Billy Annesley’s Post

Our membership and engagement has grown over 100% since Jan But is it all just because Exit Five has LinkedIn clout? (^ Ew, did I really just say that? Anyway...) That's what I used to ask myself. Until I started to dive deep into our metrics every month and tell the team why things like growth and engagement are moving in the right direction. Only then did I start to realize we actually have a playbook for this stuff. So when the team at Circle asked me to talk about it in an upcoming Live Workshop, I was pretty pumped up to get into it. We're chatting about ✅ How Exit Five thinks about and drives member growth ✅ Why Exit Five treats their community like a product and why you should too ✅ What we do to drive 40% MAU with a 4,300+ person community If you've been seen Exit Five's stuff everywhere lately and wondering how our community has been growing like a weed, now's your chance to learn how we do it. https://lnkd.in/gi6_me8g

As we close out the year, I’ve been reflecting on the journey so far. Here are 4 things I wish I’d known at the beginning of the year, and would’ve saved me a lot of "oops" moments ⬇️ 1) Don’t *just* "run fast and break things" 🏃♀️➡️ As an early-stage startup, it’s tempting to prioritize speed over everything. But we’ve learned the hard way that sometimes quality should come first. For instance, we now prefer releasing well-planned features even if deployment takes a few more days, or having a lean team but hiring superstar team members. 2) Growth hacks actually work, and they’re free 🤯 Paid campaigns didn’t deliver much for us on a limited budget. Creative growth hacks, often thought up late at night or on weekends (my favorite message from Nadav Gutman: "I’ve just thought of a new cool free tool") became no-brainers: fast to execute, provide immediate value, and require minimal budget. 3) Invest more in community relationships 🤝 We’ve found that building connections within the data and startup communities is key to strengthening our brand at Sherloq. These included our Partners Program, sending Limoncello gifts to data professionals we’ve connected with, talking at Data Conferences, and engaging in WhatsApp, Reddit, and Slack data groups. 4) Invest more in co-founder relationships 🫶 I've learned that keeping goals aligned, maintaining clear communication, giving honest (and sometimes brutal) feedback, and having fun together—like regular “Date Nights” or “Date Days”— are all part of building a healthy co-founder relationship and essentially are key to growing the company. Below: Nadav and I on one of our recent “Date Days”. Cheers to 2025 🥂

Ever had a speaker bail on you last minute? One of our mentors did... and I'm really happy about it. Here’s why: Cherene Aubert, the brilliant growth strategist behind brands like ILIA, Bobbie, and dozens of other consumer startups, agreed to do a workshop with us on May 10. Then, she got a last-minute invite from her son's school for a "Bring Your Mom to School" day, just before Mother's Day. She wisely prioritized her family, and we canceled the workshop that week. This is a reminder: Your work will always be there. Business opportunities will come and go. But being there for the special moments with your kids, siblings, parents, and grandparents? Those moments you can't get back. 🙌🏼 The HAPPY conclusion: Cherene is back on the calendar! We're hosting a workshop with her this Friday at 1pm EST (link in comments). If you work in digital marketing, you don’t want to miss this. She'll be discussing what’s in and what’s out for Customer Acquisition and Retention in 2024. ❤️ TikTok shop affiliates: In.  ☠️ Easy viral vids on TikTok: Out. I hope Cherene’s story taught you a valuable lesson. And I promise, if you join us on Friday, you'll learn a lot more.

As a Founder, it gets overwhelming seeing your competitors post their wins. One is raising $1 million from this VC One is getting featured in this article. And another is signing XYZ Client. It's so easy to feel constantly stressed, jealous, and anxious about what you did NOT accomplish for your own company. But I'm here to tell you... that it's okay. ❌ You're not late ❌ You're not early ✅ You are very much on time No matter your role, from Founder to Employee to Intern: --> Everyone is running their own race, in their own time. --> Direction is more important than speed. --> And comparison is the thief of joy. You realize that to be the most successful, put all of your time and energy on yourself rather than keeping tabs on what your neighbors are doing next door. For example, I am going to more energy and focus into what we are building at Creator Match 🧩 for our Brand partners and LinkedIn Creators... And worry less about the outside noise. What race are you running? *** 🔔 If you found this helpful, you would love my other content - be sure to follow me AJ Eckstein 🧩 Photo creds: @kulagne #mondaymotivation #buildinpublic #creatormatch

How I Helped 5 Founders in Just 15 Days 🌟 Imagine being in the shoes of five determined founders, each with a unique vision and a burning desire to make their mark on the world. Their products were revolutionary, their services unparalleled, but there was a common obstacle standing in their way: the struggle to connect with their ideal customers. As their trusted guide in the realm of digital marketing, I embarked on a mission to turn their dreams into reality. But my approach wasn't just about crunching numbers or following cookie-cutter strategies. It was about infusing each campaign with a human touch – a touch that resonated with the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of their target audience. 🎨 Painting a Picture of Authenticity: In a world inundated with generic ads and impersonal messages, authenticity became our secret weapon. Together, we peeled back the layers of their businesses to reveal the essence of what made them truly unique. From heartfelt stories to genuine testimonials, every element of our campaigns was imbued with a sense of authenticity that spoke volumes to their audience. 🚀 Fueling Growth Through Connection: But our journey didn't stop there. Through carefully crafted media buying strategies, we didn't just drive leads – we sparked connections. Each click, each conversion was more than just a transaction; it was a testament to the power of human connection in a digital age. 🌟 Results That Speak for Themselves: And the results? Nothing short of extraordinary. In just 15 days, we witnessed a surge in leads, a spike in engagement, and a newfound sense of momentum that propelled these founders towards their goals. But beyond the metrics and KPIs, what truly mattered were the stories – the stories of lives impacted, dreams realized, and futures transformed. 👋 Your Invitation to Rewrite the Narrative: So, if you're ready

Our goal is to make ourselves obsolete. But what do we mean by that? 👇 At Piggyback, we help brands struggling to stand out on social media find their voice. Through our 6-month accelerator program, we equip our clients with the tools and skills to become self-sufficient and continue to thrive—long after our time together has ended. In other words, our goal is to make ourselves obsolete. Think of the dating app Hinge and their motto, “Designed to be deleted.” That’s what we’re aiming for. We’re here to work ourselves out of a job. If we see the same client returning for our accelerator program, we’d consider it a sign that we missed the mark. Success for us means seeing our clients thrive on their own. While we aim to make ourselves obsolete, we’re committed to creating a lasting legacy. Whether it’s a quick tip on shooting more engaging videos or something more impactful, like fostering a positive team culture, we want our clients to own these skills and remember where they came from. That way, when we see their social media in the months and years to come, we can feel proud of the impact we made together! 🤝🐽

Make your LinkedIn readable, add cool founders from Product Hunt! LinkedIn is flooding my feed with content and outreach tips. But I want to read stories from people who make cool SAAS products. So i am building my own curated feed. I find relevant people ➔ invite to connect ➔ turn on notifications. The challenge? Where to find the right people. Use Product Hunt to get startup founders and heads: • Check product launches in your niche. • Like a product? Open the makers list. • Find them on LinkedIn and Twitter. • If they write often and well — ADD I found Marie Martens, Chris Frantz, Simo Lemhandez on the Product Hunt. They are awesome! You can add some great writing from real makers to your feed too

Founders, it's time: TAKE MASSIVE ACTION. No excuses. Don’t overcomplicate it—pick one platform and own it. Here’s how: Start with ONE post a day. Showcase ONE lesson you’ve learned. Share ONE story of how your product helps. Outcomes? You build brand awareness. You connect with your ideal audience. You gain the trust that drives sales. It’s not about being fancy; it’s about being consistent. Every post gets you closer to building a marketing machine for your startup. And here’s your challenge: Join me for the 34-Days Better Founder Challenge. Post once a day for the next 34 days. Share your journey. Build your community. Grow your brand. Tag me in your posts—I’ll be cheering you on every step of the way. Let’s make this happen!

- Waking up at 2 pm - Party all night - Headaches every morning - Ditching high school - Managing a club for RJ (who drank till he died) - Listening to loud music all-day - Passing out on club stairs - Toxic relationships - Repeat This was my late teens... used to think I was cool. (I had the wrong role models.) 15 years later: - I don't drown my sorrows in music. - I don't party all night. - I don't do toxic. Instead: - I'm a fractional CMO to many businesses. - I write 6 extremely profitable newsletters. - I make friends with good, kind, honest people. My mentor now isn't a drunk musician. My mentors are billionaires, top Silicon Valley CEOs, VCs, professors, etc. (It's all about role models.) P.S. I'd love to hear about your role models. --- My 3-year goal is to be CMO to 500+ 7/8 figure businesses. If you're interested in a fractional CMO: - with two international bestsellers in tech. - who has crafted and studied $80M+ worth of advertising. - who has helped over 250 businesses generate $3.8B in revenue. Reach out and let's see if we're a fit. - We'll go through an extensive process - to see if we can really truly help you - and then make a fair deal (Note: This is only for businesses in North America and Western Europe doing at least 6-figure revenue.) If you're a startup feel free to reach out but remember, I don't do unpaid calls so don't even think about it. Just send your MVP, deck, cap-table, etc. P.S. For everyone who wanted to see my eyes, I hope this face reveal is worth it. Full disclosure, I tried to fix my face with Photoshop but couldn't. It's not that bad, is it?!

Welcome everyone and thank you for being part of this community! ✨ I’m Carla J. Llanos Santos, CEO & Founder of Thrive Marketing Solutions and a marketing strategist with a passion for delivering impactful solutions. Here’s a glimpse into my journey: • Last year posed significant professional challenges: leaving the corporate world due to a work-life imbalance, followed by a transition after being let go from a distributor during a restructuring phase. • With unwavering faith and determination, I embraced these changes, put everything in God’s hands and I quickly got my first client. (without starting officially my business). This early success propelled me to fully commit to my entrepreneurial journey, focusing on helping businesses thrive through strategic marketing solutions. • At ‘Thrive’, we aim to empower startups and organizations with tailored marketing plans that align closely with their commercial strategies. Here, I’ll share insights from client collaborations, behind-the-scenes processes, industry events, and valuable marketing content. Thank you for joining me on this journey of growth, experience, and continuous learning. 🚀 Let’s thrive together🔥