LinkedIn strategy for athletes and sport

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LinkedIn strategy and advisory for sport

Reputation is one of sport's most valuable assets.

For athletes, sports organizations and founders who want a reputation that keeps working after performance peaks.

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The Reputational Capital Thesis Two curves across a career. Performance rises to a peak during the playing years and then falls away. Reputation starts low, crosses performance after the peak, and keeps rising afterwards. Playing years After Career → Performance Reputation

Who are you?

The 70/30 model

70%

The work you don't see: positioning, relationships, the right conversations

30%

The work you do see: content

30%. Content that shows the people who matter who you are beyond the game.

70%. Positioning, an intentional network, and the conversations that turn into partnerships, investments, advisory roles and speaking.

Founded by Jon Lyndon after ten years at LinkedIn.

Jon Lyndon

Hi, I'm Jon.

I spent 20 years in finance and technology including a decade working at LinkedIn. Now I help athletes, sports organisations and founders use it properly: to build a professional reputation alongside the one they've earned in their sport, and to open the doors that come with it.

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Athletes

The ideal time to build your reputation outside of sport is while the access is at its peak. We work with current and former players so that founders, investors and executives meet the person as well as the player.

Trusted by athletes including

How it works

The four pillars

Four pillars that turn who you are into opportunity that lasts.

  • Pillar 01

    Positioning clarity

    Be clear on what you stand for beyond the game, so the right people understand who you are and where you're going.

  • Pillar 02

    Intentional network

    Build relationships with the people who matter for your next chapter, on purpose, long before you need them.

  • Pillar 03

    Commercial opportunity

    Turn reputation and relationships into real opportunities: partnerships, roles, investments and ventures.

  • Pillar 04

    Content

    The visible 30%. Share ideas in your own voice, so your reputation works for you between conversations.

Sports Organizations

Clubs, leagues, governing bodies and player associations share responsibility for what happens to players after the final whistle. We help them build it in from the start.

  1. Player programmes

    LinkedIn advisory for current and former players, delivered through the club, league or union.

  2. Leadership and club visibility

    Helping executives and club leaders use their own presence to open conversations with sponsors, partners and investors.

  3. Executive education and speaking

    Keynotes, workshops and learning labs on the changing economics of reputation, leadership and athlete entrepreneurship.

Sports we work across: NFL, NBA, NHL, international football, golf and women's soccer.

  • FIFA
  • UEFA
  • NFLPA
  • MLSPA
  • Canadian Olympic Committee
  • ONE FC

Founders

Founders and executives in and around sport have the same problem athletes do: plenty of visibility, not enough of the right relationships. We become a trusted thinking partner as ventures, partnerships, investments and leadership roles take shape.

  • Long-term

    Strategic Advisory

    Our flagship long-term relationship. Ongoing guidance across positioning, communication, relationships and opportunity.

  • Pivotal moments

    Strategic Intensives

    Focused advisory for pivotal moments: a new leadership role, a launch, a raise, or the next stage of a career. Clarity, positioning and a roadmap to move forward.

Research

The Reputational Capital Thesis

Visible is not the same as understood. Reputation isn't a personal brand. It is accumulated evidence, and it keeps working after performance peaks only if it's built on things you own.

The traditional route

Instagram · X · Facebook · TikTok

  1. Early career

    Telling your story. Connecting with fans. Building visibility.

  2. Peak performance

    Your best years. All eyes on you. Performance drives attention.

  3. Career winds down

    Visibility fades. Relevance declines. Algorithms change. Harder to stay top of mind. Fewer opportunities.

The owned IP route

Relationships · credibility · owned assets

  1. Early career

    Share your voice. Build your foundation. Start real relationships.

  2. Growth years

    Build real relationships. Share ideas. Create value. Build your reputation. Open doors.

  3. Career evolution

    Reputation compounds. New doors open. Impact goes beyond sport. Long-term opportunities. Legacy you control.

The usual route follows performance, so reputation and opportunity fade with it. The owned route, built on relationships, credibility and owned assets, keeps rising after the peak.
  1. Performance
  2. Attention
  3. Recognition
  4. Access
  5. Relationships
  6. Demonstrated value
  7. Trust
  8. Reputation
  9. Opportunity

Own the assets

Programmes, newsletters, podcasts, investments, businesses, communities and direct relationships, not a platform following.

Start early

Not at retirement.

Shared responsibility

Clubs, leagues and player associations have a part to play.

Publications

The Future Things

Jon's LinkedIn newsletter on sport, reputation and what comes next.

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The Other Profile

A series featuring athletes who are building who they are beyond sport on LinkedIn.

Read the series
The eBook's cover shown on a tablet

The Professional Athlete's Guide to Building Your Brand on LinkedIn

Available on request.

eBook

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The Lyndon bird-over-O mark

Let's talk.

Whether you're still playing, running a club or building a company, the first conversation is the best place to start.

Book a call Email Jon Connect on LinkedIn

20-minute intro call on Google Meet.

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