The Dating App Founder | 8M members | Bootstrapped startup with a team of 50+ | Co-founder & COO of Inner Circle | Follow for insights on business, leadership and relationships

I build and scale companies by raising standards, strengthening teams, and scaling execution.

I’m an entrepreneur with over 14 years of experience founding and scaling businesses. 
I’m the Co-Founder of Inner Circle, a dating app founded in 2012, which has grown to over 8 million users across 50 countries. 

As Chief Operating Officer and acting Chief Marketing Officer, I sit at the intersection of leadership, hiring, execution, and growth.

Across that journey, I’ve helped build teams from 0 to more than 50 people across two continents. 
I’ve interviewed 1,000's of candidates and hired 100's of high performers, giving me a front-row seat to what separates teams that scale from those that stall. 

As companies grow, performance rarely breaks because of strategy. It breaks when clarity fades, standards slip, and execution becomes inconsistent. My perspective is practical and grounded in operating reality. High-performing companies are built by A-player teams, clear priorities, and leaders who combine ownership with humanity. 

My leadership principles are:

⟶ Disciplined execution beats complexity. 
⟶ Trust works when standards are explicit. 
⟶ Momentum comes from focus, not motion.

This account is for founders and leaders who want to build companies that perform consistently as they grow, without losing speed, accountability, or their human edge.

To collaborate with me as a creator please contact: enquiries@alecrickard.com

Michael Krayenhoff

Most founders don't have a talent problem.

They have an "overthinking" problem.

The way you frame a hard moment decides everything.
Not your skills. Not your network.

The story you tell yourself.

Every team eventually hits a wall.
A bad hire. A missed target. A product that didn't land.

What separates the ones who recover from the ones who don't?

They see the same situation differently.

Learning to code at 35 wasn't about code.
It was about proving to myself that hard things are learnable.
That discomfort isn't a stop sign. It's a starting line.

That shift changed how teams around me operate too.

When the leader treats hard problems as puzzles, not threats,
the team starts doing the same.

It's not about being positive all the time.
It's about training yourself to ask a better question.

Not "why is this happening to us?"
But "what does this make possible?"

That's the real competitive edge.
Not the strategy deck. Not the funding round.

The mind you bring into the room every morning.

Train it like a muscle.
Push it when it wants to stop.
Question the first story it tells you.

The obstacle doesn't change.
But what you do with it always depends on how you see it.

What's one moment where changing your thinking changed the outcome entirely?

Drop it below. I'd love to read it.

♻ If this was useful, repost so more founders see it
✅ Follow Michael Krayenhoff for more on building teams, leadership, and careers

Hi — I’m Dupe.

I’m the founder of Bloomful, a women’s health company working with employers to support women through gynaecological health issues and major life transitions.

I’m also a medical doctor, and ex-management consultant.

One of the biggest lessons has been that as a leader, attention and clarity matter.

As a founder, your job isn’t just to build the product. It’s to help people understand what you’re building, why it matters, and what you stand for.

I started posting on LinkedIn without a plan and with a lot of hesitation. Over time, I learned how to:

- Write clearly and consistently
- Say less, more precisely
- Build credibility without performative content

In the last 12 months, that led to:

- Growth from ~2,000 to 85,000+ followers
- Recognition as a top 1% LinkedIn account (Favikon)
- Inbound investors, hires, partnerships, and speaking opportunities

Alongside building Bloomful, I work with founders and senior leaders on their LinkedIn presence. 

Most don’t struggle with ideas; they struggle with articulating what they already know in a way that feels credible and sustainable. My focus isn't virality, it’s positioning, and long-term trust.

Message me if:
- You’re a founder or exec building something
- You care how your leadership is perceived
- You want to write online without sounding generic or performative

I'm always happy to connect.

Dupe Burgess

Most people don’t struggle because they lack ability.

They struggle because they think they already have the answer.

You see it everywhere.

- Taking feedback as criticism.
- Explaining instead of listening.
- Defending before hearing the full point.

It’s understandable: no one likes being wrong.
Or realising there’s something they don't know yet.

But reflecting back, being teachable is probably the biggest and most underrated advantage.

The people who grow fastest do things differently:

→ They focus on learning, not being right
→ They listen properly when someone disagrees
→ They ask questions before jumping to conclusions
→ They are willing to change their mind when new information comes

That mindset matters whether you’re leading a team, building a company, or trying to improve at your job.

Because progress isn’t defending what you already know.

It comes from being open to what you don’t.

♻️ Repost to remind your network to stay teachable.

➕ Follow Dr. Dupe Burgess for more on growth, personal brand and founder life.

Dr. Dupe Burgess

Founder at Bloomful | Helping founders and execs build a credible LinkedIn presence | Keynote Speaker, Medical Doctor, Ex-BCG

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It’s never too late to start something new.

Society says:

↳ Start young
↳ Never fail at things
↳ Be rich & successful by 30

But realistically:

↳ Life isn’t linear
↳ It’s never too late to begin
↳ We can start, stop & pivot at any age

The truth is:

→ a 50-year-old entrepreneur is 2.2 times more likely to build a successful startup than a 30-year-old

And 2.8 times more likely than a 25-year-old.
(According to MIT and the U.S. Census Bureau)

At 60, your odds get even better.

Your timeline is your own.
Don’t allow others’ expectations to get in the way.

New starts can happen anytime.
You’ll never know your full potential until you try.

Don’t let society tell you otherwise.

Anyone make a big career change?
Would love to hear about it below!👇

♻️ Repost to help someone take a leap and build the life they want to live.
➕ Follow Dr. Dupe Burgess for more

You’re never too important to be kind.

There's a misconception that being kind is weak.

But true leaders lead with humanity not authority.

It costs nothing, but the impact is priceless.

8 ways to lead with kindness:

1. Lead with gratitude
↳ A genuine “Thank you” goes a long way.

2. Assume positive intent
↳ Default to trust; people tend to rise to it.

3. Make space for all voices
↳ Ask, pause, and truly hear the quiet ones.

4. Offer help before they ask
↳ Ask people, “How can I support you?”

5. Give credit, take responsibility
↳ Elevate your team, own the hard moments.

6. Listen like they’re the only one there
↳ Put your phone down and give full attention.

7. Celebrate people’s wins, big or small
↳ Public praise builds confidence and culture.

8. Remember the small details & moments
↳ A simple “How’s your dad doing?” matters.

Kindness isn’t a nice to have,
It’s essential in leadership.

What’s one kind gesture you’ll never forget?
Let me know in the comments below 👇

♻️ Repost to help your network show more kindness.
➕ Follow Dr. Dupe Burgess for more.

Don’t mistake quiet for weakness. 

And let’s challenge the idea that loud or extrovert automatically means strong or knowledgeable.

Loud people are often perceived as confident leaders.
They take charge & make decisions.

Quiet people are often overlooked, seen as passive.

But often, they are:

↳ Great listeners
↳ Deeply insightful
↳ Calm under pressure

Just because someone's quiet,
Doesn't mean they don't have a lot to say.

6 ways to support quieter team members:

1. Provide quiet workspaces
↳ Boosts focus by minimising distractions & noise.
↳ Offer noise-cancelling tools or secluded areas.

2. Encourage written communication channels
↳ Gives opportunity to craft thoughtful responses.
↳ Promote email, chat, or written communications.

3. Offer regular recharge opportunities
↳ Prevents burnout & restores energy for deep work.
↳ Create flexible breaks or "quiet time" policies.

4. Provide a like-minded mentor
↳ Offer support from someone who "gets" them.
↳ Match with mentors who value a similar style.

5. Invite input before or after meetings
↳ Allows time to process & respond thoughtfully.
↳ Use follow-up questions for feedback.

6. Offer roles that play to their strengths
↳ Utilise their deep-thinking & problem-solving skill.
↳ Align tasks with research or analysis.

Respect for different styles fuels collaboration.
Be conscious of biases & challenge assumptions.

What's your best tip for supporting quieter people?
Let me know in the comments👇

Image credit: Jean Kang

📌 My next newsletter drops in a couple of hours. Sign up for free here: https://lnkd.in/ekfMRpWJ

♻️ Repost to to inspire your network.
➕ Follow Dr. Dupe Burgess for more.

taplio

The Battle

Michael Krayenhoff

Dupe Burgess

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Performance ScoreMichael Krayenhoff's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDupe Burgess's LinkedIn Performance

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taplio

The Battle

Michael Krayenhoff

Dupe Burgess

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);}Michael Krayenhoff's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreDupe Burgess's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreMichael Krayenhoff's LinkedIn Performance