Shoaib Ahmed

Founder: Yello Hippo | Host: REBELS Podcast 🎙️ | Building Profitable Personal Brands for Founders & CEOs | 185M+ Organic Views | Winner: Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2023 | Advisor: Limelight

Hi 👋🏽 I'm the personal brand manager behind top 1% LinkedIn accounts. I've delivered:

300M+ organic impressions → VIRAL content marketing 
2.1M profile views → MILLIONS of eyes on offers
£11.2 revenue → TANGIBLE business growth

Thanks to my:

• 5 years experience (built 195+ Founder-led brands)
• First-party data (I've produced 18,750 LI posts)
• PROVEN LinkedIn growth strategies & models

I work with Founders, Coaches, C-Suite teams, Business Execs, Creatives & Freelancers like you to:

a) Scale your LinkedIn growth & presence
b) Carve out a HIGH-VALUE personal brand
c) Win trust, seriously grow pipeline & make ££

So you can:

Stop wasting ££ on bad lead-gen tactics
Build + scale the business of your dreams
Earn life freedom + attract new opportunities

HOW I HELP:

1:1 & Company LinkedIn Coaching:

- Dominate the algorithm & create viral posts
- Scale your following, traffic & engagement
- Turn LinkedIn into an inbound lead channel

LinkedIn Content Ghostwriting:

- Get 'done for you' LinkedIn posts 
- Turn expertise into monetisable assets
- Earn trust as a thought leader & drive leads

CLIENT RESULTS ↓

✅️ Julius got inbound PR invites (Insider, WebSummit, Harvard)
✅️ Maria landed speaking gigs, earning multi-6-figure revenue
✅️ Alex and Katie sold out 96% of their coaching (400% ROI)
✅️ M and A got 55,700 new followers and 200+ quality leads
✅️ David signed brands 625+ tech brand clients in 9 months
✅️ Drew featured in Washington Post & Wall Street Journal
✅️ Harry hit 6.3 million views & got a 733% ROI in 60 days
✅️ Ryan got 14.3 million views and a 6-figure BBC deal.
✅️ Lauren gained 12.7 million views and an £80K client

WHAT PEOPLE SAY ↓

"I got more value, clarity and practical strategy from a 1-to-1 hour with Shoaib than all 4 of the LinkedIn courses I've purchased elsewhere" - Joey

"Shoaib is a genius at crisp content and a true strategist who always has our KPIs in mind to maximise impact." - Katie

"Shoaib is definitely the go-to person for anything related LinkedIn content. I've paid for coaching sessions with other creators and none have been as insightful as this one." - Mat 

"Working with Shoaib was one of the best investments I’ve ever made." - James

"Shoaib grew my LinkedIn 0-100, securing me global media gigs and attracting a ton of business." - Julius

WORK WITH ME ↓

Book my 1:1 LinkedIn coaching (for individuals)
Book my Company LinkedIn Training (for teams)
Book my Ghostwriting Services (for individuals)

Available for media bookings, keynote speaking and brand partnerships.

DM me :)

Founder & Podcast Host

A brand new podcast where you get to hear from rebellious industry disruptors.

In season one, Shoaib is joined by a curated selection of groundbreaking entrepreneurs, creators and business leaders as he delves into their 'against the grain' stories of success. 

This is a podcast where no topic is off-limits. Each episode is packed with raw, emotional and inspiring stories with guests including Lea Turner, Sophie Miller and Lara Acosta.

Watch & listen to S1 now on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Proudly sponsored by Fabric Academy.

For S2 bookings & sponsorship enquiries visit: www.rebelsbyshoaibahmed.co.uk

Mum, dad...I only went and WON!!! 🏆 🪩  

Lil old me getting a UK BUSINESS AWARD

And this one is extra special 🫶🏽

"Lone Wolf Business Consultancy of the Year"

An award specifically chosen to go to an exceptional ONE-PERSON BUSINESS!!

I am that business.

Hey, hi, hello 👋🏾

It's funny 'cos when I decided to quit agency life and pursue solopreneurship...

So many people saw it as a "step back"

I got sent screenshots from a business WhatsApp ‘community’ full of negative comments about me.

A bizarre way for grown adults to behave tbh.

The reality?

Because my consultancy is just me:

- The bar is high AF and never drops
- Every client gets my full attention
- I maintain 10/10 quality all the time

And the results I get for my clients are so f*cking insane because they work DIRECTLY with me!!

And this award recognises that.

Yipppeeeeee 🕺🕺

The judges reviewed my client work, client references, case studies (loads of indisputable evidence I've not shared on LinkedIn)...

And out of 1000s of business owners...

They chose me to win!!!

Pretty f*cking cool.

Thanks Business Awards UK.

Off to celebrate in true Shoaib style...

By devouring an açaí bowl 🤣

📅 FREE WEBINAR: How to write viral LinkedIn Posts | Register now | Grown 195+ personal brands for founders, coaches & creators | Brain behind 300M+ impressions | LinkedIn coach, strategist, speaker

You don't need to 'earn' your rest or your joy.

Just checking you know that???

In the UK, we do this batsh*t crazy thing of putting our happiness behind a paywall and locking it away.

"I must work for 50 years before resting."
"I must hit $10K per month before I do X."
"I must work 12-hour days to justify X."

I think that's dumb.

You have no idea what will happen tomorrow.

Yet, you put off everything that makes you happy.

You're not on rations.
We're not at war 
(yet!!! 🙃)

You have free will.

I used to tell myself...

I'll do that thing I really want to do, but only...

- "When I've ticked off this 17 step to-do list"
- "When I've hit 0 emails in my inbox"
- "When I hit XX revenue in business."

But there is no “done”

Honey, you've been LIIIIIIEEEED to.

There isn't a mythical day when...

Your to-do list is complete
Your inbox is fully empty
Your goals are all hit 

The second you finish one thing, five more appear. 

Your goalposts shift.

So this year?

I stopped chasing “done.”

And instead?

I'm choosing to enjoy life.

All whilst the work still exists.

Guilt-fucking freeeeeee!!!

Even though:

I could earn more
Launch more products
Sign more clients
Post more often
Reply to more emails

I'm happy saying: "Actually... I'm good."

And sometimes even: "Thanks, but not thanks"

Because who the hell would be happy looking back at life and saying:

"I didn't do all things I wanted to in life but hey... AT LEAST I WAS PRODUCTIVE."

I love my job, my clients and my business.

But it's not my entire life.

So yes, this year I will be:

Going on more holidays 
Ticking off more bucket list stuff
Reading fiction books over self-help stuff
Putting social things into my work diary first
Taking slow morning walks in the sun
Spending hours painting pretty pictures
Eating food without my laptop open
Seeing my friends every single week

Without thinking:

"I'm not being productive enough."

Because rest is also productive. 

Because hobbies are also productive.

Because time with loved ones is also productive.

Because exercise is also productive.

Because nourishing the soul is also productive.

Because regulating your nervous system is also productive.

Because caring for other people is also productive.

Because going on side quests is also productive.

Because seeing the world is also productive.

Because sitting in the sun is also productive.

I refuse to measure my life by how many things I can get done in X number of minutes.

Or to define my 'value' as a human being by how much GBP I can charge per hour of my time.

Zoom out for a sec.

We are tiny dots on a floating rock.

And one day, the dot disappears.

(aka you die)

So don’t spend your time being a stressed, beige dot.

Be a sparkly, glittery, fun, dancing dot.

I'm at Manchester Airport on my way to Bali ✈️

To spend 30 days chasing sunsets, exploring nature and scaling my 1-person business - on my terms!

All because 4 years ago I decided:

I want more from life.

I don’t want to spend 50 years climbing a corporate ladder or work 48 weeks to ‘earn’ 4 weeks off from work a year.

I want to prioritise time, location and financial freedom in my 20s.

Sometimes it just takes one decision.

Followed by ruthless daily action.

To change your life forever.

I'm constantly pinching myself that I can do this 🙏🏽

I'm insanely grateful that I've built a personal brand that fuels my business and allows me to travel the world at the same time.

So ready to live my best island life 🌴 🥥 

Bali friends, drop your best recs! 

Things to do, places to eat, trails to hike...

P.S. Who else thinks Karla McNeilage should greet me at the airport with a huge bunch of flowers?? 💐

When I started posting on LinkedIn I never expected to be body-shamed by strangers 🙃

Last month, it happened 5 times.
(and all from different people)

Why is this a thing???


"You've got chubbier in the face.”

"Stop skipping leg day bro"

"Your back is like a woman's" (body-shaming and misogyny ... double whammy!)

"Someone give this man some food.”

"You'd look a lot better if you lifted.”


For context, I'm self-employed and building in public. So often, my posts have pictures of me travelling and working from cool spots.

I try to visually show the behind the scenes of running a business as a 27 year old digital nomad.

But one thing I'll NEVER understand?...

How someone wakes up and decides “you know what, I’m going to make THEIR body MY business” 

Feel free to challenge my thoughts about business.

But commenting on a body?

Not cool.

Last year, I went through 6 months of therapy for an eating disorder.

I was also diagnosed with au-ADHD - which comes with a higher risk of addictive and compulsive behaviours.

All this can affect body-image, eating, substance abuse, etc - and I relate to a lot of this stuff!!

So there’s that.

In the last 12 months, I’ve done a lot of work on myself (therapy, PT, nutritionist, etc) and I’m so proud of that.

So silly comments don't harm me.

That's not the point.

You never know what someone is carrying when you fire off a “joke” or a flippant remark about their body.

You never know who ELSE might see your comment and what effect it might have on them.

I choose to post content online.

What I am not consenting to is commentary on my weight, shape, or appearance.

So if you’re ever tempted to comment on someone’s body...

Please think twice.

1. Is this kind?

2. Is this necessary?

3. Is this actually about them or about me needing a moment of superiority?

We can do better than this.


P.S. Sharing this post after just leaving the gym and thinking to myself... I fcking love this body and what it allows me to do. Negative nellies will always find *something* to be negative about.

I'm 27. And last week on a work Zoom call I was rudely told off like a naughty schoolchild.

Never felt so humiliated 😅

I was accused of being "distracted" because I wasn’t making eye contact.

When I asked why he (business owner in his 50s) thought this...

He said I was "fidgety".

And "that's not making a good first impression."

Yeah...

I'm literally au-ADHD.

I struggle with eye contact and sitting still.

When I'm having a conversation, my eyes dart around the room rather than fixing on a camera.

This is because I'm processing what you're saying in real time.

Movement helps me do this.

So I often have a pen, a mug or a knitting needle in my hand (literally anything that I can find) to help anchor my thoughts.

It's called "stimming" 

And it's a form of self regulating behaviour which helps me focus and avoid sensory overload.

I once had someone ask me to repeat what they'd said - as a test - to catch me out.

The audacity!!!

The funny thing is that if I'm just stood still, staring at the camera and not fidgeting…

THEN I've 100% zoned out.

So it was actually the opposite of what this person thought.

I was super invested in the call!!!

In this case, I politely explained my situation.

The person rolled their eyes.

(Final strike ❌)

I said goodbye and ended the call.

I won’t be talked down to like a schoolchild at the age of 27.

Especially as this guy wanted MY HELP with his personal brand, yet went on to belittle and insult me.

What a world we live in.


P.S. Does ANYONE actually stare directly into the camera on a call? That’s psychopathic behaviour to me 😂

7 years ago I was fired for being bad at sales.
I've since single-handedly made £850k in sales.

6 years ago I was laughed at for posting on LinkedIn.
I make £15K+ a month as a solopreneur here.

5 years ago I had an anxiety attack at a networking event.
I've spoken on over 40+ stages + podcasts since. 

4 years ago I was told I wouldn't make it as a freelancer.
I've since signed 195+ clients (from 30+ industries)

3 years ago I was 'too young' to set up a business.
I went on to win Young Entrepreneur of the Year (2023).

2 year ago I was fat and physically at my unhealthiest.
I've since clocked over 350+ hours in the gym.

1 year ago I was told "lifestyle businesses" don't work.
Yet here I am, happy, successful and profitable.

You can rewrite your reality.

At any time!

You are your only competitor.

Do the work on yourself.

(Because nobody will do that for you).

Winning isn't luck.

It's a series of intentional choices.

I woke up in Bali this morning.
Alarm went off at 5:56am.
Snoozed it. Slept for 2 more hours.
Walked 15 mins to the gym.
Spoke to some strangers in the street.
Met Karla McNeilage there.
Did 45 minutes of weight lifting.
Had a shower.
Jumped on a motorbike.
Arrived at a cafe.
Had a protein breakfast bowl.
Opened my laptop at 11:31.
Spent 3 hours working.
Phone away. Full deep mode.
Responded to 7 emails.
Wrote a few posts for clients.
Accepted a speaking invite.
Signed a brand deal.
Jumped on a bike (again).
Arrived at an overnight oats cafe.
Had lunch.
Facetimed a friend.
Whipped out my laptop.
Worked for another 2 hours.
Helped my client prep for a podcast.
Rewrote a LI profile for a Founder.
Delivered 1:1 LinkedIn coaching.
Closed my laptop.
Taking Karla for dinner now.

There's nothing exceptional here.

It took 4 years of self-work, therapy, au-ADHD coaching, scaling an agency, burning said agency down, dealing with addiction and finally understanding how my brain works and how I can thrive best.

Not just as a 'business owner'.

But as a real human being.

With flaws, a chaotic schedule and a neurodivergent brain in tow, that still surprises me every day! 😅

So to me, a day like this - which embodies the financial, time and location freedom I've prioritised - is a huge achievement.

I'm 27.

And I feel like I'm living my dream life.

Society tells us to chase:

More.
Bigger.
Faster.
Status.
Upgrades.

But I'm happy right where I am.

Prioritising:

Health.
Community.
Intentionality.
Purpose.
Freedom.

I dunno why I felt so emotional watching this clip.

But I did. 

It even took me by surprise haha.

Thanks James Lamb, for creating such a welcoming space for me to share my story.

(And ofc lots of LinkedIn tips and advice).

You can watch and listen here: https://lnkd.in/ewPzJkUK

As a 27 year old, here's what I'm optimising my life for:

1. Getting lost in nature (forests, waterfalls, beaches)

2.  Seeing more wildlife (jungle treks, birdwatching, hikes)

3. More time with friends (casually dropping by for a cuppa)

4. Reading more fiction (getting lost in great stories)

5. Using money smartly (pension, investments, health)

6. Looking after my body (mobility, joints, muscle growth)

7. A calm nervous system (culling access to cheap dopamine)

8. Using my 1-person business to enhance life freedom

9. Travelling (seeing new people, cultures, ways of life)


In this mad world we live in, where "success" is defined by your job title, the digits in your bank account and what car you drive, it's so freeing to prioritise a life that FEELS good over one that "looks good".

What are your priorities in this season of life??

"My LinkedIn reach has tanked."

Here's how you can SOLVE that problem.

WITHOUT paying to "boost" your visibility!

For context:

I've built 205+ brands on LinkedIn
Generated 305M+ impressions
Driven 2.1M new profile views
Written 18,750+ LI posts
For 100+ accounts

I've spent the last 5 years on LinkedIn, analysing data, spotting patterns and experimenting with campaigns.


And here's what you can do RIGHT NOW...

To:

1/ Improve your impressions 
2/ Stand out on newsfeeds
3/ Drive traffic to your profile

I know because I'm doing it for my clients.

In the last 8 days, I've published 4 viral posts for 3 different clients (total impressions = 634,232 at the time of writing).


Here are 3 tips:

→ Write from your POV!!! Tell personal stories, share opinions, use your natural tone of voice and pack posts with personality. My data shows LinkedIn is squashing reach on posts that sound the same, generic and follow ChatGPT frameworks. 

→ Maximise for accessibility!!! I don't mean post structure, font or spacing. I mean, how accessible is your post to people who don't know you and come across it on their feed? Can they relate? Can they understand? Can they have an opinion / POV on the topic you speak on? Write not to 'preach' or 'educate'... write to start conversations, drive interest and spike curiosity.

→ Build in public!!! Take people on the journey you're currently on. Show the process (ups, downs, highs, lows) and not just the outcome - people love seeing behind-the-scenes stuff. We're all nosy buggers, so the more you unveil, the better. This is also a great way to build trust with your audience.


In a nutshell...

Be BRAVER and MORE BOLD!!!

If you want to "stand out" actually do/write/share something to stand out.

Simple as that.


P.S. Put the "personal" back into your brand!!!

________________

If you're SERIOUS about doing better on LinkedIn and writing posts that make real impact...

Join my FREE LIVE WEBINAR!!! 🎤🧠

→ How to Write Viral LinkedIn Posts

🗓️ Date: Thurs 19th February
⏰ Time: 10:00 - 10:30am (GMT)

Register here: https://lnkd.in/eGvesmwM

GRAB YOUR COPY! ⏳⏳

Free for 12 hours only: https://lnkd.in/eDniZPD6


I'm using this 5-stage approach for ALL my clients. 

They're the LinkedIn laws of growth (NOW UPDATED FOR 2026) that got results like these:

✔️ 0 → 10K follower growth in < 30 days
✔️ 300M organic views with $0 on ads
✔️ 1750+ meetings booked in the DMs
✔️410+ inbound media/PR opportunities
✔️ Selling out 50+ paid cohorts & events 

Plus secured deals with: HubSpot, Webflow, BBC, Shopify, SAP, Reuters, Amazon, Google + 100s more brands.


This free guide TEACHES YOU:

🧠 How to sell without being annoying AF
🧠 How to write viral posts (even in 2026!)
🧠 How to improve your LI search ranking
🧠 How to track buyer intent / what to look for
🧠 How to use DM intros to convert clients

It's full of templates + real examples.
That you can APPLY RIGHT NOW!


If in 2026 you want to:

- Grow reach + influence on LinkedIn
- Sell more of your services/products 
- Scale ROI from your LinkedIn hours

This guide is what you need.

I spoke live in front of 200+ people last month.

(And I had 0 slides) 😅

The feedback was insane.

And I had SO MUCH FUN!!!

So I've decided to run another free live webinar.


→ How to Write Viral LinkedIn Posts

🗓️ Thurs 19th February
⏰ 10:00-10:30am (GMT)

Register here: https://lnkd.in/eGvesmwM


Why???

Because for the last few years, most of my work has happened quietly and behind the scenes.

In Notion docs.
In DMs and emails.
In client Slack channels.

I've been busy.


• Building 205+ personal brands for founders, coaches & creators.

• Writing 18,750+ LinkedIn posts (305M+ organic impressions, 2.1M+ new profile views and 1M+ new followers).

• Delivering 250+ hours of 1:1 LinkedIn coaching for people across 30+ niches (from teams of 1 to teams of 50+)


But this year?

I’m stepping back into the limelight.

Sharing more publicly.
Teaching live again.
Hosting more webinars.
Speaking on more stages.

No gatekeeping.

So...

If you want to understand why some posts explode and others die quietly at 300 impressions...

Let me show you - live in 30 minutes!

In the webinar, I'll teach you...
​​
✔ 8 top copywriting principles
✔ What visuals/formats to use
✔ The anatomy of a viral post
✔ How to master post hooks

Who's joining??? It's literally free.

See you then! 👋🏽

Communications Officer at Sauermann UK | Mental Health Advocate | Bookish Content Creator

Hello! 👋🏻 I'm Karis, a proactive and detail-oriented marketer.

From writing blogs for my university to executing social media campaigns and planning industry-leading exhibitions, it’s fair to say I’ve had a varied career!

After graduating with a BA (Hons) in Photography, I put my degree to good use by working at a theme park and photographing visitors for 4 years. Due to the pandemic, that job came to a natural end, and I was presented with an opportunity to move on to something new. 

After a six-month stint at a marketing agency as part of the government Kickstart scheme, I wanted to develop my knowledge and skills to become a better marketer. 

So at the age of 25, I started a Level 3 Digital Marketing Apprenticeship. I completed it within a year and achieved a Distinction grade.

In the years since completing that apprenticeship, I take a lot of pride in what I’ve been able to achieve as a Communications Officer for Sauermann UK. Including:

⭐ An engagement rate of 4.9% on one social media campaign
⭐ Increased our followers by 24.9% across LinkedIn, X, Instagram and Facebook in one year
⭐ Achieved a CTR of 3.2% and a CPC of £1.09 on a Google Search Ad campaign
⭐ Organised our stand for a leading industry exhibition that generated 300+ leads for the company
⭐ Increased social media engagements by 36.1% across LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram
⭐ Increased our following on Instagram by 60.2% in one year


I’m always looking to connect with others in the industry - if you want to talk about any of the above, feel free to send a connection request! 📩

Karis Gorst

We have become caught in the trap of doing more on social media.

That was Sophie Miller’s opening statement in her 2026 Social Strategy webinar yesterday for the PLM Insider’s Club.

And it couldn’t be a truer statement - we’re spread thin on platforms, posting and chasing virality.

But we rarely stop to think, is this actually working?

That’s not to say either that we should completely throw out everything we’ve been doing. A reframing and curiosity about how you can change your approach is what’s needed.

We all know that there has been a big behaviour shift in how people interact with social media. We only need to look at the anecdotes of people who are deleting social media apps off their phones, drastically reducing their screentime and going analogue with their media.

People are becoming increasingly fatigued and picky with the content they consume. People are craving community and want to belong to something.

The key is defining:
→ Who your audience wants to be 
→ How does your content make them feel 
→ Do you want to be aspirational or relatable with your content

Many 2026 marketing predictions have talked about posting less and going for quality over quantity.

This is something we’ve always known, but I do believe we are totally past the days of posting 3-5 times a week on social media as a necessity.

Yes, we want our content as brands or creators be seen. 
Yes, there can be a benefit to hopping on trends.

However, I believe we need to start prioritising memorability over visibility.

→ Creating content that people choose to watch rather than scroll past.
→ Developing a recognisable format, whether that be a series or a style
→ Building a world or journey that you’re invested in

What do you think? Are you approaching your social strategy differently this year? 💭

A big thank you to Sophie for starting my week off with a fantastic webinar and for the best community with Pretty Little Marketer 💖

Looking for my next role in social media and marketing | Communications Officer at Sauermann UK

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The Battle

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