Is Anything Real?

LinkedIn Isn’t a Selling Platform: The Human DM System That Converts | Ep. 64 w/ Troy Hipolito

LinkedIn is loud. AI made it louder.  So how do you cut through without becoming another copy-paste bot? In this episode, Troy Hipolito [https://www.linkedin.com/in/troyhipolito/] (aka “The Not-So-Boring LinkedIn Guy”) breaks down how he built real momentum on LinkedIn — and how he used that momentum to launch a profitable SaaS without spending a dime on ads. Troy is the founder of The Troy Agency [https://thetroyagency.com/] and creator of Skoop [https://www.skoopapp.com/] (a personality-driven AI content + DM system designed to help people write like themselves, sell like humans, and follow up consistently). What you’ll learn: * Why LinkedIn is a networking platform — and how selling too early kills trust * The “slow dating” approach to business (support → alignment → referrals) * Troy’s video DM “sandwich formula” to increase booked, vetted meetings * How to personalize fast (because people scan, not read novels) * The right way to use AI: draft + structure…while humans keep the trust Connect with Troy: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/troyhipolito/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/troyhipolito/] The Troy Agency: https://thetroyagency.com/ [https://thetroyagency.com/] Skoop: https://www.skoopapp.com/ [https://www.skoopapp.com/] Host: Adam W. Barney [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamwbarney/] — Transition Leadership Coach Transition Leadership Foundation Call: https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/foundation-call-20min [https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/foundation-call-20min]

Your Voice Betrays You — Executive Presence That Actually Works (Exclusive Friday Drop) | Ep. 63 w/ Dr. Laura Sicola

If you’ve ever walked out of a meeting thinking “that didn’t sound like me”…you’re not broken — you’re untrained. This is a special off-schedule Friday drop with Dr. Laura Sicola [https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlaurasicola/] (TEDx speaker with 7,000,000+ views) on the real mechanics of executive presence: voice, perception, power, and the tiny shifts that change how people experience you. We unpack: * Why “just be authentic” is often a trap (and how it quietly caps your career) * Code-switching vs. covering — and the line between smart adaptation and self-erasure * The “prismatic voice” idea: you’re not one note — you’re a spectrum * The “expert’s curse”: how to stop sounding smart and start making others feel smart * Laura’s “internal mixing board” tool (a 15-minute reset you can use before your next high-stakes room) * Why women often get penalized for behaviors men get rewarded for — and what to do about it If you lead people, sell ideas, or have to influence up a level, this episode is a masterclass. Connect with Dr. Laura Sicola * Website: https://laurasicola.com/ [https://laurasicola.com/] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlaurasicola/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlaurasicola/] Work with Adam (Transition Leadership Coaching/EnergyOS) * Website: https://www.adamwbarney.com/ [https://www.adamwbarney.com/] * Book a 20-min Foundation Call: https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/foundation-call-20min [https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/foundation-call-20min] If this hits, share it with a leader who’s tired of “confidence theater” and ready for a more real way to lead.

Stop Ignoring Customers: The ROI of Response | Ep. 62 w/ Brooke Sellas (B Squared Media)

Your customers are telling you what they want, but most leaders ignore them…then wonder why growth stalls. In this episode, Brooke Sellas [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brookebsellas/] (B Squared Media [https://bsquared.media/]) joins me for a reality-first breakdown of what customer-led growth actually looks like right now: how to listen for signals, turn them into smarter strategy, and stop burning budget trying to out-market the truth. We dig into: * Why “marketing” fails when leadership isn’t listening * Where the real customer data lives (and why most teams miss it) * How to translate customer language into messaging that converts * The leadership discipline that builds trust and revenue Featuring: Brooke B. Sellas LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brookebsellas/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brookebsellas/] Website: https://bsquared.media/ [https://bsquared.media/] Ready to lead through change without burning out? Book a 20-min Transition Leadership Foundation Call: https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/foundation-call-20min [https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/foundation-call-20min]

Authority Wins: The Book Funnel That Sells You | Ep. 61 w/ Jeremy Jones (Jones Media Publishing)

They say “books don’t sell.” Jeremy Jones [https://www.linkedin.com/in/askjeremyjones/] says that’s the wrong goal because the real job of a business book isn’t copies…it’s credibility. In Ep. 61 of Is Anything Real?, Jeremy Jones [https://www.linkedin.com/in/askjeremyjones/] (Jones Media Publishing [https://jonesmediapublishing.com/]) breaks down the Book Bridge: how authorship becomes a trust engine, and trust becomes pipeline. We get specific on the two moves most founders skip: 1. Build your book around a named process (IP) that differentiates you 2. Pair “organic authority” with a real launch plan...because Amazon rewards external traffic done right You’ll also hear a real case study: a four-week launch + smart paid traffic that drove ~$6,500 in royalties, 200+ customers, and “tens of thousands” in downstream client revenue. Plus: the AI shift in publishing (including Amazon KDP’s AI disclosure checkbox) and why the “human element” is the moat. Follow Jeremy: * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/askjeremyjones/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/askjeremyjones/] * Case study: https://jonesmediapublishing.com/ [https://jonesmediapublishing.com/] * Speak Your Book System: https://speakyourbooksystem.com/ [https://speakyourbooksystem.com/] * Book mentioned: Sales Superpowers by Justin Michael [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeljustin/] — https://salessuperpowers.com/ [https://salessuperpowers.com/] — If you’re building a reality-first growth engine and want to pressure-test what’s real in your system, grab a quick Foundation Call with me: https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/foundation-call-20min [https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/foundation-call-20min]

Pipeline > Clicks: The Paid Ads Mistake Killing Revenue | Ep. 60 w/ Brian Koffler (D.I.G.S. Marketing)

Brian Koffler [https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankoffler/] (D.I.G.S. Marketing [https://www.digsmarketing.com/]) has a blunt take: paid ads don’t “fail” because of creative...they fail because leaders track the wrong scoreboard. In this episode, we break down: * Why ad teams and leadership talk past each other (and how to fix it) * The first revenue connection every B2B team should build * How to identify which campaigns actually create qualified pipeline (not just “conversions”) * Why early-stage teams often execute better than bigger orgs drowning in silos * A leadership reality check: if you can’t understand it, you can’t lead it Connect with Brian: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankoffler/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/briankoffler/] D.I.G.S. Marketing: https://www.digsmarketing.com/ [https://www.digsmarketing.com/] — If you’re building a reality-first growth engine and want to pressure-test what’s real in your system, grab a quick Foundation Call with me. No pitch, just clarity: https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/foundation-call-20min [https://calendly.com/adamwbarney/foundation-call-20min]