We recently connected with Natcole Staskiewicz and have shared our conversation below.

Natcole, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

**Short answer: Give yourself permission to say YES, and keep saying it.**

Anything you put effort into doing is a success. Why? Because you gain something from that experience. It doesn’t matter what it is. Every skill and experience I’ve acquired is because I said yes to something. Apply that mindset to your business: if you succeed, you know what works. If you fail, even better, because you can adapt and learn. You’ll understand even more why your methods work when they are working.

Naturally, I am introverted. Pursuing anything that would put me in the spotlight was not always appealing. At one point, I would shy away from opportunities, telling myself no because of the idea of success. My imagination painted the most terrifying picture of what success would look like if I chose to pursue it—or worse, if I failed. I was not my biggest cheerleader. The picture I painted was every introvert’s worst nightmare. Internalizing this feeling, I continued with my life, shutting down any thoughts that would put me on that path.

But then it happened—I remembered the child I once was and her dreams. The promise I made before I was troubled with adult worries. Her voice spoke louder as the world kept changing.

I felt the need through her eyes, and it changed me. At the time, because I said “Yes,” I had learned skills that ultimately set my legacy free from debt.

I knew many who were financially plagued and wanted to break the generational curse, and I wanted to help them.

Sometimes I still hear the inner voice saying, “You can’t do that, you’ve never done this before.”

Now I counter those thoughts with, “Well, there was a time I never walked before either, and that didn’t stop me.”

It wasn’t until my fear of success conflicted with my purpose that I changed. My desire to spread my message outweighed the fear. Once I said yes the first time and saw what happened, it became easier to say yes again. I found myself in a new normal, expanding my comfort zone and enjoying the ride, failures and all.

So, with that, I became an author when I launched my first book, *Breaking Poverty*.

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

I am a wife and mother from Detroit, MI, who wears many hats. I am an IT professional with a bachelor’s degree in IT Security and the founder of Kinder Press, LLC. Additionally, I am a speaker, coach, and mentor for aspiring authors. Depending on the day of the week, I could probably tell you which hat I’m wearing most prominently. In short, I am a person with a vision. Everything I invest my energy into is for the betterment of others. I love making people happy and solving problems.

I was drawn to the art of storytelling as a way to entertain and encourage others to push past their barriers and become the best versions of themselves. I founded Kinder Press, LLC to help spread positive messages and happiness. I hope my books can change hearts, one book at a time. Currently, I have created non-fiction, children’s books, and low-content tools, and I am working on adding more genres to the collection.

A fan once told me something I cherish, though I wish I got their name. They recognized that Nat King Cole was my namesake. When I mentioned that I couldn’t sing well, they responded, paraphrasing, “You do have a good voice, and it’s in your books.” I love this way of thinking.

My books have benefited both parents and children, teaching core values, nurturing bonds, and helping navigate even difficult emotions. I offer opportunities, workshops, and consulting to my audience and aspiring authors to help them achieve their dream of becoming authors. My question is: which hat do you need? I’m here to help.

I am incredibly proud of how well my books are received and the impact I have on others. But most of all, I am proud of keeping a promise and witnessing the impact of my contributions to the world and the inspiration I gain from the people I meet.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

While working as an IT Leader, I began to question if I was giving myself the same dedication I devoted to my 9 to 5 job. Life events, particularly the pandemic, prompted me to reevaluate how I spent my time off the clock. I always wanted to be an author but felt I never had the time. When I finally had the time, the next question was, “Could I do it?” The pandemic gave me the opportunity to take a hard look at things. Each day, I made sure to allocate time to working on my publishing journey. After my first publication, I was pleasantly surprised to see more books follow. It required many sleepless nights, but it was only a temporary arrangement. I honed my craft, hosted events, and eventually got noticed and featured on the news.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Success may not always align with your initial vision. Throughout my journey as an author, each milestone has confronted me with the reality of what I imagined success to be versus how it actually is. It’s like peeling an onion, with many layers within layers. Sometimes, I find myself in situations with little preparation time, or opportunities don’t present themselves as I would prefer. My default reaction used to be to turn them down. Although there are times when this is necessary, I’ve learned to expect the unexpected and always be ready to pivot.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://KinderPress.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natcolestaskiewicz/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NatcoleStaskiewicz/