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

Michelle, appreciate you joining us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

Bell is my childhood nickname, and “Bells Rides” is one of my business/brand names.

Bell’s Publishing Co, LLC is the other company I have. My publishing company, Bell’s Publishing Co, LLC, is the company I use to self-publish my fictional novels and cookbooks.

The first novel, “The Russian Hit”-A Roxxy Foxx Series, I just released it on October 28, 2022 and here is the link: https://books2read.com/The-Russian-Hit-MichelleWishart  And also “Human Cargo”-A John Hunt Series will be released in May 2023.

Each series has spin-off series currently in production, along with a Keto Cookbook.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I have been an entrepreneur most of my life, from the young age of twenty years old. My first company was a landscape company called The Pile Spreader. I specialized in installing landscape materials in small residential yards with limited access points. I also had a landscape maintenance company named Bell’s Mow and Blow. Later, I was a General Engineering Contractor and had a heavy equipment construction company named Wishart Excavating, Inc. So when writing my novels, it was very natural for me to form a publishing company. Forming a publishing company was appealing to me. To control my work, the when, how, and where I publish. Bell’s Publishing Co. LLC. is where I will self-publish all of my novels. To me, branding is an integral part of the business. Bells Rides and Bell’s Publishing Co, LLC. is part of my brand.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

2006 was a pivotal time in my career. In California, the housing crisis was in its early stages. I had four backhoes and employees to consider. Simultaneously, I was in a car accident where I was injured. My first plan was to lay off employees and sell unused equipment. And then get back to operating the equipment myself. However, I needed to have spinal surgery and could not do so. The backup plan was to downsize to keep the employee with the most seniority. It helped considerably, and I could hang on for four more years. Ultimately, I still had to close the business. I was devastated; construction was my life, and creating something out of a piece of dirt was so meaningful to me.

I used a tool from my tool belt. The tool I used in my belt was my Class A driver’s license (commercial license). I went to work for another company as a truck driver. I hadn’t worked for an employer in a very long time. It was actually the best thing I could have done for many reasons. Most importantly, my family’s financial well-being. It also led me to where I am now with being an author.

Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?

Luckily, the capital for my business is relatively low. I am self-funded, meaning I used a portion of my savings as a loan to Bell’s Publishing Co, LLC. By doing most of the work myself, I saved hundreds of dollars. For instance, I built my website, which saved money. I designed and created my business logo. And I researched the best state to form an LLC. to continue the savings as I go forward. Once I decided on the best state to form my LLC, I chose the best service to handle the legal documents. You can do this yourself, but I prefer to use a professional when legalities are involved.

I continue to save money with each novel release by doing the artwork myself. As an artist, this is one of my favorite ways to save money.

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