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- The intricacies of Authority building; what I've learned from five leading experts
The intricacies of Authority building; what I've learned from five leading experts
A summary from the Chats with Ellen Series this summer.
So many people are sitting on years worth of valuable knowledge but often stay stuck in their heads due to the challenges of sharing, and scaling, expertise. In recent months I've had some incredible conversations with industry peers lately about these challenges.
Each conversation dove deep into authority building, coaching, and expertise-led business models. I wanted to finish the series (at least for now) with a wrap up. A big thanks to Adriana Tica, Charlotte Crowther, Frances Odera Matthews, Josh Spector and Shaina Anderson for joining us to dive into these strategies and share how it’s looked in their own businesses, too.
Keep reading for a summary and some short 1-2 min video clips for a dose of practical inspiration when it comes to building and growing your expertise-led business. Enjoy!
How Long Does It Actually Take to Build Authority? ft Adriana Tica
The real timeline for becoming recognised as an authority? Hit play for the answer…
Find the full conversation to hear all about:
Authority building in the online space, and how long it takes to stand out
The importance of having One Big Idea for your work
Why Esther Perel is our joint career crush
Which social platforms are getting the best results and why some creators are moving to OnlyFans (but not for why you think 👀 )
The pros and cons of paywalling newsletters
How Do You Actually Want to Spend Your Days? ft Frances Odera Matthews
Your lifestyle preferences should drive your business decisions. Here’s how:
Read the full conversation to understand
Why solopreneurs often overcomplicate too early (and how to avoid it)
Using Notion to create passive income from your signature ideas and frameworks
The hidden cost of hiring help and what to consider before you do it
Why lifestyle businesses are the new powerhouses
Why 'Finding Your Niche' Misses the Point ft Shaina Anderson
If you don’t want to niche and do the same thing over and over again? You need a through-line.
Read the full conversation to learn
Why fractional and portfolio careers are reshaping self-employment, and why generalists are thriving
How to turn one core skill set into multiple income streams
What it really takes to shift from freelancer-for-hire to founder with a vision
Bootstrapping vs. funding — what you actually need to launch and grow
Why positioning and storytelling matter more than your services — and how they help you scale without burning out
When You Hire a Coach, You're Choosing to Change ft Josh Spector
When you invest in coaching, you're not outsourcing your decisions… you're committing to doing the work…
When you’re ready, revisit the full conversation with Josh and hear:
Why strategic content starts with knowing your actual goal (hint: it's not followers)
How to align your business model with your content strategy and why so many people get this backwards
Josh's experience hiring a business coach, raising his prices 10x, then completely reversing course and sunsetting a £1k membership
Why he chose to embrace "generosity" as his core business strategy… and how it's ACTUALLY working
The difference between building for scale vs. building for fulfilment (and why you need to choose)
How to price strategically when everyone's telling you to "charge more"
Why Building Authority Feels So Hard Ft Charlotte Crowther
Becoming an authority isn't a rational process — it's deeply emotional. The real block? Identity crisis. Here’s why:
Tune back in to revisit the full conversation with Charlotte and hear:
Why external help is essential when you're too close to your own expertise (hello, curse of knowledge!)
The emotional journey of building authority… and why it's not as rational as you'd think
How to move from "I do ad hoc consulting" to "I'm building a bank of intellectual property that scales"
Why Ali Abdaal still needed Charlotte's help despite being a master communicator; and how these frameworks played an integral role in his growth
How to protect your intellectual property (and why visuals matter more than you think)
The Red Thread
Building authority is about getting clear on what you actually want to build, then having the courage to do the work —that work being both the external strategy and the internal recalibration to show up as the expert you know you can be.
Every single person I spoke to is doing it differently, and that's exactly the point, you can find your own formula.
What resonated most with you? Hit reply or comment below to let me know.
And, if you're looking for ongoing support in growing your authority-led business? Explore 1-1 support or explore joining Authority Club for my help aligning on your business’ purpose, positioning and sustainable growth plan.
More resources on finding the right business for you from The Ask archives…
Thanks for reading as always, and until next time!
Ellen Donnelly, Founder & Chief Coach, The Ask.
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