Roger Brooks shares how he built successful businesses, established his brand, and found his niche in helping people write their first book.

He shares what he thinks worked for him building his presence on LinkedIn and connecting with such great guests for his show THE AMERICAN REAL.

About Roger -

Roger L Brooks is a three-time bestselling author, podcaster, and motivational speaker. His entrepreneurial journey has allowed him to be part of several startups that have resulted in successful acquisition exits. Roger is a book publisher and writing coach, empowering others by example, through writing and sharing inspirational stories. He aims to help people transform themselves through their own personal growth in finding their life’s purpose through the written word. He has helped several people write their first book, inspiring others to become the best version of themselves.

Connecting with Roger:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogerlbrooks/

Podcast: https://www.americanreal.tv

Connecting with Manpreet:

https://linktr.ee/themanpreetbawa

Right, welcome, everyone. I am really excited.

Have the man

who creates a bookx, who helps people create the book, and you know is

somebody who have gotten to know online. And this is also an example. When

you meet people online, you can turn into relationships where you can

collaborate on projects. So this man on my side are virtually in front of

me.

He has an excellent brand, but what I love about him he is all about gaing

his shares, where he knows his knowledge and is always intertings lifting

people up like every week he'll be lifting new people, so I love that about

him. I'm so glad and happy that he accepted to be on the podcast and I'm

happy to share it with you. So without further you, misterr Roger Brooks,

old you,

Thank you so much for having. It's a pleasure to be here today.

Yes, Yes, it is and we're not going to waste any time. You're going to jump

right into it, so how about you start with your story, your journey, so

people know a little bit about you from your own mouth.

Sure, I guess. uh, you know, from a standpoint of my my business journey, I

have been an entrepreneur since a very young age. you know, I was one of

these kids who, Um, I had a paper route to deliver morning papers and I

shoveled sidewalks. We have a lot of snow here in upstate New York, and mode

lawns in the in the summer time of all my neighbors, And then as I got

older, Um, I started a a clothing line. I did. Uh, a T shirt business. I

worked for a professional, Uh, n B, a basketall player, and then I got into

the corporate world, where I had the the privilege to work with my

brotherinlaw for about twenty years, and we were in an expanding business

creating Um. W, over in the States, what we call coupon books where there's

offers for restaurants and hotels, and Um all kinds of venues, But the book

was sold as a fundraiser, so the schools and the churches would would sell

the book and then we would get all the the merchants to participate to give

Mhm, So nine,

some type of a A, a value or offer, And I

Mhm,

did that for about twenty years. That turned into what we call customer

did that for about twenty years. That turned into what we call customer

loyalty programs. Um. I jumped in the loyalty space back in about two

loyalty programs. Um. I jumped in the loyalty space back in about two

thousand, four, two thousand and five,

thousand, four, two thousand and five,

and then was fortunate to be part of a couple of companies that were

acquired, um, uh, a couple by publicly traded companies, So I really got to

see Uh, both small business growth and then be part of large corporations.

During that time, you know, I was always interested in writing something

that I've been passionate about since I was a kid, and um, I, I wrote my

first book in two thousand and four, and have been writing ever since. And

I've I saw what it did for me and my career by writing a book and then

several books. And, um, to your part about giving, I, just, I've always had

this part of me even before social media that I, if we have a skill or if we

do something that we learn and do it Well, why not pass that on to others?

So I

yes,

was always a proponent of talking to people about writing a book and

wherever I would go, And if I had a nice conversation, I would say, Did you

ever think about writing a book and um, then, over time that actually, um,

morphed into a small business of my own, so. Today I help people write their

first book, typically to their first book and take it all the way from. As I

saved page one to publish

Hm.

in promotion. So to help people get what's in their mind out of their mind

and out to paper so they could off some value to the world.

Amazing,

one thing that I immediatelyed up childhood when you were going and

delivering papers or doing those

entrepreneur jobs

jobs. How's the family support? Because when I was young and my father had

a business, he never wanted me to sit on the shop. He always had Gsry B

engineer do your job like I want to do well, but he sort of was protecting

me from the hard side of the business because he had multiple failed

businesses and he just wanted us to go get the job.

Yeah, well, no great question. I, uh, both of my parents work. so I come

from a working family, very middle class, maybe even a little bit under

under middle class, but grew up in a in a nice neighborhood. Um, we always

had food on the table. We always had you know gifts for birthdays and and

and holidays and things like that, but we didn't have you know a lot of

extra. So my sister and I if we wanted extra, we had to work for ourselves

and I think because of my parents' example, Uh, both working, Uh, my father

actually had multiple jobs that rubbed off on us and I just you know, I it.

I was never afraid to work and never afraid to earn my keep because I saw if

you put in the work, Um, you get rewarded and then you could buy. You know

some of the things that you know. Maybe I wanted my own par, new shoes or a

new jacket or something. I had my own money to do that kind of thing. So,

yeah, very supportive. you know, from my family standpoint and a lot of my

friends as well, were in similar situations, so we were all all working. you

know, doing something different, but all you know, trying to make our own

little bit of extra money so we could go out, you know, to a movie or

whatever it might be.

And uh, you know, I, I think uh, you touched upon a um, uh, one wonderful

point, like when we were growing up. I feel

that if you were growing up in the middle class, lower middle class family

as uh children, you have a great advantage like that mentality of not

having everything is just.

I almost like ches people to a different level.

Absolutely. Because you know we hear about dreamers. you know, I want, I

dream to aspire to do this right, And that's that's how it was for me, you

know, I. I. I wasn't upset that I didn't have you know a ton, but we had

enough you know to be to be okay, but then to aspire to say okay. Some day I

want to have my own house, Someda, I want to be able to afford my own car.

Some day, I want my own family to be able to provide you know the things

that are enjoyable. So you're absolutely right and that

growing up in that environment gives you all the more desire you know to be

able to

get to the place where you want to go.

Yeah, yeah, and then growing up from in a way you have accomplished dream

and you know you have created whatever you wanted to create, or at least

wherever you are, and then having children and then it just there as one

barl. I have. like how do you

give to your children but not gave enough so that it doesn't steal them or

rob some with this Uh feeling,

It. Yes, and it's so funny you say that because just this morning, just this

morning before this interview I was thinking about our son because my wife,

Um wanted she. She was going to the gym, but before she went to the gym, she

called up to him and said, Do you do you want anything? Do you want me to

take it to Starbucks And I thought about that for a moment. so here I'm

thinking is spoiled because she'sed Starbucks or is he appreciated? And I

said because I, I'm still going to talk to him later today. We do these

Yeahm, and how would somebody who was a just like

Yeahm, and how would somebody who was a just like

things because he's appreciated. he's not. Yes, we like to do those kinds of

things, but he works hard. He does really well in school. He does anything

we ask him to do around the house yesterday. he volunteered for four hours.

so because he's willing to put in the work, we're willing to give him these

little extras. and uh, but to your point there, there's that balance right

of

spoiling them or appreciating them. and I, I really like to say that we

appreciate our children because they're willing to put in the work.

only a state of parenthood to you know four and six years old. How would

somebody cultivate some of the mindsets of Pe? So we? obviously we can

appreciate our children, but then they also appreciate what they are

getting like they are willing to put in the work rather than always asking

their what you sees the way to cultivate.

Yeah, I think it's really two things. it, number one is leading by example.

So

if you're going to talk to your kids about anything, I hope that you're

willing to do it yourself and myself include. I, I'll catch myself if I'm

asking them to do something that I'm not practicing. So um, certainly, um,

leading by example, and number two is discipline. you know we. We still have

to have that discipline and instill discipline into our children,

so you know they could truly appreciate Uh what it what it means to be a

hard worker. Um, to erm your keep. You know

I heard something the other day that there're, you know. we have a lot of

sports in in the states. Uh, especially in the in, in the middle and high

schools, and they're creating more teams because they don't want to cut

anyone from the team. So if you're not, you know if you're not good enough

to make the team, they're creating another team for those kids that that

aren't quite there, which I think is fine, but I also think it's good to be

able to again aspire and work hard to achieve something in order to get to a

place whether it's school, whether it's sports, whether it's a hobby,

whatever it may be. Um, So I, I do think it's important to have that

discipline.

Yeah, yeah,

that is so true. Some to shift game from the children to

know becoming, because you have a very successful online presence and

obviously there is so much hard work that people don't see. People only see

when you know you put in four five years into and that's when you know the

light starts too Sh. and all that So could you talk about that journey?

Like how you how you know what it took you to come here So people

understand it is not all just about

posting.

you know,

making some

nice

content in there. There is a lot of hard work that goes on there.

Yeah, Oh, absolutely so for my personal journey, it it really started about

four years ago. When I started my podcast American Real, so I had been

watching the show called London Realel, which

Yeah,

Brian Rose, uh, started that company, And he was offering a an online

program, an eight week intense program to learn to become a podcaster. Um.

Now, even today you, you have your own pockcast, which is remarkable. I. I

commend you, but four years ago we didn't have all the tools to be able to

do this, so you really had to invest in the learning, and and that's

normally you know, as time

no,

goes on, technology gets better and I know your audience is very technical

in natures, so that's great. So it's it is much

easier. I would say to get into

yeah,

podcasting, but you still have to obviously know what you're doing. Do all

the prep work and all that, but to take it back. Um, so I took this course

and it just it blew my mind because I was in a in a class with about sixty

other people from around the world that were all wanting to do the same

thing,

and each week it would build and build, and you would learn you know the

different components of the audio and the interview. You know, uh

techniques, how to book your guests. So all these different things, and then

at the very end you have your podcast. You know you, you you, you work

through it and then you have it ready to go, and you're actually recording

episodes during the during the eight week program,

Um. But something pretty remarkable happened at the at On the last call and

Brian Rose, Um, stood in front of everyone and said, Look, he says, Every

year I choose one person to interview me, and this

Mhm.

year I choose Roger to come from New York.

No,

Go to London to interview me. So that

particular

you know, Uh opportunity that I was given really propelled me to say, Wow,

if someone's going to invest in me then I really want to do the best I can

and take it to the next level. So

yes,

the podcast started it, and then from there you get to posting content you

know, and as you said it's there's a lot of a lot of work that's involved

and it's the consistency of it doing it every single week week after week

after week.

hm.

Um, you know, now I have over over two hundred episodes recorded. I've met

so amazing people from all around the world. I do a lot of Imp person

interviews and we' be getting back to that now that hopefully you're getting

past covet. Uh, but more than anything, the other thing that that happened

in the midst of all this about two years ago is Lincton was exploding and I

had not really been active on Lincton, up until that point. Um, I met a

couple of people and they insisted that Lincton would be the next platform

to boom And I was watching some of my other podcast friends and they really

weren't on Lincoln. Um,

yeah,

so I, I decided to dabble in it a little bit, and I started seeing some

really good momentum

and to the tune that I really took all of my

um,

um, knowledge and investment and I put it all into Lincton, because that's

where I see the engagement and that's where I was able to build my side

business

off of this where I helped people write their first book. So, um not to get

too far ahead, but that's that's basically the. The journey of you know was

the podcast. And and then it was really the Um, you know, linked in the

investment into Lincton and and and the the time and energy that I put into

the actual content itself.

how amazing did you have any idea or did you

knew that there would be a day like where you would sit down and in order

be into you, the man you were learning from New York?

No, that was. so. I, I really believe in. I believe we have many, um,

uh, I guess powers, for lack of the better word within us to be able to

manifest our own reality. So

Yeah,

and I started on that journey when I was very young as well, So

I had envisioned it for myself that

yes,

that I would one day be in that studio. Now I didn't invision that I would

be interviewing Brian Rose. I envisioned that I would love to be interviewed

by him, which you know what that was. M. but it still happened. It wasn't

the way I had wanted it exactly, but it still happened and um, yes, so I

really believe. if we put our minds to anything and we work, we put in the

hard work to get there, we may not be able to control how it happens or the

way it happens, but we could reach that ▁ultimate goal if we're willing to

to put in the work.

Yes, amazing. yes, Eo. speaking to Univers Universs,

Absolutely.

as as you know, like Um,

there have been multiple studies like we all are wir differently, some

people are more visual, some people arestic, some people are about. How is

Roger like when you visualze? Is it like more visual ority? How does it

happen for your visualisation?

Yeah, I'm definitely more visual, so I typically can see the end game of

what I'm going after, and uh, although I have a lot of help now in the very

beginning I was doing everything myself. Um, which I, I'm glad because now

I, I, still today, I could edit an episode if I need to. I could put up

else. if I need to. I could do anything

that the fo, the team that's helping me now, Can you and I and I feel good

Yeah, yeahes, and the reason I ask is because when ju, I'm more order, but

about that. You know that I've I've learned it the hard way. Even the

technical things that I'm not really good at. I have learned all that to be

able to understand it and really appreciate everything that goes into the

engineering. And you know, Um, you know the importance of audio and and uh,

But to answer your question, Yes, I'm more of a visual person and kind of

see the end game and and the path that it'll take to get there.

like I'm hearing the voices of the people like, And it's different, but it

took me a while to recognize. Okay, it doesn't matter if I don't see if I

hear those voices. It works for me. so everybody has different and that's

why some people you know they get stuck. Okay. I need to visualize, but

it's okay if you cannot visualize whatever works. Wheth. are you feeling

listening? whatever it is? Um, and you touch upon a great point over there

like when you start it your journey. You' doing everything yourself a lot

of times. People

invest too much too early right into getting the help And

you know, and then they get to because they are worried about. I think

scaling from the get go that they want to scale, They want to free up, but

then they do not learn. What would you say like when if somebody is

soaring? let's say pocasting.

what would be minimum duration or something good, so that they get their

hands on? Learn about the different processes before they invest in

bringing help to do that.

Yeah, another great look to me and it's hard to do this in the moment

sometimes, but

Yeah,

the fun of it comes in appreciating the hard work that you put into it. So

to me, those are the fun days,

and it's no different than doing a podcast or writing a book, All that

sacrifice and hard work

and and research and getting up early and staying up late. Me. that's the

fun of it. I. I've been

yeah, yeah,

working on a novel now for ten years. ten years.

wowm,

I'm getting ready to to publish next year, but I almost feel like. Oh, I

don't want to let it go because it's been such a big part of my life. You. I

put so much time and energy hundreds, thousands of hours that now the novel

comes out. I'm really going to appreciate it like to me, that's a piece of

art that I couldn't have done if I didn't spend the time now my next novel.

I hope it doesn't take ten years, cause I, you know now I've learned a lot,

but that's the point whether it's a podcast. It may take a little bit

longer, Um, especially in the beginning, but then, like anything, it's a

skill you develop and you become better and more skilful. And then you know

what. There's a certain point, at least for me, or now that I know how to do

it. And maybe that takes too much time. I want to employ someone else to be

able to help me. So it's helping them be cause. you're providing them. You

know monetary value. that. hopefully it's in you know, helping their life,

and it's freeing you up to be able to focus on some other things. That may

be, you know, a little bit more important or time consuming. So everyone

wins when you're able to employ. I didn't always have that mindset My mind

yeah,

to be, I'll do it all myself. I don't care how long it takes me now. I'm

like You know what. No, I, you know. I,

I want to employ someone else. Um. I, A. And and that helps me, so,

therefore I could now focus on the bigger picture.

yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, amazing, yeah, because when you free up you can do

the job your best meant to do, and help the people that you' supposed to do

a great point there

as you transition your career because you have done in a lot of different

times in different ways,

and you know you have your skills from doing business with your brother in

law, starting from something small to big corporations, and you know, and

then transition into your again, small business writing book, Broadcasting

and all that.

What are some of the things that people who are in the jobs? Maybe

technical people

that are you know, have all these littletal skills and have the aspirations

to go from exploring something different than what they already do. What

Umhu,

are the things they should be thinking about as they you know, move into or

maybe want to take some steps into Entrepreneur world?

Yeah, another great question. Um, So I was in the technical space for a lot

of years, Uh, when I got into the loyalty business, so our company

Yeah,

built software that manages loyalty and reward programs. So

Mhm,

basically the back end that's calculating the points or the cash back. You

know for working with a a financial institution or a retailer, where we were

doing all the calculations right, I was on the business development side of

that and Um, I went to a conference one time,

Uh, it was an author that I had been following his names, G. Jeffy Gitmer,

and he said something really profound That really propelled me in my career.

Exactly what you're talking about. To focus on the soft skills. he said, It

doesn't matter what business you're in

across the board. If you want to get noticed. Now this was prepodcast and

all that. So this is going back before social media. But he says, If you

want to

be noticed in your industry, whatever industry it is, write articles for

trade journals within your field, or even better, write your own book.

So I took that to heart and I left that conference knowing that, Oh, my

gosh, if I could write my own book, maybe that will start to help me build

my own personal brand. So it

Mhm, Mhm,

doesn't matter what company I'm working for. I understand customer loyalty.

I know the software behind there. Um, but now I could be known as a quasa

expert in the field, because I'm passing on knowledge that I had learned

over the years. So I, I just happened to have my this book here. So back in

two thousand and ten, I wrote this book called The Power of loyalty,

and this

really helped me to propel my technical career

That

you know, open doors that you could not imagine. So I would say whether it's

writing a book, whether it's you know, starting to engage in post on

Lincton, You know to build your personal brand, Whether's starting a podcast

like you're doing. whatever it is. It's offering value. It's taking the

knowledge from here in in giving it to the world, Uh, for free. There's no

reason why you can't take this and pass it out. because if if you don't look

at the world as competition, which I don't. I mean the competition iss only

if we make it for ourselves.

Yeah,

yeahmazing. So you are somebody who not only understands the back, the

It's our duty. I believe it's our duty to pass on the knowledge and wisdom

that we have that we've learned you know through our jobs in our careers and

our life experience to be able to pass that on through a book, a podcast or

social media brand.

loyalty in and the business of that, but you have also at the front and the

brand. You know how to establish brand and how you present yourself in the

world,

And and you know, there's so much talk about when you show up, you know

online or wherever digital show up authentic. But often people get

confused, like is authentic. How do I show up? You know, to a point like

sometimes people are just

talking. all that negative is happening and that's being authentic. They

expressing.

but

they forget that it needs to create some value like you have to show what

is it doing to you and how it can improve. So

as any brand expert, you know somebody whos written book, Somebody has also

shown it how it is done on line. like your social profile is a great

example. Who would be something that

when people are considering, you know, bringing yourself online or

things that they can be authentic, but also you know, help them build the

brand. What would be some tipsta you could give?

Yeah, to me, it's really simple and again, I didn't know this day one, so

I've learned

Yeah,

this over time. Uh, and I offer this because if I wish I had known this day

one, because it, it probably would have helpedll me even quicker, but

there's no. it. It's okay. So the one thing I would say is that to really

reframe why you're doing things. So, instead of saying okay, I'm going to

put out this pose because you know I want to reach all these people and get

all these likes and comments, and um,

I turn it around. So what I do now is I say? Okay,

who can I help today? I want to help someone today with some knowledge that

I have, and it might be technical help. It might be sales help. it might be

um, helping a neighbor. You know it could be you could help people in in in

a variety of ways. But what thought do I have today that I could put out to

the world to help someone. not to bring back anything for me as soon as you

can make that switch in your mindset? Which again, it took it. I didn't do

that right away. It took me several years to understand that now

nothing else matters. The only thing that matters is me putting out content

that's going to help people. Um,

yeah,

whether it's it like today, I, I put out a post every Monday. it's called

Kind magazine and I feature a a new person every day. I don't tell

yeah,

them in advance. I, I don't say you know. I'm going to put your your image

on the Co magazine. I just do it because I know what it'll do for that

person and

hm.

I know what it'll do for their followers and the people that are following

me. There's no harm all the way around. It's it's It's

yeah,

showeing someone because they're a kind person, whatever industry they're in

and therefore it brings a lot of goodness. so

hm.

I guess a long you know, answer to your question is that, just change the

focus to say, who can I help versus what can this do for me?

yeah. yeah. this is so beautiful. This. certainly, I mean, I know audience.

who. If they really take it like, understand that it's going to be so big

because somebody was been doing now. For you know, nine months I been

actively posting and

I guess stuck something like this morning. I had two or three things that I

prepared last night. I was going to pose, but it just didn't feel like. And

I and I felt like I wanted to give just love, so I just wrote a couple of

lines and said I'm just sharing my love. and because it wasn't about me, I

sort of felt what i was feeling and I just took it out and I didn't you

know,

And

so I I

that's great.

think that's a good. It's a good reframe for me to remember. Also so

Absolutely. I. I think what you said there is really important instinct. You

greatm,

know, some days maybe you are going to post something you had to prepare,

but it just didn't feel right that day. Go with your in. You did the right

thing. and and like you said, sometimes it only has to be a line or two. And

yeah, yeah,

and that's all it takes because you never know who's going to be reading

that line or two that needed to hear it that day. So

yeah,

again you're doing it for someone else, not yourself. But you're going with

your instinct, which to me is is crucial because people can see through.

You know whether it's authentic or if it's scripted.

true, true.

Okay. So coming to your painting, noing about something that you're

passionate about, which is book writing And this is where I got to know you

and we startry talking,

and I would say from my experience the number one reason I didn't ever

wrote a book, even though I have aspirations to write a book or I geted

because of this

who' going to read my book? What is there? I can say that somebody can

read. So when people come to you, I' assuming those are the things they

have in mind, and how do you help them

Yeah,

see differently?

Absolutely, you know, we, we hear the term self limiting beliefs. We

Yeah,

all have them. They're They're in our heads constantly all day long, self

out self worth all these things that you know. our minds

play with us. you know, for lack of a better phrase.

so it's very very normal. especially on the first you know, second meeting

when I meet with my clients that they have some type of self. Do exactly

what you said. You know who's going to read my work. So Tom Hart, who's been

a friend of mine for over ten years, Um, he came to me and he said, I think

I'm ready to write a book. So we met and in our first couple of

conversations he says Same thing you did. I. You know who's going to read my

book? Who? What do I have to share that

people want to hear, And so to me it's it's about the conversation and that,

Um, you know, so I would say Tom? Look,

you have experience that no one else has again. Reframe it. You're not

writing the book for you. You're writing the book for the people that need

to read your words, because you're going to help them. So it goes back to

the same thing We werere talking about social social media. It's not I want

to write a book because you know I'm goingnna be this wonderful author that

everyone looks up to. No. it's I'm writing this book

because there's people that need to hear what I have to say and I'm going to

be helping them. So

M.

you know, after twelve thirteen weeks Tom wrote his book. It's called life

and moments and he basically took bits and pieces of his life and his

career. He started out working in a gas andc convenience store, Um, out of

out of Uh, a young man out of out of high school college, and he worked his

way up to become the chief operating officer of the company, And then he

started his own business that he sold. So he has so much life experience and

he called it life in moments. You know. So the whole

you know point of having the first, the idea of wanting to write a book.

Then you know, in that desire then it's about okay. you have to get, get

beyond the self limiting belief. so once you could get your your mindset in

in the right place,

then it's all about execution. It's about consistency and determination, and

Um, you know, Uh, knowing that you're doing this, not for you, but you're

doing it for others as soon as you can make that change.

Then you know that's what I call it. flow. State, the ideas start to come.

You're able to really get out all the information that that you have,

whether it's technical or a story. It doesn't matter. Um,

mhm.

that's able to flow out onto the paper. and Um, and then it becomes you

know, Magical becomes something that you could actually

feel and hold and sell and it becomes a great. you know. part of your

legacy.

amazing, amazing. I love that reframe. Um, You know, what can you tease to

people or who can you teach? So in a way you are, Instead of saying what

you can,

who can you impact

Yeah,

defining your audience

Right,

absolutely

amazing,

a wonderful. Just, I can see already shifting my thoughts differently like

you know, being stuck in there, so thank you for that. This, personally for

me, is amazing,

and in terms of the

what would you say when is the hardest challenge? are the biggest, no

hardest, but the biggest challenge when somebody is trying to like. Is this

the biggest challenge?

well, that's part of it. So I, you know, I basically interview my clients

first, because

Um. it it has to be You can't force this. It's not something. Now there are

people out there. I don't do this, but there's people out there. There's a

many companies out there where they'll set up a ▁zoom call and they'll

interview the person. They'll transcribe the interview and turn that into a

book. That's one way to do it. It's not

Yeah, yeah,

it's not ad. It's just one way to do it. I don't do that. I really try to

work with a person to go deeper to get

yeah,

to their authentic voice so that it's really coming from a place

that Um, you know they're passionate about, and so to answer your question,

Um,

it it's basically getting into a rhythm of consistency. It's like it's like

forming a new habit, and instead of trying to write for hours and hours

every day, my method is get up early, so if you normally get up at six a m,

you know you're going to have to make a sacrifice for this time of the

project. If it's a twelve week project, you're going to get up at five a M.

And the idea is to write for thirty to forty five minutes a day, but

everything

mhm,

is preplaned so we do an outline, we do a mind map session. you know E.

Everything's executed before you actually begin. That usually takes a week

or two to get that organized. and but once that's organized, now you have

your outline to be able to start writing a little bit every day. And what I

do is I meet with people once a week on the weekend, and we have a session

like this where we're

mhm, mhm,

talking about. You know, they'll send me their work. I'll read their work.

We' talk about last week's work and now, O, what do we need to do to move on

to next week? And we don't do the editing until the end because we just want

to keep them momentum going,

yeah,

And so again? To answer a question, there's a lot of things that come up.

and, and typically about a third of the way through or halfway through

almost every single person

including Tom. they'll say, Ah, I'm stuck.

I, I, why am I doing this? That self doubt comes back. Who's going to read

that book? So again, it's my job to get that person back on track. and

sometimes you have to give people a little bit of space They may need a week

off to kind of just regroup and then come back so it's not forced. So Yes, a

lot of these things you know is I happen during the process, and um, but

it's like anything. Once you help someone do something, Uh, many of the same

characteristics or traits or doubts set in where I'm able to help them get

out of it. And and that's what I enjoy doing? It's it's being right there by

someone's side 'cause it's a partnership. It takes

yeah,

a teen. you know. it's just not one person. Um, Now there's some great

writers that can do it themselves. Many thousands of millions. they canut it

themselves. But for the average person who's never you know, tried it

before, it's good to have that accountability partner to help you get

through.

amazing.

so many uh things there about the key. Take Ris. for me was like forming

those habits. Trusting the process,

and you know, keep working on through it and also not for forcing that

allowing, because if we're forcing it will not come from your a place that

is most authentic to you Soma

Absolutely.

makings there.

Yeah, and I, I think one more thing meed is that. Um,

you know I have a philosophy, so I, I know this is a pretty technical

audience that you have, but it really doesn't matter because we're all you

know. I'll have this other side to us. That's Um. You know, some may call it

philosophical or spiritual, whatever may be, But

Yeah,

again back to earlier when I talked about manifesting, If if someone has the

idea to write a book, if that thought came into your mind,

Mhm,

then it can and should become a reality. Like

to me, I feel the book. it's already written. It's done. if you had the

thought it's done. It's now your job and your duty to make sure that you

take action on it. If if it's just a thought, it'll stay a thought until you

take action. It's like anything we do in life. you have to act upon it. but

it's not as overwhelming as one would think.

Once you understand the process and break it down. Um to where? If you do it

a little bit, every day you know a week. it comes, two weeks, which becomes

a month. And now you have you know, four chapters and then eight chapters,

and then ten chapters, and before you know it, your F. first book is done.

Yeah, yeah,

and you hi, own a a great point there, like so many of us like when we are

starting something new, Wheth this writing book, New business, New job, we

take upon us to do it everything ours and it's good to do. but we don't ask

for help from the people. and sometimes when we ask for people, we asking

people who are like million miles away from us, we forget there are people

who are just like five, ten, twenty steps ahead of us.

Yes,

You know, asking um help is I? I found Uh for me. It was never a challenge

in the sense that when I knew I was very naive in a sense that I would just

approach person like I,

this, uh, um, and some and some very stupid like you know, I'll give you

example is just coming up. Uh, where I thought a year back I wanted to do

podcast because it was coming a year ago. The first person I reached was

Atd Mylet, You think, and people would call it crazy, but I was like Okay.

this' her right. and

that's right.

obviously you one going to respond is so busy. but at least I was naigh

enough to. I was very naive in the thinking. Okay, I can ask anybody, and

you know now I'm and, as you said that, some things you learn hard way than

you go back and start, but it didn't let me down. A lot of famies

rejections. people. Uh, take it to her. Okay, I'm goingnna ask one last

question. Actually, two questions and then we're gonna wrap up. Uh, thank

you so much already for all this. So I, I looked up just before the in our

call. There are about a hundred and eighty six episodes that have been

released on your Podcas and Amazing, Amazing gas. Uh that happen. Been

there. I mean, it's just wonderful and so much to learn from that itself,

but if you were to you know, sort of compress that one hundred and eighty

six episodes and maybe pick three or four things that are

are for you personally, like the most important things or the old takeaways

or something that you want to pass on to your daughter A, and your a son,

as what you learn from these amazing guests. Oh, would be some of those

things.

Yeah, look,

I, I try to take

at least one, but usually typically several things away from my guess, like

I know, After doing this for four years, I am a much better

father friend

son, brother than I was four years ago. Because the people that I've

Hm, Hm,

Hm, Hm,

Hm, Hm,

Hm, Hm,

connected with

Um, I've had the privilege to interview

um,

uh, people like Rick, sergeant Rick, retired sergeant Rick Ierish, who was

in the Iraq War,

and uh, he was in a tank in the tank. Um, you know hit a land mine and and

and and uh, he lost his leg and he lost both of his ears and he lost most of

his face, and Um to sit across from someone like that

and and hear him talk about how lucky he is number one to be alive and then

to be

one,

able to go around the country and talk to Uh students in particular about

his story, and to share that, Um, you know there, there's just no

replacement for having these interviews and and takeaways that I become a

better person because. Of the person that I'm interviewing, so it's people

like him. It's people like Uh, Halataha, who I met Uh through Lincton, and

she started her own agency after working really hard for Disney for many

years, And now she's a c e o of her company that's growing and she taught

me, Uh, you know, don't try to do everything yourself, you know. Hire

yeah,

a v, a um in In, you know, the Philippines or Indonesia. Those people could

really use the funds from from you and also they're gonna be helping you. So

that what we talked about earlier, The you know, it's reciprocal. So had

hm,

I not interviewed her, Um, there's people now that I employ. And and I'm so

happy that I that that that I'm able to do that, But it wouldn't

yeah,

have happened if I didn't interview her. Um, I did have the a privileged

interview at my let. Um,

it was an amazing thirty thirty five minutes. Uh, I continually take clips

from that interview and post them because they're so valuable. Everything he

talks about. Uh, in that interview, you know, I could feel it it. It hit me

personally, but now I want to pass on that knowledge to others so you know

whether it was talking about. Um, you know that our life. you know that our

our minds are like a theriststat, you know, And

we, we need to be regulated on how we take things in and what goes out to

the world. Um, there's so much value that came from that episode so I could

go on and on and on. Uh, each guest I've learned from. Um. I've taken a

piece of them. You know that is now a part of me and the wonderful thing

yeahm,

about podcasting is these episodes can live indefinitely. You don't have to

launch it once and then forget about it. That's something that

yeah,

we do. American real. We continually put out the content, the past content,

we do. American real. We continually put out the content, the past content,

the new content because there's so much to share

the new content because there's so much to share

amazing, amazing. Yeah, I agree, and this was, amongst other things, this

was one of the things uh

that I wanted to do, Pocast, and on myself, said that I am able to sit

across the people, and you know, get impacted there, so not only I am

getting him back to myself. I'm sharing it with so many others and that to

me was like, done. And um, I felt like you know when I ask myself, Is this

something I'll do with you know, without any money, and there's no money

when you start poca and

right

w. and not only that, Uh, also if I had like tomorrow, if I made millions.

of. Um, you know, whatever goals I achieve, would I still continue and I,

my answer was yes, because this is the only

place where I'll have the opportunity to continuously grow. Because it's

just guess like you were going to stretch me my thoughts, my vision to go

to my next level. and I don't think I can find it anywhere else other than

doing this. My,

now. I w. you're absolutely right. One other thing that um, I thought of as

you were talking there, to which I think is very important is and that I

learned is to make yourself accessible. Okay, so

yeah,

ten years ago I didn't have that mindset like I was all about me, And you

know I'm not going to give this person who just started the podcast my time.

No, it's not I. So I, I was able, and I think Atd, my lett is the one who

turned me onto that as well make yourself accessible. I'm hopefully helping

you today. some of your

yes,

listeners. I'm able to practice what I talk about, so everyone wins. But if

you don't make yourself accessible, if you have that you know restrictive

mindset that I'm better than someone. then to me What fun is that you know

it. It's it's not. It's not any way to really grow a business or or live

your life, so I think of accessibility, making yourself accessible, and I

talk to this even when it comes to the technical folks that are listening to

your show. If people are trying to reach you and they're sending you emails

or the phone calls, have the

yeah, yeah,

courtesy to answer them back and just say, Unfortunately, now it's not a

good time, so give the courtesy of a of a of a call backack or an email

back. Um, because you never know who's on the other side of that.

amazing and I, I can vouch for you like every time I reached tow, you

respd. and

you know we have connected and given me whatever was needed in that moment

in your own capacity, So thank you for that

Um, my pleasure.

And you know thiss wonderful. I really got a lot out of it

and I'm sure people listening would get a lot of it. Where can people find

you

Lincton is the best place I love Lincton. Um, I do have some help there now.

so if someone's mess, If you message me, I will definitely get back to your

Diane, who works within the account will get back

All right?

to you and um, yeah, I, I really appreciate it. you're doing a wonderful

job. Congratulations on the launch of your podcast and thanks so much for

have me on your show.

Well, thank you, brother. it was wonderful.

Well connect soon, but for everybody else, make sure when you listen. go.

Uh, check out how

Rogers Lincton, Correct with him, Subscribe, he has a wonderful pocast. He

has wonderful. I guess in there he is also doing a wonderful work with

where he's coaching people, and without charging Anyon, he is doing every

week. He tells episodes where he talks about writing books. So if youar

somebody who was thinking about writing book is not sure Roger is your man.

Just connect. talk to him. Um, is not there to sell his there to help you,

so thank you, Roger. we'll connect soon again.