GEEK:

VIVEKA VON ROSEN
HEADLINE: LinkedIn Expert & Author: LinkedIn Marketing Hour a Day | International Keynote Speaker | Forbes Top 20 Most Influential
LOCATION: Loveland, Colorado
PREMIUM: Yes
PUBLISHER: 37 posts
RECOMMENDATIONS: 98 received / 86 given
ENDORSEMENTS: 99+ (50 Skills)
FOLLOWERS: 31,000
RECENT ACTIVITY: 21
URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linkedinexpert
Viv is one of the most visible and prolific LinkedIn geeks I know. She’s spirited, funny, self-deprecating and knows more about LinkedIn than some of the people who work there. Big hearted, always smiling, naturally warm and one of the leading lights on the LinkedIn training scene. Most people who teach LinkedIn know who she is, but more importantly, like and respect her. There’s no order to this list but if there was, Viv would be at the top.

BRYNNE TILLMAN
HEADLINE: Transforming the Way Professionals Grow Their Business by Leveraging LinkedIn & Social Selling ►Learn How in My Summary
LOCATION: Greater Philadelphia Area
PREMIUM: Yes
PUBLISHER: 157 posts
RECOMMENDATIONS: 159 received / 88 given
ENDORSEMENTS: 99+ (29 Skills)
FOLLOWERS: 18,000
RECENT ACTIVITY: 68
URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brynnetillman
Brynne is whip smart, fast thinking, fast talking and cuts to the chase. She knows all about 3rd party software which works to squeeze value out of the LinkedIn platform. Social selling is her thing and she’s one of the best proponents of it on and via LinkedIn. Her mantra: “attract, teach and engage” is something we should all be doing, or trying to at least.

BRUCE JOHNSTON
HEADLINE: My clients get more prospects in less time using LinkedIn, along with a system to select the best way to approach them
LOCATION: Toronto, Canada
PREMIUM: Yes
PUBLISHER: 45 posts
RECOMMENDATIONS: 12 received / 10 given
ENDORSEMENTS: 99+ (14 Skills)
FOLLOWERS: 4,700
RECENT ACTIVITY: 25
URL: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/brucejohnston115
Bruce Johnston does a great job of understanding LinkedIn and turning that deep knowledge into something of great value for his clients. His specialty is leveraging LinkedIn search to find prospects for whatever you’re selling or whomever you’re targeting. He does the fishing and also teaches clients how to fish. I love the way his inquisitive, no-nonsense, razor sharp mind works; his publisher posts are always worth reading, his style can best be described as a convivial professor who pokes fun and holes where necessary. When LinkedIn does something stupid or ridiculous, he’ll call them on it.

DONNA SVEI
HEADLINE: Executive Resume Writer | LinkedIn Profile Writer | Interview Coach | Retained Search Consultant
LOCATION: Greater Los Angeles Area
PREMIUM: Yes
PUBLISHER: 15 posts
RECOMMENDATIONS: 32 received / 3 given
ENDORSEMENTS: 99+ (9 Skills)
FOLLOWERS: 8,300
RECENT ACTIVITY: 37
URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnasvei
Donna once said in a comment to one of my posts “LinkedIn do software updates like someone trying to fix a bike while they’re riding it”. That’s a great example of how expressive and perceptive she is in written conversation, she’s extremely good at LinkedIn and marketing via the written word. “I collaborate with my clients to write job-winning resumes and profiles.” If I was looking for someone to write my resume, I’d enlist Donna’s help in a heartbeat. Her blog, www.AvidCareerist.com is a very useful resource for anyone needing resume or job search advice/help.

CRYSTAL THIES
HEADLINE: Helping Grow Sales & Clients with LinkedIn | Social Media Handbook for Financial Advisors | The LinkedIn Ninja since ’10
LOCATION: Cincinnati Area, KY
PREMIUM: Yes
PUBLISHER: 6 posts
RECOMMENDATIONS: 38 received / 8 given
ENDORSEMENTS: 99+ (9 Skills)
FOLLOWERS: 4,000
RECENT ACTIVITY: 3
URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystalthies
Crystal aka “LinkedInNinja” is someone who does very well in her niche. She’s a former financial planner who is best placed to guide/coach financial advisors because she can “understand the unique challenges faced by those regulated by FINRA, the SEC, and IIROC in utilizing LinkedIn”. Similar to Brynne, she has a deep knowledge of software in relation to making social platforms (not just LinkedIn) more efficient and valuable. Similar to Bruce, she takes a big picture view of the LinkedIn platform and is quick to understand the user ramifications of many of the platform changes which regularly occur, usually without warning or explanation. Sharp as that ninja samurai blade she wields.

DAVID PETHERICK
HEADLINE: I make you visible, legible & credible online ✔️ LinkedIn® Profile Writer ● Doctor LinkedIn™ ● Edinburgh London NYC
LOCATION: Edinburgh, United Kingdom
PREMIUM: Yes
PUBLISHER: 141 posts
RECOMMENDATIONS: 45 received / 16 given
ENDORSEMENTS: 99+ (6 Skills)
FOLLOWERS: 3,400
RECENT ACTIVITY: 29
URL: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/davidpetherick
He trademarked “Doctor LinkedIn” for crying out loud! That’s an indication of how committed and how astute David Petherick is. He’s also one of the most innovative LinkedIn geeks I know; first to use soundcloud to share his LinkedIn knowledge (perfect for folks to listen to while they’re driving or unable to read), first to do an extended marketing blitz (30 LinkedIn Tips in 30 days) flexing his intellectual muscles, leaning heavily on his impressive digital marketing background (BBC, no less). Sophisticated, smart, urbane and a great ambassador for the LinkedIn teaching crowd.

MELONIE DODARO
HEADLINE: HEADLINE: International #1 Bestselling Author of The LinkedIn Code ♦ LinkedIn Expert ♦ Keynote Speaker ♦ Social Selling Evangelist
LOCATION: British Columbia, Canada
PREMIUM: Yes
PUBLISHER: 75 posts
RECOMMENDATIONS: 130 received / 24 given
ENDORSEMENTS: 99+ (42 Skills)
FOLLOWERS: 26,000
RECENT ACTIVITY: 6
URL: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/meloniedodaro
Melonie recently published her first book on LinkedIn, The LinkedIn Code (4.5 stars on Amazon). She focuses on training, lead generation and social selling. She’s got a long list of professional accolades and operates and markets under the ’Top Dog Social Media’ brand. Definitely a top dog, she’s worked hard and cleverly to rise to the upper echelon of LinkedIn trainers. She’s one of 3 proud Canadians on this list.

SID CLARK
HEADLINE: LinkedIn Coach, Blogger and Investigator, English Instructor, ACT/SAT Prep Tutor, MS Excel Specialist
LOCATION: Orange County, California Area
PREMIUM: Yes
PUBLISHER: 47 posts
RECOMMENDATIONS: 6 received / 5 given
ENDORSEMENTS: 99+ (3 Skills)
FOLLOWERS: 1,400
RECENT ACTIVITY: 136
URL:

IRINA SHAMAEVA
HEADLINE: Master Sourcer, Researcher, Sourcing Certification Founder, Boolean Strings Recruiter, Speaker @braingain
LOCATION: San Francisco Bay Area
PREMIUM: Yes
PUBLISHER: 87 posts
RECOMMENDATIONS: 6 received / 5 given
ENDORSEMENTS: 99+ (17 Skills)
FOLLOWERS: 31,000
RECENT ACTIVITY: 17
URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irinashamaeva
Irina’s expertise in search applies to LinkedIn and google, anywhere in fact where search engines can be made to work smarter for you using boolean search keywords and operators. Though her natural audience are recruiters, her search methodology, hacks and guidance are incredibly useful to anyone looking to find people and information. “Sourcing is part art and part science. The “art” part is gradually becoming more important because of the complexity and volume of information to dive into and because of increasingly smart – but not smart enough – tools.” In other words she’s a search artist who understands the science. She also knows a heck of a lot about LinkedIn.

ME (ANDY FOOTE)
HEADLINE: Google “LinkedIn Summary” – I wrote that!
LOCATION: Greater Chicago Area
PREMIUM: Yes
PUBLISHER: 12 posts
RECOMMENDATIONS: 8 received / 3 given
ENDORSEMENTS: 99+ (19 Skills)
FOLLOWERS: 7,000
RECENT ACTIVITY: 32
URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linkedinsights
Lastly and leastly, me. Began studying LinkedIn in 2008, I experimented by building communities via LinkedIn groups and only started blogging about the platform in 2012. My first posts were pretty awful, I like to think I got better. In 2013 one of my posts “3 Stunningly Good LinkedIn Profile SUMMARIES” landed on the first page of google searches for “LinkedIn Summary”. This fluke essentially created my LinkedIn coaching/consulting business. I’m one of the luckiest people on this list. I think people do their best work when they love what they do. That’s certainly true in my case. Stay geeky everyone.
linkedinsights@gmail.com / 773.469.6600
I just googled Doctor LinkedIn to see how I was doing overall with a tweak to my site, and came across this. How did I miss it? Thanks for the inclusion, Andy!
The web is a very deep and infinitely wide ocean of data David, I’m not surprised you missed it.
Hi, Andy,
Not sure I ever thanked you for this except on a post on LinkedIn.
So thanks!
–Sid
Great list, Andy. I learned a couple of new ones!
I even agree with the last one on the list.
LOL, Andrew (the other Andy).
Andy,
Question—can a person be a “LinkedIn geek” and not be a provider of LinkedIn services? Sure, these are all great LinkedIn power users, but they’re also from a much different market niche than many LinkedIn members belong to.
What I believe would be really helpful are some “Top ###” lists that showcase people who are experts in other fields and successfully leveraging LinkedIn as another tool in their professional toolbox. How about some “Top 10” lists for accountants, engineers, supply chain managers, health care providers, historians, artists, and educators?
To many members, LinkedIn is not an end, but a means. It’s a tool that busy, talented professionals from many diverse fields rely upon. So, how about some examples from other fields?
Best regards,
Dave
Yes! Anyone can be a LinkedIn geek and of course they don’t need to be targeting a LinkedIn learning audience to belong to that geekdom. I’m not sure that I have the necessary bandwidth and data currently to compile the kind of lists you suggest Dave, but I agree wholeheartedly with your point that many people in different disciplines are doing a great job of leveraging LinkedIn.
This article won as Reader’s Choice Award from our Audience at Franchise-Info https://www.linkedin.com/company/franchise-info-sponsored?trk=top_nav_home, this week for top 5 of most read articles on Franchising in LinkedIn.
Congratulations.
Thanks Mike!
Very nice list of some Superstars that I admire !
The list is missing author/trainer @Wayne Breitbarth. His Power Formula for LinkedIn Success (book and website) is an important tool for anyone wanting to learn how to maximize their LinkedIn presence.
I’m a big fan of Wayne’s as well. Please understand that this is not ‘the’ list, it is merely ‘a’ list.
I too am a fan of all the people on your list, thanks for putting it together Andy. I appreciate you mentioning me in the comment section.
You’re one of the best and nicest people I know in the LinkedIn training space Wayne – I’ve just started on this whole list thing.
Thanks Chris for the mention. I do appreciate your very thoughtful recommendation.
Ten interesting profiles, indeed – there’s a lot LinkedIn users can learn from all of you 🙂
Am I a GEEK due to the fact that I know many of the one’s you mentioned? LOL
You most certainly are Mike 🙂
That’s awesome Andy! I’m thrilled to be a geek!!!!
Thousands of people are also thrilled with your geekyness 🙂