16: IT consultant to thriller novelist, with Joanna Penn

Have you ever wanted to be a writer? Was that your answer all those years when someone asked you, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

It’s easy to dismiss wild thoughts such as, “I want to be a writer someday” and “I will be my own boss someday” and go about living the rest of your life in a 5×5 cubicle. Go back and read the last sentence again. It’s SO easy to dismiss wild, silly and ridiculous thoughts. Especially when there are bills to pay.

But what if you could give those thoughts a shot, in a very practical, methodical and non-risky manner? Would you try?

That’s what my latest guest, the brilliant Joanna Penn did. She had a day job she was miserable in. She desperately wanted out, so she experimented like crazy and started several businesses on the side. She fell flat on her face one time too many, until the day she decided to pursue an old, ignored dream of being a writer.

This is her story – the story of a dogged author-entrepreneur who can now say, “I’ve always wanted to be a writer. And I finally became one.”

In this case study, you will learn:

How Joanna maneuvered her way around early business failures

Her take on the best path to starting your business and escaping corporate life 

How to write a non-fiction book even if you know nothing about the topic you wish to write about

The business model behind a successful author-entrepreneur, and how you can generate consistent income by self-publishing your works

The problems with mainstream media and why you shouldn’t waste your time trying to promote and sell your products on national TV

3 Actions you should take before starting your journey in self-publishing

And lots more…