I sit down with Conni Francini, CEO of Soro Publishing, to explore how she’s building a more author-friendly path to publishing. Conni traces her unconventional route—from journalism/PR into education, then a 15-year run in educational publishing where she rose to editor-in-chief and developed award-winning products with partners like the Smithsonian and TIME for Kids.

After dozens of candid chats with writers—frustrated by low royalties, limited marketing, slow timelines, and losing creative control—Conni launched Soro Publishing. The model blends the best of traditional and self-publishing: professional editorial and design, months-not-years timelines, authors keeping their rights, creative control, and most royalties, plus a true partnership to grow their platforms.

We dig into Soro’s three focus lanes—education, business/leadership, and children’s books—and what’s surprised Conni most about entrepreneurship: the sheer build-from-scratch workload, the importance of loving sales/BD as much as “making the book,” and staying adaptable when the market pulls you into new genres. Conni also shares hard-won lessons for leading creatives (define outcomes, not pixel-perfect solutions) and encouragement for first-time founders and execs: ask for help early and often—you’ll be surprised how many people say yes.

• Why many authors feel stuck between traditional and self-publishing—and how a hybrid model can be a win-win.
• The specific ways Soro helps authors retain rights, voice, and royalties while leveling up quality and speed.
• How to lead multidisciplinary creative teams: set audience outcomes, invite expertise, and critique by problem, not by prescription.
• The underestimated realities of starting a company (and how to balance making the product with marketing/business development).
• How to stay adaptable when real-world feedback nudges your strategy into new lanes.
• Practical networking advice for new execs/founders: how (and why) to ask for guidance from leaders you don’t even know yet.

• Conni Francini on LinkedIn
• Soro Publishing
• Instagram — @soropublishing
• Past partnerships referenced: Smithsonian, TIME for Kids

In this heartfelt, high-energy conversation, Stephanie Bohn—entertainment veteran turned startup founder—traces her journey from American Express to 13 years at Warner Bros., scaling Rotten Tomatoes, a pivotal stint at Netflix, and ultimately to purpose-built entrepreneurship. Stephanie shares how “raising your hand before you feel 100% ready” opened doors to building new business lines (hello, early App Store days) and leading through ambiguity. We dig into her time as CMO at Chief, the power of peer boards for executive women, and what servant leadership looks like in practice. The episode turns deeply personal as Stephanie opens up about her daughter’s Rett syndrome diagnosis, the broken systems families navigate, and how that sparked Truly Care—a mission-driven platform connecting families with specialized caregivers and guiding them to underused respite resources. It’s a masterclass in turning obsession into action, finding champions, and designing a life that sustains both ambition and wellbeing.

We cover:

• Spotting and pitching opportunities before you’re “ready”
• Intrapreneurship at scale: apps, IP, and the Rotten Tomatoes playbook
• Inside Chief: “who mentors the mentors?” and changing the face of leadership
• Caregiving as infrastructure: access, affordability, and dignity
• Defining servant leadership and leading by removing obstacles
• Founder fuel: memoirs, The Pitch podcast, and mindset rituals that stick

Guest links:

• LinkedIn
• Website
• Instagram

Mic-drop moment: “If you’re obsessed with the idea, break it into nano-steps, find your champions, and build the scaffolding until it exists.”

This week on Clover, I sit down with Emily Gupton—a technology leader, community builder, and soon-to-be President of Austin Women in Technology. Emily’s career path has been anything but linear: from studying neuroscience and working in radiology, to project management in commercial furniture, to building a SaaS platform from the ground up, and now serving as CTO at SKG.

In this conversation, Emily shares how curiosity, resilience, and community have shaped her many pivots. She opens up about navigating male-dominated spaces in tech, the power of asking questions (even the “silly” ones), and how investing in education—from her MBA to an MIT certificate—helped her bridge career transitions.

We also dive into Emily’s passion for building inclusive communities, her leadership journey with Austin Women in Technology, and her past work with the League of Women Voters of Texas. Whether you’re considering a career pivot, looking for inspiration to step into leadership, or craving stories of women making big impacts in Austin and beyond—this episode will leave you energized.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How to embrace career pivots with curiosity and courage
• Why community and mentorship are essential in tech (and beyond)
• Emily’s approach to leadership, equity, and empowering diverse voices
• Practical tips for choosing the right further education or certification
• How Austin Women in Technology fosters growth, connection, and opportunity

Connect with Emily:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/emily-gupton
• Website: emilykgupton.com
• Austin Women in Technology: https://www.awtaustin.org/

Communities & Organizations

• League of Women Voters of Texas: lwvtexas.org
• Innotech Women in Tech Summit — partnered event with AWT
• Capital Factory / Austin Tech Week — collaborative events with AWT
• Austin Forum on Technology & Society — partner org for technical topics like quantum computing

Books & Authors

• Smart Brevity — by the Axios team; recommended by her CEO and used as a communication framework
• Neil Gaiman — mentioned as a favorite author for personal, whimsical, and fantastical reading