Lessons learned LinkedIn Templates

I agree! I read an awesome quote about this recently. It says “You have to add value, meet needs, & solve problems. You challenge assumptions & you drive change. You may fail, but then you get up and try again. Developing real expertise takes time - there are no shortcuts to excellence.”- Kayla Edwards

What I’ve learned is winners are doers. They try and try again. They look at obstacles as just that, something to be conquered. They aren’t afraid to be looked at funny or stumble through a new process because they are a novice.

This is encouragement for business owners who are figuring it out….keep going! Ask for help! Stumble through and show up because of you don’t give up you will either win or figure out when you need to pivot, and still win. 😉🏆

Today, as I stepped off the curb outside a store, I witnessed a vivid scene:

a driver attempting to bypass the speed bumps by steering the passenger side tires between the curb and the bumps.

The result?

A long, piercing screech as the tires scraped against the concrete.

This moment is a powerful metaphor for life.

Often, we try to avoid minor challenges, only to face greater adversity as a result.

Embrace life's speed bumps! Don't swerve to the curb to escape them. It's through facing these challenges head-on that we grow and truly succeed.

And only through facing them do we gain the experience to be of use to others, to lift and build them without ruining their tires! #lifelessons #growthmindset #lifelonglearning

10 years ago I swept floors as a janitor.

5 years ago I wired buildings as an electrician.

Today I get paid to write stories on the internet.

Reality is negotiable.

Why?

Here’s the lesson:

•Every post

•Every email

•And every click, is an opportunity.

A chance to reshape who you are and your future self.

Reality isn't concrete. Reality is clay. Learn to sculpt your future...

How?

Use the power of storytelling to:

•Inspire

•Educate

•Motivate

•And entertain

So whether you're a new writer, a senior marketer, or a CEO let's write the future together.

Transforming your future isn’t just my story - it’s yours too.

Are you ready to share yours?

Watch this before you start building your personal brand.

One thing I see most of the people doing is sharing general tips in the same format...

That every other personal branding account is sharing... AGAIN AND AGAIN!

Literally every account in their niche.

And ironically...

They talk about "how to stand out as a personal brand"

Umm.. really?

Well...

Sorry to burst your bubble but...

If you and everyone else are doing the same thing, that means nobody stands out.

So, how do you actually stand out if you want to talk about the same topics?

Well...

You change the packaging.

So you move people from point A to point B (same as others), but through a different path than everybody else.

So the message (or the destination in this case) is the same...

But the packaging or the path is different.

And that's exactly what you need to do to create a solid personal brand.

If you can't be best, be different.

Does this makes sense?

So, tell me...

Are you also bored of creators posting the same iIIegal tools and 30 content ideas post and stuff?

Do you now want them to share something different?

Tell me in the comments below.

One year ago, I quit my +$250,000/yr job and moved to Brazil.

I went all in as a creator.

You think quitting a high-paying job for the uncertain life is crazy, right? Wrong!.

Here's everything I learned from launching a 6-figure storytelling business in one year.

1.) Beginner's hell is real.

Imagine being able to sleep well at night despite income fluctuations.

If you ignore this advice, you risk falling into financial desperation quickly:

The first 6 months drove of business drove me insane.

Income would come and go.

Nothing was solid and predictable.

But because I savings for one year of expenses...

...I could sleep well at night and make decisions for the long term.

The lesson:

Save one year of expenses before going all in.

This will help you make better decisions with being desperate for money.

2.) How to fix beginner's hell.

The truth about networking:

It's not about who you know, but who knows you.

This insight can transform your reach and open unexpected doors.

I began asking everyone I knew if they need a writer.

Or if they knew someone that needed a writer.

Odds are that one of those people needs or knows someone that needs your service.

Network like it's a full time job.

3.) Don't listen to big accounts.

Things change fast online. What worked last year won't work now.

Don't use mentors who are light years ahead.

Find a mentor who is one step ahead of you.

That's how you breakthrough obstacles.

4.) Become multifaceted.

The difference between a broke creator and a rich one?

The broke ones have one skill: Which is usually content creation.

The rich creators have multiple skills:

-Copy

-Email

-Advertising

-Sales

-Marketing

Etc.

Combine all of these skills and the world is yours

5.) The internet is A LOT bigger than social media.

People with email accounts 3.8 billion.

People on social media 3.4 billion.

Don't limit yourself to one platform.

Repurpose your content and make it work for you.

6. The smart entrepreneur beats the hard working entrepreneur.

Sad but true

The smartest get paid, and usually have the most time.

Don't chase.

You'll end up pushing a rock uphill.

Strategize to put your business in a position where you can push a rock downhill.

7. Everything takes longer than you'd expect.

Behind this successful year of business.

I've spent years failing with blogs, podcasts, and other internet platforms.

What you think will take a year will take four. So be patient.

The best things in life come with time.

8. Don't hire others to write for you.

I paid a copywriter $5,000 to write my first sales page.

The result? 1% conversion rate.

I hired a mentor to teach me how to write sales pages.

The result? 5-7% conversion rates.

P.S.

Learn how to send profitable emails in less than 5 minutes each using my easy email templates (doors close at midnight tonight)

https://lnkd.in/ejgfVMN2

The early months set the tone for the entire year, so understanding your past year's performance is essential to refine your marketing strategies and continue to see more growth. It's not just about setting goals but about learning from the past and adapting as you go.

Running a business is all about learning and evolving.

Here's what fuels that fire for me: a continuous feedback loop.

Inside the Team:

► We actively seek feedback from our team.

► Their insights help us understand the challenges they face.

► We don’t just listen, we act.

► We refine our processes.

► We leverage technology.

► We strive to create a work environment that empowers everyone.

Outside the Team:

► Our customers are our best critics and our biggest supporters.

► We engage with them at every stage of their journey.

► Their feedback helps us understand their needs, expectations, and experiences.

► We use this knowledge to improve our products, services, and customer relationships.

The pursuit of excellence is a never-ending journey.

Every piece of feedback, every insight, every suggestion is a step on this journey.

We learn, we adapt, we improve. We turn feedback into action.

P.S. What role does feedback play in your organization?

Let's hear your thoughts in the comments!

#ctrlp #feedbackintoaction #customercentric #empoweringteams #customerfeedback

Designers have adopted the portfolio for decades. Now, PMs are joining them.

I surveyed 325 PMs and chatted with 15 hiring managers (5 in each geo).

Here's what I learned:

Globally, the numbers are pedestrian:

• 16% of PMs have a portfolio

• 61% know of them, but don't have one

• 23% have never even heard of one!

But - the percentage using them is growing steadily.

The ascent has been accelerated with 3 bumps:

1. The dot com era brought many more people into tech, resulting in some competing with portfolios

2. The great financial crisis led to myriad layoffs, prompting struggling PMs to adopt them

3. The ZIRP era led to a huge expansion of the field, driving former designers and engineers to switch and bring along their portfolios

But this pick up hasn't been global.

It has been geographically specific:

• Adoption in the Americas is a pedestrian 10%

• In Europe and Australia, it's nearly double that

• In Asia and the Middle East, nearly 40% have one

In India, EG, many PM job postings even ask for one!

This got me thinking...

Could a great portfolio help distinguish candidates?

So, I recruited 5 interested mentees in my Slack community to work with me on a portfolio strategy.

I'll be honest: we had lots of fits and starts along the way.

• People not reading the portfolios

• People actually disliking the portfolios

• One mentee giving up on the strategy...

But, ultimately, we've been able to figure it out:

1. A CS major got an APM gig

2. A principal PM finally broke into FAANG

3. An aspiring PM finally secured their first PM role

4. A director of Product finally left a toxic manager

5. A PM laid off for 11 months got a job again

The key?

Building a differentiated portfolio that shows not just what you did, but how you did it.

Of course, the portfolio doesn't do all the work. It's one piece of the puzzle.

But in a world where so few use it, it can be a massive differentiator.

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Want to learn what makes a great portfolio? Check out the deep dive: https://lnkd.in/eQd32YUA