For a long time, I struggled to show up. After a brutal experience with cancel culture, my courage to be overt was belted, and the traditional ‘shout-for-attention’ marketing tactics felt more uncomfortable than ever. I needed a way to show my character and personal ethos without the anxiety of a cold pitch.

While developing the INTERACT Framework, I realiSed there was a gaping hole at the very beginning. INTERACT is designed to build a value-laden journey that makes founders feel amazing, but its first stage is ‘Intrigued.’ I asked myself: How do you actually intrigue someone in a noisy digital room full of strangers?

I thought about how I’d handle a crowded bar. I wouldn’t shout; I’d catch someone’s eye and wink.

WINK;) was born from that moment. It’s the business equivalent of a subtle, dignified nod — a way to demonstrate your cultural point-of-difference and invite your tribe to lean in. It’s strategic stealth that replaces icky tactics with warmth and ‘warm fuzzies.’ I created it to save my own sanity, but I realised every founder deserves a way to show up with dignity, pride, and a resonance that trolls can’t touch.

I sincerely hope the strategy makes business a pleasure for you, as it has for me.