Luke Tobin

Founder of Unusualgroup.com | Follow for posts on Business, Marketing, Investing & AI

Commercial and speaking: sponsorship@luketobin.com

3 exits, different industries, each one bigger than the last. Turned a £100 investment, into an eight-figure agency exit in 5 years. 

I help founders turn self-doubt into leverage, and leverage into exits.

My last business started with £100 and a lot of imposter syndrome. No funding. No safety net. Just a laptop, a tiny runway and lots of grit. Five years later, we sold for eight figures. It was one of the fastest growth-to-exit stories in the UK at that level.

That was exit number three. Before that, I built and sold a hospitality business and an e-commerce brand. Different industries, same scale-to-exit playbook. Build lean. Price for profit. Systemise delivery. Think like a buyer long before you ever meet one.

Now I back other founders and work on fixing what is broken in the agency world.

Current work:

Unusual Group (Founder)
We take minority stakes in agencies and plug them into the capital, infrastructure and operator support they need to grow margins and become exit-ready.

Tobin Capital (Owner) 
I invest in more than 25 brands, including SpaceX, Atom Bank, and Honest Mobile. When I invest, you do not just get capital. You get an operator in your corner on pricing, operations, hiring and exits.

A-Frame Venture Studio (Partner)
We build consumer brands from scratch. Our first brand, Mirth Water, is now live in the United States at drinkmirth.com.

The Success Method Newsletter
Every week, more than 100,000 founders get my breakdown of how to turn self-doubt into an advantage in their business. I share how I structure deals and exits, the pricing moves and margin levers that work in practice.

Book (Q2 2026)
My first book, on how founders can turn doubt into an asset rather than a drag on growth, is coming in Q2 2026 from a major publisher.

In total, I have started seven businesses. Two failed. Three exited. Two, I am still building. The failures taught me more than the exits. Self-doubt never went away. I learned how to use it as a filter to make better decisions in hiring, pricing, partners, and exits. That is what I teach and invest around now.

Today, I share what actually works with more than 800,000 founders across my channels. The playbooks, the red flags, the live deals and the parts of the mental game most people never talk about.

If you are an agency owner or founder who wants to raise, exit or fix your margins in the next 12 to 36 months, send me a DM.

Newsletter (100K plus subscribers): www.luketobin.com/newsletter

DM me about: investments, agency exits, speaking

Investor

The next‑generation personalization AI for e‑commerce.

Big goals = big discomfort.

Small goals = silent regret.

When you're around people chasing massive goals,
something shifts.

You start to believe bigger is possible.
You become more.

Do this to design your environment for maximum growth:

1. Audit your circle
↳ Who do you spend the most time with? Are they pushing limits or settling?
↳ Surround yourself with fire-starters who make you uncomfortable (in the best way).

2. Join high-aspiration spaces
↳ Masterminds, growth communities, where big thinkers gather, energy rises.
↳ Proximity breeds possibility.

3. Seek mentors with 10x vision
↳ Learn from those who’ve already gone where you want to go.
↳ Borrow their belief until you build your own.

4. Cut energy drainers
↳ Limit time with people who complain more than they create.
↳ You can’t soar while dragging anchors.

5. Normalise big conversations
↳ Make goal-setting, risk-taking, and growth the default in your daily dialogues.
↳ Big dreams feel more achievable when they’re spoken often.

Big goals aren’t just built, they’re caught.

And the right people make them contagious.

Remember:
The right room changes everything.

♻️Repost to help someone in your network.
🔔Follow Luke Tobin for more professional growth strategies.

cc Colby Kultgen (shout out for the image and powerful reminder!)

3x Exited Founder | Follow me for posts on Business, Marketing, Investing & Success Psychology

Every time you wait for "the perfect moment," someone with half your talent but twice your audacity is moving ahead of you.

The world doesn't always reward the most skilled or the most prepared. 

It rewards the people who show up, speak up, and take the risk of being told "no."

Let's address this..
Missed opportunities hurt more than rejections. 
A rejection is a data point; a missed opportunity is a "what if" that haunts you. 

If you’re waiting for permission to dream big or bet on yourself, this is it.

How to stop hesitating and start acting:

1. The 5-Second Rule: 
If you have an impulse to act on a goal, move physically within 5 seconds or your brain will kill the idea.

2. Audit Your "What-Ifs": Ask yourself: 
“What is the actual cost of a ‘No’?” Usually, it’s just a bruised ego. The cost of a "Never Tried" is a stalled career.

3. Lower the Stakes: 
Stop trying to make your first move a "grand slam." Just aim to get on base. Send the DM, post the rough draft, or book the meeting.

4. Embrace "Good Enough": 
Perfectionism is just procrastination in a fancy suit. Done is better than perfect when "perfect" never leaves your hard drive.

Stop letting your talent stay a secret. 

The gap between where you are and where you want to be is usually just a few moments of audacity.

What’s one thing you’ve been overthinking lately? 
Let’s commit to doing it this week.

♻️Repost to inspire others in your network.
🔔Follow Luke Tobin for more mindset and growth tips.

cc Dora Vanourek (shout out for the image and message)

We are our own worst critics.

I spent years thinking I wasn't doing enough. 

I compared my "behind-the-scenes" to everyone else’s "highlight reel."

But here is the truth: 

While you’re worrying about your mistakes... 
Others are inspired by your progress.

While you’re doubting your worth... 
Others are studying your work ethic.

The "mess" you see in your head? 
To someone else, that looks like a masterclass in resilience.

If you’re stuck in a cycle of overthinking, here are 5 ways to get out of your head and back into the game:

1. Audit your evidence, not your emotions. 
- Your brain will tell you that you’re failing because you feel tired. 
- Feelings aren't facts. Look at your "Done" list for the week. 
- The data usually proves your anxiety wrong.

2. Focus on "B-" work to start. 
- Perfectionism is just procrastination in a suit. 
- Aim for "good enough" to get the momentum moving. 
- You can’t steer a parked car, but you can optimise a moving one.

3. Stop comparing your "Input" to their "Output." 
- You see the 4:00 AM struggles, the deleted drafts, and the coffee-stained notes. 
- You only see their polished final product. 
- It’s an unfair comparison.

4. Change your "Who." 
- Instead of asking "Who am I to do this?", ask "Who am I helping by doing this?" 
- Shifting the focus from your ego to your impact kills imposter syndrome instantly.

5. Embrace the "Spotlight Effect." 
- We think everyone is judging our mistakes. 
- Truth? Everyone is too busy worrying about their own mistakes to notice yours. 
- You have more freedom than you think.

The bottom line: 
While you’re wondering if you’re "good enough," someone else is looking at you for inspiration.

Don't let them down by quitting.

♻️Found this helpful? Share it with your network.
🔔Follow Luke Tobin for more mindset tips.

cc Justin Welsh (shout out for the inspirational message and image)

A hard truth:

Regret = The price of comfort

You don't need more time.

You need more courage.

Most people don’t fail from trying. 
They fail from waiting too long.

Here’s how to build the courage to jump.
(Even when it’s scary):

1. Make the fear visible
↳ Write it down. Name it. You can’t fight what you won’t face.

2. Shrink the leap
↳ Break it into one bold step. You don’t need a plan, just a start.

3. Take action within 24 hours
↳ Delay kills momentum. Movement builds belief.

4. Surround yourself with risk-takers
↳ Bravery is contagious. So is settling.

5. Track your jumps
↳ Keep a “courage log.” Let your past bravery fuel the next one.

6. Rehearse your bold move
↳ Visualise the conversation. Confidence builds in repetition.

7. Limit input, increase output
↳ Too much advice leads to paralysis. Make a move then adjust.

8. Set a “no turning back” trigger
↳ Commit with a consequence.

9. Anchor to your future self
↳ Ask: “What would the future me thank me for doing today?”

10. Celebrate courage, not outcomes
↳ Reward the jump, not just the landing. That rewires your risk muscle.

Reminder:
Courage isn’t loud.
It’s quiet decisions made in uncomfortable moments,
that change your life.

You don’t need to be ready. 
You just need to go.

If you wait for certainty,
you’ll miss everything worth having.

♻️Repost to help someone take a leap of faith.
🔔Follow Luke Tobin for more personal growth tips.

cc Eric Partaker (shout out for the image and powerful message)

The way you speak to yourself in private sets the ceiling on your results.

Not motivation.
Not discipline.

But your internal narrative.

Your brain doesn’t argue with your self-talk.
It goes looking for proof that it's true.

Do this to rewire your mindset architecture:

1. Tune your filter (RAS)
- Your brain searches for evidence to proof what you already believe. Feed it better signals.

2. Swap “I can’t” for “How can I?”
- Statements close doors. Questions open search mode in your brain.

3. Add “yet”
- Most limits aren’t permanent. They’re unfinished.

4. Use identity-based language
- You act in line with who you think you are. Choose the identity that serves the outcome you want.

5. Audit your inner critic
- If you wouldn’t say it to a friend, it doesn’t belong in your head.

6. Use the observer technique
- Create distance from the thought. Regain objectivity and reduce the emotional spike.

7. Remove “should”
- Replace shame with agency. “Choose” is a different operating system.

8. Reframe anxiety as excitement
- Same body signal, but a different story. You get to decide the label.

9. Let confidence compound
- Small daily narrative shifts build self-trust over time. Track your proof.

10. Protect your mental environment
- Your inputs become your inner voice. Curate what you consume and who you listen to.

This isn’t self-help.
It’s mindset architecture.

Rewrite the script and the behaviour follows.

Which one do you need most right now?

♻️Found this helpful? Share it with your network.
🔔Follow Luke Tobin for more mindset tips.

Your self-talk sets the ceiling for your growth 

"Service businesses are dead. Why invest in them?"

Three months ago, everyone said I was crazy.

Today, we're proving them wrong.

We launched Unusual Group in October with a clear mission: 

Build the ecosystem of support, founders need to scale-to-sale successfully. 

The industry has been struggling and it's no surprise. 

Traditional rollup groups and network agency models are broken.

So we built something different. 

An industry first membership model that gives founders and their teams the strength and resources of a business 10x their size. 

Support with;

- Strategy
- Operations 
- Sales & Marketing
- Productisation & IP
- Finance, Legal, HR & IT
- AI & Technology
- Exit Planning & Positioning 
- Optional Capital Investment 

After three months, here's how its going;

• 100+ applications received 
• 7 agency partners onboarded (5% acceptance rate) 
• Group valuation approaching £10m 
• 90 pieces of press coverage 
• £400k ARR 

An ecosystem that supports founders in ways the market has never seen.

This isn't about rolling up agencies or stripping identity.

It's about creating the infrastructure that lets great founders do what they do best, without the ceiling that comes with going it alone.

If you're running an agency and you've been watching from the sidelines, 
now's the time to get involved. 

Our next cohort goes live in February.

Apply via our waitlist: https://lnkd.in/exReKAKu

Follow me, Luke Tobin for more building in public content.

3x Exited Founder | Follow me for posts on Business, Marketing, M&A & Success Psychology

The New Frequency

New Frequency offers coaching and consultancy to support socially conscious entrepreneurs and leaders to recognize, reframe, and reimagine habitual processes and practices that no longer serve in order to optimize their own well-being, create thriving cultures, and engender transformational change.

New Frequency offers a safe, judgment-free space to examine the behaviors and beliefs that enabled each of us to get to where we are… and to explore alternative ways of thinking, feeling, and being that will help us move to states of greater resonance.

Founder

Forbes Coaches Council

Sharing business and career thought leadership through Forbes Coaches Council, an invitation-only organization for premier business coaches, career coaches, and senior-level executives selected based on their depth and diversity of experience.

✅ Official Member

Sky's the Limit

Sky’s the Limit is harnessing the power of technology to fuel millions of aspiring, underrepresented, young entrepreneurs to reach their dreams. The one-on-one advising and mentoring, education, and funding opportunities we offer leads to the growth of social capital -- new connections, skills, knowledge, entrepreneurial mindsets, and access to new business opportunities. That translates to new businesses, new jobs, increased employability, increased lifetime earnings, and innovative products and services being developed across the world!

In my role as COO, I focused on driving growth strategy, optimizing strategic partnerships, and working with the team to ensure program, partner and platform success for both the existing US, and newly established UK-based operations. Special attention to community- and coalition-building, ensuring every entrepreneur, partner, and team member enjoys a safe and productive experience that allows them to fully express their purpose and live their vision.

Chief Operating Officer

South Carolina Institutes of Innovation and Information Foundation

I was honored to serve as a volunteer board member and Chair for SCIIIF, a 501c3 non-profit that provides resources and support for the Institutes of Innovation and Information established at South Carolina’s seven Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). In my role, I was responsible for helping this newly established organization realize its full potential as a force for fundraising and coalition-building.

Chairperson

Courageous Be Coaching

Founder of a boutique consulting and coaching practice specializing in partnering with corporate leaders and independent business owners who seek to improve employee engagement levels, drive business results, and enhance personal leadership performance. I help people achieve remarkable results through innovative communications strategies, business and human resources strategy optimization, and powerful personal skills development.

CEO - Coach, Advisor to Social Entrepreneurs and Social Impact Professionals

VolunteerMatch

VolunteerMatch creates better ways to bring great people and great causes together at scale. They seek to unlock the promise of the private, corporate and social sectors with the web's #1 volunteer engagement network and associated technology and service solutions. 

In my role, I was responsible for helping forge the future of the organization as a member of the Executive Team. 

I led the Solutions team, a high-performing team composed of multiple functions: Marketing and Advocacy, Business Development, Customer Outcomes, Education and Training, and Philanthropy. 

In my role, I defined the business priorities and drove execution strategies, new solutions, and growth activities to strengthen and expand VolunteerMatch's brand, community of partners, clients, and allies. I worked constantly to strengthen and enhance our position as THE place for finding, matching, and engaging skilled volunteers, mentors, and board members.

Chief Solutions Officer

eSolidar

Advising on strategic matters including relationship development that serves the global expansion and adoption of eSolidar, the latest generation of GDPR-compliant giving and volunteering technology, and impactMarket, financial infrastructure for the new impact economy.

With both consumer- and business-facing products and services, eSolidar is known for its award-winning online platform and dynamic, innovative team. We help individual donors connect to causes and support charities and corporations to take control of their online fundraising and volunteering in ways that are timely, cost-effective, and phenomenally engaging -- especially to Millennial and Gen Z donors and volunteers.

Advisor - Market Development, CSR, Charity Auctions, Fundraising, Crowdfunding

Causecast

For Corporate Social Responsibility/Employee Engagement technology SaaS start-up, provided day-to-day operations leadership and direction to the cross-functional team to drive sales, optimize marketing and human resources, and ensure timely delivery of new products and services.
 
Managed 2 P&Ls - for the nonprofit Foundation and the for-profit Corporation – and led staff to deliver outstanding customer experiences and develop innovative offerings. 

Core responsibility included business development, HR, business strategy, planning, goal-setting, decision-making, budget, operations, general management for all functions, direct personnel management and supervision, infrastructure optimization, cross-functional leadership development, partnership development and management, executive coaching and mentoring, and public speaking.

Chief Operating Officer - CSR/Employee Engagement SaaS

As Vice President of Go-to-Market in summer of 2015, implemented and improved Sales & Marketing processes, performed resource allocation and budgets, and enhanced productivity and efficiency to drive revenue. Provided overall instructional vision and thought leadership, strategic and annual operating plans, program development plans, and process management.

As a member of the executive leadership team, my day-to-day responsibility included strategy, planning, decision-making, budget, operations, general management for the Sales and Marketing functions, direct personnel management and supervision, infrastructure optimization, cross-functional leadership development, executive coaching and peer mentoring.

Vice President, Go-to-Market Operations - Driving Revenue, Optimizing Sales and Marketing Processes

Intuit

I was offering leader for the global We Care and Give Back employee giving and volunteering program, including responsibility for day-to-day management of Intuit Foundation. I did trends research, strategy design, regular operations reviews, coaching and coordination of global volunteer teams. 

>> Created "Create the Change", an industry-recognized quarterly worldwide engagement campaign best practice, with end to end responsibility for concept, design, writing, and strategy through execution and measurement. 

>> Helped onboard, coach, and develop a team of Regional Site Coordinators and Program Managers to build capability and deliver outstanding results. Vendor, nonprofit/NGO selection and management, including compliance, risk mitigation, delivery and process design for new online tools infrastructure. Innovation catalyst, responsible for driving and teaching design thinking to work teams across the company.

Senior Manager, Worldwide Employee & Community Engagement - HR, CSR, Program Management

I was responsible for design and delivery of worldwide engagement programs centered around diversity and volunteering and giving. 

Accomplishments include design and delivery of global expansion strategy for We Care and Give Back community giving program, Working Globally website to develop global leadership mindset with employees, and the Do One Thing for Diversity campaign in support of the UN’s World Diversity Day. 

>>Developed the “Do One Thing” campaign in partnership with the United Nations to reinvigorate World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, with attraction of 1M individual commitments. 

>>Wrote, edited and partnered with contractors and internal staff to deliver engagement program communications. Drove reward and recognition strategies for volunteer leaders and volunteer teams. 

>>Coached and supported teams to successfully craft engagement plans and deliver measurable outcomes to drive higher employee engagement levels.

Employee Engagement Program Manager - Internal/External Communications, Campaigns, Vendor Management

>> Led HR Communications function, including support of executive communications and delivery of monthly global HR All Hands for 250+ employees. Responsibility for writing, editing and delivery within all HR communications channels. 

>>Drove strategy and execution plan for launch of new Alumni network, managed vendor relationship and implemented online community collaboration tool to keep ex-employees connected and engaged with Intuit.

HR Communications & Alumni Network Leader - Executive Communications, Program Design, Product Launch

>>Drove change management strategy and coached leader capability throughout HR Reinvention. Project management and production for complex change projects in RIF, reorganization, diversity and employee engagement, leveraging end-to-end strategic thinking, people experience, D4D, organization design and change communication skills.

HR Change Leader - HR Communications, Project Management, Change Management

>>Coached senior and program leaders across HR and the business, applying customer-back, design thinking and employee experience knowledge to develop capability and build programs that create best possible experiences during highly confidential and sensitive moments of truth in the employee lifecycle; program leader for Last Days, Alumni, multiple M&A and RIF projects.

People Experience Coach - HR, Executive Coaching, Leadership Development, Program Management

>>Human Resources Business Partner supporting Payroll Sales organization in Reno throughout implementation of new incentive compensation program, quarterly and annual calibrations and high-performing organization review. 

>>Managed sensitive employee relations issues, hiring assessments, terminations and performance management on a daily basis. 

>>Partnered cross-functionally to re-design long-term organizational strategy, including restructuring of field sales force and RIF assessments that spanned across organizational boundaries.

HR Business Partner - Human Resources, Employee Relations, Hiring, Org Design and Strategy

>> Designed and implemented communications strategies in partnership with senior leaders in the Reno Payroll organization, across corporate HR and as a requested “expert” contributor for QuickBooks Group. 

>>Led the development of Reno’s employee giving and community relations programs post-restructure. Communications programs included confidential RIF and restructure communications and successful cross-functional team projects within business units; operating mechanism, engagement, client services and HR communications strategies; and cross-business unit communications strategies to support senior leadership team.

Communications and Community Relations Manager - CSR, Communications, Strategic Partnerships

Leadership Coach & Impact Strategist | Empowering Purpose-Driven Tech Leaders, with a Passion for Elevating Female Founders | Founder @ The New Frequency

Ready to reclaim your energy, amplify your impact, and not just succeed – but thrive? If so, you're in the right place.

Whether you’re navigating a career transition, looking for deeper alignment, or seeking a new direction, I’m here to support you in creating a clear, actionable path to success.

I guide visionary leaders and entrepreneurs who feel stuck, unsure, or overwhelmed by their next steps to break past limitations and gain the awareness you need to confidently move forward. 

Let’s work together to unlock your potential and help you lead with purpose. Book a clarity call today and take the first step.

Why work with me?

With over two decades as a social impact tech executive, entrepreneur, CEO, and COO, and a background as a 2X certified Life and Wellbeing coach, I leverage a potent mix of industry insight, strategic acumen, and a vast network of influential connections to uplift you. 

My domain? The nexus of social impact, strategic leadership, well-being, and innovation.

Here are some tangible impacts of this synergy:

↳ Orchestrated initiatives channeling over $80MM to purpose-driven ventures
↳ Devised marketing strategies generating a social impact return of $700MM+
↳ Revived businesses on the edge of closure, driving them to $5M in annual profits and scaling $40K side hustles into $1MM+ enterprises

With my guidance, hundreds of leaders and entrepreneurs have soared to new heights—imagine turning your vision into a thriving $100,000 annual recurring revenue stream or safeguarding a $20MM investment. My coaching is not just spice and sass; it’s rocket fuel.

If you're ready to resonate at a new frequency and shape a legacy that echoes beyond the boardroom, I’m here to make that happen.

📩 Book in a Clarity Call to get started.

taplio

The Battle

Luke Tobin

Laura Plato

Followers

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taplio

The Battle

Luke Tobin

Laura Plato

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 Tobin's LinkedIn Performance

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