Impactful Change, LLC

Create a high-performance culture where powerful leaders lead cohesive and efficient teams committed to the growth of your organization. Let me show you how through cutting-edge, data-proven strategies and customized solutions.

OD Consultant, Leadership Development Facilitator and Coach

Under the social media platform, "Lemonade Stand Mama," Jennifer started a movement as she advocated for kids lemonade stands and helped to get laws changed in 17 states. 
-Wall Street Journal Front Page,  the New York Times, Washington Post Magazine, CBS This Morning, Fox and Friends. 
-Consulted with Kraft Heinz Countrytime Lemonade to advocate policy change
-Author of the children's book,  "Awesome Adventures of the Lemonade Boys" available on Amazon.

LemonadeStandMama

Business Insider

I am pleased to share that I have recently taken on the role of Contributing Freelance Writer with Business Insider, a prominent global business and lifestyle publication boasting over 100 million monthly visitors and 198 million social media followers. 

I look forward to contributing insightful content that resonates with our diverse audience. 

Grateful for this opportunity, I am excited to embark on this writing journey with Business Insider.

Check out my first article, the #2 MOST READ article on Business Insider the week of February 19!
https://www.businessinsider.com/child-free-vacation-traveling-without-kids-better-parents-marriage-2024-2

Contributing Writer

Concordia University-Wisconsin

Develop and teach courses to Graduate Business School Students which include:
-Leading Transformation & Change
-Organizational Performance & Change
-Research
-Social Entrepreneurship
-Talent Management and Development
Current research focus is Women in the Workplace & Purpose/Fulfillment

Assistant Professor

Colorado State University

Teaches Graduate Level Courses in Organizational Learning, Performance & Change, and Research.

Adjunct Professor

DFS Group Limited

Talent Development Manager

UCSF, University of Michigan, & Mervyns (Target Corp)

Training & Development

Hi! I'm Jennifer Knowles, Growth and Change Expert for Leaders and Teams

► Who I Help
I work with:
-Leaders who feel stuck and need clarity
-Teams facing change and struggling with communication overload
-Organizations seeking leadership development and talent management support
-High achievers desiring coaching to unlock growth, well-being and career advancement

If you've ever asked:
"How do I engage and retain top talent?"
"What's the best way to prepare my team for organizational change?"
"How can I improve leadership skills across my company?"
      - this is where I can help.

My Mission:
►Amplify the talents of your leaders and teams, unleashing human potential for exponential growth

What I Deliver:

► I create custom coaching, training and keynotes that align with organizational goals, blending research-backed insights with practical application. 

Together, we can:
1.  Increase leadership potential
2. Transform corporate culture
3.  Elevate careers to new heights
4.  Transform change into opportunity
5.  Build productive teams
6.  Create happy workplace environments

► Challenges Organizations Face Today
-Rising stress and burnout among employees
-Constant change and uncertainty in business environments
-Retention struggles with top talent
-Engagement gaps leading to lost productivity
-Leaders needing new skills for future-ready workplaces

► Benefits of Working with Dr. Jennifer

Organizations that partner with me see measurable improvements in:
1. Talent Attraction & Retention- Reduce turnover and retain top performers
2. Positive Work Environments- Foster collaboration and well-being
3. Change Readiness- Equip teams to embrace transitions with confidence
4. Stronger Teamwork- Increase trust, clarity and efficiency
5. Strategic Clarity- Provide a clear roadmap for success
6. Productivity & Engagement- Unlock more energy, focus, and results

► Client Outcomes
 "Dr. Jennifer Knowles is a beacon of inspiration in leadership and talent development. Her ability to seamlessly blend research-backed insights with practical applications has consistently led to positive transformations, empowered teams, and elevated leadership capabilities.”

 "We love Dr. Jennifer. She leads with a big heart and has lots of passion for her work. She cares about us and has the gift to take complex ideas and break them down into simple steps."

► Services
1. Leadership coaching (1:1 and group)
2. Change management programs
3. Talent development workshops
4. Keynote speaking on growth, change, and leadership
5. Research-informed organizational development solutions



Jennifer Knowles, Ph.D

I recently finished teaching an innovative leadership class, and here's what I discovered: 


We can't stay comfortable and expect to thrive.

Look at these patterns:
➜ Blockbuster refused streaming
➜ Kodak ignored digital
➜ Apple embraced change

Here's what separates winners from losers:

1. Risk tolerance
➜ "That's too risky"
➜ "We've always done it this way"
➜ "Our customers won't like change"

2. Opportunity spotting
➜ "That's just a trend"
➜ "Our market is stable"
➜ "We're too big to fail"

3. Leadership mindset
➜ "Let others test it first"
➜ "We'll wait and see"
➜ "Innovation costs too much"

The reality:
➜ Innovation isn't optional
➜ Comfort kills companies
➜ Change drives growth

We must:
➜ Take calculated risks
➜ Spot emerging trends
➜ Lead through uncertainty
➜ Question everything

Stop waiting.
Start innovating.
Lead the change.

The market won't wait.
Neither should you.

📌 What innovation are you avoiding in your business or life?

Hey, no one said it's easy, but there are great things on the other side of fear 🙂

I help develop effective leaders + high-performing teams | Harvard Executive Leadership Coach | Best-Selling Author | Professor of Business | Tedx Speaker

This morning I got turned away from the gym. After I woke up at 4:50am to get there.


I forgot to sign up.

And they were full with a waitlist for the class.

So I drove home, annoyed at the girl who wouldn’t let me stay. 

Annoyed at myself for thinking I signed up when I hadn’t. 

I am not a morning person and getting up for this class was a struggle.

So here I am, writing this post. About ready to exercise at home. 

My dog is curled up near my, snuggled on a blanket. 

The house is quiet, with no kids or husband up yet causing a stir.

It is warm and cozy inside and I get to exercise while I clear my thoughts for the week. 

I get to move my body. 

My friend who recently overcame breast cancer reminded me that moving your body is a gift, and for months she had wished she could work out.

So I guess I say all of this to say- 

Look around at the small gifts around you. 

Both at work and at home, we can always choose to look at the good.

The nice co-worker who greeted you with a smile.

The driver of the car who let you in on your way to work.

The morning greeting your pet gives you when you wake up.

These moments are everywhere when we pause and look for them. 

Have a wonderful Monday and a great week.

No alternative text description for this image

From my family to yours, wishing you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving! 

Enjoy those small moments, they are what matter the most!

📌 What is your favorite food you eat on Thanksgiving? 

(I love warm apple pie with ice cream!)

Flying somewhere for Thanksgiving? Use the silence at 35,000 ft to ask: Are you leading your life or just steering it?”

I have learned to love the undistracted time on airplane flights.

Somewhere between takeoff and landing, the noise finally stops.

Plane flights provide a time for a quiet time to evaluate and just be present with myself.

No meetings.
No notifications.
No urgent requests.
No driving kids around.
No taking the dog out. 

 Just altitude and truth. And me. 

At 35,000 ft, you get perspective.
 You see your life from above—literally—and things look different from that elevation.

You start asking:
 ✔ “Is this the life I’m intentionally leading?”
 ✔ “Or did I just end up here because I never stopped to question the pace?”
 
I think about whether I am the driver of my own car or am I in the passenger seat, moving through life and career on auto pilot. 

And I do enjoy a good movie on planes too! 

If you're traveling somewhere this Thanksgiving, I ask you - are you in the driver seat or passenger seat? 
 
📌  Are you traveling or staying home this Thanksgiving?

Safe travels!

Friday Gratitude: Want higher performance? Try appreciation first.


I watch my good friend, and countless other leaders, struggle with people at work. 

Instead of, "great job,"
he gets, "why didn't you do this."

Instead of, "let's collaborate,"
he gets, "I'm doing it my way."

And I could go on.

But what leaders need to remember is that by showing appreciation and recognition to our peers and teams, gratitude carries its weight in improved employee satisfaction and retention.

Want a good team member to stick around?

Say thank you.
Acknowledge the good.
And collaborate.

Today I'm grateful for the amazing connections I've been making on LI.

📌 What are you grateful for? 





 

📌

Friday Gratitude- This week I'm grateful for the people who make me uncomfortable.


Earlier this year, I was on a stage for "hot seat coaching." I asked a question that I needed help with in front of a stage of hundreds of people watching from the audience.

[It took me years to get enough courage to be vulnerable in front of an audience like that].

The answer surprised me. The mentor told me, "I don't think you're afraid of failing, I think you're afraid of success."

What?

I hadn't thought about that. But the more I sat with that idea, the more I realized he was right.

We focus so much on what we don't want to happen, but what if we actually got what we really wanted?

That mentor got to my core, pushing me to care enough to challenge me. 

The people who make us better. The leader, the team, the co-worker... Our kids, our spouse, our friends, or sometimes even our loyal pet. 

📌 Who are people you are grateful for who make you better?

Showing up authentically, and not just on a mug! 



When I bought this mug, my kids groaned. But then they all wanted to use it too! 

Too often, we hesitate to highlight our achievements or showcase our unique skills. 

Thoughtfully demonstrating your value isn't bragging—it's essential for both personal development and team success.

Three ways I've learned to shine authentically:

-Document your wins, both big and small
-Volunteer for projects that leverage your unique strengths
-Mentor others in your areas of expertise

When you bring your "best self" energy to work, you create new opportunities 

And buy yourself a fun mug, while you're at it. You won't regret it! 

📌What are ways you give yourself a boost at work and in life?

How I Helped Change Laws — and What It Taught Me About Leading Change Anywhere.


A few years ago, my children's lemonade got shut down by police due to a complaint and lack of permits.

This was silly. Turns out lemonade stands were technically illegal in my city and they were in cities and states across the USA.

So I rallied people together, and we got lemonade stand laws changed in Denver, kid business laws changed in Colorado, and I partnered with CountryTime Lemonade/Kraft Heinz, and we got laws changed in 17 states across the country.

All from a lemonade stand.

Here's the steps I took that can rally change anywhere- in your organization or your community:

1. Start small. Our change began with a simple question: “Why can’t kids sell lemonade legally?”

2. Gather your people. Parents, kids, community members — small voices become powerful when united.

3. Find the data. Research your case, collect stories, and back it with facts.

4. Get visible. Share your mission publicly. Change accelerates when people care.

5. Stay kind but persistent. Real change takes resilience — and a lot of follow-up and persistent.

The whole experience was a lot of fun. I couldn't have dreamed it up if I tried. 

📌 What is a time that you recognized a need for change, and rallied around the change initiative?

How was your Thanksgiving? It’s hard to believe it’s December already, which is so often a crazy busy month. 


What was your Thanksgiving about?

Mine was:
Family 
Family 
More family 
And getting some fresh air along the way!

If your extended family is anything like mine, there may have been some tensions along the way. 

Some triggers. Do I speak up? Or walk away. Which result in waking up at 3am processing countless discussions and events.

But at the end of the day, family is family. And I’m grateful for mine. 

But here we are in December. 

A scramble to the end. A whirl of busyness and finishing those goals that we set for ourselves.

I am finishing my book (yay!), wrapping up some consulting projects, mentoring some graduate students and am coaching some amazing high achieving ladies. And all the holiday stuff galore. 

(I’m married to a Clark Griswald wannabe - we take the holidays seriously!🎅🏻)

Wishing you a great week. 

📌 How was your Thanksgiving? What are you looking forward to this December?

Tuesday Teach: Want to become a better storyteller? Start with the stories you tell every day


Conduct a story audit.

Leaders and high achievers can conduct a simple audit:

 1. What story am I telling about my team?

-Are they disengaged?
-Or overwhelmed and needing support?
 
Those are two very different stories — and two very different leadership responses.

2. What story am I telling about myself as a leader?

-“I’m not ready.”
-“I’m not qualified.”
-“I should have figured this out by now.”
 
These aren’t truths — they’re unexamined stories.

3. What story am I telling about the work we’re doing?
 
-Is it “just a project”?
 -Or is it meaningful, high-impact work that changes lives?
 Your story becomes their story.

4. What story am I telling about what’s possible?

-If your internal narrative is small, your leadership will be too.

 This becomes a powerful tool for culture and performance.

We don’t just tell stories.
We become the stories our teams believe.

 
📌What is a story that you realized you told, that had a big impact on people at work?

Tuesday Teach: Lewin's Change Model. 

Here's a simple model that is easy to remember and easy to use:

Kurt Lewin's Change Model

Unfreeze - Change - Refreeze


Unfreeze: Prepare for a desired change. Identify the need for transformation and foster readiness.

Change: Implement the transformation. It’s where new processes, systems or behaviors are introduced, and teams begin adapting to the shift. 

Refreeze: Reinforce and stabilize the change.

What I like about this model is it's simplicity. Easy to remember, relatively easy to implement. 


I've been teaching my entire professional career, from teaching leadership development in organizations, to teaching graduate students about organizational performance and change, and even teaching kids how to start a business. I love teaching. 

📌 What is a consistent thing that you've done your entire career?

Morning routine: coffee, dog, quiet in the house. 


I am not a morning person. 

In college I got my second (or third wind) to study starting around 10pm.

But I get up at 5am most weekdays.

Why?

Because it’s the only way I can carve time for myself all day.

I’m fresh.
I’m alert (mostly).

I often journal, I stretch, I move my body.
I set my intentions.
And I give lots of pets to my dog who wiggles himself into just the right position for a good back scratch.

I usually choose a mug with pictures I took  so I can be reminded of happy experiences. 

And all of this really helps.

Why do I say all of this?

Because these tiny little things we can do for ourselves can help us show up and be a better version of ourselves, for work, for our family, for all of our commitments.

As I sit here with my coffee and dog, I wish you a great day!

📌What is something that you do in the morning that helps you have a good day?

6 things working moms excel at like no one else- 
[As we've entered the extra busy season for us moms, I salute you!]

When I envisioned my life, I never thought I'd become a mom of 3 boys! As a result, I've pivoted my career multiple times and reshaped my working identity numerous times. 

Here's 6 things that make working moms pretty darn awesome! 

1. Time Management Goddesses

➜ We optimize every minute of their day
➜ We can complete 3-hour tasks in 1 hour
➜ We know exactly when to tackle each responsibility

2. Professional-Personal Balance

➜ We excel at separating work mode from mom mode
➜ We create clear boundaries between office and home
➜ We maximize quality time with their children

3. Crisis Management

➜ We handle workplace deadlines and sick children simultaneously
➜ We always have a backup plan ready
➜ We remain calm under multiple pressures

4. Efficiency Champions

➜ We master the art of multitasking
➜ We develop innovative solutions to everyday challenges
➜ We streamline processes at work and home

5. Emotional Intelligence

➜ We navigate different personalities at work and home
➜ We understand and address various emotional needs
➜ We excel at conflict resolution

6. Resilience

➜ We bounce back from setbacks quickly
➜ We adapt to changing situations effortlessly
➜ We maintain their composure in challenging times

So today I salute all the working moms (and working dads too!). 

📌 Who is a working mom who inspires you? 

ps- this picture was taken after we drove 9 hours to see the USA team play. Oh, the things we do as parents!

Most people chase more.
More money. More status. More stuff.


I'm working on my next book, More Money by Friday, so I've been reading lots and lots of books on financial literacy.

As I'm reading and researching, I'm finding patterns come up over and over.

One of those patterns is that when our time, values, and work all point in the same direction, then life is better, happier, more fulfilling. 

We no longer need to fill that need of buying more stuff to satisfy that feeling of being unsatisfied.

We start living more on purpose.

The more aligned we are, the more we can take steps towards fulfillment.

Here's 4 questions to ask yourself:

1. Does the way I spend my time reflect what I say matters most?
2. Am I chasing what I want — or what others expect?
3. Where do I feel constant resistance, and what is that trying to tell me?
4. If my calendar were a mirror, would I like the reflection?

For me, this is a daily action, taking small intentional steps, to close that gap.

And suddenly, those things material things I thought I wanted don't matter as much. 

📌 When was a time when you felt fulfilled with what you have, just as things are now?

(this picture is when my family and I traveled to Istanbul earlier this year- at that moment, I didn't feel the need to chase anything- family, adventure, and fresh air and was the perfect day)

7 Small Things You Can Let Go Of (Now That the Penny Is Officially Retired)


Yesterday marked a big day in US History- the US minted their last pennies, to ever be made at the Philadelphia mint.

Last year I had a chance to tour the Philadelphia mint with my kids and see how many was actually made. Pictures weren't allowed, otherwise I would have included one! 

Did you know: 
-1 cent coins had been minted for 232 years, since 1793. Wow! 
-There are still 250 billion pennies still in circulation. 

I have lots of questions how pricing will work going forward. 

Will anything change?
Will prices change?
Will things still end in .99?
What if I own $4.97? Will the new price by $4.95 of $5.00?


This served to me as a reminder how we as change makers, organizational leaders, and professionals can let go of the old to make space for forward movement: 

Here are 7 small things we can let go of.

1. Old expectations
The ones you outgrew but still feel obligated to honor.

2. Perfection as a standard
It’s not excellence—it’s self-punishment.

3. Doing everything yourself
High-performers often carry invisible loads. Delegation is not weakness.

4. Guilt for wanting “more”
More time, more money, more rest, more joy…it’s allowed.

5. Outdated identities
You don’t have to be who you were last year, last month, or last job.

6. Saying yes to protect others from being uncomfortable
You’re not responsible for managing everyone else’s emotions.

7. The belief that change must be big to matter
Small shifts — are the ones that compound.

A penny for your thoughts: (pun intended!)
📌 Which one (#1 -7) most resonates with you?  

For me, as a professional who's always busy doing so much, #4 resonates the most- guilt for wanting more, including an often needed nap!

Today is a humble share for my 14 year old son, Ben (proud Mama, here!). He wrote a book! If you or a family member likes sports, please consider checking it out and writing a review. It's free today on kindle! 


My son started writing this book earlier this year, and it became a labor of love. He loves sports and in honor of celebrating his 100th episode of his podcast, Footballing with Kids, he wanted to release it today. And it's free! 

The direct link to write a review in the comments. 

Or if you enjoy sports or know someone who does, this book is lots of fun and covers soccer, football, basketball and baseball! 

It takes about 5 amazon reviews to get a book started for credibility and visibility.  And the more people who get the book (it’s free today!) on the same day, the more it also helps with Amazon rankings! 

For anyone who gets his book (it's free today!) and reviews it, I'd be happy to show you what I know for writing books and will invite you to a book writing session - just message me! (the kids and I have been on a roll lately writing books!)

Wishing you a great day before Thanksgiving. I hope it’s not too hectic for you!

https://lnkd.in/gPZn66Hy

Open article: Would You Rather? Kids Sports Edition: The Ultimate Game for Kids Who Love Soccer, Football, Baseball and Basketball (Would You Rather: Kids Edition) by amazon.com

Would You Rather? Kids Sports Edition: The Ultimate Game for Kids Who Love Soccer, Football, Baseball and Basketball (Would You Rather: Kids Edition)

Ever feel like a fraud? Good news, it means you're growing.


I've worked with people from all levels- MD's, CEO's, mid-managers, and new moms, and one thing that everyone has in common?

Everyone questions themselves sometimes.

The only group I don't see this as much in?
Kids.

Why is that kids go for what they want, and we encourage it?
I want to be a baseball player- great!
I want to be an astronaut- amazing!
I want to be a movie star- go for it!

But when we become adults, we question what we want, who we are, and what we're doing in our career.

Here's what I'm discovering:

You can have doubt and still deliver.
You can have fear and still lead.
You can have imposter syndrome — and still make an impact.

📌 When was a time when you doubted yourself, and you did it anyway?

Tuesday Teach: The Kaleidoscope Career Model shows us how our careers change and shift over time due to alternating priorities in authenticity, balance, and challenge.  


Like a kaleidoscope shifts patterns, so does our priorities in our career.

I devoted my dissertation research to applying the kaleidoscope career model to examining high achieving women's careers. 

What I found interesting is that for most men and women, we start our careers out with similar priorities- focusing primarily on challenge. 

But as time progresses, the difference in priorities change between men and women. Women tend to focus on balance, and then authenticity later in their career. 

Men's patterns stay in challenge longer, and then focus on authenticity and the balance. 

Makes sense- in a traditional work environment, often a women's career gets put in the back burner as she sacrifices bits of her career to focus on family and other priority.

Life and career becomes a balancing act.

📌 Knowing that we are a bit of all three, what is your main focus now?  authenticity, balance, or challenge?

(I'm so happy to share this with you! I have been teaching my entire life- from teaching in corporations to teaching in universities, to teaching children how to create their own businesses. It's fun!)

Lately I’ve been working with high-performing teams, and here’s what I've discovered first hand about organizational culture:


Culture isn’t a vibe. It’s a system that determines whether people rise or retreat.

Look at these examples we can all learn from:

➜ Google’s Project Aristotle
 The teams who felt safe to speak up weren’t just happier—they were higher performing. Safety fuels success.

➜ Microsoft under Satya Nadella
 When leaders shifted from “prove yourself” to “grow yourself,” innovation exploded. Culture changed → results changed.

➜ Uber’s culture overhaul
 
Toxicity cost billions. Culture wasn’t a side problem—it was the foundation crack.

Here’s what winning cultures do differently:

1. Safety > Fear
They encourage people to say the brave thing, not the comfortable thing.

2. Learning > Blame
They ask, “What can we learn?” instead of, “Who do we blame?”

3. Ownership > Excuses
They solve problems together instead of pushing responsibility around.

The deeper truth:
 ➜ Culture is created every day
 ➜ People follow the energy of leadership
 ➜ Trust multiplies results

If you want a team that’s engaged and productive, start here:

✔ Create psychological safety
 ✔ Reward curiosity and courage
 ✔ Celebrate accountability
 ✔ Model the behavior you want others to mirror

People don’t leave companies—they leave cultures that don’t support who they are.

I have left organizations because of the culture, and I have also stayed at them  because I was a "fit." 

📌 Where has organizational culture either helped you or hindered you at work? 

📌 📌 Book Recommendation: I learned all about organizational culture in my PhD program, and have since taught it to many others. Here's a great book to put on your check out and implement: Organizational Culture in Leadership by Edgar Schein.

Did you know today is 11-11 and Veterans Day? 

I went to the post office, and it took me a few minutes to figure out why the post office wasn't open.

And then somebody told me it was 11-11. And then she told me that 11-11 is a spiritual number and is often viewed as an "angel number," and a sign of a day to make a wish or set an intention. 

And I woke up today just thinking it was another day. 

So I started to wonder who these two events today are connected.

Veterans align action to mission (thank you veterans!)
11:11 represents alignment of self to higher purpose.  

Strong leadership happens when your outer service reflects your inner values. And when the external is aligned with the internal, then are aligned at work, and in life.

So Happy Veterans Day to all the veterans, and thank you for protecting our country. And on 11-11, may all your wishes come true!

📌 What is something you're aligning to on 11-11?
📌 📌 Do you have a veteran in your life you can thank today? 

ps- I took this last summer in Washington DC, near Arlington Cemetery, which was humbling and beautiful

Entrepreneurs, Tech & Sales: Own Your Voice on LinkedIn | Social Selling and Personal Branding —> Increase Pipeline & Brand Awareness | LEGO Flower Power 🌻

I'm on LinkedIn to get OFF LinkedIn.

I know, crazy for someone who teaches LinkedIn.

But getting off LinkedIn and building real relationships? That's what fills my cup and my pipeline (and bank account).

I teach you the same.

Your expertise deserves to be known.🙌

You're a business owner, tech leader, or executive who's built something incredible. 
You solve real problems. You get results. Your clients love working with you.

But your ideal clients are scrolling right past you on LinkedIn.

Here's what I see every day:
— Brilliant professionals who are invisible online while their competitors get all the attention. 
— Leaders who've built amazing businesses but can't translate that success into LinkedIn visibility. 
— Executives who know they should be networking but feel awkward and inauthentic trying to "work" the platform.

You're probably struggling with:
— Your network could be an asset, but right now it's untapped potential
— You're tired of relying on cold outreach, referrals, or waiting for leads to find you
— You know LinkedIn has potential, but you don't have a system to use it effectively
— You want to build genuine relationships, not just chase vanity metrics
— You feel overwhelmed by the platform and don't know where to start

The frustrating part? You're amazing at what you do, but that expertise isn't translating into the visibility and opportunities you deserve.

There are two approaches to LinkedIn:
1. Random posting and cold outreach that leads nowhere
2. Strategic visibility + intentional relationship-building

I help leaders like you transform from invisible to influential through my REALationship Growth Method.

Real results from real clients:
Scott: Closed a $400k deal from LinkedIn relationships
Michelle: Landed 2x $30k speaking engagements in 3 months
Dr. Ashley: 2 speaking gigs in 2 weeks, 5-figure client in 4 weeks

This isn't generic social media coaching. I built my own multi-six figure business using these exact strategies while being an introvert who hates traditional networking (and definitely hates cold outreach). 

Ready to be known for what you do?

DM me "LFG" and let's chat! 💜

Natasha Walstra

I’ve never had a year test me like this one.
 
Last Thanksgiving, I wasn’t thinking about business growth or strategy.  

I was sitting in the NICU.
 
Our son arrived 7 weeks early. He was where he needed to be, but leaving the hospital without him broke me in a way I still struggle to put into words.  

Coming home not pregnant and without our baby was one of the hardest things I’ve ever lived through.
 
Unsurprisingly, postpartum depression hit fast and hard.  
My mindset tanked.  My business struggled.  
I questioned everything, including whether I was meant for entrepreneurship at all.
 
But what I know now:  
Sometimes your business doesn’t grow because you push harder.  
It grows because you do.
 
And that’s what happened.
 
Today, our little dude is thriving.  
My business is the strongest it has ever been.  
And last week, we moved into our forever home.
 
This Thanksgiving, I feel an 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 sense of gratitude.  

And I want to say thank you.
 
To the people who checked on me during my lowest moments. 

To my 1:1 clients who trusted me while I was still finding my footing.  

To the 25 who've signed up for my group program even knowing group was out of my comfort zone. 

To my coaches and mentors who helped me rebuild from the inside out.  

To my loving husband who is the best partner and father I could ever have dreamed of.

And to YOU, who continue to support the very unpolished, but always real, me.
 
I am not curated.  
I am not perfect.  
And there is no flawless strategy behind any of this.
 
But you still show up.  
You still support me.  
You make all this possible.
 
If you told me six months ago that we would be buying our dream home, there's no way I'd believe it.  But here we are.
 
I am grateful.  
My family is grateful.  
And I couldn't have done this without you. 
 
Happy (late) Thanksgiving. 💜

Grow the REAL (and profitable) way on LinkedIn | Social Selling for Entrepreneurs & B2B Teams | Filling February cohort of the REALationship Growth Method - ask me about it! 🙌

Last week I posted once.

And I "posted & ghosted" that same post.

No engagement. No comments. A handful of DMs.

Why? Life was life-ing and I had no capacity to show up on here.

And that's OKAY.

There are seasons for everything.

Sometimes I'm heavy on engagement and network building.

Other times I'm focused on the behind-the-scenes stuff that doesn't show up in my feed.

Like the last few weeks:

→ Putting on my first live workshop
→ Speaking on a panel IRL (also a first)
→ Consulting with a Big Four (stay tuned)
→ Launching my group program (another first)
→ Selling out of my 2nd and filling my third cohort

That's a lot of doing the thing while not talking about the thing.

LinkedIn isn't about showing up perfectly every day.

It's about showing up consistently over time.

Some weeks that's 4 posts and 50 comments.

Other weeks it's 1 post and radio silence.

Both are fine.

The goal isn't perfection.

It's presence. Over the long haul.

Don't let the fear of "not doing LinkedIn right" keep you invisible.

Imperfect visibility beats perfect invisibility. Every time.

P.S. Oh, and something BIG on the personal front happened on Friday... can't wait to share more about that soon!

Anyone else's life life-ing hard right now??

P.S.2. Hiiii!! 👋👋 My little guy just learned to wave so you can imagine, we've got lots of waving going on in the house these days. 👋

I've been testing something on my profile.

And it's leading to inbound DM's.
 
For years, my headline followed the standard formula:
 
"I do X for Y | Punchy tagline | Title | Personal touch | Random emoji 🌻"
 
But I got bored of it.
 
Your headline follows you everywhere.
 
When you post. 
When you comment. 
When you send a connection request.
 
Those first 50 characters (5-8 words) still matter. A lot.
 
And yes, keywords are important for SEO, too.
 
But I wanted to try something different.
 
Instead of just describing what I do, I made it interactive.
 
I gave my audience a reason 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
 
The result?
 
Multiple people have asked me about my next cohort since I made the change.
 
Not from a post. Not from a DM.
 
From seeing my headline and getting curious.
 
Your headline doesn't just have to say what you do.
 
It can invite people into a conversation.

_____
 
P.S. This only works when your profile AND content speak to your ideal clients while showcasing expertise and social proof. They should come to your page and think, "This person can help me."

"Spend 2 hours a day commenting on LinkedIn."

That's what a top personal brand creator recommended.

My reaction: 
Who the heck has time for that? 👀

Then I realized the problem:
You're taking advice from the wrong people on LinkedIn.

Most LinkedIn "experts" are content creators.

Their business model is completely different from yours.

I'm breaking down the difference and why it matters for your strategy.
Check it out 👇

P.S. I'm already filling up my next cohort in January - which isn't actually that crazy because there are only 35 working days left in the year. 35! You've got one week left to join at the founding member rate PLUS lifetime access (yep, I did accidentally start a community 😅 and it's AWESOME). 

DM me "LFG" for deets!

Grow the REAL (and profitable) way on LinkedIn | Social Selling for Entrepreneurs & B2B Teams | Filling January cohort of the REALationship Growth Method - ask me about it! 🙌

(And that's OK!) I recently saw one of the top personal brand creators in the world recommend spending 2 hours a day commenting on LinkedIn. 2 hours. 

Open article: You're not a content creator by Natasha Walstra • 2 min read

"It worked!" - my client, shocked.

He was skeptical adding a CTA at the end of his posts.

For weeks I'd been trying to get him to do it. WEEKS!

But I was insistent: If people don't know how to take the next step with you, how will they know how to take the next step with you?

For some context...this is person is reaching out to engineers.
If you're struggling with what to say in DMs, imagine an engineer who doesn't post at all.

So we put together a simple CTA: "DM me [keyword] for [offer]"

The result?
The FIRST time he used it, someone reached out. 👀

People are tired of being pitched in DMs.
But we're all here to grow our businesses, right?

The difference: This is a soft sell. 
An entry point to the bigger offer.

We're not trying to get them to buy immediately.
We're trying to welcome them into our orbit EASILY so they can see what we have to offer.

This is exactly how 164 people registered for my workshop.
Not through promotional posts saying "come to my workshop."
Through a nudge in the P.S. and comments.

Give people an easy way to raise their hand.
Then have a real conversation.

_____

P.S. If you're not using soft CTA/CTEs in your posts, you're making people work too hard to connect with you.

"I'm back to being a LinkedIn fan. 😍"

Jackie posted this after 3 weeks of joining my cohort.

Before: 
→ Rewriting every post multiple times 
→ Spreadsheets full of content 
→ Feeling like LinkedIn was taking away from her business

3 weeks later: 
→ Confident about what to post 
→ Booking clients 
→ Actually enjoying it

What changed? It wasn't tactics.

This week's newsletter breaks down the shift that matters + an announcement about switching things up with this newsletter.

____

P.S. Day 2 of what I'm grateful for: Community. I'm about to jump on a call with Aprelle Duany who I met through Entreprenista. We already collaborated on an AI Summit she hosted last year, and now we're connecting to share insights in our respective expertise to support and grow our businesses. Collaboration > competition everyday. 🙌

Hello, subscriber! Quick announcement: I'm switching things up You're still getting this newsletter here on LinkedIn on Tuesdays. But I just switched 

Open article: "I'm back to being a LinkedIn fan. 😍" by Natasha Walstra • 4 min read

24k impressions on one post.
Sounds great, right?

The number that's actually impressive:
→ 209 profile views.

Those are the people who didn't just scroll past.
They saw my clients content and clicked to check out his profile.
That's intent.

And here's the wild part:
Only 160 people liked the post.

That means 49 people were interested enough to visit his profile but too uncomfortable to engage publicly.

They're lurking.
And they're everywhere on LinkedIn.

67% of people log in weekly but never comment or like anything.
That's over 670+ million lurkers (!)

They're reading your content. They're interested. 
But too uncomfortable to engage publicly.

Don't look just at likes and comments to tell you who's interested.
Profile views are a quiet little 'hellos'

After every post, check who's viewing your profile.
If they're your ideal client? Reach out directly.

Big caveat:
This only works if your profile actually speaks to them.
If they land on a corporate resume? They bounce.
If it clearly solves their problem? They remember you.

The most interested people often engage the least publicly.
Don't let vanity metrics fool you.

Your biggest opportunities might be in those profile views, not those likes.

___

P.S. This client just started posting on LinkedIn 3 months ago. Never used social media before in his life. Now with my custom AI bot helping him create content consistently? One post got 24K impressions and 209 profile views. Not bad for being 3 months in!

You ask, I answer!

I'm still a newbie to newsletterlandia but I've been learning a lot.

And I want to tell the inside scoop.😎

Last week I shared how my newsletter is the most valuable thing I've added to my business this year.

(It's influenced or directly closed ~$75k in 6 months...and I've got a small but mighty list - 380 email subscribers + 2,311 on LinkedIn.)

This questions keeeps coming up: LinkedIn newsletter or email newsletter?

I do both. But they serve completely different purposes.

One helps you find new people.
The other helps you keep them.

I break it all down in this week's newsletter.

Yes, a newsletter about newsletters.

Not confusing at all : )

P.S. I don't think I've ever shared my website with y'all...but I recently closed a 1:1 client from someone who someone else shared my site to them (thank you to whoever that was!) and she said, "I felt like you were talking to me."

SO, thought I'd share it in case it does the same!

https://lnkd.in/ehruB6Wu 

If it does, book a call and let's talk! 😎

(Both. But for different reasons) Hey hey friendly subscriber! You asked, I'm answering! Following up on last week’s newsletter about...newsletters: "

Open article: LinkedIn newsletter or email newsletter? by Natasha Walstra • 3 min read

Round 2 of the video bandwagon.

I was on it. Made a whopping 4 videos. 😎

Then I fell off.

Which is so strange because I got real ROI ($12k) directly from 2 of them. 

I'm literally still working with one of the clients I signed because of my first video!

And yet I gave up.

Why?

Because I was overthinking it. Trying to script it. Making it harder than it needed to be.

So I'm going to mix in a new way: unscripted, unapologetically me.

I think that's more my style anyways.

Who's ready to get awkward with me?! 🥳

Y'all, I love that posts live longer on LinkedIn. 🙊

(I might be one of the few who feel this way.)

Why?

Because that means if you only post 2-3x a week, you're still top of mind in your network.
Unlike Meta where posts die after 24 hours, on here they stick around.

I absolutely dig it. 

In October I had a LOT going on and just couldn't get to my usual posting (and I hate posting & ghosting).
So I only posted 3x a week.

But every morning I woke up with notifications - comments and likes from past posts.

And guess what?
October was my best month ever. By nearly double.
Let that sink in.
Less posting and I closed more deals.

Use this as an opportunity to reevaluate how often you're posting.

If you're posting 5x a week: 
→ Do you feel like you're burning out? 
→ Is the quality of your posts all good?

If you're not posting at all: 
→ What if you only had to post 2x a week instead of 5x? 
→ Does that help reframe your overwhelm and make it seem easier to start?

While LinkedIn figures out its algorithm, remember this:
Quality beats quantity. Every time.

Your posts show up in feeds for days...even weeks.
So give yourself permission to post less and stress less.
Your content has a longer shelf life than you think.

___

P.S. My goal is still to show up with quality content at 4-5x a week, but sometimes life keeps life-ing and I can't do it. And that's OKAY. Give yourself grace and do what works for you that doesn't lead to burnout. The LAST thing I'd want is for you to go ham on here and then disappear for months at a time because it got too overwhelming. You've got this! 🙌

"Would I say this if I ran into them at a coffee shop?"

This is what you should be asking yourself before you send any DM. 

If the answer is no... don't send it.

This one filter will save you from 99% of bad LinkedIn DMs.

Most people have forgotten that LinkedIn follows the same social rules as real life.

And that there's a real HUMAN on the other side of the screen.

You wouldn't walk up to a stranger at Starbucks and say: "I noticed you're in leadership and wanted to explore synergies with our AI-powered solutions..."

So why would you say it in a DM?

Instead of treating LinkedIn like a networking platform.
Treat it like your office.

Your connections? 
They're your colleagues.

Comments? 
Water cooler conversations.

DMs? 
Dropping by someone's desk to say hi.

When you make this mental shift, everything changes.

____

P.S. Today in the REALationship Growth Method we're covering "Social Selling & Conversation Starters" - I went through all my DM's in the last month and compiled examples for the group. Might have to make this a lead magnet...would anyone be interested in this?

The most valuable thing I added to my business this year? 

→ A small (but growing!) newsletter.

(Hard to say exact numbers, but it's ~$75k in 6 months and I currently have 381 subscribers + my LinkedIn subscribers)

Here's the thing about newsletters: 
It's not about size. It's about attention.

These people invited me into their inbox. 
They want to hear from me every week. 
No algorithm deciding if they see my stuff.

Just real attention from real people.

When I hosted my first workshop, 176 people registered. 
More than half came from my newsletter. 
And I didn't send a single promotional email! 
Just mentioned it naturally, the way I'd tell a friend.

That's the power of a list that actually pays attention.

This week's newsletter breaks down why newsletters work, what I didn't expect, and why NOW is the time to start one (or fix yours).

P.S. I'm the LinkedIn Lady, yes... but growing your business? That's the actual mission. 😎

Are you thinking about starting a newsletter? Do it. Already have one but not seeing results? Keep reading…you might be missing a few key elements. St

Open article: The most valuable thing I added to my business by Natasha Walstra • 3 min read

The most valuable thing I added to my business

How I create 5+ posts from one call.

This is so simple, but no one was doing this!

Whenever I have a really good conversation with a client or team - great questions, big problem solved, interesting debate - I take that transcript and drop it into my chat.

My super simple prompt: 
"Pull all the themes and questions discussed on this call."

It gives me ~3-5 themes/?s (or more in this case)

From there, I turn the best ones into posts.

Here's what it gave me from last Monday's call:

Themes:
- Google Alerts for prospecting
- Post engagement & follow-up strategies
- Avoiding pitch slaps in DMs
- Content creation struggles
- Using call transcripts for content (𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸)

Questions:
• "Should I reach out to people who liked my post?"
• "How do I make content creation faster?"
• "What's the balance between content creation and engagement?"
  
All solid. All post-worthy.

If one client is asking these questions, you can bet others are wondering the same thing.

You're literally getting handed post ideas every day - you just need to capture them.

"𝘋𝘰 𝘐 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭?"

As much as possible. Why?

→ It turns it into a unique story.
Not some generic advice post anyone could write.

→ It's social proof. Shows I'm doing the thing I say I do. 
On calls. With real clients.

Obviously, I respect privacy - I don't share names or identifying details, unless discussed.

But this approach shows you do what you say you do while creating relevant content.

Easy peasy.

___

P.S. I thought everyone was doing this, until I started to share it with my clients and realized no one was doing it.

Best way to think of this: instead of creating content, you're capturing it.

Is this an AWS meltdown but Cloudfare style? 

I can't access half my tools right now. 😐

(I actually have a great post for today, but Canva wasn't having it and you know me, I like images with posts haha). 

Anyone else feeling stuck?

taplio

The Battle

Jennifer Knowles, Ph.D

Natasha Walstra

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreJennifer Knowles, Ph.D's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreNatasha Walstra's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Jennifer Knowles, Ph.D

Natasha Walstra

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

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

Performance ScoreNatasha Walstra's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreJennifer Knowles, Ph.D's LinkedIn Performance