The Mindset of a Thought Leader with Trevor Merriden

Thought leader Trevor Merriden on choosing your mindset daily, creating standout content and communities, and turning ideas into influence and impact.

In this episode, Paul Corke is joined by Trevor Merriden—thought leader, speaker, journalist and entrepreneur. Trevor is the Founder & MD of Merriborn Consulting, a firm that helps organisations create high-quality contentand build vibrant, engaged networks so ideas convert into leads and impact.
Before Merriborn, Trevor spent 25 years in journalism (Deputy Editor, Management Today; Editor and then Editor-in-Chief, Human Resources magazine), authored three business books, and appeared on BBC, Sky and CNN. He’s chaired conferences, hosted “The Business” on Radio Verulam, and—many moons ago—served as a senior economist at the Bank of England.

We talk about Trevor’s story, his daily mindset practice, and practical strategies for thought leadership—from message clarity and editorial discipline to community building and measurable outcomes.

You’ll hear:
Why mindset is a daily choice—and how Trevor keeps his sharp
The pillars of effective thought leadership: clarity, cadence, credibility, community
Turning content into commercial outcomes (from ideas → engagement → leads)
Lessons from journalism: editorial standards, angles, headlines, consistency
How this links to Paul’s Mindset Equation (Aspiration, Belief, Drive/Motivation, EQ, Resilience, Learning Agility)

Try this (one-week thought-leadership sprint):
Define your angle: one sentence on who you help, with what, and why now.
Create a cadence: 3 posts, 1 long-form piece, 1 conversation (webinar/comment/interview).
Engage a micro-community: 10 meaningful comments/day; ask one question that invites stories.
Measure one metric: conversations → meetings (not just impressions).
Reflect Friday: what resonated? tighten the angle by one line.

Enjoy the episode!