Failure is a good thing: how to weaponize your past

Failing is a good thing

I've failed at 5 different businesses before ghostwriting:

• Real estate management (worked, but not for me)
• Stock trading (lost a ton)
• Import business (disaster)
• Fitness coaching (quit)
• SEO agency (failed)
• Ghostwriting (finally clicked)

I used to hide these failures.

Why? Because in the UK, failures are seen as something to hide on your CV.

Then I spent time with founders in America.

The conversation shifted: "Oh you've only failed 5 times? You're just getting started!"

We traded stories of failure like it was a competition.

Each one was proof that you took a swing and missed, but only this time.

That mindset shift changed everything.

I stopped hiding my path and started seeing each failure as feedback.

The truth? Most businesses fail. But you only really fail if you stop trying.

Each "failed" business taught me something unique:

• Real estate → How to manage clients
• Trading → Data-driven decisions
• Imports → Supply chain logistics
• Fitness → Sales conversations
• SEO → Content strategy

All skills I use daily in my ghostwriting business.

Your past attempts aren't embarrassments. They're proof you're building.

And you can't build anything without taking risks.

Want help leveraging your past to build an audience on LinkedIn and grow your business? Then let’s talk.

This week I also shared

• The smartest people I know all have one thing in common (it’s not what you think)

• 6 patterns on audience building from a week of client calls with 8-figure founders

Until next week

Tom ✌️

P.S. Know any founders who need help with their LinkedIn? Forward them this email - I'm currently taking on 2 new ghostwriting clients for Q2.