The Courage to Write a Book That Matters with Deborah Naish [S5 E6]

Welcome to another episode of Business Book Bites! Today, host and book mentor Karen Williams sits down with Deborah Naish, an award-winning executive coach and author of Level Up Your Leadership.

With over 40 years of experience in both corporate and nonprofit leadership, Deborah brings a wealth of wisdom on how leaders can create positive change with intention and clarity. In this conversation, Deborah shares her journey from adamantly believing she’d never write a book to becoming a published author—thanks to some inspiration from other writers and a few pivotal mindset shifts.

She opens up about imposter syndrome, the importance of curiosity and acceptance, and how writing her book not only helped her formalize her own leadership models but also gave her powerful new tools to help clients and elevate her business.

If you’re an aspiring author, a coach, or simply someone seeking inspiration from a seasoned leader who’s walked the talk, this episode is packed with practical tips, authentic reflections, and plenty of encouragement to help you level up your own journey.

** Upcoming Events **

If you’d like to find out more about how we can support you with your book, come along to one of our free monthly online networking events, the Coffee and Connect Café, held on the first Tuesday of each month. You’ll get learning, ideas, and the chance to connect with other authors.

We also run an annual writing retreat and our next event in Spain is from 25 April to 2 May 2026. Join us for a week in the sun writing your book!

You can find out more about all our upcoming events at https://www.librotas.com/librotasevents. Or contact Karen Williams to find out how she can help you via www.librotas.com.

Key Takeaways

• Embrace the Beginner Mindset: Stepping into something new—even if it’s messy or uncomfortable—is where meaningful growth happens.
• Structure Creates Freedom: Turning instinctive ways of working into a framework not only clarifies your process, but also creates ongoing resources for both you and your clients.
• Curiosity and Acceptance are Superpowers: Staying curious and learning to accept what is helps us transform roadblocks into possibilities, whether in writing or business.

Bio

Deborah Naish is an award-winning executive coach and author of Level Up Your Leadership. With 40+ years of experience in corporate and nonprofit leadership, she helps leaders grow their impact with clarity and intention. Based in Santa Barbara, she finds inspiration by the ocean and sees leadership as a force for positive change. 2025 winner of two Goody Business Book Awards: Leadership: Mentor/Coaching and Leadership: Motivation.

Website: www.deborahnaish.com

Book link: Level Up Your Leadership: Becoming More Conscious, Courageous & Resilient https://www.amazon.com/Level-Your-Leadership-Conscious-Courageous/dp/B0FKMM6KVD

Socials: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahnaish

Time stamped overview:
00:00 Writing a Book: The Start
03:54 Creating Connection Through Writing
07:14 Level Up Loop Framework
11:04 Overcoming Doubt to Achieve Success
16:25 Exploring What's Next
19:15 Acceptance and Moving Forward
21:06 Unlocking Personal Agency
25:45 Flexible Approach to Writing Tasks
29:56 Leadership Lessons for Everyone
30:52 Deborah on Podcast

Keywords: leadership, executive coaching, book writing journey, author mindset, imposter syndrome, business book, leadership development, self-publishing, book marketing, book launch, building a coaching business, personal growth, writing process, book structure and frameworks, publishing awards, business awards, social impact, women in business, book as a business card, LinkedIn marketing, developmental editing, overcoming self-doubt