Advantage | The Authority Company

Authority Academy™ Learning Catalog

Executive Education & Signature Learning Experiences
for Elite CEOs, Founders & Chapter Leaders

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Welcome

Signature Learning Experiences for Your Members.

As a Chapter leader, your priority is delivering high-impact, transformative education that resonates with the unique challenges of elite CEOs and founders. You seek programs that don't just fill a calendar slot, but provide the frameworks for members to scale their influence and cement their legacies.

Advantage is proud to serve as a Strategic Learning Partner, dedicated to providing the tools that move visionary leaders beyond success and toward world-class authority and thought leadership.

This learning catalog outlines the signature educational programs and world-class faculty of Advantage's Authority Academy™.

Why Advantage?

  • World-Class Faculty: Our presenters are not just speakers; they are 13-time New York Times best-selling authors, award-winning publishers, and brand architects who have mentored thousands of global leaders.
  • Actionable Frameworks: Every session is designed to result in tangible deliverables that members leave with and put into practice immediately.
  • The "Significance" Focus: We specialize in the critical transition from private achievement to meaningful public contribution and significance.
Adam Witty Founder & CEO, Advantage | The Authority Company

Our Learning Programs

Program 01

The Business of Storytelling

How to Inspire Action, Build Trust, and Drive Results Through Story

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Storytellers have a profound impact on the world. Their ability to intimately connect with others positions them as exceptional leaders, mentors, teachers, and influencers. In today's leadership realm, the power of narrative trumps numbers in forging connections. Effective leadership is now synonymous with compelling storytelling.

Connecting with an audience, whether it's one person or a thousand, is best achieved through storytelling. Stories not only simplify complex brands but also foster empathy and inspire action.

This program was developed by Forbes Books Publisher Don Yaeger, a 13-time New York Times Best-selling Author and Hall of Fame speaker. He first built it at the request of Simon Sinek, who called Don "the best storyteller I've ever worked with."

Key Learning Outcomes

Master the 10 Essential Elements

Learn how to identify and incorporate all 10 elements of an impactful story into your daily communication.

Purpose & Protagonist

Understand how to define a clear purpose and introduce relatable protagonists into your leadership narrative.

Audience-Driven Narrative

Learn how to involve your audience in the narrative journey to drive measurable, real-world results.

Deliverable: Develop the learnable skill of storytelling to simplify complex brands, foster empathy, and inspire stakeholder action.

Formats & Presenters

Format Duration Presenters Available
Keynote 60 Min (In-Person or Virtual) Don Yaeger, Michelle Prince, Erik Cabral, Joe Gregory, Lucy McCarraher
Masterclass 90 Min (Virtual) Don Yaeger
CEO Workshop 1-Day (In-Person)* Personally led by Don Yaeger
Executive Workshop 2-Day (In-Person)* Personally led by Don Yaeger
* 1-day and 2-day "Storytelling for Business" workshops are personally led by Don Yaeger. This flagship experience teaches leaders to use story for communication, persuasion, and leadership and includes live coaching, frameworks, and practice. Capacity: 25 attendees. Buyout: $50,000 (1-day); $75,000 (2-day).
Program 02

Build Your Authority Brand in an AI World

Establishing Unshakeable Trust and Human Connection in the Age of Generative AI

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In a world where AI can commoditize content, automate "expertise," and dilute the value of information, your personal authority is the only asset that cannot be replicated by an algorithm. This session explores how to ensure your personal brand remains distinct — it's no longer enough to just provide information; you must provide the human judgment and trusted perspective that AI lacks.

Key Learning Outcomes

The "Human-to-Human" Advantage

Identify the high-value leadership traits — empathy, intuition, and lived experience — that AI cannot simulate, and center your brand around them.

Build Visibility on AI Engines

Learn the steps to grow your visibility and influence on LLMs before they render individual experts obsolete.

AI as an Authority Accelerator

Use Generative AI as a "research assistant" to scale your thought leadership without sacrificing the core pillars of Authority Marketing.

The "Proof of Human" Strategy

Understand why high-impact assets like a published book or signature stage presentation are now more valuable than ever as filters for authenticity.

Combating Commoditization

Strategies to move beyond being a "vendor" and become a "Trusted Advisor" whom clients seek out specifically for your unique, un-AI-able insights.

Deliverable: An AI-Resilient Authority Roadmap that identifies your "un-clonable" unique selling propositions and outlines a strategy to dominate your category.

Formats & Presenters

Format Duration Presenters Available
Keynote 60 Min (In-Person or Virtual) Adam Witty, Rusty Shelton, Michelle Prince, Erik Cabral, Joe Gregory, Lucy McCarraher
Masterclass 90 Min (In-Person or Virtual) Rusty Shelton, Michelle Prince, Erik Cabral, Joe Gregory
Workshop Half-Day (In-Person) Rusty Shelton, Michelle Prince, Erik Cabral, Joe Gregory
Program 03

The Significance Shift

The Next Chapter for Successful Leaders

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Many accomplished leaders reach a moment when success alone stops being the most important goal. Businesses have been built, careers established, and financial security achieved. And then a deeper question begins to emerge: What is the next chapter?

This keynote explores the contemporary ecosystem of authority and significance — speaking, podcasts, articles, social platforms, and books — the vehicles through which ideas travel today. This program explores how leaders transition from private achievement to public contribution and meaningful legacy.

Key Learning Outcomes

The Significance Framework

A clear framework for the progression from Success → Authority → Significance and how to navigate each stage intentionally.

The Modern Authority Ecosystem

Insights into the contemporary vehicles through which ideas travel today: speaking, podcasts, articles, and books.

Finding Your Audience

Identification of the specific audiences who benefit most from your unique experience, lessons, and hard-won wisdom.

Deliverable: Begin articulating the "Significance Mission" that will define your next leadership chapter.

Formats & Presenters

Format Duration Presenters Available
Keynote 60 Min (In-Person or Virtual) Lucy McCarraher, Michelle Prince, Erik Cabral, Joe Gregory
Masterclass 90 Min (In-Person or Virtual) Lucy McCarraher, Michelle Prince, Erik Cabral, Joe Gregory
Workshop Half-Day (In-Person) Lucy McCarraher, Michelle Prince
Program 04

Publish & Profit: How to Write, Publish, and Promote a Book

Transforming Intellectual Capital into a Strategic Business Asset

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Most CEOs and entrepreneurs dream of writing a book, but 90% of those who start never finish — and of those who do, most fail to see a return on their investment. This session peels back the curtain to show leaders how to navigate the publishing world successfully.

Key Learning Outcomes

The "Purpose-First" Framework

Learn why writing for the masses is a mistake and how to write specifically for your "Ideal Target Prospect."

Avoiding the "Vanity Trap"

Understand the common pitfalls of traditional vs. hybrid publishing and why focusing on book sales is the wrong metric for a CEO.

The Authority Multiplier

Use your book as the cornerstone of your Authority Marketing strategy to command higher fees, close deals faster, and eliminate competition.

Promotion Beyond the Launch

Proven strategies to keep a book "alive" for years, using it as a high-value "business card" that opens doors to keynotes and strategic partnerships.

Deliverable: Participants complete a "Book Strategy Map" that defines their target audience, their core "authority" message, and a 12-month promotion plan.

Formats & Presenters

Format Duration Recommended Presenter
Keynote 60 Min (In-Person or Virtual) Adam Witty, Rusty Shelton, Michelle Prince, Erik Cabral, Joe Gregory
Workshop Half-Day (In-Person) Michelle Prince, Erik Cabral, Joe Gregory
Program 05

The Book Bound Experience: Charleston & London Immersion

Transforming Your Story into Your Most Powerful Business Asset

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Designed specifically for Chapters or Forums seeking a high-touch, destination-based educational event, The Book Bound Experience is a two-day deep dive held at our global headquarters in historic downtown Charleston, SC or in London, England. This is not a seminar; it is a hands-on "action lab" where leaders move from the "someday" of authorship to a concrete, actionable reality.

Key Learning Outcomes

Clarity of Mission

Uncover the authentic story that defines your leadership and identify the specific audience it is meant to serve.

The A.U.T.H.O.R.I.T.Y. Framework

Master Michelle Prince's proven framework for getting complex ideas out of your head and into a structured manuscript quickly.

Architecting the Manuscript

Build a complete mind map and a comprehensive chapter-by-chapter outline for your book.

Monetization & Media

Leverage a book as a "business card" to secure media appearances, high-fee speaking engagements, and new revenue streams.

The Master Authority Plan

Align your book launch with your long-term business goals to ensure maximum ROI on your intellectual property.

Deliverable: Participants depart with a fully developed book concept, a complete chapter outline, and a personalized Master Authority Plan tying their book, brand, and media strategy together.

Formats & Presenters

Format Duration Recommended Presenter
Immersive Experience 1.5 Full Days Charleston: Michelle Prince, Erik Cabral & Faculty (US / Canada)
London: Lucy McCarraher, Joe Gregory & Faculty (UK / Rest of World)
Charleston, SC — US & Canada
  • 1.5 days of hands-on coaching at Advantage's Global Headquarters
  • One-on-one breakout sessions with Authority Architects
  • Professional headshots & on-camera video interview for each participant's media kit
  • Private chef dinners, history tours & unique Charleston experiences available
London, UK — Rest of World
  • 1.5 days of hands-on coaching at a world-class London venue
  • One-on-one breakout sessions with Authority Architects
  • Professional headshots & on-camera video interview for each participant's media kit
  • Private chef dinners, history tours & unique London experiences available
Capacity 25 Attendees
Buyout $25,000
Individual Registration $2,995 or $1,500 (50% member discount)
Note Travel & accommodation are registrant's responsibility

Our Faculty of Presenters

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Charleston, SC

Adam Witty

Founder & CEO, Advantage | The Authority Company™

A leading global expert on "Authority" and the author of eight books, including the best-sellers The Authority Advantage and Authority Marketing. Under his leadership, Advantage has been named to the Inc. 500/5000 list for five of the past eight years and has grown to become the largest authority and thought leadership company globally.

  • Co-authored Relentless Implementation with Alan Mulally, retired CEO of Boeing & Ford
  • Featured in USA Today, Wall Street Journal, ABC, and FOX
  • Charleston's 2019 Entrepreneur of the Year
  • YPO member, EO Charleston founding member
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Tallahassee, FL

Don Yaeger

13-Time New York Times Best-Selling Author & Publisher, Forbes Books

Recognized as one of the world's foremost storytellers, Don spent nearly two decades as an associate editor at Sports Illustrated. He has authored or co-authored 40 books, collaborating with Deion Sanders, Walter Payton, John Wooden, Tony Dungy, and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

  • 13 New York Times Bestsellers; author of The Business of Storytelling (2026)
  • Host of the "Corporate Competitor Podcast" — top CEOs & sports icons
  • Frequent contributor to CNN, ESPN, and network morning shows
  • Premier keynote for NFL, NBA, Microsoft, Nestlé & Fortune 500 companies
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Austin, TX

Rusty Shelton

Senior Authority Strategist, Advantage | The Authority Company™

A leading expert on thought leadership and the changing media landscape. A serial entrepreneur who built and sold two successful agencies before age 35. Today he serves as Senior Authority Strategist for Advantage and Chairman of Zilker Media.

  • Co-author of The Authority Advantage and Authority Marketing with Adam Witty
  • First spoke at Harvard University on changing PR at age 23; 20+ Harvard Med School CME courses
  • Featured in Forbes, Inc. Magazine, BBC, Wharton, HuffPost
  • Led marketing for 30+ NYT and WSJ bestsellers
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Dallas, TX

Michelle Prince

Publisher, Authority Strategist & Founder of "Book Bound"

An authority on thought leadership and the power of "story" to build authority. Founder of "Book Bound," an immersive author experience helping thousands of entrepreneurs and executives find their voice since 2010. Started her career working directly for legendary motivator Zig Ziglar.

  • Best-selling author of The Power of Authority, SHINE Through Your Story, and more
  • Co-Host of the Forbes Books Podcast
  • Recognized "Woman of Influence"; personally mentored by Zig Ziglar
  • Shared the stage with Brian Tracy, Les Brown & Zig Ziglar
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New York, NY

Erik Cabral

Authority Brand Architect & Founder, On Air Brands

Erik has architected thousands of authority brands over a 25-year career. A serial entrepreneur who revolutionized how leaders use digital media to raise their profiles and capital. His firm, On Air Brands, has produced thousands of podcast episodes.

  • Host of "Be Your Brand" and "Entrepreneur's Circle" podcasts
  • Shared the stage with Shark Tank's Matt Higgins & Kevin Harrington, and David Meltzer
  • Go-to strategist for leaders looking to dominate the digital airwaves
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London, UK

Lucy McCarraher, M.B.E.

Publisher, Forbes Books U.K.

The UK's most experienced business book mentor, having guided over 1,000 entrepreneurs through the writing process. An international speaker, leadership trainer, and author of 14 books including A Book of One's Own and Book Magic.

  • Awarded MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) — King's 2026 New Year's Honours List
  • Stevie Award & Great British Entrepreneur AI Entrepreneur of the Year
  • Host of "The Phoenix Conversations"; co-host of Forbes Books Podcast
  • Recurring expert in BBC and leading UK business publications
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London, UK

Joe Gregory

Entrepreneur, Publisher & Authority Strategist

Joe has built and scaled multiple seven-figure ventures and has published more than 1,000 books across his career. Creator of the "Make Your Book Pay" methodology, which teaches authors to leverage books as business assets.

  • Author of The Wealthy Author, Write Your Book Without the Fuss, and Bookbuilder
  • Host of "Book the Business Podcast"
  • Known for "Make Your Book Pay" methodology — turning IP into seven-figure revenue

Investment & Logistics

Designed for Maximum Impact,
Minimum Friction

As a Strategic Learning Partner, Advantage's Authority Academy is dedicated to providing high-impact education with minimal financial friction for your Chapter.

Partnership Benefit

The majority of our signature programs are available to Chapters and Networks with waived speaking fees.

Travel & Expenses

Chapters are kindly asked to cover all standard travel and lodging expenses for the visiting faculty member. In select instances, a modest honorarium may be requested.

Featured Faculty Rates

Don Yaeger offers a significantly subsidized partner rate for Business of Storytelling. Rusty Shelton offers a 50% discount for Build Your Authority Brand in an AI World.

To inquire about programs and check availability:

Advantage — The Authority Company
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