NearPoint Strategies

After leaving Forbes Books, I kept thinking about the brilliant leaders I'd worked with.

These were executives and authors who'd spent decades building incredible businesses. But when they launched their books? Crickets.

That's when I realized: if you don't talk about what you've built, how will people know? It's not like, "of you build it they will come." (Sorry, Costner!)

I initially thought big-picture strategy consulting was next. Then someone asked: "Can I just work with you on my LinkedIn?"

I put together an offer that night. Haven't looked back since.

What I discovered:

For 10 years, I'd been living and breathing LinkedIn to crush sales quotas while most people still saw it as a digital resume.

I look at it completely differently.

The REALationship Growth Method:

My signature program combines personal branding, content strategy, and social selling to turn LinkedIn into a powerful business growth engine.

Who I work with:

→ Founders and business owners ready to be known for their expertise
→ Sales leaders and teams building authority in their industry
→ Sales and executive teams amplifying their collective impact

What I deliver:

From profile optimization and branded content creation to strategic social selling—I help clients own their voice, build authentic relationships, and generate measurable ROI through LinkedIn.

The results speak for themselves:

Clients have signed $400K contracts, landed $30K speaking engagements, tripled their referral networks, and turned LinkedIn into their primary lead generation source.

In a world full of pitch-slaps and generic outreach, authentic relationship-building is your competitive advantage.

Founder

Inner Mountain Foundation

Founding Member

Two years ago, I connected with Diane Wang to sign her to Forbes Books. At the time, I thought I was simply helping her tell her story—but I had no idea how much her story would transform my life. Diane isn’t just the CEO of DHgate or a pioneering entrepreneur; she’s on a mission to help women reconnect with their inner strength and realize their full potential.

Her philosophy? We don’t need to “break the glass ceiling” in systems that weren’t built for us. Real change happens when we create new systems where our values lead. That’s the foundation of Inner Mountain, a community that’s all about personal growth, overcoming self-limiting beliefs, and building lives where everyone can thrive.

After leaving Forbes, I felt compelled to keep working alongside Diane, helping build Inner Mountain’s first U.S. chapter and expanding its reach. Together, we launched The Climb podcast, creating a platform for women to share their journeys through challenges, resilience, and growth. Being the host has been a journey of its own, and each conversation with our guests has shown me the power of authentic stories and supportive spaces.

This past year, Inner Mountain took a big step forward. We launched our online community, and we’ve had incredible events in both LA and NYC—seeing Inner Mountain’s message light up Times Square was a surreal moment! But it’s these heartfelt conversations and the connections we’re building that make this journey so meaningful.

If you’re looking for a community focused on real growth, real support, and real connection, I’d love to invite you to join us on this climb. The journey is only just beginning!

Executive Director

Entreprenista

I'm an Entreprenista Approved Service Provider. Check it out!


I am a proud member of The Entreprenista League, a private community created to help founders make meaningful connections that lead to real business results. 

Join me and other ambitious Entreprenistas and join our community here: https://refer.entreprenista.com/Nw

Entreprenista Approved Service Provider

University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business

I get to support bright young entrepreneurs at the very start of their journey. How cool is that?

Entrepreneur in Residence

Heritage Brands

Merging my knowledge in the book publishing and thought leadership world with Heritage's expertise in podcasting, social media, and content creation, we've launched Heritage Brands (2.0) in January and I joined as Partner and VP of Strategy!! 

We work with mission-minded leaders to help grow their digital presence via strategy, podcasting, and book publishing. 

MORE TO COME!

Partner & VP of Strategy 

Forbes Books

I joined originally as an Individual Contributor, a VP of Member Development (ie an Account Executive). 

However, soon after, my boss and I realised in order to hit our BHAG, our business development team needed to ramp up opportunities. Having built out a BDR team in previous roles, the decision was made for me to take over Inside Sales / Demand Generation full time, while still part time AE. 

I loaded up my Honda Fit (aka my mini-minivan), grabbed my dog (Coli), and we moved across country from Bay Area, California to Charleston, South Carolina.  (If you're wondering, no, I'm definitely no Southern Bell (yet)...And yes, I've completely adopted the phrase "Y'all." I didn't know how much my life was missing without it, y'all ; )

For the next year I grew the Business Development team from 5 to 12 rockstar BDRs. 85% of ALL sales in 2022 originated from the *outbound* activity from my team. We innovated, we tested, and we mastered the process, averaging 100+ meetings A WEEK for our AE team. It was glorious. 

As an AE, I set the record of fastest closed deal for a newbie. Working only part-time, Q3 I led the scoreboard, and brought in the biggest deal in company history.

I finally - grudgingly - admitted that I am indeed, a Sales Professional. 

--

In so many ways this was my dream job:

- I got to speak to the most interesting people on the daily. 
- I helped strong and powerful leaders tell their stories to drive greater impact
- And building out this amazing BDR team was so rewarding. 

With that said, I understood the power of authorship, but also recognized A BOOK IS JUST ONCE PIECE TO A BIGGER END GOAL (mission, message, movement, etc). I knew there was something more that needed to be done to genuinely affect change and that wasn't here.

Naturally, my journey at Forbes Books came to an end. The Universe works in strange ways - but a new opportunity 'fell' into my lap and I there was no way I could ignore it....

VP of Member Development & Director of Sales

Big Career Change! May seem random - 3D Printing to Book Publishing you ask? Well, many thought I was nutsto, "You've made such a name for yourself in the 3d printing/ tech world - why would you leave to go into *BOOK* publishing?! It's a dying industry!!"

Decision-Making Thought Process As To Why I Took the Job:

1. The opportunity to work again with my former manager (from Carbon) and current mentor Dee Kerr (Bad*ass, powerful strong female leader) gave me butterflies. To work with someone who genuinely cares about both your personal and professional success is truly a gift.

2. She knew before I did that I had a superpower which would make me extremely successful in this role. Turns out I'm really good at connecting to people.

3. Forbes is an iconic brand and to have experience with a top media company seemed like a no brainer.

4. I've already worked in film, real estate, digital marketing, 3DP - why not learn another industry? 🤓

The concept also just made sense to me. I understood how the power of personal branding / thought leadership builds credibility and elevates brands. The highest level of thought leadership is to Author a book - literally can’t use the word Authority without Author.

So began my journey in the non-fiction book publishing and thought leadership world!📚

VP of Member Development 

Advantage|ForbesBooks

See Above ↑ Same company, two names.

Advantage Media Group is the exclusive book publisher of Forbes Media.

Vice President of Member Development at Advantage|ForbesBooks

Women in 3D Printing

I was asked to join Wi3DP as the South Bay Area Chapter Ambassador. I was able to do a few in person events before Covid and it was an amazing experience being able to meet such amazing woman (and men) part of the 3d/manufacturing community. 

As the world turned virtual - so did we! The Chapter met once a month and then I even organized a "West Coast Summer Bash" with all the west coast chapters and ambassadors. 

Once I left Carbon, I continued on as Ambassador - the 3D Printing community is so tight and awesome, it was hard for me to walk away entirely from it! But, I moved out to Charleston several months after starting my new gig, so I stepped down. 

The 3D printing world opened doors I never could have imagined - wouldn't be surprised if one day I'm back at it again! Until then, rocking my Adidas Futurecraft4d sneakers daily 😎

South Bay Area Chapter Ambassador 

Carbon

Just before Covid hit, I was promoted to Inside Sales Manager. We were growing fast as a company and our team was on fire. I hired, onboarded, and trained the team. 

It was challenging doing so virtually but I found ways to keep us connected with AM/PM huddles and weekly PoA's (Plan of Attacks). 

It wasn't as fun as being in the office and having the ability to go into the lab and talk to our engineers, but we made it work : )

Senior Inside Sales Manager

Have you seen Terminator 2? Do you remember T-1000? The 'shapeshifting android terminator assassin' that forms from a puddle of liquid metal. 

Well, that's where the Co-Founders of Carbon got their idea. Instead of printing something "2D" over and over again (think hot glue gun), they thought, 'why can't we *grow* a part?' Which then inherently is a stronger end product. Pretty cool, amiright?😎

Considering I knew nothing about 3D printing - or anything about the manufacturing world - I had a Huge learning curve. With that said, the "Don't ask. Resolve" mentality kicked in and I decided to just fake it until I made it. 

Leveraging LinkedIn, I began outreach Day 3 on the job - using copy from our website and pretending I knew what I was talking about. I was booking calls for the actual experts, I didn't really need to know what I was talking about. 

But, I like to know what I'm talking about, as it turns out. So begins the 3.5 year journey of living, breathing and talking all things 3D printing and manufacturing. 

How LinkedIn changed everything for me: 

- I became known as the "Face of Carbon" on LinkedIn by our CEO because I posted content regularly.
- I was asked to train all the teams (sales, marketing, customer support, engineering, manufacturing, and C-Suite) how to leverage LinkedIn in order to increase brand awareness, build credibility, and support sales & marketing initiatives.
- Prior to every trade show I was able to book 10+ in person meetings for our Sales Directors 
- Travelled the world to support the Sales Directors and continue networking with LinkedIn connects irl
- I was asked to be part of the Women in 3D Printing organization (the Ambassador for the WI3DP South Bay Area Chapter)

Industries of focus:
- Dental (Aligners, DDS, Align Technologies)
- Automotive (BMW, Ford, Lamborghini)
- Consumer (Ridell, Adidas)
- Healthcare (JNJ, BD) 
- Industrial (Aptiv, Vitamix)

Sales Development Representative

Whisbi

After spending more nearly 6 years in Argentina, I decided it was time to head back home to Palo Alto: the Heart of Silicon Valley. 

Considering I'd spend the last 7 out of 10 years abroad at this point (a year stint in France prior to Argentina) and all my experience was abroad, finding a job in the tech world wasn't as easy as I thought it'd be. So, for the first year while bartending at a tap house, I began the hunt!

After a random series of events, I was introduced to an employee of Whisbi, a Spanish (!!) based digital marketing firm, at the maid-of-honour table at my best friend's wedding. They were building out their US office in Redwood City and needed Sales people. 

Woop Woop! My first 'real' Sales Development Representative job. 

Key Takeaways:

- I was absolutely terrible at cold calling. (English is SO much harder than Spanish!) 
- I am very competitive so I had to find other ways to hit my numbers which lead to the discovery of the power LinkedIn for outreach
- Quality > Quantity (but not all see it that way in leadership)
- Mentorship is HUGELY important to be successful - whether that be someone in your organization or outside. In my case, my dad was/is my mentor. He's been in software sales since the beginning and provided grounding insights and support I needed (especially after days on of rejection).

Unsurprisingly, I did not last very long here. At the time, the US Market wasn't entirely ready for the product they were offering and soon after I left, the office closed down. 

Fortunately, this was my 'gateway job' which opened the biggest doors to come! 🥳

Entrepreneurs, Tech & Sales: Own Your Voice on LinkedIn | Social Selling and Personal Branding —> Increase Pipeline & Brand Awareness | LEGO Flower Power 🌻

I'm on LinkedIn to get OFF LinkedIn.

I know, crazy for someone who teaches LinkedIn.

But getting off LinkedIn and building real relationships? That's what fills my cup and my pipeline (and bank account).

I teach you the same.

Listen, your expertise deserves to be known.

You're a business owner, tech leader, or executive who's built something incredible. 
You solve real problems. You get results. Your clients love working with you.

But your ideal clients are scrolling right past you on LinkedIn.

Here's what I see every day:
— Brilliant professionals who are invisible online while their competitors get all the attention. 
— Leaders who've built amazing businesses but can't translate that success into LinkedIn visibility. 
— Executives who know they should be networking but feel awkward and inauthentic trying to "work" the platform.

You're probably struggling with:
— Your network could be an asset, but right now it's untapped potential
— You're tired of relying on cold outreach, referrals, or waiting for leads to find you
— You know LinkedIn has potential, but you don't have a system to use it effectively
— You want to build genuine relationships, not just chase vanity metrics
— You feel overwhelmed by the platform and don't know where to start

The frustrating part? You're amazing at what you do, but that expertise isn't translating into the visibility and opportunities you deserve.

There are two approaches to LinkedIn:
1. Random posting and cold outreach that leads nowhere
2. Strategic visibility + intentional relationship-building

I help leaders like you transform from invisible to influential through my REALationship Growth Method.

Real results from real clients:
Scott: Closed a $400k deal from LinkedIn relationships
Michelle: Landed 2x $30k speaking engagements in 3 months
Dr. Ashley: 2 speaking gigs in 2 weeks, 5-figure client in 4 weeks

This isn't generic social media coaching. I built my own multi-six figure business using these exact strategies while being an introvert who hates traditional networking (and definitely hates cold outreach). 

Ready to be known for what you do?

DM me "LFG" and let's chat! 💜

2 years ago today, I signed my first client. (!)

No website. No branding. Not even a business name yet.

Just belief I had a system that worked - even though I couldn't articulate what it was.

I was supposed to be working for yet another id*ot.🙊

Instead, someone asked: "Can I work with YOU on my LinkedIn strategy?"

That was the beginning of everything.

By the time I officially launched my business in December 2022, I already had 8 clients.
(Fear of going public held me back from announcing it sooner!)

But those 8 people trusted me anyway.
(You know who you are. Thank you 🙏.)

Since then:

→ 67 1:1 clients 
→ And 4 B2B teams
→ Been on 19 podcasts 
→ Became an E Approved Partner
→ Won the Entreprenista 100 award
→ Spoken to over 200+ female founders 
→ Brought in over half a million in revenue.
→ Started my newsletter (26 editions so far) 
→ Just signed a consulting contract with a Big Four 
→ Launched the REALationship Growth Method Group

What you didn't see:

— We moved across country. 
— Got married at 7.5mo pregnant. 
— Had my son 2 weeks later, 2 months early.
— Paused my business while my son was in NICU
— Moved across country again (yes, crazy, I know).
— Unknowingly experienced postpartum depression. 
— Had to rebuild my business from what felt like scratch. 

It's been a lot of highs. 
A handful of lows, doubts, and worries.
But I wouldn't change a thing.

I never imagined I'd be an entrepreneur.
I definitely never thought I'd make it this far.
The craziest part? I'm only just beginning.

I'm so grateful to be building something I love that provides enough to support my family (and lets my husband be a sahd).

Thank you ALL for being part of this journey.

You probably don’t believe it, but I'm a very private person. 
I don’t use social media in my personal life. 

Sharing with you these last two years is very out of my comfort zone.

The awkwardness. 
The uncontrollable blinking eyes in videos.
The quirky discomfort I have putting myself out there.

But I wouldn't be able to do any of this without you cheering me on through all of it.

I live it. And I help you get through it, too.
That's the point of all this.

____

P.S. In honour of my businessversary, I'm hosting my first ever live public workshop: 

What's Working On LinkedIn Today: How to get more visible and win more sales. 

October 30th at 12:00 ET - Register today, spots limited! 😎

https://lnkd.in/e4eT2P6R

Natasha Walstra

Grow the REAL (and profitable) way on LinkedIn | Entrepreneurs & B2B Teams | Filling Nov Cohort of The REALationship Growth Method - ask me about it! 🙌

They asked better questions than most CEOs!

Yesterday I spoke with students at the Faber Entrepreneurship Center at Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina.

These future entrepreneurs are on it!

What I covered:

— My 3-step LinkedIn framework
— The compound effect of consistency - why starting now will change everything for them (even if they don't see it yet).
— "Socialize the idea" - talk about what you're building while you're building it.
— Even gave them a custom "USC Headline prompt" to help create their headlines 🤓

They asked great questions:

"What if I have 2 different career paths?" 
→ I don't know many entrepreneurs that don't have various things going on. Just sayin. But, explain on your profile, prioritize your content. 

"How do I be authentic when posting feels so awkward?" 
→ Even my most successful clients freeze up before posting. The awkwardness is normal. We're the first generation learning to build relationships through screens.

"What are the big don'ts for LinkedIn?" 
→ Don't pitch slap in DMs. Build relationships first.

And finally, Professor Jeff Savage, PhD, made a great point: Use your class assignment as a LinkedIn experiment. They're all pitching/building businesses as part of their class.

I built on that with "shock the narrative" - instead of polished corporate speak, try honest transparency."My professor is making me post this" is way more engaging than generic business jargon. 

People are tired of the same sanitized content. Real honesty stands out.

I’m excited these 20-year-olds are thinking about intentional relationship-building NOW.

Instead of waiting until they "need" to network, these young entrepreneurs will already have years of trust deposits built up.

I can't even imagine the opportunities that will come their way.

The compound effect of consistency is real. 
What starts as awkward LinkedIn posts today becomes the career-defining relationships of tomorrow.

____

P.S. If you're hesitating to start because you don't feel "ready" - remember that these students don't either. They're starting anyway.

Postpartum "brain fog" has hit me like a truck.

Last week, I found myself frantically rushing to send an email to a client that was "a week late," only to realize I'd already sent it 4 days ago.

A few weeks prior, I was on a follow-up call with a B2B client expecting questions, pushback, maybe some negotiation. Instead I was met with: "We're ready to go." 
My brain went completely silent...I had no idea what the next steps were for my own process.

Add on my husband having to remind me to do the same thing 5 times. 
Not in a week. Within minutes.

This is just a few on a long list of oops's.

My brain just... isn't braining.

I wrote a post about it when it first started 6 months ago. Then hesitated.

"Should I be saying this out loud? Won't people think I'm unprofessional?"

But here's the thing: if women don't talk about this, who will?

This cognitive flatlining happens to postpartum moms. 
Women in perimenopause. 
Women in menopause.

Your mind just... leaves. 
No forwarding address.

Instead of support, we get green juice recommendations or "it's just the lack of sleep." 

But maybe the most radical thing we can do in business is admit when we're not at our sharpest and still choose to show up.

I'm rebuilding how I work:
— Put in systems and process (long overdue anyways) 
— Just hired a fractional chief of staff (woop!)
— And stopped pretending I can just "power through."

I started designing my work around my energy instead of trying to slot myself into systems that don't fit.

I'm not broken. You're not broken.
We're women. 
The problem isn't us. 

It's that we're trying to operate like machines in a world that expects us to perform the same way every single day.

Some days my brain works. Some days it doesn't.

Building a business that works with BOTH versions of me is the goal.

If you're in this fog right now, you're not alone.

And you're definitely not crazy (or sleep deprived! (or maybe you are too then definitely sending you a big hug!!)). 

_____

P.S. Curious how others have navigated this. I hear it gets better but I also hear it doesn't. 😬

"Every time I see your picture, I'm like 'Ooh, what's Natasha have to say?'"

I used to hide behind quote cards and graphics.

Then a client said that to me and it completely flipped the script.

Showing your face isn't about ego or vanity.

It's about accelerating trust.

Here's what your face does that content can't:

→ Builds familiarity over time 
→ Creates instant recognition 
→ Makes you human in a digital world 
→ Differentiates you from AI and copycats

The result?

People feel like they know you before you ever speak.

That's the foundation of every strong business relationship.

You don't need perfect lighting or professional photos.

Just show up as you...crooked smile and all 🤓

___

P.S. I'm still working on this myself. Quote cards feel safer. But every time I push through the discomfort and show my face, the response reminds me why it matters.

Trust beats cold outreach every time.
That's the core of what got me featured in Business Insider last week.

While y'all primarily know me for my 1:1 work with business owner, don't be fooled - I learned all this during my B2B tech sales days.  🤓

And these strategies work absolute magic in that world.

What makes this different from typical LinkedIn programs? 

It's built around one question: 
"Does this move a deal forward?"

Most LinkedIn strategies focus on vanity metrics. 
This program focuses on what your CRO actually cares about.

No ghostwriting mills. 
No spammy outreach. 
No turning executives into content machines.

Instead, we extract authentic perspectives from busy leaders and turn LinkedIn into a relationship-driven engine that creates measurable business results.

Trust is scarce, but decision-makers still act on credible voices. 

73% say thought leadership is more trustworthy than product sheets for assessing companies.

Personal executive profiles consistently outperform company pages in both reach and engagement.

The program is designed for complex B2B sales - professional services, tech, finance, industrials - where credibility and stakeholder consensus determine outcomes.

Can't wait to help more leaders build the kind of authentic presence that actually drives results.

___

P.S. After a decade of helping leaders build trust-driven sales systems, seeing this methodology get recognized feels amazing. I'm excited for what's to come with NearPoint Strategies.

Full link here: https://lnkd.in/eiBKwUrh

Summary of post:
Natasha Walstra announces her feature in Business Insider about NearPoint Strategies' Revenue Linked Executive LinkedIn Program. She explains how her B2B tech sales background shaped her approach to LinkedIn strategy that focuses on relationship-driven results rather than vanity metrics. The post emphasizes trust-based methods over cold outreach for complex B2B sales.
What's inside:
The post covers her program's differentiation through the question "Does this move a deal forward?" and includes statistics about thought leadership trust (73% more trustworthy than product sheets). It explains the program's focus on extracting authentic perspectives from executives and turning LinkedIn into a measurable business results engine for professional services, tech, finance, and industrial sectors.
Image itself:
Screenshot of Business Insider press release webpage showing the headline "NearPoint Strategies Launches Revenue

What's the ROI on your "Great event!" post?

Zero. Because it's a participation trophy.🙊

Your network doesn't care that you showed up. 
They care what you learned. Who you met. 
What's changing because you were there.

But most event posts are just proof of attendance with a smile emoji.

Events aren't networking. 
→ They're relationship accelerators.

And the real opportunity doesn't start when you walk in the door.
It starts weeks before and continues long after.

What actually works:

1. 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁:
Find the attendee list. The speaker lineup. 
Do your homework.

Reach out on LinkedIn: "Hey, saw we're both attending X event. Would love to connect beforehand."

This is how you skip the awkward small talk. You've already broken the ice.

2. 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁:
Share a speaker insight that stopped you in your tracks. 
Tag them. Add your take.

Take a photo with someone you connected with. 
Post it. Tag them. Mention what you talked about.

This keeps you top of mind and deepens real connections.

3. 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁:
This is where most people drop the ball.
They think the relationship ends when the event does. 

But this is when the real nurturing begins.
Follow up. Reference your conversations. S
tay in touch. Share your key takeaway.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲:

Participation trophy: 
"Amazing event! So grateful!"

Relationship building: 
Before, during, and after content that keeps you connected.

Relationships compound over time.

That person you met 6 months ago? 
They might not need you now. 
But if you've nurtured that connection, stayed top of mind? 
They'll think of you when they do.

The ROI from events isn't the event itself.
It's the relationships you build around it.

Your participation trophy posts are leaving that ROI on the table.

____

P.S. It's event season isn't it?! I haven't gone to any all year, and the first week of November I have THREE. One of them, I'll be sitting on stage on a panel! 🙈 

What event is top of the list for you?!

Ever thought you'd get a trip to Hawaii from LinkedIn?

Fully paid, with your family... for 12 days?

Yeah, I doubt my client did either. 

But her plane tickets in a few weeks says otherwise! ✈️

For a year she'd been going back and forth with this prospect but nothing ever happened.

He's president of an organization and incredibly busy.

But needed help with this project but it was hard to reach him and communication was sporadic.

Then she started showing up on LinkedIn regularly.

Sharing insights about digital overwhelm. 
Stories from client transformations. 
Her unique take on things.

Last week, her phone buzzes.

Text from him: 
"We need your help. We're drowning... but we're also drowning in SkyMiles."

The result?
He's flying her out with her family. 
12 days in Hawaii. 
Guest house on the property. 
Mix of work and vacation.

All because consistent posting kept her top-of-mind and reminded him how much he actually needed her expertise.

This is what I mean when I say LinkedIn works.

Not because of followers or likes. 
Because of visibility when it matters most.

Your ideal clients are lurking on LinkedIn right now.

They're seeing your posts. 
Noting your expertise. 
Waiting for the right moment to reach out.

The question is: are you showing up consistently enough to be there when they need you?

____

P.S. That was really hard not to get (too) carried away in Canva with Hawaii themed graphics, I must say. 😅

But back to the win, HOW COOL IS THAT?! I am so excited for her!!

"Could AI have written this?"

I ask myself this before I post anything now.

If the answer is yes, it's back to the drawing board.

Because a lot of 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 is flooding LinkedIn:

"5 secrets to productivity" 
"The mindset shift that changed everything" 
"Here's what successful people do differently"

Generic. 
Forgettable. 
Interchangeable.

Anyone could have written these posts. 

But AI can't write about:

— How my client had 10 opportunities from 3 months of working together.
— Or another client got a trip to Hawaii for her AND her family paid for.
— The amazing questions USC business students asked me.
— Reframing LinkedIn as an extension of your workplace.

These aren't content templates you can Google.
They're my Tuesday.
And my brain. 🧠

Right now, people are craving real lived experiences more than ever.

And genuine original thought leadership - your unique frameworks and perspectives, not regurgitated advice.

AI can summarize existing ideas. It can't create your breakthrough insights on how things 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 work.

But most people won't share either.

Stories feel too personal. 
Original ideas feel too exposing.
 
What if I'm wrong? 
What if people disagree?
What if everyone else already knows this?

The truth is, your audience isn't looking for this profound wisdom.

They're looking for perspective they can actually use. 

And that comes from real experience and original thinking, not recycled talking points.

Your mess-ups teach more than your successes. 
Your questions are more valuable than your answers. 
Your process matters more than your results.

Don't try to sound like everyone else's highlight reel.
Share YOUR behind-the-scenes reality.

That's where the real connections happen.

_____


P.S. Wild that it's the final Monday of September!

Spooky season is around the corner 👻 which means the holidays will be here before we know it. 

I'm doing one final cohort before the end of the year - perfect timing so you can hit the ground running in 2026. 

Spaces are limited and it's already filling up. 

DM me "LFG" for deets.🙌

My highest engaging posts aren't the "expert" ones.

They're the messy, human ones.

The post about my husband not being able to picture an apple in his mind got more meaningful conversations than any LinkedIn strategy tip I've shared.

My rant about feeling like a fraud while getting client praise? 
More DMs than my "how-to" content.

My vulnerable case study sharing about postpartum depression + imposter syndrome? 
People still reference it months later.

Meanwhile, my perfectly polished advice posts get the LinkedIn equivalent of polite golf claps.

What's happening:

Everyone's become an expert. 👀
Everyone has frameworks.
Everyone has tips.

But not everyone shares the behind-the-scenes reality of what it's actually like to do the work.

The doubt. 
The weird coincidences. 
The moments that don't fit into neat bullet points.

Your competition can copy your advice. 
They can't copy your Tuesday.
That awkward prospect closing call. 
The revenue milestone that felt anticlimactic. 
The random encounter that changed everything.

Those stories aren't "professional" enough for most people to share.

Which is exactly why they work.

Real recognizes real. 
Real is rare on LinkedIn.

And real builds REALationships.

____

P.S. I'm not saying don't share expertise. Just remember that people connect with humans, not content machines.

Happy Friday, Y'all!! Listen, I know we're not yet even in October and I'm already talking about my November REALationship Growth Method Cohort...but I'm already filling up spots. 

Are you finally ready to make LinkedIn work FOR you?? DM me "LFG" for deets.

She'd never written a post 

And now VC's are calling.

I caught up with a client last week because she wanted to share her wins and hear about my new program.

It was one of the most fun calls I've had. 

We couldn't get through a single story without another "Ohhhh and another LinkedIn..." and "ALSO from LinkedIn!"

When Terrika and I started working together, she had 0 followers, had never written a post, and had no idea what LinkedIn was about.

We worked together for 3 months, and since then:

→ Podcast interview
→ 465 strategic followers
→ Found her fractional CMO
→ Sponsorship for a midlife event
→ Selected for retail readiness cohort
→ Multiple VC connections in women's health
→ New mentor who sold her beverage company
→ VC presentation with her products on the menu
→ Connected with Cornell for production capabilities
→ Panel speaking at major conference with top keynote

(I had to pull this from the transcript because there was SO much I lost track).

Every single opportunity came from LinkedIn relationships. 

For a non-alcoholic health beverage targeting women in perimenopause+ ( Herb & Orchid - give it a follow!).

Tell me again how LinkedIn is "just for B2B"?

The best part?

Even with all this success, she knows there's so much more to explore. 

This is why she's joining my REALationship Growth Method for ongoing support through office hours, workshops, and community.

This is what happens when you stop treating LinkedIn like a resume and start treating it like a relationship-building engine.

You don’t need to be building a beverage company to have a success story like Terrika's. LinkedIn doesn't care what industry you're in - it cares about relationships. 

_____

P.S. Curious about the program? 

DM me "REAL" for details.

I pitched-slapped her in 2018.

And can't decide if I'm mortified or proud.

Someone I pitch slapped in 2018 commented "LFG" to learn about my program and jumped on a call with me yesterday.

You know how I feel about pitch slapping today. 
But back then? LinkedIn was the wild west. 🤠

"𝘏𝘪 𝘟, 𝘮𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘢. 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘺𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘞𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘟𝘠𝘡. 𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘵? 
𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘢"

Classic 2018 energy. 

"Synergy" wasn't 𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 buzzed out yet. 
That friendly "Cheers" sign-off to "soften" the pitch.
Name dropping for credibility.

→ Zero context to what we actually do.

She didn't respond.

Some context:
My company gave me awful email templates - novels I had to send to 300+ victims. 
On TOP of 100x 'smile and dial' cold calls 

The messaging was terrible. 
...and you also know how I feel about cold calling.
I kept thinking "Why would anyone respond to this?"

I got yelled at for how terrible I was on the phone.
Put down for low activity numbers.

But here's the thing: while others booked 20 calls with 50% show rates, I booked 10 calls with 100% show rates.

Quality over quantity. Even then.

Fast forward to this week: that same person is asking about my group program.

The pitch slap didn't work in 2018. 
But apparently, showing up authentically did.
(She commented on my 'most vulnerable case study post')

Sometimes the "wrong" approach plants seeds for the right relationship later.

My courage to try something different back then led to everything I do today.

Even if the execution was cringe.

P.S. To everyone I pitch slapped in the late 20teens: my apologies. But also... some of you are my clients now, so maybe it worked out? 

P.S.2 Breaking down what was good about the DM:  length - short and sweet, direct approach, included social proof. But missing the most important, "What's in it for me?" Classic mistake - leading with credentials instead of value. Plus, a little aggressive to go straight in for a call. Yurii Veremchuk your take? ; )

What if you just said the truth?

I'm working with a B2B team on their LinkedIn strategy.

One guy is brand new to the platform. 
Literally has 30 connections.
His first post? 18 likes. Crushing it. 

Now comes the important part: 
Connecting with those who liked his post.

Most people either send a blank request or some generic "thanks for the like" message.

But what if you said what's genuinely true for your situation?

So I suggested he say:

(Read newsletter for details 😉)

No pitch. No template. Just honest appreciation with real vulnerability.

The response rate was significantly higher than any polished message could have achieved.

There's a term for this: "shock the narrative." 

People expect:

— Generic connection requests
— Templated responses
— Immediate pitches

They don't expect genuine honesty about where you actually are.

That authenticity completely changes how people respond.

Everyone's following the same playbooks. 
Using the same templates. Sounding identical.

Your authenticity is your competitive advantage.

The message that feels "too real" or "not professional enough"? 
That's usually the one that actually connects.

____

P.S. The most successful people aren't the ones who followed the crowd. They stood out. That's how you win in an AI world where everyone can sound the same. 

Have you ever shocked the narrative in your work? Share in the comments!

I just started working with this B2B team. It's only been a few months, but they're absolutely crushing it on LinkedIn - 10-20x engagement AND convers

Open article: Most would’ve missed the opportunity  by Natasha Walstra • 3 min read

Want to guarantee a successful product, software, service, book, podcast, or community launch?

→ Build a (loyal) audience.

We've seen this proven in book publishing for years:

— James Clear grew his newsletter to 400k subscribers before Atomic Habits launched. Result? 25+ million copies sold.

— Tim Ferris built his niche audience, publishers came to him. The 4-Hour Workweek became a #1 NYT bestseller with zero offline advertising.

We've got creators crushing it everywhere:

— Kim Kardashian: Leveraged her massive following to launch Skims, reaching $4B valuation

— Emma Chamberlain built 12+ million YouTube subscribers, then launched Chamberlain Coffee. 

And now we're seeing it with top LinkedIn creators:

— Lara Acosta and Jake Ward are leveraging their expertise and combined audiences to build Kleo 2.0

— Darren McKee built a thriving social selling business and just launched 531 Social.

They all have built-in audiences ready to buy day one.

The pattern:

Find audience → Create content → Build trust → Launch product

Not: 

Create product → Spend fortune on marketing → Hope someone cares

In this trust recession, people buy from creators they've followed for years. 

Not from brands they've never heard of.

Every business is becoming a creator business.

Your audience becomes your focus group, your launch team, and your first customers.

Set your feelings aside about "putting yourself out there." 
This is the way forward.

Tell your story.

___

P.S. This is exactly how I was able to fill my first REALationship Growth Method Cohort SIX WEEKS before launch. Everyone in the cohort is someone I've met before and been nurturing through my content and jumped on the opportunity when I made the announcement (quietly in my "P.S.'s" even.)

I signed 8 clients before I even launched my business.

No website. No branding. 
Not even a business name I felt confident about.

You think you need the perfect launch:

— Build the landing page. 
— Perfect your brand. 
— Create a funnel.

I did it backwards.

Instead, I "socialized the idea."

Talked to people who already knew me. 
Had real conversations. 
No cold outreach. No pitch slapping.
And they bought. Some on the spot.

This week's newsletter breaks down:

→ How I launched backwards
→ Why your existing network is more valuable than you think 
→ The approach I still use today (which SOLD OUT my first cohort 6 weeks in advance) 

Plus, I'm celebrating my upcoming businessversary with a free workshop for my readers.

Link to subscribe in comments. 👇

P.S. Friday is exactly 2 years since I signed my first client and I'll be sharing what these years actually looked like. Stay tuned.😎

Hello Reader! 2 years ago this week, I was a mix of terrified and excited. I’d just signed my first client… without a website, without branding, and k

Open article: How I Signed 8 Clients Before I Launched my Business  by Natasha Walstra • 3 min read

How I Signed 8 Clients Before I Launched my Business

I saw a post last week that stopped my scroll. 

A creator with 50k followers said she makes the same sales as she did at 12,500 followers.

Same sales. 4x the followers.

Proving what she and other successful creators already know:

You don't need 100s of likes and comments. 
You need the exact right eyes at the exact right time.

The platform fundamentally shifted, and most people missed it.

I break down what's happening on LinkedIn in this week's newsletter.

____

P.S. The shift from stadium to block party levels the playing field. 

It's a good thing. It means you have more control over who you interact with. 

Those who are upset about the changes are the ones who haven't changed their strategy, as if LinkedIn owes them that visibility. 

One of the worst thing you can do in business is betting on 'what used to work.'

I saw someone post last week that they get the same number of sales with 50,000 followers as they did with 12,500. That should tell us something. The 

Open article: LinkedIn isn’t a stage anymore (and that's good news) by Natasha Walstra • 3 min read

LinkedIn isn’t a stage anymore (and that's good news)

40,000 years later, we're still telling stories around fires.

Except now the fire is a screen.
And that screen is getting crowded.

Today, there's more attention available online than ever before in human history.

And this is also the least attention there will ever be again.

New tools drop daily.
AI advances weekly.
Everyone's shouting louder for the same eyeballs.

But in all this noise, what actually cuts through?

The same thing that's worked for 40,000 years:
→ 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀.

While everyone else is chasing the latest hack,
the smartest creators are going back to basics.

Your worst business mistake.
Your specific client transformation.
The conversation that changed how you see your industry.

AI can generate content about your field.
It can't generate your experience in that field.

That time you had to pivot your entire business model overnight.
The mentor who saw something in you that you couldn't see.
The failure that became your biggest teacher.

These aren't just anecdotes.
They're your competitive advantage.

When anyone can sound like an expert, only you can sound like you.

The market is oversaturated with advice.
It's starving for authentic experience.
(REAL authenticity)

Your stories aren't just content.
They're proof.

Proof you've been there.
Proof you've solved real problems.
Proof you understand what your audience is going through because you've walked that path.

The opportunity is massive.
The window won't stay open forever.

Your story is waiting. The fire is lit.

🔥🔥🔥

P.S. Every cave painting was someone saying:

"I was here. This happened."

Some things never change.

"Get online and start telling your story. You don't want customers. You want community."

- Allison Ellsworth on Codie Sanchez's podcast.

She should know.  She built the fastest growing soda brand in history and sold it to Pepsi for $1.9 billion.

Her journey started in her kitchen, trying to make apple cider vinegar taste better for her own health issues. 

Fast forward through farmers markets that kept selling out, a Shark Tank appearance at 9 months pregnant (go her!), and going all-in on TikTok when brands were afraid to be there.

The result? Poppi became a movement, not just a product.

And this is exactly what I've been saying about LinkedIn.

Your network isn't a lead list. It's your community.

Allison didn't build customers first. 
She built relationships. She shared her story. 
She connected with people who cared about what she cared about.

When you focus on genuine connection over transactions, people don't just buy your product. 

They become part of your movement.

___

P.S. My favorite part of the episode? Her take on bada$s women having it all:

"You can be successful, feminine, a mom (or not), and build billion-dollar brands." 

Yes we can. LFG!

Taplio

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