Jayde I. Powell is a social strategist and content creator. When faced with financial difficulties this year due to inconsistent earnings as a freelancer, she set out to leverage her skillset to find new ways to bring in additional income to support herself. LinkedIn became her chosen platform to connect with decision-makers in her field, seeing it as a direct pathway to freelance opportunities and networking.
However, Jayde’s more methodical approach to her presence on LinkedIn was focused on an even larger goal—redefining professionalism on a platform traditionally associated with corporate formality. Her creativity and humorous, unapologetically informal tone has set her apart from typical LinkedIn users, ultimately inspiring her community of industry peers to rethink what it means to show up on LinkedIn and in the workplace.
Jayde’s distinctive style, which she describes as “unserious,” disrupts the platform’s norms, which has allowed her to grow a community of over 22,000 followers, earn over $40,000 through LinkedIn brand partnerships, launch an original LinkedIn live series, speak on countless panels and stages, and have visibility in publications like Forbes, CNBC, and Adweek.
Focusing on increasing brand awareness, attracting revenue-earning opportunities, and fostering a supportive community, she has positioned herself as an influential leader on LinkedIn and a relatable and credible voice in the creator economy by showcasing her expertise as a social media marketing professional through consistent, authentic content.
At the heart of Jayde’s strategy is a commitment to fostering a sense of community, particularly for Black, POC, and queer creative professionals. By creating a space where underrepresented voices feel seen, valued, and connected, Jayde elevates LinkedIn as more than just a professional network—it becomes a hub for mutual support and collaboration. She has helped transform the platform all by being exactly who she is.
Jayde approached her LinkedIn presence like she approaches work with her clients—with a clear, intentional strategy rooted in creativity and humanizing the art of “connecting.” She tailored her content to strike a balance between personal and professional storytelling. Her primary goals were to increase brand awareness, secure brand partnerships, and position herself as an expert social strategist. To achieve this, Jayde adopted a two-fold approach: 70% of her posts stem from spontaneous, real-time reflections on her work in the marketing and advertising industry, while 30% are methodically planned, including sponsored content, original series, and promotional posts of her work and events. This mix allowed her to showcase her creativity and expertise while keeping her content relatable and fun.
Execution was key to bringing Jayde’s strategy to life. She leaned heavily into short, text-based posts inspired by content creation styles on Twitter (now X) and short-form video and meme content on Instagram and TikTok. Jayde prioritized consistency and creativity, posting early in the morning when she felt most inspired and using her tone and voice—informal, humorous, and unapologetic—as well as design style to stand out amongst traditional forms of LinkedIn content.
One of her challenges was finding ways to engage her community beyond her original content. To further provide value to her community, Jayde launched her live series, #CreatorTeaTalk (a first of its kind), bringing together creators, influencers, and marketers together to share resources and experiences in an open and supportive space. As a host, Jayde encouraged panelists to share information publicly that many would consider “taboo” in professional settings (i.e., pay transparency and mental health). The first two episodes of her series “The Tea On Creator Rates & Pay Transparency” and “The Tea On Burnout & Creative Block” each brought in over 100 attendees, a rarity for users on the platform.
Jayde continues to embrace a spirit of transparency with original video content series on LinkedIn, including “A B*tch Be Contenting,” where she shares inspiring messages and lessons learned for other creatives, and “My Wins & Losses As A Creatorpreneur,” where she recaps both her wins and losses as a business owner. These series have further strengthened her relationship with her community, and by staying true to herself while leveraging LinkedIn’s tools and features, Jayde has established a standout presence that sets a new standard for creativity and authenticity on the platform.
Jayde’s LinkedIn presence has exceeded all expectations, achieving both her personal and professional goals. Through her strategic approach and authentic voice, Jayde has garnered over 1,119,606 impressions, 10,678 engagements, and 948,700 views from her sponsored content on LinkedIn alone. Additionally, all of her content (organic included) has earned over 8.8 million impressions. This success translates to tangible outcomes, including securing ten brand partnerships that generated over $41,000 in revenue, invitations to creator events with brands like Adobe and Threads (Meta), speaking engagements, and media features.
Additionally, Jayde’s innovative use of LinkedIn tools like LinkedIn Live and Audio Events created highly valuable community discussions, such as her #CreatorTeaTalk series, which has driven over 1500 attendees across episodes. These efforts have solidified Jayde’s reputation as a thought leader in the creator economy and showcased LinkedIn’s potential as a dynamic platform for creators.
Finally, Jayde has won five new clients due to her presence on LinkedIn. Her earnings from LinkedIn and freelance work combined have surpassed her last full-time salary.
