Building a portfolio of writing businesses to $10M, and sharing my frameworks along the way.

My name is Nicolas Cole, and I am one of the most-read writers on the Internet.

Over the past decade, I have written over 5,000 articles online, and ghostwritten for 300+ Founders, C-level executives, NYT best-selling authors, Grammy-winning musicians, and more. I have also broken records on various digital writing platforms, like becoming the fastest-growing user on Quora in 2014, and becoming the most-read writer on the entire platform (out of 200 million users) in 2015. I have amassed hundreds of millions of views on my writing, and the topics I cover include hard life advice, category design, and digital writing principles.

I have also written over a dozen books, including the best-selling The Art & Business of Online Writing.

I am passionate about paying it forward and sharing what I have learned writing online for more than decade with other writers, creators, and industry leaders.

Here's a quick breakdown of my portfolio of companies, and how to get in touch.

WANT TO GET STARTED WRITING ONLINE?

→ GO HERE: www.ship30for30.com

Ship 30 for 30 is a cohort-based community specifically for people who want to start writing online. In this 4-week program, we help you build your daily writing habit, launch your Social Blog, clarify your niche, and master the fundamentals of digital writing. To date, we have helped more than 3,000 people get started writing online.

WANT TO BECOME A PREMIUM GHOSTWRITER?

→ GO HERE: https://premiumghostwritingacademy.com

Freelance writers charge per word or per hour. As a result, they're underpaid and burned out. Premium Ghostwriters charge per project, work directly with founders, CEOs, and business owners, and are more like "business consultants who happen to know how to write." As a result, they can charge a premium. In PGA, our Premium Ghostwriting Academy, we train writers on how to become Premium Ghostwriters, and learn how to package & price their services in lucrative ways.

WANT TO STAY AT THE FOREFRONT OF WRITING WITH AI?

→ GO HERE: https://writewithai.substack.com

Write With AI is a bi-weekly paid newsletters for writers, giving you strategies and prompts to help you turn ChatGPT into your own personal Digital Writing Assistant. 

WANT TO GET IN TOUCH?

→ GO HERE: www.nicolascole.com

In addition to writing and building my own businesses, I am also an investor & advisor to a handful of media & digital publishing companies. If you'd like to get in touch, please feel free to shoot me an email.

Email: cole@nicolascole.com
Twitter: @Nicolascole77

Nicolas Cole 🚢👻

I did this. 

And I regret it:

Between 23-26, I was broke AF.

Single.

Shredded with 8% body fat.

Had like 2 friends who I only saw at the gym.

Lived in a dumpster box studio apartment that cost $800/mo in Chicago.

Barely dated, and whenever I’d start to build a relationship I’d break it off and say:

“I have to grind.”

Literally.

• Up at 6am to commute an hour to work
• Home at 7pm
• Gym until 9pm
• Worked on my writing (my dream) until midnight

Repeat 5 days per week.

And I also wrote every weekend for 5-8 hours Sat & Sun. 

I never celebrated a holiday.

I went to 1 Halloween party one year, and a music festival one summer for a day. 

And that was pretty much it. 

But then I met my now-wife when I was 26.

And it’s shocking (almost sad) how much more effective I am with her compared to when I was single. 

I became way more disciplined, yet somehow more balanced.

More well-rounded. 

I became more mature, more thoughtful.

Which allowed me to:

• Meet smarter mentors
• Connect with higher-quality people
• Become more successful a lot faster

I became more cultured.

More knowledgeable about the world:

• I traveled
• I tried new foods
• I prioritized new experiences

I became rich in so many more ways than just money (but also including money) by being with her. 

And the same is true for every mega-successful person I know.

They all love their partners because their partners make them better, more capable leaders. 

I don’t have many regrets in life.

But looking back, I do wish I had allowed myself to enjoy my 20s a bit more.

I don’t think 20% more “fun” would have changed my trajectory all that much.

Maybe my ghostwriting agency wouldn't have scaled from $0 to $3,000,000 in less than 18 months.

Maybe if I had more "fun" it would've taken longer.

But I’ll never be that age again.

And one day you won’t either. 

So yes, set big goals and work like an abandoned dog to achieve them. 

AND… soak up being a young adult. 

You’ll blink, and it’ll be over.

When I met my now-wife at 26, I was making $20,000/mo ghostwriting for a handful of clients.

And none of them cared if I only spent 20 hours working per week.

Plenty of money for "fun" and the time to enjoy it.

Which is why I recommend becoming a LinkedIn ghostwriter.

This platform has over 1 billion users who:

• Never post
• Know they should be
• Need help building their personal brand

Want a blueprint to help you start ghostwriting & land high-paying clients?

Get it here (for free): https://lnkd.in/dHePTC4J

I talk about digital writing, ghostwriting, and self-publishing | Co-Founder Ship 30, Typeshare, Write With AI, Premium Ghostwriting Academy | Author of 10 books | DM "👻" if you want to land high-paying writing clients

I want to help 1 million people make a living writing on the internet.

So here's what I'm doing:

For the next 48 hours, I'm giving away my 2 best-selling books for free:

• The Art & Business of Online Writing
• The Art & Business of Ghostwriting

Why?

Because I've spent 10+ years figuring out how to make money as a writer.

(After I was told in college, "Nobody makes a living as a writer!")

And since then, I have generated over $1,000,000 across:

• SaaS ($1m+)
• Agency ($5m+)
• Consulting ($2m+)
• Paid Newsletter ($2m+)
• Self-Published Books ($1m+)
• Cohort-Based Course ($3m+)
• Low-Ticket Digital Products ($2m+)
• High-Ticket Group Coaching ($10m+)

So, yeah...

You can earn a lucrative living as a writer IF you know how.

Which is why I'm giving away my 2 most popular books (so you can start making a living as a writer too!).

Inside these books, I explain:

• Why you shouldn’t start a blog, how to find your voice as a writer, and the exact steps to build a daily writing habit.

• The quickest way to monetize your writing (and get paid to network and learn from industry leaders in your niche).

• The secret to making more money as a writer (so you can escape the freelance writer hamster wheel).

And tons more!

Comment "books" below and I'll DM them to you for free.

If we're not connected, then send me a connection request with the word "books" and I'll send them over.

Everyone says the greatest writers to ever live are:

• Stephen King
• Virginia Woolf
• Henry David Thoreau

But this genius is head and shoulders above them all.

His name is Ernest Hemingway.

And here is the secret technique he used to become a legendary writer:

The Iceberg Theory.

At its core, this is a simple "Show, Don't Tell" technique:

1. Avoid excessive backstory

Hint at characters' pasts through brief flashbacks or dialogue.

2. Use sensory details sparingly

A few vivid descriptions can set the scene.

3. Trim the fat

Cut any:

• Word
• Scene
• Or sentence

That doesn't serve the story.

Simple, but super effective.

—
📌 And if Hemingway were alive today...

He'd (probably) write short stories on LinkedIn—and have a massive audience of readers.

So, I put together a FREE 13,000-word Ultimate Guide + email course with everything you need to:

• Build a daily writing habit
• Generate hundreds of ideas
• Attract followers on LinkedIn

Click here to download a FREE copy for yourself: https://lnkd.in/dgHFBptC

Ernest Hemingway's Secret Writing Technique

I'm 35.

Some advice I wish I'd known in my 20s:

Life moves in seasons.

Some seasons are about work.

Other seasons are about:

• Travel
• Or spirituality
• Or family and friends

And I've learned the worst thing you can do is be in 1 season of your life, but wish for/expect the benefits of a different season.

Don't.

It doesn't work that way. 

Whatever season of life you're in, radically accept it.

Lean into it.

Know it won't last forever, and soak up as much about that particular season as you can. 

Because once it's over, you will miss things about it.

Things you're taking for granted, or complaining about, right now.

For example:

Building my $180,000/month ghostwriting agency was one of the hardest seasons of my life.

(It literally put me in the hospital.)

But since then, I've generated over $1,000,000 across 7 different business models:

• SaaS ($1m+)
• Consulting ($2m+)
• Paid Newsletter ($2m+)
• Self-Published Books ($1m+)
• Cohort-Based Course ($3m+)
• Low-Ticket Digital Products ($2m+)
• High-Ticket Group Coaching ($10m+)

Which is how I know the easiest way to make 6+ figures per year as a writer is by ghostwriting.

And I recommend getting started on LinkedIn.

Want to start landing high-paying clients in 2026?

I wrote this free, 5-day email course to help you get started.

Click here to get instant access (for free!): https://lnkd.in/d5dCm2YP

Last week, this writer landed 3 clients:

1. LinkedIn Ghostwriting $4,800/month
2. LinkedIn Ghostwriting $1,800/month
3. LinkedIn + X Ghostwriting $3,000/month

In other words:

$9,600/month in brand-new revenue.

Now, Stefan didn't get lucky.

He's been putting in the work for a long time.

Which is how Stefan was able to quit his job—and go all-in on his ghostwriting business 5 months ago.

But it also helps that he had a proven technique to land new, high-paying clients every month.

And safe to say it works.

(It's how he landed $9,600/month worth of ghostwriting deals in just 1 week!)

Want to follow the same FREE blueprint Stefan used to get started?

Click "Visit my website" at the top of this post to get instant access.

Making money as a ghostwriter is *about* to get even easier.

Why?

Because LinkedIn is the fastest-growing social media platform in 2026.

And thanks to this Wall Street Journal article, every:

• Founder
• Executive
• Industry leader

Is finally waking up to a harsh truth:

They need to build a personal brand on LinkedIn.

And the WSJ is read by some of the smartest (& wealthiest) people in the world.

But they don't have the time to write.

So, they need someone like you ghostwriting for them.

It doesn't matter what niche they're in.
LinkedIn has over 1 billion users.
Their niche is here.

So, the question you have to ask yourself is:

"Do you have the skills to capitalize on this trend before it's gone?"

Luckily, I put together a 5-day blueprint to teach you how to:

• Charge premium prices
• Create your irresistible offer
• Find your lucrative ghostwriting niche
• Land new, high-paying clients every month

In other words...

Everything you need to get started in the next 5 days!

Want to start landing high-paying clients as a ghostwriter?

Click here to get instant access to my proven blueprint (for FREE): https://lnkd.in/gsKZbtwK

My college writing professor told me I'd never make $1M as a writer.

And I believed him!

Until I learned about Neil Strauss.

He's a New York Times best-selling author who ghostwrote for:

• Kevin Hart
• Rick Rubin
• Mötley Crüe

And his net worth is over $4,000,000.

Here's his story (with 1 huge lesson for writers everywhere):

Neil started in journalism:

• He got his start at The Village Voice
• Then landed a column at The New York Times
• Then became a contributing editor at Rolling Stone

It was here he wrote a major cover on Marilyn Manson.

This created a new (and overlooked) opportunity for Strauss—ghostwriting books for world-famous celebrities.

Over the years, he co-wrote these bestsellers:

• "The Long Hard Road Out of Hell" for Manson
• "I Can’t Make This Up" for Kevin Hart
• "The Dirt" for Mötley Crüe

Meanwhile, the journalism industry collapsed.

But Neil used ghostwriting to master:

• Storytelling frameworks that hook readers
• New skills no journalism job could offer
• How to structure New York Times bestselling books

And more.

In 2005, Strauss used his skills to write his next book:

"The Game."

This book about pickup artists became a New York Times bestseller.

Today, Strauss ranks among the highest-paid ghostwriters in the world.

You've probably read his latest work: 

Rick Rubin's "The Creative Act." 

And top ghostwriters like Strauss earn between $250,000 and $2,000,000 per book.

So here's the big takeaway for writers:

Strauss used ghostwriting to master the skills he needed to create his own successful writing career.

And for writers today, ghostwriting makes more sense than ever:

• Most companies need content
• Most founders want personal brands
• Most experts have wisdom but no time to write

And it's how I went from minimum wage to $20,000/month in just 60 days.

It's how I generated my first $3M as a writer.

Ghostwriting is the fastest way to make money on LinkedIn.

I wrote a free, 5-day email course showing you how.

Get instant access here: https://lnkd.in/dj7GjXbu

I'm a pro writer.

Over the last 10 years, I have:

• Written 1 novel
• 10 non-fiction books
• 2,000+ thought-leadership articles

And more.

All this taught me 1 very important lesson:

Great writing doesn't come from "natural-born talent."

It comes from simple, repeatable techniques.

Use these 6 tiny (but powerful) tips to write great sentences:

1. Make the last word the most impactful

Here's an example:

"Do you know who the president is?"

This is a weak sentence because it ends with an insignificant word (is).

A more powerful sentence would be:

"Do you know the name of the president?"

2. Be economical with your words

Here's an example:

"Seven ways you can start to make more money your first year out of college by starting to write online."

This sentence has a lot of inefficiencies.

Multiple words are saying the same thing.

A more economical version would be:

"Seven ways to make money writing online as a new college graduate."

Same message, half the time.

3. Vary repeated words

You can repeat an idea without sounding repetitive by changing the word.

Here's an example:

"We pulled into the parking lot of the ice arena. I said it's been forever since I stepped foot in an ice arena."

You're saying "ice arena" twice.

Which sounds redundant.

A better version would be:

"We pulled into the parking lot of the ice arena. I said it's been forever since I stepped foot in a rink."

Just by changing the word, it immediately sounds stronger.

4. Only use one advanced word per sentence

Most people read at a 4th grade reading level.

So, when you're using a word most people don't know, it feels like a fun challenge.

But if every word is advanced, your writing becomes unreadable.

Here's an example:

"With all those weird clothes on, he looked crazy, like he'd lost his mind."

You can make this more interesting by swapping out one word:

"With all those weird clothes on, he looked preposterous."

Just like that, your writing is more fun & engaging.

(Without being inaccessible.)

5. Two comma max per sentence

Most sentences should only have a maximum of two commas.

The "valley of death" is when a sentence has three to six commas.

Anything above two means you're rambling.

And you (probably) don't know what you're actually trying to say.

6. Cut the adverbs

Hemingway always adverbs "lazy writing."

Now, using an adverb here or there is perfectly fine.

The problem?

Using too many.

Because the function of an adverb is usually saying the same thing you're already saying, just "more" or "a little bit better."

So, your writing would be much cleaner (and more succinct) without them.

—
📌 Want more actionable tactics to:

• Become a prolific writer?
• Build a LinkedIn audience?
• Unlock endless opportunities online?

I put together a FREE crash course with everything you need to start writing online.

Click here to get started: https://lnkd.in/dNP8EqHW

It's just hours. 

And I hate to tell you this:

But anything you want in life, unless constrained by biology, is a fixed number of hours away. 

The problem is:

1. The number is unknown

2. And it's usually much higher than you want it to be

But when you start tackling tasks to reach your goal, you face a new set of problems:

The tasks aren't hard, they're just tedious.

The tasks don't take "hours," they take minutes (if not seconds). 

The tasks aren't confusing, they just require you to think for 1 whole minute.

So, stop distracting yourself, focus, and get to work.

By the way, I got PAID to practice my writing for hours on end as a ghostwriter.

Ghostwriting is a lucrative writing career:

• Land high-paying clients
• Get paid to practice your craft
• Build your network with industry leaders

Get started with this free, 5-day email course: https://lnkd.in/drEfA42H

In 2025, my 100% remote company hit $8,000,000.

But in 2026, we have a bigger goal:

To hit $1,000,000 for 3 consecutive months.

And I'm always asked how to create a championship-winning culture.

Here are 7 ways:

1. Create custom emojis, each one tied to a different company core value.

We use these emojis in Slack to reinforce positive attributes people exemplify on the team. 

2. Full team all-hands 1x per month.

In these meetings we:

• Share high-level priorities
• Recap past month's performance across all departments
• Leave time for team members to give "shout outs" to other team members

These "shout outs" are for, again, embodying 1 of our core values as a company (public reinforcement).

3. Transparency around numbers.

On our all-hands, we share the total business revenue and revenue by vertical.

We also share overhead costs & ad spend.

This allows us to celebrate new department or company-wide revenue milestones together.

This fosters a culture of realizing "money doesn't grow on trees" and that each person needs to perform for the biz to be healthy.

4. Default no meetings.

Departments can decide how often they want to meet, otherwise:

• First, clear culture of communicating with clearly written Slack text
• Second, Loom video communication
• Third, live calls (as needed)

5. Give team members access to different department's Slack channels.

So even if they're not involved, they can follow along and see what other people are working on.

6. In-person event once per year.

This was easier when the team was smaller (<10 people).

Harder now with 30+ people, but 1x per year we try to get everyone together in-person for a 2-3 day event.

We don't do any "digital happy hours" or have a "memes channel" in Slack.

Not that these things are bad or anything, I've just found these types of things don't actually make people fulfilled.

7. Flexible working

• We give people unlimited vacation/sick days (within reason)
• We're understanding if someone with kids needs to log off early for the day

The only metric we care about is that people get their work done, and do it at a world-class level.

📌 People just care about 3 things:

• Doing great work
• Acquiring new skills & self-improvement
• Having the freedom to live their own lives

And the easiest way to unlock these for yourself?

Start ghostwriting.

As a ghostwriter, I hit $20,000/mo while only working for a handful of clients. None of them cared if I only spent 20 hours working per week.

And right now, ghostwriting is the easiest way to make money on LinkedIn.

But only IF you have a proven blueprint to land high-paying clients.

I share this inside my free, 5-day email course on Premium Ghostwriting.

Click here to get instant access: https://lnkd.in/dDped8XA

I don't believe I was born a talented writer.

But that didn't stop me from writing:

• 11 non-fiction books
• My 1st fiction novel
• 3,000+ ghostwritten articles

Instead, my superpower is my work ethic.

I know how to practice.

More importantly, I know how to:

• Isolate a skill to improve
• Create constraints to ease output
• Stay consistent despite wanting to quit

Put simply, I’ve learned how to love monotony and trust the process.

And a skill I want to improve significantly in 2026 is writing fiction.

But that’s actually not "just" one skill.

It's a collection of different skills.

Some that come to mind are:

• Story Seed: The “elevator pitch” and premise of the story
• Outlining: The beat-by-beat arc of the story
• Worldbuilding: The world in which the story is set
• Character Development: The main characters of the story
• Pacing: The story’s rate of revelation
• Narrative Voice: The tone and style of the narrator
• Word Choice: The nuances of the story’s literary style

So, I built an exercise to help myself (and other aspiring fiction writers) practice writing story seeds.

Plus, I also built an AI Prompt to help myself learn this skill 10x faster.

Want access?

Join my paid newsletter Commercial Fiction Club.

It's where I'm documenting my entire journey from $0 to $1,000,000 as a fiction writer.

Join Commercial Fiction Club here: https://lnkd.in/dnC3Qdmj

I also walk through this exercise on my YouTube channel.

Just search for "How To Practice Writing Fiction (And Write Stories With AI)" on YouTube to check it out.

I'm a ghostwriter.

And I have written for:

• Crypto billionaires
• Silicon Valley founders
• New York Times best-selling authors

And 300+ other industry leaders.

There was 1 writing skill that allowed me to work with so many experts (and generate $3M+ in the process):

Client Voice-Matching.

So many of my clients were terrified I wouldn't be able to write (or sound) like them.

But I quickly discovered that nobody's voice is "special."

It's just a handful of variables.

And once you learn how to assemble a client's voice, you can ghostwrite anything for anyone:

• No endless revisions
• No awkward feedback calls
• No "this doesn't sound like me" red pen all over your drafts

Which means you can confidently write for high-paying clients, delight them, and then get referrals from their network.

This writing skill will help you make more money as a writer.

And I'm going to show you how on next Tuesday's free, live Masterclass:

How To Ghostwrite Anything For Anyone: 5 Client Voice Archetypes.

Register for free in the LinkedIn event:

Uta Bellin, Graham Chalfant and 5 other connections attending

View event: How To Ghostwrite Anything For Anyone: 5 Client Voice Archetypes

How To Ghostwrite Anything For Anyone: 5 Client Voice Archetypes

I feel better at 35 than I did at 25.

Here's what I changed:

• Prioritized sleep & health > money 
• Stopped chasing short-term revenue
• Only invested in compounding skills/vehicles
• Non-negotiable gym session 4 days per week

These ALSO made me more money too.

So, I'm going to conntinue to optimize for the long game.

Because I don't need to be the most successful creator/writer in any given week/month/year.

I can "win" simply by playing the game the longest.

And that's what I love so much about writing.

It's a game:

• I can play solo
• I can play until I'm dead
• That only requires a laptop
• That benefits from age/time
• That combines art & business

If you aren't already writing online, highly recommend getting started.

📌 And if you need some help, I put together a FREE crash course with everything you need to:

• Go viral with ease on LinkedIn
• Generate endless content ideas
• Build a massive audience on this platform

In JUST 5 days.

Click here to get started (for free!): https://lnkd.in/d7D56jj2

Only a few hours left to grab your ticket for tomorrow's Masterclass!

In this free live session, I'll cover:

🗣️ The 5 Archetypes of Client Voices

This is how you spot your client's voice profile before they even know it themselves—giving you the edge to deliver drafts that sound exactly like them.

✍️ Little-known writing tricks to nail the client's voice the first time

Don’t get bogged down with endless client edits (I'll show you the exact techniques I used at my $3m ghostwriting agency).

🎙️ How to work from recorded calls and transcripts to extract your client's best insights

Turn raw conversation into polished, high-quality content they can’t wait to share (I call this my “Transcript-To-Gold System”).

And tons more!

This is everything you need to write for ANY ghostwriting client—so you can land higher-paying clients and build a reputation that brings clients to you on autopilot.

Get your ticket (for free!) below:

Lester Chng

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

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

In fact, being invisible is damaging. 

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

You have stories worth telling.

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

Don’t let this wisdom go to waste.

That’s where I come in.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How we work together.

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

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

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

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


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

Senior Advisor, Financial Crimes Unit Exercises. BMO Fusion Centre

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


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

Welcome to yr cyber flight simulator. 

I promise I won’t make u cry. 

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

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

Has yr team seen what a cyber incident looks like?

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

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

This is your cyber flight simulator. 

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

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

Good luck. 
Godspeed. 


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

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

It’s going to be an eventful year. 

Follow + try to keep up w the Catalyst.

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

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

These are typical uses/benefits of an AAR.

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

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

One feedback from an executive stood out.

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

That struck me. We just missed an opportunity.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Don't start without a clear content strategy.

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

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

Teach one niche concept per post (one takeaway).

Share your lived experienced not conceptual ones.

Break down “why this fails” in real environments.

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

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

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

𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀
3. Generate leads without sounding salesy.

Direct: a clear CTA after you have earned it.

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

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

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

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

P.S Do you start writing without a plan?

Thanks Timothy Martens for prompt inspiration.

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

New year brings exciting new goals.

But appreciate today as u drive tmr. 

- I only have 1 long holiday a year
- I wish for more excitement
- I live in a small townhouse
- I want to invest more
- I drive an old car

- I have a car
- I have $ to invest
- I have my little home
- I am thankful for stability
- I can afford to travel overseas

Don't forget to cherish what you have as your pursue your big goals. 

P.S. What are things that we shouldn't take for granted?

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bootcamp

Sign up here:
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How was your first full week at work?

This will happen if you don't intervene.

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

Historical probabilities are between 69 - 84%.

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


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

Busy?
Stressed?
Juggling priorities?

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


If you had a great week, keep at it!

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

Good luck for week 2!

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

Time is flying by. Jan is almost over. 

This is 1 thing I miss from 10 years ago. 


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

Just kidding. I stand no chance. 



What do u miss from 10 years ago?




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

Leader, Coach, Facilitator

If your cyber exercise doesn't make you sweat,

why do you call it an exercise?

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

I have seen teams prepare extensively for exercises.

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

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

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

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

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

Don’t rush the start of the exercise. 

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

But don’t neglect the pre ex brief. 

Here’s why it matters. 

1. Not everyone is familiar w exercises

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

2. Remind everyone of the Why

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

3. A good start is important

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

4. Questions forces a buy-in

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

5. Simple introductions helps

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

6. Sponsor emphasis 

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

7. Calms your nerves

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

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

P.S any other exercise faux pax?

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

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

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

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

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

Majority of my bosses in Cybersecurity have been female.

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

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

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


𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺

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

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


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

 

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

P.S. How are companies promoting diversity?

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

I trained Principle Warfare Officers. 

We assessed them on 3 attributes. 

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

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

These are the 3 attributes. 

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

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

Creativity 
- demonstrates intuition 
- demonstrates flexibility 
- demonstrates adaptability 


In cybersecurity operations,

We assess
.
.
.
.
.

Hope you get my point. 

Happy training.

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

And 19 other myths of writing on LinkedIn. 

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

P.S which is your fav? Mine is #8  🔥

I reviewed the LinkedIn headlines of 23 Cyber CEOs.

Not 1 mentioned these important aspects.

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

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


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

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

How would you write your headline?



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

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


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

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

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

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

Consider these updates. 

1. Include AI related incidents 

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

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

2. Validate asset + contact list

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

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

3. AI specific containment

- understand the impacts 
- ask if traditional options will work

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

4. Logs and investigation 

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

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


P.S what other areas to add?

2.

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

“Do you have an IR plan?”

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

Many teams are happy to tick yes. 

But having a plan is merely the start. 

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

There is barely any focus on training. 

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

Will having a plan alone save you?

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

P.S the world is still a vulnerable place

Human skills training will unlock your career potential.

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

I interviewed Sarah to get her insights on human skills.

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


𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴

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


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

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


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

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

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

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

Even better if they tell u what to post. 

Here’s 5 posts that I will write. 

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

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

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

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

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

_____________

Here’s 3 reasons why you shld post. 


REASON 1: 
Conferences are chaotic. 

This gives you a chance to cut through the noise.  

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

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

REASON 3: 
Yr competitors are already doing so. 

Silence = Falling Behind

You don’t want to waste all that $$$$

———————

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

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

LinkedIn posts can be complicated.  

I simplify it by 3-2-1 method. 

3 types of posts 
- authority 
- leads 
- trust

Cycle this through the week. 

2 content pillars
- cybersecurity exercises
- LinkedIn copywriting 

Alternate pillars per day. 

1 target audience per post

Focus on 1 reader. 


What’s your 3-2-1?
⬇️

People judge within 7 seconds of opening yr mouth.

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

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

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


𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

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


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

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


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

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

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

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

The result? Confusion. Zero traction. Wasted effort.

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

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

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

These posts establish you as the expert in your niche.

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

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

These posts show the human behind the solution.

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

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

These posts turn readers into conversations.

Now here's the system:

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

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

Never start from a blank page again.

Most cyber CEOs will read this and do nothing.

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

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

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