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

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??

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 sat in a rooftop cafe, spent 4 hours painting some pretty flowers and listening to my fave albums 🌸

Morning well spent!

I'm a 27 year old, multi-award-winning business owner.

For 4+ years,
I've been building a "successful business"

This year I'm taking seriously another goal:
To build a "SUCCESSFUL LIFE"


So I operate in modes:

1. WORK MODE - spent part of my day locked in, delivering client work, smashing KPIs, delivering 1:1 coaching, running my 1-man business. 

• I'm caffeinated
• All my supplies are with me
• I get into an ADHD flow state.

2. LIFE MODE - do something that genuinely fills my cup and has nothing to do with making money, saving time or being 'productive'.

• My laptop stays at home.
• All notifications are off.
• I don't give myself "time" limits.


Some of those things include:

⛰️ Going on long walks with hiking boots, waterbottle, binoculars and no Google Maps!

🎨 Painting, knitting, building lil wooden ornaments - doing any form of 'creation' with my hands (screen-free!)

🏋️ Spending hours in the gym (rotating between working out, sitting in the sauna, facetiming friends on a treadmill or lying by a pool)

📖 Reading fiction books and getting lost in stories with a hot drink (usually peppermint tea, tropical mango tea or decaf coffee).

🥯 Planning a mid-week daytrip - where I go out for brunch, do an activity (galleries, zoos, museums) and see friends IRL.

🌅 Sitting on a beach, a cliff or in your garden and watching the sunset, appreciating nature


Remember: "productivity" isn't just measurable by money or time.

Being productive can also mean:

- resting and recovering
- observing the world around you
- having quality time with loved ones
- doing something purely for joy
- learning a new skill (with no intention to monetise it)
- reading, writing, composing
- listening to your body
- trying new things (even if you fail)
- having fun

ps. how do you "fill your cup?"


Oh and the albums I listened to were:

Stripped - Xtina
Waking up - One Republic
Wasteland Baby! - Hozier
My 21st Century Blues - RAYE

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 😂

I wrote a LinkedIn post that got 74,802 likes.

It hit over 1.2 million impressions 🤯📈

- 5,186 comments.
- 1,192 reposts.

Fair to say, it BLEW UP!! 

Tomorrow, I'm showing the post to my mailing list.

And I'll break down:

1. How I sourced the idea for my client
2. Why I wrote that specific hook
3. What viral writing techniques I used

Sign up here if you want it in your inbox.

It's free: https://lnkd.in/eVKs-RrT

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've cut out people who "talk" non-stop about their goals BUT never take action to achieve them.

I don't judge them.

I just refuse to sit in their delusion 😅

I'm tired of:

The same conversations
The same advice they'd ask for
The same excuses they'd make

I'm au-ADHD, so this also might come into it.

I'm a literal person.

If I say I'm going to create a digital product in 5 days.

By day 3 I'll have the product, the email funnel, the launch material, the graphics, the copy, the social media posts ... all done!

Day 4: I launch it
Day 5: I move to the next thing

I've trained a bias for action.

Otherwise, you get stuck in the "talking stage"

When we talk about doing something, the brain releases dopamine, just as it would if we'd actually done the thing.

So it "rewards" you for doing nothing.

Which is toxic af. Brain, do better 😂


Here are 4 things I do to PREVENT this:


1. I make an upfront investment.

Money creates commitment and the pain of losing it is a great motivator.

Invest in whatever you need ASAP.
(Even better if there's a time limit)

E.g. I paid for 6 passes for a yoga class. But the passes had to be used within 4 weeks.

I booked them all and went.

See?? It works.


2. I bake accountability into it.

Hire a PT if you wanna get built
Hire a biz coach if you want ££
Go to the gym with a friend.

The pain of letting people down is often worse than the pain of doing the thing you said you would.

Which is great for taking action.

This is especially helpful on days when you're feeling lazy.

Or whipping up excuses to not do it.


3. I single-task (not multi task).

Long to-do lists are the enemy of progress.

Subtraction is the secret weapon.

So I cull everything from my to-do list and pick 1-2 priorities.

I clear my diary for that thing.
Assign a limited amount of time for it.
Then go all in until it's done.

Only then do I move on to the next thing.

Multi-tasking = multi-failing.


4. I schedule it into the diary.

If it's not in your diary, you'll allow it to be swallowed up.

Don't lie to yourself.

You'll never make time for it.

So choose a date, time and location to start. (Knocking down the first domino is the hardest part).

Put it in your calendar. Time-block.

Anything else you want to do has to fit around it.

It's basic priority-setting.


All these are pretty basic things that helped me.

Maybe they might help you.

And you can FINALLY get *that thing* done you keep talking about.


P.S. What helps you TAKE ACTION?

Share any tips below and let's not gatekeep.

We can all win together!

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

In < 48 hours, I'm going "live" 🎤

To over 250 wonderful people!!

I'm teaching business owners, coaches & creators...

"How to Write Viral LinkedIn Posts" 📈📈

In 30 minutes, they'll learn:

✔ 8 top copywriting principles
✔ What visuals/formats to use
✔ The anatomy of a viral post
✔ How to master post hooks

It's 100% free. 
Open to everyone.

It will be jam-packed with value.

You're welcome to join.

Register here + get the link: https://lnkd.in/eGvesmwM

Come hang out with us!! 🫶🏽

This will be a fun LinkedIn live between 4 friends.

Ask us anything and walk away with lots of insights for building an authentic, high-trust personal brand.

Without all the silly shenanigans.

I can't wait to see some of you there!

I love this lineup so much.

$2M generated from 1 video/week → 122/250 founders (and counting)

3 people who've built ~60,000 followers each.

Literally 100's of clients between them.

Going live with Shoaib Ahmed, Karla McNeilage and Hannah del Herrera to break down what actually makes strangers trust you online.

Not the stuff you've heard a thousand times on the feed.

Like what is the EXACT way they did it from 0-60,000?

So you walk away knowing exactly how to do it yourself.

Les do it.

The stupidly simple way to build a brand + win strangers’ trust

"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

"I have a low reach problem on LinkedIn."

No. You have a writing problem 🙃

Even with

- good ideas
- lots of followers
- a great company

Your posts can still perform terribly.

Low impressions?
No inbound leads?
No new followers?

If you don't know how to convert ideas into ENGAGING content...

You don't get eyeballs on your offers.
You don't drive views to your profile.
You don't get new connection invites.
You don't get traffic to your website.
You don't book meetings in your diary.
You don't earn trust of your audience.
You don't get booked to speak on stage.

Rubbish, isn't it?

If this is you, I'm offering FREE help.


Join my live webinar.

→ How to Write Viral LinkedIn Posts

Date: Thurs 19th February
Time: 10:00 – 10:30am (GMT)

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


You'll learn:

✔ 8 top copywriting principles
✔ What visuals/formats to use
✔ The anatomy of a viral post
✔ How to master post hooks

And get to ask me anything, live!

This is for you if:

- Your posts impressions suck
– You know you should be doing better
– You’re tired of guessing what will land

It’s ESPECIALLY suitable for B2B business owners, coaches or freelancers who want to make LinkedIn their highest ROI marketing channel.

See you live in a few days!

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! 👋🏽

Niall Cleaver

Documenting the journey of crafting a timeless coffee cup brand | CEO & Founder of Cupsly

My story isn’t about a polished entrepreneur. My journey hasn’t been traditional. I left school without an English qualification, uncertain of what the future held. 

That failure shaped me, it forced me to think differently, fall into business, and ultimately embrace creativity, resilience, and the belief that change is possible, even when doubted. Fast forward to today, I’m growing and scaling businesses while sharing the real lessons that come from it.

Founder

Are you struggling to grow an engaging community for your business or personal brand.

Stop right there, I think I have you covered ⬇️

This is me (Niall), I'm a 22-year-old who is fascinated by growing communities in the online space. Actual communities that have meaning and purpose. 

The services we provide at Social Library 

➡️ Personal Branding (LinkedIn)

➡️ Guidance & support consulting


Drop me a message to discuss your social media strategy, review how well your current socials/posts are doing, and research how we can build your community and gain you more followers and leads.

or you can email us @

hello@sociallibrary.co.uk

If you’re in your 20s, please listen...

Go and shoot your shot!!!

I hated people telling me how I should live my own life, you shouldn’t travel, you shouldn’t build a business, you should go and gain more experience first.

 This is what my life has been so far: 

Tried several businesses from the age of 14.
Left school without an English qualification.
Met other people on the same wavelength.
Started learning more about business.
Documenting my journey in real time.

That, to me, is living life

Do what feels right to you because you’ll soon find the people who are doing the same, and they’ll become friends like never before. 

People will always try to tell you don't do this do it this way but if you've got a really strong opinion about something give it ago because you can always go back through the same door but the opportunity might never happen again.

Growing @thistlescientific and sharing the lessons while I do

Excited to be back in the capital 🇬🇧

Yesterday,  we brought Thistle to London for this year's festival of genomics, but this year, bigger and way more special, as we share a closer look into our mission as an organisation.

London has always held a special place for me, as the capital of my home country. But more than that, it’s a city where we support, assist, and encourage researchers to continue their vital work in keeping the world safe. 

Today, we’re up ready for day two and the team and I can’t wait for even more incredible conversations.

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Just a 25-year-old from a small county called Warwickshire who decided to go all in on their family business. 

I was a typical teenager who went to school, left without the qualifications I needed to get "a decent job", kept playing a little bit of professional rugby, then left with nothing really lined up. 

This was such a crucial stage in my life...
It's where I started to learn more about business. 

At 21 years old, I was diagnosed with dyslexia, and from that moment, everything started to make sense for me. 

The way I learned looked different.
The way I took action looked different.
The way I proceeded things looked different.

Understanding this allowed me to lean into my strengths the creative side, but not just that. It led me to understand the details of running a business. 

It's been full of trial and error throughout my entire life, but that's something we all should be looking for. It's where we develop, and now I get to do what I love, helping to continue to scale Thistle with the incredible team.

I’m really enjoying sharing more of this side of my journey.
The raw, honest, unfiltered side.

Last Friday was a special day...



5 years ago, I stepped into my family business, not expecting much. My mindset back then was: “It’s just a job until I figure out what I really want to do.”

5 years later, more invested and interested than ever. It's incredible to watch the business grow year on year, and last Friday was a big reminder of this for us.

We started mapping out the growth opportunities we have as a brand and organisation, and it reminded us of why we do this.

It's easy to continue to do what feels safe, comfortable and familiar, but as a team, we've always looked at the bigger picture.

How can we push a little further?
How can we become something even greater?”

That often means taking a little risk. The kind where you ask yourself if this works, it's going to change everything for us. The safe option feels comfortable, but keeps you in a bubble.

On Friday, this was the reminder we all left with.

You've got to take that bet on yourself.

I used to panic hearing the word strategy in business.

It sounded complicated... but it wasn’t.

I would hear the word and be like that sounds proper technical. I'd just nod like I understood exactly what it meant, when I didn't but now I get it and it's simple.

It's just a plan.

What are the objectives?
What action will you take to hit them?
Which data tells you it's working or it isn't?

We love to make words sound more complicated than they are. 

It's easy to overcomplicate things when you hear all of the advice online but it's simpler than you think. If something isn't working don't wait, go and find the reason why.

Try something. Learn. Adapt. Evolve. Repeat.
Just enjoy the process of figuring out.

That's what business is!

And that's a wrap for Festival of Genomics 2026. 

A full couple of days spent with our friends, team and partners. And this year felt extra special.

We finally started to share where we are going. We've got so much change happening behind the scenes, and soon we'll be able to announce it. We can't wait.

For us, these couple of days mean a lot. We get to meet so many different kinds of people. Well-established researchers & organisations who have spent decades doing incredible work, to students who are about to enter the industry.

But one thing never changes: it’s our chance to listen.

Listen to what researchers need, where they’re heading, and how we can continue developing and supporting their work even more. This still feels like the very beginning for us with so much more to give, and we can't wait to continue to work towards this.

Stop listening to too much advice.

Read that again... throughout my journey, I've fallen for many distractions. Stuff that didn't feel right personally, and so many of us are going through this.

There's advice here, there and everywhere.

And it's very hard to know which is the right or wrong advice, and you know what you'll never really know. The only way to find out is to...

Listen to your gut and try.

In a world full of advice after advice, trust yourself first. 
There's no right or wrong way to do anything.

If it works, it works!

P.S. Have a little day in the life vid

Yesterday, we moved closer to finalising the next chapter of Thistle.

And it's actually getting proper real now...

I've been very lucky to work on this project from the beginning. From the first idea all the way through the execution, but this project is more than that to us. It's not just another project; it's the next chapter in how we support even more researchers around the world.

But for many businesses, change can feel uncomfortable. It brings uncertainty and a little risk, but this is what we should be looking for. As you grow and develop as a business you brand evolves with you.

You become clearer with two questions:

Who you serve as a business?
How can you better support them?

That’s why it’s so important to bring the right people into the room.

People who debate, people who aren't scared of having hard conversations and people who keep it real. For us, that’s been the case since day one with Jo and Harry.

Both have been part of this journey from the start, helping shape, question, and build where Thistle is heading next. And it's one we're all excited for...

Remember, change is a good thing. Sitting still never is.

Last week, we shared changes to Thistle Scientific that will reflect the ambition we have as a company and a team.

It will bring us closer to researchers and allow us to be clear about what we're building together. We will also have the opportunity to display some of this next week at the Festival of Genomics.

We feel energised and ready to share what we've been working on for several months. As we enter this next phase, we're ready to help keep the world even safer, standing side by side with all researchers and organisations around the world.

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The Battle

Shoaib Ahmed

Niall Cleaver

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taplio

The Battle

Shoaib Ahmed

Niall Cleaver

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);}Shoaib Ahmed's LinkedIn Performance

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