Ryan Rouse

Growth advisor to consumer businesses with a focus on every line of the P&L | Previously, Co-Founder at Factor Meals (acquired), CEO at Highkey

Growth-minded CPG leader with deep experience across finance, brand building, and operational leadership.

After more than a decade in finance—culminating in an eight-year tenure at Merrill Lynch—I co-founded Factor_, a ready-to-eat meal delivery company that went on to be acquired by HelloFresh for $277M in 2020.

I joined HighKey Snacks as Chief Marketing Officer and later CEO, guiding the low-sugar snack brand through rapid expansion and an acquisition in 2024.

I'm currently the President of MALK Organics, a fast-growing, near nine-figure brand redefining the plant-based milk category with its commitment to clean, organic ingredients and uncompromising quality.

And I write a newsletter about what it really takes to grow—your company, your mindset, your tolerance for chaos:
​
​• The unfiltered truth about building a brand
• Why “strategy” isn’t always strategic
• What to do when everything feels on fire
• Mindset shifts that keep you sane(ish)​
• Founder mistakes, market moves, and lessons I’m still learning​
​
​Part playbook, part perspective shift.
For anyone trying to grow something—and keep their head on straight.

Sign up using the link here (or below my profile pic above): https://ryanrouse.me/

Vice President | Partner

Data driven investors in early stage consumer brands. 

The best people I've hired never complained about the workload.

Or the pressure.

They thrived on it.

They're burning out from the culture.

High performers can handle a lot. They're wired for it. They manage their time, stay focused, and actually like the work.

They don't leave because they're tired.

They leave because they're drained.

There's a difference.

Tired comes from hard work.

Drained comes from bad leadership, unclear priorities, and politics.

One recharges with rest.

The other doesn't go away until the environment changes.

If your top talent is checking out, don't assume they can't handle the work.

Ask yourself if they can handle the culture.

—

I write emails. Unfiltered takes from 12+ years building brands.

It's free. Subscribe (or don't):

https://ryanrouse.me/

We just launched a line of coconut-based creamers and they absolutely slap.

(Shout out to my kids who would cringe hard at that.)

No gums, no oils, no natural flavors. 

Just real, recognizable ingredients and a texture so creamy it'll make your coffee blush. 
​
🥥 Available in 3 flavors: Vanilla, Sweet Cream, and Unsweetened (for the purists)​
🥥 USDA Organic, non-GMO, glyphosate residue-free​
🥥 Clean label, full flavor: proof you don’t need additives to taste good ​
​
Hitting refrigerated shelves across the US as we speak. 

You should try them. For real.

Promoted two people today.

It's the best part of leadership.

Not the title changes. Not the org chart updates.

The part where you give great people room to run.

You watch them take ownership. Make decisions you wouldn't have made. Push ideas further than you could have alone.

And when you realize they didn't need you to tell them what to do.

They needed you to get out of the way.

That's the job.

Find people who are better than you at what they do.
Give them space to prove it.
Then watch them show the world what they're capable of.

Jayme and Barrett - you earned it many times over. I'm just happy to be a part of your journey and grateful you are part of mine.

I couldn't do any of this without you. 

Thank you 💙

The fastest way to get promoted?

Make yourself replaceable.

Sounds backwards. It's not.

I've watched talented people get stuck in roles for years. Not because they weren't good. Because they were too good at one thing.

They hoarded knowledge. Built processes only they understood. Made themselves "essential."

And their boss couldn't promote them.

Because who would do their job?

Meanwhile, the people who got promoted were doing the opposite:

Documenting everything.
Training their backup.
Building systems that worked without them.

They made it easy to backfill their role.

Leaders don't promote bottlenecks. They promote people who can be moved.

The employee who says "only I know how to do this" thinks they're proving value.

They're actually proving they're stuck.

The employee who says "here's the playbook, anyone can run this now" just showed they're ready for bigger problems.

Your job isn't to be irreplaceable at your current level.

It's to make your current role so transferable that promoting you becomes obvious.

—

I write emails. Unfiltered takes from 12+ years building brands.

It's free. Subscribe (or don't):

https://ryanrouse.me/

Social media will have you believe if you haven't made millions by 30, you're late.

It's bullshit.

Warren Buffett made 99% of his wealth after 50.
Ray Kroc was 52 when he started McDonald's.
Vera Wang was 40 when she entered fashion.
The list goes on and on...

Know what those extra decades give you?

Pattern recognition. You've seen enough cycles to know which ones matter.

Scar tissue. You've failed enough to know it won't kill you.

The pressure to achieve young is manufactured. 

By people selling courses. By media celebrating outliers. By your own impatience.

You're not late. The game is longer than they tell you.

Good thing too. 

Because big moves develop over decades.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you liked this post, you might like my emails. No BS musings from 12+ years in the trenches building brands.

You might not, but it’s free so WGAF:

https://ryanrouse.me/

Your mood is not private.

It's broadcasting to everyone around you.

Show up to a meeting stressed, and watch what happens.

People tense up. Conversations get shorter. Ideas stop flowing.

Show up calm, and the opposite happens.

People relax. They think clearer. They bring solutions instead of panic.

I used to think emotions were personal.

Something I could feel without affecting anyone else.

I was wrong.

Every time I showed up frustrated, my team got quieter.
Every time I showed up anxious, my team got nervous.
Every time I showed up scattered, my team got confused.

They weren't reading my words.

They were reading my energy.

And matching it.

As a leader, your emotional state isn't just yours.

It spreads.

Like a cold. Like a yawn. Like panic in a crowded room.

The question isn't whether your emotions are contagious.

They are.

The question is: which ones are you spreading?

Because your team is catching whatever you're carrying.

—

I write emails. Unfiltered takes from 12+ years building brands.

It's free. Subscribe (or don't):

https://ryanrouse.me/

I used to think being intense was the problem.

It's not.

Letting other people control that intensity is.

I'm wired hot. Always have been.

It's helped me build things, push through walls, and get results most people won't.

But I also let it burn bridges I didn't need to burn.

The shift came when I stopped waiting for someone else to tell me to dial it down.

I learned to own the dial myself.

Still intense. Still emotional.

But now I decide when to turn it up and when to pull it back (most of the time, not perfect).

It's been the difference between intensity being an advantage vs. a liability.

Self-awareness isn't about changing who you are.

It's about controlling how you show up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you liked this post, you might like my emails - no BS musings from 12+ years in the trenches building brands.

You might not, but it’s free so WGAF:

https://ryanrouse.me/

I've never been the smartest person at any company I've been at.

But I'm always the fastest.

At Merrill Lynch, I was 1 of 75,000 employees. Could've been the best analyst on the floor. Still replaceable.

At a startup? Different game.

My superpower wasn't an MBA or some fancy framework.

It was knowing how to find shit fast.

When my co-founder at Factor_ asked "How do other meal delivery companies handle returns?"

Everyone else: "Let me schedule some calls."

Me: Ordered from 3 competitors. Submitted returns. Pulled their policies. Built a framework. Done.

Couple of hours, tops. 

Founders already know how to find answers. That's how they got this far.

They're not asking you because they're lazy. They're drowning.

The employee who says "I researched this, here are three options, I recommend X because Y" - and did it FAST - becomes indispensable.

The one who says "I don't know, what do you think?" becomes overhead.

At early stage companies, resourcefulness and urgency beat credentials every time.

No waiting. No deferring. No "I was waiting for you to give me the go ahead."

Run. It. Down. 

And do it quickly. 

Leaders will notice. 

Trust me.

—

I write emails. Unfiltered takes from 12+ years building brands.

It's free. Subscribe (or don't):

https://ryanrouse.me/

5 things founders get wrong about employee motivation:

(From someone who got all 5 wrong)

1. Expecting owner-level commitment from employee-level equity.

You own 40% of the company. They own 0.1%.
You'll make millions if it works. They'll make rent.

Stop acting surprised when they work less hours.

2. Thinking your sacrifice is their baseline.

I worked for no salary for three years. Maxed out credit cards. Emptied my 401k. 

That was my choice. Not theirs.

Your personal bet doesn't become their obligation.

3. Using guilt instead of respect.

I used to send passive-aggressive Slack messages when people left on time. "Must be nice to have work-life balance."

Real asshole moves.

Then one of my best employees quit.

In his exit interview, he said: "Ryan, you chose to mortgage your house for this company. I didn't."

He was right.

4. Believing more equity will change how people work.

I once gave someone more equity expecting it to change their output. It didn't.

That's because everyone has a "work MO." A default gear.

If they're a killer, they'll be a killer.
If they do the bare minimum, they'll do the bare minimum.

Equity won't flip that switch.

(It will help retain the killers, tho.)

5. Confusing presence with productivity.

The person cranking until 9pm isn't always your best performer.

Sometimes they're just slow. Or inefficient. Or avoiding something at home.

Judge output, not hours.


The fix isn't complicated.

Find people who give a shit about doing good work.
Pay them well.
Respect their time.

They won't work until 10pm unless it's truly necessary.

But when it is necessary, they'll be there.

Because you hired people who are wired for it. 

And earned their trust.

—

I write emails. Unfiltered takes from 12+ years building brands.

It's free. Subscribe (or don't):

https://ryanrouse.me/

I used to think hustle meant force.

Push harder. Work longer. Make it happen.

That mindset nearly broke me by the time I turned 37.

I was always pressing, always grinding, convinced that if I just worked hard enough, success would come faster.

But the thing I learned watching people who actually win long term is they don't force it.

They create the conditions for success, then let it unfold.

They work hard, but they're not desperate.

They're confident things will work out because they've done the work.

So I stopped trying to control every outcome and started trusting the process more.

I still show up every day. I still put in the work. I'm still wildly ambitious.

But I'm not white-knuckling my way through life anymore.

And since I stopped forcing everything, more opportunities started showing up.

Better opportunities. Clearer decisions. Less stress.

Turns out, there's a difference between working hard and working anxious.

One builds momentum.

The other burns you out.

I'm playing the long game now.

And it feels a hell of a lot better than the sprint I was running before.

—

I write emails. Unfiltered takes from 12+ years building brands.

It's free. Subscribe (or don't):

https://ryanrouse.me/

I used to think winning arguments made me smart.

It didn't.

It made me insufferable.

Healthy debate has respect and curiosity.

Ego-driven arguing has neither.

One sharpens you.

The other isolates you.

In healthy debate, you ask questions to understand.
In ego-driven arguing, you ask questions to trap.

In healthy debate, you say "I hadn't thought of that."
In ego-driven arguing, you say "Yeah, but..."

In healthy debate, you admit when you're wrong.
In ego-driven arguing, you double down.

In healthy debate, you want to learn something.
In ego-driven arguing, you want to be right.

Here are some things that helped me:

1. Pause before responding. Ask myself if I'm trying to understand or trying to win.

2. Repeat back what I heard. "So what you're saying is..." Forces me to actually listen.

3. Find one thing I agree with first. Even in disagreement, there's common ground.

4. Ask "What am I missing?" Instead of explaining why I'm right.

5. End conversations with "That gave me something to think about." And mean it.

The shift won't be immediate.

But people will start engaging with you differently.

Conversations get richer.

Ideas get better.

Relationships get stronger.

If you catch yourself needing to have the last word, you're probably arguing from ego.

If you walk away from a conversation thinking differently, you're probably debating with curiosity.

Took me way too long to learn the difference.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you liked this post, you might like my emails - no BS musings from 12+ years in the trenches building brands.

You might not, but it’s free so WGAF:

https://ryanrouse.me/

Learn the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist.

This Picasso quote gets twisted constantly.

People think it's about tactics. 

But it actually means master the fundamentals so deeply that innovation becomes instinct.

In business, I see this constantly:

The CMO who never ran a P&L trying to "disrupt" pricing strategy.

The founder who skips unit economics to chase viral growth.

The exec who wants to "break the mold" before understanding why the mold exists.

The best leaders I know spent years in the trenches.

Learning why things work before reimagining how they could work better.

They got creative because they got good first.

Master the boring stuff first.

Then go be an artist.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you liked this post, you might like my emails - no BS musings from 12+ years in the trenches building brands.

You might not, but it’s free so WGAF:

https://ryanrouse.me/

All senior leaders need to be numbers people.

Doesn't matter if they're in marketing, ops, or product.

If they can't read a P&L, understand unit economics, or connect their decisions to revenue, they're not ready for the seat.

Not "build a financial model from scratch" numbers people.

Not "debate GAAP accounting" numbers people.

But you need to speak the language of business.

Because every decision either makes money or costs money.

And if you can't see that connection, you're flying blind.


—

I write emails. Unfiltered takes from 12+ years building brands.

It's free. Subscribe (or don't):

https://ryanrouse.me/

In consumer, your customers don't care how smart you are.

They care that their order arrives on time.

That you're in stock when they need you.

That your quality doesn't fluctuate batch to batch.

They're not buying your IQ score.

They're buying your ability to deliver on expectations - some general to the market and some specific to your product and promise.

That's all execution.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you liked this post, you might like my emails - no BS musings from 12+ years in the trenches building brands.

You might not, but it’s free so WGAF:

https://ryanrouse.me/

Your VP of Sales just quit mid-quarter.

No notice.

Just a call at 8am and a pile of deals in limbo.

That's when your team learned who you really are.

Your values aren't what you say in the good times.

They're what you do when everything's on fire.

You can preach respect all day long.

But if you lose your mind on someone when something goes wrong?

That's the real culture.

The version of you that shows up under pressure is the version that gets
replicated across your entire organization.

Not the polished one.

Not the prepared one.

The stressed one.

The frustrated one.

That's the leader your people will become.

So before you blame your team for losing their composure, poor communication or lack of ownership, ask yourself this:

What did I show them when things got hard?

Because they were watching.

And they learned.

—

I write emails. Unfiltered takes from 12+ years building brands.

It's free. Subscribe (or don't):

https://ryanrouse.me/

The most frequent question I get from entrepreneurs is "What advice would you give your former self?"

My answer: Pace myself.

They blow me off.

Not to my face, but I can tell.

I get it though.

I did the same thing when I was in their shoes.

Thought I was different.

That I could outwork the system.

That entrepreneurial fire made me feel invincible.

Until it didn't.

If you're putting in 80 hours a week consistently, it's not a matter of if you're gonna burn out, it's a matter of when.

Because you can't sustain that for the time required to play the long game. 

(Which is the only game in town.) 

Find your sustainable pace now before you're forced to. 

You're running a marathon, not a 100-yard dash.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you liked this post, you might like my emails. No BS musings from 12+ years in the trenches building brands.

You might not, but it’s free so WGAF:

https://ryanrouse.me/

Hard work is table stakes, not a flex. 

Your competitors work hard. 

It's necessary, but not sufficient. 

You also need to think in ways others don't. 

Most people default to putting in more hours because thinking hurts. 

It's easier to stay busy than to sit with a problem until you crack it.

I wish success in business was just about working harder. That would be simple. 

But the world doesn't give a shit about your hours.

It rewards people who create the most value. 

Value comes from seeing what others miss. 

From connecting dots in ways that seem obvious after but weren't before.

From working hard *and* smart.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you liked this post, you might like my emails. No BS musings from 12+ years in the trenches building brands.

You might not, but it's free so WGAF:

https://ryanrouse.me/

Your manager isn't thinking about you nearly as much as you think they are. 

I promise. 

And that's a good thing. 

Carry on.

Most people think they're either risk-takers or they're not.

But that's not really how it work.

Risk isn't something you have a fixed capacity for.

It's something you build tolerance to.

Like lifting weights.

You don't walk into a gym and deadlift 400 pounds because you "have it in you."

You start small. 

Then add weight over time. 

Each rep expands what you can handle next time.

Risk works the same way.

The person who quit their corporate job to start a company didn't wake up one day with superhuman courage.

They made a series of smaller bets first.

A side project. A conversation. A decision to stop playing it safe in one area of their life.

Each one stretched the muscle.

So if you think you're not a risk-taker, you're probably right.

But it's not because you can't be.

It's because you haven't trained that muscle yet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you liked this post, you might like my emails - no BS musings from 12+ years in the trenches building brands.

You might not, but it’s free so WGAF:

https://ryanrouse.me/

Your best relationships aren't built in the good times.

They're forged in the shit storms.

When revenue's down. When you're making layoffs. When the product launch flops and everyone's pointing fingers.

That's when you find out who's really on your team.

I've watched partnerships crumble during growth phases that should've been celebrations. And I've seen teams get tighter during crises that should've torn them apart.

The difference?

How you communicate when it's hard. 

Whether you protect respect even when you disagree. If you can trust each other when the path forward isn't clear.

You can't go back to the early days when everything felt simple. When the stakes were lower and disagreements didn't matter as much.

And honestly? You shouldn't want to.

Because every hard conversation, every tense board meeting, every moment you chose trust over ego made you stronger.

The relationships that survive the pressure are the ones worth keeping.

Everything else is just networking.

Marcos Ruiz

At The Birdhouse, we craft viral & brand-building content for CEOs, founders, influencers, and education companies, helping grow both brand AND sales.

We focus on crafting narratives that align with each client’s brand and business goals, specializing in monetizing X (Twitter) & LinkedIn accounts.

We've helped clients generate over 500,000 followers, $5 Million in info-product sales, and over 3,000 booked calls.

Scaling the business to $65,000 per month within the first year required relentless outreach, sending 100 to 200 direct messages daily, leveraging social proof, and delivering consistent results.

Our goal is to help catalyze the growth of the best education companies that the internet has to offer.

----

Coaches, Course-Creators, Educators - We’ll Build You a Profitable, Viral Personal Brand on 𝕏 and LinkedIn.

Partner with us to implement our proven content system, sales process , and branding strategy to scale your education company while building a long-lasting, loyal audience.

Alternatively you can subscribe to The Birdhouse Daily Newsletter at - www.thebirdhouse.email

Chief Executive Officer

X.COM’s Premier Marketing & Advertising agency.

We partner with education companies to help them scale on 𝕏.

76% of NVIDIA employees are now millionaires.

1 in 3 has over $20 million.

Here's why that matters for your business:


1. The obvious takeaway

When you give people a piece of the pie, they work like owners.

Not like employees.

NVIDIA didn't create millionaires by accident. 

They structured compensation so everyone wins when the company wins.

• Stock options. 
• Equity. 
• Real ownership.

When your te,am gets rich if the company succeeds, they're incentivized to make the company succeed.


2. Why most businesses get this wrong

Most businesses only pay a salary or an hourly rate
.
Employee shows up, does the work, and goes home.

No skin in the game. No upside if things go well.

So they don't think like owners. 

They think like employees.

"Not my problem" becomes the default mindset.


3. How to apply this

You don't need to make everyone a millionaire.

But you need to give them upside when things go well.

• Revenue share on clients they manage
• Bonuses tied to company performance
• Equity if they're early employees.

Something that makes them care about the outcome, not just the hours worked.


4. What this creates

When people have equity, they think differently.

They care about client retention because it affects their payout.
They find efficiencies because waste hurts their bottom line.
They recruit better talent because they want the company to grow.

You stop being the only one who cares.


5. The shift

I started doing this at my company too.

Team members get:

• Revenue share deals
• Bonuses
• Quarterly competitions with rewards

As a result, my team started treating clients like their own business.

• Churn dropped.
• Quality went up.
• I stopped being the only one thinking long-term.


6. The real lesson

NVIDIA didn't create the best AI chips because they had the smartest people.

They created them because the smartest people were financially invested in the outcome.

Compensation isn't just about paying people.

It's about aligning incentives so everyone pulls in the same direction.

Stop paying for time. Start paying for results.

Give your team a reason to care as much as you do.


Curious to know how you incentivize your team?

Let me know below.

CEO at The Birdhouse - We build viral, profitable Personal Brands on LinkedIn, X (Twitter), and Threads.

Pick wrong and waste 6 months. 

Here's how to choose...

Here's what most people miss about monetizing X: There are 5 proven ways to generate revenue on this platform. But pick the wrong one for your followe

Open article: 5 ways to make $$$ on X (Twitter) by Marcos Ruiz • 4 min read

Last Month, one of our clients collected $141,366 on LinkedIn. This Month, we’re tracking to do even more. One script. One strategy. Zero automation. 

Open article: Most people blow it in the first message. Here's what actually works... by Marcos Ruiz • 4 min read

Most people blow it in the first message. Here's what actually works...

My 𝕏 account generates $100,000+ every single month.

I only have 26,000 followers.

Here's how I cracked the monetization code in 3 years:


Most people think you need a million followers to make real money on social media.

That's complete BS.

I built a 7-figure ghostwriting agency with a "small" audience because I focused on the one metric everyone ignores: revenue per follower.

Here's the math:


Every 1,000 new followers should = $20,000 minimum.

The breakdown:

• 25 calls booked (40:1 follower-to-call ratio)
• 20 shows (80% show rate)
• 5 closes (25% close rate)
• $5K average ticket = $25K revenue

We call this Personal Brand Math.

It's so reliable, I can predict client revenue within 10% accuracy.


But the formula only works if you have the right content strategy.

You need all 5 pillars working together.

I use the PESTO framework with every client:

Personal - your story, behind-the-scenes
Expertise - frameworks, how-tos
Social proof - case studies, results
Trending - current events with your spin
Opinions - contrarian takes that get engagement

Most accounts only post Expertise content and wonder why they can't monetize.

You need all 5.


When growing: 40% Opinions, 30% Trending, 20% Expertise, 10% Personal.

When monetizing: 30% Social Proof, 30% Expertise, 20% Personal, 20% Opinions/Trending.

Here's what changed everything for me:


Summer 2022, I was broke again after another failed venture.

I'd spent 3 years burning Army paychecks on business models that didn't work:

• NFTs
• Day trading
• Dropshipping
• Amazon automation

Lost six figures in the process.

Then it hit me…


I'd been spending 6-8 hours daily on Twitter since 2011.

I knew exactly what went viral, how accounts grew, what content worked.

Instead of learning another business model, I thought: "What if I just help clients do what I already know?"


For the first time, I leveraged my actual skills instead of chasing the next shiny object.

The results:

• Late 2022: First $10K month
• December 2022: $20K month
• Early 2023: $30K, $40K, $50K months
• Today: $150K+ months, 80% referrals

All with under 30K followers.

Because follower count doesn't matter as much as follower quality.

The math will handle the rest.


We've now generated $10M+ for clients using this exact system.

And you can use it too.

If this was helpful…

Shoot me a follow me for more.

My biggest fear was never being broke…

It was waking up at 45 for a job I hate.

Here's the blueprint I followed to make sure that never happens:

1. I gave myself a deadline

I signed a 6-year Army contract knowing it was a ticking clock.

By year 5, I had 1 year left to figure it out or get a real job.

That pressure forced me to stop treating business like a hobby.

2. I used my safety net to take risks

Every Army paycheck went straight into the next business idea.

NFTs, day trading, dropshipping, Amazon automation.

All of them failed. But I kept swinging because I had runway to experiment.

3. I stopped chasing shiny objects

For years I jumped from opportunity to opportunity thinking "this one will be different."

The truth? They all work. I just quit too early every time.

The moment I committed to one thing, everything changed.

4. I leaned into what I already knew

I'd been on Twitter 6-8 hours a day since 2011.

Instead of learning something new, I finally monetized what I'd already mastered.

Your unfair advantage is usually hiding in plain sight.

5. I picked freedom over comfort

A corporate job would've been the safe choice.

Steady paycheck. Clear path. Zero risk.

But I knew if I took that route, I'd spend the rest of my life wondering "what if."

6. I built something that doesn't need me

Solopreneurship sounds sexy until you realize you've just built yourself a job.

I wanted a business that runs without me. That meant building a team and real systems.

Now I have both freedom and income.

7. I committed to 1% better every day

No home runs. No overnight success.

Just small improvements compounding over years.

That mindset took me from $0 to a 7-figure agency with a team of 10.

The goal was never to get rich.

It was to never be trapped.

If you have any questions, let me know below.

+ If you want to learn how to build a viral, profitable Personal Brand

Shoot me a follow.

I’m 28.

I run a 7-figure ghostwriting agency.

But 5 years ago, I was:

• Broke in a NYC studio apartment
• Burning every Army paycheck on failed businesses
• Watching my bank account hit $0 over and over

Here are the 7 mindset shifts that changed my life:


1. Treat business like a video game

I grew up gaming 12 hours a day. Skyrim, Call of Duty, FIFA.

When I finally applied that same mindset to business, everything changed.


Money became how I kept score. Growth became my main quest. Building a team became my new guild.

You can't level up every skill at once. Pick one thing and grind it to level 100.


2. You only fail when you quit

I failed at NFTs, day trading, dropshipping, affiliate marketing, Amazon PPC, and two other agencies before The Birdhouse worked.

Most people quit after 2-3 failures.

I was on attempt 8+.

The only difference between me and everyone who gave up? I kept showing up.


3. Play to your natural strengths

I'm an INFP. My strengths are writing and creative work.

I spent years forcing myself into business models that didn't match my abilities.

The moment I started a content agency, everything clicked.

Take a personality test. Figure out what you're naturally good at. Then double down on it.


4. Discipline = Freedom

Jocko's book changed how I think about everything.

Most failed entrepreneurs get shiny object syndrome. They see the next opportunity and think their current thing is broken.

But the truth is everything works if you stick with it long enough.

The right inputs over a long time horizon will always get you the outcome you're looking for.


5. Leverage what you already know

I spent 6-8 hours daily on Twitter since 2011.

Instead of learning another business model from scratch, I finally asked myself: "What if I just did this for other people?"

Your "wasted time" might be your biggest asset.

Stop chasing new models. Start monetizing what you already understand better than most.


6. Surround yourself with people ahead of you

I've spent $200K+ on masterminds, coaching, and consulting.

I can't point to a single actionable change from the last few months, yet we've nearly doubled revenue.

It's like you absorb success by proximity.

When you're level zero, you can't provide value. So go negative. 

Pay people. Become their star student. Get shown off as a case study.


7. Focus on impact over everything

The real shift happened when I stopped chasing revenue and started obsessing over client results.

When you make someone's business measurably better, everything else takes care of itself.

Word spreads. Referrals come in. Growth becomes inevitable.

80% of our business now comes from referrals. That only happens when you actually deliver.


These 7 mindset shifts took me from $0 to 7-figures in 3 years.

Not because I'm smarter or more talented than anyone else.

I just didn't give myself permission to quit.

I’ve been on X since 2011.

If I were starting my personal brand from scratch in 2026…

Here are the 10 things I’d do differently to hit $100K/month:


1. Start with a high-ticket offer from day one

I wasted years chasing low-ticket digital products.

The math just doesn't work.

Instead: 

Start with $5K+ coaching or consulting. You only need 20 clients per year at that price to hit $100K.


2. Pick ONE niche and go all in

I bounced between NFTs, day trading, dropshipping, and a dozen other things.

Every pivot reset my progress to zero.

The creators hitting $100K/month picked one thing and stuck with it for 2-3 years minimum.


3. DM every single new follower

This sounds basic, but most people skip it.

When someone follows you, they're requesting more information.

Don't hide what you sell. Your audience will respect you more for being upfront.


4. Use the PESTO framework for content

Most creators only post expertise content and wonder why they're boring.

Mix it up:

• Personal (builds connection)
• Expertise (shows authority)
• Social Proof (builds trust)
• Trending (gets reach)
• Opinions (creates engagement)

Balance is everything.


5. Track the numbers that actually matter

Forget vanity metrics.

The only numbers that matter:

• Follower-to-call ratio (aim for 40:1)
• Show rate (aim for 80%+)
• Close rate (aim for 25%+)

1,000 new followers should = $20,000 minimum.

If your math doesn't work, fix your funnel.


6. Build on multiple platforms from the start

I was X-only for too long.

The brands that survive algorithm changes post across X, LinkedIn, and Threads consistently.

Same content. Different algorithms. 3x the shots on goal.


7. Create your own frameworks

Don't just teach other people's methods.

We created:

• PESTO content pillars
• Personal Brand Math
• Follower-to-revenue ratios

This is what separates you from everyone else regurgitating the same advice.


8. Invest in networking aggressively

Every time I join a mastermind or fly out to an event, I get clients.

80% of our business now comes from referrals.

That only happens when people in your industry actually know who you are.


9. Post your real numbers even when they're small

I used to be embarrassed about early wins.

"Just signed client #5" felt insignificant.

But those followers watched the entire climb to $2M/year.

When I say we've generated $10M+ for clients now, they believe it because they watched it happen.


10. Treat content like a skill, not a lottery ticket

Content creation is a skill issue.

Everyone looks terrible when they first start.

The solution isn't to wait until you're "ready." 

It's to get more reps in.

These 10 things took me 5+ years and dozens of failed businesses to figure out.

Could've gotten here in half the time if I knew what to do from the start.

Hope this saves you some of the lessons I had to learn the hard way.

& Follow me for more tips like this.

Dear 23-year-old me,

You're about to lose money on NFTs, day trading, and Amazon automation

Don't panic

That "stable job" path you're considering? Say no

The ghostwriting thing you saw on Twitter? Do it

In 4 years you'll have a 7-figure agency

You'll travel the world

You'll build a team you actually enjoy working with

The scary decision is the right one

Trust yourself

– 27-year-old you

The math that changed my business:

• 1,000 new followers per month
• 40:1 follower-to-call ratio
• 25 calls booked
• 80% show rate = 20 live calls
• 25% close rate = 5 new clients
• $5K average ticket = $25,000/month

But here's where it gets better:

• DM every new follower (warm outreach)
• Builds relationship before the call
• Shows up pre-sold on you
• Reduces objections on calls
• Referrals start compounding

Outcome:

• Closing easier deals
• Getting referrals monthly
• Building real relationships
• Revenue compounds over time

12 months from now: completely different business.

No ads. No cold outreach. No begging for attention.

Timothée Chalamet just broke A24's all-time box office record.

Then receieved 3 Oscar nominations.

The youngest actor to do that since 1954.

Not with ads.
Not with trailers.

Here's exactly how he did it (+ why it's the future of advertising):


Some context.

Marty Supreme is an indie film about ping pong in 1950s New York.

No franchise. No superhero. No sequel.

On paper, this movie shouldn't work.

It's already crossed $72M+ at the box office.


A24 didn't market the movie.

They marketed Timothée Chalamet.

The campaign wasn't "come see this film."
It was "come see what Timmy does next."

His personal brand became the product.


He committed to 128 appearances in 96 hours.

Not boring press junkets.

Viral moments designed to spread.

Most actors do the bare minimum and disappear.

He went all in.


The tactics were insane:

• Flew an orange blimp over LA
• Put his face on Wheaties boxes
• Created a $250 windbreaker that sold out instantly
• Stood on top of The Sphere in Vegas
• Posted a fake "leaked" marketing meeting that went viral

Every touchpoint was shareable content.


The real genius?

He made an 18-minute video mocking his own marketing campaign.

Pitched ideas like "paint the Statue of Liberty orange."

Then A24 actually did some of the ideas.

He turned promotion into entertainment.


The results:

• Best per-theater average since La La Land (2016)
• Fastest-selling presale in A24 history
• $875K opening weekend from just 6 screens
• Critics Choice Award for Best Actor

The personal brand drove the product. Not the other way around.


This is the playbook for the next decade.

Audiences don't want more ads.

They want moments.

They want to feel like something is happening, not like they're being sold to.

Chalamet understood this better than any marketing team could.


The lesson for your business:

You ARE your marketing.

Your content is your advertising.

Your personality is your differentiation.

Your audience is your distribution.

Stop separating "marketing" from "showing up."

They're the same thing now.


A MrBeast video sponsorship gets the same eyeballs as a Super Bowl ad.

Personal brands are the new advertising.

Whether you're selling movies, courses, or consulting, the game is the same.

Build the brand, and the product sells itself.


What are your thoughts on this?

Let me know below. 

+ Follow me for more.

POV: your personal brand just crossed $100K/month because you finally mastered these 7 things:

1. The math

You stopped guessing and started tracking.

Every 1,000 followers = 20 sales calls at a 50:1 ratio.

80% show rate. 25% close rate. $5-10K offer.

The math became so reliable you could predict revenue within 10% accuracy.

2. The PESTO framework

You stopped posting random content and started being strategic.

• Personal (your story builds connection)
• Expertise (your knowledge builds authority)
• Social Proof (your results build trust)
• Trending (current events build reach)
• Opinions (your takes build engagement)

All 5 working together. Not just one or two.

3. The DM system

You realized followers mean nothing without a conversion system.

Every new follower gets a welcome DM.

Not a pitch. A conversation.

You stopped hiding what you sell and your audience respected you more for it.

4. The funnel

You understood that every piece of content is part of a system:

Viral content → Profile visits → Followers → DMs → Sales calls → Revenue

Most people skip steps and wonder why nothing converts.

You didn't.

5. The consistency

You stopped chasing viral moments and focused on showing up daily.

The flywheel effect kicked in around month 3-4.

Content → Followers → Clients → Case Studies → More Content

Most people quit before then. You didn't.

6. The personal in personal brand

You stopped hiding behind pure expertise content.

You shared your story, your failures, your behind-the-scenes.

People don't just buy your product. They buy you.

That's what separated you from every other account in your niche.

7. The team

You accepted that 99% of 7-figure personal brands have a team behind it.

You couldn't do it alone at scale. And you stopped trying.

More capacity. More expertise. More output.

That's when everything compounded.

This is the exact system we've used to help clients generate $10M+.

If you want to implement it yourself, follow me @itsmarcosruiz for more tips like this.

Here's how we've helped clients generate $10M+ using only X and LinkedIn (step-by-step):


Step 1. The Foundation

This entire system operates under one assumption:

You have an offer that actually gets results.

If you don't, none of this matters.

But if you do, what I'm about to show you will change everything.


Step 2. The Personal Brand Math

Here's the formula we use for every client:

1,000 new followers ÷ 40 follower-to-call ratio = 25 calls booked 
× 80% show rate = 20 live calls 
× 20% close rate = 4 new clients 
× $5,000 ticket = $20,000

The math is so reliable, we can predict revenue within 10% accuracy.


Step 3. The Content System (PESTO Framework)

5 content pillars that drive results:

• Personal - your story, behind-the-scenes
• Expertise - frameworks, how-tos
• Social Proof - case studies, wins
• Trending - current events with your spin
• Opinions - polarizing takes

Mix all 5 and you'll never run out of ideas.


Step 4. The Posting Cadence

X: 3-4 posts daily + 3-5 threads per week

LinkedIn: 1 post daily + 25-50 comments

Most people post randomly and wonder why nothing works.

Consistency compounds. Volume wins.


Step 5. The DM Funnel

Every new follower gets a welcome DM.

No, this isn't spam.

When someone follows you, they're requesting more information.

The DM flow:

• "Hey, saw you followed..."
• Ask about their situation
• See if they're a fit
• Book the call

Be human. Lead with value. Only reach out to people you can actually help.


Step 6. The Setter Model

Once you're gaining 1,000+ followers/month, hire a setter.

They handle:

• New follower DMs
• Warm outreach to engagers
• Inbound inquiries

Your job becomes showing up on calls and closing.

This is how you scale past $50K/month without burning out.


Step 7. The Compound Effect

Here's where it gets fun:

Content → Followers → DMs → Calls → Clients → Case Studies → More Content

The flywheel kicks in around month 3-4.

Most people quit before they ever see it.

One client went from $10K/month to $800K+ cash collected in 12 months using this system.


The Real Numbers:

What we've seen across clients over 3+ years:

• 2M+ followers generated
• $10M+ in client revenue
• 15,000+ sales calls booked
• 80% of our business now comes from referrals

This system works because it's predictable, measurable, and repeatable.

Most people think personal branding is about vanity metrics.

We've proven it's about revenue metrics.


Have any questions?

Let me know below.

& If you found this valuable, give me a follow for more.

The 5 levels of personal branding:

Level 1: Posting randomly with no strategy

• You post when you feel like it
• No tracking, no metrics, no system
• Wonder why nothing is working

Level 2: Posting consistently but still no real system

• You're showing up every day
• But there's no strategy behind the content
• Growth is slow and frustrating

Level 3: Using content frameworks and tracking metrics

• You have a system (like PESTO)
• You know your follower-to-call ratio
• Revenue starts becoming predictable

Level 4: Building a team to scale content and DMs

• You're no longer doing everything yourself
• Writers, setters, and systems working together
• $50K-$100K months become possible

Level 5: Your brand generates referrals faster than you can take calls

• 80% of your business comes inbound
• You're turning down more clients than you accept
• The flywheel is spinning on its own

Most people are stuck between levels 1 and 2

Level 3 is where the sales starts flowing

Level 4-5 is where you scale

Full guide: how to create your own luck...

A few people have called me lucky over the years, and it always repulsed me.

Not because they’re necessarily wrong. 

If you’re reading this with access to technology, you’re already lucky compared to many.

But 90% of people think luck is why others succeed when that’s just not the case.

“Luck” is putting yourself in positions where opportunity can find you (and being ready when it does).

If you feel like opportunity eludes you, this is for you.

1. Understand What Luck Actually Is

Luck isn’t random. It’s perseverance meeting innovation.

When I started my business in 2022 I:
• DM’d hundreds daily
• Posted 2–3x per day
• Built underground communities
• Showed up consistently

Then opportunity hit:
• Elon acquired Twitter
• A founder replied to a bad DM
• A tweet went viral

That’s positioning, not luck.

2. Break Invisible Rules

Most rules don’t exist:
• “You can’t DM strangers.”
• “You need 10K followers to charge premium.”
• “Personal brands take years.”

The winners don’t follow best practices... they create them. Playing safe doesn’t lead to innovation.

3. Experiment Relentlessly

One success can pay for 1,000 failures.

Each week ask:

• What’s trending in my industry?
• What can I borrow from other industries?
• What haven’t I seen being done?

Test the “impossible.” Fail fast. The wins become systems.

4. Question Everything

The belief in luck makes people passive.

Question assumptions and you stop waiting.

5. Never Quit

My only real advantage? I didn’t quit for 6–7 years.

I failed at NFTs, day trading, dropshipping, affiliate marketing, and more. The breakthrough came when I leveraged what I already knew instead of chasing shiny objects.

You only truly fail if you quit.

6. Put Yourself in the Room

A $50/month community taught me the ghostwriting offer that became a 7-figure agency. Best ROI of my life.

Surround yourself with people 5–10x ahead of you. Proximity accelerates growth.

Bottom Line:

I don’t believe in luck.

I believe in perseverance and innovation.

Most people wait for things to happen.

You have to make them happen.

Put in the right inputs long enough, and the outcomes follow.

Go create your own luck.

- Marcos

7 lessons from 6 years in the Army National Guard that I use in business:

1. Trust but verify

• Have faith that your team will do what they say
• But always confirm the work got done
• As a leader, the task is YOUR responsibility

2. Semper Gumby (Always flexible)

• Software breaks, bugs pop up, clients leave
• The plan never survives first contact
• Adaptability is a superpower

3. Attention to detail

• A single typo or missed deadline can cost you a client
• In the military, it could cost you your life
• Small details matter more than people think

4. Chain of command

• You need operators AND leaders as you grow
• Clear structure gives you bandwidth to move forward
• Train both or you'll be stuck doing everything

5. Layer 1 troubleshooting

• When something breaks, check the basics first
• Forgot to press send? Forgot to plug something in?
• 50% of problems are solved at the most basic level

6. Physical standards

• You can't lead if you're falling apart
• Working behind a computer all day requires a physical outlet
• This is why I train jiu-jitsu

7. The mission comes first

• Personal feelings don't override the objective
• Successful teams put the goal above individual egos
• This is how you build something bigger than yourself

The military didn't teach me how to make money

But it taught me how to build discipline, lead teams, and stay calm when things fall apart

Those skills transfer to everything

Last week, one of our clients gained 200 followers from a single tweet. The insight? Already existed in a YouTube vlog he posted 3 days earlier. We di

Open article: One video = 10+ viral posts
Stop creating content from scratch. Here's the system... by Marcos Ruiz • 3 min read

One video = 10+ viral posts
Stop creating content from scratch. Here's the system...

If I was stuck at $10K/month and had 6 months to hit $100K...

Here's exactly what I'd do:

• Stop posting random content
• Stop hiding from selling in DMs
• Stop trying to appeal to everyone
• Stop copying what worked 2 years ago
• Stop running the business solo
• Study viral content frameworks
• Post 3-4x daily minimum
• DM every single new follower
• Document every client win
• Build a repeatable content system
• Hire a setter
• Track follower-to-call ratio
• Create a signature framework
• Film case study videos
• Comment on 25+ big accounts daily
• Repurpose across all platforms
• Build a testimonial bank
• Optimize your profile
• Raise your prices
• Say no to bad-fit clients

This system will transform even the most burnt-out coach into a $100K/month business owner with a full calendar.

How to build a personal brand that actually makes money:

Most people have it backwards. They chase followers, impressions, and viral moments. Then wonder why their bank account doesn't reflect their "growth."

Here's what actually works:

1. Understand the math first

Figure out your follower to sales call ratio

for example: Every 1,000 followers should equal roughly 20 sales calls. If you're not hitting that ratio, you don't have an audience problem. You have a conversion problem.

2. Your content needs a job

Each post should do one of five things:

• Build trust (social proof)
• Show expertise (how-tos)
• Create connection (personal stories)
• Expand reach (trends)
• Spark conversation (opinions)

Random posting gets random results.

3. DMs are where money is made

Do not rely on link clicks.

It’s a fools errand.

Every new follower is an invitation to start a conversation. You're not being "salesy" by reaching out. You're being helpful to people who already raised their hand.

Pro tip: Make offers on the timeline that prompt people to DM you first.

4. Stop hiding what you sell

Your audience will respect you more for being upfront about monetization. The sneaky sell is what actually hurts your brand. Transparency builds trust.

5. Build a system, not a content habit

Viral content → Profile visits → Followers → DMs → Sales calls → Revenue

Most people skip steps and wonder why their offers don't convert. The system is the strategy.

6. Revenue is the only metric that matters

Followers don't pay bills. Impressions don't pay bills. 

A personal brand that generates consistent sales calls and closes them?

That's the game.

If you have any questions, let me know below.

+ If you want to learn how to build a viral, profitable Personal Brand

Shoot me a follow.

People always ask me: "What separates profitable personal brands from broke ones?"

Here's my answer:

• They take strong stances that alienate some people
• They take strong stances that make people feel heard
• They monetize from day one instead of waiting for "the right time"
• They track follower-to-call ratio, not just follower count
• They post social proof weekly to build trust
• They have a conversion mechanism, not just content strategy
• They optimize for revenue, not vanity metrics
• They own one category before expanding
• They create frameworks people associate with their name
• They raise prices as demand increases
• They treat their personal brand as a business asset
• They hire and systematize instead falling for the ‘solopreneur’ death trap

The difference between a hobby and a business is monetization.

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The Battle

Ryan Rouse

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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 Rouse's LinkedIn Performance

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