So I'm noticing that posts without images are outperforming the ones with. Anyone else seeing this, or is it just me? 👀

"Personal storytelling on LinkedIn is pretentious." That's what a founder said to me yesterday. I asked him one question: “If you were on a hiring call, what’s the first thing you’d ask a candidate?” His eyes went wide. Like, cartoonishly wide. In the best way possible. "I'd ask them to tell me about themselves." Exactly. So I said: “If you expect people to share their story, why wouldn’t your ICP want to hear yours?” Silence. Here's the thing about personal storytelling:  It humanizes you. If all you post is tips, frameworks, and tactical breakdowns, two things happen: One - you're going to burn out.  Because you're always in "thinking mode."  Always trying to sound smart. Always performing. Two - people respect you, but they don't feel like they know you.  And people work with people they feel like they know. Personal storytelling does what authoritative content can't:  it makes you relatable. It shows you're not just a brain on the internet.  You're a person. With experiences. With perspectives. With a personality. And that matters more than most people think. Because when someone's choosing between you and three other people who all say smart things, they're not picking the smartest one. They're picking the one they feel connected to. Personal storytelling builds that connection. And guess what? It's easier to create than the "smart" content. You don't have to be in expert mode. You don't have to have all the answers. You just have to share what you're seeing, thinking, or experiencing. The pressure comes off. The content flows. And ironically, it's often the posts people remember most. Now, I'm not saying every post should be personal. Balance matters. But if you never sprinkle in bits of who you are, you'll never create those memorable moments. Another thing... this also applies to how you show up in comments too. I see so many AI-generated comments that are polite, agreeable, and mostly forgettable. They don't make me curious enough to check your profile. But when I see a comment that's funny, sharp, or interesting... I'm clicking through.  I'm curious who wrote it. That's because personality is magnetic.  Even in a comment. So yeah. Personal storytelling isn't pretentious. It's the thing that makes people remember you're not just a content machine. You're a person. And people do business with people. I’d love your take. Is storytelling on LinkedIn pretentious… or exactly why someone decided to work with you?

I took some time away to think about what actually matters when it comes to the work I do. And what I realized led me to start a newsletter (a long time coming if you ask me). I've spent grueling hours studying successful personal brands, trying to spot the pattern that separates leaders who become unforgettable from people who don't. Here's what I found: many of us focus too much on aesthetic differentiation. The color palettes, hot takes, personal uniforms, and so forth. Meanwhile, the winners are building intellectual property that belongs only to them. And creating frameworks that people reference decades later. The difference? It's not more content. It's a stance. After months of reflection, I'm finally launching Ideas Worth Stealing; a newsletter where I share the signals that help you hit the ground running without drowning in the illusion of creating more content. My first edition is live, and it's about the most innovative ways to stand out in your industry (spoiler: it has nothing to do with what you think). If you've ever wondered how to become category-of-one in your field without playing the same tired personal branding games everyone else is playing, this one's for you. Happy New Year! In 2026 we're saying yes to new ideas, opportunities, and passions. Don't be a stranger to this conversation. Your thoughts and opinions on this topic are welcome. 💜

If you're a SaaS founder who just raised a Series A or B round, congratulations! Now the real work begins. You have: - A board to impress - Serious MRR targets to hit - A top-tier team to build and lead - Competitors to beat The pressure to keep up feels like a 3-front war. And it's easy to overlook the one growth asset that can help you win all three: Your founder brand. Great founders aren’t just product builders. They’re master storytellers. Think about it: → An active, visible founder shows investors you can sell the vision. → A strong voice attracts top talent who want to join your mission. → Enterprise buyers buy into your expertise before they ever see a demo. Your personal brand is the leverage that makes every part of your business work faster and smarter. It's the #1 system that does the pre-selling for you. But building it consistently is a luxury you don't have. Because you have a company to run now. You’re making hard decisions every week. You’re constantly thinking ten steps ahead. Your content becomes the first thing to suffer, even though it’s the one thing that compounds quietly in the background. The truth is, founders who treat their voice like an asset end up shaping their category. While the ones who ignore it end up fighting harder for the same results. So I'd love to know your stance; As you scale, how are you making sure your founder brand works for you and not against you? #SaaSgrowth #SaaSfounders #SeriesA #SeriesB #Personalbrandstrategy #LinkedInghostwritingforfounders

What I discovered about positioning will save you months of confusion. I've lived many different professional lives in the last few weeks. Here's the short story: I'm multi-passionate and my brain hates labels. Longer story: I've been a content marketer, copywriter, strategist. I've worked with SaaS companies, agencies, NGOs, tech startups, and coaches. I was good at all of it. But being multifaceted actually did me more harm than good: It made positioning feel like suffocation. Every time I tried to niche down, my brain would panic. Because I wanted to be so many things to so many people at the same time. So I didn't niche. I stayed broad. I tried to be helpful to everyone. And you know what happened? I became invisible. Here’s the bitter truth I had to face: When you try to be everything to everyone, you end up confusing everyone. Not because you lack skill, but because your message has no center. What finally changed things for me was finding my through-line. The thread that links my strengths to the outcome my clients care about. And once I saw it clearly, everything clicked. For me, with my unique combination of skills, that's helping agency owners and fractional executives build a predictable inbound pipeline on autopilot, without cold outreach or paid ads... and entirely powered by an active LinkedIn presence. And honestly? That's the most vibrant outcome I could ever imagine. Everything I've done throughout my career has led me here... My deep obsession with customer journeys, deep knowledge of buyer psychology, and a proven 4-step framework that worked every time. (Fun fact: I used to run my own tiny inbound system - LinkedIn → blog → scheduler. It brought me inquiries every single week. Now I'm building those systems for others.) If there's anything you can take away from my journey, let it be this: → Find your through line. → Combine your skills into one clear business outcome. → Stay curious. Curiosity helps you discover your path faster. → Reinvent yourself as many times as you want, but with intention. → Don't wait until you're perfect to start showing up. → Overthinking is natural, but you'll only get clarity when you act. → Your mix of skills can make you a category of one. That's how this feels for me. I've come full circle. And I can't wait to make meaningful impact in someone's business. ▪️▪️▪️ So if you're an agency owner or fractional executive who wants a system that turns your expertise into steady, qualified demand: Welcome. This is for you. Let me officially reintroduce myself... I’m Emmanuella Ugochukwu, Inbound Growth + Ghostwriting Partner. I optimize your LinkedIn for attention and build done-for-you systems that turn it into booked appointments. PS: If you've struggled with positioning like I did, what was your breakthrough moment? I'd love to hear your story. (I know this post is long. If you made it this far, you're an angel. Thanks for being here. 💜)