How To: Thought Leadership

(Aaand I don’t know what happened to the last four seconds. But if you make it that far, I would have said…. get started!)Why would I encourage the busiest people I know to essentially abandon efforts on other thought leadership efforts, like LinkedIn (albeit temporarily!) and add yet another platform? This is the bigger point of Substack: If you're trying to build visibility or influence and you don't have a central place where your ideas live, Substack helps solve that problem, and more. Substack offers your thought leadership a home base, where you can publish writing (short form posts and long form articles, blogs), podcasts - AND will send an email to subscribers when you do! Why start now? You want to be there while it’s still early. Not because it’s trendy. But because it’s working. ever wonder why some people have huge followings and their stuff is… mediocre? They got there early. That’s why. They scooped up the gains.More to know:* Other writers can recommend your Substack to their audience, which helps you grow.* You can host your podcast there. I do.* It sends your thought leadership straight to your subscribers by email — every post, every podcast. If you don’t have email marketing set up, this is a big deal (if you don’t need complicated segmentation)* What audiences are on Substack? Business, tech, journalism, venture capital, finance, politics, arts, philosophy, religion, science, ‘the future of’ and much more. Only way to know if your people are there? Go look.* When you go to start, avoid choosing a title for your Substack that is vague, abstract, skippable. Stand out! Use four or five words.* Yes, you can have subscription levels for your Substack, and subscriber-only options. If unsure, don’t think about this part for now. Just write.* B2B? Yes, organizations have a place on Substack, and can help fill voids of thought leadership in your marketing calendars and when SEO is less than useful.If you feel like you’re ready to begin, but having a partner would be helpful to launch your Substack, book a 20-min intro call at this link to learn about my process to take your thought leadership from idea to live.Thanks for reading! Julie Michelle Morris LinkedIn | My work This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit juliemichellemorris.substack.com

I’ve said if I ever was going to write a book, it would look NOTHING like the current state that publishing is in today. (And while I’m not here to thumb my nose at publishing, I believe that whatever the route - traditional, self, hybrid, publishing - I’d LOVE to see a major rethink of the extractive, zero fun rigamarole I see WAY too many thought leaders stumble into, and walk out the other way with $20-50K less in their pocket and their confidence crushed.)I have no patience for a big reveal months down the road after manufacturing hype and teasing, while the world is in the biggest AND fastest transformation we’ve ever experienced. This method meets the times. I have a playbook to put into your hands. AND want to do the thing I always aim to do… pull back the curtain on the ‘how’ of thought leadership. There are so many ways to approach the ‘doing’ of thought leadership, and I am a firm believer that you will not do the things you do not like to do. This writing method is what will work for me to get it done. My (different) writing method: * Speaking the book: While I write… all day… I know myself enough to know that this is about the length I’ll write for me - article length. I will not sit down and write a book for myself. Verbally processing is useful. You’ll hear my method in action.* The team: My intern. Yes, intern. My mentee. She’s another author, a novel self-published on Amazon at age 12. In high school. It’s her summer, and she asked about an internship. She’s a great writer. And knew nothing about AI. It’s a project to teach her AI and to leverage her ability to write and execute. The Book Title: No way. This book doesn’t have a title yet. I usually title everything I’m working on (you recall I am a ghostwriter, yes?) at or near the end. Where will we start? We begin at the beginning. You need a WHY and a thesis statement. They can change mid-process, but you start from a best guess. THESIS: I'm writing a reinvention field guide that teaches people how to figure out what they want and confidently go after it. It's specifically for people who want to monetize their expertise beyond the norm of corporate, with a three-part framework and practical tactics for turning your expertise into revenue and thought leadership into positive influence. WHY: Most of us are going through life on two of five cylinders - puttering along in our work, our business, our personal mission. This is how to get all cylinders running so you can go after whatever it is you want to do with your one life. Listen and hear more about my book process and wrestling with an introduction, as a voice note to my intern working to interview me, gather all the material I have. This is my behind-the-scenes as I build a book. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit juliemichellemorris.substack.com

You won’t be surprised that I’m nudging you to finally start your podcast. If you’re stalled in your own podcast, you’ve been debating for three years now whether to start one, or you’ve talked yourself out of starting one, but you feel like you could or should, take 20 minutes and listen. This is everything I would’ve wanted to know before starting my podcast, why I started one, the few must-do’s, how to get moving on zero budget, and what a podcast will do for you.Four years ago would’ve been the best time to start a podcast. But instead, what you’ve got in front of you is today. And by the time you finish listening to this one, you’ll be ready to go. Or you’ll remember the power of this medium and pick up a couple of new tips and tricks to make yours even better. Make sure you get to the part about the Stir Test. I can’t wait to hear what you think and what you’ll do next. Julie Michelle Morris This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit juliemichellemorris.substack.com

I won’t mince words - tenacity is going to be crucial if you’re starting a community today. There are a number of ways to monetize your thought leadership and expertise that are easier than starting a community. You have to see it as a startup. You probably need to love it so much, you’d do it for free, at least at the beginning. But if you have runway to make it go, realistic numbers of a current audience to share the opportunity with, and hopefully you aren’t going it alone…. You can do it. But don’t expect it will be easy, fun, of financially worthwhile at the get-go. Hear why in this quick episode or cruise down the transcript. (I wish there were a group of folks building community and networks to support each other - if you know of one, or want to convene us, let me know!)Thanks for reading! Julie Michelle Morris I built our community diyinfluence.com on Circle. Love the platform, and they are constantly building to make it better. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit juliemichellemorris.substack.com

I know you want a crystal clear plan and strategy for thought leadership, for your next move, for the rest of your working life. I decided 15 years ago that I was not going to stay in corporate, and I wanted to build my own thing. I was very pregnant, it was a hot August in Texas, and I said to myself, I will never clock in again. Now, of course we do this in client work technically, but you get my point :-) I knew I was going to make building my consultancy work. I was determined to make it work. I focused my effort and energy to make it work. And I did. And I will continue to do so, even as I pivot to what the market needs today.And I believe you can, too. I want to shortcut your journey for you today with key things to stop and start, after being a thought leadership partner to founders and seeing who wins and who flounders. STOP:STOP doing the things that divide your time and dilute your efforts.My friend, you who are building, working, serving with your very sweat and blood, hear me, because this is where most of you will fail: This is the number one reason people fail at both endeavors? Two mild efforts when a single focused YOU is required. Especially when cash is scarce, in a difficult job market, or where it’s easier to hire the younger and cheaper, and hours are only so many. If you’re pulled in two directions, significant time, brain space, emotional energy is devoted to seeking a role while also trying to build a consultancy. I almost never see this work. It’s not until you put all your effort in one direction that you see results. For example, you need what - five clients after you’ve ended work in corporate? Get those first - then you can spend time finding a role. I share more on this in this episode. START: START believing. What matters most is your focus and your (mostly) unwavering determination that you will make this work. You will. Not you might or you hope. You will. If it’s time you put your CRO or CMO hat on, start here. Write the thought leadership that you can use in business development. Send it with a note to your potential clients today. Will it take 100 notes to nail a single client? That doesn’t mean your idea doesn’t have merit. Keep your hands loose around your idea’s execution. Your future, your freedom are worth it.START owning your time (numbers below), and focusing on the things that will put proverbial (or literal) food on the table.START your thought leadership. Thought leadership - influencing, leading, serving is going to solve your revenue and business challenges - give it the attention it requires. Listen now to the #1 message to write about in your thought leadership for revenue on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or the listen widget. (note, this podcast goes live 10 mins after this newsletter sends - listen via the widget at the top for instant gratification!) BY THE NUMBERS:10% of your time right now is teaching, writing, speaking, informing, influencing, both inside and outside your organization.Let’s go!! Julie Michelle Morris Was this forwarded to you? Subscribe to How To: Thought Leadership.How to work with me:* Influence Accelerator (Quarterly intensive that starts Wednesday, Jan 22nd, with one seat remaining for this group). Learn more. * Your Personal CMO: A six-month program to build out your personal marketing. I step in as your personal CMO, and guide you on your positioning, customer journey, thought leadership, email list, video, podcast, and more, so you stand out and have a solid marketing process. Great for consultants, authors, and founders. Book a call with me to see if this would serve you. * Thought Leadership for BusinessI collaborate with your CMO or CRO to tackle demand generation, pipeline, and revenue goals using compelling, trust-building thought leadership. Projects include executive thought leadership, fractional content strategy, brand ambassador programs, and more. Highly technical fields are a specialty. Book a call with me. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit juliemichellemorris.substack.com

I believe thought leadership isn’t about showing off—it’s about showing up. It’s about sharing what you’ve learned, owning your expertise, and building something meaningful that serves others.But here’s the problem: For so many people, the idea of “thought leadership” feels vague - at best. Where do you start? What do you say? How do you find the time? And how do you cut through the noise without burning out, or feeling like you’re just showing off?The challenge is that most of us are trying to figure it out alone. We read articles, watch videos, and attend webinars, but the steps still feel unclear. And with everything else on your plate, it’s easy to push this work to “someday.”That’s why we started DIY Influence, a space where thought leadership feels achievable. It’s built for people who are ready to grow, but need structure, guidance, and a community to lean on.I know how hard it can be to take that first step. I’m a thought leadership trainer, and have seen so many brilliant, talented people hold back their ideas because they felt they had to do it perfectly.DIY Influence is a space where you can learn, grow, and take action with experts who have your back. With the right tools, the right people, and the right plan, you’ll find your voice and see how much it resonates.Our Focused Learning in 2025* January: 2025 Thought Leadership Framework* February: Personal Brand* March: Thought Leadership; AI* April: Monetization: Thought Leadership-driven Business* May: Speaking as Personal PR* June: Strategic Networking & Referrals* July: Video Content Creation* August: Monetization: Sales and Conversion* September: Podcasting* October: Thought Leadership; AI* November: Personal Branding* December: Monetization: Thought Leadership Business ModelsA preview of the resources in our library: Using AI in Thought Leadership - A Checklist. Key Dates:Onboarding begins this Friday, January 3rd at 2pm ET, and membership closes for the quarter on January 5. If you’re ready to stop waiting for “someday” and start building your influence now, we’d love to welcome you in DIY Influence - a network, an academy, a community.Explore Membership OptionsLet’s make 2025 the year your thought leadership takes off.Questions? DM me via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliemichellemorris or reply if you’re reading on Substack. Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts: And stay tuned for tomorrow’s podcast - the biggest reasons our thought leadership goes nowhere and what to do about it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit juliemichellemorris.substack.com

We've been tiptoeing around thought leadership for years - churning out safe, generic content while hoping to reach revenue and impact goals. (And now AI is doing the same thing, but significantly faster.) Whether you're building your own visibility, or curious about thought leadership for your organization, here are three factors that will make your insights land effectively in 2025! This is Part 2 of this mini-series on your thought leadership strategy for revenue and impact. (And if your thought leadership didn’t drive the return you hoped it would in 2024, this is for you!)Factor 1: It’s AnticipatoryThis is the least sexy one, but here's why thought leadership often falls flat: We're playing it safe. We stick to what's right in front of us, what's comfortable, what everyone else is talking about.Want to stand out? Thought leadership leads. It points a way forward. It says, "This is where our industry needs to go, and here's why." Yes, it feels edgy. Yes, it's brave. And AI can't do it - this has to come from YOUR expertise and unique perspective. Factor 2: It’s IntentionalEverything you put out there needs to have a purpose. Your audience should instantly know if something's for them or not. If you serve everyone, you are high level, generic, and serve no one. Help them self-select in or out for faster sales cycles, greater impact, and bonus - more fun for you! Because if it’s not fun (if you’re doing this on your own), it’s not going to get done. The service you offer is a commodity without YOU. The only real differentiator is your brain. Your insights. Your unique take on things. That's what sets you apart, whether you're writing for yourself or your company.Waste no time in 2025:* Spread thin and trying to do all the platforms* Being inconsistent in your writing and speaking, * Feeling nervous about getting started. This is where you need to be. Factor 3 will be tackled in our next episode. Making these insights fit within 20 min podcasts is our goal!Listen on Apple PodcastsWork with me: 1: Thought Leadership for Founders and ConsultantsJoin my Influence Accelerator: A 4 week ‘all you need, nothing you don’t’ thought leadership course designed for revenue and impact, kicking off January 22, 2025. Our learnings building thought leadership brands with hundreds of people to shave years off your journey. If you want to:- Learn from people living it out,- Be a speaker, write a book, and visibility is crucial, - Grow from being a quiet, head-down leader and know it’s time to be seen,This is for you. 7 spots remain - secure yours now at this link. 2: Thought Leadership for BusinessLeading brands in your space are leveraging ambassador programs employees and ghostwriting thought leadership for their executives. Why? It’s a headwind that takes marketing and sales messaging and uses them as levers, because without people to carry the torch for your brand, the marketing goes slower and the sales cycles take longer. Book a call with me to discuss our 6 month program to build and execute this program for your organization. We specialize in cybersecurity and technical brands. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit juliemichellemorris.substack.com

Episode DescriptionThought leadership isn’t what it used to be. The market is crowded, AI is everywhere, and people are overwhelmed by messages. If you’re trying to grow your audience, make an impact, or build a business leveraging thought leadership, your ability to focus and stand out are key!If you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to start or to make a bigger move, it’s now. Whether you’re in stealth and building quietly, or just unsure how to begin, this episode will show you how to cut through the noise and shine in 2025. I’ll share how I’m adapting my approach and how you can, too. You’ll learn:• Why standing out in 2025 requires a different strategy.• How to make your messaging sharper and more impactful.• A practical 3x3 framework to connect with your ideal audience.The market may be tougher, but if you’re ready to get dirt under your nails, you’re going to make it happen. Lets DO THIS!How I made this episode. All on my phone in one day:* Recorded in the car after kiddo drop off.* Recorded using Apple wired headphones into voice recorder on iPhone. * Took that voice recording and uploaded it to free converter WAV to MP4.* Downloaded as a MP4 file (video file so I could edit more easily).* CapCut for video editing to trim repetition and blank space (paid subscription)* Exported video from CapCut, then uploaded it to Adobe Enhance v2. (Paid subscription)* Uploaded file to converter program to change from MP4 to MP3 (audio)* Uploaded to Otter.ai app to get transcription (Paid subscription)* Then copied transcript to ChatGPT (Paid subscription)* Fussed for 20 mins at Chat for episode description.* Opened Substack on mobile browser (can’t upload a podcast on their mobile app). Created new podcast episode with audio file, ChatGPT description, and hit publish.How would you adjust this process? It’s a bit much! But I’m already super grateful to hear great feedback on this episode - at the end of the day, completely worth it and would do it again, but the process is a little messy.SponsorThis episode is brought to you by DIY Influence, a community designed to help you master thought leadership and market yourself effectively. Join weekly sessions, connect with others, and get the support you need for just $79/month, only through year end. Lock in your rate now, and enjoy a complimentary week pass: DIYInfluence.comLet’s get started! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit juliemichellemorris.substack.com

If you’re reading this, it’s probably your responsibility to get your thought leadership done and out the door. It’s not an easy burden. It’s time-consuming and a whole extra part-time job.But the value of being top of mind is everything if you’re working to build something new or be known in your field. Here’s what I do to get my podcast out the door in this season, and why it’s so important to do it! The tools: Substack (podcast host and email newsletter - on the same platform! 👏)CapCut (I use the mobile app. Also an app on desktop. download the desktop app, their browser app doesn’t work quite as well)ChatGPT (it’s my favorite helpdesk tool - if you’re stuck in an app and can’t find something. Or ask for help creating the podcast process you’ll use. Example, “ChatGPT, I have my iPhone and an hour in my kids parking lot. How can I get a podcast out the door if I’m hosting my podcast on Substack?” Or, “ChatGPT, I don’t know what a podcast host is. What is it and do I need it if I’m starting a podcast?”)Are you podcasting? Deliberating about starting yours? I’d love to hear about it. DM me on LinkedIn or reply to this email if reading via Substack and share!LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/juliemichellemorris This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit juliemichellemorris.substack.com

This podcast is sponsored by DIY Influence, where leaders learn to become thought leaders in a supportive learning community. Check it out with a free week pass.Thought leadership opens doors, but overly creative services close them. This podcast guides ex-corporate consultants on how to use thought leadership to attract clients while offering familiar, easy-to-understand services they can immediately say yes to. Learn to balance innovative ideas with practical, marketable offerings to monetize your expertise and build a sustainable consulting business quickly.The reason people come to thought leadership is not just to make an impact. Often, they're kind of dying inside, having lived a life in corporate. You walk out with a little runway, some severance. Hooray! That runway won’t last, though.But now, monetizing your subject matter expertise and thought leadership is on you.You've got big ideas, but when you're first starting out, we need to think differently. Take that innovative thought and bucket it into something familiar. Clients need to say, "Oh, that's exactly what we need." Thought leadership is your bridge, anchoring an exchange of value. But right now, you need wins.For the initial term, until we have our feet under us, we need to back off being creative in the name of putting food on the table. Be pragmatic about what people can say yes to. They have to go to bat for you, after all.It's time to package that expertise so people can't overlook you. Balance your big ideas with practical, marketable services. That's how you'll build a sustainable consultancy and truly make an impact.Keep that thought leadership going strong, too. If you do, you’ll know what to say, how to say it, why you're here. About me:Julie Michelle Morris helps leaders become thought leaders, and drags the genius out of organizations and their leaders across cybersecurity, philanthropy, social good, policy, for-profit including Center for Internet Security, World Economic Forum, Asset Funders Network, UC San Diego, along with founders, authors, speakers, and consultants from across the globe. Julie speaks on developing your visibility toward service at scale, monetizing your expertise, and the how-to of thought leadership. Her podcast, 'How To: Thought Leadership' shares tactics of personal PR and growing your audience for experts who need to market themselves. Julie is mom to two amazing daughters and wife to a financial analyst turned YouTube woodworker.LinkedIn | Reply to this note and I’ll send a link to my calendar for an intro call. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit juliemichellemorris.substack.com