Mastering Your Career: The Business of You (feat. Marnie Stockman & Nick Coniglio)
A conversation on transforming personal growth into a “business of you,” mapping life to departments like HR, finance, and marketing. Explore writing as an iterative, agile process.
In this engaging conversation, Krish Palaniappan speaks with Marnie Stockman and Nick Coniglio, co-authors of The Business of You. They discuss the importance of personal development, the iterative process of writing a book, and the role of AI in the writing landscape. The authors emphasize the need for individuals to take charge of their own lives and careers, likening it to being the CEO of oneself. They share insights on the tools they use for writing, the balance between content and engagement, and the significance of storytelling in making a lasting impact. The discussion concludes with thoughts on the future of writing in an AI-driven world.
Takeaways
You need to take ownership of your own life.
Being the CEO of your life means managing all aspects of it.
The journey of writing a book is iterative and collaborative.
Tools like Google Docs and Notion are essential for writing.
Engagement in writing often requires a balance of content and fluff.
AI can generate content but lacks the human touch.
Storytelling is crucial for making ideas memorable.
Co-authoring a book provides accountability and diverse perspectives.
Understanding your audience is key to effective communication.
The future of writing will be shaped by the integration of AI.
Podcast
Summary
🎙️ Introduction
Host Krish introduces guests Marnie Stockman and Nick Coniglio.
Mentions their new book The Business of You (also co-authors of Lead It Like Lasso).
Sets up the conversation: focus on the new book, writing process, and beyond.
👩🏫 Marnie’s Background
Former high school math teacher → administration → EdTech company.
Company acquired multiple times → led to founding and selling a company with Nick.
Experiences inspired their leadership framework in Lead It Like Lasso.
👨💻 Nick’s Background
Programmer → consultant → 25 years in tech leadership.
Worked with Marnie at EdTech company.
Passion: helping people become the best versions of themselves at scale.
The Business of You: written as a fable, aimed at students and professionals navigating careers in an AI-driven world.
Book: The Business of You
Title meaning: Everyone is CEO of their own life. Beyond being “the boss,” you must run all departments (HR, finance, marketing, product development).
Unique approach: Each life domain mapped to a business department.
Target audience: Written for all, but especially young adults, students, and early career professionals.
🛠️ From Idea to Book
Originally began as user stories for an app (Blue) → evolved into a business fable.
Agile-like process: brainstorming → framework → iterations → polish.
Compared to software dev: iterative cycles, beta testing (with students, administrators, emerging leaders).
✍️ Writing Process
Iterative, collaborative, like agile sprints.
Dump ideas → organize into framework → refine → test.
Collaboration helps with accountability and consistency (like code reviews).
🧰 Tools & Workflow
Notion: idea capture & organization.
Google Docs/Sheets: collaborative writing & structuring.
Canva: visuals for marketing.
InDesign: formatting final manuscript.
KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing): publishing.
ACX: audiobook distribution.
Editors & voice talent: crucial partners.
Social scheduling tools for marketing outreach.
🎭 Fluff vs. Core Content
Storytelling is essential → “fluff” helps engagement.
Stats: 25% prefer facts, but others engage via fun, feelings, imagination, or values.
Stories are 22x stickier than plain facts.
Fluff = character, relatability, differentiation (especially for resumes, personal branding, books).
📏 Scope & Editing
Defined word count target (~200 pages).
Iterative pruning rather than scrapping entire chapters.
Unlike movies, not much “extra footage” is left unused—more rewriting than cutting.
🎯 Style & Audience
Written in modern, relatable style (coffee shops, laptops, gamification).
Slightly youth-oriented but accessible to older readers.
Willing to break traditional grammar/style rules (e.g., “alright” vs “all right”).
🤝 Collaboration
Benefits: accountability, idea exchange, natural code-review-like process.
Challenge: maintaining consistent tone across co-authors.
🤖 AI in Writing
Used as a co-pilot: research, brainstorming, pattern-matching, consistency checks.
Limitations: hallucinations, generic content, lack of originality.
Unique creativity (like tying Ted Lasso to leadership) comes from humans.
Concern: AI creates “noise” in publishing—many AI-written books are junk.
Belief: human character, originality, and creativity will be the differentiators.
🔑 Closing Thoughts
Writing is iterative and valuable beyond authorship—helps in structuring thoughts (even for coding).
Encouragement for listeners/readers: try writing to enhance clarity and personal growth.
Final plug: The Business of You is available on Amazon and Amplify Publishing Group.
