We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Misty Black a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Misty, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you take vacations? How do you keep things going – any advice for entrepreneurs who feel like they can’t step away from their business for a short vacation?

Running a business is like riding a roller coaster – you chase your passion, leave your 9-5 job for more “flexibility,” and end up working 24/7. As a solo business owner with a couple of part-time assistants, most of the workload falls on my shoulders. Clients, projects, deadlines – they all demand my attention. It’s a whirlwind, but hey, who needs sleep anyway?

But amidst the chaos, I never forget why I’m doing this – my family. They’re my reason for hustling so hard. So, once a year, we go on a family vacation. Last year, we conquered Disneyland and had a blast. This year, we’re hitting the Oregon coast – sand, surf, and seafood, here we come! I don’t think anyone loves crab more than I do.

We also squeeze in mini-getaways throughout the year – camping trips, staycations, and family get-togethers. We live in a beautiful area and like to enjoy it. Building family relationships, creating memories, and establishing traditions are far more important to me than my business.

Sure, it’s tough to put work on the back burner, but knowing that my business will be waiting for me when I return makes it easier to unplug and soak up quality time with my loved ones. After all, who needs a never-ending inbox when you can have sunsets on the beach and s’mores by the campfire? So, I’m all in for family adventures and making sure my business takes a backseat when it’s time to hit vacation mode. Because in the end, it’s the experiences with my family that truly matter.

Misty, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m an award-winning, international bestselling author of dozens of children’s books. My mom instilled a great love of literature in me at a very young age. She was in a book club for over 30 years. I remember gathering around her as she read to my siblings and me books like ‘The Boxcar Children,’ ‘Mrs. Piggle Wiggle,’ and ‘Romona Quimby.’ She read in such a way that would transport me into the stories.

I’ve always loved picture books, even as an adult, and I love reading them to my kids. I’m sad that my youngest is starting to grow out of them. When my kids were young, I would write children’s stories and use pictures of them as illustrations. That’s how I did my scrapbooking for years. In 2018, I thought, “Man, some of my stories are pretty good. I should try to publish them.” That was the beginning of my author/publisher coach/course creator/book designer journey. As you can see, I wear many hats.

I don’t think being an author was always in the back of my mind. I got my degree in business with an emphasis on finance and worked in the corporate world for many years. But that business degree has certainly come in handy for starting my own publishing company and learning to market my books.

The first book I published is ‘When You Feel Better: A Get Well Soon Gift.’ It’s a story I wrote for my mom, who was sick for many years with cancer. I never gave up hope that she would get better. Hope is what gets us through the hard times. And though she passed away long before I published the book, I dedicated the story to her and desire it to bring hope to others who are sick. I also wrote ‘Grandmas Are for Love’ with her in mind, as she was the most amazing grandmother to my kids.

My most popular series is ‘Punk and Friends Learn Social Skills.’ Social-emotional learning is so important for kids to grasp at a young age. The sixth book in the series, ‘Can Clutz the Cat Keep Trying?’ is a growth mindset book teaching kids that it’s okay to make mistakes and that doing our best is what matters most. Children are so afraid of failing that they sometimes don’t want to try. The purpose of this book is to teach kids that failure is an essential part of the journey to success. And if they’re ever scared of trying, use Clutz’s motto:

I don’t know how to do this YET.
And though it may be tough,
I’ll try my best to do it right.
My best is good enough.

Adding YET to the end of an I can’t statement is a powerful growth mindset tool. Getting published was not easy, so this growth mindset story is near and dear to my heart, as I had many failures along the way.

When I first started, I attended as many seminars, writing conventions, workshops, and courses as possible, trying to learn everything I could. I initially thought getting traditionally published was what I wanted to do. But at a seminar, the speaker, a traditionally published author, said, “It takes on average ten years to get traditionally published. That’s not ten years from the time you start writing. That’s ten years from when you have a manuscript ready, and you’re actively searching for agents and publishers. Some people may hear that and get discouraged. But to me, I thought, ‘awesome, that means in 10 years, I will be published if I stick with it.'”

When I heard that, I had already been rejected twice by a traditional publisher. So that comment didn’t discourage me; it helped me feel normal. But it did get me to think, “What can I do on my own in 10 years.” I decided then and there to start my own publishing company to publish my books.

Since that decision, I have published dozens of picture books and have one traditionally published book with three more on the way. I don’t regret for a second going the independent publishing route. It is so rewarding to have a creative outlet you love that brings in an income.

That’s not to say it’s been an easy road since I made that decision. It was a steep learning curve, and I continued to learn all I could about the business of publishing. Because of that, the part-time business of being a writer has turned into a full-time career. Once I saw success, I had other authors reach out for coaching. Now, not only do I publish children’s books, I teach online courses on writing and publishing books, including everything I learned on my journey and what I did to become a 15-times international bestselling author, selling over 100,000 copies in under three years.

I also do graphic design and book layouts for myself and other authors. I’ve designed hundreds of children’s books, and I love being creative with the layouts. I treat each one as if it was my own and try to make it the best it can be. I also speak at school assemblies which is probably one of my favorite things to do as an author. Seeing the look on a child’s face when they learn you’re a “real” author is rewarding. I get hugs, high-fives, stares, and smiles. I love it all. I’m available for in-person and online author visits, so distance is not a problem. I’d love to come to your or your child’s school. I have many books on several topics to choose from. Some even come with lesson plans for your classroom.

If you want to become a children’s book author, reach out. Having a mentor who can point you in the right direction is vital. I have joined many Facebook author groups. Some of my greatest friends are my author friends. We have a supportive, close community that I love being a part of.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

While most people have hobbies or activities to unwind from the stresses of life, my creative outlet IS my job. My work is a source of creativity and joy. It’s like having the best of both worlds – a job that feels like playtime. I couldn’t ask for a better gig!

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Life has a funny way of surprising us with unexpected opportunities. My husband and I had owned a second property for years, and it was my responsibility to manage it. But when the market took a turn after the 2008 crash and property values started to rise again, we made the decision to sell. At that time, it seemed like a no-brainer. However, as house prices continued to soar, we began to feel a pang of regret. We wondered if we had missed out on a massive growth opportunity.

Little did we know, selling that property was a blessing in disguise. It was shortly after the sale that a new business opportunity came knocking, and we had the funds from the property sale to kickstart my entrepreneurial dream. Looking back, I realize that if we hadn’t sold the property, I may have still been tied up managing it, and may not have had the courage or resources to take the risk of starting a new business.

Now, with hindsight, I see that selling the property was the catalyst for something far more fulfilling. It opened up doors to new possibilities and allowed me to pursue my passion in a way that I couldn’t have imagined before. Sometimes, what may seem like missing out on one opportunity can actually be the start of a new and exciting journey towards personal and professional growth.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mistyblackauthor.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/mistyblackauthor
• Facebook: facebook.com/mistyblackauthor
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mistyblackauthor/
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/Mistyblackauthor/