Why CEOs Can't Afford to Stay Offline in 2026 with Paige Velasquez Budde

What if the secret to scaling your business isn't bigger budgets—but strategic influence rooted in authenticity? Staci Gray sits down with Paige Velasquez Budde, CEO of Zilker Media and author of "The Strategic Business Influencer," to explore why servant leaders can no longer afford to stay behind the scenes. With institutional trust at an all-time low and AI disrupting traditional marketing, Paige reveals her research-backed Influence ID framework that helps leaders build trust at scale without compromising their authentic leadership style. This conversation challenges the "I don't want to be online" mindset and shows how strategic business influence becomes the ultimate differentiator in a crowded marketplace. Paige breaks down why your first impression as a leader now happens entirely online, her three-category content strategy, and why relationship-driven content is the secret weapon for CEOs. If you're ready to discover how strategic visibility can accelerate your business results while staying true to your servant leadership values, this episode will transform your approach to influence.   CONNECT WITH PAIGE: https://stacigray.com/listen/ FREE TRAINING: How I Organize to Scale Businesses in 90-Day Sprints stacigray.com/SCALE Get the FREE GUIDE: 4 Essential Tips for Quickly Organizing Your Business to Scale: https://bit.ly/3qZJoyT Join my FREE Weekly Newsletter for Proven Strategies to propel you and your business forward: https://bit.ly/41IiaKY CHAPTERS 00:00 Building Trust and Relationships in Leadership 02:01 The Importance of Strategic Business Influence 11:17 Understanding the Influence ID Framework 18:10 Navigating the Online Presence as a Leader 25:12 Maximizing Time and Resources in Content Strategy 32:20 The Role of Authenticity in Leadership 38:57 Defining Success and Impact in Leadership 45:47 Clarity and Conviction in Business Leadership