Another way to become an expert is literally to write the book on your specialty. Noah St. John, 33 author of Permission to Succeed: Unlocking the Mystery of Success Anorexia (Health Communications, $14.97, www.permissiontosucceed.com), firm where St. John coaches corporate and individual clients who want to stop limiting their own success. St. John has built both his reputation and business through publishing in 1998, and the book was then released through Health Communications. 

St. John has built both his reputation and business through publishing; he started by self-publishing in 1998, and the book was then released through Health Communications. St. John’s advice on publishing a book also applies to writing articles: Find something interesting to say, find an interesting way to say it, and give it a “grabber” title. When developing the premise, title and hook for writing, make sure you can state your point, in just one sentence. For his own book, he uses “This book is about why so many smart, creative, talented people push their own success away.”

As for the business aspect of publishing, St. John offers the following tips: Self-publish before going through a traditional publisher, get a fabulous headshot of yourself, and make the front cover impossible to ignore. St. John also says you need to be prepared to be your own media expert, publicist, direct marketer, salesperson and cheerleader ̶ ̶ never let another person determine your fate.

St. John and Entin both used publishing and public speaking to further their business on very little money. Entin had just her personal savings and St. John started with about $4,000. By employing targeted tactics for gaining recognition, they have both grown their enterprises into profitable businesses with a national client base.