Before The Bestseller

We’re back with Nick Coniglio and Marnie Stockman , co-authors of Lead It Like Lasso , the Ted Lasso inspired leadership book that set out to sell 25,000 copies in its first year and ended up passing 41,000. They started as complete unknowns with no platform, no agent, and no special advantage, yet their book has grown into a quiet hit across business readers and fans of the show. Today, they have...

Nick Coniglio and Marnie Stockman aren’t your typical leadership authors. Before writing Lead It Like Lasso , they built and sold an edtech company for eight figures in just three years without a single sales rep. Drawing from their very different backgrounds in tech and education, they combined strategy with heart to create a business rooted in authenticity, trust, and what they call “raving fans...

We’re delighted to welcome back the incomparable Dava Sobel , bestselling author, award-winning science writer, and the brilliant mind behind Longitude , Galileo’s Daughter , and The Glass Universe . Her work has illuminated the human stories behind some of history’s greatest scientific discoveries, earning her international acclaim and a devoted readership that spans generations. In this episode,...

Today we have a very special guest: Dava Sobel , Pulitzer Prize finalist and bestselling author of Longitude , Galileo’s Daughter , T he Glass Universe , and T he Planets . Her books have been translated into more than 30 languages and continue to inspire readers around the world to see science through a more human lens. Known for blending meticulous research with emotional storytelling, Dava has...

Today, we’re joined by Veronica Yager , a self-publishing consultant and lead designer with over 15 years of experience helping hundreds of authors bring their books to life. As the former president of the Colorado Independent Publishers Association and founder of Journey Bound Publishing , Veronica has spent her career guiding writers through the process of turning their ideas into beautifully pu...

We’re back with Thomas Umstattd Jr ., author, award-winning speaker, and  host of the world’s longest running book marketing show, Novel Marketing Podcast . Thomas has helped thousands of writers think like marketers, creating tools and strategies that help authors turn their books into lasting assets. As the founder of the Patron Toolbox, he continues to teach authors how to build platforms that...

This week, I’m thrilled to be joined by Thomas Umstattd Jr. , someone who has shaped so much of my own thinking about book marketing. An author, award-winning speaker, and podcaster best known for hosting the world’s longest running book marketing show, Novel Marketing , Thomas has become a go-to guide for writers who want to reach readers and build sustainable careers through his book Courtship i...

We’re back with Dr. Catherine Gildiner , bestselling author of Good Morning, Monster and T oo Close to the Falls . Dr. Cathy’s books have sold over a million copies, landed on the New York Times bestseller list, and translated into 32 languages. After 25 years as a clinical psychologist, she turned her focus fully to writing and has since built a career that blends deep human insight with unforget...

Joining us today is Dr. Catherine Gildiner, who has worked for over 25 years as a clinical psychologist, guiding patients through trauma and recovery. She went on to share those experiences with the world in her New York Times bestselling book Good Morning, Monster, which has reached more than a million readers in over 30 languages, along with her acclaimed memoir Too Close to the Falls. Dr. Gildi...

Today we welcome back Commander Mark Divine , a man who has led Navy SEALs, built multimillion-dollar training companies, and sold hundreds of thousands of books, to unpack the real story of what it takes to write and market a bestseller. Mark is not only a retired SEAL Commander but also the founder of SEALFit and Unbeatable Mind, programs that combine elite physical training with mindfulness, br...

Today, Commander Mark Divine joins us with a rare blend of grit and clarity. He is the author of Unbeatable Mind , a field-tested guide to building calm, focus, and purpose under pressure, a self-published success with seven-figure earnings and an estimated 300,000 to 400,000 copies sold. A former Navy SEAL Commander and New York Times bestselling author, Mark holds a PhD in Global Leadership and...

Our guest for today’s episode is Blake Erickson , someone whose story of grit and growth is as inspiring as it is practical. From starting in door-to-door sales at 21 and leading teams that generated over $30M in revenue, to becoming a multimillionaire by 25, Blake has proven what’s possible when focus meets ambition. In 2024, he co-founded Scaling.com with Dr. Benjamin Hardy and together they wro...

We’re back with our very special guest, Tom O’Neill , investigative journalist and author of the bestselling book Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties . After more than twenty years of relentless reporting, Tom’s work reshaped one of America’s most infamous stories and became a publishing phenomenon, selling over 750,000 copies worldwide and putting him on track to...

Today we have a very special guest, and not the kind of guest we usually feature. Tom O’Neill is an investigative journalist who never set out to write a book at all. But what began as a short magazine assignment about the Manson murders turned into a 20-year obsession that became his bestselling book Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties . Tom is an award-winning j...

We are back with Mike Paton , co-author of Process! and Get a Grip in the Traction Library. Mike has spent over 15 years helping leadership teams run stronger, more efficient businesses through the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). Alongside Gino Wickman and Lisa González, his books have reached tens of thousands of readers worldwide. Process! alone has 75,000 to 85,000 copies in the wild. I...

What does it really take to build a business that runs without you? In today’s episode, we sit down with Mike Paton , EOS expert, speaker, and co-author of Process! , to unpack the systems behind sustainable growth. Mike Paton is the co-author of Get a Grip and Process! , two cornerstone titles in the Traction Library that help entrepreneurial teams simplify and scale through systems. Beyond his w...

Today we're excited to welcome Navid Nazemian , best-selling author of Mastering Executive Transitions: The Definitive Guide . He is a speaker on leadership and career topics, and an executive coach affiliated with groups like 100 Coaches Agency and Hult Ashridge. Navid draws on 25+ years of global leadership to help executives navigate high-stakes transitions and deliver lasting impact. Reco...

We’re back with bestselling author Jim Murphy , author of Inner Excellence and The Best Possible Life . As a high-performance coach to world champions, CEOs, and elite athletes, Jim brings over 15 years of experience helping people live and lead with purpose. His book Inner Excellence , now translated into 27 languages, has quietly become a global success, rooted in years of research, real-world c...

Today’s guest is someone who’s helped some of the world’s top performers not just succeed, but grow into stronger, more grounded people. Jim Murphy is the author of the best-selling book Inner Excellence , a mindset and system he’s shared with professional athletes, CEOs, and world champions around the globe. His work is all about training the heart for peak performance under pressure and finding...

It’s our pleasure to welcome back Brendan Kane , bestselling author of 1 Million Followers , Hook Point , and now The Guide to Going Viral . Brendan has worked with some of the biggest names in entertainment and business, including Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Katie Couric, MTV, Paramount, and IKEA. But his strategies aren’t just for celebrities or major companies. He’s also helped everyday creators, en...

What does it really take to go viral? In this episode, we’re joined by Brendan Kane, bestselling author of One Million Followers , The Hook Point , and now The Guide to Going Viral . Brendan is the behind-the-scenes strategist for some of the world’s biggest brands and celebrities, including Taylor Swift, Rihanna, IKEA, Vice, and Sketchers. He once gained over one million followers in 100 countrie...

Today marks the final episode of Before the Bestseller , our 18-part series where we’ve broken down the entire audiobook into focused, actionable chapters for nonfiction authors. If you've made it this far, you're not just dreaming about sharing your book with the world—you’re committed to doing it right. This final chapter is all about turning everything you’ve learned into a clear, per...

We’re down to the final stretch. In episode 17 of our 18-part series, Before the Bestseller , we’re diving into two topics that get a lot of attention in the publishing world: traditional PR and what it really means to make a bestseller list. As we near the end of this audiobook journey, this chapter pulls back the curtain on some of the final, more public-facing tools authors often consider. Some...

We’re back with episode 16 of our 18-part series, where we're putting the entire book Before the Bestseller up on our podcast for you to listen to. We’re just a couple of episodes away from the final chapter, and we hope you’ve been making great progress since you first started listening. In this episode, we’re talking about building a launch team for your book. This is the part where we star...

Today we’re on Episode 15 of our 18-part series Before the Bestseller , and we’re digging into a topic that can quietly make or break your book’s reach: gatekeepers. These are the people your readers already trust—think podcasters, bloggers, authors, and professionals—and earning their support can take your book much further than trying to do it all yourself. This episode unpacks what it really ta...