Leading with Authentic Vitality: How Inclusive Business Development Builds Opportunity and Trust

By Marcia Alvarado, PE | Structural Engineer | Speaker | Founder, The Alvarado Experience

At the 2025 SMPS Southeastern Regional Conference (SERC), I had the honor of representing SMPS Tampa Bay and engaging with some of the brightest minds in AEC marketing, strategy, and business development. One session in particular stood out—“Reframing Thought Leadership: A Strategy for Visibility, Relevance & Revenue”—led by IDA CHEINMAN, brand strategist and principal of Substance151.

Ida's presentation struck a chord with my own framework, Authentic Vitality, which encourages individuals to lead with energy, clarity, and authenticity. Her message was clear: in today’s AEC landscape, buyers trust people, not just firms. Thought leadership is no longer optional—it’s essential. And more than that, it's a deeply human endeavor.

Ida Cheinman, Brand Strategist | Speaker | Thought Leadership Consultant Connect with Ida on LinkedIn

Thought Leadership as a Trust-Building Strategy

Eva shared that only 5% of your target audience is actively in-market at any time, citing research from B2B demand generation studies. That means 95% of your future clients are watching—not buying. And what are they watching? Your voice. Your point of view. Your consistency.

The Edelman-LinkedIn B2B Thought Leadership Impact Study, which Ida referenced, revealed:

• 83% of B2B decision-makers say thought leadership increases their trust in an organization

• 42% reported that strong thought leadership led them to reach out to vendors they hadn’t considered

• And 64% believe thought leadership is a more trustworthy basis for assessing a firm’s capabilities than marketing materials or product sheets

For AEC firms, especially those navigating commoditization or competing for visibility, this is the blueprint. But there’s a deeper opportunity: to lead with authenticity—not just strategy.

Where Authenticity Meets Business Development

As the creator of Authentic Vitality, I teach that the most powerful form of business development begins when we lead from the inside out—when we integrate our lived experiences, cultural backgrounds, and professional insights into how we show up.

Being inclusive isn’t just a social good—it’s a business advantage.

Buyers don’t just want capable teams; they want teams who understand nuance, who communicate with empathy, and who align with their values. That means there’s space—and demand—for emerging and underrepresented leaders to bring their full selves forward.

Whether you’re a woman in a technical role, an LGBTQ+ business owner, a first-generation college graduate, or all of the above—your story holds strategic value.

Strategic Execution: What Inclusive Thought Leadership Looks Like

Combining Ida's insights and my Authentic Vitality methodology, here are four ways AEC professionals can activate their voice for visibility and opportunity:

1. Narrow the Focus: Identify one or two core topics where you offer unique perspective—not just expertise. Own that niche.

2. Humanize the Insights: Use personal experience to frame your commentary. What lessons did you learn from a failed project, a team challenge, or a community engagement?

3. Collaborate Internally: Business development thrives when marketers and subject matter experts co-create. Marketers help shape the message; SMEs provide the heartbeat.

4. Choose Accessibility: Publish on platforms like LinkedIn, speak on webinars, create bite-sized video insights, or host internal knowledge shares. Make your thought leadership easy to find, easy to share, and easy to understand.

This is not about perfection—it’s about presence. And presence, when authentic, converts relationships into results.

Connection Before Conversion

One quote from Ida’s session summed it all up:

“Thought leadership is business development—repackaged for a digital world.”

And to that I’d add: inclusive, authentic leadership is what transforms digital visibility into real-world trust.

At SMPS SERC, I witnessed firsthand how leading with your full self—your story, your energy, your perspective—can spark connection, unlock new opportunities, and build trust faster than any template or pitch deck.

Thank you again to SMPS Tampa Bay for allowing me to represent our chapter and share space with such powerful voices. I left energized, validated, and even more committed to helping others lead through the lens of Authentic Vitality.

Marcia Alvarado, PE Founder, The Alvarado Experience Structural Engineer | Speaker | Coach | Advocate for Inclusive Leadership Connect with me on LinkedIn