The En Factor Podcast features conversations with entrepreneurs who have started, stumbled and succeeded.
In this newest episode of the En Factor, we are absolutely thrilled to be joined by Joanna Penn, a long time author, podcaster, and international professional speaker! Joanna joins us from the United Kingdom, where she has written a wide variety of genres over her career from nonfiction providing guidance and advice surrounding authoring and self-publishing, to fictional thrillers, dark fantasy, and memoirs under the name J.F. Penn. Since transitioning out of an IT consultant job to begin writing nearly twenty years ago, Joanna has been recognized by the New York Times and USA Today as a bestselling author for her work.
Joanna also joins us from the podcasting realm as she is one of the early adopters of connecting with an audience with a podcast through The Creative Penn Podcast, with hundreds of episodes dating back to 2009. Discussing the topics of authoring and the business surrounding being an author, Joanna is recognized as one of the top 1% of podcasters in the world, and has developed The Creative Penn into a successful business along with her own online community to connect with her audience even further. Joanna has also spoken at numerous events about the authoring space travelling to events all over the world, as well as virtual conferences and workshops.
Having followed Joanna and her work for a long time, this episode was a very special one to record and one you will not want to miss a second of! Join us to learn more about Joanna’s entrepreneurial journey, and how she chose herself to pursue her passion of authoring, as well as how she leveraged her knowledge and experience to create numerous valuable assets and build a successful business!
Key Words – Women in Entrepreneurship, Author
Chapters
00:00 • Introduction: Welcome Back to the En Factor!
00:55 • Introducing Today’s Guest: Joanna Penn
04:00 • Exciting Developments in Dr. White’s Journey
06:06 • Joanna Penn’s Accomplishments and Background
08:46 • The Evolution of Indie Publishing
10:44 • Embracing Technology in Publishing
18:04 • The Role of AI in Creative Processes
23:51 • Curiosity and Creativity in the AI Age
28:34 • Opportunities and Decision-Making
32:47 • Understanding Your Market and Building a Community
34:19 • Lessons from Early Failures in Book Marketing
35:33 • Sustaining Long-Term Marketing Strategies
40:08 • Balancing Multiple Income Streams
42:31 • The Business of Writing Nonfiction
48:34 • Pricing Strategies for Authors and Entrepreneurs
53:09 • Dealing with Burnout and Maintaining Self-Awareness
57:34 • Final Thoughts and Advice for Entrepreneurs
Episode takeaways
- Joanna started podcasting in 2009 and has over 800 episodes.
- She transitioned from a successful career in management consultancy to writing.
- The launch of Kindle and iPhone changed the self-publishing landscape.
- Curiosity is essential for success in the AI age.
- Technology can amplify creativity and productivity for authors.
- Joanna emphasizes the importance of vulnerability in podcasting.
- AI tools can help streamline business processes for solo entrepreneurs.
- Identifying opportunities is key to entrepreneurial success.
- Joanna uses AI for various aspects of her writing and business.
- Saying no to opportunities that don’t align with goals is crucial.
- Building a community requires understanding your market.
- Marketing failures can lead to valuable lessons.
- Email marketing remains a crucial tool for engagement.
- Defining a niche is important, but allow for growth.
- Nonfiction books can be monetized effectively.
- Burnout is a real challenge; self-awareness is key.
- Setting and revisiting your rates is essential.
- Taking action is necessary for entrepreneurial success.
- Zigzagging is part of the entrepreneurial journey.
The En Factor® Podcast
Conversations with Entrepreneurs
Hosted by Dr. Rebecca White
Our audience of aspiring and established entrepreneurs are inspired to persevere throughout their entrepreneurial journey. You will hear first-hand stories of success, resilience through failure, and how to become a master in your field.