In episode 71 of the Potential Leader Lab Podcast, I am going to walk you through why I've chosen a path less traveled, one of introspection and genuine connection.

In this first episode of a special three-part series, host Perry Maughmer explores the difference between marketing and self-promotion, why stepping back from the spotlight can be liberating, and how authenticity outweighs visibility for the relentless few who dare to lead differently.

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Key Moments

0:16 - Intro: Kicking off the three-part series "Walking Away from the Noise"

2:23 - Perry’s journey: Three years experimenting with self-promotion

3:37 - Marketing vs. Promotion: Purpose, intent, and why Perry draws the line

5:37 - The paradox of podcasting without promotion

6:02 - Perry’s no-promotion book-writing journey

7:02 - Relationship building vs. transactional tactics

7:47 - Storytelling vs. shouting: Defining authentic marketing

9:05 - Authenticity or performance? The cost of chasing clicks

11:18 - Roots in existential philosophy (Sartre, Kierkegaard, Heidegger)

12:14 - How social media tricks us into equating visibility with value

15:43 - Becoming more present by opting out of self-promotion

17:53 - The courage to be invisible and embracing deep work

19:13 - Sartre’s concept of "bad faith" and the roles we perform

24:23 - The risk of locking yourself into a fixed, promotable identity

25:29 - Practical steps to reject self-promotion and cultivate authenticity

27:41 - Series overview & what’s next: The Lie of Visibility and Living Relentlessly Unseen

Perry Maughmer believes the world deserves better leadership; that in every human interaction there is the opportunity to either build others up or tear them down; and that leadership is the choice we make in those moments.

These beliefs led Perry to create the Potential Leader Lab. He wanted to offer those who share his beliefs the space and safety to explore transformative ideas, experiment with new behaviors, and evolve into the leaders they were meant to be and that the world needs.

This is a framework he has used again and again with his Vistage peer advisory groups and companies like Turn-Key Tunneling, Convergint, Haughn & Associates, I Am Boundless, Ketchum & Walton, LSP Technologies, and Ahlum & Arbor.

Perry lives and works on the shores of Buckeye Lake in Ohio, in the mountains of northwest Georgia, and on the beach in Anna Maria, Florida with his amazingly creative wife Lisa. They have 2 rescue dogs and are intermittently visited by their 3 wonderful children throughout the year. Perry & Lisa are living life in crescendo and focused on exploring, experimenting, and evolving their vision of a life they have no desire to retire from.

Copyright 2025 Perry Maughmer