Justin Welsh
The $10M Solopreneur | One short essay every Saturday on work, money, and building a life you actually choose.
Justin Welsh shares insights on building a successful solopreneur business, focusing on work, money, and life design. His distinctive move is using bold statements to grab attention, often followed by personal anecdotes and practical advice.
15.4/wk
200 posts in 30d
4.1K
avg per post
22.2%
comments / total
3%
reposts / total
problem-solution
Sun · 2 PM CET
Voice & tone
Justin's voice is direct, relatable, and encouraging. He speaks from experience, offering advice with a tone that's both authoritative and empathetic. He doesn't shy away from vulnerability, often sharing his own struggles and lessons learned. He uses phrases like "How do I know? Because I've lived it many times over."
Signature phrases
- “The big "secret" about...”
- “That sounds backward.”
- “I can promise you - that's not necessarily a sign you're failing.”
- “Build your own.”
- “They're constantly asking questions.”
Top 3 posts, dissected
Their highest-engagement posts, broken down line by line. Steal the structure.
You're probably 2-3 years away from living the wildest life of your dreams. The big question is: Do you have the patience? Nearly every successful person I know decided, in advance, that they were going to do something big with their life. But they also gave themselves a long runway to achieve it because all incredible things take time. So here's some advice: Decide what you want, give yourself a decent window to achieve it, and don't abandon the plan when things are moving slowly. Because, at some point, it will feel slow. There will be times when nothing seems to be working, and that goal feels a lot further away than when you started. I can promise you - that's not necessarily a sign you're failing. That's just what the middle looks like sometimes. Keep going anyway. The people living their wildest lives didn't get lucky. They just hung around a lot longer than everyone else. If you're interested in living differently, I write a short Saturday essay each week to help people rethink how they work, earn, and live. 5 minutes and no marketing spam. Join 175,000+ here: https://buff.ly/ZMGy5w7
The hook uses a question/poll to immediately engage the reader and make them consider their own timeline for success.
The post follows a problem-solution format. It starts with a bold statement, poses a question, offers advice, and ends with encouragement.
- Future Pacing — paints a picture of a desirable future
- Personal Assurance — uses 'I can promise you' to build trust
- Call to Community — invites readers to join his newsletter
The post ends with a clear call to action to join his newsletter, framed as a way to 'rethink how you work, earn, and live.'
Use a question to immediately involve your audience and make them think about their own situation.
The big "secret" about the people grinding 24/7 is that they'll regret it. They won't tell you that, of course. And the comments will be filled with people defending a life of non-stop work. They're going to change the world. They enjoy spending all day at their job. They are …
The hook uses a bold statement to challenge the glorification of overwork, instantly grabbing the reader's attention.
The post is structured as a story, sharing personal experiences and observations to support the initial claim.
- Anticipating Objections — acknowledges counterarguments
- Personal Validation — shares personal experience to build credibility
- Contrarian View — challenges a popular belief
The post concludes with a call to action to join his newsletter, positioned as a resource for building a life on purpose.
Don't be afraid to challenge popular opinions if you have a strong personal perspective to share.
A stupid simple way to stand out in business (and life): Be extremely easy to work with. Be an optimist. Be a pleasant person. Respond quickly to requests. Always do what you said you'd do. That's the basics. That's really the whole strategy. An alarming number of people are …
The hook uses the phrase 'stupid simple' to suggest an easy solution to a common problem, making it instantly appealing.
The post is structured as a problem-solution. It presents a simple strategy, contrasts it with common mistakes, and highlights the benefits.
- List of Attributes — uses bullet points to make the advice easy to digest
- Contrast and Compare — highlights the difference between successful and unsuccessful people
- Personal Anecdote — shares personal experiences to build credibility
The post ends with a call to action to join his newsletter, framed as a source of 'counterintuitive ideas'.
Offer simple, actionable advice that contrasts with common mistakes.
What drives their engagement
Justin's posts often spark debate and discussion by challenging conventional wisdom or offering contrarian viewpoints. The high 'conversation index' of 22.2% shows people are eager to share their opinions.
His posts offer concise, actionable advice that people want to share with their networks. The relatable stories also encourage sharing.
High. His posts offer timeless advice and frameworks that people revisit for inspiration and guidance.
Content pillars
Solopreneurship
40%Strategies and mindset shifts for building a successful one-person business.
Productivity
20%Time management, focus, and efficiency tips for solopreneurs.
Mindset
20%Overcoming limiting beliefs and cultivating a growth-oriented mindset.
Financial Freedom
10%Earning, saving, and investing strategies for solopreneurs.
Life Design
10%Creating a fulfilling life outside of work.
Hook patterns
Question/Poll
Question about reader's aspirations or challenges.
“"You're probably 2-3 years away from living the wildest life of your dreams. The big question is: Do you have the patience?"”
→ Invites immediate self-reflection and participation.
Bold Statement
Controversial or counterintuitive claim about business or life.
“"The big 'secret' about the people grinding 24/7 is that they'll regret it."”
→ Challenges conventional wisdom and sparks curiosity.
Vulnerable Question
Personal question that exposes a common struggle.
“N/A”
→ Builds trust and relatability.
Story Opening
Start with a brief anecdote or observation.
“N/A”
→ Draws readers in with a narrative.
Stupid Simple
"A stupid simple way to [achieve a goal]:"
“"A stupid simple way to stand out in business (and life): Be extremely easy to work with."”
→ Promises an easy-to-implement solution.
Brain Tired
"Your brain is sick and tired of [something negative]."
“"Your brain is sick and tired of content. It wants you to be creative."”
→ Taps into a feeling of overwhelm.
Top-performing hooks
“You're probably 2-3 years away from living the wildest life of your dreams.”
→ The post uses a relatable question to draw the reader in and then offers practical advice and encouragement. The call to action is clear and provides value, making it likely to generate leads.
“The big "secret" about the people grinding 24/7 is that they'll regret it.”
→ The post uses a contrarian viewpoint to grab attention and challenges the common 'hustle' culture. It resonates by tapping into the desire for a more balanced and purposeful life, leading to high enga
“A stupid simple way to stand out in business (and life):”
→ The post highlights simple yet often overlooked principles for success, creating a sense of relatability and offering actionable advice. The call to action to join the newsletter provides further valu
“Your brain is sick and tired of content.”
→ The post uses a relatable opening statement and personal experience to draw the reader in. The numbered list provides actionable advice, and the call to action offers a valuable resource, making it ef
“The smartest people I know are the most teachable.”
→ The post uses a contrarian hook to grab attention, then provides actionable advice on the importance of continuous learning for entrepreneurs. It effectively promotes a lead magnet (LinkedIn growth gu
“You have to be willing to disrupt the status quo to live a good life.”
→ The post resonates by presenting a common problem (not living a fulfilling life) and offering simple, actionable solutions. The relatable advice and clear call to action to join the newsletter contrib
“Losers play zero-sum games.”
→ The post uses a strong, contrasting statement to grab attention and promotes a positive, supportive mindset. It offers a clear value proposition (success through positivity) and ends with a compelling
“I come from a family of employees.”
→ The post uses a relatable personal story to build trust and then offers a valuable free resource (LinkedIn Growth Guide) to capture leads. The 'first-generation entrepreneur' angle resonates with many
“The current world is a noisy mess.”
→ The post resonates by addressing a common problem (noisy world, attention struggles) and offers practical, actionable tips for regaining focus. The clear numbered list and relatable tone, combined wit
“Build your life first.”
→ The post resonates by challenging the conventional 'work-first' mentality and offering a refreshing perspective on prioritizing life. The direct, declarative language and relatable struggle with balan
What works
- Bold statements grab attention. He uses them in 145 posts.
- Problem-solution format resonates. 51% of his posts use this.
- Personal anecdotes build trust. He shares his own experiences.
- Clear calls to action drive newsletter sign-ups. He includes them in almost every post.
- Consistency is key. He posts an average of 15.4 times per week.
- Sunday is his best day. Schedule posts accordingly.
Steal this for your own LinkedIn
- Start with a bold statement or question to hook readers.
- Share personal stories to make your advice more relatable.
- Offer simple, actionable advice that people can implement immediately.
- Include a clear call to action to grow your audience.
- Post consistently to stay top of mind.
- Challenge conventional wisdom to spark discussion.
Compare Justin with…
vs Gary Vaynerchuk
Gary Vaynerchuk vs Justin Welsh: Motivation beats specificity on LinkedIn
vs Alex Hormozi
Hormozi vs Welsh: Reach versus Conversation on LinkedIn
vs Matt Gray
Justin Welsh vs Matt Gray: Bold stories beat numbered lists on LinkedIn
vs Sahil Bloom
Justin Welsh vs Sahil Bloom: Bold reach or strategic nurture?
vs Codie Sanchez
Codie Sanchez vs Justin Welsh: Contrarian rebel or relatable solopreneur guide
vs Ruben Hassid
Justin Welsh vs Ruben Hassid: Mindset beats tactics on LinkedIn
Get the full Justin Welsh playbook
Hook templates, content calendar, posting cadence, and the exact frameworks they use - delivered to your inbox.
Posting patterns
Justin posts consistently, averaging 15.4 posts per week, creating a steady stream of content for his audience.
His posts perform best on Sundays around 13:00 UTC.
Medium length posts (80-180 words) perform well, averaging 4467 engagement. This length provides enough detail without being overwhelming.
Engagement by day
Content mix
avg 3.9K engagements per post
avg 4.2K engagements per post
avg 4.6K engagements per post
The mix of problem-solution and story-based posts keeps the content engaging and relatable. Numbered lists offer concise, actionable advice, while the overall focus on solopreneurship provides consistent value to his target audience.
