Episode 95- How to Become a Thought Leader in Your Industry: Lessons from Jackie Stapleton
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Being certified in your field does not automatically mean people will listen to you. That is the uncomfortable truth ISO systems expert Jackie Stapleton discovered after 13 years of running a successful training business.
Stapleton is a triple-certified contract auditor with over 25 years of experience. She has trained hundreds of professionals across telecommunications, education, trades, and government sectors. She is the founder and director of Auditor Training Online, a well-established registered training organisation. On paper, she had every credential needed to be seen as a leader.
But credentials alone were not creating the influence she expected.
In this episode of the Jane Anderson Show, Stapleton explains the real gap between being technically qualified and being recognised as a thought leader. She breaks down the three-stage journey technical experts can move through, the content system she uses to turn one idea into multiple pieces of content, and how she learned to stop hiding behind an industry image that never fit who she actually was.
This article unpacks those lessons for any expert, consultant, or coach who has the knowledge but is still figuring out how to be heard.
Why Certification Alone Doesn't Make You a Thought Leader
Stapleton describes a pattern she sees constantly in her own clients: professionals earn a certification, build a system, and then hit a wall.
"Nobody's listening to me," they tell her. "I'm telling them what to do. Why aren't they doing it?"
Her answer is direct. Having the qualification and building the system does not automatically build trust and credibility. People do not follow you just because you know the standard. They follow you because they trust you.
Stapleton describes how professionals can become stuck in a learning loop. They feel unheard, so they take another course. They still feel unheard, so they take another course after that. The real issue is often not another knowledge gap. It is a trust and communication gap.
The Three Stages Jackie Identifies for Technical Experts
According to Stapleton, professional growth in a technical field follows three distinct stages.
Knowledge. This is your certificate and your foundational understanding of the standards or systems in your field. It is essential, but it is only the starting point.
Application. This is building a system that meets the standard, one you can audit and confirm is working. It is tangible. You can see it and measure it.
Soft skills. This is the stage many professionals underestimate. It includes communication, emotional intelligence, reading social cues, and adjusting your approach person by person. Stapleton describes it as something you cannot see or touch, which is exactly why so many technical experts struggle with it.
"Once you're there as a practitioner," Stapleton says, "the hurdle is not the system. It's the people."
This third stage is not something that develops overnight. It requires consistency, reading the room, and adapting how you communicate over time.
Separating Your Personal Brand From Your Business Brand
For years, Stapleton tried to fold her personal expertise and mentoring work into her existing training business. It never quite fit.
The shift came when she began working with a mentor who introduced her to the idea of business "clusters." Auditor Training Online became one cluster, focused on recognised, accredited training. Her personal brand, Jackie Stapleton dot com, became a separate cluster focused on one-to-one coaching, speaking, and thought leadership.
The two brands still share a common database and overlapping prospects, but they serve different purposes. Separating them allowed Stapleton to focus specifically on quality and leadership development, an area that did not fit neatly under a training and certification business.
This distinction matters for any expert running a service business. A training program, an agency, or a done-for-you service is a different offer from personal mentorship built around your individual voice and perspective. Trying to merge the two can create the same confusion Stapleton experienced early on.
The Pink Sheet Method: Turning One Idea Into Multiple Pieces of Content
The core content system Stapleton credits for her growth as a thought leader comes from Matt Church's Thought Leaders Business School, a methodology she has used for several years.
The method centres on what Stapleton calls a "pink sheet." A pink sheet is a single unpacked idea, a way of capturing one piece of your thinking and turning it into a reusable content asset.
At the time of recording, Stapleton had written nearly 100 pink sheets. Each one becomes the foundation for multiple pieces of content: a newsletter, a blog post on her website, an email, a LinkedIn newsletter, a social post, and material her marketing team can repurpose further.
"It all starts with a pink sheet," Stapleton explains. "Then it turns into a newsletter, that's a blog on the website, that's an email, it's a LinkedIn newsletter, our marketing ladies grab the content from that and that social post, and it just evolves."
She was also using her pink sheets as the foundation for a book and had repurposed the same ideas into keynote talks and recorded sessions for online events.
From Pink Sheet to Newsletter, Blog, and Podcast
The repurposing sequence Stapleton describes typically follows this path:
A single pink sheet captures the core idea.
The idea becomes a newsletter article, usually written a couple of weeks ahead of publication.
The newsletter content is adapted into a blog post on her website.
The same material becomes a LinkedIn newsletter and social post.
Ideas are referenced again on her own podcast.
Strong pink sheets are submitted to industry publications, including Quality Business Magazine, published by the Australian Organisation for Quality (AOQ) jointly with the New Zealand Organisation for Quality.
The most developed ideas can become book chapters, keynote talks, or speaking material.
This is not a duplication for its own sake. Each format reaches a different part of her audience, and the underlying thinking only needs to be created once.
What Jackie Learned From Her Early Content
Stapleton is candid about the quality of her early content. She describes her initial pink sheets and newsletters as weaker than the material she produced later. The lesson is not that there is a magic number of pieces required before someone becomes a thought leader. It is that publishing consistently gives you the opportunity to develop your ideas and discover what resonates.
Her experience demonstrates why early content should be treated as part of the learning process rather than as a final representation of your capabilities.
The same principle applies to video and other forms of content. Early work may feel awkward or imperfect, but producing it creates the experience needed to improve.
Overcoming Self-Doubt and Taking the First Step
Stapleton is asked directly what advice she would give someone who doubts they have anything worth contributing, especially when a field already has many recognised experts.
Her answer starts with a mindset shift, not a tactic.
"Be brave and take that first step," she says. She acknowledges that support matters, whether that is a mentor, a coach, or simply people around you who encourage rather than discourage you. She specifically credits her husband, her sons, and her work colleagues as part of that support system.
She also references a quote she associates with Harvey Specter from the show Suits: "Anyone can do my job, but no one can be me." Her point is that other ISO professionals exist, other consultants exist, but no one shares your exact combination of experience and perspective. Differentiation does not require a completely unique field. It requires an authentic point of view within a familiar one.
Stapleton also admits she sat on her own ideas for years before acting on them, keeping a notebook of thoughts while she was still working on salary. That gap between having an idea and acting on it is common, and naming it directly may help other professionals recognise the same pattern in themselves.
Building a Personal Brand That Doesn't Hide Who You Are
One of the more distinctive parts of Stapleton's story is how she approached her visual and personal brand identity.
The ISO auditing industry, by her own description, skews heavily toward a conservative, understated image. At a workshop she attended, she was the only female ISO auditor present. She describes the typical industry aesthetic as muted colours and a formal, buttoned-up presentation style.
For years, Stapleton tried to fit that mould, even though it did not reflect who she actually was. She personally loves bright colours and describes herself as someone who loves rap and hip hop, a contrast to the image often associated with ISO professionals and auditors.
She eventually worked with a branding specialist, Rachel Dunn of Girl Director, who had also helped her develop her video presence years earlier. That work helped her identify colours and a visual style that matched her actual personality rather than a generic industry expectation.
The response since then has reinforced the decision. Stapleton says she regularly receives messages from other women in her industry thanking her for giving them permission to be themselves. Male colleagues have also responded to the distinct perspective she brings to the industry.
Stapleton connects this directly back to client experience. ISO professionals are often perceived as inflexible or authoritarian, sometimes described as the "quality police." A more approachable, human presentation changes how clients experience what can otherwise feel like a compliance-heavy process.
Where Stapleton Is Headed Next
At the time of recording, Stapleton's first book, Lead the Standard, was with her editors and expected to be ready around September.
Because that status was discussed during the original episode, it should be treated as historical rather than as a current update.
She was also planning a second book focused on high-performance quality culture, timed to align with the ISO 9001:2026 revision. The updated standard is scheduled for publication on 16 September 2026, so references to it as merely "anticipated" should be avoided in a current version of this article.
Her plan was to release the second book alongside the updated standard rather than ahead of it, so the material stays relevant to the changes practitioners would need to respond to.
Both projects trace back to the same pink sheet system described above. The content was not created for the book in isolation. It was extracted, tested, and refined across newsletters, articles, and speaking engagements first.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between being a technical expert and a thought leader?
A technical expert has knowledge and can build systems that meet a standard. A thought leader has moved beyond technical knowledge into areas such as communication, trust building, and developing a forward-looking perspective on where their industry is headed.
What is the pink sheet method for content creation?
The pink sheet method, developed through Matt Church's Thought Leaders Business School, is a way of capturing a single idea and unpacking it into a reusable content asset. One pink sheet can be developed into a newsletter, blog post, social content, magazine article, and eventually book material.
How do you build a personal brand separate from your existing business?
Jackie Stapleton describes this as creating separate business clusters. Her training business remained focused on accredited certification, while her personal brand became the space for one-to-one coaching, speaking, and thought leadership content.
How many pieces of content should you create before finding your voice?
There is no fixed number. Stapleton's experience suggests that early content can be weaker than the material that comes later. The important lesson is to keep creating, publishing, and refining your ideas rather than waiting until everything feels perfect.
How do you overcome self-doubt when starting to share your expertise?
Stapleton's advice is to take the first step despite the doubt and to build a support system of people who encourage rather than discourage you. She also points to the idea that while others may do similar work, no one else brings your exact combination of experience and perspective.
Conclusion
Jackie Stapleton's path from certified auditor to recognised thought leader was not built on a single big move. It was built on separating her brand with intention, committing to a repeatable content system, and being willing to publish work before it felt perfect.
Her story is a useful benchmark for any expert who has the knowledge and the system in place but is still working out how to be heard. The technical foundation matters, but it is rarely the only thing standing in the way.
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Key Takeaways from Today’s Episode:
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The episode begins with host Jane Anderson welcoming listeners to the show and introducing her special guest, Jackie Stapleton. Jackie is a respected expert in ISO systems implementation, auditing, and professional development. With over 25 years of experience, she has mentored hundreds of professionals, guiding them from internal auditing roles to successful consulting careers. She is highly regarded in the quality management industry.
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Jackie’s work spans various industries such as telecommunications, education, trades, and government. She is the founder of Auditor Training Online and holds three contract auditor certifications. Her experience covers all aspects of ISO, from internal auditing to environmental management. She is particularly known for helping ISO professionals transition from technical roles to leadership by simplifying and streamlining complex systems.
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As Jane officially welcomes Jackie to the show, they begin discussing Jackie’s journey. Jackie explains how she started her RTO (Registered Training Organisation) 13 years ago, believing that training and certification were all ISO professionals needed to succeed. However, she soon realised there was a significant gap between receiving certification and applying the knowledge in practice. Many professionals felt lost after training, unsure of how to implement what they’d learned. Jackie created JackieStapleton.com to address this issue by providing support in the application phase.
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Jackie elaborates that while training is foundational, what truly matters is how professionals apply their knowledge and develop soft skills. Many training providers overlook this need. Jackie introduces a three-part framework: knowledge (certification), application (using that knowledge), and soft skills (such as communication and emotional intelligence). She emphasizes that many ISO professionals struggle to lead because they lack the interpersonal tools to bring others along, despite having technical qualifications.
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Jackie describes a phenomenon she calls the “learning loop,” where ISO professionals repeatedly seek more training because they feel unheard, rather than focusing on practising leadership. She explains that the real challenge isn’t technical—it’s people. Professionals must learn to lead, understand their organisational context, and recognise where ISO is valued in their workplace in order to influence outcomes effectively.
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Jackie shares an example of a client who achieved ISO 9001 certification but struggled to gain internal buy-in. This highlights the difficulty many professionals face in shifting from technical implementation to human engagement. Unlike tangible procedures, soft skills like reading a room or adjusting body language are intangible and require time, adaptability, and emotional intelligence to develop. Jackie reiterates that success comes from consistent application and learning how to lead within dynamic environments.
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Jane notes Jackie’s transition from running a training business to also building a personal brand. Jackie reflects on how this evolution was initially confusing until she learned to distinguish her offerings as clusters: Auditor Training Online for certification and JackieStapleton.com for coaching and thought leadership. This separation allows her to focus on quality leadership and develop a more personal connection with her clients. She notes that this approach is still a new concept in the ISO industry.
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Jane praises Jackie for “leading the standard,” both literally and figuratively, in the standards industry. Jackie shares how she’s been actively developing her thought leadership, including attending content creation bootcamps and writing a book. She explains that she uses “pink sheets,” a technique from Thought Leaders Business School (developed by Matt Church), to organise and refine her intellectual property. Jackie now has nearly 100 pink sheets and continues to use this methodology to unpack her ideas and deepen her expertise.
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Jackie and Jane share a lighthearted moment about pink sheets, clarifying that these are not physical bed linens but conceptual tools used to capture and structure thought leadership. Jackie underscores how vital this method has been in developing her IP and articulating her insights as a thought leader.
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Jackie shares a reflective moment about encouraging a client to put herself out there despite self-doubt. She admits that her own initial pink sheets—used to develop ideas and intellectual property—were basic, even underwhelming. But after producing more than 50, her deeper and more meaningful insights began to emerge. She now contributes regularly to the Quality Business Magazine, a milestone that came only after persistence and growth in her thought leadership journey. Her advice to others is simple but powerful: just start, even if the first efforts feel subpar, because that's the path to excellence.
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Jackie highlights the importance of structured content planning, particularly when approached through the lens of writing a book. She began with 53 topic ideas and gradually refined them. Initially focused on capturing fragments, Jackie describes how ideas started to flow naturally once she committed to the process. She credits the bootcamp environment with helping her let go of perfectionism and instead focus on simply getting her thoughts down. This mental shift—from trying to organise everything perfectly to trusting that clarity would come later—was a significant milestone for her.
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Jane reflects on Jackie’s transformation across bootcamp sessions, observing how she moved from listing technical ISO topics to expressing more original and visionary thought leadership. Jackie recalls her early content being too focused on ISO 9001 specifics, showing that she was still "stuck in the knowledge section." But through ongoing reflection and unpacking of her ideas, she began creating content that resonates externally. This shift not only enhanced her ability to speak at events but also expanded her presence in newsletters, podcasts, and industry publications.
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Jackie outlines her content repurposing strategy, showing how she maximises the value of each idea. Starting with a pink sheet, she then turns it into a newsletter, blog post, email, LinkedIn article, and more. Her marketing team helps transform this base content into social media posts, creating a highly leveraged content system. By doing this, Jackie not only saves time but also ensures that each idea gets maximum reach and impact across multiple platforms.
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In response to a listener's potential insecurity, Jackie offers heartfelt advice: be brave, take the first step, and surround yourself with positive people. She admits that she, too, initially doubted her ability to step into thought leadership. However, with the support of mentors, family, and her team, she pushed through self-doubt. Jackie stresses that everyone has something unique to offer, and often it’s not about what you say, but how you say it. She quotes Harvey Spencer: “Anyone can do my job, but no one can be me,” highlighting that our individuality is our biggest strength.
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Jane and Jackie discuss how Jackie’s vibrant personal brand has emerged despite the traditionally conservative culture of the ISO industry. Jackie reveals that she initially tried to conform—wearing grey and suppressing her personality—to fit in with the male-dominated field. However, it didn’t feel authentic. Eventually, she embraced her individuality, working with branding expert Rachel Dunn to explore and express her true self through bright colours, bold imagery, and confident messaging. This allowed her brand to truly “pop,” making her stand out and connect more meaningfully with her audience.
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In this final part of the conversation, Jackie continues to reflect on how she discovered and expressed her authentic self in an industry known for its conservatism. Working with branding expert Rachel Dunn from Girl Director, Jackie explored the use of colour and visual identity to reflect her true personality. Although she had always loved bright colours, she initially felt they were inappropriate for the ISO industry’s formal, muted aesthetic. This led her to hide aspects of her identity in an effort to fit in.
However, Jackie realised that by doing so, she was playing it safe and limiting her self-expression. She shares how she once thought staying under the radar would help her avoid scrutiny for not fitting the typical ISO professional mould. In a humorous yet revealing moment, Jackie mentions her love for rap and hip hop—interests that clearly contrast with the stereotypical grey-clad ISO persona. This honest realisation illustrates the importance of authenticity, even in traditional spaces, and how embracing her true self helped Jackie carve out a distinctive and successful brand in the standards industry.
Most of the guests interviewed are current or alumni members of the Women With Influence community. Click here to find out more
