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.
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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.
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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?

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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

Rachel Way - FMCG Sales Consultancy - Food and Beverage Expert 

Having worked for specialist food and drink sales agencies for the last 8 years (Go2Grocery & Product Chain), the time has come to work for myself. 
I am representing food and drink brands within FMCG retail -notably Major Multiple Grocers. I have a significant track record in helping SME and challenger brands to scale up and have successfully launched several brands into the UK Grocery sector. 
I have a soft spot for the finer things in life which has allowed me to develop an affection for prestige retail and securing listings with Harvey Nichols etc.
Within my consultancy, I act as a Senior Sales figure for my client's businesses. An outsourced expenditure on a part-time basis for each client therefore removing the risk of investing in full-time, employed senior personnel.
Thanks to my time spent working within FMCG sales and marketing (over 20 years) I have built up a large network of industry professionals that I work closely with - specialist agencies in their own sectors - marketing, category insight, brand activation, shopper insights etc.

Company Owner

Babease Foods Limited

Head of Sales

FAMILY SECRET 

Specialty Sales Manager

Truffle Guys

Head of Retail Sales

Product Chain Ltd

•	Secured 4 new clients for Product Chain, contributing £180,000 in annual revenue.
•	Implementing best practices for new business development and collaborating with key stakeholders (Managing Director/Finance and Operations Director/Sales Director). 
•	Represented the company at trade shows and served as a judge for The Grocer New Product and Innovation Awards 
•	Managing 5 clients in the capacity of a SNAM- Securing listings within major multiple grocers in the UK inc. Jake and Nayns – team effort increased sales by £1.3m net in under 9 months
•	Successfully secured major (top 4) listings for 3 clients and launched two new brands with a total annual value of £800,000. Including Palm oil-free spread The Flower Farm secures Sainsbury’s listing | News | The Grocer
•	Responsible for category insight, sales strategy, P&L, budgets, and forecasts.

Senior Commercial Manager / Head of Retail / Head of Growth 

Go2Grocery - part of the Ceuta Group

•	Developed client relationships to achieve profitable sales and distribution of products within the UK
•	Built and maintained strong relationships with clients, implementing growth strategies within the UK grocery.
•	Responsible for each client’s annual budget, forecast, P&L and gap analysis 
•	Achieved significant sales growth for brands such as Bonne Maman (St Michel), Organix, Nurture, and Pastino's. Total portfolio circa. £15M
•	Notably took Bonne Maman from a £3.5m brand to a £10m (+185%) brand in 5 years. 
•	Grew Organix within the Convenience/OOH sector by 15%
•	Oversaw Own label tenders for St Michel within the bakery sector across Tesco and ASDA to the value of £2 million.
•	Created and presented, Monthly, Quarterly and Annual Performance presentations. YoY, V Budget, YTD and YTD inclusive of next step strategies to grow revenue.

Client Manager - Ambient Grocery

Absolute Board Co

•	Coordinated and implemented the European Penny Skateboards Trade (B2B) marketing plan, including account management, range planning, project management, and event planning.
•	Managed the European Trade Marketing budget independently.
•	Collaborated with key stakeholders in Europe, Australia, and America to establish a globally unified marketing and events program and brand plan every quarter.

Trade Marketing Manager - 6 month maternity cover contract 

Ski In Luxury

•	Handled customer queries and requests for luxury chalet and villa holidays, building strong customer relationships and rapport.
•	Processed sales and bookings while maintaining direct communication with chalet operators and owners to ensure high customer satisfaction.
•	Updated three company websites with accurate information and pricing, managed social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram), and created engaging content.
•	Developed and implemented PR plans to build relationships with local and national media and the luxury lifestyle industry, without a marketing or PR budget.
•	Sourced new marketing opportunities to enhance the brand profile and reach.

Ski Specialist and Head of PR - 6 month ski season sell in contract 

Merlin Entertainments

•	Supported the Global Marketing Manager and Global Head of Marketing in day-to-day brand activities and product insight.
•	Provided brand training to new and established SEA LIFE sites, updating training toolkits and collateral quarterly.
•	Managed the global marketing budget, ensuring no unauthorized overspending.
•	Ensured brand collateral consistency and regular review, covering all customer touchpoints and marketing activities, including the management of the SEA LIFE asset system.
•	Assisted the Global Digital Marketing Manager with selected online activities.
•	Reported core product KPIs monthly and addressed any anomalies.
•	Managed relationships with key suppliers and third-party partners, including PR and media.

Global Brand Marketing Executive SEA LIFE

I am a highly dedicated and innovative individual with a significant track record of professional achievement and over 20 years’ experience in marketing strategy, brand development and sales. I have a wealth of experience over a number of marketing channels inclusive of trade, brand, consumer and International marketing. In addition to marketing, I have established a strong and reputable sales track record - implementing and driving key sales strategy and growth notably within the UK Major Multiple Retailers. 
I am a very passionate individual with strong communication skills. I pride myself on my organised approach to my work and I am meticulous on all projects and tasks.
I have worked for a number of high profile brands including Penny Skateboards (Absolute Board Co), Benefit Cosmetics, Animal Clothing, SEA LIFE (Merlin Entertainments), Ski In Luxury, Bonne Maman/St Michel and Organix baby snacks.

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