Entrepreneurs, Tech & Sales: Own Your Voice on LinkedIn | Social Selling and Personal Branding —> Increase Pipeline & Brand Awareness | LEGO Flower Power 🌻

You're not a content creator. (Phew!!) 

You're a business owner leveraging content to grow your business.

2 very different ways to approaching LinkedIn.

You don't need to post daily. 
Chase the algorithm. 
Or become someone you're not.

You need conversations that turn into relationships that turn into revenue.

I'm on LinkedIn to help you get off LinkedIn.
The platform isn't the point. The relationships are.

That's what fills my cup AND my bank account.

---

Hi, I'm Natasha. 🙌

New mom. Breadwinner. Introvert who hates cold outreach.

I built my business to half a million in 2 years. All because of how I show up on LinkedIn.

Not by being loud. Not by gaming the algorithm. Not by sending soul-destroying pitch slaps in the DMs.

By building real relationships.

I've been "doing LinkedIn" for 10 years - as a scrappy sales rep who hated cold calling, running sales at Forbes Books, to now growing my own business exclusively through this platform.

I teach founders and executives to do the same.

---

Who is this for?

6-figure founders who've built something real.

You're good at what you do. Clients stay, refer, and thank you.

But on LinkedIn? Oddly invisible.

Your competitors aren't better. They're just louder.

The issue isn't confidence. It's knowing what to say and who to say it to.

---

Through my REALationship Growth Method I help founders go from respected offline to recognized online - without becoming someone they're not.

No hacks. No volume tactics. No influencer cosplay. 👀

Real outcomes:

→ Josie closed 3x 12 month contracts from one event
→ Michelle landed two $30k speaking engagements in three months
→ Dr. Ashley secured two speaking gigs in two weeks plus a five-figure client

If LinkedIn feels like noise, performance, or a mild existential crisis...

You're exactly who this is for.

DM me "LFG" and let's chat. 💜

Natasha Walstra

It's LinkedIn official: I'm the Founder of the REALationship Growth Method.

After a decade of learning LinkedIn - as an SDR, sales leader, and now business owner - it turns out there's a method to my madness.

It's the REAL way to grow on LinkedIn.

I never set out to build a cohort + community. But that's exactly what this is.

I'm excited for what's to come. The doors that will open. The connections that will be made.

Endless opportunities are waiting for everyone who joins.

You just have to raise your hand and say, "I'm in!" 

DM me "LFG" for deets!

You’re not a content creator. Good. You don’t need to be | LinkedIn strategy for business owners, not influencers | Filling February cohort - ask me about it! 🙌

Hey LinkedIn... I'm one of the good guys! 

I just spent the weekend in LinkedIn jail for "automated activity." 

I'm a LinkedIn strategist who teaches people to show up authentically and build real relationships. 

Anti-automation is literally my thing.

And I’m getting flagged?!

Did I have too many tabs open because I actually view profiles before accepting connection requests? 

Did I send too many DM’s from the post I was tagged in with a bunch of other people?

No explanation. No appeal process. 
Just a 24-hour lockout and a vague warning.

Meanwhile, my DMs are flooded daily with actual bots, fake profiles, and automated sequences.

I'm all for enforcing the rules.

Go after the spammers.
Get rid of the fake engagement pods. 

But kicking someone out who's bringing more people TO this platform and teaching them to use it the right way? While the real offenders run wild? 

What in the actual pitch slap is happening here?

This is my business - how I provide for my family...

Make it make sense! (AND what I need to do to make sure this doesn't happen again?!)

P.S. This made me realize it's probably time I start paying attention to other platforms. Where else are y’all hanging out? Threads? Substack? Please don’t say Tik Tok….

You’re not a content creator. Good. You don’t need to be | LinkedIn strategy for business owners, not influencers | Filling APRIL cohort - ask me about it! 🙌

From 0 to a multi-6-figure business in 2 years.

That journey started with one Entreprenista meeting.

And today, I'm excited to host their Office Hours to share how members can turn LinkedIn into their best business growth tool, just like I did, just like dozens of my clients have.

When I joined Entreprenista in October 2023, I didn't even have a business yet. 
I was planning to maybe launch "someday."

But after my first Member Connect, I was so inspired by the incredible women I met, I started wondering:

"Why am I working for these idiots? I could totally do this on my own!"

A week later, literally, I signed my first client and never looked back.

This community has been everything and more:

— Professionally: I've 100+x'd my investment
— Personally: Made the best of friends

(And the only ones who truly get me and the crazy entrepreneurial + mamahood journey I'm on!)

Office Hours is member-only - so if you've been thinking about joining, today's the day! 🥳 

Here's the link to join: https://lnkd.in/ePXMQWXY

Would love to see you there! 

___

P.S. Last time I hosted this in March, I was SO nervous I had a migraine days before and days afterwards. This time? I'm just excited  (even though I just saw 319 people RSVP'd!! 🙈) - It's going to be FUN! Woop! Woop!

I had a vulnerability hangover after my last personal post/newsletter.

You know the feeling. Hit publish. 
Immediately think, "Sh!t. I can't believe I said that."
Wonder if you shared too much.

But, I'm glad I did.

→ Top performing post with 103 Profile views?!
→ More comments than ever
→ DMs from people I hadn't heard from in months
→ 20+ Email responses from my newsletter

Saying things like: how they feel seen, gave them hope, are in the thick of the same thing and now feel like they can get through it, too...strengthening those relationships. 

→ Oh, and I closed 2 clients directly from it..over the holidays..when I wasn't working.

Personal stories are essential to showing up on LinkedIn.

Even when it's hard.
𝘌𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 when it's hard.

My filter?

I always ask: Why should they care?

It doesn't have to relate to my business. But there has to be a reason for them to care.

If I can't answer that question, it probably does belong on Facebook (or more likely not on the internet at all!)

That's the difference.

Personal doesn't mean random life updates.
Personal means human connection with purpose.

___

This year, I'm really going to embrace this even more. I started to share more stories in the last few months and it's made such an impact on my business and relationships. 

In a 'sea of ai-generated sameness' your story is what makes you uniquely YOU.💜

Your "Great event!" post is a participation trophy.

And nobody cares about those.🙊

They care about what you learned. Who you met. 
What's changing because you were there.

But most people treat events like this:
Show up. Take photos. Post "So inspired!" Move on.

That's not a content strategy. 
That's proof of attendance.

What actually works?
𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁.

Your network doesn't need to know you attended.
They need to know what they missed.

That's the difference between "look at me" and "let me share something valuable."

One gets scrolled past.
The other starts conversations.


P.S. The # has died on here...except for events!  Tip: search the event # days before the event to connect with other attendees, speakers, exhibitors etc. You'll go to the event and people will already know who you are.

P.S.2 Yes, I used to write about 3d printed digital dentures. #TalkDentureToMe 🦷 2018 baby.

You’re not a content creator. Good. You don’t need to be | LinkedIn personal branding & social selling for business owners & executives (not influencers) | Filling APRIL cohort - ask me about it! 🙌

This might sound bad.

But Tuesday was the first time I was excited for my cohort workshop. 🫣

Until this week, it's been: "I know I'll enjoy this once it starts!" 

This time, though?
An hour before the call, I caught myself thinking:
"𝘐 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘰 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘸!"

Wait. What?! 👀

Some context:
I've already run a full cohort.
Started my second one.
And love this work.

But every single time before a call, I get nervous.
That tiny voice: "𝘐'𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵."

And then EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. afterwards?
"Oh right! This is why I do this!"
Energized. Pumped. 
Already looking forward to the next one.

My pre-call brain was lying to me. For months.
The nervous feelings were never the truth.

The post-call energy was.
It just took my brain a while to catch up.

So if you're dreading something you know you actually love once you're in it?

Keep showing up.
Your brain will eventually get the memo.

P.S. This applies to posting on LinkedIn, too. 
The dread before hitting publish? Probably a lie. 
The feeling after you do it? That's the truth.

I did it - I took the holiday break off LinkedIn.

And it was actually really hard.

Which probably sounds crazy to most of you, right?

(It does to me even, honestly).

But, how cool would it be to get to a point where instead of it being a challenge to post once a week...

You actually have to force yourself NOT to post?

Despite having days of content ready to go?
Despite being available to post?

I don't even consider myself a content creator. (I know, I'm in denial.)

But that's kind of my point.

With the right mindset, systems, and strategy - LinkedIn becomes second nature.

You stop dreading it.
You start craving it. (or for sure have major fomo)

And then you build a pipeline of people who already know, like, and trust you.

That's when the real magic happens.

Not when you post more.
When posting stops feeling like work.
That's when LinkedIn actually starts working for you.
___

P.S. If you’re ready to stop forcing your LinkedIn strategy, I’ll show you how to make it flow...I've got just a few spots left for my February cohort... wHaT sAy YoU? 👀

I've made 11 introductions in the last two weeks.

(want to be next? see below👇)

Those 11 intros don't even include: 

→ The ones still in "asking both parties" mode
→ The 2 podcast guest referrals I made
→ The connections happening organically in my community

Every single one is a trust deposit.  

This is what building a business actually looks like.

Not more followers.
Not more impressions.

→ Relationships.

"Your net worth is your network" isn't just a catchy phrase.
In this trust recession, I'd go as far as saying it's essential for business survival.

People don't trust ads anymore.
They don't trust cold outreach.
AI has made it hard to know what’s real. 

But they do trust referrals from people they already trust.

So I've got a challenge for you:
Make 5 introductions this month.
Be intentional about it. 

Think about:

→ Who in your network needs a service you know someone provides?
→ Who would genuinely vibe if they met?
→ Who's looking for exactly what someone else offers?

You probably already know these people.
You're just not connecting the dots for them.
So...start · connecting · those · dots...

Your network gets stronger. 
Their networks get stronger. 
Everyone wins.

That's the compound effect of real relationships.

And if you don't know the right person? Let's start here...

𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼?

Drop it in the comments. ⬇️

Let's start this week by expanding our networks right here!


_____

P.S. Seriously..do it! Tell us about yourself. 
Maybe you're exactly the person someone needs right now!

103 profile views from 1 post.

It wasn't a how-to.
It wasn't a framework.
It wasn't professional at all.

Why your "safe" content is holding you back.

(This is how you stand out in 2026 and bring new people into your orbit. 👇 )

AI killed the generic "5 Steps to do X" posts. Everyone can write professional content now. Which means no one stands out with it. So as I've been thi

Open article: 103 profile views from 1 post by Natasha Walstra • 2 min read

Before I post 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, I ask myself:

"Could AI have written this?"

If yes, I delete it.

Everyone has access to the same AI tools now.
ChatGPT can "write" a "good" post in 30 seconds.
Your competitor used it this morning.

The how-to post is dead.
"5 ways to be more productive" 
"3 secrets to better leadership" 
"The framework that changed everything"

AI can generate those all day long.

What AI can't do:

Write about the time you hung up on a prospect twice and ran out of the office.
Describe the exact moment your brain went blank on a client call.
Share why you almost didn't show up to your own workshop.

Your mess is your message.
Your real experience is the only thing AI can't replicate.
That's your competitive advantage.

So here's the new rule:
If your content could have been written by someone who's never met you, it's not personal enough yet.

Use AI to amplify your voice, not replace it.

____

P.S. The posts I'm most scared to publish? Those are usually the ones that perform best. 

Fear is a signal you're onto something real.

4 months ago I was terrified to launch a group program.

(I launched anyway.)

Initially though, I couldn't stop the thoughts:

Who am I to lead a cohort?
What if no one signs up?
What if I mess it up?

(Got a 4-day migraine from the nerves.)

But, it rocked! 🪨

And today? Cohort 2 kicks off.

This time? Just excitement.

Funny what happens when you stop waiting to feel ready.

You build the thing. 
You learn as you go. 
You watch it become something you never expected.

I set out to teach LinkedIn strategy.

Turns out I accidentally built a community.

Business owners connecting. Referring each other. Celebrating wins together.

That's the part I didn't plan for.

And it's the part I love most.

I’ve got 2 spots left for my February cohort. 

Last round at founding member pricing (and the next cohort won’t be until April).

If I’ve peeked your curiosity even slightly, might be time we talked. 

What say you!? 👀

Let's chat: https://lnkd.in/ecAKhTAq

You're not a content creator.

You're a business owner leveraging content to grow your business.

These are two very different approaches to LinkedIn.

One will drain you.
The other will energize and empower you.

Content creators focus on:
→ The algorithm
→ Posting daily
→ Going viral
→ Impressions and reach
→ Likes and comments
→ Growing followers

Business owners leveraging content focus on:
→ Starting conversations
→ Building relationships
→ Attracting the right people
→ Turning visibility into revenue
→ Getting OFF LinkedIn and into real conversations

One is a hamster wheel.
The other is a growth engine.

One leaves you wondering "is this even working?"
The other fills your calendar with people who already trust you.

You don't need to go viral.
You don't need to post every day.
You don't need to chase the algorithm.

You need content that starts conversations.
And conversations that turn into clients.

That's it.

Don't force yourself into being a content creator.
Focus on building your business.


___

P.S. Phewww we made it through  the first real Friday of January! Great week but, TGIF, amiright!? 

How are y'all feeling about the start of the year so far?!

Don't expect inbounds on LinkedIn.
 
But with the right system? They'll come. 
 
My client was skeptical of all this. 

And honestly, I get it - he's in construction. 
Not exactly the industry you'd expect to crush it on LinkedIn.
 
But here's what we did:
 
1. We optimized his profile 
→ to speak directly to his ideal clients. 

2. He started creating content 
→ that showcases expertise, social proof, and a little personal touch. 

3. He began engaging with the right people 
→ to build relationships and get visibility.
 
It's chef's kiss.
 
Now he's becoming "the guy to talk to" in his space.
 
This is what good looks like. 
 
The crazy part? He just got started. 
He's only posted a few times AND 1-2x/week.
 
Imagine what happens when he's been doing this consistently for a year.
 
How many more opportunities do you think will come his way then?
 
The system works. 
Even in construction. 
Even when you're skeptical.
(𝘈𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺, 𝘐 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭, 𝘴𝘰 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨! ;)
 
You just have to trust the process long enough to see it.

____

P.S. This is exactly what I mean by, "I'm on LinkedIn to get off LinkedIn." 

When you embrace that, real magic happens here, just like it did for my client.

Want help building YOUR system?

DM me "Skeptic" for deets.

Feeling skeptical about LinkedIn?

You're not alone.

"I don't have time to post every day."
"I hate social media."
"LinkedIn doesn't work for my industry."
"I've tried it. Nothing happened."

Most of my clients said the exact same thing.

Now they're booking calls, closing deals, and getting speaking engagements.

Same people. Same skepticism. Different results.

The difference? The right system.

Today's newsletter breaks down:

→ The 4 biggest objections I hear (and why they're wrong)
→ Real results from real clients who didn't believe it either
→ The 3 P's that make LinkedIn actually work

Check out this week's, Own Your Voice! 

P.S. A little skepticism is good...we're in a trust recession! People are getting burned left and right. I get it. Good luck trying to sell me something right now 🙊. But what gets me trusting people more? Real stories, real results. Take a peak for those wins! 😎

(So do 99% of my clients) Most of my clients are skeptical when we start working together. Last week I had three calls where I could literally see the

Open article: Feeling skeptical about LinkedIn? by Natasha Walstra • 3 min read

On Wed, we had our first guest speaker at the REALationship Growth Method 

(Yep, we're having experts come in now.)

Melissa Glick joined us to talk about her ACED method for sales conversations.
And let me tell you - the energy in that room!

We had a full house, I invited cohorts 1, 2, AND 3 (which doesn't even kick off until next month!).
Plus my 1:1 clients.

Yes, sales is my background.
But my 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘦 is business development and personal branding.

So bringing in someone like Melissa who lives and breathes sales conversations?
20+ years in sales. $50 million closed in her lifetime.
Built and sold a multi-million dollar tech company.

I'm not holding that back from my people.

There was so much good stuff, I almost feel like it's a crime to share it publicly.
(So you should maybe check out her next cohort kicking off in March!)

But what I 1000% agree on:
Sales shouldn't feel like sales. It should feel like coffee with a friend.

Can sales actually be fun?
Yes. Yes, it can.

Oh, and guess where I met Melissa?
LinkedIn. In the comments. 2 years ago.
That led to DMs. Then a call. Then my podcast. Then collaborations.
Now she's teaching my community.

This is what building real relationships looks like.

_____

P.S. Curious to learn more about the REALationship Growth Method?

DM me "LFG" for deets.

There's no playbook for building relationships through screens.

We're the first generation doing this. 
It's no wonder it feels awkward.
But, fortunately, you might not actually need new skills. 
You just need to translate the ones you already have.

We're writing the playbook now. 
This week's newsletter is a chapter.

Check it out 😎

Before we dive in, I have a favor to ask. This past weekend I was thrown in LinkedIn jail. (Read more here.) It was unsettling for a lot of reasons - 

Open article: The skill you need to not feel salesy on LinkedIn (+ a favor to ask!) by Natasha Walstra • 3 min read

The skill you need to not feel salesy on LinkedIn (+ a favor to ask!)

Have you found your LinkedIn QR code yet? 

I found it once. Then took weeks to find again.

It's not intuitive...at all. (like most things on here ; )

But if you're going to any event, conference, or networking thing, you should have this handy! 

Because idk about you, but I don't even have a business card. 

Hasn't been an issue because everybody just asks for your LinkedIn
(and that way you connect on the spot!)

Here's how to find it (*from your phone app):

1. Open the LinkedIn app
2. Tap the search bar at the top (don't type anything)
3. Look to the right, below the search. Bam! There's your QR code

That's it. Two taps.

But nobody knows it's there.

Pro tip for when you're going to an event:
Screenshot your QR code and set it as your lock screen.

Now when someone asks to connect, you just flip your phone around.
No fumbling. No spelling out your name. 
No "I'll find you later."

And then when you connect, screenshot their profile so you save their 'business card," too.

You're welcome. 😇


____

P.S. I'm thinking about my next workshop...something around maximizing event ROI through LinkedIn personal branding. Who'd be interested in this??

Susanne Ekström

I Coach CEOs to Build Winning Companies Where People 💜 to Work (SME:s) | +$30M Client Profit Generated | Top Ranked Management & Leadership Creator Globally (#1 in Sweden) | Serial Entrepreneur

💡 Are you enthusiastic about waking up in the morning to be the master strategist of your company, or are you dreading another day spent fighting fires and not getting anything significant done?

👋 Hey! I'm Susanne, a CEO Coach, entrepreneur, #1 international bestselling author, and the founder of BeASmarterLeader and SEE Management.

𝐌𝐲 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: To guide CEOs like you in reaching the top of your game.
I specialize in turning your big business dreams into reality, making your company richer, your team happier, and your business more robust.
And if you're up for it, we'll boost your bottom line by $499k in 99 days.


𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐈 𝐆𝐨𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞: Back in 2001, life was amazing. I co-owned a big Swedish dot.com company and started our Netherlands office. I invested my heart, time, and money into it. But then, everything fell apart when the company went bankrupt. I lost everything, and it was devastating—going from a dream job to no job at all.


𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠: We made these 4 epic failures!
⛔ We didn't delegate effectively
⛔ We weren't ready for massive growth
⛔ We didn't have streamlined processes in place
⛔ We, the C-Suite, stopped listening to our people


𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝: Combining 20+ years in management consulting, over a decade in leadership, and hard-earned lessons from my dot.com collapse led me to develop a foolproof system to help CEOs like you:
✅ Boost your profits
✅ Keep your best people
✅ 'Buy back' +8 hours a week
✅ Build a scalable business model for growth


Great leaders aren't born; they're made.
True transformation can be challenging, so I've designed my system to help you save time, reach your potential, and become a top-notch CEO. 


𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫: Strategies to:
⭐ 'Buy back' your time so you can lead, not be 'all-over the place'
⭐ Create a CEO role that you'll absolutely LOVE having
⭐ Create space for innovation & big-picture planning
⭐ Create trust, structure, and sustainable growth
⭐ Build a winning, scalable company culture



𝐌𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬: CEOs of SME companies on the U.S. East Coast, Canada, and Europe.
But why is this Swedish lady targeting the U.S. and Canada?
The mindset around the importance and value of a coach differs in the US and Canada from the rest of the world. I also love to speak English.
𝘚𝘔𝘌 = 𝘚𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘶𝘮-𝘴𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘌𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦


𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩: Book a 15-minute Opportunity Call today!
👉 https://calendly.com/susanne-ekstrom/15mincall

Susanne Ekström
📞 +46 70 205 40 44
✉ susanne@beasmarterleader.com
🌐 www.beasmarterleader.com

Founder & CEO | BeaSmarterLeader

🔥 We help CEOs and Owners of Companies with $5-20 Million in Revenue, Strategically Work ON the Business Instead of Being Stuck IN it.

BeaSmarterLeader is 100% dedicated to helping CEOs and Owners across dynamic industries scale business operations and obtain unparalleled marketplace advantages to unlock transformative, growth-driven futures.

As the Founder & CEO, I work confidently with you while providing all of the dynamic tools and coaching methodologies required to take your business to the next level with The CEO Profit System!

Ultimately, I’m here to help enable the conditions for your peak performance, and you'll drive your business forward in ways previously unimagined. Sign up today to double your profits and cut your daily workload by 50% in less than 4 weeks!

👉 www.beasmarterleader.com/ceopsli (With a Large Discount)

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The Battle

Natasha Walstra

Susanne Ekström

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The Battle

Natasha Walstra

Susanne Ekström

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);}Natasha Walstra's LinkedIn Performance

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