What Is a Thought Leader?
Thought leadership is a term that’s thrown around a lot these days, but few understand what it means, let alone what it actually takes to become a thought leader in one’s industry. Thought leadership isn’t simply about sharing your thoughts with an audience, nor is it solely about being a wealth of information on your chosen topic or area of expertise. Just look at the definition of a thought leader according to Oxford Languages:
thought lead·er (noun):
a person whose views are taken to be authoritative and influential.
Meanwhile, Wikipedia describes a thought leader as:
“An individual or firm recognized as an authority in a specific field. A thought leader is a person who specializes in a given area and whom others in that industry turn to for guidance. As the term implies, a thought leader leads others in the thinking around a given topic.”
The key words here are “authoritative,” “influential,” and “leads others,” a person or organization whom “others in that industry turn to for guidance.” Sharing ideas and gaining expertise is part of becoming a thought leader, but it’s only the beginning of the process!
What Makes a Good Thought Leader?
You don’t just want to become a thought leader; you want to become a good one! A good thought leader is someone who has established authority, influence, and leadership by actively and continuously developing their ideas to deeper levels with more unique angles. They’re sharing more than information and expertise; they’ve evolved and iterated their work to the point that it’s changing the conversation in their industry or sphere in a very specific (and needed) way.
Take our work as an example.
When I first began writing about purpose on my personal blog in 2008, I was exploring what it meant for myself. I’d realized that being a designer wasn’t my true calling and had just discovered the magical world of personal development. In fact, Jack Canfield’s book, Success Principles, set me on my path toward uncovering my purpose in life, thanks to the second chapter, which is all about getting clear on why you’re here.
My ideas about purpose were simple initially, centered more around passions and personal fulfillment. While these are still elements of our conversations about purpose, the work has grown far beyond those first concepts. Our tagline and company context is “The Future of Life Purpose Development™” because our body of work is challenging the current industry standards for what it takes to heal and find wholeness, uncover your purpose and build a life and career around it, and make seemingly impossible things happen despite systemic and social issues that cause harm and create tangible obstacles for many.
Good thought leadership takes time and intention to build.
Good thought leadership isn’t a marketing strategy for promoting products and services, but it can strengthen and increase marketing efforts, making them more productive.
Good thought leadership isn’t rooted in inspiration, superficial influence, or aspiration, but it does inspire action, positively influence industries, and help people aspire to more.
Good thought leadership also isn’t a “how-to” or educational model, but it will inform people, expand knowledge bases, broaden perspectives, and cleanly shift beliefs.
To become a thought leader (and a good one at that), you must first understand what thought leadership is!
What Is Thought Leadership?
Thought Leadership 101 (It’s Not What You Think It Is!)
Thought leaders develop thought leadership, including ideas, concepts, frameworks, conversations, research, and innovations that establish authority and influence. When establishing thought leadership at a basic level, the first big question is, what’s your purpose in life? Who are you here to be, and what’s the work you’re called to do?
To become a thought leader, you need to be invested in the conversations you’re having beyond ego or financial-based motivations.
If you only want to make money, you’re not likely to develop true thought leadership that transforms the world or your industry. If you just want to be seen as an influencer (which is very different than having authority and influence), have people fawn over your every word, and gain surface-level, vanity-based “success,” you’ll allow what the algorithms and masses engage with to influence your creations and presence—not what’s best and aligned for you, your audience and industry, or the work you’re putting into the world. This means…
The base-level work to become a thought leader requires you to:
1. Get clear on your purpose in life.
The best thought leadership is rooted in purpose because you need a certain depth of investment (or obsession, for some of us!) that drives you forward beyond making money or boosting your ego. Purpose also keeps us motivated and engaged when things get hard, blocks pop up, or we face inevitable failures on the path of doing what we feel called to do. Bodies of work that go the distance and truly influence and transform industries, societies, and systems require dedication that you simply can’t have unless you care about what you’re doing.
Now, we recognize that you can care about things that aren’t your purpose in life, like doing well at your job because you value integrity, quality, and being the best at whatever you give your attention to. But to become a thought leader, you must want to do more than just a good job; you have to care about something so much that it keeps you up at night, drives your daily thoughts and actions, and brings up endless questions you can’t help but seek out the answers to. You have to care so much that you feel a divine rage, a deep passion, and an intense pull that drives you forward and positions you to learn continuously, develop new ideas and processes, and constantly challenge your own perceptions and beliefs on the subject.
The good news is that your purpose has been hard-coded into you since before you were born, and it’s still there regardless of how life has shaped you and what detours you’ve been on. When you understand your purpose in life, you know what you care about and what causes or conversations to center your thought leadership around.
Here are some questions that can help you uncover your purpose in life so you can become a thought leader who moves intentionally:
- If I knew no one would judge me, what would I focus my energy on?
- If there were no risk of failure, how would I organize my work around?
- What are my most important values, and why do they matter?
- What pisses me off and sends me into a passionate ramblerant?
- What breaks my heart so much that I can’t stop thinking about it?
- What’s the core theme of the conversations that light me up?
- If I had the time, what would I research or learn about?
- What’s wrong or not working in my industry (or area of interest)?
- What’s missing that’s causing harm to people or the environment?
- What problem would I spend my time trying to solve if I could?
Need help uncovering your purpose in life?
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2. Align with your callings and the conversations that are most important to you.
Alignment is a massive aspect of purpose work and vital to focus on to become a thought leader who positively disrupts your industry and the world. A simple definition of alignment from the Merriam-Webster dictionary is “to be in or come into precise adjustment or correct relative position.” For our context, coming into the correct relative position with our callings and the conversations we’re here to have is about knowing what our thought leadership stands for and organizing ourselves around it.
We come into alignment by shifting who we’re being.
“The Future of Life Purpose Development” is more than just a bold tagline; it’s a way of being in the world as leaders, as an organization, and within the conversations we facilitate. To be the future of anything requires aligning with that consciousness and operating from it today, regardless of present circumstances. We don’t wait until we’ve innovated to start being that future; we embody it now, allowing ourselves to be the person who can build it.
When we’re being the future of the conversations we’re facilitating and the industries we’re hoping to lead, we’re no longer separate from them. We’re not simply individuals working in this field or creating content around it; we embody its future. If your thought leadership is centered around transforming the education system and you’re being the future of that conversation, people begin to think of you when anything related to education, school systems, and their systemic issues is brought up. People send you articles, tag you in related posts, and ask you to be in the room when these topics are discussed. You and the future of the educational system become one and the same.
To act on aligning with your callings and becoming a thought leader who embodies the future of your field, start by reflecting on what you feel called to change or contribute to your industry—an extension of the questions in step one above. Your message should encapsulate the future you want to build, serving as a guiding light for everything you do.
Then, start to embody that future now. Practice being the version of yourself who has already stepped into this role. Ask yourself, “How would I speak, act, and make decisions if I were already seen as a leader in this space?” Begin incorporating those behaviors into your daily life, like engaging in conversations as if you already have that influence, making bolder decisions, and showing up confidently in your content.
3. Step out of your subconscious winning strategy.
Our winning strategy is a subconscious operating system that shapes us and our worldview well before our conscious mind comes online around five to seven years old (which gives us the ability to accept or reject information). During those formative and heavily dependent years of our lives, we learn through experiences that some things are possible and others are not, and that belief system influences every action we take and our way of being.
Our subconscious winning strategy is also anchored in our core wounding (which is also defined for us by our subconscious minds before we have any conscious thought around it).
Core wounds generally fall into one or some combination of:
- “I’m unlovable, I’m broken or damaged.”
- “I don’t belong or fit in.”
- “I’m not good enough.”
- “I’m wrong and/or bad.”
In order to find safety, security, success, love, and belonging, our winning strategy causes us to listen for certain things (audibly or energetically) and act in specific ways to produce a particular set of feelings that we associate with “success” so that we can avoid feeling our core wounds or going after things that we falsely believe are impossible.
If your subconscious winning strategy says you need to be agreeable and avoid rocking the boat, it will be hard to challenge the status quo and take a stand that potentially goes against most of your mentors or other experts in the field. If your subconscious winning strategy says that you need to be seen as special and significant by being what others want and need, it will be hard to dedicate yourself at the required level because you’ll always get caught up doing things with and for other people. Whatever your winning strategy is, it’s limiting you despite how much “success” it’s helped you create so far.
In addition to this strategy, you must know where your beliefs, biases, past traumas, and subconscious programming limit your work and ability to show up in full alignment, from your way of being to the ideas you share. If you have traumas that say you can only stay safe if you’re small and quiet, it will be hard to take a stand and share your voice. If you believe that women can’t be angry and instead need to be palatable, you might find your work lacks the passion, clarity, and challenging nature it needs to be effective.
No matter what our childhoods, lives, and relationships have looked like or where in the world we’ve grown up, we all have trauma. We all have an extremely outdated, narrow-by-nature subconscious winning strategy limiting us. We all have core wounding, deep-rooted fears, and beliefs that keep us from showing up fully and doing the work we feel called to do. To become a thought leader with influence and authority where it matters most to your heart, you need to process these old traumas and core wounds and repattern your subconscious so that you’re free and leveraged to do your work.
4. Adopt a beginner’s mindset and an openness to where the work takes you.
No matter how many years you have under your belt as a thought leader, you must maintain an open beginner’s mindset. Otherwise, your conversations may not fully evolve into an influential body of work that creates lasting transformation, setting industry standards and changing lives in the process. No matter how long we’ve been at it, there’s always more to learn; that’s just a hard truth about being human in this realm.
I’ve been writing and teaching about purpose since 2008, but it wasn’t until 2017 that I started weaving in trauma-informed healing practices and made trauma and core wounding a real part of the conversation (three years after I went through my own healing journey after a traumatic loss). It wasn’t until 2019 that I started talking about subconscious winning strategies more in-depth (two years after obsessively reading and reading The Last Word on Power by Tracy Goss, who’s been a significant mentor for me despite never meeting or working with her in person). It wasn’t until 2021 that I started bringing a systems thinking lens to the work to address the real obstacles people (especially marginalized communities) face when doing anything in the world, including purpose work (four years after I started learning about systems and social justice issues from various teachers and experts).
Truth be told, I didn’t have influence or authority around purpose until 2021, when I started weaving everything I’d learned together, speaking, writing, and teaching about this new way of doing purpose work from the context of being the future of it.
That’s 12 years after I first started writing about it online, and it will be another year or two before we bring the colonial lens into this work because we’re still learning and integrating.
Good thought leadership takes time and intention to build, and you must be willing to continuously learn and allow the work to be shaped as you do. Additionally, the times we live in will influence our work and conversations. To become a thought leader is to commit to the endless evolution of ourselves and our work.
No matter how smart, passionate, experienced, and knowledgeable we are about our thought leadership topic of choice, we don’t know everything, and we have no idea what it can become over the years. In 2008, I thought finding and living your purpose in life was about passions and personal fulfillment. That’s so far from what it’s truly about, and only time, intention, continuous learning, openness, and a willingness to iterate and evolve have allowed our conversations to grow as they have.
5. Heal your fear of failure, judgment, and getting things wrong (and your fear of success).
Visibility is inherent to thought leadership, regardless of whether you’re personally showing up to share. That’s because even if you publish a book that people can purchase and read on their own time, interview on an audio-only podcast, or submit research to a relevant publication, your thought leadership is visible, which ties back to you, the thought leader. When we’re working to have influence and authority around the concepts we believe need to be shared, we invite judgment, public failure, mistakes and missteps, rejection, and more, especially in this day and age when people will gladly tell you how dumb and ugly you are from behind the anonymity of their screens.
None of this is to scare you away from your desire to become a thought leader; it’s simply to stir up any fears that need to be addressed, cleared, and healed so that you don’t limit your work.
When it comes to these fears and their visibility triggers, they’re all rooted in acceptance and belonging because of our evolution as humans. We couldn’t survive without a community in the early times of our existence. If we got rejected or ostracized by our people, death was inevitable, whether that came from exposure to the elements, getting attacked by predators, or having no one to care for us when we were sick and injured. This fear of being an outcast runs deep in our survival instincts and subconscious programming (because even now, we can’t survive alone as children or elders, and we need other people to help us if we’re sick and injured).
Our subconscious doesn’t know that the risk of death is far lower in these times, so fear of failure, judgment, and getting things wrong is perceived internally as life-threatening. This gets even worse if you’ve ever experienced a heartbreaking rejection, major loss after failure, or isolation that stemmed from people’s judgment of you. You have evidence that it’s painful and overwhelming, even if you survived it!
But, like our subconscious winning strategy, we can heal and reprogram these fears. And the more we work on them, the more visible we (and our work) can become.
6. Commit to playing the long game rather than focusing on the short-term.
Patience is required to become a thought leader and have a real impact in your industry or conversations of choice. That’s because, as we keep saying, it takes time to develop good thought leadership. You must test theories and ideas, play with different formats and processes, experiment in tangible ways, and be well-researched (which can come from life and professional experiences, education or self-study, mentorship and coaching, publications, podcasts, programs, etc.).
You also need to evolve your ideas as you see which concepts stick and gain traction, elevating your conversations from bite-sized insights to full-blown Channels for Change™ that have influence (such as a book, podcast, documentary, TED Talk, program, or brand). Foundations was the first program I ever launched back in 2012, and it was (and still is) a solid process that supported people in finding themselves, uncovering their passions, and building a more fulfilling life, but it pales in comparison to what we teach now in Actualize™ and Journey Mapping™. That’s because I’m over a decade wiser, more experienced, and more educated on topics such as purpose, healing from trauma, subconscious programming, systems thinking, and more.
To become a thought leader, you must play the long game, which is hard because the Internet and social media have conditioned us toward instant gratification. Plus, when moving from a place of purpose, we deeply desire to have an impact, and waiting is painful. But, like anything, the real joy is in the journey. Once you surrender to the unfolding and allow the pace to be what it will be (while still moving it forward as much as you can), you start to see why it’s so worth it.
Every season of becoming a thought leader stacks.
Your work becomes richer, deeper, and more focused, and you start to understand that none of that was possible without the early seasons of being a beginner, sharing more basic ideas, and navigating the learning and experiences necessary to get to where you want to be.
As you can see, to become a thought leader, you must start with yourself. This is the foundational 101-level work that needs to be done to establish a solid base for your thought leadership to evolve to a world- and industry-transforming level.
Thought Leaders vs. Content Creators
Before we wrap up this section, it’s crucial to understand the difference between thought leaders and content creators. While thought leaders create content, content creators aren’t always thought leaders, and that’s an important distinction to make.
The difference between a thought leader and a content creator lies in their focus, intent, and the weight of their contributions to their field or community:
When it comes to focus and purpose, a thought leader aims to shape perspectives, drive conversations in a particular direction, and offer new insights in their field. Their content tackles complex ideas or challenges, providing unique perspectives that push the industry or community forward. They’re known for their unique expertise and are often seen as visionaries or trusted voices. In contrast, a content creator primarily focuses on generating engaging, educational, inspirational, or entertaining content for their audience. While they can be experts in their niche, their content is often more about sharing information, providing value, or engaging with their community rather than redefining ideas, innovating industries, or shifting perspectives.
Regarding impact, the depth of thought leadership content often lies in its ability to challenge conventional wisdom, propose innovative solutions, or offer a new way of seeing and solving problems. Thought leaders are often consulted for their strategic insights and have a long-term impact on industry trends or community beliefs. On the other hand, content creators focus on connecting with their audience through a consistent stream of posts, videos, blogs, or other media. The impact of their work may be measured by engagement, reach, and the ability to resonate with their audience, even if it doesn’t necessarily shift paradigms or provoke lasting industry change.
In terms of authority, thought leaders often build credibility through years of experience, expertise, and a deep, ever-evolving understanding of their subject matter. They’re seen as authorities, and their content is backed by their professional track record and insights that others often look to for guidance. Content creators can be experts in their field, but their credibility often comes more from their ability to connect and engage with their audience. They excel at creating relatable, accessible, and easily digestible content, making complex ideas more approachable or inspiring.
As for style and presentation, thought leaders are more focused on thought-provoking content, long-form pieces like white papers, books, or in-depth blog posts, videos, and podcast episodes, and they may appear as keynote speakers, industry panelists, or on podcasts and webinars that focus on strategic discussions. A content creator’s style is more diverse, from short-form videos, Instagram stories, TikToks, and social media posts to blogs and vlogs. The content tends to be more varied and suited for the platform’s audience rather than being rooted in strategic discourse.
When we look at audience engagement, a thought leader’s audience often looks for guidance, deep insights, and strategic foresight. They follow thought leaders to gain new perspectives, understand complex topics, and be inspired by forward-thinking ideas. A content creator’s audience often seeks entertainment, practical advice, or education in a more immediate, engaging, and usually bite-sized format. The connection here can feel more personal, and audience engagement is typically a two-way street, often driven by comments, likes, shares, and direct interaction.
Many thought leaders start as content creators, which was true for me.
I started a personal blog that evolved into a business and body of work (and has since evolved into Choose Your Calling). In the early days, I posted my musings and thoughts on Instagram and Facebook, much of which has iterated into books, programs, podcast episodes, videos, and thought leadership posts (like this one). I wrote guest posts, taught guest trainings, and shared my work and story on many podcasts and live series over the last 15 years.
What allowed me to become a thought leader rather than continue to be a content creator was purpose, vision, and being in the industry long enough to see the full picture, including where there are massive gaps that cause tremendous harm. Being passionate about helping people safely live their fullest expression and contribute to the world in the way only they can, so that we can collectively experience a better world, drove my work into thought leadership.
This post isn’t simply educational content designed to get you on our list so you can buy our offerings; it’s about redefining purpose, thought leadership, what it means to create transformation in the world, and sharing creative solutions for systemic and social issues. It results from well over a decade of cultivating these conversations, learning and educating myself on all angles and existing perspectives, and developing unique solutions, ideas, and processes.
There’s nothing “wrong” with being a content creator. But if you want to become a thought leader with influence and authority, keep reading because, as you can see, there’s so much more to it than putting ideas out into the world.
How to Become a Thought Leader
Now that you better understand thought leadership and the foundational 101 pieces to become a thought leader, you’re ready to take the tangible steps! If you’ve already started creating content or developing thought leadership, you’ll still benefit from our outlined steps.
8 Steps to Become a Thought Leader
Have you done the inner work to lay a foundation—connecting with your purpose, aligning with your callings, and clearing any blocks to become a thought leader? Amazing!
Let’s dig into some tangible steps to become a thought leader:
1. Clarify your area of expertise.
When aiming to become a thought leader, clarifying your area of expertise starts with deeply understanding your passions, skills, and unique perspectives. It’s about identifying what drives you and how your experiences and insights can address a specific need or gap in your field. This clarity helps you define your niche and ensures that your voice is distinctive and compelling, allowing you to resonate with your audience on a deeper level.
Begin by reflecting on the core topics or challenges you’re consistently drawn to—those issues you could discuss endlessly, where your passion and curiosity never wane. These are clues to your deeper purpose and where you can add the most value. Think about the conversations that keep you awake at night, the problems you’re eager to solve, or the possibilities that excite you. It might be a persistent problem in your industry, a misunderstood topic, or an overlooked emerging trend. These are the spaces where your thought leadership can thrive.
To deepen this reflection, consider the unique experiences and knowledge you bring. Your expertise isn’t just about what you know—it’s also shaped by your journey. What professional experiences have shaped your understanding? What personal challenges or successes have given you insights that others might lack? Your story, background, and the way you see the world form the foundation of your perspective, making your take on familiar topics fresh and compelling.
Next, explore the intersection between your expertise and the needs of your audience. It’s important to identify not only what you love to talk about but also what others are seeking in terms of guidance, insight, or new ways of thinking. What are the common pain points or unanswered questions within yo ur industry? Where do you see a disconnect between what people are struggling with and the solutions currently available? Your expertise should align with these needs, positioning you as someone who can provide clarity, direction, or a new approach.
Clarifying your area of expertise also means being willing to commit to it! It can be tempting to try to address every topic or appeal to everyone, but if you want to become a thought leader, you need a clear focus that’s not watered down and spread thin. That means saying no to distractions and doubling down on what you know best.
2. Define your audience.
If you’re simply building a brand and business or launching a product, program, or service, most people will tell you to start by defining your audience, and they’ll be right. But remember, thought leadership isn’t a marketing or business strategy, so we first clarify our area of expertise because it defines the conversations we’re here to talk about and the industries we want to disrupt with our messages.
From there, we look at the correct audience(s) for our thought leadership. If you’re addressing policy changes, you might orient your work toward political figures, grassroots organizations, and/or companies in relevant fields. If you’re addressing the failing education system, you may center your work around parents, school boards, teachers, and possibly even students in some instances. The transformation you’re seeking to create when you set out to become a thought leader determines who you need to speak to, and that’s important to clarify as early as possible.
That said, your audience can change as you dig into this work.
If you had asked me at any point in my journey what topic I wanted to center all my conversations around, the answer would have been purpose in one form or another. In the first year of my business, that would have looked like talking about the quarter-life crisis, finding yourself, uncovering your passions, and aligning your life and work in a fulfilling way. As I grew and walked through different life experiences, learning and iterating as I did, it shifted to topics like reorienting to yourself and uncovering your purpose after challenging chapters and big life transitions. Now with Choose Your Calling, it’s about helping people understand what purpose is, what concepts we absolutely must include in any healing and purpose conversations (trauma, systems, social conditioning, subconscious programming, etc.), and how to turn your purpose expression into a Channel for Change™ to transform the world (i.e., become a thought leader).
Defining your audience isn’t only about demographics or titles; it’s about diving into the mindset, needs, and aspirations of the people who will benefit most from your insights. Start by asking yourself who stands to gain the most from your perspective. Consider the questions they might be grappling with, their daily frustrations, the goals they’re striving toward, and the gaps your thought leadership will address that they may not even know to think about. The more you immerse yourself in their world, the better you understand what drives them. This understanding helps you speak directly to their hearts, opening their mind to new perspectives, concepts, and ways of being.
3. Choose a medium and start creating content.
Once you’re clear on your area of expertise and the audience you want to start with, start creating! This might be writing, making videos, or recording audio. Regardless of the medium, it’s about finding your rhythm, refining your voice, and engaging deeply with the topics that matter most to you and your audience.
The goal is to create a body of work showcasing your unique perspective while providing real value and the space to evolve.
Start by consistently creating and publishing online on a personal blog, newsletter, YouTube channel, or social media (our favorites are blogs and YouTube because you can leverage search engine optimization for discoverability, and you’re not battling the noise or algorithms of social platforms). Consistency builds trust with your audience and helps you become a thought leader at your desired level. But remember: it’s not about being perfect at the start—it’s about showing up, sharing your thoughts, and iterating based on what resonates with your audience. You’ll gain clarity as you go, understanding which ideas hold the most weight and which ones need more exploration.
When publishing online, avoid the temptation to be overly promotional.
Instead, focus on being genuinely helpful and insightful.
People are drawn to thought leaders who put service above self-promotion and care about elevating others through their expertise rather than just selling something to make money. When you share valuable content without expecting anything in return, you build trust and credibility that can’t be manufactured elsewhere.
While consistency is important, publishing high-quality content is vital. Thought leadership isn’t about quantity for quantity’s sake (which is the backbone of social media and another reason we don’t recommend it as a channel); it’s about creating pieces that make people pause, think differently, and shift their perspectives or beliefs.
It’s about producing content that stands out because it goes beyond surface-level thoughts. Quality content shows that you’ve taken the time to research, reflect, and refine your ideas, giving your audience a reason to keep coming back for more. And don’t be afraid to go into detail, especially when discussing topics others might gloss over. Being willing to dig deep into the nuances of a subject demonstrates a level of mastery that sets you apart. It shows that you’re not just skimming the surface—you’re committed to understanding the complexities and sharing that understanding with your audience.
One way to set your content apart (besides developing unique ideas and perspectives) is to use storytelling to capture and retain attention. Facts and data have their place, but it’s stories that connect deeply with people, no matter the audience type.
Stories make your ideas more memorable and relatable, helping you communicate complex concepts in a personal and engaging way. They allow you to share your journey, the challenges you’ve faced, and the insights you’ve gained along the way, making your expertise feel accessible rather than distant or overly intellectualized.
Lastly, answer the questions no one else is answering. Look for the gaps in the conversations happening in your field, the overlooked pain points, and the questions others haven’t thought to ask. When you address these areas, you position yourself as someone who’s not just part of the conversation but who’s shaping it. This is where you can make a real impact, providing fresh insights that draw people in and keep them engaged with your evolving body of work.
Here are some questions to get you started:
- What unique perspectives, processes, or insights can I offer on common challenges or trends within my industry?
- Who am I trying to support, and what specific needs or pain points do they have? How can I address those in a unique way?
- What context is often missing in my field’s conversations that I can provide to help people make better decisions?
- How can I differentiate my approach or methodology from others, and what makes my voice distinct in this space?
- What future trends or shifts in my industry do I foresee that others are not yet addressing? What’s coming that my audience isn’t prepared for, and what do they need to know?
- How can I use storytelling to make complex ideas more relatable? What stories would help my content be more engaging?
- What questions or concerns is my audience asking that other thought leaders overlook, dismiss, or make light of? Where can I expand on the simple answers that are often provided?
- What beliefs or mindset shifts do my audience need to have to consider my ideas relevant and worth their time and attention?
- How can I continuously refine my ideas based on feedback, engagement, and my audience’s evolving needs?
4. Establish your unique brand.
Most people think branding means logos, fonts, and color palettes, but that’s an oversimplification. In reality, a brand is the unique identity and narrative of a company, organization, movement, or body of work that sets it apart, creating a distinct set of feelings, perceptions, and associations in the minds of its audience. It’s more than just a logo or a product; it’s the story, values, and experiences that shape how people connect emotionally and intellectually with your work.
For this stage of your work to become a thought leader, it’s most important to have your positioning in place because solid branding starts with clearly crafted and unique positioning and unfolds into your visual branding (we’ll focus on putting up a website of your own in the building section to follow).
You might wonder why this step is after creating and sharing content online. It’s a good question, and the answer is simple: it’s not 100% necessary to have a website to start developing your thought leadership (yes, as a design and branding agency, we believe this strongly!) The most crucial step to become a thought leader is to have some form of thought leadership that’s actively being developed. You can blog and have a newsletter on Substack, share your ideas on YouTube and social media channels, or podcast on Spotify and Substack. That means you’re in motion! You’re getting vital feedback and seeing what lands and what doesn’t! You’re developing your ideas!
Don’t get tripped up on creating some big, fancy website right off the bat. You don’t need that yet, especially if you’re unclear about your thought leadership and audience. However, you do need to think about your brand positioning soon after you start sharing your thought leadership so that you develop it in the most aligned direction.
So, what’s brand positioning?
Brand positioning is the strategic process of defining how you want your work to be perceived in the minds of your target audience, highlighting your unique value and differentiators. For thought leadership, strong brand positioning is crucial because it provides clarity and focus, helping to establish a targeted and compelling message that sets your work apart from others in your industry. It ensures that your unique perspectives and expertise consistently align with your audience’s needs, making your voice more memorable, credible, and influential.
A well-crafted brand positioning statement typically includes:
- Who is your target audience? Ideally, you’ve already defined this! If not, remember: this is about going beyond their demographics and deep into their psychographics. What do they desire? What keeps them up at night? What are they hoping for? How do they feel about their life or situation right now, and how do they want to feel after implementing a solution?
- What do you do? From a thought leadership lens, this is about more than just the specifics of your offerings or packages (if you have any); it’s about the conversations you’re having, the future you’re being, and what your thought leadership aims to solve. For example, we’re not just talking about what purpose is; we’re redefining it, addressing trauma’s role, navigating systems, and educating on the subconscious winning strategy to redefine industry standards and help individuals find their purpose where no others have helped. What are you talking about? What’s ultimately being provided?
- Why do you do what you do? This is about the drive behind your thought leadership. What’s your passion, purpose, and overall mission? Why is it important to you to see the changes you’re working to create? Where does that passion, desire to serve, and sense of purpose come from? Why do you care?
- What differentiates you from your competitors? This requires knowing and understanding your competition, even if you don’t believe you have any. What are other people doing in your space, and how is what you do different? What gaps do you fill? What beliefs do you hold that affect your thought leadership and work quality? What training or experience sets you apart?
- Why should people believe you? This is a challenging question when we’re not anchored in our mission, story, and vision (especially if you have visibility trauma or impostor syndrome). The question is simple: why should someone believe you’re the best choice to solve their problems? Why should they believe your why? Why should they listen to anything you say, let alone listen to you?
Each piece of positioning stafcks, coming together to form a statement that acts as a Core Anchoring Concept™ for your thought leadership—a concept that everything centers around so that your consistency and congruence are palpable across all your touchpoints (places where your thought leadership interacts with people).
If you need help with this step, grab our free workbook that includes examples of Brand Positioning Statements:
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5. Create an original concept or framework.
Signature processes are vital in creating differentiated thought leadership and any offerings that go with it. A signature process is a unique and structured methodology or system based on your experience, expertise, and how your work has developed over time. Signature processes make our work feel more tangible and legitimate, especially offerings and topics that are more abstract or ethereal (such as coaching, healing, personal growth, etc.).
Success paths, a framework I learned from Stu McLaren, cast a vision of where your ideal audience members generally start their journey (pain points), where they ultimately want to end up (desired results, benefits, and outcomes), and your unique process for getting them there. It does all of this in a way that helps them self-identify where they are currently and how your work can help them progress.
Success paths are made up of four pieces:
- Stages: These are the significant steps or phases your audience needs to take to get from where they are now to where they want to be. Example: In our Journey Mapping™ program, there are 12 lessons but five distinct stages—preparing for the journey, looking at the ordinary world, navigating the special world, choosing the path for your return, and stepping into what comes next.
- Characteristics: These are the characteristics of your audience at each stage. What does someone at each stage think, feel, or do? Start with the worst case and move into the best case. Example: In the first stage of Journey Mapping, some core characteristics are feeling uncertain about what’s to come, ready for a change but not entirely trusting that it’s possible, and disoriented inside their lives. They feel isolated, like no one understands what they’ve been through or are going through, and they want to find their way ‘back’ somehow, but aren’t sure what that means.
- Milestones: These are indicators for your audience to measure their progress inside each stage. What are some ‘yes’ or ‘no’ responses to questions you might ask someone to help indicate whether they’re ready for the next stage? Example: In the first stage of Journey Mapping, some questions people can ask themselves to measure their progress include, “Where am I lacking trust in myself and my intuition, and how can I begin to cultivate more confidence in my ability to discern what’s right and wrong? What is my relationship to my emotions? Am I willing and able to fully feel them, even the hard and uncomfortable ones?”
- Action items: These are the things that people need to do to progress along the Success Path. What will your clients and customers need to do or accomplish to move forward? Example: In the first stage of Journey Mapping, milestones that indicate they’re ready for the next stage include a strong sense of trust and faith (in self and Source), finally trusting in their intuition, and being in tune with and able to feel through their emotions productively.
With this outline, map out your stages, characteristics, milestones, and action items to develop your unique success path. If possible, create a branded graphic that puts this success path into a visual model so people can better understand it.
If you’re new to working to become a thought leader, you may not be ready for this step. But the more you create content and iterate, evolving your ideas and conversations, keep this process in mind.
You’ll know when the time is right!
6. Test your theories and processes.
Marketers will teach you to simply position your thought leadership as effective, brilliant, and the missing piece people need to create the changes they want to see. However, good thought leadership requires qualified work with transparency regarding your results.
In research terms, to qualify your work means that a project meets specific criteria or standards to be considered valid, often signifying that it’s sound and has a clear purpose aligned with the field of study.
This means your work, concepts, processes, and frameworks have been tested and are shown to be effective, not just nice ideas.
- Working with small groups or pilot programs is one of the most accessible ways to start testing your theories and processes. These settings allow you to bring together a small group of people who align with your target audience and test out your frameworks in a more intimate, controlled environment. For example, you might create a short-term coaching program, a workshop series (Actualize was born after a five-part test series), or a focus group where participants apply your methods. Through smaller interactions, you can gather valuable feedback on what resonates, what falls flat, and what needs to be refined. It’s a chance to see how your ideas translate from theory into practice.
- Speaking engagements also offer an excellent opportunity to test your ideas. When you speak at conferences, webinars, or even smaller events, you can present your concepts and watch how audiences respond in real time. This format helps you gauge which parts of your message resonate deeply, where people have questions, and what sparks new insights. Speaking lets you see how your ideas land across different demographics and industries, giving you a broader sense of their impact. It’s a chance to refine your message while positioning yourself as a leader who’s confident enough to put their ideas out there for others to critique.
- Coaching or consulting work is another effective way to test your theories. This involves working closely with individuals or organizations to apply your frameworks directly to their unique challenges. The beauty of this approach is that you get a front-row seat to see how your ideas function in diverse, real-world scenarios. You’ll discover what elements are universally applicable, which need customization, and how your approach can be adapted for different needs. It also offers a deeper connection to those you serve, making the process of refining your ideas more collaborative.
Being open to feedback and willing to make adjustments is crucial throughout these testing phases. You can’t rigidly cling to your initial ideas and become a thought leader! You must be willing to evolve them based on real-world evidence and the needs of your audience.
Listen to what people find valuable, what confuses them, or where they see gaps. Consider this feedback as a tool to sharpen and strengthen your approach, transforming raw ideas into polished frameworks that genuinely make an impact.
7. Continuously evolve your thought leadership.
To become a thought leader, you must be committed to growth, willing to adapt, and deeply understand your field’s ever-changing landscape. It’s about staying relevant while digging deeper into your unique perspective, ensuring your voice remains fresh and authoritative.
To do this, embrace critical practices that keep your ideas sharp, your content relevant and engaging, and your influence growing.
- Start with active listening and constant engagement. A good thought leader never stops learning from their audience and the broader industry. This means tuning into what your audience is saying—listening to their struggles, aspirations, and feedback. Keep an eye on the questions they’re asking, the challenges they’re facing, and how they respond to your content. Social media, online forums, and even casual conversations can provide valuable insights into shifts in your audience’s needs and interests. This practice ensures that your ideas don’t become stale or disconnected from reality.
- Stay attuned to the conversations happening within your industry while listening to your audience. Read articles, attend conferences, participate in webinars, and follow other thought leaders to keep your finger on the pulse of new developments. This helps you identify emerging trends, understand the nuances of industry shifts, and spot gaps you can address with your perspectives. It’s not about jumping on every trend but rather discerning which new ideas and shifts are meaningful and where you can bring your unique spin. This blend of awareness and discernment keeps your content relevant while ensuring you’re always a few steps ahead.
- Another essential step is to refine and challenge your own ideas consistently. You can’t be static if you want to become a thought leader because it’s a living, breathing thing that should evolve as you gain new experiences and insights. Revisit your foundational concepts periodically and ask yourself if they still hold up in the current context. Are there elements you can deepen or expand upon? Are there assumptions you made that need re-evaluation? Engaging with critics or constructive feedback from peers can be especially valuable here, helping you see blind spots or areas where your thinking could grow stronger. This process keeps you humble, grounded, and open to change.
- You also want to embrace experimentation in presenting and exploring your ideas. Testing your frameworks and concepts through different mediums like blog posts, podcasts, videos, or live events allows you to see what resonates best with your audience and provides new angles to explore. Experimentation can also involve exploring new formats or series that dive deeper into specific topics, offering a chance to build upon existing ideas. Through this experimentation, you’ll often stumble upon fresh insights or perspectives you hadn’t considered before.
- You may also consider documenting your evolution as it happens. Sharing your growth, the shifts in your thinking, and the lessons learned along the way makes you more relatable and shows you’re not just resting on old achievements. It allows your audience to see the process behind your thought leadership and understand that your insights result from ongoing learning and refinement.
- Lastly, keep the long-term vision and your purpose in mind while embracing adaptability. Your thought leadership should have a clear mission that acts as your north star. This allows you to remain consistent in your values and core message, even as the specific topics or formats you engage with change over time. When anchored by a larger vision, it’s easier to adjust to shifts in your field without losing the core of what you stand for. It means you can dive into new areas, but your followers will always recognize the deeper thread that ties all your work together.
Evolving your thought leadership is a balance between curiosity and focus, staying true to your core message, and being open to where new insights take you. It’s about showing up with a commitment to offer something valuable while being willing to let that offering change and deepen with time. By embracing continuous learning, open-mindedness, and a willingness to adapt, you ensure that your thought leadership doesn’t just keep up with the times—it shapes them.
8. Find a mentor to coach you.
If you want to become a thought leader at a higher level, getting mentorship is a great way to fast-track that. Mentors come in all shapes and sizes, and who to work with depends entirely on your goals.
If you’re in the early stages of your work to become a thought leader, then it often makes the most sense to find a mentor in your industry who can help you deepen into the work, understand concepts, access new resources and perspectives, and help you grasp the landscape you’re working in. When I was early in the process of learning about trauma, healing after challenging chapters, and repatterning the subconscious, I was fortunate to meet someone who became a wonderful mentor to me for several years. They shared resources, frequently met and discussed things with me, took me to their workshops and trainings, and introduced me to incredible people. Their fingerprints and mentorship are woven into the thread of my work, and for that, I’m deeply grateful.
That said, it’s important to note that we often outgrow our mentors on the journey to become a thought leader, especially as we stray from the tried-and-true methods or standard conversations. This is no shade to or commentary on our beloved guides; it simply happens as we further develop our unique perspectives. My mentor and I argued about many things a couple of years into our relationship because I began to center on specific ideas and frameworks that didn’t match theirs. A good mentor will debate and challenge you while giving you the space to dig into your own point of view!
As you evolve into the building phase of your mission to become a thought leader, bringing in other mentors, such as SEO strategists (because having the right keywords and knowing how to use them is crucial), brand strategists (to help you expand beyond your initial positioning statement and into visual branding and key marketing messages), and business consultants (to help you look at your thought leadership through an expanded lens) can help take your work to the next levels of visibility, reach, and impact.
If this feels like the stage you’re at, you’re in luck!
These steps will help you become a thought leader…
But that’s not where the work ends!
11 Ways to Build Thought Leadership
Building thought leadership is different from becoming a thought leader because it involves evolving and iterating of your conversations, ideas, concepts, frameworks, and processes, and establishing authority and recognition in our industry. This stage is about gaining more visibility for your work, building your audience, and further evolving your ideas.
Here are 11 ways to start building your thought leadership:
1. Implement search engine optimization (SEO) for more reach.
SEO is a set of strategies and practices designed to improve a website’s (or piece of content’s) visibility and ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs) like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. It’s the foundation for having your thought leadership content show up in the top results for the things your audience and industry peers are actively searching for.
When designed well and executed strategically, SEO-based content allows you to create and produce compelling pieces that grow in visibility, reach, and conversions over time.
It all begins with keyword research to understand what you can rank for. To do this piece well, you must understand your audience(s) to dig into the research of what they’re actively searching for online. From there, you want to find keywords with a high enough monthly search volume and low difficulty that center around your core conversations, ideal audience and industry pain points, and key messages.
In doing this research, you might find that your ideal audience isn’t searching for what you think they are at all! That means you need to create completely different content that meets them where they’re at and guides them into your aligned ideas, frameworks, solutions, processes, and offerings—things they wouldn’t think to search for because they’re more focused on their symptoms than the root issues.
So, how do we do this?
- First, make sure you’re clear on your ideal audience. This goes beyond the demographics and psychographics at this point in your quest to become a thought leader; it’s also about their context and search habits. Contextually, you need to know where they are in relation to your topic and their pain points. Do they know there’s a problem but have no idea where to start looking for a solution? Are they looking at the wrong solutions and being misinformed by others in the industry? Or are they actively looking for the conversations you’re having and solutions you’re providing? From there, we want to know what they’re searching and where they’re searching for it. The best way to do this is by interviewing people who make up your ideal audience(s). You’re getting to know more about their pain points, context, and search habits, which will inform your SEO keyword research and content creation.
- Second, clarify your keyword buckets. This will come from your ideal audience interviews (pain points and context) as well as your thought leadership topics (concepts, talking points, solutions, and ideas). If you’re a functional nutritionist working to become a thought leader, your buckets may include autoimmune disease, chronic pain, and chronic anxiety on a high level. If you’re an environmental activist working to become a thought leader, your buckets may include sustainability, climate change, policy, and specific ecosystems you’re focused on. What are your work’s primary buckets—both in what you offer and what your ideal clients and customers are concerned about and/or looking for? Brainstorm and see what comes to mind.
- Lastly, dig into your keyword research! We recommend using Google’s free Keyword Planner and following our research guidelines available in the following free workbook, which also includes a detailed ideal audience interview questionnaire:
Grab our seven-step guide to eliminating the two biggest threats to your body of work in the AI Age.
Create a powerfully positioned online hub and marketing machine supported by search engine content that actively appreciates over time.
Whatever keywords you land on, ensure they’re woven into the content you’re creating as much (and as naturally) as possible. So much more goes into the SEO piece, but knowing your focus keywords is the best place to start! If you need help, don’t hesitate to contact us; SEO keyword research is one of our favorite offerings!
2. Elevate your brand and secure your audience and content by building your own website.
Websites have always mattered, regardless of what social media influencers and strategists say. Websites will matter even more as social media reaches total oversaturation and more people start exiting altogether—specifically, well-branded and search engine optimized websites (your keyword research will come into play on your website!)
Social media isn’t a secure or effective business hub—period. We’ve witnessed many clients, friends, and influencers lose their social media profiles (especially on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram) out of nowhere for no real reason. Or they’re experiencing shadow banning (where your reach is limited because of topics you speak to). If you lose your social media profiles and can’t appeal or get them restored, you’ll also lose your audience and channel for thought leadership. Sure, you can start a new one, but how will you tell your past followers to find you? Without a website, you likely don’t have a solid list or a way to retarget people who’ve visited/followed you. Worse yet, building a social media following from scratch is much more challenging than 10 years ago.
- First, let’s be clear: being well-branded is about much more than just a well-designed website. Great design matters and sets you apart from the thousands upon thousands of competitors in your industry, but what matters more is that your positioning, voice, and messaging are clear and cohesive and speak directly to the hearts of your ideal audience. Solid branding starts with clearly crafted and unique positioning and unfolds into your visual branding (logo and website), content strategy (copy, marketing, voice, tone), etc. So, if you haven’t done that fundamental work, do so now!
- Second, you must incorporate SEO into your website and content. SEO is also the only way to have your work appreciate—meaning your content increases in value, reach, impact, and ROI over time vs. disappearing into the void of the internet like social media posts do. SEO is crucial for creating an online business hub that continually drives traffic, builds your audience, and boosts sales if you have offerings on your website with less financial and energetic investment from you over time.
- Third, you want to build a functional website that helps capture your audience via an email marketing list, retargeting pixels, or gated content like free guides, quizzes, or webinars. By offering something valuable in exchange for their email, you create a direct line of communication with your audience, allowing you to stay in touch and share your insights, updates, and offerings, no matter what happens with social media. Unlike social media followers, an email list is an asset you own, allowing you to nurture relationships and build trust without worrying about algorithm changes. We have detailed steps for setting up your website if you don’t already have one in our free Two Biggest Threats workbook.
- Lastly, your website should be a central hub where all your content lives, from blog posts and case studies to podcast episodes and video series. This creates a comprehensive resource that showcases your expertise and offers a clear path for visitors to explore your thought leadership in depth. Unlike social media, where posts disappear into the feed in a very short amount of time, your website’s content remains accessible and searchable, continuously building your authority in the industry!
By driving traffic to your website through SEO, sharing valuable insights, and capturing leads through email lists, you create a sustainable ecosystem that supports your thought leadership for the long haul. This approach helps you grow an audience that isn’t tied to the whims of social media algorithms and ensures that your work has a lasting impact. It’s about building a foundation supporting your vision, message, and expertise, helping you stand out in a saturated market and create a legacy that endures beyond the next platform or trend.
3. Network at industry events.
You can’t lead others in the thinking around topics in your industry if they don’t know who you are! While keyword research, having a website, and creating optimized content on search-friendly platforms like websites, YouTube, and podcast feeds will get you visibility, connecting with people in your industry will accelerate your building efforts in a way that digital presence alone can’t achieve.
Showing up at industry events puts you in direct contact with peers, influencers, and potential collaborators who might have already established themselves in areas you aim to grow.
When you attend conferences, trade shows, or workshops, you position yourself as a serious thought leader in the space—someone who isn’t just speaking about the industry from behind a screen but is invested in being part of the community. This presence helps you create meaningful relationships that go beyond surface-level interactions. It’s about building rapport, sharing ideas in real time, and engaging in discussions that help shape the future of your field.
Engaging in conversations at events gives you access to fresh insights, perspectives, and the latest trends that aren’t always captured online (because, believe it or not, there’s a whole world beyond the Internet!). These interactions can spark new ideas, refine your existing concepts, or reveal blind spots you hadn’t considered. Industry events are a goldmine for learning what’s top-of-mind for others in your space and where you can add value. Hearing about the challenges others face or the buzzing trends can give you direction on pivoting your thought leadership efforts to meet real needs.
Even better, these events offer a platform to share ideas and start conversations around your perspective. When you speak on panels, lead workshops, or engage in dynamic discussions during networking sessions, you can position yourself as someone who contributes to the industry dialogue. This presence builds recognition—people start associating your name with innovative thoughts, practical insights, and a unique point of view. They may follow up with you afterward to learn more, visit your website, and engage with your content. This blend of offline and online engagement strengthens your brand, turning casual contacts into followers and advocates for your work.
4. Collaborate with others.
You can’t become a thought leader in isolation!
Thought leadership is elevated by exchanging ideas, experiences, and insights with those who see the world differently. By seeking opportunities for deeper collaboration with other experts or even those you see as up-and-coming voices in your space, you open yourself up to a broader range of perspectives that can push your thinking to new heights. But these relationships aren’t just about increasing visibility; they’re about creating a space where knowledge can flow freely and you can challenge each other to achieve mutual growth.
Collaborating through interviews, joint panel discussions, or co-hosted events can provide fresh angles on topics you’ve already explored, turning a familiar subject into a new conversation. For example, hosting a podcast episode where you interview a colleague with a different approach to solving a common industry problem can reveal nuances you hadn’t considered before. Their insights might illuminate gaps in your thinking, inspire you to adjust your frameworks, or even spark a new direction for your content. These dialogues help you see your field through another’s lens, offering new depths to your understanding, which is crucial when building thought leadership.
Joint ventures or co-created content, like webinars or collaborative articles, can also be a powerful way to reach new audiences. When you partner with someone with a different but complementary skill set, you both benefit from the cross-pollination of your followers. Their audience gets to know you through the collaboration, and yours becomes more familiar with them. This mutual exposure builds credibility and positions you both as thought leaders open to bringing more value to the table rather than simply focusing on your platforms and conversations. It also makes your work feel more expansive, as you’re seen as a connector in your industry—someone willing to bridge ideas and communities.
Ultimately, these collaborations build a sense of community around your thought leadership. They show that you’re not just focused on broadcasting your ideas but are equally committed to fostering dialogue and bringing others into the conversation.
By demonstrating that you’re willing to learn, share the spotlight, and explore new angles, you position yourself as a thought leader who’s genuinely invested in the growth of your field. And this, in turn, makes people more eager to follow you, engage with your ideas, and see you as a trusted voice in the ongoing evolution of your industry.
5. Offer signature workshops or webinars to bring in new audience members.
Hosting a signature workshop or webinar is a powerful way to showcase your expertise, introduce your unique ideas, and provide real value to your audience and industry. Unlike short social media posts or blog articles, workshops and webinars give you the time and space to walk participants through your concepts, frameworks, or processes in a more interactive and engaging way.
A well-designed workshop or webinar should feel like a valuable experience, not just a promotional event.
Focus on delivering actionable takeaways, fresh perspectives, and a level of depth that participants won’t get elsewhere. This helps build trust and demonstrates that your ideas aren’t just theoretical—they can be implemented to solve real problems. When participants leave with new insights or a clear next step, they’re more likely to view you as a credible authority and stay connected with you.
One of the best ways to do this is to take a signature process (something you may have developed based on the How to Become a Thought Leader section above) and teach one or two steps in-depth while going high-level on the rest. You can also teach the “what” behind the process, only going into the “how” where it makes sense. This allows the conversation to be more actionable and digestible and seamlessly invites people to the next level of the work, whether that’s reading your book or working with you directly. Some good examples of this approach include our free Journey Mapping introduction workshop and our free Make the Impossible Happen workshop.
Offering these sessions also allows you to interact directly with your audience, giving real-time feedback on what resonates, what sparks questions, and where they may need more guidance.
It’s a chance to learn more about their pain points, interests, and the language they use to describe their challenges, which can inform your future content creation and thought leadership strategies. These interactions can also highlight areas where your existing frameworks might need to be refined, allowing you to continuously improve your offerings and ensure they meet the needs of your audience.
6. Produce original research.
Creating original research is one of the most impactful ways to become a thought leader and establish your work, as it provides new data, insights, or perspectives that can shape industry conversations. Unlike sharing general knowledge or repurposing existing content, original research positions you as a source of new information, setting you apart as someone who contributes fresh ideas and findings to the field.
This process involves diving deep into a specific area, gathering data, analyzing trends, and sharing discoveries that others in your industry can learn from, reference, and build upon.
Original research can take many forms, from conducting surveys and interviews to compiling case studies or performing quantitative analyses. It might involve gathering firsthand data on industry trends, studying customer behavior, or exploring gaps in the market that no one else has addressed. By offering new statistics or insights, you create content that others are eager to cite and share, giving your work greater reach and credibility. This makes your research a valuable resource that professionals, businesses, and media outlets turn to, creating opportunities for citations, collaborations, and media mentions that further elevate your reputation as a leader in your field.
Producing original research also allows you to control the narrative around your key topics. It allows you to ask the questions that matter most to your audience and provide data-backed answers that cut through the noise and fluff plaguing every industry. This positions you to become a thought leader who can back up their ideas with evidence and real-world findings rather than someone who simply offers opinions. It allows you to challenge existing assumptions in your industry or highlight emerging trends that others have yet to notice, ensuring your voice is at the forefront of critical discussions.
Original research can boost your credibility and be a powerful content generator. A single research study can fuel multiple types of content, from comprehensive reports and whitepapers to blog posts, infographics, webinars, and social media content. This allows you to reach different audience segments in varied formats while reinforcing your expertise.
Producing original research takes time and effort, but it has the potential to transform how others see you and your work. It shows that you’re willing to go beyond surface-level insights, investing in pursuing more profound knowledge that benefits your field. In a world where content is often recycled or superficial, original research is a beacon of value, offering new perspectives that others can’t easily replicate and solidifying your position as a forward-thinking expert. This commitment to advancing knowledge elevates your thought leadership and helps shape your industry’s future in meaningful ways!
7. Repurpose and distribute content to build memorability.
To become a thought leader, you must ensure that your core messages reach your audience in multiple ways and formats. Repurposing content allows you to take the valuable insights, ideas, and frameworks you’ve already created and adapt them into new formats, making it easier for different audience segments to engage with your ideas. By doing this, you create a consistent presence across various platforms, reinforcing your message and making you more memorable and trustworthy.
Repurposing can be as simple as turning a long-form blog post into a series of shorter social media posts to build your social library (you don’t have to post every day!), breaking down critical points into bite-sized pieces that are easy to share and digest. It could also mean adapting a popular podcast episode into a blog article, detailed infographic, or pillar video, allowing you to reach those who prefer reading or watching content rather than listening. This approach helps you reach people where they are, meeting their preferences while ensuring your core ideas are consistent across different mediums.
When you distribute your repurposed content across platforms—such as sharing video clips on YouTube, posting infographics on Pinterest, or publishing condensed versions of your articles on LinkedIn—you also increase your chances of being discovered by new audiences.
Each platform has its unique user base and engagement style, and repurposing allows you to tap into these diverse audiences without constantly creating new material from scratch.
This saves time and allows you to maximize your reach!
That said, repurposing content isn’t just about extending your reach; it’s also about reinforcing your key messages so they become memorable to your audience. Those concepts are more likely to stick when people encounter your ideas in different formats and contexts. For instance, a powerful concept you introduced in a blog post might gain new life when turned into a visual graphic that people can save and refer back to. Or a thoughtful podcast discussion might resonate even more when adapted into a detailed newsletter, offering your subscribers a deeper dive. Each touchpoint deepens your audience’s connection to your thought leadership, building familiarity and trust.
Additionally, repurposing content allows you to keep your ideas relevant over time. As new trends and conversations emerge in your industry, you can revisit older content, update it, and reframe it to align with current discussions. This ensures that your thought leadership continues to feel fresh and timely, even as you build on the foundation of what you’ve already created. It’s a way to keep the conversation going, showing that you are constantly refining your ideas while providing value to your audience.
8. Continually measure and share results.
A crucial part of the work to become a thought leader isn’t just sharing ideas but also demonstrating their real-world impact.
Continuously measuring the effectiveness of your insights, strategies, or methodologies allows you to show that your ideas are more than just theories—they drive tangible results. This process involves tracking your work’s impact, whether that’s through metrics like increased engagement or shares on your content, higher conversion rates from specific strategies, or success stories from those who have implemented your work and advice. By regularly evaluating these outcomes, you can adjust and refine your approach, ensuring that your thought leadership stays relevant and effective.
Measuring results starts with setting clear goals for your content and initiatives. For example, if you’ve shared a new framework for productivity, track how many people engage with it, how they respond, and any feedback or testimonials they provide about its effectiveness. If you’re conducting workshops, look at participation numbers, follow-up inquiries, or changes in audience behavior after applying what they’ve learned. If you’re publishing on YouTube, make a note of views, comments, and likes. This data helps you understand what resonates most with your audience and what aspects of your ideas might need further development or clarity. It’s a way of continuously learning from your audience, allowing you to fine-tune more rapidly.
Once you’ve gathered data and insights, don’t keep them to yourself—share those results with your audience! Transparency around what works, what doesn’t, and the lessons learned builds credibility and positions you as a thoughtful, data-driven leader. When you highlight the successes of your frameworks or strategies, such as increased productivity, improved business performance, or positive client feedback, you’re showcasing proof that your ideas can create real change. This reinforces your authority and helps build trust, as your audience can see the evidence of your impact.
While it can be scary to open yourself to scrutiny, publicly sharing results can attract new opportunities and partnerships. When potential clients, collaborators, or media outlets see that your work is backed by actual results and transparency in your process, they’re more likely to see you as a credible partner or source of insight. It shows that you don’t just have good ideas—you have a track record of applying those ideas in ways that generate value. This can lead to invitations to speak at events, contribute to industry reports, or participate in high-level discussions that further expand your influence.
9. Use a variety of platforms to create a strong presence.
To become a thought leader and build your body of work, you need to reach your audience wherever they are, and that requires showing up consistently across multiple platforms. While it’s tempting to focus on just one channel—like a blog or a podcast—using a variety of platforms allows you to connect with different segments of your audience in ways that are most natural and engaging for them.
Each platform has its strengths and opportunities, and by tailoring your content for each, you can create a more holistic presence that reinforces your message and extends your reach.
Start by identifying the platforms where your ideal audience is most active. For some, this might mean maintaining a presence on professional networks like LinkedIn, where you can share in-depth articles, join discussions, or host live sessions to reach a more business-oriented audience. For others, platforms like YouTube or Instagram might be essential, offering opportunities to create visual content like videos, infographics, or behind-the-scenes glimpses that make your ideas more relatable and accessible.
For the most part, we don’t recommend social media, as it’s no longer viable for sharing and building thought leadership. In fact, most content shared on social platforms has a lifespan of minutes to hours to maybe a day, which is why we encourage having a website and blog, a podcast, a YouTube channel, and a Pinterest account (if this is where your audience hangs out) because they’re all search engines or search engine friendly. This means that when you share your content, it appreciates over time, gaining more visibility and engagement and driving more traffic when properly optimized.
Alongside this strategy, we encourage building thought leadership libraries on relevant social media channels. The intention of these libraries is not to post content daily or to concern yourself with the algorithm, reach, engagement, etc.; it’s about building a library of rich resources that will drive people back to your website and thought leadership content. These profile visitors might come from a random search or be referred to your website after reading a guest post or listening to a podcast interview you were featured on (both great ways to build more quality backlinks for your site).
Additionally, these library posts can be tested as lean ads to lead more people to your blog, webinars, podcast, or offerings. And if anyone clicks from your ad to your profile, it won’t be empty! Instead, it will have a wealth of engaging resources for them to learn more about your work.
10. Publish on authoritative sites.
Sharing your insights on well-established, reputable platforms will elevate your thought leadership rapidly. When you publish on authoritative sites, you gain access to their built-in audience and leverage their credibility, which helps to amplify your message and position you as a trusted voice. These platforms are often already known for high-quality content, and being featured on them signals to readers that your ideas are worth paying attention to. It’s a strategic way to expand your reach, attract new followers, and build your reputation as a thought leader who contributes valuable perspectives.
Finding the best sites to publish on begins with understanding where your ideal audience is already seeking information.
Think about the online spaces they turn to to stay updated on trends, learn new skills, or explore deeper discussions within your industry. These might be well-known industry publications, niche blogs, or even platforms with a broader reach that regularly feature content relevant to your field. For instance, if you’re in the tech or startup world, publishing on platforms like TechCrunch or Inc. can place you in front of innovators and entrepreneurs who are eager for new insights. For those in the business or professional space, sites like Forbes or Harvard Business Review can align your ideas with established expertise.
Exploring specialized trade publications or online journals that cater to your niche is also valuable. These platforms might have smaller audiences, but those readers are often highly engaged and deeply invested in the subject. For example, a site dedicated to environmental innovation or clean tech could be a perfect match if you’re focused on sustainable business practices. Publishing on these specialized sites allows you to dive deep into topics that matter most to your audience and can help you become a known name within more focused circles.
As you pitch your content to these platforms, focus on how your perspective can add unique value to their existing conversations. Editors of these sites are always looking for fresh takes and new voices to engage their audience, so make it clear why your ideas are a perfect fit for their readership! Show how your experience, research, or viewpoints bring a new angle to the subjects they cover, making it more likely that they’ll accept your submission and feature your work.
When you can point to articles published on respected platforms, it shows that your insights are recognized by the broader industry, building trust with your followers and potential clients.
It demonstrates that you’re not just speaking into the void; you’re shaping conversations that matter in places where people are already paying attention. Additionally, most publications will include a link to your website, boosting your site authority and increasing your odds of ranking higher in the search results.
11. Be a guest on authoritative podcasts and shows.
Sharing your insights as a guest on well-regarded podcasts and video shows is our favorite way to establish your thought leadership. These platforms offer a chance to speak directly to engaged audiences, bringing your ideas to life through conversation. Unlike written content, podcasts and shows allow you to share your personality, passion, and expertise “live,” helping listeners feel a deeper connection to you and your message. When you’re featured on respected podcasts or shows within your industry, you gain credibility by association, making it easier for new audiences to trust and appreciate your perspective, and you get more backlinks in the process, which boosts your SEO efforts.
To get started as a guest on authoritative shows, identify the podcasts and shows that align with your niche and where your target audience is already listening. Look for programs that consistently feature guests with expertise similar to yours, cover topics you’re passionate about, and are actively recording and releasing new episodes. These might range from large, well-known podcasts to niche, focused shows that cater to specific industry segments. The key is to find shows that align with your message and where you can add unique value.
To identify these opportunities, start by looking at the podcasts on which your peers, competitors, or other thought leaders in your space appear. This can give you a sense of where conversations in your industry are happening and where your voice might be a good fit. You can also use podcast directories like Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or tools like Listen Notes and Matchmaker, to search for shows that match your expertise.
Once you’ve found the right shows, craft a compelling pitch highlighting why you’d be a great guest. Focus on what makes your perspective unique and, most importantly, how it will benefit their listeners. If you have a signature framework, a fresh take on a hot topic, or recent research that challenges conventional thinking, emphasize that in your pitch. It’s essential to show that you’ve done your homework, so mention a specific episode you enjoyed or a topic that aligns with your expertise, making it clear that you’re familiar with their content and have something valuable to add.
If you need help, we do this all the time for clients!
Not only do we research the most aligned shows, but we also develop unique speaking topics, create a compelling speaker one-sheet, and provide our outreach templates. When paired with unique talk titles and descriptions, these templates have a 60 – 80% conversion rate. We can even manage your outreach, ensuring you’re getting booked.
You can find more details on the Agency page.
Building thought leadership is an ongoing process, and all of these options should be revisited regularly, especially as your ideas and concepts evolve! The deeper you get into building, the sooner you’ll be ready to establish yourself as a thought leader, which is a whole new level.
6 Steps to Establish Yourself as a Thought Leader
Similar to the last section, establishing yourself as a thought leader is different than becoming a thought leader and building your thought leadership because it’s about achieving the recognition you need to truly be a thought leader who influences the conversations in your industry.
Here are our favorite methods for establishing yourself as a thought leader:
1. Publish a book.
Writing and publishing a book is a powerful way to become a thought leader and solidify your position, offering a tangible demonstration of your expertise and ideas. A book provides the space to dive deeply into your concepts, frameworks, and stories, helping you share your insights more comprehensively and structured than shorter content pieces allow. It helps you build a cohesive narrative around your area of expertise, showing the depth of your knowledge and the evolution of your thinking. A book is a lasting resource that your audience can turn to again and again, making your thought leadership more accessible.
The good news is successful thought leadership books come in all shapes and sizes. For example, I published my first book, Awesome Life Tips®, after three years of posting daily tips on social media. It was a huge success and still receives rave reviews to this day. I’ve also written a memoir and have since published several shorter books on specific topics (like finding and living your purpose) because they directly address particular pain points many of our clients bump into.
My point is that no matter the topic you want to teach or the story you want to tell, there’s a format that will work for your writing style and ultimate goals. Because of perception, writing a book helps you quickly become a thought leader established in your industry.
You’re a published author!
No one cares that you self-publish rather than go the traditional route.
What’s better, with the right book coach and launch manager (like us!), you can get #1 New Release and #1 Bestseller relatively easily when publishing on Amazon (it comes down to the categorization and a simple but strategic marketing plan), which only further establishes your expertise. Books lead to clients, media features, and speaking opportunities with a lot more ease. Plus, you have a tangible representation of your work that will live on for generations!
Getting started with writing a book begins by defining your core message. What are the key insights or ideas that you want to share with the world? Consider the questions you’re asked most often, the challenges your audience faces, and the unique perspective you bring to these issues. A book should address a specific need or interest within your industry, offering readers a fresh way of thinking about a problem or a new approach to achieving their goals.
This clarity of purpose will guide the content and structure of your book, ensuring that it resonates with your audience and fills a gap.
Once your book is published, you can use it as a foundation for further content and engagement. Host virtual book clubs, lead workshops, or offer webinars that break down key concepts from your book, inviting readers to connect with you more directly. Share excerpts, case studies, and lessons from your book across your social media channels, newsletters, and website. This approach not only keeps your book visible but also ensures that it continues to serve as a valuable asset in your thought leadership journey.
Publishing a book isn’t just about having your name on a cover; it’s about creating a legacy project that encapsulates your knowledge and vision. It’s a way to contribute meaningfully to the conversations happening in your industry, offering something that people can hold onto, refer back to, and share with others.
2. Launch your own podcast.
This might be our favorite channel because it’s such a seamless way to put all of the principles we’ve been sharing into practice. When you record a podcast, you can also record video (or turn your recording into an audio-only video—just make sure it’s visually engaging). Then, you can create keyword-rich show notes that help your website rank and optimize posts on Pinterest to drive traffic.
It’s one of the easiest ways to hit the trifecta of thought leadership content! Podcasts become a self-feeding cycle for three types of search engines, and people love them. According to Backlinko, there are over 584.1 million podcast listeners worldwide, which is projected to reach 651.7 million by 2027. Of those numbers, the average listener spends about seven hours per week glued to their favorite podcast app.
When you have a well-branded show (remember, that’s more than just the look of the podcast art; it’s the positioning and key marketing messaging), it’s a powerful way to build connections and establish your expertise. People listen to podcasts while cooking, cleaning, exercising, driving, and even working! We believe in podcasts so much that we have two, each with a different conversation supporting a different audience base, set of goals and pain points, and offerings.
To start with your podcast, define the themes and topics you want to cover. Think about the core conversations you’re passionate about and how they align with your audience’s interests. Are there recurring questions or challenges in your industry that you can address? Can you offer fresh perspectives on trends or interview experts who bring new insights to the table? A successful podcast balances offering practical advice, sharing personal stories, and hosting engaging conversations.
The format of your podcast is also crucial.
You might opt for solo episodes where you share in-depth analyses or insights, interview-style shows that bring in other thought leaders, or a mix of both. The key is choosing a format that feels natural to you and suits the content you want to deliver.
Your podcast can also become a rich source of content to repurpose and distribute in other formats. You can transcribe episodes into blog posts, pull out quotes for social media, or create short video clips to share on platforms like YouTube and LinkedIn. This approach not only maximizes the value of each episode but also helps you reach different audiences, reinforcing your key messages across multiple channels.
Launching your own podcast is more than just another way to share content—it’s an opportunity to create a space where you can lead conversations, challenge popular ideas, and invite others to think deeply with you. It allows you to position yourself as a thought leader willing to explore new topics and bring fresh ideas. Over time, your podcast can become a central part of your brand, attracting a dedicated community of listeners who see you as a trusted guide in your industry.
3. Produce a YouTube series.
YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world, right behind Google, and a YouTube series provides the opportunity to reach a vast, diverse audience. Many people turn to YouTube not just for entertainment but also for education and professional development, making it a valuable space for sharing your thought leadership.
Creating a series that covers specific themes or topics within your niche allows you to position yourself as a go-to resource for viewers seeking in-depth knowledge and fresh perspectives.
We’ve created and supported several YouTube series over the years, from educational content to vlogs to creative endeavors. While it might seem like people prefer short TikTok-style videos and reels for empty entertainment while sitting on the toilet or waiting in line at the grocery store, the truth is that longer-form video is still loved by many.
YouTube has over two billion monthly active users and over one billion hours of video content watched each day. It’s the second-largest search engine in the world, but only 35% of creators anticipate leveraging its powers for reach, engagement, and conversion. This disconnect creates a massive opportunity for people looking to become a thought leader and gain a competitive advantage!
There are many ways to leverage YouTube, and our favorite is to create strategic series on topics your audience is searching for.
Often, these series have at least ten videos (about seven to 10 minutes long) and build on the conversation you’re having over each installment. Just like Netflix, people will binge-watch these series when they provide exactly what they’re looking for (this is where SEO research matters!) in a format that works for them (a combination of the correct format for your teaching style and the what they like to consume).
To get started with a YouTube series, consider the key topics that align with your expertise and resonate with your audience. Think about the questions you’re frequently asked or the problems that your ideal clients face. Are there recurring myths or misunderstandings in your field that you could address? Or perhaps you could share step-by-step guides, interviews with other experts, or deep dives into trending topics in your industry. The goal is to create informative and visually engaging content, keeping your audience coming back for the next episode.
YouTube also allows for a wide range of formats. You might decide to produce short, snappy videos that provide quick insights and tips, or you could develop longer episodes that explore topics in greater detail, similar to a mini-documentary or educational course. You could even mix in live streams for real-time engagement, allowing you to connect directly with your audience and answer their questions on the spot. The flexibility of video means you can experiment with different approaches until you find a style that resonates with you and your viewers.
Once you’ve chosen your content focus, consistency is key!
Developing a regular posting schedule helps build anticipation and encourages viewers to subscribe to your channel. Whether you release new videos weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, a consistent schedule lets your audience know when to expect new content, helping build a loyal viewership over time. In addition, optimizing your video titles, descriptions, and tags using relevant keywords can improve your series’ discoverability on YouTube, making it easier for new viewers to find your content when searching for topics you cover.
Producing a YouTube series is more than just creating videos; it’s about building a visual narrative around your thought leadership. It allows you to communicate your expertise in a personal and approachable way while establishing a deeper connection with your audience. As viewers see you consistently showing up with valuable insights, they begin to see you as a reliable, knowledgeable guide in your field. This visibility and trust can translate into a growing community of followers who respect your voice and look to you for guidance, making your YouTube series a powerful platform for expanding your influence and impact.
4. Speak at conferences and summits.
Presenting at conferences and summits is an effective way to become a thought leader because you’re positioning yourself as a recognized expert in front of a live audience. These events bring together industry professionals, influencers, and decision-makers eager to hear new insights and learn from those shaping the field. By taking the stage at a conference, you gain the attention of a highly engaged audience and solidify your reputation as someone who has valuable knowledge to share and is willing to contribute to larger conversations.
Speaking allows you to deliver your message in a personal, dynamic, and interactive way. Unlike written content or even videos, live presentations enable you to adjust your delivery instantaneously, responding to the energy and interests of the audience. This creates a more impactful experience, allowing you to connect with people on a deeper level through your storytelling, passion, and expertise.
A well-prepared talk can leave a lasting impression, making you memorable long after the event.
To get started, begin by identifying the events that align with your area of expertise and where your target audience is likely to be present (tip: these might be events you’ve already been attending to learn and network at). Look for industry-specific conferences, trade shows, and summits that focus on the themes you’re passionate about. These could range from large, international gatherings to more intimate, niche events where you can have a more profound impact. Research their past speakers and topics to ensure that your insights fit their program and help you craft a proposal that stands out.
Once you’ve identified potential speaking opportunities, create a pitch highlighting the value you can bring to their audience. Focus on the unique perspective or insights you can offer—whether it’s a fresh approach to solving a common problem, new research, or a compelling story that illustrates key trends in your field. Show how your session will educate and inspire attendees, offering them practical takeaways they can apply immediately. A clear and engaging proposal can make all the difference in catching the attention of event organizers.
Speaking engagements at conferences can open up a wealth of new opportunities beyond the stage itself. They often lead to networking with other speakers, sponsors, and attendees, allowing you to build relationships that can lead to future collaborations, media opportunities, or invitations to speak at other events. It’s also a chance to meet people who could become advocates for your work, sharing your insights within their own networks and helping to amplify your message even further.
Additionally, your conference presentations can be repurposed into content for your other platforms.
Record your talks (if allowed) and share clips on your website, social media, or YouTube channel. Create blog posts or articles that expand on the key points from your presentation, turning the insights you shared on stage into content that continues to reach new audiences. This extends the lifespan of your speaking engagements, ensuring that the impact of your talk resonates long after the event ends.
Speaking at conferences and summits is about more than just sharing what you know; it’s about stepping up as a leader who’s shaping your industry’s future. It shows that you’re willing to be seen, take a stand, and guide others with your knowledge. By speaking at events that matter to your field, you position yourself as a participant in the industry and a driving force behind its evolution. This visibility helps you build credibility, expand your influence, and create meaningful connections.
5. Spark a movement.
Starting a movement is one of the most impactful ways to establish yourself as a thought leader and create lasting change in your industry or community. A movement goes beyond sharing valuable insights—it’s about rallying people around a shared vision, a common challenge, or a new way of thinking. It taps into a deeper sense of purpose, inspiring others to join you in challenging the status quo and striving for something greater. By sparking a movement, you don’t just position yourself as an expert; you become a catalyst for change.
Sparking a movement begins with identifying a core belief or cause you’re passionate about—something that you feel needs to change, or that has been overlooked for too long.
This could be a shift in how your industry approaches a common issue, a new perspective on a deeply ingrained practice, or a call to address systemic challenges that hold people back. What makes a movement different from other thought leadership is that it’s not just about your ideas; it’s about creating a sense of shared ownership and urgency that compels others to take action alongside you.
Building momentum for your movement requires clear and compelling messaging that resonates with those who feel similarly. It’s about speaking directly to your audience’s frustrations, hopes, and aspirations, helping them see that their voices and actions are part of a larger narrative. Whether through blog posts, social media campaigns, podcasts, or videos, consistently share your vision and why it matters.
A movement gains strength when it feels like a community effort, so engage directly with people who believe in your vision and invite them to share their stories, experiences, and ideas.
Host online or in-person events, webinars, or forums where people can gather to discuss the issues at hand and brainstorm solutions. The goal is to build a sense of connection and shared purpose, where people feel part of something bigger than themselves. Giving others a role in the movement ensures that it doesn’t rely solely on your voice. Instead, it becomes a collective mission that can grow beyond you.
Sparking a movement also involves taking risks and challenging long-standing norms. True movements often meet resistance as they push against the comfort zones of industries or communities. This requires courage, resilience, and a willingness to keep advocating for change, even when progress feels slow. But it’s this very challenge that can also attract people who are hungry for change—those who have felt frustrated by the limitations of the current system and are looking for a leader who’s not afraid to speak out.
As your movement gains traction, it can lead to greater visibility and influence. Media outlets, podcasts, and event organizers often seek out voices that are driving new conversations, making it easier for you to expand your reach and share your vision with a broader audience. Your movement becomes not just a platform for your thought leadership but a beacon that others can rally around, helping to shape the future of your field or community. It’s about transforming your expertise into a mission people are excited to participate in!
6. Start a company or organization.
Launching a company or organization is a bold move that puts you in a position of influence and allows you to directly shape how your ideas are brought to life. By building an entity around your unique approach, you create a tangible expression of your thought leadership that extends beyond content and into actionable change.
Your company becomes a living representation of the solutions, frameworks, and philosophies you believe in, allowing you to put those ideas into practice on a larger scale.
A company also allows you to move from theory to implementation, showcasing how your concepts work in real-world scenarios. It’s one thing to talk about innovative ideas, but running a business allows you to demonstrate their effectiveness and prove that your ideas deliver results. Whether introducing new services, creating products, or shaping company culture in a way that reflects your values, you show your audience and peers that your vision isn’t just talk; it’s something that can be realized and sustained. This level of credibility sets you apart, allowing you to become a thought leader who doesn’t just observe trends but actively drives them.
Launching a business also opens up new avenues for credibility and visibility. When you run a company, you have a brand that can attract media attention, speaking opportunities, and partnerships. Journalists, event organizers, and industry leaders often look to CEOs and founders for expert opinions, making accessing high-profile platforms where you can share your thought leadership easier. Your business becomes a vehicle for you to engage in larger industry conversations, influence policy, or contribute to thought leadership at the organizational level, expanding your influence beyond your personal brand.
As your company grows, it can become a long-term asset that continues to carry your vision forward, even as your role might shift. A well-established company can sustain your legacy, offering a structure for your ideas to evolve and scale. It ensures that the impact of your thought leadership extends beyond your personal presence, allowing your philosophy and contributions to shape the field for years to come. Your company becomes a hub for innovation and influence that others can look to for inspiration, best practices, and leadership.
14 Examples of Thought Leadership
When setting out to become a thought leader, knowing where to start and what your body of work will ultimately build toward can feel overwhelming.
Seeing real-world examples of thought leadership in action can offer a powerful source of inspiration and serve as a blueprint for your journey. By exploring how different individuals and brands have made their mark, you can gain insight into the diverse ways thought leadership can be expressed, whether through innovative content, bold stances, or groundbreaking research.
These examples will help you understand what it takes to stand out, connect deeply with an audience, and create a lasting impact within your industry!
Regina Anaejionu is one of our mentors. Her work on thought leadership helped us finally step away from social media and boost our SEO focus, which had previously been a lower priority. She has years of experience under her belt and is a phenomenal model of what it looks like to become a thought leader and share quality content.
Brené Brown is a relatively well-known thought leader around shame and vulnerability, and an excellent example of someone who worked behind the scenes for years as an academic researcher before sharing content with a broader audience. With six bestselling books and two award-winning podcasts, she’s a powerful example of developing a unique perspective and letting the work evolve naturally.
Dr. Jennifer Mullan is the creator of Decolonizing Therapy, a body of work that has evolved over two decades of intentional focus, leading to a game-changing book, potent podcast, and accessible workshops to help others in their decolonizing work. She’s a great example of building a global movement that radically reimagines old paradigms.
Seth Godin is an infamous example of content creation developing into full-blown thought leadership (in the online marketing sphere, at least). He started his blog at the start of 2002 and has been posting daily for over a decade. Seth’s words have since evolved into 20 bestselling books translated into nearly 40 languages.
Neil Patel founded Ubbersuggest, a robust SEO tool that helps businesses generate and implement strategies to increase online traffic (which we love and use). Neil started his first business at 16 and continues to be a valuable resource for businesses and marketers selling products and services online. His site has a wealth of SEO resources and is a great example of SEO thought leadership in action.
Tracy Goss and her book The Last Word on Power are excellent models of developing thought leadership offline. Tracy’s work centers around the concept of the subconscious winning strategy and helping leaders make the impossible happen, which has significantly influenced my work. She started supporting professionals one-on-one, testing her concepts in workshops, and eventually publishing her book.
Jim Kwik struggled as a child after a severe brain injury. He nearly flunked out of college before becoming obsessed with adult learning theory, neuroscience, brain performance, speed reading, and even ancient mnemonics. In the last three decades, his purpose of helping others rebuild their brains has turned into a top-rated podcast, a best-selling book, speaking opportunities, and consulting.
Gloria Lucas is the driving force behind Nalgona Positivity Pride, an unconventional eating disorder awareness organization that shines a light on the often-overlooked societal factors that perpetuate unrealistic and oppressive beauty and health standards. Her work has evolved from her personal experiences, ongoing education, organizing, and leading groups and events into sharing her insights and perspectives at prestigious institutions and events, growing a massive following.
Andrea Landry is the creator of Indigenous Motherhood, which focuses on restoring unfaltering kinship practices in Indigenous kinship systems. After years of personal healing work, working with the United Nations, and stepping into motherhood, she writes for some of the most established magazines in Canada, teaches for the Indigenous Social Work program for First Nations University, and runs programs such as Indigenous Motherhood for individuals, families, and communities.
Tara McMullin is the disruptive voice behind What Works, a podcast, book, and newsletter that offers a distinctly interdisciplinary approach to deep-dive analysis of how we work and how work shapes us. For over a decade, she’s studied small business owners—how they live, how they work, what influences them, and what they hope for the future—and has developed a well-researched body of thought leadership.
Rachel Cargle is a writer, entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, and innovative philanthropist whose work centers on the reimagining of womanhood, solidarity, and self, and how we relate to ourselves and one another. While she has a wealth of incredible thought leadership examples, her monthly self-paced, self-priced learning collective, The Great Unlearn, is a beautiful example of unique ways to establish authority and influence.
Priya Parker is a facilitator, strategic advisor, author, and lifelong curious student whose day job is to help groups have crucial, complicated conversations they’ve been avoiding. She uses her research and writing craft to help demystify how anyone can create meaningful, necessary gatherings for their people. Priya’s thought leadership stems from personal experience and passion, as well as mentorship and research, and she’s parlayed all of that into a body of work that gets people to show up differently.
Reshma Saujani is a leading activist and the founder of Girls Who Code, author of the international bestseller Brave, Not Perfect, and gave the influential TED talk, “Teach girls, bravery not perfection,” which has more than five million views globally. Her work is an inspiring example of thought leadership evolving into a mission-driven organization.
Céline Semaan is a Lebanese-Canadian artist, designer, writer, and advocate. She’s the founder of Slow Factory, an award-winning arts for collective liberation movement and organization led by Arab and Afro-Indigenous women and queer gender non-comforming artists, producing media, conferences, interactive exhibitions, gatherings and workshops centering the lived experience of people of the Global Majority. Her work is a brilliant example of thought leadership that tackles various (and seemingly unrelated) intersectional issues well, and a model for taking a purpose-driven approach.
These examples of thought leadership demonstrate that there isn’t just one path to becoming a respected voice in your field—there are many ways to shape a body of work that influences, educates, and inspires. From those who have built their influence through years of consistent content creation to those who have turned personal challenges into powerful movements, these thought leaders show diverse approaches to making a lasting impact.
Whether leveraging your personal experiences, diving deep into research, or building platforms that bring others together, each example offers a different perspective on what it means to shape industry conversations. They remind us that the work to become a thought leader is an evolving process that requires authenticity, continuous learning, and a commitment to showing up even in uncertainty. Let these stories fuel your vision and help you find the confidence to step forward with your message, knowing that you, too, can make a meaningful contribution to the conversations that matter most in your field.
Are You Ready to Become a Thought Leader and Build a Sustainable, Impactful Online Presence?
Check out our signature workshop that’s all about Creating a Content Ecosystem That Thrives Beyond the AI Bubble
As much as online marketers and tech enthusiasts are hyping “mastering AI” as the pathway toward long-term success, telling us we need to adopt it so we don’t get replaced or left behind, we believe there’s another way. Especially for those working to become a thought leader. A way that isn’t just accessible, but essential for mission-driven brands and those building Channels for Change to house their thought leadership.
This workshop will walk you through:
Creating a content ecosystem that grows an engaged audience more and more over time, while creating less and less frequently. How? By using search engine optimization (SEO) and strategic thought leadership content funnels. These funnels are designed to meet your right-fit clients where they’re actively searching for you online, building a different kind of trust more quickly, and curating an engaged audience that you own.
Building the kind of authority and influence that withstands the endless increase in generated content and AI-based marketing shifts that will ultimately topple many businesses. Longevity requires examining the uncomfortable possibilities presented to us during any major systemic shift, so that we can strategically map a path through it. We’ll build toward a future where you’re the go-to in your industry by addressing the present instabilities.
Positioning your work to stay relevant no matter what the algorithms prioritize and withstand the already-happening oversaturation of AI content that will effectively push more of our audiences offline. This is about creating conversations that AI isn’t generating and regenerating so that you’re a brand people want to stay engaged with, building spaces for your audience to migrate to, and standing out as a beacon for true transformation.
We’ll also conduct a full SEO site audit and competitor analysis. If you already have a website, we’ll identify any issues holding you back and provide actionable tips to optimize your site for better ranking.
Lastly, we’ll analyze what your top competitors are ranking for and uncover opportunities for you to leap ahead of them in search results. You’ll also receive access to exclusive resources and materials drawn directly from our Strategy Suite Guidebooks, which will help you begin implementing quickly.
Plus, if you choose to continue working with us after this initial workshop, you can apply your investment toward future services.
Don’t miss this opportunity to turn your expertise into a lasting presence!
We need to create forward compatibility within our work.
Forward compatibility ensures that older systems (our businesses and bodies of work) can still function effectively with newer technologies and systemic shifts (such as the rise of AI, growing distrust and burnout among many online consumers, and significant economic and social shifts)—without failing.
