Actionable strategies to grow your audience, monetize your skills, and build leverage online. | Trusted by leaders at Google, Adobe, Meta

Hi, I’m Ryan. I help high performers become founders by using LinkedIn to build real, profitable businesses.

My career didn’t fall apart. I didn’t burn out. I finished every role cleanly - Director, VP - leading hundreds of engineers across the world and helping build multiple billion‑dollar companies.

And still, I knew I wanted to build on my own.

I’ve founded 5 companies and earned multiple exits while scaling teams behind $1B+ in outcomes. I loved the work, but I wanted a life where I could build big things and be present for my family. I wanted ownership. I wanted flexibility. I wanted proof I could do it on my terms.

LinkedIn became the path. I grew from 1,200 to 100,000+ followers in nine months, built a brand that opened doors I didn’t know existed, and stepped fully into my own business.

Since then, I’ve coached 50+ founders to design careers, income streams, and opportunities that match the life they actually want - not the life their company dictates.

Here’s how we work:

- Identify the opportunities you can’t see in your past experience.
- Build a clear, practical brand that attracts the right people.
- Turn your skills into simple offers, real customers, and predictable income.

Today, I own my time. I build, coach, and spend my days with my family - and help others do the same.

If you’re a high performer who wants a business that fits your life, DM me.
Partnerships, speaking, press: ryan@ryanyockey.com

Professional highlights:
• 5× Founder | Multiple exits
• Scaled teams responsible for $1B+ outcomes
• Grew to 100,000+ followers in 9 months
• Coached 50+ founders
• Trusted by leaders at Google, Adobe, Meta

Ryan Yockey

Change is scary. Starting over is scarier.

Most people avoid both.

And stay exactly where they are.

Here's what I've learned watching people build:

The caterpillar doesn't negotiate with the cocoon.
It surrenders to it completely.

That's the part nobody tells you about growth:

→ You don't transform by adding more.
→ You transform by letting go first.

The job that didn't work out wasn't a failure.
The idea that collapsed wasn't wasted.
The version of you that didn't make it — needed to go.

Most people want the butterfly.
They just want to skip the dissolving.

That's not how it works.

The discomfort you're avoiding right now?

That's the process.

That's what I write about every Saturday.

Want to know if your LinkedIn profile is holding back the next version of you?

I'll send you a free Loom walkthrough — I'll tell you exactly what's killing your growth.

Drop your profile link in the comments or grab a spot here: https://lnkd.in/gUMT6k_g

I help high performers build businesses on LinkedIn | From 1,200 → 140K followers in 12 months | Coaching + Newsletter for founders who want out

Most people dismiss their biggest dreams.

Not because they're impossible.

Because they sound crazy out loud.

I know the feeling.

I spent 12 years climbing someone else's ladder — VP titles, good salary, the whole picture.

On paper, it made sense.
Inside, it felt like I was disappearing.

The idea of walking away felt irrational to everyone around me.

To me, it felt like the only option.

That gap? That's where every real entrepreneur I know has lived.

Most people never cross it.

They wait for the idea to feel safer.
They wait for someone to tell them it's okay.
They wait until the timing is better.

The timing never gets better.

Here's what I've learned building a business 141,000+ entreprenuers:
→ The dream that embarrasses you in a room full of people is usually the one worth chasing
→ "Crazy" is just what conviction looks like before it has proof
→ The people who crossed that gap didn't wait for certainty — they decided the discomfort of staying was worse than the risk of going
→ Your idea doesn't need to make sense to everyone else — it only needs to make sense to you

The entire point of life is to take chances on dreams that seem crazy to most — but feel like destiny to you.

If your LinkedIn profile still reflects who you used to be — not who you're becoming —

I'll personally audit it on Loom and show you exactly what to fix.

https://lnkd.in/gUMT6k_g

Stay unreasonable.

Stay locked into your growth.

No time for noise.
No time for comparison.
No time for reacting to things that don’t matter.

Just you and what you’re building.

Most people don’t stall because they lack ability.
They stall because their attention is scattered.

Scrolling.
Second-guessing.
Watching other people play a different game.

The ones who make real progress?

They’re not louder.
They’re not busier.

They’re focused.

I learned this the hard way.

When my growth slowed, my attention was everywhere.
When things started compounding, my attention narrowed.

The difference wasn’t effort.
It wasn’t talent.

It was what I stopped giving energy to.

Discipline isn’t doing more.
It’s removing everything that doesn’t compound.

Your growth doesn’t need motivation.
It needs protection.

Everything else is distraction.

Every Saturday morning, I send one focused email to 134,000+ entrepreneurs.

One idea.
One system.
No fluff.

It takes 4 minutes to read.
It’s free.
And it’s designed to help you keep building while others drift.

Join here: https://lnkd.in/gfyweeTM

Stay locked in.
Keep building.

I’ve been watching people for years. The patterns are wild.

The loudest person in the room? Usually compensating.

The flashiest? Probably broke or close to it.

The one who won’t shut up about how smart they are? Not that smart.

Here’s what I’ve noticed about people who actually have it:

The strongest are gentle.
They don’t need to intimidate. Their presence does the work.

The smartest are quiet.
They listen more than they talk. They know they don’t know everything.

The wealthiest are simple.
No logos. No flex. Just compound interest and time freedom.

The happiest are private.
They’re not performing for an audience. They’re living for themselves.

Real power doesn’t need to prove itself.

It just exists.

The person who’s actually built something doesn’t need to tell you about it every five minutes.
Their results speak.

The person who’s actually confident doesn’t need external validation.
They’ve done the internal work.

If you find yourself constantly trying to prove your worth, your intelligence, your success—pause.

Ask yourself who you’re trying to convince.

Because the people who’ve made it?
They stopped performing a long time ago.

They just started building in silence.

That’s what I write about every Saturday. One short note to 140,000+ entrepreneurs who care more about real progress than public applause.

It takes 4 minutes.

And its free: https://lnkd.in/gfyweeTM

No noise.
Just the work.

graphical user interface, text, application, chat or text message

I turned down $250K because of what Charlie Munger taught me.

The offer was simple: consult for a company selling overpriced courses to desperate entrepreneurs. Easy money. I needed it.

But I kept thinking about Munger's rule: "Don't sell anything you wouldn't buy yourself."

Would I buy their $5K course? No.

Would I recommend it to a friend? Hell no.

So why would I help them sell it?

The internal war was brutal. I had payroll coming up. My savings were thin. This one deal would solve everything.

But every time I tried to justify it, I felt sick.

I said no.

The next month was terrifying. I scrambled. I took smaller projects. I ate ramen more than I'd like to admit.

Then something shifted.

When you stop chasing money that feels wrong, you create space for opportunities that feel right.

Six months later, I landed a client whose product I genuinely believed in. The work energized me. The money came anyway.

Now I use Munger's rule as my filter for everything:

Would I buy this?
Would I use this?
Would I recommend this to someone I care about?

If the answer is no, I walk.

It's the most expensive filter I've ever used.

And the most profitable.

Every Saturday morning, I send one focused email to 135,000+ entrepreneurs about doing exactly that. 

Designed to help you build more by doing less. 

It takes 4 minutes to read.
It’s free. 
Join here: https://lnkd.in/gfyweeTM

The dream is the proof.

Most people treat their idea like a problem.

Too risky. Too big. Too far from where they are now.

So they shrink it.

They find a more "realistic" version and call it wisdom.

But here's what I've watched happen over and over:

The people who can't stop thinking about something — even when it makes no sense — are the ones who were supposed to do it.

The obsession isn't random.

It's directional.

The dream didn't show up to torture you.

It showed up because you're one of the few people built to carry it.

Most people quiet that voice.

The ones who don't?

→ They stop needing other people's permission
→ They stop waiting until conditions are perfect
→ They stop treating the dream like a liability

The hardest part isn't the work.

It's deciding the dream deserves to be taken seriously.

141K people chose to take theirs seriously.

If you're ready to be taken seriously too — your LinkedIn profile is where that starts.

I'll tell you exactly what's holding it back: https://lnkd.in/gkDvugyj

What dream are you still sitting on?

Everyone you admire online looked ridiculous once.

Most of them will never tell you that.

14 months ago I had 1,200 connections from 10 years of doing nothing.

A resume for a profile.

Content so bad I cringe thinking about it.

I kept going anyway.

Today I have 141,000+ followers built almost entirely through that same profile.

The people who eventually look polished didn't skip the beginner phase.

They stayed in it longer than everyone else.

Most people quit right before the compounding kicks in.

Not because they lack talent.

Because they can't tolerate looking bad on the way to getting good.
→ The rep builds the skill
→ The skill builds the confidence
→ The confidence builds the result

You don't find your voice by waiting until it's perfect.

You find it by posting the imperfect thing anyway.

If your profile still looks like mine did 14 months ago — I'll show you exactly what to fix.

Free audit: https://lnkd.in/gkDvugyj

Jonathan Maharaj FCPA

Founder | Fractional CFO increasing profits for businesses + developing future finance leaders | NZ’s #1 LinkedIn Creator | Featured in Forbes and The New York Times

Thank you for reading my profile.

For over 20 years, I've worked across auditing, consulting, and finance, helping founders, executives, listed companies, and global brands to achieve better outcomes.

As the founder of Aurora Financials, I help leaders see the story behind their numbers so they can move faster, with more confidence and have fewer financial blind spots.

Strong companies fail because of hundreds of small bad decisions. That’s where I come in.

Here are three ways I can help you:

1. The Profit Partner for founders and CEOs:

A strategic CFO-on-demand engagement that helps CEOs understand their true profit drivers, reduce hidden costs, and make better decisions. Increase your profitability (or reduce your losses) by at least 10% to 15% in the next 60 days or your money back, guaranteed.

2. CFO Catalyst for current and future finance leaders:

A 10-week accelerator helping financial leaders step beyond reporting and develop the leadership, communication, and strategic judgment modern CFOs need to thrive.

3. Sign up for my weekly newsletter and follow me here:

I share daily tips and lessons helping you make smarter financial decisions.

If better financial results and business outcomes are important to you, let’s talk.

DM me or visit https://www.jonathanmaharaj.com/ to learn more.

Follow me on X: @JonathanMaharaj

---
I'm not an "influencer" but Favikon ranks me the:
- #1 LinkedIn Creator in New Zealand (6 Aug 2025)
- #5 LinkedIn Creator in Financial Markets Worldwide (3 Nov 2025)
- #262 LinkedIn Creator Worldwide (6 Aug 2025)

Disclaimer: The content I share is general information only and not financial advice. All financial decisions have risks and benefits. Please seek professional advice for your specific needs.

Member, ACFE Advisory Council

The ACFE Advisory Council is an assembly of 2,000 fraud-fighting experts dedicated to the improvement and growth of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). 

Members may be asked to participate in quarterly member surveys, speak at ACFE events, write or review course materials, provide industry case studies and assist in professional development activities. 

Members have the unique opportunity to help the ACFE chart the course for the future of fraud prevention and detection.

You will never be enough for the wrong people.

Blue Cat Blues (1956) used to feel like
another Tom & Jerry joke.

Then you watch it again as an adult and 
realise it was about love, money, grief, status
and bad decisions.

Tom gives everything to be loved.

A better car.
A bigger life.
Debt to buy what he thinks she wants.

Only to watch her choose someone else.

Jerry is there, watching Tom fall apart.

The last scene is what heartbreak feels like
when pride is gone and hope runs out.

As kids, we didn't understand this.

But as adults, we feel it because we see it:

Someone competes in a race they cannot win.
Someone loses to a standard they can’t reach.
Someone loves harder than they are loved back.
Someone goes into debt to keep up appearances.

And the part nobody tells us is that the lesson
isn’t "keep trying" but "choose better."

You don't need to prove your worth
to people who don't care about you.

You already have value so surround yourself 
with people who genuinely want to be with you.

That is true wealth and where peace is found.

Do you agree?

-------
♻️ Follow Jonathan Maharaj FCPA + reshare to help others.
📌 Save this post for future reference.

Video credit - social media

Stop chasing status.
Avoid waking up in dread.

That quote isn’t about money.
It’s about what money is supposed to buy you.

Peace.

Because if you wake up with dread…
your life is taxing you every morning.

A boss who can ruin your mood by 9:05.
A bill that makes your stomach drop.
A meeting you keep rescheduling.

That isn’t normal pressure.
That’s a warning light.

Real wealth is waking up calm.

Here are 5 moves to achieve this:

1. Build a cash buffer
2. List what are you avoiding
3. End one recurring cost today
4. Spend 45 minutes on Mondays for planning
5. Expand your options with skills / income streams

Most people try to earn more first.
But the fastest win is usually reducing fear.

The goal isn’t just a bigger life.
But a life you don’t need to escape from.

Real wealth is waking up without dread.

Do you agree?

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➕ Follow Jonathan Maharaj FCPA for finance‑led leadership.
📰 Subscribe to Financial Freedom: https://lnkd.in/gYHdNYzj
📆 Let's work together: https://lnkd.in/ggJPiHEV

PS - Follow me on X: https://lnkd.in/grvqYb7q

Never ignore the red flags.

Money talks, but character speaks louder.

In Sweet November, there’s a flawless deal.
Then one moment changed everything.

An investor humiliates a waitress over a mistake
and that revealed his character.

The fastest way to learn who someone is
is to watch how they treat people
who can’t do anything for them.

Not their title.
Not their confidence.
Not their "values" on a website.

Their behaviour reveals truth.

Respect shows up in ordinary moments.

With waiters.
With customers.
With colleagues carrying the work.

That’s when you see character clearly.

Some money isn’t worth taking.
Toxic money always has a price tag.
It just arrives later.

Walking away from the wrong deal
can give you peace of mind
and protect your reputation.

Character beats cash every time, so
choose to work with the right people.

Do you agree?

-------
♻️ Follow Jonathan Maharaj FCPA + reshare to help others.
📌 Save this post for future reference.

Video credit - social media

These AI certificates are more valuable than degrees.
And they're just a click away.

Here are 7 AI certifications to make more money in 2026:

1. Google Data Analytics
https://lnkd.in/ePHX5JrK

2. Salesforce Certified Platform Administrator
https://lnkd.in/eb8aWP-j

3. IBM AI Product Manager Professional Certificate
https://lnkd.in/exPC2gzC

4. CompTIA Security+
https://lnkd.in/e_DUzBq5

5. Deep Learning
https://lnkd.in/eeZc-bHT

6. Certified Associate in Project Management
https://lnkd.in/epykgkCK

7. AWS Solutions Architect Associate
https://lnkd.in/ezUpk__c

Whether you're a CEO navigating digital disruption, an employee changing careers, or a student just getting started, this is your opportunity.

Which course will you start with? Drop it in the comments. 

-------
➕ Follow Jonathan Maharaj FCPA for finance‑led leadership.
📰 Subscribe to Financial Freedom: https://lnkd.in/gYHdNYzj
📆 Let's work together: https://lnkd.in/ggJPiHEV

PS - Follow me on X: https://lnkd.in/grvqYb7q

taplio

The Battle

Ryan Yockey

Jonathan Maharaj FCPA

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreRyan Yockey's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreJonathan Maharaj FCPA's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Ryan Yockey

Jonathan Maharaj FCPA

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);}Ryan Yockey's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreJonathan Maharaj FCPA's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreRyan Yockey's LinkedIn Performance