Self-publishing isn’t just about royalties for me. It’s about the lifestyle it unlocks. One of my biggest personal values is freedom—freedom to travel, to learn, to experience life outside of my desk. Publishing books and running a business supports that in ways most people don’t realize. Here’s something many people overlook: the expenses I already have for my business - go on business credit cards, and those expenses turn into points. Those points turn into trips. Last year I traveled a lot, but my biggest trip was to Hawaii for my 40th birthday—and I went all in. Business class flight. Reclining bed seat. A flight that easily would’ve cost $2,000… booked completely free with points. Worth every single point. I also traveled for business: - Orlando for Jen Gottlieb’s event - NYC (and used points for top-tier Broadway seats—yes, I saw Keanu Reeves on stage) - San Diego for another event, with a must-stop at the iconic Malibu Barbie Café (💥 Side story I have inserted a pic here of me and @Charles Leikauf he is another Skooler I met at Jen Gottlieb's event in 2024... and I randomly ran into him while I was in San Diego and we were both attending two completely different events! It's WILD how networking can be like that!) - Phoenix for James Wedmore’s BBD Live and I was hanging out with @Julie Bishop , where I made real connections and had major breakthroughs Books and businesses open doors far beyond income. Yes, royalties matter. But what excites me most is the life those books make possible—the rooms I get to be in, the people I meet, the experiences I can say yes to. If you love travel, learning, and building a life with more options… self-publishing can be a lot more than “just books.” Where will your books take you?

We have been growing like crazy here, and attracting so many new members. I want to give you the opportunity to share what it is that you do. Don't overthink it. Just sum up what you do in a simple sentence below. ⬇️ If you find someone's post that is interesting to you, strike up a conversation!

Huge shoutout to @Gale Bates for having me on her podcast! She’s doing such great work highlighting real entrepreneurs and their stories. We chatted about how I juggle self-publishing, a full-time job, mom life, and running my Skool community—plus my approach to publishing and a lot of helpful takeaways. Go check out the episode and be sure to subscribe to her channel 😊

🌟This year, I’m taking some powerful advice from Jen Gottlieb. She’s a bestselling author📓 and professional speaker, but what she does best is capture attention and help people step into visibility. I’m listening to her book Be Seen on Audible for the second time, and it’s all about getting out of your comfort zone, putting yourself in front of people, and confidently sharing the work you’re doing and the impact you’re making. 🙌 I’ve had the opportunity to attend a few of her events, and her energy is unmatched. But what really matters is this: it was at her event that I felt inspired to do this—to teach others how to self-publish books so they can create real opportunities for themselves, including becoming Amazon bestsellers, even without a large audience. 💥“Being seen” is a big goal for me this year. In the past, I played small, dimmed my light, and stayed quiet. That’s changing. I’m pushing myself to do more live events, show up more consistently on social media, and put myself out there for podcast opportunities. The more people understand what I’m building, the more this community can grow—and the more support, ideas, collaboration, and opportunities I can bring back to all of you. If this post nudges you to move forward on your own goals, that’s a win. 👉 Is there a book guiding you as you move into 2026? Drop it below—I’d love to grab the audiobook and listen along.

Price anchoring is a simple pricing strategy that guides buyers toward the option you want them to choose—without telling them what to buy. When it comes to self-publishing, your paperback is usually where the best royalties live. So the goal is to make the paperback feel like the smartest, most reasonable choice. You do that by anchoring the prices around it. 👉 How this works with books: - Your ebook should not be dirt cheap - Your hardcover should be priced noticeably higher - Your paperback sits right in the middle and looks like the best value People don’t compare prices logically—they compare them relatively. 👉 Example pricing strategy Let’s say your book is 180–220 pages: - eBook: $9.99 - Paperback: $14.99 - Hardcover: $27.99 Here’s what happens psychologically: - The hardcover makes everything else feel affordable - The ebook feels less attractive because it’s close in price to the paperback - The paperback looks like the best bang for the buck Most buyers will choose the paperback—even if they didn’t plan to. 👉 Why this increases royalties - Paperback royalties are higher than ebooks - Buyers feel confident they’re making a “smart” purchase - You’re not forcing decisions—you’re guiding them This is why pricing is not random and not something to rush through at the end. Your book is a product. Your pricing is part of the strategy. If this helped, click for you, drop a comment, and let me know how you are planning to price your books.