An Interview With Dina Aletras
Collaborate with Other Thought Leaders: Partner with established experts for co-authored content to expand your viewership and theirs. This is a win-win for you and the people you work with, because you’re creating much-needed content for their audience, and their audience will see you as the expert.
As part of our series about how to become known as a thought leader in your industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Edgar Li, Co-Founder of Presscart.
Edgar Li is a serial entrepreneur with a unique background in technology, marketing, and storytelling. After attending American University for two years, where he studied International Relations, Edgar left to pursue his entrepreneurial ambitions. He co-founded a nightlife company, where he first learned to code and developed a mobile app, igniting his passion for technology and product development.
Over the years, Edgar has created dozens of apps and websites across various industries, often serving as a CTO-in-residence for startups. His experience in product development naturally evolved into a focus on branding, design, and marketing, leading him to discover a preference for storytelling over programming.
In 2022, Edgar co-founded Presscart, a platform that simplifies content marketing and media placements for businesses. Leveraging his background in tech and design, he built the platform from the ground up, aiming to make high-quality content creation and strategic media placement accessible to all. Edgar is also the founder of Tens, a design agency that helps businesses with branding and product strategy, and he is involved in Source Forward, a sustainability consulting company.
Originally from Queens, New York, Edgar remains deeply connected to the city that shaped his entrepreneurial spirit. He is passionate about helping businesses tell their authentic stories and believes in the power of content to build lasting trust and credibility in the marketplace.
Thank you for taking the time to speak with us! Our readers are eager to learn more about you. Could you provide some background information about yourself?
My name is Edgar Li and my undergrad in international relations actually got me into finance when I was first starting my career. What I noticed as an industry-wide problem was that so many intelligent and successful people were good at their jobs, but they had no idea how to convey their ideas to people who needed to hear those ideas. That led me to start Presscart, where I help B2B founders, executives, and entrepreneurs be seen, heard, and understood as market leaders.
What establishes you as an authority on thought leadership? Could you briefly share your expertise with our readers?
Our entire business is centered around helping set people up as thought leaders. We write content that breaks down topics that our clients are experts in and we weave them in as an expert opinion. We’ve helped clients like lawyers, startup founders, private equity firms, plastic surgeons, and others establish themselves as leaders in their fields.
Can you recall a funny mistake you made when you were first starting out? What lesson did you learn from it?
I used to think that I could just post what was on my mind and I would get one or two likes from my friends. I don’t know if that’s sad, or funny, but I do know it’s pretty common — even when posts are well thought out and intelligent. What I realized was that people on your social media, your friends and family may like you as a person, but they’re probably not your audience. What you need to do is find out where your audience is consuming content and then get that content in front of them. You have to go to them, you can’t expect them to come to you.
What are the most significant disruptions you foresee in your industry over the next five years, and how can businesses adapt to these changes?
I think that AI is doing a lot of very mediocre writing right now, and people are leaning on that because it automates a task and is very fast and inexpensive. The hidden cost is that generative AI is not creative — it’s an amalgam of content that already exists on the internet. If you’re trying to be a thought leader, you absolutely cannot generate new ideas with AI and expect them to resonate with your audience. As a research tool (and you always need to fact-check) it can be a nice springboard, but I think as the fascination wanes, we will all seek out exceptional human-created content.
Can you explain the benefits of becoming a thought leader? Why is it valuable to invest time and resources into this?
In a crowded market of many options to choose from, clients will pick the option that is the most visible and most relevant for their needs. Thought leadership is how you become the #1 choice in the eyes of your target audience. You continuously share your expertise online (via LinkedIn, X/Twitter, blog, media placements, etc) thereby building visibility for yourself and demonstrating your value. At Presscart, we practice what we preach. Most of our clients come in from organic traffic, discovering what we do and why we do it. Our audience wants to get a turnkey system where they’re putting out their ideas consistently and getting them into the right media outlets. To be 100% transparent, that takes a lot of time to do on your own and comes with a steep learning curve. If you can outsource that headache to an expert, then you can free up your time to focus on what you do best.
Can you share an example of a significant challenge you faced in your career and how you leveraged innovative thinking to overcome it?
When we first started Presscart, it was born from an idea. Many of my colleagues had noticed me getting traction on my own thought leadership pieces and asked me to help them with their content. I didn’t know how I could possibly scale a business like that, since I only have so many hours in a day. Then I realized the solution was kind of obvious: I needed to do the exact same thing that all of these executives needed to do. I hired a team of top talent to write the articles so I could focus on doing what I do best, strategizing what needed to be written and which publications we could get people into that would most deeply connect with their audience. Once we had that system in place, it took off like wildfire. When you set up a good system that works over and over again, you can repeat the process as often as you need to.
Now that we have covered that, we’d love to hear your advice on becoming a thought leader. Can you share five strategies that someone should follow to gain recognition as a thought leader in their industry? Please include examples or stories from your own experience for each strategy.
https://youtu.be/5965RHKINBE?feature=shared
1 . Create Valuable Content: First and foremost, you need to consistently produce high-quality, actionable insights that solve your audience’s problems. What I’ve noticed over the years is that people share great content, or immediately click away from anything that doesn’t resonate, isn’t relevant, or seems like a rehash.
2 . Engage with Your Community: Actively participate in discussions, answer questions, and provide support in relevant forums or social media groups. I’ve seen people post great content and then not interact with the people who reply. I see that as a missed opportunity to meet your people.
3 . Be Consistent: A lot of new thought leaders crank out one or two pieces of really solid content but don’t get the clicks they want based on almost no outreach. That’s like opening a restaurant and then closing on day three because you don’t have enough customers yet. It’s a numbers game. You have to constantly put yourself out there with solid messaging to get noticed. It’s a crowded space, so the winners are the ones who keep at it, even if they’re busy with other tasks.
4 . Collaborate with Other Thought Leaders: Partner with established experts for co-authored content to expand your viewership and theirs. This is a win-win for you and the people you work with, because you’re creating much-needed content for their audience, and their audience will see you as the expert.
5 . Be Authentic and Transparent: Share your successes and failures honestly to build trust and connect with your audience on a deeper level. This is a bit like the old saying, “Be yourself,” but it’s totally valid in this space. If you only post wins or only complain, that’s just not how real life is. People are going to sniff out fakes very fast, so make sure you’re being honest with them (and with yourself).
How do you foster a culture of innovation within your organization, and what practices have you found most effective in encouraging creative thinking among your team?
As a thought leader, I encourage everyone working at Presscart to express their thoughts. It’s a system where as they continue to generate more content, each person has their unique vision and insight into how best to tweak the process. It’s helped us streamline quite a bit, and honestly, if I only tried to follow my own creative vision without listening to my people, we wouldn’t be nearly as productive as we are today. It also helps people feel valued to be seen and heard. In the same way, when you’re reaching out with thought leadership, you should be encouraging thought. That might mean a professional debate, or it could challenge your own way of thinking when someone has a unique take on what you have to say.
Who do you think is an outstanding example of a thought leader? What specific qualities impress you about this person?
I’ve always resonated with Neil Patel (among many other greats). He’s known for his exceptional ability to create high-quality, actionable content that resonates with marketers and business owners worldwide. What impresses me most about Neil is his deep understanding of digital marketing trends, combined with his commitment to data-driven insights. It’s very approachable and his audience loves it. He consistently delivers value by breaking down complex concepts into easily digestible strategies. And his outreach is fantastic, you can see how his content reaches a wide audience, establishing him as a trusted authority in the industry. I think he’s focused on SEO, relevance to the right audience, and getting his content across the web consistently and in many various spaces.
How do you stay informed about the latest trends and developments in your field, and how do you incorporate this knowledge into your strategic planning?
I devote a lot of time to reading, especially what other thought leaders are writing about and how they build their audiences. This time is precious to me, for two reasons. First, I legitimately enjoy being in the space and I always want to keep up with the latest trends, which then helps me from my own opinions and see how the future may play out. Second, if you’re going to be a thought leader, you need to be familiar with other voices. You can’t just shout your opinion into the void, you need to be part of a conversation, and I think that’s where a lot of people who want to be thought leaders but don’t know where to start get stuck. Once you have developed your opinion based on research and what the industry needs, then you can strategize what content pieces will resonate best with your audience.
Some people feel that the term “thought leader” is overused and has lost its impact. What are your thoughts on this?
A lot of buzzwords, trends, or fads become irrelevant over time, but we’ve always valued thought leadership, even if we called it something else. No matter what you call it, the significant majority of people have an innate eagerness to latch on to other people’s ideas, and a few people are called to come up with those ideas. There will always be leaders and followers. To be a leader, you need to earn that privilege by giving the followers something real, something tangible. In that sense, I say always lead with quality and people will notice your work.
How do you balance short-term business goals with long-term strategic vision, especially in a rapidly changing market?
I think many people struggle with this because they constantly want to get content out. And then it flops. Nobody sees it. A week later it doesn’t resonate. That’s a massive time suck and a waste of effort. I always recommend starting with the long-term vision and then aligning all of the short-term goals with that vision. This can build up your personal voice, and establish you over time as an authority figure. Being a thought leader is earned through consistency and quality, and if you try to rush through that process, people won’t take you seriously.
Can you share your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? How has it been relevant in your life?
I’m sure you’ve seen the video where Bruce Lee says, “Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle.” At first, I thought this meant you should let life influence you and I was like… ‘nah, that’s not for me.’ But then as I got older, I thought about it again and realized that it means you stay flexible, adaptable, and take the shape that’s needed. I think that true thought leadership is being flexible enough to make your thoughts and your leadership relevant to what’s needed right now in your industry.
Many influential figures in business and entertainment follow this column. Is there someone you’d love to have lunch or breakfast with? They might notice if we tag them.
If I could have lunch or breakfast with anyone, it would be Tim Ferriss. Knowing him, he probably wants to have a green tea, something super healthy and productive. His constant tinkering with life, in regards to health, play, and work, is something I’ve always enjoyed doing with my own life. I think he’s such an interesting character it would be nice to see what he’s like in real life and chat about what he’s working on right now (it’s always some process done easier, bigger, better, or faster).
How can our readers further follow your work online?
You’ve probably already read some of the work that we’ve created at Presscart and didn’t even know it was us! To get a ton of actionable insight that you can use and implement in your business, follow my LinkedIn because I’m constantly giving away all the good secrets.
Thank you so much for your insights. This was very insightful and meaningful.
You’re so welcome. I appreciate the opportunity to chat more about the subject I’m most passionate about and I sincerely hope this helps your readers to break through their barriers and get themselves out there.
About the Interviewer: Dina Aletras boasts over 20 years of expertise in the corporate media industry. She possesses an in-depth understanding of growth, strategy, and leadership, having held significant roles at some of the UK’s largest media organizations. At Reach PLC, the UK’s largest tabloid publisher, she served in various director capacities. Additionally, she held leadership roles at The Independent Magazine Group and DMGT. Her extensive knowledge spans editorial, digital, revenue, sales, and advertising.
Upon relocating to Switzerland, Dina took on the responsibility of managing and promoting the international section of Corriere del Ticino — CdT.ch pioneering the English page “onthespot.” She also was the Co-Editor of Southern Switzerland’s first official Italian and English bilingual magazine.
Edgar Li of Presscart: 5 Things You Should Do To Become a Thought Leader In Your Industry was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.