Are you working hard on follow-up but still losing work you thought you were close to winning? Do you sometimes wonder if the real decision was made before you ever got on a call? If your firm is invisible during the months when potential clients are quietly deciding who to shortlist, this episode is for you.

I share what I've learned from losing a £50,000 to £100,000 contract that I genuinely thought we were in the running for, and what the research tells us about why it was probably already lost before that first conversation.

In this episode, I talk about how B2B buying has fundamentally changed, who the hidden decision-makers are, and why consistent thought leadership is now the single most powerful tool available to a small professional services firm. You'll hear practical steps to make sure your firm is visible in the 70% of the buying process that happens before anyone picks up the phone.

What you'll learn in the podcast episode:

- Why B2B buyers are already nearly 70% through their purchasing process before they make first contact, and what that means for your business development strategy right now

- Who the "hidden decision-makers" are inside potential client firms, why you'll never speak to them directly, and how to influence their thinking before they've ever heard of you

- Why going quiet on LinkedIn and other content platforms doesn't just slow your growth but actively penalises your visibility, and how the AI revolution has permanently changed the rules of digital discoverability

- How a consistent stream of highly specific thought leadership content can get a 10-person firm onto a shortlist ahead of much larger competitors, even when brand recognition matters less

- The practical content strategy I should have used with that law firm instead of chasing follow-up emails for six months, including the types of content that make hidden decision-makers champion your firm internally

Research sources cited in this episode:

6sense 2024 Buyer Experience Report: https://www.demandgenreport.com/industry-news/80-of-b2b-buyers-initiate-first-contact-once-theyre-70-through-their-buying-journey/48394/

2025 Edelman-LinkedIn B2B Thought Leadership Impact Report: https://www.edelman.com/sites/g/files/aatuss191/files/2025-07/2025%20Edelman-LinkedIn%20B2B%20Thought%20Leadership%20Impact%20Report_FINAL.pdf

Zero-Click Laws research on AI-mediated discovery: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/399996659_Zero-Click_Laws_v10_with_Glossary_Appendix_Empirical_Laws_of_AI-Mediated_Discovery

Related episodes:

The introverts guide to networking

https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/the-introverts-guide-to-networking

What it really takes to get a referral (it's not what you read on social media)

https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/the-biggest-mistake-professionals

The 5Ps to make sure that Business Development always happens

https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/the-5ps-to-make-sure-that-business

The LinkedIn mistakes that are costing you clients

https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/the-linkedin-mistakes-that-are-costing

Is your website quietly losing you clients?

https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/is-your-website-quietly-losing-you

Useful links:

- sign up as a paid subscriber and use this link to get 20% off an annual membership of Start Up To Grown Up

Welcome to a free podcast episode of Start Up To Grown Up: Your source for ideas, insights and tactics to take back control of your business and scale it sustainably and profitably by Heather Townsend, award-winning author of The Accountants’ Millionaires’ Club and Founder of The Accountants’ Growth Club

Each episode of the Start Up To Growth Up Podcast is based on my weekly Substack Article on the same topic. Head over to my substack to subscribe https://substack.com/@startuptogrownup so you never miss an article or episode again.

Are you putting in the networking hours but the referrals just aren't coming? Do you have introducers who seem keen to help but somehow never actually send you work? If you're doing everything right and still waiting for referrals that never materialise, this episode is for you.

I share what I've learned about why referral relationships so often fail to deliver, and why it's rarely about whether people like you or rate your work. In this episode, I talk about the five specific types of friction that block referrals from flowing, drawn from my own early experience joining a weekly networking group and the lessons I learnt the hard way. You'll hear exactly what to do to overcome each barrier and build a referral network that actually generates consistent, high-quality new business.

What you'll learn in the podcast episode:

- Why being at the back of your introducer's queue has nothing to do with your ability, and everything to do with relationship depth and timing

- The five distinct types of referral friction and why most firm owners only ever try to fix one of them

- Why "education friction" is the biggest hidden blocker, and how how to overcome this

- How to make it easy for introducers to spot and pass on good referrals

- Why referrals from introducers are one of the most profitable growth routes available to a small firm, and what it takes to get them flowing reliably

Related episodes:

The introverts guide to networking

https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/the-introverts-guide-to-networking

What it really takes to get a referral (it's not what you read on social media)

https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/the-biggest-mistake-professionals

The 5Ps to make sure that Business Development always happens

https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/the-5ps-to-make-sure-that-business

The LinkedIn mistakes that are costing you clients

https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/the-linkedin-mistakes-that-are-costing

Is your website quietly losing you clients?

https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/is-your-website-quietly-losing-you

Useful links:

- sign up as a paid subscriber and use this link to get 20% off an annual membership of Start Up To Grown Up

Welcome to a free podcast episode of Start Up To Grown Up: Your source for ideas, insights and tactics to take back control of your business and scale it sustainably and profitably by Heather Townsend, award-winning author of The Accountants’ Millionaires’ Club and Founder of The Accountants’ Growth Club

Each episode of the Start Up To Growth Up Podcast is based on my weekly Substack Article on the same topic. Head over to my substack to subscribe https://substack.com/@startuptogrownup so you never miss an article or episode again.

Are you still the person every client comes to, even though you know it's holding your firm back? Do you find yourself saying you'll delegate more, but somehow you're still reviewing every piece of work and answering every client question? If the thought of handing over your longest-standing clients feels genuinely terrifying, this episode is for you.

I share what I've learned about finally letting go of client work. In this episode, I talk about why holding on too tightly is the single biggest thing killing your firm's growth, and the three steps that actually make delegation work in the real world.

What you'll learn in the podcast episode:

- How to honestly assess whether it's the right time to hand over clients

- Why a proper handover takes more time upfront than just keeping the client yourself, and how to structure a transition process that actually works (including shadow sessions, reverse shadowing, and ongoing check-ins)

- The three self-sabotaging behaviours that undermine everything you've set up - and how to stop doing them even when it feels uncomfortable

- Why the bottleneck in your firm isn't your team's capability, it's your mindset - and what shifting that actually looks like in practice

- The real cost of hanging on too long, including the specific example of how I held onto a client relationship past its natural end and what it cost me

Related episodes:

The real reason you keep hiring the wrong people https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/177715994?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

What to do when your team wouldn't step up https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/173099328?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

This question could solve your frustrations with scaling your business https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/this-question-could-solve-your-frustrations

How to deal with your firm's dysfunctional star (without losing your sanity) https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/how-to-deal-with-your-firms-dysfunctional

Why that small voice of doubt is holding your business back (and how to quieten it) https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/why-that-small-voice-of-doubt-is

Useful links:

- sign up as a paid subscriber and use this link to get 20% off an annual membership of Start Up To Grown Up

Welcome to a free podcast episode of Start Up To Grown Up: Your source for ideas, insights and tactics to take back control of your business and scale it sustainably and profitably by Heather Townsend, award-winning author of The Accountants’ Millionaires’ Club and Founder of The Accountants’ Growth Club

Each episode of the Start Up To Growth Up Podcast is based on my weekly Substack Article on the same topic. Head over to my substack to subscribe https://substack.com/@startuptogrownup so you never miss an article or episode again.

Is your website quietly losing you clients every single week? Do you know you need to do something about your firm's digital presence but can never quite find the time to prioritise it? If you're not sure whether your website is actually working hard for your business or just taking up space on the internet, this episode is for you.

I share what I've learned from digging into the real data behind professional services websites, and some of it genuinely shocked me. In this episode, I talk about the gap between websites that sit there and websites that actively generate enquiries, why AI has fundamentally changed what potential clients expect to find when they search for you, and the specific trust signals that move a visitor from browsing to booking. You'll come away knowing exactly what's costing you business and what to focus on first.

What you'll learn in the podcast episode:

- The data that shows the true cost of a poor-performing site (including what a single percentage point improvement in conversion can mean for your pipeline)

- How AI has changed the way your ideal clients research and evaluate firms before they ever contact you, and what that means for how your website needs to show up in 2025 and beyond

- The mobile and speed factors that are silently killing your conversion rate, and the surprisingly small changes that can have a dramatic impact

- Why reviews and video testimonials aren't just nice-to-haves, with the specific numbers behind how they boost conversion rates in ways that are genuinely measurable

- The content trap that most professional services websites fall into and how to fix it

- Why email marketing still outperforms every other digital channel for professional services, and what benchmark numbers you should be aiming for

Related episodes:

How to get clients to say yes (without chasing or discounting) https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/182227725?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

Why your marketing isn’t working and how one simple document can fix it: https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/176407408?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

What is really takes to get a referral (it’s not what you read on social media): https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/172325532?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

The 5Ps to make sure that Business Development always happens: https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/169289180?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

How to put your marketing on autopilot: https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/168697651?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

Steal my top idea to consistently generate new business https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/163530106?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

Useful links:

- sign up as a paid subscriber and use this link to get 20% off an annual membership of Start Up To Grown Up

Welcome to a free podcast episode of Start Up To Grown Up: Your source for ideas, insights and tactics to take back control of your business and scale it sustainably and profitably by Heather Townsend, award-winning author of The Accountants’ Millionaires’ Club and Founder of The Accountants’ Growth Club

Each episode of the Start Up To Growth Up Podcast is based on my weekly Substack Article on the same topic. Head over to my substack to subscribe https://substack.com/@startuptogrownup so you never miss an article or episode again.

Are you leaving tens of thousands of pounds on the table with your existing clients? Do you find yourself exhausted from chasing new business whilst opportunities with current clients slip through your fingers? Are you so busy firefighting that you miss the buying signals right in front of you?

I share what I've learned about turning routine client meetings into profitable new work without adding more to your already overwhelming plate. In this episode, I talk about why most firm owners are so focused on winning new clients that they completely overlook the goldmine sitting in their existing client base. You'll hear the exact framework I use when training firm owners to spot opportunities, have the right conversations, and close work that clients are already ready to buy.

What you'll learn in the podcast episode:

- Why existing clients are far more profitable than new ones and how to shift your focus without abandoning business development entirely

- The buying signals your clients are giving you right now that you're missing because you're too busy or hiding behind email

- The SPIN questioning framework that helps clients convince themselves they need your services, without you ever feeling pushy or salesy

- How to flush out objections before you waste days writing proposals that go nowhere, using questions most professionals are too afraid to ask

- The biggest mistake firm owners make after a good client meeting and why most opportunities die in the follow-up, not in the conversation itself

- A simple system for maintaining momentum with opportunities so nothing falls through the cracks when you're stretched thin

Related episodes:

How to get clients to say yes (without chasing or discounting) https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/182227725?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

Why your marketing isn’t working and how one simple document can fix it: https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/176407408?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

What is really takes to get a referral (it’s not what you read on social media): https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/172325532?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

The 5Ps to make sure that Business Development always happens: https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/169289180?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

How to put your marketing on autopilot: https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/168697651?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

Steal my top idea to consistently generate new business https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/163530106?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

Useful links:

- sign up as a paid subscriber and use this link to get 20% off an annual membership of Start Up To Grown Up

Welcome to a free podcast episode of Start Up To Grown Up: Your source for ideas, insights and tactics to take back control of your business and scale it sustainably and profitably by Heather Townsend, award-winning author of The Accountants’ Millionaires’ Club and Founder of The Accountants’ Growth Club

Each episode of the Start Up To Growth Up Podcast is based on my weekly Substack Article on the same topic. Head over to my substack to subscribe https://substack.com/@startuptogrownup so you never miss an article or episode again.

Do you keep starting projects that fizzle out after a few weeks? Have you thought about launching a podcast but worry you won't keep it going? Are you one of those business owners who's brilliant at starting things but struggles with the follow-through?

I share what I've learned from publishing 53 consecutive weekly podcast episodes in my first year. In this episode, I talk about why 90% of podcasts don't make it past episode 3, and what separates the 1% who actually succeed. You'll hear the truth about consistency, the mistakes I made with promotion, and the simple workflow that made it possible to keep going when life got messy.

What you'll learn in the podcast episode:

- Why 90% of podcasts fail after just 3 episodes and how making it to episode 21 puts you in the top 1% of podcasters worldwide

- The exact workflow I use to create each episode without burning out

- How I made podcasting stupidly simple by linking it directly to my existing content creation process, so it never became another thing on my to-do list

- The relentless promotion lesson I learned the hard way when my downloads dropped because I stopped talking about the podcast consistently

- Why podcasting is a 'jam for tomorrow' strategy and what that means for monetisation in your first year versus long-term platform building

- The surprising ROI potential of podcasting, including why 63% of podcast listeners trust their favourite host more than social media influencers and actually buy what hosts recommend

Recommended software:

Riverside fm: https://riverside.sjv.io/e1MXvg

Wisprflow: https://wisprflow.ai/r?HEATHER220

These are affliate links

Related episodes:

How to generated 7000+ downloads in 6 months and turned my podcast into a lead generator: https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/how-i-generated-7000-downloads-in?r=l8khy

Why your marketing isn’t working and how one simple document can fix it: https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/176407408?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

The introverts’ guide to networking: https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/172939660?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

What is really takes to get a referral (it’s not what you read on social media): https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/172325532?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

The 5Ps to make sure that Business Development always happens: https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/169289180?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

How to put your marketing on autopilot: https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/168697651?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

From 0 to 1000 subscribers in 9 months: my exact playbook: https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/165872010?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

Useful links:

- sign up as a paid subscriber and use this link to get 20% off an annual membership of Start Up To Grown Up

Welcome to a free podcast episode of Start Up To Grown Up: Your source for ideas, insights and tactics to take back control of your business and scale it sustainably and profitably by Heather Townsend, award-winning author of The Accountants’ Millionaires’ Club and Founder of The Accountants’ Growth Club

Each episode of the Start Up To Growth Up Podcast is based on my weekly Substack Article on the same topic. Head over to my substack to subscribe https://substack.com/@startuptogrownup so you never miss an article or episode again.

Do you start Monday with a clear plan only to reach Friday wondering where the week went? Are you constantly firefighting instead of moving your business forward? Do you know exactly what you should be doing to grow, but somehow those tasks never seem to happen?

I share what I've learned about why our weeks disappear into client work and admin, and what actually works to break the cycle. In this episode, I talk about the truth that your brain is actively working against you, and why willpower alone will never be enough to get the important work done. You'll hear the practical systems I use to make sure growth tasks actually happen, even when the urgent stuff is screaming for attention.

What you'll learn in the podcast episode:

- Why business owners spend 68% of their time working IN the business when 73% would prefer to flip that ratio

- The science behind why your brain prioritises urgent over important, including the 'Mere Urgency Effect' that hijacks your attention even when you consciously know better

- How to build a Growth Plan that actually drives action, not just good intentions sitting on a piece of paper that you never look at

- The accountability framework that increases your success rate from 10% to 95%, and why a Monday morning check-in is non-negotiable

- My approach to time blocking that reduces overwhelm by 41% and cuts weekend work by 33%, including when to schedule your blocks and how to protect them

- What to do when you inevitably have a bad week, and why treating failure as a data point rather than beating yourself up is essential for long-term progress

Related episodes:

You’re not running a business, you’re running an expensive job (and how to change this): https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/182867523?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

Working harder won’t get you there (here’s what will in 2026): https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/182227399?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

Why we feel the compulsion to overwork (and how to stop): https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/171535895?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

4 micro habits to stop burnout (before it starts): https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/167596494?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

Useful links:

- sign up as a paid subscriber and use this link to get 20% off an annual membership of Start Up To Grown Up

Welcome to a free podcast episode of Start Up To Grown Up: Your source for ideas, insights and tactics to take back control of your business and scale it sustainably and profitably by Heather Townsend, award-winning author of The Accountants’ Millionaires’ Club and Founder of The Accountants’ Growth Club

Each episode of the Start Up To Growth Up Podcast is based on my weekly Substack Article on the same topic. Head over to my substack to subscribe https://substack.com/@startuptogrownup so you never miss an article or episode again.

Are you sitting there at the end of January wondering where the month went and why nothing's actually changed? Did those optimistic plans to finally delegate more, work fewer hours, and get out of the weeds disappear faster than your New Year's resolutions? If you're back to being the busiest person in your firm, firefighting the same problems you promised yourself would be different in 2026, this episode is for you.

I share what I've learned about why our best intentions fail and what's actually happening in your brain when you revert to old patterns. In this episode, I talk about the real reasons you keep getting pulled back into client work despite knowing you need to work on the business. You'll hear the brain science behind why change is so difficult and the one practical step that will actually break the pattern.

What you'll learn in the podcast episode:

- Why defaulting to old patterns isn't a failure of willpower or discipline, but a predictable brain response

- The certainty trap: how your brain chooses the immediate dopamine hit of client work over the uncertain outcomes of working on your business, even when you know what needs to change

- Why the transition from growing to scaling creates a survival response in your brain that pulls you back to billable work, especially during light revenue months

- How your identity as a successful firm owner has been wired to equate being busy with client work as important, filtering out the strategic work that actually matters

- The planning fallacy that keeps you bumping business development to 'next week' and why that mythical quiet period never arrives

- The one non-negotiable practice that breaks the pattern

Related episodes:

You’re not running a business, you’re running an expensive job (and how to change this): https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/182867523?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

Working harder won’t get you there (here’s what will in 2026): https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/182227399?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

Why we feel the compulsion to overwork (and how to stop): https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/171535895?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

Why I can’t stop doing the one thing that’s limiting my business: https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/180334311?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

15 ways your life will unexpectedly change (and not always for the better) as your business moves from growing to scaling https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/175091214?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

4 micro habits to stop burnout (before it starts): https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/167596494?referrer=%2Fpublish%2Fposts%2Fpublished

Useful links:

- sign up as a paid subscriber and use this link to get 20% off an annual membership of Start Up To Grown Up

Welcome to a free podcast episode of Start Up To Grown Up: Your source for ideas, insights and tactics to take back control of your business and scale it sustainably and profitably by Heather Townsend, award-winning author of The Accountants’ Millionaires’ Club and Founder of The Accountants’ Growth Club

Each episode of the Start Up To Growth Up Podcast is based on my weekly Substack Article on the same topic. Head over to my substack to subscribe https://substack.com/@startuptogrownup so you never miss an article or episode again.

Do you send proposals that never get a response? Have you had clients go silent after saying "looks good, we'll get back to you"? Are you losing work to competitors even though you know you're technically better?

I share the six evidence-based principles that consistently get clients to say yes faster.

In this episode, I talk about why most professional services firms lose pitches or new business not because their offering isn't good enough, but because they haven't thought about how to influence the decision-maker.

You'll hear practical tactics for communicating in ways that actually land and make it easy for clients' brains to say yes.

What you'll learn in the podcast episode:

- Why clients disappear after saying "let me think about it" and how thinking like a professional advisor rather than like your client is killing your conversion rates.

- The biggest mistake professional services firms make in proposals (talking about process, credentials and methodology instead of the outcomes clients actually care about).

- How to use visual communication to shrink complex proposals into something clients grasp in thirty seconds, not thirty minutes.

- Why one clear message repeated relentlessly beats ten brilliant ideas mentioned once, and how to identify your core message that matters most.

- The critical difference between being brilliant in one conversation versus being visible everywhere

- How to restructure your proposals so clients' attention is grabbed immediately

Related episodes:

The introverts' guide to networking: https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/the-introverts-guide-to-networking?r=l8khy

What it really takes to get a referral (it's not what you read on social media) https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/the-biggest-mistake-professionals?r=l8khy

How to put your marketing on autopilot https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/how-to-put-your-marketing-on-autopilot?r=l8khy

From 0 to 1000 subscribers in 9 months: my exact playbook https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/from-0-to-1000-subscribers-in-9-months?r=l8khy

Useful links:

- sign up as a paid subscriber and use this link to get 20% off an annual membership of Start Up To Grown Up

Welcome to a free podcast episode of Start Up To Grown Up: Your source for ideas, insights and tactics to take back control of your business and scale it sustainably and profitably by Heather Townsend, award-winning author of The Accountants’ Millionaires’ Club and Founder of The Accountants’ Growth Club

Each episode of the Start Up To Growth Up Podcast is based on my weekly Substack Article on the same topic. Head over to my substack to subscribe https://substack.com/@startuptogrownup so you never miss an article or episode again.

Are you wondering why LinkedIn isn't bringing you the clients you need? Do you invest time networking on the platform but feel like you're doing something wrong when the work doesn't materialise? Are you confused about what's changed with LinkedIn and why the tactics and content that used to work aren't delivering results anymore?

I share what I've learned about LinkedIn prospecting after being pitch slapped and watching the platform fundamentally change how it works.

In this episode, I talk about the common mistakes that are actively damaging your ability to win business on LinkedIn, from pitch slapping new connections to delegating your engagement to AI-powered assistants.

You'll hear practical tactics for using LinkedIn effectively in the age of the new algorithm, and why relationship building beats formulaic prospecting every single time.

What you'll learn in the podcast episode:

- How LinkedIn's new 360brew algorithm has fundamentally changed the platform from signal-based to semantic-based, and what this means for your content strategy and prospecting efforts

- Why the pitch slap (approaching new connections with an immediate sales pitch) kills opportunities before they start, and the simple networking event test to avoid this mistake

- The fatal flaw of only prospecting when you're hungry for work

- How to spot AI-generated engagement on your posts and why delegating your commenting to assistants armed with AI will get you blocked by the very prospects you're trying to reach

- Why staying within your zone of expertise matters more than ever under the new algorithm, and the line between helpful personal stories and coming across as inauthentic

The relationship building timeline that actually works on LinkedIn, including when it's appropriate to move from small talk to suggesting a call

Related episodes:

The introverts' guide to networking: https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/the-introverts-guide-to-networking?r=l8khy

What it really takes to get a referral (it's not what you read on social media) https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/the-biggest-mistake-professionals?r=l8khy

How to put your marketing on autopilot https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/how-to-put-your-marketing-on-autopilot?r=l8khy

From 0 to 1000 subscribers in 9 months: my exact playbook https://startuptogrownup.substack.com/p/from-0-to-1000-subscribers-in-9-months?r=l8khy

Useful links:

- sign up as a paid subscriber and use this link to get 20% off an annual membership of Start Up To Grown Up

Welcome to a free podcast episode of Start Up To Grown Up: Your source for ideas, insights and tactics to take back control of your business and scale it sustainably and profitably by Heather Townsend, award-winning author of The Accountants’ Millionaires’ Club and Founder of The Accountants’ Growth Club

Each episode of the Start Up To Growth Up Podcast is based on my weekly Substack Article on the same topic. Head over to my substack to subscribe https://substack.com/@startuptogrownup so you never miss an article or episode again.