He Lost Everything—Then Wrote the Book That Rebuilt His Authority

If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Richard Lawson has spent 50+ years in Hollywood acting, teaching and mentoring people like George Clooney and Michelle Pfeiffer, so writing a book could have been a victory lap—a way to package the lessons and put a bow on everything.That's not what happened. Writing The Artist's Roadmap: Navigating Your Career in SHOW Business didn't just organize what Richard already knew. It woke something up. It led to a Substack, a memoir in progress, a series of children's books and an entirely new creative chapter that he wasn't expecting at this stage of his life.What I wanted to get into with Richard is how that happened—how the process of writing the book became the thing that renewed him, not just the product of a long career. He tells me about a moment during a college musical in 1969 that set everything in motion (and why he still feels guided by that same force today). He talks about surviving an actual plane crash and what that did to his relationship with intuition. And he explains the dialogue between his two inner voices—his spiritual guide "Richard" and his creative alter ego "Tricky Dick"—which is not the kind of thing you expect from a guy who's spent five decades in the business, and that's exactly why it's interesting.In this episode:The 1969 revelation during a college musical that he says still drives him todayHow surviving a plane crash reshaped how he trusts his own instincts"Richard" vs. "Tricky Dick"—the two inner voices and what they taught him about creativityHis three-part formula for show business success: politics, personality and craftWhy the book led to a Substack, a memoir, children's books and an entire second creative wave he didn't planWhat he means by "dream whisperer" (and how he helps people find their way back to their purpose)Want to find out more about my hybrid book publishing company, Legacy Launch Pad? Click here. Want to discover how entrepreneurs get seven-figure returns on their authority-building books? Click here. Want to apply to work with us? Here's where you go.And if you just want to know more about me, visit my website or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.Remember, if there's anyone in your life whose wisdom you deeply admire, or who you know could be considered an authority in their field if they were better known, share this show with them. 

If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Justin Breen used to charge $500 for his PR services. After writing his first book, he started charging $30,000.That's not a typo, and it's not because the book sold a million copies—it's because the book made him the person clients wanted to hire at that price.Justin's path to authorship started when his journalism salary got cut in half and he cold-contacted 5,000 people to find his first five clients. He documented that whole ride in Epic Life, and it led to The Epic F.I.T. Network, speaking engagements and media opportunities that didn't exist before the book.But what I really wanted to talk about is what happened with his second book, Epic Journey, because it got weird in the best way. Justin describes the writing process as channeling divine inspiration while literally staring at the sun on his daily runs, which I know sounds like something you'd scroll past—but the manuscript had such an impact on early readers that one of them got a tattoo inspired by it. The book led to what he calls a "complete ego death," an amicable divorce, a total life overhaul and a new AI music company called Corvia.AI. He's currently not sure where he's going to live next, which is either terrifying or the most honest thing an entrepreneur has ever admitted on a podcast.We also get into why he thinks not everyone should write their own book (which is a bold thing to say on this particular podcast) and his potential collaboration with Melissa Bernstein of Melissa & Doug Toys.In this episode:How writing a book took him from $500 to $30,000 per clientThe 5,000 cold contacts that launched his entire businessWhy Epic Journey led to an ego death, a divorce and a company he didn't planThe early reader who got a tattoo inspired by the manuscriptWhy he says not everyone should write their own book (and what to do instead)The potential Melissa Bernstein (Melissa & Doug) collaborationWant to find out more about my hybrid book publishing company, Legacy Launch Pad? Click here. Want to discover how entrepreneurs get seven-figure returns on their authority-building books? Click here. Want to apply to work with us? Here's where you go.And if you just want to know more about me, visit my website or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.Remember, if there's anyone in your life whose wisdom you deeply admire, or who you know could be considered an authority in their field if they were better known, share this show with them. 

If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Christos Garkinos went from being a lonely gay Greek kid in Detroit to running marketing for Virgin Megastores, launching fashion lines on HSN and becoming Bravo's "Robin Hood of Fashion"—and then lost nearly all of it to addiction, financial collapse and grief.So he wrote a memoir called Covet the Comeback and launched it like a rock tour.What I wanted to talk to Christos about is the launch, because it's one of the most ambitious rollouts I've seen from any author, and he did it entirely on his own terms. Celebrity-filled dinners, sold-out events across the country and a billboard in LA that ran for five months—positioned directly above an ATM he used during his darkest days. That's not a marketing stunt. That's a man staring down his own story from a billboard.But the launch isn't actually the most interesting part of this conversation. Christos gets into what it felt like when people he hadn't spoken to in years started reaching out after reading the book—people who had written him off, people who barely knew him, people who suddenly understood something about him they never had before. He talks about sobriety, ego and surrender with a kind of honesty that you don't usually hear from someone whose instinct is to produce a show. And he gets into how the book didn't just change his public image. It changed his business, his relationships and the way he thinks about what he's actually building.In this episode:The five-month LA billboard placed directly above an ATM from his worst daysWhy he refused a traditional book launch and built a rollout that looked more like a concert tourWhat it felt like when people who'd written him off started reaching out after reading the bookHow sobriety reshaped his instincts, leadership and creativityThe moment his community turned his story into their ownWant to find out more about my hybrid book publishing company, Legacy Launch Pad? Click here. Want to discover how entrepreneurs get seven-figure returns on their authority-building books? Click here. Want to apply to work with us? Here's where you go.And if you just want to know more about me, visit my website or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.Remember, if there's anyone in your life whose wisdom you deeply admire, or who you know could be considered an authority in their field if they were better known, share this show with them. 

If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Walter Clarke lost his investment management firm after a catastrophic business failure involving regulatory action and bad advice, and then did the thing most people in finance would never do: he wrote a book about it.The Big Risk told the whole story—the painful parts, the parts that could have stayed buried—and it turned what could have been a career-ending chapter into the reason people started hiring him. Writing the book transformed shame into authority because he was teaching from experience, not theory, and that distinction is the difference between a consultant people tolerate and one they actually trust.What I wanted to get into with Walter is what happened next, because he didn't stop there. He wrote a second book, 401Kid, built around an idea that sounds simple until you think about it: financial education should start at birth, not adulthood. Walter has spent 30+ years advising wealthy families, and he's watched money quietly destroy relationships, identity and mental health when people aren't prepared for it. He says you lose your kids' attention around age 11, which means every parent who's waiting until their teenager "is old enough" to talk about money has already missed the window.We also get into why he thinks sudden wealth is more dangerous than not having money at all and why avoiding the "entitlement" conversation with your kids does far more harm than just having it.In this episode:How losing his firm led to writing the book that rebuilt his authorityWhy sudden wealth is more dangerous than lack of moneyThe reason financial education has to start before age 11 (and what happens when it doesn't)How The Big Risk turned a career-ending story into a business assetWhy 401Kid clicked as a title—and as a philosophyWant to find out more about my hybrid book publishing company, Legacy Launch Pad? Click here. Want to discover how entrepreneurs get seven-figure returns on their authority-building books? Click here. Want to apply to work with us? Here's where you go.And if you just want to know more about me, visit my website or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.Remember, if there's anyone in your life whose wisdom you deeply admire, or who you know could be considered an authority in their field if they were better known, share this show with them. 

If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. When we published Right for the Role, I figured John would sell a few books, make some actors cry and call it a day. I was wrong.John is a four-time Emmy-winning casting director who spent decades casting ER, The West Wing and Shameless, and his memoir didn't just tell that story—it completely rewired his creative life at 78. The book sparked a podcast, packed acting schools, landed in the Studio City Barnes & Noble window and somehow made him Instagram-famous (his words, not mine). He's now directing plays in New York and reconnecting with collaborators he hadn't spoken to in years.What I wanted to talk to John about is what it's like to spend your entire career shaping other people's performances and then, in your late seventies, step into the spotlight yourself for the first time. He gets into what it took to drop the privacy he'd protected for decades, what it's like to relive your life with a co-writer on Zoom and why the Smoke House book signing turned into something closer to an LA industry reunion than a reading. He also swears he "discovered no one," which—if you know anything about the casts of ER or The West Wing—is one of the more generous lies I've heard on this podcast.The thing he said that stuck with me: the book didn't give him a new life. It gave him his old one back.In this episode:How Right for the Role turned into a podcast, a tour and a creative second act at 78The Smoke House signing that became an industry reunionWhy he insists he "discovered no one" (he's being modest)What it's like to publish your first book in your seventies and go viral for itWhy he says the book gave him his old life back, not a new oneWant to find out more about my hybrid book publishing company, Legacy Launch Pad? Click here. Want to discover how entrepreneurs get seven-figure returns on their authority-building books? Click here. Want to apply to work with us? Here's where you go.And if you just want to know more about me, visit my website or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.Remember, if there's anyone in your life whose wisdom you deeply admire, or who you know could be considered an authority in their field if they were better known, share this show with them. 

If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Dan Nicholson is just the founder and CEO of Nth Degree CPAs.He’s also one of my favorite Legacy Launch Pad clients.One of the reasons for this favoritism is that I had the privilege of watching him go from being just another CPA to becoming the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of Rigging the Game. As a result of the book, he now commands up to $20,000 a speaking gig and has generated over seven figures in revenue from the ripple effects of authorship.How did he do it? Well, he had a system—and you could say he rigged it.First, he pre-sold hundreds of copies to his network before the manuscript was even complete, ensuring the project would be profitable before it launched. Then he started circulating the book with a focus on speaking and watched his speaking fees skyrocket. Masterminds and conferences have even built entire events around his book!Now prospects arrive at his CPA firm already pre-sold on hiring them, referrals flow in at record levels and his close rates have jumped significantly—even as he raised his prices by 30%. And that’s not all: thanks to his book, he's also doubled his media appearances, landed more podcast interviews and attracted new clients not only to Nth Degree CPAs but for his other ventures, including Certainty U and Certainty News.Listen in to find out why Dan’s system rigging leaves me in awe.Episode Highlights:How Dan pre-sold his book and turned it into a seven-figure revenue generatorThe challenges of writing authentically and why ghostwriters didn’t work for himWhy Rigging the Game resonates with entrepreneurs tired of cookie-cutter adviceHow speaking gigs, referrals and media appearances multiplied after publicationThe real difference between relationship-based and transactional businesses and how books impact eachThe systems Dan created to get 80% of his early readers to leave Amazon reviewsWhy giving away free copies can sometimes be more valuable than selling themThe philosophy of eliminating downside risk to guarantee upsideKey Takeaways:A book is not a lottery ticket—it’s a system and success requires planningReviews not vanity bulk sales are the most powerful long-term marketingFor service-based businesses credibility from a book allows you to raise rates and close more clientsMedia exposure and speaking opportunities don’t happen by accident—you must design the outcomesWant to find out more about my hybrid book publishing company, Legacy Launch Pad? Click here. Want to discover how entrepreneurs get seven-figure returns on their authority-building books? Click here. Want to apply to work with us? Here's where you go.And if you just want to know more about me, visit my website or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.Remember, if there's anyone in your life whose wisdom you deeply admire, or who you know could be considered an authority in their field if they were better known, share this show with them. 

If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. I had a front-row seat to Bonnie Habyan’s transformation. A seasoned CMO with over 20 years in financial services, Bonnie wrote The World According to Bess—a book about her mother's wisdom that we released on her mom's 91st birthday, just months before she passed.In our conversation, Bonnie walks me through all that the book opened up for her: she landed a TEDx talk that now has 350,000+ views, launched her podcast This Is How SHE Did It and became a keynote speaker on resilience and personal brand power. We dive into the unexpected wins—Barnes & Noble book signings, knowing her book is available at Target and having strangers sharing intimate stories about their own mothers after hearing her speak. She also reveals how the writing process helped her understand her relationship with her mom better. In the end, she explains how the book scratched an itch that no CMO title ever could—giving her something authentically hers that will outlive her while also teaching her that her superpower is tenacity.She opens up about being terrified at first—worried about her employer's reaction, about being vulnerable, about putting herself out there. But as she explains, pushing through that fear brought unquantifiable rewards: confidence, legacy and the fulfillment of bucket-list dreams she'd had since childhood.Topics Discussed:Why book sales don't matter: How the real value comes from credibility, platform, and opportunities—not revenue from copies soldFrom book to TEDx stage: How The World According to Bess became the foundation for Bonnie's TEDx talk, which garnered 350,000+ views and created deep connections with audiencesThe power of pre-launch marketing: Building a reader group to generate reviews before publication day, ensuring the book launches with social proof that stays on Amazon foreverOvercoming fear and self-doubt: Bonnie's journey from worrying about her employer's reaction and being vulnerable to embracing confidence and not caring about naysayersThe book as connection machine: How strangers approached Bonnie after her TEDx talk, sharing intimate stories about their own mothers and revealing the impact of her workUnderstanding family through writing: How the process of writing the book gave Bonnie deeper insight into her mother's love language, upbringing and their relationshipDiscovering your superpower: How the book-writing process revealed that Bonnie's superpower is tenacity and persistenceThe gift that keeps giving: Unexpected moments like seeing the book at Target, doing book club talks and receiving messages from readers on the beachFinding your tribe: The importance of surrounding yourself with supporters rather than naysayers during the creative processLegacy over career advancement: Why the book's impact on Bonnie's personal fulfillment and legacy mattered more than advancing her CMO careerVulnerability and authenticity: Putting personal stories into the world and learning to care less about criticismThe book cover moment: How seeing the final cover design was the "aha" moment that brought everything togetherBucket list achievements: Checking off childhood dreams of writing a book, creating a podcast and delivering a TED talk—all stemming from the book

If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Aiming High was the first book I ever published, and it's the reason Legacy Launch Pad exists. So I'm biased. But the story of what this book did is worth telling regardless.Darren Prince was one of the most successful sports and celebrity agents in the country—Magic Johnson, Muhammad Ali, Charlie Sheen—and he was also quietly battling an addiction that nearly killed him. When we started working together, he wanted to write about his career. I told him his addiction was the real story. He didn't love hearing that, but he listened.He released the book on the anniversary of Ali and Frazier's "Thrilla in Manila" fight (because of course he did—the man is an agent to his core). Magic Johnson wrote the foreword. A CNN interview with Chris Cuomo launched a global media tour that led to Tucker Carlson, Dr. Oz, Fox & Friends and Jay Shetty's On Purpose podcast. A six-figure spokesperson deal came in, and instead of keeping the money, Darren used it to start the Aiming High Foundation, which has now sent over 200 people to treatment.What I wanted to get into with Darren is all of it—the stuff that makes us laugh and the stuff that makes us a little teary. How his father's death and a conversation with Magic Johnson pushed him to finally tell the truth. How the book revitalized his agency in ways he didn't expect. And how a memoir about hitting bottom turned into a foundation, a speaking career and a life that actually looks like the one he was pretending to have before.In this episode:Why I told Darren his addiction—not his celebrity roster—was the real bookThe behind-the-scenes story of Magic Johnson writing the forewordHow a CNN interview launched a global media tourThe six-figure spokesperson deal he turned into a foundation that's sent 200+ people to treatmentWhy Aiming High was the first book I published and the reason I started Legacy Launch PadWant to find out more about my hybrid book publishing company, Legacy Launch Pad? Click here. Want to discover how entrepreneurs get seven-figure returns on their authority-building books? Click here. Want to apply to work with us? Here's where you go.And if you just want to know more about me, visit my website or connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.Remember, if there's anyone in your life whose wisdom you deeply admire, or who you know could be considered an authority in their field if they were better known, share this show with them. 

If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Matt George isn't just a Harvard Business School executive leadership coach.He's also one of my favorite Legacy Launch Pad clients. Yes, I say that a lot but I only have my favorites on this show.I've had the privilege of watching Matt go from being a longtime nonprofit CEO to becoming a three-time #1 bestselling author who leveraged his book into a multimillion-dollar portfolio of speaking, consulting, media and coaching opportunities. As a result of his books, he now works at Harvard Business School, hosted his own prime-time TV show for four years and has generated over a million dollars in revenue from the ripple effects of authorship.How did he do it? Well, he treated the book we published, Non-Profit Game Plan, like a "business card for life"—he never stopped networking with it.First, he carried copies everywhere, giving them out on flights, at conferences and to nonprofits across the country. He even packed a full suitcase with 50-60 books for a John Maxwell conference and refused to bring a single one home. Then he embarked on an epic 61-city, 67-day book tour across America, combining media appearances with grassroots nonprofit visits where he literally saw his book help save a young girl's life. (He and I also got to meet for a cup of hot chocolate when his tour took him to LA.)Today, his media appearances have multiplied 10-15x, his consulting fees have skyrocketed and his speaking invitations stretch from Ivy League alumni clubs to global conferences. And that's not all: thanks to his book, Matt was able to leave his 30-year nonprofit career, land a coveted position at Harvard Business School (coaching C-suite executives from around the world) and launch his own company.Listen in to find out why Matt's "business card for life" strategy shows why a book truly is the world’s best business card.Episode Highlights:How Matt turned his book into the catalyst for a career reinvention at Harvard Business SchoolThe intentional strategy of carrying and giving away books to build brand and revenueWhy books outperform business cards for authority and credibilityHow Business Forward and other media opportunities emerged directly from authorshipThe 61-city book tour that combined grassroots impact with national visibilityWhy reviews and relationships matter more than bulk salesHow Matt monetized his book into consulting, speaking and global coaching streamsKey Takeaways:A book is a lifelong business card when used strategicallyReviews, not sales rankings, drive long-term credibilitySpeaking, consulting, and media come from intentional design, not accidentAuthorship creates authority, self-confidence and new revenue streamsThe impact of a book goes beyond business—it can literally change lives

If you're thinking about writing an authority building book, and I really hope you are, and you don't want to be counting pennies or checking your book sales all the time, you actually want a book that's going to change your life, I can tell you how. Just go to sevenfigurebooks.com. I'm not trying to capture your email or anything. You can just download this PDF that's going to tell you exactly how to turn an authority building book into revenue, speaking, authority, and no exaggeration, a whole new life. Calvin Bagley spent his childhood dodging the school bus and adulthood building business empires. The founder of multiple eight-figure Medicare companies and a self-proclaimed “big fish in a very specific pond,” Calvin went from growing up in rural isolation with nine siblings and no formal schooling to becoming one of the most respected names in his industry.His memoir Hiding from the School Bus doesn’t teach you how to scale a business—it shows you how to survive one hell of a childhood and still come out kind, successful and grateful.In this episode, Calvin and I cover everything from family feuds to Kirkus raves to what it’s like when people you barely know suddenly know all your darkest secrets. He talks about writing 1,000 pages during a bout of shingles (because of course he did), taking his co-writer back to the “scene of the crime” to really feel the trauma and throwing a Vegas book launch complete with goats, carrot cake and cocktails named after his childhood pain.It’s equal parts therapy session, comeback story and gratitude circle. Calvin somehow manages to turn abuse, neglect and educational deprivation into punchlines—and then pivots to heartfelt lessons on self-acceptance, fatherhood and what it means to finally stop running from your past.Episode HighlightsWhat happens when your mom doesn’t know you wrote a memoirHow a shingles outbreak became a literary blessing (seriously)The Vegas book party that doubled as emotional closureHow radical honesty can make your business strongerWhat happens when you tell your story and the world actually listens