When no one signs up

I wasn’t sure if I should share this, but I opted to do so because there’s a lot of loud celebration on social media, which I’m here for, but if we only talk about the wins, we miss the part that matters the most.

The messy middle of entrepreneurship.
The moments that make you question if you’re doing this right.

So here goes…

My most recent Personal Branding & Social Selling cohort launch?

Zero signups.

Not a one.

Decent interest, albeit less than prior months, but zero conversion.

And I’m not going to lie, it stung and my ego was a bit bruised.

I’ve run three successful cohorts to rave reviews already this year and I thought I had figured out the rhythm behind them (people usually wait until the week it starts to sign up.)

So I followed the same steps I always do:

• Mentioned it in posts
• Dropped links in the comments
• Promoted it just like the others

But this time… nothing.

And as much as I wanted to write it off as bad timing or a fluke, the truth is:

I didn’t do the real work.

What I did wrong…

1. I didn’t message the people already engaging with my content. They were warm and I just didn’t bother to follow up.
2. I only sent one email to my list. I should’ve sent a thoughtful sequence.
3. I didn’t activate past students. No referral links, no personal invites.
4. I launched it right before Memorial Day weekend. I was mentally checked out and it seems my audience may have been, too.

I wanted to do a cohort per month this year, but the truth of the matter is that running a cohort takes a lot of effort and energy, so it’s important not to stack them so close together going forward, I think.

The hard truth

Posting alone is not a strategy.

You can’t just throw up a link and cross your fingers.

You have to show up.

You have to ask. Engage. Invite people to participate in your knowledge sharing.

I know this.

I teach this.

And I still didn’t do it.

Because part of me is still afraid of rejection.

Still worried about annoying people.

Still hoping for magic without the follow-up.

Because I’m human.

That’s the part I’m working on.

Am I pigeonholing myself?

This flop also surfaced a bigger question:

Have I boxed myself in too narrowly?

I’ve built a name around personal branding and social selling and of course I’ll keep showing up in that space — I absolutely love helping people amplify their voices in authentic, thoughtful ways.

But I’m also sitting on 20 years of experience in go-to-market strategy and operational execution.

• I’ve been the Swiss Army knife behind the scenes at startups and scaling teams.
• I’ve solved hairy business problems with structure, story, and soul.
• I’ve got way more to offer than just content strategy.

And it’s time to own that fully.

What’s next for me (and for you)

Right now, I’ve got:

• A cohort I believe in and enjoy
• A thriving 1:1 coaching practice that’s deeply fulfilling

I’m also working toward:

• A digital product business that scales without me
• A more consistent rhythm here in this newsletter
• A community I can call my own, where I can really pour into my most engaged audience.

I’m shifting gears.

Not away from brand, but toward the intersection of brand, operations, and innovation.

If you need a partner who can help you make sense of the chaos, connect the dots, and build a business that actually works?

Let’s talk.

Why I’m publishing to Substack first now

There’s one more thing I want you to know.

Going forward, this newsletter will be the first place I share my best thinking.

Not LinkedIn.

Despite 45,000+ followers, the platform buries most promotional content. Posts that should be seen by the people who need them most? Crickets.

But here?

You’re here because you want to be.

Because you raised your hand and said, “I’m in.”

So from now on, this is where I’ll test ideas.

Talk strategy.

Launch new things.

Share the wins and the flops.

If it lands on LinkedIn? Awesome.

But I’m done building my brand and business on 100% rented land. I want to cultivate an experience for my most loyal supporters in a space that enables me to build community and connection on my own terms.

I believe that Substack is that space and invite you to join my community here.

If you’re in the thick of it too…

If you’re building something and you hit a bump in the road:

KEEP GOING.

Social media has conditioned us to expect overnight success, but lasting success is filled with plenty of failures and learning opportunities.

If you’re trying to scale and need someone who gets both the vision and the systems — I’d love to help.

No fluff.

No funnels.

Just real strategy from someone doing the work right alongside you.

Hi5,

LD

🌶️