Beyond Better with Stacy Ennis

A few months ago, I saw author Alex O’Brien on stage at Web Summit. Not only did she give excellent answers to questions on writing, AI, and beyond at Web Summit, but she also beautifully represented how I hope every author shows up when they talk about their work: with confidence, passion, and a genuine care to make a difference in this world. Alex is a science writer and professional poker player whose work has appeared in publications such as The Guardian, BBC, New Scientist, and The Times. Her first book, The Truth Detective, is a nonfiction science book on how to think like a poker player. In this week’s episode, we talk about: The Truth Detective As you’ll learn in this week’s episode, Alex is an advocate for early critical thinking and works closely with educational institutions to help guide future generations into asking the right questions to then make smarter and wiser decisions for themselves. There are so many gems in this conversation—don’t miss it! Learn more about Alex: WebsiteLinkedInThe Truth Detective: A Poker Player's Guide to a Complex World Resources from the Association of British Science Writers Follow me on: @stacyennis@stacyenniscreativeLinkedIn@stacyennisauthor To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

When I first set out to grow my business a few years ago, I knew I had a knowledge gap. I needed to understand how to transition from a solopreneur, service-based business (ghostwriting and book coaching) into a business that could serve more people. Today, I have a small team and big plans to continue to serve our community, including my new Author Influence Circle. In this episode, I detail how I reconnected to my inner wisdom. After doing a multiyear deep dive into all the advice, I realized I needed to stop going to everyone and everything else and start coming back to myself. I rediscovered that I am wise. And I started making smart, aligned decisions that have truly leveled up my business. Join me in this episode, as I share how I shifted my decision-making, along with strategies to support you in doing the same. Follow me on: @stacyennis@stacyenniscreativeLinkedIn@stacyennisauthor To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

I talk a lot on this podcast about location freedom. Financial wellness is part of the location independence equation, and if you’re a parent, your financial life may include paying for college. With two kids myself, I’m especially excited to welcome this week’s guest. Jeannie Burlowski is a past client and full-time academic strategist, podcast host, and speaker for students ages 12–26, their parents, and the professionals who serve them. Jeannie is the author of the book LAUNCH: How to Get Your Kids Through College Debt-Free and Into Jobs They Love Afterward. She helps parents set their kids up to graduate college debt-free, ready to jump directly into careers they excel at and love. Her work has been featured in The Huffington Post, USA Today, Parents magazine, US News and World Report, and CBS News. In this episode, we discuss her work—and her author journey. You know I had to ask about this! Specifically, we cover: Listen to this insightful conversation, and learn from Jeannie’s expertise! Student Loan Dept Articles by Jeannie BurlowskiCliftonStrengths Assessment ArticlesMyers-Briggs Type Indicator assessmentStrong Interest Inventory assessment WebsiteLinkedInFacebook@jburlowskiLAUNCH: How to Get Your Kids Through College Debt-Free and Into Jobs They Love Afterward @stacyennis@stacyenniscreativeLinkedIn@stacyennisauthor To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page. Show notes:Learn more about Jeannie:Follow me on:

I talk regularly about all the help I have in my life and work, and how outsourcing is how I “do it all” without really doing it all. That’s why I’m so excited this week to share all about how to outsource—specifically with a marketing virtual assistant (VA). In this week’s episode, I talk with guest Kirsten Graham about how to work with a trained marketing VA who takes care of video/audio editing, social media, and email marketing. We have a thoughtful conversation about: We also dig into some of the specifics of working with a marketing VA. This is an honest, fun, and practical episode you won’t want to miss! Show notes: You Need a Budget - YNAB appWhat to do when you hit rock bottom, with Amy Mangueira Learn more about Kirsten: LinkedInWebsiteSix Figure Business Mastery Podcast@SixFigureBusinessCoaching Follow me on: @stacyennis@stacyenniscreativeLinkedIn@stacyennisauthor To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

Disciplined habits are the cornerstone to my life. In this week’s solo episode, I explore how the mindset and habits I’ve honed and taught my clients and students for more than a decade lead to success. Specifically, I cover how to: This is one from the heart. I hope you enjoy it. And if the episode adds value to your life, I’d be deeply grateful if you would rate and review the show. Follow me on: @stacyennis@stacyenniscreativeLinkedIn@stacyennisauthor To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

If you’ve been part of my community for any length of time, you know that health and wellness are a massive part of my life. So when I met this week’s guest, Kisha Stewart, I knew I had to have her on the podcast. Kisha is a wife, mother of three, nurse, heart attack survivor, and a national advocate for heart health dedicated to improving the quality of cardiovascular health care for everyone. Since her heart attack, she has conducted extensive research about the specific health risks that women, particularly Black women, face. Along with talking about Kisha’s mission—health care equity and heart health education—we also talk about how she went from discovering her purpose to building a successful platform to scale her influence. In this episode, we cover: Today, Kisha educates and inspires others to improve heart health through lifestyle changes and is a fierce advocate for systemic changes in the health care system to guarantee equity and social justice for all. Listen to this week’s episode—it’s a great one! Follow Kisha: WebsiteGo Red for Women is the American Heart Association's national movement to end heart disease and stroke in womenLinkedIn@kishaandscadFacebookSonata for a Damaged Heart: A Young Mother's Journey of Survival After a Near Fatal Heart Attack Follow me on: @stacyennis@stacyenniscreativeLinkedIn@stacyennisauthor To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

I love hearing from you about topics you’re interested in. So in this week’s solo episode, I address a very interesting question from a listener: I do have a question that I’ve been thinking about when I see your posts and wondered how you approach your research for the books you write. I’m curious as to how research factors into the process for you. I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences. I also appreciate your snippets of life in Portugal; it’s been many years since I have visited, but I have great vivid memories! Join me as I discuss my process for gathering research (a process I love!) for the books I write. Show notes: fireflies.aiCLK TranscriptionGoogle ScholarCopyright And Intellectual Property 101 For Writers With Attorney Brad Frazer Follow me on: @stacyennis@stacyenniscreativeLinkedIn@stacyennisauthor To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

Branding can feel overwhelming, especially for authors who are new to this whole “personal branding” thing. That’s why I’m so excited this week to welcome Taja Dockendorf, founder and creative director of Pulp + Wire a 100-percent female-founded and run creative agency. Taja has consulted, created, and grown hundreds of brands while fostering a culture around growth and intuitive leadership for her female-forward team. Taja and her team have directed creatives for both start-up and national brands, such as Petco, Hasbro, Bob’s Red Mill, and more. In this episode, we discuss: Taja is also an active investor in emerging CPG brands, a mentor to other creative founders, creator and host of The Brand Alchemist Podcast, and a contributing writer for both national business and creative publications with a focus on creative leadership. As you listen in, I know you’ll benefit from Taja’s expertise. Learn more about Taja: https://www.tajadockendorf.com/@tajaLinkedInThe Brand Alchemist Podcast Follow me on: @stacyennis@stacyenniscreativeLinkedIn@stacyennisauthor To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

This week, it’s a joy to share my conversation with the wonderful Dr. Luissa Kiprono, who went from a refugee from former Communist Romania to one of the most sought-after medical specialists in maternal-fetal medicine—and wrote a book about it. Her mission is helping women heal, both physically and spiritually, through her own story and vulnerability. It was an honor supporting Luissa as her book coach, and I know her story will inspire you as much as it did me. In this episode, we discuss: Push, Then Breathe Through her telemedicine practice, TeleMed MFM, Luissa provides high-risk pregnancy care to all women, beyond borders or geographical limitations. Her debut book, Push, Then Breathe, is based on the first fifteen years of her reborn life. On her platform, she invites women to join together in self-empowerment, intentional presence, and resilience. Listen now to this inspiring conversation! Learn more about Dr. Luissa: LinkedInWebsite@Dr. Luissa K@drluissakTeleMed MFM Follow me on: @stacyennis@stacyenniscreativeLinkedIn@stacyennisauthor To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

Happy book birthday to my wonderful client, Regina Lawless! I’m so excited to share our conversation during the publication week of her new book, Do You: A Journey of Success, Loss, and Learning to Live a More MeaningFULL Life. Regina Lawless helps high-achieving women of color find purpose beyond their paycheck in order to experience more bliss in their lives and sustainable success at work and at home. Before starting Bossy & Blissful, Regina served as the head of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at Instagram. We met while she was still in the role—and it’s been an honor guiding her along the book-writing journey as she wrote her book and launched her business. In this episode, we discuss: Regina has worked with Fortune 500 companies across various industries, including Target, Intel, and Micron Technology. Her first book, Do You, is published by Greenleaf Book Group, in partnership with Fast Company. Join me in this insightful conversation. Learn more about Regina: @regina.lawlessLinkedinWebsiteDo You: A Journey of Success, Loss, and Learning to Live a More MeaningFULL Life Follow me on: @stacyennis@stacyenniscreativeLinkedIn@stacyennisauthor To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

When you hear the word “equity,” most of us will think of gender, race, and ethnicity. But oftentimes, disabilities are left out of the conversation—and that needs to change. That’s why I’m thrilled to welcome this week’s podcast guest, Heather Markham, a woman on a mission to show businesses how to make their space warm, welcoming, and accessible to the more than 1 billion persons with a disability. With her background in electronic warfare and assistive technologies, she has honed her engineering skills and an eye for otherwise unseen details. Heather has fifteen years of experience as a power wheelchair user, and she taught me so much in this episode! In it, we discuss: Heather is an inspiring woman who embodies her personal belief: the one thing she can absolutely control every single day is how she chooses to react to things. She expresses herself creatively through her memoir Rough Waters: From Surviving to Thriving with a Progressive Muscular Dystrophy and fine art photography. This is an important, inspiring, and practical episode—don’t miss it! Learn more about Heather: WebsiteFacebookInstagramLinkedInRough Waters: From Surviving to Thriving with a Progressive Muscular Dystrophy Show notes: This Little Miggy InstagramDisability Reframed Instagram Follow me on: @stacyennis@stacyenniscreativeLinkedIn@stacyennisauthor To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

Nearly every author I meet wants to be traditionally published. But the path to get a book deal can feel darn near impossible. Not only do you have to create a book proposal, which is a massive project in and of itself, but you then need to pitch agents. Where is an aspiring author to start? Well, Richelle Fredson is here to help in this week’s episode. As a book proposal coach and publishing consultant, Richelle has worked with aspiring and published authors to create impactful book concepts and competitive book proposals. In this episode, we cover: Richelle is the former director of publicity and book marketing for Hay House, and also served in acquisitions, so she knows her stuff. This was a fantastic conversation—don’t miss it! Learn more about Richelle: @richellefredsonFacebookLinkedInWebsiteBound + Determined Show notes: How to Create an Influential Author Platform guide Follow me on: @stacyennis@stacyenniscreativeLinkedIn@stacyennisauthor To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

It’s mid-January, the period where momentum around New Year’s resolutions start to wane. In fact, statistics show that only 8 percent of people achieve the goals they set at the start of the year. In this week’s episode, I share my thoughts around achieving big goals and practical strategies to be part of the 8 percent. I detail my secrets for how I’ve built a mid-six-figure business, moved abroad, and written multiple books. It’s not rocket science, but the tips I share may just be the needle-mover you need today. This episode is short and practical. Follow me on: @stacyennis@stacyenniscreativeLinkedIn@stacyennisauthor To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

I have to say: wow! I had a wonderful time connecting with you. Thank you for bringing energy, questions, and fun to our time together. I hope you gained new insights and practical strategies to finish your book in 2024—and make the impact you’re meant to on this world. As I shared during the training, I am a book coach and author educator who has spent my entire life developing my expertise in writing. From falling in love with reading at age seven to my master's in professional writing and editing, helping future authors like you is my life's work. I’m honored to coach smart people like you as they write powerful books that change readers’ lives. I’m also an author myself. I’ve ghostwritten or authored seventeen books and thousands of content pieces over the last fourteen years. And I was able to do so by developing a successful, repeatable book-writing system. I’ve helped others learn this system and become authors both through 1:1 book coaching and through my live coaching program, Idea-to-Draft Accelerator and Author Mentorship. But I only offer this program twice per year, with limited seats available (yes, I really will close enrollment once it's full!). Shownotes: Book a call with StacyApply to Idea-to-Draft Accelerator and Author Mentorship program Follow me on: @stacyennis@stacyenniscreativeLinkedIn@stacyennisauthor To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

This week, I’m joined by Catherine Fishman, who has been a part of my team since before we moved to Thailand. She’s been an integral support as I’ve grown from solopreneur to a small global team. In this episode, Catherine and I talk about: This episode is packed with client love and practical tips, because we share some of our own areas of learning as the business has grown, as well as reflect on our clients’ success. It’s also such a fun conversation with someone who has been along for the ride with me for so long! Learn more about Catherine: LinkedInWebsiteInstagram Follow me on: @stacyennis@stacyenniscreativeLinkedIn@stacyennisauthor To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

Oh, hey, podcast listeners—I’m back this week with a solo episode. I don’t do these enough, thanks to the many wonderful guests I have the honor of speaking with on the pod. This week, I’m reflecting on all the things 2023. To guide this episode, I’m drawing on a team meeting we had recently, where we talked through big wins, challenges, and even our theme song for the year and what type of car the business would be. Specifically, we looked at: Instagrampodcast I hope this episode inspires you to reflect too. Here’s to a flourishing 2024! Shownotes: Life Visioning GuideA free worksheet to guide your team through year-end reflectionIdea-to-Draft Accelerator and Author Mentorship Program Follow me on: @stacyennis@stacyenniscreativeLinkedIn@stacyennisauthor To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

On the pod this week, I’m excited to share a thoughtful conversation about book writing, business, and growing beyond the book. I’m joined by Dave Goetz and Melissa Parks, cofounders of Journey Sixty6, an editorial services company and independent publisher for the family business community. In this episode, we cover: Even if a book isn’t on your radar, this episode will get you thinking about all things marketing, messaging, and more. Learn more about Journey Sixty6: WebsiteThe Writing PodcastLinkedInLinkedIn Follow me on: @stacyennis@stacyenniscreativeLinkedIn@stacyennisauthor To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

Writing a book and being successful as an author is hard work. This week on the podcast, I unpack the hardness and amazingness of the author journey, from writing to marketing and beyond, with Alexa Bigwarfe, a USA Today best-selling author, publisher, and founder and CEO of Write, Publish, Sell. In this episode, we discuss: Alexa owns three hybrid publishing houses: Kat Biggie Press; Chrysalis Press; and Purple Butterfly Press, a children's book publishing company. Her courses and training focus on author professional development, platform growth, and fun, creative ways to market books. Alexa also has a publishing conference coming up: Women’s Publishing Summit. Sign up with my link here—this affiliate link helps support my ability to produce the pod. No matter your stage of authorhood—idea to ongoing marketing—I know you’ll find value in this episode. Enjoy! Learn more about Alexa: Website@writepublishsellLinkedIn@WritePubSell Follow me on: @stacyennis@stacyenniscreativeLinkedIn@stacyennisauthor To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

I recently hosted an author celebration and meetup for my clients and students. It was a beautiful celebration of the amazing authors I get to work with, and I left overflowing with gratitude. I had such a good time that I was inspired to record a podcast episode with a look behind the scenes at the work I do with authors. In this solo episode, I share: so I love what I do, and I love the authors I work with. I believe in them and in their ability to make a difference in this world. Shownotes: Giovanna GonzalezRegina LawlessDr. Luissa Kiprano Joel PerezMisty Megia Follow me on: @stacyennis@stacyenniscreativeLinkedIn@stacyennisauthor To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

Cherie is the cofounder and CEO of Saalt, a women-owned B Corp that creates reusable and sustainable period care products that replace disposable pads and tampons. You may have seen Saalt on the shelves at Target or other major retailers, but you might not know the mission behind the company. Period poverty keeps underprivileged women and girls out of school and other activities that would further their economic success and participation in broader society. Saalt is looking to change that. Since their launch in 2018, Saalt has donated over 70,000 period cups and underwear to underprivileged women and girls in 50 countries as part of their 2% give-back program. In this conversation, we discuss: I left this conversation feeling inspired, moved, and encouraged to make a difference in the world—and I know you will too. Learn more about Cherie and Saalt: saalt.com@saaltco@saaltco Follow me on: @stacyennis@stacyenniscreativeLinkedIn@stacyennisauthor To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.