Sound like yourself. Get heard where it matters. Frictionless is a twice-monthly newsletter for leaders who get judged by what they write: founders, executives, and anyone whose words get read by boards, investors, reporters, and prospects. Each issue gives you practical ways to clear the Brand Garbage from your writing so you sound like yourself and get heard in the rooms that decide careers, deals, and reputations. I'm an executive ghostwriter and award-winning business journalist who spent decades in boardrooms and newsrooms helping leaders say what they mean. You'll get templates and scripts you can use today, stories I usually save for private clients, and a few curated reads worth your time.
ICYMI: Help Them (Or Yourself) Before Thanksgiving Turns Awkward
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If you're a recent grad who's been job searching for months—or a parent watching your graduate collect rejection emails—this message is for you. Maybe you're over 50 and getting passed over yourself. Maybe it's your kid who can't land that first role despite a stellar GPA. Or maybe (and this is the brutal reality for some families) it's both. You've sent out dozens, maybe hundreds, of applications. You've tweaked resumes. You've applied to jobs you're overqualified for and jobs that are perfect fits. And still: silence. Or worse, those auto-rejection emails. Here's the thing: It's probably not you (or them). It's how you're presenting yourself. And with the holidays coming up, the last thing anyone needs is relatives asking, "Any luck with the job search?" over turkey. I wrote about this recently, how smart families are beating this brutal market by getting their positioning right. Maybe it's time for a different approach.I help recent graduates and experienced professionals cut through the noise. Whether you're the one job searching or you're a parent trying to help, the process is the same. Not with generic resume templates or LinkedIn advice you can find anywhere. With strategic positioning that shows hiring managers and recruiters what you can do for THEM. What makes my process different? A self-reflective questionnaire that gets at what really matters, followed by a recorded Zoom call where I capture YOUR voice—not mine. Your story, told clearly. Special Offer for Frictionless Subscribers (and Your Friends):
Both packages include a Brand Positioning Document, complete LinkedIn Profile rewrite, resume refresh, unlimited revisions (during the project), and for experienced professionals, a brag sheet you can use to customize your resume for different roles. And for recent grads who didn't have college internships, we'll find ways to highlight key work skills (this is particularly true for NCAA athletes). Commit by November 15, and you'll have your new branding materials before kickoff of the Thanksgiving football games. Or, if you just want to test the waters:Book a free 30-minute call where I'll walk through your LinkedIn profile and show you high-impact changes you can make without my help (but I'm sure you'll be better off with it). Want to learn more about what's included? These rates are for five new clients only. If you're ready to try something different—whether for yourself or someone you care about—just reply to this email and we'll set up a time to talk. Know someone who's struggling with their job search? Forward this to them. This offer is exclusive to Frictionless subscribers and their friends. Peter P.S. — "I got a great job in under a month. Peter is my Communications Windex." —Heather Elise Shaver, April 2024 I welcome your comments or suggestions for future issues. Drop me a note here. If you found this on LinkedIn or had it forwarded to you, you can subscribe by clicking the button below.
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Peter Osborne
Sound like yourself. Get heard where it matters. Frictionless is a twice-monthly newsletter for leaders who get judged by what they write: founders, executives, and anyone whose words get read by boards, investors, reporters, and prospects. Each issue gives you practical ways to clear the Brand Garbage from your writing so you sound like yourself and get heard in the rooms that decide careers, deals, and reputations. I'm an executive ghostwriter and award-winning business journalist who spent decades in boardrooms and newsrooms helping leaders say what they mean. You'll get templates and scripts you can use today, stories I usually save for private clients, and a few curated reads worth your time.
A note about where this newsletter is headed, and a clean way out if it's not for you. Frictionless started as a grab bag. Leadership, writing, a few personal essays, some links. Whatever I was chewing on at the time. From here, it gets sharper. The new focus: Brand Garbage, and how to clear it. Most founders and executives write board letters, investor updates, and LinkedIn posts that sound like everybody else's. The words are fine. Nothing is technically wrong. But nothing differentiates...
TIPOFF The San Antonio Spurs led the Knicks by 29 points in Game 4 of the NBA playoffs. They lost. Three nights later, they lost again, and the series with it. Here's what actually happened, because it has very little to do with basketball. The Spurs had a story that only worked when the shots were falling. They hit 17 threes, built the lead, and looked unbeatable. Then the shooting cooled, and there was no second story. No backup plan. The lead was gone, and so were they. The Knicks had...
The bravest thing I'm doing lately: not trying to talk to everyone at once. When Aaron Strout walked away from a 14-year run as chief marketing officer at Real Chemistry in early 2025, he said the first six months on the other side were disorienting. Not depressed. Not regretful. Disoriented. He told me when I interviewed him for a profile that every day could theoretically be a weekend, and that turned out to be its own kind of problem. I’ve been thinking about that since the call. Not...