Aaron Ryan has published 51 books, voices campaigns for UnitedHealthcare, Amazon, Uber, Microsoft and Cadillac, and has been self-employed since 2007. He also recently went back through his entire catalog and rewrote it by hand to match his convictions — knowing it would cost him readers.

Aaron is a bestselling author, speaker and full-time voice actor, and this conversation is for anyone sitting in a job with something they want to build on the side.

We get into how to leave a 9-to-5 without jumping off a cliff — his "look for the X" framework — and why the day job that funds the dream isn't a failure. The moment a boss accused him of something he didn't do and changed how he saw job security forever. Why every job he ever held was training for self-employment. How having his hours cut turned out to be the opening he needed.

Then the harder stuff: running a business on Christian conviction, putting "Christian author" on his website knowing exactly what it would cost, keeping a "Leave work at work" sign on the door when you're your own boss, and what it actually takes to write a six-book saga.

CHAPTERS

0:00 - 51 Books, and "I Have to Create or I'll Detonate"

1:48 - Wait — Is It 51 Books or 35?

4:02 - The Boss Who Accused Him, and June 2007

5:09 - Every Job You've Ever Had Is Training

7:39 - Don't Quit Your Day Job

9:22 - Look for the X

14:35 - Balancing Family When You're the Boss

17:22 - Leave Work at Work

17:49 - Faith, and the Day He Was Told to Choose a Side

21:22 - He Went Back and Rewrote All 51 Books

22:33 - Putting "Christian Author" on the Website

27:05 - The Books He Was Called to Write Are the Ones That Sell

31:14 - Planner or Pantser: Building a Six-Book Saga

35:38 - Children's Books, a Bedtime Story, and Why He's Anti-AI

39:32 - Is Christianity Making a Comeback or Under Attack?

45:03 - Stop Marketing. Be an Enthusiast.

50:49 - From Telemarketer to UnitedHealthcare

56:47 - Gratitude, a Mantra, and Be Yourself

FIND AARON RYAN

Website & books: https://authoraaronryan.com

Blog: https://authoraaronryan.com/blog

Private reader group: https://authoraaronryangroup.com

Store: https://authoraaronryanstore.com

Email: aaron@authoraaronryan.com

BOOKS MENTIONED

The End — Christian dystopian saga, his top seller (especially on audio)

Dissonance — six-book alien invasion saga, adapted for screen and being pitched to streaming

You Are My Whole Earth: A Daddy's Love For His Sons

God Is Not Santa — a referendum on prayer

As the World Burns — the standalone he's writing now

Carbon — his next Christian dystopian trilogy

The Ring of Truth / The Sword of Joy / The Book of Power — children's trilogy

Super Ordinary Heroes — children's series

Step Into Success takes you in the trenches with real entrepreneurs who are currently building their business, from every industry and every corner of the globe. Watch the video version on YouTube.

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