“...what everyone is looking for is the analysis that comes from your experience.”
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Yelena Dunaevsky, Senior Vice President of Transactional Insurance at Woodruff Sawyer, during an Office Hours Zoom session with JD Supra clients.
Yelena, a former capital markets and M&A attorney and now a trusted insurance advisor, brings an impressive track record of helping clients navigate complex M&A transactions and SPAC-related risks. Her consistent stream of thoughtful, impactful content has earned her JD Supra’s Readers’ Choice awards for M&A two years in a row, along with visibility in publications like Bloomberg, Reuters, and Law360, among others.
During our conversation, Yelena shared her insights on why thought leadership is about more than just creating content—it’s a long-term strategy for mastering your subject, building credibility, and turning expertise into client value. In recap:
1. Thought Leadership Is a Byproduct, Not a Goal
“Content production in itself is not really my primary goal. It happens as a result of me trying to be the best subject-matter expert in my area.”
Yelena emphasized that the best content comes from a genuine drive to master your field and share insights with others. By focusing on becoming a subject-matter expert, content creation naturally follows as you uncover valuable perspectives and practical advice to share with your audience.
2. Avoid Content for Content’s Sake—Focus on Quality Over Quantity
“Just putting out content for content’s sake is really not the way to go… It could ruin your credibility.”
Yelena advises ensuring every piece of content offers substance. Publishing “fluff” risks alienating readers, diminishing trust, and hurting future engagement. Instead, deliver articles only when you have valuable insights to share.
3. Let Curiosity Spark Your Writing Ideas
“I subscribe to different areas of content and look for overlap or relevance to my expertise. When I find something interesting, that’s what I explore.”
Whether through reading industry articles, attending conferences, or analyzing evolving client needs, Yelena remains curious and open to new ideas. By letting natural curiosity guide her, she ensures her content reflects timely, relevant topics.
4. Offer Analysis, Not Just Summaries
“A summary is good, but what everyone is looking for is the analysis that comes from your experience.”
Readers value your unique take on industry issues. While summaries have their place, Yelena advises adding an analytical component that provides guidance or actionable insights. Thought leaders differentiate themselves by offering informed opinions, not just recaps.
5. Adapt Formats to Reach Different Audiences
“Not everyone absorbs information through reading. I create articles, podcasts, and summaries to meet my audience’s preferences.”
By embracing multiple formats—such as blogs, podcasts, interviews, and video conversations—Yelena reaches different audience segments. She suggests thinking beyond traditional articles and experimenting with multimedia to engage readers, listeners, and viewers.
6. Be Flexible with Your Writing Schedule
“I don’t have a rigid schedule. I write when an idea sparks, and I try to get it out quickly before it loses relevance.”
Yelena’s content strategy is built around flexibility and responsiveness. Rather than sticking to rigid deadlines, she responds to current events and market trends. When there’s no compelling idea, she advises taking a break instead of forcing content.
7. Titles Should Be Simple and Clear, Not Overly Clever
“You only have a second to convey what’s inside the article. A title should act like a wrapper on a product.”
While clever titles can be tempting, Yelena finds that simplicity often works best. A straightforward, descriptive title is more likely to grab attention and communicate the article’s value at a glance.
8. Think About Your Audience and Start “In the Middle”
“Don’t be afraid to start in the middle of the story. You don’t need to explain everything from the beginning.”
Yelena’s advice is to respect your audience’s knowledge by starting articles at a deeper level and providing practical, meaningful insights. Trust that readers will ask questions if they need clarification, which can lead to valuable follow-up discussions.
9. Collaborate with Others to Strengthen Your Work
“Podcast conversations were a great way to learn from others and build on my ideas.”
Collaborative content formats, such as podcasts or Q&A-style pieces, can enhance the quality of your work by introducing different perspectives. Yelena highlights how conversations with industry experts allow her to learn and generate fresh insights for her audience.
10. Use Analytics and Reader Feedback to Refine Your Strategy
“I listen to feedback—whether it’s questions, comments, or even handwritten notes. That input can spark new ideas or refine existing ones.”
Yelena stresses the importance of leveraging reader feedback and analytics to gauge which topics resonate. Whether through direct feedback or performance metrics, understanding what your audience values helps shape future content strategy.
+
Yelena’s insights underscore the idea that successful thought leadership is not about checking boxes or meeting quotas—it’s about leveraging your expertise, curiosity, and creativity to provide meaningful, actionable guidance to your audience. By staying authentic, analyzing trends, and refining your content strategy over time, you can build trust, strengthen your brand, and achieve long-term business development success.
[JD Supra clients: log into your account dashboard to watch a video recording of the complete conversation. Look for the Office Hours prompt in your account homepage and click for the archive of all previous conversations.]
Paul Ryplewski is VP of Client Services at JD Supra. Connect with him on LinkedIn. Follow his latest writings on JD Supra.
