Launch Key

The most direct route off the corporate merry-go-round is you.

 Leverage your experience to launch digital products at any age. 

Join 1000+ execs and late career entrepreneurs reading the Launch Key newsletter as we share modern tools, old school wisdom and free knowledge gleaned from decades of digital innovation.

Founder | Publisher

EnergyXchain

EnergyXchain was awarded a National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant to conduct research and development work using blockchain technology for transaction processes in the natural gas industry. The company has a growing IP portfolio and patented technology processes that may also be utilized for energy transaction management via smart contracts, with equal applicability in sectors such as hydrogen, carbon attribution tracking, natural gas and electricity.

CEO, co-founder

Empowered

Empowered grew from one question: What if benefits enrollments were easy? Everyone struggled with insurance. Brokers needed more time with clients, HR managers drowned in paperwork and employees couldn't enroll in a basic medical plan without hassle. We wanted to provide everyone with a simple, transparent enrollment process. A process that made it easy for someone to pick the best benefits for their family.

In 2000, we launched our first consumer-driven healthcare programs, sprinting ahead of the industry by prioritizing people. Today millions of employees trust this platform for their benefits. Empowered is  wholly owned by Aflac.

Chief Innovation Officer, co-founder

Leader of the effort to redesign, develop and deploy EDA’s flagship data product as an online analytics tool. Product launch led to 20% increased sales and returned 100% of the investment in the first year post development.  

With the insight that EDA brings to the table, businesses can make better decisions by identifying trends, exploiting market opportunities, supporting sales service dealer strategies, being informed about regional hot spots, and emerging markets.

If you sell, finance or service capital equipment, EDA offers you the priceless information and timely market intelligence you need to get ahead. www.edadata.com. EDA is a Randall-Reilly company.

VP of Sales and Marketing

Vialogix

Web development company focused on user-based web solutions for internet, intranet and extranet applications.  Solutions included e-commerce, Web-enabled and database applications that enabled clients to reduce business costs or increase sales. The business cultivated long-term relationships with a broad client list that included Fortune 500 level companies Baker & Taylor, Bank of America, First Citizens Bank, National Gypsum, Novant Health, and Wachovia.

Rob Norris Communications

Built technology consulting practice specializing in digital asset management. Apple expertise used for creating networks, managing infrastructure with corporate clients - First Union National Bank, Interstate/Johnson Lane, Royal Insurance, advertising agencies in the Charlotte area. Created multimedia CD-ROM projects, interactive projects and first web based tools in 1994.

President

Coleman Lew & Associates

Recruited advertising and marketing executives for a retained search firm. Interviewed prospects and researched backgrounds. Wrote recommendations, presented candidates, negotiated salaries and benefits with clients.

Executive Recruiter

30+ years of business experience creating and leading innovative technology businesses. From the 90's internet to AI, I've carved out a living explaining and building solutions to solve business problems. 

Expertise in application development has been leveraged across energy, health care, financial services, ecommerce and data analytics businesses. I've sold to both Fortune 500 companies and SMB. I've bootstrapped and won National Science Foundation grants. There have been my fair share of entrepreneurial mistakes but have also published patents and even won a SXSW award. 

I'm not quite finished with technology and can help you avoid a few headaches with your own digital products. I recommend resources, and tools to add to your career portfolio and spin up your dream in weeks - not years. My network includes experts in literally every business function and I will happily recommend people who will level up your startup. Win/Win/Win.

Join the Launch Key newsletter for free: 
https://launchkey.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Rob Norris

Happy Thanksgiving 🍁 

And especially to entrepreneurs who have a lot to be thankful for. We never succeed all by ourselves. Take time to show gratitude to customers, employees, partners, mentors, backers but most importantly family. 

This weeks Launch Key ⬇️

Founder | Publisher @ Launch Key 🚀 | Add to your career portfolio with a passion project or side hustle. Join like-minded execs, SMB owners and late-career entrepreneurs reading the Launch Key for digital inspiration.

Open article: Thanksgiving for entrepreneurs by launchkey.beehiiv.com

This week’s Launch Key reminder is that there is no perfect career path. But there are plenty of options to make your own career portfolio far more interesting. 

Just 3 subscriber examples from Dean Otto, Tom Hewitt and Christopher Jones. 

Get in there and read about them for yourself ⬇️

Open article: Career portfolios by launchkey.beehiiv.com

We can't all have a bear steal a chainsaw on camera. 

But if we do, it's a chance to build an audience. Husqvarna social media folks effortlessly joined a funny online conversation and created buzz with humor and product giveaways. 

This week's Launch Key with a little more on the Creator Economy and using your wit. ⬇️

Open article: Creator economy of chainsaw bears by launchkey.beehiiv.com

Growing an audience with humor and experience

Did you see Taylor Sheridan's Billion dollar deal? 

In a time when Hollywood types are scared that AI will replace them, Sheridan just won generational wealth because of authentic talent. All because he bet on himself. 

That's the topic of this week's Launch Key 🚀

Outsized results are possible when you bet on yourself. 

Get in there ⬇️ 

https://lnkd.in/eMZntXVB

Open article: Bet on yourself by launchkey.beehiiv.com

Not all products are digital. 

Your late-career side hustle might not always come out of your work knowledge. Christopher Jones created a non-digital Bloody Mary mix while working on his weekend sailing hobby. 

This week's Launch Key 🚀  has the latest. 

Get in there ⬇️

Open article: Not all products are digital by launchkey.beehiiv.com

Turn your passion project into a late-career side hustle

Hanna Larsson

I help founders build revenue growth, audience & personal brand 🔥 From 0 → $30M ARR | Startup & GTM Advisor & Builder 📈 ex-LinkedIn & ex-Remote 🦄 | Founder: Huntrs

I am a builder. 

Over the last decade, I have built and scaled go-to-market engines, sales orgs and revenue at disruptive SaaS, Deep tech and HR tech companies.

Since leaving my 9-to-5: 

🔥 Became a Top Voice on LinkedIn
📈 Grown an audience of 239,000+ followers
✍️ Publish 2 weekly newsletters; Beehiiv + LinkedIn
📣 Been featured by Entrepreneur, Inc and CXO Magazine
💰 Built a 6-figure ($) business in less than 12 months from organic content

→ In 2023 I founded Huntrs - we build personal brands for founders and help them GROW their business.

The BEST way to build a business today is through your personal brand. 

I'm also deeply passionate about helping more people to monetize their knowledge and build multiple income streams. 

Before starting my own business, I built and scaled the unicorn and hyper growth company Remote.

MY RESULTS:

→ Built, hired and led the EMEA team and market for Remote from 0-$30M ARR 
→ In July 2021 we became a unicorn 🦄, and in April 2022 Remote was valued to $3 billion
→ From 2 sales reps → team of 87 people across 22 countries - we all worked remotely 
→ EMEA was Remote’s best performing market and team
→ Built a scalable and repeatable sales process and business model
→ I’ve built an audience of 214,000+ followers, with 92 million+ impressions, and I teach founders, investors and executives how they can achieve the same

When I coach founders, I teach them how to build lean and efficient, profitable revenue growth, fuel growth through their personal brand, build an organic content funnel, keep a laser focus on the customer, speed, and build systems.

♻️ As well as building an ecosystem around their company.

PREVIOUS GO-TO-MARKET EXPERIENCE: 

→ Global hiring - hire anyone, anywhere in the world 
→ Strongest material in the world 
→ Digital transformation of HR
→ Nano surfaces optimisation
→ Call tracking 

If you want to work with me, reach out to me via: 

👉 hannalarsson.me
👉 hunt.rs 
👉 or send me an email: hello@hannalarsson.me

Reach out, don't be shy 👋 Talk soon.

CEO & Founder

We help startups build revenue growth, audience and high-performing teams. Don't be shy, get in touch 👋

Think like a millionaire. Hustle like you're broke.

Most people pick one.

I say pick both.

Do both for 90 days and watch what happens.

Learn how here:

https://lnkd.in/dcjPB8Ed


Image credit: unknown

Building personal brands for CEOs and Founders 🔥 Founder @ HUNTRS 💸 Startup & GTM Advisor 📈 From 0 → $30M ARR | ex-LinkedIn & ex-Remote 🦄 Helped 4,900+ people build their personal brand

Netflix started with DVDs.

Youtube started as a dating site.

Amazon started by selling books.

Shopify started as a snowboard company.

Shell started with decorative seashells.

Instagram started as a whiskey app.

Samsung started as a grocery store.

Nokia started as a paper mill.

↓

Business is about PIVOTING until you find product market fit. 

We should apply the same approach to our career. 

Never have second thoughts about reinventing yourself. 

And don't worry about the f*ckups along the way. 

It's part of the process 💯

Agree?

Before anyone believes in us we need to believe in ourselves. 

It starts with us.

Back yourself.
Show your work.
Ask for the call.
Raise your price.
Publish on social media.

Promote yourself like your life depends on it, because it does 💯

Book the flight.
Make the call.
Send the text.
Quit your toxic job.
Build your personal brand. 
Write a book.

Do it.

STOP waiting.
STOP hesitating.
STOP letting our people's opinions hold you back.

Shoot your shot.

We got one life. 

You're alive → Act like it.

Let's give it all we've got 👊


Pic credit: tl_archives on IG

📌 Follow me, Hanna Larsson for more content about entrepreneurship, personal branding, business and the future of work - please repost this to your network ♻️ to help others.

She sold her company for $900,000,000 (!)



This is one INSANE business model.

Here's how Reese Witherspooon did it - let's break it down:

↓

Reese built a book club with 2,5M subscribers.

↓

She approached publishers of books 📚

↓

She told them that in exchange for having her book club read their book, and they get the book revenue, she negotiated the exclusive rights to turn these stories into movies or TV shows.

(such a brilliant example of how she turned HER knowledge and background into a competitive advantage)

↓

She then A/B tested which books did well in the book club - and if they would make a good TV show (!!).

↓

She went to all the major platforms like HBO, Netflix, Apple TV, Disney + Prime Video, and SOLD the RIGHTS to turn the book into a movie or show.

📚 → 🎥

↓

The money she got from the major platforms she used to produce Emmy Award winning content like:

- The Morning Show
- Big Little Lies etc.

↓

The revenue she got from the movies/shows went back into the book club again.

This is such a BRILLIANT flywheel and ecosystem ♻️

She did all of this without ever putting in a dollar.

A perfect example of the compounding effect of personal branding.

(and no... this is NOT just for Hollywood actors)

→ Start building your personal brand into an asset that will compound for you.

Building your personal brand on social media makes it so much easier to:

- acquire new customers
- fundraise
- bootstrap
- and hire top talent

The value of a personal brand will only increase as we see more and more adoption of AI and AI agents.

Your personal brand drives your business.

If you’re not using it to its full potential, you’re missing out on both business and career opportunities.
 
Get started today.


✅ Are you ready to systemize your personal brand? Grab my new guide: https://lnkd.in/dNGJ3KfN

📌 Follow me, Hanna Larsson for more content about entrepreneurship, personal branding, business and the future of work - please repost this to your network ♻️ to help others.

✅ Your personal brand is your biggest asset

agree?


📌 Hi, I'm Hanna Larsson, I help people to monetize their knowledge, and build a profitable online business through their personal brand → Follow me for more content like this ♻️

A sh*t ton of money. 

A gorgeous house. 
A fancy car. 
Expensive watches and designer clothes. 

↓ 

❌ NONE of those things makes us happy. 
👉 Still, most people are chasing them.

It's the perfect cage that so many people try to leave between their 40-50s but can't.

What actually makes us happy:

1. Owning our time
2. Building something meaningful

That's why I chose entrepreneurship.

It gave me options, autonomy, and real freedom.

And yes, earning well makes life EASIER.

If you want more control, start building your own thing.

Use your 9 to 5 to fund your 5 to 9.

Start small.
Work on it every day.
↳ Eventually it will start to compound.

If you do well as an entrepreneur, the money comes as a bonus. 

I genuinely believe most people would be happier if they built  something of their own.

Agree? Disagree?


📌 Follow me, Hanna Larsson for more content about entrepreneurship, personal branding, business and the future of work - please repost this to your network ♻️ to help others.

This video hit 3M+ views in 32 min on Twitter.

These romantic AI billboards are taking over the internet.

All across the US, Bland AI has put up billboards displaying an AI robot embracing a human on a phone call, with the caption “customer support that actually cares”.

👉 Some think it’s genius.
👉 Others think it’s going too far.

But the real reason it explodes is simple:

We all hate calling big companies.

We dial in and enter into menu hell with holds, transfers, frustration, and no answers.

It’s exhausting.

Then we see a version of support we wish existed.

→ First ring answers.
↳ Understands context.
↳ Solves the issue.
↳ No circus of transfers.

It’s not about robots hugging humans.

It’s about a phone call that works and feels HUMAN.

If AI does what companies failed to do for years, people won’t fear AI.

↓

They’ll crave it.

Why do you think Bland AI is going this viral?

You can have the best product in the world, but without the right strategic messaging and content, it's just noise.

People remember stories 22x more than they remember facts.

Why?

Because stories light up our brains. 

They make us feel, connect, and engage. 

Data might inform, but stories inspire ACTION and connection.

Agree?

taplio

The Battle

Rob Norris

Hanna Larsson

Followers

Posts

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Performance ScoreRob Norris's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreHanna Larsson's LinkedIn Performance

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taplio

The Battle

Rob Norris

Hanna Larsson

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);}Rob Norris's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreHanna Larsson's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreRob Norris's LinkedIn Performance