what stage are you in your authority building journey?

The 5 Archetypes of The Authority Economy

1️⃣ The Hidden Expert (Skilled but invisible)

You have deep expertise, but almost no one knows about it.

• You don’t post much (or at all).

• You assume your work will “speak for itself,” but it’s not translating into opportunities.

• You’re watching people with less experience land the roles, clients, and gigs you want.

🚨 Risk: If no one knows you exist, you don’t get considered.

🔑 How to break out: Visibility is the first step. Start showing up in conversations, sharing simple insights, and making your expertise discoverable.

2️⃣ The Emerging Voice (Posting inconsistently but not seen as an authority yet)

You’ve started sharing, but you’re not consistent.

• You feel unsure of what to post or whether people care.

• You post occasionally but don’t see much engagement.

• You want to be part of industry conversations, but you’re not sure how.

🚨 Risk: Without consistency, people forget you.

🔑 How to break out: You don’t need to post every day, but you do need a repeatable system. Finding your rhythm and focusing on a few key topics can make you instantly more recognizable.

3️⃣ The Recognizable Contributor (People know you, but you’re not a go-to expert yet)

You have some visibility, but you’re not top of mind in your industry.

• People recognize your name, but they don’t immediately associate it with your expertise.

• You engage in discussions but don’t lead them.

• You get likes, but not inbound opportunities.

🚨 Risk: If you’re just another familiar face, you won’t attract career-changing opportunities.

🔑 How to break out: Authority isn’t just about showing up—it’s about shaping conversations. To move forward, you need to own a niche, create deeper content, and start leading discussions.

4️⃣ The Trusted Authority (People see you as an expert, but big opportunities aren’t flowing in yet)

You’re well-respected in your field.

• People recognize your name and engage with your content.

• You should be getting more speaking gigs, brand deals, or high-value clients, but you’re not quite sure how to position yourself.

• You know your work is valuable—you just need the right people to see it.

🚨 Risk: Staying in the “respected but underleveraged” stage means missing out on high-level opportunities.

🔑 How to break out: This is where strategic positioning comes in. You need to make it clear what you offer, what doors should open for you, and how people can bring you into bigger conversations.

5️⃣ The Industry Leader (Recognized, but now focused on scaling influence)

Your name carries weight in your industry.

• You’re shaping industry conversations, not just contributing.

• You’re focused on scaling beyond content—whether through speaking, partnerships, or launching your own thing.

• You want to move from being sought-after to setting the direction of your field.

🚨 Risk: Without scaling systems in place, growth plateaus.

🔑 How to break out: At this level, you need to build infrastructure—whether that’s scaling your brand, launching products, or creating long-term impact through education or collaborations.

💡 Where Do You Fit?

📌 The Hidden Expert → You need visibility.
📌 The Emerging Voice → You need consistency.
📌 The Recognizable Contributor → You need credibility.
📌 The Trusted Authority → You need leverage.
📌 The Industry Leader → You need scale.

🎯 Your challenge: Identify your stage—and your next step.

Which archetype do you resonate with most?

📌 What’s Next?

Now that you know where you fit, how do you start participating in The Authority Economy?

Next week, we’ll break down how to start building visibility and credibility in a way that feels natural, not forced.

If you’ve been struggling with showing up consistently, you won’t want to miss it.

Until then, keep showing up.

Cheers 🥂 

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