AVA — A Voice of Authority
Founding Cohort 2026
8 Weeks
3 Posts · 2 Videos · 1 Talk
Missing Link × Rich Mulholland
Do the Work. Build the Authority.
8–10 Participants
$3,500 Founding Price
AVA — A Voice of Authority
Founding Cohort 2026
8 Weeks
3 Posts · 2 Videos · 1 Talk
Missing Link × Rich Mulholland
Do the Work. Build the Authority.
8–10 Participants
$3,500 Founding Price
AVA_001 / Founding Cohort / 2026
Expertise is private. Authority is public.

AVA is an 8-week programme that helps experts move from being the best-kept secret in their field to becoming a recognised voice of authority.

The stage is the last place AI cannot fake.

Noise creates demand for signal.

8-Week Authority Programme

Duration
8 Weeks
Cohort size
8–10
Commitment
2–5 hrs/wk
Founding Cohort Open
8 Seats Remaining
Starts Once Full
Book a 15-Min Call →
00 Watch 3 min runtime
Learn more about A Voice of Authority
Learn more about A Voice of Authority
Programme Overview

In a world flooded with AI content, live speaking creates something no algorithm can replicate.

In this short video, Rich explains why expertise alone doesn't build authority — and what AVA does about it.

01 The Problem
ERR_INVISIBLE

Your expertise
doesn't travel.

You're one of the most knowledgeable people in your field. But outside your immediate circle — your team, your clients, your network — almost nobody knows it.

You're not invisible because you lack expertise. You're invisible because expertise, on its own, doesn't travel.

Authority does. And authority is built publicly.

STATUS: Under-recognised
CAUSE: Expertise kept private
RESULT: Invisible beyond immediate circle
FIX: AVA — A Voice of Authority

You know a lot.
Few people know that you know it.

SOLUTION: Think publicly.
OUTPUT: Authority that travels.
— Bruce Barton, 1923
Talkers have always
ruled the world.
The smart thing to do
is to join them.
AVA exists to help you do exactly that.
02 Three Pillars
01

Authority is built publicly

Stop waiting for perfection. Ideas become stronger through exposure, feedback, and iteration. Your drafts are better than their silence.

02

Think like a journalist

Shift from practitioner to journalist of your industry. Observe trends, question assumptions, synthesise ideas, publish commentary.

03

The stage is an accelerator

Live speaking creates assumed authority, extended attention, and unquestioned authenticity — in a world flooded with AI-generated content.

03 The Engine
321
8 Weeks.
Tangible Outputs.
Zero Fluff.
8-Week Sequence
Wk 1
uPOV
Discovery
Wk 2
Post 01
Published
Wk 3
Post 02
Published
Wk 4
Video 01
Filmed
Wk 5
Post 03
Published
Wk 6
Video 02
Filmed
Wk 7
Talk
Outline
Wk 8
Atomic
Talk ✓
Written Post
Video
Speaking
Programme Principle
Your thinking first. Always.
AI is a legitimate editor of ideas you've already had. It's a catastrophic author of ideas you haven't formed yet.
Output 01
3
Posts

Develop your unique Point of View (uPOV). Three public posts refining your perspective and testing your thinking against real audiences.

Output 02
2
Videos

Two short videos building credibility, capturing your energy, and proving you can articulate complex ideas simply and memorably.

Output 03
1
Talk Outline

Starter speech outline. Atomic Talk experience. Ready to deliver 5 free talks and build the speaking credibility that leads to paid stages.

Sequence →
Post 01
Post 02
Video 01
Post 03
Video 02
Talk Outline
Founding Cohort — 8 to 10 people
Still on the fence?
Talk to Rich.
No pitch. No pressure.
15 minutes to find out
if AVA is right for you.
Trusted By
Rich's clients include
Leaders from the
world's most
respected organisations.
Rich has worked with senior leaders, executives, and emerging voices across financial services, tech, professional services, and beyond — in over 50 countries across 6 continents.
Old Mutual
Financial Services
Standard Bank
Financial Services
Deloitte
Professional Services
EY
Professional Services
Microsoft
Technology
Discovery
Insurance & Health
The focus on my area of authority, my core skills and how I can turn speaking from a passion I enjoy into a core business has been game-changing.
Nic HaralambousAccomplished Entrepreneur · Global Speaker · Story to Stage Alumni
I've learned more about myself and my speaking potential within the first 3 weeks of this program than I have in my 7 years of attempting to have a speaking career.
Kirsty BissetKeynote Speaker · 8-Time Entrepreneur · Story to Stage Alumni
Rich openly shares his many years of experience, generously giving away professional tips and secrets for the good of his students. Simply a master teacher.
Allan EdmundsAirline Pilot · Keynote Speaker · Story to Stage Alumni
Having someone guiding you, answering questions, and a community of likeminded individuals is just invaluable.
Diane BoormanBusiness Enabler & Growth Accelerator · Leading Professional Speaker · Story to Stage Alumni
Amazing! An absolute must for anyone who is an aspiring speaker!
Philipp HartmannFounder · Speaker · Podcast Host · Story to Stage Alumni
Note
These testimonials are from Story to Stage — our professional speaker programme. AVA is built on the same methodology, applied to authority building rather than a speaking career.
04 Deliverables
/ 01
Clear uPOV
/ 02
3 Public Posts
/ 03
2 Short Videos
/ 04
Talk Outline
/ 05
Atomic Talk
/ 06
5 Free Talks
05 Your Guide
Founder, Missing Link

Rich
Mulholland

With 29 years of communication expertise, Rich has helped thousands of leaders find their voice and own their stage. He built Missing Link from scratch in 1997 into a globally respected communication company — and has spent nearly three decades helping experts become the authority they already are.

50+
Countries across 6 continents
21M+
Goalcast video views
TEDx talks delivered
4
Books. Official TED Fellows trainer.
Rich Mulholland speaking on stage
06 Who This Is For
✓  AVA is for you if
  • +You have deep expertise and a genuine perspective worth sharing
  • +You are respected inside your organisation or network, but largely unknown beyond it
  • +You want to be recognised as a voice of authority in your field — not just your company
  • +You are willing to publish ideas publicly, even before they feel ready
  • +You can commit 2–5 hours per week for 8 weeks
✕  AVA is not for you if
  • You want to become a professional paid speaker — Story to Stage is built for that
  • You are looking for a passive learning experience with no public output
  • You are looking for someone to invent your expertise, rather than help you articulate it
NOTE // We want the right people in the room, and we trust you to know if that's you. There is no application process — if you see yourself above, you're in. AVA is not for people who want to manufacture authority they haven't earned. It's for people who have earned it and need the world to know.
07 Investment
Founding Cohort · Limited to 8–10
$3,500
Standard price when AVA opens publicly$4,500
🇿🇦 Parity pricing R35,000 for South Africans

Work directly with Rich Mulholland to build your authority engine. The Founding Cohort is limited, collaborative, and direct. Book a 15-minute call to find out if it's the right fit.

What's included
8 weeks of structured programme
Video learning modules
Weekly group accountability call
Two 30-minute coaching sessions per week
Direct access to Rich Mulholland
2-week "do the work" money-back guarantee
Corporate L&D

Many organisations support professional development through L&D budgets. AVA qualifies as a communication and leadership development programme. Speak to your L&D team — we're happy to provide supporting documentation on the call.

Our Guarantee
Do the work.
Love it or leave.

Complete all the Week 1 and Week 2 deliverables. If you've done the work and don't see the value by the end of Week 2, we'll refund every cent. No questions, no friction.

Condition: All Week 1 & 2 deliverables must be submitted.
The guarantee rewards commitment — not hesitation.