Welcome to The New Leader, a space where leadership and marketing meet real talk. Here, I go beyond the buzzwords to explore what it truly means to lead with purpose, foster connection, and create change.

From practical strategies to candid reflections on life, career, and fulfillment, this blog is for those who want to lead authentically and make a difference.

Carol Tiernan Carol Tiernan

Leadership Essentials: Authenticity

My experience with cancer reshaped how I lead. It taught me that empathy, integrity, and resilience aren’t soft skills—they’re essentials. This is why I believe in bringing our whole selves to work, even when it’s hard.

Read More
Carol Tiernan Carol Tiernan

Your AI intern lies

AI can supercharge your work—or send you chasing imaginary leads. Here's what happened when a language model handed me a startup that didn’t exist, and what every professional needs to know about hallucinations, prompts, and truth-checking.

Read More
Carol Tiernan Carol Tiernan

Foundations founders forget

Founders don’t sideline marketing on purpose. But when speed and pressure take over, they build a service function instead of a system. Here’s what gets missed—and what to build instead.

Read More
Carol Tiernan Carol Tiernan

Leadership Essentials: Severance

Severance isn’t just a financial decision—it’s a moral imperative. In times of change, how a company handles layoffs speaks volumes about its values and respect for employees.

Read More
Carol Tiernan Carol Tiernan

How to kill a brand in X steps

Most say Twitter/X’s death is in its final throes. I break down the five BRAND missteps that pushed the platform from trusted to at-risk, including lessons on how leaders can preserve brand trust and authenticity. Or not. It’s a whole new world.

Read More