Episode 207: Self-Publishing: A Business-First Approach for Business Owners
Wed Feb 04 2026
In this episode, Jodi makes the case for self-publishing as Plan A for business owners. She explains how control, speed to market, pricing flexibility, and brand alignment make self-publishing a smart strategic choice for business owners and leaders who want their book to serve their business goals.
Time Stamps:
00:00 – Welcome and episode overview
01:05 – Making the mindset shift: self-publishing as Plan A
02:10 – Why the "traditional publishing or bust" mindset persists
03:30 – The importance of foundational book planning
04:45 – How publishing paths have evolved
06:00 – Why traditional publishing isn't author-centric
07:30 – Control: the biggest advantage of self-publishing
09:10 – Timeline, pricing, royalties, and messaging control
11:30 – Why retail placement may not serve your goals
13:00 – Fitting your book into your business ecosystem
15:10 – Self-publishing as a strategic business decision
16:30 – The book's role in revenue and client journey
18:20 – Overview of hybrid publishing as an option
19:30 – Preview of Part 2 of the Business-First Book Series
Keywords:
self-publishing, traditional publishing, hybrid publishing, business books, author mindset, publishing paths, book strategy, publishing control, book marketing, business ecosystem, author royalties, book pricing, book timeline, publishing decisions, entrepreneur authors, CEO authors, publishing process, book authority, client journey, book as business asset, direct sales, publishing strategy, publishing options, thought leadership books, book publishing mindset
Resources Mentioned:
Coffee + Commas signup: https://bit.ly/coffeeandcommassignup
Episode 171: Self-Publishing as a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure
Episode 150: Understanding Hybrid Publishing
LINK TO FULL EPISODE (RAW) TRANSCRIPT:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AKm-0yEISiy7vWmgz4TLL5DOru7drwDqgXqnNMfVwPE/edit?usp=sharing
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In this episode, Jodi makes the case for self-publishing as Plan A for business owners. She explains how control, speed to market, pricing flexibility, and brand alignment make self-publishing a smart strategic choice for business owners and leaders who want their book to serve their business goals. Time Stamps: 00:00 – Welcome and episode overview 01:05 – Making the mindset shift: self-publishing as Plan A 02:10 – Why the "traditional publishing or bust" mindset persists 03:30 – The importance of foundational book planning 04:45 – How publishing paths have evolved 06:00 – Why traditional publishing isn't author-centric 07:30 – Control: the biggest advantage of self-publishing 09:10 – Timeline, pricing, royalties, and messaging control 11:30 – Why retail placement may not serve your goals 13:00 – Fitting your book into your business ecosystem 15:10 – Self-publishing as a strategic business decision 16:30 – The book's role in revenue and client journey 18:20 – Overview of hybrid publishing as an option 19:30 – Preview of Part 2 of the Business-First Book Series Keywords: self-publishing, traditional publishing, hybrid publishing, business books, author mindset, publishing paths, book strategy, publishing control, book marketing, business ecosystem, author royalties, book pricing, book timeline, publishing decisions, entrepreneur authors, CEO authors, publishing process, book authority, client journey, book as business asset, direct sales, publishing strategy, publishing options, thought leadership books, book publishing mindset Resources Mentioned: Coffee + Commas signup: https://bit.ly/coffeeandcommassignup Episode 171: Self-Publishing as a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Episode 150: Understanding Hybrid Publishing LINK TO FULL EPISODE (RAW) TRANSCRIPT: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AKm-0yEISiy7vWmgz4TLL5DOru7drwDqgXqnNMfVwPE/edit?usp=sharing