You're a high performer, working hard, pushing through. 

You're expected to lead teams, hit ambitious quarterly targets, and make high-impact decisions. 

All while trying to:

• Have a life and be present for your family
• Eat healthy between back-to-back meetings
• Keep your energy up without reaching for another coffee
• Sleep well with racing thoughts about tomorrow’s pitch
• Maintain relationships despite rescheduling dinner plans

But your energy is depleting faster than your to-do list.

In 2019, I was you - the typical corporate high-achiever. Leading global change initiatives. Always "on." Ignoring every signal my body sent. The perfect professional on the outside, exhausted on the inside.

My wake-up call wasn't gentle - it forced me to rethink everything. But I never imagined that burnout would lead to my biggest breakthrough.

And that breakthrough sparked a mission. I founded Rising Yellow with one belief: We all deserve more energy, and every day is a new opportunity to make better decisions for our health.

Here’s how I turned it around:

• Took full ownership of my health journey
• Stopped trying to fix everything at once
• Turned every setback into an experiment
• Studied functional medicine and behavior science

Now, I guide professionals to do the same and reclaim their energy and integrate healthier habits into their demanding lives. I leverage my 15+ years of corporate experience and expertise in functional medicine and coaching to co-create practical, personalized solutions. 

Most people know what they “should” do. But the real challenge is closing the gap between your "intentions" and "actions".

Interested?

📌3 Ways to Work Together:

1. 1:1 Coaching Program 
   • 5 focused sessions
   • Personalized health goals
   • Sustainable habit building

2. Group Coaching Program - The Energy Shift
   • Deep dive into 5 lifestyle factors (diet, exercise, sleep, relationships, rest, and more) over six weeks
   • Weekly actionable strategies
   • Community support

3. Corporate Inquiries
   • Project work
   • Brand partnerships 
   • Training/Keynotes/Team Workshops

🎁 Free Resources
   • The Energy Shift Newsletter 
   • The Peak Energy Guide 
   • LinkedIn content

✨ Remember: we’re not here just to get through the day - life feels better when you have the energy to enjoy it.

Ready to collaborate? Let’s connect and build a plan that works for you. I’m one DM away. 💛

More info is available here:

https://risingyellow.com/

Gözde İmamoğlu

We're all dopamine addicts. 

The question is what kind.

Fast dopamine is easy. Scroll, click, swipe. The hit is instant. The crash is guaranteed. And five minutes later, you're back for more.

Slow dopamine is different. It’s the reward you feel after finishing a long book. 

The pride in cooking a meal from scratch. The glow from a real conversation. It asks more of you, but the reward actually lasts.

Thank you to my friend Colby Kultgen for this reflection. Make sure to follow him. 

Here’s the problem:
Most of us are so hooked on fast dopamine that slow dopamine barely registers anymore. 

Silence feels uncomfortable. 
Boredom feels painful.

If something isn’t instantly stimulating, we bail.

The solution isn’t to try and go cold turkey.
It's to slowly change where you’re sourcing your dopamine from.

This week, pick one fast dopamine habit and replace it with something from this list. 

Just one swap. 

Instead of scrolling before bed, read a chapter. 
Instead of background noise on your walk, try silence. Instead of takeout, cook one meal.

Your brain will resist. It'll tell you this is boring, that you need your phone, that you should quit. That's not failure. That's withdrawal.

Stay with it anyway.

Then next week, replace another one. And another. 

You're not trying to be perfect. You're trying to retrain your system to recognize what satisfaction actually feels like.

The shift happens slowly. But it does happen.

🔄 Repost if it resonates.

Gözde Imamoglu

Follow me for career, well-being, and personal growth strategies | 15+ years driving change for people & workplaces | Get the energy to match your success | Board-certified functional medicine health coach

I used to think leading meant directing everything.

Turns out, people thrive when you let them own it.

In the past I’d give detailed instructions, check in constantly, and make sure everything was done “the right way.”

It drained me - and everyone around me. 

Then someone on my team took a work package I’d been overthinking and delivered something far better than what I had in mind.

All I did was give them the goal and step back.
That’s when I realized when someone owns the outcome they start thinking differently. 

They care. They go extra mile.

Here’s how I build trust that creates ownership:

1/ Start with the why, not the how
↳ Explain the goal and why it matters. Skip the step-by-step instructions.

2/ Set clear expectations upfront
↳ Define what success looks like. Be specific about deliverables and deadlines.

3/ Give resources, not directions
↳ Ask "What do you need to succeed?" instead of "Here's exactly what to do."

4/ Step back and resist the urge to jump in
↳ Let them figure it out. Challenges build ownership.

5/ Celebrate the outcome, not the method
↳ If they hit the goal their way, that's a win. Period.

The less I control the how, the better the results become. People exceeded expectations I didn’t know I had.

Leadership isn’t about control.

It’s about empowerment. 

P.S. Does your leadership give people energy? (Be honest 👀 )

🔄 Repost if you believe in trust-based leadership.
➕ Follow Gözde Imamoglu for more on leadership, growth, and high-energy teams.

“Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.”

We often try to earn self-worth.

More hours; more certifications. 
More, more, more, more. 

Thank you to my friend Dr. Heather Maietta for this reflection. Make sure to follow her. 

A title change might make us feel good in the moment.

But it doesn’t erase feelings of low self-worth. 

Choosing to see yourself as credible before the world fully does.

That’s self-love. 💛 

Self-love shows up in high-impact moves like:

➠ Not minimizing your wins
➠ Replacing “I got lucky” with “I earned this”
➠ Owning your ideas
➠ Negotiating from a place of self-respect

I make it sound simple.
But it’s not.

Practicing this type of advocacy creates a different relationship with yourself.

One that lets you become the person you’ve been working so hard to be.

Give yourself a big hug. 🫶 
You deserve it!

🔄 Send this to your network if you agree! 
➕ Follow Gözde Imamoglu for more on leadership, growth, and high-energy teams.
 
Quote: Brené Brown

How to stay calm when pressure hits.

Use these 9 phrases👇 

When deadlines hit and stakeholders push for answers, most of us flip into panic mode.

 ↳ We react too fast.
 ↳ We agree too quickly.
 ↳ We let emotion take control.

The real difference between thriving and surviving at work?

The ability to pause before you respond.

Here are 9 phrases that help you stay in control during high-stress moments:

1️⃣ “Give me a second to think this through.”
 ↳ Take three slow breaths to reset your focus.

2️⃣ “I want to make sure I get this right.”
 ↳ Plant both feet on the ground to steady your nervous system.

3️⃣ “Help me understand what’s most important.”
 ↳ Lean in slightly to stay engaged while you process.

4️⃣ “I can sense this feels urgent, what’s the real deadline?”
 ↳ Notice where tension shows up in your body.

5️⃣ “Let’s zoom out for a minute.”
 ↳ Picture the conversation from a distance to reduce emotional load.

6️⃣ “I need a moment to wrap my head around this.”
 ↳ Count to five before replying.

7️⃣ “What does a good outcome look like for you?”
 ↳ Visualize the desired result to shift into problem-solving mode.

8️⃣ “Let me repeat what I’m hearing to make sure I’ve got it.”
 ↳ Paraphrasing buys time and creates clarity.

9️⃣ “What are our options here?”
 ↳ Drop your shoulders and unclench your jaw.

You get to choose how you show up - especially under pressure.

P.S. Which phrase will you try this week?

🔄 Repost to help someone handle pressure better.
💛 Follow Gözde Imamoglu for more on protecting your energy and mental space.

Perspective is your hidden power.
99% of people never use it.

During the hardest year of my life, 
I thought everything was falling apart.

Years later, I realized
everything was falling into place.
I just couldn't see it yet.

Perspective isn't about being positive.
It's about being precise.

Thank you to Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey for this inspiring reflection. Follow her. 

Watch what happens when you shift your lens:

1. Obstacles become opportunities
Every closed door teaches you to build your own.

2. Struggles become strength
The weight that nearly breaks you builds muscles you didn't know you had.

3. Setbacks become stepping stones
Each failure shows you what doesn't work.

4. Rejection becomes resilience
Every "no" redirects you. It’s protection in disguise.

5. Shadows reveal hidden truth
Your shadows hold your compass. Pay attention.

6. Mistakes become masterclasses
Your biggest errors become your greatest teachings.

7. Fears become fuel for courage
What scares you most shows you where to grow.

8. Pain becomes purpose
Your deepest wounds can be the most valuable gifts.

After decades of working with leaders around the world, I've learned:

The hardest season prepares you for your highest calling.

This isn't wishful thinking.
It’s strategic thinking.

Nothing is happening to you.
Everything is happening for you.

You just need the right lens.

Your current struggle isn’t your story's end.
It's your story's turning point.

Choose your lens wisely.
Your future depends on it.

Share this with someone who needs it.

🔄 Repot if you found this valuable.
➕ Follow Gözde Imamoglu for more insights.

You can optimize 100% of your calendar...
and still run on 0% energy.

You know that feeling when you worked all day…and still don’t feel accomplished?

That’s not a time problem.
That’s an energy problem.

Here are five practical ways to manage and protect your energy this week:

1️⃣ Map your energy peaks
Track when you feel most focused, creative, or drained for 3 days. Then schedule tasks accordingly: deep work during peaks, admin during dips.

2️⃣ Build in micro-recovery
Between meetings or tasks, take 5 minutes to step away. Walk, breathe, stretch. Small resets prevent big crashes.

3️⃣ Audit your energy drains
What tasks, people, or habits leave you depleted? Eliminate, delegate, or batch them when your energy is higher.

4️⃣ Protect your morning momentum
Don't start your day reacting (emails, Slack, social media). Start with intention. One meaningful task before the chaos begins.

5️⃣ End your day deliberately
Close loops. Write down tomorrow's top 3 priorities. Your brain needs permission to stop. Give it that signal.

When you manage energy instead of time, you don't just get more done. You feel better doing it.

P.S. This builds on my circadian rhythm framework. If you haven't grabbed my free guide, it breaks down exactly when to do what for maximum energy → https://lnkd.in/dSyrer5Z

🔄 Repost this if you're done with burnout productivity.
➕ Follow Gözde Imamoglu for more on energy, performance, and working smarter.

5 Practical Steps To Protect Your Energy All Week

I made the most intentional gift list. 🎁

Because every year, I feel the same stress.

I promise myself I’ll keep it simple - but somehow I still end up scrolling, comparing, and thinking, “Will they even like this?”

And when I first experienced Christmas gift madness in Germany, I was honestly shocked.

As someone who loves giving gifts in unexpected moments, the December chaos felt… a lot.

Of course, I did what everyone else did.

But by the end of it, all my energy was gone - not because I didn’t care, but because I was trying so hard to find something that actually meant something.

So this year, I changed my approach.

I made a list of 25 intentional well-being gifts - for every personality, every budget, and every kind of love language.

Here are the categories 👇

💛 Health & Wellness
🌿 Growth & Learning
🌙 Sleep & Relaxation
🏡 Home & Environment
🎹 Connection & Experiences

Gifts like these say:

“I care about how you feel. I want you to have more energy, more peace, and more joy.”

This weekend, think of someone you love.
 
Ask yourself:
“What would bring more energy, joy, or calm into their daily life?”
 
Start there.

I shared the full 25-item list in my newsletter - and why each one supports energy and well-being.

If you want all the details, here’s the link to read it: https://lnkd.in/dJ4AvFfv

🔄 Repost for others.
💛 Follow Gözde Imamoglu for more.

Pricing I/O

VP of Growth

Ali Mamujee

Investor and advisor to growth-stage startups.

Founder

Mercatus is now Charles River for Private Markets

Over 11 years, I scaled from employee #5 to help build a leading private equity software company that manages trillions of dollars of assets, culminating in a 9-figure acquisition by State Street.

Led strategic product strategy, M&A, GTM, positioning, and pricing across private markets tech.

Global Head of Product, Private Markets

Led global positioning, marketing, GTM, and pricing.

Vice President of Product Strategy

Senior Director of Product Management

Director of Customer Success

Senior Investment Associate

VERT Investment Group

Key team member of a leading cleantech merchant bank.

Senior Investment Banking Associate

Created pretty Excel models and PowerPoints during the 2008 financial crisis.

Investment Banking Analyst

Element Markets

Renewable energy project finance hedge fund based in Houston.

Analyst - Project Finance Intern

Frog Capital Ltd

One of the best jobs I ever had. I read cleantech business plans all day in a beautiful London art studio. I worked with really smart partners and got a front row seat of venture capital deal execution.

Analyst - Venture Capital Intern

Strategy & GTM Advisor | Follow me for strategy, growth, and leadership tips.

I lead Growth at Pricing I/O, the leading hands-on SaaS pricing consultancy.

Our track record:
→ 400+ software companies
→ 98% client satisfaction
→ 15x average Year 1 ROI

Before joining Pricing I/O, I was their client. I spent 11 years at Mercatus, a private equity software company:

→ Started as employee #5
→ Navigated 7 promotions
→ Eventually became Global Head of Product & Marketing
→ Built global teams and owned pricing and GTM strategy
→ Hired Pricing I/O in 2019, a key inflection point
→ Delivered 40% YoY and 85% ACV growth
→ Led to a 9-figure exit to State Street (Fortune 250)
→ Company now manages $1.8+ trillion in private equity assets for the world's largest investors

I lived the pricing struggle every leader fears:
→ Sleepless nights: Are we leaving millions on the table?
→ Boardroom wars: Everyone has an opinion on price
→ Investor pressure: Triple revenue AND keep customers happy

If your feel the same way at your software company, let's talk.

Connect:
→ Book a FREE pricing strategy call at pricingio dot com
→ Join The Moat, my free newsletter for SaaS leaders for an inside look at our growth playbook.

Top 10 career myths that will hold you back:
(and what to do instead)

I’ve watched talented people derail their careers for 15+ years - often because they followed the wrong advice.

Here are the 10 myths I see derail people the most:

1. Work hard and success will follow
→ Corporate graveyards are filled with hard workers
→ Combine smart work with strategic visibility

2. Keep your career options open
→ Jack of all trades trap stops growth
→ Focus on deep expertise + broad awareness

3. Leaders must have all the answers
→ This creates bottlenecks.
→ Build a team smarter than you and unleash their genius

4. Never leave before 2 years
→ Time served doesn't equal value created
→ Make moves that multiply your growth

5. Always be available
→ Recipe for burnout
→ Set clear boundaries. Be reliable, not available 24/7

6. Never show weakness
→ Old school thinking breeds toxicity
→ Strategic vulnerability builds unstoppable teams

7. Never say no to opportunities
→ This dilutes your impact
→ Be selective. Only say yes to what amplifies your goals

8. Network, network, network
→ Random connections = zero value
→ Build genuine relationships through shared interests

9. Follow your passion
→ Passion rarely comes first
→ Master valuable skills, passion follows expertise

10. Fake it till you make it
→ Fastest way to lose credibility
→ Learn it while you earn it. Authenticity + competence wins

What would you add to the list?

♻️ Share to help someone avoid these myths.

I watched Harry Dry speak at Dave Gerhardt’s Drive event:

He showed two versions of the same post by Eric Glyman (CEO of Ramp).

One post made Ramp the hero.
The other made the customer the hero.

Nothing about the product changed. 
But the second one stuck.

Because when you make your product the hero, prospects compare features.

When you make your customer the hero, they compare outcomes.

And that shift changes everything downstream:

Sales stops defending capabilities and starts exploring fit.

Deals move faster because you're solving their problem, not explaining yours.

Customers evangelize differently - they talk about what they achieved, not what you built.

I’ve seen this pattern across dozens of SaaS teams.

Teams who lead with “here’s what we do” end up in longer cycles and price fights.

Teams who lead with “here’s who you become” get pulled into deals.

Make your customer the hero.
It’s not just better storytelling - it makes you unforgettable.

♻️ Repost for your network

 Credit: Dave Gerhardt, Exit Five, and Harry Dry

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Gözde İmamoğlu

Ali Mamujee

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The Battle

Gözde İmamoğlu

Ali Mamujee

Followers

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