A creative Solopreneur building personal brands for the top 1% entrepreneurs on LinkedIn and sharing what I learn along the way.

In December 2022, I was building my personal brand to land a UX design internship.

I didn’t expect it would turn into a business serving 80+ CEOs.

Here's my story:

I met my first client - a UX Design Agency founder who looked at my work and said,

“Your design skills are good… but your ability to position people is rare. You should build personal brands, not interfaces.”

He handed me his LinkedIn account.

I built his personal brand from scratch.

He loved it. Then he referred his brother... a co-founder whose account had been poorly managed by another agency.

I took over.

Both profiles grew. Both businesses did, too.

Then in October 2023, I started freelancing.(it didn't worked out well)

So I positioned myself as a solopreneur.

By early 2024, I was working with CEOs, entrepreneurs, and founders across the U.S. - including Silicon Valley startups backed by top venture capital firms.

Then I launched Mikaios, a personal branding company built on one belief:

If people knew your story, they’d trust your brand.

→ 80+ CEOs and founders served globally
→ 5,400+ posts written.
→ 200+ qualified leads generated.
→ 10M+ views generated organically.

In 2025, I founded Brand By Content, a media company that helps people build authority at scale through newsletters, systems, and education.

Recognition

🏆 Ranked 28th LinkedIn Creator on Taplio’s Growth Challenge (out of 2,600+)
🏆 Ranked 12th Best Storyteller & Writer in India by Favikon

Today, I help CEOs and founders who already have the results (but not the visibility) build personal brands that attract opportunities, partnerships, and recognition.

If you’re ready to become known for what you do best, book a private strategy call with me:https://cal.com/johnnaveen/strategycall

John Naveen

Last year, I took my grandma to Sri Lanka.

It's been her dream for more than a decade.

She always wanted to visit, meet relatives there, and explore the country.

I still remember (when I was in grade 3 or 4) I told her:
"Wait a little… one day, I'll take you."

She laughed. I laughed.
But deep down, I meant it.

Last year, it finally happened.

We visited different cities, explored new places.
She enjoyed everything with the curiosity of a child.

It was one of the very few times in my life where I felt:
"Okay… this is what happiness actually looks like."

On one of the bus rides, a man sitting near us asked where I was from and what we were doing in Sri Lanka.

I told him, "I brought my grandma here. She always wanted to visit."

He paused. Looked surprised.
And then said something that stayed with me:

"This is the first time I'm seeing a grandson take his grandma on a trip."

I didn't know what to say.

It felt strange… and honestly, it hurt a little.

Because to me, it wasn't anything special.

A happy elder in your home is a blessing,
that's how I've always seen it.

But after that moment, I started noticing something:

Many people my age barely speak to their grandparents.

Some don't visit.
Some don't sit with them.
Some don't even know their stories.

I'm not judging… life gets busy, people move, routines change.

But that bus ride made me realize how rare simple love has become.

Even today, whenever I go to a new city or achieve something small, I tell my grandma first.

She doesn't understand most of the work I do (it's all tech and internet things) but she listens with full attention.

And maybe that's what life is.
Not just growth. Not just ambition.

But moments you create for the people who once created your world.

***
When was the last time you spent real time with your grandparents?

John Naveen Kennedy

CEO & Founder @ Mikaios - A personal branding company

I stood in front of 1200 students last year.

Ten years ago, I couldn't speak in front of 10.

As a kid, I loved speaking.

My audience was small: my mom, my sister, a few people at home.

I would talk, sing, shout, share whatever was in my head.

Even back then, I enjoyed standing in front of people.

Not to show off. Not to impress anyone.
Simply to share what I knew.

Then school happened.

Stage fear crept in, and insecurity followed.

"What will people think?"
"What if I mess up?"

So I stopped.

I forgot about public speaking entirely.

Last year, I made a simple decision:

I'm going to speak publicly, no matter the outcome.

If I fail, fine.
If people laugh, fine.
If someone mocks me, fine.

I wasn't attached to the result.
I was attached to the process.

I wanted to prepare.
I wanted to try.
I wanted to show up.

Soon after, I got an opportunity to speak at a college.

The first talk went well.
Students told me it helped them.

The staff appreciated the session.

Then came the second opportunity… this time, with 3x the audience.

The fear came back, briefly.

But I still went up on stage.
And once again, it worked :)

I've been writing content for three years.
I work closely with CEOs.
I help build personal brands.

But standing in front of students, sharing what I've learned, that gives me a kind of happiness nothing else matches.

It reminded me why I started in the first place.

***
What was the bravest thing you did in 2025 that turned out to be a great experience?

We recently rolled out a new internal rule at Mikaios.

Before any client post gets approved, it has to pass three checks.

No exceptions.

1. Does this post have a story?

If it's just information, tips, or opinions without a narrative — it doesn't go out.

People don't remember points.
They remember stories.

2. Is there a clear idea behind the story?

A story without an idea is just noise.

Every post must answer:
What should the reader think differently after this?

If there's no takeaway, we don't approve it.

3. Is there a supporting visual?

A photo. A carousel. A screenshot.
Something that grounds the post in reality.

On LinkedIn today, this matters more than ever.
The platform is flooded with AI-generated content.

Everyone is using AI. Even my friends tell me:
"I just give context and publish whatever it generates."

That alone isn't a differentiator anymore.

The edge now is:

A real story.
A clear idea.
A visual that proves it happened.

AI can help you write faster.
It can't replace lived experience.

So instead of fighting AI, we design around it.
This checklist is our filter.

And it's how we make sure every post feels human in a feed full of machines.

***
What's your filter for deciding whether content is worth publishing?

Perxels

Social Media & Content Marketing Manager

YouTube

Content Creator

- Played a pivotal role in coordinating and planning engaging UX design discussions. This involved curating relevant topics, scheduling sessions, and ensuring a smooth flow of conversations during the events.

- Led and facilitated Q&A sessions during the Twitter events.

- Focused on fostering a sense of community among Perxels' Twitter followers.

Co-host Speaker, Twitter

Landa

• Collaborates closely with the lead product designer to create a seamless and user-centric interface for learners and instructors on the LandaLearn LMS.

• Works cross-functionally with the engineering team, project managers, and stakeholders to ensure the timely delivery of high-quality designs.

• Proactively seek out opportunities for continuous learning and skill development.

• Designs for mobile experience of all interfaces most of the time.

Product Design Intern

Medium

• Created and published high-quality, engaging content that informs, educates, and entertains my audience.

• Conducted research to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in UX writing, and incorporating these insights into my content.

• Used data and analytics to measure the impact of my writing, and making data-driven decisions to optimize my content for maximum impact.

User Experience Writer

Zuri Team, Inc. 

•	Created a complete style guide for a period tracker app.
•	Designed a mini-project website for a digital agency that needed a landing page, service page, and contact us page.
•	Conducted competitive analysis on several period tracker apps on Google PlayStore to compare and contrast with a similar product undergoing design.
•	Redesigned the Nigerian Railway Corporation hero page because it fell short of UX laws.

Global Commerce Media GmbH

•	Designed websites and created content using Internet search engines on WordPress.
•	Generated suitable basic SEOs for content to enhance users’ readability.
•	Managed, previewed, and launched each website through the WordPress content management system.
•	Conducted market research to study customers’ behavior.

SEO Intern

In 2021, I took a leap from my business management background (BSc) and landed in the tech industry as a product designer. 

It's been an amazing journey!

While juggling NYSC and freelance work in 2023 and this year, I've grown my UIUX skills across social media platforms, even adding video editing to my toolkit.

My passion for UIUX has led me to work in exciting fields like FinTech, EdTech, E-commerce, and Events, where I design experiences that truly impress.

But the best part? Seeing others inspired by my work!  This sparked a fire in me to become content creator.  I wrote a book, hosted webinars, and even became a recognized tech voice here on LinkedIn.

And I'm not done yet!  Next stop: pursuing an MBA or MSc in UX design to take my skills to the next level.

Up for a collaboration, or a design challenge, or want me to speak at your event?  Let's connect!  I'm always looking to meet passionate people in the UIUX industry.

My portfolio is currently not public, it would be submitted on request.

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