Today’s Topic: The Scary World of Audiobooks and AI

You’ll likely be stepping into an unknown as you step into the creation of an audiobook. It can be a similar journey to writing your book, but this time you’re just in the business of reproducing it in audio form. You’ve already done the hard work but now you’re trying to decide both if an audiobook is for you and if so, how to create it.

I can’t tell you how many are giving bad advice on audiobook creation and wow! Every time I hear something, not just about the scams, but scary new processes, you know I’ve got to bring some truth to it. Honestly, I get really angry when people get taken advantage of. So, lets clear up a few things in the world of audiobooks…

Let me first begin by telling you that I created my audiobook for FREE!!! It’s shouldn’t break the bank unless of course you want nothing to do with any of it. I mean… that’s the sure way to rack up all kinds of costs in the book world. If you want to be hands-off you will fi...

Today’s Topic: Writing a Legacy Book - Outlasting Web & Tech

There is one thing for sure that tech will never outdo - leave a lasting legacy! All things tech come and go… whether that is a quick instagram post, a social media page, or a website. They all get dated or obsolete at some point. And, I tell you this as someone that has an MBA in Technology Management. I’m not afraid of tech but I also know where the limitations are.

Have you ever gotten into a place where you weren’t sure if you were offering enough, not sure if you were sharing your true message, if you were misunderstood, you tried to make amends of something but maybe weren’t sure you hit the mark, or you wonder if you are even even being heard?

Let’s be honest, when you are a content creator you try to offer what people want to hear and you look at stats and what draws people into your world and when you find that thing they are interested in you create more of it. But, are you being authentic? This is kind of the na...

Today’s Topic: Book Funnels & Tech Layoff’s. Using a Book to Secure Your Position

There were at least 154,000 layoffs from more than 1,000 tech companies last year, according to Layoffs.fyi, a website that has been tracking tech layoffs since March 2020.

Google alone just let go 12,000 employees. Amazon let go of 18,000, Microsoft 10,000, 11,000 at Meta, 8,000 at Salesforce, and many more have followed suit, like Twitter (3,700), Uber, Cisco (4,100), Caravan (4,000), Peloton, booking.com, Airbnb, Instacart, Wayfair, Capital One, and so many more. What’s going on?

Many believe this has something to do with massive hiring at the height of covid and all the lockdowns. Amazon gained 800,000 employees between 2020-21, while google gained 52,000, Meta gained 27,000, Microsoft gained 58,000. Tech people are saying that Apple only slowly hired 17,000 and has yet to let any go. Many are saying that there is a re-normalizing occurring now. Basically, these companies over-hired.

Interestingly...

Today’s Topic: A Book As A Business Card - How to Use a Book to Start A Business

Have you ever taken the time to search the web for hot topics? If you’re in the business of creating content that people want to see, hear, listen, to or read then you start to pay a bit more attention to how to satisfy an audience. I love entrepreneurism and I love the power a book gives to people just starting out on any topic. The writing of a book crosses off so many hot topics in the top business keyword searches all in one giant swoop. The top keywords in business right now are very much about entrepreneurialism. Here are the top eight and let me tell you how a book gives you a gift that keeps on giving!

1. How to start a business
2. How to write a business plan
3. How to start your own business
4. How to start a small business
5. How to start an online business
6. How to make business cards
7. What is a business model
8. How do you promote your business

I can tell you that without any doubt a book is going...

First let me say Happy New Year! If a book is on the agenda for 2023 - we can help!

We talked about the back end business of your book in the last episode, but now I want to talk about a great tool that will not just build your website to sell your books from, but it will grow with you as you build out your platform.

When you are new to writing a book there is so much information out there for you to digest as a new author. Bridging all the functional elements together can be overwhelming. Every approach is unique. When you first think about writing a book and you begin a few random online searches you will likely first get hit with all the support for making a best-seller. As you start to weed through the information available you will probably learn that many systems make promises for high returns on sales, while others talk about speed and getting your book done quickly. But, in general you will find very few systems that are designed to support you by actually designing smart co...

Hey guys! I thought perhaps I could squeeze in another podcast episode before Christmas. I don’t know about you, but I have family already in town and it always makes it a bit more challenging to stay focused on business and close out the year. Balancing the holidays as a self-employed entrepreneur can often mean you aren’t exactly beating to the same drum as others with free time to burn. When people see that you are home that often means that you are available. If you’re self-employed I know you understand this dilemma.

Sitting down to write and record a podcast isn’t always easy, but most of my clients are busy with holiday preparations so I had some quiet time to get caught up and ahead.  We have a giant storm blowing through here in the midwest and while everyone else is preparing meals, last minute shopping, and cleaning for guests, I’ve been trying to put plans in place for what I’d like to see in my business in 2023. How about you? Do you have a business book on the age...

Today’s Topic: 5 Smart Steps for Getting Your Business Book Manuscript Done—Building Out a Turn-Key Platform

I believe one of the greatest tools for you to professionally highlight yourself is to write a book on a topic you have mastery in. If you’ve been hanging around the speaking or coaching environment for awhile you will learn quickly that many people in this world have a book. Actually, many of them have more than one book. I find however, that many outside of this industry haven’t learned to capitalize on this to get ahead in their field. Even if you aren’t self employed, writing a book can help get you noticed. But, it tends to be the self-employed entrepreneur that uses a book to either pivot into something new, to provide teaching material for their team, or to simply draw additional awareness to themself as a go-getter.

Although, my system can work with a writer of any genre, it is the entrepreneurial spirit that I find myself speaking to the most. It’s where I tend to fi...

Today’s Topic: Our Online Book Publishing Program - A Step-By-Step Process for Getting Your Manuscript Done

I’ve often talked about our online book publishing program but I haven’t actually done a podcast to speak on it specifically. I’ve also decided that it was time to drop the pricing and I’ve dropped it quite significantly to make it more affordable in these unique times. I felt like it was perfect timing to do this as so many people make writing a manuscript a goal for a New Years resolution and we all are beginning to come through the clouds and into the light of a new era that offers us a time to fully expose our truth.

We’ve all been through some tough times in 2021 and 2022 and we all have a story to be told about loss. And some of us have a story of transformation, forgiveness, or new found faith. We have all had to pivot into new ways of living and being during these unique times. I have a goal of being a guide for the voice of the people. I want to give you the tools ...

Today’s Topic: Do I have enough pages for a manuscript? Building content for your book…

What is it that takes people over the edge from thinking about writing a book to actually completing one? Generally passion and purpose are foremost. But, of course, there also has to be a drive to complete it with a strong reason to do so. And, once you are over the edge with purpose, developing content is key… But, how to you know if you have enough content to make a book?

People usually ask me: “How many pages do you have to write to actually have enough for a solid book?” Well… it’s actually not about pages, but more about word count.

Pages are kinda irrelevant since most word documents are 8.5 x 11” and a typical book page is about half of that at 6 x 9”. And with spacing and font size it can be hard to know what it will actually convert into. So, in the book world we go by word count. Generally most New York quality books are going to be from about 50-60,000 words. But, it’s pretty common ...

 Today’s Topic: Why Is A Book the Single Best Marketing Tool?

If you’ve been considering writing a book, and done any amount of research online, you’ve probably seen all kinds of ads claiming that a book is the single greatest marketing secret in the world. But, what exactly does this mean, and is it true?

On the surface, yes I will agree, this can be true. But, it’s not really quite as straight-forward as it sounds. Yes, a book will draw attention to the particular topic you’ve written about and will create a certain level of interest in the fact that you have something to say about it, but there are two factors even more important than attention. First is alignment with your message, and second is whether or not the book supports that message - either by fulfilling a mission, or by enhancing the income you generate from something related to this mission. In other words, do you have a clear objective and how to you fulfill or justify the book’s alignment with that objective?

As I...