Leaders Who Don’t Publish Will Be Forgotten
In a world defined by attention, the leaders who create, communicate, and connect in public will shape the future.
tl;dr — This essay breaks down why I moved my work to Substack—and why every leader must build influence that outlasts their title.
The Hard Truth About Leadership in 2025
Most leaders think their title will protect them.
It won’t.
In a world that moves at the speed of attention, leaders who don’t publish will be forgotten.
I learned that the hard way.
I’ve been fired from three executive positions.
Not because I wasn’t capable.
…but because companies change, politics shift, and sometimes the vision you have for growth doesn’t fit inside someone else’s structure.
What saved me every time wasn’t a résumé or a reference.
It was my reputation — the personal leadership brand I’ve been cultivating for more than 15 years.
People knew what I stood for.
They knew what I believed.
So new doors opened when old ones slammed shut.
That’s the real ROI of influence.
Influence Is the New Leverage
When I talk about content, I’m not talking about posting for vanity metrics.
I’m talking about publishing with purpose — what I call Finding Peak Influence.
Influence is earned attention + demonstrated authority + consistent trust.
It’s the ability to move ideas, people, and opportunities through clarity.
Leaders who understand this don’t just run companies — they shape industries.
They create demand before a single product exists.
They attract partnerships before they ever pitch.
Influence is the invisible hand that pulls your next opportunity into reach.
Why Substack (Because Leaders Who Publish, Win)
Substack isn’t just a place to publish.
It’s a complete influence system — a communication stack built for modern leaders.
Here’s what it unlocks:
1) Direct Connection, No Gatekeepers
Every subscriber can message me directly.
Real conversations — not filtered through social DMs or algorithmic feeds.
When people reply to an email, it’s personal. When they send a direct message, it’s intentional.
That’s how trust scales. One-to-one at first. One-to-many soon after.
2) Ongoing Dialogue through Chats
Substack’s chat function lets us build real-time conversation threads around leadership, growth, and influence.
It’s where ideas evolve in public — the digital campfire for leader-creators.
When someone joins, they’re not just subscribing — they’re stepping into an ongoing dialogue.
3) A Cadence that Compounds
The newsletter isn’t random content — it’s rhythm.
Weekly issues establish a predictable cadence of communication — so your audience learns to expect your perspective, not just stumble across it.
Over time, that cadence compounds into credibility.
People start to see you not just as a leader, but as a voice.
4) Discoverability That Works for You
Each post becomes SEO-friendly — indexed and searchable by Google.
That means your insights live far beyond the inbox.
People searching for what you teach can find your work years later — long after most social posts disappear.
Substack turns every article into a permanent asset in your personal leadership archive.
5) Network Effects through Notes
The Notes feed is where new audience growth happens.
It’s like Twitter — but smarter.
Notes let you comment, share, and connect with other writers, founders, and thinkers.
Every interaction puts your profile in front of new readers.
It’s quiet virality — the kind that builds durable relationships, not fleeting impressions.
6) Instant Access to All of It
Everything I just described — DMs, Chats, Notes, Newsletter — lives inside one simple app.
All you have to do is download the Substack app, search Finding Peak, and tap Subscribe.
From there, you can read, comment, chat, or message me directly — anytime, anywhere.
This is what modern influence looks like — proximity, conversation, consistency, discovery.
Substack gives us all four.
The Business Case for a Personal Leadership Brand
Let’s stop pretending this is optional.
In the next decade, your personal brand will determine your professional relevance.
Because your personal brand:
Drives business development — inbound opportunities flow to those who publish consistently.
Attracts partnerships — visibility creates alignment before conversation.
Builds longevity — titles change, companies sell, markets shift… your audience stays.
Creates leverage — you can launch, pivot, or partner faster because people already trust you.
This isn’t marketing.
It’s leadership insurance.
The Mindset Shift
Leaders who build in public aren’t showing off — they’re showing work.
They’re documenting their learning curve.
They’re earning trust at scale.
Publishing isn’t optional anymore.
It’s leadership in action.
When you publish, you clarify what you believe.
When you clarify what you believe, you attract the right people.
And when you attract the right people, momentum compounds.
That’s the feedback loop of influence.
That’s Finding Peak Influence.
The Invitation
If you’ve followed my work for a while, this is where the next chapter lives.
Finding Peak is now here on Substack — the home base for ideas that challenge, sharpen, and elevate your leadership.
If you want to grow your influence, expand your opportunities, and build a leadership brand that outlasts any title — join me here.
The Rub
The leaders who will shape the next decade aren’t the ones hiding behind org charts.
They’re the ones publishing.
Don’t get forgotten.
I’ll teach you how…
This is the way.
Hanley
Recommended Tools for Growth
I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about my favorite AI tools for creating content. Here is a short list…
OpusClip: #1 AI video clipping and editing tool: https://link.ryanhanley.com/opus
Riverside: HD Podcast & Video Software | Free Recording & Editing: https://link.ryanhanley.com/riverside
WhisperFlow: Never waste time typing on your keyboard again: https://link.ryanhanley.com/whisperflow
CaptionsApp: One app for all your social media video creation: https://link.ryanhanley.com/captionsapp
GoHighLevel: It’s time to take your business workflow to the Next Level: https://link.ryanhanley.com/gohighlevel
Perspective.co: The #1 funnel builder for lead generation: https://link.ryanhanley.com/perspective