I had the pleasure of hearing Les McKeown speak just a few weeks ago at Book Breakthrough. Book Breakthrough is a three-day workshop in New York City led by publishing strategists Janet Goldstein and Elizabeth Marshall. It’s all about finding and honing your book idea, building your platform and evaluating your publishing pathways. It was an incredible event and completely over-delivered on my expectations. One of the brightest highlights was a talk given by leading business consultant and bestselling author, Les McKeown.
Les took us through his own publishing journey with his characteristic crackling humor. Years before his latest book, Predictable Success (which he self-published with Greenleaf Book Group) hit the Wall Street Journal bestseller list, Les had authored a book for a major publisher on human resource management, a subject he knew a lot about but held little allure for him long-term.
This brought him to the first bit of impeccable wisdom he shared with those in attendance, (imagine this said in a charming Irish accent):
If you like gourmet chocolate, don’t open a Seven Eleven.
The last time I checked the closest you get to gourmet chocolate at a Seven Eleven is a dark chocolate Snickers. Les’ commercially-published HR book, while a feather in his cap, was his Seven Eleven. Seven Elevens, Les said, are fine businesses. They were good enough work, but not the stuff of his dreams.
Why am I talking about book publishing and chocolate?
Because I’m shifting course. Back in February at the fabulous LiftOff Retreat (which I highly recommend), I had a chance to to stop thinking about my business as something that could succeed enough to pay the bills and begin to think about it as a way to, as Charlie Gilkey likes to say, do epic shit. This meant designing a business around the ideas I want to spread and the difference I want to make. This was big — bigger than eBooks.
Beyond the medium, into the message.
I really don’t care about eBooks for eBooks’ sake. They are a format, a medium. Like DVDs are to movies, or MP3s for music.
While the technical format has implications and advantages, what’s interesting is what’s inside. What’s interesting is the idea that you want to spread.
Messages have power. When you know what you want to tell the world, the medium is a technical choice. eBooks are just the candy wrapper, the good stuff inside is what people want.
In the not too distant future, I will be unveiling my new brand, Kelly Kingman Media. KKM will focus on helping you find the ideas you want to spread, helping you make them more spreadable and get them out in the world. Kelly Kingman Media will be my gourmet chocolate.
What do you want to say to the world that you haven’t been saying?
What’s your gourmet chocolate?
Great insight Kelly! Thanks for making me take a meaningful moment to answer this…
I’ve always wanted to tell the world the “kids are people too” and they deserve respect for their energetic journey and support in blooming into the most they can be. Now that you’ve invited us to see beyond the medium to the message, I realize that I chose Montessori as the most likely candy wrapper to provide a great platform for this message.
Excited to enjoy your developments in KKM!
Perfect, Kelly!
You definitely need a platform big enough to launch the Kelly Kingman rockets!
I can’t wait!
Ben
I’m still refining my message, but it has to do with encouraging people to make their own choices and not just do what they believe is expected of them. That ties in to creativity. I also want to help people regain a sense of wonder and appreciation of the natural world. It’s all tied together somehow, I think, but I haven’t quite found the connecting link.
Can’t wait to see what you roll out as Kelly Kingman Media. I know it’ll be great!
@Ronda Kay: That gave me goosebumps! It’s so true – finding the right biz model for the message makes it sustainable and helps it spread. Love it.
@Ben Thank you!! I’m glad you’re along for the journey.
@Sue Thank you! With regard to your message, I’m fascinated, and look forward to hearing about the link. It reminds me of composing a tune, you’ve got all the notes — wonder, creativity, the natural world — and you’re working out exactly how all the notes go together. Delicious.
Kelly,
I just forwarded this to my husband & a good friend, then realized that I should have used your form so that you’d know I’d been sharing it.
You’ve beautifully articulated your direction and it’s exciting. Congratulations.
I shared it with Jim because his book, The Golden Whistle, is his gourmet chocolate. My friend is working on hers. As for me, I am hoping that if I eat enough gourmet dark chocolate I’ll find my inspiration.