Lester Chng

Cyber CEOs Brand Strategist. I build your brand as you build your business. | Senior Cybersecurity Advisor | Author | Naval Officer | CISSP | 🇨🇦🇸🇬 |

You head a leading cybersecurity firm.
But your online presence doesn't reflect it.

In fact, being invisible is damaging. 

You understand the power of thought leadership.
You know LinkedIn shapes deal flow and adds credibility in the industry.
You just don’t have the cycles (or the copy) to share your expertise and experience.

You have stories worth telling.

The insights from being in the trenches.
The deep conversations with your ace teams.
The hard discussions with your clients. 

Don’t let this wisdom go to waste.

That’s where I come in.

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How we work together.

Profile & Positioning
=> Rebuild your LinkedIn profile so visitors see industry authority, not “another vendor.”

Content engine
=> Ghostwritten posts that leverage your insights and expertise into engaging LinkedIn posts. 

Outreach campaign
=> Targeted DM campaigns and audience-building strategies that build your authority and land you on podcasts and conference stages.

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You focus on growing your firm and protecting your clients.
And we will ensure the industry, clients, prospects, and investors can’t ignore it.

Let’s build the personal brand that commands the cybersecurity conversation and drives business.


Worked with global client portfolio 
- MSPs
- MSSPs
- Agentic AI SOC
- AI-powered GRC 
- Operational Resilience 

Senior Advisor, Financial Crimes Unit Exercises. BMO Fusion Centre

Execution of Financial Crimes Unit Exercise and Drill Program
• Design and execution of exercises and drills to operationalize the Financial Crimes Unit Fusion Centre
• Scenario creation and exercise execution for Information Security, Enterprise Fraud Management, Physical Security, and Global Crisis and Continuity Management teams 
• Providing effective challenge of incident response readiness through exercise observation
• Execution of enterprise-wide Purple Team Exercise


Cybersecurity Exercises: Purple Team, Ransomware, DDoS, Malware, Data Corruption, Data Breach, 3rd Party Incidents
Fraud Exercises: ATOs, Attack on Payment systems, Business Email Compromise, PII Breach
Physical Security Exercise: Active Assailant, Civil Unrest, Bomb Threats
Crisis Exercises: Disaster Recovery, Business Continuity, Operational Resilience, Fire Incidents, Natural Disasters, Utilities Disruption

Welcome to yr cyber flight simulator. 

I promise I won’t make u cry. 

The Cyber Range has been a faithful workhorse of Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University. 

Incident response professionals, IT teams, municipal leaders, law enforcement officers, veterans, and foreign partners have gone through their paces at the range. 

Has yr team seen what a cyber incident looks like?

Have they been in the hot seat, trying to make sense of what’s happening and needing to coordinate and prioritise actions?

Have they been given the rigor of training to sharpen their instinct, rehearsal their articulation, and coordinate competitions priorities?

This is your cyber flight simulator. 

Step in and see what happens when the rubber hits the road. 

Or are you going to take the risk and wait for a real incident to find out?

Good luck. 
Godspeed. 


P.S 
Please follow Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University. 

We have been delivering exciting programs to individuals and organizations for years and have shaped Canadian’s Cyber Ecosystem. 

It’s going to be an eventful year. 

Follow + try to keep up w the Catalyst.

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I once received AAR feedback from an executive that changed how I view these "mundane" reports.

After-action reports are very important to the success of an exercise program. Without it, there is no chance of leadership buy-in, and soon the program will fizzle out.

These are typical uses/benefits of an AAR.

• capture lessons learned
• provide recap of proceedings
• serve as evidence for risk/auditors
• feeds into enterprise-wide action item register

On this occasion, I drafted the AAR for a fraud-related exercise. It involved many operational teams including executive involvement. The AAR was signed and sent.

One feedback from an executive stood out.

"It had alot of detail, but I don't know if it was a success".

That struck me. We just missed an opportunity.

An opportunity to highlight:
• the alignment with the overall security program
• the collaboration involved to run the exercise
• the advancement in teamwork 
• the reduction of risk

Include a clear story and highlight the win in your AAR.

Don't take these exercises and artefacts for granted.
Each event builds confidence, familiarity, and resilience.
Don't let it go unnoticed; give it its due credit.

P.S Have you seen AARs put to good use?

Most cyber CEOs think LinkedIn is about “posting more.”

It’s about posting with a positioning equation:
Authority + Trust + Leads

Don't start without a clear content strategy.

Here’s the simple way to build your content calendar.

𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆
1. Build authority so you become the obvious expert.
Authority is when your audience says,
“This person knows the space.”

Teach one niche concept per post (one takeaway).

Share your lived experienced not conceptual ones.

Break down “why this fails” in real environments.

Add proof when possible:
Lessons, patterns, results, before/after.
Authority posts go deep in your niche.
More “results, insights, wisdom.” Less "frameworks"

𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁
2. Build trust so people believe in what you stand for.
Trust is when your audience says,
“I’d take a meeting with them.”
It comes from clarity and consistency, not hype.

Show how you think, how you communicate risk, and how you make tradeoffs under constraints. Use stories, principles, and honest calls on what you will and won’t do. When people understand how you deal with situations, they start to trust your delivery.

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀
3. Generate leads without sounding salesy.

Direct: a clear CTA after you have earned it.

Indirect: a walkthrough of what it is like working w you.

Remove friction:
scope, timeline, roles involved, what success looks like.

Make it obvious you solve this specific problem for this specific buyer. Lead posts can be direct or indirect, and “walk-through” posts remove buying friction fast.

If you want a repeatable content calendar, stop brainstorming topics.

P.S Do you start writing without a plan?

Thanks Timothy Martens for prompt inspiration.

And Gerald Auger, Ph.D. + Mike Miller
for the reminder to include an image =)

How was your first full week at work?

This will happen if you don't intervene.

The Rule of the First 5 Days is a stock market indicator that states that if the market performs positively in the first 5 trading days of the year, there is a high probability that the markets will end the year positively.

Historical probabilities are between 69 - 84%.

Some of the reasons are:
Early Positioning
Investor Sentiment
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy


Bringing it back to how was your first week back at work?

Busy?
Stressed?
Juggling priorities?

Chances are if you don't make any changes, this will be how your year pans out.


If you had a great week, keep at it!

If not, time to review:
- the triggers
- the pain points
- the larger picture
- the longer term goals

Good luck for week 2!

P.S Dow has best 5-day start to year since 2006!

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bootcamp

Sign up here:
https://catalystcorporatetraining.classe365.com/form/view/AutoBootCamp?_gl=1*9rfqtg*_ga*MTQ4NTczNDM0MC4xNjk4MjQxODM1*_ga_YYXBQS6S5Q*MTcwNzgzMzEyNi4xODEuMS4xNzA3ODMzMTYwLjI2LjAuMA

Time is flying by. Jan is almost over. 

This is 1 thing I miss from 10 years ago. 


My lucious hair that would give me a chance at K-pop auditions. 

Just kidding. I stand no chance. 



What do u miss from 10 years ago?




Thanks sir Chris Chia for taking this pic and sending it again to me recently!

Leader, Coach, Facilitator

If your cyber exercise doesn't make you sweat,

why do you call it an exercise?

Too many teams are taking a stroll during tabletop exercises. They don't prepare in advance, they talk in circles, and frankly take it too lightly.

I have seen teams prepare extensively for exercises.

They relook their process and hold internal preparation meetings to validate if it still makes sense. They ask tough questions internally and the leaders confirm if their assumptions about alternatives, recovery times, capabilities, and priorities are still accurate.

The best teams go in well-prepared and respond confidently. This is not just for show. This is an opportunity where leadership teams have recognized the importance of readiness and set aside protected time to be intentional about preparation. 

This only happens if the exercise program is well-socialized.
When the experience and outputs are understood.
And the leadership is serious about training.

Otherwise, what's the point?
Check a box? It's 2026, do better.

Your next Cyber TTX will be miles better with this small tweak. 

Don’t rush the start of the exercise. 

I know you have been planning it for months. Your adrenaline is pumping and you assume the participants are chomping at the bit to begin. 

But don’t neglect the pre ex brief. 

Here’s why it matters. 

1. Not everyone is familiar w exercises

Some have never participated in one. 
Others can’t remember what it’s like. 
1 or 2 even have weird assumptions. 

2. Remind everyone of the Why

The stakeholders are not equally invested in the exercise or outcome. Half are wondering why they are there. 

3. A good start is important

Some exercises that start poorly can result in minutes of waffling, rabbit holes or just straight up disengagement. 

4. Questions forces a buy-in

Facilitate a short quiz or discussion. 
This makes participants feel involved and helps them warm up as well. 

5. Simple introductions helps

You will be surprised how often teams don’t know each other or what role they play in an incident. 
Take time to do a roundtable intro. 

6. Sponsor emphasis 

Allow the exercise sponsor to speak. 
This reiterates the investment, focus, and important of the exercise. 

7. Calms your nerves

Address concerns before an exercise can help mitigate against difficult scenarios such as wrong expectations and challenging stakeholders. 
There will also be disruption but touching on some issues early helps. 

The next time you plan yr exercise. 
Spend abit more time on the start. 
It will be worth it. 

P.S any other exercise faux pax?

What most Cyber CEOs post on LinkedIn 
 
- repost their company's post 
- post about the latest hack 
- random AI blog 
 
What should Cyber CEOs post on LinkedIn 
 
- customer success stories 
- lessons learned about your business 
- strong opinion about industry issues 
 
You are the leader. 
 
Lead by example. 
 
Here are more post ideas. 

Subject Matter Expertise
- insights
- pain-points
- transformation
- trends + opinion
- counter-trends
- mistakes you have seen others made

Trust
- client success stories
- decision-making dilemmas
- framework for decision-making 
- social proof
- results

Character
- guiding principles
- values
- client examples
- stories of resilience
- leadership

Authenticity
- challenges that excite you
- lessons learned
- challenges that you overcame
- best advice that you received

Majority of my bosses in Cybersecurity have been female.

Yet female only make up 21% of the cyber workforce.

I interviewed Sarah to get her insights on Women in Cyber.

Sarah is a certified coach, facilitator, and founder of the Human Skills Leadership Lab, a unique and customizable program that helps professionals develop the human skills (or ‘soft skills’) required for effective leadership in the modern workplace. 


𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺

1. When you think about women leading in cybersecurity, what have you noticed most often in how they lead, communicate, or navigate their roles?

They’re brilliant and discerning. They carry a full plate - navigating complex decisions and significant risk - and still, they lead with calm authority, thoughtfulness and integrity. They think deeply about their teams, their organizations, their families, and the broader systems. They’re the kind of leaders the world needs more of.


2. As you look ahead to the Women in Cyber Leadership Program in Malaysia with the Catalyst, what aspects of the program are you most curious or energized about?
   
After 4 years collaborating with the Catalyst to support cyber leaders from across Canada, I’m incredibly excited to connect with cyber leaders from 7 countries across ASEAN. It will be thrilling to be part of the conversation as these women come together to learn from and with each other.

 

If you enjoyed this interview series, please follow Sarah Lang (MA, PCC, CPCC). She is a human skills expert, a Leadership in Communication Skills Coach, and has trained leaders from leading corporations and brands.

P.S. How are companies promoting diversity?

Soft Skills Expert • Certified Leadership & Public Speaking Coach & Facilitator • Program Design and Instruction @ U Toronto, KPMG, ESRI, Rogers • I help leaders transform confidence into connection and influence.

I trained Principle Warfare Officers. 

We assessed them on 3 attributes. 

The Principle Warfare Officer (PWO) was responsible for fighting the ship. 

This included the deployment of weapons, manoeuvres, and in many cases the control of multiple ships and aircraft to fulfil a mission. 

These are the 3 attributes. 

Knowledge 
- know the procedures 
- know the asset capabilities
- know the adversary’s capabilities 
- know the ever changing situation 

Command and control
- clarity of situation  
- clarity of instruction 
- clarity of orchestration

Creativity 
- demonstrates intuition 
- demonstrates flexibility 
- demonstrates adaptability 


In cybersecurity operations,

We assess
.
.
.
.
.

Hope you get my point. 

Happy training.

Most cyber CEOs aren’t afraid to post.
They’re afraid to be misunderstood.

And 19 other myths of writing on LinkedIn. 

 1. “I’ll get DMs from random people and waste time.”
 2. “If I post about a niche topic, it’ll limit my market.”
 3. “I should wait until my messaging is perfect.”
 4. “I’ll get fact-checked and embarrassed.”
 5. “I’ll be judged by peers in the industry.”
 6. “Clients will think I’m wasting time.”
 7. “I’m not a ‘social media' person.’”
 8. “I need a hot take every time.”
 9. “I’ll look like I’m bragging.”
10. “My team will cringe.”
11. “I need perfect writing.”
12. “People will think I’m selling.”
13. “I’ll attract trolls or get dragged.”
14. “I’ll upset a partner/vendor/client.”
15. “My competitors will copy my ideas.
16. “I’m not ‘big enough’ to have opinions.”
17. “If I post, I’m giving away the secret sauce.”
18. “Need to sound super technical to be credible.”
19. “If engagement is low, it means I’m bad at this.” 

P.S which is your fav? Mine is #8  🔥

I reviewed the LinkedIn headlines of 23 Cyber CEOs.

Not 1 mentioned these important aspects.

LinkedIn headlines are your first impression.
More precisely, the first 57 characters matter.

They are seen:
• on your profile
• during connection requests
• on the main feed via your posts
• in the comments with every response


I help [buyer] achieve [outcome] without [pain].

None of the CEOs mentioned buyer, outcome, or pain.

How would you write your headline?



[9]
CEO at [Company]
CEO at [Company]
CEO at [Company]
Founder/CEO at [Company]
Founder and CEO of [Company]
Founder and CEO at [Company]
Co-Founder & CEO at [Company]
Co-Founder & CEO at [Company]
CEO & Co-founder at [Company] - We are hiring!

[7]
CEO at [Company]| Autonomous SOC
CEO @ [Company]- Enterprise Hyper-Automation
Co-founder & CEO at [Company]| AI for Security Operations
Co-founder and CEO @ [Company] | Security Operations, at scale
Co-Founder/CEO at [Company]| Outpace attackers with agentic AI SOC Analysts
CEO @ [Company]| Executive | Entrepreneur | Revolutionizing the SOC with AI
Founder, CEO @ [Company] Autonomous SecOps & Investigation Platform with Hyperautomation.


[7]
Hiring misfits to solve security!
Tech Entrepreneur, investor and board member.
CEO at [Company] and Author of [Book] available now!
Building Your AI Knowledge Engine for Security Operations. Hiring!
Building great teams to execute on very difficult engineering problems
Tech Founder & Executive. Defender. Nation-state Hacker. Medal of Honor Recipient. Public speaker.
Empowering businesses: ChatGPT training, strategizing AI implementation, and offering tailored LLM and AI solutions for process automation.

AI tools are being used in yr org. 
Have your IR plans kept up?
Here are 4 changes to make. 

Implementing AI tools have left security team scrambling over the last couple of years to ensure it is securely deployed and monitored. 

Your incident response plans may have be neglected in the process. 

Consider these updates. 

1. Include AI related incidents 

- sensitive data exposure
- supply chain vulnerabilities 
- unauthorised model changes 

Don’t assume your plan is a catchall. 
AI asset owners don’t fully understand the security risks. 

2. Validate asset + contact list

- AI asset owners 
- data architects r crucial
- most of these folks r probably new

These AI gurus have been heads down focused on speed on implementation. They probably can’t spell cyber if u meet them for the first time on an incident call. 

3. AI specific containment

- understand the impacts 
- ask if traditional options will work

It’s going to get more complex as AI tools integrate across enterprise. It may soon become so entrenched that disabling it is a non option. 

4. Logs and investigation 

- review if current threshold is valid
- check on logs before/after go-live

You will learn to love “black boxes” and need to navigate round them. 


P.S what other areas to add?

2.

Incident response plans only play a small part in cyber resilience. 

“Do you have an IR plan?”

Is probably one of the most common question that consultants and experts use to gauge a company’s resilience. 

Many teams are happy to tick yes. 

But having a plan is merely the start. 

Here’s why:
- high turnover of staff
- fast pace of tech change
- lots of assumptions remain  
- plans get outdated due to new tech 
- teams don’t use the playbooks/plans
- primary teams hardly get trained
- secondary teams ignored 
- random cyber exercises 
- no training plan

There is barely any focus on training. 

7 men squads in the military get more training time and resources than multi-million dollar cyber defence teams protecting our financial ecosystem. 

Will having a plan alone save you?

And how long are you going to assumed your team is ready?

P.S the world is still a vulnerable place

Human skills training will unlock your career potential.

These are your advantages against AI... for now.

I interviewed Sarah to get her insights on human skills.

Sarah is a certified coach, facilitator, and founder of the Human Skills Leadership Lab, a unique and customizable program that helps professionals develop the human skills (or ‘soft skills’) required for effective leadership in the modern workplace. 


𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴

1. What are some of the key human skills that will unlock an individual’s potential in the workplace?
   
First: self-awareness, because awareness always precedes change. From there, the skills of emotional intelligence, listening and clear communication. These will help you improve your relationships and increase your influence and impact.


2. Were there pivotal moments from your own experience or from those that you coached that reaffirm that Human Skills Training is a vital part of career development?

I’m reminded of this everyday, given how easy it is to outsource one’s thinking, ideas, and voice to AI. We’re constantly pitched the benefits of efficiency, when really it’s our unique essence as a human that makes us compelling. Human skills will always be vital to professional and personal development.  


If you enjoyed this interview series, please follow Sarah Lang (MA, PCC, CPCC). She is a human skills expert, a Leadership in Communication Skills Coach, and has trained leaders from leading corporations and brands.

P.S. Are you worried about AI impacting yr career?

5 LinkedIn posts that should be part of your pre-RSAC marketing plan. 

If your Head of Marketing is not bugging you to start posting on LinkedIn before RSAC, ask them why?

Even better if they tell u what to post. 

Here’s 5 posts that I will write. 

“Heading to RSAC next week. Here’s the one question I’m asking every CISO I meet.”

“One year ago, [Client Type] was struggling with [Specific Problem]. Here’s what changed.”

“Everyone’s talking about [Trending Topic] at RSA. Here’s what they’re missing.”

“We’re bringing [Specific Thing] to RSA. Here’s why we built it.”

“I have 8 meeting slots open during RSA. Here’s who I wld love to talk to.”

_____________

Here’s 3 reasons why you shld post. 


REASON 1: 
Conferences are chaotic. 

This gives you a chance to cut through the noise.  

REASON 2: 
Post-Conference follow-up success is built upon pre-conference interaction.  

Unless you are a magician and can engage random folks on the floor. 

REASON 3: 
Yr competitors are already doing so. 

Silence = Falling Behind

You don’t want to waste all that $$$$

———————

No time to write?
Overwhelmed by the preparation?
Rather spend time on client demos?

Let’s work together and take that off your plate.

LinkedIn posts can be complicated.  

I simplify it by 3-2-1 method. 

3 types of posts 
- authority 
- leads 
- trust

Cycle this through the week. 

2 content pillars
- cybersecurity exercises
- LinkedIn copywriting 

Alternate pillars per day. 

1 target audience per post

Focus on 1 reader. 


What’s your 3-2-1?
⬇️

People judge within 7 seconds of opening yr mouth.

That's why I still get nervous before every presentation.

I interviewed Sarah Lang to get her insights on public speaking and establishing leadership presence.

Sarah is a certified coach, facilitator, and founder of the Human Skills Leadership Lab, a unique and customizable program that helps professionals develop the human skills (or ‘soft skills’) required for effective leadership in the modern workplace. 


𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

1. How would you explain what leadership presence is for those looking to grow in their career?
   
Leadership presence is your ability to stay grounded and intentional in all moments - including when you’re under pressure. In a society driven by distraction and dopamine hits, leaders who embody this type of presence, steadiness and self-trust stand out.  


2. What are some ways to practice being more grounded and present?

• Spend time on analogue hobbies that anchor you to the physical world - art, books, gardening, cooking, etc.
• Practice mono-tasking on purpose.
• Try slowing down your communication - listening, speaking, pausing, saying less.
• Regulate your nervous system with breathwork, yoga or grounding activities.
• Carve out daily moments to pause and transition between meetings and events


3. Presenting to an audience is a real fear for many professionals. Do you have a couple of tips that you usually teach?
   
First, get crystal-clear on what you’re trying to say and why it matters to your audience. Then, practice your vocal and non-verbal delivery to make sure you sound like you care about what you’re saying! I also teach simple ways to work with nerves rather than fight them so speakers can stay connected to themselves and their audience.
 

If you enjoyed this interview series, please follow Sarah Lang (MA, PCC, CPCC). She is a human skills expert, a Leadership in Communication Skills Coach, and has trained leaders from leading corporations and brands.

P.S. What's the best advice u received on public speaking?

Most Cyber CEOs post randomly and wonder why LinkedIn isn't working.
They write when inspiration strikes.
They share whatever feels right in the moment.
They post about the latest breach one day, their product the next, then go silent for weeks.

The result? Confusion. Zero traction. Wasted effort.

Here's what you should be doing instead:
Plan your content around 3 post types.

1. Authority posts
This is where you demonstrate expertise.
Share insights from client engagements. Dive deep into problems you're solving. Break down complex security concepts.

Examples:
"5 issues all enterprises face with AI governance"
"How we helped Company X reduce risk by 40%"
"The biggest misconception about Zero Trust"

These posts establish you as the expert in your niche.

2. Trust posts
This is where you build relationships.
Share your founder journey. Talk about team culture. Reveal the challenges you've overcome.

Examples:
"Why we started this company in 2019"
"The toughest decision I made as CEO"
"What our clients don't see behind the scenes"

These posts show the human behind the solution.

3. Lead posts
This is where you attract prospects.
Address pain points directly. Show transformation. Make your solution crystal clear.

Examples:
"Overwhelmed with compliance requirements?"
"How we saved a client 2000 hours per year"
"Is your board asking about AI risks?"

These posts turn readers into conversations.

Now here's the system:

Mon: Authority post
Wed: Trust post
Fri: Lead post

Repeat this for 6 months minimum.
Map out topics under each category. 
Populate your calendar. 

Never start from a blank page again.

Most cyber CEOs will read this and do nothing.

They'll keep posting randomly.
They'll keep getting zero results.
Don't be most CEOs.

Plan your content. Execute consistently. 
P.S. What type of post do you struggle with most?

Worried about the removal of your role?
Don't be a deer in headlights.
Do this immediately.

2025/2026 is the new 2020.

The trigger is different.
Lockdown vs AI.
The outcome is becoming the same.

And we shouldn't really be surprised...
If you are, stop living under a rock.

What did you think would happen?

Just look around the wider workforce, companies, tasks, processes, meetings, discussions, emails.....

Bots will be much better at most of that.

Thanks Sherlock, so is that the end for the human worker?

Maybe.... but not yet.

So, until we start serving robotic overloads, let's prepare and control what we can.

These are 5 things I'll immediately do to mitigate job risk.

1. Get better at your work

Thanks, Captain Obvious.
You are welcome, but I made Major.

The people who are most worried are probably the ones with the most areas to improve...so if there was a time to buck up, its now.

Say yes more than no.
Spend that extra hour.
Put in that additional effort.
Put yr hand up for that project.
Capture your achievements.
Socialize the wins w teams.
Help other teams win.


2. Restart your network

Your Rolodex is creaky, I know, but it is time to revisit.

It will be awkward at the start, but keep at it.
Better now than when you "need" a job.

Pro Tip: Be genuinely interested in them

Your older connections are easier to rekindle than establishing new ones. 


3. Build your profile

Refresh and improve your LinkedIn profile + professional portfolio.

It's 2026, we go to your profile and website if we want to get a good sense of who you are.

How are you showing up?
• old dated profile pic
• high school quality about section
• boring as f experience description

Or are you invisible?
Makes sense if you are James Bond.


4. Grow your network

Do some research. 

Who are your peers?
Who is in your dream role?
Which are the interesting companies?

Some of the folks who reported to you may now be execs.

Don't wait till your need a network to build one.

The earlier you start the better.

What are you waiting for? The HR Call?



5. Think like an owner

This is the future of the worker.
Gone are the days of 40 year old career.
My mom celebrates 45 years at 1 company soon!

If you think like an owner, you stop waiting for permission.

You start taking action, owning the risks, and keep going.

What is one thing you think will change when there is this mindset shift from employee to "owner worker"?

Matt Mosich

Relationship Manager at Merrill Lynch

If you’re a wealth executive responsible for how your team shows up in boardrooms, investor meetings, or on stage, and want smart thinking to translate into clear communication, send me a DM.

If you’re developing a keynote or company narrative that needs to land, send me a DM.

Public Speaking Coach

Matt Mosich, CFP®

I spent two years in therapy before my therapist actually helped me. 

For 730 days, I just vented.

I’d word-vomit about everything that could go wrong — in life, in work, in my head. One day she stopped me:

“Matt, the next time you start to worry, write down your answers to these 3 questions:

What’s the best case?
What’s the worst case?
What’s the most likely?”

I’ve done it a hundred times now. 

My worst case has never happened.
My best case has been exceeded.

So, the next time you're walking on stage, into that big prospect meeting, starting a venture…

Rather than focus on what could go wrong, ask what could go right.

Executive Communication & Speaker Coach for Wealth & Bitcoin | Helping Wealth Executives Win Attention, Capital, & Clients from their Stage | Keynote Speaker

It's 7:30 pm on a Tuesday night. Matthew McConaughey picked this exact time for what he knew would be the worst conversation of his life.

He was about to tell his blue-collar Texas father that he wanted to quit law school to become an actor. He’d rehearsed what he was going to say for weeks.

In his head, it went: "You want to WHAT?"

What he got:

"Huh. Are you sure that's what you want to do?"

"Yes sir."

"Well, don't half-ass it."

Greenlight.

Matthew was certain. He was certainly wrong.

The narrative in your head – what they'll think, how they'll react, the fight that's coming – might only exist there.

Only one way to find out.

(Even if you’re right? Do it anyway.)

President & Owner

Merrill Lynch

Executive Communication & Speaker Coach for Wealth & Bitcoin |
I help Executives inspire change through mastering their mind, owning their story, and amplifying their inherent confidence.

I learned to bench press when I was 8.

People said my dad was a looney (debatable).

But I was in love.

By 17, I’d:

• Stolen the Bench Press record from a man 90lbs heavier.
• Caught the attention of an Olympic powerlifting coach.
• Cracked the 1300 LB club. 

People I’d never met would stop me in the hallway to ask if it was true.

For a kid who felt he didn’t have a whole lot going for him, that was like crack.

My nickname was Steel T*ts.

But I wasn’t made of steel.

One day, repping 4 plate squats for breakfast.
The next, my back hurt so bad I couldn’t get out of bed.

It only dawned on me then that I’d ignored the signs for years. 


I couldn’t let go until my body decided for me.

I just wish I’d listened sooner.

Identity is weird in that it can be either a compass or a cage. For me, it was both of those things at once.

Being ‘the freaky strong guy’ opened a ton of doors for me in life, but it also got me to the point where I was moving like an 80-year-old when I was 25.

I still carry that identity, I just don’t let it drive anymore. 

Ever had to let go of an identity?

Something something inspirational.
Who am I kidding.
Sick photo, right?

At 8 years old, I was handed a script and told I had 30 minutes before I'd speak to 500 people. (Thanks, Dad.)

It was December 2002, and we were at my Pop-Warner Football banquet. 

We just won the championship – cool, trophy, yay.

But I was 8, so I was more focused on – friends, pizza, cake. 

I was mentally preparing to chow down, but I felt eyes on me. I saw my dad and some business woman talking, glancing my way.

I made eye contact.

Mistake.

They waved me over.

The woman got on a knee, pulled out an 8½ x 11 sheet of paper, and told me I’d be introducing one of the other teams. 

All of a sudden, no more thoughts of pizza and cake. 

My eyes must’ve screamed panic, because my normally stern father turned soft.

“It’s going to be ok, Matt. It’ll only take a minute. I know you can do it.”

Terrified, I nodded.

After 30 minutes that felt like 30 days, I was waved to the stage.

Knees buckling, palms glistening, I faced the crowd. And spoke.

Before the last syllable left my lips, I was ready to bolt. But I didn't make it far.

My parents, grandparents, and team stopped me.

“Wow, that was great.”
“You spoke so clearly.”
“You’re really good at speaking.”

*Wait, was I? Maybe, maybe I’m a good public speaker.*

Instantly, an identity formed. One I’ve spent my life fulfilling. 

You’d think speaking came naturally after that, right?

Wrong.

After that moment, I:

– Earned the nickname “Kool Aid Man” for how red I’d turn when speaking

– Lost a half-dozen speech competitions before winning one

– Forgot my lines in front of a group of 400 people

But now I’ve:

– Keynoted conferences

– Coached NYSE listed CEOs

– Taught 1000+ and coached 100+

Not because I was special. 

Because when I was 8, someone told me I was good at something.

I believed them before it was true — and kept going until it was.

What’s something you got good at because you didn’t quit?

Executive Communication & Speaker Coach for Wealth & Bitcoin | I help Executives inspire change through mastering their mind, owning their story, and amplifying their inherent confidence.

My wife sat through 7 years of practice speeches.

Her only feedback:

"You're getting so much better, babe."

I'd poke and prod, but that's all she had.

I figured she was too nice, or just didn't have the speaker lens.

Then I heard Alex Hormozi talk about "kind, not nice." Don't give feedback after — give it during.

So I told Taylor to stop me anytime she was confused or felt herself getting bored.

Suddenly:

"What did that word mean?"
"I didn't understand the past 2 minutes."
"That slide is an eyesore."

More feedback in 30 minutes than 7 years.

I asked her what changed.

"I always saw these things. I just didn't know you wanted to hear them."

February 1st, 2024 will forever be one of the best and worst days of my life.

Best because I finally did it. I told my team I was leaving to start this business.

Worst because I finally did it. I told a team of people who I loved, and who loved me, that I was leaving.

I get teary eyed thinking about it.

We're still close. I visit often. But I can't give them a friendly middle finger from my desk anymore.

I miss that.

I've found my calling. But I do miss the people.

That's the tradeoff. It hurts, I'd make it again.

Last Sunday, Miles and I stopped at our favorite lunch spot. The second I set down his high chair, I got ambushed:

"HEY. Don't set that there. He's going to hit his head."

Hello stranger.

"Thanks, he'll be ok. He's more stable than he looks."

5 minutes later.

"Hey. Those pieces are too big. Make sure to dice them up."

"He's ok. Thank you."

5 minutes later.

"I just think you should…"

Thankfully, she left after that one.

She meant well. From a different generation. Probably saw dad and son and thought "Mom's away, need to step in."

But she'd just met Miles. She doesn't know he has the stability of a 3 year old. She doesn't know we give him slightly bigger pieces so he slows down and chews. She doesn't know I've already thought about everything she's mentioning.

And that's why unsolicited advice rarely lands.

It assumes a lot. And assumptions are rarely right.

At 11, I dreamed of being Mr. Olympia.

I was pumping iron while watching Pumping Iron.

But I swore I would never go for a run. 

Lifting culture says running = BAD

Muscles deteriorate.
Gains, gone.

So I never ran.

Until 75 Hard, that is.

In 75 Hard, you have to do 2 workouts a day. 1 outside. 

So one day… I went for a run. 

And I noticed a cycle: 

The first mile, I was questioning my existence. 
Midway, I’m thinking “I can do this.” 
Last mile, again, questioning my existence.

Then one cold, wet day, I set out to do 6 miles.

I was tired, coming off the flu, and the run reflected it.

There was no midway high, just pain.

But as I was making the turn for my last 100m, I thought:

“Another mile.”

And as I’m returning for what was supposed to be my last, last lap:

“Another mile.”

Ugh, fine.

8 miles.

8 miles on a day I almost wrote off.

I still hate running, but I do appreciate it. Unlike with 315 lbs resting in your hands, you can keep going.

99.99% of the time, the thing stopping you isn't your ability—

It's your head.

$5,000,000/yr after tax. 9-Figure Net Worth. Business built around a creative passion. He had everything you’d ever want.

Right?

I sat in my drab Newport Beach office in 2021.
Hospital style fluorescent lights. 
Particle board disguised as mahogany. 
Some knick knacks that tried to remind me that ‘this’ wasn’t me.

Moments from a Zoom planning meeting with the client I idolized.

Every time he logged into Zoom, the scene around him screamed “I’ve made it.”

I wanted to be him. 

Until that day.

I came prepared to talk goals, planning, vision. 
Instead, he told me to put all that on pause.

Marriage? Broken.
Relationship with his kids? Damaged.
Planning for the future? Not now.

Throughout my day dreams, I’d never considered that I might have something he wanted. Something I rarely stopped to be grateful for.

This isn’t commentary on him as a parent, a husband. Genuinely, I don’t know what happened.

What I do know is, that day, he would’ve traded his money for his family. But that couldn’t be bought.

Striving, building, excelling, it's fun. But this made me question how easy it is to lose sight of what matters along the way.

I think about this moment a lot. And I still struggle. 

I still find myself somewhere else while sitting at the dinner table.

But I try to remember.

Yes, I’ll regret not taking risks.
But I’ll definitely regret not prioritizing my family.

There’s more to success than dollars.

Or as Jim Carrey put it:

"I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer."

What's more valuable to you than financial success?

I judge people with bad Zoom setups. 

5 ways to be 10x better than most people: 

1. Fix your distance. 

Ever talked to someone who can’t catch a hint?

Every time you step back, they step forward.

Don’t recreate that on Zoom.

Ideal distance? About an arm’s length from your camera. 

2. Upgrade your audio.

I once taught a Zoom tips webinar to 100 people… With a massive echo the entire time. 

Your audio signals your professionalism. 

Invest in a mic. I use a Shure. 

If your office is pequeño like mine, add some soundproofing.

3. Check your camera angle. 

Too high, people look down on you.
Too low, you’re looking down on them.
Eye level, common ground.

4. Invest in your lighting. 

Blurry video makes people work harder to trust you.

My Mac has a 1080p HD camera. Minimum I'd recommend.

Though good lighting will 10X your image more than any camera ever will.

5. Improve your background. 

Virtual backgrounds aren’t cutting it. They’re fake, distracting, and kill the chance for people to get a real read on you.

Aim for an A+ background:

• A color that matches your personality.
• Books, art, or objects that tell a story.
• A setup that reflects who you are.

Imagine walking into a job interview in pajamas, bed head, and an attitude that screams “I don’t want to be here.” 

That’s what most people do on Zoom.

You never want to be most people.

Follow me, Matt Mosich, for weekly tips on sounding as smart as you are.

In March 2024, I walked into Sur La Table to roll sushi. 

I walked out with my biggest client – and paralyzing self-doubt.

I'd offered to revamp the signature talk of a keynote speaker who'd delivered it 100+ times.

30 minutes into watching it, I was ready to close my laptop. 

He was good. Really good. He didn’t need me.  

But as I was reaching out to close the video, his tone shifted.

His talk went from "I messed up and learned" to "you've messed up... FIX IT."

He was pointing fingers. Figuratively and literally.

And just like that, all that trust he built in the first half of the talk was gone. 

So when we came together, I focused on one thing:

Vulnerability is an ongoing process – especially when giving advice.

People hate being told what to do. We decide for ourselves – but we can be influenced, if the message is packaged right.

So we got to work. I didn't touch his story, I just helped him call back to it.

And he went from being told: "You don't talk to us that way."

To: "You understand us."

His first $27k engagement came two months later.

–

P.S. DM me "talk" if you have a keynote coming up. I'll show you exactly where you're at risk of losing your audience – and how to get them back.

My son is a sponge.
I dance? He dances. I clap? He claps. 
I bop him with a stick?

He wacks me with it.

(No more bopping)

But, how else is he supposed to learn? Baby see, baby do.

Look, we’re not babies. But those mimetic tendencies? They never left.

We’re always absorbing others' behaviors, word choices, mannerisms.

Consciously, unconsciously (more the latter).

Which is why obesity, weight loss, happiness, sadness, drinking, smoking – you name it – is contagious.

The most disciplined person still has a will power threshold.

The easiest way not to burn it? Don’t have to spend it.

Choose your environment wisely. 

It will quite literally become you.

Ever accidentally picked up something from someone else?

A podcast producer apologized to me last month:

"I'm sorry, I forgot to give you both time signals. I was too involved in the conversation."

She does this for a living. Sits through shows constantly. Watches the clock.

And she forgot.

Best compliment I’ve got in a hot minute.

Well, that episode is live.

Join us as we talk:

→ Why "How are you?" is the worst conversation opener

→ The Prepare, Prompt, Pivot framework for reading any room

→ How a guy who said the least in the room was the most powerful person in it

I’m totally not biased, but I think it’s worth a watch.

Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gQbYd3BX

Ashamed to admit, but usually when someone pops into my head, I do absolutely nothing about it. 

But lately? I've sent quick texts instead. It takes 30 seconds.

3 times in the past month, I heard some version of:

"I don't know if this was God or what, but your timing couldn't have been better."

I have no explanation for it. I am done questioning it.

Think of someone? Don't second guess it. Let them know.

Who just popped into your head?

In December 2012, a speaker came to my high school assembly. I was stoked. He lost me in the first 20 seconds. 

I loved speakers. I wanted to:

Live crazy stories like them.
Tell stories like them.
Find success like them.

I was pumped to hear about how this guy got there, then he said a phrase I’ve always despised:

“I’m not special.”

He followed it up:

“You could do what I do, too.”

For a kid whose craziest outing was *almost* throwing a party at his parents house, that felt like a lie.

“Yeah right,” I thought.

And I tuned out. 

Fast forward 13 years to last week, when a friend reached out to confide in me:

Their work felt meaningless. Misaligned with why they chose their field.

But golden handcuffs, lifestyle creep, and uncertainty of what to do next had them stuck.

So they asked me for some guidance.

“How’d you do what you did?”

And without meaning to, I found myself saying what I didn’t used to believe:

“I’m not special…”

Huh, I get it now.

No one really is special. We’re all the same. But the people we see as “special” just did one thing:

They chose to act. 

It’s as simple as that (not easy, simple).

It’s funny to write this because I do not feel like I have much figured out.

I’m progressing, but I feel behind.
I’m learning, but I know so little.
I’m growing, but slowly.

But I have taken one step.

And turns out, that’s the whole thing. 

P.S. What's a piece of advice you used to hate that you finally get now?

Coaches aren't supposed to say "I learned from my client."

I'm saying it anyway.

John Swystun, what a human. If you're not following him, I suggest you do.

This man and the team at Auxesys are on a mission: bringing the 22nd century to an industry slowly moving out of the 20th.

And they're hitting 2026 HOT.

I know he'd quickly credit the whole team, and they do deserve it.

But what a leader.

Thinks about everyone, not just himself.
Wants everyone to win, wholeheartedly.
Puts his whole being on the line in everything he does.

Hard not to watch and want to be more like that.

So if you're running wealth management events and actually want them to translate into durable digital growth, these are the people making it happen.

If you're building a modern RIA and feel the gap between your growth assumptions and your growth engine, this team gets it.

And if you're looking for a genuine human, a thoughtful leader, in the space?

Look no further.

Future is bright, my friend.

I once practiced a 27-minute speech 89 times. 

It was flawless. The audience hated it. 

After, someone said to me “Wow, I can't believe you memorized that whole thing.”

Bingo.

Being flawless is exactly why it was a dud.

Turns out, science agrees.

In 1966, psychologist Elliot Aronson ran an experiment at the University of Minnesota.

Aronson had 48 people listen to recordings of 4 student interviews.

Two recordings featured an honor roll student.
Two recordings featured a dud.

The twist:

In one version of each, the student spilled coffee all over his britches (yes britches, it was 1966).

They then asked listeners who they liked most.

1st place? The honor roll student who spilled.
Last place? The dud who spilled.

Turns out, if you’re brilliant, mistakes make you more… human.

If you’re a dud, you seem like... more of a dud.

Psychology calls this the Pratfall Effect.

So many speakers get flustered over a flaw. So they apologize, compensate, or avoid the stage.

But if you’re competent and know your topic, flaws are an asset.

Your audience wants to know you're human.

So next time you present, spill coffee on your britches on purpose.

(Kidding.)

(Or am I?)

How a surgeon sounds in the first 10 seconds of a conversation predicts their likelihood of being sued. Your voice matters.

Harvard researchers conducted a study where they jumbled a doctor's words and asked participants to judge based strictly on tone.

The doctors who rated the lowest on warmth and competence were the most likely to be sued. 

The line between a lawsuit and a handshake can *literally* be how you come across.

You’re not a doctor, but you can still learn from this.

Own your first impression with these 3 vocal controls:

1. Inflection

Don't let statements sound like questions. 

"Hi, I'm Matt?" signals uncertainty. "Hi, I'm Matt." signals command. 

End your sentences with your pitch going down, not up.

2. Volume 

Sound like a mouse, get treated like a mouse. Volume signals confidence. Speak like you’re reaching the back of the room. 

3. Tone 

Speak low, speak slow. If you start by holding your breath, you’ll start with your highest pitch. 

Exhale first... then speak.

Follow me, Matt Mosich, for weekly tips on becoming an effective communicator.

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