Calling You Up or Out?

Have you ever read someone’s content and immediately think “Oof… you got me!” and then have to decide if that makes you want to do something about it or just take cover under your desk until the mean person goes away?

I got a LinkedIn message this week from someone I’d just connected with about the “Double Shot” email I sent out that morning. (my quick, espresso-style: here’s the problem, here’s the fix, if you’re ready, let’s do something about it.)

So naturally… I did what any emotionally stable business owner does. I went to check my email stats “just for giggles.”

Open rate? Solid.

And then I saw it: five unsubscribers almost immediately.

I have a small but might email list that I keep extremely “clean,” so I don’t get a lot of unsubscribes. Like, at all. So my first thought was, “Ok, these are probably brand-new freebie people doing what freebie people do.”

Nope.

All five had been on my list for 3–6 months**.** Some had registered for an event. Some had attended something I spoke at. They’d been opening emails consistently, not every single one, but enough to be considered “active subscribers” by Kit.

And for a second, I was like,” dang, that didn’t feel good.”

Then I realized, “Oh, this email did exactly what it was supposed to do.”

Calling them up… or calling them out?

Your content is going to create a reaction.

At least, it should. The only question is which reaction and from whom.

Because if you’re saying the right thing to the right person, it feels like a call-up. Like, “She sees me… and I’m ready to do something about it.”

But if you’re saying the right thing to the wrong person, it feels like a call-OUT. Like, “Why are you attacking me? I’m doing my best!” (and then they fire off a nasty message or just go hunt down the unsubscribe button as it owes them money).

Why this matters is because your ideal client and your not-ideal client can look identical on paper.

Same demographics. Same pain point. Same “dream outcome.” The difference is readiness.

The person you’re calling up is ready to take action, invest, implement, and get results, or at least they are headed in that direction.

The person who feels called out? They’re not ready. So your clarity feels like pressure. Your directness feels like judgment. Your call to action feels like a threat.

And listen… you’re not here to run a popularity contest. You’re here to build a business that scales.

That means you need a list full of warm-to-hot leads actually willing to fight for their business, not a stadium of spectators who mimic the motions but never get in the ring.

So before you get “attached” to vanity metrics, remember that a ****10,000-person email list that doesn’t convert is a waste of your time.

Give me 1,000 people who actually want to get serious about scaling their business, who will pay for value, implement… and watch me make magic happen.

Weekly Challenge: The “Reaction Audit”

This week, audit your last 3–5 pieces of content (emails or posts) using reactions as data:

• If you’re getting no replies, no DMs, no anything → you’re probably talking to “everyone” which means NO one. Fix the specificity and be bolder.
• If you’re getting claps, “this is so good,” and heart-eyes… but no sales → you’re probably nurturing too hard and leading too soft. You’re making people feel seen, but you’re not being direct about the next step: getting in a paid container so they can actually implement with support. (no shame if you land here, we’ve aaallll be in this bucket before)
• If you’re getting only defensiveness / negative replies/unsubscribes → don’t immediately celebrate and call it “good filtering.” Check alignment: messaging, audience, offer. Something’s off.
• If you’re getting some “OMG thank you” AND some unsubscribes → that’s the sweet spot. That’s calling your people up and letting the not-ready self-select out.

Quick confession: AI helped me write that Double Shot

Yep. The Double Shot email that got the praise and the unsubscribes was written with the help of AI, the same way I write most of my content now (including the newsletter you are reading this very moment).

I’m not trying to outsource my creativity to a robot or earn passive income while AI does all the work. I’m trying to be a CEO with a calendar and a life and leveraging AI to make that possible.

But using AI to create really great content is kind of like a party trick at this point. It’s what everybody’s been doing (or trying to do) with AI for the last two+ years. And if that’s all you are still using it for, you’re missing out on so much more.

Now, if you’ve started using AI to actually help you run your business? Hats off to you, my friend, because you’re on the right path!

Either way, if you want to uplevel your entire back end by building an AI-powered operating system, I have a treat in store for you.

There’s an AI team waiting for you to put it to work!

On May 21st, I’m hosting a webinar where I’m going to show you what this looks like inside of Notion by introducing you to the four “employees” that support me in my business every single day:

• Operations Manager — turns “ideas” into an actual plan, builds the systems, and keeps the whole machine running when you’re in CEO’s brain.
• Personal Assistant — protects your calendar, keeps you out of the weeds, and makes sure the right thing happens next (without you having to remember it).
• Intern (aka the Notetaker) — seen but not heard: sits in the corner, takes copious notes, and makes sure decisions + next steps get captured so nothing falls through the cracks.
• Copywriting Contractor — helps me write emails/posts that convert (and yes, helped write this newsletter…hi, it’s me, Reno, can’t wait to meet you).

This is one of those webinars that can literally change the trajectory of your 2026. Don’t miss it.

There will be a replay for anyone who registers because if you can’t make it live, I still want you to get the goods.

And, let’s be honest, it’s going to be a firehose to the face like every webinar I do, so even if you’re there live, you’ll probably want to watch it again on 0.5x anyway because I talk a mile a minute.

Save your seat for May 21 here: www.leadsmarterco.com/webinar

Before I let you go, quick gut check: did this email call you up… or did it call you out?

If it calls you up, I’ll see you at the webinar, or you can reply, and we can just book a call to chat about the next step for your business.

If it called you out, you’ve got options: unsubscribe in peace, or send me a spicy message and I’ll take it in stride (I’ll be over here sipping coffee and updating my “proof it’s working” file).

Regardless, I’m glad you read this far. Now go write something that actually makes the right people react one way or the other!!