Becoming a thought leader in your industry isn’t something that happens overnight.
It’s a long-term investment requiring time, effort, and plenty of PR savvy, which can make it feel daunting for many. However, it can pay huge dividends in terms of not only your own professional reputation but also brand reputation and recognition.
Here’s the thing though: writing an article and posting it on LinkedIn isn’t going to get you the kind of attention you need in order to become a bona fide thought leader. Behind every one of these successes, there’s someone working the B2B PR front, making sure that the right outlets hear the message, that journalists have what they need, and that social media users are seeing that post.
Here’s a look at 7 B2B thought leaders whose content is not only worth following, but also allows them to share what they’re passionate about, while also generating serious digital PR returns.
Rob LoCascio, LivePerson
As founder and CEO of LivePerson, a conversational AI-powered customer messaging provider for brands, LoCascio has a deep knowledge and understanding of the tech and AI world.
In fact, he’s the inventor of online chat for brands and has led LivePerson since its founding in 1995.
In early 2021, LoCascio launched a new interview-style podcast called Over the Wall. By interviewing guests from across the industry spectrum, from restaurants and entertainment to tech, LoCascio engages around the topics of leadership and entrepreneurship in an accessible and informative way.
Why it works: LoCascio is using his podcast to carve out space in larger conversations around leadership and entrepreneurship—both topics with broader appeal than the niche conversational AI space. By reaching into those broader areas, LoCascio is expanding both his and LivePerson’s audience, while also establishing himself as an expert and thinker around leadership.
Rom Krupp, OneDine
Rom Krupp is the founder of OneDine, a contactless payment and ordering solution for restaurants. Thanks to his always thoughtful and forward-looking commentary, Krupp has become a go-to source for journalists, bloggers, and others who are interested in the future of restaurant technology—and the future of the food and beverage industry, in general.
Krupp has both authored his own columns in outlets like FSR Magazine and been interviewed everywhere from major business publications like Forbes to B2B tech industry outlets like Raydiant.
Why it works: Krupp is a tech futurist when it comes to the restaurant industry, and he’s skilled at communicating that vision in an understandable, interesting, and data-backed way. The more he gives his time to those writing about the industry, the more he’s sought out—which is the endgame of B2B PR.
Anil Grandhi, AG FinTax
Grandhi is a financial and tax expert who opened his own small business tax and financial firm, AG FinTax, after working in the finance departments of major companies including Amazon and SunEdison.
Grandhi has become a highly sought-after thought leader in the small business tax space through the free tax reduction and tax strategy webinars he frequently offers. He also is a regular guest on finance-focused television and news shows, where he shares his knowledge generously.
Why it works: For some, giving away knowledge can seem like you’re giving away potential business—however, the opposite is actually true. By sharing what he knows in terms of tax reduction and overall financial strategies, Grandhi has built a reputation as a trustworthy tax specialist who is deeply invested in small businesses’ financial health. That has made him a go-to vendor for businesses across industries including healthcare, IT, real estate, and more.
Mark E. Watson, Aquila Capital Partners
The future of work, what it means to be a purpose-driven leader, philanthropy, growing a startup—Watson, a former insurance executive turned investor and philanthropist, writes about these topics and more on his blog and on LinkedIn.
Today, Watson focuses mainly on his philanthropy and his role as founder and lead investor of Aquila Capital Partners, a venture fund-focused investments in purpose-driven, tech-enabled startups.
Why it works: Watson’s decades of experience as a serial entrepreneur and investor have given him a perspective on the space that many newer founders have benefited, and continue to benefit, from. In addition, keeping both his and Aquila’s name in the public eye helps both expand and deepen the pool of founders that could contain Aquila’s next investment.
Sue McGill, ATB Ventures
McGill is one of the few women in executive leadership in the AI world, and that’s made her voice influential not just as a tech expert, but as a woman in the tech C-suite. As head of innovation at ATB Ventures, she’s deeply involved in the future of digital identity, data, and AI.
She speaks on topics like digital identity and innovation, but also diversity and leadership.
Why it works: McGill embraces the most important topics of the moment, from women in tech to diversity in leadership to climate change. She conveys authenticity each time she speaks—something doubly important when you’re representing a field rife with potential privacy abuses like data and AI.
Rasha Katabi, Brim Financial
Brim Financial is one of the most innovative fintech companies in Canada, and Katabi is undoubtedly one of the foremost female executives in the fintech world.
As founder and CEO of Brim, a fintech platform that merges banking, loyalty, and commerce, Katabi is at the forefront of conversations around the future of banking. By speaking widely on this topic through her own speaking engagements at conferences and events, her social media platforms, and press interviews, she’s established a strong voice in an industry that’s undergoing exciting, transformational change.
Why it works: Katabi worked in the finance world for 20 years before founding Brim Financial, and her ideas speak for themselves. By helping to lead the conversation around the future of banking and credit cards, she’s not only expanding Brim’s reach but educating potential customers about what Brim is and does. And that’s critical when you’re trying to advance a totally new product.
Michael Mogill, Crisp Video
Michael Mogill literally wrote the book on video marketing for attorneys—and he’s got a podcast, too.
As founder and CEO of Crisp Video, which offers legal video marketing services and a coaching program for law firm owners called Crisp Coach, Mogill has gone after his niche—marketing for law firms—with surgical precision.
Why it works: By tirelessly honing his message, Mogill has become the go-to thought leader for exactly the audience he wants: lawyers who want to grow their law firms. His speaking engagements, podcast episodes, social media, and other content make him easier to find and are directed only at those potential customers—which makes it much more likely that anyone who finds him is going to have more than a passing interest in what he has to say.
Do you have a message you’re ready to share with the world? Contact us to talk about your thought leadership and B2B PR needs today!
