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What if the biggest thing standing between you and a book deal is not talent, but hesitation?

In this episode, Meghan Stevenson shares four hard-earned lessons from her 20+ years in traditional publishing that can help aspiring authors move forward with more clarity and courage. She explains why success often starts by saying yes to opportunities before you feel fully ready, and why trusting your instincts can open doors other people do not yet see. Meghan also makes a strong case that great books usually grow out of strong businesses, not the other way around.

One of the most useful takeaways is that long-term book success comes from having an audience, a clear message, and a business foundation that keeps selling over time. She also reminds listeners that timing matters more than most people think, and while you cannot control the market, you can control when you take action. This episode is especially helpful for entrepreneurs, experts, and creators who want to become authors but need a clearer path forward.

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(1:20) Four Career Lessons For Authors
(3:06) Lesson One Take The Risk
(3:57) Lesson Two Trust Your Instincts
(6:20) Lesson Three Build The Business First
(8:05) Lesson Four Timing Changes Everything
(9:04) Recap Of The Four Lessons
(10:47) Quiz For Aspiring Authors
(11:20) Outro

Have a great idea for a book but don't know where to start? MeghanStevenson.com/quiz


Traditional publishing expert Meghan Stevenson blasts open the gates of the “Big 5”—Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Hachette, and Macmillan—to share what every entrepreneur and expert needs to know about landing a book deal.

In episodes released every Monday, Meghan shares wisdom and stories from 20+ years in publishing as well as interviews with authors, literary agents, and editors. She also answers questions from listeners like you.

Whether you are an experienced entrepreneur with an empire, or are just starting out—this podcast will help you understand what you need to do in order to turn your dream of being a bestselling author into real life.

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This week’s guest is Aiko Bethea. Aiko is a nationally recognized thought leader, educator, and facilitator who advances transformational and accountable leadership through executive coaching, practice-based learning, and systems-level change. She is the founder of RARE Coaching & Consulting, where she supports leaders and teams at Fortune 100 companies and global nonprofit organizations. Her work is grounded in a powerful leadership framework that helps individuals anchor in values, align intentions and actions, and lead with accountability—tools she uses to help leaders build cultures of trust, clarity, and impact.

Aiko has served in executive roles with the City of Atlanta, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. She also led the Daring Way™ and Dare to Lead™ facilitator communities at the Brené Brown Education and Research Group, where she designed the global belonging strategy for a network of more than 1,500 facilitators.

A sought-after speaker and trusted advisor, Aiko has been recognized by Forbes as one of the top seven anti-racism educators for companies and named by CultureAmp as a leading voice in inclusive and equitable leadership. Her writing has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and The New York Times bestselling anthology You Are Your Best Thing, edited by Tarana Burke and Brené Brown.

She holds a law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a bachelor’s degree from Smith College. Her upcoming book, Anchored, Aligned, Accountable: How to Transcend the Bullsh*t to Live a Transformational Life at Home and at Work, will be published by Penguin Random House in April 2026.

Find Aiko on social
facebook.com/RARECoach
instagram.com/rare_coach
twitter.com/rare_coach
linkedin.com/in/aikobethea/
linkedin.com/company/rare-coaching-consulting

Find Rare Coaching at www.rarecoaching.net, and the RARE resources page at www.rarecoaching.net/media-resources/. Preorder Aiko’s book at https://rep.club/products/anchored-aligned-accountable.

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(1:32) Guest introduction: leadership coach Aiko Bethea
(4:11) Defining the “bullshit” that blocks growth
(7:26) Why leadership begins with inner self-awareness
(9:14) Why most people misunderstand their values
(12:08) Turning values into behaviors and boundaries
(15:28) The Anchored, Aligned, Accountable framework
(17:02) How values guide decisions and prevent regret
(22:20) Why leadership requires acknowledging power and identity
(25:44) Why people struggle with accountability
(28:04) Accountability through curiosity instead of blame
(31:27) Why the book uses real-life scenarios for learning
(36:32) Channel one, two, and three listening explained
(39:36) Lessons from writing a book over several years
(50:36) How authors can use values to guide their book
(57:21) Advice for entrepreneurs pursuing a book deal
(1:05

Have a great idea for a book but don't know where to start? MeghanStevenson.com/quiz


Traditional publishing expert Meghan Stevenson blasts open the gates of the “Big 5”—Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Hachette, and Macmillan—to share what every entrepreneur and expert needs to know about landing a book deal.

In episodes released every Monday, Meghan shares wisdom and stories from 20+ years in publishing as well as interviews with authors, literary agents, and editors. She also answers questions from listeners like you.

Whether you are an experienced entrepreneur with an empire, or are just starting out—this podcast will help you understand what you need to do in order to turn your dream of being a bestselling author into real life.

Send us Fan Mail

What if the biggest mistake aspiring authors make isn’t writing a bad book… but spending money in the wrong places?

In this episode of the Kind of a Big Book Deal Podcast, host Meghan Stevenson shares eight things entrepreneurs, creators, and experts should stop spending money on if they want to land a traditional book deal. Drawing on years of experience working with major publishers like Penguin Random House and HarperCollins, Meghan explains why many popular strategies in the publishing world simply don’t work for nonfiction authors.

From pricey PR agencies and writing retreats to book coaches focused only on beautiful writing, Meghan argues that most aspiring authors are investing in the wrong priorities. Instead of polishing prose or chasing visibility without a plan, she says the real key to landing a book deal is building an audience and developing a strong author platform.

This episode is a practical reality check for anyone dreaming of traditional publishing. Meghan breaks down where authors often waste time and money, and what actually moves the needle when publishers evaluate book proposals. If you want a smarter, more strategic path to becoming a published author, this conversation will save you both time and thousands of dollars.

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(1:11) Eight things aspiring authors shouldn’t spend money on
(1:40) Why books about book proposals often waste your time
(2:22) The problem with hiring PR agencies too early
(3:29) Why writing retreats can slow your progress
(4:16) Book coaches and editors focused only on writing craft
(6:02) Why author platform matters most for book deals
(6:12) Membership programs promising publishing success
(10:21) Author-led courses, events, and summits explained
(12:21) Why writers’ conferences rarely help nonfiction authors
(15:09) Recap of the eight biggest money-wasting mistakes
(17:15) Outro

Have a great idea for a book but don't know where to start? MeghanStevenson.com/quiz


Traditional publishing expert Meghan Stevenson blasts open the gates of the “Big 5”—Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Hachette, and Macmillan—to share what every entrepreneur and expert needs to know about landing a book deal.

In episodes released every Monday, Meghan shares wisdom and stories from 20+ years in publishing as well as interviews with authors, literary agents, and editors. She also answers questions from listeners like you.

Whether you are an experienced entrepreneur with an empire, or are just starting out—this podcast will help you understand what you need to do in order to turn your dream of being a bestselling author into real life.