So many ambitious authors think the answer is to just publish the book.

But what if that decision is costing you more than money?

In this week’s episode of the Finally Seen™ podcast, we sit down with book proposal expert Debra Eckerling to explore what most authors misunderstand about publishing. We’ll talk about why so many authors waste money on the wrong hybrid publisher, what traditional publishers are actually looking for, and why a book proposal is a strong positioning tool that can open many more doors for your book.

This conversation is equal parts candid truth and powerful strategy. We break down advances, literary agents, distribution myths, and what it really takes to get your ideas into the right hands.

If you’ve been thinking about writing a book or you’re debating how to publish, this episode will help you think bigger.

Because if done right, your book can be a product of a visibility strategy that positions you to be seen, heard, and paid.

In This Episode:

• The Moment You Realize Your Book Is Bigger Than You Think
• Owning the Niche No One Claimed
• The Publishing Lie Most Authors Still Believe
• Traditional vs. Hybrid: What You’re Really Paying For
• Advances, Royalties, and the Myth of “Losing Control”
• Why a Book Proposal Changes Everything, Even If You Self-Publish
• What Literary Agents Actually Look For in 2026
• Visibility Is the Real Currency of Publishing
• If You’ve Been Thinking About Writing a Book… Listen to This

This episode is sponsored by:

Bobelo (Use code ChrissyBernal15% at checkout to get 15% off!)

Bio:

Debra Eckerling is on a mission to change goal culture in and out of the workplace. A goal-strategist and workshop leader, she is the author of "52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting" and "Your Goal Guide: A Roadmap for Setting, Planning and Achieving Your Goals" (Independent Publisher Book Awards, Silver Medalist, Self Help 2021) and the creator of The D*E*B Method for goal-setting simplified.

A freelance food, lifestyle, and business writer, Debra contributes to First for Women, Woman’s World, and the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles. However, nothing makes her happier than being in front of the microphone.

Debra has spoken on stages for TEDx, Innovation Women, VON, Agorapulse, TechMunch, California Creative Writers Conference, LA County Bar Association Lawyer Well-Being Project, Women’s National Book Association, and more. She is the host of #GoalChatLive aka GoalChat on the Marketing Podcast Network and host the award-winning Taste Buds with Deb podcast.

Website: https://thedebmethod.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coastbunny/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedebmethod/

beabetterbrand.com/

What if the thing holding you back is not a lack of discipline, ambition, or drive, but the belief that success requires self-sacrifice?

In this week’s episode of the Finally Seen™ podcast, we welcome speaker and organizational psychologist Erika Coleman for a candid, science-backed conversation about burnout, overachieving, and why so many high-performing women are quietly exhausted. Erika shares her personal journey through grief, business loss, and recovery, along with the powerful insight that changed everything: you can give your best without giving your all.

We’ll explore why “doing everything right” still breaks so many women, how stress actually works in the body, and what sustainable high performance really looks like. This episode is for the woman who is capable, driven, and deeply caring but tired of paying for her success with her health, presence, and joy.

If you are ready to stop white-knuckling your way through ambition and start building a life and brand that honors your full humanity, this conversation is for you.

In This Episode:

• Why Overachieving Is Failing High-Performing Women
• When Doing Everything Right Still Breaks You
• The Overachiever’s Trap No One Talks About
• Overachieving vs Even Achieving
• The Dark Side of “Good” Intentions
• Why Self-Care Isn’t Working for High Achievers
• The Science of Stress and Sustainable Performance
• When You Become Your Own Biggest Rival
• Learned Confidence vs Embodied Confidence
• Busyness Is Blocking Your Biggest Impact
• Two Questions That Reveal Burnout Early
• Recalibrating Without Shame
• Giving Your Best Without Losing Yourself

This episode is sponsored by:

Bobelo (Use code ChrissyBernal15% at checkout to get 15% off!)

Bio:

Erika Coleman is a speaker, organizational psychologist, and recovering overachiever who helps high-performing leaders achieve more without burning themselves out. She is the founder of a multimillion-dollar virtual training company and holds a master’s degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology from Harvard University.

After navigating profound burnout alongside personal loss, Erika became deeply curious about stress, motivation, and what sustainable success actually requires. Today, she blends research-backed insight with lived experience to help individuals and teams redefine high performance in a way that protects their health, relationships, and sense of purpose.

Through keynotes, workshops, and executive coaching, Erika challenges the belief that success must come at the cost of well-being and offers a smarter, more humane path forward. Her work empowers ambitious people to give their best without giving their all.

Website: https://www.erikacolemanspeaks.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erika-coleman-1591b435/

beabetterbrand.com/

What if everything we were taught about understanding people is wrong?

In this week’s episode of the Finally Seen™ podcast, we welcome David Allison, one of the world’s leading experts on human values, a best-selling author, and the founder of The Valuegraphics Project. David breaks down why age, gender, income, and other demographic labels no longer work and what actually drives human behavior, decision-making, and loyalty.

This conversation goes deep into values, neuroscience, brand strategy, leadership, and visibility. You’ll learn why values shape everything from how people buy to how they trust, follow, and commit, and how understanding what matters most to your audience makes your message clearer, your impact stronger, and your presence more magnetic.

If you’re building a brand, leading people, or trying to connect without shrinking or performing, this episode will change how you see your audience and yourself.

In This Episode:

• ​​Why Demographics Are Dead in Marketing and Branding
• What Actually Drives Human Behavior and Decision-Making
• Values vs. Age, Gender, and Income: What Marketers Get Wrong
• How the Brain Uses Values to Choose, Buy, and Trust
• The Neuroscience of Values, Dopamine, Alignment, and Anxiety
• Why Stereotypes Fail and How They Damage Connection
• Brand Strategy Built on Human Values, Not Labels
• Corporate Values vs. Human Values: The Critical Difference
• How Understanding Values Creates Loyalty and Trust
• Why Shared Values Matter More Than Political or Cultural Divides
• Using Values to Lead, Communicate, and Build Stronger Cultures
• How Values Shape Visibility, Messaging, and Personal Boundaries
• Why Knowing What Matters Most Changes Everything
• A New Way to See Your Audience and Yourself

This episode is sponsored by:

Bobelo (Use code ChrissyBernal15% at checkout to get 15% off!)

Bio:

David Allison is a human values expert, global researcher, and two-time best-selling author. He is the founder of the Valuegraphics Project, an organization devoted to a simple goal – influencing outcomes with shared human values. The Valuegraphics Research Company is one division of the Valuegraphics Project, with a team of researchers and project managers who help organizations understand how to engage and influence the people they want to reach.

David coined the term valuegraphics for an entirely new type of predictive audience insights, which organizations like PayPal, lululemon, Five Star School Supplies, Google, and the United Nations Foundation have embraced. His work has been written about in Forbes Magazine, Harvard Business Review, Business Insider, and INC Magazine. The World Economic Forum published his findings, and valuegraphics are now included–next to demographics–in college textbooks used around the world.

David speaks internationally and helps brands use valuegraphic data to engage, motivate, and inspire the people they want to reach. INC Magazine named his last book one of the ten best leadership books of the year, and Kirkus Reviews called his new bestseller, The Death of Demographics, “convincing, insightful, and...revolutionary.”

Website:

https://www.davidallisoninc.com/

https://valuegraphics.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidallisoninc/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidallisoninc/

beabetterbrand.com/