E2A 082: Writing, Rewriting and Releasing a Memoir: Elena Gosse on the Unexpected Evolution of Her Manuscript 

Episode Transcript

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Scott MacMillan:

You're listening to the Entrepreneur to Author podcast.

Announcer

Welcome to the Entrepreneur to Author podcast, the podcast that brings you practical strategies for building authority and growing your business. And now, here's your host, Scott MacMillan.

Scott

My guest today is Elena Goss. Elena is the CEO and co-founder of AIS Water, a global leader in water disinfection technology, and the author of Leadership Shitshow, a visionary leader's perspective on the continuous cycle of lifelong growth. Elena, it's great to have you on the show.

Thank you so much for being here.

Elena Gosse

Thank you for inviting.

Scott

Look, I shared a little bit about you in the introduction, but perhaps you could share a little bit more for our listeners about your background and the work that you're doing right now.

Elena

Okay. I am the CEO of AIS Water. This is a manufacturing company.

We design and manufacture chlorine generators for swimming pool. And it may sound a bit boring, but trust me, our technology is both robust and sexy. And I'm very proud of the work that we do.

Our technology actually saves a lot of water. It's in a very sustainable way. And many people think that producing chlorine or working with chlorine, it's something bad, but I can prove that chlorine actually is the hero because that's what protected us from bacteria.

But the only difference with the traditional chlorine dosing, it's how it's introduced into the water. So our technology, it's not only introduced in a healthier way, but it also produces, it also saves millions gallons of water in just one 50 meter swimming pool. So if we are talking to US audience, it's about 422,000 gallons per year.

That's what we produce in the long course, 50 meter swimming pool. And of course, it's a must have technology for competitors because it will keep their skin perfect and it will not affect their health because a lot of swimmers would complain that of the smell in the pool, public pool and all the consequences that they feel tired, their eyes are itchy or burning. So we can eliminate all of that.

Scott

Wow.

Elena

And also I'm doing a lot of work in the domestic violence space because I came from the background with family, family violence. And it's something that I will fight for the rest of my life, probably until domestic violence is completely eradicated from our planet because it's not just women or men who are affected. My biggest focus is on children, and I believe that to change something in that space, because we tried everything.

We tried raising monies, we tried to work with women and everything, but domestic violence is increasing. It's not getting less. So we need to go back to the roots of the problem.

And that, I believe, is from childhood trauma. That's all comes to that. So every child comes to this planet to be happy and to be joyful.

But then something, the circumstances that are probably beyond our control as a child, that's what happened. And that would affect who we become later. So I believe we need to come back.

And if it would come that parents, to be parents, need a license, I believe that's what needs to happen. Because to drive a car, you need a license. Why to have children?

You don't need that. And that's the most important to be a parent. That's the most important job in the world.

There is no more important job. So we need to change the way how our children, how our grandchildren grow up, what values we introduce to them from an early stage. So that's the work I'm doing.

And of course, like I'm doing a lot of public speaking. So and that's probably something that brings me back to my old life, because back in Russia, I used to be a professional actress. I had my own TV show program.

And then moving to Australia changed my life completely. I became a manufacturing queen. And that is so far away from who I was and what my beliefs were.

So I think after going the full circle and finding myself in different profession, now I think it's my it's my path. It's sort of my call to go back and help people who I know I can help, because like I'm a mother of a disabled child. I'm an immigrant who succeeded in another country.

I once lost myself completely because moving to countries and not being able to speak a word of English, that brings your life like you are one day you are recognized on the streets and you lead a sort of successful life. And then you become no one, you become nothing. And then you just, OK, what I can do, I can live for the rest of my life.

And I'm trying to and just tell everyone's stories of how successful I was or what I was doing in my life or start from scratch, pick up where you are and just build your next and build your next destination where you want to be, where you want to go and surround yourself with people who can help you to go to that level and avoid dream takers, because there is plenty of them who are so-called well-wishers or people who love us and they're trying to protect us.

But they also deny us the opportunity to become more than we are today.

Scott

Wow, what an incredible story and incredible experience that you have and diverse experience as well. And you've recently published your new book, Leadership Shit Show. Could you share a little bit about the book?

Who's it written for and what are you trying to communicate to your reader?

Elena

When I'm doing like for years now, when I was doing presentations like keynotes and there is always queues of people trying to share their stories. And these are people from very diverse background. There's people who are like women from male dominated industry.

There is people who were affected by domestic violence. There are people who have children with disability. There's immigrants.

There are even perpetrators, you know, people who hurt someone. But here in the story, honest role, they want to share their stories. And that's what I'm saying.

It's always come to the childhood trauma. It's often come to their experience and they need healing. So sharing their story, it's probably the first step to start.

And then people ask, do you have any book to share or do you have any material to share? And I thought, like, I don't want to be a published author, like to be another one. And to be honest, like it's so many books I started to read and halfway I just throw them because it's just like it's the same things.

Everyone is talking the same things and everyone is trying to teach you something. And teaching is the last thing people who are in that situation, it's the last thing they need someone lecturing them or what they need to do. It's like kids, what they need, they need understanding.

They need a hug. They need someone who can listen, who can understand, who can relate. So and I thought maybe, but then I thought like it's so many books that is written.

I don't want to be another book on the shelf that people just would go by. But then like message would come stronger and stronger. I'm doing a lot of spiritual development and I believe like when the time comes, that means you are ready because the message would go stronger and stronger and more persistent.

And then it's happened actually that I was on the way to Nicaragua Island for the leadership gathering with Sir Richard Branson. And I stopped at the Caribbean to see our distributor and I'm just like, I'm off to leadership gathering, boost my leadership skills and I'm leadership this and leadership that. And then he say, one day he say, Elena, what is this leadership you are talking about?

And I'm just, oh my God, it just hit me with my accent. Instead of leadership, it sounded more like leadership. And I called my friend who is my vocal coach and like she helped me to work with my accent.

And she's also opera singer. And I said, Lisa, people think I'm going to attend a leadership retreat. And she say, darling, just say it like, say it slowly like this, lead a ship.

And I'm just like, ah, it's like leading a ship. And I believe that's our job as leaders to captain our ship, to captain our ship. We need to understand the destination and ensure that all our people will arrive safely and have a great experience along the way.

So and then it started like then I shared, I started to share it with everyone and everyone was laughing and say, Elena, maybe. And my daughter actually say, mom, probably you need to write a book about this. And then I thought again, I was pushing and pushing this idea.

But then it just like came. Look, but we are living in sort of leadership cycle because like when you're trying to do something new or when you are at the beginning of something that you need to go or something you need to do, you're in leadership. Right.

Because you don't know how to do it. Like you're learning new dance or you're learning new steps or you are trying to exercise. And it starts with it's too much.

I can't do it. But then you more you exercise, more you practicing, you're building your muscles. So you are leading a shift.

And then for the short period of time, you are leading a shift, but only for the short period of time, because as a person who are constantly growing, constantly evolving, you want to do more. So then you go back to leadership and you start from scratch. And it's like going on the spiral and spiraling up because you completed one cycle, you move to the next one, to the next one, to the next one.

And then you grow as a person and then your vibration is going high and high. You start to meet different people in your life. You become more successful and then just like, oh, my God, I'm a different person now.

So instead of what I'm saying is that instead of avoiding this cycle, we need to embrace being in leadership because that's where innovation happen. That's where we learn when new opportunities would come. And now, like when I am at that point, I'm just like bring it on, bring it on, because I know that I will go on the other side and I will be much stronger, more resilient, probably calmer and more confident.

Scott

Elena, do you think that leadership should come with a warning label? And if so, what would yours say?

Elena

OK, interesting question. I think it should come with a warning. And what we can say is that leadership may cause sleepless nights, caffeine dependency and spontaneous problem solving.

And side effects may include personal growth and occasional, what was I thinking? Yeah, what was I thinking moment? So that's that's probably would be a warning level.

Scott

I love it. I think we should get those printed and applied. How did you find the writing process, getting all of your experience out of your head and onto the page?

Elena

OK, that's that's a different story on its own. It was a lot of leadership in that. Because I probably again, there was a lot of self-doubt.

It was a lot of no, I can't do it. I need someone to do it. And I thought and people say maybe Ghostwriter is the is the answer.

And I actually the Ghostwriter was recommended and I use it. And I even traveled to another country to meet this because like I am very diligent. I am very committed when it comes to something.

And then it was like basically the recorder was put in front of me, speak and I just speak about what or about anything like I will take the stuff what we need later. And the day that happened, I didn't feel quite well and I'm just like, oh, maybe this or maybe that, because when it's not structured, when it when it's like and that should be born in another morning as well, when it's not structured, when the book structure is not there, when the question is not there and you just like, oh, speak. And I'm just like, oh, maybe this, maybe that.

And then when I received the draft of the book, that was the transcript basically from from what I was saying into the book and say, that's your book. It's great. And I'm just like, I started to read and I thought, oh, my God, it's so much shit in it.

So it's not the book. I actually want I want to be I want the book to become a bestseller. I want to help people.

But I can't go through this. So how can people can get through that? It can't help me.

But it's just like a for someone with the mental, like someone with the mental mental problem who was just like writing this this book. That was me. And then I just because like the ghostwriter was trying to convince me that it's a good book, it's it's ready to be published.

But I have and it's very important to have your trusted people who can challenge you, who will not tell you what you want to hear, but people who will tell you the honest truth. So I decided I will harass them in the nice way. And I say, guys, can you please read it and tell me what you think?

And all of them just, you know, there is some gold in it. But and I say, OK, scrap. And then I and then I thought, OK, I need to completely I need to completely forget about that idea.

Like probably a book writing is not it's not for me, not for me. It's probably or I'm not ready and I'm too busy. And because I'm basically working 24, seven, seven days a week, I don't have time for that.

Forget about it. And then something happened. I was in January.

I was there. I took my family to Colorado for skiing. And then it was a lot of warning signs from universe that I need to stop.

I need to stop. I need to rest. I need to do certain things.

And I would just be me. I would just push through and push through and push through. And on day four, I finish up and I was so sick.

Like I finish up with losing my voice. I couldn't breathe with lollies, but I'm here to create family and memories with family. No, I push through.

So on day four, it was light fall, but I completely turned my ACL and I finish up the structure. So I traveled home with braces. But that actually stopped me.

And then I had and I had to cancel majority of my appointments. I had to reassess sort of what I am doing in life and where, again, I finished up and then at free time. And I had an urge to write a book.

I just felt and it was just like so I was on the floor. I was on the floor. But then when I finish and it took me probably a few weeks, like for four years, I couldn't do more.

I couldn't do anything. And then suddenly in a few weeks, I finished. I finished the draft.

But then I thought, but now what I do with that. And then I contacted a few people and no, it doesn't feel right. It doesn't feel right.

And then my previous book coach, she say, you probably need to contact Gravo, look at Gravo Factory. And then I looked at the and it just you know what? Sometimes when you look at things and it feels right.

It feels right. And I think, oh, my God, that's exactly what I need. And then I contacted like I made a contact and then I get I had an interview with Scott.

It just feels right. It just feels right. And then but you still think.

Yes, but what if but worry, because it's already you already develop those self doubts and they are like that, that, that, that, that, that, that they try and be to be in your head, they trying to tell you, oh, no, stop it. Stop it. You already was burning that out.

But then I thought, no, I can't lose anything. I just need to be open and just to be going through the process. I believe I will be guided.

And from that one until there, until now, like I think we build such a strong partnership and I wouldn't call it anything but partnership because I was appointed like the editor was appointed, Caroline, and she read it and I was because I was pretty happy with what I with what I put on like at the end of the day, I put it, no one else. And then we had a meeting with her and I say, but please be honest with me. I don't need trying to reverence this.

I don't need anyone to try to solve it. Just just say this. And she say, well, it's a lot of gold in it, but I need more of your stories because that's where the power is, not with you trying to explain or do something, but the power is in your stories, in your role stories.

And that's what we need to bring more in. And she say, I deconstructed your I deconstructed the whole thing and I will send it to you and ask where we need where we need more and you will give me more of that. So the process was, I believe, very easy, very easy because you feel you always have you always have a friend, you always have a mentor.

You never left. You never left alone. And you could come and ask for questions, whatever, whatever you need to ask.

And you are guided because guidance is very important here. So and then whatever whatever happened and I read it and actually whatever we put together, it took me probably two or three hours to read. And I thought, oh, my God, I'm so happy with the product.

And then we started with the with the cover design. And again, like Julie, she had so many ideas and she brought like probably, I don't know, eight different concepts. And I look at them.

Oh, I like this. But then next day, I don't like any of them. And they told me that could happen.

And they say, like, we will we will work until you feel 100 percent happen. And then I thought it's something with this duckling that that I like, but I don't like the duck itself. I like the concept, but and we spent quite a lot of time until we found and actually I designed this duck, this duck myself.

And because I wanted someone who is the duckling that would have the leadership on the on the captain head and who would like who would look lost and looking for looking for guidance. So at the end, we were so happy with the result. And it's happened that a year ago, my daughter did some photoshoot for me and we've done one with the leadership head, with the captain head.

And that was exactly the color of my suit was exactly the color. So it's all come together. And from that, it's just like and then I gave a copy to to again to my trusted friends.

And I say, and if you want, you can put some like if you like it, you can put put some testimonials. We can put some in the book. And I was so surprised that all of them wanted to give a testimony because they were they love the book.

They love how easy to read. They loved all the stories that there are stories that we never we never knew about it. But it's just like opening you a completely new horizon of who you are and like we understand you so much better.

And then I actually reached to a commissioner for small business. And she's an incredible person. And I said, I mean, would you be able to read a book and write a forward only if you like it?

Because I always give this warning level. I don't want you to say what someone wants to hear. I want brutal honesty.

If you don't like it, just say, like, this is not for me. And I I would be absolutely fine with that. And then she she said and I say, I understand you're busy.

And like I basically have a couple of like three days before before we need to put it for like finalize and everything. And she say, send it. I will do it.

And then she wrote this beautiful forward. And I was to be honest, I was reading and I was crying. I was crying because like it's great to see that what you the work you've done is is not just people appreciate they need it.

People need to hear your messages. And I think that's the most important. So if someone wants to hear that message and that's what I found at the keynote presentations, that there are at least few people who I know need to hear that message and that message.

And then I talk to them from my heart to their heart, from my soul to their soul, because that's the process would start. And then they would help someone else. And these people would help someone else.

And then we would create that great ecosystem of support.

Scott

Elena, thank you so much for sharing that that journey through the writing and publishing process, because, you know, I think a lot of people who haven't been through it have this view that, you know, it's very linear. It's from point A, you have an idea and then, you know, it's just tick, tick, tick all the way until the book is published. But you've really given a really good flavor for the ups and downs of that entire process.

So thank you for that. I wanted to ask you, because you're a bit of an expert, I think, in leadership and you have so much experience yourself. What is the worst leadership advice that you've ever received?

Elena

Good question. When I was writing a book and now working on my new keynotes, which is Leaders Enhance Life and Lead Like a Woman. That's my new keynotes that I'm working on.

I believe the worst leadership advice anyone could give to anyone is to find a role model. Yeah. Interesting.

Scott

Why is that?

Elena

Because I believe what we need to teach people or what we need to embrace you. Because be yourself, I can't remember who said that, it's not my words, but I love them so much and I keep repeating, be yourself, everyone else is taken. When you're trying to copy someone or have that person and I need to, you are taking yourself away from your path.

You're taking yourself from your unique qualities and that's where you need to concentrate, because all answers within, you just need to open, to open up. You need just to look within. You need to find who you are.

Why are you here? What, what you're wise? Why you come to this world?

What is your passion? What is your purpose? What you destined to do?

And and once you find these questions, because you see, when I came to Australia, it's as I say, that's from being someone you become no one, no one overnight. I couldn't speak English. I couldn't.

I was hiding behind my husband's back. And I was trying to find my place in this country. I'm trying to feel it.

I was wearing someone else's shoes. I was I was living someone else's life. And I finish up sick, very sick, because I was trying to copy people or be people's pleaser or or or do what people expected from me to do.

And then you become doormat because people can feel that there is no authenticity in that. And it's hard work. It's such a hard work to be everyone people want you to be.

But then they just like that's not the person I fall in love with. That's not the person I met at the beginning. And then when I finish up sick at the age of 50 and then I thought and it was a long it was a beginning of a long journey of recovery.

Now I'm 61 and I feel I'm at the best place I I ever could be. Because I know who or who I am. I know what I stand for.

I know I'm confident. I'm successful. I made myself.

But it's only by embracing my your my authenticity just to decide in one day. That's who I am. Or you take it or leave it.

You take it or leave it. And then all your leadership, all your unique qualities, they will shape who you are as leader. And I think who I am as leader right now, it's much it's much nicer person.

It's not what do as I say. It's more about empathy. It's more about vulnerability.

It's more about kindness. It's more about understanding. And what I call it's soul to soul talk.

And very often I would tell even to my people, I say, Park, your ego. I want to talk to your soul. Because your ego is standing on my way.

I can't feel it. Park, your ego. Let's talk soul to soul.

Scott

You've done a really good job of taking bad leadership advice and then sharing some really good leadership advice. And I'm going to ask you another piece of advice as our last question. A lot of folks listening to us right now have considered writing a book, but they haven't actually taken that step forward.

What advice would you give to them?

Elena

I would love to say try, what are you waiting for? But I won't. I think if you plant a seed that that's what you want to do, start visualizing it, start putting down some food, some ideas, some ideas down.

I probably would suggest contact Grammar Factory because like I tried all the coaching and this and that and that. But then until I honestly, and it's not just because I'm talking to people from Grammar Factory, I'm saying that I'm very black and white. I'm very black and white person.

So I would never say what people probably expect from me to say. But I think if, as I say, start to plant a seed, but then find grammar, like explore Grammar Factory and look what the programs are, because there is a different program, sort of different packages you can access. And I took the not the smallest, I took the bigger, which include few editing sessions.

And then you can add more and just start it, just start it. But make sure that you have time to allocate because it is it is a process that requires soul searching. It probably would be good if you could say, OK, I block a month and I and I go somewhere away.

And this is the only thing I will concentrate, because if you will try to do it between the meetings or when your brain is tired, when when you something like nothing, nothing would come out of it. You need to you need a commitment like you need commitment to your health. You need commitment to to your business.

You need commitment to your family and you need to be present even in writing a book. You need to be present 100 percent. Otherwise, otherwise nothing, nothing will happen.

And I think if universe wouldn't break my leg, I don't think that the book would be a would be born because like that's forced me to do to be to be in stillness, to be mindful. And I cleared all my diary and I even show up to to work. And I say to people, people, if you think I miss you, I don't.

It's time I step out of your way and you step and you and you step stop and you step forward and you start doing what I'm paying you for. So I'm out of your way to do a job. And I think that it was it was the best one of the best decisions I made, because firstly, you empower your people and you're giving them.

Now it's your time. I invested a lot in you. Now it's your time to step forward and lead.

And that allow me the time to to write my book.

Scott

Elena, I would I would never wish for you to break your leg, but somehow I'm happy that something good came out of that experience. What's the best way for people to get in touch with you if they want to learn more about you or get in touch?

Elena

There is a there is a LinkedIn. Best probably find me through the LinkedIn and get in touch because that's that's follow me on Instagram because there's two basically I am checking from time to time. Also, my book launch is New York on 6th of November.

So I will share on LinkedIn more details in the coming days. So if someone wants to come and check and have a signed copy or but mind you, go and buy a book on the Amazon if you want a signed copy, because I wouldn't carry all the books from Australia with me. And of course, like I would love for people to buy a book and read it and leave a honest, honest review, because we're all, as I say, part of the human ecosystem and we need to support each other by providing the best the best advice.

And if that book someone reads the book and it resonates, it's very important to let other other people because it's written for people who currently need a helping hand, who is regardless, would it be your family life or business life? If you are in so-called leadership, read this book because you will understand you are not alone. And I share my very like I'm very vulnerable.

I share all role stories. So without any trying to say, oh, I'm a born leader. Oh, I'm this and I will teach you how to do that.

None of that in this book. It's only practical strategies. So it's only practical advice.

What worked for me and what I always say, whatever worked for me, it doesn't mean that it will work for you. Everyone have a different path, a different way. But sometimes when you hear something from someone that can lead you to finding your finding your way, because I believe in the progression of energy.

And when we are in contact with or in contact with a person that we share that energy, like the energy comes together and that can bring your thoughts or your something that was sitting dormant in you. And suddenly it's become, wow, how could I think about that before?

Scott

We'll put those links in the show notes so that people can access them easily. And we'll also put a link to the book because we talked a little bit about the book cover and some of the inspiration that went into that. And I think it would be really helpful for listeners who, you know, who are trying to visualize what we're talking about, love for them to click on the link, see what the cover looks like.

And that'll make a ton of sense. Elena, thank you again for being here and for sharing both your time and your experience with us. You've got a wealth of knowledge and experience that you've gifted to all of us through your book.

So thank you again for being here.

Elena

Thank you, Scott. Thank you. Thank you.

Scott

As we wrap up this episode of Entrepreneur Author, remember this. Now is the time. Time to write, time to publish, and time to grow.

I'm Scott McMillan. Until next time.