I remember, when I was in Uni and tried different diets (no idea why, I should’ve just focused on weight lifting and that would’ve been way better??) and I was so miserable, because I LOVE FOOD. I don’t mind cutting some calories—I’m pretty good at saying no to sweets—but I like real, tasty food far too much.
That’s why I stopped one day mid-scroll on LinkedIn. Someone in my network had commented or reacted to one of Dustyn Dixon’s post which was very much about food.
When all you see on your feed is: AI startup has has raised millions; AI is bad and causing our brain to disintegrate; job losses; latest marketing hacks and so on, seeing a photo of a good, juicy piece of meat is bound to get you to pay attention.
(Apologies to my vegan and vegetarian readers 🙏)
Dustyn actually works in cybersecurity, handling clients, accounts, and license sales. He came from a healthcare SaaS where he saw a huge breach which showed him that “people can’t be taken care of if the systems are not protected first,” which was one of the reasons to pull him into the direction of cybersecurity. (And a good friend who already worked at the company and could show him the ropes).
But as for food, it plays a pivotal role in Dustyn’s content. You won’t see him giving a hard, boring B2B sale—instead you’re more likely to see a ‘this is how my brisket turned out today.’
Ever since he was a kid living in an apartment with his family, they had a grill at their back door: “I loved the char and taste of how fire altered meals. Smoking as an interest is more of a recent one.”
“I think 5 or 6 years ago we got a mini Traeger and tried to smoke a brisket, and it was absolute trash compared to what I make now. I did some research on what I considered better smokers and ended up with this Masterbuilt 800 because it combines the classic charcoal from the BBQ I grew up on, plus wood for the smoke flavors.”
Spending time on this helps Dustyn recharge. Sometimes it even drives conversations with clients because “people love food.” So much so, Dustyn and his boss believe it helped close his first real deal at his new job.
So, although LinkedIn used to be this really corporate, only-enter-if-you-carry-a-briefcase kind of platform, I think we’ve slowly come to the realisation that we’re more than just ‘work’ or whatever our title is at moment and time.
There’s time and place for useful, technical, or industry-specific content, but even the biggest VC founders, clients, colleagues, peers, and curious passers-by are just humans at the end of the day, and we naturally connect with other humans through these real stories:
“I noticed how terrible work content was on LinkedIn. Not judging others, but mine was so bland. It also was a terrible attempt at not selling, to sell. I started to notice people’s personal stories pop up on LinkedIn, and I saw how much LinkedIn was simply social media with better connections being made through real life stories.”
Prior to this, Dustyn tried to give sales tips because everyone else does it, and it “looked cool” but it was not resonating with him, so he figured he could share his hobbies and life because that’s what truly mattered to him.
And those stories have found their way to the right people.
So, follow Dustyn’s advice: don’t be afraid to embrace cringe and don’t be too concerned what your past co-worked or friends, or anybody else in your network, will say.
“SOMEBODY ALWAYS HAS SOMETHING TO SAY. If you want to share it (with respect to the fact that your job and family can see it), share it. Also, showing up in the comments of other posts is a great start, if you’re interested in putting yourself out there!”
So, if you want to liven up your LinkedIn feed, follow Dustyn’s foodie and family adventures.
I don’t know why but with the season change, and us getting more cosy in our offices again, instead of being out on summer adventures, I’ve been feeling it’s time to focus on community again. At the moment, I’m all about my fellow Notion Ambassadors so I figured we could do with something simple, small, and low-effort to bring us together—virtually.
And coincidentally with many already doing the Inktober challenge, I proposed a doodle-a-day throughout October, and much to my surprise, a bunch of ambassadors signed up!
(first inklings of this idea sparked already in my last issue 🌟)
So off I went to put together our Notion dashboard, making it super simple and easy to collaborate on and kicked off the month with our first daily doodle: ‘a cup of your fave drink.’
Now, I’m not a drawer or doodler. I used to draw and colour a lot when I was younger but haven’t done it for YEARS. (I also bought a colouring book and a set of pencils, but the corner shop lost my parcel so need to come back tomorrow to see if they’ve found it yet).
It’s been a while since I’ve done something creative that I know I’m pretty bad at. And to share that with others? Eek. Obviously, I have no choice as I organised the whole challenge so need to leave by an example and all that.
The first one I did was okay, but didn’t feel right, so went for a simpler one instead:
What surprised me was how everyone’s interpreting it—some using actual brush strokes, some just a pen, others digital drawing apps. One person even decided to take part not by doodling, but by creating an actual piece of music. Why are people so talented??
Maybe at the end of the month I’ll be share some of them with the authors’ permissions, but for now if you want to take 5mins out of your day this month to just doodle in your notebook, on your post-it, or anywhere you can leave a little scribble, here’s our prompts for October:
Cup of your fave drink
Something that makes you smile
Something on your workspace
Cozy sweater
Mushroom
Your fave snack
Lightbulb
Plant
Keyboard key
Bee
Flower
Cozy sock(-s)
Book or journal
Window view
Cloud shape
Cactus
Candle or flame
Leaf
Rainy day
Tree
House
Star or constellation
Heart
Cat or dog
Bread
Sun or moon
Mountain
Pencil or pen
Feather
Pumpkin
Your own creative choice!
In one of my client newsletters I wrote something along the lines of now’s the time to start thinking about finishing those projects you’ve put off since June—and that’s something I’m taking up myself. Well, for me it’s more of an ongoing project, so it was more about getting it moving along again.
Enter: cats, you, your home + me and my camera. I was meaning to go down a more artistic route but I realised (and a dear friend of mine reminded me of this) the value is in the story, not just standalone images. And, sometimes you’ll still end up with those one-off Pinterest-worthy images anyway.
But have you tried working with cats?
They do what they want, when they want, and where they want. I can come with treats and catnip, and we can be as subtle as possible, but they know. And they don’t like tons of attention on them for an hour or two. So you have to make do—each cat is different, too.
Some will come for cuddles and snacks. Others will have a play around and get bored, or get too tired and need a nap.
So, this time I visited Zlata in her flat with her two beautiful cats—both sisters. They did graciously bless us with their presence, but only for limited time so had to do our best.
I suppose it’s the burden of calling yourself an ‘artist’—you’re perpetually looking for that next beautiful creation, that shiny thing. And it seems whatever you create is never quite good enough.
That’s when I need to remind myself: if I genuinely put everything into it, it is good enough. It has got my vision, my emotions, my connection with whoever is in front of my camera—and maybe that’s all you need?
All this to say we can be really harsh on ourselves. At work. In art. In our relationships. Question is: would we be like this to our friends? Probably not.
So, this is my reminder to myself that I’m pretty okay when it comes to stories. Maybe I don’t need those Pinterest images. Maybe I just need to focus on what I genuinely enjoy creating and working on.
And a reminder to you too: maybe we’re just trying a lil’ bit too hard to find ways we’re not good enough, when maybe we already are way more than good enough?
P.S. I need more friends (with cats) to photograph. If you know anyone in the UK (in West Yorkshire and surrounding areas), send them my way. 🐈⬛ Or if you’re somewhere farther away, you know I won’t say no to a trip.
That’s all from me this week—if you enjoyed this newsletter issue and haven’t subscribed yet, you can click the button below. I’d love to have you here! Hopefully, catch you next week.✨
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