In March 2023, I was visiting clients in the Outer Banks, North Carolina. As an outside sales rep, I had worked in this role for several years, and being in the 7th inning of my business career, I reflected on what I wanted to achieve next with the limited time remaining. If I could do anything, what would that be?
Years ago, I launched a successful startup that I ended up selling. It was a life-changing experience; one that could serve as the foundation of a book. I could share my personal journey, knowledge and insights with fellow B2B entrepreneurs.
In addition to my experience as an entrepreneur, I also wanted to explore how, as an outside sales rep, I grew a territory with initial sales of $323k and expanded it to exceed $2 million within six years, generating a 500%+ increase.
A common thread in both these journeys was my unwavering desire for success. Despite starting with no background knowledge in two different industries, my sheer determination and relentless work ethic were the foundation to achieving financial success in both instances.
I felt I had sufficient material for a book, however, I was unsure how to merge my two very distinct experiences into a narrative that would resonate with readers. The book needed to provide tangible value, empowering them to apply my insights to their own business ventures. After returning home, I shared the book’s editorial concept with my wife, Terri. She recommended writing it as a memoir.
This writing style would offer me the opportunity to provide readers context about my background, including early business failures, mistakes, struggles and challenges. These trials ultimately led me to starting the life-changing business I would later sell. I also wanted the book to be more than a “how to” guide; it needed to capture the emotional journey I experienced.
I considered the ultimate goal of publishing the book. If I could serve in some sort of advisory role for B2B entrepreneurs, the book would become the cornerstone of my credibility. Here my belief system of success is consolidated in one place. The book would be far more impactful than a resume or handful of blogs.
In addition, writing a book showcased my accomplishments and demonstrated my perseverance in tackling a challenging project and seeing it through to a successful completion. This initiative would be especially daunting, since I had a full-time job at that time, but my commitment remained steadfast. I was determined to write a book.
Since I traveled extensively with my job, Terri introduced me to a voice memo app that I could utilize. As it had been several years since I had sold the business, I used this app during multiple business trips to capture detailed information about our incredible story of how we transformed our bold vision into a thriving business, culminating in the sale of our company. This free-flowing stream of consciousness felt like a strong beginning. My memories felt as if they had occurred yesterday.
These recordings were later transcribed, providing me with preliminary content to sort through. I organized these memos either chronologically or by thematic sections, and began adding more detailed information to the rough outline for each topic or section.
Part 1 of the book, which focused on my entrepreneurial journey, took the longest to write. I utilized a meticulous two-step process to refine the content. Initially, I clarified the factual details of each topic. Then, I carefully reviewed the text to ensure the emotions I wanted to express were accurately represented.
During the writing process, I frequently revisited the text to ensure that every paragraph conveyed my intended message and tone. Only after confirming that a given paragraph was the best it could be did I consider it complete and move on. Often, I managed to complete only a limited number of paragraphs during each writing session. But I reminded myself that I was making progress, even though it felt painstakingly slow at times. This wasn’t a sprint; it was a marathon requiring patience.
Writing about my early years, which involved growing up in difficult circumstances, dealing with the failure of a family startup, enduring financial struggles, and teetering on the brink of business collapse too many times brought back numerous suppressed memories and emotions. Publicly admitting these failures was difficult, but transparency was essential for my book to clearly communicate its message and to fulfill its purpose as the valuable resource I intended it to be.
I discovered that my most productive writing was in the early mornings, before my job started at 9 a.m. At night, I was simply too tired to be creative and think critically. Consequently, I spent most of my weekend mornings writing. Over the year it took to write my book, I went on three vacations and devoted a significant amount of that time to writing during these breaks.
I tried to write daily, but work obligations occasionally prevented me from doing so. The unfinished book weighed heavily on me until I completed it.
Occasionally, during periods of downtime, I felt guilty for not writing. Sometimes, when I needed motivation, I would imagine myself holding my published book and continue to push forward.
About halfway through writing the book I hired a developmental editor to provide objective feedback about the direction of the draft. He conducted an editorial evaluation, which took about a month to complete. This was the only period during the year when I didn’t write. While his comments were helpful, and confirmed my approach, in retrospect, I wouldn’t use his services again due to the significant amount of time lost.
The most difficult aspect of writing the book was Chapter 3, which focused on the emotional, agonizing experience of selling my companies, known as IVT. This chapter took the longest to complete, as it was essential for me to accurately convey the internal conflicts and emotions I experienced during this process.
As I stated, “IVT was more than just a business to me. Each decision made, obstacle overcome, success achieved, and relationship built was a mirror reflecting my values, aspirations and dedication. It became synonymous with who I was. In every essence, IVT was me, and I realized I had relinquished more than just a company. I had sold a piece of my identity.”
Chapters 4 and 5 of the book specifically address why B2B entrepreneurs should read this work. These chapters detail the belief system that has shaped my approach to entrepreneurial success. They provide insights, lessons learned, and strategies that entrepreneurs can directly apply to their own business endeavors.
After completing Part I and II of the book, I utilized a proofreader to ensure that the grammar and sentence structure were accurate and polished. She provided excellent feedback and I considered it money well spent.
Upon receiving and incorporating her changes, I forwarded the manuscript to Terri for her review. We discussed and integrated her suggestions. I reviewed the final manuscript numerous times. I knew that I only had one opportunity to ensure the book fulfilled its intended purpose. Once I was confident that it was the best it could be, I sent the draft to the publisher.
Related to naming the book, Terri was adamant that the book title consist of only two words; more impactful and easier to remember. Initially, I proposed a longer title, but settled on Ambition Unleashed. However, we discovered that the title was already in use for an Apple podcast series. So, we decided to replace “unleashed” with “realized,” resulting in Ambition Realized. “Ambition” symbolizes the beginning of the journey toward business success, while “realized” signifies the results of our efforts.
When writing the book, I didn’t set out with a target word count, but It ultimately exceeded 25,000 words. I felt a great sense of accomplishment. Every word was purposeful and conveyed precisely what needed to be said.
One of my favorite quotes that encapsulates the central message of our book was from Jerry Rice, legendary Hall of Fame NFL receiver and one of the greatest to ever play the game, said, “Today i will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can’t.”
Writing a book is inherently a process which demands patience. You can’t rush it; creative and critical thinking require time. The key to success here is making consistent, relentless progress. It’s a mental challenge that requires dedication.
