1. Based in Charlotte, NC, Connect to Success is a division of IB Media LLC. IB Media is a company that
provides media planning and buying services to ad agencies and marketers around the country. Connect to
Success wasn’t a planned venture; it started organically after Linda and Ira Bass used LinkedIn to secure
several multi-million dollar accounts for IB Media. This powerful opportunity generator was being severely
underutilized. They started Connect to Success to empower business professionals and companies with the
tools to grow through the use of LinkedIn.
Today, Connect to Success conducts LinkedIn workshops and offers personal training all over the US and
globally. It’s two happily married principals, Linda and Ira, are not only experts on all things LinkedIn, they’re
also both Certified Communication Coaches, which makes working with them easy, engaging, and (gasp!)
even fun. Inspired by their own LinkedIn success, their combined mission is to empower clients to pursue
their professional goals using LinkedIn.
Ira Bass, CEO, LinkedIn Optimization Expert
After a long and distinguished career as an advertising media director, Ira founded IB Media LLC in 2007. In
an effort to stimulate growth, Ira began to use LinkedIn to build his network of contacts and pursue new
business opportunities. After landing several multi-million dollar accounts as a direct result of his LinkedIn
interactivity, Ira was inspired to launch Connect to Success to help other professionals achieve their own
business goals. Since starting the company, Ira has shared his LinkedIn expertise globally with both
corporations and individuals. He is passionate about conducting workshops for conferences, groups,
associations and companies in a variety of industries. As a Certified Communication Coach Ira offers
behavioral assessments to his individual clients to help them achieve more effective communication
strategies and interactions with their LinkedIn connections. He has published multiple posts on LinkedIn
and, along with wife Linda, is a regular LinkedIn columnist for the Greater Charlotte Biz magazine in his
hometown of Charlotte, NC.
Linda Bass, COO, LinkedIn Optimization Expert
Linda joined IB Media LLC in 2011 after the company experienced significant growth thanks in large part to
connections cultivated on LinkedIn. After a lengthy career in marketing, communications, management, and
new business development, Linda brings a wealth of business experience to Connect to Success. Since the
company’s launch, she has spent a significant portion of her time working as a LinkedIn coach, helping
clients optimize their personal profiles, expand their network with the right connections, and then turn those
connections into meaningful business contacts. As a Certified Communication Coach, Linda has a unique
understanding of how people interact. She utilizes her expertise to help clients effectively engage and
communicate on LinkedIn, both before and after making a connection. Linda publishes regularly on LinkedIn
and co-writes a LinkedIn column for the Greater Charlotte Business magazine. The rest of her time is spent
helping to manage the day-to-day operations of Connect to Success while also trying to keep her husband
Ira in line, which if you ask Linda, is typically her greatest daily challenge.