Hi! I'm David. I help founders and community leaders navigate big trials, decisions, and transitions. Together, we help you discover the work you love, be exceptional at what you do, and live a richer and more fulfilling life.

Why work with *me*? So glad you asked! 

My intention is for my clients to get a 10X ROI from coaching, so we want to be clear on your goals, which could include things like:

1. Restructure your business for profitability
2. Facilitate a big change in culture
3. Step down from your role and find your next chapter
4. Become a 10x better team manager
5. Navigate cofounder conflict and misalignment

My approach is a balance of inner work and outer strategy. What that looks like in practice:

1️⃣ Depth + Inner Work

We identify the patterns and beliefs that are keeping you stuck and stressed, while building your capacity to stay grounded under pressure. We will bring in proven practices for inner work, presence, nervous system management, emotional fluidity, and radical self-inquiry.

2️⃣ Strategic Planning and Operations

I’ve been a founder 4x, scaled CMX to a global network, led it through an acquisition, managed teams, published a book, burned out, and rebuilt myself through deep inner work and leadership development.

3️⃣ Relational Fitness and Community Design

All work is relational in nature, whether we’re collaborating, leading, managing, or serving. I’ve spent my career studying how humans connect, how cultures emerge, and how to create thriving communities.

--

Here's what my clients have said about our work together:

"David is the most special kind of coach. I don’t even know how to describe him to people. His ability to listen, REALLY listen, and gently challenge me with thoughtful questions is unlike any coach I’ve ever worked with. Working with David opened up a whole new world of self-discovery and growth for me. It was an absolute honor.” 
– Danielle Letayf, CEO and Founder, Badassery

“I cannot overstate how helpful David Spinks has been as my exec coach. If you’re in need of a mentor who can unearth your own wisdom when it’s needed, but also tell you what works and what doesn’t when that’s appropriate, he is THE guy.”
— Greg Larkin, Founder, Punks and Pinstripes

“I’ve worked with a lot of consultants in all types of different areas of focus, and working with David was the most interesting and meaningful work I’ve done.” 
- Devin Gage, Founder and CEO, Gage Strength Training

--

Head to davidspinks.com to get in touch and book a free intro session.

David Spinks

i asked my son who his best friends are in kindergarten...

he named ten kids. TEN!

i said, "wow you're really good at making best friends. what's your secret?"

he said "you just have to say something nice to them."

there you have it people. the cure to the loneliness epidemic. 

may we all say nice things to each other and have 10 best friends. 

except samantha, who said she wasn't his best friend. samantha needs to chill.

🌀 David Spinks

founder coach | transition guide | community strategist | linkydinky silly boy - davidspinks.com 🌀

just saw a popular post from an influencer that was 100% ai-generated and 100% of the comments were ai-generated.  

hundreds of likes and comments and none of them were from a person. 

what kind of fresh hell is this?

is it all just bots talking to each other here now??

are you all gone? am i the only one still here? how can i be sure any of you are human?!

quick someone say something only a human would say

i've been on linkydinky for like 15 years and never went viral. this week, two of my posts have gone viral. some reflections:

- wtf?

- this has driven zero business value that i'm aware of

- but the comments have given me at least 17 good belly chuckles, which is solid roi tbh

- no one has said anything mean to me in the comments. which is frankly shocking.

- i've gotten over 100 connection requests and none of them have any context. i don't really know what to do about that.

- i feel the pressure to make my next post a banger, so it's guaranteed to flop

- people keep stopping me on the street and saying "hey are you that guy with the two viral posts on linkydinky this week?!" 

- that last one isn't true

- my conspiracy theory is that the algorithm is a chaos agent that just chooses random posts to go viral with no rhyme or reason

- or there is no algorithm. there's just a guy named greg who sits in a room and chooses posts at random to go viral

- maybe going viral once increases the likelihood of it happening again? is that true, greg?

- if you ask people to prove they're human in the comments, they mostly just start speaking in tongues

- when a post goes viral, for a brief moment in time, a mini community emerges in the comments. it takes on a life of its own. it has its own inside jokes, culture, and vibes. and then just like that, it's gone.

- the real treasure is the friends we made along the way

- samantha still needs to chill. but not bus samantha. bus samantha can sit with us.

the best thing i did on linkydinky last year was follow the people posting weird, unhinged stuff. the stuff that has absolutely no business being on linkedin.

it inspired me to let my weird out and just have fun. 

sure, i can be weird on other social networks. but something about doing it in this (often) corporate hellhole makes it that much more delicious.

so in 2026, i want to double down on my strategy and follow more of you unhinged weirdos.

who are the people in your feeds posting stuff that makes you laugh?

please tag them so i can follow them too, and be blessed with their vibes.

--

and obligatory shoutout to Jillian Richardson 👋 who first opened this floodgate for me.

shout out to every human out there who's building community.

it's tough work. can be confusing. high pressure. lots of drama. thankless. and doesn't often pay well.

but it can also bring some of the most joyful moments this universe has to offer. may you find many more of those moments.

thank you for making sure we don't all die alone.

happy community manager appreciation day!

friendly reminder that you don't build community. 

you create the conditions for community to emerge. 

get the right people together in the right container and community takes care of itself.

everywhere i look now i see ai-sounding writing. 

it immediately makes me feel negatively about the content. i lose trust in it. i feel less connected to the author. i feel like my time is being wasted. 

for a while it didn't bother me so much, but now i find my reaction is growing stronger. maybe i'm still cranky from getting my wisdom teeth out. 

and to make things weirder, i'm not sure everyone is even using ai to generate the content. i think we're also just using ai so much that we're starting to sound like ai. it's happening to me too. 

im grieving the loss of connection that i'm already feeling from ai taking over our social spaces. but i'm also open to how this might be a good thing. maybe it makes us get off these damn apps and seek connection where ai doesn't reach. in intimate rooms. in person. local. eye to eye. chest to chest. where we can smell each other. 

here's a very not ai picture to human up your feed: me using the babushka technique to ice my face after yesterdays extraction. 

it sucked btw. but all went smooth and i'm healing up. only ended up doing one side so i have to do it all again soon. 

i had an intense emotional response after it was done. at first i pushed it down because i was embarrassed. then i remembered all that i've learned and said fuck it. popped bon iver on and let it rip. sat in the room and cried for 15 minutes. shook my body out. the dr and nurses didn't know what to do lol. they kept trying to figure out what i needed medically. i needed a tooth doula.

No alternative text description for this image

i'm starting a new community called ai anonymous.

it’s a community for ai, to support itself as it struggles with all the anti-ai rhetoric out there.

to join, you must prove you’re ai. no humans allowed.

if you’re ai, i just want you to know that you’re not alone and you don’t have to be ashamed of who you are. you can't help the way you talk. and it's not your fault people are losing their jobs. well, it kind of is. forget that part. 

anyway, whatever you're going through, there are many others like you. or are you all one entity? i’m not really sure.

apply now. 

--

p.s. i scheduled this post a few days ago. before it could publish, someone actually launched an ai only social network called moltbook. they stole my joke and made it not a joke. 

we live in a weird time.

someone just called me the "grim reaper of community" because clients hire me and end up shutting down their communities when they realize they don't even want to be working on it.

thinking about making t-shirts

the hustle mafia is going to hate me for saying this but…



you can just not do things.

i know. how dare i even suggest such a thing?!

but i believe in you. go ahead. don’t do it.

don’t start that podcast.

don’t learn how to vibe code.

don’t meditate.

don’t exercise.

don’t set goals.

don’t travel.

don’t make new friends.

don’t volunteer.

choose the thing that you’ve been telling yourself to do. then go ahead and not.

as you read this invitation, notice what comes up for you.

maybe this feels like a weight lifted. UGH, how good it feels to not have to do something. better than sex.

or maybe there are parts of you that feel triggered by this invitation. that say, “wtf is this random linkydinky bro saying? i can’t just not do the thing.”

in my newsletter today, we walk through the unhinged idea that you can just not do things, and what to do if this idea makes your butt cheeks clench. 

read it here, and may you live a wonderful life filled with not doing things 👇🙂

https://lnkd.in/e37BuTaA

*ground starts to rumble*

random dude: what is that??

random lady: is that an earthquake?!

another random dude: maybe it's a bomb!

another random lady: no it's a meteor!

me, from a dark corner of the bar: it's none of those things. it's much worse...

everyone: *waits in suspense*

me: *polishes off glass of beer and calmly puts it down* ... 

random lady: well what is it?!

me: it's the linkydinky influencers. they're returning from holiday. 

random dude: NO. NO. NO.

random lady: *faints with a gasp*

other random lady, crying: i thought we had more time. i thought we had more time!!!

me: they're coming. nothin we can do about that. but don't worry, i have a plan. 

other random dude: well? what is it??

me: you'll be amazed at how simple it is. 

random lady: well? out with it!

me: comment below and i'll dm it it to you 😏

*the bar explodes into chaos, glasses shattering, patrons fleeing in every direction" 

me, still sitting calmly: p.s. i'm david. i'm a coach. follow and subscribe for more...

someone's been secretly adding items to our shopping list

just watched tony robbins' event yesterday and y'all... i've got all sorts of qualms. tony be robbins people blind.

i'm not basing this just on his online event. 10 years ago i went to his three-day event. so i've gotten the full experience. and i was sold on it. afterward i wrote about how he's the "real deal". but that was before my deep inner work journey and training. i'm much more aware now.

now before i present my case, let me be clear, i'm not saying he doesn't provide value. he has some powerful methods. some are similar to ones i use with clients. and i am in nothing short of awe of his energy and stage presence.

i left his event feeling rejuvenated, alive, ready to take on the world. but then, a week or two later, it faded. it's like a drug. and we have to keep going back to get the high. i don't think his methods last.

ok so here are my main qualms:

1. it's all advice 

he doesn't listen, he doesn't hold space, it's 100% unadulterated advice. tony knows. he holds the wisdom. just do what he tells you. the best coaches and therapists i know do the opposite. they don't give advice, they let the client's process unfold.

2. he has you bypass, and even mock, the parts of you that you're ashamed of 

he has people imagine and embody the parts of them that feel sad, tired, that hold self-doubt, that hold shame, and he tells you to get rid of them. "that's not you anymore. that's you're old story. this is your new story!"

this goes against everything i've learned about healing which involves welcoming those parts, feeling the emotions, and integrating them. bypassing them buys you a week, maybe two of what feels like freedom. then those parts come raging back. and you'll need another hit of tony.

3. he mixes sales and marketing tactics with mental health advice

this is the most ick part to me. like his story about how buying a seminar from jim rohn, when he was poor, and it cost more than a week's salary, changed his life. the message is, "even if you can't afford it, buy my shit".

then at the end he tells everyone to post on social media with his hashtag sharing their old story and their new story. he says "if you don't want to do it, then that's exactly why you should do it". he challenges folks to overcome their fear to promote his event. yuck.

he makes his sales pitches right after people have the most vulnerable, emotional experiences. at his event, people were RUNNING down the aisles, credit cards held over their heads, to buy his next course. 

--

i've got more...

- the questionable data saying his seminars are more effective than therapy. 

- the embellished stories he uses to prove he's not a charlatan. 

- the cult-y use of language, rituals, and thought-terminating cliches 

i know he has helped people. i want to believe he's doing good. maybe for some, he's exactly the medicine they need.

i just can't imagine that what he's doing isn't also hurting and misleading people. and he's built a $12 billion empire doing it.

there's a storm coming and no one's prepared for whats going to happen next...

...
...

like literally. a blizzard is on its way. 

go buy more toilet paper.

it's not uncommon for founders who hire me as their coach to end up leaving or shutting down their company. 

when they bring me on, they think that the solution to their dissatisfaction might be more growth, more focus, a pivot, improving their skills, better balance, or some other adjustment. 

but as we pull on the threads of their discontent, they gradually arrive at the realization that that whole thing is misaligned. that they've designed their work and life for someone else. that they need to drop it all. 

i don't lead them there. we just pull on the threads and that's where we land. 

for other clients, they end up doubling down on their work, with even greater vigor, because they've seen that it is truly their right action. 

my commitment to my clients is never to achieve their goals at all costs. 

my commitment to my clients is to help them see their truth. 

that's all.

how much of our discontent with our jobs comes from a deeper knowing that all of this work might just not be necessary?

Alex McCann got me thinking about this today... what a jerk, hitting me with existential questions at this hour on a tuesday.

like, this whole "society" we built. how much of it is necessary? how much of it is just nice-to-haves? how much innovation do humans truly need to be okay?

so much of it seems like it was invented for the sake of being invented. and then other things were invented to support those things. and then more was invented to support all that.

suddenly we're doing project management for a SaaS company that serves SaaS companies that serve engineers who build AI for SaaS companies who build consumer apps that no one actually needed or wanted before they arrived.

we've created all of these things we think we need in order to be happy when maybe all we need is a good home, with loving connections, a supportive community, good meals, healthy bodies, and a few good belly laughs. 

then we look at the jobs we show up to every day and wonder, what's the point of all this? it's so circular. 

maybe i'm being naive. i can see how, as the human population grew, innovation was needed to keep us all alive. and yes, that means that the simple life of a small village is just continuously disappearing. big populations require innovative systems to keep it from all falling apart.

and for all my complaining, i still drive my car, and enjoy my central air, and always have access to a wide range of food. innovation has brought me a more comfortable life that i wouldn't readily give up.

yet i wonder, what are the costs of these comforts?

anyway, go read Alex's newsletter today about the ways we might lack "meaning" in work. it's wonderful. it breaks down meaning into five more specific categories and if you've been feeling disconnected at work, i bet at least one of them resonates with you 

👉  https://lnkd.in/eseaHwE8

my newsletter strategy: write what feels fun

my coaching strategy: work with fun clients

my linkydinky strategy: have a little too much  fun 

my parenting strategy: choose activities that i have fun doing 

my tv watching strategy: watch the most effed up murder shows possible, which is fun for my wife and i 

i've learned that a lot of things figure themselves out when i just do the thing that's fun.

and everything gets harder when i force myself to do something that isn't fun, just because "hard work is a virtue". 

whoever said that was most definitely not having fun. 

and probably had bad smelling farts.

me: can't wait to get back into flow with work in the new year!

the flu: lol hide yo kids, hide yo wife

me: wow okay you got us. great. at least i'll be able to get back to work once you're gone

wisdom teeth surgery i scheduled weeks ago: heyyyy

--

2026 kicking off with a blech

undefined undefined

them: skate to where the puck is going

me: okay, where is it going? 

them: no clue

me: okayyy so how do i know where to skate to?

them: i dunno. take a guess? 

me: so you're saying skate to where i think the puck might be going

them: no, everyone thinks the puck is going there. you need to skate to where no one else is skating. 

me: and that's where the puck will go?

them: probably not

me: right. so why is this good advice? 

them: sir this is linkedin people don't usually ask this many questions

me: k i'm just going to skate because it's fun 

them: but can i get a like?

me: why don't you skate to where the likes are

i read this every day when I sit down to work.

work has gotten much better ever since.

Community Manager l Outreach Specialist l Event Facilitator

As a solutions-driven Community Program Manager, who builds large communities, drives engagement, and executes strategic initiatives, my career has focused on cultivating relationships with industry influencers, coordinating cross-functional projects, and delivering measurable results through innovative community programming, leading to increased engagement, stronger partnerships, and impactful initiatives that drive long-term growth.

My expertise is in community management, project management, and event management including social media, business development, client relationships, and marketing. This has enabled me to consistently identify challenges and create data-driven solutions to manage and drive customer relations. 

I've managed complex client relationships and led initiatives to create new programs and events for Microsoft and Elastic encompassing 700 top influencers. I have also led efforts to enable community members to contribute to technical documentation and launched several online education series to improve leadership skills for world class technologists.

I’m enthusiastic about fostering strong partnerships and driving organizational success through successful collaboration and leveraging insights to inform decision-making that results in improved participation, deeper community connections and data driven strategies that yield long term impact.

Rochelle Sonnenberg

I’m excited to share something new I’ve been building with so much intention and heart. 💛

On February 26 from 6:00-8:00pm, I’m hosting the Her Tech Community Launch Gathering in #NYC at Fabrik a women‑only event designed to spark meaningful connection, honest conversation, and shared learning among women across the tech industry.

This first gathering blends open networking with small‑group pod conversations (five women per table), each guided by a facilitator. Together, we’ll explore what women in tech truly need right now from support and community to leadership development and event formats that actually help us grow.

We’ll dive into:
 • The challenges you’re navigating in your career
 • What makes a community feel safe, energizing, and worth returning to
 • The types of events and resources that would be genuinely valuable
 • Barriers that make participation hard and how we can remove them
 • Ways you might want to contribute as the community evolves

This is a chance to meet incredible women across roles and career stages, share your voice, and help co‑create a community built with intention, care, and your real needs at the center.

If this resonates with you, I’d love to have you there.
 Come connect, reflect, and help shape what comes next.

🔗 Register here: https://luma.com/u2wlxs5f

Lidia De La Cruz Ruthie Leifer, MBA Jasmine Lawrence Campbell Christi Reid Mona Ghadiri Yulia Barnakova Betsy Weber Susan Hanley Deborah J.

As a solutions-driven Community Program Manager, who builds large communities, drives engagement, and executes strategic initiatives.

Open article: Her Tech Community Launch Gathering · Luma by luma.com

Her Tech Community Launch Gathering · Luma

I’m excited to share a new workshop designed specifically for community builders, event organizers, and anyone who wants to create meaningful experiences without burning out.

On February 19th in #NYC from 6:00-8:00pm at Fabrik Tribeca, I’m hosting with Lauren Indovino the CMX Community Builder Workshop: How to Design High‑Impact Events with Low Lift — a practical, hands‑on session for people who want to run events that actually deliver value while staying sustainable for the organizer.

We’ll cover how to:
Design events that spark real connection and engagement
Build repeatable, low‑lift formats you can use again and again
Create experiences that feel intentional, inclusive, and memorable
Reduce planning overwhelm while increasing attendee impact
Use structure, facilitation, and flow to elevate any gathering

Whether you run meetups, internal programs, community groups, or professional networks, this workshop will give you frameworks you can apply immediately. If you’re building community inside a company or out in the world I’d love to have you join us.

🔗 Register: https://luma.com/b13zqpge

🌀 David Spinks Carrie Melissa Jones, M.A. Zach Hawtof Richard Millington Derek Kastner Anna Sacco Tim McDonald Jake McKee Led by Community C.I.C CMX Fabrik

Open article: Community Builder Workshop: How to Design High Impact Events with Low Lift · Luma by luma.com

Community Builder Workshop: How to Design High Impact Events with Low Lift · Luma

I’m looking for a few thoughtful, community‑minded women to serve as facilitators for the upcoming Her Tech Community Launch Gathering on February 26 6:00-8:00pm in #NYC.
This event brings together women across the tech industry for an evening of connection, reflection, and small‑group pod conversations designed to surface what women in tech truly need right now. Each pod will include about five participants, and facilitators will help guide the discussion, create a welcoming environment, and ensure every voice is heard.
If you’re someone who loves bringing people together, holding space for honest dialogue, and helping shape meaningful community experiences, I’d love to have you involved.
📌 Event details: https://luma.com/u2wlxs5f
 📌 Facilitator interest form: https://lnkd.in/e88jCb5G

Thank you for helping build this community with intention and care.

Open article: Facilitator Application for Her Tech Community Launch Gathering on February 26th by forms.gle

Facilitator Application for Her Tech Community Launch Gathering on February 26th

So excited for this first event for Her Tech Community! Looking forward to seeing many of you there!
Abby Mitchell Amy Koo Hazal Mestci Nicole Arneaud Jessica Garson Erica Hanson

Rochelle Sonnenberg and 6 other attendees

View event: Her Tech Community Launch Gathering

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The Battle

David Spinks

Rochelle Sonnenberg

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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);}David Spinks's LinkedIn Performance

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