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The real LinkedIn growth isn't what you see on the surface. It's the behind-the-scenes work that happens in DMs, profile optimization, and strategic commenting. In this episode, I sit down with Alison Ditmer, a LinkedIn strategist who's helped countless founders build thriving businesses on the platform. We break down what actually works in 2026: the consistency required, why clarity beats content volume, and the conversations that turn into real client relationships. This episode contains the secret to growth on LinkedIn and becoming a thought leader on LinkedIn.

CONNECT WITH ALISON DITMER

🌐 Website: https://allisonditmer.com/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonditmer/

📹 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@allisonditmer/videos

CONNECT WITH ANDY

🌐 Website: https://www.mmgdesign.net/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmgdesign/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmilligan/

⚡️ High-Converting Websites Visual Swipe File: https://www.mmg.studio/visualswipefile

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 - The Algorithm Lie Nobody Talks About

3:15 - How Often Should You Actually Post

8:45 - The Busy Founder Problem

12:30 - Show Your Work, Not Your Life

18:00 - Why Comments Beat Posts Right Now

24:15 - The Real Money Happens in the DMs

30:45 - How to Audit Your Profile for the Right People

36:30 - The Lacey Picasso Attribution Story

42:00 - What's Actually Working on LinkedIn in 2026

48:15 - Testing the Phone Posting Theory

52:45 - What Alison's Building Next

TEAM

🎙 Host // Andy Milligan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmgdesign/

🎥 Production // MMG Design: https://www.mmgdesign.net/

🤝 Powered by // AMA Columbus: https://amacolumbus.org and our friends at COhatch (Get 2 free weeks of premium coworking): https://www.cohatch.com/mbd

⚡️ High-Converting Websites Visual Swipe File: https://www.mmg.studio/visualswipefile

Peter Guba spent nearly a decade at Google managing more than 1,000 ad accounts before launching Profit Mill, where he now helps B2B startups, scale-ups, and service businesses turn ad spend into measurable profit. In this episode, Peter pulls back the curtain on why most B2B paid ads campaigns are quietly broken before they launch, the 50/50 truth about offers and setup that most agencies will never tell you, and how he is rebuilding his agency around AI without losing the human edge. If you run paid ads or are thinking about starting, this is the inside look most people in this space will never give you.

CONNECT WITH PETER
🌐 Website: https://www.profitmill.io/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterguba/

CONNECT WITH ANDY
🌐 Website: https://www.mmgdesign.net/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmgdesign/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulmilligan/

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Intro
01:00 - Why Fridays are sacred at Profit Mill
11:30 - Why Peter wakes up at 3am
18:12 - From Google to founder
22:00 - The "drain the swamp" lesson
27:25 - The all-nighter that started automating the agency
33:45 - Why speed is the only moat
43:40 - Who's actually ready for paid ads
46:30 - The 50/50 rule of paid ads
52:18 - Why your hook has nothing to do with your customer
55:30 - Where the name "Profit Mill" came from

TEAM
🎙 Host // Andy Milligan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmgdesign/
🎥 Production // MMG Design: https://www.mmgdesign.net/

How I Got My First 5 Freelance Marketing Clients: https://mmgdesign.kit.com/first5

If you're a freelance marketer trying to land your first few clients or break six figures for the first time, this is the playbook I wish someone had handed me when I got laid off February 1st of 2024.

This presentation was given at the SEO Search Summit. It walks through the exact three-part system I used to get there using a podcast and LinkedIn outreach. Stick around until the end. The lead generation section is the most important part of the whole thing.

All resources, links, and tools mentioned in the video are below.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

- The three-part system: podcasting, LinkedIn, and lead generation activities
- The mindset shift that has to come before any of this works
- Guest selection framework (potential clients, referral partners, thought leaders)
- My 9 highest-performing LinkedIn post types with examples
- LinkedIn profile optimization basics
- The Fibonacci follow-up cadence I use to close more deals
- Bonus: how I got my first 5 web design clients (resource link below)

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO

Marketing by Design Podcast: http://www.mmg.studio/podcast

How I Got My First 5 Freelance Marketing Clients: https://mmgdesign.kit.com/first5

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