Tara Horstmeyer

Happy Words

I believe you were made to lead, not exhaustively create LinkedIn content.

ABOUT HAPPY WORDS ⬇️
Hi! I'm Tara. 

After a 20+ year career as an award-winning editor, writer + leader, my career evolved to building Happy Words: A writing, consulting + training team that supports executives around the country.

As The OG LinkedIn Ghostwriter, I've trained and influenced many of the best in the best in the business. I’ve also been featured in Business Insider, Vox and Morning Brew as a LinkedIn Ghostwriting industry expert and have spoken at events + workshops while appearing on dozens of podcasts.

This truly sets me apart as I can both appreciate + serve busy executives who desire to impact others through their LinkedIn presence.

Executives—like you.

WE GET IT—BECAUSE WE GET *YOU* ⬇️

We know firsthand the weight of leadership duties and professional ambition leaders carry daily.

In fact, my unique background in people leadership + professional writing has firmly cemented me and my Happy Words team's reputation as the obvious choice for world-class executives and their teams.

You can't afford to leave your professional reputation or company’s brand to chance with just any Ghostwriter or service.

You genuinely need trusted social strategists AND experienced media experts to guide you.

Experts—like us!

Bottom line:

You were made to lead, not exhaustively create a LinkedIn presence.

We're here to help you expand your influence, grow your presence and stand out as the authoritative thought leader you ARE.

LET'S CHAT. HERE TO SERVE YOU ⬇️
You could be (and, let's face it, *should be*) the talk of LinkedIn.

Serving individuals, founders, execs, teams + companies:

1. CONTENT: LinkedIn Post Strategy + Ghostwriting
2. WORKSHOPS: LinkedIn Mastery Workshop + Workbook

Founder

Gravy

Worked with the Channel Partnerships team to scale Gravy’s client relationships program by helping establish new relationships while optimizing existing one-to-many channel partnerships.

Director of Partner Success

Tested and proved Gravy’s inbound and outbound strategies through non-conventional SDR methods, including pioneering voice and video, resulting in new clients + MRR.

Built scalable Sales Development program from scratch, including proving prospecting methodology, testing messaging, strategies and approaches, resulting in new clients, referral partners and a new stream of predictable revenue.

Helped implement SalesLoft in Q1 2020, including writing and testing all cadences, snippets and more. 

Ultimately recruited, hired, trained, onboarded and led new SDRs to build out our SDR team, helping 3 out of 5 break previous quota records within their first 60 days of onboarding.

SDR / SDR Growth Manager

Provided Gravy's overall content direction by producing and repurposing original content, including client communications, lead magnets, blogs and webinar + email marketing campaigns. 

Built and launched "The Outsider" newsletter, which is quickly becoming a pillar piece of communication for clients and subscribers.

Awarded Gravy’s highest honor in August 2019: Gravy MVP.

Content Manager

Assisted the sales manager and project managed all sales-related activities, including prospecting, discovery, referrals, maintaining CRM updates, email campaigns and led sales enablement activities.

Inside Sales Specialist

RevGenius

www.revgenius.com/mag

- Laid foundational framework that helped establish scaleable systems and processes.
- Assessed all inbound authors before approving to submit for RevGenius Magazine. 
- Assigned deadlines and brainstorms article topics while maintaining pipeline of content and authors so magazine has articles well in advance of publish date. 
- Recruited new authors for RevGenius Magazine as needed, and strategized additional ways to expand magazine’s engagement and reach through promotion, video use, etc.

Founding Managing Editor: RevGenius Mag

North Point Community Church

Recruited, trained, developed and led more than 225 volunteers as a director in the United States' second-largest student ministry setting.

Directed leaders and coaches through regular one-on-ones, relationship building, pastoring and helping to navigate any situation that would affect the small group. Developed leaders through trainings, weekly communication and meetings run one-on-one and in large groups.

Supported ministry as a whole through assisting with events, camps, trainings, leader meetings, written communication and resourcing volunteer leaders to help students pursue and discover a faith of their own.

Developed, curated and wrote the Transit small group leadership training manual used across campuses and at partner churches across the globe.

Groups Director

Naylor Association Solutions (Naylor, LLC)

Worked with association clients to plan, vision cast and produce all materials for print, online and event publications, including monthly magazines, newsletters, directories and additional resources as needed. 

Liaison between clients and sales to produce content and annual editorial calendar both favorable for members and to promote advertising revenue. 

Collaborated with clients to create broad-scale vision for publications as well as fine-tune the details needed to execute established vision. 

Produced original editorial content, served as copy editor, chose appropriate art, wrote design worksheets and detailed plans to ensure production and design team maintained integrity and clients’ expectations in their print, online and trade show presences. 

Managed all relationships via consistent email and phone communication. 

Developed, encouraged and enforced tight deadline schedules for clients and production throughout the planning and publication process. 

Worked closely with production, design and shipping to ensure clients’ expectation of excellence in both overall experience and product results was exceeded.

Maintained a workload of approximately 50 projects per year.

Awarded 2008 Editor of the Year, a highly coveted award spanning the U.S. and Canadian staff.

Editor

The Gainesville Sun

Reviewed articles for grammar, punctuation, flow, AP style and accuracy.

Wrote headlines and subheads. Produced breakout boxes as needed.

Selected appropriate stories and art to fill selected internal sections, capture readers’ interest and encourage advertising support.

Copy Editor

Sun Sentinel Media Group

Reviewed articles for grammar, punctuation, flow, AP style and accuracy. 

Wrote headlines, subhead and summary decks. 

Collaborated with reporters to clear up any ambiguities.

Copy Desk Summer Intern

Simplifying LinkedIn | Individual + team training you need to succeed on LinkedIn | Executive Ghostwriting | Content Coaching | Hands-on Workshops

"One person posts, and I now know them. Multiple people post, and I now know their company..." - MJ Peters. (Powerful, huh?)

Execs: I believe you were made to lead—NOT exhaustively create LinkedIn content.

Yet:
> Figuring out how to engage + leverage the power of LinkedIn.
> Finding a TRUSTED Executive LinkedIn Thought Leadership team that understand business.
> One that also offers content strategy, company LinkedIn training and high-level, strategic writing execution...

...can feel like another full-time job.

I'm here to remove this burden.

HI! I'M TARA ⬇️

The Original LinkedIn Ghostwriter + Founder of Happy Words. 

My 20+ year career as an award-winning editor, writer + leader gives me a unique understanding of not only what it takes to leverage content in a digital world...

But also what it takes to work with impactful leaders—in the REAL world.

After scaling to 30K+ followers + driving well more than 6-figures of revenue solely from my LinkedIn as THE Original AND highly sought-after LinkedIn Ghostwriter...

My career evolved to building Happy Words: A writing, consulting + training team that supports executives like you.

I’ve since been featured in Business Insider, Vox and Morning Brew as a LinkedIn Ghostwriting industry expert and have spoken at events + workshops while appearing on dozens of podcasts.

This truly sets me apart as I can both appreciate + serve busy executives who desire to impact others through their LinkedIn presence.

Executives—like you.

Bottom line:

You were made to lead, not exhaustively create a LinkedIn presence.

I'm here to help you expand your influence, grow your presence and stand out as the authoritative thought leader you ARE.

LET'S CHAT. HERE TO SERVE YOU ⬇️
Serving individuals, founders, execs, teams + companies:

1. CONTENT: LinkedIn Post Strategy + Ghostwriting
2. WORKSHOPS: LinkedIn Mastery Workshop + Workbook

---

So, that's a little bit about who I am, what I built (for years) and how I've served countless leaders (like you!) on LinkedIn.

I am ALWAYS up for a chat in the DMs. So...

Drop me a note.
Say hi.

DMs always open.
Cheering for you!

- T

Executive LinkedIn + Leadership Trainer

I help executives, companies and teams build their LinkedIn reputation at scale.

------

Leading is a full-time job.
Exhaustively figuring out LinkedIn shouldn't be.

No matter if you are looking to build your executive personal brand on LinkedIn, bring visibility and opportunity to you, your company or team or create an employee advocacy program, I can help you achieve it all.

You were created to lead — not spend your time writing for LinkedIn.

Let’s work together to bring YOU, your business, your team and your company to those who need it the most.

🔥 Expand your influence. Grow your reputation. Ignite your opportunities.🔥

3 WAYS I CAN HELP YOU ⬇️

1. LinkedIn GHOSTWRITING:
Writing WITH you + AS you is what I'm known for.
DM or email for information, packages and availability.

2. LinkedIn 1:1 + Corporate TRAINING:
From corporate workshops to 1:1 consulting + employee coaching, I've worked with the best to leverage LinkedIn.

Shoot me a DM to design your session now.

3. LinkedIn Brand CONSULTING + COACHING:
Whether you are looking for an all-encompassing LinkedIn strategy that works or need a professional editor's eyes on your (or your team’s) posts, I'm your guide to help you along the way. 

Shoot me a DM to discuss a Coaching or Consulting plan or visit me here:

tara@happywordssell.com
www.happywordssell.com

Jason Vana

Marketing Director

Attract the RIGHT customers to your business | Brand & content strategist | Founder at SHFT | Known as #sassyjason

Struggling to attract the right clients?

You have a brand strategy issue.

Attracting the right people requires understanding why they should buy from YOU, when there are 1000’s of other options easily accessible through Google.

In order to attract, convert, and retain the right clients, you need to:

- Know what makes your business unique
- Communicate what makes your business unique
- Create an experience that shows what makes your business unique

It’s all about highlighting your uniqueness.

That’s where my agency steps in.

Through collaborative workshops, research, strategy, and design, we will help you uncover, communicate, and build an experience around your uniqueness.

Working with us typically looks like:

- industry, competitor, and customer research
- brand and marketing workshops 
- brand and marketing strategies
- design (logos, websites, marketing materials)

It culminates in an Onlyness Action Plan — your 1 year, step-by-step brand and marketing to-do list.

All so you become the ONLY choice for your ideal customers.

And make a lot more money.

Want to learn more?

Send me a message.
Or book a call at shft.agency/discovery

Founder & CEO

We transform B2B service companies into the ONLY choice for their ideal customers. Our clients see a 20%+ increase in revenue with our brand and content strategies. 

Here's how we help:

◼️ Brand Strategy (customers, uniqueness, messaging, touchpoints, story)
◼️ Brand Design (logos, colors, fonts, collateral)
◼️ Content Strategy (demand gen, content creation)
◼️ LinkedIn (strategy, content, profile audits)

Interested in learning more? DM me or book a discovery call below.

I was in the ER twice this week with chest pains.

Once on Sunday. Again, on Tuesday, which led to my being admitted.

It was scary as hell.

My family has a long history of heart issues:

- Mama Vana had stents at 55 and quad bypass at 70
- Dad died of valvular cardiomyopathy at 46
- Brother had a heart attack in his early 40s
- Uncle had a heart attack in his early 40s
- Cousin had a heart attack in his early 40s

See a pattern there?

I'm 45. 

Chest pain is not something a male in this family should mess with.

(stupid genetics)

Thankfully, everything is fine.

I did NOT have a heart attack.
My echocardiogram came back clean.
My CT angiography came back clean.

Apparently, my heart is strong.
My valves are working.
My arteries are clear.

Ya boy's heart is like Superman. 

(and it's going to stay that way)

Still don't know what's causing the chest pains.
But we do know it's not my heart or lungs.

Which means one thing:

Y'all are stuck with #SassyJason.

Why am I sharing all of this, besides for an algo boost?

It was nice not having to worry about the business during all of this.

Client work got done.
Emails got responded to.
I even made money while in the hospital.

THAT was all possible because of our strategy.

And my amazing team.

Build correctly.

You won't have to worry about your business when life decides to sucker punch you in the chest.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

Become the ONLY choice. I build b2b service brands that stand out + drive revenue. Founder/CEO at Shft.Agency. Known as #SassyJason

Most personal branding "experts" are an absolute joke.

→ just be yourself
→ just be authentic
→ just post on LinkedIn
→ just create more content
→ your personality makes you different

👆🏼 Any real brander knows that advice is sh*t.

Yes, you have to be authentic.
Yes, you have to create content.
Yes, you need a personality.

BUT 👏🏼 THAT 👏🏼 SH*T 👏🏼 DOESN'T 👏🏼 MAKE 👏🏼 A 👏🏼 BRAND 👏🏼

Here's what actually builds a brand:

1. create a unique strategy
2. create a unique value
3. create a unique position
4. create a unique perspective
5. create a unique offer
6. create a unique identity
7. create a unique experience

In that order.

Personality, content, and being yourself are steps 6 and 7.

And if you don't have steps 1-5 in place...
Steps 6 and 7 won't make you money.

So before you start working with that personal branding "expert"...

Ask them a simple question:

How much money have your clients actually made?

If it's not at least 2x what you make...
RUN.

They're selling you sh*t.
Not a brand.

#SassyJason out.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

——
PS - Grab my All-in-One Strategy Bundle. 12 strategy resources for only $199. https://lnkd.in/epNdCFR7

Dear LinkedIn,

Please fix your sh*t.

Signed,

Every Creator Not Using a Pod Or Paying for Engagement

shftagency

fusion-tech-integrated-inc

ignite-student-ministries-inc.

LinkedIn

JSESSIONID

LinkedIn: Log In or Sign Up

LinkedIn Login, Sign in | LinkedIn

li_at

Talks about #content, #branding, #marketing, #brandstrategy, and #contentstrategy

Creating a new category is a balancing act.

Most founders try to be way too different.

→ Optimization specialist
→ Organizationalist
→ Business tidier
→ Life creator

(all categories I've heard from prospects)

None of them makes sense.

Because there is no point of reference to understand what they are.

And no one in their right mind is searching for a Business Tidier 

🙄

Creating a new category requires:

→ Familiar enough to understand
→ Different enough to stand out

Take Edge Cleaning Service in Washington.

They created a brilliant category.

House Detailers.

→ Clear on what they offer (house cleaning)
→ Understandable (we all know what detailing is)
→ Aligns with how people search (detailing is synonymous with deep cleaning)

They took two existing categories (house cleaning and car detailing)...
Smashed them together (house detailing)...
To stand out in the market.

And that's the key to category creation.

Familiar enough to be searched for.
Different enough to stand out.

Find that balance.

Or that "new" category you created will confuse the hell out of people.

And confused people NEVER buy.

✌🏼

#shftyoubrand

Confession: I hate most of the large accounts on LinkedIn.

Fluffy, stolen, regurgitated nonsense that helps no one.

That's why I only engage with smaller creators.

Those who actually help my business.
Those who teach me something valuable.
Those who have a personality beyond "look how vulnerable I am."

They are the creators who are doing LinkedIn right.

I follow 100s of small creators.

Here are the top 11 you should follow as well:

Alex B Sheridan → video creation that drives revenue

Morgan J Ingram → outbound and Sales Nav genius

Sara Stella Lattanzio → best damn marketer I know

Patrick Cumming → LinkedIn ads savant

Phillip Oakley → a brilliant strategist and positioning genius

Stephen Houraghan → a brand strategist I've learned from

Jacob Pegs → amazing content creator I've been learning from

Irit Levi → process, automation, and operations genius

Mina Mesbahi → one of the best content strategists I know

Katelyn Bourgoin 🧠 → buyer psychology + content strategist = amazing

Richard Moore → the master at closing sales

There are 100s more I could add to this list.

(Please don't cry if you aren't on this list. I still love you)

But these are the creators I recommend to my clients. 

Because I learn from them.

And that, my friend, is what your content should do.

Entertain, but more importantly, EDUCATE your ideal customers. 

So they trust you.
Adopt your POV.
And hire you.

Give all eleven a follow.
And tell them #SassyJason sent you.

You can talk about how great I am for introducing you. 

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

-----
PS - I'm out today and this week, celebrating Thanksgiving with my family.

PPS - grab all 12 of my paid resources + a $500 discount on a 90-min consultation with my Black Friday All-in-One Bundle → https://lnkd.in/e4YSrcGG

(7) Post | Feed | LinkedIn

My least favorite part of building a brand strategy:

Purpose. Vision. Mission. Values.

Fluffy garbage. 🤮

Case in point.

In 2023, I rebuilt how we create brand strategies at Shft.

My goal: make them lean enough to drive revenue fast.

So I did what most brand strategists wouldn’t dare.

I cut purpose, vision, mission, and values.
(You can pay me extra if you really want them.)

At first, I thought clients would freak out.

They didn’t.

We built strategies 3x faster.
Revision rounds dropped.
Clients made more money faster.

No one cared about what was “missing.”

Because their brand was doing what every brand should do:

MAKING 👏🏼 MORE 👏🏼 MONEY 👏🏼 

Sure, purpose, mission, vision, and values have their place.
But they don't pay the bills.

You can spend months perfecting your mission statement and make $0 from it.

Or you can build a brand strategy that actually makes you money.

Choose wisely.

✌🏼

#shftyoubrand

Fluffluencers have it hard.

Imagine preaching authenticity for years:

- building your brand on it
- staking your reputation on it
- creating courses to teach it
- sharing sob stories to show it
- going on podcasts to advocate it
- paying to feature yourself on Forbes about it

Only to drop it and preach AI content creation.

That would give anyone whiplash.

So, this month, let's check in with the fluffluencers.

Make sure they're doing okay.
And aren't suffering from concussions.

You know, from selling out their 'beliefs' for the next shiny object.

🙄

Seriously, creating content with AI is as far from authentic as you can be.

If you want to use it, no shame in that game.

But stop saying you're being authentic.

When you're literally letting a machine write and tell stories for you.

Like a damn fluffluencer.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

The only organic metric I care about on LinkedIn:

Saves.

Reach can be hacked. 
Comments can be written by AI.
Reactions can be driven from a pod.

Saves are the only metric that accurately shows the quality of your content.

Think about it.

No one is going to save sh*tty content.
Or content that doesn't help them.
Or content that isn't relevant.
Or content with selfies.

We only save content that solves a problem.
And that resonates with what we want to build.

And THAT'S the content that drives sales. 

(at least, that's why my clients say)

Want to get more saves on your content?

Try this ↓

1. Know your ideal customers
Determine who is most likely to buy from you.
Get as specific as possible.

2. Know the problems your clients face
Talk to them. Ask them questions. 
Follow up with "why does that matter?"

3. Solve those problems in content
Give them frameworks, tips, and advice.
The more practical, the better.

4. Push a next step
Tell them where to get more help.
A product, call, email → don't leave them hanging.

Practical content gets saved.

The more of your content they save, the more trust you build.
The more trust you build, the closer they are to buying from you.

And that, boo, is the goal.

Create content that gets saved.

You'll build trust and make more money that way. 

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

-----
PS. Get the full breakdown in tomorrow's Brand Shft email. Subscribe here → https://lnkd.in/eX_VpwT7

Feeling stuck sucks.

But it's not the final word.

All you need is a bit of clarity.

A vision.
A decision.
A roadmap.
A fresh idea.

Something that sparks life back in you.

I see this with every 1:1 client I've worked with.

They launched their business with a lot of excitement.

But the years wore them down.

- tactics that didn't work
- offers no one wanted
- content that fell flat

No matter what they did, they couldn't grow.

You know what finally worked?

Achieving clarity on three simple decisions.

- What makes you unique
- Who do you want to serve
- How will you attract them

I've driven $70M+ in new revenue for clients, and I can tell you this:

Nothing will work until you make those three decisions.

No new marketing campaign.
No LinkedIn hook.
No DM script.
No rebrand.

Make those three decisions.
And watch everything fall into place.

If you're ready to get clarity on your business, all of my resources are on sale for Black Friday.

→ Strategic Goals Toolkit
→ Uncover Your Differentiation Workshop & Miro Template
→ Assumption Reversal Exercise
→ Ideal Customer Playbook
→ Onlyness Strategy Template
→ Paid Discovery Offer Blueprint
→ Brand One-Liner Templates
→ LinkedIn Just Get Started Guide
→ The $700k+ LinkedIn DM Templates
→ Sales Staircase
→ One-Liner Roaster GPT
→ Niche Channel AI Prompt

Plus, a $500 discount on a 90-min consultation.

That covers everything from setting goals to marketing.

Separately, they cost $1,242.

Get the All-in-One Black Friday Special for only $199.

Check it out: https://lnkd.in/e4YSrcGG

These are the exact exercises, templates, and frameworks I have used to position 145+ B2B brands as the only choice.

And drive over $70M in new revenue.

Tactics won't get you unstuck.

Clarity will.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

I have a confession to make:

My Black Friday all-in-one bundle was a flop.

I put all 10 of my digital products + 2 of my GPTs into one bundle...
Gave people a $500 discount on a 1:1 consultation...
Packaged them together (separately $1,242)...

And sold it for $199.

I was expecting to make 50 sales.

Which wasn't a crazy goal.

I sold over 200 of my LinkedIn Just Get Started Guides (included in the bundle).

50 was a very conservative goal.
But I only sold 10. 

And I know why:

I didn't market it well. 

- 1 email announcing it
- 1 LinkedIn post about it
- 2 IG stories that were afterthoughts
- No reminder emails

And the worst part:

- I wasn't even actively engaging on LinkedIn when that post launched.

I was off spending time with family and expected my post to just take off.

I fell into the same mindset I tell my clients NEVER to have:

If I build it, they will come.

🤦🏻‍♂️

Look, you can have the best offer ever.

I mean, $199 to get everything you need to:

- set business goals
- uncover your differentiation
- know your ideal customers and how they buy
- create your brand strategy
- build an offer
- create a paid discovery offer
- create a sales staircase so you don't have to sell
- write your brand messaging
- roast your brand message and get improvements (GPT)
- find niche marketing channels
- build a profitable LinkedIn presence
- send DMs on LinkedIn that generate revenue

It's everything I do for my clients..,
and charge a minimum of $18K for...

For $199.

That's a killer offer.

But without good marketing, even killer offers flop.

Remember that. 

You need marketing to sell your offer.

Anyone who says otherwise is a damn fool.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

-----
PS - I'm extending the Black Friday sale until this Saturday. Grab your copy here → https://lnkd.in/epNdCFR7

Stop creating strategies you never use.

You don't need another brilliant plan to save your business.

Beautiful slides.
Detailed timelines.
Comprehensive analysis.

All for it to collect dust while you focus on doing whatever feels urgent.

🤦🏻‍♂️

Here's what to do instead:

Build a strategy you WANT to implement:

1. Start Small
Pick ONE thing to focus on for the next 30 days. 

2. Make It Measurable
If you can't track it, you won't do it. Set clear metrics that matter.

3. Schedule It
Block time in your calendar. Treat strategy execution like client work.

4. Review Weekly
Every Friday, ask: "Did I move the needle on my strategy this week?"

5. Adjust Fast
If something isn't working after two weeks, pivot. Don't wait months.

The goal isn't to create the perfect strategy.

(It doesn't exist, boo)

It's to create a strategy you'll actually execute.

Because a mediocre strategy you implement beats a brilliant strategy you ignore.

EVERY 👏🏼 SINGLE 👏🏼 TIME 👏🏼 

Stop planning your way to success.
Start executing your way there.

Your future self will thank you.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

If I had to rebuild my business from scratch...

Here's exactly how I'd do it ↓

1. Get crystal clear on what you want to build.

I changed my mind every other month — solopreneur, massive agency, fractional CMO.

Because I looked at what everyone else was doing and thought:

THAT'S what success looks like. 

🤮

Define what you want to build.

Set goals for your time, focus, and team size.

Building is much easier when you do.

2. Know your ideal customers.

You need to know them inside and out.

Who they are, what they love, what they struggle with, how they buy, who they trust, what motivates them to buy.

Every post, every offer, every DM should speak to THEM.

3. Create an offer staircase.

Having 10 different offers means you're known for nothing.

Pick one main offer and break it into steps:

- Freebie lead magnet
- Paid digital product
- Paid discovery offer
- Low-tier version (done by you)
- Mid-tier version (done with you)
- High-tier version (done for you)

ONE offer. 
Different levels of access.

4. Pick 3 platforms and post regularly.

Educate and entertain your ideal customers where they are.

Make it a mix of:
- Social (LinkedIn, IG, TikTok)
- Email (launch an email newsletter, boo)
- SEO (YouTube or blog posts)

Those three cover the basis of the buying journey.
And guarantee you show up where and when they are looking.

4 steps.
Years of frustration avoided.

If you want to build smarter, all of my resources are on sale for Black Friday.

It's everything you need to implement those 4 steps yourself.

Separately, they cost $1,242.
Get the All-in-One Black Friday Special for only $199.

Check it out: https://lnkd.in/epNdCFR7

These are the exact exercises, templates, and frameworks I have used to position 145+ B2B brands as the only choice. 

And drive over $70M in new revenue.

All by implementing four simple steps.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

My email signup form has 5 fields.

Most marketing "experts" say that's way too much.

They say I'm losing potential subscribers because I'm asking too much up front.

That best practice is just asking for an email.

More conversions that way.

Newsflash:

If you can't fill out 5 fields, I don't want you as a subscriber.

💁🏻‍♂️

You're clearly too damn lazy.
Don't really care about growing your business.
And it's a sign you won't implement the advice I give you anyway.

I don't want lazy ass, incompetent, freebie seekers on my list.

They don't buy.
They don't implement.
They don't follow advice.

And a year later, they're complaining that their business hasn't grown.

Those aren't the people I want to work with.

Look, best practices have their place.

But you better know:

- who you're trying to attract
- what you're trying to build
- the experience you're trying to create

Because not every best practice is the RIGHT practice for you.

Like having only 1 field for an email newsletter.

Best practice? Sure.
Best practice for Shft? Not at all.

Because if filling out 5 fields is too much for you...
...building a profitable business is WAY beyond you.

And I don't want to waste my time teaching you.

#SassyJason out.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

Most strategies don't drive revenue.

Here's how to test if yours actually does:

Revenue is the only metric that matters for business survival.

Yet most strategies focus on vanity metrics, awareness, and how nice it looks.

None of that pays the bills.

Here are 7 ways I test if a strategy actually drives revenue:

→ Review client retention and expansion rates
→ Calculate customer lifetime value changes
→ Measure conversion rates at every stage
→ Monitor average deal size improvements
→ Analyze sales cycle length reduction
→ Track lead quality, not just quantity
→ Test pricing strategy effectiveness

If your strategy isn't moving these numbers, it's not working.

Businesses spend months on positioning and market research without connecting it to actual revenue outcomes.

That's not a strategy.
It's expensive procrastination.

Real strategy creates a direct line from your positioning to your profit.

The only question that matters:

"Will this help us close more deals, faster, at higher prices?"

If the answer isn't a resounding YES, you're not being strategic.

You're procrastinating.

Test your strategy against revenue.

Not engagement rates.
Not brand awareness surveys.
Not how pretty your website looks.

Revenue.

Because that's what keeps you in business.

Everything else is just noise.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

I've run 275+ strategy workshops. 

Here are the 4 pitfalls even experienced marketers stumble into.

Pitfall 1: Starting with tactics

They jump straight to "we need better content" or "let's run ads."

Without understanding:

- WHO they're targeting
- WHY those people should care
- HOW they'll stand out in the market

Strategy first. Tactics second.

Pitfall 2: Making assumptions about their market

"We know our customers want X."

Do you?
Or are you guessing?

I've seen companies spend months building features nobody asked for.

Because they assumed instead of asking.

Pitfall 3: Trying to be everything to everyone

"Our solution works for small businesses AND enterprises."

RIIIGGGGHHHTTTT....

And that's exactly why you're struggling to stand out.

Pick a lane.
Own it completely.

Pitfall 4: Skipping the competitive analysis

"We don't have competitors."

Yes, you do.

Even if it's the status quo or simply doing nothing.

Understanding what you're up against shapes everything.

Just look at the data ↓

Companies that skip strategy spend 3x longer getting to market.

They pivot constantly because they never had a clear direction.

But companies with a solid strategy?

They move fast.
They stand out.
They win.

You can keep guessing your way to success.

OR you can build a strategy that actually works.

One gets you results.

The other?

That's just expensive trial and error.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

Your brand should come through your content. 

So much so that people feel it in every post.

Take my personal brand.

I set out to create a brand that was:

- Sassy
- Direct
- Strategic
- Rebellious
- Brutally Honest

I even label myself the Sassy Strategist.

Guess how Favikon described my brand:

- Sassy
- Direct
- Strategic
- Rebellious
- Brutally Honest

And labeled me the Sassy Strategist.

THAT 👏🏼 WASN'T 👏🏼 BY 👏🏼 ACCIDENT 👏🏼 OR 👏🏼 COINCIDENCE 👏🏼 

I chose how I wanted to be seen.
The feeling I would leave people with.

And then built that feeling...
...with every single post...
...every comment...
...every DM...
...every call...
...every email...
...every interaction you have with me.

THAT'S what authenticity looks like.

Not some vulnerable sob story about how you lived in your car.

But by being the same, no matter how people interact with you.

If your content doesn't help us describe you...
...even if it's 100% practical content...
...and not one single sob story...

You don't have a brand.

At least, not one that's working.

Let's fix that. 

I have 2 openings left for an Onlyness Call this month.

It's the perfect way to start 2026 with the right brand.

Book yours here → https://lnkd.in/eRuu6S3j 

Use discount code BYE2025 to save $400.

Cause #SassyJason is ready for this sucky-ass year to end.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

Sassy Jason Favikon Rewind

I rarely discount my products and services.

It's just not the game I want to play. 

But this year, I started launching more digital products.

Frameworks, templates, and GPTs that I've used to generate 6-7 figures of new revenue for my clients.

I had 1 paid resource before 2025.

I now have 10.
And a few freebies that will become paid products next year.

I'm discounting them all.

That's right, #SassyJason is running a Black Friday deal on my All-in-One Bundle.

Here's what you get:

→ Strategic Goals Toolkit
→ Uncover Your Differentiation Workshop & Miro Template
→ Assumption Reversal Exercise
→ Ideal Customer Playbook
→ Onlyness Strategy Template
→ Paid Discovery Offer Blueprint
→ Brand One-Liner Templates
→ LinkedIn Just Get Started Guide
→ The $700k+ LinkedIn DM Templates
→ Sales Staircase
→ One-Liner Roaster GPT
→ Niche Channel AI Prompt

Plus, a $500 discount on my 90-min Onlyness Call consultation good until March 31.

Purchased separately, these resources cost $1,242.

But you can get the All-in-One Bundle for $199.

That's a savings of $1,043.

(Yes, I have gone insane 🤪)

Grab your bundle today → https://lnkd.in/epNdCFR7

That price expires on Tuesday, December 2. 

Don't say I didn't warn you.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

------
PS - I'm out today spending time with Mama Vana, Brother Vana, and Niece Vana, so I likely won't be replying.

"Should we launch this new initiative?"

☝🏼 I get asked that question a lot.

Most founders see an opportunity and immediately think:

- competitive advantage
- resource allocation
- revenue potential
- growth targets
- market timing

All important considerations.

But launching without asking the right questions is costly.

At its core, a strategic initiative is an investment.

One that should deliver:

→ measurable results
→ for the right reasons
→ that align with your business

Before you pull the trigger, ask these 7 questions 👇🏼

1. Does this align with our core strategy?
If it doesn't support your main objectives, it's a distraction.

2. Do we have the right resources?
People, budget, and time. All three are non-negotiable.

3. What's the real opportunity cost?
What are you NOT able to do because of this initiative?

4. How will we measure success?
Vague goals lead to vague results.

5. What could go wrong?
Plan for failure scenarios before they happen.

6. Do our customers actually want this?
Your assumptions aren't market validation. Ask them!

7. Can we execute this well?
Mediocre execution kills great ideas.

☝🏼 These are the bare minimum questions you should answer.

Because they'll save you from expensive mistakes.
And help you focus on initiatives that actually matter.

Start with these essentials.

You'll gain far more clarity about what's worth pursuing.

Which, in turn, means better...

RESULTS.

If you're into that sort of thing, that is.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

Strategy is nothing without design. 
And design is nothing without strategy.

The two go hand-in-hand.

Most founders skip strategy and go straight to design.

- new logo
- new fonts
- new colors
- new website

As if those alone will save their business.

🤦🏻‍♂️

Others focus on strategy and skip design.

- uniqueness
- positioning
- messaging
- offer

As if being unique doesn't require a unique look.

🤦🏻‍♂️

Let me clear it up for you.

YOU 👏🏼NEED 👏🏼STRATEGY 👏🏼AND 👏🏼DESIGN 👏🏼

- if you want compounding results
- if you want a website that converts
- if you want to attract ideal customers
- if you want people to remember your brand

The two play off each other.
And bring in compounding results.

So, if you just want a pretty look...
Or if you just want a new message...

Choose design OR strategy.

But if you want a brand that makes you stand out...
One that attracts your ideal customers...
And gets them to choose YOU...

You need strategy AND design.

Or, you know, keep making it harder to generate more revenue.

That's cool too, I guess.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

December means one thing:

It's time to audit your brand.

Most founders never revisit their brand once it’s live.

No evals. No reflection. No updates.
Just hope it still lands — even though the market has moved.

If it’s been a year since your last brand check, start here:

1. Analyze competitors
Drop yours and their websites into SEMrush.
See if you're winning attention. 

2. Pressure test your positioning
Still the only?
Run your unique angle through the Can’t/Won’t test.

3. Talk to real customers
Interview 3–5. Ask about their problems and why they bought from you.
Update your ICP based on their words.

4. Audit the experience
From first click to offboarding — what’s clunky and what's seamless?
Find and fix any friction.

5. Make it actionable
Prioritize the shifts.
Assign owners. Set deadlines.

Want a sharper outside perspective?

Let me roast your brand.
And give you a checklist of what to improve.

I'm only taking on 4 brand audits until Christmas.

Book yours here → https://lnkd.in/eabzMSpq

Don’t wing it like the rest.

Audit now, so 2026 isn’t guesswork — it’s growth.

✌🏼

#shftyourbrand

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Jason Vana

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