Episodes

  • E2A 109: Your Book's Main Character Isn't You — Marisa Solis and Elizabeth Dougherty on Writing for the Reader

    E2A 109: Your Book's Main Character Isn't You — Marisa Solis and Elizabeth Dougherty on Writing for the Reader
    Jun 23 2026
    In this episode of The Entrepreneur to Author Podcast, your host Scott MacMillan speaks with book coaches and developmental editors Marisa Solis and Elizabeth Dougherty, co-founders of Book Structure Pros and authors of The Complete Expert-to-Author Guide: Plan, Write, and Publish Your Non-Fiction Book. Drawing on 65+ years in publishing and work on over 600 nonfiction books, they explain why subject matter experts are an underused source of powerful prescriptive (advice-based) nonfiction, and why publishers care as much about an author’s platform as the quality of the manuscript. They emphasize that experts don’t need to be “writers” if they follow a clear process, and share how they themselves used the same 25-activity framework they teach to plan and write their own book.

    Central to their philosophy is the idea that in nonfiction the reader—not the author—is the main character. Everything from topic choice to structure and anecdotes should serve the reader’s needs and problems. Before writing a single word, they advise experts to: understand their target reader and market, define the specific problem their book solves, develop a solid outline, and start building an author platform—framed as “community” to make it less daunting, especially for introverts. They also reframe the book as a business tool and calling card that drives speaking, consulting, and impact, rather than the primary source of revenue, and leave listeners with one actionable mindset shift: stop writing “about something” and start writing for someone.

    SHOW LINKS

    Pre-order the book: The Complete Expert to Author Guide

    GUEST BIO

    Elizabeth Dougherty and Marisa Solis have been in publishing for a combined 65 years and have worked on more than 600 books. As coaches and editors, they're on a mission to help aspiring authors change the world one book at a time. They are the coauthors of The Complete Expert-to-Author Guide: Plan, Write, and Publish Your Nonfiction Book. Through their boutique editorial services company, Book Structure Pros, they guide subject-matter experts through authorship — offering book coaching, developmental editing, manuscript assessments, and book proposal development, along with customized workshops, webinars, and speaking events.

    CONNECT WITH MARISA & ELIZABETH

    Website: bookstructurepros.com
    LinkedIn (Marisa): linkedin.com/in/marisasolis
    LinkedIn (Elizabeth): linkedin.com/in/eldougherty
    Instagram: instagram.com/bookstructurepros

    CONNECT WITH SCOTT
    entrepreneurtoauthor.com
    grammarfactory.com

    LinkedIn (@scottmacmillan): linkedin.com/in/scottmacmillan
    Instagram (@scottamacmillan) instagram.com/scottamacmillan
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    28 mins
  • E2A 108 Owning Mid-Market BI in the AI Era: How Feliks Golenko Turned His Book into a Category Asset

    E2A 108 Owning Mid-Market BI in the AI Era: How Feliks Golenko Turned His Book into a Category Asset
    Jun 9 2026
    In this episode of The Entrepreneur to Author Podcast, host Scott MacMillan speaks with Feliks Golenko, founder and CEO of MultiBase and author of Decide: An AI-Enabled Framework for Mid-Market Leaders to Turn Data into Profit.

    Feliks shares how three and a half decades and 1,500+ BI projects led to his six-step DECIDE framework (Discover, Engage, Clarify, Illustrate, Develop, Embed), why he focuses on mid-sized companies, and how working directly with entrepreneurs drives faster, more meaningful impact. He explains why most organizations skip straight to “Develop,” creating “perfect chaos” instead of clarity and profit.

    Feliks discusses how he distilled decades of experience into a focused, practical book while running a busy consultancy, why the hardest part was deciding what to leave out, and how his 64-year-old mother getting her driver’s license inspired him to finally write.

    SHOW LINKS

    Get the book: Amazon


    GUEST BIO Feliks Golenko is the founder and CEO of MultiBase, a Business Intelligence and Decision Intelligence consultancy that has helped hundreds of mid-sized European companies turn their data into better, faster decisions. Over more than three decades and 1,500+ BI projects, Feliks has worked at the intersection of business strategy, technology, and human decision-making. Through MultiBase he developed the DECIDE framework — Discover, Engage, Clarify, Illustrate, Develop, Embed — that helps CEOs and CFOs of mid-market companies move beyond dashboards to embedded, AI-enabled decision-making. He is the author of Decide: An AI-Enabled Framework for Mid-Market Leaders to Turn Data into Profit and lives and works in Germany.

    CONNECT WITH FELIKS

    Websites: feliksgolenko.com & multibase.de
    LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/feliks-golenko

    CONNECT WITH SCOTT

    entrepreneurtoauthor.com
    grammarfactory.com

    LinkedIn (@scottmacmillan): linkedin.com/in/scottmacmillan
    Instagram (@scottamacmillan) instagram.com/scottamacmillan
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    24 mins
  • E2A107 From Everything to Essential: The Focus Behind The Connect Effect with Kylie Paatsch

    E2A107 From Everything to Essential: The Focus Behind The Connect Effect with Kylie Paatsch
    May 26 2026
    In this episode of The Entrepreneur to Author Podcast, your host Scott MacMillan speaks with leadership coach, speaker, and facilitator Kylie Paatsch about her new book, The Connect Effect: How to Build Loyalty, Ownership, and Engagement with Your Leaders. Drawing on three decades working with senior leaders across Australia and internationally, Kylie explains why she focuses on “leaders of leaders” and how often mid-to-senior level leaders are underdeveloped and left to “just know” what to do. She unpacks her core Know–Show–Grow framework, revealing that even experienced leaders frequently don’t know their people as deeply as they think they do—beyond surface-level details to what truly motivates them, worries them, and helps them thrive. Kylie also explores the risks of stepping in and micromanaging instead of intentionally growing each leader based on their confidence and capability.

    Kylie shares the vulnerable bathroom-floor moment that opens her book and why she chose to lead with such a personal story: to prove she understands the pressures of senior leadership and to model the kind of real, relational connection she advocates. She talks candidly about her writing journey—from trying to cram “20 leadership books into one” to narrowing in on the critical role of one-on-one relationships—and how the process sharpened and expanded her thinking, including evolving her “show you care” ideas to include presence alongside kind love and firm love. Kylie explains why she chose a book as a scalable, permanent resource and how she now uses it as both a companion to her coaching, workshops, and keynotes and a door-opener into new industries. For listeners sitting on a book idea or framework of their own, she offers a clear challenge: stop waiting for the perfect moment and just start, because writing will deepen your framework, strengthen your voice, and grow your impact.

    SHOW LINKS
    To receive a chapter sample head to https://kyliepaatsch.com.au/book/

    GUEST BIO
    Kylie Paatsch is a Leadership Coach, Speaker, and Author of The Connect Effect: How to Build Loyalty, Ownership and Engagement with Your Leaders.
    With three decades of leadership experience and twenty years of coaching and facilitating, Kylie has worked with thousands of senior leaders, their teams and their organisations across a wide range of industries throughout Australia and internationally. She has led at every level from frontline through to executive and knows firsthand what it takes for leaders to get the best out of themselves and the people they lead and work with.

    CONNECT WITH KYLIE
    Website: kyliepaatsch.com.au
    LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kyliepaatsch
    Instagram: instagram.com/kyliepaatschleadership

    CONNECT WITH SCOTT
    entrepreneurtoauthor.com
    grammarfactory.com

    LinkedIn (@scottmacmillan): linkedin.com/in/scottmacmillan
    Instagram (@scottamacmillan) instagram.com/scottamacmillan
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    18 mins
  • E2A 106 Writing Mining for Value: Frameworks, Feedback, and a Two-Week First Draft

    E2A 106 Writing Mining for Value: Frameworks, Feedback, and a Two-Week First Draft
    May 12 2026
    In this episode of The Entrepreneur to Author Podcast, your host Scott MacMillan interviews chartered engineer and consultant Alex Franklin, Managing Director at First Principles Consulting and author of Mining for Value. Alex shares how years of notes, client work, and reflection on operational chaos in mining became the raw material for his book. When he stepped into the Managing Director role, he used writing as a way to clarify who the firm serves, what problems they solve, and how they create value—essentially turning the book into a strategic thinking tool for himself and a translation layer between site leaders and executive decision-makers.
    Alex explains that much of the first draft came together in about two weeks because he’d already been mentally working on the ideas for a long time. The real work was in iterating: shaping the manuscript around a proven nonfiction structure (problem → big idea → how-to), refining and renaming his consulting frameworks so they were simple and communicable on the page, and testing concepts through beta readers and a keynote talk. The result is a book that not only captures hard-won industry knowledge at a time of brain drain in mining, but also serves as a practical, educational asset for his business and a way to scale his expertise to a broader audience.

    SHOW LINKS
    Free operational performance assessment: https://firstprinciplesconsulting.com/score

    GUEST BIO
    Alex Franklin is a Chartered Engineer, Managing Director at First Principles Consulting and author of Mining For Value, A Blueprint to Eliminate Chaos, Scale Production, and Unlock Latent Capacity. Alex pairs his diverse, global expertise across sectors with a value investor’s mindset to help bridge the gap between the boardroom and the blast site. He is focused on changing the conversation in mining from reactive to proactive; believing operational risk can be minimised, not just managed, creating resilient growth, whilst leaving less money left on the table.

    CONNECT WITH ALEX
    Book Website: firstprinciplesconsulting.com/book
    Website: firstprinciplesconsulting.com
    LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alex-j-franklin/
    YouTube: @alex.j.franklin

    CONNECT WITH SCOTT
    entrepreneurtoauthor.com
    grammarfactory.com
    info@grammarfactory.com

    LinkedIn (@scottmacmillan): linkedin.com/in/scottmacmillan
    Instagram (@scottamacmillan) instagram.com/scottamacmillan
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    22 mins
  • E2A 105 AI-Supported Writing for Entrepreneurs: How Georgia Stormont Shaped Selling in the Paddock Without Losing Her Voice

    E2A 105 AI-Supported Writing for Entrepreneurs: How Georgia Stormont Shaped Selling in the Paddock Without Losing Her Voice
    Apr 21 2026
    In this episode of The Entrepreneur to Author Podcast, your host Scott MacMillan speaks with agricultural sales coach, speaker, and podcaster Georgia Stormont about her new book, Selling in the Paddock: A People-First Framework for Sales in Agriculture. Drawing on years spent working directly with growers across Australia, Georgia wrote the book for sales reps, sales leaders, and national sales managers who spend their days driving up farm driveways and into rural retail stores. She explores what makes ag sales different from other industries—the emotional weight of living where you work, volatile profit cycles, and the often-unspoken grief when seasons of effort are wiped out by weather or markets—and shows readers how to have conversations that truly land, handle objections with confidence, and close sales without sacrificing trust.Built around her “Selling in the Paddock” blueprint, the book deliberately starts with “know yourself” rather than product knowledge or tactics. Georgia explains that most ag sales professionals are technically strong but underdeveloped in self-awareness, communication, and emotional intelligence—the “power skills” that drive real-world results. Selling in the Paddock helps readers understand their own style, recognize what drives their customers, and adapt to build stronger relationships and better outcomes in the field. Georgia also shares how she collaborated with AI tools to structure her ideas in a way that worked with her dyslexia and neurodivergent thinking while keeping every story and insight authentically hers, resulting in a practical, people-first guide for anyone looking to sell more confidently and compassionately in agriculture.GUEST BIO Georgia Stormont is an agricultural sales coach, speaker and podcast host dedicated to helping people sell with confidence in the ag industry. After spending more than 15 years working as a sales representative in horticulture, driving farm tracks and sitting at kitchen tables with growers, Georgia saw first-hand how different selling in agriculture is from most other industries.Today she works with agribusiness companies across Australia to help sales teams communicate better, build stronger relationships with growers and ultimately sell more effectively. Through coaching, workshops and facilitation, Georgia focuses on practical tools that work in the real world of agriculture — where trust, reputation and long-term relationships matter.She is the host of the podcast Selling in the Paddock, where she speaks with farmers, sales reps and industry leaders about the conversations that drive agriculture forward. Georgia is also the author of the upcoming book Selling in the Paddock, a people-first framework for selling in agriculture.Based in Melbourne, Georgia continues to work closely with growers and ag businesses and remains passionate about supporting the next generation of agricultural sales professionals.CONNECT WITH GEORGIA Book Website: amazon.com.au/Selling-Paddock-People-First-Confidence-Agriculture/dp/1998528812 Website: curiousgeorgiacoaching.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/georgiastormontInstagram: @curiousgeorgiacoachingCONNECT WITH SCOTTentrepreneurtoauthor.comgrammarfactory.comLinkedIn (@scottmacmillan): linkedin.com/in/scottmacmillanInstagram (@scottamacmillan) instagram.com/scottamacmillan Medium (@scottamacmillan): scottamacmillan.medium.com
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    23 mins
  • E2A 104: Writing Between Flights: Turning Quiet Moments into a Leadership Book with Wendy Walker

    E2A 104: Writing Between Flights: Turning Quiet Moments into a Leadership Book with Wendy Walker
    Feb 10 2026
    In this episode of The Entrepreneur to Author Podcast, your host Scott MacMillan speaks with seasoned marketing leader and author Wendy Walker about the hidden emotional and psychological realities of leadership. Drawing from more than two decades in high-pressure, globally distributed corporate roles, Wendy shares how her book Between Flights took flight—quite literally—on airplanes, in the liminal space between meetings, cities, and family time.

    Wendy and Scott explore why so many leaders carry the “unspoken” parts of leadership alone, why reflection is not a luxury but a vital leadership practice, and how small, intentional pauses can help leaders stay grounded and aligned with their values. Wendy also describes her journey from writing purely for herself on her phone’s notes app to sharing her reflections on LinkedIn and ultimately publishing them as a book.

    Whether you’re an executive, an emerging leader, or an entrepreneur aspiring to authorship, this conversation offers a calm, honest look at what it really takes to lead with heart in high-intensity environments—and how writing can help you process, make sense of, and ultimately share those experiences with others.

    GUEST BIO
    Wendy Walker is a marketing leader, creative advocate, and thoughtful voice on what it really takes to lead with heart. For more than two decades, she has shaped brands and cultures across industries and continents, guiding teams through growth, transformation, and creative reinvention.
    She believes leadership is not about titles or power, but about the impact we have on others — and the energy we leave behind long after we’ve moved on.
    Wendy’s career has spanned senior marketing roles at global, regional, and startup levels, always anchored in the conviction that creativity and clarity can drive both impact and integrity. Beyond the corporate world, she has played a significant role in shaping the industry as Founder and President of the International Advertising Association (IAA) Singapore chapter, Global Board Member of the IAA, and former Chair of The Marketing Society in Singapore, where she was awarded the title of Fellow. In 2025, she served as Global Jury President for the Creative B2B category at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, leading discussions that celebrated bold, transformative work on the global stage.

    SHOW LINKS
    LinkedIn Newsletter linkedin.com/newsletters/7323567288211714049/
    Get the book: amazon.com.au/Between-Flights-Reflections-Unspoken-Leadership/dp/199852874X

    CONNECT WITH WENDY

    LinkedIn: linkedin.com/ in/wendywalkersg

    CONNECT WITH SCOTT
    entrepreneurtoauthor.com
    grammarfactory.com

    LinkedIn (@scottmacmillan): linkedin.com/in/scottmacmillan
    Instagram (@scottamacmillan) instagram.com/scottamacmillan
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    16 mins
  • E2A 103: Writing a Field Guide for Generalists with Siobhan O'Riordan

    E2A 103: Writing a Field Guide for Generalists with Siobhan O'Riordan
    Dec 2 2025
    In this episode of The Entrepreneur to Author Podcast, your host Scott MacMillan welcomes Siobhan O’Riordan, coach, advisor, and lifelong generalist to discuss her book Reframe: How Generalists Thrive in a Changing World. Drawing on her nonlinear career and client work, she unpacks the “generalist’s dilemma” of being essential yet often unseen and misunderstood. In Reframe, she offers a functional definition of a generalist built around ranging curiosity, creative connections, and context, giving generalists the language and framework they’ve lacked so they can better understand their strengths, articulate their value, and intentionally design careers that fit them.

    She also reflects on the writing journey behind the book, noting that long-form writing is a very different discipline from day-to-day writing. The process forced her to clarify her thinking, decide what truly served the reader, and turn years of experience into a focused, practical guide. With the help of structure, a clear curriculum, and a supportive writing community, she completed a book that argues generalists are increasingly vital in a changing world—able to experiment, test, and take risks in ways specialists often can’t.

    EPISODE LINKS:
    First two chapters of "Reframe" Free big-sea-strategies.kit.com/7b06068914
    Expert Author Community: expertauthor.community

    GUEST BIO
    As a certified coach, advisor, and founder of Big Sea Strategies, Siobhán helps individuals and teams anchor in their strengths to navigate change.

    A Generalist with experience across the social sector, Siobhán has worked with hundreds of individual leaders, teams, and board members across 100+ organizations with revenues ranging from $500K to $30M. Her lifelong commitment to helping others learn, grow, and succeed is her favorite job; she taught high school history at The Lincoln School in Kathmandu, Nepal. Siobhán is a certified Gallup® Global CliftonStrengths™ Coach with a BA in History and MA in Teaching from Tufts University.

    CONNECT WITH SIOBHAN
    Book Website: bigseastrategies.com/book
    Website: bigseastrategies.com
    LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/saoriordan/

    CONNECT WITH SCOTT
    entrepreneurtoauthor.com
    grammarfactory.com

    LinkedIn (@scottmacmillan): linkedin.com/in/scottmacmillan
    Instagram (@scottamacmillan) instagram.com/scottamacmillan
    Medium (@scottamacmillan): scottamacmillan.medium.com
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    19 mins
  • E2A 102 Solving Hard Problems: Chris Harrop on Turning Experience into Impact

    E2A 102 Solving Hard Problems: Chris Harrop on Turning Experience into Impact
    Nov 18 2025
    In this episode of The Entrepreneur to Author Podcast, your host Scott MacMillan sits down with Chris Harrop, former Senior Partner at Bain & Company with over three decades of experience helping leaders solve complex business problems. Chris shares the challenge of translating a lifetime of hands-on expertise into clear, accessible guidance and reflects on what it really takes to solve hard, never-before-seen problems. His book, The Problem Solver’s Playbook, teaches readers to “tame” problems by narrowing scope, digging to the root cause, and navigating the messy realities of stakeholder alignment and execution. As business challenges grow increasingly dynamic—accelerated by AI—Chris underscores why strong, foundational problem-solving skills have never been more important.

    GUEST BIO

    CHRIS HARROP is a former Senior Partner at Bain & Company with more over three decades of experience helping leaders solve complex business problems. He has advised clients across industries and continents on strategy, transformation, and execution. Chris lives in Sydney, where he continues to work with senior executives and leadership teams.

    CONNECT WITH CHRIS

    Book Website: problemsolversplaybook.com
    Website: bain.com
    LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chrisnharrop
    Instagram: instagram.com/egmonty

    CONNECT WITH SCOTT
    entrepreneurtoauthor.com
    grammarfactory.com

    LinkedIn (@scottmacmillan): linkedin.com/in/scottmacmillan
    Instagram (@scottamacmillan) instagram.com/scottamacmillan
    Medium (@scottamacmillan): scottamacmillan.medium.com
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    23 mins