Most startup founders make the same mistake: they invest hundreds of hours into building their product, yet completely neglect their personal LinkedIn profile. The result? They miss out on both investment opportunities and paying clients.
In this edition of Startupr Insider, we speak with Steve Bruce — a LinkedIn™ marketing consultant and strategist, and founder of SB Consulting, who has been thriving in Hong Kong for nearly three decades. Steve has helped thousands of executives and startup founders transform their passive profiles into high-converting inbound pipelines without spending a single dollar on ads.
In this interview, you’ll discover:
- Why your LinkedIn headline is your most critical 10-second elevator pitch.
- How to generate 2–3 qualified B2B leads a week spending just 15 minutes a day.
- The biggest “LinkedIn crimes” that could get your account permanently restricted.
- Why you should never use an AI-generated photo for your profile headshot.
You’re originally from the UK, but you’ve been working successfully in Hong Kong for over two decades. What originally brought you here, what do you love most about the city, and why is Hong Kong still a great place to do business?
I’ve lived in Hong Kong for 29 years so far, and I’m still in love with this amazing city! I’m one of the last of the backpackers – I arrived here in January 1997 as a British passport holder arriving from Australia after a 2-year trip around Asia. My first job was delivering sandwiches to offices out of a basket for Shamrock Sandwiches, who are still going today — thanks, Mark Delaney!
My second job was working in a bar in Lang Kwai Fong where I was discovered by some friends who I knew from the advertising industry back in London who’d moved to Hong Kong while I was away traveling. They came in one night to find me working behind the bar and, within four weeks of arriving in Hong Kong, I was running regional media for Philip Morris and Reebok at Leo Burnett advertising agency, and I haven’t looked back since.
The things I love the most about Hong Kong are the combination of first world economy, Chinese efficiency, can-do mindset, high-tech environment, compact size and easy access to the sea and nature. I also love that Hong Kong is always changing and will always be changing. If you leave for just six months and come back, you’ll see what I mean.
It is also one of the easiest places in the world to do business, one of the easiest places in the world to set up a company, and the combination of the laissez-faire economy and low taxation make it a great place to be. Additionally, I find the kind of people that thrive in Hong Kong really want to do business, which is different to other places like London, where I’m from, where things happen much slower.
Many startup founders focus heavily on their product and neglect their personal LinkedIn profile. What are the 3 most critical elements a founder should optimize on their profile first to build instant credibility?
I attended the Leap East AI Conference in Hong Kong recently at the Hong Kong Convention Center and I was stunned by the number of startups exhibiting there who were unable to articulate to me clearly what problem they solve and for who.
Every business owner needs to be able to answer this question in 10 seconds or less. This is achieved by having a strong powerful Linkedin headline that explains how you help X to achieve Y by doing Z. Nobody cares that you are ‘ex Google’ or ‘ex Microsoft’.
The second most critical thing is to have a strong banner. I see many businesses fail to make good use of this important tool to present themselves effectively and catch people’s attention on LinkedIn. Instead of using their banner as a billboard to clearly communicate what problem they solve for who, they just put a picture of a Hong Kong skyline or, worse, nothing at all.
This is a real waste of important LinkedIn real estate – you don’t get a second chance at making a good first impression.
The final thing is that they fail to use LinkedIn to grow their network properly. There’s no point in having a properly optimized and professional-looking profile if nobody can see you because you only have 250 connections.
You specialize in turning LinkedIn profiles into ‘inbound pipelines.’ How can a newly established business in Hong Kong start generating actual leads on LinkedIn without spending money on ads?
I have never spent a single dollar on Linkedin and it’s unlikely that I ever will due to the cost – a minimum of USD5,000 per month up to get any meaningful results.
I suggest getting clear on who your good-fit target client is and then connecting with 5 of those people every day using LinkedIn. 5 people a day is 25 people a week, 100 people a month and 300 people a quarter.
Slow and steady wins the race.
Also, engaging with posts by people that you’re interested to influence and leaving thoughtful, well-thought-out comments helps as well.
I get two to three inbound leads a week from LinkedIn using these and other strategies.
In your content, you often emphasize the impact of first impressions. What makes a LinkedIn headshot look truly professional and trustworthy for a business leader?
Firstly, don’t use an AI headshot. If I can’t even trust that you look like your LinkedIn headshot in real life, why should I trust you in business?
Secondly, work with a professional headshot photographer. These guys get paid to take photos for a reason and know how to make you look really professional.
I work with professionals like William Furniss and Christiaan Hart for good results. Finally, test your headshot on www.photofeeler.com. Your partner, your family, and your colleagues all suffer from what’s known as ‘confirmation bias,’ so they are not the right people to give accurate opinions about your headshot.
As a Linkedin Trainer, making a good first impression, personal branding and being credible are very important topics for me. I am running a Lunchtime LinkedIn Masterclass about headshots at the Hive in Causeway Bay on September 16th as well as a 3h Hands on ‘Upgrade Your LinkedIn Profile Workshop’ on Weds 23rd Sept.
For executives and founders expanding into the APAC region, how does B2B networking on LinkedIn differ from Western markets, and what etiquette should they keep in mind?
I generally find people in Hong Kong very pro-business and willing to connect. I use the QR code feature on the Linkedin mobile app a lot especially at networking events. Make sure you get their name card as well, as most people don’t put their full contact information on their Linkedin profile and get them to scan you, not the other way round. That way they’re the one inviting you to connect, so it’s easier to follow up. Also having lunch with a prospect is a great way to build up the relationship before doing business. If you eat locally, it is very affordable and will be well appreciated.
Founders are usually extremely busy running their operations. What is a realistic, time-effective LinkedIn content routine for a CEO who only has 15–20 minutes a day?
- Use properly formatted & spell-checked scripts to connect with people more quickly.
- Connect with five people every day, Monday to Friday & send a thankyou note once they connect.
- Engage with five people’s posts before you post and five people’s posts after you post to drive engagement.
- Spend some time every day looking at the ‘profile views’ section of your Linkedin profile to see who’s been looking at your profile. This is the number one way to identify buying signals from potential clients on Linkedin. Anybody who looks at your Linkedin profile wants something, they’re not looking at it just for fun.
Should early-stage startups focus their energy on building the founder’s personal brand or the official company page first?
Both are important. Remember, people buy from people, so the founder’s personal brand is very important. Company pages are also very useful for employer branding to attract superior talent and attention from potential investors as well as offering superior SEO visibility for free.
What is the biggest cold outreach or sales mistake you see B2B leaders making on LinkedIn today, and how should they approach prospects instead?
There are 2 main LinkedIn crimes I see over and over again:
- Using AI or data scraping tools – WHEN you get caught by Linkedin – and eventually, you WILL, your account will be shut down, and you could even be kicked off Linkedin permanently.
- Thinking ‘I am WAY too busy to do Linkedin’ – If you don’t tell the market what you’re doing or what you have done, how do you expect them to know?
Having worked extensively with business leaders in Hong Kong, what is your top piece of advice for startups trying to stand out in this market over the next year?
Work with a professional to get super clear about what problem you solve and for who. Everybody in your company should be able to articulate this to anyone who asks in 10 seconds or less. The second thing is to understand clearly who your good-fit target customers are, what their pain points are, and how your product or service solves these pain points.
Building a personal brand on LinkedIn isn’t about vanity metrics or doom-scrolling your feed
As Steve Bruce emphasizes, it’s a simple, consistent system: clearly define the problem you solve and for whom, connect with 5 target people daily, and build real trust as a founder. Steve Bruce is a Hong Kong-based independent LinkedIn Strategist. Connect with him.
If you decide to launch a business in Hong Kong, you’ll face plenty of critical steps and building a strong personal brand on LinkedIn is just one piece of the puzzle. Setting up an overseas business doesn’t have to be overwhelming, though. From company incorporation and bank account support to accounting and dozens of other specialized corporate services for international entrepreneurs, Startupr is here to guide you every step of the way.
Ready to kickstart your business in Hong Kong without the bureaucratic hassle? Contact our expert team at Startupr today, and let us handle the groundwork so you can focus on scaling your vision.
