Connection Accepted How Bill rage baited to 20,000 LinkedIn followers
Jan 9, 2026
Bill Yost, a people analytics partner at Netflix and former Google analyst, shares his journey from corporate audit to vibrant LinkedIn creator. He talks about how a pirate flag emoji became his unexpected brand and how data storytelling helped him catch fraud with a scatterplot. Yost emphasizes the power of humor in content, discusses handling trolls, and reveals why commenting can be a better growth strategy than posting. Plus, he dives into using AI like ChatGPT for editing, and why visuals are more impactful than numbers.
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Scatterplot Caught Corporate Fraud
- Bill found a fraud case by making a simple scatterplot of T&E spend that highlighted one outlier.
- The visualization led the fraud manager to investigate and confirm the executive assistant's misuse of a corporate card.
Pirate Flag Became An Accidental Brand
- Bill added a pirate-flag emoji to his LinkedIn name on a whim after Nick Power suggested it.
- The emoji stuck as an accidental personal brand and people began associating him with the pirate flag.
Tiny Visuals Boost Recognition
- Small visual cues (like emojis) make LinkedIn profiles stand out in a sea of similar headlines.
- Bill argues visuals help people instantly recognize and remember you on the platform.