This week, Brad is joined by Mandy McEwen, founder of Modgirl Marketing and Luminex, and a LinkedIn expert recognised as one of LinkedIn's top marketing voices. Mandy shares her journey from intending to be a school psychologist to accidentally launching a digital marketing agency. They deep dive into the current state of marketing, the dramatic shift caused by AI, and how you can leverage LinkedIn to build a successful personal brand and drive high-quality B2B leads.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Success in the challenging life of an entrepreneur is consistently linked to a relentless drive, passion, curiosity, and a "never say die" attitude, even when faced with zero initial returns.
LinkedIn acts as an instant trust-builder and personal story platform, allowing people to get to know you quickly. A strong, consistent personal brand is becoming increasingly crucial for visibility, especially as AI-driven search evolves.
The era of traditional SEO and Google search results is evolving, with AI tools like ChatGPT and Google's AI overview changing how people find information. To remain visible, content needs to be highly detailed, helpful, and optimized for both traditional search and AI, including creative methods like competitor list-style posts.
The most important elements of a compelling LinkedIn profile are an easily visible professional headshot, a headline that clearly states your value, a compelling "About" section that tells your story, and utilizing the "Featured" media section for links, testimonials, and high-performing posts.
To boost visibility and engagement, be active on the platform. LinkedIn's algorithm often rewards five to fifteen minutes of commenting on others' posts both before and after you publish your own content, as this signals that you are a genuine and active user.
BEST MOMENTS
“Honestly, I just kind of fell into it because I was obsessed with the internet back in the day. I literally went to Google and I typed in, 'How to make money online?'”
"I don't want someone to tell me that I have to punch a clock from 8 to 5 every day. I want to be free and make my own money and not have to rely on someone else."
"We almost have to have that delusional mindset, that, 'Yeah, these are my giant goals and you might think I'm crazy, but I'm going after it, you know, and I'm not going to stop.'"
"People work with people they know, like, and trust. That's just human nature, right? I'm telling everyone this when I train sellers: you have to be known, liked, and trusted, period."
HOST BIO
Brad Staines is a founder in the thick of it - but by design, not by default. As the face of Aquamark Cleaning, he’s built a multi-million-pound operation with 30+ team members, strong systems, and a culture that gives people space to grow.
He’s still involved in the business a couple of days a week - but only doing the parts he genuinely enjoys: building relationships, growing the brand, spending time with the team, and spotting new opportunities. The day-to-day grind? That’s been handed over to a structure that runs without constant firefighting.
Brad’s also found his rhythm outside of business - with a deep commitment to physical and mental training. Whether it’s strength work, early morning runs, or cold plunges, he’s a believer that how you show up for yourself shapes how you show up as a leader.
Working On It is where he brings it all together - growth, grit, and getting better every week.
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