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

Co-founder of dating app Inner Circle — a global community where people with similar lifestyles meet. No games. No endless swiping. Just real people, genuinely worth dating.

Built from the ground up without external funding, Inner Circle now connects over 8 million people across the world, through shared lifestyles, intentional design and a belief that opposites don’t attract.

Currently every 4 seconds 2 people meet through Inner Circle.

keen to meet your match?
try the app with code MK2024 for a month of premium access.

Follow me for honest insights about work, life and love.

Looking for stars to join the team, check out the careers page: www.about.theinnercircle.co/careers. 

About me: 
I believe no strategy is better than its execution. 
My scope includes:
🏆 Hiring and developing winning teams 
✅ Alignment and execution driven by OKRs
🚀 Marketing that drives growth with ROI
🥾 Data to accelerate experiments that move the needle
🍸 Advisor and angel

In 2025, I stepped back into marketing as COO CMO. Content is the most powerful lever for any brand, so I started posting here to understand what makes it tick, share my learnings and lead my team better.

Michael Krayenhoff

Reminder for managers:

Your new hire’s failure is your failure.

One of the biggest mistakes companies make...
is not setting new hires up for success.

You can’t expect people to “hit the ground running”...
if you never put them in the race.

If they fail in their first 3 months,
it’s not their fault.
It’s yours.

Because great onboarding isn’t just a process.


It’s training.
It’s preparation.
It’s sharing knowledge.
It’s building relationships.
It’s learning what good looks like.

Managers don’t just hire talent...
they shape it.

Set people up to win,
and they’ll make your whole team stronger.

♻ Repost to remind others that leadership starts with day one.
✅ Follow Michael Krayenhoff for more on business, leadership and careers

People won’t remember what you said,

But they will remember how you treated them.

The best leaders don’t just manage tasks,

They connect with people.

And empathy is their most powerful tool.

✅ It’s how you earn trust.
✅ Diffuse conflict.
✅ Build loyalty.

And lead with heart, not ego.

Here are 15 Ways to Lead With Empathy:
(That Your Team Won’t Forget)

1/ Flex when life gets messy
↳ Be adaptable and offer options when life takes over.

2/ Listen to what isn’t being said
↳ Watch body language, mood shifts, and what’s left out.

3/ Make it safe to say “I don’t know”
↳ Reward curiosity and remove fear from learning.

4/ Stay steady when emotions run high
↳ Help to stabilize uncertainty and guide people back to the goal..

5/ Give people grace when they make mistakes
↳ Use errors as coaching moments, not moments for judgment.

6/ Ask “How can I support you?” and mean it
↳ Let them define what support looks like. Then step up.

7/ Lead with transparency in hard moments
↳ Share context honestly. Don’t leave people in the dark.

8/ Give feedback that grows, not shames
↳ Be direct, but kind. Critique behaviors, not people.

9/ Ask them how they’re really feeling
↳ Go beyond work and show you’re invested enough to listen.

10/ Listen without fixing or finishing
↳ Don’t rush to solve, but give people room to learn and grow.

11/ Support the person, not just the performer
↳ Check in when they struggle not just when they shine.

12/ Model positive boundaries and respect theirs
↳ Don’t glorify burnout, but lead with respect and boundaries..

13/ Make space for quieter voices
↳ Invite input early rather than letting the loudest dominate. 

14/ Act before they have to ask
↳ Anticipate needs and pay attention to signals.

15/ Praise progress, not just perfection
↳ Recognize the progress people make - not just the end result.

16/ Defend people when they’re not in the room
↳ Speak up when it counts. Loyalty is leadership.

17/ Speak to their potential, not just performance
↳ Reflect back the future you see in them regularly.

Let me know below 👇 

♻ Repost this to help your network.
✅ Follow Michael Krayenhoff for more on business, leadership and careers.

Power moves get tasks done.
Care moves people forward.
That’s the real scoreboard of leadership.

But it’s also the part most leaders overlook.

They chase performance.
Defend their image.
Micromanage the process.

But legacy doesn’t live in your CV.
It lives in the people who have worked beside you.

Want to build the kind of leadership people remember?
Start with these 10: 

1/ Protect people’s energy
↳ Respect workload. Notice burnout. Make space to breathe.

2/ Listen with intent
↳ Not to fix. Not to reply. Just to truly understand.

3/ Notice quiet effort
↳ The loudest voice isn’t always the one carrying the weight.

4/ Remove the ego
↳ The team wins when credit is shared and blame is absorbed.

5/ Be the same person every day
↳ Stability builds trust. Emotional swings erode it.

6/ Give trust early
↳ Ownership starts when people feel believed in.

7/ Ask better questions
↳ Good leadership isn’t about answers, it’s about curiosity.

8/ Celebrate progress, not perfection
↳ Consistency matters more than flawless performance.

9/ Step in before things break
↳ Don’t wait for a mess to show leadership. Prevent it.

10/ Grow people quietly
↳ No micromanaging. No spotlight. Just steady belief and stretch.

Because in the end,

No one talks about your job title.
They talk about how they felt under your leadership.

Seen.
Safe.
Trusted.
Stretched.

That’s the legacy people carry.

Which one of these do you wish more leaders practiced?
Drop your thoughts below 👇

♻ Repost to raise the bar for leadership.
✅ Follow Michael Krayenhoff for more on business, leadership and careers.

MTD Training - Leadership, Management & Sales

In 2001, I took a leap of faith to see if I could cut it as an entrepreneur, and that's how MTD Training was born. 

With no outside investment, no team, and no fancy office, I started the company from a small bedroom office, doing everything myself - from marketing to delivering training sessions. It was a daunting challenge, but I didn’t want to look back one day with regrets, wondering "what if?"

I knew that if I was going to build something, it had to be something truly exceptional - something that would make a real difference. 

That’s why I focused on two areas where I saw a massive need for change: leadership development and sales training. 

Too many training programmes were cookie-cutter, uninspired, and, frankly, ineffective. I wanted to create something that delivered tangible results, that didn’t just tick the box, but transformed the people it touched.

Fast forward to today, and MTD Training has grown from that single room into a multi-million pound powerhouse in the training industry. 

We’ve worked with over 9,000 companies. We specialise in both commercial and apprenticeship training, always with one goal in mind: achieving real, measurable results for our clients.

We don’t just train; we transform. Our programmes are not about theory - they’re about application. 

They’re designed to be engaging, impactful, and above all, practical. Our obsession with client success has earned us five prestigious awards and a reputation as a leader in the field.

When I’m not working within MTD, you can often find me sharing my experiences and insights on leadership, sales, and entrepreneurship at conferences, on podcasts, and through various media channels. 

If you’re looking to transform your managers into leaders or drive your sales team to new heights, let’s talk. 

Get in touch at: 
Leadership - www.mtdtraining.com
Sales Training - www.mtdsalestraining.com

Tel: ++ 44 2476 992 486

Founder & CEO

Skillshub - 800 engaging courses for your LMS

Back in 2021, I had a vision to create something different in the world of digital learning. 

I wanted to build a company that didn’t just offer online courses, but truly transformed the learning experience. That’s how Skillshub came to life.

I’ve always been passionate about learning and development, but the e-learning options available at the time were, frankly, uninspiring. 

Most courses felt like a tick-box exercise - boring, disengaging, and failing to deliver real, actionable results. Learning management systems were no better: clunky, hard to use, and often a roadblock rather than a tool for growth.

I knew it didn’t have to be this way. So, I set out to change it.

I wanted to create a platform that wasn’t just another piece of software, but a place where people actually wanted to learn. A place where the content was engaging, practical, and most importantly, impactful. 

I gathered a team of passionate professionals, and together we launched Skillshub - a digital learning platform designed to revolutionise the way we learn online.

Today, Skillshub offers over 800 courses and more than 2,000 diverse learning resources. 

Whether you’re looking for a comprehensive online learning platform or just high-quality content for your existing LMS, we’ve got you covered. 

Our platform is built to be intuitive, easy to navigate, and loaded with engaging content that drives real change in the workplace.

But we didn’t stop there. 

We understood that every organisation has unique needs, so we offer customised solutions too. 

Whether it’s transforming your existing training material into captivating digital content or developing bespoke learning journeys for your people, we’re here to make sure your team is not just learning, but thriving.

With Skillshub, you’re not just getting courses or a platform; you’re getting a learning experience that inspires action and drives performance.

Get in touch at:
www.skillshub.com
info@skillshub.com

Tel: ++ 44 2476 998 101

Feedo - 360 Degree Feedback Tool

When I set out to create Feedo, it wasn’t just about building another 360-degree feedback tool. 

It was about solving a problem that I had personally faced countless times in my career: the frustration of using clunky, overpriced systems that seemed to be designed by programmers, not for the people who would actually use them.

I wanted something better. Something intuitive, cost-effective, and flexible enough to meet the diverse needs of L&D and HR professionals. Feedo was born from that vision.

Imagine you’re running a 360-degree feedback campaign. You’re already juggling multiple roles, trying to ensure your employees are engaged and your organisation is thriving. The last thing you need is a feedback system that’s hard to navigate, lacks customisation, and leaves you wondering if the data you’re getting is even useful.

That’s why I built Feedo. 

It’s a tool designed with you in mind, whether you're an HR leader looking for a comprehensive solution or a manager needing quick, actionable insights. Feedo lets you measure exactly what matters to you, using your own questions or selecting from our extensive library of 600 ready-made questionnaires.

Unlike traditional systems, Feedo’s user-friendly interface makes it simple for both admins and participants. You can create custom ratings, generate clear, easy-to-understand reports, and even monitor results in real-time with our LIVE dashboard. Plus, whether you want to run the campaign yourself or have our team handle it for you, we’ve got you covered.

With Feedo, you’re not just getting software; you’re gaining a partner committed to making feedback easier, more meaningful, and ultimately more impactful.

Some of the ways Feedo can support you include:

360-Degree Feedback
180-Degree Feedback
Employee Satisfaction Surveys
Training Needs Analysis
Automated “Happy Sheets”
Culture Checks

Get in touch at:
www.feedo.com
info@feedo.com

Founder

Merrill Lynch

Head Of Process Improvement

Barclays Bank

Head Of Operational Planning

Founder of MTD Training & Skillshub | Trusted by 9,000+ Companies to Build Leaders & Drive Sales | Award-Winning L&D Partner | Author & Speaker

Most training changes nothing. We do the opposite by delivering management training, sales programmes and online learning that transform performance.

As the Founder and CEO of MTD Training and Skillshub, we've supported over 9,000 companies worldwide, from multinationals to fast-scaling teams, with one goal: real behaviour change that leads to real results.

Multi-award winning MTD Training is a trusted partner for organisations seeking cutting-edge leadership and sales training programmes that make a lasting impact and Skillshub is a company revolutionising e-learning with it's intuitive, engaging platform and 1,000 online courses.

💥 Our Approach: Impact Over Activity 💥

Most training fails because it's built to tick boxes, not move the needle.

That’s why everything we do is designed to make learning stick and show results, whether it’s improving sales performance, increasing leadership capability, or building stronger cultures.

We don’t do training for training’s sake, we make sure it works.

🏆 Recognition & Reach 🏆

Here are 3 of our recent achievements:

* I was named the UK’s #1 Sales Influencer in the Top 100 Sales Index 2025
* MTD was named in the Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2025 – a reflection of our people-first culture
* MTD won the 2024 Breakthrough Culture Award for best company to work for

📚 Author of Practical Business Books 📚

My recently released books include:

- 1,500 Coaching Questions – Word-for-word questions to develop your people.
- 500 Sales Questions That Close The Deal – Ask smarter. Sell faster. Close more.
- IMPACT – How To Turn Learning Into Results. (Essential reading for L&D Managers) 

Coming Soon...
- A revolutionary book on Leadership - due to NDA I can't disclose the title

🎤 Keynotes, Podcasts & Events 🎤

Whether I’m speaking at conferences, on podcasts or contributing to media, I focus on real-world strategies that people can use the next day.

I've been featured by CNN, BBC, ITV and global media outlets.

Topics I cover include:

- Modern day leadership
- Sales transformation
- Personal branding for CEOs
- Entrepreneurialism 
- Business owner strategies

💡 Weekly Upskilling Tips 💡

Join over 270,000 professionals who follow my weekly tips on leadership, sales, and personal growth.
Visit www.seanmcpheat.com to sign up and get 250+ free infographics to sharpen your edge.

📩 For commercial, media, or speaking enquiries 📩

Please email: enquiries@seanmcpheat.com

Sean McPheat

Manager? Check. People Person? Check.

Ah...watch out for this trap then ⬇️ 

Let’s break the myth:
You don’t need to be everyone’s friend.
You need to lead well.
And those aren’t the same.

The “people person” manager often means well but ends up doing harm.

They...

Avoid difficult conversations
Overprotects underperformers
Tries to please everyone
Struggles to set boundaries

The result?
Short-term harmony. Long-term resentment.
A nice manager. A stressed-out team.

Here’s what great leaders do instead:

✅ Have honest conversations early
✅ Build trust, not dependency
✅ Hold standards without drama
✅ Support growth—not just comfort

And here’s the mindset shift they make:

Don’t focus on being liked, focus on being respected
↳ Because respect builds consistency, clarity, and performance

Your team doesn’t need a people-pleaser.
They need someone who’s clear, fair, and growth-focused.

Try using phrases that strike the right balance:

“I care about you and I care about your growth.”
“This might feel uncomfortable, but we need to talk about it.”
“I’ll support you and I’ll hold you accountable.”

It’s not about being cold.
It’s about being clear.

You can’t support someone’s growth if you’re afraid to challenge them.
You can’t build a strong culture by avoiding discomfort.

And if you’re always rescuing, overprotecting or smoothing things over,
you’re not protecting your people. You’re preventing their progress.

🧠 Remember; pleasing people might make you popular.
But leading them well is what makes the real difference.

What’s one way you’ve learned to balance care with clarity?
Share it in the comments ⬇️

-------------------

Develop the managers within your 
organisation and improve business
results…

Check out our UK based open courses.
Click here: https://lnkd.in/ecf3CBkS

For more valuable content, follow me,
Sean McPheat and then hit the 🔔 button
to stay updated on my future posts.

♻️ Save to help you in the future and repost to help others.

📄 Download a high-res PDF of 
this & 250 other infographics at: 
https://lnkd.in/eWPjAjV7

Founder & CEO of MTD Training & Skillshub | Trusted by 9,000+ Companies | Author & Speaker | We Turn Learning Into Performance

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The Battle

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