Imagine it’s January 2028.
You’ve just received an invitation to speak at a prestigious industry conference. The organiser mentions they’ve been following your content for two years. Your insights have shaped how they think about the market.
That same week, a premium international client reaches out, not through a referral, not through cold outreach, but because they discovered your articles. They’ve read your work. They already trust you. They’re ready to pay premium rates for your expertise.
Your LinkedIn profile has become a comprehensive resource library. Dozens of substantive articles. Years of consistent insights. Clear positioning. Undeniable authority.
You’re earning six figures annually. You have a team supporting you. International clients seek you out. Your business runs smoothly because your authority does the selling.
This is the power of reverse engineering. When you work backwards from your vision, the path becomes remarkably clear. And surprisingly, it’s simpler than most executives imagine, but remember: simple doesn’t mean easy.
Let me show you the blueprint that successful thought leaders follow, whether they realise it or not.
Most executives, founders and senior leaders approach thought leadership backwards. They start posting content without knowing where they’re headed. It’s like setting off on a journey without a destination; you’ll certainly go somewhere, but it probably won’t be where you want to be.
Your vision matters because it drives everything else.
Be specific. Vague aspirations create vague results.
Consider:
Published author with your name on a business book that establishes your expertise
Your 2028 vision isn’t just about what you want to achieve; it’s about who you want to become and the impact you want to have on your industry.
Close your eyes and imagine January 2028. Picture a specific moment:
You’re sitting in your office or perhaps on a beach if that’s your vision. Your phone rings. It’s an opportunity that validates everything you’ve built. What is that opportunity? Who’s calling? What are they offering?
That feeling you’re experiencing in this vision, that’s what we’re building towards. Not just the external markers of success, but the internal satisfaction of achieving the authority you deserve.
Write this vision down. Make it concrete. Make it specific. This becomes your North Star.
A vision without purpose is just a woolly, intangible concept. Purpose is what transforms thought leadership from self-promotion into something meaningful, both for you and for your audience.
The turning point in my business came from a single conversation at the Institute of Directors in February 2025. I met a CEO of a large company. An impressive person with a clear vision and obvious expertise. But virtually invisible on LinkedIn.
He mentioned he knew he was neglecting his LinkedIn audience (about 10K followers), but didn’t have the time to post and didn’t know where to start. He understood that in today’s market, invisible expertise is wasted expertise and asked if I could help him.
That conversation sent me down a research rabbit hole. I discovered that executives are time-poor but need visibility. They understand that authority drives opportunity. They know their insights have value. They just don’t have the bandwidth to create content consistently.
That’s when I found my purpose: helping executives build genuine thought leadership through long-form content — articles, blogs, and business books — that demonstrates their expertise and positions them as industry authorities.
My purpose isn’t to make executives famous. It’s to ensure their decades of expertise create the opportunities and income they deserve.
Your purpose might be:
Creating a lasting legacy. You’ve spent decades building expertise. You want your insights to outlive your active career, to shape your industry for years to come.
Helping others avoid your mistakes. You’ve navigated challenges that nearly broke you. Perhaps it was the 2008 financial crisis or a business failure or a career setback. You don’t want others to suffer the same way.
Improving your industry. You see practices that frustrate you, opportunities being missed and potential being wasted. You want to raise standards and create change.
Building financial freedom. You want your expertise to generate income without trading hours for pounds. You want the option to work less whilst earning more.
Opening doors for the next generation. You want to mentor, guide and share the wisdom that took you decades to accumulate.
Purpose is what makes your thought leadership meaningful rather than merely promotional. It’s the difference between shouting into the void and speaking with intention.
When you’re clear on your purpose, content creation becomes easier. You’re not scrambling for topics. You’re sharing insights that matter to you, which naturally resonates with others who care about the same things.
Here’s what most executives miss: thought leadership isn’t built overnight. It’s accumulated over time through consistent, valuable content that demonstrates expertise and perspective.
This is a marathon, not a sprint. And that’s actually good news.
Let me be transparent about what genuine thought leadership requires:
Months 1-6: building the foundation
You’re publishing regularly. You’re finding your voice. You’re identifying which topics resonate. Engagement is modest, perhaps 2,000 impressions per month across your content. You might wonder if it’s working.
This is normal. You’re planting seeds. The harvest comes later.
Months 7-18: the compounding phase
Your archive is growing. Early articles still attract readers. New content benefits from your growing credibility. Monthly impressions climb to 10,000+. You start receiving enquiries from your content. People mention they’ve been following your work.
This is where most executives quit. They’re in the messy middle, i.e. they’re past the excitement of starting but not yet at the payoff. Don’t quit here.
Months 19-36: the authority payoff
You have 48+ comprehensive articles. Your archive works whilst you sleep. Prospects discover content you wrote a year ago and reach out. You’re invited to speak. Publications want to quote you. Monthly impressions exceed 50,000. Premium clients seek you out.
This isn’t theory. This is the pattern successful thought leaders follow.
Here’s a truth that separates genuine thought leaders from content creators:
The average LinkedIn post has a lifespan of 24-48 hours. Then it disappears into the algorithm void. But a well-crafted long-form article works for you indefinitely.
I have articles from 18 months ago still generating enquiries. Content I wrote last year that continues to position me as an authority. Posts that compound their value over time rather than expire after two days.
A viral post might get you 10,000 impressions this week. A long-form article will get you 500 impressions this month, 500 next month, 500 the month after. After 20 months, the article has outperformed the viral post. And it’s still working.
This is why I’m obsessed with building archives. My own business book sits alongside my articles as proof of expertise. It’s not just about writing; it’s about creating permanent evidence of your authority. Not for vanity metrics. For the moment when a potential client researches you and needs to decide whether you’re the authority you claim to be.
Every article you write adds proof. Every insight you share builds credibility. Every piece of content becomes part of your permanent record.
Three years from now, you’ll either have a library of expertise that speaks for itself or you’ll still be explaining why someone should believe you’re qualified.
Whilst articles and blogs build your archive, a business book elevates your authority to an entirely different level.
There’s something about being a published author that changes how people perceive you. You’re no longer just another expert sharing opinions online. You’re someone whose ideas were substantial enough to fill a book. That carries weight.
I wrote my own business book and it’s become one of the most powerful pieces in my content library. It doesn’t just demonstrate expertise; it proves commitment. Anyone can write a blog post. Writing a book requires dedicating months to a single comprehensive work. That dedication signals authority.
For executives, a business book serves multiple purposes: it positions you as a recognised authority, it becomes a premium business card that opens doors to speaking engagements and high-value clients, it creates a legacy that outlives your active career and it establishes you as someone who doesn’t just work in your industry, you shape it.
The executives who include a business book in their thought leadership strategy don’t just build authority, they cement it.
Consistency beats intensity. Here’s the rhythm that builds authority:
Weekly: 3-5 LinkedIn posts (mix of personal branding, thought leadership and data-driven content)
Bi-weekly: 1 long-form article (1,500-2,500 words) demonstrating expertise
Monthly: 1 cornerstone piece (like this blog) that becomes a reference point
This creates approximately 48 substantive articles per year. After three years, you have 144 pieces of content online working for you 24/7.
That’s the archive that consistently generates valuable opportunities.
You have the vision. You understand your purpose. You know the plan. Now comes the part that separates those who achieve thought leadership from those who just think about it.
Execution.
Most executives will wait until January to start their thought leadership journey. When they have more time. When conditions are better. When they feel ready.
This is precisely why December is the perfect time to start.
Whilst your competitors take their foot off the pedal, you’re establishing your strategy. Whilst they wait for the new year, you’re already creating content. Whilst they plan to start, you’re building momentum.
By the time January arrives and everyone scrambles to figure out their content strategy, you’ll already be three articles ahead. Your positioning will be clear. Your archive will be growing.
January 2025 isn’t just a fresh start; it’s the beginning of your 36-month marathon. You have 12 full months ahead to build, compound and position yourself. Starting in December means you hit January with momentum instead of inertia.
I’ve worked with dozens of business leaders. Here are the three obstacles that stop them:
True. You’re running a business, managing teams, serving clients. You don’t have time to write LinkedIn posts and articles that position you as a thought leader. That’s exactly why strategic delegation works. You provide the expertise. Someone else handles the execution.
You have decades of expertise. The problem isn’t a lack of content; it’s a lack of strategy. Once you have a content strategy aligned with your vision and purpose, topics become obvious.
Fair concern. That’s why this is a marathon, not a sprint. You’re not betting everything on one viral post. You’re building an archive that compounds over time. The executives reaping the rewards of thought leadership didn’t get there through luck. They got there through consistent execution.
Every executive or founder who achieves genuine thought leadership had to start before they felt ready. They had to publish before it was perfect. They had to build momentum before they could see results.
Let me bring this full circle.
It’s January 2028. You’re the recognised authority in your field. When people ask how you built such impressive thought leadership, you answer honestly:
“I started in December 2025. I was clear on my vision, grounded in my purpose, committed to the plan and disciplined in execution. I ran the marathon whilst others were still looking for shortcuts.”
That future is available to you. Not through magic. Through strategy and consistent execution.
The executives who achieve their 2028 vision understand this progression:
✓ Vision provides direction
✓ Purpose provides motivation
✓ Plan provides the pathway
✓ Execution makes it real
But the plan only works when you begin building your content library today.
Think about it: the industry leaders you admire didn’t achieve their influence by waiting for perfect timing. They started creating, sharing and building their archive years ago.
Your future self, whether speaking on stages, earning six figures annually, advising international clients or mentoring the next generation, will thank you for the library you’re building now.
So what’s your vision? What’s your purpose? And more importantly, when will you start executing the plan?
The answer to that last question should always be: today.
Book a free discovery call to create your personalised thought leadership blueprint.
We’ll map out your vision, clarify your purpose and design the 36-month plan
that positions you as the authority you deserve to be.
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