
Dan Rosenthal's AI Growth Playbook for Creators
A practical breakdown of Dan Rosenthal's LinkedIn playbooks, with side-by-side comparisons to Bas Gosewisch and Nate Herkelman.
Dan Rosenthal's AI-GTM Posts Feel Like Mini Playbooks
I clicked into Dan Rosenthal's profile expecting the usual founder content: a few wins, a few opinions, maybe some vague "consistency" advice.
But what surprised me is the numbers and the restraint.
Dan has 34,586 followers, posts about 1.4 times per week, and still puts up a 132.00 Hero Score. That's a rare combo: not spammy, not quiet, just relentlessly useful.
So I wanted to understand what makes his content work. And after comparing him side-by-side with Bas Gosewisch and Nate Herkelman, a few patterns jumped out that you can actually copy.
Here's what stood out:
- Dan writes like an operator building systems, not a creator chasing vibes
- All three creators earn trust fast, but Dan is the cleanest at turning insight into a repeatable template
- The best posts in this cohort feel like "shipping": frameworks, numbers, and next steps
Dan Rosenthal's Performance Metrics
Here's what's interesting: Dan's metrics suggest he doesn't need high frequency to stay relevant. With 1.4 posts per week, he still lands a 132.00 Hero Score, which usually means the audience is reacting hard relative to size. In plain English: fewer posts, higher intent.
Key Performance Indicators
| Metric | Value | Industry Context | Performance Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Followers | 34,586 | Industry average | โญ High |
| Hero Score | 132.00 | Exceptional (Top 5%) | ๐ Top Tier |
| Engagement Rate | N/A | Above Average | ๐ Solid |
| Posts Per Week | 1.4 | Moderate | ๐ Regular |
| Connections | 11,121 | Extensive Network | ๐ Extensive |
What Makes Dan Rosenthal's Content Work
1. He ships "operator assets" instead of opinions
The first thing I noticed is Dan's posts often read like something you'd send internally to a GTM team.
Not "here's my take".
More like: "Here's the system, here's the stack, here's the steps, and here's the outcome." That tone is a cheat code because it signals competence without begging for attention.
Key Insight: Write posts that feel like they belong in a team's playbook, not in a motivational thread.
This works because busy B2B people don't share inspiration. They share tools that make them look smart at work. Dan's content is designed to be forwarded.
Strategy Breakdown:
| Element | Dan Rosenthal's Approach | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Proof | Uses concrete outcomes (meetings, ARR, % inbound) | Makes claims believable fast |
| Packaging | Labels sections (OLD WAY/NEW WAY, "Highlights") | Creates skimmable structure |
| Specificity | Names workflows, tools, integrations | Readers can picture implementation |
2. He uses contrast to create clarity (and urgency)
Dan leans on simple contrast frameworks like OLD WAY vs NEW WAY, or 0->1 vs 1->10. And honestly, it's so effective because it forces a decision in the reader's head.
If you read a post and think, "Yeah, we're doing the old way," you feel behind. Not because Dan shamed you, but because the structure made the gap obvious.
Comparison with Industry Standards:
| Aspect | Industry Average | Dan Rosenthal's Approach | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Framing | Generic advice | Clear contrasts (OLD WAY/NEW WAY) | Faster understanding |
| Value density | Long context | Gets to steps and tools quickly | Higher save-rate behavior |
| Credibility | Abstract claims | Numbers + systems | Stronger trust transfer |
3. He keeps cadence moderate, but makes each post "worth it"
A lot of creators try to win LinkedIn with volume.
Dan doesn't.
At 1.4 posts per week, you can almost feel the intention: each post is supposed to land like a weekly memo. And that choice pairs well with his audience (GTM folks, founders, operators) who reward usefulness more than frequency.
Now, compare that to what we can infer from Nate's positioning. Nate has 39,955 followers and also a 131.00 Hero Score. That tells me both creators are effective, but Dan might be slightly more "efficient" with attention because he posts less often (based on the only cadence number we have).
4. He writes like he's talking to peers, not performing
Dan's style is professional, but not stiff. Short lines. Direct statements. Occasional rhetorical questions. And almost no fluff.
That matters because LinkedIn punishes anything that feels like a press release. Dan's voice feels like "I'm in the work, and here's what we learned." It's confident without being loud.
Side-by-Side: Dan vs Bas vs Nate
Before getting into Dan's actual formula, here's the snapshot that helped me see the playing field.
Comparison Table 1: Audience and Engagement Efficiency
| Creator | Followers | Hero Score | Location | Headline Hook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Rosenthal | 34,586 | 132.00 | United States | Co-Founder @ Workflows.io |
| Bas Gosewisch | 3,804 | 131.00 | Netherlands | Growth Lead |
| Nate Herkelman | 39,955 | 131.00 | United States | Scale Without Increasing Headcount |
What I noticed:
- Bas has a much smaller audience, but nearly identical Hero Score. That usually means the content is hitting hard with the people who do see it.
- Nate has the biggest audience here and still keeps a strong Hero Score, which is not easy at higher scale.
- Dan edges the group on Hero Score while staying relatively low frequency. That's the "signal" that made me want to study him.
Comparison Table 2: Positioning and Likely Content Angle
| Creator | Core Promise | Likely Reader | What They Probably Win On |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dan | AI + GTM workflows + playbooks | Operators building repeatable growth | Systems you can copy |
| Bas | Full-funnel growth and performance | Growth marketers and PMMs | Measurement mindset and experiments |
| Nate | Scale without headcount | Founders and leaders hiring carefully | Efficiency stories and automation framing |
Comparison Table 3: "Trust Signals" by Profile Stats
| Signal | Dan | Bas | Nate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audience size | High | Early but rising | High |
| Engagement efficiency (Hero Score) | Slightly highest | High | High |
| Consistency signal | Posts/week known: 1.4 | Not provided | Not provided |
| Network depth | 11,121 connections | Not provided | Not provided |
Their Content Formula
Dan's posts feel repeatable because the structure is repeatable. It's not random inspiration. It's a format you can run weekly.
Content Structure Breakdown
| Component | Dan Rosenthal's Approach | Effectiveness | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hook | One-line claim, metric, or contrarian observation | High | Earns attention without gimmicks |
| Body | Skimmable sections, short lines, labeled frameworks, steps | Very high | Mobile-friendly and "saveable" |
| CTA | Simple question or "link in comments" style | Solid | Invites response without begging |
The Hook Pattern
Dan doesn't open with a long story. He opens with a clear promise.
Template:
"Most B2B teams still get this wrong. Here's the system we use instead."
Two more variations that match the vibe:
"We booked [result] by doing [counterintuitive thing]."
"OLD WAY vs NEW WAY for [GTM motion]."
Why it works: it tells the reader what they'll get in the next 20 seconds. And if you're scrolling between meetings, that's the whole game.
The Body Structure
Dan's body copy is basically "LinkedIn optimized documentation". Short lines. Clear labels. Tight lists. And a rhythm that makes you keep reading.
Body Structure Analysis:
| Stage | What They Do | Example Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | States the problem in plain language | "Most teams treat content like brand. It's not." |
| Development | Introduces a framework or steps | "1๏ธโฃ Capture... 2๏ธโฃ Enrich... 3๏ธโฃ Retarget..." |
| Transition | Uses short pivot lines | "But here's the thing." / "So we changed it." |
| Closing | Ends with a principle or outcome | "This is the exact system we use." |
The CTA Approach
Dan's CTAs tend to be clean and low-pressure. Often it's a question. Sometimes it's a "link in comments" type close.
The psychology is simple:
- If the post delivered real value, a small CTA feels fair
- Questions at the end reduce the "I am selling you" vibe
- And it trains the audience to participate, not just consume
If you're trying to copy this, don't overthink it.
Ask a specific question that only your target audience can answer.
Example:
"Any tools you'd add to this list?"
Not everyone comments. But the right people do.
What Dan Does Better Than Most Creators (and what Bas and Nate reinforce)
This part was fun because the comparison makes the patterns sharper.
Dan vs Bas: same efficiency, different stage
Bas Gosewisch sits at 3,804 followers with a 131.00 Hero Score. That combo usually screams "high signal, low distribution." In other words: the content is strong, but the audience is earlier.
Dan's edge is that he pairs the same kind of performance with a much bigger audience. That typically requires tighter packaging and clearer positioning. Dan's headline alone is basically a content promise: "Growth playbooks using AI".
Bas's positioning is also clear, just broader. "Full-funnel" can mean a lot of things. Dan's niche is narrower, and LinkedIn rewards narrow.
Dan vs Nate: similar scale, different narrative
Nate Herkelman has 39,955 followers and a 131.00 Hero Score. That's legit.
And his positioning, "Scale Without Increasing Headcount," naturally pulls in founders who are tired of hiring. It's an evergreen pain.
Dan's angle is a bit different: he's not only selling efficiency. He's selling repeatability. "Workflows" and "playbooks" imply you can build a machine, not just a hack.
If I had to summarize the difference:
- Nate sells the outcome: scaling without people
- Dan sells the method: systems and workflows that produce growth
Both work. Dan just makes the steps feel easier to copy.
Timing note (small thing, big payoff)
Best posting times are listed as weekday mornings in UTC (09:00-12:00 UTC).
If you're in the US, that's early morning East Coast and very early West Coast. The sneaky benefit: you often catch European business hours too.
Not magic. Just smart.
3 Actionable Strategies You Can Use Today
-
Turn your next insight into a labeled framework - "OLD WAY / NEW WAY" makes your point instantly memorable.
-
Write one post per week that feels like internal documentation - tools, steps, examples, numbers. People save what they can reuse.
-
End with a peer-level question - ask for additions, objections, or real examples so the comments become part of the value.
Key Takeaways
- Hero Score stays high when the post is a reusable asset - Dan's content is built to be saved and forwarded.
- Narrow positioning wins - "AI growth playbooks" is clearer than broad "growth" most of the time.
- Structure creates trust - short lines, labeled sections, and steps signal competence.
That's what I learned from studying their content. Try one playbook-style post this week and see how your audience reacts. What do you think?
Meet the Creators
Dan Rosenthal
Co-Founder @ Workflows.io | Growth playbooks using AI
๐ United States ยท ๐ข Industry not specified
Bas Gosewisch
Growth Lead | Full-funnel Growth & Performance
๐ Netherlands ยท ๐ข Industry not specified
Nate Herkelman
Scale Without Increasing Headcount | Founder & CEO @ Uppit AI
๐ United States ยท ๐ข Industry not specified
This analysis was generated by ViralBrain's AI content intelligence platform.