During her fifteen years in the business world, Emily Sander built global teams from the ground up and accelerated growth at several established organizations, including Amazon and Microsoft. When she realized her favorite role was mentoring leaders, she decided to pursue coaching. Now, as an ICF-Certified coach, she combines her experience and proven insights with her keen ability to understand a wide variety of personalities, behaviors, and situations to help people reach their next level.
Emily has a voracious appetite for books. When she’s not reading about investing or finance, you will find her listening to audiobooks on her AirPods. It is this love of literature that prompted her to write her own book, Hacking Executive Leadership, which delves into everything she learned about life, business, and personal growth throughout her career.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you ended up writing a book?
I grew up in Seattle, and I started my career working for Microsoft and Amazon. I then worked at a series of small-to-medium technology-based businesses. That’s where I first became a people manager, got to build an international client management team from scratch, and took on a range of different leadership roles.
Through a series of circumstances, I’ve been in a lot of sink-or-swim situations. I was often the youngest or least experienced in my cohort, so I had to learn quickly.
I’ve always had a growth mindset, personally and professionally, I’m constantly looking for ways to improve and excel. I pushed myself and overall did pretty well. I most recently served on the C-Suite of a nationwide marketing agency.
Several years ago, I was reflecting on my favorite part of the previous jobs I’ve had. One of the things that really stood out was helping other people succeed. I remembered the times I was able to do that for someone, either over a long period of time or just a brief interaction, and I realized those were by far the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences.
Once I found out leadership coaching was a thing, I said, “That’s for me!” I signed up to get certified and went through all the training. I’ve been an ICF-Certified coach for several years now and I absolutely love it.
Writing the book, Hacking Executive Leadership, came about because I started seeing the same themes over and over again. The same patterns or frameworks consistently helped people in my business experience and through my coaching. I figured, if I had success with these techniques, and I’d seen them help others time and time again, why not get them out to more people?
A book seemed like a great way to do that.
What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
I hope people get tools they can use immediately and continue to come back to. If I can improve the way someone approaches problems or deals with adversity, that’s a huge success for me.
I’ve gotten a lot of great feedback about the book. People have tangible takeaways they can go and use after they read it. In some instances, that’s a framework that can be applied to multiple situations. In others, it’s a small but powerful difference in how they use words (like replacing “but” with ‘and” in a sentence to change the way it lands with others).
I’ve also heard it’s an entertaining and easy “self-improvement” or “leadership-y” book to read. These books can be a bit dry, but people tell me the short stories and anecdotes I have sprinkled throughout Hacking Executive Leadership make it both humorous and memorable.
The way I see it, there’s no reason you can’t learn and have fun at the same time!
What were the top three mistakes you made publishing your book what did you learn from them?
The biggest mistake I made was trying to cram the process into too small of a timeframe. I gave myself artificial dates and deadlines without ever really understanding how long each step would or should take. This approach created a bunch of unnecessary stress.
I found I achieved much better results when I created a plan that gave me plenty of time to write and take breaks. It’s important to remember that break time isn’t laziness. It’s actually a vital part of the writing process.
My second biggest error was not celebrating the small wins along the way. The writing process can be a long drag. I had days where I was excited to get to work, and others where I felt like I was in over my head. Proactively creating milestones, and celebrating them when they arrived, helped me break up the marathon into more manageable chunks.
My other major regret was being afraid to ask for feedback from family, friends, or colleagues. It’s scary to show your work to other people, but it’s really the only way to know where your book is strong, and where it could use some improvement.
I now tell budding authors to look for feedback as early and often as possible. It’s the best way to create a book that’s engaging, informative, and easy to read.
When will you consider your book a success?
To me, finishing the book was a success in and of itself! Holding the physical copy of your book in your hands for the first time is a great moment. Seeing your book available on Amazon is also a bit wild.
Most people don’t know how much goes into writing a book. They just see the finished project and not the journey behind it. But to get a book’s worth of ideas out of your brain and onto paper takes a Herculean effort. It’s a huge accomplishment.
Obviously, the number of people who pick up your book is also a marker of success. People are busy and can choose to do so many things with their time. So, the first couple books that were sold were a big deal to me. Landmarks like 10, 50, and 100 books sold are also special.
The first review is always a big moment, too! I read all of my reviews on Amazon and it always makes my day to see people talk about how the book helped them or tell me that they’re going to share some advice with their kid or a co-worker.
The first person who reaches out to you because of the book is another element of success, in my opinion. I’ve had a few people reach out to just say, “Hey, I really got a lot out of this part of the book. Just wanted to let you know!”. That’s a successful book right there.
Can you share a snippet that isn’t in the blurb or excerpt?
Absolutely, here’s one on adaptability, a must-have for any business leader:
“Have a plan. Take a reasonable amount of time to think about where you want to go and how you’re going to get there. Then, know that your plan will change… Think of the well-known phrase “Ready, Aim, Fire.”… The best version is a steady, consistent series of: Decide, Assess, Adapt. Decide, Assess, Adapt.”
How have the pandemic and Lockdown affected you or your new business?
Well, COVID was actually instrumental in writing the book. I had never thought of myself as the type of person who could or would write a book. I didn’t know the first thing about it. I thought it was for other people. I thought I didn’t have the time.
In the back of my mind, though, I always kind of liked the idea. The thought of, “I have a book in me.” was creeping in slowly. But with the busyness of life and self-doubt, it was very much a “one day” prospect.
Then, COVID hit and everything changed. All of a sudden, people, priorities and the usual way of doing things shifted. I realized life is short, and I need to make the most of it.
With lockdown, I also had tons of time that I didn’t have before. I enjoyed Netflix for a while, but then I started going crazy. I had to do something.
Serendipitously, I received an email from an author. He usually did public speaking engagements but was forced to change his business model because of COVID. He was offering to help a few select folks write and publish their book.
I distinctly remember getting that email. It said, “Do you want to write a book? Finish your book idea. Print it professionally. Publish to the world.” I usually mull over decisions, but when I saw that, I just decided to just do it. I replied right away and the rest, as they say, is history.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
By far the biggest challenge with the book was just figuring out how to begin to get all my ideas, insights, and stories out of my brain and onto paper.
It was so daunting at the start when there was nothing. I vividly remember my very first writing session. I spent ages just staring at the blank page and blinking cursor on my computer screen.
What saved me was the sticky note method. This is something I did before I ever wrote a word. I had three or four massive brainstorming sessions, just me, my sticky notes, and some music for inspiration.
During my first session, I just tried to think of anything that could possibly go in the book. I would think of a principle or a story, quickly jot down a reminder word or phrase on a sticky note, and put it up on a big board. I did this over and over again. Any idea was fair game. No censoring.
Next, I’d look at all the sticky notes and read through them. Then, I literally stepped back to take in the whole gigantic board. This is what I call my “beautiful mind” moment. I looked for themes or patterns that stood out from the different sticky notes. I wrote those down. I made a handful of “big buckets” and I moved the sticky notes in each bucket together on the board.
Then, I went through each sticky note in each big bucket and read it in detail. I took a moment to decide if I wanted to keep that concept. If it made the cut, I’d re-write it in a more thought-out way on another sticky note.
I went through each original sticky note this way, replacing the original ones with color-coded ones (so each big-bucket had its own color and were easy to distinguish visually). If there were clear sub-groups or themes within a big bucket, I would cluster those sticky notes together.
Next, I zoomed out again to decide on the order I thought the big buckets (and sub-groups) should go in. That became the initial outline of the chapters for my book. During a writing session, I’d grab a sticky note and just write to that. I’d write the full version of the sticky note story or concept.
What is the one thing you wish you knew before publishing your book?
I wish I knew how long and intense the editing process is. When I heard, “You’ll do your outline, you’ll do your draft, then it will go through a round of edits, then we’ll work on the cover art…” I envisioned one or two rounds of light edits.
This might be the case for other authors who are better writers than me, but my editing process from beginning to end was months long. I was reading, and re-reading certain passages so much that I began to lose the meaning of the words at times.
To overcome this, I employed a couple different strategies. One was just taking time away. There were certain times when I was just going in circles with something, and I decided to set that part of the draft aside to work on another section (or another element of the book altogether).
There were some stretches of time where I just took completely off from anything to do with the book. These were really useful because my brain was still thinking about it in the background. It was just simmering until suddenly an idea would pop into my head.
I vividly remember being at the gym one day when the answer for how to re-work a transition from one chapter to the next just came to me.
Please share one thing new self-publish authors can do to gain more reviews on Amazon.
Ask (politely) in your book! A simple message like, “Amazon reviews really help the book out. If you can take a moment to leave even a short review, that would be great!” can generate a ton of reviews.
I’m a leadership coach, so I also decided to offer a free coaching session if someone sent me a screenshot of their Amazon review.
I also recommend establishing an advanced reader team of family friends, colleagues, mentors, and others you trust. These people will give you your first “wave” of reviews.
I suggest sending the team a short (3-7 page) PDF summary of your book. Sometimes that helps people get the gist and outline of the book before reading the entire thing.
When sending them their copy of the book, also let them know when you’ll need them to leave their review. The timing of reviews is extremely important to Amazon’s ranking algorithm.
Once they give you a review, be sure to thank them profusely and let them know you’re always available to help them if/when they need it.
If you don’t want to assemble an advanced reader team, you can also use pubby. co to gain a few extra reviews. Be warned though, these are honest reviews. You may get a lower rating if someone isn’t a fan of your work.
Can you share some of the marketing techniques that have worked for you when promoting your book?
Word of mouth is undoubtedly the biggest marketing tool. Ask people to share it. Put a message in your book that says something like “If you found any part of this book valuable, please share it with a friend or family member!”
Of course, some people will promote your book on their own. My mom, for example, did a bulk order of 50 books, and sent them to the people in her network with a brief handwritten note. She even asked them to leave a review and share it with others who might find it valuable. Thanks, Mom!
I also recommend building some buzz around your book as soon as you have a rough timeframe for its launch. Let people know it’s coming using any marketing channels you have built up.
Websites, social media pages, and newsletters are all especially valuable marketing tools.
If you have the time, you can also hit the podcast circuit! Many hosts are looking for authors to interview. Just make sure you contribute to the conversation. Don’t just plug your book!
Finally, if your budget allows, consider utilizing ads on Amazon. I suggest bidding on the titles of similar books that have seen some success in recent months.
If you had the chance to start your career over again what would you do differently?
I would focus on having valuable experiences, gaining knowledge and skills, and meeting smart people. I’d prioritize fulfilling and purposeful pursuits, rather than spending energy on chasing a fancy title or climbing the corporate ladder.
I would also try to be more patient and less critical of the people around me, including myself.
Finally, I’d worry less. A lot less. I was someone who didn’t deal with change well, I had to know what would happen and exactly how and when. Life doesn’t readily give you those answers. I spent a lot of time anxious, worried, and ruminating on things unnecessarily. I’d definitely avoid that if I had a do-over.
What helps you stay driven and motivated to finish writing your book?
During the initial draft phase, I set up a routine where I would write 1,000 words a day for 30 days. I got my mindset right, and I was in it to win it for a month. I woke up, went for a walk, listened to some motivating music, and drank some coffee. I then came inside, went to a designated writing area, set a timer for 50 minutes, and just wrote.
In the beginning, it was a pretty ‘free association’ style of writing. I’d have my topic picked out for the day and I’d just write whatever came to mind. It didn’t have to be grammatically correct or sequenced perfectly. The task was just to get it out of my head and on to the page.
Some days I wrote really good stuff. Other days the content was horrible. But that was fine. My goal was to write 1,000 words. If I did that, it was a win. I tracked in on a spreadsheet as such.
At the end of the month, I had 30,000 words, which is the bulk of the book. That was very motivating in and of itself.
From there, I did some final sections of the book and before I knew it, the first draft was done.
Can you recommend one book, one podcast, and one online course for entrepreneurs and authors?
This book makes you identify and focus on the truly important things in your life. It teaches you how to determine what is essential and how to discard distractions. Much more than a time management book, it is a mindset (almost a philosophy) of dedicating your time and energy towards your highest contribution.
What’s your best piece of advice for aspiring and new authors?
Start! The initial inertia is the hardest part. A rocket ship uses most of its fuel in the first few seconds. Once you get going, you’ll be in it and momentum will take over.
Make your mind up to do it. Plan, and set yourself up for success to a certain point, but don’t overthink it. Be in it to win it and just go.
What is your favorite quote?
“Small wins add up faster than you think”
and
“One day or day one?”
What is your definition of success?
Being able to serve and provide value to people in the way I want.
How do you personally overcome fear?
Well, there are different kinds of fear. For entrepreneurs, it’s usually a fear of failing. Funnily enough, I talk about this in my book. I discuss how people can use the “failure loop” framework to transform what we traditionally think of as a “failure event” into progress.
There’s a visual in the book, but imagine a chain of individual loops going up and to the right, the direction of progress. If you follow the line of the loops, there is a spot where it goes back down and to the left (the opposite direction of progress). This is the so-called “failure event.” It’s when you bombed the presentation, your decision around operations went horribly wrong, you did something embarrassing in front of your family or friends. It’s the gut-punch where things feel crappy.
A lot of people stop there. It consumes them, and they drown in it. If instead, you take an objective look at what happened, which sometimes takes some time, and pull the lesson or learning out of it and apply it next time, you’ve just propelled yourself up the chain of loops. You’re at the next rung. You’ve gone to the next level. It’s the definition of learning, but people forget that.
I work with people on training themselves to see these events for what they are: marks of success. If you use the failure loop framework consistently you will be a successful person.
A good quote to keep in mind is: “I succeed because I fail more times than you’re willing to try.”
How can readers get in touch with you?
My website is probably the best place to connect. People can find that at www.nextlevel.coach. I’m always available to help people who believe they might benefit from coaching or who need guidance on the book writing process.
All of my social media links are on my website as well. Feel free to connect at any time!
Finally, people can pick up my book, Hacking Executive Leadership. It’s on Amazon, Audible, and Kindle!
