Leading in a Trust-First Future
As the U.S. celebrated Labor Day, honoring the contributions of workers and the value of community in growth, our livestreams this week underscored the same theme: trust, adaptability, and belonging are at the core of progress.
This week, our Top Voices Unite community featured 2 episodes from our consistent and proactive LinkedIn Top Voice host Michael Lopez with his powerhouse conversations from:
- Alexandre Blanc on why privacy is the condition of freedom.
- Nick Larson on why community (not just product) may be the new moat for startups.
Both highlighted that leadership in 2025 requires not only strategy but also a collective spirit of belonging and resilience.
Why Digital Privacy Is the Cornerstone of Freedom
What does it mean to be free in the digital age?
This week on Top Voice Tuesday, our LinkedIn Top Voice host Michael Lopez (Author of “Change”) sat down with Alexandre Blanc, cybersecurity expert and LinkedIn Top Voice, for a hard-hitting conversation on data privacy, digital trust, and AI’s rising risks.
From unknowingly working inside a Basque terrorist group to becoming one of LinkedIn’s most outspoken cybersecurity advocates, Alexandre’s story of his journey has set the stage for a discussion that went beyond IT. It was about survival, ethics, and leadership in a world where data is the ultimate currency.
💡 Cybersecurity by the Numbers:
- 83% of organizations faced multiple breaches in 2022 (IBM).
- 43% of attacks now target small businesses (Accenture).
- 64% of consumers lose trust if data is mishandled (PwC).
Michael Lopez distilled it for leaders:
“Control as much data as you can and understand the risks.”
Key Takeaways
- Never pay ransomware. Paying ransom may seem like a quick fix, but it incentivizes criminals to continue targeting companies. Alexandre emphasized that resisting payment is the only way to reduce the cycle of attacks long-term.
- Public cloud ≠ safe. While cloud storage offers convenience and scale, Alexandre warned it’s not a secure place for sensitive company data. Leaders must balance efficiency with privacy by choosing hybrid or private solutions for their “crown jewels.”
- AI misinformation erodes trust. Large AI models often produce wrong answers, creating a distorted reality for users. Without human oversight, this misinformation spreads quickly, leading to reputational damage and broken trust in institutions.
“AI is adding a layer of fog to data management. You know what you put in—but you don’t know exactly what you’re going to get out of it.” — Alexandre Blanc
Replay + Resources
📺 Watch the Full Episode
- In LinkedIn: “The Future of Privacy and Security”
- On YouTube
🎙️Join the next episode of Top Voice Tuesday with Jeff Frick on September 9 at 12:00 PM EST on LinkedIn Live. Register here!
📬 Get the most of the insights from our featured Top Voices in this episode!
- Learn from Michael’s latest thinking on change and transformation, along with current topics discussed on the Top Voice Tuesday Podcast and subscribe here!
- Join Alexandre in his blog website as he discusses the essential link between cyber security, teams, jobs, and the future of AI.
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Rethinking Startup Growth in the Age of AI
The startup playbook is being rewritten (again).
From billion-dollar solo founders to questions about half-trillion-dollar valuations, the September 5th episode of Top Voice Tuesday with our LinkedIn Top Voice host Michael Lopez (Author of “Change”) and Nick Larson (Top Voice and Silicon Zombies Podcast host) unpacked the shifting dynamics of the startup ecosystem.
“It feels like in a world where everything’s changing so quickly, the biggest risk that you can take is not taking any risk at all.” — Nick Larson
The startup ecosystem is shifting fast—from billion-dollar valuations to community-first growth strategies.
Core Insights
- Community before product. Nick Larson argued that startups can thrive by building strong communities first, as this ensures trust and real feedback loops. When people feel invested in a movement, products that solve their problems emerge more naturally.
- Beware overvaluation. Inflated valuations may look impressive, but they often don’t match true ROI. Leaders need to question whether funding rounds are justified by actual adoption and profitability, not just market hype.
- Geopolitical competition. The global chip race between China and the U.S. isn’t just about tech—it directly impacts supply chains, startup costs, and innovation speed. Founders must account for these geopolitical risks in their growth strategies.
- New career paths. Micro-influencers, solopreneurs, and lean AI-native companies are lowering barriers to entry. This shift reduces dependency on traditional VC funding and opens doors for founders to scale influence without massive capital.
Michael Lopez pressed on the valuation hype:
I’ve seen people that have hit billion-dollar valuations… is there an overreaction happening?”
Replay + Resources
📺 Watch the Full Episode
- In LinkedIn: “The Future of Startups and AI”
- On YouTube
📬 Get the most of the insights from our featured Top Voice in this episode!
🔹 Nick Larson
→ Company Website: Silicon Zombies
→ YouTube Channel: subscribe here!
→ Need Advice? Book a 1:1 with Nick in Hubble!
→ Subscribe to Nick’s LinkedIn Newsletter: Brain Food
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In-Person Events from Our Top Voices: Get Ready to Connect!
We believe the best connections are made in person. That's why our Top Voices are bringing their expertise to you at their 2 big upcoming events.
It’s your chance to move from the digital world to real-life connections, with the opportunity to gain firsthand insights and network with other leaders!
- When: October 10, 2025
- Where: Silicon Valley
- Focus: Join Nick Larson and his Silicon Zombies team, Dr. Aubrey de Grey, and other future-minded leaders to discuss longevity, performance living, and the future of human optimization.
- When: November 5, 2025
- Where: San Francisco
- Focus: An event for enterprise leaders to turn AI from concept into reality where one of our Top Voices Nitin Gupta will be speaking. Learn from over 35 practitioners and see over 600 AI deployments in action.
Explore more and reserve your spot for these exclusive events!
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Community Pulse Check!
Last week, we asked:
“How important is it to belong somewhere you’re seen, supported, and challenged to grow?”
The results were unanimous:
✅ 100% voted “Super important!”
This reinforces what Labor Day celebrates—the power of community and collective progress.
Thank you to our engaged Voices who voted and shared insights:
- Nikki Estes — scaling impact with strategy & partnerships
- Jose Kiggundu — on belonging: “It’s always important to belong to a community where people are interested in growing together.”
- Robin Daniels — championing human-centered success in leadership
- Chenny Marie Cantano — driving growth through support and service
Together, you showed why Top Voices Unite (TVU) and Emerging Voices Unite (EVU) isn’t just a community—it’s a movement.
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