n this episode of Founders Future, with host Zach Young, we meet Alicia Teltz, a former Global Client Executive at LinkedIn and the founder of The Hype Department. Alicia shares her journey from being a "hypocrite" advisor—teaching massive corporations how to leverage LinkedIn while never posting herself—to becoming a top LinkedIn creator. Her decision to publicly commit to growing her own audience to 10,000 followers in 90 days was a pivotal experiment that worked so well it gave her the confidence to leave her corporate job and launch her own business, dedicated to demystifying the platform for professionals and companies alike.

Alicia delves into the core strategies of her business, which operates on both a B2C and B2B model. She explains her "value-first" philosophy for LinkedIn success, breaking down how to structure content across a marketing funnel, why AI-generated posts damage credibility, and the nuanced realities of using video on the platform. She also provides an insider's guide to effective "social selling," detailing a consultative approach to sliding into DMs that focuses on building relationships over time rather than making immediate, off-putting sales pitches, all aimed at helping clients build authentic influence and generate real business opportunities.