
It seems that everyone is obsessed with the words “influencer” and “thought leader”. Buzz words, yes. But a new concept? Absolutely not!
Since the beginning of time, people purchase things from people they know, trust, and believe will do the job. They hire event planners who come highly recommended, which is why most of us get the majority of our business through word of mouth. They hire vendors based on a mix of research, reviews and recommendations.
In short, people hire people they trust. So becoming a thought leader is important for 2 reasons:
But when we hear these words, we think of the people with thousands of followers and a big, visible brand. We feel unworthy. We think we don’t have what it takes to be the expert yet. We feel like imposters and can always count a million ways why we aren’t “ready yet”.
But here are a few key FACTS about thought leadership you need to embrace so you can make your biggest impact yet in the coming year.
I’ve been listening to the work of Dr. Valerie Young on a recommendation from one of my mentors, Carolyn Herfurth, about Imposter Syndrome – why so many people (especially women) often feel like we are imposters as we build our brands, even though we have plenty of experience. This podcast that Carolyn did with Valerie is a great listen and I highly recommend if you’re just starting this journey of building your thought leadership and you hesitate because you don’t think you have what it takes yet.
They need to learn from you. And you don’t have to be rated #1 in your industry to have something to say. Put yourself out there as you are – be authentic – and share your journey and I bet you’ll be surprised to see how many people care!
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If you’re ready to step into your light as a thought leader to grow your business and could use some help, there are a few ways I support entrepreneurs like you!