Are you fed up with the corporate bullshit holding you back? Welcome to Invest in Yourself, the digital entrepreneur podcast. The ultimate launchpad for entrepreneurs ready to seize control and unleash their creative genius. Hosted by Phil Better, the podcast mogul. Each week he's breaking the chains of conventional work with bold strategies, raw insights, and inspiring success stories from the digital entrepreneurs who took the risk and invested in themselves. This is your call to arms. Invest in yourself, break free from someone else's rules and build the empire you deserve. Now let's dive head first into today's explosive episode.

Welcome back to another fantastic episode of Investing Yourself, the Digital Entrepreneur podcast. I am none other than Phil Better, the the podcast mogul. And today, guest is someone who is exactly knows ex sorry. These guest knows exactly how to help you step into the spotlight and claim your authority. If you're an author, entrepreneur, or thought leader looking to make waves with your book, you're in for a treat because our guest today is a seasoned book marketing expert and publisher with over two decades of experience as a celebrity publicist, award winning journalist, and, of course, an entrepreneur. She's worked with attorneys, wealth consultants, and business owners across the globe, empowering them to share their message and establish themselves as the true authority. Our guest has a remarkable ability to guide authors in transforming their book into powerful tools for influence and impact. We'll also dive into her latest book, Make a Big Impact with Your Book, and explore how she helps business owners become thought leaders.

And if you ever wondered how to turn your expertise into a compelling book that grabs attention, then this episode's for you. So without further ado, let's get ready to learn from the best in the business. Please welcome Melanie Horshorn. Melanie, thank you so much for being here.

Thank you, Phil. Can I take you with me everywhere I go and you can just announce me? Because that was amazing.

If you're willing to pay for everything that entails housing me, taking care of me, then yes, 100%, I will be more than happy to do that.

Awesome. Thank you.

I have to thank you. It's, it's great to have you on the podcast. I'm very excited to chat with you, because you're an expert in the business. Like I said, you're the best in the business and I I just wanna pick your brain about everything, but we're gonna start with the first question I always ask. Why did you decide to become an entrepreneur?

It was less of an I decided and more of it happened and it called me and I couldn't stop myself.

Ah, I see. So when did it start? When did that call start and how fast did it take over your life?

I was a journalist working on the radio, and I plan to have a baby in a non election year because that's what you do when you work in the news. And I was laid off when I was five months pregnant. And I went, oh my god. I'm unemployed and I'm unemployable. And I was able to freelance for a few months at a newspaper, but then we moved across the country and I had to start again. And instead of going and getting a job and paying a nanny or a caregiver more money than I'd be making, I had this idea and I couldn't shake it. I had to design and manufacture breastfeeding clothing.

That's an interesting take.

Right? And so I did. I had a friend in Toronto who had her own company. She made something completely different, but I thought, well, if I if she could do it, I bet I could figure it out too. You know, I'm pretty smart and resourceful. So I did. I figured it out. And I eventually, my clothes were selling on nordstrom.com and on Amazon and in boutiques. And I had a master following on Instagram and on Facebook and a massive email list.

And I was a I was a business owner. I was an entrepreneur. And I loved the freedom of it in that I didn't have somebody telling me when I when I could go to the bathroom. And I didn't have somebody telling me what was okay to wear and not to wear, what was okay to say and not to say. And, you know, I'm a self starter, so it's easy. The only problem is then you self start every single day, and you forget that you're your own worst boss, and you could actually take time off if you wanted.