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From Reads to Leads is a newsletter for writers who want more. It's about marketing. Strategy. Positioning. Operations. Results. And yes, it talks about writing too. But through a marketing lens. If this was sent to you, subscribe here so you don't miss the next email.
In today's newsletter:
Most people think building a personal brand looks like this:
Post daily on LinkedIn → Build followers → Share opinions → Get opportunities
But reality works the opposite way:
Deliver results → Get opportunities
If you can solve a problem for 10 people you know, those 10 can turn into clients, referrals, and testimonials.
Let me tell you how I learned this.
Back in 2013, I joined Yalantis as a content writer. They were just a small software development company nobody had heard about.
I built their content marketing machine from scratch. We arrived at 100 leads per month. That's still a record nobody I know has beaten. My name was on everything that worked.
Within two years, Yalantis went from an unknown outsourcing shop to a recognized name in the industry. Conference invitations followed, the company became a go-to success story, and I eventually stepped into the role of CMO.
Then something I didn't expect happened. People started reaching out to me about marketing projects. Not the company, me.
I realized I could build something of my own.
I decided to start a company and invited my colleague to be my co-founder. Before we’d even gone public with the idea, leads were already finding us. It felt like the universe was telling me → just do it.
So when I finally left Yalantis, I wasn’t afraid of not having clients (well, I was, but not too much). I knew they’d come. I had credibility, even fame in a way.
But then, it wasn't so easy.
When you leave a famous company, you're suddenly nobody again.
Even though I had built my reputation and had a track record, starting Kaiiax felt like beginning from scratch.
Turns out, company credibility doesn't automatically transfer.
You might be known as "John from Apple" but when you become "John from his new startup," it's a different story.
The halo effect disappears faster than you think. You have to build a name for yourself all over again.
I had to live through this twice. First with Kaiiax. Then again with Zmist & Copy.
When my first agency didn’t work out (mostly because of partner issues) I started a new one.
If Kaiiax already had a name at that point, nobody knew or cared about Zmist & Copy. Back to square one.
Only this time, it was a little bit easier. I had a few clients who trusted me personally. I had case studies with my name on them. And I knew better how to bridge my personal reputation with a company identity.
Still, let’s be honest: I’m nowhere near where I want to be.
I’m not the person who gets invited to big conferences. I’m not the go-to voice podcasters call when they want insights on content marketing. Most of my potential clients don’t even know my name.
I'm not there yet. But I’m further than I was.
Making Zmist & Copy famous by making our clients successful. We focus on results and document everything:
Because here's the uncomfortable truth "thought leadership" gurus won't tell you:
You can't build credibility that lands clients by showing up on people's LinkedIn feeds. You build it by earning it.
So here are a few tips for those of you who want to build a personal brand and something that’s actually YOURS.
Document every result you contributed to. Not "we increased leads by 40%" but "Kate's email sequence increased leads by 40%."
Volunteer for speaking engagements, guest posts, and podcast interviews. Be the person who represents the company at industry events.
Begin creating your own content that showcases your expertise while still employed.
Case studies, testimonials, your specific contributions. You'll need proof of what you accomplished when you're no longer affiliated with the company name.
Focus on people who might hire you or refer business, not just those who like your LinkedIn posts.
Focus on delivering results for your clients. Their growth builds you a reputation.
Instead of being everything for everyone, become THE person for something specific. "Kate, who builds content strategies that generate leads" beats "Kate, fractional CMO."
Prioritize sharing what worked, and not just opinions. "Here's how we increased our client's MQLs by 3x" beats "5 thoughts on lead generation."
Am I a thought leader? Not really.
Do I have the industry credibility I want? Nope.
But I know the path: deliver results first, then let people know about them.
September’s here, which means my little one is back at daycare. I finally have more time for work. And it feels amazing. Still, I can’t help but miss having him running around while I'm trying get something done.
Kateryna
P.S. If we aren't connected already, follow me on LinkedIn and Instagram. If you like this newsletter, please refer your friends.
P.P.S. Need help making your clients successful? Fix your mediocrity problem with Zmist & Copy
The marketing world is full of talk about strategy. Whether it's a shiny new lead magnet or a fast-growing publishing platform, everything is a strategy. But I have news for you: it's not. Read this article to learn what a strategy is and how to develop it by working backward from your goal.
Need to hire a great content writer but the job market is full of unqualified candidates? Let's figure out what your job ad should say so you could make better hires.
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