What I learned from writer Derek Hughes (And no, it wasn't about writing)
How a tech struggle taught me everything about strategic language
Last week, I found myself in a room full of aspiring digital entrepreneurs, listening to writer
share his "three secrets to building a digital product."I'd signed up partly to learn about product creation, but mostly to study how he taught. As someone who helps businesses communicate with clarity, I'm always curious about how others structure their expertise.
What I didn't expect was to have my entire perspective on professional language turned upside down by a minor tech issue.
Derek had a little trouble finding the questions from his audience in the chat panel. Occasionally there was some issues with microphones. He laughed, made jokes about being "just a one-man band," and openly admitted he was "figuring this out as I go."
In that moment, I had two thoughts:
If this were me, I'd be mortified
Why is everyone in this room completely hooked on every word he says?
Then it hit me: his "unpolished" persona wasn't undermining his authority—it was reinforcing his entire brand.
The revelation that changed how I think about confidence
Derek has built his reputation on being the guy who went from "no idea" to successful writer and digital product creator. His audience doesn't want to learn from someone who's always had it figured out. They want to learn from someone who's been exactly where they are now.
His struggles, whether deliberate or not, weren't professional embarrassment - they were brand reinforcement.
This made me question everything I thought I knew about professional language and confidence.
The advice we've all been given (and why it's incomplete)
You've heard it before: "Stop saying 'I'm no expert' or 'I might be wrong, but...' These phrases kill your credibility."
And yes, sometimes they absolutely do.
But here's what that advice misses: your language needs to align with your brand strategy and your audience's needs, not follow a universal rule.
When confidence is non-negotiable
There are definitely moments when doubt has no place in your vocabulary:
When establishing your credentials:
"I've transformed operations for 50+ companies"
vs.
"I think I've been helpful to some businesses"
When giving specific advice:
"Here's exactly what you need to do"
vs.
"Maybe you could try this approach?"
When pricing your services:
"My rate is £5,000"
vs.
"I usually charge around £5,000, but I'm flexible"
When stating your unique value:
"I turn complexity into clarity and sustainable growth"
vs.
"I try to help with business stuff"
In these moments, hedging language doesn't make you humble - it makes you appear uncertain of your own worth.
When authenticity builds more trust than authority
But watching Derek work that room showed me something powerful: sometimes the "unpolished" approach is exactly what creates connection.
This reminded me of my early days working at a logistics startup. I'd regularly find myself in rooms with logistics veterans - men with 30+ years of industry experience who knew every detail of supply chain management.
I could have tried to match their expertise pound for pound. Instead, I'd start my contributions with phrases like "You know more than me about your business, but..." or "I'm not an expert in logistics, however..."
Those phrases weren't undermining my credibility - they were building bridges. By acknowledging their superior domain knowledge upfront, I earned the right to offer a fresh perspective. Rather than trying to out-expert the experts (which would have been both impossible and disrespectful), I positioned myself as the outside voice bringing valuable observations.
It worked because the context demanded humility, not authority.
The quiet expert's strategic choice
For those of us who tend to be "quiet experts", this distinction is crucial. We often default to undermining our expertise because we don't want to seem arrogant.
But here's what I learned from Derek's seminar: you can be confident about your expertise while being authentic about your journey.
The key is intention. Are you hedging because you're genuinely uncertain, or because you're trying to appear modest?
Try this reframe:
❌ "I'm no expert, but..." (undermines credibility)
✅ "In my decade of helping businesses scale..." (establishes experience)
❌ "I might be wrong, but..." (plants doubt)
✅ "Here's what I've consistently seen work..." (shares proven experience)
❌ "I think this might help..." (sounds uncertain)
✅ "This approach has delivered results because..." (shows confidence in your methods)
Your language as brand strategy
After Derek's seminar, I started paying attention to my own language patterns.
Here's what I now ask myself:
What's my brand positioning? Am I the polished strategic advisor or the guide who's walked this path?
What does this moment require? Am I establishing expertise or building connection?
What does my audience need right now? Confidence in my capabilities or reassurance that I understand their struggle?
What's my strategic goal? To demonstrate authority or create relatability?
What this means for you
Stop undermining yourself when you need to project expertise. But don't polish away your authenticity when that's what makes you trustworthy.
The most powerful professional voices know when to be the expert in the room—and when to be the person who remembers what it felt like to need one.
Your language should serve your strategy, not sabotage it.
P.S. I did actually learn a lot about writing from Derek, and subsequently went on to buy one of his courses. I’ve applied some of the learnings here - so let’s see if my studies have paid off!