I spent most of this weekend in full hustle mode trying to gather all my tax documents together. Let’s just say my bookkeeping skills are… not exactly my strongest area. 😅 But I did something new that actually helped a lot. I used Notebook LM for the first time to upload all of my bank statements and credit card statements and turn everything into a master spreadsheet so I could start itemizing my expenses. Honestly, I feel like @Bradley Deacon and @Gemma Coles would be proud of my AI progress… working smarter, not harder. But the real reason I’m sharing this is an important reminder: If you’re publishing and selling books on Amazon, this is a business. Amazon will send you a 1099, so if you sold books last year you’ll want to make sure you’re looking out for that when doing your taxes. And if you’re just getting started this year, it’s something good to be mindful of early. The cool part of doing all this paperwork though was looking back at the numbers and seeing the growth. To be transparent, last year I earned roughly: • $28K from Audible • $25K from Amazon KDP • About $12K from TikTok Shop sales So the question is… Can you actually make money from self-publishing? I’ll let you be the judge. 👀📚

I wanted to share something a little different that I’ve been working on. I’m currently putting together my very first children’s book, and this one is extra special to me because it was inspired by my son. A few weeks ago at bedtime I randomly made up a story on the fly about “Billy the Horse.” It was one of those completely improvised parent moments where you just start talking and hope it turns into a story 😄 A few nights later my son asked me… "Billy the Horse story?" And then he kept asking for it. That’s when I realized… this might actually be a real book. So now Billy the Horse is officially becoming a children’s book. Yes, I used AI to help bring the story and illustrations together. Yes, it’s not perfect. But this one is coming straight from the heart 💖 for my four-year-old. It’s been a really fun creative process and also a great reminder that sometimes the best book ideas come from real life moments. I’m still putting the final touches on it, but I wanted to give you all a first look preview before it becomes official 👀 Attaching the cover concept ... what do you think?

This prompt popped into my head last night on my drive home from attending my local Chicago Skool IRL group meeting and I want to make sure you all get to take advantage of this amazing prompt and SHARE in the comments what it told you. PROMPT 👇👇👇 Based on everything that you know about me, and my struggles please recommend a book for me to read. Also pull in an image of the cover and give me 5 reasons I need to read this book.

A massive shoutout to @Gemma Coles for taking the top spot on the February leaderboard! 🎉 Gemma has been an incredible content contributor inside this community, consistently showing up, adding value, and leading by example. On top of that, she’s been building serious momentum in her own community Smart Skills Academy, teaching others how to become more productive using AI. 🔥 I also had the chance to connect with her inside @Steve Gast group, and I can confidently say she is a huge action-taker, FIRED UP about launching a series of books. Gemma is stepping boldly into creating a series of AI-focused books, and she is ready to rock and roll inside my upcoming cohort & VIP (VIP LAUNCHING SOON 👀). As a special reward for winning the leaderboard, I’ll be giving Gemma a $100 discount to level up into VIP. Well deserved. 💯 Also wanted to take a moment to recognize the other top 30-day leaderboard contributors. @Lara Knutzen who came in second place @Jeff Baer who came in 3rd @Sybil Hall who came in 4th @Nicole Lesley who came in 5th 👆 Huge thanks to all of you who make this community engaging by adding your valuable thoughts and contributions. Here's a little insider info on what's coming with a VIP level. 👑 What’s Coming in VIP? For anyone else interested, here’s what you can expect when VIP launches: ✔️ A complete video series showing you exactly how to successfully publish your book ✔️ Clear, step-by-step guidance to move from idea to published ✔️ Six 1:1 30-minute strategy calls with me to help you stop feeling stuck and start moving forward ✔️ DM / LOOM support to help you gain momentum and actually execute

Every week in @Mona Weathers group Next Level, she does an accoutability post...so, I went to check my YouTube subscribers today… and there it was. 👉 1,111. Not 1,108. Not 1,120. Exactly 1111. And I just sat there for a second. Because if you know anything about 👼 angel number 1111, it’s often associated with alignment, awareness, and new beginnings. It’s that quiet nudge that says: “You’re on the right path. Keep going.” And honestly? I needed that. Lately, I’ve been feeling overwhelmed. Like I’m not doing enough. Like there’s always more content to create, more emails to send, more students to help, more systems to build. When you’re building something from scratch, especially a brand, it can feel like you’re behind even when you’re not. So seeing 1111 felt symbolic.... but that's not all. @Nicole Lesley randomly invited me to the Soul Purpose Group so I feel like this is more than just random. Especially as I am in the process of yet again building, building, building mode. The number 1111 often interpreted as a portal number — a reminder that your thoughts are powerful and that you’re stepping into a new chapter. A reset. A shift. A leveling up. And here’s what’s interesting… This year carries strong Fire Horse energy in the Chinese zodiac cycle — bold, fast, intense, independent. Fire Horse energy can feel electric and ambitious, but it can also feel like you’re running at full speed without stopping to breathe. It pushes you. It amplifies everything. Excitement. Vision. Drive. But also pressure. Overwhelm. Restlessness. And that’s exactly how this month has felt for me. Big goals. Big expansion. Big expectations. So maybe 1111 wasn’t random. Maybe it was a reminder that growth doesn’t always look loud. Sometimes it’s steady. Sometimes it’s quiet. Sometimes it’s you showing up even when you feel like you’re not doing enough.