From Executive Leader to Industry Voice: How a Leadership Coach Grew Her LinkedIn™ Presence & Expanded Her Business

For many executives, decades of experience and leadership success don’t always translate into digital visibility. Their expertise is well-known inside boardrooms, within organizations, and among colleagues—but online? Their presence is minimal at best. 

That’s exactly where Phyllis Ehrlich found herself. As a former executive at industry giants like The Walt Disney Company and Cartoon Network, Phyllis had built a thriving career leading teams and shaping corporate success. But as she transitioned into her next chapter—becoming a leadership coach, speaker, and author—she quickly realized that her digital presence didn’t match the authority she had built throughout her career. 

Her LinkedIn™ profile wasn’t optimized, her content was inconsistent, and her audience engagement was limited. While she had decades of leadership insights to share, her online brand wasn’t working for her—it wasn’t attracting the right clients, speaking engagements, or industry opportunities. 

To bridge that gap between her offline reputation and online presence, Phyllis knew she needed a fresh approach—and that’s when she turned to The Borden Group.

The Challenge: A Strong Career with an Undervalue Online Brand

Phyllis had the kind of career story that could inspire anyone—from her time as Editor-in-Chief at Disney to her executive role at Cartoon Network. Her reputation as a mentor, innovator, and leadership expert was well-established inside the corporate walls, but online? That story wasn’t being told. 

Her LinkedIn™ profile felt more like a resume than a personal brand—listing titles and roles without weaving in the leadership philosophy and personal insights that made her voice unique. There was no clear positioning that explained why executives, rising leaders, and students should turn to her for coaching, mentorship, or speaking. 

On top of that, her content lacked consistency and direction. When she did post, the content didn’t always tie back to her core message or business goals—meaning her audience wasn’t getting a clear sense of who she was becoming in this next chapter. And without a structured engagement plan, her posts weren’t reaching the right people. 

Phyllis wasn’t just trying to fill her calendar with posts—she wanted to build a recognizable personal brand that would attract speaking opportunities, high-value coaching clients, and collaborations that aligned with her values and expertise. But to do that, she needed a strategic framework that would guide how she showed up, what she said, and who she engaged with.

The Borden Group’s Strategic Approach

When Phyllis partnered with The Borden Group, she wasn’t looking for generic LinkedIn™ advice—she needed a clear, strategic approach that would turn her decades of leadership experience into a compelling, high-impact personal brand. The goal wasn’t just to make her profile look better; it was to craft a cohesive digital presence that reflected her expertise, her voice, and her vision for this next chapter—not just on LinkedIn™, but across her entire digital ecosystem. 

The first step was rebuilding her LinkedIn™ profile to work like a personal brand statement rather than a traditional resume. Every section, from her headline to her About summary, was rewritten to weave her career story, coaching philosophy, and leadership insights into one clear, cohesive narrative. By emphasizing her unique blend of executive experience and her passion for coaching, we positioned Phyllis not just as a former executive, but as a trusted advisor for leaders navigating career transitions. Her profile became a landing page for her expertise, not just a collection of job titles. 

Next, we developed a content strategy designed to elevate her voice and build visibility around her thought leadership. Instead of posting at random, Phyllis had a clear roadmap for her content—balancing personal career stories, actionable leadership advice, and updates tied to her speaking engagements and her book. This strategy made sure her content supported her larger business goals, while also making her authentic personality and expertise shine through.

But her digital footprint extended beyond LinkedIn™, which meant her website needed attention too. We refined her website’s messaging and structure to align with her updated brand positioning, ensuring anyone who clicked through from LinkedIn™ would land on a site that clearly explained who she helps, what she offers, and how to work with her. In addition, we provided SEO recommendations to help her site become more discoverable through search—especially for professionals looking for leadership coaches or career development speakers. 

Finally, visibility isn’t just about content and profiles—it’s about engagement. That’s why we helped Phyllis develop a repeatable system for networking and audience engagement on LinkedIn™. Every comment, message, and connection request became an intentional part of her growth strategy, designed to build relationships with event organizers, corporate leaders, and potential clients. By showing up consistently in conversations that mattered to her audience, Phyllis wasn’t just posting—she was participating. 

This end-to-end approach, blending profile optimization, content strategy, website refinement, and intentional engagement gave Phyllis the clarity and confidence to show up consistently as the thought leader she already was—while making sure the right people actually saw and engaged with her work.

Results: Increased Visibility, New Clients & Speaking Opportunities

Within just 30 days of working with The Borden Group, Phyllis’ LinkedIn™ presence saw a measurable transformation—but the real impact wasn’t just in the metrics. It was in the opportunities those metrics created. 

Her follower count grew by over 250 followers—thanks to a fully optimized profile, the activation of Creator Mode, and intentional content designed to attract her ideal audience. In that first month alone, her posts generated 42,114 impressions, dramatically expanding her visibility within the leadership and professional development space. 

Engagement told a similar story—her content consistently drew between 30 and 70 interactions per post, with her top-performing posts earning over 50 engagements each. By actively responding to comments within the first hour and showing up in meaningful conversations, Phyllis didn’t just post content—she fostered dialogue, which further boosted her visibility and reach. 

That increased visibility led to real-world results. Phyllis secured speaking engagements, each directly tied to her enhanced LinkedIn™ presence and overall growing network. Event organizers discovered her not because of cold pitches or referrals, but because they saw her content in action, showcasing her expertise, perspective, and approach to leadership development. 

The transformation extended beyond LinkedIn™. With her website refreshed for both user experience and SEO, visitors who discovered her on LinkedIn™ found a cohesive brand experience—from social to site, the messaging, voice, and positioning all aligned. That consistency made it easier for potential clients to understand what Phyllis offered and how to work with her, leading to increased inbound coaching inquiries.

Most importantly, Phyllis left with a system she could sustain. What once felt like an overwhelming digital to-do list became a clear, repeatable process—one that allowed her to show up consistently, connect authentically, and attract opportunities that align with her expertise and goals.

Conclusion: Digital Presence Drives Real-World Impact

Phyllis’ story is proof that your digital presence isn’t just a reflection of your career—it’s an extension of your influence. Whether you’re stepping into a new chapter as a coach, speaker, or consultant, or simply want to amplify the work you’ve already built, how you show up online shapes the opportunities that show up for you. 

By partnering with The Borden Group, Phyllis didn’t just refresh her LinkedIn™ profile—she built a digital ecosystem that works for her, positioning her as a trusted advisor, sought-after speaker, and credible leadership voice in front of the right audience. From increased visibility and engagement to speaking invitations and client inquiries, the results speak for themselves. 

Ready to do the same for your personal brand? The systems, processes, and templates that helped Phyllis show up with clarity and confidence are available inside The Borden Group’s Creator Store. Whether you need profile templates, content calendars, or step-by-step guides to building your LinkedIn™ presence, you’ll find everything you need to start showing up—and standing out—with purpose. 

👉 Explore the Creator Store and start building the brand you want for your next chapter. 

Are you ready to move from lurking to leveraging your personal brand? Schedule a discovery call with me today—I’d love to help you take your personal brand to the next level with actionable tips and strategies that work. 

Want to learn more about this topic? Make sure to follow Melanie Borden and The Borden Group on LinkedIn™.