IAM855- Author Diversifies Publishing to Make Voices Heard

Dr. De'Andrea Matthews is an educator, author, and International speaker. She is the founder and CEO of Claire Aldin Publications, an award-winning hybrid publisher that is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association. She is the author of seven books, seven book chapters, and two academic journal articles in addition to the clients she has published in an effort to diversify publishing, one author at a time. Most recently, Dr. Matthews was selected to receive one of the Top 100 Leaders in Education awards from the Global Forum for Education and Learning.

• CEO Hack: Color-coding my block schedule
• CEO Nugget: Make sure you leave a legacy
• CEO Defined: Taking other people along the journey

Website: http://www.clairealdin.com/

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/drdcmatthews
http://www.instagram.com/clairealdin

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/drdcmatthews
http://www.twitter.com/clairealdin

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/drdcmatthews
Author page: http://www.facebook.com/DrDCMatthews
Business page: http://www.facebook.com/ClaireAldinPublications

Amazon book link: https://www.amazon.com/Overcomers-Anthology-Dr-De'Andrea-Matthews/dp/1733656073/

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Full Interview:

Transcription

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00:02 – Intro

Do you want to learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales, and grow your business from successful entrepreneurs, startups, and CEOs without listening to a long, long, long interview? If so, you've come to the right place. Gresham Harkless values your time and is ready to share with you precisely the information you're in search of. This is the I AM CEO Podcast.

00:30 – Gresham Harkless

Hello. Hello. Hello. This is Gresh from the I AM CEO podcast and I have a very special guest on the show today. I have Dr. De'Andrea Matthews of Claire Alden Publications. Dr. De'Andrea, it's awesome to have you on the show.

00:40 – Dr. De'Andrea Matthews

Thank you so much. It's a pleasure to be here.

00:42 – Gresham Harkless

No problem. Pleasure's definitely all ours. Before we jump in, I want to read a little bit more about Dr. De'Andrea so you can hear about all the awesome things that she's doing. She is an educator, author, and international speaker. She is a founder and CEO of Clear Alden Publications, an award-winning hybrid publisher that is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association.

She is the author of 6 books, 5 chapter books, 2 academic journals, and journal articles, in addition to the clients she has published in an effort to diversify publishing one author at a time. Most Recently, Dr. Matthews was selected to receive one of the top 100 leaders in education awards from the Global Forum for Education and Learning. Dr. De'Andrea, congratulations. And it's great to have you on the show. Are you ready to speak to the I AM CEO community?

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01:29 – Dr. De'Andrea Matthews

I am ready.

01:30 – Gresham Harkless

Awesome. Let's do it. So to kick everything off, I wanted just to hear a little bit more about how you got started. Could you take us through what I call your CEO story? Let you get started with all those.

01:38 – Dr. De'Andrea Matthews

Certainly. So I started as an author before I became a publisher before I launched my own publishing company. But a part of the reason why I wanted to launch a publishing company is it was such a steep learning curve to learn so much about the publishing community and all of the things necessary in order to produce a professional industry standard book. I knew that a lot of first-time authors would not have access to the same people, to the same resources that I did.

So I decided in, actually it was 2015 when I made the decision, and I launched the company in 2017, but I decided to launch a hybrid publishing company. Now the story behind going hybrid versus other formats for publishing was something else that I put a lot of thought into. Obviously, traditional publishing companies have their model, and self-publishing or independent publishers have their model. I wanted to bring together the best of both worlds, which is why I decided on a hybrid publishing company. And really that's how it came about. I wanted to provide professional services, education, and tools to people who wanted to publish a book but did not know what to do or where to go.

02:42 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, absolutely. And it definitely sounds like it could be an overwhelming process just trying to kind of figure out all the things that you need to do and to be able to kind of set it up to get to be the success that you want it to be. So it's great that you provide so much value to people who are looking to try to find that information and do that in the hybrid way that you mentioned.

03:00 – Dr. De'Andrea Matthews

Yes, definitely. And a part of what I provide again is not just the professional services, but also the education because some people may want to do it on their own, but it still is my responsibility to the community to let them know the things that you should know the things you should keep in mind as you're going through the process, even if it's on your own.

03:17 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, absolutely. That's why I love that you do that through your process, bringing the best of both worlds, so to speak, it sounds like. Yeah. And so could you touch a little bit, I know you touched on it a little bit, but could you drill down a little bit more on how exactly you work with your clients, how you support them in some of those resources and services you provide.

03:34 – Dr. De'Andrea Matthews

Definitely. So at Clear Alden Publications, we have developed a 5 pillar process in order to take your manuscript from a blank page really to a published book. So that 5 pillar process includes the book production process, book design, book marketing, book publishing, and also book distribution. And even though those are some very broad topics, within those topics, when you do a deep dive, it includes everything from the editing process. And again, there are 12 different types of editing that you can have in a manuscript. We do at least 3 rounds of professional edits and you know we have custom book design covers we work with various professionals in the industry to make sure that at the end of the day regardless of how we receive your manuscript we produce masterpieces.

04:19 – Gresham Harkless

Nice And like I kind of talked about, it's so important to kind of have that goal in mind of what you want to have that masterpiece, but not understanding or not trying to know all of those different aspects is so huge. It's so important to be able to know who to ask about it. I don't even know there are 12 different types of editing. So it's glad to know at least you know the person that knows about that. So you'd be able to kind of pick your brain and hear about those resources.

04:42 – Dr. De'Andrea Matthews

That's right. And professional development is a huge part of it because there's so much going on in the industry. You need to be connected to an industry professional who's staying on top of industry trends, best practices, and things of that nature because things could have changed. Say if you published a book 2 years ago in the same genre, 2 years later it could be a very different landscape.

05:00 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, absolutely. And as we are experiencing a very transformational time, to say the least now, we're going to see a lot of changes. And again, it's so important to be able to know the industry expert to be able to kind of lean on.

05:12 – Dr. De'Andrea Matthews

Oh, yes, so much has changed this year. It's absolutely transformational. And our businesses have to keep in step to make sure that we not only survive but thrive.

05:20 – Gresham Harkless

Exactly. So I love that you help so many people do that. So would you consider that to be like your secret sauce, the thing you feel kind of sets you apart and makes you unique or your organization? Is it that ability to be able to kind of stay tuned in and have, and stay true to that five-step process you mentioned?

05:35 – Dr. De'Andrea Matthews

I do think that's part of what we offer that's unique, the professional development aspect of it, the fact that I continue to challenge myself, whether it is receiving various awards that acknowledge the work, the professionalism, the integrity that I bring to the table. All of that makes a difference when it comes to the clients that you serve. They wanna make sure that they are investing in the right product with the right company, with the right, of course, mission, vision, et cetera.

06:00 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, absolutely. And I think that when you have that mission and vision and you're doing the right things, to me, it starts to kind of lead through everything that you're doing, whether we're talking about the process or the resources that you create or the service that you provide, you start to see that manifest itself in so many different ways.

06:16 -Dr. De'Andrea Matthews

Absolutely. And that's why I always tell people that I publish authors, not just books. I publish authors because of the relationship that's developed over the process, and we make sure that our authors have a chance to approve each step of the process. We want to make sure that their input is valued and that they ultimately receive the product that they desire. So it's important to have that collaboration with the authors themselves and not just the book. And as a result of that, I now have authors who were first-time authors that are now coming back for their second and third publications.

06:48 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, that's so powerful. I'm glad you made that distinction because even myself, I often think about the book, and we forget about the book being an extension of the author. And that's why you probably have those people coming back because they're starting to again try to showcase their expertise or reach whatever goal they might have and they understand that you're developing the person and the book is a manifestation of that.

07:10 – Dr. De'Andrea Matthews

Definitely and it's a part of again what makes me so proud as a CEO of the company.

07:14 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, I Absolutely love that. So I wanted to switch gears a little bit and I wanted to ask you for what I call a CEO hack. So this could be like an Apple Book or a habit that you have, but what's something that makes you more effective and efficient?

07:26 – Dr. De'Andrea Matthews

So one of the bigger things that makes me effective and efficient is the fact that I color code my block schedule. So a lot of times, people struggle with productivity, people struggle with time management, and that is something that I've had to master because in addition to being the CEO of Claire Alden Publications, I'm also a wife, I'm also a mother. I still have a full-time day job in addition to doing this, as well as wearing other hats within the community that I serve. So it's a necessity that I distinguish those hours of the day that I'm spending on specific projects. That's my biggest hack, making sure that I'm giving the time in my schedule to focus on everything that needs to be done.

So I'm a little methodical when it comes to my schedule. My family knows if it's not on the schedule, it does not exist. So those types of things become important. And that's my biggest hack, is making sure that I have the time schedule and set aside to complete everything that I'm responsible for.

08:22 – Gresham Harkless:

Yeah, that's absolutely huge. Your family probably knows my family because I say the same thing. If it's not on the schedule, it doesn't happen and won't happen. So I try to make sure to do that regularly. Is there a reason that you also kind of take it a step further and color code it? Does that help you to kind of see everything a lot quicker?

08:37 – Dr. De'Andrea Matthews

It does. I have become more visual the older that I've gotten. So having the color block schedule is much more important than just text on a page, particularly in the season that we're in where so much is on the screen, we want to be able to distinguish it with colors. So I use colors to make sure that it means something. If I see green, obviously that goes for my day job, you know, blue is my husband's favorite color. So that's our quality time as a couple. So those colors are not just to distinguish the schedule, but they mean something. Those colors begin to mean something.

09:06 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, and I absolutely love that. And understanding that a lot of there's this whole kind of color psychology around what colors that you choose. And red is like an active color. So I love, you know, that they're not just colors kind of chosen willy nilly, randomly, that's an even better word, but it's something that has a meaning. And I feel like when you see it, you start to get that connection. I imagine when you see that blue, you probably get really happy. And I know your husband does too. I'm looking forward to that time. Nice, So now I wanted to ask you for what I call a CEO nugget. And this could be a word of wisdom or a piece of advice. It might be something you would tell a client. Or if you happen to be a time machine, you might tell your younger business self.

09:45 – Dr. De'Andrea Matthews

That's really good. So the nugget that I would share would be to make sure that you leave a legacy whether it's a written legacy as an author that I would share with my clients or Something that again outlives you that future generations have a chance to enjoy and learn more about you whatever that could be whether it was something regarding your expertise your life story itself I would say to leave a legacy a written legacy is a huge part of what I do as a hybrid publisher but just leaving a legacy period whatever that looks like I would encourage people to leave a legacy. And if you haven't thought about it previously, now's a great time to start thinking about what I want my legacy to look like.

10:27 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, and that's so huge. And often I'll reference the 7 habits of highly affected people. And 1 of those habits is, you know, beginning with the end in mind. And it's so huge to kind of understand that because I think so many times we forget the actions that we're taking on a regular basis, whether we know it or not is kind of creating our legacy, creating what we're gonna be known for. So if you do, or if you haven't done that exercise and have that vision, then I think that's a great place to start because a lot of times when you create a book or whatever that might be, that's going to stand longer than us and it's going to represent your ideals, what you wanted to see the world as and so many different things, so why not be proactive in doing that?

11:06 – Dr. De'Andrea Matthews

So true. And a lot of the literary works that we enjoy today were produced hundreds of years ago. So we want to keep that in mind. It's lasting. It still continues. People still enjoy it today. So we want to make sure that we have something that's a part of, again, that legacy, whatever that looks like.

11:22 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah. So, so important to kind of take action to be able to figure out what exactly you want that to be. And then the actions come from there. So love that. Now I want to ask you my absolute favorite question, which is the definition of what it means to be a CEO. And we're hoping to have different quote-unquote CEOs on the show. So Dr. De'Andrea, what does being a CEO mean to you?

11:40 – Dr. De'Andrea Matthews

Being a CEO means taking other people along the journey. Even though a CEO position is a leadership position, one of the highest leadership positions in most companies and corporations, it's really about taking other people along that journey. There's always a team behind the scenes that contributes to the work product, that contributes to what is actually being accomplished. The CEO might take the credit for it, they might be the front person, and get all the great PR, but there's always a team. And I try to lead in a way where that team knows that they're valued and that I could not do the things that I do without them.

12:16 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, and it's so huge. And I think we sometimes forget about that journey piece that you spoke about. We often think it's instant like oatmeal, where you just, you know, pop in the microwave and there you have it. But in so many ways, it's definitely a journey. And I love how you kind of talked about letting people know and reminding the people that are around us, our team, and the people that help support us of the role and the support that they provided. Because I think often as leaders, we can sometimes forget that. And it's so important to kind of make sure that they understand that because I think that empowers them, makes them want to be even stronger at their role because it allows us to create those win-win opportunities.

12:52 – Dr. De'Andrea Matthews

It does. And because I've been in various roles before I got to CEO, I know what it's like being that team member. I know what it's like contributing. And You want to make sure that your people know that they're valued, know that they're appreciated because in that retention piece, retaining those great people that we have on our team, it's important that they know it so that they understand what they're contributing and how it equates to the bottom line, not just for the projects and the monetary aspect of it, but you develop relationships with the people that you work with. You spend more time at work a lot of times than you do with your family members during the run of a week. So you want to make sure that that team dynamic is in place and that they understand that they're an important part of what takes place.

13:34 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, absolutely. And kind of even going back to your nugget where we talked about legacy, understanding how the people that are on your team are contributing to their legacy as well too. Cause as we said, obviously you can do that in a book, in a written book that we're enjoying, you know, thousands of years later, but a lot of times it's in the actions and the things that we're doing. We want to make sure that the people on our team also are in line with their mission vision and legacy. So they understand how that accounts for what's going on and what's happening within organizations.

14:02 – Dr. De'Andrea Matthews

Yes. One of the other things I learned as part of being on the team, you always wanna maximize the opportunity to promote from within. So if ever I decide that you know what, I'm no longer going to hold this position, but I want someone who's been working right alongside me, who knows and understands and appreciates the business and the work that goes into it to promote from within. So we want to make sure that we're not just looking externally when we're looking to hire people or promote them, but we're also looking at the people who've been serving us all along.

14:28 – Gresham Harkless

Yeah, because a lot of times those other people, if we're really being aware of what and how they're contributing and we understand you know how they can you know maybe evolve or maybe they do have skills that maybe can be used in this next role we want to be aware of that as leaders because so many times as you said we're always looking externally whether it be people to hire or sometimes even solutions to problems when a lot of times answers might be all within us or around us.

14:51 – Dr. De'Andrea Matthews

That's absolutely right.

14:53 – Gresham Harkless

Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Well, Dr. De'Andrea, I truly appreciate that definition and I appreciate your time even more. What I wanted to do is patch it to the mic so to speak just to see if there's anything additional you can let our readers and listeners know and of course how best they can get a hold of you and find out about all those some things that you're working on.

15:08 – Dr. De'Andrea Matthews

Well, thank you so much again for everyone watching or listening. My name is De'Andrea Matthews. I am the founder and CEO of Clear Alden Publications, an award-winning hybrid publishing company that is a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association and is accredited by the Better Business Bureau, and that's where I turn manuscripts into masterpieces. If you want to follow our business account Claire Alden Publications, We're on social media at Claire Alden, that's C-L-A-I-R-E-A-L-D-I-N. You can also visit our website at www.clairalden.com. And you can also follow me on my personal social media pages at Dr. DC Matthews. So on all of the social media, you will find me at drdcmattthews.

15:53 – Gresham Harkless

Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. And to make it even easier, we will have the links and information in the show notes as well too so that everybody can follow you and see all the awesome work that you're doing. But I appreciate you. So many times we forget that there are great ideas is phenomenal people who don't really get to give their gifts and don't get to tell their stories and talk about their expertise. So I appreciate you for helping so many people do that. And I think we as a culture as a world get to benefit from the work that you're doing. So I appreciate you for doing that and I appreciate your time as well. And I hope you have a great rest of

16:22 – Outro

Thank you for listening to the I AM CEO Podcast powered by Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at iamceo.co I AM CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community. Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes Google Play and everywhere you listen to podcasts, SUBSCRIBE, and leave us a five-star rating grab CEO gear at www.ceogear.co. This has been the I AM CEO Podcast with Gresham Harkless. Thank you for listening.

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