I’ve become an unlikely author. My English teacher would be shocked.
Have you ever thought about writing a book – or better yet, a best-selling, iconic business book?
The first thing to ask yourself is: Why do you want to write it?
When we set out to write Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat., our mission was clear: to crack the code of what it takes to build a successful startup—and ultimately, to succeed as an entrepreneur. I’ve had an incredible journey filled with big wins and brutal failures. After interviewing nearly 200 founders, we realized we had something special—perhaps the most actionable book on entrepreneurship ever written.
So again, why write a book?
I reached out to Rusty Shelton, one of the founders of Forbes Books/Advantage Media, to get his take.
Rusty Shelton: “The most successful and impactful non-fiction books provide a framework that creates a meaningful shift in the life of the reader and that they can personalize in their life or business in a way that transforms their results. “
He further adds: “Special bonus if you can create a framework that people want to talk to others about as they implement it (see Atomic Habits & others). Also – great non-fiction authors understand their role is to be the messenger – not the message – and create books that serve the reader throughout.”
Translation: It’s all about “me” – the reader.
Publishing a book has massive upsides: it builds your credibility, lands you podcast interviews, and (if done right) helps your business. You may not make your fortune from royalties—but you can move the needle in your business by anchoring your expertise in the book.
My 10 Steps to Writing a Best-Selling Business Book:
1. It’s Not About You
I’ve seen ultra-successful entrepreneurs (10x more successful than me) write books… and flop. Why? Because the book was about them. Your audience wants to know how they benefit. Focus the content on “me”- the reader like Rusty says.
2. Pick the Right Publisher
I went with Forbes Books/Advantage Media. Yes, it’s a hybrid model and there’s a cost – but they know how to position a book for the business community. Most traditional publishers offer little marketing support unless you’re already famous. Hybrid publishers, on the other hand, are partners in the process.
Fun fact: Forbes even asked me to change my name. Too many Colin Campbells out there. So now I go by Colin C. Campbell—and if you Google me, I pop right up (nope, I’m not the hockey coach).
Forbes Books also gave us a lot of credibility.
3. First Impressions Matter
Your cover is everything. You’ve got less than a second to catch attention. We tested thumbnails against dozens of other business books. The clean white background and bold, color-coded title – Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. – stood out instantly.
4. Design the Inside to Match the Outside
The Forbes Books team also color-coded each section to align with the cover and included 30 original watercolors hand-drawn by an artist we had in the Philippines. No actual photos. Unless you’re Elon Musk, nobody cares about your picture. Instead, we used illustrations to simplify complex ideas and make the book approachable.
5. Write for TikTok Attention Spans
Short chapters. Short paragraphs. No walls of text. Our book reads at about an 8th to 10th-grade level, making it easy to consume – and perfect for busy entrepreneurs.
6. Be Authentic
Don’t lecture. Don’t preach. Tell real stories. Be honest about your screw-ups. One of the reasons people love our book is that we share the lessons we learned the hard way. Stories stick. Lectures don’t.
7. Launch Hard
Amazon highlights new releases for just 30 days. Get on podcasts before launch – many record weeks or months in advance. And remember, you can relaunch with new formats (Audible, paperback, etc.) to keep momentum going.
8. Promote It… But Only If It’s Great!
There are four scenarios in business that I talk about in my book, and books and movies follow the same rules:
- Crappy product + no promotion = No harm, no foul. (Unreleased Batgirl)
- Crappy product + heavy promotion = Disaster. (Waterworld)
- Great product + no promotion = Lost opportunity. (Hugo)
- Great product + great promotion = Magic. (Top Gun: Maverick)
Make sure your book has or will likely get a 4.5-star rating or better on Amazon before going big with promotion. I’ve found Amazon ads, podcasts, and writing for Forbes or Startup Club to be especially effective. Startup.Club is now looking for contributors as well.
– Sample Amazon Listing.
9. If You’ve Written a Great Book – Apply for Awards
If you believe your book rises above the competition, it’s time to go for recognition. That’s exactly what we did – and we were honored to receive 27 global awards and accolades.
Here are a few of the major awards we won (and ones you might want to consider applying for):
- 2025 Axiom Business Book Awards
Gold Medal Winner – Entrepreneurship / Small Business
One of the top honors in business publishing, recognizing books that deliver fresh ideas and powerful insights to business leaders. - 2024 Kirkus Best Indie Books of the Year
Selected as one of the best independently published books for quality and impact. Earning a Kirkus Star is rare – only about 10% of submissions receive one. - 2024 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Book Awards
Silver Medalist – Business
A prestigious award that celebrates excellence in independent publishing. - 2024 Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY)
Bronze Medalist – Non-Fiction
Recognizes the year’s best independently published titles. - 2024 American Legacy Book Awards
Winner – Entrepreneurship
Honors outstanding work in business and entrepreneurship. - 2024 National Indie Book Awards
Finalist – Business Entrepreneurship & Book Interior Design
Highlights excellence across independent publishing categories. - 2024 International Book Awards
Winner – Best Interior Design & Best New Nonfiction
Celebrates global excellence in publishing. - 2024 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards
Honorable Mention – Business & Finance
Acknowledges both creativity and publishing quality. - 2024 Goody Business Book Awards
TOP IMPACT AUTHOR – Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurism & Startups
Recognizes books making a meaningful difference in the business world.
Many of these awards charge for reviews, but if your book is truly exceptional, the return on credibility and exposure is well worth the investment. A strong list of awards is like having a high Rotten Tomatoes score – it builds trust. If you’ve earned that kind of recognition, promote it!
10. Don’t Stop
Writing the book is just the beginning. I still write articles like this, speak at events, appear on podcasts, and run Amazon ads. The flywheel is turning – and it’s finally getting easier.
Will Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. become iconic? I don’t know yet. But it’s getting traction. Thousands of copies have been sold. It’s on shelves from Thailand to New York. I even get LinkedIn messages from readers around the world.
It reminds me of Jim Collins’ Good to Great flywheel analogy: the start is slow and heavy… but once it moves, it builds unstoppable momentum.