Podcasts about Bill Sherman

Why do we size up a rude stranger in seconds and decide they don't belong in our "tribe"? Dr. Benjamin Granger has a term for it: the evolutionary hangover — his phrase for the cognitive biases our brains evolved for savanna survival and never quite retired. As Chief Workplace Psychologist at Qualtrics, Granger spends his days distilling billions of data points on how employees and customers really feel, and in this episode he brings that same lens to his new USA Today bestseller, A Leader Worth Following. The conversation moves from the biological to the deeply practical. Granger traces human speech back only 100,000–200,000 years — a blink in evolutionary time — to explain why we still assume our texts and emails land exactly as intended, and why they so often don't. He and host Peter Winick dig into a favorite (and least favorite) example: the customer satisfaction survey. Whether it's a car dealership coaching you to "circle the five" or a flight attendant joking about the inevitable post-flight survey, Granger shows how well-established science like goal-setting theory gets bent out of shape the moment it collides with real incentive structures. There's also a candid look at what it takes to write a book while holding down a demanding day job — from years of scattered iPhone notes to a publisher's cold outreach that landed within days of deciding to write one. Granger and Winick talk through the tension every corporate thought leader faces: how do you promote your ideas without it feeling like self-promotion? Granger's answer — "I'm selling the message, not myself" — anchors a broader discussion of why academic rigor and real-world readability don't have to be at odds. The episode closes on a personal note: Granger's hope that more leaders will get comfortable with hard conversations with themselves, and a few concrete ways to start — from a two-minute daily reflection borrowed from Marshall Goldsmith to a monthly sit-down with your future self. If you've ever wondered why your best-intentioned message got read the wrong way, or why your company's survey scores don't tell the real story, this one's for you. Three Key Takeaways: • Our brains are running outdated software. Granger's "evolutionary hangover" concept explains why we instantly judge people as "abrasive" or "rude" — a tribal survival instinct that made sense on the savanna but creates friction in modern offices and customer interactions. • Good science can get gamed by bad incentives. Goal-setting is one of the most well-established practices in organizational psychology, but Granger shows how tying compensation to survey scores (like a car dealership's NPS rating) corrupts the very measurement it's supposed to improve. • Selling ideas isn't the same as selling yourself. Granger reframes self-promotion as message-promotion — a mental shift that let him push through years of book marketing discomfort because he believes the underlying research deserves to reach people. Ben isn't the only one turning years of hard-won research into a book built to scale. Bill Sherman, Peter Winick, and Naren Aryal have just released The Thought Leadership Handbook: How the Experts Elevate Their Big Ideas—and How You Can Too — a field guide drawn from more than 700 conversations on this very podcast, mapping out the frameworks and five "thought leadership avatars" that separate an idea stuck in your head from one that actually reaches an audience. If Ben's path from scattered iPhone notes to a USA Today bestseller has you thinking about your own expertise, this is the next book on your list. Get it at thoughtleadershiphandbook.com, or find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop, Apple Books, or Amplify.

What happens when the person telling your success story wasn't actually in the room? That's the moment that pushed John Winsor — Founder and Chairman of Open Assembly, Harvard Business School executive fellow, and author of six books including the bestselling Open Talent — to write a widely discussed piece questioning the entire thought leadership industry. In this conversation with Peter Winick, Winsor traces his path from launching a regional sports magazine (sold to Condé Nast) through decades of building and exiting companies, to his current work at Harvard's AI Institute studying the future of work. Along the way, he unpacks a tension every expert eventually faces: when does an idea deserve a blog post, a keynote, or a book — and when is it just filler dressed up as insight? Winsor and Winick dig into what separates "thought leaders" from "thought doers," using everyone from Malcolm Gladwell to Domino's Patrick Doyle as examples of how firsthand experience — not borrowed theory — is what actually earns an audience's trust. They also tackle a question with real urgency for anyone building a business around ideas: if generative AI can produce a working website, investor deck, and full brand in a single prompt, what's left for humans to do? Winsor's answer centers on relationships, judgment, and the irreplaceable value of live, human-to-human experience — a case he backs with striking data from executive AI workshops at HBS. This is a candid, occasionally pointed conversation about ego, authenticity, and the mechanics of building influence in a market flooded with polished — but often hollow — expertise. Worth a listen for anyone deciding what to write next, whether to take the stage, or how to stay relevant as AI eats the easy parts of the job. Three Key Takeaways: • Experience should come before the platform, not after. Winsor argues that credible thought leadership starts with real, specific experience — "go have a bunch of really killer specific experiences" — rather than reverse-engineering content to match a trending topic or keyword. • AI is pushing execution toward zero cost, which raises the value of judgment and relationships. Winsor points to tools that can generate a full company's assets — website, investment deck, brand — from a single prompt in under two hours. What AI can't replace is the human trust required to sell, evangelize, and validate an idea. • Format should follow curiosity, not ambition. Rather than deciding upfront that an idea "deserves" a book, Winsor tests ideas publicly through Substack, HBR, and Forbes articles first, using audience response to gauge whether something is worth developing further — or whether it was only ever his own curiosity. Before you go — Peter has a new book. The Thought Leadership Handbook: How the Experts Elevate Their Big Ideas—and How You Can Too, co-authored by Bill Sherman, Peter Winick, and Naren Aryal, draws on more than 700 conversations from this very podcast to map out the patterns that separate thought leaders who build lasting impact from those who never scale past their own curiosity. It introduces five thought leadership avatars — Growth-Minded CEOs, Impact and Legacy Executives, Thought Leaders on the Run, In-House Experts, and Hall of Fame Thinkers — and gives readers the frameworks and tools to find their own path. Endorsed by Mel Robbins, Ken Blanchard, Stephen M. R. Covey, Marshall Goldsmith, and 50+ other leading voices, with a foreword by Lisa Bodell. Order now: Amazon Barnes & Noble Bookshop.org Amplify Publishing Apple Books Learn more at thoughtleadershiphandbook.com

What transforms expertise into influence? In this episode of On the Brink with Andi Simon, I sit down with Bill Sherman, one of the leading voices in thought leadership and co-author of The Thought Leadership Handbook. Together, we explore what it really means to become a thought leader—and why it has very little to do with titles or self-promotion. Bill shares how curiosity, passion, and a commitment to helping others are the true foundations of thought leadership. We discuss why writing a book is only the beginning, how ideas grow into movements, and why your expertise can continue to make a difference long after you've left an executive role or retired. We also examine the role of AI. While artificial intelligence can summarize what has already been discovered, it cannot replace the human curiosity, judgment, and lived experience that drive innovation and meaningful change. Whether you're an executive, entrepreneur, consultant, coach, author, or someone beginning your next chapter, this conversation will inspire you to think differently about the value of your ideas—and the impact they can have on others. In this episode you'll discover: • What thought leadership really is—and what it isn't • Why curiosity is the engine behind every great idea • How to turn expertise into lasting influence • Why your next chapter may be your most impactful one As always, my goal is to help you see, feel, and think in new ways so you can turn your observations into innovations.   About the Host Andi Simon, PhD, is a corporate anthropologist, author, speaker, and executive advisor who helps leaders, organizations, and individuals see, feel, and think in new ways so they can navigate change with confidence. She is the founder and CEO of Simon Associates Management Consultants and the author of Rethink Retirement, On the Brink, Rethink: Smashing the Myths of Women in Business, and Women Mean Business. Learn more: • Website: https://www.simonassociates.net • Rethink Retirement: https://www.rethinkretirement.net • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andisimon/ • Subscribe to the Rethink Retirement Substack: https://rethinkretirement.substack.com If you enjoyed this episode, please follow On the Brink with Andi Simon, leave a review, and share it with someone who is ready to see change through a fresh lens.

You just spent two years writing a book. Now what? That's the question at the center of this conversation about book publicity, expectations, and the long game of building a body of work. Bill Sherman sits down with Sandy Smith, CEO of Smith Publicity, to unpack what a smart book launch actually looks like — and why most of the excitement (and anxiety) authors feel in the 60 days around publication misses the point. Sandy's first move with any client is to ask what success looks like a year out. That reframe — from launch week to long horizon — shapes everything else: how to define goals, how to find the right audience for a big idea, and why a book should be treated less like a product drop and more like a two-to-three-year (or longer) relationship-building asset. The conversation moves through sharp, practical territory: the difference between an audience that's ready for your message and one that isn't (yes, even when they need it most), how publicists match authors to podcasts, bylined articles, and expert commentary opportunities, and why revisiting an author's earlier books can sometimes be more valuable than pushing the new release. Sandy and Bill also talk through the emotional arc of a launch — the pre-launch momentum, the 60-day flurry, and the letdown that can follow once the initial push ends. Underneath the tactics is a bigger idea both return to again and again: books create relationships. They let readers spend time with an author's thinking in a low-stakes, high-trust way, and that trust compounds over years, not weeks. The episode also touches on what makes an idea worth an audience's attention in the first place, and why generosity — not ego — tends to separate thought leaders who build lasting influence from those who burn out chasing a moment. Whether you're planning a first book launch or trying to get more mileage out of one published years ago, this episode offers a grounded, experience-based look at what actually works. Three Key Takeaways: • A launch is a beginning, not a finish line. Treat the book as a two-to-three-year (or longer) asset rather than a 60-day sprint — the real payoff comes from what you do with it after publication week ends. • Define your goal before you plan tactics. Whether the aim is sparking conversation, building visibility, or attracting clients, that goal should shape everything from media targets to messaging. • Audience readiness matters more than audience size. The right strategy meets people who are already primed to hear your idea, then lets them bring others along — rather than forcing a conversation an audience isn't ready for. This episode landed right in the middle of launch week for The Thought Leadership Handbook — the new book from Bill Sherman, Peter Winick, and Naren Aryal — and everything Sandy Smith unpacked about goals, audience readiness, and building a lasting asset is exactly what's behind it. If you want to see those ideas in practice, head to thoughtleadershiphandbook.com for a free excerpt, your own thought leadership avatar, and tools to sharpen your strategy. Then preorder your copy today at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop, or Amplify — and become part of the conversation this book is meant to start.

This episode is a companion to the upcoming Thought Leadership Handbook — part of a series where Bill speaks with exemplars featured in the book about how they actually practice thought leadership. There are plenty of books explaining what AI is. This one is about the person who decided to write a book that tells you what to do about it instead — and who's spent 25 years turning disruption into frameworks other people can actually use. Charlene Li joins Bill Sherman to talk about her new book, Winning with AI, co-written with Katia Walsh, and why this one felt different from her five previous titles. It's less an explainer, she says, and more a "doing book" — built for a moment when the case studies go stale before the ink dries. That tension opens into a bigger conversation about how ideas get made and shared. Charlene walks through the origin of Groundswell, the book that made her a New York Times bestseller, written entirely remotely with co-author Josh Bernoff while she was still an in-house analyst at Forrester. She's candid about what co-authorship actually requires — not just complementary skills, but real trust built over years, disagreements included. The conversation also digs into a business model question that shaped her career: when she left Forrester to found Altimeter, she gave research away for free, betting that value would come back around. It did — inbound demand from companies who'd read the free work and wanted the deeper conversation. Bill connects this to economist Elinor Ostrom's work on knowledge commons. Underneath it all is a simple throughline: frameworks outlast the moment they were built for. The "ladder of engagement" from Groundswell is still taught 18 years later — not because the case studies held up, but because the thinking did. If you're building a book, a body of research, or a career on ideas that might get overtaken by the next news cycle, this one's worth your time. Three Key Takeaways: • Co-authorship runs on trust, not just talent. Charlene describes working with multiple co-authors over her career and is clear that the deciding factor was never just complementary skill sets — it was years of built trust, the ability to disagree productively, and knowing when to step away from a deadline argument and come back with a clear head. • Give the idea away first — the business follows. At Altimeter, Charlene made research free when competitors charged for it, building an audience of 100,000+ readers almost overnight. The resulting inbound demand became the foundation of the business, illustrating a "blue ocean" alternative to the traditional pay-for-access analyst model. • Durable frameworks outlive their case studies. Charlene expects Winning with AI to need a new edition once roughly 20% of its examples go stale — but she draws a distinction between outdated examples and outdated thinking, pointing to Groundswell's "ladder of engagement," still taught 18 years after publication. If you enjoyed hearing Charlene Li unpack the thinking behind Winning with AI, go back to her first appearance on the show — episode 113, recorded back when she was preparing to launch The Disruption Mindset. Both conversations trace the same throughline: how Charlene builds frameworks that outlast the moment they were written for, whether she's leaving Forrester to found Altimeter or navigating a fast-moving AI landscape years later. Hearing the two together shows how consistent her approach to thought leadership has been across three very different books and two decades of change. Listen to "Leveraging Thought Leadership With Peter Winick — Episode 113" with Charlene Li.

What happens when you're wildly successful at a life you didn't consciously choose? Wani Iris Manly, Esq., grew up groomed for one thing: the law. She did the work, built the firm, drove the Porsche. And then, on New Year's Eve in 2010, she sat alone and took an honest look at the gap between the life she had and the life she actually wanted. What followed was one of the more audacious pivots you'll hear about — selling her car, her apartment, and most of her belongings, and moving solo to Paris without a plan, without French, and without a single contact in the city. That's where the story gets interesting — because Paris didn't just change her circumstances. It cracked her open. Books started pouring out of her. An article for an expat magazine led to speaking invitations at salon-style soirees. And what began as storytelling became something with structure, depth, and demand: a framework around change, identity, and what it actually takes to stop surviving and start living deliberately. In this conversation, Bill Sherman and Wani explore the layered journey from attorney to thought leader — and it's anything but linear. She talks about the very specific cognitive dissonance of having to affirm a new identity every morning when your subconscious has spent 22 years believing it's a lawyer. She gets candid about the differences between the US and European speaking markets — where she earns her fees, where she adjusts her rates, and how geography can quietly shape your perceived value as a speaker. She reflects on what it means to carry a message professionally that you're still personally living through. The through-line Wani keeps returning to is this: external change — new city, new title, new audience — doesn't stick unless the internal identity shifts first. That's the work. And in a field full of change management frameworks, her version carries unusual weight because she didn't just study it. She did it. Repeatedly. Often at considerable personal cost. If you're a practitioner of any kind — speaker, author, consultant — navigating a career transition or wondering when the momentum finally arrives, this one's worth your full attention. Three Key Takeaways: • True change is an inside job. Wani's central framework is clear: no external shift — new job, new city, new role — will hold unless your internal identity changes first. Waiting for circumstances to rearrange themselves is a recipe for staying stuck. • Building thought leadership takes time, and the signals come slowly. Wani spent years speaking at Parisian soirees, cold-pitching podcasts, and doing TED talks in Northern Ireland and Canada before landing a 2,000-person stage in Monaco. The work precedes the visibility by a wide margin, and staying in the game long enough to be found is part of the strategy. • Identity is stickier than circumstance. Transitioning out of a high-status professional identity — attorney, doctor, executive — requires more than a career pivot. Wani describes needing to affirm her new identity as a speaker daily, because the subconscious defaults to the self-concept it's held for decades. The rebranding is internal before it's external. Both Wani Iris Manly and CB Bowman know something most high achievers won't say out loud: claiming a new identity before the world validates it takes a specific kind of courage — and it's a skill you can build. In this episode, Wani talks about affirming "I am a speaker" daily for years before the stages matched the vision. CB Bowman's conversation takes that same tension and goes deeper into what courage actually looks like as a practicing thought leader — when to hold your lane, when to change it, and what it costs either way. If Wani's story resonated with you, CB's episode will give you a framework to go with the feeling. Listen to Courage in Thought Leadership with CB Bowman!

What do you do when you've found a powerful idea — but the market thinks it's silly? Gabrielle Dolan (known to almost everyone as "Ral") noticed something in the corridors of corporate Australia: the leaders who moved people, who made change land, who made ideas stick — they all told stories. The data nerds and slide-deck merchants were losing the room. The storytellers were winning it. So she did something that seemed a little mad at the time: she left a senior role at National Australia Bank to teach business storytelling professionally. The reaction from the market? Something between skepticism and outright dismissal. Clients who hired her asked if they could quietly call it "influencing skills" instead — because saying "storytelling training" would guarantee no one showed up. In this conversation, Bill Sherman draws out the full arc of Ral's journey — and it's one every thought leader building something new should hear. There were nearly nine months with no clients. A business partner she eventually parted ways with. Years of revenue that barely registered. And then a turning point she still can't fully explain, when sales quintupled in a single year — triggered, in part, by her husband's quiet confession that he was desperately unhappy in his corporate job. That gave her a reason to run faster than she thought she could. The conversation gets particularly rich when they dig into what it actually means to develop original thought leadership. Ral is clear: you're never starting from scratch. You're always standing on someone else's thinking. What makes ideas yours is where you push back, where you adapt, and how you deliver concepts in your own voice and with your own experience. She describes this with a perfect cooking metaphor — Jamie Oliver's slow-roast lamb, tweaked until it becomes your signature dish. And then there's AI. When Ral started hearing workshop participants ask whether AI would replace storytelling, she was alarmed. Her latest book, Story Intelligence, is her answer to that question — and it's more nuanced than a simple "no." AI can help you find and refine your stories. What it cannot do is replace the authenticity that makes a story land. In a world where everything is starting to sound the same, your own voice is the one thing that cannot be replicated. For anyone building a thought leadership platform around an idea that isn't obvious yet — this episode is a masterclass in what it takes to stay the course. Three Key Takeaways: • Educating the market is part of the job. When Ral launched her storytelling practice in 2005, she spent nearly a year with no clients — not because the idea was wrong, but because the market didn't believe it yet. If you're building thought leadership around an idea ahead of its time, selling and educating are the same work. • Your thought leadership starts with "yes, and" — not from scratch. Ral never claimed to have invented storytelling. She read everything, absorbed the best of it, and then pushed back where it didn't fit the corporate world she knew. Original IP isn't about starting from zero. It's about finding where you genuinely disagree, and going deeper there. • Authentic stories are your competitive edge in an AI world. When workshop participants started asking whether AI would replace storytelling, Ral was alarmed — and that alarm became her latest book. AI can help you refine a story. It cannot replace the trust that comes from a story only you could tell. In a world of AI-generated content that's starting to sound identical, your voice is the one thing that can't be replicated. If this conversation sparked your thinking about storytelling as a leadership skill, check out our episode with David Hutchens — CEO of Mythos Global and author of Story Dash. David has spent his career building the practical tools that make business storytelling teachable and repeatable: his Taxonomy of Stories and Story Deck frameworks help leaders find and activate the stories they most need to be telling. Where Ral's episode is about the conviction it takes to build a thought leadership platform around storytelling, David's is the hands-on how.

What if suffering is not a detour from life, but one of the places where meaning begins? In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Bill Sherman speaks with Dr. Suzan Song, MD, PhD, about instability, agency, and the human search for groundedness when life breaks open. Her work spans clinical care, global systems, conflict zones, and executive leadership. Her core question is simple and urgent: how do people move through suffering without losing themselves? Dr. Song shares the deeply personal origin of her work. After losing her father to violence as a teenager, she pushed forward through achievement, education, and service. Years later, while working with former child soldiers in Burundi, she found herself in danger and saw the connection between her past and her work. That moment helped her understand the deeper spark behind her mission. Her book, Why We Suffer, grew out of that mission. It is not a promise that life can be made painless. It is a practical look at how people can navigate hardship through narrative, ritual, purpose, connection, and agency. Dr. Song challenges the idea that healing is only individual. Across cultures, she has seen that people heal in relationship. The conversation also explores how instability shows up in leadership. CEOs, executive directors, governments, and communities are all facing rapid change. Funding shifts. Policy changes. War. Burnout. Cognitive fatigue. Dr. Song argues that the antidote to despair is not happiness. It is agency. Bill and Dr. Song discuss how thought leadership can be rooted in service, not ego. For Dr. Song, the work is not about claiming a label. It is about making ideas useful. It is about helping people, organizations, and systems respond to suffering with clarity, humility, and care. This episode is a powerful conversation for leaders, authors, speakers, consultants, and anyone trying to turn hard-earned experience into work that helps others. It asks us to look honestly at suffering. Then it asks an even more important question: what can we do with it? Three Key Takeaways: • Agency is the antidote to despair. When people face instability, the goal is not to force happiness. It is to find small, meaningful actions that restore a sense of control. • Suffering is both personal and collective. Hardship affects individuals, organizations, and communities. Healing often happens through connection, belonging, and shared support. • Resilience is more than pushing through. Real resilience comes from narrative, ritual, purpose, and relationships that help people make meaning and stay grounded during uncertainty. If this episode helped you think differently about instability and agency, listen to Episode 107 with David Komlos. That conversation explores how leaders tackle truly complex problems. You'll learn how to bring the right people and perspectives together, make better decisions, and move forward when there are no simple answers. It's a strong companion episode for anyone leading through uncertainty.

What happens when a global executive finally has the freedom to say what matters most? In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Bill Sherman sits down with Ahmet Bozer, former global business executive and author of Soulgery, to explore what comes after a career of leading at scale. Retirement gave Ahmet something rare: time, perspective, and the freedom to turn decades of leadership experience into a deeper contribution. Ahmet shares why writing a book was not a vanity project. It was a commitment. A way to distill what he had learned about meaning, resilience, contribution, human connection, and lifelong growth. For him, leadership is not a title. It is a way of being. Bill and Ahmet dig into the discipline behind turning hard-won experience into thought leadership. Ahmet explains the quality standards he used for his book: useful, legitimate, action-inspiring, clear, fluid, and accessible. The result is a leadership philosophy built to serve real people in real life. The conversation also explores what many retired executives discover: writing the book is only the beginning. Ahmet is now thinking about platforms, partnerships, apps, institutions, and education. His goal is not simply to sell a book. It is to help ideas live beyond him. This episode is a powerful look at executive thought leadership after the C-suite. It is about contribution, scale, humility, and the courage to let an idea leave your hands and take root in the lives of others. Three Key Takeaways: • Leadership is a way of being, not just a role. Ahmet Bozer argues that true leadership starts with self-cultivation: meaning, contribution, human connection, resilience, and continuous growth. • A book is only the beginning of thought leadership. For Ahmet, Soldry is not just a finished asset. It is a platform for impact through an app, institutions, education, and ongoing conversations. • Ideas need both courage and humility to scale. Thought leadership requires sharing hard-earned insights clearly, usefully, and accessibly—while accepting that the idea may evolve and eventually belong to others. If this episode got you thinking about how leadership can live beyond one person, listen next to our conversation "Thought Leadership for Building New Leaders" with Tom Kolditz. Both episodes explore how we create more leaders—not just better executives. Ahmet Bozer focuses on the inner work: meaning, resilience, human connection, and contribution. Tom looks at how institutions can develop leaders at scale. Together, they connect personal leadership growth with systems that help leadership spread.

What does it take to turn crisis into a leadership framework others can actually use? In this episode, Bill Sherman talks with John Lentini, President of Culture, Strategy, Learning & Development at Crestcom International, about how defining moments can become disciplined thinking, practical models, and a mission that is bigger than one person's story. John's path to thought leadership did not begin in theory. It began in high-stakes moments. He reflects on surviving 9/11, leading through the Fukushima crisis, and learning firsthand that character is not an abstract idea. It is revealed under pressure. More importantly, he argues it can be built with intention. At the center of the conversation is John's six-dial framework for what he calls engineering character, which can be found in his upcoming book Engineering Character: Six Dials to Build Better Leaders releasing March 2027. He explains how discipline, mindset, and resilience help leaders lead themselves first. Then integrity, empathy, and influence help them lead others in ways that build trust. The result is a model designed to make character practical, teachable, and repeatable. This episode also goes deeper than framework talk. Bill and John explore the personal cost of leadership, the difference between good leadership and bad leadership, and the tension leaders feel when corporate expectations collide with personal values. John is candid about where he got it right, where he got it wrong, and why those lessons now shape his work as a speaker, facilitator, and leadership thinker. There is also a powerful thread on authenticity. John shares why he ultimately chose to step outside corporate life and use thought leadership to express ideas more fully and more honestly. For him, this work is not about visibility for its own sake. It is about impact. It is about getting a message into the world that helps people lead with more courage, more empathy, and more character. Listeners will also hear John talk about the writing journey behind his forthcoming book on engineering character, the emotional work of putting real life on the page, and why he chose a hybrid publishing path. No previously published book by John is named in the transcript, but this episode clearly positions his upcoming book as the foundation of his thought leadership platform and future speaking work. If you care about leadership under pressure, values in action, and the challenge of turning lived experience into a message that scales, this conversation delivers. It is honest. It is practical. And it shows how thought leadership is often built not from abstract ideas, but from moments that test who we are. Three Key Takeaways: • Character can be built on purpose. The episode centers on the idea that leadership character is not just innate. It can be developed through intentional habits like discipline, mindset, resilience, integrity, empathy, and influence. • Crisis reveals what leadership really looks like. High-pressure moments expose whether leaders act with preparation, courage, empathy, and trust. The conversation shows how extreme events can shape a lasting leadership philosophy. • Authenticity matters more as leadership grows. A major theme is the tension between corporate expectations and personal values, and how thought leadership can become a way to express ideas more honestly and create broader impact. If John Lentini's episode made you think about how character is tested in moments of crisis, then "Thought Leadership for Crisis Management | Helio Fred Gracia" is the perfect next listen. Where John explores leadership through resilience, integrity, empathy, and trust under pressure, Helio extends that conversation by showing how leaders can prepare for crises before they happen, protect trust when things go wrong, and respond with clarity instead of emotion. Together, the two episodes create a powerful one-two combination on crisis, character, and the disciplined leadership choices that matter most when the stakes are high.

Sherman's parents are coming to visit, and Bill Sherman checks in from the road. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We go to the vault for Bill Sherman getting ready for his birthday, when Sherman and Tingle interrupt the festivities!!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What does it really take to turn expertise into influence that lasts? In this special episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, host Peter Winick is joined by Bill Sherman and Naren Aryal to announce their book, The Thought Leadership Handbook published by Amplify Publishing Group. This is not a conversation about writing a book for the sake of writing a book. It is a conversation about building a body of work that creates value, sharpens thinking, and expands impact.  Drawing on hundreds of podcast conversations, client engagements, and years inside the thought leadership space, Peter, Bill, and Naren explore the patterns that separate real thought leadership from noise. They dig into what makes ideas useful, why strong frameworks matter, and how leaders can turn lived experience into practical tools others can apply. The focus is not on hype. It is on clarity, utility, and long-term relevance.  The episode also challenges one of the most common myths in the market: that sharing your best ideas weakens your business. Peter, Bill, and Naren make the opposite case. Generosity builds trust. Trust builds platform. And platform creates opportunity across books, speaking, consulting, advisory work, and beyond. Thought leadership works best when it is designed to help first and monetize with integrity over time.  What makes this discussion especially valuable is the candor around the real work. The book is positioned not as a magic formula, but as a handbook. A practical asset. A centerpiece of a broader platform. The conversation shows how strong thought leadership is built through process, pattern recognition, disciplined thinking, and a willingness to put useful ideas into the world before they are perfect.  For leaders, authors, experts, and advisors, this episode offers a grounded look at how big ideas become scalable assets. It is about frameworks that hold up in the real world. It is about creating impact in service of others. And it is about why the best thought leadership does more than elevate a brand. It moves people, opens doors, and creates meaningful commercial value.  If you want to understand how experts elevate their ideas, extend their reach, and turn insight into lasting business value, this episode is the place to start. Three Key Takeaways: • Thought leadership only works when it creates real value for others. The conversation keeps returning to service, generosity, and usefulness. The point is not to protect your "secret sauce." It is to share ideas in a way that helps people, builds trust, and creates impact.  • A book is not the whole platform. It is a strategic asset within it. Bill, Peter, and Naren frame the book as a centerpiece, not the end game. The real power comes from the broader platform around it: the podcast, the frameworks, the body of work, the audience trust, and the conversations the book can spark over time. • Strong thought leadership comes from disciplined thinking, not shortcuts. The transcript makes clear that writing the book forced them to sharpen their models, clarify their frameworks, and trust the process. The message is simple: do the hard work, make the ideas cleaner and more useful, and ship something valuable rather than waiting for perfection.  Stay close to the conversation by subscribing to Leveraging Thought Leadership and joining our newsletter. You'll be the first to know when The Thought Leadership Handbook is available for preorder, plus get the latest updates, insights, and behind-the-scenes news as the launch unfolds.  

What if the leadership issue in front of you is not strategy, but an old wound you have never fully resolved?   In this episode, Bill Sherman talks with Kendra Dahlstrom an executive coach and host of "The Unworthy Leader" podcast about the deeply personal path that led her into thought leadership, and why she believes the future of leadership development must go far beyond traditional coaching. Kendra shares how her own experience as a coaching client changed the way she worked, lived, and led. What started as personal growth became something bigger. Senior leaders began turning to her for guidance in high-pressure moments. That trust revealed a new role: trusted advisor, coach, and thought leader. The conversation explores the real shift from being an internal leader to building an independent coaching practice. Kendra is candid about the hard part. Selling coaching is personal. When you are the product, rejection can feel personal too. She explains how learning to value her work, define her frameworks, and sell without losing generosity became essential to building a sustainable business. Bill and Kendra also dig into what makes coaching credible and scalable. Kendra explains why leaders want a bespoke experience, but still need a repeatable process they can trust. She discusses the balance between personal connection and structured methodology, and why clients are often buying trust in the coach as much as the framework itself. One of the most powerful parts of the episode is Kendra's discussion of trauma, agency, and leadership. She shares how her own lived experience shaped her approach to coaching. Her belief is clear: unresolved trauma does not stay at home. It shows up in meetings, reactions, communication, and performance. She makes the case that leadership development should address emotional triggers, somatic awareness, and inner healing, not just surface-level behavior change. The episode then turns toward the future. Kendra outlines a bold vision to reshape leadership development inside large organizations. She wants to move this work from one-on-one executive coaching into teams, programs, and eventually enterprise-wide culture change. Bill helps pressure-test that vision, asking the key business questions: Can it scale? Can it be measured? Can it improve productivity, retention, and performance? Together, they frame a practical and provocative roadmap for what next-generation leadership could look like. This is a thoughtful conversation about trust, transformation, and the courage to introduce ideas that may feel uncomfortable at first. It is also a strong example of thought leadership in motion: personal, distinctive, and designed to challenge conventional thinking. Listeners will come away with a fresh perspective on coaching, leadership, and what it truly takes to create lasting change.   Three Key Takeaways: • Thought leadership often starts when trust shows up before a title does. The guest's path began when leaders started turning to her for advice in high-stakes moments. That trust revealed her value as a coach and trusted advisor before she fully claimed that role herself. • Better leadership requires deeper inner work, not just better tactics. A core theme is that unresolved trauma, emotional triggers, and past experiences can shape how leaders react at work. The conversation argues that self-regulation, agency, and somatic awareness are not "soft" extras. They directly affect how leaders show up in the boardroom.  • The future of leadership development must be both human and scalable. The episode moves beyond one-on-one coaching and explores how this work could expand into teams, workshops, and enterprise programs. The focus is on making leadership development more effective, more measurable, and more relevant to outcomes organizations care about, especially productivity and performance. If this episode sparked your thinking about how better leadership starts with deeper self-awareness, emotional regulation, and real inner work, then Joseph Press's episode is a strong next listen. In Kendra's conversation, the focus is on what happens inside the leader: the wounds, triggers, and patterns that shape behavior at work. In Joseph's episode, the focus shifts to what leaders must do next: think beyond reactive habits, lead with greater awareness, and prepare their organizations for an uncertain future. Together, these two episodes give you both sides of the leadership equation: how to lead yourself more intentionally, and how to lead your organization more effectively through change.    

It's Sherman's mom's birthday, so he and Tingle call home to wish her a happy day. Bill Sherman has other plans.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if the biggest lever you have today isn't another action plan—but one decision? In this episode, Bill Sherman talks with Apollo Emeka, who calls himself "the big decisions guy," and traces how that identity started early—when Apollo was effectively handed the power to choose school or not as a kid, and felt the real-world consequences of deciding either way. Apollo's path is anything but linear: military service, Iraq deployment, an FBI internship, and a mindset shaped by high-stakes environments where "what could go wrong?" isn't drama—it's a discipline. He shares a vivid example: after his family was impacted by the Eaton fire in Altadena and evacuated, they stress-tested a radical idea (moving to Panama) by asking that question seriously, researching risks, and acting fast once no deal-breakers showed up. A turning point came when Apollo commissioned a third party to interview his clients and surface where his real impact was. The message was consistent: decision-making. That clarity gave him permission to drop the "other consulting stuff" and go all-in on helping leaders make better decisions faster—then validating the shift publicly and operationally (including flipping his website). You'll hear practical tools, not theory. Apollo describes how most leaders' stated goals score shockingly low on a fulfillment scale—often a 6 or 7—because they're inherited, socially pressured, or "sensible," not energizing. That insight becomes the doorway to choosing goals you actually want, not goals you can defend. He also lays out what he calls a "big decision" framework: it must be a 10/10 on fulfillment, read like a toddler's run-on sentence (because it forces your competing life priorities onto the same page), make other decisions easier, and be bold enough that people might call you crazy. Apollo reads his own big decision statement—including the ambition to build scale through a best-selling book, a top podcast, and bigger stages, while protecting what matters at home. Finally, Apollo names the hidden saboteurs that keep smart people stuck: the "decision monsters." He trains clients to stop living in "can / should / could," and to recognize three common blockers—feasibility, worthiness, and social judgment—so leaders can choose with intention instead of permission. Three Key Takeaways: • Make one "big decision" that simplifies everything else. A real big decision is designed to be high-fulfillment (a 10/10), bold enough to feel uncomfortable, and specific enough that future choices get easier because they can be measured against it. • Stop chasing goals you can defend and start choosing goals you actually want. Apollo argues many leaders rate their current goals at only a 6–7 on fulfillment because they're inherited, socially expected, or "sensible." The fix is to re-select goals based on energy and meaning—not optics. • Name the "decision monsters" before they run the meeting in your head. He calls out the common traps—living in "can/should/could," fear about feasibility, doubts about worthiness, and worry about social judgment. Once you label the blocker, you can choose directly instead of negotiating with it. If this week's episode got you thinking about making one clear decision that cuts through noise, you'll get even more value from Lee Caraher's conversation—because it lives in the same territory: clarity under pressure and the choices leaders make when the old playbook stops working. Lee digs into how to lead across generations without the drama, how to shift your approach when talent and expectations change, and what to do when a business model needs a reset. Listen to sharpen your decision filters, reduce second-guessing, and walk away with practical moves you can use immediately.

Bill Sherman calls in to say the Bears should pull up shop in Chicago and come play behind The Brat Stop!!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if every hard-earned lesson in your business came with a simple mandate: how dare you do nothing with what's been given to you? In this episode, Bill Sherman talks with serial entrepreneur and systems strategist Apple Levy, author of "The Apple Effect". Apple has spent decades in construction, manufacturing, home flipping, and retail. She combines operational grit with financial discipline to help entrepreneurs stop firefighting and start scaling with intention. Her core belief is simple and provocative: if you know something that works, you have a duty to share it. Apple walks through how she turned years of wins and failures into a repeatable framework for growth. She explains why she began capturing notes, call recordings, and data from every client, and how that archive became The Apple Effect—a practical playbook for owners running businesses from $1M to $40M in revenue. The book distills what actually moves margin, cash flow, and culture, and she uses it as the backbone for her firm, Obsidian Thorne, when helping companies scale. You'll hear the real problems that keep owners up at night. Not just cash flow and margin, but rework that kills profit, weak follow-up on sales, and the emotional landmine of hiring family you can't hold accountable. Apple shows how to move from "leading by personality" to "leading by systems," so the process becomes the bad cop—not you. That shift frees leaders to exit someday, build a legacy, or simply step out of daily chaos. Apple and Bill also explore the mindset required to grow. Apple challenges entrepreneurs to ask, "How badly do I want this?" and to accept that scaling may mean dismantling what no longer serves the business—including long-standing people, habits, and assumptions. She shares how she applies her own advice inside Obsidian Thorne, using automation, hiring a business development lead early, and treating every pain point in her firm as data she can use to better serve clients. Finally, Apple looks ahead. She talks about taking her message to bigger stages—through construction trade shows like Build Expo, her growing calendar of workshops, and future events she plans to host herself. She's already filling the next scratch pad with insights for future books and building a team of people who share her attitude: hungry, accountable, and obsessed with helping entrepreneurs go from $1M to $10M and beyond. If you're an owner who's tired of firefighting, wrestling with family in the business, or worried about what you're leaving to the next generation, this conversation—and The Apple Effect—offers both a wake-up call and a roadmap. Three Key Takeaways: • Systemize your expertise. Turning real-world lessons into a documented framework is the foundation for scaling any business. • Measure what matters. KPIs and process discipline reduce rework, protect margin, and move the company out of constant firefighting. • Use your book as a strategic tool. A well-structured book can double as a thought leadership platform and an operating guide for clients and teams. If this episode has you thinking about systems, scale, and getting out of firefighting, the next step is to focus on your leaders. Pair this conversation with the episode "Scaling Leadership: Making Coaching Accessible at Every Level" with Kristin Lytle and you'll see the other side of the equation: how to build repeatable, scalable ways to grow people, not just processes. Both episodes explore how to move from one-off heroics to structured, repeatable solutions—whether that's tightening operations and KPIs, or creating blended coaching and learning programs that reach leaders at every level. Listen to them together and you'll walk away with a more complete roadmap: how to systemize the business and build a culture of high integrity, accountability, and leadership growth across the organization.

Sherman and Tingle talk to Sherman's Dad from the Tomah Tree Lighting ceremony. Buckle Up!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What happens when life forces you to stop—and that pause changes everything? Melissa Gonzalez, Principal at MG2 Design and author of "The Purpose Pivot: How Dynamic Leaders Put Vulnerability and Intuition into Action", knows firsthand. A medical crisis made her rethink what success truly means. Once a Wall Street professional turned retail design expert and author of "The Pop-Up Paradigm", Melissa built a thriving business helping brands tell their stories through physical spaces. But when her own defining moment arrived, she found a new story to tell—one about purpose, well-being, and the strength found in vulnerability. In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Melissa joins Bill Sherman to explore how life's disruptions can fuel transformation. She shares her evolution from building pop-up experiences for brands to helping leaders embrace intuition, pause with purpose, and redefine balance. Through dozens of interviews with women leaders, Melissa uncovered a truth many resist—taking time to pause isn't weakness; it's wisdom. Melissa also discusses the art of integrating her message of purpose into her business world. She reveals how partnerships with brands like Nordstrom, Simon G. Fine Jewelry, and Crate & Barrel amplified her book's message through events and collaborations that celebrate defining moments. Her story is a masterclass in aligning personal growth, thought leadership, and business strategy—without losing authenticity. From managing the emotional and physical toll of overachievement to embracing JOMO (the joy of missing out), Melissa's journey offers a reminder: the most powerful pivots often happen when you stop chasing and start listening. Three Key Takeaways: • Pause is Power – Taking time to slow down, reflect, and prioritize well-being isn't a weakness—it's a strategic strength. Melissa's personal experience taught her that real success comes from making intentional choices rooted in impact, not busyness. • Authentic Integration Fuels Influence – Thought leadership grows when your personal mission aligns with your professional platform. Melissa leveraged her network, brand partnerships, and events to bring The Purpose Pivot to life—blending purpose-driven storytelling with business acumen. • Vulnerability Creates Connection – Sharing personal defining moments invites others to reflect on their own. Through candid storytelling and interviews, Melissa shows that embracing vulnerability deepens relationships, inspires trust, and sparks meaningful change. If Melissa Gonzalez's story inspired you to rethink success, balance, and the power of the pause, don't stop there. Check out The Non-Linear Thought Leadership episode with Elizabeth McCourt. Both conversations explore how vulnerability, authenticity, and unexpected turns can become catalysts for growth. Melissa's journey shows how a defining moment can reshape purpose. Elizabeth's episode builds on that idea—revealing how non-linear paths, reinvention, and resilience fuel thought leadership. Listen to both, and you'll walk away ready to embrace uncertainty, lead with heart, and turn every pivot into possibility. Listen next: The Non-Linear Thought Leadership | Elizabeth McCourt

In Composers, we explore how songs are created by people from long ago and today. We meet Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven, and learn how their lives shaped their sounds. We also hear from Sesame Street, and legendary Broadway composer Bill Sherman about writing catchy tunes with meaning. Listeners discover that anyone can start with a small idea and build a powerful piece of music.

Sherman calls his Dad to wish him a happy birthday and catches him having a "spa day"?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if the world didn't reward the best ideas — but the best-packaged ones? That's the question at the heart of this conversation between Bill Sherman and Gavin McMahon, CEO of fassforward and author of Story Business. Once an engineer designing submarines, Gavin discovered that technical brilliance alone doesn't move ideas forward — storytelling does. Now, he helps leaders use story as a tool for influence, clarity, and change. In this episode, Bill and Gavin explore why ideas don't speak for themselves — and how story gives them a voice. They unpack the idea of “storytelling power” versus organizational power, and why leaders who can't tell stories struggle to inspire action. Gavin defines story as “information wrapped in emotion for commercial purpose” — a deceptively simple definition that can transform the way you present ideas. They also dive into Gavin's concept of “grandma language,” the art of making complex ideas accessible without losing credibility. Using examples from CEOs and real-world leaders, Gavin shows how mixing simple and sophisticated language helps ideas stick — even in high-stakes environments like cybersecurity or strategy. You'll also hear about the seven-year journey of writing Story Business — how Gavin refined his thinking, wrestled with simplicity, and learned that clarity comes only after doing the hard work of distillation. Along the way, he and Bill reflect on humility in communication, the creative joy of writing, and why being “nicer to people” may be the best advice for every thought leader. If you've ever struggled to make your ideas land — this conversation will show you how story turns insight into impact. Three Key Takeaways: • The Best Idea Doesn't Win — The Best-Packaged One Does. Gavin argues that success isn't about having the smartest idea, but the clearest, most emotionally resonant one. Storytelling gives ideas power, helping them stand out and gain traction in organizations that aren't true meritocracies. • “Grandma Language” Makes Ideas Stick. Gavin introduces the concept of blending “credibility language” (expert terminology) with “grandma language” (simple, human words). The balance builds trust and accessibility — a must for leaders trying to communicate complex ideas to busy or distracted audiences. • Simplicity Is Earned Through Hard Work. Writing Story Business taught Gavin that true simplicity comes only after deep thought and refinement. As he tells Bill, people make ideas complicated because they haven't finished thinking them through — and clarity is proof of mastery. If this conversation on Story Business sparked new ways to think about how you share ideas, you'll love hearing from Michelle Mellon in Thought Leadership and Storytelling. She dives deep into how narrative builds trust, shapes perception, and turns expertise into connection. Listen next: Thought Leadership and Storytelling with Michelle Mellon — and discover how to make your stories resonate long after the meeting ends.

What if time wasn't fixed, but something you could stretch, compress, and reframe? In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, host Bill Sherman sits down with John Coyle—Olympian, design thinking expert, and author of "Design for Strengths". John has spent his life chasing the meaning of time, from hundredths of a second on the ice to decades in thought leadership. His work asks us to reconsider not just how much time we have, but how we experience it. John shares how fleeting moments can reset the trajectory of our lives—an insight that came from his Olympic journey where fractions of a second separate gold from "first loser". He explains the Greek distinction between Chronos (clock time) and Kairos (human, transformative time) and why organizations and leaders need to design for the moments that truly matter. We explore John's unique career path—from competing alongside Lance Armstrong and working with Enron to translating neuroscience and psychology into practical lessons on leadership, innovation, and resilience. Along the way, he reveals how flow state, storytelling, and emotional engagement can make time slow down and make ideas stick. You'll also hear John's most powerful Kairos moment—the story of a silver medal, a boy who became an Olympian, and how one act of kindness changed two lives forever. It's a reminder that you never know when a small choice can alter someone's future. This conversation challenges leaders to rethink their relationship with time, memory, and meaning. It's not about adding years to your life—it's about adding more life to your years. Three Key Takeaways: • Moments reset the future. Leadership pivots often come from brief Kairos moments that redefine direction more than years of steady effort. • Memories are the currency of time. Flow states, risk, and storytelling create lasting memories that make life feel longer and leadership more impactful. • Design for strengths, not weaknesses. Leaders unlock innovation and resilience when they focus on amplifying strengths instead of patching flaws. If you found value in today's conversation about designing time, flow, and moments that move you forward, you'll want to listen to Maximizing the Flow of Ideas for Your Organization with guests Jeremy Utley and Perry Klebahn. That episode digs into how leaders generate more ideas over time—and why volume, variety, and experimentation are just as important as insight or vision. Both episodes ask a powerful question: how do you create an environment where your best ideas don't just happen—but compound? In short, if you want tools for turning strengths into breakthroughs, and moments into momentum—this is your next listen. It'll help you scale creativity, lead from possibility, and expand what “thought leadership” can mean across your team or organization.

[REBROADCAST FROM June 23, 2025] Bill Sherman wears many hats, including as the music director of "Sesame Street," orchestrating and arranging Broadway productions like "& Juliet," and "In The Heights," and also co-executive producer behind one of the latest projects from PBS Kids, "Donkey Hodie," a puppet music video series for preschoolers. Sherman discuss his career in music, and previews the second season of "Donkey Hodie," streaming this summer on PBS Kids and YouTube.

Not so long ago there were thousands of rural township one-room schoolhouses in Iowa, similar to what was seen on Little House on the Prairie. Historian and educator Bill Sherman shares memories about their history and what some of the buildings are used for today. From the 2000 WHO Radio Crystal Studios at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines with co-host form KCCI-TV reporter Mary Brubaker. "Winzenburg on the Weekend" is also on all major podcast services and YouTube.

Bill Sherman comes down from Tomah to hang out at Peotonepalooza. Let the festivities commence!!!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sherman's Dad had to deal with some insurance BS at the hospital, and Bill Sherman calls in.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What happens when AI meets the human mind in the world of thought leadership? In this special compilation episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, host Bill Sherman brings together four voices at the forefront of AI and innovation: Jen Cohen of Toyota Research Institute, Stephanie Grayson a Content Marketing Leader and Thought Leadership Advisor, Amelia Ross of Primer AI, and Spencer Ante, formerly of Meta. Each offers a powerful, firsthand take on how AI is changing the way we lead, communicate, and make decisions. Jen Cohen explores how AI can amplify—rather than replace—human potential. At Toyota, she's seen how automation can unlock joy and confidence, from safe driving to elder care. For Cohen, AI is about purpose, empathy, and enabling people to thrive through their “ikigai.” Stephanie Grayson shares how AI is becoming an essential research partner in the world of B2B thought leadership. But she also flags real risks—from bias to hallucinations—and warns that without humans in the loop, AI can damage brand trust faster than it can build it. Amelia Ross breaks down how natural language processing (NLP) can make sense of real-time chaos, like the war in Ukraine. She reveals how AI-driven insights helped governments and companies cut through disinformation and find clarity in crisis—demonstrating the societal power of smart content strategy. And Spencer Ante takes us to the edge of the AI frontier, where generative tools like ChatGPT are reshaping not just how we work, but how we think. A former investigative journalist, he calls on business leaders to collaborate with AI—not fear it—and to focus on managing truth, training systems, and preserving human creativity and empathy. From content to ethics, strategy to scalability, this episode is a must-listen for anyone leading in a world shaped by machines—and guided by human insight. Four Key Takeaways: • AI should be used to amplify human capability, not replace it. Whether in automated driving or elder care, AI can remove risk and enhance joy—while preserving purpose and human involvement. • Thought leadership must remain human-led and carefully validated. AI is a powerful research assistant, but without human oversight, it risks spreading misinformation and damaging trust. • AI-driven NLP can turn unstructured real-time data into actionable insight, helping organizations cut through disinformation and respond quickly to fast-changing global events. • AI won't replace human creativity—it will augment intelligence. Leaders must learn to collaborate with AI tools, supervise them, and guide them with empathy and strategy.

Bill Sherman wears many hats, including as the music director of "Sesame Street," orchestrating and arranging Broadway productions like "& Juliet," and "In The Heights," producing the "Hamilton" cast album, and also music director behind "Donkey Hodie," a puppet music video series for preschoolers on PBS Kids. Sherman discuss his career in music, and previews the second season of "Donkey Hodie," streaming this summer on PBS Kids and YouTube.

How do you grab the attention of the smartest person in the room and introduce an idea that could fundamentally change their approach to leadership? In this insightful episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Gina Catalano, President of Central Forza Group and author of The Leadership Wake Up Call, joins Bill Sherman to discuss her pioneering work in developing emotional intelligence (EQ) for surgeon leaders—a skill set largely overlooked in traditional medical training. Gina shares how her journey from managing medical device teams in Fortune 500 healthcare organizations led her to recognize a critical gap: Surgeons possess extraordinary technical skills but often lack training in emotional intelligence. Her unique insight is transforming how surgeons engage with patients, teams, and even mitigate malpractice risks. She explains the compelling data behind EQ's impact, highlighting research correlating higher EQ among surgeons with lower malpractice claims. Gina also details her groundbreaking project with Duke University's general surgery residency, where she's building a curriculum to instill essential EQ skills early in surgical training. Listeners will learn how Gina's personal experiences and keen observations evolved into a compelling speaking and writing career, all centered around equipping elite performers with the "power skills" needed for true leadership success. This episode isn't just about developing better surgeon leaders—it's about creating profound, measurable changes that enhance patient care and team performance.   Three Key Takeaways: • Emotional intelligence is critical for elite performance — Especially in high-pressure fields like surgery, EQ impacts malpractice rates, team dynamics, and patient outcomes. • Thought leadership bridges knowledge gaps — Introducing EQ to surgeon leaders requires translating soft skills into evidence-based, practical tools that resonate with data-driven professionals. • Early intervention creates lasting change — Embedding emotional intelligence training into medical residency programs can shape more effective leaders from the start. If this episode got you thinking about the power of emotional intelligence in high-performance environments, you'll want to keep going with our conversation with David Wood: The Effects of Soft Skills in Thought Leadership. Both episodes tackle a common challenge—how to introduce and scale “soft skills” like EQ in expert-driven fields where they're often undervalued. Gina Catalano and David Wood each show that these so-called soft skills are actually mission-critical for leadership, trust-building, and long-term success. Listen now and discover how soft skills can create hard results.

What if your greatest business challenge could become your launchpad into thought leadership? Today, Bill Sherman sits down with Aaron Marcum, visionary behind Breakaway 365 and bestselling author of EntreThrive, to explore how a journey from entrepreneur to industry thought leader unfolds—often unintentionally. Aaron shares how his frustration with data gaps in the home care space led to the founding of a data analytics company and, unexpectedly, a national reputation as a thought leader. Along the way, he leveraged the insights of thinkers like Brian Tracy and Michael Gerber, and later deepened his impact through a Master's in Applied Positive Psychology under the guidance of Dr. Martin Seligman. Aaron breaks down how storytelling with data shifted his role from CEO to an in-demand industry voice, fueling brand growth, product evolution, and ultimately, a lucrative exit. But he didn't stop there. With EntreThrive, he's now equipping entrepreneurs to beat burnout, overcome inertia, and find lasting fulfillment. Whether he's on stage, coaching leaders, or writing his next big idea, Aaron exemplifies how thought leadership evolves with intention and legacy in mind. He doesn't just teach frameworks—he lives them. And his mission? To empower other coaches and entrepreneurs to do the same, with impact that extends beyond business and into family, travel, and values. Three Key Takeaways: • Thought Leadership Can Be Accidental—But It Shouldn't Stay That Way: Aaron began as a consumer of thought leadership, applying insights from Brian Tracy and Michael Gerber to his business. Over time, he evolved into a recognized voice in the home care industry by solving real problems with data, eventually becoming an intentional and strategic thought leader. • Data + Storytelling = Impact: His ability to interpret data and turn it into actionable insights transformed his brand visibility, customer engagement, and exit valuation. By controlling the narrative through thought leadership, he elevated his company's reputation and market value. • Purpose Drives the Next Chapter: After exiting two companies, Aaron continues to lead with purpose—not for profit, but for impact. Through EntreThrive and Breakaway 365, he's focused on coaching entrepreneurs to overcome burnout and thrive, combining positive psychology, personal experience, and a calling to serve others. If you're exploring how thought leadership can evolve from personal insight to organizational strategy, this episode offers complementary perspectives. In Discovering Thought Leadership, Mark Smith shares his journey from HR research to establishing a formal thought leadership role at SHRM, navigating internal structures to align research with actionable business goals.

Can an introvert become an influential thought leader? Today, Bill Sherman speaks with Sean Barnes, executive coach, speaker, and host of The Way of the Wolf Podcast. Sean didn't start out comfortable on stage. In fact, his first speaking experience—presenting technical details to executives—was uncomfortable enough to make many quit. Instead, it sparked his determination to transform discomfort into impactful communication. Sean shares his journey from tech executive to thought leadership advocate, highlighting how he incrementally built confidence through intentional practice and feedback. He emphasizes the power of storytelling to make complex ideas relatable and memorable, explaining how shifting focus from himself to the narrative eased his speaking anxiety. They explore Sean's venture into podcasting, where he initially struggled with mechanical scripts and low viewership. Sean describes how persistent commitment and iterative improvement turned his podcast into a thriving platform, dedicated to helping listeners grow as leaders. Sean and Bill discuss the crucial mindset shift from personal achievement to enabling others' success. Sean reveals how adopting this philosophy transformed his professional trajectory, opened doors, and deepened his fulfillment beyond financial gain. Listeners will find valuable insights on overcoming introversion, harnessing storytelling for greater influence, and why true leadership is about elevating others. Three Key Takeaways: • Public speaking is not an innate talent reserved for extroverts, but a learnable skill developed through intentional practice, consistent feedback, and stepping courageously into discomfort to incrementally build confidence and effectiveness. • Storytelling is a powerful tool for making complex or technical information engaging, relatable, and memorable, helping audiences emotionally connect to your message and amplifying your thought leadership impact. • Genuine leadership and thought leadership arise not from personal accomplishments alone, but from shifting focus toward empowering others—enabling their growth, success, and influence, thereby expanding your own legacy and effectiveness. For a deeper exploration of introverted leadership, listen to this episode with Marcel Wijermars' conversation on "Introverted Leadership." While Sean Barnes shares his transformation from public speaking anxiety into impactful storytelling, Marcel provides practical strategies for introverts to excel at networking and energy management. Together, these episodes reveal how introversion, when leveraged strategically, becomes a powerful advantage in authentic leadership and influential communication.

Is college really the only path to career success? In this compelling episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, host Bill Sherman speaks with Lawrese Brown, author of "I Don't Have to Go to College: Discover Well-Paying Jobs that Don't Require a Four-Year College Degree". Lawrese passionately challenges outdated ideas about success, advocating alternative pathways like apprenticeships, boot camps, and vocational training. Originally, Lawrese targeted her message to parents, aiming to reshape perceptions about college as the only route to financial stability. However, she discovered parents often held strong, traditional beliefs about higher education. Shifting her focus directly to students opened powerful conversations. Today's youth, she found, are eager for practical guidance and alternative routes aligned with their true interests. Lawrese reveals how crucial it is for students to trust their instincts, choose careers based on personal values, and recognize multiple forms of intelligence beyond academics. She argues that greater awareness and visibility of non-college paths will empower students, improve self-esteem, and encourage more fulfilling career choices. Lawrese pushes listeners to rethink the "college-or-bust" narrative and advocates celebrating individual paths to success. Three Key Takeaways: • College isn't the only pathway to career success. Alternative routes like apprenticeships, vocational training, and boot camps offer viable, fulfilling opportunities. • Targeting the right audience matters. Shifting the message from parents, who often hold traditional views on education, directly to students can open doors to meaningful conversations and greater openness. • Empowering young people with practical knowledge of alternative career paths encourages informed decisions, higher self-esteem, and more aligned, fulfilling careers. Lawrese Brown emphasizes the importance of crafting your own unique career path, a message echoed by Tony Martignetti in his episode on personal leadership journeys. Check out Tony's insights for more on challenging conventional thinking. Together, these conversations inspire you to redefine success on your own terms, driven by passion, curiosity, and genuine fulfillment.

Welcome to Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show, the podcast where nostalgia comes alive!Today, we had the pleasure of speaking with the incredibly talented composer, arranger, and orchestrator, Bill Sherman. Bill's musical journey has taken him from the bright lights of Broadway to the streets of Sesame Street, and everywhere in between. He's a key collaborator with Lin-Manuel Miranda, having orchestrated and arranged In the Heights, co-produced the Hamilton soundtrack, served as executive music producer on the tick, tick... BOOM! film, and been part of the innovative group Freestyle Love Supreme. In television, he was a composer and music director for the reboot of The Electric Company and since 2008, has been a composer and music director for Sesame Street! He's also lent his talents to shows like Nature Cat and Donkey Hodie.

Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions of severe accidents, injuries involving young individuals, and mentions of suicide and self-harm related to these events. While these topics are integral to the conversation, some listeners may find them distressing. If you wish to avoid these sections, please skip from 17:46 to 25:06. What happens when your life takes an unexpected, tragic turn? How do you find the strength to move forward? In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Bill Sherman speaks with Nina Sossamon-Pogue, a former elite gymnast, Emmy-winning news anchor, and tech executive turned resilience expert. Nina shares her harrowing journey through public failures, personal tragedy, and how she turned pain into purpose. Nina's story is one of extraordinary highs and devastating lows. She opens up about missing her shot at the Olympics, a career-ending injury, and an unimaginable accident that left her questioning whether she could go on. Yet, through it all, she found resilience—a word she embraces as the ability to adapt positively, no matter what life throws your way. This episode isn't just about overcoming adversity. It's about building thought leadership from lived experience. Nina reveals how she transformed her hardships into a framework for resilience, tested through years of research and personal reflection. From being the person everyone turned to during crises to becoming a sought-after speaker on resilience, Nina's path is both inspiring and instructive. Listen as Nina discusses her evolution from telling others' stories as a journalist to sharing her own. She candidly explores the challenges of defining her thought leadership, navigating the pressures of public failure, and staying authentic in an industry often driven by spectacle. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone grappling with failure, burnout, or the relentless pursuit of excellence. Nina's insights on resilience offer a guiding light for thought leaders and high achievers alike. Three Key Takeaways: • Resilience is built through facing and learning from failure. Nina's journey shows that setbacks, whether public or personal, can become catalysts for growth when we confront them head-on and adapt positively. • Thought leadership often emerges from personal experience and rigorous reflection. Nina's hardships inspired her to develop a framework for resilience, demonstrating that impactful thought leadership is often rooted in lived experiences and deep introspection. • Authenticity and vulnerability are essential in thought leadership. By sharing her personal struggles, Nina highlights the importance of being genuine and open, which helps build trust and connection with audiences. Resilience isn't just about bouncing back—it's about adapting, growing, and finding strength in adversity. If you enjoyed the topics in this episode we recommend listening to Dr. Marie-Helene Pelletier on Resilience Redefined. Both episodes highlight the intersection of mental health, professional reinvention, and the ability to thrive after setbacks.

What if curiosity could change the course of your career? Today on Leveraging Thought Leadership, Laurence Minsky shares how a simple question about advertising portfolios led to a book deal for his first book: How to Succeed in Advertising When All You Have is Talent, that transformed his professional path. From launching an advertising career to becoming an academic thought leader, Laurence demonstrates the power of asking the right questions, collaborating with experts, and turning curiosity into action. Laurence's story is a roadmap for anyone looking to break into a new industry or expand their influence. He explains how identifying gaps in knowledge and pursuing them relentlessly has driven his career, leading to the publication of ten books and a thriving consulting practice. Whether it's exploring emerging trends like conversational AI or mastering the nuances of audio branding, Laurence has built a reputation as a lifelong learner who stays ahead of the curve. In this conversation, Laurence and Bill Sherman explore how thought leadership creates unexpected opportunities. They discuss the importance of finding the right collaborators, the role of storytelling in creating impactful content, and how a well-timed idea can position you as a leader in your field. Laurence's insights on navigating career shifts, adapting to new challenges, and staying relevant in a rapidly changing world will inspire listeners at any stage of their professional journey. This episode is a must-listen for leaders, creatives, and anyone eager to turn curiosity into success. Learn how to identify trends before they emerge, create meaningful content, and use thought leadership to open doors you never imagined. Three Key Takeaways: • Curiosity Sparks Opportunity: A simple question can lead to big opportunities. Laurence Minsky's curiosity about advertising portfolios led to a book deal that transformed his career trajectory. • Collaboration Amplifies Success: Partnering with experts and blending skill sets can create impactful content and open doors to new industries or roles. • Thought Leadership Requires Action: Identifying gaps in the market, pursuing emerging trends, and sharing insights are key to staying relevant and creating lasting impact. Laurence discussing how collaboration is key.  If you're ready to elevate your platform or bring your ideas to life, book a Strategy Session with our team at Leveraging Thought Leadership. Let's explore how we can help you achieve greater success.

In this year-end highlight episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership with Bill Sherman, we revisit the journeys of six incredible thought leaders from diverse fields. They share insights into their evolving work, the hurdles they've faced, and the laser focus needed to connect deeply with their audiences. From startup leadership and immigrant entrepreneurship to innovation management and clarity in communication, this compilation reveals the powerful interplay of passion, precision, and perseverance. Martin Gonzalez explores the role of data in refining startup strategies, pushing past biases to uncover actionable truths. Neri Karra Sillaman underscores how personal experiences, such as her journey as an immigrant entrepreneur, shape impactful ideas and groundbreaking research. These leaders remind us that the questions we dare to ask often define the value we create. Clemence Sop takes us into the luxury industry, where  understanding your audience at a granular level transforms social selling into a high-touch art form. Peter Boatwright and Jon Cagan, authors of Managing the Unmanageable, dive into managing chaos in innovation, using experiments to show how structured management enhances creative output without stifling originality. Finally, Ann Latham shares her journey to mastering clarity—an elusive yet essential skill in thought leadership. Her unique framework transforms abstract ideas into actionable insights, proving clarity is both an art and a discipline. Each story offers lessons for those aspiring to lead through ideas.

How do you take an academic idea and turn it into a global movement? On this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Bill Sherman dives deep with Karen and Aneil Mishra, exploring their journey of transforming the "Rock of Trust" framework into an impactful leadership tool. From the humble beginnings of self-publishing to securing high-profile consulting contracts, this episode showcases the art of bridging academic rigor with practical application. Aneil shares the origins of his trust framework, which emerged from research in crisis-ridden industries, and how Karen's marketing expertise rebranded it from a "crock" to a "rock"—making it memorable and actionable. Their collaborative effort highlights the importance of translating academic language into compelling, relatable messages. The Mishras' story is a testament to the power of resilience, boldness, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. The couple also reflects on overcoming challenges, including rejection from publishers who deemed them "not famous enough." Undeterred, they self-published, gained traction, and proved that meaningful ideas can transcend barriers. Karen's advice to her younger self? Be bolder and unapologetically share relevant academic insights with the world. Aneil adds, tackle big, important problems, as they keep you motivated and aligned with purpose. Their legacy, especially Aneil's enduring contributions to trust research, serves as a blueprint for turning intellectual passion into a movement that inspires executives, students, and practitioners alike. This episode is both a masterclass in thought leadership and a heartfelt tribute to Aneil's impact. Three Key Takeaways: • The Rock of Trust Framework: Aneil Mishra's research on trust identified four key pillars: reliability, openness, competence, and caring. Rebranded with Karen's marketing expertise, this framework became a memorable and impactful leadership tool applied across industries and organizations. • From Rejection to Resilience: Despite being told they weren't “famous enough” to publish their book, the Mishras self-published and gained traction. Their persistence turned rejection into opportunity, eventually leading to consulting contracts and increased credibility in the leadership space. • Bridging the Academic-Practitioner Divide: Karen and Aneil emphasized translating academic insights into practical tools. Their ability to speak the language of both executives and students showcased the importance of making complex ideas relatable and actionable.

What if the key to saving the planet wasn't more regulations or money, but a new kind of leadership? Rajeev Peshawaria, CEO of Stewardship Asia Centre and author of "Sustainable Sustainability: Why ESG is Not Enough" and "Too Many Bosses, Too Few Leaders: The Three Essential Principles You Need to Become an Extraordinary Leader", joins Bill Sherman on Leveraging Thought Leadership to discuss how his career pivoted from financial services to championing climate responsibility and social sustainability. He shares how a career in HR and leadership development revealed the limits of conventional approaches and sparked his passion for Steward Leadership—a model built on purpose, values, and a long-term perspective. Rajeev's research into over 100 global companies found a surprising pattern. Organizations thriving while solving environmental and social challenges weren't driven by financial incentives or regulations. Instead, they were guided by a values-based approach rooted in independence, long-term thinking, ownership of today's challenges, and creative resilience. These principles formed the backbone of the Steward Leadership model, a framework that marries purpose with profitability and proves businesses can do well by doing good. Spreading this message has been both strategic and successful. Rajeev's team collaborates with governments, business schools, and agencies worldwide to promote Steward Leadership. By showcasing companies with decades-long track records of balancing profit with purpose, they've captured attention and inspired action. Leaders are drawn to the idea that societal impact and business success are not in conflict but can amplify each other. Rajeev's vision for the future is bold yet focused. By influencing just 20% of the leaders they reach, the Stewardship Asia Centre aims to create a ripple effect powerful enough to drive global change. With a clear-eyed embrace of the 80/20 rule, Rajeev is betting that a minority of committed leaders, armed with the right values, can shift the trajectory of businesses—and the world. Three Key Takeaways: • Leadership, Not Incentives, Drives Sustainability: Successful companies solving environmental and social challenges aren't motivated by regulations or financial incentives. Instead, they operate from a values-driven leadership model rooted in purpose, long-term thinking, and a commitment to societal impact. • The Four Pillars of Steward Leadership: The Steward Leadership model is built on four principles: independence (the belief that helping society benefits business), long-term thinking (beyond quarterly gains), ownership of challenges (profit while solving problems), and creative resilience (innovating to address global issues). • The 20% Ripple Effect: Rajeev's strategy focuses on influencing just 20% of leaders touched by his work. Leveraging the 80/20 rule, he believes this minority of purpose-driven leaders can create a powerful ripple effect, transforming businesses and society for the better. Rajeev not only understands what type of leaders we need, but he knows how to find them.  As a thought leader can you clearly describe your ideal client? If you're not sure make sure to read this article by Thought Leadership Leverage CEO Peter Winick for tips on getting a clear picture.

How do you cut through the noise to get to what truly matters? In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, host Bill Sherman dives into this question with Ann Latham, the mind behind The Power of Clarity and The Disconnect Principle. Ann's journey to clarity began when she asked former bosses and colleagues a surprising question: What do I do best? The answer was clear—she had an uncanny ability to sift through information, distill its essence, and align teams with actionable plans. So began her consulting journey and the creation of Uncommon Clarity. Ann quickly realized that “clarity” could be a hard sell—it's an abstract concept people often overlook. To bridge this gap, she started showing how clarity impacts concrete outcomes: higher productivity, greater confidence, fewer mistakes, and optimized potential. Through strategic planning, process improvement, and team alignment, she began weaving clarity into the DNA of organizations. As her consulting grew, so did her focus on teaching others to achieve clarity themselves. She moved beyond providing solutions, empowering her clients to own the process. Now, as a writer and speaker, Ann is on a mission to make clarity a universal skill, publishing books and giving TED Talks to illuminate this essential but elusive concept. Her insights aren't just techniques; they're catalysts for meaningful change in any organization. Three Key Takeaways: • Clarity Drives Results: Ann emphasizes that clarity isn't just a buzzword—it's a strategic asset that boosts productivity, confidence, and team effectiveness. • Clarity as a Teachable Skill: Beyond solving problems for clients, Ann has developed ways to teach organizations how to cultivate clarity themselves, making it a sustainable part of their culture. • Practical Clarity Spectrum: To tackle the vagueness around clarity, Ann developed a spectrum that defines specific elements needed to reach clear, actionable outcomes, making it easier for teams to get aligned and achieve their goals. Peter Winick, the CEO and Founder of Thought Leadership Leverage, like Ann, often helps his clients find clarity in their work.  Check out this article by Peter on Clarity for Priorities.

How do you balance being a practitioner and an academic? In this episode, Bill Sherman talks with Dr. Robert Gordon, interim department chair for analytics, economics, and finance at American Public University about his unique journey from the world of cruise ships and supply chain to academia, research, and thought leadership. Robert shares his experience moving from practitioner to academic, and now returning to bridge the gap between the two. His expertise in supply chain management, particularly in the maritime and cruise industries, provided the foundation for a shift into research and publishing that impacted both academia and industry. Robert's research on virtual teams and complexity theory was initially seen as niche, but when the pandemic hit, his work became highly relevant. The shift to remote work made his insights on virtual teams essential reading. He highlights the importance of staying connected to practitioners through conversations and continuous publishing to keep his research relevant. Robert's story is a reminder that thought leadership is not a static process. It's about continually evolving, reflecting, and bridging the gap between theory and practice. Three Key Takeaways: • Bridging the Gap Between Academia and Industry: Robert Gordon emphasizes the importance of staying connected to practitioners while conducting academic research, ensuring his work remains relevant and actionable in real-world settings. • The Power of Reflection in Thought Leadership: Robert highlights how reflecting on past work is crucial for growth, allowing him to evolve his ideas, improve his writing, and adapt to the changing needs of his audience. • Virtual Teams and Complexity Theory Gaining Relevance: What was once considered niche research became vital during the pandemic, as organizations around the world shifted to remote work, validating the importance of anticipating future trends in research. Robert knows the importance of academic research to practitioners.  In this video Thought Leadership Leverage CEO Peter Winick explains how you can use academic research to build your thought leadership platform!

What does it take to grab your audience's attention in the first few seconds? Bill Sherman explores the art of pitching with Joanne Tombrakos, storyteller, marketing strategist, NYU professor, podcaster and writer. and expert in crafting powerful messages. Joanne breaks down the misconception that pitching is just about selling. Whether you're selling a product or an idea, the goal is the same: persuasion. It's about getting your audience to stop, listen, and invest time in your idea. Joanne shares the importance of setting the hook early and keeping people engaged by delivering value quickly and clearly. Joanne emphasizes that pitching is not just for salespeople—it's a skill everyone needs. In business, you're constantly pitching yourself, your ideas, or your projects. She compares pitching to a form of storytelling, where your narrative must not only catch attention but also build trust. Joanne also touches on the fine line between pitching and selling, explaining that while every pitch has an underlying goal of persuading, the real focus is on creating a connection. Through storytelling and strategic messaging, you can build a relationship that makes people want to listen longer. The conversation also delves into modern challenges, like competing with digital distractions. Joanne stresses that grabbing attention isn't enough—you need to hold it. Like a Netflix series that hooks viewers in the first few minutes, your pitch needs to pull the audience in right away and deliver substance, not just flash. For leaders, entrepreneurs, and marketers, her advice is clear: simplify your message, make it relatable, and always lead with value. Three Key Takeaways: • Pitching is about persuasion, not just selling: Whether you're pitching a product, idea, or project, the goal is to persuade your audience and capture their attention. It's not just about making a sale—it's about getting them to care. • Hook your audience quickly: Joanne stresses the importance of grabbing attention within the first few seconds. Like a great story, your pitch needs to engage right away, offering value and building trust so your audience wants to stick around. • Simplicity wins: Don't overcomplicate your message. The most effective pitches are clear and concise. Distilling your idea into one sentence can help you stay focused and make a more powerful impact. Joanne helps us understand how the Pitch needs to move beyond persuasion and into a relationship.  If you want to understand how those relationships can help ideas reach scale be sure to check out this video by Thought Leadership Leverage COO Bill Sherman.

What's the ROI of a business book? Peter Winick and Bill Sherman dive into this game-changing question in the latest episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership. Partnering with industry giants like Gotham Ghostwriters, Amplify Publishing Group, and Smith Publicity, they've launched the most comprehensive study on the ROI of business books to date. Over 350 authors participated, and the results are eye-opening. The data shows 64% of business books turn a profit, with a median of $11,350 for books that have been out for at least six months. But here's where it gets interesting—authors with a clear strategy saw a median profit of $96,000. The key takeaway? Profit is more about strategy than sales alone. Books with a robust launch plan, PR efforts, or even ghostwriting support outperform those without. For every dollar spent, the average book generates $1.24 in revenue—not just from book sales but from lucrative add-ons like speaking engagements, consulting, and workshops. Another intriguing finding? Authors with weak strategies ended up spending more than those with a focused approach. And when it comes to satisfaction with publishers, hybrid models shine. 70% of authors using traditional or hybrid publishing were satisfied, but hybrid authors were twice as likely to be enthusiastic about their experience. Catch the full episode and dive into the data at www.authorroi.com. Three Key Takeaways: • Strategic planning drives profits: Authors with a clear strategy around their book—like PR, launch plans, and ghostwriting—saw a median profit of $96,000, significantly higher than those without a plan. • Revenue extends beyond book sales: For every $1 spent on a business book, authors generated $1.24 in revenue, with most of the profit coming from related services like speaking, consulting, and workshops, not just book sales. • Hybrid publishing leads to higher satisfaction: Hybrid authors were twice as likely to express strong satisfaction with their publishing experience compared to traditional or self-published authors.

What happens when your toughest challenges become your biggest opportunities? On this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, host Bill Sherman dives deep with Neri Karra Sillaman—an Entrepreneurship Expert, TEDx Speaker, and Professor at ESCP Business School—about how her early life as a refugee set her on a path to becoming a thought leader and entrepreneur. Neri shares the story of her childhood, growing up as part of a Turkish minority in Bulgaria during the 1980s, facing forced assimilation, and eventually being expelled from the country. With only two suitcases, her family fled to Turkey. From those humble beginnings in refugee camps, Neri realized education was her key to changing her life. This powerful experience laid the foundation for her future work in entrepreneurship and academia. But how does a life of survival translate into thought leadership? Neri discusses how her research took her on a journey to understand why immigrants create businesses—and more importantly, why some of those businesses endure. Her "ah-ha" moment came when she found that many studies focused on the why of immigrant entrepreneurship but few explored how these businesses achieve longevity. This insight sparked her upcoming book, which distills the strategies of immigrant founders that any entrepreneur can apply. Her message is clear: business longevity isn't just for immigrant entrepreneurs. It's for anyone who wants to build something that lasts. Neri is working to bridge the gap between startup challenges and the principles that help businesses thrive over the long term. When asked how she moved beyond academia to practice thought leadership, Neri explains how she transitioned from writing academic papers to producing content for HBR, Fast Company, and other platforms that directly impact business leaders. She challenges thought leaders to think about how they can make their work accessible and actionable. Three Key Takeaways: • Adversity can shape success – Neri's experience as a refugee shaped her drive and resilience, which became the foundation for her entrepreneurial journey and thought leadership. • Immigrant entrepreneurship holds key lessons for all – The principles that help immigrant businesses endure are applicable to any entrepreneur looking to achieve long-term success. • Practical thought leadership matters – Moving beyond academic research, Neri emphasizes the importance of creating accessible, actionable content that resonates with business owners and drives real impact. Neri has spent her life seeking success in academia and entrepreneurship.  If you want to find that same success in Thought Leadership take a moment to watch this short video from Thought Leadership Leverage COO Bill Sherman on successfully launching a thought leadership team.

How do you turn technical expertise into a story that captures everyone's attention? Today, host Bill Sherman sits down with Chantal Roberts, an insurance expert and professor at The Bureau of Manhattan Community College in New York., to discuss her unique journey as an author of two distinct books. One caters to insurance  professionals, and the other takes a creative approach to educate the general public. Chantal's first book, The Art of Adjusting, targets mid-career insurance adjusters, offering them insights into the unwritten rules of claims handling. With remote work reducing informal knowledge-sharing, she aimed to bridge that gap. This book also strengthened her credentials as an expert witness in insurance litigation. Her second book, Once Upon a Claim: Fairytales to Protect Your Assets, was a complete pivot. Inspired by her experience teaching, Chantal decided to use fairy tales like Rapunzel and Goldilocks to explain complex insurance concepts to consumers. The goal? To help people understand the claims process better and avoid feeling blindsided. Chantal shares how her passion led her to write in ways that even surprised her. She also discusses her grassroots marketing efforts, sending postcards to agents as a way to spread the word about her second book—ensuring it doesn't get lost in the spam folder. If you're wondering how to write for different audiences without losing your authentic voice, Chantal's journey is full of insights. Three Key Takeaways: • Tailor your message to the audience: Chantal's books serve two very different audiences—insurance professionals and general consumers—requiring her to adjust both her tone and content to suit their needs. • Passion drives engagement: If you don't love what you're writing, neither will your readers. Chantal's pivot from a technical rewrite to storytelling with fairy tales made her second book more engaging and enjoyable for everyone. • Creative marketing matters: Chantal's approach to promoting Once Upon a Claim through physical postcards demonstrates the power of thinking outside the box to avoid digital clutter and create a personal touch. Chantal uses a different approach to finding her audience, but are you still using mass market techniques with your niche audience?  If so, this article by Thought Leadership Leverage found and CEO Peter Winick might be helpful.

What happens when your publisher holds your book hostage? In this episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Bill Sherman speaks with Michael Jenet, author of "Ask: The Questions to Empower Your Life" and founder of Journey Institute Press, about his grueling battle to reclaim the rights to his books after a new publisher took control. Michael's story isn't just one of frustration—it's about standing on principle and creating a new path for authors. After years of legal battles, Michael and his wife and fellow author Dafna managed to regain their rights, but the ordeal sparked a deeper question: How could they prevent this from happening to others? That's when they decided to start their own publishing company, Journey Institute Press, with a mission to put authors first and offer a more ethical, nonprofit-driven publishing model. They learned valuable lessons about the evolving book market, and now, they're helping first-time authors navigate the complex world of publishing with integrity and sustainability. Michael also shares key insights about long-term book marketing. Forget the one-time launch event at your local bookstore—today, it's about leveraging multiple formats, influencers, and long-term strategies to keep your book relevant. Whether you're launching a hardcover, paperback, ebook, or audiobook, the goal is the same: get your book into as many hands as possible and keep the conversation going for years. For aspiring authors, Michael offers this critical advice: start building your audience before the book is even written. Marketing falls on the author, so engage your readers early, find where they are, and get them excited long before launch day. Three Key Takeaways: • Own Your Rights: Michael Jenet's battle to reclaim his book rights highlights the importance of authors fully understanding and protecting their intellectual property in the publishing world. Don't assume your publisher will always have your best interests at heart. • Long-Term Book Strategy: Successful book launches go beyond a one-day event. Michael emphasizes the importance of thinking long-term, using multiple formats and engaging influencers to ensure your book stays relevant for years, not just during the initial release. • Build Your Audience Early: Authors can't rely solely on publishers for marketing. Start building a community around your book early on, even while you're still writing. This will drive excitement and help ensure a successful launch. These insights highlight the need for authors to take charge of both their rights and their marketing strategies to succeed in today's publishing landscape. If you have a book on the horizon and are seeking a solid thought leadership approach to marketing, reach out to Leveraging Thought Leadership to discuss how we can help.

Today on Leveraging Thought Leadership, host Peter Winick sits down with Andrea Sampson, CEO and Executive Thought Leader Coach at Talk Boutique and creator of the Thought Leaders Academy. Andrea has a rich background with over 25 years in marketing and advertising. She shares how her journey from crafting TEDx talks to building a holistic platform for thought leadership shaped her unique approach to coaching and strategy. Andrea discusses the importance of understanding your core message as a thought leader. It's not just about having a big idea but knowing what you stand for and why. This clarity helps you decide what opportunities to pursue and which ones to decline. For thought leaders, aligning your actions with your core message is essential. Andrea emphasizes that strategy isn't a limitation but a necessary framework that guides creativity, much like a creative brief in advertising. Peter and Andrea also explore the distinct differences between being a great keynote speaker and running a successful thought leadership business. Motivational speakers may inspire, but true thought leaders drive deeper understanding and actionable insights. Andrea highlights the need to simplify complex ideas so that audiences not only grasp them but are compelled to act. The conversation shifts to current trends in thought leadership, particularly the effectiveness of giving away value—knowledge, experience, or content—as a strategy for engagement and growth. Andrea underscores the importance of thinking like a consumer and identifying your target audience's needs. Andrea also challenges the notion that thought leadership is a solo endeavor. Collaboration, not competition, is key. She urges thought leaders to work together, learn from one another, and focus on connection and engagement. It's not the smartest thought leaders who are remembered, but those who can connect with their audience and make an impact. Join Peter Winick and Andrea Sampson as they delve into these powerful insights that can elevate your thought leadership to the next level. Three Key Takeaways: • Align Your Actions with Your Core Message: As a thought leader, it's crucial to define what you stand for and ensure all your decisions and strategies align with that core message. This clarity will help you decide which opportunities to pursue and which to decline, keeping your brand and message consistent and impactful. • Strategy Enhances Creativity, Not Restricts It: Contrary to popular belief, having a well-defined strategy does not limit creativity. Instead, it provides a framework that guides your creative efforts, ensuring your ideas and messages are focused, relevant, and effective in solving your audience's problems. • Collaboration Over Competition: Thought leadership is not a solo endeavor. By collaborating with other thought leaders, you can expand your reach, enhance your message, and engage more deeply with your audience. Working together allows for shared learning and growth, creating a more impactful and memorable presence in the market. If you know your core message, do you have discipline around it?  Bill Sherman, COO of Thought Leadership Leverage, discussed the need for Message Discipline and the risks you take by not having it.

In today's episode of Leveraging Thought Leadership, our host Peter Winick is joined by Bill Sherman, co-host and COO of Leveraging Thought Leadership, Dr. AJ Marsden, an organizational psychologist and statistician, Josh Bernoff, author of Build a Better Business Book, Marissa Eigenbrood, President of Smith Publicity, Inc., Alison Schwartz, COO of Gotham Ghostwriters, and Naren Aryal of Amplify Publishing Group. They discuss the findings of their recent research into the Return on Investment of publishing a business book. In today's presentation we will have a first look at the data that was gathered from hundreds of authors about their experiences getting published, the expenses incurred, and the results the book had on their business. These authors were reached through not only the friends and colleagues at Thought Leadership Leverage but those from many supporting sponsors such as Greenleaf Book Group, Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches, Page Two Books, and Zilker Media to name a few. Before the research could even begin we had to ask the questions "What is ROI?  How can you measure it?  How much does an author spend? What is the effect of different publishing models?  And what type of returns do authors see? In answering these questions we explore what the data tells us about the three different publishing models (Traditional, Hybrid, and Self Publishing), the role RP and Ghostwriters can play in the success of each. We also investigate the hard and soft costs involved in writing a book and what the returns could look like.  While many expect the sales of the book to account for much of their profit, we learn how using the book as a key part of a platform and gateway to other parts of the business is where real impact can be found. More questions will be asked and answered in the white paper that will be released in September as we continue to pour over the data. To get a copy of the paper when it's released e-mail info@authorroi.com

In his second episode, Billy Nevers (Lafayette/Jefferson on the UK/Ireland tour) talks about his extensive history with & Juliet, including working with the fantastic Bill Sherman and the prolific Max Martin. Billy also talks about how Legally Blonde was one of the best experiences of his life, how he booked Lafayette/Jefferson for the Hamilton tour, and tells me about the fateful phone call where he was asked a very loaded question: How do you feel about Aaron Burr? Billy Nevers on TikTok Billy Nevers on Instagram & Juliet (Original London Cast Recording) /// Gillian's Website The Hamilcast on Twitter The Hamilcast on Instagram Join the Patreon Peeps