“The Book is What You Make of It”: Keri Ohlrich’s Author Journey

Keri Ohlrich is the CEO and co-founder of HR consulting business Abbracci Group. Her book The Way of the HR Warrior, co-written with Monica Frede, was published in September 2018. Hear her speak at our inspiring nonfiction publishing session in Los Angeles on May 28.

HR is a loaded issue in business these days. What gap in the business leadership genre were you looking to address with your book The Way of the HR Warrior?

LifeTree Media author Keri OhlrichWe wanted to address the skill gap in HR as well as common misperceptions regarding the value that HR can add to an organization. Our book discusses the foundational skills that HR personnel need in order to be successful HR Warriors.

What encouraged you to go the hybrid publishing route, and how did that factor in your decision to work with LifeTree Media?

It was our first time publishing a book and we weren’t familiar with the book publishing world. For that reason, we didn’t want to fully self-publish—we wanted experts to help us.

In what ways has LifeTree helped you in your publishing journey that you wouldn’t have been able to accomplish on your own?

Everything! The book is 100% better because of LifeTree. While we didn’t make any changes to our basic ideas or direction, LifeTree helped us develop our voice and engage with the audience in a more effective, meaningful way.

How has your book served your consulting business? Is it a useful teaching tool in workshops and speaking engagements?

The Way of the HR Warrior has provided the content of our workshops, and all of our speaking engagements are due to the book. It is a hustle to get the book out there, but well worth it!

Now that you’re a published author (congrats!), what takeaways do you want to share with aspiring authors?

Be realistic with your publishing expectations. Most of us don’t usually end up with a New York Times bestseller, so the book is what you make of it. For us, we wrote a niche book to support our business.

It’s a good idea to hire a PR specialist to help you devise strategies that will get your message out there. Besides that, you can apply to speak at conferences and use ideas from your book to develop workshops, coaching sessions, etc. And don’t forget to network network network!

Want to write a nonfiction book to share your expertise? Join us in Los Angeles on May 28 for professional advice and real insights from published authors. Purchase your ticket now!

 

Jesmine Cham

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