In this Business Blast Podcast episode, host Tyler Wagner interviews award‑winning author Karla Brandenburg, known for romantic mysteries with supernatural elements. After a brief sponsor message for Authors Unite, the conversation begins with Karla sharing a personal story about a difficult boss she nicknamed the "Reign of Terror," which taught her to recognize that even harsh people have hidden struggles. She then moves to her professional insight, emphasizing that writing is only half of an author's job; successful authors must also actively market and sell their books. Karla offers broader business advice, urging listeners to give their all and equate effort with results. When asked what she would tell her younger self, she stresses the importance of not worrying about others' opinions. She defines happiness as being satisfied with what you have while consistently giving your best. Karla mentions favorite author Kristin Higgins, highlighting the lesson that life’s unpredictability calls for humor and adaptability. Her favorite quote—"Life's real failure is when you do not realize how close you were to success when you gave up"—serves as a reminder to persevere. Finally, she directs listeners to her website, CarlaBrandenburg.com, for more information and contact details.
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Welcome to the Business Blast Podcast. I'm your host, Tyler Wagner. This episode is brought to you by Authors Unite. Authors Unite provides you with all the resources you need to become a successful author. You can learn more about Authors Unite and join the free community at authorsunite.com. Now let's jump into the episode.
All right everyone, welcome back to another episode of the Business Blast Podcast. I'm your host Tyler Wagner. Today I have Carla Brandenburg with us, and she's an award-winning author who peppers her romantic mysteries with a taste of the supernatural. So welcome to the show, Carla.
Hi Tyler, thanks for having me.
Of course, uh, happy to have you on. Uh, we'll dive into the first one. The first question I have for you, Carla, is what is the best story from your life that has an underlying valuable message?
Well, you know, our lives are so busy, and in this day and age, it's easy to get caught up in our own problems. I had a boss at work a few years ago who we referred to as the "Reign of Terror." He was a very unpleasant man, and part of his job was to eliminate positions. The downside to that was that he really didn't know what he was doing, and in the process, he eliminated some fairly essential people. I'm the sort of person who likes to look for the best in people, and this man had no redeeming qualities that I could see. On my drive home one night after a particularly harrowing day, I heard a segment on the radio reminding me that everybody faces their own set of challenges, and even those difficult people have more going on than we know about. It gave me a different vantage point that as evil as the man was perceived to be, he had his own struggles to deal with. That somehow humanized him for me and reminded me that I wasn't the only person who had troubles.
And what is the most valuable piece of information we should know that is within your expertise or industry?
As an author, writing is only half the job. If you want to make a name for yourself, you have to get out there and sell books.
And what is your best piece of overall business advice, so not necessarily industry-specific?
You have to give it all you've got. You get out what you put in. If you want to get ahead, you've got to give it everything.
And if you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would that be?
Stop worrying about what other people think of you. It's none of your business. Chances are they're worried about what you think of them. So be the kind of person you'd want to meet.
And in your opinion, what is the key to happiness?
Being happy with what you have and being satisfied that you give your best to everything you do.
And what is the best book— this would be a good one for you— that you've read, and what was the number one thing you learned from that?
Wow. Not sure I can pick out any one book. There are so many. But one of my favorite authors is Kristin Higgins, and the underlying theme for most of her books is is that life doesn't always turn out the way you plan. In fact, it often goes off the tracks in spectacular fashion. So keep a sense of humor and roll with the punches. When all is said and done, everything will work out the way it should.
And what is your favorite quote and why?
My favorite quote: Life's real failure is when you do not realize how close you were to success when you gave up. It's a reminder to me to never give up, to keep reaching for my dreams.
Thank you so much for coming on. The last question that I have for you before we let you go is, where is the best place for people to find you online?
My webpage, probably. CarlaBrandenburg.com has all my information and all my contact stuff.
Perfect. And I'll put that in the show notes for the show. And thanks again for joining us.
Sure. Thanks again for having me.
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