Founders in Jeans

Do You Actually Need a Niche? Eraj Lodhi on Cheeky Marketing & Building Without a Blueprint

I sat down with Eraj Lodhi, founder of Plot Out Loud, a cheeky marketing agency and podcast based in the UK, and she said something that stopped me mid-conversation. "Audacity is my business plan." Eraj left the traditional route, the safe job, the visa sponsorship, the box, and built something entirely her own. She's grown a marketing agency, launched a podcast in her first year, traveled five hours one way for a single shoot, and cold-emailed her way into rooms most people wait years to be invited into. All on the belief that human stories are the most powerful marketing tool we have and that everybody is winging it, including the people at the top. This episode is for everyone who has been told to pick a niche, stay professional, fit the mold, and play it safe. Eraj's answer to all of that is one word: audacity. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — Introduction: Eraj Lodhi, Founder of Plot Out Loud01:47 — What "cheeky marketing" actually means03:34 — From student visa to founder: leaving the safe route05:25 — Building a team without losing the vision06:36 — The blandest marketing campaigns she's ever seen07:59 — Celebrity brand deals gone wrong — and what brands missed09:00 — Why she started a podcast and calls it her most selfish decision11:03 — She traveled 5 hours one way. for one shoot.12:14 — Should everyone start a podcast? Her answer is yes.14:19 — Audacity as a business plan: how self-belief becomes strategy15:33 — Being left on read and why it doesn't count as rejection16:05 — How founders stop playing it safe and start owning their story18:19 — The dream brand she'd give a cheeky makeover (hint: it's LinkedIn)19:56 — Rapid fire: worst slogans, jealousy-inducing campaigns & Meryl Streep22:12 — The most overrated piece of business advice she's ever heard WHAT YOU'LL TAKE AWAY * Why "you need a niche" is the most overrated advice in marketing right now. * What cheeky marketing actually means and why your brand needs more human, less polish. * How cold emails and audacity built an agency from scratch with no safety net. * Why everybody at the top is winging it and what that means for you. * The one thing that makes content connect: stop selling, start being human. * Why your first imperfect step beats the perfect plan you're still sitting on. Connect with Eraj Lodhi:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eraj-lodhi/ [linkedin.com/in/eraj-lodhi]Podcast: Plotcast by Plot Out Loud on Spotify & YouTubeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/plotoutloud/ [https://www.instagram.com/plotoutloud/] Follow Emily Jean:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/ [https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/]LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/] Follow Founders in Jeans:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans [https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans]Website: https://www.livegooddigital.com [https://www.livegooddigital.com]YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersinJeans [https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersinJeans]Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kiqSke5mnlFIlC9t4xLU0 [https://open.spotify.com/show/3kiqSke5mnlFIlC9t4xLU0]Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/founders-in-jeans/id1802430594 [https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/founders-in-jeans/id1802430594]Newsletter: https://foundersinjeans.substack.com/subscribe [https://foundersinjeans.substack.com/subscribe] _________ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Loved this episode? Rate and review Founders in Jeans. It helps more women find us. _________ cheeky marketing agency, human storytelling in marketing, how to start a podcast, founder podcast UK, marketing without a niche, personal brand audacity, Plot Out Loud, Eraj Lodhi, Plotcast, marketing agency founder, cold email strategy, freelance team building, podcast for entrepreneurs, female founder podcast, Founders in Jeans, Emily Jean, women in business, startup podcast, entrepreneur mindset, how to grow a marketing agency, authentic marketing strategy, slow intentional business, founder story podcast, marketing podcast women, cheeky marketing UK, brand storytelling

How an Introvert Built 10K Followers on LinkedIn with Palak Agarwal

I had a blast with Palak Agarwal, London-based marketer and personal brand builder, and she said something that made me rethink everything I thought I knew about showing up online. Palak moved from Nepal to London with limited resources, navigated rejection after rejection, and built a LinkedIn community of 10,000+ followers, not by going viral, not by gaming the algorithm, but by simply being real. She's a self-described introvert who figured out that writing was her superpower, and she used it to build belonging in a city where she knew nobody. This episode is for everyone who thinks they have nothing worth saying, who scrolls LinkedIn wondering why their content isn't landing, or who's been waiting to feel confident enough to start. The reason it's not working probably isn't your content. It starts way before that. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — Introduction: Palak Agarwal, marketer & LinkedIn personal brand builder 02:13 — Moving abroad with limited resources: the scariest leap she ever took 05:35 — The hardest cultural adjustment nobody warns you about 08:43 — How to write content that actually resonates on LinkedIn 10:28 — Balancing vulnerability and professionalism online 13:08 — What it really means to be an introvert on LinkedIn 15:21 — Mindset vs. skill: what actually carries you through hard times 17:47 — If not marketing, she'd be this 19:46 — How she prevents burnout (hint: it involves cookies) 21:32 — The resources she swears by — newsletters over courses, every time WHAT YOU'LL TAKE AWAY — Why rejection is redirection, and how to mentally prepare for it before you move or pivot. — The one question to ask before building your personal brand: what's your why? — Why authenticity isn't a buzzword, it's the only strategy that actually works. — How introverts can build powerful personal brands without showing their face first. — Mindset is the foundation. Skills fill the gaps. — Why your first imperfect post will always beat the perfect one you never publish. __________ Connect with Palak Agarwal: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/agarwalpalak99/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palak.ag/ __________ Follow Emily Jean: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/ Follow Founders in Jeans: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans Website: https://www.livegooddigital.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersinJeans Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kiqSke5mnlFIlC9t4xLU0 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/founders-in-jeans/id1802430594 Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://foundersinjeans.substack.com/subscribe __________ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Loved this episode? Rate and review Founders in Jeans. It helps more women find us. __________ LinkedIn personal branding, how to grow on LinkedIn, personal branding for introverts, moving abroad career tips, building a personal brand from scratch, LinkedIn content strategy, LinkedIn for marketers, female founder podcast, entrepreneur podcast women, Palak Agarwal, rejection as redirection, mindset for entrepreneurs, content creation authenticity, women in business, startup podcast, international career growth, burnout prevention entrepreneurs

AI Won't Save Your Sales Strategy with Mafalda Johannsen

I sat down with Mafalda Johannsen, sales expert, author, and founder of SDRs of Germany, and she said something that stopped me mid-conversation. Mafalda has spent 15 years in sales, starting at 22 on 100% commission selling timeshares in Florida with no safety net and no plan. Since then she's built a career in B2B prospecting, written a book on sales and AI, recorded masterclasses for the DACH region's top sales platform, and managed PR for a jazz band on the side — because why not. This episode is for every founder who thinks adding AI to their outreach will fix things. It won't. And Mafalda will tell you exactly why — and what to do instead. TIMESTAMPS00:00 — Introduction: Mafalda Johannsen of SDRs of Germany02:20 — How she ended up in sales at 22 with no plan and 100% commission04:27 — Why the best salespeople never feel like they've mastered it06:33 — What prospecting actually means (and how it differs from cold outreach)08:39 — The biggest mistake founders make when adding AI to their sales process09:17 — AI amplifies your problems before it fixes them11:18 — How to use AI the right way in prospecting12:44 — The tools Mafalda swears by: Amplemarket and Power Dial15:30 — Where AI is taking sales in the next few years17:03 — Why every founder should start a podcast19:26 — What podcasting teaches you about relationships and business20:41 — The best sales education format (it depends on you)22:59 — How she manages PR for a jazz band alongside her sales career26:23 — Rapid fire: tools, struggles, and the wildest career pivot answer we've ever heard WHAT YOU'LL TAKE AWAY — Why AI won't save a broken sales process, it'll just make the mistakes louder.— The difference between prospecting and cold outreach, and why it matters.— Two specific AI tools founders can use in their outreach today.— Why the best salespeople never stop feeling like beginners.— How podcasting is one of the most underrated networking tools for founders.— The book recommendation nobody sees coming (hint: it's not a business book). _____________ Connect with Mafalda Johannsen:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mafalda-johannsen/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mafalda-johannsen/] Follow Emily Jean:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/ [https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/]LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/] Follow Founders in Jeans:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans [https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans]Website: https://www.livegooddigital.com [https://www.livegooddigital.com]YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersinJeans [https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersinJeans]Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3kiqSke5mnlFIlC9t4xLU0 [https://open.spotify.com/show/3kiqSke5mnlFIlC9t4xLU0]Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/founders-in-jeans/id1802430594 [https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/founders-in-jeans/id1802430594] Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://foundersinjeans.substack.com/subscribe [https://foundersinjeans.substack.com/subscribe] _____________ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Loved this episode? Rate and review Founders in Jeans. It helps more women find us. _____________ sales strategy for founders, AI in sales, B2B prospecting tips, cold outreach mistakes, LinkedIn for sales, how to prospect clients, sales tools for entrepreneurs, Mafalda Johannsen, SDRs of Germany, female founder podcast, entrepreneur podcast women, Founders in Jeans, prospecting with AI, sales education, startup podcast, women in business, slow intentional business, founder marketing strategy, sales book recommendation, podcast for entrepreneurs

How Your LinkedIn Profile Is Costing You Clients with Viktoria Jancurova

I sat down with Viktoria Jancurova, LinkedIn personal brand strategist and founder of VJ Personal Branding, and she said something that made me stop and look at my own profile differently. Viktoria has published over 1,000 posts, generated millions of views across client profiles, built six-figure pipelines, spoken at South Summit in Madrid, and landed paid brand collaborations, all from one platform she started using by accident during university when the jobs weren't showing up but the algorithm was. This episode is for everyone posting inconsistently, overthinking every caption, or convincing themselves they have nothing worth saying. You do. And the reason it's not working probably has nothing to do with your content. It starts way before that. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — Introduction: Viktoria Jancurova of VJ Personal Branding  00:31 — Done-for-you vs. done-with-you LinkedIn branding  02:06 — The biggest pattern behind content that actually works  02:49 — Stop talking about yourself: why content needs to feel like a conversation  04:19 — The most common mistake CEOs and founders make on LinkedIn  05:22 — The "go big or go home" trap keeping founders invisible  06:08 — What's basic to you is mind-blowing to someone else  07:52 — 1,000+ posts, a million views — and still no such thing as a perfect post  09:56 — Why your LinkedIn profile is the thing you're getting wrong before you even post  10:31 — Profile optimization: featured section, CTAs, and making your ICP self-identify  10:51 — Viktoria's burnout-proof quarterly content system  13:15 — How to batch a full month of content in one day  14:18 — Input mode vs. output mode: the mindset shift that makes content sustainable  15:26 — What LinkedIn gave Viktoria beyond clients: stages, collabs, and self-knowledge  19:01 — Why the algorithm isn't the point  20:42 — When to diversify platforms and when not to  23:23 — Rapid fire: the two most underrated LinkedIn features  24:50 — The LinkedIn cliché that needs to die: AI comments and AI outreach  26:04 — Viktoria's go-to post format when she has no time  27:09 — Posting for the first time: put your phone on flight mode  28:31 — Free resources + where to find Viktoria WHAT YOU'LL TAKE AWAY * Why your profile is losing you clients before you post a single thing. * The one question to ask before any post: "Why should they care?" * A burnout-proof content system using quarterly planning and batching. * Why "go big or go home" is keeping founders silent. * What LinkedIn opens beyond clients — stages, collabs, brand deals. * Why your first imperfect post beats the perfect one you never publish. __________ Connect with Viktoria Jancurova: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vjancurova/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vjancurova/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/linkedin_with_vikyj/ [https://www.instagram.com/linkedin_with_vikyj/] Free Profile Toolkit: DM "profile toolkit" on LinkedIn or Instagram 8 Content Templates: in Viktoria's LinkedIn Featured section ___________ Follow Emily Jean: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/ [https://www.instagram.com/emily.jeans/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans/] _________ Follow Founders in Jeans: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans [https://www.instagram.com/foundersinjeans] Website: https://www.livegooddigital.com [https://www.livegooddigital.com] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersinJeans [https://www.youtube.com/@FoundersinJeans] Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://foundersinjeans.substack.com/subscribe [https://foundersinjeans.substack.com/subscribe] __________ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Loved this episode? Rate and review Founders in Jeans. It helps more women find us. __________ Keywords: LinkedIn personal branding, LinkedIn profile optimization, how to grow on LinkedIn, LinkedIn tips for CEOs, personal branding for entrepreneurs, attract high-paying clients LinkedIn, LinkedIn content strategy, content creation without burnout, female founder podcast, entrepreneur podcast women, Viktoria Jancurova, VJ Personal Branding, LinkedIn lead generation, founder marketing strategy, slow intentional business, girl boss podcast 2026, Founders in Jeans, Emily Jean, women in business, startup podcast, LinkedIn algorithm 2026, LinkedIn coaching

How 44 Countries and a Journal Built the Perfect Business with Lauren Gibson

I sat down with Lauren Gibson, founder of Letter Launched and newsletter strategist to coaches, founders, and agency owners, and this one genuinely stopped me in my tracks! Lauren has lived in 44 countries, worked for the co-founder of Ethereum, taught English in Tunisia, got her MBA at Georgetown, and battled depression through 15 years of journaling, and somehow, every single one of those seemingly disconnected experiences led her to build one of the most intentional businesses on LinkedIn today. This is not a highlight reel. This is the real, winding, beautiful, chaotic story of what it actually looks like to find your purpose by living it. We go deep on the future of work, the AI tools actually worth your time, why most MBAs aren't worth the investment anymore, and the one book that started Lauren's 120-day LinkedIn writing streak. We also have a genuine "let's go girls" moment live on air when Lauren drops a stat about women and AI that I did not see coming. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — Introduction: Lauren Gibson of Letter Launched00:39 — Depression, 44 countries, and 15 years of journaling01:48 — What Lauren does: email marketing, newsletters, and how to find your niche03:03 — Connecting the dots: Web3, fintech, nonprofit, and Tunisia04:00 — The Steve Jobs quote that reframes every "wasted" experience07:22 — What the Arab Spring taught Lauren about communication and power08:20 — What it was really like working for the co-founder of Ethereum09:52 — How to get out of analysis paralysis: Lauren's reframe on failure11:42 — Six months of just learning — and why it wasn't wasted time13:46 — Is an MBA still worth it in 2025? Lauren's honest take14:09 — Why AI won't end burnout in big corporate16:07 — Naval Ravikant's prediction about self-employment19:07 — The stat: 52% of ChatGPT users are now women 20:06 — Claude vs ChatGPT: a founder's real breakdown of what each is good for21:03 — The AI copyright issue nobody talks about (your logo might not be yours)23:22 — The Claude screenshot hack that replaces thousand-dollar automations24:30 — How to stop being overwhelmed by AI25:00 — Gemini, Perplexity Comet, and why LLMs are not apps27:44 — The make.com podcast automation (transcript → LinkedIn posts, step by step)31:04 — Lauren's Telegram idea database: voice notes, categories, and creative flow35:26 — The Artist's Way: the one book that changed everything38:10 — Where to find Lauren and join her community WHAT YOU'LL TAKE AWAY * Why your non-linear path is your biggest business asset. * The honest truth on MBAs in the age of AI. * How to use Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity strategically. * The AI copyright law every founder needs to know. * A step-by-step make.com automation for podcast content repurposing. * Why Naval Ravikant believes most of us will be self-employed within 20 years. * The journaling practice that built Lauren's entire business identity. * The book Tim Ferriss, Codie Sanchez, and Noah Kagan all recommend, and why it works. __________ Connect with Lauren Gibson:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/linkwithlaurenNewsletter: newsletter.joinconnections.coInstagram: @lightning.lauren Follow Emily Jean:Instagram: @emily.jeans LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/emily-jeans Follow Founders in Jeans:Instagram: @foundersinjeans Subscribe to the newsletter:https://foundersinjeans.beehiiv.com/subscribe [https://foundersinjeans.beehiiv.com/subscribe] __________ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Loved this episode? Rate and review Founders in Jeans. It helps more women find us. __________ Keywords: female founder podcast, entrepreneur podcast women, Lauren Gibson, Letter Launched, email marketing founders, future of work, AI tools entrepreneurs, Claude ChatGPT comparison,, LinkedIn strategy, is MBA worth it, analysis paralysis, self-employment, women in AI, newsletter strategy, Founders in Jeans, Emily Jean, slow intentional business, burnout recovery, non-linear career, Web3 founder, Georgetown MBA, automation content creators, girl boss podcast 2026