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Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE's Recent LinkedIn Posts
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
@roryvaden
New York Times bestselling author of Take The Stairs, Hall of Fame Speaker, and Co-Founder of Brand Builders Group (Vaden Enterprises)
Posts
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
The mistake most people make when meeting someone new?
They tell people what they do.
Don’t do that.
Instead, tell them what you can do for them.
People don’t care about your job title.
They care about the problem you solve.
So instead of saying:
“I’m an accountant.”
Say:
“I help busy business owners save money on their taxes.”
Instead of:
“I’m a dentist.”
Say:
“I help everyday people have beautiful, straight teeth.”
Here’s the simple formula:
I help blank to blank.
Insert your audience.
Then insert the result you create.
For example:
“I help experts build and monetize their personal brand.”
Clear.
Simple.
Powerful.
So the next time someone asks what you do…
Don’t tell them what you do.
Tell them what you can do for them.
If you’re an expert building your brand, drop a comment below and let’s connect.
#personalbrand #expertpreneur #entrepreneurship #businessgrowth #leadership
26
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If you want to get paid speaking gigs faster, start where the demand is already built in.
Associations bring together people who work at different companies, inside the same industry. They exist for meetings, best practices, networking, and community.
And anytime you have meetings, you need speakers.
That is why associations consistently need educators who can add content, strengthen the program, and make the meeting valuable enough that people actually show up.
→ Comment “181” and I’ll send you the full article breakdown.
#publicspeaking #paidspeaking #speakerlife #speakingbusiness #thoughtleadership
17
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
100% of successful people have developed the discipline to do things they don’t feel like doing to get what they really want.
Here’s the key insight: the brain is not designed for success. It’s designed for survival.
Survival means conserving energy. Doing what’s safe. Doing what’s familiar.
That’s why most of us take the escalator without thinking.
We live in an escalator world. We gravitate toward the path of least resistance.
If I want to be successful, I have to rewire that default.
I have to form new neural pathways and train my brain to choose differently.
→ Comment “180” and I’ll send you the full article so you can start building real self-discipline today.
#selfdiscipline #habits #mindset #personaldevelopment #highperformance
16
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
You will never be successful until you do this one thing.
Stop worrying about what you can’t do.
Start acting on what you can do.
A lot of highly intelligent people struggle here, because they overthink.
They burn brainpower running endless simulations:
Why it won’t work.
What could go wrong.
What they don’t have.
What everyone else seems to have.
Meanwhile, the people who win are often not the “smartest.”
They are the ones who see an idea and execute.
And that execution changes everything.
Put your self-esteem into your work habits.
Let the results shake out however they shake out.
Stop worrying about what you can’t do.
Start acting on what you can do.
Share this with someone who’s stuck in planning mode and needs a nudge to take the next step.
What’s one thing you can do today, in the next 15 minutes, to move forward?
#mindset #execution #productivity #selfdiscipline #personaldevelopment
13
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Most entrepreneurs don’t have a time problem.
They have a delegation problem.
Yes, someone else will do it worse than you.
That’s true.
But here’s the math that changes the conversation:
If you hire 3 people who can do it 75% as well as you, that’s not a downgrade.
That’s 225% of what you can produce alone.
I learned this from one of the most successful entrepreneurs I’ve ever met, Cody Foster of Advisors Excel.
I call it the Foster Formula.
The 3 by 75 Rule.
Stop asking, “Can they do it as well as me?”
Start asking, “Can they do it well enough… so I can multiply?”
Share this with someone who’s trying to scale but keeps getting trapped in the weeds.
And if you’ve delegated something recently, what did you hand off first?
#delegation #leadership #entrepreneurship #productivity #scaling
13
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This is why I tell new speakers to start with associations.
Associations are built around meetings. Meetings are built around value.
And education is one of the fastest ways to create value in a room.
That means speakers are not a “nice to have.”
They are part of the reason people show up in the first place.
If you want to get booked faster, go where meetings are happening year-round and where the audience is already gathered around a shared profession.
Know someone who’s trying to get paid speaking gigs? Send them this.
12
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
The secret to feeling less pressure in sales is this:
Be committed to winning the relationship, even if you lose the sale.
When you focus on “closing,” there are wins and losses.
That’s where the tension comes from, for both of you.
But when you focus on the relationship, there are only wins.
You show up differently.
They feel it immediately.
The pressure comes off. The conversation gets honest.
So add value. Play the long game. Be genuinely committed to helping them, whether they buy today or not.
And ironically, that’s what tends to come back to you as revenue.
What’s your biggest question about sales or building your personal brand right now? Drop it in the comments.
#sales #relationshipbuilding #personalbrand #entrepreneurship #businesstips
16
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Marketing is part of my artistry.
If I create something I care about, but I’m unwilling to help people find it, I’m leaving the work unfinished.
What good is the best song if nobody hears it?
The best painting if nobody sees it?
The best writing if nobody reads it?
Presenting the work to the world is part of the work.
It’s how the art takes its place in someone’s life and gives them an emotional experience that makes a difference.
Marketing isn’t separate from the art.
Marketing is art.
→ Comment “CALL” and I’ll send you a simple way to share your work with more confidence.
#marketingforartists #creativeentrepreneur #artistmindset #personalbrand #contentstrategy #creatorbusiness #audiencegrowth #buildinpublic #creators #artmarketing
17
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
2mo
None of our plans go according to plan.
Not yours, not your neighbors, not anyone’s.
Stop trying to preempt future scenarios so your plan succeeds flawlessly. This is a trap that keeps you going nowhere fast. Without question, always implement the wisdom you’ve gained along the way, but next time you try to build a plan for yourself, lean into experimentation. Here’s what I mean:
Think of your life like an experiment.
Create. Test. Modify. Tweak.
Take action, then course correct. 
Perfectionism is one of the fastest ways to procrastinate.
It convinces you to wait for the “perfect plan.”
Spoiler alert: it never comes. We all just think it will.
Meanwhile, the people who win usually do something simpler: they try it, learn, adjust, and keep moving. Failure is just another step.
→ Comment “182” for the full article.
#entrepreneurship #procrastination #perfectionism #personaldevelopment #mindset
22
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If serving is beneath me, then leadership is beyond me.
A lot of people misunderstand leadership.
They think it’s the corner office, the title, the pay raise.
Leadership is solving problems.
It’s making life easier for other people.
It’s helping people advance their goals and achieve their dreams.
That’s the kind of leader people want to follow.
That’s the kind of leader that gets traction.
So I have to flip the mindset from “How can people serve me?” to this:
“How can I help others be successful?”
When I lead with service, I find myself leading people.
Let me know in the comments how this applies to you and your life.
#servantleadership #leadership #leadershipmindset #management #teamculture #peoplefirst #leadershipdevelopment #culturebuilding #emotionalintelligence #workplaceleadership
19
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
2mo
Question for you:
When was the last time you went all in on something?
I mean really all in.
When was the last time you set a goal and put it all out there?
You laid it all on the field.
You gave every spare second.
Every extra ounce of energy.
Every bit of focus.
You were thinking about it, working on it, learning, solving problems, and doing whatever it took.
When was the last time you did that?
Because if it has been a while, it may be time to do it again.
There is something powerful that happens when you go all in.
There is a shift in you.
There is a transformation in your life.
Too many people are sleepwalking through life.
Too many people are settling.
Too many people are slowly drifting into mediocrity.
Let this be a sign and some motivation for you.
Find something worth fighting for.
Find something worth building.
Find something worth becoming.
And then go all in.
Drop a comment and tell me what you’re ready to go all in on, or share this with someone who needs the push.
#mindset #successmindset #personaldevelopment #leadership #growthmindset
15
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This is the trade most people keep postponing.
Every “easy now” decision collects interest.
Every “hard now” decision buys freedom later. 
The question is not whether it will be hard. The question is when you want to pay for it.
#discipline #habits #longtermthinking
17
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Mental toughness is a skill. Here are 3 rules that train it fast:
Choose action over endless anticipation. Stop the fictional story in your head.
Put your self-esteem in your work habits. Build the plan. Work the plan.
Do the right things for however long it takes. Outlast most people and you will win.
→ Comment “179” and I’ll send you the full article so you can apply this to your goal right now.
#mentaltoughness #discipline #highperformance #leadership #personaldevelopment
23
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This is the compassion + clarity most people need.
When discipline feels hard, it’s not proof you’re flawed. It’s proof your brain is doing what it was built to do: conserve energy and keep you safe.
Discipline is learned. It’s trained. It’s new neural pathways.
Comment “CALL” if you want help building a message and a plan you can follow through consistently.
9
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Challenging circumstances cultivate championship character.
Life is difficult for all of us. Everyone has hard things going on.
The difference is not what happens to you.
It’s what you decide it means.
When things get tough, you can blame.
You can spiral into “why me?”
You can build a story that keeps you stuck.
Or you can choose this:
“This is preparing me for something better. I don’t know why it’s happening, but I’m going to use it to make me stronger.”
That decision, in that moment, determines the trajectory of your life.
If you’re building a business, you will face hard seasons. The question is whether you let them break you, or build you.
#mindset #resilience #leadership #entrepreneurship #personaldevelopment
6
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If you want to outlast adversity, you need a mental toughness formula you can repeat.
14
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Discipline becomes dormant in the absence of a dream.
Most people think they have a discipline problem.
But usually, they have a vision problem.
When you have a crystal-clear picture of what you want, discipline turns on because the sacrifice makes sense. You can connect today’s choices to tomorrow’s life.
When that picture is fuzzy, there’s no reason to do the hard thing. So your brain defaults to what’s comfortable and easy.
It’s not that you lack discipline.
It’s that you lack clarity.
Spend time clarifying what you want, and your discipline will engage automatically.
Share this with someone who’s been hard on themselves for “not having discipline.”
What do you want badly enough that it would change your daily choices?
#discipline #vision #mindset #goals #personaldevelopment
11
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
🏗️ Success doesn’t “blow up.” It gets built.
I’m standing here looking around and there are cranes everywhere. Buildings going up. It looks like it happened overnight.
But it didn’t.
That building was planned for years.
Capital. Property. Permits. Foundation. Dirty work.
Then one day it looks like it “flew up.”
Your personal brand and business work the same way.
What people call an overnight success is usually years of:
digging ditches, laying trenches, building the foundation, doing the work nobody sees.
So here’s the encouragement:
Do the unsexy work.
Do it when no one is watching.
Do it when no one is paying you yet.
Because one day it will look like it came out of nowhere.
Save this if you’re in the “ditches” season.
#personalgrowth #personalbrand #entrepreneurship #buildinginpublic #consistency #discipline #businessmindset
5
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
2mo
Success is simpler than most people think.
Stop doing the few things that sabotage you.
7
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This is one of the most practical questions I ask myself as a speaker. 
Because the stories sound reasonable:
“I’m not experienced enough.”
“I’m not famous enough.”
“I don’t have enough credentials.” 
But the standard is simple.
If the story is not serving me, I drop it and replace it with one that moves me forward. 
Confidence is often just a story you repeat long enough to act like it’s true. Share this with someone in your life who needs to hear this message.
#mindset #selftalk #speakerlife #confidence #thoughtleadership #personalgrowth
8
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
As a leader, I want people chasing big goals without burning out.
The problem with hustle culture is we’ve over-emphasized the volume of time.
More hours. More grind. More “work harder.”
But success isn’t about how much time you spend.
It’s about what you do with the time you have.
That’s the difference between hard work and discipline.
Hard work is just working longer.
Discipline is doing the few tasks that drive big results.
So I don’t coach my team to work harder.
I coach them to get clearer, choose better, and execute the critical few.
How do you see this in your personal life and work? Let me know in the comments.
#leadership #management #teamculture #productivity #burnoutprevention #priorities #discipline #highperformance #workplaceculture #leadershipdevelopment
10
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
People spend far too much time trying to be liked by strangers on the internet.
And not nearly enough time building real relationships with the people who already know them, trust them, and believe in them.
That is a mistake.
You do not need millions of followers to make millions of dollars.
But you do need real relationships.
Think about how much energy we spend wondering:
Why don’t more strangers online like me?
Meanwhile, we ignore the people who have loved us, trusted us, supported us, and watched us grow for years.
That is where your business can come from.
That is where referrals come from.
That is where introductions come from.
That is where real opportunity comes from.
Yes, keep building your audience online.
But do not overlook the people already in your life.
Serve them well.
Stay in touch.
Ask for introductions.
Ask for referrals.
Do business with the people who already believe in you.
While you build new fans online, do not forget the relationships you already have in real life.
That is not a small thing.
That is the foundation.
Drop a comment or tag a friend if you know relationships matter more than followers.
#personalbrand #relationshipmarketing #businessgrowth #entrepreneurship #leadership
12
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If you have diluted focus, you get diluted results.
The #1 reason most personal brands do not financially survive is distraction across too many things.
Here is where it shows up first: too many topics.
Sales. Leadership. Communication. Hiring. Social media. Customer experience.
If you are talking about everything, you are not the expert in anything.
The breakthrough is focus.
One topic. One narrow lane. One “known for” problem.
→ Comment “CALL” and I’ll help you get focused on the one topic you should build your brand around.
#personalbrand #speakers #coaches #entrepreneur #marketing
7
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
You’ll catch me saying this a lot, but the reason I do it is because that sentence explains why so many talented people stay stuck. And it happens over and over again, until people make a change.
When your brand talks about too many things, the market does not know what to associate you with.
When the market does not know what you stand for, it does not know what to buy.
Pick one topic you want to be known for and make it so specific that the right people instantly self-identify.
Comment “CALL” if you want help getting that focus down to one clear lane.
9
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Bad vs. Good Time Management 🕒
Follow for more strategies that free up your calendar and buy back your time!
#timemanagement #productivity #entrepreneur #businessgrowth #personaldevelopment
8
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
2mo
Impatience is fertile ground for disobedience.
That is such a powerful truth.
We can forget so quickly.
We forget the prayers that were answered.
We forget the doors that opened.
We forget the miracles that already happened.
And then, the moment something takes longer than we want, we get frustrated.
We get restless.
We get anxious.
We start looking for shortcuts.
We start reaching for things that were never meant for us.
That is what impatience does.
It makes us lose sight of what is true because we are obsessed with what is late.
But good things often take time.
Growth takes time.
Healing takes time.
Trust takes time.
Character takes time.
So do not rush the process.
Embrace the process.
Stay steady.
Stay faithful.
Keep doing the right thing.
Because impatience can pull you off course, but obedience keeps you aligned.
And in time, good things will come.
Drop a comment if this hit home for you, or share this with someone who needs the reminder to trust the process.
#faith #patience #personaldevelopment #leadership #trusttheprocess
13
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If there’s a secret to great art, it’s this:
Great art moves people emotionally.
Painting. Writing. Speaking. Singing.
Different mediums, same mission.
If you can create something that gives someone an emotional experience, that’s art. That’s the point.
I heard a song recently that did exactly that: In Jesus Name (God of Possible) by Katy Nichole.
I’ve been absolutely wrecked by it, in the best way.
Whether you believe what it’s saying or not, pay attention to what it does. It reminds you what real artistry is capable of.
As you make your art, don’t just make it impressive.
Make it move someone.
Share this with someone who creates, but needs the reminder that the goal is not perfection. It’s connection.
What piece of art has moved you emotionally lately?
#art #creativity #storytelling #communication #artists
7
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This sentence by Dean Stott has shifted a lot of perspectives and it’s directly aligned to what we teach at Brand Builders Group.
Most of the pain we feel is not in the work. It is in the story we tell ourselves before we start. The unknown gets amplified, worst-case scenarios get rehearsed, and we lose to a future that has not happened.
Mental toughness begins when you stop obeying the forecast and step forward anyway.
Comment “CALL” if you want help building a plan you can trust and execute with confidence.
10
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
That calling you feel to share your mission is not random.
It’s a signal.
Somebody out there is searching for answers you already know. They’re trying to solve a problem you’ve already walked through.
And here’s the truth:
They need you more than you need them.
Your life is meant to be used in service of others.
So stop making this about you.
Think about them.
Focus on them.
Find them.
Serve them.
Share this with someone who’s been hesitating to put their message out there.
Who is the person you know you’re meant to help?
#purpose #calling #personalbrand #leadership #service
11
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This is how you stay confident even when results are slow.
When your confidence is tied to outcomes, it rises and falls with the scoreboard. When your confidence is tied to work habits, you stay steady because you are controlling what you can control.
Build the plan. Execute the plan. If the plan fails, you update the plan. You do not spiral.
What habit do you need to tighten up this week?
#habits #discipline #confidence #highperformance
10
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Most people struggle with discipline because they keep choosing the escalator.
6
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This Will Change Your Brand Forever 😮
Follow for proven branding strategies I’ve used to help bestselling authors and 7-figure entrepreneurs get known and paid!
#personalbranding #brandstrategy #contentstrategy #businessgrowth #storytellingtips
12
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Want the simplest way I know to make your presentations and videos better?
Pause.
Pauses are powerful because they transfer emotion.
They create impact.
They give your audience time to feel what you just said.
A great presentation is not just information. It’s movement. You’re trying to move people emotionally, whether you’re on camera or on a stage.
Here’s how I use it:
I talk. I build. I make the point.
Then right after the biggest point, I pause.
Not constantly. Not every sentence.
Just long enough to let it sink in.
Share this with someone you think could benefit from a simple pause.
#publicspeaking #communication #presentationtips #executivepresence #storytelling #speakingtips #contentcreator #videotips #confidence #leadershipcommunication
8
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
I remember the first time I was offered a cigarette.
I was in 4th grade.
I said no.
And I was the only one.
In 7th grade, someone offered me a joint.
I said no again.
Still the only one.
In high school, I was often the only guy on the basketball team who didn’t get invited to the parties.
For years I felt out of place.
Like I was doing life differently than the people around me.
But something interesting happened later.
When I became valedictorian…
I was the only one.
The lesson?
Sometimes feeling like the only one is not a problem.
It’s a signal.
If you feel like you’re doing life differently than the people around you, don’t take that as proof you’re doing it wrong.
Take it as proof that you might be called to something different.
Sometimes the reason you feel set apart…
is because you were meant to stand apart.
If this message made you think of someone who might need to hear it, share this with them. 🙏
#calling #liveonpurpose #discipline #leadership #personalgrowth
12
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
2mo
If you want to become more successful, there are really only two choices.
12
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
People don’t pay me for information.
They pay me for organization and application.
One of the biggest traps I see personal brands fall into is holding back their best content because they’re afraid it will reduce demand.
That fear is pointed at the wrong problem.
The real problem is when I don’t share enough good stuff for people to come back…
to see me again…
to build a relationship with me.
So I save the best for first. I give away my best material publicly.
Because even if I teach someone everything I know, what they still need help with is applying it to their life and their situation.
That’s what people pay for.
Application.
Send this to someone you know who needs this message.
#personalbrand #coachingbusiness #consultantlife #thoughtleadership #contentmarketing #businesscoaching #expertise #offers #positioning #brandbuilders
10
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If you want to get booked faster, stop guessing where to start. Start where speakers are needed year round.
11
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
2mo
We live in a world where many of us are addicted to achieving a high volume of insignificant priorities.
You know this is true if you have ever done this:
You finish something that was not on your to-do list…
and then you add it to the list
just so you can cross it off.
Why do we do that?
Because it feels good.
That little strikethrough gives your brain a hit of dopamine.
Complete.
Complete.
Complete.
But here’s the problem:
The most significant things in life usually do not get done quickly.
The things that matter most take time.
Great relationships take time.
Great businesses take time.
Great books take time.
Great leaders take time.
Nothing great is built in five minutes.
Nothing great is built in a day.
So be careful not to confuse being busy with being effective.
Busy people finish a lot of small things.
Focused people build important things.
Drop a comment if you’ve ever added something to your to-do list just to cross it off, or share this with someone who needs the reminder to focus on what matters most.
#productivity #timemanagement #focus #leadership #personaldevelopment
6
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Priority dilution is brutal because it looks like productivity.
You stay in motion all day, then realize the work that mattered most never got touched.
Try this today: flag the few priorities that move the needle and organize your day around significance, not noise.
What is the most significant task you have been letting “urgent” crowd out?
9
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If you’re an expertpreneur and you’re stuck trying to figure out who to serve or how to make money, start here:
Start with what you know best.
Choose the audience you can serve the deepest.
That is the fastest path to momentum.
It is the fastest path to cash.
And often, it is the fastest path to confidence.
Don’t try to teach something in a broad, vague, generic way.
Teach people how to do what you have already done.
Be clear.
Be specific.
Be practical.
When you’ve walked the road, you know where the turns are.
You know where people get stuck.
And you know what actually helps.
So if you are trying to find your audience, don’t overcomplicate it.
Start with what you know best.
And serve the people you can help the most.
If this made you think of someone building their brand or business right now, share this with them.
#expertpreneur #personalbrand #entrepreneurship #businessgrowth #leadership
11
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Attention vs. Authority Content 📝
Follow for proven branding strategies I’ve taught to bestselling authors and 7-figure entrepreneurs, so you can grow your influence and income too!
#personalbranding #contentstrategy #authoritybuilding #copywritingtips #entrepreneurmindset
12
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This is how paid speaking actually works.
Your fee rises as demand rises.
Early on, the goal is reps and results:
Speak where the right audience already gathers.
Deliver value people talk about after you leave.
Create follow-up conversations that turn into bookings.
Do that consistently, and the marketplace will start paying for access to your message. Share this message with someone who’s interested in increasing their speaking engagements.
9
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Revenue Expert Rates Sales Closing Techniques From 1-10 🌟
Follow for proven sales strategies that actually work, so you can close more deals, earn more, and grow your brand!
#sales #entrepreneurship #businessgrowth #closingdeals #salestraining
15
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Create a culture where people share their unique gifts by doing one simple thing:
Invite them to share their superpowers.
In team meetings, don’t just recognize someone.
Give them the mic.
Public praise builds confidence.
Sharing their process spreads best practices.
And over time, it normalizes ownership.
As a leader, your job is not just to get results.
It’s to draw out the gifts in the people who create the results.
What’s one “superpower” on your team that deserves more airtime? Drop it in the comments.
#leadership #teamculture #management #empowerment #communication
8
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Overworking can be a sign of a lack of faith.
Think about it. If someone asks you to do something, but they keep stepping in because they’re impatient, what do you eventually do? You stop trying. You let them take over.
I think we do the same thing in life.
We say we trust God, but we live like everything depends on us.
“If it is to be, it’s up to me.”
And when you do that, you leave no room for God to show up. No margin. No space for a miracle.
Sometimes it’s not even a lack of faith in God.
It’s a lack of faith in other people.
So yes, work hard. Be responsible. Do your part.
But leave enough space for God to move.
Share this with someone who’s been carrying it all and calling it “being responsible.”
Where do you need to create margin and trust more?
#faith #burnout #rest #leadership #mindset
6
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Most people have been told, “Build multiple streams of income.”
Early on, that advice usually creates chaos. Building a successful revenue stream takes marketing, sales, fulfillment, customer service, operations, and more.
One profitable stream funds the next phase.
One offer that works gives you leverage.
Then, once it is stable, you can expand without losing your center.
Comment “CALL” if you want help identifying the one revenue stream with the most natural momentum for you.
5
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Don’t burn a bridge. Extend it.
If you’re in direct sales or network marketing and you want the fastest path to income, it’s this:
Referrals.
But most people run the play wrong.
They go to the people they know and ask for their business.
Their attention.
Their credit card.
That’s where things start feeling weird.
Try this instead:
Don’t ask your friends for a checkbook.
Ask them for an introduction.
Start with the people you trust and say:
“Hey, I’m building something that matters to me. Could you introduce me to someone you think might be a fit?”
It’s simple. It’s respectful. And it works.
Share this with someone in direct sales who’s been hesitating to reach out because they don’t want to feel salesy.
What’s your biggest hang-up when it comes to asking for referrals?
#directsales #networkmarketing #referrals #salesstrategy #prospecting
9
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If your personal brand feels “busy” but your revenue feels unstable, you probably have diluted focus.
4
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This is why “try harder” fails.
When a task feels disconnected from where you are going, your brain defaults to avoidance.
Your fastest win is not more pressure. It’s clearer vision.
Comment “CALL” if you want help clarifying the vision and message that makes your discipline easier to sustain.
2
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
The mistake most people make when meeting someone new?
They tell people what they do.
Don’t do that.
Instead, tell them what you can do for them.
People don’t care about your job title.
They care about the problem you solve.
So instead of saying:
“I’m an accountant.”
Say:
“I help busy business owners save money on their taxes.”
Instead of:
“I’m a dentist.”
Say:
“I help everyday people have beautiful, straight teeth.”
Here’s the simple formula:
I help blank to blank.
Insert your audience.
Then insert the result you create.
For example:
“I help experts build and monetize their personal brand.”
Clear.
Simple.
Powerful.
So the next time someone asks what you do…
Don’t tell them what you do.
Tell them what you can do for them.
If you’re an expert building your brand, drop a comment below and let’s connect.
#personalbrand #expertpreneur #entrepreneurship #businessgrowth #leadership
26
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
100% of successful people have developed the discipline to do things they don’t feel like doing to get what they really want.
Here’s the key insight: the brain is not designed for success. It’s designed for survival.
Survival means conserving energy. Doing what’s safe. Doing what’s familiar.
That’s why most of us take the escalator without thinking.
We live in an escalator world. We gravitate toward the path of least resistance.
If I want to be successful, I have to rewire that default.
I have to form new neural pathways and train my brain to choose differently.
→ Comment “180” and I’ll send you the full article so you can start building real self-discipline today.
#selfdiscipline #habits #mindset #personaldevelopment #highperformance
16
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Most entrepreneurs don’t have a time problem.
They have a delegation problem.
Yes, someone else will do it worse than you.
That’s true.
But here’s the math that changes the conversation:
If you hire 3 people who can do it 75% as well as you, that’s not a downgrade.
That’s 225% of what you can produce alone.
I learned this from one of the most successful entrepreneurs I’ve ever met, Cody Foster of Advisors Excel.
I call it the Foster Formula.
The 3 by 75 Rule.
Stop asking, “Can they do it as well as me?”
Start asking, “Can they do it well enough… so I can multiply?”
Share this with someone who’s trying to scale but keeps getting trapped in the weeds.
And if you’ve delegated something recently, what did you hand off first?
#delegation #leadership #entrepreneurship #productivity #scaling
13
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
The secret to feeling less pressure in sales is this:
Be committed to winning the relationship, even if you lose the sale.
When you focus on “closing,” there are wins and losses.
That’s where the tension comes from, for both of you.
But when you focus on the relationship, there are only wins.
You show up differently.
They feel it immediately.
The pressure comes off. The conversation gets honest.
So add value. Play the long game. Be genuinely committed to helping them, whether they buy today or not.
And ironically, that’s what tends to come back to you as revenue.
What’s your biggest question about sales or building your personal brand right now? Drop it in the comments.
#sales #relationshipbuilding #personalbrand #entrepreneurship #businesstips
16
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
2mo
None of our plans go according to plan.
Not yours, not your neighbors, not anyone’s.
Stop trying to preempt future scenarios so your plan succeeds flawlessly. This is a trap that keeps you going nowhere fast. Without question, always implement the wisdom you’ve gained along the way, but next time you try to build a plan for yourself, lean into experimentation. Here’s what I mean:
Think of your life like an experiment.
Create. Test. Modify. Tweak.
Take action, then course correct. 
Perfectionism is one of the fastest ways to procrastinate.
It convinces you to wait for the “perfect plan.”
Spoiler alert: it never comes. We all just think it will.
Meanwhile, the people who win usually do something simpler: they try it, learn, adjust, and keep moving. Failure is just another step.
→ Comment “182” for the full article.
#entrepreneurship #procrastination #perfectionism #personaldevelopment #mindset
22
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
2mo
Question for you:
When was the last time you went all in on something?
I mean really all in.
When was the last time you set a goal and put it all out there?
You laid it all on the field.
You gave every spare second.
Every extra ounce of energy.
Every bit of focus.
You were thinking about it, working on it, learning, solving problems, and doing whatever it took.
When was the last time you did that?
Because if it has been a while, it may be time to do it again.
There is something powerful that happens when you go all in.
There is a shift in you.
There is a transformation in your life.
Too many people are sleepwalking through life.
Too many people are settling.
Too many people are slowly drifting into mediocrity.
Let this be a sign and some motivation for you.
Find something worth fighting for.
Find something worth building.
Find something worth becoming.
And then go all in.
Drop a comment and tell me what you’re ready to go all in on, or share this with someone who needs the push.
#mindset #successmindset #personaldevelopment #leadership #growthmindset
15
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Mental toughness is a skill. Here are 3 rules that train it fast:
Choose action over endless anticipation. Stop the fictional story in your head.
Put your self-esteem in your work habits. Build the plan. Work the plan.
Do the right things for however long it takes. Outlast most people and you will win.
→ Comment “179” and I’ll send you the full article so you can apply this to your goal right now.
#mentaltoughness #discipline #highperformance #leadership #personaldevelopment
23
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Challenging circumstances cultivate championship character.
Life is difficult for all of us. Everyone has hard things going on.
The difference is not what happens to you.
It’s what you decide it means.
When things get tough, you can blame.
You can spiral into “why me?”
You can build a story that keeps you stuck.
Or you can choose this:
“This is preparing me for something better. I don’t know why it’s happening, but I’m going to use it to make me stronger.”
That decision, in that moment, determines the trajectory of your life.
If you’re building a business, you will face hard seasons. The question is whether you let them break you, or build you.
#mindset #resilience #leadership #entrepreneurship #personaldevelopment
6
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Discipline becomes dormant in the absence of a dream.
Most people think they have a discipline problem.
But usually, they have a vision problem.
When you have a crystal-clear picture of what you want, discipline turns on because the sacrifice makes sense. You can connect today’s choices to tomorrow’s life.
When that picture is fuzzy, there’s no reason to do the hard thing. So your brain defaults to what’s comfortable and easy.
It’s not that you lack discipline.
It’s that you lack clarity.
Spend time clarifying what you want, and your discipline will engage automatically.
Share this with someone who’s been hard on themselves for “not having discipline.”
What do you want badly enough that it would change your daily choices?
#discipline #vision #mindset #goals #personaldevelopment
11
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
2mo
Success is simpler than most people think.
Stop doing the few things that sabotage you.
7
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
As a leader, I want people chasing big goals without burning out.
The problem with hustle culture is we’ve over-emphasized the volume of time.
More hours. More grind. More “work harder.”
But success isn’t about how much time you spend.
It’s about what you do with the time you have.
That’s the difference between hard work and discipline.
Hard work is just working longer.
Discipline is doing the few tasks that drive big results.
So I don’t coach my team to work harder.
I coach them to get clearer, choose better, and execute the critical few.
How do you see this in your personal life and work? Let me know in the comments.
#leadership #management #teamculture #productivity #burnoutprevention #priorities #discipline #highperformance #workplaceculture #leadershipdevelopment
10
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If you have diluted focus, you get diluted results.
The #1 reason most personal brands do not financially survive is distraction across too many things.
Here is where it shows up first: too many topics.
Sales. Leadership. Communication. Hiring. Social media. Customer experience.
If you are talking about everything, you are not the expert in anything.
The breakthrough is focus.
One topic. One narrow lane. One “known for” problem.
→ Comment “CALL” and I’ll help you get focused on the one topic you should build your brand around.
#personalbrand #speakers #coaches #entrepreneur #marketing
7
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Bad vs. Good Time Management 🕒
Follow for more strategies that free up your calendar and buy back your time!
#timemanagement #productivity #entrepreneur #businessgrowth #personaldevelopment
8
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If there’s a secret to great art, it’s this:
Great art moves people emotionally.
Painting. Writing. Speaking. Singing.
Different mediums, same mission.
If you can create something that gives someone an emotional experience, that’s art. That’s the point.
I heard a song recently that did exactly that: In Jesus Name (God of Possible) by Katy Nichole.
I’ve been absolutely wrecked by it, in the best way.
Whether you believe what it’s saying or not, pay attention to what it does. It reminds you what real artistry is capable of.
As you make your art, don’t just make it impressive.
Make it move someone.
Share this with someone who creates, but needs the reminder that the goal is not perfection. It’s connection.
What piece of art has moved you emotionally lately?
#art #creativity #storytelling #communication #artists
7
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
That calling you feel to share your mission is not random.
It’s a signal.
Somebody out there is searching for answers you already know. They’re trying to solve a problem you’ve already walked through.
And here’s the truth:
They need you more than you need them.
Your life is meant to be used in service of others.
So stop making this about you.
Think about them.
Focus on them.
Find them.
Serve them.
Share this with someone who’s been hesitating to put their message out there.
Who is the person you know you’re meant to help?
#purpose #calling #personalbrand #leadership #service
11
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Most people struggle with discipline because they keep choosing the escalator.
6
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Want the simplest way I know to make your presentations and videos better?
Pause.
Pauses are powerful because they transfer emotion.
They create impact.
They give your audience time to feel what you just said.
A great presentation is not just information. It’s movement. You’re trying to move people emotionally, whether you’re on camera or on a stage.
Here’s how I use it:
I talk. I build. I make the point.
Then right after the biggest point, I pause.
Not constantly. Not every sentence.
Just long enough to let it sink in.
Share this with someone you think could benefit from a simple pause.
#publicspeaking #communication #presentationtips #executivepresence #storytelling #speakingtips #contentcreator #videotips #confidence #leadershipcommunication
8
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
2mo
If you want to become more successful, there are really only two choices.
12
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If you want to get booked faster, stop guessing where to start. Start where speakers are needed year round.
11
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Priority dilution is brutal because it looks like productivity.
You stay in motion all day, then realize the work that mattered most never got touched.
Try this today: flag the few priorities that move the needle and organize your day around significance, not noise.
What is the most significant task you have been letting “urgent” crowd out?
9
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Attention vs. Authority Content 📝
Follow for proven branding strategies I’ve taught to bestselling authors and 7-figure entrepreneurs, so you can grow your influence and income too!
#personalbranding #contentstrategy #authoritybuilding #copywritingtips #entrepreneurmindset
12
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Revenue Expert Rates Sales Closing Techniques From 1-10 🌟
Follow for proven sales strategies that actually work, so you can close more deals, earn more, and grow your brand!
#sales #entrepreneurship #businessgrowth #closingdeals #salestraining
15
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Overworking can be a sign of a lack of faith.
Think about it. If someone asks you to do something, but they keep stepping in because they’re impatient, what do you eventually do? You stop trying. You let them take over.
I think we do the same thing in life.
We say we trust God, but we live like everything depends on us.
“If it is to be, it’s up to me.”
And when you do that, you leave no room for God to show up. No margin. No space for a miracle.
Sometimes it’s not even a lack of faith in God.
It’s a lack of faith in other people.
So yes, work hard. Be responsible. Do your part.
But leave enough space for God to move.
Share this with someone who’s been carrying it all and calling it “being responsible.”
Where do you need to create margin and trust more?
#faith #burnout #rest #leadership #mindset
6
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Don’t burn a bridge. Extend it.
If you’re in direct sales or network marketing and you want the fastest path to income, it’s this:
Referrals.
But most people run the play wrong.
They go to the people they know and ask for their business.
Their attention.
Their credit card.
That’s where things start feeling weird.
Try this instead:
Don’t ask your friends for a checkbook.
Ask them for an introduction.
Start with the people you trust and say:
“Hey, I’m building something that matters to me. Could you introduce me to someone you think might be a fit?”
It’s simple. It’s respectful. And it works.
Share this with someone in direct sales who’s been hesitating to reach out because they don’t want to feel salesy.
What’s your biggest hang-up when it comes to asking for referrals?
#directsales #networkmarketing #referrals #salesstrategy #prospecting
9
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This is why “try harder” fails.
When a task feels disconnected from where you are going, your brain defaults to avoidance.
Your fastest win is not more pressure. It’s clearer vision.
Comment “CALL” if you want help clarifying the vision and message that makes your discipline easier to sustain.
2
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If you want to get paid speaking gigs faster, start where the demand is already built in.
Associations bring together people who work at different companies, inside the same industry. They exist for meetings, best practices, networking, and community.
And anytime you have meetings, you need speakers.
That is why associations consistently need educators who can add content, strengthen the program, and make the meeting valuable enough that people actually show up.
→ Comment “181” and I’ll send you the full article breakdown.
#publicspeaking #paidspeaking #speakerlife #speakingbusiness #thoughtleadership
17
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
You will never be successful until you do this one thing.
Stop worrying about what you can’t do.
Start acting on what you can do.
A lot of highly intelligent people struggle here, because they overthink.
They burn brainpower running endless simulations:
Why it won’t work.
What could go wrong.
What they don’t have.
What everyone else seems to have.
Meanwhile, the people who win are often not the “smartest.”
They are the ones who see an idea and execute.
And that execution changes everything.
Put your self-esteem into your work habits.
Let the results shake out however they shake out.
Stop worrying about what you can’t do.
Start acting on what you can do.
Share this with someone who’s stuck in planning mode and needs a nudge to take the next step.
What’s one thing you can do today, in the next 15 minutes, to move forward?
#mindset #execution #productivity #selfdiscipline #personaldevelopment
13
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This is why I tell new speakers to start with associations.
Associations are built around meetings. Meetings are built around value.
And education is one of the fastest ways to create value in a room.
That means speakers are not a “nice to have.”
They are part of the reason people show up in the first place.
If you want to get booked faster, go where meetings are happening year-round and where the audience is already gathered around a shared profession.
Know someone who’s trying to get paid speaking gigs? Send them this.
12
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Marketing is part of my artistry.
If I create something I care about, but I’m unwilling to help people find it, I’m leaving the work unfinished.
What good is the best song if nobody hears it?
The best painting if nobody sees it?
The best writing if nobody reads it?
Presenting the work to the world is part of the work.
It’s how the art takes its place in someone’s life and gives them an emotional experience that makes a difference.
Marketing isn’t separate from the art.
Marketing is art.
→ Comment “CALL” and I’ll send you a simple way to share your work with more confidence.
#marketingforartists #creativeentrepreneur #artistmindset #personalbrand #contentstrategy #creatorbusiness #audiencegrowth #buildinpublic #creators #artmarketing
17
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If serving is beneath me, then leadership is beyond me.
A lot of people misunderstand leadership.
They think it’s the corner office, the title, the pay raise.
Leadership is solving problems.
It’s making life easier for other people.
It’s helping people advance their goals and achieve their dreams.
That’s the kind of leader people want to follow.
That’s the kind of leader that gets traction.
So I have to flip the mindset from “How can people serve me?” to this:
“How can I help others be successful?”
When I lead with service, I find myself leading people.
Let me know in the comments how this applies to you and your life.
#servantleadership #leadership #leadershipmindset #management #teamculture #peoplefirst #leadershipdevelopment #culturebuilding #emotionalintelligence #workplaceleadership
19
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This is the trade most people keep postponing.
Every “easy now” decision collects interest.
Every “hard now” decision buys freedom later. 
The question is not whether it will be hard. The question is when you want to pay for it.
#discipline #habits #longtermthinking
17
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This is the compassion + clarity most people need.
When discipline feels hard, it’s not proof you’re flawed. It’s proof your brain is doing what it was built to do: conserve energy and keep you safe.
Discipline is learned. It’s trained. It’s new neural pathways.
Comment “CALL” if you want help building a message and a plan you can follow through consistently.
9
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If you want to outlast adversity, you need a mental toughness formula you can repeat.
14
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
🏗️ Success doesn’t “blow up.” It gets built.
I’m standing here looking around and there are cranes everywhere. Buildings going up. It looks like it happened overnight.
But it didn’t.
That building was planned for years.
Capital. Property. Permits. Foundation. Dirty work.
Then one day it looks like it “flew up.”
Your personal brand and business work the same way.
What people call an overnight success is usually years of:
digging ditches, laying trenches, building the foundation, doing the work nobody sees.
So here’s the encouragement:
Do the unsexy work.
Do it when no one is watching.
Do it when no one is paying you yet.
Because one day it will look like it came out of nowhere.
Save this if you’re in the “ditches” season.
#personalgrowth #personalbrand #entrepreneurship #buildinginpublic #consistency #discipline #businessmindset
5
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This is one of the most practical questions I ask myself as a speaker. 
Because the stories sound reasonable:
“I’m not experienced enough.”
“I’m not famous enough.”
“I don’t have enough credentials.” 
But the standard is simple.
If the story is not serving me, I drop it and replace it with one that moves me forward. 
Confidence is often just a story you repeat long enough to act like it’s true. Share this with someone in your life who needs to hear this message.
#mindset #selftalk #speakerlife #confidence #thoughtleadership #personalgrowth
8
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
People spend far too much time trying to be liked by strangers on the internet.
And not nearly enough time building real relationships with the people who already know them, trust them, and believe in them.
That is a mistake.
You do not need millions of followers to make millions of dollars.
But you do need real relationships.
Think about how much energy we spend wondering:
Why don’t more strangers online like me?
Meanwhile, we ignore the people who have loved us, trusted us, supported us, and watched us grow for years.
That is where your business can come from.
That is where referrals come from.
That is where introductions come from.
That is where real opportunity comes from.
Yes, keep building your audience online.
But do not overlook the people already in your life.
Serve them well.
Stay in touch.
Ask for introductions.
Ask for referrals.
Do business with the people who already believe in you.
While you build new fans online, do not forget the relationships you already have in real life.
That is not a small thing.
That is the foundation.
Drop a comment or tag a friend if you know relationships matter more than followers.
#personalbrand #relationshipmarketing #businessgrowth #entrepreneurship #leadership
12
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
You’ll catch me saying this a lot, but the reason I do it is because that sentence explains why so many talented people stay stuck. And it happens over and over again, until people make a change.
When your brand talks about too many things, the market does not know what to associate you with.
When the market does not know what you stand for, it does not know what to buy.
Pick one topic you want to be known for and make it so specific that the right people instantly self-identify.
Comment “CALL” if you want help getting that focus down to one clear lane.
9
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
2mo
Impatience is fertile ground for disobedience.
That is such a powerful truth.
We can forget so quickly.
We forget the prayers that were answered.
We forget the doors that opened.
We forget the miracles that already happened.
And then, the moment something takes longer than we want, we get frustrated.
We get restless.
We get anxious.
We start looking for shortcuts.
We start reaching for things that were never meant for us.
That is what impatience does.
It makes us lose sight of what is true because we are obsessed with what is late.
But good things often take time.
Growth takes time.
Healing takes time.
Trust takes time.
Character takes time.
So do not rush the process.
Embrace the process.
Stay steady.
Stay faithful.
Keep doing the right thing.
Because impatience can pull you off course, but obedience keeps you aligned.
And in time, good things will come.
Drop a comment if this hit home for you, or share this with someone who needs the reminder to trust the process.
#faith #patience #personaldevelopment #leadership #trusttheprocess
13
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This sentence by Dean Stott has shifted a lot of perspectives and it’s directly aligned to what we teach at Brand Builders Group.
Most of the pain we feel is not in the work. It is in the story we tell ourselves before we start. The unknown gets amplified, worst-case scenarios get rehearsed, and we lose to a future that has not happened.
Mental toughness begins when you stop obeying the forecast and step forward anyway.
Comment “CALL” if you want help building a plan you can trust and execute with confidence.
10
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This is how you stay confident even when results are slow.
When your confidence is tied to outcomes, it rises and falls with the scoreboard. When your confidence is tied to work habits, you stay steady because you are controlling what you can control.
Build the plan. Execute the plan. If the plan fails, you update the plan. You do not spiral.
What habit do you need to tighten up this week?
#habits #discipline #confidence #highperformance
10
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This Will Change Your Brand Forever 😮
Follow for proven branding strategies I’ve used to help bestselling authors and 7-figure entrepreneurs get known and paid!
#personalbranding #brandstrategy #contentstrategy #businessgrowth #storytellingtips
12
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
I remember the first time I was offered a cigarette.
I was in 4th grade.
I said no.
And I was the only one.
In 7th grade, someone offered me a joint.
I said no again.
Still the only one.
In high school, I was often the only guy on the basketball team who didn’t get invited to the parties.
For years I felt out of place.
Like I was doing life differently than the people around me.
But something interesting happened later.
When I became valedictorian…
I was the only one.
The lesson?
Sometimes feeling like the only one is not a problem.
It’s a signal.
If you feel like you’re doing life differently than the people around you, don’t take that as proof you’re doing it wrong.
Take it as proof that you might be called to something different.
Sometimes the reason you feel set apart…
is because you were meant to stand apart.
If this message made you think of someone who might need to hear it, share this with them. 🙏
#calling #liveonpurpose #discipline #leadership #personalgrowth
12
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
People don’t pay me for information.
They pay me for organization and application.
One of the biggest traps I see personal brands fall into is holding back their best content because they’re afraid it will reduce demand.
That fear is pointed at the wrong problem.
The real problem is when I don’t share enough good stuff for people to come back…
to see me again…
to build a relationship with me.
So I save the best for first. I give away my best material publicly.
Because even if I teach someone everything I know, what they still need help with is applying it to their life and their situation.
That’s what people pay for.
Application.
Send this to someone you know who needs this message.
#personalbrand #coachingbusiness #consultantlife #thoughtleadership #contentmarketing #businesscoaching #expertise #offers #positioning #brandbuilders
10
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
2mo
We live in a world where many of us are addicted to achieving a high volume of insignificant priorities.
You know this is true if you have ever done this:
You finish something that was not on your to-do list…
and then you add it to the list
just so you can cross it off.
Why do we do that?
Because it feels good.
That little strikethrough gives your brain a hit of dopamine.
Complete.
Complete.
Complete.
But here’s the problem:
The most significant things in life usually do not get done quickly.
The things that matter most take time.
Great relationships take time.
Great businesses take time.
Great books take time.
Great leaders take time.
Nothing great is built in five minutes.
Nothing great is built in a day.
So be careful not to confuse being busy with being effective.
Busy people finish a lot of small things.
Focused people build important things.
Drop a comment if you’ve ever added something to your to-do list just to cross it off, or share this with someone who needs the reminder to focus on what matters most.
#productivity #timemanagement #focus #leadership #personaldevelopment
6
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If you’re an expertpreneur and you’re stuck trying to figure out who to serve or how to make money, start here:
Start with what you know best.
Choose the audience you can serve the deepest.
That is the fastest path to momentum.
It is the fastest path to cash.
And often, it is the fastest path to confidence.
Don’t try to teach something in a broad, vague, generic way.
Teach people how to do what you have already done.
Be clear.
Be specific.
Be practical.
When you’ve walked the road, you know where the turns are.
You know where people get stuck.
And you know what actually helps.
So if you are trying to find your audience, don’t overcomplicate it.
Start with what you know best.
And serve the people you can help the most.
If this made you think of someone building their brand or business right now, share this with them.
#expertpreneur #personalbrand #entrepreneurship #businessgrowth #leadership
11
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This is how paid speaking actually works.
Your fee rises as demand rises.
Early on, the goal is reps and results:
Speak where the right audience already gathers.
Deliver value people talk about after you leave.
Create follow-up conversations that turn into bookings.
Do that consistently, and the marketplace will start paying for access to your message. Share this message with someone who’s interested in increasing their speaking engagements.
9
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Create a culture where people share their unique gifts by doing one simple thing:
Invite them to share their superpowers.
In team meetings, don’t just recognize someone.
Give them the mic.
Public praise builds confidence.
Sharing their process spreads best practices.
And over time, it normalizes ownership.
As a leader, your job is not just to get results.
It’s to draw out the gifts in the people who create the results.
What’s one “superpower” on your team that deserves more airtime? Drop it in the comments.
#leadership #teamculture #management #empowerment #communication
8
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Most people have been told, “Build multiple streams of income.”
Early on, that advice usually creates chaos. Building a successful revenue stream takes marketing, sales, fulfillment, customer service, operations, and more.
One profitable stream funds the next phase.
One offer that works gives you leverage.
Then, once it is stable, you can expand without losing your center.
Comment “CALL” if you want help identifying the one revenue stream with the most natural momentum for you.
5
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If your personal brand feels “busy” but your revenue feels unstable, you probably have diluted focus.
4
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
The mistake most people make when meeting someone new?
They tell people what they do.
Don’t do that.
Instead, tell them what you can do for them.
People don’t care about your job title.
They care about the problem you solve.
So instead of saying:
“I’m an accountant.”
Say:
“I help busy business owners save money on their taxes.”
Instead of:
“I’m a dentist.”
Say:
“I help everyday people have beautiful, straight teeth.”
Here’s the simple formula:
I help blank to blank.
Insert your audience.
Then insert the result you create.
For example:
“I help experts build and monetize their personal brand.”
Clear.
Simple.
Powerful.
So the next time someone asks what you do…
Don’t tell them what you do.
Tell them what you can do for them.
If you’re an expert building your brand, drop a comment below and let’s connect.
#personalbrand #expertpreneur #entrepreneurship #businessgrowth #leadership
26
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
You will never be successful until you do this one thing.
Stop worrying about what you can’t do.
Start acting on what you can do.
A lot of highly intelligent people struggle here, because they overthink.
They burn brainpower running endless simulations:
Why it won’t work.
What could go wrong.
What they don’t have.
What everyone else seems to have.
Meanwhile, the people who win are often not the “smartest.”
They are the ones who see an idea and execute.
And that execution changes everything.
Put your self-esteem into your work habits.
Let the results shake out however they shake out.
Stop worrying about what you can’t do.
Start acting on what you can do.
Share this with someone who’s stuck in planning mode and needs a nudge to take the next step.
What’s one thing you can do today, in the next 15 minutes, to move forward?
#mindset #execution #productivity #selfdiscipline #personaldevelopment
13
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
The secret to feeling less pressure in sales is this:
Be committed to winning the relationship, even if you lose the sale.
When you focus on “closing,” there are wins and losses.
That’s where the tension comes from, for both of you.
But when you focus on the relationship, there are only wins.
You show up differently.
They feel it immediately.
The pressure comes off. The conversation gets honest.
So add value. Play the long game. Be genuinely committed to helping them, whether they buy today or not.
And ironically, that’s what tends to come back to you as revenue.
What’s your biggest question about sales or building your personal brand right now? Drop it in the comments.
#sales #relationshipbuilding #personalbrand #entrepreneurship #businesstips
16
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If serving is beneath me, then leadership is beyond me.
A lot of people misunderstand leadership.
They think it’s the corner office, the title, the pay raise.
Leadership is solving problems.
It’s making life easier for other people.
It’s helping people advance their goals and achieve their dreams.
That’s the kind of leader people want to follow.
That’s the kind of leader that gets traction.
So I have to flip the mindset from “How can people serve me?” to this:
“How can I help others be successful?”
When I lead with service, I find myself leading people.
Let me know in the comments how this applies to you and your life.
#servantleadership #leadership #leadershipmindset #management #teamculture #peoplefirst #leadershipdevelopment #culturebuilding #emotionalintelligence #workplaceleadership
19
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Mental toughness is a skill. Here are 3 rules that train it fast:
Choose action over endless anticipation. Stop the fictional story in your head.
Put your self-esteem in your work habits. Build the plan. Work the plan.
Do the right things for however long it takes. Outlast most people and you will win.
→ Comment “179” and I’ll send you the full article so you can apply this to your goal right now.
#mentaltoughness #discipline #highperformance #leadership #personaldevelopment
23
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If you want to outlast adversity, you need a mental toughness formula you can repeat.
14
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
2mo
Success is simpler than most people think.
Stop doing the few things that sabotage you.
7
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
People spend far too much time trying to be liked by strangers on the internet.
And not nearly enough time building real relationships with the people who already know them, trust them, and believe in them.
That is a mistake.
You do not need millions of followers to make millions of dollars.
But you do need real relationships.
Think about how much energy we spend wondering:
Why don’t more strangers online like me?
Meanwhile, we ignore the people who have loved us, trusted us, supported us, and watched us grow for years.
That is where your business can come from.
That is where referrals come from.
That is where introductions come from.
That is where real opportunity comes from.
Yes, keep building your audience online.
But do not overlook the people already in your life.
Serve them well.
Stay in touch.
Ask for introductions.
Ask for referrals.
Do business with the people who already believe in you.
While you build new fans online, do not forget the relationships you already have in real life.
That is not a small thing.
That is the foundation.
Drop a comment or tag a friend if you know relationships matter more than followers.
#personalbrand #relationshipmarketing #businessgrowth #entrepreneurship #leadership
12
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Bad vs. Good Time Management 🕒
Follow for more strategies that free up your calendar and buy back your time!
#timemanagement #productivity #entrepreneur #businessgrowth #personaldevelopment
8
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This sentence by Dean Stott has shifted a lot of perspectives and it’s directly aligned to what we teach at Brand Builders Group.
Most of the pain we feel is not in the work. It is in the story we tell ourselves before we start. The unknown gets amplified, worst-case scenarios get rehearsed, and we lose to a future that has not happened.
Mental toughness begins when you stop obeying the forecast and step forward anyway.
Comment “CALL” if you want help building a plan you can trust and execute with confidence.
10
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Most people struggle with discipline because they keep choosing the escalator.
6
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
I remember the first time I was offered a cigarette.
I was in 4th grade.
I said no.
And I was the only one.
In 7th grade, someone offered me a joint.
I said no again.
Still the only one.
In high school, I was often the only guy on the basketball team who didn’t get invited to the parties.
For years I felt out of place.
Like I was doing life differently than the people around me.
But something interesting happened later.
When I became valedictorian…
I was the only one.
The lesson?
Sometimes feeling like the only one is not a problem.
It’s a signal.
If you feel like you’re doing life differently than the people around you, don’t take that as proof you’re doing it wrong.
Take it as proof that you might be called to something different.
Sometimes the reason you feel set apart…
is because you were meant to stand apart.
If this message made you think of someone who might need to hear it, share this with them. 🙏
#calling #liveonpurpose #discipline #leadership #personalgrowth
12
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If you want to get booked faster, stop guessing where to start. Start where speakers are needed year round.
11
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If you’re an expertpreneur and you’re stuck trying to figure out who to serve or how to make money, start here:
Start with what you know best.
Choose the audience you can serve the deepest.
That is the fastest path to momentum.
It is the fastest path to cash.
And often, it is the fastest path to confidence.
Don’t try to teach something in a broad, vague, generic way.
Teach people how to do what you have already done.
Be clear.
Be specific.
Be practical.
When you’ve walked the road, you know where the turns are.
You know where people get stuck.
And you know what actually helps.
So if you are trying to find your audience, don’t overcomplicate it.
Start with what you know best.
And serve the people you can help the most.
If this made you think of someone building their brand or business right now, share this with them.
#expertpreneur #personalbrand #entrepreneurship #businessgrowth #leadership
11
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Revenue Expert Rates Sales Closing Techniques From 1-10 🌟
Follow for proven sales strategies that actually work, so you can close more deals, earn more, and grow your brand!
#sales #entrepreneurship #businessgrowth #closingdeals #salestraining
15
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Most people have been told, “Build multiple streams of income.”
Early on, that advice usually creates chaos. Building a successful revenue stream takes marketing, sales, fulfillment, customer service, operations, and more.
One profitable stream funds the next phase.
One offer that works gives you leverage.
Then, once it is stable, you can expand without losing your center.
Comment “CALL” if you want help identifying the one revenue stream with the most natural momentum for you.
5
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This is why “try harder” fails.
When a task feels disconnected from where you are going, your brain defaults to avoidance.
Your fastest win is not more pressure. It’s clearer vision.
Comment “CALL” if you want help clarifying the vision and message that makes your discipline easier to sustain.
2
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If you want to get paid speaking gigs faster, start where the demand is already built in.
Associations bring together people who work at different companies, inside the same industry. They exist for meetings, best practices, networking, and community.
And anytime you have meetings, you need speakers.
That is why associations consistently need educators who can add content, strengthen the program, and make the meeting valuable enough that people actually show up.
→ Comment “181” and I’ll send you the full article breakdown.
#publicspeaking #paidspeaking #speakerlife #speakingbusiness #thoughtleadership
17
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Most entrepreneurs don’t have a time problem.
They have a delegation problem.
Yes, someone else will do it worse than you.
That’s true.
But here’s the math that changes the conversation:
If you hire 3 people who can do it 75% as well as you, that’s not a downgrade.
That’s 225% of what you can produce alone.
I learned this from one of the most successful entrepreneurs I’ve ever met, Cody Foster of Advisors Excel.
I call it the Foster Formula.
The 3 by 75 Rule.
Stop asking, “Can they do it as well as me?”
Start asking, “Can they do it well enough… so I can multiply?”
Share this with someone who’s trying to scale but keeps getting trapped in the weeds.
And if you’ve delegated something recently, what did you hand off first?
#delegation #leadership #entrepreneurship #productivity #scaling
13
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Marketing is part of my artistry.
If I create something I care about, but I’m unwilling to help people find it, I’m leaving the work unfinished.
What good is the best song if nobody hears it?
The best painting if nobody sees it?
The best writing if nobody reads it?
Presenting the work to the world is part of the work.
It’s how the art takes its place in someone’s life and gives them an emotional experience that makes a difference.
Marketing isn’t separate from the art.
Marketing is art.
→ Comment “CALL” and I’ll send you a simple way to share your work with more confidence.
#marketingforartists #creativeentrepreneur #artistmindset #personalbrand #contentstrategy #creatorbusiness #audiencegrowth #buildinpublic #creators #artmarketing
17
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
2mo
Question for you:
When was the last time you went all in on something?
I mean really all in.
When was the last time you set a goal and put it all out there?
You laid it all on the field.
You gave every spare second.
Every extra ounce of energy.
Every bit of focus.
You were thinking about it, working on it, learning, solving problems, and doing whatever it took.
When was the last time you did that?
Because if it has been a while, it may be time to do it again.
There is something powerful that happens when you go all in.
There is a shift in you.
There is a transformation in your life.
Too many people are sleepwalking through life.
Too many people are settling.
Too many people are slowly drifting into mediocrity.
Let this be a sign and some motivation for you.
Find something worth fighting for.
Find something worth building.
Find something worth becoming.
And then go all in.
Drop a comment and tell me what you’re ready to go all in on, or share this with someone who needs the push.
#mindset #successmindset #personaldevelopment #leadership #growthmindset
15
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This is the compassion + clarity most people need.
When discipline feels hard, it’s not proof you’re flawed. It’s proof your brain is doing what it was built to do: conserve energy and keep you safe.
Discipline is learned. It’s trained. It’s new neural pathways.
Comment “CALL” if you want help building a message and a plan you can follow through consistently.
9
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Discipline becomes dormant in the absence of a dream.
Most people think they have a discipline problem.
But usually, they have a vision problem.
When you have a crystal-clear picture of what you want, discipline turns on because the sacrifice makes sense. You can connect today’s choices to tomorrow’s life.
When that picture is fuzzy, there’s no reason to do the hard thing. So your brain defaults to what’s comfortable and easy.
It’s not that you lack discipline.
It’s that you lack clarity.
Spend time clarifying what you want, and your discipline will engage automatically.
Share this with someone who’s been hard on themselves for “not having discipline.”
What do you want badly enough that it would change your daily choices?
#discipline #vision #mindset #goals #personaldevelopment
11
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This is one of the most practical questions I ask myself as a speaker. 
Because the stories sound reasonable:
“I’m not experienced enough.”
“I’m not famous enough.”
“I don’t have enough credentials.” 
But the standard is simple.
If the story is not serving me, I drop it and replace it with one that moves me forward. 
Confidence is often just a story you repeat long enough to act like it’s true. Share this with someone in your life who needs to hear this message.
#mindset #selftalk #speakerlife #confidence #thoughtleadership #personalgrowth
8
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If you have diluted focus, you get diluted results.
The #1 reason most personal brands do not financially survive is distraction across too many things.
Here is where it shows up first: too many topics.
Sales. Leadership. Communication. Hiring. Social media. Customer experience.
If you are talking about everything, you are not the expert in anything.
The breakthrough is focus.
One topic. One narrow lane. One “known for” problem.
→ Comment “CALL” and I’ll help you get focused on the one topic you should build your brand around.
#personalbrand #speakers #coaches #entrepreneur #marketing
7
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
2mo
Impatience is fertile ground for disobedience.
That is such a powerful truth.
We can forget so quickly.
We forget the prayers that were answered.
We forget the doors that opened.
We forget the miracles that already happened.
And then, the moment something takes longer than we want, we get frustrated.
We get restless.
We get anxious.
We start looking for shortcuts.
We start reaching for things that were never meant for us.
That is what impatience does.
It makes us lose sight of what is true because we are obsessed with what is late.
But good things often take time.
Growth takes time.
Healing takes time.
Trust takes time.
Character takes time.
So do not rush the process.
Embrace the process.
Stay steady.
Stay faithful.
Keep doing the right thing.
Because impatience can pull you off course, but obedience keeps you aligned.
And in time, good things will come.
Drop a comment if this hit home for you, or share this with someone who needs the reminder to trust the process.
#faith #patience #personaldevelopment #leadership #trusttheprocess
13
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
That calling you feel to share your mission is not random.
It’s a signal.
Somebody out there is searching for answers you already know. They’re trying to solve a problem you’ve already walked through.
And here’s the truth:
They need you more than you need them.
Your life is meant to be used in service of others.
So stop making this about you.
Think about them.
Focus on them.
Find them.
Serve them.
Share this with someone who’s been hesitating to put their message out there.
Who is the person you know you’re meant to help?
#purpose #calling #personalbrand #leadership #service
11
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This Will Change Your Brand Forever 😮
Follow for proven branding strategies I’ve used to help bestselling authors and 7-figure entrepreneurs get known and paid!
#personalbranding #brandstrategy #contentstrategy #businessgrowth #storytellingtips
12
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
2mo
If you want to become more successful, there are really only two choices.
12
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
2mo
We live in a world where many of us are addicted to achieving a high volume of insignificant priorities.
You know this is true if you have ever done this:
You finish something that was not on your to-do list…
and then you add it to the list
just so you can cross it off.
Why do we do that?
Because it feels good.
That little strikethrough gives your brain a hit of dopamine.
Complete.
Complete.
Complete.
But here’s the problem:
The most significant things in life usually do not get done quickly.
The things that matter most take time.
Great relationships take time.
Great businesses take time.
Great books take time.
Great leaders take time.
Nothing great is built in five minutes.
Nothing great is built in a day.
So be careful not to confuse being busy with being effective.
Busy people finish a lot of small things.
Focused people build important things.
Drop a comment if you’ve ever added something to your to-do list just to cross it off, or share this with someone who needs the reminder to focus on what matters most.
#productivity #timemanagement #focus #leadership #personaldevelopment
6
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Attention vs. Authority Content 📝
Follow for proven branding strategies I’ve taught to bestselling authors and 7-figure entrepreneurs, so you can grow your influence and income too!
#personalbranding #contentstrategy #authoritybuilding #copywritingtips #entrepreneurmindset
12
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Create a culture where people share their unique gifts by doing one simple thing:
Invite them to share their superpowers.
In team meetings, don’t just recognize someone.
Give them the mic.
Public praise builds confidence.
Sharing their process spreads best practices.
And over time, it normalizes ownership.
As a leader, your job is not just to get results.
It’s to draw out the gifts in the people who create the results.
What’s one “superpower” on your team that deserves more airtime? Drop it in the comments.
#leadership #teamculture #management #empowerment #communication
8
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Don’t burn a bridge. Extend it.
If you’re in direct sales or network marketing and you want the fastest path to income, it’s this:
Referrals.
But most people run the play wrong.
They go to the people they know and ask for their business.
Their attention.
Their credit card.
That’s where things start feeling weird.
Try this instead:
Don’t ask your friends for a checkbook.
Ask them for an introduction.
Start with the people you trust and say:
“Hey, I’m building something that matters to me. Could you introduce me to someone you think might be a fit?”
It’s simple. It’s respectful. And it works.
Share this with someone in direct sales who’s been hesitating to reach out because they don’t want to feel salesy.
What’s your biggest hang-up when it comes to asking for referrals?
#directsales #networkmarketing #referrals #salesstrategy #prospecting
9
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
100% of successful people have developed the discipline to do things they don’t feel like doing to get what they really want.
Here’s the key insight: the brain is not designed for success. It’s designed for survival.
Survival means conserving energy. Doing what’s safe. Doing what’s familiar.
That’s why most of us take the escalator without thinking.
We live in an escalator world. We gravitate toward the path of least resistance.
If I want to be successful, I have to rewire that default.
I have to form new neural pathways and train my brain to choose differently.
→ Comment “180” and I’ll send you the full article so you can start building real self-discipline today.
#selfdiscipline #habits #mindset #personaldevelopment #highperformance
16
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This is why I tell new speakers to start with associations.
Associations are built around meetings. Meetings are built around value.
And education is one of the fastest ways to create value in a room.
That means speakers are not a “nice to have.”
They are part of the reason people show up in the first place.
If you want to get booked faster, go where meetings are happening year-round and where the audience is already gathered around a shared profession.
Know someone who’s trying to get paid speaking gigs? Send them this.
12
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
2mo
None of our plans go according to plan.
Not yours, not your neighbors, not anyone’s.
Stop trying to preempt future scenarios so your plan succeeds flawlessly. This is a trap that keeps you going nowhere fast. Without question, always implement the wisdom you’ve gained along the way, but next time you try to build a plan for yourself, lean into experimentation. Here’s what I mean:
Think of your life like an experiment.
Create. Test. Modify. Tweak.
Take action, then course correct. 
Perfectionism is one of the fastest ways to procrastinate.
It convinces you to wait for the “perfect plan.”
Spoiler alert: it never comes. We all just think it will.
Meanwhile, the people who win usually do something simpler: they try it, learn, adjust, and keep moving. Failure is just another step.
→ Comment “182” for the full article.
#entrepreneurship #procrastination #perfectionism #personaldevelopment #mindset
22
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This is the trade most people keep postponing.
Every “easy now” decision collects interest.
Every “hard now” decision buys freedom later. 
The question is not whether it will be hard. The question is when you want to pay for it.
#discipline #habits #longtermthinking
17
Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Challenging circumstances cultivate championship character.
Life is difficult for all of us. Everyone has hard things going on.
The difference is not what happens to you.
It’s what you decide it means.
When things get tough, you can blame.
You can spiral into “why me?”
You can build a story that keeps you stuck.
Or you can choose this:
“This is preparing me for something better. I don’t know why it’s happening, but I’m going to use it to make me stronger.”
That decision, in that moment, determines the trajectory of your life.
If you’re building a business, you will face hard seasons. The question is whether you let them break you, or build you.
#mindset #resilience #leadership #entrepreneurship #personaldevelopment
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Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
🏗️ Success doesn’t “blow up.” It gets built.
I’m standing here looking around and there are cranes everywhere. Buildings going up. It looks like it happened overnight.
But it didn’t.
That building was planned for years.
Capital. Property. Permits. Foundation. Dirty work.
Then one day it looks like it “flew up.”
Your personal brand and business work the same way.
What people call an overnight success is usually years of:
digging ditches, laying trenches, building the foundation, doing the work nobody sees.
So here’s the encouragement:
Do the unsexy work.
Do it when no one is watching.
Do it when no one is paying you yet.
Because one day it will look like it came out of nowhere.
Save this if you’re in the “ditches” season.
#personalgrowth #personalbrand #entrepreneurship #buildinginpublic #consistency #discipline #businessmindset
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Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
As a leader, I want people chasing big goals without burning out.
The problem with hustle culture is we’ve over-emphasized the volume of time.
More hours. More grind. More “work harder.”
But success isn’t about how much time you spend.
It’s about what you do with the time you have.
That’s the difference between hard work and discipline.
Hard work is just working longer.
Discipline is doing the few tasks that drive big results.
So I don’t coach my team to work harder.
I coach them to get clearer, choose better, and execute the critical few.
How do you see this in your personal life and work? Let me know in the comments.
#leadership #management #teamculture #productivity #burnoutprevention #priorities #discipline #highperformance #workplaceculture #leadershipdevelopment
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Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
You’ll catch me saying this a lot, but the reason I do it is because that sentence explains why so many talented people stay stuck. And it happens over and over again, until people make a change.
When your brand talks about too many things, the market does not know what to associate you with.
When the market does not know what you stand for, it does not know what to buy.
Pick one topic you want to be known for and make it so specific that the right people instantly self-identify.
Comment “CALL” if you want help getting that focus down to one clear lane.
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Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If there’s a secret to great art, it’s this:
Great art moves people emotionally.
Painting. Writing. Speaking. Singing.
Different mediums, same mission.
If you can create something that gives someone an emotional experience, that’s art. That’s the point.
I heard a song recently that did exactly that: In Jesus Name (God of Possible) by Katy Nichole.
I’ve been absolutely wrecked by it, in the best way.
Whether you believe what it’s saying or not, pay attention to what it does. It reminds you what real artistry is capable of.
As you make your art, don’t just make it impressive.
Make it move someone.
Share this with someone who creates, but needs the reminder that the goal is not perfection. It’s connection.
What piece of art has moved you emotionally lately?
#art #creativity #storytelling #communication #artists
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Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This is how you stay confident even when results are slow.
When your confidence is tied to outcomes, it rises and falls with the scoreboard. When your confidence is tied to work habits, you stay steady because you are controlling what you can control.
Build the plan. Execute the plan. If the plan fails, you update the plan. You do not spiral.
What habit do you need to tighten up this week?
#habits #discipline #confidence #highperformance
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Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Want the simplest way I know to make your presentations and videos better?
Pause.
Pauses are powerful because they transfer emotion.
They create impact.
They give your audience time to feel what you just said.
A great presentation is not just information. It’s movement. You’re trying to move people emotionally, whether you’re on camera or on a stage.
Here’s how I use it:
I talk. I build. I make the point.
Then right after the biggest point, I pause.
Not constantly. Not every sentence.
Just long enough to let it sink in.
Share this with someone you think could benefit from a simple pause.
#publicspeaking #communication #presentationtips #executivepresence #storytelling #speakingtips #contentcreator #videotips #confidence #leadershipcommunication
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Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
People don’t pay me for information.
They pay me for organization and application.
One of the biggest traps I see personal brands fall into is holding back their best content because they’re afraid it will reduce demand.
That fear is pointed at the wrong problem.
The real problem is when I don’t share enough good stuff for people to come back…
to see me again…
to build a relationship with me.
So I save the best for first. I give away my best material publicly.
Because even if I teach someone everything I know, what they still need help with is applying it to their life and their situation.
That’s what people pay for.
Application.
Send this to someone you know who needs this message.
#personalbrand #coachingbusiness #consultantlife #thoughtleadership #contentmarketing #businesscoaching #expertise #offers #positioning #brandbuilders
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Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Priority dilution is brutal because it looks like productivity.
You stay in motion all day, then realize the work that mattered most never got touched.
Try this today: flag the few priorities that move the needle and organize your day around significance, not noise.
What is the most significant task you have been letting “urgent” crowd out?
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Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
This is how paid speaking actually works.
Your fee rises as demand rises.
Early on, the goal is reps and results:
Speak where the right audience already gathers.
Deliver value people talk about after you leave.
Create follow-up conversations that turn into bookings.
Do that consistently, and the marketplace will start paying for access to your message. Share this message with someone who’s interested in increasing their speaking engagements.
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Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
Overworking can be a sign of a lack of faith.
Think about it. If someone asks you to do something, but they keep stepping in because they’re impatient, what do you eventually do? You stop trying. You let them take over.
I think we do the same thing in life.
We say we trust God, but we live like everything depends on us.
“If it is to be, it’s up to me.”
And when you do that, you leave no room for God to show up. No margin. No space for a miracle.
Sometimes it’s not even a lack of faith in God.
It’s a lack of faith in other people.
So yes, work hard. Be responsible. Do your part.
But leave enough space for God to move.
Share this with someone who’s been carrying it all and calling it “being responsible.”
Where do you need to create margin and trust more?
#faith #burnout #rest #leadership #mindset
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Rory Vaden, MBA CSP CPAE
Sales & Marketing
3mo
If your personal brand feels “busy” but your revenue feels unstable, you probably have diluted focus.
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