When the Book Becomes the Business — Wiebke Tasch

Wiebke Tasch is a Berlin-born publishing strategist and founder and CEO of the U.S.-based publishing company Digital Authors. With a master's background from Bauhaus University, she approaches book publishing as a functional system — where clarity, structure, strategic positioning, and high-quality design work together. She helps nonfiction experts turn their ideas into professionally published, market-ready books built for long-term impact. In today's episode of Smashing the Plateau, you will learn how to turn your book into a strategic business asset that grows your audience and attracts paying clients. Wiebke and I discuss: - What led Wiebke to self-publishing \[02:19] - The moment she chose entrepreneurship over a traditional publishing career \[04:31] - How getting stranded in Morocco during COVID shaped her business \[07:16] - Her personal transformation and identity shift \[10:38] - The difference between writing a book people read and a book that grows a business \[13:00] - Why market positioning matters before you write a single word \[13:52] - How she repositioned a client's book to generate nine times more pre-orders \[16:27] - How the Amazon algorithm works and why the first five days matter \[17:00] - The role community played at every turning point in her journey \[19:20] Learn more about Wiebke at https://tidycal.com/digitalauthorsllc/free-market-analysis \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\__ ***About Smashing the Plateau*** **Smashing the Plateau** is a podcast for experienced independent leaders who have left corporate roles to build sustainable, expertise-based businesses. Each episode features a thoughtful, experience-driven conversation about what changes when you no longer have the infrastructure of an organization behind you. We explore judgment, decision-making under uncertainty, growth plateaus, identity shifts, and the role of trusted thinking partners in sustaining long-term success. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\__ **Take the Next Step** **• Experience the power of peer perspective.** Join a live guest session and connect with experienced professionals navigating similar challenges: https://smashingtheplateau.com/guest **• Stay connected to the conversation.** Get new episodes, reflections, and invitations delivered to your inbox: https://smashingtheplateau.com/news