In this episode of Transform Your Workplace, acclaimed children’s authors and entrepreneurs Alysson Foti Bourque and Lori Orlinsky discuss not only the challenges of leaving their careers in the corporate world but also the joy of finding renewed purpose in writing stories. They’ve successfully established Expound Publicity, a flourishing PR firm, all while juggling the challenges of running a business and nurturing their love for storytelling and family life. Don’t miss this heartfelt discussion on the enduring influence of a meaningful story.
GUESTS AT A GLANCE
Award-winning author Alysson Foti Bourque transitioned from a career in teaching and law to writing children’s books. She is the author of “The Alycat Series” and a Publicist and Founder of Expound Publicity.
Lori Orlinsky, a highly acclaimed and best-selling children’s book author based in Chicago, is an ambassador for PACER’s National Bullying Center. She is the Co-owner of Expound Publicity alongside Alysson Foti.
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LEAVING THE CORPORATE WORLD
Aly’s and Lori’s journeys to entrepreneurship are as unique as they are inspiring, both marked by a blend of passion, persistence, and the pursuit of something more fulfilling. Driven by her love for reading, writing, and helping others, Aly began her career as an elementary school teacher. However, her desire for a deeper impact led her to law school, where she served as an assistant attorney general for nearly eight years. Despite enjoying her legal career, Aly felt a calling for something different, which she discovered while writing children’s books during a temporary retirement to raise her young children. “I started writing them stories, like children’s books,” Aly shared, which eventually launched her into the world of publishing.
Lori’s path also took some unexpected turns. With a background in journalism, she transitioned into PR and marketing, working for major brands and ultimately becoming the director of marketing at PBS in Chicago. However, a personal experience with her daughter, who was teased for being the shortest in her class, led Lori to write a book addressing bullying and self-acceptance. By reading this book with her daughter, Lori taught her that “being small isn’t so bad after all.”
Lori’s book not only resonated with many but also sparked a new career in writing lesson-based children’s books. Together, Aly and Lori launched a podcast during the pandemic to bring authors into classrooms and give teachers a break. Their efforts quickly expanded into a successful business, managing over 500 books across various genres. Despite the challenge of juggling business operations and family life, Lori emphasized the importance of confidence and balance: “I want to be productive during those hours when my kids are not in school, but then put down the computer when they’re home.” Their dedication to both their families and their clients continues to drive their success in the ever-evolving world of publishing.
PODCAST ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Lessons Learned
Aly: We’re in the business of marketing, so your target audience is your number one. Finding who our perfect clients are — that was super important to me. You can take in every single book author that there is, but they may not be a good fit for you, and you might not get them the results that you want.
Lori: I agree with everything Aly says. In the corporate world, what I found difficult was kind of doing things the way they always had been done — so following the plan of your predecessors and those before. And what made me unique is I would always kind of challenge that by finding new ways to do it, maybe making it more efficient time-wise or process-wise. And so what was a challenge for me was to be able to have that autonomy to not put everybody in the same marketing plan. […] We never do anything the same. And so it was just such an interesting transition to go from “this is how we always do it in the corporate world,” to following a script, to completely customizing. It’s just such a wonderful thing, and I think it allows you to listen to your customers, and it allows everyone to be more successful that way.
Finding Who Fits
Aly: It’s hard because Lori and I are both Type A, and we are self-proclaimed control freaks. So it’s hard to let go of the reins, but when we found that we were spending more than ten hours a day on work, we had to delegate, and that’s a big part of being your own boss and entrepreneurship. And so that was a tough battle of finding the right people, but we now have the right people, and it works, and we’re able to hand off projects, and now we can get more things done.
Lori: And it’s also making sure […] we have the confidence in them — that although they might not get to the end result the same way we would, they’re still doing it in their own way, and it’s correct, and it’s working. We really like to give our employees the autonomy to get to that end result however they see fit, and what’s really neat about it is that it’s like a different job every day for them as they work on different authors.
The Confidence to Create
Lori: When that book came out, my daughter, Haley, was probably five or six, and she was still the shortest kid in class, but she had this confidence about her. Then, the pandemic hit, and Haley and I were watching the news — I’ll never forget it — and she heard that doctors and nurses were running out of masks and PPE. And so she went upstairs, and I just continued on with my day, and she came downstairs and said, “I made these awesome bracelets. I want to sell them for $2 and donate all of the money to Lurie Children’s Hospital,” which is in Chicago. […] And so she started her own business. She started taking custom orders, and one thing led to another, and the mayor of Chicago was wearing her bracelets.
She ended up raising $55,000. She was on the Drew Barrymore Show. She was on Good Morning America. She met Carrie Underwood. And I believe that she got that business drive from watching Aly and myself. But I believe that she found confidence through having a book that taught her that she is valued and deserving.
Why We Write
Aly: I use the books as tools and resources to help others to get through different situations and problem-solve, and so by watching my own kids, tackle things that made them nervous. I was able to […] learn that being brave, and bravery itself, is doing something that makes you nervous and scared, despite the fear. Being brave is working through things. It’s the physical action. It’s a verb. It’s being brave. And so I was inspired to write my latest book after just watching, observing our children and observing friends, adults, even myself. We all have something that we might be fearful of.
Lori: I also think both of us write for what we think is missing in the marketplace. So a story that doesn’t exist… that needs to be out there based on what we went through and what our kids go through every day.
Advice for the Entrepreneurial Itch
Aly: So for me, I would say it’s to not let your fear hold you back, and if you have this thing burning inside of you that you want to do something, get up and do it and not be fearful. And if you fail, give yourself grace.
Lori: Trust your gut. Trust your instincts. If you have, as Aly said, that desire, take a leap of faith and do it. The worst thing that could happen is you fail, and then you pick yourself right back up. I think it’s so important to have that confidence, and Imposter Syndrome is so real, and it’s so hard to get over, but you have to just resign yourself to the fact that you’re going to try your hardest, and your hardest may not be good enough for you, but it’s good enough.
LEARN MORE
Interested in checking out Expound Publicity, our guests’ PR Firm? Head over to their website at expoundpublicity.com.