts! Meet Your New AI Entourage.

Did you know you can stop treating your AI like a stranger every time you open a new chat?

If you’ve been keeping a "cheat sheet" of prompts that you copy-paste every time you need specific help (like "Act as a Senior Python Dev" or "Be my strict Grammar Editor"), you can officially delete that file.

Meet "Gems" in Gemini. 💎

Think of Gems as custom versions of Gemini that remember your instructions forever. You build them once, and they stay in your sidebar, ready to work.

Imagine having: 

👨💻 A Coding Partner that already knows your tech stack. 
✍️ A Social Media Manager that knows your brand voice perfectly. 
🥗 A Sous Chef that remembers your allergies and what's in your fridge.

It’s not just a time-saver; it’s like building your own team of specialized experts.

Have you tried building a custom Gem yet? What’s the first one you’re making? 👇

#AI #ProductivityHacks #Gemini #FutureOfWork #TechTips #StanSocialSprint

Watch out, TikTok & YouTube (Google)! The Instagram+Amazon Power Move is Here! 📺📱

Big news for the creator economy and streaming giants! Instagram Reels are officially making the jump from your phone screen to your Amazon Fire TV with a brand-new, dedicated app: "Instagram for TV."

This power move by Instagram (Meta) is a massive strategic play:

1. Lean Back Viewing: Reels are organized into channels (think Sports, Travel, Music) for a true "lean back" television experience. Hello, shared viewing parties!

2. Strategic Partnership: By prioritizing Amazon Fire TV for this rollout in the U.S., Instagram (Meta) is positioning itself directly against rivals like YouTube and TikTok on the biggest screen in the house.

3. Multi-Account Magic: The app supports up to five accounts, making it a true household entertainment hub.

This move solidifies Reels as a core entertainment format, not just a mobile time-killer. It’s a huge opportunity for creators to reach viewers in a new context and for advertisers to access premium TV inventory.

What do you think? Will you be using the Instagram for TV app? Let me know in the comments!👇🏾

#Instagram #Reels #AmazonFireTV #Meta #CreatorEconomy #DigitalMarketing #StreamingTV #StanSocialSprint

Hey Small Business Owner, Entrepreneurs, & Freelancers. Let's shine together.

Let's try something new and unique today. Post your Black Friday Deal below. 
Here are all the rules:
(1) No business opportunity posts
(2) Share the regular price and what the Black Friday price is
(3) Tell us a little bit about the product or service.
(4) Help people understand how your product or service helps them.
Happy Posting
#SupportSmallBusiness #ShopSmall

You got some likes, comments, & shares on your last post. Amazing. 😃

Did it pay the electric bill? Probably not. 🤯

The most frustrating feeling for a small business owner is seeing high social media engagement but zero movement in the bank account. ☹️

The problem is usually that you are optimizing for Vanity Metrics instead of Buying Signals.📈📊🚦

If you want to know whether your content is actually generating sales leads, stop looking at the heart icon and start looking for these specific clues. 🕵🏽‍♂️

Here is the hierarchy of social media signals, from "noise" to "next customer":

🚫 THE NOISE (Low Intent)

👉🏾 A "Like" 👍🏾 or "Heart." 💖
👉🏾 Generic comments like "Great post! 🔥" or "So true!"
(These help the algorithm, but they don’t pay the bills.)

🤔 THE SILENT CONSIDERATION (Medium Intent)

These are hidden signals that show someone is evaluating your expertise for later.

🗝️ High "Save" Counts: A Save means, "I need this, but I can't implement it right now." They are flagging themselves as a future customer.
🤐 Private Shares: You see zero public reposts, but your analytics show 20 "Shares" (a.k.a. Dark Social). This means your content is being DM'd privately between decision-makers or partners.

💰 THE BUYING SIGNALS (High Intent)
The best leads often show up as "barriers to entry" in the comments. They have a specific hurdle they need you to remove so they can proceed with the purchase.

👉🏾 The Logistics Check: "Do you serve clients in [Location]?" or "Is this available for Mac users?"

👉🏾 The Availability Check: "Are you taking on new projects for Q4?"
👉🏾 The Implementation Question: "How would this strategy apply if my business is in [Specific Niche]?"

But the obvious 'Buying Signal' is when someone privately sends you a message inside your LinkedIn Inbox (or InMail), Emails you directly, calls you directly, or uses some other direct form of communication, such as your other social media accounts. 🗣️📞😃 That's a BIG WIN 🥳

The Takeaway:

If you are only getting hearts, your content is entertaining.
If you are getting specific questions, your content is selling.

Go check the comments on your last three posts. Are they noise, or are they signals?

👇🏾 Which of these "buying signals" do you see most often on your profile? Let me know below.
#SocialSelling #LinkedInStrategy #SmallBusinessTips #LeadGeneration #StanSocialSprint

Let’s talk about the one thing killing your LinkedIn profile faster than a bad headshot. 🚫📸

Writing your About section like it’s a press release.

Seriously, stop talking about yourself in the third person. 🤷‍♂️
It’s not building trust.
It’s just weird.

“John is a visionary leader...” 🙄
Who actually talks like that?

Here’s the real secret: your About section isn’t a résumé.
It’s a handshake. 🤝

Your "About" section is your shot to actually connect with another person. 👋

If your About sounds like a Wikipedia page, you’re missing the point.

Your prospects don’t care about buzzwords or how many industry awards you “seamlessly leveraged.” 🏆

Your prospects care if you understand their headaches. 😓
If you can relate.

Try this:

👉🏾 Share a real story about a problem you solved (or solve). 💡
👉🏾 Talk about why you love what you do. ❤️
👉🏾 Make it obvious you’re an actual human, not a corporate robot in a suit. 🤖

Easy test: read your "About" section out loud. 🗣️
If you wouldn’t say those words to a potential client over coffee, it's time to rewrite it.

Personal wins trust. 🏆
Trust brings business. 💼
Stop hiding behind stiff text.

Go review your profile. 🔍
Be brave.
Make it real.

And if you’re brave enough, drop a before and after in the comments. 📝

Let’s see who sounds more like a person than a press release. Feel free to criticize mine as well. I occasionally update it because I'm never happy with what I wrote a month ago. 😂

#LinkedInTips #PersonalBranding #StanSocialSprint #LeadGeneration #SmallBusinessGrowth

Some days, I look at my LinkedIn inbox and wonder if anyone actually reads what they send. 🤔

You know the ones. 👇🏾

👉🏾 The cold pitches that feel like they were written by a robot who never had to make rent. 🤖

👉🏾 Or the connection requests that start with "I see we have mutual interests" but never say what those are. 💬

Here's my favorite one: I've been following you and really enjoy your content. Hint: I ask them which piece of content they were referring to, and guess what kind of response I get? A band of crickets. 🦗

I used to get annoyed. Now, honestly, I feel a little sad for them. 😅

Why? Because behind every awkward message is a real person, probably just trying to hit a number, a quota, or prove something to their boss. 📊

But here’s the thing I keep coming back to: the best connections I’ve made here didn’t start with a pitch. They started with a question. Or a story. Or just a moment of actual curiosity. 👀

It’s weird how rare that is.

I’ve been guilty of rushing, too. Sending something out just to check it off the list. ✅ But the times I slowed down, asked a real question, or shared something I was actually struggling with... those are the conversations that stuck. 💡

Maybe that’s the real trick. Not optimizing for volume, but for honesty. ❤️

I don’t have a perfect system. Some days I still fall into old habits. But I’m trying to remember that there’s a person on the other side, not just a profile. 👤

And when I do, the whole thing feels a lot less like work. 🙌

If you’re tired of the copy-paste messages and want to build genuine relationships here, drop a comment or connect with me. 

Tell me one thing you wish people would do differently on LinkedIn. Let’s start a real conversation.🤔💭

#LinkedInTips #LeadGeneration #RelationshipMarketing #HumanFirst #StanSocialSprint

There’s a weird myth floating around that you need to be on every social media platform, all the time, to build your brand. 🤯

Post daily. Comment on every trending topic. Jump on every new feature the second it drops.

Gary Vaynerchuk says you should post everywhere, several times a day. 
Meanwhile, other experts insist you should focus hard on just one platform and get really good at it.

No wonder business owners and solopreneurs feel pulled in every direction. 

One minute it’s all about "be everywhere" hustle, the next it’s "go deep in one channel."

Honestly, it’s exhausting just thinking about it.

Here’s what I’ve learned watching people try both:

Consistency beats intensity every single time. 🏁

You don’t have to be the loudest. You don’t have to follow every trend or copy the latest expert playbook.

You just have to show up, regularly, with something real to say.

Some weeks, your posts will flop. 
Other weeks, a simple tip will spark a dozen private messages, new connections, and even a meeting with the decision maker you’ve been wanting to meet. ✉️

But the magic isn’t found in chasing viral moments or burning out trying to keep up with every new trend.

The magic in the steady drumbeat of showing up, even on the days you wonder if anyone’s listening. 🥁

That’s how trust is built. That’s how relationships grow.

So if you’re feeling burned out by all the contradictions and noise, here’s my take:

Pick your lane. 
Show up however you can. 
Repeat. 🔁

That’s enough.

Actually, that’s the foundation most people skip over while chasing the next quick win.

If you’re overwhelmed by what the experts say, remember the following. Your job isn’t to do everything. It’s to do what you can keep doing, well.

How do you handle all the conflicting advice? Have you found a rhythm that works for you? Share the love by letting others know what's working for you. No sales pitches, please (I will delete them). Share your genuine experience below. 

#LinkedInTips #PersonalBranding #Solopreneur #ConsistencyMatters #SocialMediaStrategy #StanSocialSprint

🛍️ 10 Reasons to Shop SMALL This Black Friday, Cyber Monday & Small Business Saturday! 🎁

Skip the big box crowds and the endless scroll of massive retailers! This year, make your holiday shopping matter by choosing a small business. Here are 10 great reasons why your support is a huge deal:

Why Shopping Small is a BIG Win!

😃 Unique Finds, Not Cookie-Cutter Gifts: You'll discover one-of-a-kind treasures that truly show you put thought into the present, instead of mass-produced items everyone else has.

😃 Every Dollar Stays Local: Small businesses typically reinvest 3x more of their revenue back into the local economy than chain stores. That means better schools, roads, and services for your community!

😃 Customer Service That Cares: Say goodbye to automated phone menus! You get personalized attention and direct access to people who are passionate about their products.

😃 Creates & Sustains Local Jobs: Your purchase directly supports the jobs of your neighbors, friends, and family. You're not just buying a product; you're funding a livelihood.

 😃 A Boost to Creativity & Innovation: Small businesses are often run by entrepreneurs pushing the boundaries of their craft. You're supporting innovation and artistic vision!

 😃 Less Environmental Impact: Many small businesses source locally, leading to less transportation, less waste, and a smaller carbon footprint.

😃 More Meaningful Discounts: Unlike big stores that mark up just to mark down, small business sales are often a genuine thank you to their customers and a chance to clear inventory with thoughtful deals.

😃 Helps Build Community Character: Small shops are the soul of your town! They sponsor local teams, donate to charities, and make your Main Street a vibrant, unique place to visit.

😃 Higher Quality, Curated Goods: Owners are often experts in their niche, hand-selecting or crafting items for superior quality and durability.

😃 The "Happy Dance" Factor: Seriously, when you make a purchase from a small business, you are making a real person (often the owner!) do a little happy dance. Try getting that feeling from a giant corporation! 😉
Mark Your Calendars!

 👉🏾 Black Friday: Nov 28 🖤
 👉🏾 Small Business Saturday: Nov 29 🛍️ (The official day to #ShopSmall!)
 👉🏾 Cyber Monday: Nov 30 💻 (Many small businesses have online deals too!)
#ShopSmall #SmallBusinessSaturday #BlackFriday #CyberMonday #SupportLocal #HolidayShopping #BuyLocal #Gifts #StanSocialSprint

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It's easy to feel grateful when everything is going your way. 🤔💭

But real gratitude shows up when things don’t go as planned, but you keep showing up anyway. 🙏

I want to give a genuine thank you to every client who’s trusted me along the way. 💙

Every partnership started with a simple connection. Maybe it was a message on LinkedIn 💬 or a quick chat in person 🤝. From there, it grew into real conversations. We talked about your business 🏢, dug into your challenges, and explored what wasn’t working. Those honest discussions about pain points 🩹 are what set the groundwork.

That’s how it happens, every time. Trust is built 🛠️, and they decide to let you and your business help tackle those challenges. That trust? It means everything to me.

Being an entrepreneur means taking risks every day. There will be times you will make decisions and will regret them (I know, I've made these mistakes).

Sometimes things fall into place 🥰. Other times, it feels like nothing is going as planned. ☹️ But I’ve learned that every tough day, every failure, and every small win is all part of building something bigger. 📈

You won’t succeed without risk. 🚦 You won’t grow if you never fall down along the way. But every small step forward, every time you get back up, it gets you closer to where you want to go and where you deserve to be. 🏃‍♂️

So thank you to everyone who started with a simple connection, commented on one of my social media posts, shared real business pains, and then trusted me to help. 🥰

Whether your journey is smooth or bumpy right now, don’t forget: the little steps matter more than you think. 🌱

Here’s to the risks, the lessons, and the wins ahead. 🚀

Share your gratitude story below. 👇🏾😃

#Gratitude #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #ClientSuccess #LinkedInFamily #TrustBuilding #TakeRisks #KeepGoing #BusinessGrowth #StanSocialSprint

Ever get this advice? 👀🤔💭
"Just engage with your prospects' content, and you'll build relationships that turn into sales." 🤔

Here's the problem:

Most of my ideal clients on LinkedIn barely post. 
Some never post at all. 👀

So what do you do when there’s nothing to comment on? 
And your DMs are met with silence? 🦗

This is where most advice falls flat.

If you're selling to business owners, founders, or even busy execs, you’ll run into this all the time.

Here’s what actually works for me (and my clients):

1. Optimize your profile so it does the talking 

If your profile is clear, inviting, and focused on your buyer’s pain points, you become discoverable. 
Think of it as your 24/7 sales page. 🛠️ 
A good profile pulls people in, even without any outreach.

2. Post content that answers their silent questions
 
Most people don't post, but they do scroll. 
Share tips, quick wins, or stories that speak to the problems your ideal clients are facing. 
You might not see them like or comment, but they're paying attention. 👓

3. Use your network to get warm intros

If you have mutual connections, ask for a quick intro. 
People ignore cold DMs, but a warm intro from someone they trust cuts through.

4. Be visible in their circles

Join the same groups or events they attend. 
Show up to webinars, comment on company pages, or share their company’s updates. 
It’s about being seen, not just being in their inbox.

5. Give value before you ask for anything

Share a resource or insight that solves something for them, with zero pressure. 
No pitch, just help. 
That’s how you break the ice on LinkedIn—especially with people who don’t post or reply. 🧊

Bottom line:

Don’t wait for your prospects to make the first move, because most won’t.

Lead with value in your profile, your posts, and your approach. You’ll attract the right folks, even if they're silent.

This has opened more doors for me (and my clients) than any "just comment on their post" tactic ever has.

#LinkedInTips #LeadGeneration #RelationshipBuilding #SmallBusinessGrowth #StanSocialSprint

Sales objection alert! 🚨 You hear those dreaded words: "I can't afford it." Don't panic! Instead of seeing it as a dead end, see it as an opportunity to dig deeper.

Here’s how to handle the "I don't have the money" objection without breaking a sweat:

1. Agree & Empathize 🤗 

Never argue. Start by acknowledging their concern.  

Try this: "I completely understand that budget is a top priority. It's smart to be careful with your investments."

2. Get Curious & Isolate the Objection 🕵️‍♀️ 

Is it really about money, or is it about value? Time to find out.  

Try this: "Just so I'm clear, if budget wasn't an issue, would our service be the right solution for you?"

This helps you understand if you're facing a genuine budget constraint or if you haven't demonstrated enough value yet.

3. Reframe from Cost to Investment 💰➡️📈 

Shift the conversation from what they'll spend to what they'll gain.  

Try this: "I see this less as a cost and more as an investment. Our clients typically see [mention a specific ROI, like 'a 25% increase in productivity' or 'save 10 hours per month']. What would that kind of return mean for you?"

4. Offer Flexible Solutions 🤸 

If it's a true cash flow issue, show you're willing to work with them.  

Try this: "We have a few different packages and flexible payment options. Would you be open to exploring a plan that fits more comfortably within your current budget?"

Turning a price objection around is all about proving your value and showing you're a partner, not just a vendor.

If you want more practical ways to handle tough objections and start closing more deals, let's talk. 😃

I'm booking a few strategy sessions this week for business owners ready to level up their sales game.
  
Interested? Reach out, and let's see how I can help.

#SalesTips #ObjectionHandling #ClosingDeals #BusinessGrowth #EntrepreneurLife #StanSocialSprint

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The Battle

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Damien Orozco

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taplio

The Battle

David Walker

Damien Orozco

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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);}David Walker's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreDavid Walker's LinkedIn Performance