Today I am going to share with you the secret of my success

I have written and published 8 books in 3 years.

– I coach aspiring authors to write their books
– I run a newsletter to help creators to write, grow and monetize their content.
– My secret is that I do everything NEW as an experiment.

This is not just a bold statement to shock you
But an insight I gained in the past 6 years of my creative life.

– When I started my blog, it was an experiment.
– When I started my newsletter, it was an experiment.
– When I wrote my first book in 7 days, it was an experiment.
– When I launched my coaching business, it was an experiment.

Believe me when I tell you to think in terms of experiments
(I have two half-PhDs in science, I know what I am talking about 😎).
When you do something as an experiment:

– You don’t expect too much from it.
– You’re not attached to a particular outcome.
– You keep your mind open to other possibilities.
– You follow steps in a certain order and make observations.

Even if your experiment fails, you learn something from it.
That ‘something’ could be what not to do next time.
Which leads to what ‘else’ to do to succeed.

The success lies in ‘doing’ all the steps
rather than ‘doing’ them correctly.

The outcome does matter.
Doing does.

P.S. What are you doing currently that could be treated as an experiment?

My story in nutshell

At 57, I retired from my job, unsure what came next.

But I had a dream I’d carried for years:
To be a writer.
Not just write a book, but become an author, a coach, a mentor.

So I did the only thing I knew how to do:

Started writing.
Published my first book.
Then seven more.

Wrote every day.
Learned everything I could
about publishing, marketing, and author branding.

Created a community — Author Circle — where aspiring authors could feel safe, supported, and seen.
Built a book coaching program.
Taught hundreds how to write and publish their books.’
Launched a podcast.
Interviewed incredible people.

Now, at 63:
I’ve published 8 books — aiming for 100.

I help professionals write books that build authority and attract clients.
I run a newsletter, coach authors, and speak about writing, branding, and reinvention.

You’re never too old.
It’s never too late.

The page is blank, and you hold the pen.
What are you going to write in there?

How to grow your newsletter from scratch?

That’s the most common question I hear when someone
wants to start a newsletter.

When I started mine 4.5 years ago on Substack, I had no audience.
No email list.
No viral posts.

Just a deep desire to help writers.

Here’s what I did instead of chasing followers:
– I picked one clear problem my newsletter would solve
– I created a simple lead magnet (not perfect—just useful)
– I told everyone I knew personally, one by one
– I showed up every week, even when no one was watching

It was slow.
But it was solid.

No advertising.
No hacks.
Just trust.
I built it one reader at a time.

Today, my content gets read by more people than ever,
and it all started with a handful of audience.

So if you’re starting from scratch, here’s my reminder:
You don’t need huge following. You need a reason to be read.

If you’ve got that, you’ve already begun.
Subscribe to join a wave of creators building bold, brilliant, and wildly successful businesses.

I never thought I’d be running a business in my sixties.

At 63, I should be slowing down.

Spending more time gardening.
Cooking for friends.
Maybe taking up knitting.

Instead, I’m building a business from scratch.
Not because I need to.
But because I want to.

Every morning, I write for at least four hours.

Not because I have to.
But because I want to.

I’ve “failed” at several things:
– Retiring quietly
– Staying in my comfort zone
– Accepting that the best years were behind me

But I’ve succeeded at a number of things:
– Writing and publishing 8 books (with 4 more in draft mode)
– Growing an audience on LinkedIn, Medium and Substack — all after 60
– Launching a newsletter business that brings in income and impact
– Building a community of writers who support each other
– Creating digital products, running live workshops, and launching a course
– Running a podcast where I interview amazing authors and publishing pros
– Becoming a book coach and helping others write the book that changes their lives

I don’t have a marketing team.
I don’t have a big following.

What I have is a system, a voice, and a relentless belief that it’s not too late to do anything you want.

My journey isn’t about “going viral” or chasing some big fancy title.

It’s about creating work that matters, on my own terms.

If you’re in your 50s or 60s or 70s and wondering if you missed your chance to build something of your own?

Let me say this again.
You didn’t.

The second act might just be your best one yet.

P.S. Are you building something in your second act? Or dreaming of it?
I’d love to hear what you’re working on.
Let’s cheer each other on.

Subscribe here to join fellow creators building meaningful, thriving businesses

How to find your ideal client?

Early in my entrepreneurial career
I heard a piece of advice that stuck with me like superglue.

Just one simple, elegant line, shared by a man named Larry Winget.

It went like this:

👉 “Find your uniqueness and exploit it in the service of others.”

That’s it. That’s the line.

And it’s the best personal branding advice I’ve ever received.

Let me tell you why.
Three years ago, I was a struggling writer.
An author-entrepreneur figuring it out on the go.

I had expertise, but no clear roadmap.
I wanted to help others, but didn’t know how to make it sustainable.
I wanted to build a business, but didn’t want to lose myself in the noise.

Then it hit me:
The person I was back then… is the person I now serve.

Most of us aren’t trying to build a brand.
We’re trying to be useful.
We want to help someone.

To make something easier for the next person.
To turn our scars into roadmaps.

The shortcut to be able to do that is:
To find the people who are in the same place you were three years ago.

Because you are most powerfully positioned to serve the person you once were.

Not the person you admire.
Not the audience you think you should chase.
But the version of you from five, ten, or twenty years ago.

The one who felt lost.
Overwhelmed.
Unqualified.
Stuck.
Afraid.

You already know that person.
You know their struggles, their questions, and their Google search history.
You know what would’ve helped them most.

That’s your who.
And once you find your who, everything else starts to make sense.
And the truth I’ve learned is this:

👉 “You are most powerfully positioned to serve the person you once were.”

That’s your story.
That’s your brand.
That’s your business.

If you’re still in the messy middle, wondering if your journey matters. It does.
You’ve just got to turn around and reach for the hand of the person behind you.
I promise, they’re waiting.

Subscribe to learn more.

This week, something beautiful happened.

One of my long-time LinkedIn followers became a paid subscriber to my newsletter.

As I do with all the new paid subscribers, I asked her two simple questions. Her answers left me feeling deeply honoured, and grounded.

Question 1: What motivated you to become a paid subscriber?
This question helps me understand which one of my growth strategies are working

Her reply?
“I became a paid subscriber because you intrigue me. You are doing exactly what I would like to be doing. And, I believe 100% in you. You have always impressed me, and so it was a simple decision. I believe in YOU.”

We talk about building trust all the time. But this is what trust-in-action looks like.

Question 2: What’s your #1 challenge at the moment?
This one helps me understand how I can help my subscribers move forward.

She wrote:
“My number 1 challenge is creating a business that aligns with who I am now, at 65 (on Saturday!). I want a business like yours—sharing my knowledge and insights with others, while making some money at it. My challenge is trying to figure HOW to do that. Your PDF came at the right time… now I just need to follow your instructions, starting with creating a signature offer. That is my first step.”

In that response, I saw not just a hurdle—but a clear desire.

And at the root of it

Trust.

That’s the real currency of this creator economy. Not likes. Not followers. Not viral posts.

Trust that you can deliver.
Trust that you walk your talk.
Trust that you care.

If you’re building something online, don’t chase attention—earn trust.
That’s what turns followers into clients.
And readers into believers.
Subscribe to learn more.