Q1 2025 Q&A
When did you first decide to take LinkedIn seriously and what was the incident that prompted that?
I started my LinkedIn account in 2017 and back then I was a passive user, reading others' content and adding friends to my contact list. I published rarely and it was content that didn't contribute much.
For example, it was about me attending a conference, but no detailed information why it was worth attending or which presentation was of special interest.
I decided to take LinkedIn more seriously in 2020, after one of my cases was published in the media. I started posting more insightful content to show my experience in white collar crime, compliance and internal investigations.
I wanted to write in a simple way about difficult topics and it clicked.
Later I decided to add some more personal content, mostly about my passions - comics and basketball.
I show a little bit of my private side and it also allows me to reach out to people with similar interests or in general - people with passions, who understand other people with different passions.
Do you think of LinkedIn primarily as social media or as professional networking or both?
Definitely both! LinkedIn is a great mixture of professional networking and social media. I really enjoy professional articles and opportunities to interact, but I also don't mind more laid-back content. There are many content creators outside of legal topics, who are worth following.
Do you think online has helped improve social mobility?
Absolutely! It is a powerful tool allowing people to connect. Suddenly you have everyone in your mobile phone. You can follow entrepreneurs, business owners, top voices, decision makers, colleagues and competitors, you can interact with them without travelling, without leaving your house. Certainly, we are not talking about face-to-face meetings, but still – a lot of possibilities to interact.
And has it helped cross border marketing?
LinkedIn has no borders. As you know, my posts are in Polish, but it is not a problem. In-built translation allows everyone to read a post in any language. When you find somebody who posts insightful content – language doesn't matter. I follow content creators across the world and get a lot of inspiration.
Does it help to keep you front of mind with colleagues in other countries?
Without a doubt. Interactions with others are so simple now - no matter where you are and who you interact with. You can be less formal and more direct. You can follow trends or even better - set them. It really does not matter where you come from, but it matters what you have to say and how you say it. If you don't believe me, just drop me a DM and let's see what happens next.
What would you say to others that are thinking of adding their voice on this platform?
Just do it. First try with comments to other users' posts, engage and interact with them. Then go ahead and post something you believe is important. Don't worry if you don't get many likes, not every post becomes viral, be consistent, try different things and topics and find out what works best for you.
Have you had any business wins through the platform?
LinkedIn is not a main source of new business for me, but an important addition. It allows me to get more visibility and I do benefit from this. My network continues to grow, and I have many clients who were LinkedIn contacts first.
What's next for you on here - do you run a newsletter or do LinkedIn Lives already?
I haven't tried LinkedIn Lives yet, but it is a rather natural way to test this feature. I am now working on the concept of a newsletter, but it is more complex than just posting, even if you post on a regular basis.
Do you think that LinkedIn today is better than it was two years ago? How so?
It is for me. I've learned a lot how to use this media in a way that suits me best. I get more valuable content, because I decided to block some users and I choose more wisely who to follow. It seems to me that LinkedIn's algorithm now works better, showing better quality content on my feed.
If lawyers were looking to emulate your stance - the five core attributes which we highlighted recently - what tips do you have for them?
Be true to yourself and write from the heart what you believe is important.
Engage with other users. If you read something interesting, a well-written post - write a comment, give kudos.
If somebody comments your post- give a kind reply and be a positive person.
Try to use simple language and don't write scientific articles, be helpful and give your followers some value, something they can use, a practical tip. If you are explaining a legal issue, do it like a friend to a friend.
What one phrase should everyone know how to say in Polish?
What a great question!
There is one good phrase that in my opinion perfectly describes "the Polish way" and it is: “Stara bida” – which can be translated as "Old poor”.
This means that the situation has not changed, but it contains a slightly ironic tone and is both negative and positive at the same time.
The situation is really bad, but at the same time you are not surprised by this and luckily there are no new, unknown problems.
So, when you start a conversation with: "How are you?" and the answer is: "Stara bida" - it really says it all!
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