Hi friends - I hope you enjoyed learning more about community as a growth strategy last month! This month we’re going to focus on thought leadership…again.

I’ve made the case for this before…but it really can’t be emphasized enough. It is truly the cheapest, fastest, and most effective tool in your growth arsenal. ⚡️ 

And Jared is going to spend all of August convincing you why you should invest in this strategy and how to do it effectively.

A little about our guest author, Jared Gibson…

Jared is a co-founder of Outworks, a content and strategy partner for founders and executives who want to show up like a thought leader and drive business from social—without adding it to their already packed calendar.

A qualified expert on this topic and an all around good human.

Enjoy the first of this four part series. 👀 

Why You Should Invest in Thought Leadership (Again)

Jess has made this case before: thought leadership isn’t a “nice-to-have” -  it’s a strategic advantage.

But a lot has changed in the past year. And if you’re still hesitating to lean in, now’s the time to revisit the question: Can you really afford not to?

Spoiler: you can’t. Here’s why…

The landscape has shifted

The latest LinkedIn data paints a pretty blunt picture:

• Company pages now average <1% organic reach.

• Posts from actual humans outperform company posts by 8x.

• AI-generated posts see a 35% drop in reach.

• And perhaps most importantly: comments drive 15x the impact of likes.

Translation? LinkedIn is no longer playing neutral. They’re pushing you toward paid ads or toward becoming a real human on the platform. You choose.

If you’re betting your brand’s reach on a company page, you’re playing the wrong game. LinkedIn’s algorithm (and the humans behind it) are clear: real voices win. Authority lives in faces, not logos.

The Buyer is watching

Here’s the part most people miss: even when it feels like no one’s engaging, they’re still paying attention.

Your future customer may never like or comment (actually, they probably won’t). But they’re lurking. Watching. Reading. Judging. Deciding.

They’re forming an opinion of you every time they scroll past your face or hear your voice. And when the moment comes that they do need help… they’ll go with the person they trust.

The buyer is watching. The question is: what are you giving them to see?

It’s about authority, not virality

You don’t need 50,000 followers or a post with 1,000 likes. You need the right people to know what you believe, how you think, and why they should trust you. That’s it.

And that’s where founder-led thought leadership shines. Not because it “blows up” … but because it sticks.

It positions you as the go-to expert. The one with clarity, consistency, and conviction. That’s what buyers respond to — especially in B2B.

Trust doesn’t scale with hacks. It builds over time, with repetition, humanity, and substance.

Why it matters now

Let’s put it plainly: the window is narrowing.

Organic reach is shrinking. More people are creating. AI is flooding the feed. If you want to build a brand that stands out — not just in style, but in substance — you need to start now.

Before you’re drowned out by sameness.

And here’s the thing: this isn’t about “playing the LinkedIn game.” This is about owning your narrative in a place where decision-makers are spending their time. Regularly. Quietly. Powerfully.

TL;DR

• Company pages? 👎

• Silent buyers? 👀

• Trust-based content? ✅

• Authority > virality. Always.

Thought leadership isn’t a trend. It’s the modern way to earn attention, build trust, and drive growth. If you skipped it last year, that’s fine. But this year? Don’t.

Sources:

• LinkedIn Organic Reach Data

• Human vs Company Content Performance

• AI Content Reach Impact

• Comment Engagement Data

Want to learn more about how I help startups increase their revenue by 150-590%? 👀 

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With love and gratitude,