Blog Archives
Reclaiming Their Time, Sanity, and Profits
The Magnet, The Method, and The Machine provides readers with a clear roadmap for custom homebuilders who are ready to scale their company while gaining back their time, sanity, and freedom. How did you come up with the concept and then develop your system of “3 Laws and 9 Levers?”
After coaching hundreds of custom home builders, I started to see repeating patterns — not just in the problems they faced, but in the way high-performing companies overcame them. I realized that every successful builder had three things working in harmony: their marketing and positioning (The Magnet), their team and structure (The Machine), and their systems and execution (The Method). Those became the “3 Laws.” From there, I broke each law down into three actionable “Levers” — the tools a builder can actually pull to create measurable change. It evolved organically from years of real-world experience, not theory. My goal was to give builders a clear, repeatable framework to scale past $20M while reclaiming their time, sanity, and profits.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
One of the most important ideas is that scaling a business isn’t just about more revenue — it’s about more freedom. Builders don’t need another spreadsheet or tactic; they need clarity, leadership, and alignment. I wanted to show that the chaos most owners experience isn’t personal failure — it’s structural. When you understand the 3 Laws, you stop reacting to problems and start engineering results. I also wanted to weave in the human side — the burnout, the family sacrifice, the loneliness of leadership — and remind readers that the real goal is to build a business that serves your life, not consumes it.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from The Magnet, The Method, and The Machine?
That scaling doesn’t have to cost you everything. You can build what you want, where you want, with who you want — if you’re willing to slow down long enough to build it on purpose. My hope is that every reader walks away not just with a playbook for growth, but with permission to lead differently — to lead from clarity instead of chaos.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
They hustle for leads, drown in details, and spend every day putting out fires.
They run an adult daycare instead of a business.
On paper, they look successful — trucks on the road, projects underway, revenue hitting $3M, $6M, even $10M+. But peel back the curtain, and you’ll see the reality:
They haven’t built a business. They’ve built an expensive prison with a fancy logo.
They’re the first one in, the last one out, and the bottleneck in every single decision.
Sound familiar?
It doesn’t have to stay that way.
In The Magnet, The Method, and The Machine, bestselling author and ICF Certified builder’s coach Rodric Lenhart pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to scale a custom homebuilding company to $20M+ while gaining back your time, sanity, and freedom.
This isn’t about hacks, spreadsheets, or another piece of software that sits unused on your team’s laptops.
It’s about building a company that works without you — by applying the 3 Laws and 9 Levers that have transformed builders from Vancouver to Miami.
Inside you’ll learn how to:
Attract premium clients on demand so you never waste time on tire-kickers again.
Build a team you trust to run projects without you so you can finally step out of the day-to-day chaos.
Install systems that drive profit and predictability so growth feels controlled, not overwhelming.
Position yourself as the authority in your market so clients chase you instead of the other way around.
Scale revenue while gaining freedom so your business supports your life – what you wanted when you started this thing in the first place…
These frameworks aren’t theory. They’re battle-tested with real builders who’ve scaled beyond what they thought possible.
War of the Words
Carol Karels’ War of the Words: The Office Revolution That Transformed the Lives of Women and the Men They Worked For is a fascinating mix of family memoir and tech history. Karels tells the story of Microsystems Engineering Corporation (MEC), the small family company her father and uncle founded in the late 1970s that created MASS-11, a powerful word processor that quietly helped shape the modern office. From NASA contracts to the early days of Digital’s VAX computers, she traces how a homegrown business rode and was eventually crushed by the wave of the Information Age.
What grabbed me right away was how personal it felt. Karels doesn’t hide the messiness: her brother’s public one-star review of her first book, her father’s fierce ambition, and the family’s chaotic dynamic all sit side by side with the story of a company at the center of a digital revolution. When she recalls their product being featured at the Paperless Office event at the Watergate Hotel or the excitement of reading Alvin Toffler’s The Third Wave, the scenes feel alive, filled with awe and possibility. Yet underneath, there’s tension, the sense that every success came at a cost.
I loved how Karels mixes technical history with heart. She writes about computers, word processors, and office automation, but always brings it back to people: her father’s restless drive, her brother’s pride, and her own search for purpose. Her prose has a natural rhythm, part storytelling, part confession, and even when she dives into details about the DEC VAX or the shift from typewriters to terminals, it feels human and intimate.
One of the most memorable moments for me was her father’s blunt advice: “Learning MASS-11 might be the best goddamn thing you ever do.” That line sums up the entire book, equal parts tough love and belief in possibility. Karels writes with humor, honesty, and just enough bite to keep you hooked.
War of the Words is perfect for readers who love memoirs that connect personal lives to cultural change. It’s about family, ambition, innovation, and the strange beauty of watching a dream take shape, and then fall apart. Anyone curious about women in tech or the human side of the computer revolution will find this story both moving and unforgettable.
Pages: 332 | ISBN : 978-1953728432
It’s NOT Just About Money
The Leader Connection – The Foundation dives deep into the human side of leadership, covering topics like empathy, communication, adaptability, and the nuances of eight distinct leadership styles, as well as providing actionable strategies for leaders. Why was this an important book for you to write?
Observing the current discussions and insights about labor, staffing shortages, and turnover, I felt compelled to share my journey and passion with a broader audience.
What is a common misconception you feel people have about leadership and employee connection?
It’s only about the money!
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
1. Understand Your Leadership Style
2. The Importance of Your Role in Building Connections and Enhancing Culture
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from The Leader Connection – The Foundation?
The book serves as a crucial resource for both novice and seasoned leaders, offering valuable insights to help achieve success.
Author Links: Facebook | Website
Success Story
Limited Partner Investing is a guide that inspires everyday investors to move beyond safe bets and discover how funding local businesses, franchises, and partnerships can build personal wealth and strong communities. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I was in a Half Price Bookstore one day, and while looking through the bargain book section, I located a book entitled “Stock Investing.” I then decided to write a book entitled Limited Partner Investing.
In your research, which real-world success story stood out most?
Limited partnership businesses are about cash-cows and modern-day ‘gold mines.’ My favorite modern-day gold mine is the golf driving range. People in the small business industry decided, in the 1970s, that a golf driving range is a modern day gold mine. Why? Because, believe me, golf driving ranges just make money. Anyway, I have interviewed a lot of business owners over the course of my lifetime. And all of these people, every single one of them, shared something with me about how they turned their local business into a local success story.
How do you balance the enthusiasm of your writing style with the need to convey the risks of LP investing?
A well-known LP industry formula is used to make decisions about LP business investments.
What advice would you give someone who wants to take their very first step into being a limited partner?
Read my two books, Limited Partner Investing, and Limited Partnership Basics and More! These two books will provide you with direct information on what you need to get things going.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website | Amazon
Literary Titan Book Award: Nonfiction
The Literary Titan Book Award recognizes outstanding nonfiction books that demonstrate exceptional quality in writing, research, and presentation. This award is dedicated to authors who excel in creating informative, enlightening, and engaging works that offer valuable insights. Recipients of this award are commended for their ability to transform complex topics into accessible and compelling narratives that captivate readers and enhance our understanding.
Award Recipients
Just a Little Witch, Mostly a Mom by Diana Jonas
Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.
Limited Partner Investing
Limited Partner Investing lays out the world of limited partner investing in a straightforward way. It explains how people can move beyond low-risk investments like CDs and mutual funds and instead look at opportunities to fund local businesses, franchises, and community ventures. The author weaves history, like the aftermath of the 1930 stock market crash, with modern examples of cash cow franchises and real estate partnerships. There are sections on how LPs work, what perks they bring, the risks involved, and how they can build both income and community. This is a guidebook for people curious about diversifying their portfolio with something more hands-on and connected to real communities.
This is not a dry finance book stuffed with numbers and charts. It feels more like a friend giving you a pep talk about why you shouldn’t just park your money in the safest corner of the room. The writing carries an energy that kept me flipping the pages. I liked how the author tied in friendship, networking, and local pride with money matters. It gave the topic a human touch. On the flip side, I did wish the book had gone deeper into case studies or hard data. I wanted to see more real-world examples of success and failure.
The sentences are short and punchy, which makes the book easy to follow and quick to digest. The style feels conversational. There’s a contagious enthusiasm in the writing, and it’s clear the author genuinely believes in limited partner investing as a path to both wealth and stronger communities. That passion made me pause and imagine investing as something personal and tangible, not just numbers in a faceless market. It’s a powerful idea that sticks with you.
Limited Partner Investing is best for beginners who want to get excited about investing outside the box. If you’ve only ever thought about stocks and mutual funds, this gives you a peek at another path. It’s not a textbook. It’s more of a spark, an encouragement to join an investor club, talk to local business owners, and think bigger about your money.
Pages: 70 | ASIN: B0CHQVSPSB
Be Clear and Intentional
Communicate Like a Champion provides straightforward advice for enhancing professional communication, along with strategies that emphasize clarity and empathy. Why was this an important book for you to write?
This book was important for me to write because I’ve seen time and again that the success or failure of projects, teams, and even careers often comes down to communication. As a leader in telecommunications and during my doctoral studies, I recognized how often components of communications, such as clarity and empathy, were missing in professional exchanges. I wanted to create something concise, practical, and easy to use, something people could apply immediately in their workplace, whether they’re leading teams, collaborating across departments, or simply trying to be better understood.
What is one misconception you believe many people may have regarding effective communication in the workplace?
One of the biggest misconceptions is that communication means more words. People often think that long emails or detailed presentations equal effectiveness. In reality, effective communication is about being clear and intentional, saying the right thing, not everything. Another misconception is assuming silence means agreement. “No questions” doesn’t always mean understanding or alignment, and that’s where leaders need to confirm, follow up, and create space for feedback.
Did you learn anything that surprised you while you were researching and writing Communicate Like a Champion?
What surprised me most was how consistently small actions can create significant results. It wasn’t the grand speeches or high-stakes presentations that made the most significant difference; it was the everyday habits that mattered most. Things like summarizing a meeting in a single clear sentence, asking one good clarifying question, or pausing to reflect before responding. Those small, consistent habits are what transform someone into a “champion communicator.”
What is one thing you hope readers take away from this book?
If there’s one thing I want readers to take away, it’s that communication is a skill you can practice and improve. It’s not just for extroverts, executives, or “natural speakers.” With small, intentional steps clarifying intent, listening actively, and following up, you can become the kind of communicator who builds trust, fosters collaboration, and leads with confidence. That’s what “communicating like a champion” is all about.
Whether you’re a new professional, a seasoned leader, or someone navigating the complexities of hybrid teams, Communicate Like a Champion offers practical, proven strategies for improving your connection, leadership, and collaboration in the workplace.
This concise and actionable guide walks you through the core elements of strong communication—from clarifying your intentions to using empathy and follow-up effectively. With relatable examples, reflection prompts, and a 28-day challenge to build habits over time, this book helps you go beyond just “getting your point across.”
You’ll learn how to:
Communicate clearly across departments, hierarchies, and mediums
Recognize internal and external factors that influence every message
Use tone, clarity, and follow-up to earn trust and foster collaboration
Apply tools and tech that elevate your tone and clarity
Lead conversations with empathy, even when conflict is unavoidable
Whether you’re sending an email, running a meeting, or managing change, this book provides a reliable framework for ensuring your message lands and builds stronger relationships.
Alignment on the Rocks: Reconnect the Work You Do to the Impact You Make
Sean Albertson’s Alignment on the Rocks is a guidebook wrapped in a river metaphor. The idea is simple yet powerful: our lives and our work move like rivers, and the rocks we hit along the way don’t stop the flow, they shape it. Albertson breaks life and business into four rivers: Customer, Career, Community, and Core, and shows how they connect and sometimes clash. He uses stories, frameworks, and personal reflections to show readers how to find alignment when things feel scattered or stuck. The book moves from explaining these rivers to offering tools like the 4ROCKS, FIND, and BREAK frameworks, all building toward a state of FLOW where life and work feel intentional and balanced.
Reading this, I felt both inspired and a little challenged. Albertson doesn’t sugarcoat the reality of misalignment, whether in a company or in a person’s life. I liked how he wove in his own career experiences, from climbing ladders to realizing he was chasing the wrong things. It made the lessons feel real, not abstract. At times, the book leaned into repetition, circling back to the same metaphor of rivers and rocks, but oddly enough, I found that grounding. It drilled the point home in a way that stuck with me. I came away reflecting on my own “rivers,” and it was hard not to pause after certain chapters and scribble notes about where I might be stuck.
What I appreciated most was the practicality. This isn’t a book of lofty slogans that sound good but fall apart on Monday morning. The frameworks, especially the BREAK method for turning obstacles into opportunities, felt usable right away. I could see myself applying them at work and at home. That said, the tone sometimes veered into the motivational-speaker zone, which may not land for everyone. I personally didn’t mind it because it was backed by stories and concrete steps. It gave the book both energy and warmth, and I found myself nodding along.
I’d recommend Alignment on the Rocks to anyone feeling caught in turbulence, professionals trying to reconnect with purpose, leaders aiming to build healthier teams, or even individuals seeking better balance in life. It’s not a dense business manual, nor is it a fluffy self-help book. It sits somewhere in between, with heart and structure working together. If you’re open to reflection and ready to look at the “rocks” in your path, this book will give you both a lens and a set of tools to move forward.
Pages: 121 | ASIN : B0FPGG4SKV
LITERARY TITAN 