How to Build on LinkedIn When You Hate Social Media

A common pattern we notice in early client conversations is hesitation around LinkedIn.

And that’s fair. Social media can feel intrusive and intimidating for some people. Also, building a personal brand does require pushing through some initial discomfort.

In this issue of North Star, we look at why many professionals resist LinkedIn at first, and why those who stay consistent usually see the payoff.

Growth is Uncomfortable

Everything that grows you will, at some point, make you uncomfortable. If it were easy or required minimal effort, it would already be the default for everyone.

Crafting a post, pouring a good amount of energy into it, and then seeing people leave you on read, publicly, is uncomfortable. But you have to push through that phase.

As an executive, you’ve handled harder moments than this:

• Fixing pricing decisions under pressure

• Navigating conversations as an introvert

• Confidently marketing your service even when insecurities are loud

You overcame those because you knew that’s how growth works.

If not for all social media, at least LinkedIn works like this. It tests your patience first, then rewards your effort through how people perceive and trust you.

What You Can Expect

Initially, it can feel heavy and slow. The numbers rarely spike, and everyone you follow can seem like the most successful person on the platform.

Over time, it becomes part of your routine. The pressure reduces. You stop over-analysing every metric.

And then you start noticing the difference, not only in numbers, but also in perception.

In conversations that begin with, “I loved what you shared…” Often, from people you didn’t even realise were reading your posts. And many more moments like that.

One useful shift is to stop treating LinkedIn like a performance platform and start treating it like long-term reputation building. Most strong personal brands are not built through one viral post. They are built through repeated exposure to clear thinking over time.

A few things that help during the early phase:

• Start with one post a week instead of aiming for daily consistency

• Write about work you already do instead of trying to sound “inspirational”

• Avoid obsessing over impressions in the first few months

• Treat every post as documentation of your thinking

The first few months are usually the hardest. If you push through that phase, it gets lighter, more natural, and far more sustainable.

LinkedIn Is Not Fun

You don’t have to enjoy LinkedIn for it to work for you. Most professionals don’t.

What matters is showing up anyway. Because over time, visibility compounds subtly.

People start recognising your thinking before they meet you.

Opportunities feel warmer, and conversations start faster.

These things can make LinkedIn feel lighter and more enjoyable over time:

• Set small weekly goals like networking with 3 people or sending 2 thoughtful DMs

• Follow people you genuinely enjoy learning from

• Keep a running note of interesting thoughts, observations, or conversations from your week

• Use LinkedIn as a place to document your journey

• Celebrate small consistency milestones

• Experiment with formats occasionally to keep the process fresh for yourself

The professionals who benefit the most are the ones who treat LinkedIn like any other leadership discipline, sometimes uncomfortable, always strategic, and worth it over time.

Executive Spotlight

Enoch Pakanati is the founder of The Smarketers, where he focuses on helping B2B companies move from marketing activity to revenue through ABM, inbound strategy, and AI-led systems.

On LinkedIn, his writing combines sharp industry perspective with grounded personal experience.

In one standout post, he shares how his first employer eventually became his first client. What began as a ₹10,000/month role evolved, years later, into a consulting engagement worth 28× that amount. The story reflects how relationships compound when they are maintained with intent.

If you’re looking for such interesting reflections with practical lessons on growth, trust, and long-term thinking, Enoch is a good profile to follow.

Resource of the Week

Otter.ai is an AI meeting assistant that records, transcribes, and summarizes conversations in real time.

It eliminates manual note-taking by capturing discussions live and structuring key points automatically. This tool is especially useful for calls and interviews. It lets you stay fully present while ensuring nothing important gets missed or forgotten later.

Coming Up Next…

In the next issue, we address the common misconception of treating personal branding as a direct revenue channel. We’ll look at how it supports business outcomes, and why its value compounds in ways most metrics don’t capture.

Till then: You don’t need to enjoy social media to build trust.