From Legal Practice to Leading Advocate: How a Special Needs Attorney Transformed Her LinkedIn™ Presence to Build a Thriving Coaching & Content Brand

For professionals who have spent decades building expertise in one field, making a career shift—especially one that requires stepping into the spotlight online—can feel daunting. That’s exactly where Annette Hines found herself. As the Founder & CEO of Special Needs Companies, Annette had built a respected reputation in special needs law, but her vision for her next chapter went far beyond legal work. 

Annette wanted to expand her impact—shifting from purely legal services to becoming a trusted coach, educator, and advocate for families navigating the complexities of special needs planning. She had the experience, the heart, and the knowledge, but there was one problem: her online presence didn’t tell that story. Her LinkedIn™ profile reflected only her legal identity, and her content was sporadic and disconnected from the broader mission she wanted to share. 

Annette knew that if she wanted to attract speaking opportunities, coaching clients, and media attention, her digital presence needed to match her real-world expertise. That’s when she partnered with The Borden Group, setting out to build a LinkedIn™ and YouTube strategy that could amplify her voice, attract the right audience, and position her as a leading advocate for the special needs community. 

The Challenge: Expanding a Personal Brand Beyond the Legal Practice

For years, Annette’s reputation spoke for itself—inside courtrooms, within professional circles, and among the families she served. But online, her presence told only part of the story. Her LinkedIn™ profile, her content (when she had time to post), and her overall messaging all reflected her legal expertise—but not the broader role she wanted to play as an educator, coach, and advocate. 

The challenge was twofold. First, Annette needed to reposition herself without losing the credibility she’d built over decades. Her legal background wasn’t going away—it was the foundation of her expertise—but her evolving role required a more holistic personal brand. She wanted to become a go-to voice for families navigating the emotional, financial, and legal complexities of special needs planning—someone who could coach, educate, and guide, not just provide legal services. 

Second, her digital presence lacked cohesion. Her LinkedIn™ profile, YouTube channel, podcast, and website all lived in silos, each telling a slightly different version of her story. There was no clear system for connecting the dots between these platforms—or for turning content into meaningful conversations, leads, and opportunities. 

Finally, Annette didn’t just want visibility for visibility’s sake—she wanted to attract the right visibility: families who needed her guidance, event organizers seeking knowledgeable speakers, and professionals looking to collaborate on broader advocacy efforts. But without a clear, cohesive strategy, her true value was getting lost in the noise.

The Borden Group’s Strategic Approach

From the very first conversation with Annette, it was clear—she wasn’t looking for surface-level social media tips. She needed a complete rebrand of her online presence, one that bridged the gap between her well-established legal expertise and the broader role she was stepping into. Our goal wasn’t just to help Annette post more often—it was to make sure every piece of her digital footprint told a clear, consistent, and compelling story. 

First, we started with her brand story. We worked with Annette to unpack her evolution—from attorney to educator, from legal advisor to community advocate. We needed to ensure her LinkedIn™ profile, YouTube channel, and website all reflected her full value. That meant rewriting her profile to highlight her expertise not just as a lawyer, but as a thought leader and coach—someone who could guide families through the emotional and practical challenges of special needs planning. 

Next, we developed a multi-channel content strategy designed to meet Annette’s audience where they already were—on LinkedIn™ for professional visibility and on YouTube for educational deep dives. On LinkedIn™, we focused on storytelling posts that shared her personal experiences alongside practical tips for families. On YouTube, we created a plan for longer-form educational content, giving Annette a platform to dive deeper into complex topics families needed help understanding; essentially, an extension of her Parenting Impossible podcast. 

But a great content plan only works if it’s backed by systems—so we also helped Annette implement a process for tracking content performance, identifying what resonated most, and using those insights to continually refine her message. By tying her LinkedIn™, YouTube, podcast, and website together, we created a seamless ecosystem where every platform worked to amplify the others—turning casual followers into engaged community members, podcast listeners into clients, and content views into real conversations. 

Finally, we made sure Annette’s voice positioned her for the opportunities she wanted next—whether that was speaking engagements, collaborations with other advocates, or visibility within professional associations. Every piece of her content strategy was designed not just to show what she does, but to demonstrate why her voice matters—helping event organizers, partners, and clients alike see her as a trusted leader in the special needs space.

Results: Expanded Visibility, Increased Engagement & New Opportunities

In just six months, Annette’s online presence transformed from fragmented and underutilized to aligned, strategic, and impactful—and the numbers tell the story. On LinkedIn™ alone, she gained 295 new followers, bringing her audience to 2,685 professionals actively following her insights and leadership. But the real shift wasn’t just in follower count—it was in visibility. Her content generated over 96,000 impressions, dramatically increasing her reach within the special needs and legal communities. 

This surge in visibility translated into real opportunities. Annette secured three speaking engagements, all directly tied to her increased social presence. Each opportunity gave her a new platform to share her expertise, further cementing her position as both a legal expert and a trusted advocate for families navigating special needs planning. 

The results extended beyond LinkedIn™. On YouTube, her content drove 65,530 impressions, significantly increasing both channel traffic and watch time. What had once been a platform with untapped potential became a consistent source of visibility and education for her audience. 

Engagement also skyrocketed. Annette’s LinkedIn™ posts earned more than 3,600 reactions and 1,600 comments, proving her content didn’t just reach people—it resonated with them. Conversations that once felt hard to spark were now happening daily, with Annette’s audience turning to her for advice, insights, and connection. 

But the most meaningful result wasn’t in the numbers—it was in how Annette saw herself online. For the first time, her digital presence reflected the full scope of who she is and the impact she wants to make. From her legal expertise to her coaching work, from her educational content to her podcast, every part of her brand now works together to serve her audience—and her mission—more powerfully than ever before.

Conclusion

Annette’s transformation proves that personal branding isn’t just about visibility—it’s about clarity, confidence, and connection. By aligning her LinkedIn™ presence, content strategy, and multi-platform storytelling, Annette didn’t just build a bigger audience—she built a stronger connection with the right audience. Whether you’re a seasoned professional shifting into a new chapter or an entrepreneur expanding your influence, your online presence should reflect your full story—not just your job title. 

With the right strategy, systems, and storytelling, your LinkedIn™ presence can become a bridge between your expertise and the opportunities you want next—whether that’s new clients, speaking engagements, collaborations, or simply the chance to make a bigger impact. 

If you’re ready to bring your personal brand into focus and build a digital presence that works as hard as you do, check out The Borden Group’s Creator Store. Inside, you’ll find LinkedIn™ templates, personal branding resources, and systems designed to help you show up with confidence, consistency, and clarity—just like Annette. 

👉 Explore the Creator Store and start building your next chapter today. 

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™.