Before The Bestseller

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Before The Bestseller

Alex Strathdee

219 episodes

1 week ago

Thank you for spending time with us this year. We hope these conversations gave you something useful to apply to your author journey. We’re grateful to the guests who shared their stories, and we’ll be back in February 2026 with what’s shaping up to be our strongest lineup yet, including new voices like Eric Ries and the return of guests such as Nir Eyal. If you enjoyed the show, a quick review helps us bring even better conversations your way. Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you in 2026....

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All content for Before The Bestseller is the property of Alex Strathdee and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Thank you for spending time with us this year. We hope these conversations gave you something useful to apply to your author journey. We’re grateful to the guests who shared their stories, and we’ll be back in February 2026 with what’s shaping up to be our strongest lineup yet, including new voices like Eric Ries and the return of guests such as Nir Eyal. If you enjoyed the show, a quick review helps us bring even better conversations your way. Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you in 2026....

Show more...

Episodes (20/219)

Before The Bestseller

A message from the team at ShelfLife

Thank you for spending time with us this year. We hope these conversations gave you something useful to apply to your author journey. We’re grateful to the guests who shared their stories, and we’ll be back in February 2026 with what’s shaping up to be our strongest lineup yet, including new voices like Eric Ries and the return of guests such as Nir Eyal. If you enjoyed the show, a quick review helps us bring even better conversations your way. Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you in 2026....

1 week ago

1 minute

Before The Bestseller

BTB167: Stephan Spencer on YouTube Strategy, Attention, Shorts, and AI for Authors | The Art of SEO Author & Marketing Speak Podcast Host

We’re back with Stephan Spencer, a longtime leader in SEO and digital marketing. Over the past two decades, he has worked with brands like Zappos, Quiksilver, Chanel, Volvo, Sony, and Best Buy, helping them strengthen their online visibility and growth strategy. He is the bestselling author of The Art of SEO, the host of the Marketing Speak podcast, and widely respected for his ability to spot what is quietly holding businesses back. In this episode, we zero in on YouTube and why it still mat...

3 weeks ago

27 minutes

Before The Bestseller

BTB166: The Art of SEO with Stephan Spencer: AIO Strategy, LLM Visibility, Digital PR and the Dead Internet Theory

Today I get to sit down with someone who has shaped how some of the world’s biggest brands think about SEO. Stephan Spencer is a top SEO consultant, bestselling author, and the host of the long-running Marketing Speak podcast. For more than two decades he has helped companies like Zappos, Sony Store, Quiksilver, Chanel, Volvo, Best Buy and many others strengthen their online visibility and build SEO strategies that actually move the needle. His book The Art of SEO is considered required readi...

1 month ago

34 minutes

Before The Bestseller

BTB165: Over 12 Million Copies Sold: The Self-Publishing Story Behind Thomas Erikson’s Surrounded by Idiots

In today’s episode, we welcome back Thomas Erikson, the behaviorist and international bestselling author behind the global phenomenon Surrounded by Idiots. What began as a single book has grown into the bestselling Surrounded by series, with more than twelve million copies sold and translations in nearly 70 languages. Thomas speaks to audiences around the world, delivering more than a hundred keynotes each year to TEDx stages, Fortune 500 companies, and government organizations. In this conve...

1 month ago

31 minutes

Before The Bestseller

BTB164: Surrounded by Idiots | Thomas Erikson on Human Behavior, Bias, and the Four Colors

Today, we’re joined by Thomas Erikson, the highest-selling living Swedish author and the international bestseller behind Surrounded by Idiots, the book that has helped millions understand human behavior in a clearer and more practical way. Its global success led to an entire Surrounded by series, including Surrounded by Psychopaths, Surrounded by Bad Bosses, Surrounded by Setbacks, Surrounded by Narcissists, Surrounded by Energy Vampires, and Surrounded by Liars. With more than 12 million cop...

1 month ago

27 minutes

Before The Bestseller

BTB163: 41,000 Copies Sold: Lead It Like Lasso Authors Marnie Stockman and Nick Coniglio on Intellectual Property Rules for Authors, Ted Lasso Marketing, Co-Authoring and Growth Strategies

We’re back with Nick Coniglio and Marnie Stockman, co-authors of Lead It Like Lasso, the Ted Lasso inspired leadership book that set out to sell 25,000 copies in its first year and ended up passing 41,000. They started as complete unknowns with no platform, no agent, and no special advantage, yet their book has grown into a quiet hit across business readers and fans of the show. Today, they have an audiobook, hundreds of reviews, and a loyal audience built on character, creativity, and the be...

1 month ago

30 minutes

Before The Bestseller

BTB162: Authors Nick Coniglio and Marnie Stockman on Their Book Lead It Like Lasso

Nick Coniglio and Marnie Stockman aren’t your typical leadership authors. Before writing Lead It Like Lasso, they built and sold an edtech company for eight figures in just three years without a single sales rep. Drawing from their very different backgrounds in tech and education, they combined strategy with heart to create a business rooted in authenticity, trust, and what they call “raving fans.” Their book, inspired by the optimism and leadership lessons of Ted Lasso, has already reached o...

1 month ago

29 minutes

Before The Bestseller

BTB161: Over a Million Copies Sold and a Foreword by Neil Armstrong with Longitude Author Dava Sobel

We’re delighted to welcome back the incomparable Dava Sobel, bestselling author, award-winning science writer, and the brilliant mind behind Longitude, Galileo’s Daughter, and The Glass Universe. Her work has illuminated the human stories behind some of history’s greatest scientific discoveries, earning her international acclaim and a devoted readership that spans generations. In this episode, Dava shares the fascinating story behind how Longitude became a global success, from cultivating gen...

2 months ago

22 minutes

Before The Bestseller

BTB160: Longitude | Dava Sobel on the Magic of Science Writing and Lifelong Discovery

Today we have a very special guest: Dava Sobel, Pulitzer Prize finalist and bestselling author of Longitude, Galileo’s Daughter, The Glass Universe, and The Planets. Her books have been translated into more than 30 languages and continue to inspire readers around the world to see science through a more human lens. Known for blending meticulous research with emotional storytelling, Dava has built a lifelong career showing how curiosity and wonder can turn complex discoveries into timeless narr...

2 months ago

30 minutes

Before The Bestseller

BTB159: Book Launches for 2025: Virtual Strategies, Pricing Tips, Kindle Campaigns, and Proven Tactics with Self-Publishing Expert Veronica Yager

Today, we’re joined by Veronica Yager, a self-publishing consultant and lead designer with over 15 years of experience helping hundreds of authors bring their books to life. As the former president of the Colorado Independent Publishers Association and founder of Journey Bound Publishing, Veronica has spent her career guiding writers through the process of turning their ideas into beautifully published books that actually reach readers. In this episode, Veronica shares how book launches have ...

2 months ago

29 minutes

Before The Bestseller

BTB158: From SEO to AIO for Authors: What Every Author Should Know About AI, Book Discovery, and the Future of Marketing with Thomas Umstattd Jr., Book Marketing Expert and Host of the Novel Marketing Podcast

We’re back with Thomas Umstattd Jr., author, award-winning speaker, and host of the world’s longest running book marketing show, Novel Marketing Podcast. Thomas has helped thousands of writers think like marketers, creating tools and strategies that help authors turn their books into lasting assets. As the founder of the Patron Toolbox, he continues to teach authors how to build platforms that grow with them, grounded in real data, not guesswork. In this episode, Thomas joins us to talk...

2 months ago

37 minutes

Before The Bestseller

BTB157: Inside Book Marketing’s Big Shifts: Formats, Data, and AI for Authors with Thomas Umstattd Jr. — Book Marketing Expert and Host of the Novel Marketing Podcast

This week, I’m thrilled to be joined by Thomas Umstattd Jr., someone who has shaped so much of my own thinking about book marketing. An author, award-winning speaker, and podcaster best known for hosting the world’s longest running book marketing show, Novel Marketing, Thomas has become a go-to guide for writers who want to reach readers and build sustainable careers through his book Courtship in Crisis, countless conference talks, and more than 500 podcast episodes. In this episode Thomas wa...

3 months ago

33 minutes

Before The Bestseller

BTB156: Over 1 Million+ Books Sold and Proven Grassroots Buzz in Book Marketing with Dr. Catherine Gildiner: Author of Good Morning, Monster and Too Close to the Falls

We’re back with Dr. Catherine Gildiner, bestselling author of Good Morning, Monster and Too Close to the Falls. Dr. Cathy’s books have sold over a million copies, landed on the New York Times bestseller list, and translated into 32 languages. After 25 years as a clinical psychologist, she turned her focus fully to writing and has since built a career that blends deep human insight with unforgettable storytelling. In this episode, Dr. Cathy Gildiner pulls back the curtain on how her books reac...

3 months ago

23 minutes

Before The Bestseller

BTB155: Author Catherine Gildiner Shares the Stories Behind Her Book Good Morning, Monster

Joining us today is Dr. Catherine Gildiner, who has worked for over 25 years as a clinical psychologist, guiding patients through trauma and recovery. She went on to share those experiences with the world in her New York Times bestselling book Good Morning, Monster, which has reached more than a million readers in over 30 languages, along with her acclaimed memoir Too Close to the Falls. Dr. Gildiner invites us to see therapy not as abstract theory, but as the practice of learning to live wit...

3 months ago

39 minutes

Before The Bestseller

BTB154: Mark Divine on Unbeatable Mind: How an Author Sold 300,000+ Books, Navigated Self vs Traditional Publishing, and Built a Lasting Platform

Today we welcome back Commander Mark Divine, a man who has led Navy SEALs, built multimillion-dollar training companies, and sold hundreds of thousands of books, to unpack the real story of what it takes to write and market a bestseller. Mark is not only a retired SEAL Commander but also the founder of SEALFit and Unbeatable Mind, programs that combine elite physical training with mindfulness, breathwork, and visualization. His books, including 8 Weeks to SEALFit, The Way of the SEAL, Staring...

3 months ago

26 minutes

Before The Bestseller

BTB153: Author Mark Divine and His Book Unbeatable Mind: Author Story and Book Tools

Today, Commander Mark Divine joins us with a rare blend of grit and clarity. He is the author of Unbeatable Mind, a field-tested guide to building calm, focus, and purpose under pressure, a self-published success with seven-figure earnings and an estimated 300,000 to 400,000 copies sold. A former Navy SEAL Commander and New York Times bestselling author, Mark holds a PhD in Global Leadership and Change from Pepperdine, co-founded SEALFIT, Unbeatable Mind, and Coronado Brewing Company, and has...

4 months ago

30 minutes

Before The Bestseller

BTB152: Blake Erickson, Scaling Expert, Co-Founder, and Co-Author of the Business Book The Science of Scaling

Our guest for today’s episode is Blake Erickson, someone whose story of grit and growth is as inspiring as it is practical. From starting in door-to-door sales at 21 and leading teams that generated over $30M in revenue, to becoming a multimillionaire by 25, Blake has proven what’s possible when focus meets ambition. In 2024, he co-founded Scaling.com with Dr. Benjamin Hardy and together they wrote The Science of Scaling, a playbook for achieving exponential growth. More than the milestones, ...

4 months ago

28 minutes

Before The Bestseller

BTB151: 750,000 Copies Sold and 37 Weeks on the Bestseller List with Author Tom O’Neill and His Book Chaos

We’re back with our very special guest, Tom O’Neill, investigative journalist and author of the bestselling book Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties. After more than twenty years of relentless reporting, Tom’s work reshaped one of America’s most infamous stories and became a publishing phenomenon, selling over 750,000 copies worldwide and putting him on track to cross the one-million mark. In this episode, Tom opens up about the marketing journey behind Chaos...

4 months ago

20 minutes

Before The Bestseller

BTB150: Author Tom O’Neill and His Book Chaos

Today we have a very special guest, and not the kind of guest we usually feature. Tom O’Neill is an investigative journalist who never set out to write a book at all. But what began as a short magazine assignment about the Manson murders turned into a 20-year obsession that became his bestselling book Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties. Tom is an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in Premiere, New York, The Village Voice, and Details. With Chao...

4 months ago

33 minutes

Before The Bestseller

BTB149: 75,000 Books Sold by Process! Author Mike Paton Through Giving, Leveraging, and Building Readers

We are back with Mike Paton, co-author of Process! and Get a Grip in the Traction Library. Mike has spent over 15 years helping leadership teams run stronger, more efficient businesses through the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). Alongside Gino Wickman and Lisa González, his books have reached tens of thousands of readers worldwide. Process! alone has 75,000 to 85,000 copies in the wild. In this episode, Paton breaks down how he took Process! from first release to widespread readership...

4 months ago

15 minutes