The power of a first impression cannot be overstated, and few understand this better than Yanek Brinkmann, co-founder and COO of EXP. With a mission to empower leaders to transform their knowledge into thriving personal brands, Brinkmann is passionate about creating access and opportunity for anyone looking to build a strong digital presence and thought leadership knowledge library.

"There’s a growing divide between those who embrace these opportunities and those who don’t," Brinkmann recently shared, "and the difference in possibilities available to each group is becoming increasingly evident."

Through EXP, Brinkmann helps leaders centralize their content, engage their audiences, and unlock new opportunities. By blending strategy, design, and cutting-edge tools, EXP amplifies influence, fosters meaningful connections, and drives lasting success.

The Daily Coach spoke with Brinkmann about his global upbringing, the importance of personal branding, fostering authentic leadership, and the mindset that drives high performance.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Yanek, we're grateful for you doing this. Tell us about your childhood and some key lessons from it.

I grew up in a very international environment, largely because my dad worked for a major American company. This meant we moved around a lot during my childhood. For example, I lived in the U.S., spending time in Michigan, before relocating to Switzerland and Germany. Throughout these moves, I attended a mix of international and American schools, where I was constantly interacting with people from diverse backgrounds and nationalities.

The biggest lesson I took from this experience is adaptability. It taught me to be open to different people, perspectives, and ways of thinking. I also learned how to communicate effectively with individuals whose backgrounds were very different from my own. Ultimately, it instilled in me a deep appreciation for diverse perspectives and the importance of remaining open-minded.

What inspired you to create EXP?

I spent much of my career working in large corporate environments, including companies like Amazon and Unilever. One thing that really stood out to me was how the people who excelled and advanced the fastest were the ones who actively and intentionally crafted their personal brand—both within the company and on a broader scale. These individuals were often the ones being approached by other companies for bigger roles and opportunities.

I noticed a strong alignment between their internal efforts, like showcasing their achievements and contributions, and their external visibility. They were consistently sharing their successes and insights, which elevated their profiles both within their organizations and in the wider professional world.

At the same time, I became acutely aware of a gap, particularly among more traditional, old-school executives. While they were highly capable and experienced, they often didn’t fully embrace the internet as a tool to accelerate their careers, attract customers, top talent, or secure investors. This wasn’t necessarily due to a lack of understanding but more because these opportunities have only recently become so prominent and accessible.

The pace at which new tools and strategies emerge—almost on a weekly or monthly basis—continues to underscore the potential of leveraging the internet for professional growth. There’s a growing divide between those who embrace these opportunities and those who don’t, and the difference in the possibilities available to each group is becoming increasingly evident.

For leaders looking to strengthen their digital presence, what are three actionable steps they can take right away?

First, we always start by understanding where they’re currently at. It’s about assessing what they’re already doing and analyzing that critically. That’s step one.

Step two is defining where they want to go and what they’re trying to achieve. The use cases can vary widely. For example, we have a thought leader user who is using EXP to secure a CEO role at a Fortune 50 or Fortune 100 company, while another user wants to amplify their presence and leverage our platform as a tool to attract customers for their business. Depending on the goal, the approach or playbook will differ. The key here is to work backwards from that end goal and determine the steps needed to get there.

With these two components—your current situation and your goal—you can then start drafting a plan. This involves outlining specific actions, especially in terms of touchpoints. Think about your digital presence—how your profiles look and feel—and also about who you’re trying to reach and how you’ll reach them. The sweet spot lies in identifying what the market wants in terms of content or expertise and aligning that with what you can genuinely and authentically offer as a thought leader.

How does EXP help leaders overcome challenges in building their digital presence and personal brand?

We really focus on two key pillars. The first is creating a clear and unified home for your professional identity that effectively showcases who you are. One challenge we’ve noticed is that platforms like LinkedIn, while useful, aren’t designed to create a strong first impression. When you visit someone’s profile, it can take a moment to understand who they are because of distractions like ads and the platform’s structure.

On the other end of the spectrum, there’s the option of a personal website. However, for many busy professionals and active leaders, creating and maintaining a polished and professional site can be overwhelming and time-consuming.

That’s where our software comes in. It provides a centralized home for your professional identity, allowing you to unify your thought leadership—whether it’s insights you’ve shared internally or externally—in one place. This approach not only amplifies your reach and influence but also drives tangible outcomes, such as more speaking inquiries, customer leads, and even interest from investors.

The second pillar is amplifying that professional identity through content. This content becomes a powerful tool, whether it’s for consulting, coaching, or other business endeavors, helping you expand your impact, influence and reach.

As co-founder and COO, how do you foster culture, trust, and authenticity in an organization?

Well, I think it all starts with the people you work with. We have a very meticulous process for hiring and building our team, and that’s something I actually learned from Amazon. Amazon has a unique and interesting approach to hiring, which is grounded in their leadership principles.

For example, some of these principles include “bias for action,” “insist on the highest standards,” and “think big.” While these might sound a bit corporate, the philosophy behind them is clear: they focus on hiring people who either demonstrate these traits already or show the potential to embody them.

I think that’s the key point—having the right people in place. It’s something we’re very fortunate to have. When you’re working with a team operating at such a high level, leadership feels more natural, and the culture begins to almost define itself.

Having worked with Fortune 100 executives, celebrities, and coaches, what traits or habits set these high performers apart?

I would say it really comes down to mindset—both in terms of what’s possible and what they want to achieve. Often, when you start a conversation with these individuals, they seem like anyone else if you don’t know their background. But as the discussion unfolds and they share certain stories about their journeys, you begin to see what sets them apart.

Their outlook on life is incredibly positive. Where others might crumble under significant challenges, they have a specific mental framework for how they approach and work through obstacles. It’s this mindset that distinguishes them.

Many people may have the talent and skills to succeed, but they often lack the mindset to think big and push forward. That’s the crucial difference—this ability to stay resilient, think expansively, and maintain focus on getting ahead.

What’s one piece of advice you wish you’d received earlier as a leader?

The advice I’d give to myself—and to anyone—is to tackle the things that scare you the most. Deep down, you usually know what those things are. They’re the fears or barriers holding you back from reaching your goals. It could be something like public speaking or tackling a specific task you’ve been avoiding. Whatever it is, you already know what you need to do. The key is to take action and actually do it.

Q&A Resources

Yanek Brinkmann ― EXP | LinkedIn | Book Your EXP Call

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