Randall Craig
CEO Braintrust Professional Institute
- Toronto ON
New thinking and insights on Thought Leadership, Becoming a Trusted Advisor, Digital Strategy, and Growth
Media
Social
Biography
(Leadership, Business Growth, Thought Leadership, and Marketing Strategy.)
Randall is a 3X entrepreneur, venture partner at a VC, and former senior exec at an American public company. He is the author of eight books (one a best-seller), 750+ articles, and is the host of the Informed Decisions podcast.
As the leader of the Braintrust Professional Institute, Randall runs executive retreats to build alignment, and works directly with leaders as a coach. He has advised over 100 organizations on how to scale their businesses and solve their toughest business growth challenges. He shares his knowledge as a conference keynote speaker across North America
Randall has taught at numerous executive education programs, served on both public company and private corporate boards, and frequently appears as an expert in the media. He has earned an FCMC, CFA, MBA, CSP, and a Black Belt in Karate. Randall has also been inducted into the Canadian Speaking Hall of Fame.
More at www.RandallCraig.com, www.BraintrustProfessionalInstitute.com, and https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7018722261780074496.
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MOST REQUESTED TOPICS
IT'S NOT CALLED THOUGHT FOLLOWERSHIP
While most people work hard at becoming trusted advisors, becoming a "thought leader" is far more difficult – and in today's world, more strategic than ever. Based on the research in his books, Randall will share some of the newest thinking on how to use content, digital, and marketing automation to build your business – and practical tips on how to get started.
AI: WILD WEST, WASTED TIME, OR THE BEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD
Building AI Strategy, Testing Tactics, and Mitigating Risk
Yes, you’ve figured out the web, social media, and mobile, but Generative AI is truly a game-changer: the question is how. Can it provide strategic competitive advantage, or is it just another tactic that can improve productivity? How can AI be embedded within your organization, beyond marketing and content generation? And most importantly, how can you avoid the “dark side” and protect against high-risk activities, IP theft, and public embarrassment? In this presentation, Randall provides practical and timely insight into the promise of AI, the practical realities, and what organizations should do today to position themselves for success.
More topics at www.RandallCraig.com
Industry Expertise
Areas of Expertise
Accomplishments
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
1989-01-02
One of the highest distinctions in the investment management profession
Fellow, Certified Management Consultant (FCMC)
2017-05-01
The Fellow Certified Management Consultant (FCMC) designation recognizes significant contributions to the profession and to society.
Canadian Speaking Hall of Fame
2021-12-06
Recognition for outstanding excellence as a professional speaker
CSP - Certified Speaking Professional
2014-07-01
The highest earned designation in the field of professional speaking, held by fewer than 10% of the speakers globally.
Griner Award
2018-10-01
The Griner Award recognizes the exceptional and outstanding contributions to the Association/Not-for-profit sector in Canada
Certified Virtual Presenter
2020-05-22
Passed a rigorous assessment of skills, environment, and equipment for presenting virtually
iGP - Innovation Governance Program
2024-06-03
Governance and Board Leadership training for start-up and scale-up directors.
Education
University of Western Ontario, Ivey School of Business
HBA
Business
1986
University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management
MBA
Business
1993
Links
Testimonials
about me on the "Hot seat"
https://www.braintrustprofessionalinstitute.com/video-libraryTestimonials on BraintrustProfessionalInstitute.com
59 Testimonials (scroll to page bottom.)
about Randall
https://www.randallcraig.com/speaking/testimonials/Testimonials on RandallCraig.com
22 testimonials shown
Media Appearances
I have been a media source (or profiled) in over 450+ places.
Wide variety of Media tv
For Media: Randall Craig is an experienced commentator and can provide quick, intelligent perspective and feedback for your story, or provide a backgrounder for a topical digital issue. He can be reached directly at 416-918-5384. For story ideas: https://www.randallcraig.com/media/story-ideas-and-sidebars/
Event Appearances
Title
I have spoken at many 100's of events; please see www.RandallCraig.com, or contact me for details North America
Sample Talks
IT'S NOT CALLED THOUGHT FOLLOWERSHIP
It's NOT Called Thought Followership
Growing your reputation and influence
While most professionals work hard at becoming trusted advisors, becoming a "thought leader" is far more difficult - and in today's world, more strategic than ever.
If you do really think that you are a Thought Leader, test yourself. In this presentation, Randall will challenge you with ten tests, and then share different ways to improve your thought leadership on each dimension.
Randall will explore the two fundamental frameworks that underlie marketing your expertise: the Trust Curve and the Price/Expertise/Trust model - and describe how they can be used by individuals, groups, and the organization overall to support a thought leadership and trusted advisor strategy.
The presentation will also describe the changing role of content as evidence of thought leadership - and how to build content that parallels the client journey from awareness to engagement to referral.
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OTHER PROGRAMS:
- AI: Wild West, Wasted Time, or the Best Thing Since Sliced Bread
- Supplier, Vendor, or Trusted Advisor? (You Choose)
- Not Your Grandfather's Marketing Plan: growth and engagement in an always-changing what's-in-it-for-me world
- Professional Networking Success
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Note: The concepts in my presentations can also be delivered in a coaching format for senior leaders, or in a workshop format.
AI: WILD WEST, WASTED TIME, OR THE BEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD
AI: WILD WEST, WASTED TIME, OR THE BEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD
Building Ai Strategy, Testing Tactics, and Mitigating Risk
Yes, you’ve figured out the web, social media, and mobile, but Generative AI is truly a game-changer: the question is how. Can it provide strategic competitive advantage, or is it just another tactic that can improve productivity? How can AI be embedded within your organization, beyond marketing and content generation? And most importantly, how can you avoid the “dark side” and protect against high-risk activities, IP theft, and public embarrassment?
In this presentation, Randall provides practical and timely insight into the promise of AI, the practical realities, and what organizations should do today to position themselves for success.
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Every presentation is completely updated and customized for the audience, and can be delivered as a keynote, workshop, virtual presentation, or master class.
There are separate versions of this keynote for:
- Corporate audiences (AI strategies, innovation, risk, etc.)
- Associations (engagement, efficiency, policy, etc.)
- Professional service firms (individual vs practice vs firm-level activities, bus dev, risk, etc.)
- Entrepreneurs (Using AI to grow your business, etc..)
- Marketing professionals (Tools and techniques, workflows, content development, etc.)
Style
Availability
- Keynote
- Moderator
- Panelist
- Workshop Leader
- Author Appearance
- Corporate Training
Fees
Courses
Improving Networking and Business Development Effectiveness
18 specific, tactical activities to build networking skills, each with specific activities to leverage your network to build your business.
Networking and business development are core business skills, but one that is so rarely taught (or taught well). It is imperative that leaders (and aspiring leaders) understand how to strategically develop a strong and expanding network. Why? Because one of the competencies that differentiates a leader from merely an executions is the ability to bring business and opportunity into an organization. So, how do you cultivate a robust network for yourself, and have networking prowess spill over to your team? No, you needn't demand that everyone on your team be extraverted and chatty with a packed social calendar. You do, however, need to supercharge your networking by being deliberate, strategic, and goal-oriented with your networking and business development.
This course aims to teach leaders how to adopt a new and purposeful networking and business development attitude, spot networking opportunities, and develop the appropriate networking and business development habits and skills. Start growing your business today with this thoughtful course. Each module comes with hands-on activities to reinforce your learning and supercharge your networking and business development outcomes.
Course Structure: Instead of lengthy videos, we use a micro-learning approach with short, impactful videos (mostly between 2-6 minutes), each focusing on a specific learning objective. To explore the topic in greater detail, each module also contains a 2-3 page executive planner.
Digital Strategy: Planning for the uncertain future
Business Risk and Opportunity: Branding, Tech, IP, and AI
This course seeks to fill in some of the blanks for leaders on key digital strategy considerations, and provide perspective during any digital strategy decision-making process.
Most digital strategy stakeholders come to the table with a certain level of knowledge in specific areas, but there are other areas that they have not fully explored properly that are fundamental to getting digital strategy right.
For example, an agency can develop a campaign, the tech consultants can configure a new platform, your IT group has security and architectural standards, while your marketing team is concerned with the brand and how the initiative can bring in new leads. Each group knows what it knows, but doesn't know what they don't know. And neither do many leaders. This course can help.
What This Course Isn't:
What's this course is not is an A-to-Z how-to-do-digital-strategy manifesto. The goal of this course is not to compile a tactical how-to bible on digital strategy; there are too many moving targets for that to be even achievable: Generative AI and other new tech, geopolitics, regulatory changes, to name a few.
What this Course Can Do For You:
This course offers a framework to get you to think and innovate using digital. It will prepare you to confidently guide digital strategy at your organization, challenge the this-is-the-way-it-is nay-sayers, and make a unique, high-value contribution.
For best results, get your team on the same page. An informed leader is essential, but better still is when an entire organization is exposed to the same learning to ensure everyone is rowing in the same direction.
The Promised Land:
We created this course asking, "how can we help leaders get there faster? More efficiently? More effectively?" How can we help you improve your digital strategy outcomes, and at a lower risk? Digital strategy decisions are a key part of leading an organization — this course will help.
Course Structure: Instead of lengthy videos, we use a micro-learning approach with short, impactful videos (mostly between 2-6 minutes), each focusing on a specific learning objective. To explore the topic in greater detail, each module also contains a 2-3 page executive planner.
Enhancing Innovation
14 specific, tactical activities to build innovation, each with specific activities to leverage individual and team innovation to build your business.
• Learn innovative problem solving techniques
• Challenge your ability to develop concepts
• Create an environment that fosters innovation
• Build your facilitation skills
Innovation is at the heart of every successful company. To stay ahead of the competition in an ever changing marketplace, developing a team that can innovate is essential. But how can leaders do this? How do leaders make sure that their organizations have staying power? Hire innovative people? Perhaps... but in our experience, any one — and any team — can significantly increase their innovative capacity and reimagine innovative problem solving that will impress your clients and prospective clients.
This course is designed to help leaders increase their own innovative capacity to overcome unexpected and even unconventional problems in your industry. The modules are structured to help you introduce a new culture of innovation at your organization, by leading by example, and offering a supportive language to empower and inspire your team. Yes, any team, of any size. (Randall Craig knows first hand, having built several companies and having facilitated thousands of meetings.)
Course Structure: Instead of lengthy videos, we use a micro-learning approach with short, impactful videos (all between 2-6 minutes), each focusing on a specific learning objective. To explore the topic in greater detail, each module also contains a 2-3 page executive planner.
Super Efficient and Effective Writing and Editing
26 specific, tactical activities to improve your writing and editing, each with specific activities to leverage your writing to build your business.
From social media posts and lead magnets to proposals and pitches, what you write makes a difference. It can power your business, and your reputation.
Yet for many, the process of ideation, writing, and editing is unfocused, inefficient, and ineffective. And it’s painful. Or the writing is delegated to ChatGPT and your unique voice is lost. ChatGPT users must also contend with other risks as well: uncertain copyright, hallucinations, and Google SEO penalties.
Created from the seasoned experience of 8-time author and serial entrepreneur Randall Craig (see full bio below), this course walks you through specific and practical tactics to write and edit your content more efficiently. The goal: to save you time, make the process less painful, and never face a blank screen again. And to help grow your business.
Course Structure: Instead of lengthy videos, we use a micro-learning approach with short, impactful videos (all mostly between 2-6 minutes), each focusing on a specific learning objective. Each module also contains a 2-3 page executive planner, filled with specific exercises to help you explore the topic in greater detail.
Build a More Powerful Corporate Brand
Learn how to amplify your organization's brand powerfully, both internally and externally. (15 modules)
Any organization without a developed corporate brand feels that pain: your fears whisper to you that you are replaceable, disposable and invisible. Don't be a commodity, and don't settle for vanilla. Developing your corporate brand is not only achievable, but will help you create the organization you can be proud to lead — in terms of prestige, yes, but also in terms of creating a positive impact on your employees and the greater ecosystem that your organization touches.
Imagine your corporate brand powering your business development, helping to open doors, and create opportunities? For anyone who wants to grow a respected brand with staying power, this course is both thought provoking and practical.
Created on the seasoned experience of respected serial entrepreneur and business growth coach Randall Craig (see full bio below), this course offers opportunities for reflection and a tactical guide to help you move the needle on developing a robust corporate brand.
Course Structure: Instead of lengthy videos, we use a micro-learning approach with short, impactful videos (mostly between 2-6 minutes), each focusing on a specific learning objective.
Building a More Powerful Personal Brand
How to become intentional in building the personal brand that you want. (12 modules)
• Become intentional with your personal brand
• Improve how you communicate your unique value
• Develop what you really (want to) represent
Learn how to amplify your organization's brand powerfully, both internally and externally. (15 modules)
What is the potential value of a fully developed personal brand? Picture this: What if your personal brand powered your career? What if your personal brand was rocket fuel for your business development? Helped open doors? And offer opportunities? For anyone who wants to separate from the pack and distinguish themselves, this is the practical course to get you there.
Packed with seasoned perspective, opportunities for self-reflection, and a tactical guide to help you move the needle on developing a robust personal brand.
Course Structure: Instead of lengthy videos, we use a micro-learning approach with short, impactful videos (mostly between 2-6 minutes), each focusing on a specific learning objective. To explore the topic in greater detail, each module also contains a 2-3 page executive planner.
Thought Leadership to Grow Your Business
33 specific, tactical activities to build thought leadership and 8 specific activities to leverage it to build your business. [Includes Coaching]
This professional development is specifically for experts, advisors, professionals and leaders.
Most people with expertise understand the value of becoming a thought leader. But how do you become one efficiently? What can you delegate? And do you actually use your thought leadership to grow your business?
To answer these questions (and more), we provide insights and action plans for 33 specific activities to build your reputation as a thought leader, and 8 specific activities to leverage your thought leadership to build your business. The course also includes 4 private coaching sessions, and a blueprint for growth beyond.
Includes:
• Positioning and differentiation
• Communicating to your audience
• Writing and presenting Strategies
• Tactics for impactful content
Building Influence and Impact
23 practical actions to improve your influence and impact.
• Positioning and differentiation
• Communicating to your audience
• Writing and presenting strategies
• Tactics for impactful content
This course is designed for leaders who come with strong functional expertise, but recognize that influence will be an important part of their future success.
Course Structure: Instead of lengthy videos, we use a micro-learning approach with short, impactful videos (all between 2-6 minutes), each focusing on a specific learning objective. To explore the topic in greater detail, each module also contains a 2-3 page executive planner.
Note: This course is not designed to help leaders become "social media celebrities", but to help leaders build their influence and make an impact in
their markets.
