meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
ChooseFI | Financial Independence Podcast

How to Achieve Financial Independence Through Self-Publishing

ChooseFI | Financial Independence Podcast

Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett | Choose FI Media, Inc

Investing, Business, Careers

4.85.2K Ratings

🗓️ 30 March 2020

⏱️ 64 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Most corporate jobs promise security—until they don't. Joanna Penn learned this the hard way, walking away from a six-figure salary to bet on herself as an independent author. Now she earns more from her writing than she ever did in corporate, with complete control over her time and creative output. Brad and Jonathan sit down with Joanna to explore how she built a sustainable writing career through multiple income streams, community engagement, and relentless consistency. She shares the mindset shifts that took her from employee to entrepreneur, why aspiring authors fail when they skip goal-setting, and how she structures her time to produce both fiction and nonfiction at scale. Chapter Markers [00:04:57] Introduction to Joanna Penn [00:06:49] Joanna's Journey to Financial Independence [00:28:07] The Importance of Multiple Income Streams [00:43:42] Transitioning from Fiction to Nonfiction [00:54:10] The Hot Seat Segment [01:02:31] Closing Thoughts Key Topics Discussed Joanna's Journey to Financial Independence [00:06:49] Transition from a high-paying corporate job to pursuing her passion for writing Realization of the need for financial resiliency and its connection to creative endeavors The Importance of Multiple Income Streams [00:28:07] Diversifying income sources in a writing career Different revenue streams: book sales, courses, and speaking engagements Transitioning from Fiction to Nonfiction [00:43:42] Understanding your goals when choosing topics for writing Insights on the challenges and opportunities in both genres Key Quotes "Show up for your writing—it's okay if it starts as a mess; you can refine it later." [00:44:27] "Set clear goals for your writing; understand what you want to achieve." [00:46:22] "Engage with your community; creativity thrives in collaboration." [00:50:08] "True independence encompasses both financial and physical well-being." [01:02:03] "Implementing structure in your schedule is crucial for success." [00:58:05] Action Items Schedule dedicated writing time to develop your work consistently [00:43:40] Define what you want from your writing journey to ensure you achieve your goals [00:46:01] Engage with your community to get support and inspiration for your projects [00:50:08] Related Resources The Creative Penn Podcast [00:53:55] ChooseFI Book [01:03:28]

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Hello everyone, welcome back.

0:02.2

Hope you had a great weekend.

0:03.4

Very excited to share the episode that we have for you today,

0:06.5

speaking with Joanna Penn from the Creative Penn.

0:09.7

And there's a few of these interviews that we have teed up

0:12.3

that we're releasing on our normal cadence

0:14.7

because they are so timely.

0:17.3

To set a frame for this, I've just seen a series

0:20.4

of ridiculously titled articles on news outlets and blogs,

0:25.6

one notably on CNBC titled,

0:27.7

Self Made Millionaire Says the Concept of Retiring Early

0:31.1

Will Disappear Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic.

0:34.9

Okay, variations to that basically saying,

0:37.6

is the financial independence movement over?

0:41.0

Come on people, seriously.

0:43.6

You don't need to be worried about us, right?

0:45.6

Just play this out with me.

0:47.8

The financial independence movement is not happening

0:50.4

in the absence of a financial crisis.

0:52.9

It was born out of the 2008 financial crisis.

0:56.8

In 2008, people's lives were ripped away from them.

0:59.8

Everything that they thought they could count on,

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett | Choose FI Media, Inc, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Jonathan Mendonsa & Brad Barrett | Choose FI Media, Inc and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.