Before The Bestseller

• BTB144: Brendan Kane on Giving Away 100,000 Books, Smarter Funnels, and Launching on His Terms

  It’s our pleasure to welcome back Brendan Kane, bestselling author of 1 Million Followers, Hook Point, and now The Guide to Going Viral. Brendan has worked with some of the biggest names in entertainment and business, including Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Katie Couric, MTV, Paramount, and IKEA. But his strategies aren’t just for celebrities or major companies. He’s also helped everyday creators, entrepreneurs, and authors grow real audiences from the ground up, including those starting with no social media presence at all. Brendan is back with us again for a breakdown of the strategy behind his newest book and what it really takes to build lasting influence.In this episode, Brendan takes us behind the scenes of his latest book launch, offering a masterclass in unconventional strategies for lasting impact. He discusses why he chose a self-publishing route, the value of giving away over 100,000 copies to build trust and readership, and the lessons he’s learned from experimenting with pricing and marketing funnels. Beyond the tactics, Brendan dives into the mindset of a creator who’s constantly evolving, sharing the challenges, failures, and pivot points that come with a viral strategy. He’s not just changing how books are marketed; he’s quietly rewriting the playbook.—You can listen to Brendan’s first episode on his book One Million Followers here: https://bit.ly/3TRMVKk Learn more about the book here: https://a.co/d/etY0dLkYou can also go to hookpoint.com/alex to get a free PDF of the book to check it out. Make sure to check out Brendan’s website and sign up to his newsletter here: www.hookpoint.com—Take a second to follow, review, or share this with someone who might find it useful. Your support helps more people discover the show.Subscribe to our newsletter here: https://getshelflife.com/category/newsletter/Head to our new website for more content and updates.: www.getshelflife.comIf you're interested in connecting further or have any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected]

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• BTB143: The Guide to Going Viral | Brendan Kane

  What does it really take to go viral? In this episode, we’re joined by Brendan Kane, bestselling author of One Million Followers, The Hook Point, and now The Guide to Going Viral. Brendan is the behind-the-scenes strategist for some of the world’s biggest brands and celebrities, including Taylor Swift, Rihanna, IKEA, Vice, and Sketchers. He once gained over one million followers in 100 countries in just 30 days and has helped clients turn zero visibility into global attention.In this conversation, Brendan breaks down the myth that virality is just luck. We talk through his data-driven framework for reverse-engineering attention online, how storytelling drives retention, and why most content fails before it even begins. He shares the importance of using repeatable formats, explains the “generalist principle” that helps creators scale without losing their niche, and offers real-world examples from luxury real estate agents to leather crafters who have turned everyday topics into millions of views. We also explore the role of AI in content creation and why even the most advanced tools still depend on your ability to tell a compelling story.Tune in for a refreshingly realistic take on what actually gets people to watch, share, and remember your content, and how to finally turn viral moments into something that lasts.—You can listen to Brendan’s first episode on his book One Million Followers here: https://bit.ly/3TRMVKk Learn more about the book here: https://a.co/d/etY0dLkYou can also go to hookpoint.com/alex to get a free PDF of the book to check it out. Make sure to check out Brendan’s website and sign up to his newsletter here: www.hookpoint.com—Take a second to follow, review, or share this with someone who might find it useful. Your support helps more people discover the show.Subscribe to our newsletter here: https://getshelflife.com/category/newsletter/Head to our new website for more content and updates.: www.getshelflife.comIf you're interested in connecting further or have any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected]

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• BTB142 | Book Series Episode 18: Creating an Executable Strategy

  Today marks the final episode of Before the Bestseller, our 18-part series where we’ve broken down the entire audiobook into focused, actionable chapters for nonfiction authors. If you've made it this far, you're not just dreaming about sharing your book with the world—you’re committed to doing it right. This final chapter is all about turning everything you’ve learned into a clear, personalized book marketing blueprint.We’ll walk you through how to take inventory of your assets, set realistic goals for each marketing tool, and build a week-by-week strategy, whether you’re months out from launch or already post-release. From setting copy movement goals across podcast guesting, Amazon ads, and bulk buys, to planning your launch timeline and post-launch rhythm, this episode offers a complete framework you can adapt to your own author journey. It’s not just about hitting a list. It’s about sustaining momentum and knowing what to do, when, and why.Because writing the book was never the whole journey. Marketing it with clarity, consistency, and purpose is what gets it into readers’ hands. This isn’t a sprint. It’s a smart, intentional marathon. And if you’ve come this far, you’re already ahead of most. Let’s finish strong.—If this podcast is giving you valuable insights, subscribe now to stay in the loop and take a moment to leave a review. Your support makes a huge difference in helping more people discover the show.Subscribe to our newsletter here: https://getshelflife.com/category/newsletter/Head over to our new website now to discover new content and more: www.getshelflife.comIf you're interested in connecting further or have any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected]

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• BTB141 | Book Series Episode 17: PR and Making Lists

  We’re down to the final stretch. In episode 17 of our 18-part series, Before the Bestseller, we’re diving into two topics that get a lot of attention in the publishing world: traditional PR and what it really means to make a bestseller list. As we near the end of this audiobook journey, this chapter pulls back the curtain on some of the final, more public-facing tools authors often consider.Some authors found their way into media coverage by paying attention to what was already being talked about and figuring out how their book could genuinely add to the conversation. Others aligned their launch with timely events or simply started local and built from there. We also touch on what it actually takes to make a bestseller list, not just the surface-level criteria but the quiet, behind-the-scenes work that rarely gets discussed.The hard truth? Being called a bestseller doesn’t mean your book is being read. You can buy the label, but you can’t buy real readers. The value isn’t in hitting the list. It’s in becoming the kind of author who could. And even if you fall short, doing the work leaves you with something far more powerful than a badge: momentum that lasts.—If this podcast is giving you valuable insights, subscribe now to stay in the loop and take a moment to leave a review. Your support makes a huge difference in helping more people discover the show.Subscribe to our newsletter here: https://getshelflife.com/category/newsletter/Head over to our new website now to discover new content and more: www.getshelflife.comIf you're interested in connecting further or have any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected]

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• BTB140 | Book Series Episode 16: Your Launch Team

  We’re back with episode 16 of our 18-part series, where we're putting the entire book Before the Bestseller up on our podcast for you to listen to. We’re just a couple of episodes away from the final chapter, and we hope you’ve been making great progress since you first started listening. In this episode, we’re talking about building a launch team for your book. This is the part where we start figuring out what that process actually looks like and how to make it work.Putting together a launch team can feel a little awkward at first, especially if you’re not sure who to ask or what to even ask them for. In this episode, we talk through how to start building that early group of supporters, even if it’s just a few people at the beginning. We get into the kinds of help that are actually useful, how to keep things organized without it becoming a full-time job, and why a little consistency often matters more than big gestures. You’ll also hear real examples of what’s worked for other authors, from inviting readers behind the scenes to creating small moments that invite people to be part of the process.Most authors don’t start out with a massive audience, and that’s okay. The real value comes from a handful of people who are willing to show up, share the book, and leave thoughtful reviews when it matters most. This episode is about how to make the most of that support in a way that feels personal, sustainable, and aligned with what you actually need.By the end of the episode, you might find yourself thinking more clearly about who you’d want on your team and how to support them in supporting you. Maybe it’s revisiting your timeline, reaching out to a few trusted friends, or just writing down what kind of help would actually make a difference. Wherever you are in the process, this chapter is a good place to pause, take stock, and start mapping out what comes next. It’s a good moment to look back at how far you’ve come and to think about who’s coming along with you.—If this podcast is giving you valuable insights, subscribe now to stay in the loop and take a moment to leave a review. Your support makes a huge difference in helping more people discover the show.Subscribe to our newsletter here: https://getshelflife.com/category/newsletter/Head over to our new website now to discover new content and more: www.getshelflife.comIf you're interested in connecting further or have any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected]

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