Just as European businesses were adjusting to last year’s U.S. tariff deals, Trump put them back on edge. He threatened to impose new import tariffs on EU countries, the U.K., Norway, and others unless Greenland is sold to the U.S., a move many see as economic blackmail. European leaders are preparing retaliatory measures, including a €93 billion tariff package. Companies may reroute trade or seek new markets to avoid the hit. Economists warn higher prices could backfire on U.S. consumers, turning a political gambit into a costly trade headache. (Reuters)

Meta’s Threads just nudged past 𝕏 in daily mobile users (141.5M vs. 125M). Web traffic still favors X, but Threads’ mobile growth is no flash in the pan. With help from cross-promos from Instagram and Facebook, creator-friendly features, and rapid updates, Threads is turning casual users into daily devotees. You could say Threads is staking its claim in the social stratosphere. (TechCrunch)

OpenAI is testing ads inside ChatGPT in the U.S., for free-tier and ChatGPT Go users only. Ads will appear at the bottom of responses, clearly labeled, and only when relevant. Pro, Business, and Enterprise users, plus minors, are exempt. The goal is a high-intent, context-driven ad channel that helps fund broader AI access without selling conversations. They claim ads won’t influence answers and users can control personalization. (Search Engine Land)

Canada is cutting tariffs on Chinese-made EVs from 100% to 6.1%, opening the door for up to 49,000 annual imports. Tesla is in pole position, having prepped its Shanghai plant and built a Canadian sales network, while rivals like BYD and Nio lack local infrastructure. Tesla’s flexible production and established models give it a speed advantage, though cheaper vehicles under CAD 35,000 will mostly benefit Chinese newcomers. The Canadian EV market is warming up. and Tesla is already charged up. (Reuters)

Disney flexed its storytelling muscle in 2025, claiming $2.49B, which is approximately 27.5% of U.S. and Canada ticket sales, thanks to hits like Lilo & Stitch, Zootopia 2, Marvel’s Fantastic Four, and Avatar 3. Warner Bros. and Universal followed, but no other studio cracked $1B. Looking ahead, Disney’s 2026 lineup, The Mandalorian & Grogu, Toy Story 5, Avengers: Doomsday, and Moana, are all expected to help Disney keep its massive lead. Sequels, fan-favorites, and big IP continue to rule the box office. (CNBC)

I was sending thoughtful LinkedIn connection requests to founders I genuinely wanted to build relationships with, you know, people in my orbit, adjacent industries, aligned stages.

And still, a lot of them weren’t accepting.

I couldn’t chalk it up to a weak profile or a messy network. 

Everything else was doing what it was supposed to do, which made the low acceptance rate harder to explain.

Instead of tweaking messages or sending more requests, I decided to A/B test a few items on my profile, including my Headline (the little section under your name).

Originally, it just said “Founder and CEO”.

It was simple and to the point, but also completely generic. It told people what I was, not why they should care or trust me.

So I changed it to reflect me a little more, a trust statement, if you will. 

Here’s what I went with:

“Building Go Carpathian | Connecting founders with global talent | Sharing what works with 83k founders via Lean Leverage Newsletter | Visiting all 63 National Parks (20 so far)”.

I’ve learned that trying to be ‘clever’ doesn’t usually amount to much, so I just kept it simple, clear, and added a little bit of a personal touch.  

Within weeks, my connection acceptance rate jumped by around 60%.

Same outreach volume. Same people.
Now, a completely different response.

This works because LinkedIn isn’t like other social networks. 

People need a higher level of trust before they’re willing to connect, especially when business and personal information are on the line. 

Your headline is the first filter, conscious or not, that determines whether someone sees you as low risk and worth connecting with.

I’ve built a full LinkedIn SOP around social selling, trust-building, and pipeline creation.

There’s a lot to cover, so today we’ll focus on the three things that matter most if you want LinkedIn to work without feeling salesy:

Get these three right, and you’re on the fast track to building a community that trusts and supports you, which, yes, eventually leads to more inbound leads.

Most founders treat their LinkedIn headline like a resume:

It tells people what you are, not why they should care.

A strong headline answers 4 questions instantly:

My headline did exactly that:

That last line matters more than people think. It softened my profile, made me relatable, and gave people a reason to think, “I like this person” or “I can relate to them.”

Headline frameworks you can steal:

If your headline doesn’t make the right person feel, “Oh, this is relevant to me,” it’s time for an edit.

Most people automate their connection requests with software, which is great if you’re going for volume. 

But not so great if you want quality connections that could actually improve your network and fit your ICP. 

These are the four lists we’ve built that actually drive a steady stream of revenue for us:

1. Engaged Prospects
People already interacting with you:

These should be your first connections, the people who have actually shown interest in your business but didn’t follow through with a purchase. 

2. Existing Clients
This sounds obvious, but most founders skip it.

Connecting with clients turns:

This is some of the highest-leverage LinkedIn activity you can do.

3. Dream Prospects
The people you actually want to work with.

Founders. Decision-makers. Buyers.

And, don’t be afraid to dream here. It’s not outside of the realm of possibility if you’ve got a great product/service. 

4. ICP-Based Lead Lists
Built intentionally using filters:

The rule: 10–20 connection requests per day, consistently.
You can play around with these numbers a bit, but try not to overdo it.

This keeps you relevant and visible without tripping spam alarms or burning trust.

Posting alone will only get you part of the result.

LinkedIn rewards interaction. Are you actually using their platform and interacting positively with other users?

This means consistently (daily) liking, commenting, and reposting relevant posts in your network. If you’re not going to interact with other people, why would they interact with your content? 

You’ve got to make the effort to build real, strategic relationships on LinkedIn

You’re trying to create an emotional recognition moment where someone thinks:

“I keep seeing this person. They seem thoughtful. This feels like the right person to talk to.”

1. Dream Prospects List
People you want on your radar before you ever pitch.

2. Pipeline List
People already connected to you:

This should take roughly 20-30 minutes of your day, so try to make it happen. 

This works because:

And yes, we’ve seen firsthand how this outperforms posting every single day or multiple times a day.

LinkedIn works when you stop treating it like every other social network and start treating it like an actual opportunity to build meaningful relationships with people in your network. 

Your headline sets the tone.
Your connections define the quality.
Your engagement keeps you top of mind.

And none of this requires hacks, automation spam, or pretending to be someone you’re not.

Every single LinkedIn guru will tell you something different, and I guess I’m doing the same, but there’s very little room for error when you just start acting like a human, keep things simple + clear,  and most importantly, stay honest.