I Was Called a Copycat
What it taught me about originality, voice, and building a real POV
Recently, someone told me I just take my ideas from other people.
It caught me off guard.
Not because I believe it — but because it cut close to something I care deeply about: the craft of listening, learning, and building a meaningful point of view.
If you’re a founder, creative, or leader, you probably know this feeling.
You spend years in conversation.
You absorb stories, observe patterns, and notice recurring truths.
You test, synthesize, and shape it all through your lived experience until something clicks — a lens, a POV, a framework that resonates.
That’s not copying.
That’s thought leadership.
Ideas Are Easy. POVs Are Earned.
Most people confuse having an idea with having a perspective.
An idea is a spark.
A POV is the fire — built over time, with care, reflection, and practice.
A true POV is built in conversation — shaped through podcast interviews (like the 20+ we recorded at Web Summit), newsletters (like this one), social media posts, and books.
It’s tested out loud. It’s refined in public. It lives through dialogue.
Thought leadership isn’t about being the first to say something.
It’s about saying it in a way that lands — and lasts.
Integration Isn’t Imitation
Everything I create — from the Future Narrator framework to my book and podcast series — is built from real conversations, lived experience, and a commitment to amplifying the voices and visions of those around me.
I don’t hide my influences — I honor them.
I don’t claim to invent everything — I connect the dots.
And I believe that’s what good leadership is:
Making meaning from noise. Giving voice to what matters. Creating clarity in the chaos.
So if you’ve ever been told:
“That’s not original.”
“You’re just saying what others already say.”
“Who are you to speak on this?”
Here’s my reminder to you:
You don’t need to be the first — you need to be real.
You don’t need to impress — you need to resonate.
And you don’t need to prove — you need to keep building.
Let your work speak.
Let your POV sharpen.
And let the noise reveal the power of your signal.
Not everyone will get it — and that’s okay.
I’m not here to explain my life. I’m here to live it with clarity.
Gratefully,
Edwin
P.S. If you’ve been stuck waiting for someone to open the door, maybe it’s time to start your own party. That’s how every category creator I’ve worked with began.
P.S.S. Want your 0.1 POV? Hit REPLY to schedule a POV Clarity Call.
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Voice AI & Human Connection: Mohan Gulati Speaks at Web Summit
Mohan Gulati, CEO of Thinker.ai, is on a mission to make voice AI sound less like a machine and more like us. Bootstrapped to 350+ clients in under a year, Thinker helps businesses answer calls, book meetings, and connect with customers 24/7—without losing the warmth of real conversation. For Mohan, the future isn’t replacing humans, but giving us more room to be human.
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Well said! Influence and originality aren’t opposites; they reinforce each other.
Sharpen, and resharpen, the saw.