The Truth About My Disappointing Book Sales
This one was hard to write but so necessary. When I began this entrepreneurial journey, I promised that I would be honest and I would make this thing accessible. This chasing dreams kind of life. This surrendering and risking everything kind of life. This yellow brick road of mine.
Before you ever hear me say, ‘it all just kind of fell into place’, you will hear the honest truth about how it first all fell apart.
Last year, I walked away from a career that paid me well and gave me stability, but made me feel like a stranger to myself. I have been up and down and all around since then, but I have never looked back. It’s been worth every sacrifice.
Read On!>>>
I had bold and naive ideas about how my entrepreneurial journey would go. I expected my first book to sell hundreds and my second book to sell thousands. I expected schools and organizations to ring my phone off the hook and hunt me down to come speak for them. I expected to hit publish and like a magic spell, my life would change, money would come pouring in and I would have a wait list of clients trying to work with me. I thought, if I build it they will come.
It didn’t happen that way.
Book sales were decent for the first couple of months then fell off. Lots of coaching clients reached out to work with me but were unpredictable, changing their minds and canceling appointments and such. My significant other lost his job unexpectedly. No one was hunting me down to come speak for them. I didn’t have a solid plan for what to do if my book sales didn’t meet expectations. My courses sold well, but not residually. I realized why entrepreneurs should have a business plan. Why marketing and profit planning are crucial. Why you have to diversify and strategize. Why I can’t just be a creative butterfly and I have to actually learn how to be a smart business woman.
In many ways, I was failing.
The bills were piling up. My savings were dwindling and my credit was suffering. My disappointment was palpable, but I was learning from my mistakes. I was loving my work, building wonderful new relationships and getting amazing feedback on my books and courses. I was helping people. Receiving emails everyday from women saying my words woke them up and changed their lives.
This past year has revealed a new woman to me.
One who doesn’t run away from scary things like failure, discomfort, sacrifice and criticism. A woman who can do hard things for the right reasons. I love this new woman. I love her afros and her white tees. Her obsession with conquering fear. How she wakes up everyday excited to work. How she has redefined failure and is using it as a platform for success.
All of this will be part of my story. My testimony.
I’m going into my second year as an entrepreneur feeling wiser and more strategic. My faith is my rock. I have no regrets and no doubts that I’ve chosen the right path for me. I feel audaciously proud of my mistakes. When you face disappointment or failure, this is not a reason to quit. This is when it’s time to shed that skin and transform into a more experienced, more aware version of yourself.
If you are called to do something out of your comfort zone, you WILL fail.
At some point.
But you will also bounce and fly and find kindred spirits and you will laugh and cry and FEEL ALIVE and you will CREATE beautiful things that make you proud. You will see the Universe support you and you will see miracles happen. You will learn that gratitude is a verb and a game-changing way of life. You will see just how very powerful you can be when you let your light shine through without inhibition or apology. You will trust your journey and you will win if you just keep going.
Embrace your quiet, but don’t silence your magic.
This week is all about enlivening the girl behind the superwoman. The one with the suppressed dreams and muted voice. We are going to pull her out and let her be heard.
The last day to pre-order The Quiet Guides series at a discounted price is this Friday, October 31. Plus…
Everyone who pre-orders The Quiet Guides Series will also receive pdf versions of my first two books, The Beautiful Disruption and Wallflower. If you are openly or secretly quiet, introverted, introspective, idealistic, empathetic, touchy feely, poetic, sensitive, self-conscious or any or all of the above, I want to provide you with a care package of affirming words from someone who speaks your language and shares many of your joys and struggles.
Details on The Quiet Guides here or skip the details and pre-order here.
