Providing Bespoke LinkedIn Branding & Advisory Services Since 2006
Providing Bespoke LinkedIn Branding & Advisory Services Since 2006
JD Gershbein, known professionally as The LinkedIn Style Guide, has earned a stellar reputation as a LinkedIn specialist and is widely acknowledged as a pioneering leader in LinkedIn education. He was a key figure during LinkedIn’s early years and its ascent as the de facto social networking site for business. As the site has evolved, JD has introduced new, innovative approaches and developed powerful frameworks to support the goals of professionals and organizations seeking to tap into LinkedIn’s immense potential.
From his upbringing in the healthcare profession, JD has honed a healer’s perspective. Keenly attuned to the pain businesspeople and companies experience using LinkedIn, he addresses the knowledge gap with customized learning programs steeped in neuroscience, psychology, emotional intelligence, design thinking, and applied improvisation. JD has guided thousands of professionals to greater proficiency and efficiency on LinkedIn® through his exclusive instructional design, which underscores style, substance, and character over disingenuous, automated sales pitches.
Born in Chicago, JD grew up in Wilmette, Illinois, and attended New Trier West High School in Northfield, Illinois. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts in English at the University of Cincinnati, he earned two post-grad degrees at Chicago’s Illinois Institute of Technology (now Illinois Tech), a Master of Science in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, and a Master of Business Administration in Marketing Communications. JD has contributed written work to The Huffington Post, Forbes, and NBC and guested on prominent TV and radio news programs coast to coast. He is also a student and performer of improvisational comedy at Chicago’s famed Second City.
I have always understood the value of specialization. In the early days of social media, while most people ventured into the education space as generalists, I immersed myself in studying LinkedIn from a behavioral and strategic standpoint. As the site has evolved, it has become more complex, nuanced, and challenging to teach. As a specialist, I am well-positioned to meet the increasing demand for knowledge and support the goals of the business professionals I serve.
When I first laid eyes on LinkedIn, neurons on both sides of my brain started to fire. I saw it as that perfect blend of science and art. Suddenly, I had access to an amazing vehicle that allowed me to enhance my aesthetic in practical business terms. The site provided me with the space to create and leverage the full complement of my academic training in neuroscience, I/O psychology, and marketing communications. It was the perfect package. I loved it right from the get-go.
When I discovered LinkedIn, I did not have a recognizable identity in the business world. LinkedIn allowed me to reimagine myself as a professional. I dug deep, found my narrative, and everything fell into place. I answered a call to lead and went all in. I was completely energized and spent my days and nights studying the structure of social networks and how an online presence forms. I believed wholeheartedly that something good would come from all of this, so I kept adding pages to my LinkedIn playbook.
Each client has specific goals and brings unique challenges to the engagement. I do not have a one-size-fits-all approach. People vary in attitudes, personalities, objectives, learning styles, and risk tolerance, so what works for one person might not work for another. My responsibility is to create a collaborative and supportive space for honest dialogue and facilitation. We chart the course together. Along the way, we become co-creators and, most importantly, learn from each other.
Many folks who retain me feel like they have hit a plateau. They are on LinkedIn, have made some progress, but cannot capitalize on their efforts. Their networks have expanded and become unmanageable. Most of my clients are rebranding and need to breathe new life into their LinkedIn profiles. I am the ideal advisor for professionals who have an insatiable desire to expand their horizons, want the deepest dive possible on LinkedIn, and are betting on themselves to win.
They struggle to convert the information they view on a computer screen into actionable intelligence. Or worse, they self-sabotage through indifference, procrastination, or neglect. Impostor syndrome, comparison syndrome, perfectionism, depression, anxiety, and stress can set in and impede progress. Once people eliminate negative thinking and bad habits and attach significance to their efforts, they can rise above their inhibitions and become more competent, resourceful, and profitable LinkedIn citizens.
Through our work, they gain an indomitable feeling of self-reliance and the confidence to drive growth. Businesspeople are time-strapped, self-absorbed, and under immense pressure to produce. If they commit to using LinkedIn, they want assurance that their efforts will generate results. I believe in positive reinforcement. By keeping my clients focused and on the right track, they can build revelatory insights about themselves, the people they aspire to serve, and the community they wish to build.
As with any advisor-client relationship, both parties must set realistic expectations and share accountabilities. I can help those who choose to work with me move from a position of aimless wandering on LinkedIn to full proficiency, but they must be willing to step out of their comfort zones, trust the process, and put in the reps. Attitude is everything when it comes to anything in life. To excel on LinkedIn, individuals must maintain a positive attitude and recognize that their efforts are worthwhile.
