You’re killin’ me, Smalls!
If you grew up in the 80s or 90s, , you know the magic of a coming-of-age movie.
The kind where kids biked around town all summer, got into all sorts of hair-brained trouble, and somehow learned something about life, friendship, and heartache along the way.
We’re talking:
My Girl
Stand By Me
The Goonies
The Sandlot
In The Sandlot, there’s a moment when the kids are making s’mores around a campfire.
Scottie Smalls, the new kid in town, admits he doesn’t know what s’mores are, saying, “I haven’t had anything yet… so how can I have some more of nothing?”
And Ham, completely exasperated, delivers the now iconic line:
“You’re killin’ me, Smalls!”
It was actually an improvised moment in the film, but it stuck—and over time it became a cultural shorthand for when someone is making something way harder than it needs to be.
Which brings me to LinkedIn. (Because, doesn’t everything?!)
When I talk to job seekers, I hear the same things over and over:
“I don’t want to post.”
“It feels cringe.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“I’m networking in other ways.”
And every time I hear this, a tiny voice in my head goes:
You’re killin’ me, Smalls.
Not because posting is mandatory.
But because the moment people get past the hesitation, things start to change.
Visibility changes everything.
For a long time, I didn’t post much on LinkedIn.
Which meant LinkedIn returned the favor.
Zero leads. → Zero revenue.
Once I pushed past the cringe and started sharing consistently last fall, things changed quickly.
In just a few months, that shift has produced five-figure revenue directly from LinkedIn—and this month alone is pacing to be more than 5x what I generated just two months ago.
Not because I suddenly became brilliant at posting.
I just decided to throw my hat in the ring.
That’s the part most people miss.
Everyone starts as Smalls.
Awkward. Unsure. Slightly cringing while they hit publish.
But the people who push through that phase?
✨ They build momentum.
✨ They become recognizable.
✨ They attract conversations.
✨ They create opportunities that never would have existed otherwise.
Some of my clients came directly from LinkedIn with no prior contact. Others came from people simply being reminded—sometimes for the first time—what I actually do.
The courage boost I’ve gotten from seeing that I can indeed do it, led me to host my first masterclass (to much acclaim!) and launch my online course.
And no, not every post hits.
So if you’ve been sitting on a thought, a lesson, or a perspective from your work…
Post it.
Even if it’s imperfect.
Even if it feels awkward.
Even if the little voice in your head says it’s cringe.
Because the people who win on LinkedIn aren’t the ones who felt ready.
They’re the ones who stepped up to the plate anyway.
And if you’re still sitting on the sidelines…
Well.
You’re killin’ me, Smalls!
Join the LinkedIn Convo
To prove my point and answer a question I get asked on the regular, last week I gathered some weird faces I make in my weekly videos and put them on the internet. This cringe is for you.
A big part of not wanting to put ourselves out there is not wanting to look silly in front of others while we learn. And gosh, I get it.
In other news, ever wonder if LinkedIn is the only place to scope out job openings? Nope.
We talk a lot about résumés and networking in a job search.
We talk far less about the grief that comes from losing a role you thought you’d grow in.
Or the grief of closing an entire chapter of your life—the friendships, the learning, the history you built along the way.
Grief isn’t weakness. It’s part of the reset. Because when you give yourself permission to feel it, you make room for what comes next.
Next month, I celebrate 7 years of being a résumé writer. Seven years! From side gig to full-fledged consultancy, it’s been a trip to watch this work evolve and grow over time.
And there’s something I’ve noticed over the past four years of doing this work full-time:
When things are left open-ended, people stall.
They make an investment in themselves… and then put off coaching appointments. It’s like cleaning your house before the housekeeper comes—everything suddenly has to be “ready.”
They want an accomplishment-driven résumé. They’re ready to speak to their impact. But they delay the deeply collaborative work it takes to pull those stories out.
(I know a few of you feel attacked right now. )
We circle the same conversations for weeks—not because they aren’t capable or don’t have the experience (trust me, once they see their new résumé, the confidence shift is immediate)—but because clarity work requires structure, momentum, and partnership.
You can optimize LinkedIn.
You can apply to 20 roles.
You can tweak your bullets again (and again).
But if you’re unclear about what you actually want next, none of it sticks. Worse? You might land in a new role that isn’t the right fit and find yourself ready to leave nine months later.
So I made a decision: no more à la carte.
The clients who experience the biggest transformations and land in the most aligned roles? We’ve done the work side-by-side—through coaching and résumé strategy—intentionally. (Just ask Viv.)
To that end, I distilled both coaching and résumé writing into a focused, 4-week Career Alignment Intensive.
It brings together the clarity, positioning, strategy, and execution support most people try to cobble together over months—into one streamlined, intentional, one-on-one experience.
Over four weeks, we:
Clarify what you want
Define what you’re no longer available for
Sharpen how you position your value
Build an intentional forward strategy
And in the final phase, we translate that clarity into powerful résumé and LinkedIn positioning.
If you’re ready to move forward with intention, let’s do it together.
Beyond the Office
Speaking of coming-of-age movies, The Princess Bride (one of the best films of all time, don’t @ me) is coming to the newly renovated Castro Theater in SF on Sunday, April 12. If you’re in town, don’t miss it!
Bless my heart, I was sick last week, and this One Pot Butternut Squash Yellow Curry saved the day. YUMMY. It hit the spot, and I was able to freeze four servings for those nights when future me decides cooking feels like a hard no.
If you know me, you know I try to stay as pragmatic as possible when it comes to politics. The Unbiased University podcast series has been fascinating these last couple of weeks, covering topics related to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It’s not about telling you what to think—it’s simply about understanding the basics. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
There’s a moment that shows up before almost anything new—the hesitation. The voice that says, not yet. Not until you feel more confident, more certain, more prepared.
But what if readiness isn’t something that comes before we begin? What if it’s something that only shows up after we’ve already started?
As my online business coach, Marie Forleo, says, “The key is to start before you are ready.” That’s where the courage lies.
Work with me 1:1 → Step into a focused alignment experience to clarify your direction and intentionally reposition your leadership. I’m currently scheduling for April and have 3 spots left!
Engage on LinkedIn → Jump in, comment, and engage in weekly insights and candid career conversations. This is where you practice! Hit the bell so you don’t miss a post.
Enroll in Own Your Search → Build clarity, strengthen your positioning, and land aligned roles inside a structured digital program, all in your own time.
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