Co-Founder @ Stan | building a $BN company 🚀

Hi, I’m Vitalii 👋🏻

Over the past 3 years, I’ve built a $30M ARR business with 30 people.

A $1M/employee company.

Now, we’re building a category-defining brand—with $100M ARR in sight.

To do that, I focus on Culture, People, and Product.

Everything that got me here is self-taught.

Born and raised in Russia, I started working at 13—packing parachutes and skydiving. 🪂
By 18, I had 800+ jumps and enough saved to pay for my first year of college.

Jumping out of planes redefined my relationship with fear.
Once you commit, you act. Without hesitation.

I learned English in one year to study abroad—still the hardest thing I’ve done.
That brought me to Canada, where I earned a degree in Chemical Engineering.

I never used it.

My side projects opened doors for me—first to Deloitte, then to eBay.
But the real work happened outside the job.

I made time to build:
9–5 for the paycheck,
5–9 (both morning and night) for what I actually cared about.

That’s where I proved to myself—nothing is impossible.

In 2021, I met my cofounder. We went all-in and started building Stan.

On my LinkedIn, I write about:

→ Founder war stories (unfiltered)
→ Building a $1M/employee startup
→ Creating top 1% culture

🎧 Follow me here if you're building—or want to build—something great.

People I work with would describe me as:

→ I make things happen
→ Zero tolerance for mediocrity
→ I build and run top 1% talent-density teams

🫂 DM me on LinkedIn if you'd like to work at Stan.

But know—it’s likely to be the hardest thing you’ve ever done.
And worth it. For the right person.

—

On LinkedIn, I share stories for founders building what’s next—
The ones who care about People, Culture, and Redefining what's possible.

If that’s you,
Follow me. Drop a comment. Or just say hi 👋🏻

Vitalii Dodonov

My dad is a 10-time world champion in skydiving.

It's a dangerous sport. 
Most teams don’t train in bad weather.

He made his team train in near-storm conditions —

because you never know what the weather will be on competition day.

His results speak for themselves.

He taught me to show up — and act — no matter how scared you are.

That mindset has been the backbone of everything I’ve achieved.

What did you learn from your parents?

li_at

JSESSIONID

Talks about #startup, #founders, #leadership, #engineering, and #enterprenuership

Today, Nadine leads 50 people at Stan — after rejecting my job offer 3 times.

Two years ago, she was a contract support agent.

I’d get daily performance reports from Alexa — 
We pushed everyone to hit 60+ emails per day.

While most people struggled,
Nadine never missed a day. Always above target.

When I asked her to join full-time, she said no.
“San Diego. My husband’s job. We love the mountains.”

Six months later, another walk down Venice Beach.

"I'd love you to join Stan full-time."
"San Diego... my husband... Let me think about it."

"Is this a hard no from your family?"
"Well... I can be quite convincing."
"Good to know!"

At our Cabo offsite, Alexa said:
"V, I need a people manager. Nadine would be perfect — but she won't move."

"She told me she can be convincing. Let’s give her a reason to be."

So I went to Nadine one more time.

"I know San Diego keeps you there.
But I need your help here.

In the end, it’s either you supporting the family 
or the family supporting you.

Let me make supporting you the best decision for your family."

Alexa came with the offer.

Turns out Nadine can indeed be very convincing 
(thank you Garrett for supporting her! 🙏).

Within a year, she took over as Head of Support 
(when I asked Alexa to build a new org with me)

Thank god we didn't give up.
The best talent is always worth the wait.

Head of Creator Support @ Stan I MA Organizational Leadership

Stan

People Ops @ Stan

When you work - work. When you rest - rest.

Don't mix the two.

Last week I caught myself texting during our product meeting.

Then I zoned out on Slack for 10 minutes at dinner 
(mrs wasn't happy 😅).

It's human to want everything at once.

But here's what building Stan taught me:

The best ideas come from meetings where phones are face down.
The best conversations at home happen when Slack is off.

When you try to be everywhere, you're nowhere.

I spent years thinking "always on" showed dedication.
All it showed was lack of focus.

Your ability to drive change comes from being 100% present.
Not 70% in three places (that wastes time in 3 places).

I still slip up - often.

But when I do get it right, it’s like life slows down just enough to notice what matters.

How’s your relationship with presence lately?

My first YouTube video just went live!!! 🎬🚀

Taking y’all behind the scenes of our 14-day SF Hacker House. 

Where me and 8 of my best builders at Stan launched 2 AI products live.

Tune in if you’re into startups + building in public, or just wanna see how we build here at Stan. 

Watch here: https://lnkd.in/gNqVTEBR

I rewired my personality in 2 years. 

ISTJ → INTJ.

Yes, you can train intuition.

In 2022, I took the Myers-Briggs test on 16Personalities.
It said ISTJ — the Logistician.

I looked up the types of my heroes:

Elon Musk: INTJ
Steve Jobs: INTJ (or ENTP)
Jensen Huang: ENTJ
Mark Zuckerberg: INTJ
Jeff Bezos: ENTJ

Every world-shaping entrepreneur had one letter I didn't: N.

So I studied them.
Turns out, almost all are habitual readers — especially of science fiction.

This is where vision comes from:

1️⃣ Imagining a world that doesn’t exist
2️⃣ Envisioning a path toward it
3️⃣ Having the courage to start walking

The following year, I read 20+ sci-fi books — whatever they read, I wanted to read.

Some of my favourites:

1/ Foundation (5 books)
2/ I, Robot (7 books)
3/ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
4/ Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
5/ Ender’s Game

📚 Reading rewired how I think.

Today, my MBTI is INTJ — 76% Intuition.
(Q for my team @Stan: did you notice?)

I’m sharing this story because: 
You can change how your mind works — if you choose to.

YOU CAN CHANGE.

When the destination is clear, 
The path unveils itself. 

What’s your Myers-Briggs type?👇

How I spot top 1% talent in one question.

After 100+ interviews building a $30M ARR team, I’ve boiled it down to one question:

“What have you built?”

Very few can answer it with the kind of depth that makes it undeniably clear they know what they did, why it worked, and the impact it drove.

When I find myself leaning forward, asking “Wait, how did you figure that out?” 

I know I’m talking to someone different.

Because most people work on things.
The top 1% build things.

If you’re a founder hiring - how do you spot the top 1%?

One thing I've been subconsciously lucky about —

Living where it's sunny. ☀️

I never realized how much it shaped my energy, focus, and optimism.

Until I spent a few weeks somewhere gray.
Suddenly, everything felt heavier.

It's strange how the weather can change your will to act.

With sunlight, small things feel doable.
Without it, even easy things feel like effort.

Most people underestimate how much their environment drives them.

We think it's our discipline or motivation —
But sometimes, it's just that strike of yellow on your table
Breaking through the window of a coffee shop.

If you ever feel stuck, it might not be you.
It might be the weather.

P.S. Have you noticed this too? 
Where do you live — and how's the sun treating you?

This is me building our ’26 strategy right now.

Our #1 problem:

We outgrew founder-led execution faster than we scaled our team to execute on our behalf.

As we scaled the business to $30M ARR in 3 years,

We fell behind on scaling ourselves.

2026 is going to be the evolution on how we run the company. 

My job as a Founder:
Build a machine that builds the machine.

A measure of success I’ll hold myself accountable to:
✅ Was this done without me?

—
Founders Q: What broke when you finally stepped back?

Someone recently asked me how we priced Stan at $29/mo.

Now we're a $30M ARR business.

All I said was: 🤷‍♂️ 😅

We needed to pick a number, so we did.

Our only compass was wanting to build a premium product. So we picked a premium-ish price and shipped it.

And that's what I want to share today:

No one knows what they're doing.
Even the top 1%.

In retrospect, we all have playbooks explaining why the thing we did worked and how exactly it's brilliant.

But in practice...

Every single top performer I've met is just making educated guesses and hoping for the best.

They favour action over inaction, and they trust their gut.

In the end,
Results take care of themselves.

--

Do you also feel like you don't know what you're doing, sometimes? 🤔

Your first 100 customers will bring your next 100.

For free.

If they don’t, your product’s not good enough yet.

We went all-in on those first 100.
1:1 coaching.
On-the-call bug fixes.
Feature requests shipped overnight.

We obsessed over each one until they felt their version of:
“I can’t believe you did that.”

When you exceed expectations like that, word spreads faster than anything you can pay for.

Most founders overlook this part - and that’s a mistake.

If you’re not texting your first 100 customers,
you’re not doing enough.

P.S. Four years and $30M ARR later - we’re still texting.

Working out of a NYC WeWork this week — and remembering the good old days. 🗽

We built the first $10M of Stan out of WeWorks between LA and Toronto.

I still remember hacking away at that 8-person WeWork table.

Back then, we’d just walk out to a nearby café for lunch.

Now, coordinating lunch across our 25-person offices is a full-blown operation.

Feeling nostalgic ☺️

P.S. WeWork kombucha is still unmatched.

In October, I flew my team to SF to build 2 AI projects in public.

Our documentary is LIVE 🟢

We built:
1/ A pivotal feature for Stanley (Your Content Coach) 
2/ The foundation for our company pivot 

(yep, at $30M ARR!)

We filmed the entire trip.

226 hours of footage → 30 minutes of building in public documentary.
(Day 2 pivot? Yep!)

Why watch:

🍎 Experienced founders: innovation beyond our core.
🚀 First-time founders: copy our 14-day launch playbook!
🫂 Anyone who wants to work at Stan - this is how we build.

Watch here (or save for later): https://lnkd.in/gNqVTEBR

P.S. If you want to see why building is an iterative process, watch me at 13:42 trying to build a whiteboard 😅

Stanley (Your Content Coach)

We fail in business for the same reason we fail at habits:

Doing too much 🤹‍♀️

It takes about 70 repetitions to form a new neural pathway —
to make an action automatic.

But somewhere along the way, we get excited.
We add a new habit.
Now the first one gets only half our attention.

The new neural pathways are still fragile —
and without reinforcement, they fade.
The habit never sticks.

The same happens in business.
We rarely stay with something long enough for it to reach its full potential.

Imagine how different your results would look
if you finished just one thing all the way through.

What is that thing for you?

Stanley is behind 2.1x engagement for 1,267 Entrepreneurs on LinkedIn.

Instagram, you're next 📲

6 months ago, we launched Stanley for LinkedIn. 
Now serving 1,267 entrepreneurs.

In just 30 days, they see: 
• 2.1x avg. engagement increase 
• 11% more posts 
• 131% growth in comments

What did we do?

We taught Stanley to speak Instagram! 
(yep, he can now watch videos)

𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿: 
• Aspiring Entrepreneurs on IG (1-10K) 
• Still finding your voice 
• Need help growing your followers

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗱𝗼? 
• Watch all your content 
• Find patterns (so growth isn't random) 
• Send personalized content ideas 
• Script in your voice 
• Help stay consistent

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲:
Your stories deserve to be heard. 
Stanley makes sure they are. 
While helping you grow 3x faster.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘄?
$19/mo Early Adopter + 14 days free trial.

Tomorrow, we're back to $47/mo once Cyber Monday is over 

Get your spot here: https://lnkd.in/gKqxnFUK

Innovation || Startups || Founder Anutio || Investor || Sustainability || Fintech || Blockchain || EdTech || AI || Web3

I’m a curious generalist who loves solving complex problems, challenging the status quo, and building solutions that help people and organizations grow. I’ve always been drawn to work that connects strategy with people. My current focus is building AI tools, systems and partnerships to help businesses achieve their goals. 

As Founder of Anutio, I help organizations achieve bottom-line revenue by mapping business goals to employees' career development needs. Anutio helps organizations visually see, understand, and grow their people by mapping skills to business capability needs, uncovering internal talent, and connecting employees to meaningful growth opportunities —  making career development planning and allocation of training budget more measurable, tangible, transparent, and human.

I truly enjoy turning abstract ideas into practical outcomes, working closely with teams to translate insights into real solutions that make a difference.

Ehi Agbonlahor

Apply now

12 months Paid Internship 
for new graduates, searching for 
entry level roles to build experience? 

If you're stuck between 
➡️ no experience, and 
➡️ no job to build experience 

Ontario Internship Program 
can be your launchpad. 

Check the link below 
for eligibility requirements.

📌 Apply here: https://lnkd.in/eGtXqEQw

Deadline: January 30, 2026

Good luck, you’ve got this.

Ehi Agbonlahor 

Entrepreneurship Tour with Dublin City University Executive MBA Class.

I had the privilege of opening the 
Toronto tour with an incredible panel

👉 Dr. Ron Dembo of riskthinking.AI 
👉 Sophie of Orbit Accountants 
👉 Murray of CITIZN AI 
👉 And my humble self repping Anutio 

We shared our experience of the Entrepreneurship ecosystem in Toronto 

A thoughtful conversation that
flowed across experience, 
impact, and innovation 

We talked about; 
➡️ BTS of entrepreneurship
➡️ Making the best decisions with incomplete data
➡️ Surviving long enough to succeed, and 
➡️ Staying curious as technology especially 
AI reshapes the business landscape.

I shared my journey with Anutio, 

🔹Building in Toronto, 
🔹 Why creating access to opportunities 
matters deeply to me.
🔹 And how Anutio is using AI to help
humans stay relevant in the future of work 

One line from the session still lingers with me:

“The original computer was human.”

Dont be afraid of AI taking jobs.

The human race has come 
through this path before.

Just make sure you're on the right side.

Prepared to take advantage of the opportunities 

no matter how far technology evolves, 
people remain at the center.

Don't be left behind.

Join Anutio 
Learn, Build, Grow. Together

Career Confidence on steroids.

"To Be Successful, You Have to Be Shameless and Stubborn"

I’ve learned that success rarely 
comes to the quiet observer.

It finds those who are a little 
shameless and a little stubborn.

📌 Shameless enough to raise their hand, 
even when they’re not fully ready.

📌 Stubborn enough to stay the course, 
even when the applause fades.

I’ve had seasons in my career 
where I felt underqualified for 
what I wanted next.

But I asked anyway. 
I reached out anyway.

Sometimes the answer was “no".
Sometimes it was silence.
But each time, I gained 

➡️ Clarity, 
➡️ Confidence, 
➡️ and one more layer of Courage.

When I first switched roles into tech, 
it wasn’t a smooth leap. 
It was a slow, messy climb.

I had to prove what I could do long 
before anyone paid attention.
That meant;

➡️ Showing up, 
➡️ Creating, 
➡️ Experimenting, 
➡️ Volunteering, 
➡️ and Finding ways to add value where I was.

And honestly? 
That’s where the growth happened, 
not in the easy wins, but in the quiet 
persistence of trying again.

Even with Anutio, 
there were moments that 
tested that stubbornness.

Building something new 
often means walking a road 
nobody else has cleared for you yet.

But every “no” became data.
Every detour became direction.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this:

🔹You don’t have to be fearless to succeed, 
🔹just shameless enough to try, 
🔹and stubborn enough to stay.


#Mindset #CareerGrowth #Leadership #Persistence #Anutio #CareerTransition

APPLY NOW - Paid internships and scholarships 

If you're a 
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Connect with employers from 
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Good luck, you've got this

My younger brother once taught 
me a subject I didn’t understand.

Yes! my brother, who was three
 classes behind me. 😅

I remember sitting there, 
a little embarrassed at first, 
but quickly realizing how 
much sense he made.

In that moment, I learned something 
far bigger than the topic itself.

👉🏽 Wisdom doesn’t always come from who’s older.
👉🏽 Age doesn’t determine who you can learn from.

Sometimes the people behind you 
in years or experience have something 
you’ve never seen from your angle.
And if you stay humble enough, 
you’ll keep growing long after others stop.

Today, I still carry that lesson
Whether I’m learning from a student, 
a teammate, or a younger colleague, 

I remind myself: 
📌 Growth doesn’t ask for hierarchy.

✔️ So, stay curious.
✔️ Stay teachable.
Because the moment you think you’re 
too “experienced” to learn from 
someone younger…
You stop evolving.

#CareerGrowth #Leadership #LifelongLearning #GrowthMindset #Mentorship #Anutio

7 underrated career moves 
that pay off long-term.

(But most professionals ignore them)

Everyone talks about 
promotions and job changes.

But real, lasting career growth is built 
on the quiet, strategic moves no one 
claps for yet they make all the difference.

Here are 7 that work:

🎯 Conducting a skills audit every 6 months.
→ Helps you stay aware of your value 
and stay ready for opportunities.

🎯 Building your internal brand within 
your current company or community.
→ Let people at work know what 
you do well, don’t assume they see it.

 🎯 Creating a ‘career clarity document’
→ A living doc of your wins, skills, and 
growth areas. It helps you stay aligned.
→ Leverage AI for this. 
Anutio Achievement tracking 
is your best companion for this

🎯 Volunteering for cross-functional projects
→ Exposure + visibility = Opportunities 

🎯 Booking 1:1s with senior colleagues
→ These conversations give you 
insight and even sponsorship.

🎯 Improving your storytelling ability
→ How you talk about your work 
matters as much as the work itself.

🎯 Investing in a career coach 
BEFORE you’re stuck
→ Don’t wait for confusion or 
burnout to get help.

Most people ruin their chances 
in an interview when HR asks: 
“Why should we hire you?”

There’s only ONE way to answer 
this and it works every time.

Instead of listing random skills 
I’m hardworking… 
I’m a team player... 

Do this:

1️⃣ Start with THEIR pain.
Research the company and start 
with what they’re struggling with. 

Now you have their full attention.

2️⃣ Then bring your numbers.
Connect your experience 
directly to their pain point

That’s proof, not buzzwords.

3️⃣ Then show you fit their future.

Now you’re not just a candidate.
You’re a solution.

Nobody will hand you a job 
or a promotion just because 
you’ve spent 10+ years on the same job.

Tenure is not a ticket.

It shows loyalty, yes.
But in today’s job market, 
loyalty without growth = stagnation.

You don’t get promoted for 
how long you’ve been around.

You get promoted for the value you bring  
and how clearly you can communicate it.

I’ve met professionals with 
15 years of experience who still 
struggle to land better roles.

Why?

Because they haven’t learned 
how to position their experience.

So ask yourself:

▶️ Can you clearly articulate 
the transformation you’ve brought 
to your company over the years?

▶️ Can you show how your work 
impacted revenue, systems, or people?

▶️ Can a recruiter look at your profile 
and instantly understand what you 
bring to the table?

If the answer is “not yet,”
don’t just sit there:

🔹 Audit your experience.
🔹 Extract the wins.
🔹 Tell your story with clarity and confidence.

Because no one owes you elevation.
You earn it, with proof and positioning.

People don’t leave bad companies,
they leave bad managers.

And after coaching teams for years, 
these are the three habits I see over 
and over that push A-players out the door:

🔹 1. Micromanaging
A-players don’t need you to hold their hand. 
They need clarity, trust, and space to execute.

🔹 2. Taking the credit
Nothing breaks a high performer 
faster than doing the work…
and watching their manager present it as their achievement.

🔹 3. Not fighting for them
Your best people know their worth.

Great talent doesn’t quit companies.
They quit managers who don’t 
protect, trust, or advocate for them.

Ehi, you’re doing too much.
That’s what someone said to me
when I started a side project.

I had just completed 
a cybersecurity course.

And needed a project to 
apply what I learned.

It made no “career sense” at the time.
I wasn’t trying to get a job in cybersecurity.
I was just… curious.

But here’s what happened:
☑️ 2 months later, 
my learnings from that random side- 
project landed me a better-paying job.

☑️ It also became the seed 
of a second income stream.

☑️ And it gave me the confidence 
to start solving real problems without 
waiting for “permission” or a promotion.

People still say I am doing too much.
But what they really mean is:

🔸 You’re doing more than I understand.
🔸 You’re stretching beyond the limits 
I’ve placed on myself.
🔸 You’re reminding me of everything 
I’ve left on the table.

Let this be your reminder:

People will sometimes say
you’re doing too much:

🔸 When what you’re doing doesn’t 
fit the script they know.
🔸 When your curiosity doesn’t 
come with a job title.
🔸 When your path isn’t linear.

But growth rarely follows a linear path.
And curiosity is a quiet form of courage.

So explore anyway.
Learn anyway.
Build anyway.

Stay focused. Stay curious.
Your curiosity is not a distraction.
It could be your next breakthrough.

Just don’t let them convince you to shrink.


#SideProjects #CuriosityPays #CareerGrowth #SecondIncome #Visibility #BuildOutsideThe9to5 #ChallengeTheStatusQuo

We have to let you go.

If you've ever heard those words,
 you know how fast the world can shift.

One moment you’re planning your week.
The next, your badge stops working.
The email access is gone.
The group chats go quiet.

It doesn’t just sting 
It shakes your identity.
Because we tie so much of 
who we are to what we do.

Let’s be honest:
🎯 Layoffs rarely feel fair.
🎯 They aren’t always about performance, 
but they always feel personal.
🎯 The silence that follows can feel
 louder than the news itself.

You're left thinking:
➡️ Did I miss the signs?
➡️ What do I do next?
➡️ Will this gap ruin my career story?

Here’s what I tell anyone going through it 
(and what I told myself too):

✅ You are still valuable, even 
without a company email address.

✅ A layoff is not a reflection of your worth,
 it's a redirection of your journey.

✅ This is your moment to pause, 
reflect, and realign.

Tools like Anutio can help you 
figure out your next move

Not just based on what you've done, 
but based on what you're great at 
and where you're best positioned to grow.

Now is the time to:
🎯 Reposition your story.
🎯 Reconnect with your network.
🎯 Rebuild your strategy, not your shame.

✔️ You didn’t lose everything; you lost one role.
✔️ You’re not starting from scratch; 
you’re starting from experience.
✔️ And your career is not over; it’s evolving.

If you’ve been laid off, 
this is your reminder:

❌ You are not behind. 
✅ You are being re-routed.


🔁 Repost to show someone they’re not alone.
❤️ Like or comment if this gave you a breath of perspective today.

"I can’t tailor every single résumé for every role.”

I hear this at least 3 times a week 
and honestly, I get it.

Job searching can feel like a 
full-time job on its own.

So here’s a simple framework 
to make your life easier 👇🏽

✅ 1. Create a base résumé for each job title. 
Instead of rewriting your résumé 
from scratch every time, 
create 2 - 3 base versions that align 
with the core roles you’re targeting.

✅ 2. Remember, your skillset already 
qualifies you for more roles than you think.
Most professionals qualify for at least 8
different roles based on their transferable skills.

✅ 3. If you’re not sure which roles those are…
Head to Anutio; the free app that helps you:

🔹Map your career path
🔹Audit your skills
🔹Discover roles that match your strengths

It’s also a great way to prepare for conversations with your manager.

Next time they ask, 
“So, what are your career plans?”
You’ll have data-backed clarity, not guesswork.

Because the truth is:
✔️The clearer you are about your direction,
the faster the right opportunities find you.


What’s one role you’ve discovered lately 
that aligns with your existing skills 
(but you didn’t realize before)?

#CareerDevelopment #JobSearch #CareerMapping #Anutio #CareerGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment

Not All Advice Should Be Followed

In 2019, someone told me:

 “Ehi, you’re too much."
"You need to tone it down.”

At the time, I didn’t fully know how to respond.

I was the girl with the bold brown hairstyles, 
the kind people whispered about in hallways.

✔️ The one who asked “too many questions,” 
✔️ spoke with conviction, 
✔️ and showed up with ideas that 
felt bigger than my job title.

And I remember thinking, maybe they’re right.
Maybe if I toned it down a little, I’d fit in better.

But here’s what I’ve learned since then:

📌 Sometimes, people don’t mean 
to shrink you, they just can’t 
handle your full volume.

➡️ That boldness they call “too much” 
might actually be your difference.
➡️ The curiosity they find “disruptive” 
might be your superpower.

And the version of you they’re 
uncomfortable with might be 
the exact one that opens doors 
you’ve been praying for.

If I had listened back then, 
I probably wouldn’t be doing 
half of what I do now; 
🔹lecturing,
🔹mentoring,
🔹building Anutio,
🔹and helping people find
their voice in their careers.

✅I kept the hairstyles.
✅I kept asking questions.

And somehow, those very things 
that made me “too much” became 
the things that set me apart.

🎯So here’s my little reminder to you:

✅ Not every advice deserves obedience.
✅ Filter it. 
✅ Keep what builds you.
✅ Release what boxes you in.

Because the world doesn’t need 
a toned-down version of you, 
it needs you, in full colour. 

#Authenticity #CareerGrowth #Leadership #PersonalBrand #Anutio #Mindset

My friend gets a raise every six months.

This doesn't happen by luck or magic. 
🔹She knows her worth,
🔹Delivers on her job 
🔹And clearly showcases 
her value and achievements.

Most professionals leave money 
on the table without even knowing it.

❌ Not because they aren’t qualified…
✔️ But because they’ve never been 
taught how to negotiate.

I know because, 
I have made this same mistake

If you’re uncomfortable talking about money, here’s a quick guide:

✴️ Know your worth.
Use market data. 
Understand your value. 
Don’t just accept what’s offered.

✴️Let them speak first.
When possible, let the employer 
make the first offer. It gives you leverage.

✴️Never negotiate blindly.
Prepare. 
Practice your pitch. 
Write down your key wins and metrics.

✴️Talk value, not just needs.
Don’t say “I need more because 
my rent increased.”

Say “Here’s the ROI I bring to this role. 
Let’s match it with the right package.”

✴️Be ready to walk away.
The confidence to negotiate well 
comes from knowing your boundaries.

Negotiation is not greed.
It’s stewardship of your value.

The philosophy of great leadership is simple:

Make yourself irrelevant as quickly as possible.

Great managers don't seek the spotlight; 
they build systems and empower
people so the work flows even 
when they're not in the room.

Here’s the breakdown:

➡️ Hire smart people.
➡️ Train them to make decisions 
without asking permission.
➡️ Build robust systems.
➡️ When the team succeeds, 
step back and say, 
"They did this."

Your job isn't to be the hero. 
Your job is to build heroes. 

#Leadership #ManagementTips #TeamEmpowerment

Show Up. 
Speak Up. 
The World Can’t Celebrate What It Can’t See.

For a long time, I struggled with showing up.
Not the physical kind, 
I was present in meetings, 
volunteered for things, 
did great work.

But I kept my achievements quiet.
Because I didn’t want to sound 
like I was bragging.

Because “the work should speak for itself,” right?

Except  it doesn’t.

It whispers.
And most times, no one’s even listening.

I remember the first time I shared 
one of my milestones publicly.
It was about being recognized for a program. 
I almost didn’t post it.
But when I did, something shifted.

➡️ People reached out.
➡️ Opportunities came in.

And it wasn’t because I suddenly became “better.”
It was because I became visible.

Since then, I’ve learned that; 
❌ Showing up isn’t arrogance, 
✔️ It’s accountability to your own growth.

✅ Talking about your achievements creates 
room for others to see what’s possible.

Because that one post could:
🔹 Inspire someone who’s just starting out.
🔹 Attract a collaborator who’s been 
looking for what you do.
🔹 Remind you how far you’ve 
come on days you forget.

📌 Some of the biggest doors that 
opened for me from being invited 
➡️ to speak at events, 
➡️ to building Anutio, 
➡️ to mentoring emerging professionals 
all started because I showed up and shared.

So here’s your gentle nudge:

Stop waiting for permission to 
be proud of yourself.

✔️ Your story deserves space.
✔️ Your growth deserves light.

You never know who’s watching, 
or what’s waiting  on the other 
side of your visibility.

#Leadership #Visibility #CareerGrowth #PersonalBrand #Anutio #Mindset

If you want a promotion,
here’s what you need to stop doing...

I talk to professionals every day who feel stuck.
They’ve been in their roles for 2 - 3 years.
🔹They work hard. 
🔹They meet their targets.
And yet… no promotion.

When I ask what they’ve tried, 
the answer is always the same:

“I'm just hoping my work speaks for itself.”

That’s the biggest career myth.

Here are 4 things to stop doing 
if you want to get promoted:

1. Stop waiting to be noticed.
People are busy. 
Your manager has their own goals.
If you don’t advocate for yourself, 
you’ll stay in the background.

2. Stop focusing only on execution.
Promotion isn’t about output, 
it’s about impact.
Start asking: 
"What value did this task create?"

3. Stop avoiding uncomfortable conversations.
You’ll need to ask:
➡️ “What does success look like 
for promotion or for a raise?”
➡️ “What gaps should I close to 
be considered?”

4. Stop assuming more hours = more value.
Strategic contribution > working overtime.
Ask yourself: 
"Am I driving results or just staying busy?"

Want to get promoted?

🎯 Start positioning yourself like 
the next-level leader, not the loyal doer.

#PromotionTips #HowToGetPromoted #CareerStrategy #Anutio #ProductManagerPath #GrowthMindset

During my panel session 
at the Dublin City University programme, 

I emphasized something
I’ve learned over time:

You may be one person out of thousands 
who thinks your idea is worth pursuing 
but that conviction is your superpower.

🎯 Stay stubborn about the vision, 
but open-minded about how 
the problem gets solved. 
That’s where real innovation happens.

Entrepreneurship is a mindset
 one that blends 
🔹resilience, 
🔹curiosity, and
 🔹the courage to explore problems deeply.

Be stubborn about your purpose, 
open-minded about the process, 
and bold enough to take risks.

Three signs you're not ready to be a manager yet.

Most people think being a manager 
is about a title, it’s not. 
It’s about mindset.

✅ If you blame others when 
things go wrong… you’re not ready. 
Leaders own the wins and the losses.

✅ If you avoid hard conversations… 
you’re not ready. 
Growth requires honesty, not people-pleasing.

✅ And the real test: if you can’t 
delegate… you’re not ready. 
Leaders don’t do everything themselves, 
they empower others.

Management isn’t about control.
It’s about responsibility, courage, 
and the ability to multiply your 
impact through people.

Are YOU ready?

“I don’t even know what I want to do anymore.”
If you’ve ever whispered that to yourself, 
you’re not alone.

In fact, it’s more common than we admit.
Because truthfully?

Most of us didn’t choose our careers.
We just followed the path 
that looked right at the time 

☑️ The course we got admitted to.
☑️ The job someone helped us secure.
☑️ The thing we were “good at” 
even if we didn’t love it.

But now you’re deep into the journey…
And asking the harder question:

“Is this still right for me?”

Here’s where it gets messy:
⚠️ You have multiple interests
 but no clear direction.
⚠️ You’re good at your job
 but it doesn’t excite you.
⚠️ You want more 
but don’t know what “more” even looks like.

So you scroll. 
You watch others “find their thing.”
And you wonder if you’re the only one stuck.

You’re not.
You’re just foggy, not broken.

Here’s what helped me and others I’ve worked with:
✅ Mapping my career 
like a system, not a mystery.
✅ Identifying my strengths 
and what environments they thrive in.
✅ Getting clarity on roles that 
matched not just my skill, but my values.

Use Anutio to map out clear roles 
you're already aligned with roles 
you never even considered, 
but made perfect sense.

Career clarity isn’t just about passion.
It’s about alignment; 
your interests, 
your strengths, 
your season.

🎯 You’re not lost. 
You just need a better map.
🎯 You’re not late. 
You just need a clearer direction.
🎯 Your next step isn’t random, 
it can be intentional.

✨ Don’t wander in confusion 
when you can walk with clarity.

Start mapping your next move.

🔁 Repost and share to help someone else benefit from this.

#CareerClarity #CareerDirection #IntentionalLiving #CareerStrategy #Anutio #CareerMapping #FindYourFit #LifeAtWork #PurposefulCareers #Midcareer #YoungProfessionals #CareerGrowth

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Vitalii Dodonov

Ehi Agbonlahor

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The Battle

Vitalii Dodonov

Ehi Agbonlahor

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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);}Vitalii Dodonov's LinkedIn Performance

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