My personal brand changed my life. Now, let's change yours. | Personal branding + business coach

Your business doesn’t have to look like this:

→ Constantly chasing new clients
→ Revenue up one month, down the next
→ Wondering why things only work when you’re “on”

Truth is, most founders have accepted that as the norm.
But it doesn’t have to be.

“In short, Luke solved a problem I'd been having for months in the first 30 minutes of meeting. As someone who has spent $1000's on coaching and courses, I recommend Luke over anyone I've worked with.” - Steve Swift, Email Marketer

Here’s my backstory: 

I spent 8 years in the corporate world helping companies who made millions.

I did these 2 things to help them scale: 

1/ Keep clients happy (so they stayed)
2/ Streamline how the business ran

Then I spent 3 years learning how to write online, turned it into a repeatable system, and how to turn that attention into sales calls and inbound leads. 

That resulted in 1,000,000s of people reading my content, a LinkedIn Top Voice badge, and 100s of leads along the way. 

“After following his advice, I closed two deals totaling $5k… Now I’m maxed out with side work and can attract more clients anytime.” - JM Domingo, Email & LinkedIn Marketer

Then…
I took all of that knowledge and focused on helping founders build something sustainable. 

And helped 50+ founders to write online, sign clients, and scale their business too. 

I called it the Different Success model.

It works on 3 principles: 

1/ Attract the right-fit people with a clear (and fun) writing system
2/ Positioning your core offer to make it easy for clients to say ‘yes’
3/ Structuring the business so clients WANT to stay (and you get to work around your life)

“We accomplished together: #1 personal growth Linkedin Germany, 10K followers in 6 months, clients, podcast invitations, sponsorships.” - Alexander Plank, Mindset Coach

It's what happens when your business stops relying on constant selling, and starts being built to last.

You’ll attract better clients.
You’ll make consistent sales.

But the best bit: you’ll have the freedom to finish early, take your partner on a date, or travel without guilt, because the business supports your life. Not the other way around. 

If you want to see how I can help, here’s 3 ways: 

1/ Newsletter → Get weekly emails from me to help you grow + win
2/ Power Hour → Get me 1:1 for 60-mins (and ask me anything)
3/ Different Success → My 1:1 coaching programme (DM me)

For any questions, hit DM and I'll get back to you ASAP :-)

Luke Redhead

Your obsession with perfection is what's killing your business. 

Let me show you how: 

Meet Rewrite Rebecca.

(Who I’ve conveniently made up but hear me out)

Who in the past 14 days, has:

→ Designed 4 new banners for her profile
→ Rewritten her about section 5 times
→ Seen 14 posts go viral and questioned her own positioning 14 times

The past 14 days have been filled with work for Rebecca.
But precisely 0 of them have been actually productive.

Rebecca is every founder I've ever met at some point.

(Me included)

It’s so easy to get so caught up in the perfect positioning, the perfect hook, the perfect about section that we forget 1 point:

Nobody cares about anything you do as much as you.
They care about whether you can help them or not.

That's it.

(Btw - Want to see my strategy to simplify your whole business into 1 easy approach? It’s in my playbook here: https://lnkd.in/eNBJy5Ky)

Fast forward 2 weeks. Rebecca stopped tweaking everything. 

Instead, she stuck with 1 angle of positioning (clear for her ICP) and decided to leave it alone for 30 days minimum.

And then just wrote posts around that. 

Then this happened:

→ She started writing from an honest place (and enjoyed the process)
→ No second-guessing whether it "fit her positioning"
→ No more comparing herself to every post post she sees
→ No scrolling endlessly to check what went viral yesterday

Just writing what she knew would help her people, and enjoying the process as much as she can.

The result:

→ Content became FUN to write again
→ Posts took 20 minutes instead of 2 hours
→ Her real personality started showing through
→ DMs started coming in (the right kind)
→ Potential clients started taking notice
→ Opportunities opened up she never had before

All because she stopped overediting, and started creating what felt true to her.
Here's what I tell every founder who gets caught overthinking:

Your content doesn’t need to be perfect.
Your positioning doesn't need to be perfect.
And you, as a person, don’t need to be perfect.

It needs to be clear enough that your reader understands it.

Once you've got that, the rest is just showing up and helping people.

Don't be Rewrite Rebecca.

Be Done-is-better-than-perfect Rebecca.

Your business will thank you for it.

P.S - Still stuck on positioning? My rule: If you can explain what you do to your parents in one sentence, it's good enough. Start there and refine as you go.

Helped 50+ founders find & keep clients long-term with my Different Success model (so far). No plans to stop anytime soon.

10 months from now, my fiance and I will be getting married.

(And I’m so excited you wouldn’t BELIEVE)

Which means I've got the next 10 months to get the business right.

Most founders would double down on growth hacks right now. Or slow down.

I’m more thinking about how I can use the next 10 months and set us up for the best start to married life.

Here’s my focus:

→ Focus on 1 type of client (clarity on positioning)
→ Building recurring revenue that runs with little input
→ Creating systems that'll work for 10+ years (not months)
→ Focusing on clients who stay 6+ months (deeper transformation)
→ Invest profit so we’re set for the future (sets us up for the long-term)

And then saying no to anything that gets in the way of that.

That’s it.

Not just chasing more clients. Or scaling without any real plans.

10+ year thinking.

Which is why I’m rarely worried about things that fall outside of that:

I rarely talk about trends (even if they are popular)
I don't chase algorithm changes (even when reach drops)
I ignore what competitors are doing (even if it's working for them)
I’m not fussed about shiny objects (even if they do look exciting sometimes)

Just 1 goal matters at this point. Set us up. And I’m all in on it.

Ultimate vision → We won't have to worry.

There’s a lot of noise on here folks.

Find what matters to you → Keep focused on the goals you have.

You’ll be glad you did.

In my experience, I’ve found that most business advice online looks good.

Until you try it.

(Sorry to be that guy)

It’s on all our feeds:

→ 100 leads in 100 days
→ Viral within 7 days
→ $100k next month

When it doesn’t happen → it hurts.

The worst bit is most of us are so used to seeing these promises of huge results in fast timeframes, that it’s almost become normal.

Let me say that, chances are, that big promise won't happen.

(Yes, some do work well. But not all)

1% get lucky. But the other 99% have to work HARD for it.

Instead of looking for an overnight fix, here's what actually works:

1/ Write about real client problems
2/ Share what's working for you (and what isn't)
3/ Build genuine relationships (not just collect followers)

Then...

4/ Reach out to people and see what they're stuck with
5/ If it's something you can help with, tell them
6/ Make it an easy next step to work together

And when they sign up...

7/ Go above and beyond every time
8/ Be proactive (don't wait for them to ask)
9/ Get them where they want to go, and make it fun

Yes, it might take a bit longer than the overnight promises.

But stick with it, and you'll see results happen slowly but surely. 

And a LOT more sustainably. 

Instead of chasing overnight results, expect that each day:

→ You’ll start to see it working
→ You may find your next client or two
→ You might get lucky with one or two posts

Just don’t expect your world to change overnight.

P.S - Want the complete system? I break it down step-by-step in my playbook: https://lnkd.in/eNBJy5Ky

The worst thing about running a solo business happened to me last week.

I got ill.

Couldn't work for 2 days straight.

(Blooming cold or flu or whatever it was)

But here's the best bit: Nothing fell apart.

12 months ago it would have:

→ I'd have pushed through (making myself worse)
→ Stressed about emails piling up
→ Apologised to clients 47 times
→ Worked from bed feeling guilty
→ Made myself ill for weeks

Not sustainable (or fun).

But this time:

→ Told my clients I was ill (they said "get better soon")
→ My systems kept running while I was asleep
→ Recurring revenue kept flowing
→ Slept for 2 days, guilt-free (felt like heaven)
→ Came back feeling better instead of just exhausted

And a few days later we’re back in business.

A few of the ways I fixed it from 12 months ago:

→ Switched to 1 clear model with clients (work 1:1 together includes XYZ)
→ Built client success paths (they know exactly what to do between our calls)
→ Set up check-ins (Loom videos + voice notes instead of constant meetings)
→ Automate any manual admin tasks (invoicing etc)
→ Create a content system that makes writing easy (no posts got missed)

Meant every part of my business stayed alive when I felt like death.

Win.

I’m not telling you how to run your biz. If you love the 14+ hour day grind, go for it.

But build something that you can take time off IF you need it.

Call it → The Sickness Test

If you suddenly had to stop working for a week, will it all fall apart?

Because one day, you might need to fall back on that.

And when that happens, you'll wish you'd built something that keeps running.

P.S - I built my business around the same model I teach to clients. It's how the business didn't fall apart. You can learn how it works here: https://lnkd.in/eNBJy5Ky

I reckon that in the next 12 months, there will be 2 core “feeds” on here.

(OK not literally but hear me out here)

The Great LinkedIn Split.

Where you’ll have feed 1, where people are:

→ Using AI to churn out 5+ posts per day
→ Writing whatever worked for someone else
→ Racing to post first about trending topics
→ Chasing impressions over resonance
→ Building "personal brands" (that aren't even THAT personal)

(This is the ‘quantity > quality’ camp)

And feed 2 (where I’ll spend my time), where people are:

→ Writing content that genuinely matters, not just for numbers
→ Focusing on moving 1 person every single day
→ Just being human in this digital world
→ Building proper relationships, not just follower counts
→ Sharing actual experiences, not rehashed stories from others

(This is the ‘quality > quantity’ camp)

(If you want my content strategy, it's in my playbook here. It's helped me write 1,000+ posts that attracted clients and built my business: https://lnkd.in/eNBJy5Ky)

Neither group is wrong per se. I’ve seen both work.

Some will sit somewhere in the middle. Some will make their own approach that's neither of them. 

Whatever happens, it'll be interesting to see how it plays out. 

Because humans are different.

And I think that people are going to naturally gravitate and resonate towards one approach or the other.

Trying to do both is where it’ll be complicated.

There’s no right or wrong when it comes to content, as long as it gets you results.

I just know I’d rather have 100 people who genuinely care than 10,000 who scroll past, and not be pulling my hair out every day for post ideas. 

I've got a business to run and clients I want to help. 

So before you write your next post, ask yourself:

Am I writing this because it matters to me and my ICP?
Or because I saw it work for someone else?

Your answer tells you everything about which feed you're building.

"Make sure you aim for £10k months" they said.

I've never done that.

Honestly, I prefer not to set revenue goals.

(At least don’t set them as the ONLY goal)

Let me show you why:

I worked with a founder a few months ago. In 3 months, JM signed 3 clients worth $1,000s each.

And we never set a revenue goal. Ever.

Instead we just focused on implementing a strategy that he enjoyed running.

And it worked.

Most founders focus on a number first. Then wonder why they're miserable hitting them.

Because they don’t realise that when you only chase revenue, you:

→ Take on nightmare clients, just because they who pay well
→ Change strategy every time someone else hits £50k
→ Work yourself into the ground for a number
→ Build a business you'll hate in 12 months
→ Sacrifice everything that matters for the Stripe screenshot

On paper, the numbers look great. But it makes founders burn out faster than a cheap candle.

So here's what JM and I focused on instead (I do this with all clients):

→ Making sure he was excited to sell his offer
→ Making it easy to talk to potential new clients

And then...

→ Client retention rate (his clients can stay for 12+ months)
→ Hours worked per week (down to around 15)
→ How much he & his clients enjoyed working together (a lot)
→ Time spent on sales calls (almost zero now)
→ Days off without checking messages (every weekend)

We never set a revenue goal. But we often talked about “comfort numbers”.

Safe to say we hit those.

But more importantly: He loves his business again.

Because now he’s got time to be with his newborn daughter, and reliable money coming in, doing work he genuinely gets excited about.

Revenue is a byproduct of doing good work for the right people.

Not a target to hit at any cost.

Focus on the inputs. The outputs take care of themselves.

P.S - Want to build like JM? I documented the process into my playbook here (for free): https://lnkd.in/eNBJy5Ky

A founder client of mine was spending 3-4 hours a DAY scrolling LinkedIn for inspiration.

A. DAY.

Less than 10 minutes later, she had her first post drafted, ready to write.

With 0 external inspiration needed.

Here’s how:

Susan and I spoke last week. She booked a Make it Make Sense session because she wanted to get off the content hamster wheel, and focus more on growing her business. 

Before we spoke, she was:

→ Constantly trying to think of post ideas 24/7
→ Feeling guilty if she couldn’t think of any
→ Spending 3-4 hours a DAY scrolling for inspo

And, as a result, she was struggling to even think of 1 post idea.

Not because she didn’t have them.
Because her brain was redlining 24 hours a day.

Disaster.

On the call she was even overthinking her best post ideas before they even happened.

Not on my watch.

Here’s what we did:

1/ Took 1 pillar of my Timeless Content (we picked ‘Mission’)
2/ Got her to explain it out loud (took 30 seconds)
3/ Saw how that post could influence her ICP
4/ Took a simple structure to draft that post
5/ Tied that back to a point her ICP needs
6/ Added a hook that’ll grab their attention
7/ Gave her the confidence that she CAN write

5 mins later → great post drafted.

Simple. Almost TOO simple.

Yet it works.

But best bit is it’s not just a “post” to tick the box and it’s done.

It’s a post that her ICP will read and go “I like the sounds of that”.

Every follow → Someone wanting to learn more.
Every profile view → Someone curious about her.
Every DM from that → Someone who might be a good fit.

1 post. Less than 10 minutes.

And hours of overthinking removed from every day going forwards.

I’d call that a win :-)

P.S - A fast way to get writing quickly → change your environment. This is where some of my best posts (and some amazing ideas) came to life.

P.P.S - My content strategy helped me write 1,000+ posts. It's written here inside my playbook (for free): https://lnkd.in/eNBJy5Ky

It’s just under 10 months before we get married. 

Which means I have 10 months to get my business positioned so we start married life with a head start (not having money worries, etc). 

Here's exactly how I plan to do it:

—

1/ Write every day

Not for “consistency”. And definitely no chasing trends.

Just sharing thoughts and things happening in my world that the right people will find interesting (to build an audience of my ICP who get it).

—

2/ Focus on relationships > numbers

I’ve been guilty of letting the numbers cloud my vision before. Happens to us all.

But around 80% of my clients come out of nowhere. No likes, no comments. Just DMs/next steps after reading that 1 post that made them move. 

So I’m focusing on writing to build trust and relationships over what “works”.

—

3/ Invite people every day

I’ve never liked the idea of “selling”. I do like talking to founders who I can help. I'll be doing more freebies/mini offers to find them without the awkward sales tactics. 

Inviting them to take the next step > hard sales tactics any day.

—

4/ Share my newsletter more

Every week I write about stuff going on in my business, thoughts I’ve got, observations, and stories, and share it via email. I do it to help founders grow their business and show them my way of doing it.

But there’s no point if I’m not sharing it online.
(P.S - Shameless plug, you can get access here: https://lnkd.in/eNBJy5Ky)

—

5/ Sit at my laptop less

“Work” isn’t the amount of time you sit at a desk. It’s the outputs.
At least 90% of my best ideas come in the gym, or when I’m walking. So strategically getting out to think more = better work done when I do sit down.

—

6/ Structuring the business around life

I’ve tried the 12+ hour work days. Didn’t work for me. (See above)
So I'm changing the systems and model to work around living life first. Which includes cutting about 60% of workload out that didn't do much (other than feel good).

—

7/ Focus 60% effort on keeping clients happy

Most founders don’t realise that happy clients stay 12+ months. New clients can leave after 6 weeks.
Focus on keeping clients happy = better results for them and longer-term stay.

—

That's the system I’m using. They all tie together nicely. 

The end result: 

I can run my business working 20 hours a week. Clients stay 12+ months. And I'm not glued to my screen all day hoping for likes.

In 10 months time, I'll either get it right or I'll have a lot of work to do. 

Most founders don't even realise they have the choice. 

Build for the life you want.

I opened 5 spots in my calendar for founders last week.

Some really cool people booked in:

(And the problems we're solving were brilliant)

1/ Social media agency owner drowning in client work
(but wanted to scale)

2/ Systems consultant losing clients after 2-3 months 
(but had more to help)

3/ VA building her entire business on LinkedIn posts
(and worried if LI ever stopped working for her)

Here’s what’s happening for those 3 founders:

Agency owner:

We restructured their day-to-day operations so client work is less intensive for them personally, and made it easier for them to work ON the business (rather than spending 12+ hours a day in it).

Consultant:

Looked at all the bespoke projects they were offering, and aligned it to 1 core offer they could sell on repeat for future clients (and set a long-term vision for clients to invest in, not just one-off outcomes).

VA:

Changing their content funnel to drive leads from multiple platforms and start collecting them into a newsletter (safer for long-term of the business), as well as started sending emails to nurture those leads.

Each session took under 90 minutes. That's it.

But those 90 minutes will change their entire 2026 now.

Everyone's already thinking about "2026 goals" and "new year planning".
Some are winding down already and calling it “next year’s problem”.

But there's still 7 weeks left in 2025.
7 weeks to fix that one thing that's been holding you back all year.

Most founders will coast until January. Then panic. Then struggle through January trying to catch up.

Don't be most founders.

Find what’s holding you back NOW:
↓
Is it your offer? Your retention? Your leads?
↓
Spend time this week to understand it + create a plan to fix it
↓
Enter 2026 with a plan (and ahead of most)

Because the founders who win next year aren't waiting to start in January.

They're fixing things now.

P.S - If you're stuck, start here: https://lnkd.in/eNBJy5Ky

My whole business is stupidly simple:

Help founders build a business with a handful of high-ticket clients + low-ticket sales so they never panic about content or clients again.

(Told you it was simple)

I’m not worrying about virality anymore.
I’m not chasing hype in every post.

I used to, until I learned that it isn’t as fulfilling as it looks.

Just building a business so I can live a life that I’ll be proud to tell the grandkids about one day.

One where:

→ I get to leave work at 2pm without needing a reason
→ I can travel the world with my fiance ANYTIME we want
→ I wake up happy every morning with who I’m working with

Stories > Numbers is my mantra right now.

And the whole goal is to help others do the same for their biz too.

That’s the entire mission this all ties back to.

Every post → Ties back to this goal
Every offer → Ties back to this goal
Every DM → You guessed where this leads

1 simple mission and a ton of energy going into it.

It’s hard to go wrong when you keep it simple.

Lesson for you: What’s YOUR mission? If you can’t write it in 1 sentence, keep refining until you can.

Your audience invest a lot quicker when it’s easy to understand what they're investing in. 

P.S - I've written 40,000 words on this business model. I think you'll enjoy it (especially section 2, Different Success): https://lnkd.in/eNBJy5Ky

In 10 months time, my fiance and I will be getting married.

And I won’t lie. I’m NOT in good shape.

(Despite the fact the pictures I post on here make it look like I walk 6 marathons a day)

So I signed up for 12 months at the gym to sort it out.

My plan:

→ 3-4x weights per week
→ 1-2x cardio per week
→ Eat better (not weekends)
→ Do ‘fun’ sports more often (squash, swim, etc)
→ And the key one, avoid giving up 4 weeks in (again)

3 weeks in and we’re sore. But enjoying it.

But one really cool (and unexpected) thing that I’ve experienced:

→ Most of my best content ideas are coming whilst I’m on the treadmill
→ Breakthrough concepts are coming when I’m swimming
→ Things I’ve been stuck on for months are clearer now

It’s annoying having to stop working out just to jot ideas down.

But it’s nice to know that most of those problems I’ve been battling with are solvable.

So much so, that now I’ve decided to allocate “thinking” time away from my laptop. 

Every day = some sort of movement now. 

10 months. Let's get it. 

Will keep you posted how it goes.

P.S - Anybody else use movement as part of their workday? Curious to hear how you find it.

Most founders are working 60-hour weeks chasing “more”.

And they think it’ll solve the problem they’re facing.

Sorry. But no.

Let’s say you’re at £5k months with 5 clients.

Common sense tells you that you need 20 clients to hit £20k months.

So you do more.

And your entire focus goes on finding the next 15 clients.

Every post = a push for clients.
Every DM = a push for clients.
Everything = a push for clients.

More posts for more visibility.
More DMs for more opportunity.
More anything surely makes more results.

Yet 3 months later you’re constantly firefighting, working 12+ hours a day, clients keep churning, and now your content performs way worse than before.

“More” isn’t the right playbook for most founders.

(Btw, if you want a better playbook, I wrote one for you. 40,000+ words on my Different Success process showing you how I do it for me + clients: https://lnkd.in/eNBJy5Ky)

A firm belief of mine: It’s not often that the answer is more.

If your content isn’t working, you don’t need “more”.
If your offers aren’t converting, you don’t need “more”.
If your clients aren’t sticking around, you don’t need “more”.

You need to solve the foundations of why it’s not working as good as it can be first.

Yes, more clients can = more money. But sometimes, less works out better:

→ 8 clients at £1,500/month for 12 months = £144k in a year
→ 30 clients at £1,000/month for 6 weeks = £45k in a year

Pretty much same effort to land the client. Yet completely different outcomes.
All because you’ve got space to really help them (so they want to stick around).
Same goes with your content:

→ 21 posts/week that costs you 25 hours a week + 4 hours in the DMs.
→ 4 posts/week that costs you 1 hour per week + 4 hours in the DMs.

One gives you freedom to work 20/hr weeks and still get clients. The other keeps you chained to your desk 12+ hours a day.

I’m all for more, but only when the foundations first work.

4 years ago, I started a business.

(as a 23-year old for the first time)

But 3 years ago, I thought I’d have to quit.

Because I tried to grow it by:

→ Working 12 hours per day (burned out fast)
→ Building complicated funnels (spent all my time fixing them)
→ Posting 7x per week (exhausting at best)
→ Sending 100 cold DMs daily (felt like a spam bot)
→ Chasing every trend on LinkedIn (algorithm changed, I panicked)
→ Offering 'free value' to everyone (attracted freebie-seekers)
→ Running discovery calls with everyone (90% were time-wasters)

Others told me it would work. Yet none of those seemed to work for me.

What DID work was far more simple.

So I built my own approach. 

Creating 1 path to take dream-fit clients from A (where they are), to B (where they want to be), and everything they need to know to get there. 

I called it The A → B Method.

Everything in my business (and my clients) is rooted in the A → B.

It goes like this:

A: Figure out exactly who you’re trying to help, and what stage they’re at
B: Understanding where they want to be (in their work and in their life)
→: Creating the path to get there, YOUR way

Which simplifies everything.

Here's how: 

All of your content is focused on reaching A, showing them to get to B.
All of your offers are focused on A, helping them get to B.
And your work is just you helping them get there.

Real example:

A founder at A: drowning in client work, can't scale.
B: Wants consistent £10k months working 20-30 hours.
→: We structured their offer so 8 clients stay 12+ months.

That’s all they needed. So that’s all they’re focused on now.

Way easier.

It’s incredibly easy to get caught up with tactics and hacks.

I much prefer to keep it simple and focused.
It’s worked for me. It’s worked for 50+ founders I’ve worked with.

I reckon it’ll work for you too.

Find your path. Focus on it relentlessly. Say no to everything else.

Your future self will thank you.

P.S - Want to see exactly how I restructured everything? I documented the entire process in my playbook (free). 100+ founders have downloaded it and used it to streamline their business: https://lnkd.in/eNBJy5Ky

Most founders know exactly what to do.

They just don't have a system to do it consistently.

(Sorry to be that guy)

When you strip everything you need to do right down to the basics, it looks a bit like this:

Post for your ICP (bonus points for personal stories)
↓
Build trust with them as much as you can
↓
Make them an offer
↓
Sign new client

(Yes this is very simplified but you get the idea)

That approach works, because it’s fundamental business.

Please don’t try and reinvent the wheel.

But the problem is most founders get stuck between the steps, or they wing it without realising what’s actually working for them vs what isn’t.

Fix those middle bits = build a stable business.

Here’s the 3 tools I use for each arrow (top to bottom):

--

↓ #1/ Timeless Content

Instead of creating anything that “worked well for someone else” or scrolling endlessly for inspiration, create content that stands the test of time. This includes your opinions, experiences that happen.

Tip: Ask yourself “if someone read this post in 6 months, would it still help my business?”

--

↓ #2/ Multi-Level Brand

Most founders write posts and hope they work. Instead of writing with intention + a goal. My goal is to get attention on here → Guide it into my newsletter, where I share deeper stuff that resonates with the right kind of people.

The idea is the right person who reads one email and “gets it” is way more powerful than 100 surface-level posts.

(I talk about this bit quite a lot in my playbook. If you haven’t read it, you can get it (free) here: https://lnkd.in/eNBJy5Ky)

--

↓ #3/ Invitation Letters

Forget the awkward sales pitch. I write to people like they're already friends. No fake urgency of “1 space left!” or awkward cold pitches to strangers. I’d rather show them what working together looks like to those who get it, and invite them to join.

E.g - "Hey dude, I think this could help you. Here's how we could work together if you're interested."

Remember: People prefer to be invited to a party than forced to go.

--

The difference:

Most founders → Post, panic when it doesn’t work, then spam DMs
For me → Create value, build multiple touch points, invite the right people in

One feels desperate and uncomfortable. The other feels natural.

And guess which one gets clients who stick around for 12+ months.

Stop following the exact same playbook everyone else is using, and hoping you’ll stand out.

Most founders are putting 100% of their effort into new sales.

Yet it’s not as profitable as they might think. 

(Let me show you why)

I see it everywhere.

Constant DMing. New lead magnets. More discovery calls. Another launch.

Yet any new clients slip away after 6-8 weeks.

And founders are wondering why they’re as tired as if they’re running a marathon every single day.

In my opinion: You can't build a real business on a revolving door of strangers.

I don’t believe that builds a successful business.

Because I tried it.

Spent my first year chasing every lead with a pulse. Signed anybody I could.
Lost most of them within 2 months.

Revenue was all over the place. Some months great. Next month bad.

Constantly starting from scratch.

It wasn’t fun.

The old way: 100% effort on new sales
The new way: 60% on keeping clients happy + 40% for everything else.

This is what I found happens:

→ Clients stay 6-12+ months (not 6 weeks)
→ They refer others without being asked
→ Revenue becomes predictable
→ You stop chasing strangers on LinkedIn
→ Work becomes enjoyable again

I’ve had clients stick around for 2+ years, because we work so well together.

And it’s not because I'm doing anything special. I just stopped overthinking sales all the time, and started focusing on people I actually want to help 
succeed.

When you put clients first:

→ You can charge more (because you deliver more value)
→ You need fewer clients (8 good ones beats 30 random ones)
→ Your calendar opens up (no constant "discovery calls")
→ You have so many better things to post about (and find new clients)
→ You build real relationships (not just invoices)

Most founders won't do this. And it’s not their fault.

They're addicted to chasing. They love the "new client signed!" dopamine hit. 

Because that’s what they've been told is successful.

Don't be most founders.

Stop putting 100% into finding new people.
Start putting 80% into keeping the right ones happy.

Your bank balance (and sanity) will thank you.

P.S - Ready to go from chasing to keeping? I break down the exact model I use for my (and my clients) business in my playbook (it’s free): https://lnkd.in/eNBJy5Ky

1,696 days of building a business without following the “rules”.

Which means:

→ No sending 100 cold DMs a day
→ No awkward networking events every week
→ And (my favourite) no working every weekend

And I’ve still managed to replace my old salary and build something I’m pretty happy with.

(P.S - The entire system is in my playbook here. It'll show you how to write, attract, and convert clients: https://lnkd.in/eNBJy5Ky)

I’ve tried nearly every approach. Made a TON of mistakes along the way.

All that helped me figure out this confusing game we call business. 

Here’s some approaches that made that possible (and I’ll be using forever):

Different Success rules

Niall Cleaver

Cupsly

Cupsly was designed as a reminder to slow down to make space for presence in a world that rarely pauses. An object of quiet confidence, crafted for those who lead with intention and dress with care because true connection doesn’t demand attention, it lives in the moments we choose to hold onto.

Founder

Social Library

Are you struggling to grow an engaging community for your business or personal brand.

Stop right there, I think I have you covered ⬇️

This is me (Niall), I'm a 22-year-old who is fascinated by growing communities in the online space. Actual communities that have meaning and purpose. 

The services we provide at Social Library 

➡️ Personal Branding (LinkedIn)

➡️ Guidance & support consulting


Drop me a message to discuss your social media strategy, review how well your current socials/posts are doing, and research how we can build your community and gain you more followers and leads.

or you can email us @

hello@sociallibrary.co.uk

Thistle Scientific Ltd - Where Customer Care Comes Naturally

Distribution Manager

Cleaver Scientific Ltd

Stores and Distribution Team Leader

Documenting the journey of crafting a timeless coffee cup brand | CEO & Founder of Cupsly

Hi, I’m Niall Cleaver, founder of Cupsly, a timeless reusable coffee cup brand launching in 2025.

But my story isn’t about a polished entrepreneur. My journey hasn’t been traditional. I left school without an English qualification, uncertain of what the future held. That failure shaped me, it forced me to think differently, fall into business, and ultimately embrace creativity, resilience, and the belief that change is possible, even when doubted.

Fast forward to today, and I’m the founder of Cupsly. The idea originated from my own frustration in my own life I couldn’t find a reusable coffee cup that matched my style. Everything felt cheap or uninspired, and I hated the idea of carrying something that didn’t reflect me. Cupsly is crafting a reusable coffee cup, elevating it into a symbol of fashion.

EVERY SIP STARTS A STORY

Do you know what I love about working for a family business?

The debates.

I know it sounds weird, but when two generations meet, there are always going to be differences. There's always the little comments like this:

- I think you should do it this way.
- I’m not sure that’s right.
- Are you sure?

But if you take a step back… this is healthy.

It’s what every successful business should be striving for. It’s these differences in opinions that keep it interesting, and it makes your business better.

Great businesses aren’t built by avoiding difficult conversations. They’re built by welcoming them, listening to them, and using them to move forward together.

So I guess I’ve got some more debates with the old man to have.

Growing Thistle Scientific, a UK manufacturer supporting researchers worldwide. Sharing real lessons in business.

There was a time when I’d do anything to avoid the sentence...

“I work for my family business.” But let me explain why this is so wrong.

There are so many of us who are fighting this thought, but we don't have to. It doesn't make you less of a successful person by doing so. Do you know why?

Because you bring your own style
Because you bring a younger perspective
Because you create the change the future needs

Nothing will ever be just handed to you.

If anything, for me, I've felt even more pressure because I want to make sure I take it to the next level. I want to actually earn it.

For ages, I thought success meant carving something out with only my name attached. But the truth is, showing up every day and choosing to improve what’s already there is just as hard, maybe harder.

And it keeps reminding me of something:

You’re not less ambitious because you step into a business.
You’re not less successful because you’re building onto something.

Anyway, just wanted to share what’s been rattling around my head lately.

If you looked at my LinkedIn, you’d think all I do is build brands.

But behind the scenes, we’re helping cure cancer.

It's incredible to be part of this team, helping to keep the entire world safe. It feels pretty weird to finally open up about this side of my life, but I'm proud of it.

We’re designing and developing products that help researchers cure cancer, create new medicines, and tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges.

I don't know why I've never really spoken about this before, but I'm excited to share more about it and how we continue to help fight some of the world's biggest battles in 2026.

People are getting building in public wrong.

I've seen it happen multiple times...

As someone who has shared a lot of my journey on this platform, and heard everyone telling me to share more and more, but I want to touch on something...

Building in public doesn't mean:

Sharing everything.
Doing it to tick a box.
Doing it because of pressure.

Sharing in public is about strategy.

There's so much pressure for everyone to keep posting and creating content that might not necessarily work for them, but because everyone is telling them to continue to do it.

That's what happened to me, and I fell out of love with it. Losing motivation and jsut doing it out of pure discipline, but I want to go back and create the content I used to love creating, the raw, unfiltered side of my life.

SO WE ARE GOING TO DO THAT

Get other people out of your head and do what's right for you.

It took me almost two years to figure this out…

Rushing and moving quickly are not the same thing.

For a long time, I mixed the two. Everyone said, “Move fast,” but no one explained how. It's been one of the biggest lessons I've learned in business.

I presumed this meant:

Don’t think, just act
Make decisions on the spot

Turns out, that’s how you end up rushing.

And I made stupid mistakes while building Cupsly because of it. Rushing design processes and manufacturing just made everything longer.

But now, only a couple of years later, I've finally broken out of this cycle, and honestly, it’s changed everything. The old saying “sleep on it” couldn't be truer once I started doing it.

Looking back, I can see decisions I rushed that I’d absolutely make differently now. But that’s how you learn. Give yourself breathing room. Process all the information before you move. Some decisions you can’t undo.

Business is fast-paced, yes, but...

It’s also a game of patience. The bigger the decision, the more time it deserves.

Think about risk. Think about impact. Think about the possibility.

Everyone loves to talk about career advice... but this has been by far the most impactful for me.

Curiosity doesn’t make you inexperienced.

When I joined Thistle Scientific, my first instinct was to worry about what I didn’t know: the jargon, the lab protocols, the decades of expertise my colleagues bring to the table.

But every time I asked a “basic” question or admitted I didn’t understand something, I noticed something powerful. It started a conversation for change.

Over time, I’ve realised curiosity belongs everywhere, especially in business.

Because the people who ask why are often the ones who move everyone forward.

You don’t need decades of experience to make an impact:

Sometimes asking, “Why do we do it this way?” opens the door to innovation.
Sometimes being the learner means spotting what others take for granted.
Sometimes, trying things differently brings the best results of all.

A reminder I carry with me every day:

Curiosity belongs in every business.

taplio

The Battle

Luke Redhead

Niall Cleaver

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreLuke Redhead's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreNiall Cleaver's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Luke Redhead

Niall Cleaver

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);}Luke Redhead's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreNiall Cleaver's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreLuke Redhead's LinkedIn Performance