20 tips to help first-time brand leaders shine in media interviews

Shayne Fitz-Coy contributed to Fast Company’s expert panel, “20 things biz leaders wish they had done differently from the start.” PLAN THE EXIT BEFORE BUILDING THE BUSINESS. If I could start my business from scratch today, I’d build the exit before the entrance. Instead of obsessing over product-market fit and the competitive landscape, I’d first…

Shayne Fitz-Coy contributed to Fast Company’s expert panel, “16 ways CISOs can lead the charge on ethical, compliant AI usage.” SERVE AS ‘AI GUARDIANS.’ Chief Information Security Officers should act like “AI guardians,” making sure AI is safe, fair, and follows the rules. They use a “trust by design” plan to check fairness, how the…

Shayne Fitz-Coy contributed to Forbes’s expert panel, “How Emerging Market Real Estate Investors Can Assess And Mitigate Risk.” Do A “Coffee Shop Test” While others obsess over market data, I prefer the “coffee shop test.” Spend a few days in an area to observe traffic patterns, routines, commutes and development momentum. Quantitative analysis can be…

Shayne Fitz-Coy contributed to Fast Company’s expert panel, “10 reasons market presence matters to today’s business leaders.” IT STRENGTHENS CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS Executives need a strong market presence because clients buy from people, not companies. Owning a market is difficult, but owning a niche is easy. To grow your presence, focus on a narrow, specific area…

Shayne Fitz-Coy contributed to Forbes’s expert panel, “20 Ways Leaders Can Get Their Team To Focus On Long-Term Results.” Focus On Building Toward Something Meaningful Short-term wins are tempting, but if you’re not building toward something bigger and more meaningful, you’re just busy. I learned this after the acquisition of a portfolio company that smashed…

Shayne Fitz-Coy contributed to Fast Company’s expert panel, “20 business leaders share their best advice for the next generation.” PICK UP THE PHONE. Pick up the phone and call. In a world of asynchronous, low-friction interaction, telephony can be your secret competitive advantage. Most want to hide behind email threads and chat platforms, but I’ve…