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

Helping Leaders Ignite Change Through Inner Growth 🌱

There are truly two ways to live in 2025:

1. Striving endlessly for more. Feeling separate & disconnected.
2. Living fully in the present. Aware of our shared connection.

Most live stuck in the first.

Inevitably leading to stress, burnout, and a sense that something’s missing.

The bigger problem?

This way of living doesn’t just drain your energy, it costs you the deeper joys of life:

- A clear & peaceful mind.
- Meaningful relationships.
- A deep sense of fulfillment.

The truth?

You don’t have to sacrifice well-being for success.

Life doesn’t need to feel like a constant grind.

Your way forward:

Live (and lead) with presence, connection, and intention.

My goal is to help leaders and organizations:

- Embrace the present moment to lead with clarity & connection.
- Build emotional intelligence for stronger relationships.
- Shift focus from individual goals to shared progress.

The future belongs to those who lead with the heart, inspiring collective growth over individual ambition.

--

I am a husband, father and co-creator.

For 15+ years, I have been building tech companies and supporting leaders to:

- Improve lives
- Extend quality time
- Foster positive change

My deepest purpose in life is to touch and improve as many lives as possible.

To achieve this, I share everything I know and continue to learn over time.

It's up to you to decide how to use this knowledge to help others.

If you ever want to work with me, my door is open.

If not, take what you learn and pay it forward. 

We are all in this together!

Marco Franzoni

If you’re not growing in your role, you’re shrinking.

But shrinking is subtle.

It hides as consistency.
It looks like loyalty.
It feels like being the dependable one.

I’ve told myself that story before.

“Now’s not the moment.”
“I should just be thankful.”
“My time will come if I’m patient.”

While I waited:

A colleague took a stretch project I avoided.

A junior asked braver questions and got noticed.

An external hire shaped the direction I wanted.

If the system doesn’t stretch you,
it slowly trains you to stay small.

Careers don’t stall from lack of effort.
They stall from lack of intention.

Growth looks different than promotions.

Saying yes before you feel ready. 
Building leverage, not just output. 
Finding mentors, not just managers. 

Pause and reflect:

- What’s the last skill you learned that actually changed your output?

- Who actively challenged your growth in the last 90 days?

- What capabilities are you building for what comes next?

If those answers feel unclear, that’s not safety.

That’s drift.

And drift is decline dressed as stability.

The biggest career risk isn’t speed.

It’s comfort that lasts too long.

If nothing changes,
where are you this time next year?

Growth doesn’t wait for permission.


♻️ Please repost to promote intentional growth over comfort.
🙂 Follow Marco Franzoni for more."

Nobody cares how capable you are
if people shrink around you.

You may carry great experience.

Or an impressive track record.

But none of it matters if your presence drains the room.

❌ Dominating every conversation  
❌ Turning feedback into defense  
❌ Treating mistakes like crimes  
❌ Creating tension instead of trust  

Being good to work with is a true leadership multiplier:

1. Celebrate progress
↳ Small wins compound motivation
↳ Momentum beats perfection

2. Stay curious
↳ Ask before assuming
↳ Curiosity disarms ego fast

3. Respond, don’t react
↳ Pause before speaking
↳ A calm leader stabilizes the team

4. Be clear about intent
↳ Explain the “why”, not just tasks
↳ People commit to meaning

5. Protect psychological safety
↳ People perform when safe to try
↳ Fear kills creativity instantly

Skills may open the door.

But the energy you bring decides who wants you in the room.


♻️ Please repost to promote respectful leadership.
🙂 Follow Marco Franzoni for more.

If you have to shrink to belong,

you’re in the wrong environment.

It’s not a confidence problem, it’s a context problem.

Because the wrong room
can turn power into doubt.

Here’s how subtle cultures erode you:

❌ You over-edit your words because honesty feels unsafe

❌ You slow your momentum because excellence draws friction

❌ You dim your standards to avoid outshining the room

And slowly, you lose touch with who you were.

Healthy environments don’t require self-censorship.

Here’s a quick leader check:

↳ Do people elevate your ideas or water them down?

↳ Can you bring tension with care — without fallout?

↳ Do your strengths spark collaboration or insecurity?

You’re not the issue.
The environment is.

And you always have two options:

Transform the culture.
Or find a room that can hold your full range.

Don’t spend your life adapting to spaces that drain you.

Choose people who refine your edge and expand your thinking.

Find environments that value your strengths, not compete with them.

You were made to grow.
Not to collapse inward.

💬 Who in your life expands your potential?
Tag them. Let them know.


♻️ Please repost to promote cultures that help people rise. 
🙂 Follow Marco Franzoni for more.

Some leaders pull back and call it trust.

Others hover and call it help.

One feels like neglect.

The other feels like control.

Neither builds real ownership.

True leadership isn’t about stepping in.

I’ve watched high performers shut down.
Not because the workload was heavy.
But because the tension never stopped.

I’ve also seen ordinary teams exceed every target.
Because their leader carried the pressure for them.

Leaders who elevate others don’t control people.

They shape the conditions and systems people work in:

1. Model calm under stress  
↳ Your nervous system is contagious  
↳ Regulate first, respond second  

2. Build safety before performance  
↳ Make it safe to speak early  
↳ Candor prevents costly mistakes  

3. Create clear scoreboards  
↳ Define what “done” looks like  
↳ Autonomy needs boundaries  

4. Coach the thinking, not the task  
↳ Ask better questions  
↳ Grow judgment, ↳not dependence  

5. Anchor to purpose daily  
↳ Remind people why the work matters  
↳ Meaning fuels effort better than pressure  

People don’t grow because you push them.

They grow because you believe in them.

Be the leader that you wish you had.


♻️ Please repost to promote purposeful leadership.
🙂 Follow Marco Franzoni for more.

Your title alone doesn’t make you a leader.

How you respond when pressure rises does.

After years of supporting leaders,
I’ve seen the same pattern repeat:

People will endure tight timelines and imperfect systems.

But one thing they won’t ignore:

A leader who checks out.

5 ways leaders unknowingly drive their best people away:

❌ Making everything urgent 
↳ Constant pressure turns motivated people into exhausted ones.

❌ Avoiding hard conversations 
↳ Silence creates confusion that top talent won’t tolerate.

❌ Treating presence as optional 
↳ When leaders are mentally absent, trust erodes fast.

❌ Solving every problem for the team 
↳ It steals ownership and crushes initiative.

❌ Celebrating outcomes but ignoring effort 
↳ High achievers want their process seen, not just results.

How to keep your best people:

✅ Protect deep-work time 
↳ Focus is fuel. Guard it like a strategic asset.

✅ Give autonomy with clarity 
↳ Define the “what,” let them co-design the “how.”

✅ Celebrate learning, not just wins 
↳ Growth becomes a shared identity, not a performance test.

Choose to be the leader who lifts others higher.

Because top performers don’t just leave jobs.
They leave leaders who stopped truly seeing them.


♻️ Please reshare to promote healthier leadership. 
🙂 Follow Marco Franzoni for more.

Your history doesn’t define you.

Your next move does.

We all carry moments we wish went differently.

The deal that fell through.  
The hire that didn’t work out.  
The risk you didn’t take.  

But I learned something powerful:

The past is feedback.  
Not a forecast.

Your ceiling isn’t set by yesterday.  
It’s set by the standards you choose today.

8 ways to step beyond your past ⚡️

1) Upgrade your environment  
↳ Energy is contagious. Choose wisely.

2) Extract the lesson, drop the drama  
↳ Write the lesson in one line. Delete the rest.

3) Reconnect to your “why”  
↳ Purpose turns pain into fuel.

4) Regulate before you react  
↳ Slow breath. Calm body. Clear choice.

5) Design systems, not willpower  
↳ Build habits that make growth automatic.

6) Speak to yourself like a leader  
↳ Replace blame with ownership.

7) Act before you feel ready  
↳ Courage creates clarity.

8) Make today a proof point  
↳ One aligned action changes identity.

You are not your worst moment.  

You are your next decision.

What’s one bold move your future self needs from you today?


♻️ Please repost to promote ownership over excuses.  
🙂 Follow Marco Franzoni for more.

12 mindsets strong leaders practice,

And every one can be trained:

1. Energy Stewardship: "Protect the source"
↳They guard sleep, focus, and recovery

2. Discipline: "Show up anyway"
↳They honor the process, not their mood

3. Self-Awareness: "Notice before reacting"
↳They regulate stress before it spreads

4. Systems Thinking: "Fix the process"
↳They build engines, not heroic sprints

5. Service: "It’s not about me"
↳They measure success by impact, not ego

6. Listening: "Seek to understand"
↳They create safety before solutions

7. Clarity: "Why does this matter?"
↳They start with purpose, then act

8. Courage: "Say the hard thing"
↳They choose honesty over comfort

9. Decisiveness: "Progress over perfection"
↳They move with 70% clarity

10. Patience: "Think in decades"
↳They trade quick wins for lasting value

11. Accountability: "Close the loop"
↳They finish what they start

12. Adaptation: "Shift without drama"
↳They adjust fast when reality changes

You don’t need all 12 at once.

Even seasoned leaders wobble.

Pick one.

Train it daily.

Character compounds.

Results follow.

Which one feels most alive for you?


♻️ Please repost to promote conscious leadership.
🙂 Follow Marco Franzoni for more.

"I accepted a stronger offer."

Translation: I found a leader who sees me.

I’ve supported many leaders through exits.

The truth is rarely in the headline.

Behind next step or new challenge is a quieter signal:

They don’t feel significant.

Nobody appreciates.

Their effort feels invisible.
Their growth feels stalled.
Their voice feels small.

If you want your best people to stay:

↳ Ask what energizes them
↳ Admit when you’re wrong
↳ Remove obstacles quietly
↳ Model calm under pressure
↳ Coach their strengths weekly
↳ Invest in their learning path
↳ Create safety for hard truths
↳ Give them ownership, not tasks
↳ Challenge them to think bigger
↳ Protect their focus from noise
↳ Clarify what winning looks like
↳ Connect their work to a mission
↳ Celebrate progress, not just results

You can’t buy commitment.

You build it through trust, and belief in their potential.

Become the leader you wish you had.


♻️ Please repost to promote human-centered leadership.
🙂 Follow Marco Franzoni for more.

taplio

The Battle

Ryan Yockey

Marco Franzoni

Followers

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Performance ScoreRyan Yockey's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreMarco Franzoni's LinkedIn Performance

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taplio

The Battle

Ryan Yockey

Marco Franzoni

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 ScoreMarco Franzoni's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreRyan Yockey's LinkedIn Performance