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

Whose Life Are You Actually Building with Ksenia Votinova-Arnaud

What if the safest path to entrepreneurship isn't quitting your job, it's staying in it a little longer? Ksenia Votinova-Arnaud is the co-founder of LeVPN, a profitable SaaS business she's been building for 15 years without a single outside investment. She's also the founder of the Weatherproof Business Launchpad, where she coaches women in tech to leave corporate life on their own terms, with a validated idea, real customers, and a business that's profitable by design. In this episode, Ksenia gets real about what it actually took to build something that lasts, the moment in Bali when she realized she was building someone else's life, the Eastern European mindset around resilience that shaped how she thinks about risk, and why she believes "build it and they will come" is the most dangerous lie in entrepreneurship.This one's for you if you've been thinking about leaving corporate, but want to do it right. WHAT WE COVER: - Why Ksenia built LeVPN to be profitable from day one,and never needed outside funding - The Bali pivoting moment that changed everything- Eastern European vs Western mindsets on risk, and which one builds better businesses- The #1 mistake women in tech make when leaving corporate. - How to validate your idea in 5 hours a week without quitting your job - Why you're already a founder, even if nobody knows it yet - What Google and Adobe executives still struggle with - The "weatherproof business" formula: what it means and why it matters __________ Connect with Ksenia: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kseniavotinova/ Website: https://kseniavotinova.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kseniavotinova/ 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: 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. __________ women in tech entrepreneurship, how to leave corporate job, SaaS founder story, build a profitable business, weatherproof business, LeVPN founder, female founder podcast, startup without funding, business resilience, women entrepreneur podcast, corporate to founder, how to validate a business idea, business coaching for women, product market fit explained

She Yaps for a Living and Built a Business Doing It With Yvette Boateng

I sat down with Yvette Boateng, creative strategist, UGC creator, and founder of The Good Yap, and she said something that stopped me mid sentence: You don't really know what your story was until you talk about it. Yvette has spent nearly a decade in marketing. She started out chasing the influencer dream, pivoted into UGC, built a career around brand storytelling, and eventually realized the skill everyone kept praising her, for storytelling was the exact thing she should be building a business around. So she did.  The Good Yap is her coaching and consulting service helping founders, creators, and entrepreneurs excavate their story, shape their personal brand, and turn who they are into opportunities. This episode is for every founder who has a million ideas but can't figure out how to say them out loud. For every entrepreneur who thinks vulnerability is a liability, not an asset. For everyone who's been told to just post more but knows deep down that's not the whole answer.The real reason your content isn't connecting? It has nothing to do with the algorithm. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — Introduction: Yvette Boateng, creative strategist & founder of The Good Yap 02:09 — What it really means to spin stories and yap for a living 06:09 — How she accidentally fell into UGC and what she learned from it 08:21 — Why building relationships (not a following) is what actually grows your brand 12:08 — Why founders struggle to tell their own story  and the real cost of that silence 15:00 — The candle brand founder who went viral by admitting she was struggling 17:00 — Does every founder need to be on camera? 19:30 — Why LinkedIn might be your most underrated platform. 23:48 — The hardest part of turning creativity into a business. 26:30 — How clarity unlocks confidence and why you can't fake your way there 27:20 — Rapid fire: her most memorable campaign (hint: it involved Colgate and a very personal story) 30:00 — Her go to fix for a boring ad 32:00 — The resource she swears by: YouTube over books, every time WHAT YOU'LL TAKE AWAY — Why your struggle story isn't a weakness, it's your most powerful piece of content. — How to know which platform is actually right for you, not just the one everyone says you should be on. — The silent video test: if your ad doesn't make sense on mute, something is broken. — Why founders who stay silent about their journey end up irrelevant, even with a great product. — Clarity before confidence.Here's how to find it. — Why ghost writing isn't cheating, it's strategy. __________  Connect with Yvette Boateng: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvette-boateng/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ybsocials?lang=en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsyvetteab/ __________  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. __________  personal branding for founders, how to tell your story as an entrepreneur, UGC creator tips, brand storytelling strategy, LinkedIn personal branding, creative strategy for small businesses, female founder podcast, women entrepreneur podcast, Yvette Boateng The Good Yap, founder personal brand, content strategy for founders, how to grow on LinkedIn, vulnerability in business, entrepreneurship podcast women, startup podcast, UGC marketing tips, ghost writing for entrepreneurs, founder burnout, building a personal brand from scratch, women in business podcast.

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 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. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — Introduction: Mafalda Johannsen 02:20 — How she ended up in sales at 22 with no plan and 100% commission 04:27 — Why the best salespeople never feel like they've mastered it 06:33 — What prospecting actually means (and how it differs from cold outreach) 08:39 — The biggest mistake founders make when adding AI to their sales process 09:17 — AI amplifies your problems before it fixes them11:18 — How to use AI the right way in prospecting 12:44 — The tools Mafalda swears by: Amplemarket and Power Dial 15:30 — Where AI is taking sales in the next few years 17:03 — Why every founder should start a podcast 19:26 — What podcasting teaches you about relationships and business 20:41 — The best sales education format (it depends on you) 22:59 — How she manages PR for a jazz band alongside her sales career 26:23 — 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, N.Rich, 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