Three Years Later: What Writing Lost at CEO Taught Me
This past month marked the third anniversary of the release of Lost at CEO, An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Strategy. https://www.amazon.com/Lost-At-CEO-Entrepreneurs-Strategy/dp/1961189240
I still remember that day like it was yesterday.
We held the launch event at Topgolf. https://topgolf.com/us/hillsboro/ We had people attending in person, others joining virtually, and there was this incredible energy around the event. Looking back now, what stands out most was not the book itself, it was the people. It was the relationships, the encouragement, and the circle of trust that started forming around that experience.
What amazes me is how many of those relationships are still active and meaningful today.
One example is Tommy Breedlove, https://www.linkedin.com/in/legendarybook/ author of Legendary. Tommy spoke virtually at the book launch event and did an incredible job. Fast forward two and a half years later, and we found ourselves asking a simple question:
“Could Tommy possibly emcee our 40 Strategy Growth Workshop™?”https://www.40strategy.com/growth-workshop#pricing
Not only did he say yes, but his team showed up in a big way. That relationship, one that originally came through the book, became transformative. He will return in November with a bigger role.
That has honestly been one of the greatest surprises of this entire journey.
When I first started writing the book, I had plenty of fear. Fear of being judged. Fear of whether people would criticize my writing, my thoughts, or even my character. Writing a book is personal. You are putting yourself out there in a way that feels uncomfortable.
What I can honestly say now is that the experience exceeded every expectation I had, and in the best possible way.
The book opened doors I never anticipated. It created relationships and a level of respect that I had not experienced before. I remember attending a charity event where I was unexpectedly seated in a place of honor and introduced as “the author of Lost at CEO.” I remember thinking how surreal that felt. It was one of the first moments where I realized the book had created a different level of credibility and connection.
But perhaps the most meaningful moments have been when business owners and CEOs tell me:
“How did you write this book about me?”
Most recently, at our 40 Strategy Growth Workshop in Phoenix, Youtube Link a business owner who originally knew me only as a tax professional attended the event. On the flight there, he read the book.
When he arrived, he pulled me aside and said:
“Carl, this is exactly what I’m going through.”
What made that moment powerful was that his business was in a completely different industry than many of the stories and examples in the book. But the leadership struggles, strategic blind spots, and pressures of growth were still the same. The concepts connected.
That continues to be one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.
Financially, the book paid for itself almost immediately.
Shortly after the release, I was invited onto a podcast where the host had read the book beforehand. During that conversation, they told me they wanted to hire us. The revenue from that one opportunity ended up covering the cost of producing the book.
It is the best business card that I will ever have.
But the bigger lesson was not financial.
The bigger lesson was that when you create something with the genuine intent to help others, the return often comes back in ways you never expected.
Another meaningful relationship that came through the book was with Trey Taylor, who graciously wrote the foreword to Lost at CEO. Through that relationship came introductions, opportunities, and eventually connections with people like Tommy Breedlove and many others who have become important parts of our journey.
And now, three years later, life came full circle in another unexpected way.
This month, I had the honor of writing the foreword for Mike Garrison’s new book, Would You Build This?: A Story About the Firm You Would Design Today.
What started as a relationship formed through books, podcasts, strategy conversations, and shared experiences evolved into the opportunity to support someone else’s message and mission. That was incredibly humbling for me.
So, for those of you wondering whether you should write a book someday, here are a few thoughts.
Writing a book is not for everyone. It takes time, vulnerability, energy, discipline, and a willingness to face criticism. But if you truly have a message that matters, it can absolutely change your life.
Make sure the message has significance. Don’t write simply to say you wrote a book. Write because you believe the message can genuinely help people.
Hire professionals to help you do it right. Editing, publishing, positioning, and marketing matter. Most authors only write one book. Treat it seriously and invest in doing it professionally.
Never stop marketing the book.
A book is not just a launch event. It becomes a long-term relationship tool. This week, we shipped 15 copies to the leadership team at the Office of Mississippi Physician Workforce as part of a strategic project we are supporting. Three years later, the book is still creating opportunities and adding value.
And finally, I’m not done yet.
I fully intend to write at least two more books in the Lost at CEO series.
Because if the last three years have taught me anything, it’s this:
Sometimes the greatest value of writing a book is not the book itself.
It’s the people, opportunities, and impact that happen afterward.
— Carl J. Cox
