Building an Authentic LinkedIn Presence
Marina's approach to LinkedIn success stems from a deep understanding that meaningful engagement trumps algorithmic manipulation. Her strategy emphasizes the power of genuine interaction over superficial metrics.
"Content, when you put out a post, that's just something to start a conversation," Marina explains. "The comments are where the real magic happens."
She advocates for spending dedicated time engaging through thoughtful comments, noting that surface-level interactions like "Great post!" add little value. Instead, professionals should focus on building relationships through substantive discussions and sharing insights that contribute to the broader conversation.
Quality content remains at the heart of Marina's philosophy. Rather than chasing trending formats or attempting to game the algorithm, she encourages creating content that reflects authentic experiences and genuine expertise.
The Art of Storytelling in B2B Content
The key to effective B2B storytelling, according to Marina, lies in its ability to forge emotional connections before addressing logical business considerations. This approach transforms traditional B2B communication from feature-focused messaging to compelling narratives that resonate on a human level.
"I try to talk to people's emotions as opposed to their brains," Marina shares. "We still talk about actual things we're selling, but at the same time, I make sure that my stories go beyond kind of people's first layer."
This emotional resonance comes from sharing personal experiences that illuminate broader business insights. By weaving together professional expertise with personal narrative, content creators can craft messages that not only inform but also inspire and connect with their audience on a deeper level.
The Role of AI in Content Creation
Marina takes a nuanced stance on AI in content creation, embracing its potential while warning against its limitations. "I love Gen AI, honestly," she admits, while cautioning against its misuse.
She describes AI as a powerful brainstorming partner rather than a replacement for human creativity. The key lies in using AI tools strategically to enhance efficiency while maintaining authentic voice and original insights. Marina particularly recommends Perplexity AI, noting its ability to generate more nuanced and less generic content compared to other AI tools.
"A lot of people are using it incorrectly by going into ChatGPT and saying, 'Hey, write a post about why marketing is useful,'" she observes. Instead, she advocates for using AI to streamline mundane tasks and spark creative thinking, while ensuring the final content reflects genuine human experience and expertise.
Work-Life Balance vs. Hustle Culture
Marina's rejection of hustle culture stems from a deep-seated belief in the value of working smarter rather than longer. Her philosophy challenges the prevalent narrative of endless grinding and minimal sleep as markers of success.
"I'm not here to say, 'Hey, I sleep three hours a night, I work 90 hours a week,'" she explains. "I work much less than that. And I'm not the richest person out there, but I do things how I want to."
This approach has allowed her to build a successful business while maintaining control over her schedule and lifestyle. She emphasizes the importance of charging what your skills are worth rather than billing by hours worked, noting that efficiency should be rewarded rather than penalized.
Best Practices for Personal Branding
Marina's approach to personal branding represents a masterclass in authentic self-presentation. Rather than following conventional wisdom about constant self-promotion, she advocates for a more nuanced and genuine approach to building professional presence.
"I was marketing myself for a long time before I even thought that I'd start a real business," Marina reflects. This organic approach to brand building allowed her to develop her voice and establish credibility naturally, without the pressure of immediate business outcomes.
Her success stems from consistent value delivery coupled with selective engagement. When evaluating opportunities, Marina isn't afraid to turn down high-value projects if they don't align with her vision or values. This selectivity has become a cornerstone of her brand, demonstrating that saying "no" can be as important as saying "yes" in building a strong professional reputation.
"I got burned really early on, really, really hard," she shares about her early client experiences. "From then on out, I'm very picky with who I work with. I've said no to prospects before. It's been some pretty big projects, some big five-figure projects."
Navigating Professional Growth and Change
Marina's journey illustrates the importance of remaining adaptable while staying true to one's core values. Her transition from traditional employment to entrepreneurship wasn't meticulously planned – it happened over just four days following a pivotal conversation at a marketing conference.
"If I told them I had random money from school, they'd look into it," she recalls about her early entrepreneurial ventures, highlighting how her business instincts were present from an early age. This natural inclination toward business, combined with her marketing expertise, eventually led her to found Retold, her content strategy company.
The key to her successful transition lay in recognizing opportunities and having the courage to seize them. As she puts it, "Until you try, you won't know. At least if you try and it sucks and everyone hates you, you'll know. Then you'll go back to what you were doing and you'll know at least I tried."
The Future of B2B Content
Looking ahead, Marina sees a landscape where authenticity and quality content will become increasingly crucial. In an era of AI-generated content and algorithm-chasing, she believes that genuine human connection and storytelling will differentiate successful B2B professionals from the crowd.
"People chasing like, 'Oh no, I have to do this in the meta or the title,' whatever and at the end the things that really stand out is people creating quality content and just applying the general guidelines," she observes.
This perspective suggests that while technical optimization remains important, the human element – the ability to connect, engage, and tell compelling stories – will ultimately drive success in B2B content creation and personal branding.
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
One of the most relatable aspects of Marina's story is her candid discussion of imposter syndrome and how she overcame it. Despite her success, she acknowledges feeling initial hesitation about putting herself out there on LinkedIn.
"The first time I made a post with my, you know, 40 connections, I remember tracking the views obsessively," she admits. "It got 30 views and no engagement at that point. And I was like, I should just take this down. 35 people saw this and they hated it and they hate me and everyone hates me."
Her breakthrough came from realizing that most content quickly fades from memory – both the successful and unsuccessful posts. This perspective helped her overcome the paralysis of perfectionism and focus instead on consistent value delivery.
Final Thoughts: Embracing the Journey
Marina's parting advice encapsulates her philosophy on professional growth and personal development: "If you're hesitant about doing something right now, whether it's today or just in life, just do it. Follow that slogan, see what happens. Worst case scenario, you just have an awesome story about failure to tell."
This mindset – embracing both success and failure as valuable experiences – has enabled her to build a thriving business while maintaining work-life balance and personal authenticity. Her journey from the young author of "The Business Fish" to a respected B2B content strategist demonstrates that success doesn't require following a conventional path or sacrificing personal values for professional achievement.
