Brenda Hukel spent 30 years coaching leaders before walking away at 55. Now she helps women turn a lived story into a book, and a book into a business. If you finished writing and nothing changed, this is your next step.
GROWTH PILLAR: Leadership & Ops
WHO THIS IS FOR: Women sitting on an unfinished (or unread) manuscript / Corporate escapees rebuilding on their own terms / Coaches and consultants turning their story into a business / Leaders building systems
WHAT THEY'LL GAIN: A clear reason why finishing the book isn't the finish line, the real belief systems that keep people stuck after publishing, and a practical roadmap from story to book to business.
Finishing a book doesn't fix anything by itself. That's the problem Brenda Hukel solves.
Brenda spent 30 years inside organizations — coaching leaders, guiding change, working from the C-suite to the front line. At 55, she walked away from her executive role. She wrote Courageously Authentic, an award-winning book that's been featured in over 200 media outlets, and built Awakening the Consciousness Within around it.
In this conversation, Brenda and Bernie dig into why so many women finish a book and then stall out. It's not a skill problem. It's fear, and it's inherited beliefs most people never chose in the first place. Brenda walks through her Author's Roadmap process — the emotional work that has to happen before the writing does, and the business structure most first-time authors skip entirely.
Key topics covered:
Guest links:
Brenda Hukel · LinkedIn · Facebook · Pinterest · YouTube · Instagram
Special thanks to Paula Washington for making the introduction between Bernie and Brenda.
— PARTNERS ON THIS EPISODE —
Next Steps:
Bernie (00:18)
Question the audience.
You wrote the book, so why does it feel like nothing has changed? A lot of women finished writing and then stop. Waiting to waiting for edit. A lot of women finish writing and then stop, waiting for something to happen. Today's guest will help you understand why that feeling is actually the signal to begin.
Brenda Hukel spent more than 30 years working inside organizations, coaching leaders, guiding change, and helping people find their voice. Then at 55, she made a decision that shifted everything. She walked away from her executive role to do the work she felt called to do. Today, Brenda is the founder of Awakening the Consciousness Within. She guides women, especially women 40 and beyond, from their lived story through the writing of a book
And into the business that story can build. Her award-winning book, Courageously Authentic, has been featured in over 200 media outlets around the world. She's been honored as a marquee, Who's Who 2025 inductee.
She believes one decision can change everything. She's proof of it. Find her at BrendaHukel.com and on Instagram Hukel Brenda. Brenda, an absolute pleasure to have you here today. Thank you so much for joining us.
Brenda (01:24)
thank you, Bernie, for inviting me. I've been looking forward to this conversation.
Bernie (01:28)
Same here. So do you have a favorite quote you like working with?
Brenda (01:31)
Yeah, the one I like the most is the most powerful books begin the moment a woman chooses courage over fear and shares her story with the world.
Bernie (01:38)
Very nice. So you spent thirty years in an executive role. So w what what what flipped the switch going, Yep, I'm gonna do something different now? What made what made that moment pop?
Brenda (01:49)
Well, during my career I worked across all levels of the organization, from CEOs and doctors to frontline and coaching thousands of women, and I kept seeing the same pattern. And the pattern was that women were living lives shaped by these inherited beliefs and conditioning that they never chose, but were passed down through generations. And then one day I realized I was living that too. So at fifty five I became an entrepreneur and I walked away from everything, leaving a lot of financial security.
Leaving benefits, everything, because I refuse to stay in a system earny that rewarded performance over values and conformity over integrity. Because success without alignment can feel like a slow death. And I just reached a point where I could no longer ignore it. So I left. I wrote my book, courageously authentic, and just I wanted to help women transform how they live and choose the life that they desire rather than the life they're expected to live.
Bernie (02:41)
Yeah, that's that takes a lot of courage to to shift gears and going and disengaging here because there's security of, cash flow having benefits. you know apparently as we age we tend not to our warranty our warranty kicks in.
that that's quite the that's quite the shift of gears. What was the moment that you knew your story had to become something more? Like you know what what lit that fire? You know, exactly what
Brenda (03:03)
It was when I realized that my truth was the same truth as so many other women were living, and staying silent was costing us years of our lives. Because when we share our story and we have the courage to speak out, it can become the moment someone else needs to give themselves permission to change, to live the life that they're meant to live.
Bernie (03:20)
Your book's the starting point and but it's not the end point. And usually if someone writes a book, it's like I've just built something. Look, ta da. You know, done. Why is it considered more a part one and there's a part two to the to the story or to the activity?
Brenda (03:35)
Yeah, because br when you write a book, your book is the foundation, but the real goal is it's using your message to build a business, to really grow your platform. Because what you're wanting to do is create a legacy. A legacy that you can leave behind when you're long gone.
Bernie (03:50)
So when you're leaving that legacy, do you lever how do you leverage the book then? is it just is it does it sit on the bookshelf? No. Is it is it a traveling roadshow? Is it a
Brenda (04:00)
It can be. It's you know, it depends on what you want to do. Some women write a book and they they just they just need it they use it as a healing process, right? Because when you your story can do two things. It can either heal you or it can become something that you something that you can give put out into the world. So when you write a book, you have to decide what you want to do with it and if you really wanna build a business around it.
So a lot of women they'll write a book and they'll put it out and nothing and not it doesn't go anywhere because they don't have the right structure and framework around it. Writing the book is actually the easy part. It's everything else that comes after the whole publishing process and building your platform, building your social media. So it's it depends on what they want to do with it. Either way I I help either way.
Bernie (04:46)
Ramp up period, and it's interesting. You you have someone that's gone through an experience in life, you know, they they have a rich history in a workforce. They want to exit stage left. You don't necessarily have to exit stage left, but writing the book, right, helps develop the business. How long does it take from you know what? I I'm gonna make a decision. It's it's not like you know I I think I'll have pizza tonight.
You know, it's it's a different it's a different process. What's what's the life cycle like for that?
Brenda (05:11)
It depends on what they're writing about. If they're li writing about their lived experience, that can take a long time because when you're writing about your lived experience, the emotions that haven't healed, that you haven't healed, are gonna come to the surface. So let me give you an example. When I was writing Courageously Authentic, my dear friend and mentor said to me, Brenda, when you write about consciousness, you're gonna be tested. And I'm like, I got this. I had no clue, Bernie, no clue at all.
Because when I d every chapter I wrote, because I take the reader on a journey through the to a whole transformation, is I was tested to the core.
So when I got to the last chapter, I had to make a decision to accept my husband's decision to live or die. And that really was the final the final test that I ha I was given by the universe. So thankfully he lived. But that's what it it depends on what you're writing about and how much healing that's gonna take place. So I wrote it in a year.
But some people it takes them ten, fifteen years to write it because you reach a point where you y you will get they call it w writer's block, I call it the author's ceiling, breaking the author's ceiling. And you just have to go through it at at a pace that you're able to go through it.
Bernie (06:24)
So one other central piece, because I know when I write something and I write it in in in in my from my head into the onto the paper or the computer. And sometimes someone will look at me going, Bernie, what you trying to say? And so it's clarity, right? And how do you how do you get someone who's who's got a real strong message and now all of a sudden, you know, if you look at it and going, I think you're trying to say this, is this correct? You know.
How do you build that clarity in in into the the messaging so that it's can be consumed by all?
Brenda (06:57)
The message message clarity is when your story, your message and your purpose are all aligned. They have to be aligned and you know exactly who it's gonna serve and how it's gonna create results because when you don't have that, then your message is gonna lack direction and it's gonna limit your ability to have impact in the world.
Bernie (07:14)
So is this something that you you said earlier that you know if someone writes a book and then just stops there and just why do they do that? Why do they just is it just is it something they're getting off their chest, so to speak, or is it just they don't know what to do in the next steps? Like, you know, where to take it next, where how to build it up?
Brenda (07:32)
Yeah, the the number one thing I have seen and I went through this myself is the one thing that limits people from moving forward is fear. It's the fear of being judged, it's the fear of being criticized, of being seen, going out to the world with your message. And many women when they write about their lived experience and they're gonna tell their truth, then they're they're afraid their family and friends are gonna turn against them. This is what I t call
breaking the Arthur ceiling because you either increase your visibility or you remain stuck. And this is what I work with women on. So either you have the courage, you choose courage over fear, or you remain in the old belief systems and the old conditioning and you never move forward. So it's a decision they have to make.
Bernie (08:10)
So when a person has this release, the cathartic release of all this energy, right? And they're going, Hi, here here's the story. Where does it take them next into the cause they're gonna make a business from this? So how how do you craft that next leg of the journey? Do you do it in the book? Do you do a subsequent book? Do you build courses around it? you know, how how do you structure the next steps based on what the person's doing?
Brenda (08:34)
It depends on what they want to do. So like what I did for mine is I took my book and I created a a like a suite of digital tools that women can work independently on or c with through my coaching. Because women tend to ha suffer in silence. When they're healing and they're writing about their lived experience, they don't always want to tell their family and friends. So that's why I designed the tools that I designed. So
with my speaking engagements and my retreats and my digital tools, that's the that's the p path I chose to go down. Other women will take their book and they'll just speak about their their lived experience and and they'll just do speaking engagements. Others will do they just focus more on getting women together and doing retreats. So it's really depends on where they want to take it and how they want to build their business and the structure and the platform around it.
Bernie (09:22)
You also work with them then on the from the business side, going, let's say someone says, I'm writing my book. This is kind of the the next step. I just I've never done the next step. You know, I'm feeling courageous, I'm launching, I'm going forward. But sometimes you you have to have other things around you to help guide you. It's like doing a podcast for the very first time, right? Anybody can do a podcast and anybody still can, but having having a structure and a and a flow around it helps, right?
deliver a message. Do you provide that s a structure or here's the next shape? This is here's the suite of services you have to have around you, whether it's you know, you're doing clinics, you're doing seminars, you're doing webinars, you know, all that stuff. Do you help build that stuff out?
Brenda (10:07)
Yeah, I have a it's called Craig Craigiously Authentic Writers Toolkit. And in that writer's toolkit, it has everything that the author needs to d to go on the whole authorship process. And then it also has it tools that can help them frame up their their business and their structure and how they wanted to go out into the world, how they want to build the legacy. So that's I I work with them on releasing the emotional barriers and I also work with them
on putting a complete strategy together for them before they even start to write the book. And then I also do coaching, I offer coaching while they're w writing the book for any questions that they may have. So it's it's a complete framework and it's it's a little unique. I haven't seen one quite out light that out there because it addresses the emotional barriers and then it also addresses the technical side of writing and publishing.
Bernie (10:57)
How strong are the emotional barriers? Are they are they pretty potent?
Brenda (11:01)
yeah. They can base. They can run pretty deep. these are what happens, Bernie, is when you start writing about your experience, these there's an these inherited beliefs about worth and belonging that start to surface. And these are formed early in childhood, usually very early in childhood, and they continue to shape how women show up. So if they don't have the awareness around this, then women either show up or they stay silent. And that's why it matters.
Whose belief system is driving your decisions. And I talk about this in my book and I offer I even offer the chapter for free from the website Who Owns Your Belief System? Because I encourage I really encourage the listeners to download that because that's where if we're not aware of who's driving our belief system, then we go through life living under someone else's biases, judgments, you know, likes, dislikes. And this starts in childhood when we're growing up with our parents.
And it's not to place blame on our parents, is to raise awareness that as we're little, when we're young until we reach probably the age of seven, we're we don't have the discernment to decide if whether what we're absorbing is truth or not. What we're absorbing is mom and dad's beliefs, judgments, biases, likes, dislikes. And for mothers, it's even
more stronger because the mothers are passing down for what they were how they were raised from generation to generation. So when we explore our belief system and we decide whose belief system is really driving our lives, that's life changing.
Bernie (12:29)
So if someone writes a book, they they they build out the program and they're up and running. Yeah, might it might take six months to a year, depending on on the nature of the story and what they want to achieve. Do you do they ever go back and do iteration two or update or you know, I wrote book number one, that's ch almost like chapter one. Here's chapter two, you know, the I come out the other side and this is what I've learned. Do you have do you have that cycle come built into the process too?
Brenda (12:55)
Yeah, when you yeah, it's called editing. you're gonna go through several different stages of editing. There's several different types of editing that gets done. But I think I added mine at least I rewrote my chapters s so many times, probably f fifty times, because I wanted to make sure that the words I was using and how I structured the book, anyone could pick it up, regardless of their background, their education, their ethnicity. So when
Women write, and this is one of the things w y why you have to take your time with it, is you're gonna go through, like I said, several different iterations to make sure that you your message that you wanna put out into the world is targeted to the right people. 'Cause you're not gonna write for everyone. You're gonna write for a targeted group. So yes.
Bernie (13:40)
So you help build out that when someone wants to write a book, do they already have a clear understanding who the audience is, or is that something that kind of evolves as they're writing it and it just kinda morphs? you know, like iterations and going, yeah kind of tweaks, you know.
Brenda (13:53)
No, you've got to have when you start, you have to be very clear on who your targeted audience who your target niche is. There's it's different. And then you have to be very clear about what your message is. So what I walk through with when I work with women is we get very, very defined. That has to be very defined. And I actually have an AI power tool that helps them define that, define their message and define it's called the book whisper and defined
their target group and that how they want to outline the chapters. It will not write your book for you 'cause I don't believe AI should write your book. But you you have to get very clear on that. Then you start writing your book. Otherwise you're gonna be doing a a ton of rework. It it won't flow.
Bernie (14:33)
that makes sense. Do you find that so if someone had a successful business that they'll write a new book and to help branch out further, like to build upon the business they've already established?
Brenda (14:45)
Yeah, it evolves over time. It it's remarkable how it evolves. I'm gonna be writing another book and it's it's just now starting to come to me. But once you launch your book, it is such a a feeling, right? And then you start you start building your business around it, you start building your programs around it, and then when you start building your start building your platform and your followers, your followers will let you know what they want. And then that's then you branch off on that.
Bernie (15:11)
Would it be fair to say then the person that's going to be writing the book is is the client that they're talking to? i is it is it based on that or is it, you know, if if someone has never had cancer, right, but they're an oncology nurse, you know, they they help treat it. So do you have to have that experience or is it or is it something that you see happening that you know you can make a difference in? Is it is it driven by a
I've gone through it, I've got the t shirt, I know how how to go the next step. Or is it I help people or I've worked around people that are going through an issue and I know how to help them in the next step. And not necessarily a negative issue, it can be a positive issue, but you know, it it is it is it defined that way? Do you help build that out?
Brenda (15:52)
Yeah, it can be both. It can be both. So if you have someone who has an expertise in a certain discipline, then that message and that how you frame that and build that out is going to be a different than someone who has a lived experience that they wanna go out and tell their truth. So if someone is like I just did a a woman's speaking engagement not too long ago.
And w after I talked about my book and talked about what was in it, it resonates so much with the women and a lot of them had a very dysfunctional, very tr a lot of trauma in their life that what I have in my book helps them heal that. Versus my experience, if I talk about my thirty years experience in human resources, organizational development and coaching, that would be a different framework and be a different message. That would be more technical, how to do it.
Right.
Bernie (16:40)
Yeah, I'd hop I'd hope so. So someone's listening to this listening to this conversation and they don't know where to start. What's the first step? What's the first step they should engage?
Brenda (16:50)
They should it's like what we've t already talked about, they should start with really getting clear on what they want to talk about. What message do they want to give get out there? So is it the message about talking about their trauma? Is it the message of saying, I had this trauma and I want to help other women? Or is it more of I have a lot of experience and I want to show my expertise? So when you get clear on that message and clear on your target audience.
Then you start building your whole foundation around your book and your business. But you it but to to really get started, I think another piece that's important to to talk about, Bernie, is you have to identify the beliefs that are keeping you stuck. Because if you don't get those out of the way, then you're not gonna c you're not gonna really put yourself out there to be visible. You're gonna it's gonna be surface level and your readers are gonna be able to see through that.
So you identify the beliefs that keep you stuck and then you outline your story and the lessons from it, if you're talking about your lived experience, and then from there you're able to share shape that clear message, who it serves, and then becomes the foundation of your book and your business.
Bernie (17:53)
Do you find that the that first step because if you've not done something before, right? It's kind of wobbly legs. It's like watching a kid l first learning to walk or, you know, riding a bike or first to drive a car, first time, right? Everything's not a hundred percent perfect. Is this where you kind of kick in and say you provide that encouragement and kind of help provide the stability of the training wheels for a little bit and then they're off to once they get that confidence, is it do you kind of provide that element also?
Brenda (18:20)
Yep. Yep. I what I do is I meet them where exactly where they're at. So where if they're having started or if they've written a book and they're not sure if it flows, I don't do I don't do editing and I don't do ghostwriting. But what I do do is I meet exactly where they're at. So if it's if they need, you know, help with moving through their fear or if they need help with the difference between choosing courage over fear
So what I do is I meet them exactly where they're at. So if they're needing help working through the emotional barriers, then that's what we do first. If they already have their ideas and their target audience and their the what the structure of their book, then I'll help them review that to make sure it's really defined. And then we use between my digital products and my book and my Journey Back to You bundles, then we just figure out
which one, which support that they need and then we start there. So it's really where it I think I just I provide a safe space for them so that they can explore what they really want to do and where they want to take it.
Bernie (19:21)
So if a woman in starts a business up and she doesn't have a book, what's the difference between having having the book the the process versus not having the book?
What's the impact of them?
Brenda (19:32)
the difference is choosing c courage over fear. One woman owns her story and steps into visibility and builds from it while the other one waits for permission. So when you choose yourself, everything shifts. You step into a life that you're meant to live. And I've seen women step into it and then step back out because fear can just fear can either be a motivator to move forward or it can paralyze you in place.
So I that's what I would say the difference is is choosing you, is choosing courage over fear. Own your story, step into your visibility, step into your vulnerability, and just be prepared to be comfortable with being uncomfortable because people will, depending on what you're gonna be telling, your truth, some people may be taken out of your life, and that's okay. Because when you stand in your authenticity, your authenticity is gonna mean more to you than anybody else's approval or acceptance.
Because you're standing in your truth.
Bernie (20:22)
So when someone crafts a book, just kind of focusing on the book itself, does it is it a hard copy? Is it an ebook? Is it a a course that's the the book actually becomes the course like an interactive book? How how do you shape that process? What is there a kind of a more ideal way of doing it where you it's almost like a business card being handed to somebody versus it's a an engagement tool versus
you know, it's it's more r a reference resource.
Brenda (20:50)
again it depends on what you're writing about, but what a lot of what the the where the industry's going, a lot of people like their audiobooks. So if you've got a book that has a lot of exercises in it, I wouldn't recommend an audio book because you're gonna want to download that. But I my book I have it as hard copy and I have it as a ebook so they can read it on their iPad. I may eventually do an audio. I have been asked to do an audio but my book has a lot of exercises in it.
So there's there'll have to be if you want to do audio, you'll have to have a down like a PDF that they can download the exercises. So it's very expensive to to publish a book. And it's very expensive to do an audiobook. So you have to decide based on the the theme of your book and who your audience is, then you have to decide how you want what kind of format you want it in. At the very least, do a hard copy and do a ebook. But if you have a book that like a storybook for children
then they're gonna wanna see it, they're gonna wanna touch it. You know, it depend and also depends on who your h target audience is. So mine is women over forty. And a lot of women over forty want to be able to touch the book. They wanna be able to highlight it, write in it. So that's will be that's kind of that's a decision toward the end that I work with them on.
Bernie (22:02)
Interesting thing you just mentioned that because you it's one thing to have the content, right? But you know you're t you're you you just spoke to something that's even more interesting is how do I work with the content in in the moment, in the heat of the moment. How many different ways can this be sliced? obviously you figured out for you know for ladies over forty, you know, they they want to be able to make notes in the margin, use the highlighter, etc. What other what other keys?
Because that's that's delivering the product so it's shaped right for the person. So almost like, you know, you go to buy clothing, you know, you buy it for your size. Yeah. Yeah. I think I'm wearing the midget shirt today, you know, or versus, you know, something that's you know, no, no, shouldn't have worn that. How how do you figure that out? How do you sort through that? Is is there is there a kind of does your AI support that? Is that something that you help them figure out? Like
Message got that part, got the book part, now how to deliver it in so that the it's consumed the right way. It it can can allow for more positive interaction.
Brenda (23:02)
Yeah, it's so so there's a lot of things you can do. Like if for if you have a book that's like a storybook, it's may maybe you want to just write storybooks for children, there are positive affirmations, then you can actually put some tools and fun games around that for the kids, right? But if you're writing about trauma and you're writing about wanting to help heal other women and there's exercises in there like mine is, you can actually build out a workbook.
Or you can take your book, like the questions you have in your book, and you can do different segments that you can do podcast and go on YouTube. Right? Or you can create programs around it and create digital pr digital products around it. So why it's important to understand who your target audience is, because like mine are forty and over fifty, forty and fifty and so on, is because a lot of them
Like I said earlier, they suffer in silence. They don't they want to heal in silence. They don't want their whole family knowing. So when I design my products, I designed that with in mind. That they can just download work in their privacy of their own home, or that they can do private coaching with me. So it really depends on like if I was writing a book about HR, then that would be more instructional. Right? But
When you write about your lived experiences and you're talking about belief systems and fear and how the ego controls you and prevents you from changing and how you're f so contracts and why the people in your life that hurt you the worst are your your teachers. And you understand about moving out of victim mindset into freedom, all that is very heavy work and it's a lot of work to dig down into your emotions and allow that healing to take place, you can transform.
So I have to be very mindful of how I build those products because you can't go fast. You have to take it and phase your pa pace yourself. So that d it depends on what my my clients want or how what they're gonna be writing about. Then we put a strategy around that piece of it.
Bernie (24:59)
You treat it more like a memoir or do you treat it more like a
Is this this the path to follow? Where the person's saying this is the path they followed and this is how they got around got around to the other side of the circumstance. Or is it a memoir?
Brenda (25:12)
You can write a memoir, but memoirs really don't sell that well unless you're a celebrity. Right? So what I mine is a self help book. So it's nonfiction. If someone wants to write a memoir, one of the things you could do is write a put it in a fiction book. Write a story. It's gonna sell better. You just take your lived experience and then you put it in a fiction f format and you have different characters. That's what I would recommend.
But there I do know a lot of people who who have written memoirs and they've done well. It's just very hard to promote that. You've got to have a really large following. So what I would do is I would build my following first as I'm writing my book and really build that up and then you can start advertising it that it's coming and set it up for pre sale. So you gotta build that expectation, excitement around it, if that's what you want to do for a memoir.
Bernie (25:59)
Or the actual printing, let's say you want to do a hardcover or you're looking to do an audiobook. Do you also arrange for the those services to come into play? It's again one thing to craft the story, you know, build it up, you know, map out, okay, I need this, I need this, I need to do a promo tour, or I'm hosting a class or you know, whatever the case might be. but the elements of you know, the actual product that it's in hand.
Do you also handle that element or do you do you have other folks that help support that for you?
Brenda (26:31)
Yeah, that what I do is I give them some choices. I don't handle that piece of it because you can either go with a publisher or or a hybrid publisher, or you can do it yourself publish, right? A publisher is a little tricky because they kinda own the rights of your book. They can change whatever they want to change. They can change the cover, the title, the insights. A hybrid is the you make all the decisions and they do all the work. But you've got to really read the contract closely because they're y y you all need a like an intellect you'll need a an attorney for that.
So the hybrid is they will set it up, they'll do all the printing, but there's a cost to that. There's a huge cost to that. Or and then the self printing, there are different companies that like Lulu, you can send your book to. And so I just get them a t I just get them a list and help them decide which is the best for them. But yeah, and then the ebook, there's just you can set that up through Amazon. But again, you've got to be very careful because how you set it up
they can actually own their rights to your book. So you wanna be careful about that. There's some knowledge there that I share with them.
Bernie (27:31)
That's that'd be important, knowledge. That'd be fairly important. Yeah.
Brenda (27:35)
Ama Amazon actually has we're I I I can't remember the name of it, but the it depending on how you set it up, you you can't set it up, you can't sell it anywhere else except for there. So you've got to be really careful to understand what the de di what the rules are around all that. So that I just kinda coach them on.
Bernie (27:51)
Good to know. Courageously authentic. It's been featured in 200 outlets worldwide. How did you how did you make that? how did you make that rabbit pop out of the hat? That's that's awesome stuff.
Brenda (28:01)
Yeah. Yeah, that it was I actually went with a hybrid company when I published my book and when we when we went live it just it would just took off. I mean I was so surprised by that. But it I wouldn't recommend the publishing company that I went with because that they were very difficult to work with. But it depends on what package that you want. So I wanted to touch the women's
reach women across the world because I had a message and I wanted to reach the hearts and minds of women across the world. So I went with a package that it went global. But the thing that surprised me the most was when my book went out, Bernie, women across the world were reaching out to me and there's ever they were saying the same thing. Then when they read my book, that they felt like the I was right there with them.
And for many of them, it was the first time they ever felt truly seen or heard. So they were able to connect with my story and through the exercises I have in my book, they walked through those exercises and they found themselves changing. So that's the impact I'm talking about when you share your truth. And when you just you have to you have to have your strategy in place before you even write your book. So I was very clear on who I wanted to impact, what I my message was.
and who I wanted to reach. And what I'm finding now as my book is out there is that it's working. So that's why it's important to really understand. But a lot of times w women or men too, they'll just sit down and start writing without they don't know what they don't know. So when you don't have that structure, you don't have the tools, you don't realize that you may have gone down the wrong road until your book is published. You spend all this money and time and you put your book out there and it's it's not moving. And you're wondering why.
So it's there's it's a lot of work, but it's well worth it.
Bernie (29:49)
Did you do other languages or is it all in English?
Brenda (29:52)
Right now it's it's in English. It's offered throughout the world. It's but I am gonna put it in different languages. I just haven't gotten there yet. I I published last May, so it's it's really taken off. My book has been I mean, when my book went out, I it was featured in Associated Press twice, USA Today. It ended up in New York City in Times Square. I didn't see any of that coming.
And I'm gonna be featured in Vanity Fair later this year, probably Q two. So you just don't realize what's on the other side of the your fear. That's why I I always say choose courage over fear, because when you look at it in the eye and you you choose you and you do it anyway, then and you're aligned with what you're meant to do, y the world just opens up. Everything shifts. So
Bernie (30:38)
Was it a plant was was it a planned strategy then to have and again, kudos, you know, to having Vanity Fair pick it up and and the associated press. What what triggered them to dive into it?
Brenda (30:52)
They they when my book went out, they I was recognized for all my work I'm doing in a woman's empowerment. That's what triggered it. So that's when Marquis Who's Who reached out to me and said, Listen, we want to feature you because the work you're doing in women's empowerment and had the courage to leave your executive role at fifty five and now you've got this book that's gone global that women are buying off the shelf and they're you know, they're they're changing their lives because of your book.
Then all of a sudden it's just like everything blew open. I mean, I didn't reach out to them. I wouldn't even know how to. But, you know, I got it. That's when USA Today reached out to me. I did an interview and and then I, you know, I Googled myself one day and I realized my book is out on New York Times Square. You know, it's just it was amazing. So yeah, it's an incredible opportunity and I'm honored to be featured in Vanity Fair. but to me it reflects what happens when you choose when you choose your path.
You know, when women are ready to say, I choose me, and don't worry about everything else. The world will catch up with you. Don't worry about it. You choose you and you look fear in the eye and you do it anyway, you're just you're gonna be amazed. That's what legacy means. That's what leaving a legacy behind. It's when you choose you, you write your story, you go out to the world, there's no turning back. You know, it takes courage. That's why I name my book Courageously authentic.
Bernie (32:08)
Would it make sense if you're getting that much traction? and I don't know if it's the same for you in your case, but for for another person to have a an agent to represent you?
Brenda (32:16)
You can. And what the thing with the agent is it takes a long time to get an agent, couple of years. And I would say g do your book first and then if it's flowing up like that, I have an agent now because the visibility that I'm getting. But don't worry about that in the beginning. Just get your book done, get that written, get your platform built, get your social media f fit built, the peop your following built, because that's really important. What I've seen and I made the same mistake.
was that you're so involved in writing your book that you don't realize everything else you've got to set up. So you gotta set up a following, you gotta set up a email following, you gotta set up your social media, you know, and all this vi all this visibility and advertisement and everything, it's a lot. But you don't do it until after the book's done and you wonder why it's not moving is because no one knows who you are. So that's why a strategy is so important.
Bernie (33:05)
Absolutely. Do you have a preferred social media platform or is it totally dependent on the audience?
Brenda (33:11)
is totally dependent on their audience. Now I'm on all social media except TikTok. my audience because of the age group that I f I focus on is Pinterest. I have over two hundred thousand hits a month on my Pinterest account, which is crazy, right? And Instagram and Pinterest are the two top. My Facebook I have over five thousand followers. I I probably know two hundred of which is family and friends, but
That takes off too, but I I like LinkedIn as well. I like a professional platform as well. I don't do a lot on Twitter. It's just not my I have an account, I just don't do a lot on Twitter. But it really depends. Like I have a friend who's writing a book about astrology and she's on TikTok and hers is blowing up because that's that age group that she's focusing on. She's targeting. And it the topic of her her book is astrology. So she probably it wouldn't do well on Facebook.
LinkedIn, but it's do it's taking off on TikTok.
Bernie (34:05)
Yeah, th th that makes sense. That makes sense. Artwork. Who does the artwork? Like d do you do it's like pairing a wine and a cheese, right? You know, these two things go well together. These two, although they're wine and cheese, will never go well together. How how do you pair the the message and the artwork? You know, if if if someone's doing sci fi you would y you know, y yeah you ha you see certain things, but if someone is doing something that is
You know, doing yoga instruction and meditation. You're not gonna see sci fi at work working its way in or, you know, the creature of the dark, you know, with the fangs hanging there. You know, that's that that's not yoga esque. How do you f how do you find that perfect balance?
Brenda (34:42)
Yeah, you've got to find a really good artist and that there's a lot of them out there, of course. You can but when I was doing Courageously Authentic, because of my topic and what was the in the int the contents that's inside the book, I did research on that. So purple is an empowering color. It's for healing. And then the lotus flower is about emerging from the dark into the light. The dragonfly represents change and transformation.
And then your title your title you have to do a lot of research to make sure someone else doesn't have the title for one. But then y whatever title you pick, it has to be able to describe what you're writing about. So mine is courageously authentic, but I have a subtitle that says turn you know, transforming pain into power, fear into courage and dreams into reality. So that tells you and gives you an idea of what the book is about. So and then I just of course have my face on it, but to your point
It has to match. So when someone looks at 'cause there's thousands of books out there, but when they see your book, you want to grab them. So that, your title, your picture, and then on the back is you want to make sure that your description is SEO optimized. So that when they look at that, they're like you you connect with them on an emotional level and then they want to buy your book.
Bernie (35:56)
So who should be reaching out to you? you know, and what does it you know, what does it l look like when they when someone starts working with you? They c w what should they expect? They go, Is it a coffee first thing in the morning at five hundred hours?
Brenda (36:09)
time it is. any any woman I my f my target is women. I I can work with men, but I prefer women. Any woman who's ready to make a change, ready to really step into her power, tell her story, and r is serious about the work. Now I have an application process for coaching because I wanna make sure that w whoever reaches out is that she's ready because some people aren't but
So that kinda gives me an idea of where they're at and then I'll I have a free consultation. Usually I spend an hour with them, just kinda talking about because when they when they set up an am meeting with me, they rarely talk about the book. What they'll do is they'll talk about their experience first and their trauma. And then that's good because then we can kind of break it down to what they want to do. Do they just wanna write a memoir? Do they wanna write a a book and help the people? Or they j are with are they just
wanting to put it into a fiction story. And that discovery call helps me really frame up and decide w if I'm the best person for or if I can if someone else is the best person.
Bernie (37:08)
You believe one decision can change everything. What is the most unexpected decision that changed your life?
Brenda (37:13)
The most exp unexpected decision was starting over at fifty five because I realized that staying the same was costing me my life. I chose myself and that decision changed everything, not just for me, but for women around the world that I serve now. That's a legacy.
Bernie (37:27)
Brenda's book is called Courageously Authentic, a woman's guide to transform pain into power, fear into courage, dreams into reality. You can find it through the link in the show notes or by visiting BrendahHukel.com or at Amazon or Barnes Noble.
And special offer. she also has the authentic writers toolkit at the at the same website. so check it
out.
head to BrendaHukel.com to explore her programs and connect directly with her. If today's conversation has moved something in you, it's the starting point. You know, let it let it be let it be the beginning. And I want to say also a big thank you to Paula Washington for making this introduction happen. We appreciate her doing the cross connect. And that's how we Brenda and I met. she she helps women stop treating their story as something that just happened to them.
And start using it as something that can serve others. She guides them through writing, the clarity, and the business strategy it takes to build something lasting that they have a legacy for or from. The women who come to Brenda often arrive feeling that their story isn't good enough, or that they've already done the hard part by writing the book. What they end up leaving is with is the clear message, a business that reflects who they are and the confidence to stand in front of the world and share it.
She's building a world where a woman's most courageous decision isn't the last one. It's the one that opens the door to everything else that comes next. If you've been sitting on a story or a book or wondering what comes next, this conversation is for you. Reach out to Brenda. Check us also out at knack4business.com. That's knack, spelled N-A-C-K. The number four, business.com.
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