Positioning the Exceptional. Build your post-exit venture in public ✍🏼 Ghostwriter + Strategist.

If you want to :

- Sell your B2B services through Linkedin that CFOs beg to buy
- Close $1M in deals (minimum) without building a personal brand
- Cash in on sales through LinkedIn everytime you post  
- Outsmart every competitor in your market

DM me "window" for early access to my private program



Stéphanie Lauer

I hate sales calls, so I stopped doing them. And it’s how I’m going to make 7 figures. 

Instead, I mastered inbound, writing with enough sauce that buyers show up ready to buy, and I close deals in messages without having to persuade them.

I’ve noticed most of my sales come through emails anyway.

Mostly because I usually already know why someone is here before they even open their mouth.

Like, you come in and tell me you crossed $10M. I believe that.

What I’m actually listening for is:

The demand you’re currently generating through ads is slowly eating at you, micromanaging your team, you’re clearly fed up managing shitty buyers and spending way too much time dealing with people who question everything in your process.  

Because that’s the problem.

UR GETTING DEMAND BUT IT SUCKS.

And you don’t fix that on sales calls.

You don’t fix that by explaining more.

You fix it by writing to people who are already in crisis, loaded pockets who already know something’s off and are actively looking for someone who can handle it for them. 

Those people want your rules.

They want someone to say:

this is how it works

this is the plan

this is the price

And they relax when they hear that.

They bend because they’re relieved someone finally has structure.

This is why vague content kills sales.

You can shock people with your hooks and have DMs full of “this is so true.”

And still sell nothing.

Because none of that answers the only thing that matters at this level:

Can you actually deal with my problem?

Your writing has to do one thing.

It has to make it obvious that you know exactly what’s happening in their business - and that you know what to do about it.

When that’s clear, you assume the money is already in your account. That’s it.

That’s how inbound works.

A lot of people don’t have their best year yet because they keep doing shit they hate. 

People say “just do it consistently.”

But if you hate it - like really hate it - you’re already losing.

And that’s why you continue to attract buyers you hate -  and continue to choose them.

A lot of ceos tell me they hate them too, but its whats “required of them“ - thats to vet their buyers. My thought is this: You have sales people to take care of it. If you‘re still doing them U NEED TO UNDERSTAND your buyers better. And to climb to $30M you need to attract better buyers. 

I‘ll leave you with that.

I partner with founders (at $5M–$30M) so their buyers say yes to 1M+ deals. Subscribe below:

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I’m going to tell you a slightly evil plan for getting a manufacturing group $1M+ clients/ per quarter on LinkedIn. An honest breakdown:

In the beginning, we pulled in the WRONG clients. Pre-seed inventors with no VC money. We were talking about products and it attracted people who had no funding behind their name.

So we stopped talking about products and started talking about the moment where everything can go wrong in hardware.
Pre-production. The moment of hell.

The moment where money has already been committed, timelines are fragile, one mistake can cost six figures, and nobody inside the company wants to be the person responsible if it fails.

Almost no business actually knows their buyer’s crisis moment.

They’ll say shit like:
“We help companies build products”
“We do end-to-end manufacturing”
“We scale businesses”

That’s really useless.

This is the question I use to vet every inbound in 2025:

“What is the exact moment your buyer panics internally?”

Why i’m punitively precise on that angle:

Every deal has multiple trust battles:

- Do they trust you
- Do they trust your mechanism / method
- Do they believe the mechanism works for their situation
- Do they trust you to execute it 
- Do they believe it delivers the result

We rode that angle relentlessly. Even if it got boring.

Now that manufacturer is closing $1.2M clients/ per quarter on Linkedin. 

This is where a real positioning strategist matters.
Someone who understands LinkedIn well enough to wear the angle out properly.

And moving into 2026 I’m adding a new layer to our strategy:

We’re launching our own products as a group and showing every real manufacturing decision in public, so when buyers hit the moment they’re scared to decide, the trust is already pre-sold.

That is doing two things:

1. Pulling in bigger buyers
2. It opens doors to media that has nothing to do with LinkedIn.

You could absolutely run this yourself if you’re a manufacturer.

Or you partner with someone who’s already burned the cycles figuring it out.

That’s what we do here.

I control demand for a few manufactuers and across all of them, I’ve noticed the same thing: TAKE NOTES. 

The moment they own a mechanism - and we push that mechanism everywhere - buyers handle their own objections at every stage of the sale.

We’ve done this through lead magnets and through long-form breakdowns.

But the real shift happened when we pushed the mechanism hard on LinkedIn and made all of their marketing about how the work actually gets done.

There’s this idea floating around that “buyers don’t care about your method.”

That’s bullshit - at least for this class of buyer.

There is a massive difference between:

- someone buying a $3K SaaS tool
- and a buyer about to risk six or seven figures on a manufacturing decision

Those buyers want to see how the machine works.

Here’s what’s actually happening under the hood with every serious prospect:

You have multiple battles to win - in order.

1. Do they trust you?
2. Do they trust your mechanism?
3. Do they believe the mechanism works for their situation?
4. Do they trust you to execute it under pressure?
5. Do they believe it reliably delivers the result?

We let assets do the heavy lifting before the conversation even starts.

This is how.

We take their real process and put it under a microscope.

1. We break the process into distinct stages
2. We give each stage a specific name
3. We wrap it in technology or systems that are built in-house 
4. We explain exactly how each stage works
5. We show how each stage connects to the next
6. We lead everything to a clear end result

Now something important happens.

Instead of being skeptical of the entire process, prospects can be skeptical about one stage at a time.

That’s good.

Because each stage now has its own focused asset that goes deep on that specific risk, that specific decision, that specific concern.

So objections stop being emotional and vague:

“I’m not sure this will work…”

And become precise and solvable:

“What happens at Stage 3 when copycat manufacturers in China replicate your design at half the price - and how do you prevent it?"

That’s when deals move.

Prospects want to see the machinery exposed.

Prospects want to see you naked - operationally.

And 2026 is going to reward exactly that.

Hyper-specific mechanisms.

Because it removes uncertainty before they ever have to ask for reassurance.

CLOCKED IT????

That’s how manufacturers sell faster, with less convincing, and bigger mandates.

I believe even the hardest things, misunderstood tools, complex stories, or painful experiences, can be turned into a force for good. That’s what drew me to social media: a space that’s often written off as shallow or overwhelming, but when used well, can move people to act, connect deeply, and create real change.

After a decade working on hundreds of social media campaigns, I’ve seen both sides of it. The impact side and the frustrating side. I’ve watched leaders pour time and resources into social without results, feeling like they’re shouting into the void.

I often hear:
"Social isn't working for us."
 "This is so frustrating."
 "You're my last stop before I throw in the towel."

That’s exactly why I founded Cause Fokus—a social-first thought leadership agency that helps executives and founders step confidently into their story, build trust, and turn their influence into impact.

We use empathy-driven strategy, grounded in human psychology, to get you in the room with the people who matter most to your mission. I’ve had the privilege of leading social for U.S. policymakers, international NGOs, small businesses, professional athletes, artists, and global change-makers.

And yes, I’m very proud of my Swedish roots, so you might hear me talk a lot about quality over quantity, fika breaks ☕️, and clarity in everything I do. (That’s also why "fokus" is spelled with a k. 😉)

3 ways to work with me:

- Subscribe to my free newsletter
- Hire me as a fractional consultant
- Hire our team for LinkedIn content strategy & support

CASE STUDY: Turning Influence into Opportunity

A CEO of a patient advocacy foundation came to me with a big problem: no traction from their company’s LinkedIn ad campaigns. Cold outreach was falling flat. They were losing momentum with healthcare partners—and couldn’t afford to keep spinning their wheels.

Our solution:

We activated the Chief Development Officer’s personal LinkedIn presence.
In his own voice, we posted 3–4 times a week, spoke directly to the pain points of ideal partners, engaged in strategic conversations, and sent warm, personalized messages to his top-tier contact list.

In just 6 months:
- His content reached 100,000+ impressions
- Profile views from key decision-makers jumped 508%
- Connection acceptance rate hit 60%
- A major lapsed partner re-engaged and said: “I love what you’re doing on LinkedIn. I can tell the organization is taking a turn for the better. Let’s chat.”

Because when the right people trust you, the right doors start opening.
Trust is currency. Let’s spend it well!

Brynne Krispin

One year ago today, I received this email from LinkedIn inviting me into the Top Voices program.

It's been a journey!!

But here's what I want you to know:

The badge didn't change anything.

Not my credibility, influence, or ability to connect with the right people.

All of that was built in the years before the badge ever showed up.

Every single post I published was a tiny experiment.

An experiment to figure out who I am. What I actually believe. The message I want to clearly communicate.

And an experiment to see what resonates. What sticks. What makes people stop scrolling and say, "Yes, that."

Some posts flopped. Some I cringe at even now! Some got 3 likes and a comment from my dad. 🙃

But every single one gave me data.

Data about my voice.
Data about my audience.
Data about what it looks like to keep showing up, even when it feels like no one's watching.

If you're just starting out, remember this:

→ You don't need a badge to have influence.
→ You don't need permission to share your ideas.
→ You don't need to wait until you've "figured it out."

The figuring out happens in the posting.

Every time you hit publish, you learn something. About yourself. About your audience. About what you're actually here to say.

So if you've been sitting on the sidelines, waiting for some sign that you're ready...

This is it.

Start experimenting. Start failing. Start learning.

The badge is just a byproduct. The real win is becoming the kind of person who shows up anyway.

What's one thing you've learned from posting that surprised you? 👀

Your book: polished, well-researched, years in the making.
Your keynote: compelling, rehearsed, standing ovations.
Your decades of experience: undeniable.
Your LinkedIn presence... 

😬😬😬

If this hits a little too close to home, you're not alone!

So many brilliant leaders have built incredible bodies of work, but when it comes to showing up online, it feels awkward. Unnatural. Like you're suddenly forgetting how to do the thing you've done your whole career.

You don't need to become a content creator. You just need a strategy that actually fits how you think and work.

That's exactly what we're building together in the Thoughtful Leaders Cohort starting Feb. 4!

Small group. No fluff. Just a clear path from invisible to in-demand — on your terms.

We have a few spots left, and I'd love for you to join us!! 
📓 Sign up: https://lnkd.in/eza5za4r

I've seen one LinkedIn post lead to a multi-million dollar corporate grant for a nonprofit. Here's exactly how it happened:

A subject matter expert at a nonprofit posted a niche, data-driven piece about a new initiative they were rolling out. I remember her asking, "Do you think people will actually care about all these nerdy details?" 

I said: "Yes! The nerdier the better."

She walked through why they were investing in it, shared some of the candid conversations that led to the decision, and made a case for why it was the right move.

It wasn't viral content, but it was strategic content. The post got around 10 likes.

But then a World Economic Forum employee saw that post. Sent her a DM: "This aligns so well with our conference theme. Would you be open to submitting a proposal to speak at WEF?"

She said yes.

A few months later, she gave a powerful talk on exactly what her post laid out to a room full of global leaders and policy experts.

A major corporate foundation was in the room, and they asked to meet. 
After a series of conversations and proposals, they funded a comprehensive study. 

Then another grant to develop initiatives with a local government. 
Then a third grant to support practical interventions.

One post → One DM → Millions in funding.

Now, you might say: "That's just luck. You can't plan for that."

And you're right — you can't fully predict these moments.

But you can increase the odds.

You can stop posting randomly and start positioning strategically. You can ask yourself: Who are the game-changers who need to see my content? What do they care about? What would make them stop scrolling and say, "We need this person in the room"?

Connect with them. Engage with them. Post for them.

The more you post with intention, the more you turn random into predictable.

You can wait for the right moment to find you.

Or you can create the conditions for it to happen.

What's one opportunity that came from a post you didn't expect?

I'm extremely picky about who I connect with on LinkedIn. It's one of the top questions clients ask me: 

"Should I accept every connection request? What's your process?"

My take: There's no one-size-fits-all answer. Your strategy depends on your goals, your capacity, and who you're trying to reach.

But if it's helpful, here's exactly how I filter connection requests:

First, I look at their profile. I consider:

→ What their headline says about what they do.
→ If they've posted recently, and what they're sharing.
→ Whether their content makes me think.

Then I ask myself a few questions:

→ Could I realistically see myself having a strategic conversation with this person?
→ Are they sharing ideas that challenge me or teach me something?
→ Would I want to work with them someday — as a collaborator, client, or peer?
→ Or does their profile scream "I'm going to pitch you something in 30 seconds"?

If the answer to that last one is yes, I pass.

My feed is my learning environment. My network is my community. And I want both to feel like spaces where real conversations happen.

Your approach might be totally different, and that's okay.

Maybe you're in growth mode and want to cast a wide net.
Maybe you're more open to serendipity.
Maybe you have more bandwidth than I do.

The goal isn't to copy my process, but to develop one that truly serves you.

For me, a curated network is about intention.

What's your filtering process? I'm curious how others approach this. 👀

Excited to welcome these newest members of our team!! 🎉

We're growing! Meet the newest members of our team! 🎉

👋 Daren Colbert – Ghostwriter
Daren helps CEOs and senior leaders translate hard-earned leadership lessons, strategic insights, and culture-building beliefs into LinkedIn posts, newsletters, blogs, and email campaigns that build trust and drive real business outcomes. He blends narrative craft with direct-response discipline to make leaders sound unmistakably like themselves—only sharper. Off the clock, he’s a husband and proud dad who still believes stories can change outcomes when they’re told with honesty and heart.

👋 Alex Piscatelli – Content Strategist
Alex is a social media strategist and creator based in San Francisco. Her media and storytelling experience ranges from newsrooms such as E! News and San Diego’s public media station, to nonprofit clients Saga Education, It Gets Better, and more. She is currently a graduate student researching grief and representation in media and popular culture, and writes and podcasts at griefandmedia.com.

👋 Max Moclock – Outbound Specialist
Max is a brand strategist who helps organizations cut through the noise. He’s guided everyone from federal agencies launching mission-critical initiatives to consumer retailers building breakthrough digital experiences–all focused on one thing: crystallizing go-to-market strategies that deliver results. When he’s not sharpening brands, he's throwing punches in kickboxing, playing ice hockey, or practicing piano.

We are beyond thrilled to have Daren, Alex, and Max on board as we continue to help leaders turn their expertise into impact. Help us welcome them to the team!

I ended the year with 72 drafts sitting in my "to post" folder. 🙃 
Here's exactly what I'm doing to turn that pile of drafts into actual published posts this year:

1. Turn on my Olivia Dean playlist.
   
2. Open my custom AI agent (the same model we use for our Builder clients).
   
3. Drop all 72 drafts in.
   
4. Upload my 2026 priorities doc so my agent knows what I want to focus on this year.
   
5. Ask it to rate each draft based on two things (using a scoring sheet):
   → How aligned is it with my goals?
   → How close is it to being done?

6. Move the ranked drafts into my content calendar.
    
7. Block 1 hour each week to finalize and schedule.

That's it.

I don't have time to waste staring at a blank page. No more "what should I post today?" panic. No more letting good ideas collect dust.

The goal isn't to post more.

It's to post smarter with intention, aligned to where I'm headed.

If you've got a graveyard of drafts haunting your notes app, give this a try and start building on what you already have.

What's one draft you've been sitting on that deserves to finally see the light? 

p.s. We're accepting 2 more Builder clients Feb. 1. Message me if you need help with this!

In the late 1700s, a scientist discovered hydrogen, calculated the Earth's density, and laid the groundwork for Ohm's Law.

Almost no one knew.

His name was Henry Cavendish, and he hated being seen. He rarely published. When he did, it was quiet and incomplete. His genius stayed hidden in notebooks until after he died.

Compare that to Einstein — another introvert, but one who understood that for ideas to matter, they have to reach people.

Two brilliant minds. Two very different legacies.

When I first read about Cavendish, I got a pit in my stomach. Because for years, I was the same way. Content to stay behind the scenes, ghostwriting for others, believing the work should speak for itself.

It took me a long time to realize the quiet cost of remaining behind the scenes.

Full article below. ↴

In the late 1700s, there lived a man who changed science forever, and almost no one knew it. His name was Henry Cavendish, and he hated being seen. He

Open article: The Cost of Remaining Behind the Scenes by Brynne Krispin • 4 min read

One of our writers just turned a Slack message into a viral post.

A client sent over a rough idea: "I want a post about supply chain delays in my industry. I've been hearing the wait times are getting out of control."

He mentioned a few data points he wanted included. A case study he remembered hearing about. He knew the angle — these delays are holding up growth and threatening long-term stability.

Some writers would've taken that brief and started typing.

Ours didn't.

She built a deep research framework:

→ Current lead times across multiple product categories
→ Industry reports on what's causing the delays
→ How these bottlenecks impact downstream projects and infrastructure
→ The specific case study and what actually happened
→ The broader implications for the industry's future

14 pages of research later, she had a comprehensive deep dive.

Then she summarized it. Drafted the post. Revised it several times.

And here's the step most people skip:

She ran the final post back against the original research to check for content decay — making sure nothing got diluted, no context was lost, and every statement still aligned with the source material.

The client posted it with minimal edits, and it took off.

Why? Because it was SO specific.

Not "5 tips for better leadership."
Not "Here's how to scale your business."

It was the exact frustration his audience was already feeling, articulated in a way they hadn't seen before.

This is what we train our writers to do.

They're constantly looking for signals. 

Picking up on the things you mention in passing. Researching what your audience is saying when you're not in the room and what keeps them up at night.

They think like detectives, not order-takers.

And in a world drowning in generic AI content, that's the difference between getting scrolled past and stopping someone mid-scroll.

Depth is your differentiator. Lean into it!

Arthur Brooks is a happiness expert. He started with anxiety and depression.

I picked up his book at a used bookstore a few weeks ago ("Build the Life You Want"), and it completely reframed how I think about expertise. 

Brooks didn't write because he had all the answers. 
He wrote because he was desperate to find them. 
His expertise was born out of his own struggle.

This resonated deeply with me, because so many of the founders and executives I work with are waiting to share their ideas until they feel "ready." They're waiting until the framework is polished, the book is finished, or they finally feel like a real expert.

But here's what I've learned after working with 50+ experts: the ones who resonate most aren't the ones who've "arrived." They're the ones still in motion — still learning, still figuring it out, still willing to say "I don't have all the answers yet."

That honesty makes you more trustworthy, not less. Your audience doesn't need you to be perfect. They need you to be a few steps ahead, willing to share what you're learning along the way.

So if you've been sitting on the sidelines, waiting until you feel like an expert... you already are one. You just haven't started talking about it yet.

What's something you're still learning that you could also be teaching?

taplio

The Battle

Stéphanie Lauer

Brynne Krispin

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreStéphanie Lauer's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreBrynne Krispin's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Stéphanie Lauer

Brynne Krispin

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);}Stéphanie Lauer's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreBrynne Krispin's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreStéphanie Lauer's LinkedIn Performance