20 Thank you's to incredible people who helped me level up my LinkedIn Game in 2020

So, I've been looking forward to this article for quite some time... and dreading it a little too...

Because I've honestly had so many great things from the LinkedIn platform in this my first year, that it's been hard distilling down everyone who has inspired, educated, supported, guided, engaged, disagreed, and refocused me.

But it's 2020, so I did my best to think of 20 Thank yous (as opposed to 20 people, because there are some couplets and groups), and in doing so have compiled an incredible resources of amazing people to connect with, follow and know that you'll be in great hands if you want to level up your Linkedin game too.

I'm not a believer in the self-made myth. At least, I make no so much claim for myself... everything I've achieved this year has been as a results of the support (both public, and private) of so many incredible people... I'm so grateful to each and every one of them. Everyone of them counts. Every one of their contributions were meaningful to me - and I'm SO grateful!

So in alphabetical order

Thank you so much to:

1. Abi Adamson , Dannique Blake, Shereen Daniels- These incredible black women come with their thoughts, ideas and no apologies at all - and I love that, and have been inspired to do the same... Abi - your incredible poem said so much, and gave such style to an issue we were all thinking about. You are our original 'ajagun' ?? . Dannique - between the honest thoughts, the power thinking, I'm grateful for the space you create to think differently??, and Shereen - the whole chest truths you delivered this year... thank you??. I’m so grateful to you all for being incredible, for NOT shying away from difficult conversations and from disagreeing wherever you did. I’m so grateful to you all for saying it like it is… in the various ways that you do. It has encouraged and inspired me to do the same, and to do so unapologetically.
2. Anita Baldwin & Anna Geary - these two ladies were there at the beginning… When I knew practically nothing, did practically nothing, and made nothing. It was their fabulous 'Daily Dave' Product that helped me with my very first LI post back in March when I posted about Biscuits (No, rich tea is definitely NOT a good choice of a biscuit – I don’t think you should be that beige, or thin, or bland… you are letting down the biscuit side down). But they’ve been incredibly supportive of me and have encouraged me to do things I never dreamed of and helped me develop the habit that has seen me on a 280+ day posting streak! Ladies – I'm so proud to have seen you smash it with the Get Savvy Offerings this year … thanks for heading up the fab savages!!
3. Celeste Ansell & Jane Bayler – who have both created incredible spaces to network and grow that have nourished and supported me this year. Thank you so much for your generosity and leadership. You are incredible!
4. Chinedu Junior Ihekwoaba - our resident 'Storypreneur', 'Writerpreneur' - dropping slices of life pieces about Naija, and dropping truth, wisdom and support for so many wishing to up their writing game. He's always doing his bit to support others and to raise standards. Who continues to "Soro Soke" for what he believes to be right. Thanks for holding up the Naija end of proceedings - You are amazing!
5. David McQueen & Madeline McQueen – this incredible Forbes and Palmers Featured power couple created incredible spaces for me to hang, grow, think and be supported this year. It’s such a privilege to call them friends and I’m so grateful for how they lead by example. Thank you separately for the incredible Vanguard, and PSC spaces… and thank you for being so amazing and inspiring together.
6. Diana Osagie – best subversive podcast launch marketer there is, who I’ve had the pleasure of working with in so many different capacities this year. But I’m so grateful to see you bring your passion to life through the Academy of Women’s Leadership… I love just how YOU you are in every post… thank you so much for reminding me to do the same.
7. Elizabeth Westbrook – the kindest, loveliest soul… and someone I’m SO glad that I met early on, at a time when I was still so confused and wondering if I was going to stick around at all. She was so encouraging. She supported my content, joined my daily email list and has never stopped cheering for me, even as she went on to max out her connections. Thank you for your kindness lovely lady – I’m so grateful for you!
8. John Espirian – A relentlessly helpful content master. Who has always generously shared many experiment results, polls, and created content for what has both educated and inspired me. One I often have to seek out, as I comment on it as much as I see it, but not enough. I have his ‘Content DNA' book on my 'keep re-reading' list (that's a legit link... you need to get it on your list too!) and I am always inspired by his content and his experiments. John, thank you so much for continuing to champion and support others and to show the importance of being your brand in every interaction.
9. Martha Da Costa Sherwood, Flo Awolaja & Lola Bejide – incredible women who get my thanks for being one of the most consistent engagers on my content this year. So grateful to you amazing ladies – every time you reached out, you took time out of your days to support me, and I’m SO grateful for that – especially during some of the more murky emotional ones of Lockdown – super grateful for you.
10. Miriam McMillan – it was Mirrie’s #MakeLinkyGreyAgain offering that showed me the human side of the platform early on, and her incredible soul searing poetry, unbelievable irreverence and just general life affirming realness that makes me smile every time she posts, and makes her an incredible addition to my LinkedIn feed. Mirrie – I always smile when I see your posts. I’m that one person you touch when you post and I’m so grateful to have met you early on in my Linkedin journey. You've my linky all the colours except but grey!!
11. Ngozi Anajuba – another stalwart engager, another one who took it out of digital and reached out to check on me in real life. #datalady rocks in so many ways – and supported me with some sage and timely advice that was a real game-changer for me. Thank you so much incredible lady, I am so very grateful to you!tinue to wear my weirdo with pride. 
12. Pam Case and Ian Denny – two of the loveliest and LI savants I’ve met, who have really supported me to create engaging content and to learn more about LinkedIn-centric NETWORKING though their incredible LinkedOnline space. An impromptu session with Pam led to some subtle tweaks which saw me secure clients the very next day. Thank you for helping me not get caught up in being introverted, and thanks for the work you do to improve the content on the platform. I’ve met so many amazing people in my network through your amazing challenges and I’m so glad to see their content more often as it’s fab. Thank you for what you do!
13. Paul Carrick Brunson – everything really is better with Paul. His Lives during the summer were a saving grace and hopeful high octane shot of excellence each week. His podcast, his focus on family and generational wealth is both inspiring and enlightening. He’s created such an incredible community both on, and off linkedin and his focus on excellence both aspirational and exciting. Brother Paul – thank you for walking your talk
14. Renee Lindo – The most stylish woman in my network! Renée was my first network member to ask to meet me in person. I almost fell off my chair when she did and I confess I was freaked out at first (the whole point in my mind was to keep my contacts virtual)… Alas, her incredible warmth, and inspiring story left such a lasting impression om me and changed my trajectory on the platform in incredible ways.
15. Richard Moore – this guy is SUCH a sage. A real master of sales… and got me incredible results just from the information that he shared in a free masterclass. I’m so excited to be up levelling my LinkedIn focus and customer acquisition processes this year. I can't believe I only met you in November, and yet - 2021 looks a whole lot different with your incredible insights, generosity and focus. Thank you so much for all that you do!
16. Ryan Christopher - The Quadfather, who enabled me to take my networking to a whole new level by creating a space where I would network with 3 other people at once in the aptly named ‘Quadmeets’ (and introverts dream, as 1-2-1 networking can feel pretty intense at times) – it’s led me to meet some of the brightest minds across the world and some of the loveliest humans too. Ryan, thank you for your vision to create such a brilliant space.
17. Sam Rathling & Lea Turner – for the documents that totally changed my brain about this Platform. Sam’s fab book 'Linked Inbound' created a powerful structure to help me take the various facets of the platform so much more seriously – and Lea’s amazing content prompts got me thinking more about the role and power of connection. Both of them walk their talk so powerfully in terms of their own content, so it always makes me smile to see them come into my feed, and I engage whenever I do. Thank you so much ladies for creating power resources that raise the tide to life all the ships.
18. Stella Da Silva – who always keeps it ‘Stellalicious’. I attended a Webinar that she co-hosted and it just blew my mind with the best insights that I could have received as a novice on this platform. I took a bucket load of notes and have been so grateful for her incredible masterclass in doing things your own way. The queen of LinkedIn videos… no one does it better… and an empowering and generous engager, who always brings a ‘Stellalicious Twist’ to proceedings,
19. Vicky Quinn (was Fraser), my 'sister from another mister', the Queen of Moxie Books and general angel who has supported me more than anyone else on God’s-green earth this year. The most exquisite of writers, head of team moxie and the person who helped me to believe my writing was worth an even bigger, broader audience. Thanks for being you amazing lady. Not only for supporting my LinkedIn Game, but for supporting me on my first taste of Audiobook superstardom with the incredible ‘That’s what she said’ (available to pre-order right now)
20. And YOU.... YES YOU!! .... My final thank you goes out to the each and everyone of the 6550 of you (at the time of writing this post) that have chosen to connect and or follow me. It blows my mind to even write that - as I was NEVER the most popular kid in school, or the most beautiful, or social. My feelings were too big and my self-belief was too small - so the idea of social media has scared the bejeezus out of me for so long. But I now know that it wasn't about any of the things I thought it was about... it's so much more than that. And about things that I can actually do - honesty, authenticity and connection. Thank you for reading, commenting, sliding in to my DMs becoming my clients, putting faith in me and my crazy, but hella-effective methods for your businesses incredible ladies. 2021 sees the chance to do some incredible things together, so be sure to reach out if you are about building a thriving and profitable business, whiles living a full fab and nourishing life.

Oh, and I have a special bonus thank you...

To My Husband – who remains nameless and unlinked at his request… but who has been my partner in life, love, business and all other things. My editor for almost every article, who has questioned, refined, critiqued and supported every single word that I wrote – even when we were stranded apart for Lockdown 1.0. I’m forever grateful to you babes, and I’m so thankful that you encourage me to keep us for us, even as I step out to help women across the world.

Thank you for editing my articles, supporting me honing my craft, championing and supporting this endeavour… Love you die.??????