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Speaking experience
About Rusty
I teach leaders around the world how to build thought leadership focused on impact, not ego to build trust in an increasingly skeptical world.
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See what is being said about Rusty’s message
The Authority Advantage
My latest book, The Authority Advantage: Building Thought Leadership Focused on Impact, Not Ego (Forbes Books, 2023) is written alongside my friend and partner Adam Witty…
Authority Marketing
Authority Marketing: How to Leverage 7 Pillars of Thought Leadership to Make Competition Irrelevant (ForbesBooks, 2019), was written alongside my friend Adam Witty, Founder & CEO…
Mastering the New Media Landscape
The world of mass media, in which a few, prime national outlets controlled the messages we all see and hear, has largely vanished. The giant boulders you once had to move to get coverage…
Ventures
Rusty loves having the opportunity to be a part of a number of organizations and collaborate alongside so many talented people. These are his current ventures.
Take The Quiz
Are you positioned as a mission-driven thought leader in your space? Take my Authority Assessment to find out.
Keynotes & Workshops
Rusty Shelton a dynamic speaker who uses humor and targeted examples to challenge assumptions about personal branding, showing audiences how to build authentic thought leadership focused on impact, not ego.
Press
What We Look for from Leaders During Crisis
How To Engage Your Audience With Quizzes
80 Young Austin Professionals to Know
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Blogs
Happy 5th Birthday, Zilker Media ~ Here’s What Mattered Most 5 Years In
This month Zilker Media turns 5 years old. There are a lot of amazing things going on at the company these days and I am honored to say that…
Charity Golf + Macallan 12 = A Lesson in Lead Generation
A few weeks back I played in the Westlake Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament here in Austin, TX (unfortunately not the Masters, as pictured above). Thankfully for me, this…
Happy Birthday, Zilker Media! (3 Things I’m Thankful for 4 Years In)
This month Zilker Media turns four years old. At our house when a member of the family has a birthday we go around the table and share three things…
Resources
Here are a number of e-books, downloads and resources that will help you on your journey to make a bigger impact and grow your thought leadership.
Connect With Rusty
Huge congrats to Brandon, Jade & the whole Texas Smoke organization - Austin's newest professional sports team. This has been a fun launch for @ZilkerMedia to be a part of
#ATX, GET READY FOR THE TEXAS SMOKE 🥎
Brandon Phillips and Jade Cargill have announced the formation of the Texas Smoke, Austin's second professional sports team and @wprofastpitch. We can't wait to see what they bring to the field on June 15! Read more: http://bit.ly/3ZdPZSb
A story about Red McCombs, who died today. When @thorntonaustin and I were launching @texastribune, we went to see him. He was one of the wealthiest Texans. We wanted his money. And — as an influencer of sorts in a crowd that mattered — we wanted his validation #txlege
Love this! Good reminder for those at @SFWC this weekend #sfwc2023
I just want to remind someone that it’s never too late! There is no "sell by" date for writers. As you age you only grow in wisdom and experience. I started when I was 57. That was 32 books ago. No plans to ever stop. #WritingCommmunity #AuthorsOfTwitter
Fabulous advice from @NeenaSAbrahamMD @ScrubsNHeels :
1. Don’t seek external approval (don’t give your power away)
2. Don’t suffer in advance (our fears rarely materialize)
3. Don’t fear change (exciting opportunities and inevitable- joy is option)
4. Best revenge is 🤩life!
Thank you @andyojones - I so appreciate the very kind words. I love coming out to @SFWC to see old friends like you and meet new ones each year - this is my 11th year (!!) - looking forward to many more. #sfwc #sfwc2023
My friend @RustyShelton is such a compelling speaker. I've seen him talk about branding, publishing, content marketing, and other related topics on an almost yearly basis for more than a dozen years, and I always learn something new and substantive. #sfwc #sfwc2023 Thanks, @SFWC!
