This document outlines Dr. Mazlan Abbas's journey from becoming an IoT thought leader. It details his career history and phases from 1961 to present. It describes key turning points in 2014 that led to others identifying him as a thought leader. It provides tips on how to become a thought leader, including creating a personal brand, developing a blog, starting in a niche area, building networks, and disrupting conventional thinking. It shows statistics on the growth of his blog, network, and influence over time. Finally, it discusses considerations for building an identity and brand as well as the significant time, effort, and focus required.