Episode Overview

Theme:
This episode of Sweat Equity is a creative (and tactical) deep-dive into advanced strategies for breaking into and dominating LinkedIn in 2026. Hosts Alex Garcia and guest Tommy Clark (LinkedIn ghostwriting expert, founder of Compound) brainstorm actionable, proven frameworks for building a powerful presence on LinkedIn, leveraging personal stories, hooks, and content formats. They discuss growth mindset shifts, executing content repurposing, platform opportunities, and the unique "cringe vs. opportunity" dynamic of LinkedIn. The advice is high-trust, no-fluff—built on direct personal and client experience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why LinkedIn is an Untapped Goldmine

• Alex sets the stage ([01:36]): “If you can crack LinkedIn…it will fill up a pipeline dramatically.”
• Many founders overlook LinkedIn due to its perceived “cringe” factor, but that means less competition and a lower bar for quality compared to Instagram or Twitter.
• High-ticket clients and business deals (even brand acquisitions!) happen directly because of LinkedIn content—for those strategic enough to show up.

2. Defining Your Positioning & Social Proof

• Tommy asks, “What’s the one sentence overview of what you want to be known for?” ([03:44])
• Alex: Wants to "own brand social"—to be the authority for 7- to 9-figure brands mastering video and social media.
• Tommy's strategic point: Success comes fastest when you have visible, relevant social proof. Share stories that demonstrate your expertise, from scrappy beginnings to working with iconic brands.
• Quote: “[Your only moat] is your personal stories...with the rise of AI content, your only ‘realness’ is what you’ve actually lived.” ([08:26])

3. Content Funnel & Cadence: What to Post

• Frequency: 5–7x per week is optimal.
• Content Funnel Approach:
  • Top of Funnel: Broad, engaging topics (work culture, hot takes, self-development, remote vs. in-person work).
  • Middle of Funnel: Industry/category expertise. No sales pitches—focus on thought leadership, frameworks, case studies.
  • Bottom of Funnel: Light use, for case studies and direct promotion—especially after an audience is built.
• Origin story should kick off your content: “Those always overperform. Start with how you got from $500/month to $50k contracts.” ([14:03])
• Infographics/carousels: still work, not as “overpowered” as before, but “saves and shares” are now tracked and matter.
• Quote: “If you have a winner on Instagram, you can likely take that same idea and move it over to LinkedIn.” ([17:14])

4. How to Repurpose & Optimize Content for LinkedIn

• Mix your media: Balance between text, carousels, images, and video. Video is no longer a silver bullet on LinkedIn.
• Repurpose high-performing Instagram videos by making sure the LinkedIn caption or post has an actual narrative, not just a one-liner.
• Tommy: “You can’t just take your IG Reel, put the video on LinkedIn, and not put any effort into the post copy.” ([18:30])

5. Copywriting Frameworks: Anatomy of a Winning LinkedIn Post

• Three parts: Hook, Body, CTA.
  • The hook is everything: “There are so many great pieces of content that die because of a terrible hook.” ([20:24])
  • Body: Tell stories, share personal experience, or give frameworks.
  • CTA: Subtle, often pushing for newsletter or further content.
• Personality is your moat: AI copywriting tools make templated posts easy, so unique voice and rough edges matter more (“Oftentimes this will actually mean making the post appear less optimized or scrappier—having intentional mistakes.” ([22:56]))
• Don’t try to be too perfect—people respond to ‘top-of-dome’, messier writing, especially after you’ve built some audience. ([23:16])

6. Hook Templates & Engagement Levers

• “How I did X” (story-based, not just “how to do X”)
• Use numbers and specifics: “This brand’s $20 million content playbook” beats “This brand’s content playbook.” ([26:26])
• Credibility jacking: Leverage big names (brands or people) to ‘borrow’ attention.
• Trend jacking: Reference current events or trending stories to piggyback on what’s hot.
• Quote: “They don’t care about you yet...use these popular names, companies, or events to get people to ‘see more’.” ([28:12])

7. Where the Platform is Going

• LinkedIn wants to be social, not just career-driven—more features for video, share, and saves, but video results are mixed.
• The user base is not shifting to a full TikTok-style experience; written content and images are still primary engagement drivers.
• Feels like “Facebook for adults,” with some personal and meme content, but a balance is recommended for service businesses.

8. Tactical Growth & Business Development

• Audience quality > size: “I don’t care about the size of my audience, only the lead gen I get from it.” ([39:18])
• Direct targeting: Make a ‘hit list’ of ideal clients; send connection requests and tailor posts for them—LinkedIn’s algorithm will ensure new connections see your next post.
  • “The most powerful thing…make a hit list, connect, and have content that’s strategic for that hit list.” ([40:34])
• Hypothetical content: “If I was running XYZ’s brand social…” posts directly get noticed by brand teams and C-suites.
• Boosting posts: Let the organic run first, then boost to your defined target. Edit copy to include a PS with the CTA (since LinkedIn doesn’t allow direct CTAs on thought leader ads).
• Newsletter growth: Supercharged via content congruence; LinkedIn can drive 8000+ subs in weeks if you execute well.

9. Patience, Consistency, and Executing the Playbook

• Expect a 90-day ramp to see results; consistency is non-negotiable.
• There’s opportunity to dominate with a unique “brand social” authority angle, especially using IG-winning ideas remixed for LinkedIn narrative and visuals.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On LinkedIn’s 'cringe' factor:
  “The reality is, it is cringe…that is the opportunity.” – Alex ([02:30])
• On content competition:
  “The bar for the quality that will hit [on LinkedIn] is just objectively lower. If you’re pretty good at content and can deal with the cringe, it’s a massive opportunity.” – Tommy ([03:07])
• On reusing top IG ideas:
  "If it hit on IG, it will likely hit on LinkedIn because…the quality bar…is lower." – Tommy ([17:14])
• On writing authentic posts:
  “One of the best things you can do is having a distinct style that’s actually you…A more raw, authentic video, that’s not highly produced, will get on someone’s radar.” – Tommy ([43:09])
• On targeting high-value clients:
  “There are C-suite decision makers…who hate social, the only place they consume content is LinkedIn.” – Alex ([33:50])
• On strategic connections:
  “If you have a target list, just send them a connection request...they’ll see the next piece of content you post.” – Tommy ([39:55])
• On newsletter subs:
  “Nathan would give me ridiculous numbers: LinkedIn would drive him 8,000 subs in two weeks.” – Alex ([44:36])
• Tommy’s closing wisdom:
  “A lot of this stuff likely doesn’t sound super complicated...because it’s not. It just takes time to execute.” ([47:54])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:44] – Defining your brand proposition for LinkedIn (“owning brand social”)
• [10:31] – Recommended posting cadence & content funnel breakdown
• [13:28] – What not to do: Mistakes founders make by over-selling
• [15:17] – Reactivating a dormant LinkedIn with strategic content types
• [19:52] – Copywriting framework: Hook, Body, CTA
• [24:47] – Specific hook “levers” that drive engagement
• [29:36] – Where LinkedIn is headed—features, algorithm shifts, and user behavior
• [35:15] – Repurposing IG content for LinkedIn: What works, what doesn’t
• [39:55] – Tactical approach: Hit lists, connections, and guaranteed exposure
• [43:09] – The power of authentic, unpolished video on LinkedIn
• [44:22] – Using boosted posts/ad strategy for newsletter/lead gen
• [46:57] – Executing across platforms, preventing wasted content, focus on LinkedIn’s lower quality bar

Actionable Takeaways / Playbook Snapshots

1. Define your POV & social proof. Lead with experience.
2. Build a content funnel: Start with an origin story, mix top/mid-funnel posts, and drip in case studies or results-based posts.
3. Focus on hooks: Storytelling, numbers, credibility, and trend jacks are your friends.
4. Repurpose ruthlessly: Best IG posts can become LinkedIn text, carousels, or video—but copy must be tailored for LinkedIn’s preferred reading style.
5. Target your ideal clients: Use connection requests to guarantee the right people see your strategic content.
6. Newsletter/lead gen: Use congruent content and PS-line CTAs on boosted posts—LinkedIn can massively grow your email list.
7. Be patient and consistent. 90-day sprints are minimum viable test.

Where to Find Tommy Clark & Contact

• LinkedIn: Tommy Clark
• YouTube: [Tommy Clark]
• Newsletter: Read Social Files
• Agency: compoundcontentstudio.com
• Email: tommy (at) tclarkmedia.com

This episode is a true playbook for marketers, founders, and creators aiming to break into LinkedIn with authority in 2026. No fluff—just frameworks and stories that move the needle.