A Simple LinkedIn Content Strategy for Solopreneurs (That Doesn’t Feel Cringe)

How I stopped cringing and built a sustainable LinkedIn habit (without becoming that person)

When I first set up my business, my honest thought was:“Oh god, I’m gonna have to become a LinkedIn w*nker, aren’t I?”

The name’s Laura Cloherty 👋I run The Ops House, where I help solopreneurs sort their strategy, systems, and operations without the overwhelm. And like many of you, when I stepped away from the safety of full-time employment to go solo, I got slapped in the face by a platform I’d spent years ignoring: LinkedIn.

I didn’t sign up to be a content creator. I just wanted to help people and grow a sustainable business.

🙃 The LinkedIn Fear: “What If They Think I’m a Moron?”

Nobody tells you how humbling self-employment is. You feel like you know nothing, especially when it comes to marketing yourself online.

For me, the biggest block was this:

“What will people I used to work with think?” “What if they see my post and think ‘wow, that’s so basic’?”

So I didn’t post.

But here’s the truth I learned the hard way:

Your LinkedIn content isn’t for those people. It’s for the people who don’t know how to do what you do, the ones who need your help.

📉 Chasing the Algorithm Nearly Broke Me

At first, I tried everything:

• Posting at “optimal” times

• Commenting on 10 posts before publishing

• Using pre-made templates

• Obsessing over reach, likes, and engagement

All of it was exhausting and completely disconnected me from what I actually wanted: real conversations with real people.

So now? I don’t create for the algorithm. I create for humans. Specifically, the ones who land on my profile after a referral, a coffee chat, or a quick event hello and need to know:

• Who I am

• What I do

• How I think

• And whether I can actually help

  
  

🧠 My Super Simple System for Posting on LinkedIn (Without Wanting to Cry)

Just a two-prompt system I use with myself and my clients to create real, valuable content that doesn’t sound like a robot wrote it.

✅ Prompt One: The Brain Dump

Pop this into your favourite LLM

“I need to post something on LinkedIn but I’m stuck. Ask me 5 questions about my business to help me figure out what I actually want to say.”

Sample questions:

• What frustrated you this week?

• What did you explain that made someone go "oooh I get it now"?

• What's one thing you wish clients understood?

• What mistake did you used to make?

• What industry assumption drives you mad?

💡 Pro tip: Dictate your answers using a voice note app like OtterAI. Ramble. Don’t filter. This is the messy part so lean into it.

✅ Prompt Two: The Translation

“Here’s my brain dump. Help me figure out what’s actually worth posting. Look for: Where I sound most like me, Real problems I’m solving, Lived experience not theory, What’s relatable or useful to my audience, The point I’m trying to make (even if it's fuzzy)”

Ask your AI tool (I like Claude for this) to turn it into post options each with a different theme, written in your own voice.

✅ Then? Pick one. Tweak it. Post it.

Done.

🤷‍♀️ Is It a Fancy Strategy? Nah. But It Works.

Could this be done better? Hell yes. Do I offer this as a service for my clients? You bet.

But this isn’t about going viral it’s about showing up, being helpful, and sounding like you.

This system is for those early days where everything feels overwhelming. Where marketing feels ick. Where the cringe creeps in and you just need something simple enough to get the damn post out.

Do it once, realise it’s easier than you thought. Do it again next week. That’s how you build a LinkedIn habit.

🎯 Final Takeaway: Be Human, Be Helpful, Be Heard

You don’t need to become a full-time content creator to grow your solo business. You just need a system that helps you:

• Pull your real thoughts out of your head

• Turn them into content that sounds like you

• Connect with the people who need your help

That’s it.

Simple, human, repeatable.

See you next time.

Laura x