Don’t let an algorithm decide what you read »

The Recognized Authority Podcast Cover
The Recognized Authority
Publishes Weekly on
Monday Mornings

“Anyone interested in authority needs to add this to their podcast playlist right now”

Rochelle Moulton 
Author of The Authority Code

Guiding invisible experts on the journey to becoming a recognized authority in your field, so you can increase your impact, command higher fees, and work with better clients.

Available on All Major Podcast Platforms

Episodes

Episode 35

How to Write a Successful Book with Anne Janzer

Most consultants have been told “you should write a book” at some point. But easy as that is to say, where do you start? In this episode, Anne Janzer and Alastair McDermott discuss how to start writing your book, why writer’s block isn’t quite what people think it is, and how to think about success […]
Episode 34

How Quality Audio Makes You Sound Smarter with Norbert Schwarz

As authorities and experts in our specialist areas, we want our prospective clients to see us as competent, intelligent experts. But many of us are self-sabotaging and creating the perception of being less competent, less intelligent, having less expertise. In this episode, Norbert Schwarz and Alastair McDermott discuss how audio and video quality exerts a […]
Episode 33

How to Be Heard in a World of Noise with Carmel Finnan

The world is getting louder, more chaotic and it becomes difficult to hear your own voice amidst the noise around us. In this episode, Dr. Carmel Finnan and Alastair McDermott discuss the importance of storytelling in communication, and how it helps in building your brand. They also discuss how listening can play a major part […]
Episode 32

How to Do Value Based Pricing with Ron Baker

“You should raise your prices” is advice you’ll frequently hear on this podcast and elsewhere. But it’s not that easy to implement. In this episode, Ron Baker and Alastair McDermott discuss why pricing by the hour is a bad option, and why value pricing is better for the provider and for the client. They cover […]
Episode 31

How Plants Were the First Marketers with Leo York

Marketing and branding are often conflated: the distinction can feel more like semantics. But there’s a very real and easy to understand difference. In this episode, Leo York and I discuss the primitive origins of marketing, how plants were the first marketers, and how and why color choice impacts how we think about brands. We […]
Episode 30

How to Run a Successful Consulting Business with Michael Zipursky

Being an independent consultant can sometimes be a tough gig – but there are things you can do to make life easier for yourself! In this episode Michael Zipursky and Alastair McDermott discuss how to run a successful consulting business, including details on how to niche, how to increase capacity, and why you should raise […]
Episode 29

How to Tell If Your Brand Is in Adolescence with Evelyn Starr

After an initial growth period of several years, it’s quite common for a business to hit an inflection point where they start to level off or even start to struggle.  In this episode Evelyn Starr and Alastair McDermott discuss how this happens and what you can do about it. Evelyn uses the analogy of teen […]
Episode 28

How to Create Great Thought Leadership with Andrew Rogerson

What does it mean to be a thought leader? What is thought leadership content, and how is it created? In this episode Andrew Rogerson and Alastair McDermott walk through the actionable steps that you can take to create thought leadership content, from the strategic overview to research, writing the content and then repurposing it in […]
Episode 27

How to Create the Perfect Podcast Pitch with Mai-kee Tsang

Guesting on podcasts is a fantastic way to get your message in front of a new audience and build your authority. But the majority of pitches received by podcast hosts are terrible! In this episode Mai-kee Tsang and Alastair McDermott discuss why most podcast pitches are bad, how podcast guesting is such a fantastic opportunity, […]
Episode 26

How to Stand Out As a Consultant with Luk Smeyers

Consultants are not in the business of selling methodologies – you’re in the business of solving a client’s problem. You need to be laser focused on your client and on solving their problem. In this episode Luk Smeyers and Alastair McDermott discuss why consultants say that they don’t have time to do marketing, and how […]
Episode 25

How to Make PR (and Your Words) Work for You with Kate Warwick

The world of journalism and PR can feel nebulous to experts and consultants who don’t interface with that world. But it can be a fantastic way to reach new clients and build relationships. In this episode Kate Warwick and Alastair McDermott discuss how to develop your messaging and positioning to take advantage of PR.  They […]
Episode 24

Improving Your Salescraft with Brendan McAdams

Most consultants love their work – but they don’t love selling their work.  In this episode, Brendan McAdams and Alastair McDermott discuss how to qualify your prospective clients so that you can sell more effectively. We discussed the fundamental principles of sales that are often overlooked, and get into the psychology of why someone might […]
Episode 23

How to Write Useful Books with Rob Fitzpatrick

Many consultants consider writing a book. It can be an invaluable marketing tool that can generate new business, demonstrate your expertise, and position you as the authority in your field. But from a business perspective, most books are a failure. In this episode Rob Fitzpatrick and Alastair McDermott discuss how to ensure your book is […]
Episode 22

Behind the Scenes: The Rebrand with Alastair McDermott

This one is a little bit different – it’s a behind the scenes look at the rebrand that we did recently for the podcast where we rebranded from Marketing for Consultants to The Recognized Authority. This episode is a conversation with my friend – and former business partner – Alistair McBride. We wanted to dig […]
Episode 21

How to Grow a Consulting Firm into a Business Empire with Peep Laja

Growing a consulting business is not easy, turning it into a business empire is a formidable challenge. In this episode, Peep Laja and Alastair McDermott discuss how Peep grew his SEO consulting firm by niching down and creating high value content. They also discuss how every company is becoming a media company for their niche. […]
Episode 20

The Final Episode of Marketing for Consultants

The Final Episode with Alastair McDermott Marketing for Consultants will soon be no more! In this short episode you’ll learn why it’s going away, and what’s going to happen next! We hope you’ll stick around for the next stage of the journey! Alastair & Aiko.  
Episode 19

How to Productize Consulting Services with Alzay Calhoun

As a consultant, bespoke projects can sometimes get overwhelming as you have to customize the project specification and the delivery for every new project and client. In this episode Alzay Calhoun and Alastair McDermott discuss how to productize your consulting services to leverage your time and maximise profits. They also discuss how Alzay has used […]
Episode 18

How to Create the Best Buyer Personas with Adrienne Barnes

There’s a thousand different articles and voices telling us how to create buyer personas, or ideal customer avatars, or ICAs, or one of a dozen other names. Often the recommendations of how to use these personas are contradictory. In this episode, Adrienne Barnes and Alastair McDermott discuss how to create a buyer persona that’s actually […]
Episode 17

How to Scale Your Consulting Business with Brad Farris

When you’re trying to grow your consulting firm, there are a couple of inflection points you can hit that are difficult to push past.  In this episode, Brad Farris and Alastair McDermott discuss how Brad now uses his extensive experience of buying  agencies and creative firms to help owners to scale up without wanting to […]
Episode 16

How to Leverage Your Expertise with Intellectual Property with Erin Austin

It’s not always obvious what intellectual property assets you have, or their value to you as a business. It could be a signature methodology, an audit process, or something as simple as document templates. In this episode, Erin Austin and Alastair McDermott discuss how intellectual property can play a vital role in your business.  They […]

About the podcast

The Recognized Authority is the podcast that guides invisible experts on the journey to becoming a recognized authority in your field, so you can increase your impact, command higher fees, and work with better clients! This podcast features interviews with successful consultants – in any field – who are willing to share the ups and downs of their story to inspire and educate our listeners. We also interview marketing and sales experts who have a message or lesson that is relevant for a B2B professional services audience. We’ll cover all aspects of business developement, sales, marketing and lead generation with advice, tips and in-depth analysis specifically aimed at independent consultants & specialized consulting firms.
Alastair McDermott

Podcast Host & Marketing Consultant

Meet the host

I created the The Recognized Authority podcast to help independent consultants and experts to get more clients without being dependent on referrals.

I’m a former software engineer who has converted to “The Dark Side” becoming a business and marketing consultant. I built my first website on GeoCities in the before-time of 1996, and I’ve been hooked on websites ever since.

I left a safe corporate job in early 2007 to start and grow my digital marketing business during the worst recession in modern history – that was a wild ride!

Along the way I co-founded several start-ups, some of which were mildly successful, and I wrote a book called “Running a Website with WordPress: A Quick Guide for Business Owners”.

If you’re reading this, I’d love to connect with you on the socials – please add me on your social network of choice.

Apply to be a guest

Our guest schedule for The Recognized Authority is full. 

We are actively seeking guests for our new podcast Accelerating Your Authority.