Denise Griffitts - Your Partner In Success™ Radio!

Sharing Your Unique Thought Leadership with Tess Woods

·52 min·5 clips

Tess Woods quietly shaped this author's podcast for years by sending extraordinary thought leaders—how did she spot them?

Denise Griffitts opens the episode by introducing Tess Woods as a long-time behind-the-scenes contributor to her podcast, having sent numerous authors and thought leaders over the years. Tess is the founder of Tess Woods PR, with a background in marketing and an MBA, and three decades of experience in media strategy and branding. The host thanks sponsor Cynthia Kay, a small business advocate, before diving into the interview. Tess explains that she fell into the business book niche and emphasizes that books are physical products for service-based entrepreneurs, containing 300 ideas that act as calling cards. She discusses changes in publishing and media, including the rise of e-books, audiobooks, and shrinking newsrooms, while stressing the need for authors to promote their work beyond writing. The conversation turns to podcasting as a powerful marketing tool, with Tess noting that niche audiences matter more than big-name shows, and sharing an anecdote about an author landing on Oprah after a small radio interview. Tess recounts her career path, starting as an English major, moving to New York for publishing, and getting an MBA to shift to marketing, which led to her focus on business books. She describes how a marketing class on services inspired her to view books as thought leadership rather than products, founding her PR firm. They talk about the importance of authors having a website and social media presence before seeking PR, and Tess advises against chasing trends like AI if it doesn't fit one's thesis. She highlights that PR success often comes from building relationships and networks, not just media hits, and warns authors not to sit back after writing a book. Tess shares that she finds clients through word-of-mouth and referrals, and stresses the value of consistency in outreach. The episode concludes with Tess encouraging listeners to share their ideas carefully and surround themselves with the right experts, while Denise reflects on their long-term collaboration.

As heard by us

A publishing career pivot frames how expertise becomes a clearer platform for business audiences.

Tess Woods' career gives this episode a practical business spine: thought leadership starts with knowing where expertise meets a real audience.

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Why you'd press play

You want to hear how a publishing path can sharpen the way experts become visible.

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