In this final episode of Season 1 of Revenue Through Reputation, Brandon Lee discusses the rapid shifts happening in the world of leadership visibility. The changing landscape of B2B sales, content creation, and executive branding is being driven by economic pressures, artificial intelligence and generational changes. The shift is clear: businesses need to lean into human-to-human interactions and personal storytelling to drive trust and create business opportunities in a world full of noise.

🔹 The Shift to Human-to-Human Interactions

The landscape of leadership visibility is rapidly changing. With economic headwinds and AI tools becoming more prevalent, companies are shifting away from cold outreach and automation and embracing the human element of connection. Building authentic relationships and providing thought leadership (even without a “capital T”) has become the key to standing out and opening new opportunities.

🔹 AI is Here, But It's Not the Holy Grail

AI tools are advancing quickly, but Brandon points out that AI-driven cold outreach and content creation are still missing the human touch. Although AI can assist with efficiency and personalization, it can’t replicate the genuine, emotionally resonant content that grabs attention and builds real trust. As Brandon shares, “If it smells like AI, we move on.”

🔹 Why Everyone Should Be Investing in Thought Leadership

It’s not just executives anymore—everyone in the company should be encouraged to build their personal brand. 90% of companies are now investing in thought leadership for their teams through LinkedIn posts, YouTube videos, and even conference participation. “We’re all thought leaders,” Brandon says. “We all have unique experiences worth sharing.”

🔹 The ROI of Personal Branding and Visibility

People do business with people they trust. Personal visibility, whether through content, comments, or direct outreach, is essential for building that trust. As Brandon puts it, “The more visible you are, the more conversations you’ll have, and the more opportunities will come your way.” He also highlights the story of Chris Dunn, whose LinkedIn activity led to over $400K in new revenue.

🔹Building Reputation is More Important Than Ever

The path to greater success in business is through consistent and authentic content creation that reflects your unique journey. “When you share your experiences, you invite others into the conversation,” says Brandon. It’s not just about posting—it’s about building relationships and creating connection through your story.

As the business landscape continues to shift, personal visibility and reputation have become essential for leadership success. While AI tools and automation have their place, nothing replaces the human connection that truly builds trust and drives business growth. As Brandon shares, “You don’t need to be a ‘thought leader’ to share your experiences and start building your network. Everyone has unique stories that can resonate with others.”

To succeed in today’s fast-evolving market, leaders must show up, be authentic, and share their journey.

The Revenue Through Reputation Show
Hosted by Brandon Lee
New episodes every Tuesday at 11 AM ET | LinkedIn & YouTube
Empowering CEOs, founders, and sales leaders to build high-impact digital reputations that drive business growth.

In this episode of Revenue Through Reputation, Brandon Lee dives deep into why traditional sales tactics and cold outreach are no longer effective in 2025’s digital-first world. The crux of the issue? Buyers trust people, not brands, brochures or cold calls. As leaders, it’s crucial to lead with authenticity and share your journey to build trust and capture attention.

Brandon explains why companies need to shift away from value propositions, features, and case studies, and instead focus on sharing human stories that resonate emotionally with their audience. This episode highlights the emotional resonance required to stand out and turn passive content into meaningful conversations that drive sales.

Brandon encourages leaders to share their experiences, their challenges, and what they’re learning in real-time. This human-centric approach to content will drive engagement, spark conversations, and ultimately fill your pipeline.

• The Need for Human Connection:
  In today’s world, buyers aren’t responding to the same old value propositions and cold outreach methods. Instead, they connect with human stories—the lived experiences, the challenges faced, and the lessons learned. When you put your humanity into your content, you break through the noise.
• Emotional Resonance Over Logic:
  Logic might make people think, but emotion makes people act. In the age of information overload, emotional content is what stands out. Sharing personal stories, like challenges you've overcome or insights you’ve gained, connects more deeply with your audience than any brochure could.
• Trust is Built Through Visibility:
  Brandon emphasizes the importance of executive visibility. When leaders share their authentic journey, they build trust—not by promoting a product but by showcasing their humanity and authority. This makes your audience feel they know you, and trust follows naturally.
• The Shift to Leader-Led Content:
  Content led by CEOs and other executives is far more impactful than generic brand messaging. Leaders must share their personal experiences and thoughts to drive conversations and engagement. Brands that focus on leader-led content create lasting relationships, not just transactions.
• Why Cold Outreach is Failing:
  Cold calling, emailing, and LinkedIn DMs are becoming increasingly ineffective. The traditional cold outreach model lacks personalization and fails to make a meaningful connection. Buyers simply aren’t responding to the same old tactics anymore.

In a world where buyers trust people, not brands, it's time to shift the focus of your sales efforts. Authenticity and emotional resonance are the true keys to breaking through the noise and creating genuine, lasting connections with your audience. Leaders must show up, share their personal journey, and build trust—one story at a time.

As Brandon said, “The more you share your humanity, the more you’ll build relationships that lead to opportunities.” It's time to start sharing your journey and let your authentic voice lead the way.

The Revenue Through Reputation Show
Hosted by Brandon Lee
New episodes every Tuesday at 11 AM ET | LinkedIn & YouTube
Empowering CEOs, founders, and sales leaders to build high-impact digital reputations that drive business growth.

What happens when a sales leader stops posting polished content and starts sharing dog walks, family stories, and honest business lessons? For Chris Dunn, VP of Sales at BlueHive Exhibits, it resulted in deeper trust, stronger visibility, and over $300K in attributed revenue.

In this episode of Revenue Through Reputation, Chris joins Brandon Lee to talk about how his morning walks with Barton the dog evolved into a podcast, created demand, and reshaped how BlueHive builds pipeline.

🔹 #BartonTheDog: Emotional Resonance Wins
Chris initially hesitated about being 'the dog guy' on LinkedIn. But those posts sparked familiarity and connection. "People I hadn't spoken to in years knew everything about me from my posts." Emotional hooks create memory. Chris found the sweet spot between humanity and business insight, which turned passive scrollers into pipeline opportunities.

🔹 From Morning Thoughts to Content Strategy
The breakthrough came when Chris began tying morning dog-walk reflections to client challenges and sales insights. His content shifted from promotional to relational, positioning him as both relatable and trustworthy. This mix of personal stories and professional value built real audience engagement.

🔹 Why He Launched a Show
Wanting to uplevel his visibility and thought leadership, Chris started The Event Marketer's Toolbox podcast. He didn't begin as a confident host—but by partnering with Fist Bump, he streamlined the process and committed to consistency. The result? Stronger relationships, broader reach, and repurposable content assets every week.

🔹 Results That Speak for Themselves
Through consistent content and his show, Chris generated over $300K in new revenue—including repeat business. One inbound opportunity stemmed from a connection who had never liked or commented, but had been silently following for years. His posts and podcast gave prospects the confidence to trust him without a hard pitch.

🔹 Advice for Leaders on the Fence
Chris admits he once felt nervous about "putting himself out there." But now he views digital visibility not as a nice-to-have, but as essential. "You can't show up for 30 days and expect ROI. It's about consistency, authenticity, and trust." For leaders skeptical of building a personal voice, Chris emphasizes: Start human, stay visible, and real results will follow.

Chris Dunn proves that when authenticity meets strategy, your reputation becomes your greatest sales asset. His journey from casual posts to consistent podcasting offers a roadmap for executives ready to ditch cold outreach and build trust-first visibility.

As Chris says, "Just be real. The right people will find you".

The Revenue Through Reputation Show
Hosted by Brandon Lee
New episodes every Tuesday at 11 AM ET | LinkedIn & YouTube
Empowering CEOs, founders, and sales leaders to build high-impact digital reputations that drive business growth.