Shop Talk: Thought Leadership Expert Jessica Marie On What Companies Keep Getting Wrong

This February, thought leadership expert Jessica Marie published “Thought Leadership: Why B2B Companies Keep Getting It Wrong” on Forbes.com. In the article, she writes about companies that “sabotage their potential for true thought leadership” by “mistaking fleeting wins for lasting success.”

Jessica is uniquely equipped to understand the ins and outs of all things thought leadership. She has spent the last decade helping companies and leaders focus on their marketing objectives, brands, and thought leadership profiles. As the founder and CEO of Omnia Strategy Group, she has worked with B2B cybersecurity companies such as Traceable AI, Check Point and Tessian.

To learn more, we reached out to the Raleigh, North-Carolina-based consultant. In the following chat, Jessica shares more about her views on what constitutes effective thought leadership. Note: Helm interviews are edited for space and clarity.

Helm: Before entering the cybersecurity space, you worked in the financial industry. When did you start thinking in terms of thought leadership?

Jessica Marie: Early on in my current career, maybe 10 years ago, I very quickly saw that the content that was getting the attention wasn’t the content that was really deep in the weeds. A lot of the time a company actually will have that situation dialled in. The next step is to ask, how do I simplify? Maybe this means bringing a different perspective to a problem.

One of the primary reasons that companies in the cybersecurity industry like Abnormal Security and Wiz grew so quickly is that they prioritized thought leadership content that was educational and inspirational and without jargon and the cliches. It’s not clickbait. It’s not short-term focus. It’s this strategic and intentional rollout of a series of a content that is truly helpful to people.

Helm: One of the points you raise in “Why B2B Companies Keep Getting it Wrong” is that leaders and companies need to do more research. Can you talk about that a little more?

JM:  Research really is one of the best ways to get a handle on what’s happening in your industry and with organizations because so many things change, sometimes every few months and certainly annually. For example, at Traceable last year, we released our first annual State of API Security 2023 Global Findings report. That was our top performing asset in the history of the company. From a media perspective, it received 10 times the amount of media coverage than any other asset or release that we’ve had. And it put several million in the pipeline for us in six months. This tells us that people crave this kind of in-depth, meaningful content.

Helm: Another point you make is that companies need to have the courage to be controversial. That seems a little counterintuitive. What is your perspective on that?

JM: In every industry you have narratives that tend to be—how do I say it?—safer, or more acceptable. An example would be “We don’t want to offend anyone. We don’t want to go after our industry or after organizations.” What I mean by controversial, is how Richard at Traceable AI will often call out the corporate cybersecurity industrial complex for its messes. These might be executive orders around cybersecurity that, when you look deeper, you find there isn’t a lot of substance.

Helm: You also mention that companies and leaders need to harness the power of storytelling. The idea of cybersecurity might be simple but when you start differentiating one company from another, and what each does, it becomes more complicated. Is that where storytelling comes in?

JM: Absolutely. This is why customer stories and use cases are really important in this industry. Take, for example, Wells Fargo and Bank of America. They are under the same regulations and have similar issues, but the way that they go about solving things can be very different. One of the best ways to explain nuance and complexity is to tell the story of how some of these organizations were able to do that. And then showcase the outcomes that they were able to achieve.

Helm: Are there any tips for or thoughts on effective executive thought leadership that you’d like to add?

JM: It probably goes without saying, though maybe not, but brand is really important. I’m not sure that a lot of organizations, specifically in the enterprise technology space, really appreciate that. There are exceptions and I think that’s starting to change, but I would say, at the very least, that we need to acknowledge that brand is not just marketing and content.

To give more clarity, I would add:

• Establish a company-wide focus. Break down internal silos. Executive thought leadership shouldn’t just be about the C-Suite. Identify subject-matter experts throughout the organization and cultivate a culture of sharing insights publicly.
• Invest in content creation resources. High-quality, well-researched content is essential. This might involve dedicated content writers, designers, or external partnerships to ensure consistent output that reflects your company’s expertise.
• Champion collaboration. Encourage cross-departmental collaboration on thought leadership initiatives. This brings diverse viewpoints, strengthens the content, and builds internal buy-in.
• Align with strategic goals. Thought leadership shouldn’t exist in a vacuum. Ensure it supports broader business objectives like innovation, talent attraction, or market leadership.

Our thanks to Jessica Marie for her time and knowledge. You can find her at LinkedIn here and work with her here.