In this episode of the DevReady Podcast, host Anthony Sapountzis is joined by Con Sotidis, renowned LinkedIn and AI Strategist, to explore the art of building a powerful personal brand on LinkedIn. Con, founder of Social Selling Warrior and a specialist in social selling strategies, shares actionable insights to help professionals elevate their profiles, grow their networks, and attract new opportunities. Drawing on years of experience, Con demonstrates how a well-crafted LinkedIn presence can be a game changer for professionals across industries.

Anthony and Con reflect on Con’s unique career journey, from starting out as an accountant in the tax office to discovering his passion for connecting with people and shifting into business development. Con shares how growing up with cultural expectations of job security kept him in the public service for decades, despite his creative drive. Once he stepped out of the bureaucratic environment, he embraced the freedom to innovate and build his own business, finally aligning his career with his extroverted nature. Together, they discuss how family influences and personal realisations often shape the path to entrepreneurship, and how leaning into one’s strengths ultimately leads to greater satisfaction and success.

Con delves into a common challenge faced by small business owners: becoming so absorbed in day-to-day operations that they overlook building and projecting their personal brand. He argues that a professional, engaging LinkedIn profile is an underutilised but powerful tool for sparking conversations and showcasing credibility in the B2B space. Con contrasts LinkedIn with platforms like Facebook, noting that while Facebook serves some industries well, LinkedIn remains unparalleled for creating professional connections in fields like finance, law, and consultancy. He highlights how investing time in a strong LinkedIn profile helps entrepreneurs stand out and attract valuable opportunities.

As the conversation turns to the changing dynamics of LinkedIn, Con acknowledges that the platform’s feed increasingly resembles Facebook’s, yet insists that sharing genuine, value-driven content remains essential. He explains how LinkedIn’s algorithm rewards authentic engagement and meaningful interactions, stressing the importance of promptly responding to comments to maximise post reach. Con and Anthony explore the power of video, agreeing that short, personable clips build credibility, capture attention, and foster deeper connections more effectively than static text. They share personal experiences on overcoming discomfort with video to leverage it as a key branding tool.

Rounding out their discussion, Con emphasises that a person’s name is their most valuable brand asset, and maintaining its integrity is vital in today’s professional landscape. He advocates for professionals to make themselves memorable by consistently providing value and nurturing authentic relationships on LinkedIn. Through a live profile walkthrough, Con highlights best practices, such as using a professional headshot, a keyword-rich headline, and gathering recommendations to build social proof. He also shares creative yet compliant ways to personalise profiles, reinforcing that success on LinkedIn hinges on relationships, relevance, and thoughtful branding.

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