Your Next Big Idea: Improve Your Creativity and Problem-Solving takes readers through the mental process of turning their ideas into actions. Why was this an important book for you to write?

My inspiration came after noticing an omission in entrepreneurship education. When students learn about entrepreneurship, teachers refer to already successful companies, like Google or Apple, but rarely talk about how those founders developed and cultivated their ideas in the first place. This type of teaching does a disservice to students. It can lead to frustration as people ask questions like, “Why didn’t I think of that?” It can also lead to confusion and even damage a person’s creative confidence. Many who experience this omission wonder if they would ever be able to develop an innovative idea, permanently labeling themselves as “not creative.” I wanted to challenge the narrative around how we teach entrepreneurship by creating a nonfiction work that teaches readers how the top creatives and innovators develop ideas in the first place. I do this by taking a step back and examining the ideation process to serve as a foundation for entrepreneurial development.

As someone who grew up where language arts was my weakest subject, I wanted to challenge the typical design of a nonfiction book. I wondered whether a nonfiction book could be redesigned to be a better teaching tool for readers. Research from the University of Chicago, Boston University, and University of Texas show that experiential learning increases comprehension of a subject. While typical books use text and pictures to relay information, I realized that rethinking communication entirely would provide readers the best chance to learn and absorb information. Throughout the book, I included 54 exercises meant to take the reader on an experiential journey that helps them better reinforce and explore the information presented.

What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were younger?

The hardest part of accomplishing work is often getting the courage to get started. Once you form a routine it is like a slow-moving train that keeps inching closer and closer until you cross the finish line!

Also if you have a risky idea, try it now. Don’t wait. You never quite know where the idea will take you and you can always stop along the way.

What is one piece of advice someone gave you that changed your life?

It was, “Write about what you know.” If you feel like you have expertise about something, write about it. Putting out a published work in nonfiction will increase your credibility on the subject. This can ultimately lead to new career opportunities, new personal opportunities, and new connections.

What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?

I currently have a couple of ideas I am working on! None of them are quite final yet, but I hope to be able to put another creative work out there soon!

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