Published & Black Podcast
Welcome to the Published + Black Podcast, where the worlds of self-publishing, business, and life converge. I'm Tiffany A Green-Hood, your host, Publisher, Author, Coach, and Design Strategist. Join me each week as we delve into the hidden stories behind self-publishing triumphs and the intricate world of publishing.
Together, we'll illuminate the brilliance of black authors, exploring their captivating narratives and honoring their achievements. Our journey doesn't stop there – we'll delve into the art of crafting impactful author brands that extend beyond books and messages.
Prepare to dive into profound discussions, gain invaluable insights, and unlock the secrets of navigating the ever-evolving landscape of self-publishing, while touching on crucial aspects of both business and life. Whether you're a wordsmith, an entrepreneur, or simply in pursuit of inspiration, the Published + Black Podcast is your empowerment destination. Tune in, learn, and embrace the journey with me, your host, Tiffany. 🎧📚
Published & Black Podcast
What If You Didn't Need Anyone's Approval? (102 Rejoice)
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Tiffany A. Greenhood addresses the mindset blocks that prevent aspiring authors from publishing their books and building successful brands. She shares powerful insights on overcoming permission-seeking behavior and taking decisive action now rather than waiting for perfect conditions.
• Stop procrastinating and making excuses that lock up your potential wealth
• Your daily thoughts steer your book, brand, and financial success
• Stop asking for permission from people who don't understand your vision
• Make one bold move today without overthinking it (send a pitch, post your book cover)
• Getting it done is better than delaying it - perfection is the enemy of progress
• Don't stall your blessing because you're afraid of being seen
• You don't need more time, you need a new decision
• Use AI tools like ChatGPT to help you get started and create a plan
• If you start today, you'll be well into your project by Friday
Visit publishwithtiffany.com to join the email list and access digital products. Check out publishyourbooktoday.info for publishing packages and design services. Learn about the Publishing Black Chamber at publishingblackchamber.org.
Stay tuned for Published in Black, the go-to radio show for black authors, creatives and entrepreneurs ready to turn their stories into success. Hosted by publishing expert and brand strategist, tiffany A Greenhood, each show will deliver real talk, powerful strategies and insider knowledge on self-publishing, brand building, wealth creation and making an impact with your voice. Whether you're writing your first book, growing your business or scaling your influence, published in Black will equip you with the tools, inspiration and unapologetic confidence to thrive. Listen now and be informed.
Speaker 2:Hello, happy Tuesday. This is your host, tiffany A Greenhood, with Publishin' Black Radio. We are back and ready to get into this message today. I want to do some housekeeping real quick. So if this is your first time listening, or you've been listening for a while again, I encourage you to go to my link, publishwithtiffanycom. You want to join the email list? You want to go and check out Publishing Black Magazine? You want to? You also? I don't know if you guys know, but we are live here on Rejoice 102 every Tuesday at 12 noon, central Standard Time. Okay, we reached Chicago. We also reached Northwest Indiana, central Standard Time. Okay, we reached Chicago, we also reached Northwest Indiana, but I don't think you know that you can go and you can listen to the replays at my podcast, publishingblackpodcastcom. Publishingblackpodcastcom, you can listen to every single show that we have done. For the last what six months? We've been here since May. For the last six months, we've been here since May.
Speaker 2:So, yes, some really, really great content, information that you need that you can apply now, whether you are publishing a book or not. Let's just keep that at the forefront. Whether you are publishing a book or not, if you are publishing a book, that's great. There is content for you information, tips, strategies and everything that you need to move forward in 2025. Ok, we have less than six months left, so we don't want to keep playing around and keep talking about it, seeing what we're going to do.
Speaker 2:I've even been like harder on myself with my own projects lately because guess what? Why not? Why not? So definitely go to PublishWithTiffany dot com to join the email list. You also want to take a look at some of the digital products that I have on there I have. If you want to get into AI, I have e-books for the creating the AI images. That's real, real heavy across social media. If you have been wanting to know how to do that, I have the anthology blueprint download. You can download that. Everything on that page is who I am and what I do. So if you want to book a call with me to work with me one-on-one, you can find that on there.
Speaker 2:If you are looking to redesign your brand, if you need to rebrand, if you need to create a brand, I develop brands for authors, entrepreneurs, ceos, coaches you name it I can do it. So, just kind of like, wherever you are in the stage of your business, whether it a book or not, you can find products, digital downloads, instant downloads on publishwithtiffanycom. Now that we have that out the way. Also, our latest, um, my latest launch of the publishing black chamber please don't forget about that. Okay, it's great, it's something great to have in your back pocket when you are facing different, uh, discrimination. You know issues with, um, your book.
Speaker 2:Being a black author, we folk, we, we are faced with a lot of different situations that come up. I'm just gonna say that, okay, uh, me personally, I have going to say that. Okay, me personally. I have one to where the Gary public library will not put my magazine in their library, which is crazy. However, as the publishing black chamber, we're going to deal with that Head up period. We are going to implement, we're going to attempt to implement some new policies, some legislation stuff. Like I'm on the legislation side. Ok, so call it publishing and politics. Ok, so go and check out publish and black chamber dot org. All right, go and check us out. I have a minimal fee to become a lifetime member now, and it's just something good to have in your back pocket. You never know what you may face when it comes to your books, your intellectual property as it is related to your books, your stories, because we have a right to be in the Library of Congress, we have a right to be in the public library, we have a right to be able to promote and different things dealing with contracts, and it's just so much. But go check that out. All right, now let's dig right into our topic today, which is let me see, four questions that will change how you move. Four questions that will change how you move. Okay, so we are going to dig in to help authors, messengers and brand builders shift how they show up daily, mentally, strategically and spiritually. All right, so we want to um, let me just say this this this topic today really is going to touch on how you do not need permission.
Speaker 2:A lot of times, we procrastinate that's the word I want to use. Procrastinate, that's the word I want to use. Procrastinate we drag, we just kind of like because number one, we really don't believe that we can do it. And this can start with. Simply, we could just talk about the people who keep saying they're gonna write their book, okay, period, nobody's gonna force you. Ain't nobody pushing you? Whatever, do, do what you want. But at the same time, a lot of times, you're locking up your wealth, because you are procrastinating, because you are dragging with it and just like making so many excuses. We all know that life is going to happen regardless, crazy stuff going to happen regardless. There's nothing we can do about that. However, we still need to stay on track with what we said we was going to do. We still need to stay on track with what we said we was going to do, so it gets to a point to where, when you're going to stop making excuses. Okay, so let's just start here.
Speaker 2:Your daily thoughts are steering your book, your brand and your bag. What are you thinking about every day? What are you thinking about? Are you thinking about how? Because I get it when, when it's especially when you're writing a book about your life story. Because I get it when it's especially when you're writing a book about your life story. Last week, we had a guest on live. We did a live interview with Rone Kent out of San Francisco, california, and we just released her book Moi right, and it's absolutely amazing. We are so excited. We are excited about this release. It was called Her Grace and Grit Anthology. Okay, so it's a collection of stories hers being one of them from black women who pushed through and said yes, right, yes, right.
Speaker 2:So it can be challenging when it comes to even thinking about putting out your story, your personal traumas, and it's not. It's not easy, I must say that it's not, but it's very possible. It's very possible. And in order for you to heal is one of the things she said on the show In order for you to heal, it's going to have to happen. It's going to have to happen. There are several ways to process your healing journey, however. Releasing it in a book is one of them. Okay, and even she realized that that's on the replay. When I say you can go to publishandblackpodcastcom and go listen to that episode is very, very, um, powerful, very powerful.
Speaker 2:So we have to stop making excuses and um, asking for permission. Let's talk about the permission, because I've even realized that in the last, I'm gonna say, in the last two years, certain things that you want to do, or ideas, we be having so many ideas right, but then we don't move on them because it doesn't sound right or correct to someone else. Let's stay right there. It doesn't sound right or correct or average, or what people are used to, just like me. Starting the publishing black chamber of commerce. Ain't nobody ever did that before. But guess what? I'm already past that stage, so I don't care what people think, I don't care what they think. I'm not asking nobody permission for what. What do I need to ask that permission for?
Speaker 2:When you go to asking folks what you can and can't do when it pertains to your life and your journey and your business, that is how you put on the barriers. You put the barriers up. That's how you start having things that block you, because a lot of times we talk to people who don't even really know anything even about that, and even sometimes you can talk to somebody you know we kind of put, we place people with degrees and these big titles and we put them way up on pedestals. But when it comes to certain things that we like, I think very different, very unorthodox, very untraditional right, I am traditionally wired, just crazy period, and so not too many people are gonna even understand how my brain works. And guess what? I'm okay with it.
Speaker 2:You got to be okay and I feel like once you tap into the gifts that God has placed in you, whether it's pertaining to your book, your business, your brand, whatever it is you're out here trying to do and accomplish it while you're on earth, alive and breathing. You got to stop asking for permission and just do it. A friend of mine is having a conference called Do it Scared. You have to do it scared. Okay, you can check that out at DoItScaredMasterclassWeekendcom. Doitscaredmasterclassweekendcom. But that's a thing Doing it scared, doing it without permission. Stop talking to folks that don't even understand how your brain works. I had to realize that myself, and when I finally realized that, it took me up 5, 10, 20, 50, 100. It took me up levels I never even thought existed. Okay, so that's the first thing I want to leave with and, um, we're gonna take a break real quick too many storms have passed your way and you're all washed out because it rained on your parade.
Speaker 3:Thank you. More pain. Don't let your tomorrow be like yesterday, cause I spoke to God, I called out your name and, on your behalf, I just asked if he would be there for you. I want you to be blessed. Don't live life in distress, just let go. Let God, he'll work it out for you. I pray that your soul will be blessed Forever in His presence. We are back. Never want for nothing. You're always satisfied.
Speaker 2:We are back. I love that song. I want you to be blessed as you listen to. All these different episodes I have are to basically implement change in your life now, now, right now, not tomorrow, not next week, not in six months, but right now. It's time for us to just stop tripping and just get it done, because it's guaranteed to change your life, but you have to believe in it.
Speaker 2:Your mindset, what you wake up and think about every day, is going to play a part in the results that you see. If you're waking up every day and you feel like you know life is over, that's what it's going to feel like. But you have to start implementing things that will begin to change your mindset. Your prayers probably need to be different. Your words definitely need to be different. Your words definitely need to be different. Your conversations need to be different. Who you talking to need to be different. Listen, it's a lot of things and elements that you have and people around you that are not in your favor that will affect the results of what you believe in. For for real period, period, it's just that's just how it is and so, um. The only person can change that is you. The only person can change. That is you okay? So I'm gonna hop back in. Um, let me see, I have. Oh, you're not gonna be able to get to everything today, but I want to talk about this.
Speaker 2:What's one bold move that you can make today without overthinking it? Without overthinking it, one thing could be if you're trying to publish your book, come up with a title today. Look, look, look, you can talk, you can come up with a title. Chad GPT can help you come up with a title. Period period. Chad GPT could be your whole team. We're not going to get deep into it, but, yes, stop being scared of AI and use it to your advantage, okay, so, one bold thing you can do, whether it's the, it's the event that you've been wanting to have, that you've been talking about, and I'm talking to myself too. It's the event that you've been wanting to have that you've been talking about, and I'm talking to myself too, because I still have a major event that I've been talking about for three years that haven't applied it, haven't launched it. So what bold move can you make today without overthinking it? Whether it's sending out a pitch letter, posting a book, if your cover is done, you can start posting and selling that book. That's the pre-order strategy that I'm always talking about. You can sell your book and make money from your book way before it's published or printed Period.
Speaker 2:People do it all the time, so stop being scared. Grow some boldness. Boldness there are. There are coaches and motivational speakers that I follow, just for the boldness that I pull from them Because I wasn't bold.
Speaker 2:Everything I sit here and talk about was not me. If you look back 10 years ago, it was not me. 10 years ago was not me. But I realized I had to step up to the plate and turn into a whole different person in order for the authentic me to live Like. I had to do this. So I'm speaking to that person who is so afraid to just step out and do some things. Step out and do some things and I'm telling you you will look back.
Speaker 2:I was telling a friend of mine the other day.
Speaker 2:I was cleaning up extensively Saturday and I came across pictures and I have so many.
Speaker 2:I'm the person that keep all the family pictures, so we have so many pictures and it was like like y'all remember them little sleeves that came, that come in.
Speaker 2:Um, we used to get our pictures done in Walgreens and I was just going through the pictures and showing her my kids when they was little. Now they in their 30s now but I was just like I don't even know how I did all this. I don't even know how I did all this and I told her I don't look at pictures a lot because they make me cry. But I was like, okay, it's enough. And the thing was just building up in me. I was about to start crying because I'm like I don't know how I accomplished all this. Because if I think back to when I was 15, when I found out I was pregnant and everybody around me was just talking about me and just dogging me out, nobody said, had a conversation with me, nothing, and I just felt like life was over. And then, when I look at now and what all of I have accomplished, even in my bed decision making man.
Speaker 2:I'm telling you it'll blow your mind when you finally step out. So what that turned into for me was to stop being scared. It's okay to be on the journey by yourself. That made me more powerful. Now I'm not afraid.
Speaker 2:There was one time where I might have been afraid to go live on social media, afraid to speak in front of people. Now I'm not period. I've never spoken in front of a million people, you know, at an event. But bring it on like period. I'm not afraid to talk about my journey, my mistakes, uh, when I fell on my face just none of that.
Speaker 2:Me falling on my face and making a bad decision is really one of the decisions I made before I started my publishing company. Now I can look back and I have to sit down. If I sit down and I wrote down each person I've worked with and published a book for, or coached or designed, because I'm also a brand strategist, so I develop brands and create graphics and websites and all of that. It's so many I can't even keep up with it. I'd be like dang, I forgot about that or, dang, I did do that. Like it'll blow your mind when you finally just tap into the real you who everybody else didn't like or didn't want to be around, didn't want to include in, didn't want to um, include in the invite and all that. Listen, it's a wonderful. It's a wonderful for me, it was a wonderful place to be.
Speaker 2:But let me get back to my points. So one bull, one bold move, um, you can make today without overthinking it send the pitch, post the book, launch the product. Getting it done is better than delaying it. Let me say that again, getting it done is better than delaying it. The more you delay, you, just, you're just gonna keep talking about it and let me tell you this talking about it is not gonna get you paid. Period, because a lot of these moves we want to make it's monetary rewards within it. Period. People like to say you know, I've heard people say oh no, it's not about the money, get out of here.
Speaker 2:Get out of here, yo. Real people want that money every week, every month, every year. So you don't have to put on a front and act like there's nothing wrong with that. What we all need? Money to live comfortably. So it's nothing wrong with that, okay, so don't get stuck on that. So don't stall the blessing because you're scared of being seen. Didn't I just talk about that? Don't stall the blessing because you're afraid of being seen. That's why people be scared to go live on social media. They afraid to be seen. But the same people you don't want to get in front of is the same people you want to buy your book or support your business or attend your conference or um, click and register for your webinar. So there's no way around it. Okay, who would you be if you stopped asking for permission? A whole different person. That's what I said.
Speaker 2:When I stopped asking for permission, I turned into the real Tiffany that I've probably been looking for this whole time and I'm like, like man, if I could have did this 40 years ago. Man, listen. So, um, waiting for followers, validation, family support that's another biggie. Family support. A lot of times, y'all waiting for family to support y'all who are not going to support you, hang it up. All the people that support me heavy, heavy, heavy, like have turned into family were people and strangers that I did not know and now I can't get rid of them because they crazy about me, period. I have gotten a lot, a lot of feedback. Um, the last few days on social media with I had a client. I did a retractable banner for her. She just did a whole reel, tagged me and everything on Instagram and Facebook and it's like this your girl, you need to go get you a Tiffany. That's what they say. You need to go get you a Tiffany. So it just feels really good to stop talking about stuff and being all over the place and just focus on what it is you want to do and just start doing it. Just start doing it like period, all that asking for permission.
Speaker 2:I know we be wanting to talk to people. I've been, I've been there too. We want to talk to people. We want them to see like, what, um, what they think, because we think they're gonna see what we see. A lot of times they don't. A lot of times they don't. That's why I go talk to chad. A lot of times I ain't got nobody to talk to, because when your brain thinks different, when you are creative, a real creative and I know I'm a real creative you're not going to have a um entourage of people that see what you see. It's going to be what you see, and you're not going to be able to see how great that thing can be on earth while you're breathing, until you release it. I'm gonna leave that there.
Speaker 2:Okay, who would I be if I stop asking for permission, stop waiting for followers, stop waiting for validation. Please, stop waiting for family support. Okay, move. Like you already know, god gave you this assignment, because I hear that so many times. Well, god said this and God gave me this, and God and God, and God and God, y'all keep putting him in this stuff that y'all not being accountable for. Stop, leave his name out of it. If you ain't, finna, do it for real. Leave his name out of it.
Speaker 2:I'm gonna leave that right there, we gonna take a break real quick.
Speaker 3:Yes, lord, we believe you. The Bible says we have known and believed the love that God has for us. We know how much God loves us and we've put our trust in his love. It says here in his love, not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent his son to be a sacrifice for us. Come on choir. Who am I? Who am I? That the mind so loved me, that the mind so loved me. Who am I? Who am I?
Speaker 2:That you would care. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Don't forget to go and join the email list at publishwithtiffanycom and just check out everything that I have there. Everything I do and talk about and products is digital products on there. Publish with Tiffany dot com. Also, I have revamped my publishing website. It is publish your book today, dot info. Publish your book today, dot info. You can find pricing on there for publishing packages and design packages on there. Okay, so we're going to tap back in.
Speaker 2:What I want to leave you with is you do not need more time. You need a new decision. You do not need more time, you need a new decision. You need a better decision, a bolderer move. That's the real game changer. Let me say that again. You do not need more time. You do not need more time. And let me remind you again you don't need permission from anyone, okay, um, what we need to realize is that God has already placed a lot of things in our spirit anyway. So that's the only person you really want approval from, and he's already given that. So stop it. Stop it with the. I'm waiting on God. Please stop telling that lie. Okay, you also want to start.
Speaker 2:Today is what I want to leave you with Start today, today's Tuesday. If you start today, then you will be well into that thing by Friday. We have to stop letting time time management. I heard somebody say something I was watching, I think last night or this morning, and it was saying that the biggest issue is time management with business owners and entrepreneurship, time management. You don't got time to waste. You've already wasted enough time. You know what I'm saying. Think about how long you've been talking about that goal or whatever it is. Some of us got some big stuff sitting and waiting for us to move on it. So if you implement it today, you can have that thing well on its way by Friday.
Speaker 2:I don't know where to start. Go talk to ChadGBT. Y'all think I'm going to be playing about ChadGBT. Go to ChadGBTcom, chadgbtcom. Set up an account, get the paid account. They do have a free. You can test out the free. It only gives you so much information you can get. Get started, whatever it is. There's a million things out here we can do. We don't have no excuses. This is not 1982. This ain't 1985, where we were stuck and we had to go pay a coach or somebody we consider the expert. No, you become the expert. So I want you to go download ChatGPT the app or go to your browser on your computer and sign up, get the $20 paid membership and start talking to chat about what it is you want to do, and it's going to map you out an entire plan, business plan, all of that. Okay, start today, no excuses, and I'm going to see y'all next week day, no excuses, and I'm gonna see y'all next week.
Speaker 1:You have been listening to, published in black with publishing expert and brand strategist, tiffany a green hood. Listen next week for real talk, powerful strategies and much more. Again, we thank you for listening.
