You’re knowledgeable, right? So how come you’re not known for what you know? How come you’re not the thought leader in your field? Well, if you’ve ever wondered, then this is the show for you. Bill and his guest dive in on the steps it takes to become a thought leader.
Andy Buyting is a full-time CEO and a part-time Gazelles business coach. Andy is a leader in brand positioning and thought leadership. His strategy of “Owning the Ink in Your Industry” has served both himself and his countless clients exceedingly well. On top of that, he brings over 20 years of sales, marketing, operations, business development, entrepreneurship, management and executive experience to his clients.
Andy’s parents were Dutch immigrants living in Canada and came from a farming background. As a kid, Andy had to work on the family farm, which was the largest carrot farm in the country. His parents were very entrepreneurial and were always looking to expand their operations.
Andy ended up taking over the family business at the age of 25 and began implementing the Rockefeller Habits into his family retail business. The 10-year old business grew 86% in two years because of it. After the initial 86% growth, Andy further grew the business by another 600% over the next couple of years.
Andy knows that the process works. However, it can be daunting to take action because you’re working towards changing your bad habits and that can become incredibly uncomfortable. Andy worked with a Gazelles coach for six to seven years and it helped him get over those uncomfortable moments.
Andy remembers Verne saying, “Tiger Woods has two coaches! The best golfer has two coaches. As a business leader, who are you to say ‘I don’t need a coach?’” You need a coach! Even the best in the world need a coach.
Verne kept asking Andy, “Who owns your industry?” and Andy was having a hard time understanding what he meant. This was his first introduction to what a thought leader was and why it was important. When his company started publishing his own garden-news magazine, it was a game changer, and his relatively small business became a big authority in the marketplace.
Companies that want to stand out as a thought leader — as an authority — really need to build a publishing arm out. Print is not dead and you should not write it off. Digital marketing is essential, but it has a short shelf life. Print, however, is there for credibility and longevity.
Andy’s father would have said this quote, “The secret to success is that you need to know what you’re doing. You need to know you know what you’re doing (be confident), and you need to be known for what you know.”
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