Nigel Thomas's Linkedin Analytics

How 1st impressions scientifically make you more sales. An experiment by Princeton discovered humans make accurate judgments of others in 1/10 of a second. Yes, 1/10th of a second! But the really scary part? If you make a Bad first impression… It takes EIGHT subsequent positive encounters to change another person's negative opinion of you. So if want to make more sales. Here’s what you have to do: Relentlessly practice the first 30 seconds of your calls: 1) What is your video background? 2) What is your energy and tonality like? 3) What specific compliment can you immediately give the prospect? Your goal: To be the most memorable call your prospect has all day. And make a positive 1st impression so strong they will never ever forget you.

🚨 HIRING: Executive Assistant to Nigel Thomas 🚨 I’m looking for a world-class Executive Assistant to join me on my journey as I scale my businesses and attempt to inspire others through the power of self-belief. If you’re highly organized, proactive, and ambitious this role might be for you. I currently run a coaching business for eCommerce agencies, a podcast, a newsletter (David to Goliath) and I'm now putting together high-level industry events. I need someone who can take full ownership of key operational and administrative tasks. Including: ✅ Exceptional organizational skills—you’ll be managing inboxes, calendar, travel, and daily priorities with full autonomy. ✅ Proactive problem-solver—you anticipate challenges and act before they become problems. ✅ Highly detail-oriented—you make sure everything runs smoothly, from scheduling meetings to planning international events. ✅ Strong communication skills—you’ll be handling emails, LinkedIn messages, podcast guest coordination, and more. ✅ Ability to work independently—this is not for someone who needs micromanaging. ✅ Experience managing logistics—whether it’s coordinating a mastermind in the Dominican Republic or booking podcast guests, you keep everything on track. ✅ Financial admin skills—handling expenses, preparing reports for accountants, and managing invoices. This role is for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, high-performance environment and wants to be part of building something big. 💰 Salary: £30,000–£60,000 (negotiable for top talent) 🌍 Travel: Includes international events (e.g. Dominican Republic, March 2025) 📈 Growth: Potential to evolve into a Chief of Staff or high-level operations role 📍 Location: UK-based (predominantly remote but with occasional in-person meetings & travel) I set high standards and push for excellence. If you’re ready to step up, take ownership, and make a real impact—I'd love to hear from you. Link to apply in the comments. Know someone who’d be a great fit? Tag them below! 🙏

I’ll never forget my childhood nickname: “Krusty the Clown.” But my bullies didn’t get the last laugh. I did. As a kid, I battled severely with a skin condition eczema. I hated my scars. Hated the mirror. Hated the reminders etched into my skin. Reminders that I wasn’t good enough. But those bullies didn’t know, I didn’t know, The eczema wasn’t just marking my skin. It was carving my personality: A fighter. The insecurity that made me avoid mirrors. It became the fuel that lit a fire inside me. Years later, that fire gave me the strength to leave the comfort of a full-time job with no savings in the bank to start my own business. The voices kept coming back: “Nigel, you’re not good enough.” “Nigel, you won’t make it.” "Nigel, you're too ugly" But that only gave me more reasons to prove the doubters wrong. Then one day, something magical happened. I came across an ad from a company called Eczema Honey. I reached out to the founder Minesh. Not only did I build a friendship with this guy running a huge successful business. Not only, did our agency partner with them and they became our best ever client. He also invited me to the biggest pitch in their company's history. At the headquarters of Walmart, Arkansas. Think about that. Me – the kid who once couldn’t even look people in the eye – was now standing in front of the biggest industry giant, Walmart. Speaking with pride and purpose on behalf of a company that helped people solve eczema. Talk about things coming full circle. So yeah, Krusty the Clown. That was the name my bullies gave me. But those scars didn’t weaken me. They defined me. They made me who I am. You see in life, your biggest weakness often turns into your greatest strength. So keep believing. Your time will come. Minesh Patel - love you like a brother. Thank you for changing my life. 🙏

In 2019 I lost 80% of my revenue overnight. But this 1 lesson made my agency millions. I’d been running FB ads for this huge client - an Ecom brand. Then their company got bought out. The new company had an internal marketing team. So they no longer needed my services. Literally one call and my life was turned upside down. I fell to my knees, tears rolling down my face. I was devastated. I had no idea what I would do next and worst of all I had this pit in my stomach because I knew deep down it was all my fault. My fault because I: - Relied too much on 1 huge client - Focused solely on service - Stopped doing sales - Got complacent I learned a huge lesson that day. Never stop filling up your pipeline. Because regardless of how good your results are, some things are still out of your control. And if you’re not careful, you might wake up one day like me with 80% of your revenue gone. So don’t put your destiny in other’s hands. Control the controllables and let fate take care of the rest. Remember: Complacency in business is the enemy.

Your Calendar is Your Business Plan. here's how to manage it as Agency CEO: Right now if I pulled up your calendar, I’d it’s full of: - Unnecessary client calls you don’t need to be on - Slack pings disrupting your focus every 5 minutes - Low-value admin work that someone else should handle Yep. You know what I'm talking about! You’re busy, but busy doesn’t mean progress. This is why most agency owners plateau at $50K/month. And then again at $100k/month. - Not because they lack talent - Not because they don’t have the right offer  - But because their time is a mess Scaling isn’t just about getting more clients or building out the perfect system. It’s about protecting your time like your life depends on it. Remember: Time is the only resource you can’t buy back. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. The agency owners who break through $100K/month? - They don’t work harder than you  - They just work on the right things - They own their time instead of letting their agency own them If you’re stuck in the weeds, there’s no room to grow. So what’s the solution? Becoming self-aware through Time Auditing. And then ruthlessly removing anything that isn’t high impact. The first time I audited my calendar, I was shocked. 80% of my weeks were spent on tasks that weren’t actually pushing my agency forward: - Answering low-level client requests - Reviewing reports I didn’t need to be involved in - Micromanaging my team instead of letting them step up And yet, I kept telling myself, “I don’t have enough time to work on strategy, growth, or hiring.” Sound familiar? So I made three brutal but necessary changes: 1) I hired an VA. Every email, invoice, and scheduling request went through them. No exceptions. 2) I built a simple internal FAQ doc. My team stopped asking me the same questions and started solving problems themselves. 3) I time-blocked deep work. No Slack. No calls. Just focused execution on high leverage activities such as writing content. The result? - I freed up 15+ hours per week - I finally had time to work on the business - We doubled our agency revenue in 6 months Here’s the 6-Step Time Audit to get your time back: Step 1: Set an alarm on your phone every 30 minutes Step 2: Log down what task you did every day for 1 week (ideally 2) Step 3: Grade each task into 4 levels of impact marked by a dollar sign, $ = lowest impact, $$$$ = highest impact Step 4: At the end of the audit group tasks together and review Step 5: Block out time to eliminate, automate or delegate every $ and $$ task Step 6: Spend all your time on $$$ and $$$$ tasks Remember as the CEO if it doesn’t drive growth, it’s not your job. Scaling isn’t about adding more to your plate.   It’s about cutting the things that don’t serve you. Your calendar isn’t just a schedule. It’s your business plan. Fix your time, and your agency will scale itself.

A great recruitment strategy will grow your agency faster than any sales or marketing tactic. Here's mine: (this took 1,500 interviews to perfect): Step 1: Predictable Sales No cash = no resources for salaries. - Test different channels - Wait till you consistently book 10+ calls per month - Figure out how to turn those calls into long-term clients Then identify the people you need to improve the service. Step 2: Accurate Forecasting Recruitment is about being proactive. - Input sales data into CRM - Project sales up to 3 months out - Forecast ramp-up time for new recruits Foundation set. Now it's time to hire. Step 3: Applicant Source Systems are governed by the quality of their inputs. - Ask other agencies where they hire - Post job applications across recommendations - Double down where quality and quality is highest Then go for volume - ideally minimum 50-100 applicants per position. Step 4: Process to Filter Applications Time is precious. Interviews should only be reserved for candidates that have true potential. - Include a quick questionnaire - Filter out then ask remaining candidates to complete task - Filter again and interview those who are left Step 5: How to Interview Judgement is based on numbers (quantitive) and intuition (qualitative). - Short interviews to review past performance (quantitive) - Filter then conduct long interviews for culture (qualitative) - Ensure you get on with the individual on a personal level Then make the final call. Step 6: Setting Expectations Hiring the wrong person can be disastrous. - 1 month trial before offering long-term contract - Set specific KPIs and standards for what you expect - Hold them accountable and don’t let things slide If they don’t work out either offer the second-best candidate the opportunity or start the hiring process again. Step 7: Create an Environment of Safety People do their best work when they trust you. - Align their personal goals with the companies - Take time to introduce them to each team member - Constantly ask for their feedback (and listen!) People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. To Recap: Step 1: Make sales predicable Step 2: Forecast new sales and hires Step 3: Find a source for new applicants Step 4: Build an efficient filtering process Step 5: Interview by quantitive and qualitative Step 6: Set hard expectations from day 1 Step 7: Create an environment of safety What would you add?

Agency owners keep telling me they need more sales. There's a much easier fix (don't share this): Firstly what's your goal for your agency? Make more revenue? Make more cash? Because more sales won't solve the cash problem if you have poor margins. No. The only way to fix that is: 1) Decrease costs 2) Increase prices The exciting part is that with service-based businesses if you can prove the value to potential clients your pricing potential is almost limitless. How do I know? At my last agency I used to charge $1k/mo 12 months later we charged minimum $10k/mo. In 2024 I helped scale over 25 agencies and increasing their prices was the number one thing that helped them grow the fastest. So instead of trying to chase new leads ask yourself: Can you increase your prices? Because the more cash you have: - The more A-Players you can hire - The more you can work on, not in the business - The more you can get even better results Which allows you to further increase your prices! Remember: When everyone zigs learn to zag. Focusing on increasing prices VS more clients will give your agency a huge competitive advantage. But hey, let's keep this our little secret, right?

People say: “Don’t put all your eggs in 1 basket”. But only had 1 egg. And 1 basket. In 2019, after making some poor financial decisions I was over $50,000 in debt. Multiple income streams? Wasn’t exactly a thought when I needed to pay the bills. So I started ferociously looking for new opportunities. And I found a guy who needed help building a new company. The salary wasn’t great. But it was the chance to rebuild myself. One egg. One basket. I had to make this work. I was so obsessed some days I forgot to even eat. Completely losing the concept of time. Over the next 2 years I scaled this company to a 7 figure-run rate from scratch. This laser-like focus enabled me to not only scale this company to a 7 figure run rate from scratch but also develop the skillsets to become CEO of future businesses. But most importantly it taught me constraint is the true driver of innovation. So unless you’ve already built huge companies, stop worrying about diversifying your income and time. Because with obsession, dedication, and focus, your one golden egg can change your life.

Instead of worrying and thinking why it won't work. Only focus on telling yourself the reason why it can. Keep believing. The game is won in between the ears.

One skill advanced my career faster than anything else. And you can 100% use this (literally today): So, I’m sure you’ve heard the saying: “Your Network is Your Net Worth!” Right? But what you haven’t heard is HOW to network. The truth? 99% of people build their network REActively throughout a 40 year career. The 1%? They PROactively do 40 years of networking in 1. How? By reaching out to leaders in your industry. And if you’re wondering where to start so was I. I had a useless degree.  No authority.  0 followers online. But one day I plucked up the courage to cold email THE top dog in my industry. This guy had just sold his company for $2 Billion dollars! What happened next blew my mind… Almost instantly, he responded, giving me his number and asking me to call him. Half questioning if this was really him I dialled the number and sure enough he answered. He was one of the most down to earth people I’ve ever met and he gave me profound advice that changed my life. That one phone call shattered my worldview It was like finding a glitch in the matrix! But here’s the exciting part: Anyone could have done this! In todays world you can: - Cold email  - Cold DM - Cold call Pretty much anyone. Will everyone respond? Of course not! But you only need one door to open. Remember in life: If you don’t ask, you don’t get. So instead of reactively building your network over a 40 year career, be proactive. And do 40 years of networking in 1.

I might get in trouble on LinkedIn for saying this… But I am convinced Soloprenership is Bullsh*t. Why? Well, history doesn't lie. The reason you’re reading this right now is not because one solo person did it all alone. It’s because our ancestors banded together as tribes to pull through the toughest moments of adversity. People get caught up in the hype, the lure of ‘freedom’. Being completely overwhelmed and having to do everything yourself? Doesn’t sound like freedom to me! True freedom is only working on what you love every single day. Yes, at the start you will have to do most things yourself. But over time as you build up resources you can team up with others who have strengths in the areas you do not. That should be the true North Star. So let’s put an end to the Solopreneurship B.S. Yes, hats off, it’s a fantastic marketing angle to sell courses. But fundamentally it goes against human nature. And as history tells us: The lone wolf never beats the pack.

The FULL System: How I Scaled My Agency From 0 to $100k/Month (And How You Can Too) After 6 years helping 100+ agencies scale... I’ve put together the most comprehensive guide you’ll ever need. This isn’t just another “quick tips” PDF. It’s 50+ pages of actual systems, templates, and SOPs, including: ✅ Our Cold Email Framework - Complete setup guide - 3 highest-converting scripts - Scaling systems ✅ Financial Dashboard Template - Know exactly how much cash you’ll have each month - Track every dollar with zero guesswork - Client concentration risk calculator ✅ Complete Recruitment System - Outreach message templates - 4-step hiring process - 30-day onboarding SOP - Role-specific KPI sheets ✅ Client Management Suite - Service delivery SOPs - Health tracking system - Proven upsell scripts - Retention benchmarks Plus step-by-step implementation guides for: - Building your growth engine - Preventing team burnout - Developing authority content - Creating scalable systems This is the exact playbook that took us from 0 to $100k/month. Want a copy? Like & Comment "SCALE" below and I’ll send it over (must be connected). P.S. I'm hosting a 3-day growth experience for agency owners in the Caribbean last weekend of March. If you're interested click the first link in my bio ;)

In November 2019 I was jobless and $50,000 in debt. 6 years on I’ve scaled 2 startups to 7 figures+, grown an audience of 100,000 combined and mentored 35 start-up founders. Here’s how I got there (warning: it’s not sexy): 2009-2012: Went to Anglia Ruskin University to study Criminology. 2012-2013: Got a graduate job at Decathlon, a sportswear retailer. 2014-2016: Worked at a small surveying practice called Northern Surveying Services. 2014-2017: Did another degree, this time in Quantity Surveying at the University of the West of England in Bristol. 2016-2018: Joined AECOM, training to become a chartered quantity surveyor. 2018-2019: Quit the 9-5 and started my own marketing agency, Service to Millions, helping Ecom brand with FB ads. 2019: Made poor financial decisions, maxed out credit cards, and took loans out with high-interest rates - ended up $50,000 in debt. 2019-2020: Built a real estate lead gen agency for someone else, and got it to a 7 figure run rate. 2021: Joined Alpha Inbound as Chief Growth Officer, rebuilt the entire agency from scratch and won new business from outbound sales. 2022: Became the CEO of Alpha Inbound, started a podcast called ‘Ecom Alphas’ and started building my personal brand on LinkedIn. 2023: Fell into a deep state of depression with suicidal thoughts, stepped down as CEO and moved back to the UK to rebuild my life 2024: Documented the comeback through my Newsletter ‘David to Goliath’ and grew it to 41,000 people whilst working 1:1 with 35 start-ups 2025: Now have an audience of 100,000 across LinkedIn/Newsletter, scaling my agency coaching business and planning retreats for entrepreneurs I share this not to brag (I’m far from financially free). I share this because when I was a nobody with big ambitions working a soulless 9-5 I needed to read this. It took me 27 years to have the courage to take a chance on my dreams. A few years in $50,000 of debt I never thought I’d make it. But I’ve come to learn even the darkest days always pass. If you never give up, surround yourself with the right people and keep pushing you will eventually figure it out. I believe in you. Now, you need to believe in yourself.