How can Thought Leadership help you address investor concerns during the funding process?

Thought is essentially creative energy if it stems from the heart of humanity's greatest need for innovative change. We cannot advance as a species without new perspective on efficiency and growth models that ensure greater equity is preserved. However, since the corporate model itself may have reached the limit of its fundamental utility, perhaps the reformulation of social compacts and economic inclusivity itself must become our central focus. For, without a decentralized and fully participatory democratization of business, the wealth gap continues to grow almost exponentially. Only by addressing the critical breakdown of social systems can 'work' of any kind become meaningful and uplifting to the mass. The times are changing fast...

Thought leadership is about providing content, context, perspective, and insights that 'lead thoughts' into new areas. These new areas could be an evolution of a perspective or a radical shift or anything in between. Overall it is about advancing the collective thoughts on a topic, not about promotion of oneself or company.

Thought leadership is helpful in the funding process because it provides reference-able artifacts for the research and due diligence processes. Done well, thought leadership can add further context and details to round out perspective on your area of expertise. Think of it as an extension of what an investor may read in your pitch deck, bio, and resume. It's a way to highlight expertise that can/will differentiate your company and set yourself apart as an attractive investment.

Sharing your thought leadership on a topic or an area of expertise should be done in a way that has no conflicts of interest attached to it. Your audience is looking for you to be authentic as a thought leader and the essence of your thought leadership should have best interests of your readers and listeners in mind versus having your own best interests at heart.

Thought leadership does require a strategic and consistent approach. Choose wisely. Choose only a couple topics - you cannot be a leader in everything. Decide if you want to be truly a bleeding edge, leading edge, or conversion thought leader. Bleeding edge is at the farthest horizons of new research, new thinking on a topic. Bleeding edge thought leaders' content is not something you'll find many others discussing, yet. Leading edge thought leaders' content aggregates trends into new thinking, adds useful and practical spins on bleeding edge content, helps move what was bleeding edge ideas into the mainstream. A conversion thought leader helps people adopt leading edge or mainstream ideas by making them simple and relevant.

Again, this is about creating reference-able artifacts that build/support your and your company's brand. This creates broader awareness of your brand which can lead to more investor conversations, leads, and referrals.

Thought leadership is a long cycle, long game endeavor. It lives above your product marketing and company brand, however, it must relate to these things. Well done thought leadership creates space that your brand can grow into. So you really have to be focused and consistent. Not everyone will agree with you and managing that constructively can actually propel your brand further. Be open to other perspectives. Ignore and don't feed the trolls. Remember that your brand, including your thought leadership, is your journey.

Thoughtleadership can be personal, ie from a person written in first person and offering a POV. This can help investors feel closer to the deal and deal makers