The Quiet Warrior Podcast with Serena Low

80 How Collaborative Books Help Introverts Get Seen with Cathy Derksen

• Serena Low, Introvert Coach for Quiet Achievers and Quiet Warriors

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In this episode of The Quiet Warrior Podcast, I sit down with Cathy Derksen — Founder of Inspired Tenacity, speaker, and 19-times #1 best-selling author — whose mission is to amplify women's voices through the power of collaborative books.

Cathy didn’t start out in publishing. Her career began in medical genetics, followed by a decade in financial planning, before she answered a deeper calling: to help women transform their lives through storytelling. What began as a single contribution to a multi-author book has now grown into a thriving publishing platform that gives women around the world a safe space to share their wisdom, elevate their visibility, and expand their impact.

We talk about what holds introverts back from being visible, how collaborative books open unexpected doors, and why sharing your story might be the most generous and healing act you ever do—for yourself and others.

💡 In This Episode, We Explore:

  • Cathy’s journey from science to finance to soulful storytelling
     
     
  • Why introverts don’t need to be flashy to be influential
     
     
  • How collaborative books help you build confidence, grow your network, and attract new clients
     
     
  • The mindset shifts that happen when you call yourself an “author”
     
     
  • What it means to lead quietly — and courageously
     
     
  • How visibility becomes meaningful when it’s rooted in purpose

Whether you’re an aspiring author, an introverted entrepreneur, or someone with a story waiting to be told, this episode will help you see new possibilities for your voice, your message, and your mission.

🔗 Connect with Cathy:
 🌐 Website:inspiredtenacity.com
💼 LinkedIn:Cathy Derksen on LinkedIn
📚 Explore Cathy’s collaborative book series or get involved in an upcoming project.

📘 Bonus Resource – Download my free eBook: The Introvert Toolkit

  • Learn how to support and advocate for yourself at work as an introvert.
  • Understand how your introverted child or co-worker experiences the world differently - and how you can better support them.
     
     👉 https://mailchi.mp/87cf08f92464/the-introvert-toolkit




💬 Loved this episode?
 Subscribe, rate, and leave a review on your favourite podcast app. It helps The Quiet Warrior Podcast reach more introverts and quiet achievers around the world—so they can rise with clarity, purpose, and power.


This episode was edited by Aura House Productions

Speaker 1:

Hi, I'm Serena Loh. If you're used to hearing that introverts are shy, anxious, antisocial and lack good communication and leadership skills, then this podcast is for you. You're about to fall in love with the calm, introspective and profound person that you are. Discover what's fun, unique and powerful about being an introvert, and how to make the elegant transition from quiet achiever to quiet warrior in your life and work anytime you want, in more ways than you imagined possible. Welcome, welcome to the Quiet Warrior podcast.

Speaker 1:

My guest today is an author, speaker, disruptor and catalyst dedicated to improving the lives of the women in her community and around the world. An international speaker and 19 times number one best-selling author, she has created a platform for women to share their wisdom in inspiring collaborative books. Her programs allow you to expand your global network, build your business, deepen your impact and increase your visibility, while becoming an international best-selling author. Welcome, kathy Dirksen, to the Quiet Warrior podcast. Well, thank you for having me, serena. You're very welcome, kathy. Tell us a little bit about your story and the journey so far, and how you come to be doing what you do.

Speaker 2:

Yes no, it's definitely been a twisted journey, and I always like to say that if you'd asked me five years ago if I was going to be getting into being an author and publishing, and I would have laughed at you because there was nothing in my past reality that suggested this is what I would have laughed at you because there was nothing in my past reality that suggested this is what I would be doing. And so, really, it's been a matter of listening to my intuition, following my heart, figuring out what feels like the right answer. Next, and my original career was actually in medical genetics. So for 25 years, I worked mainly in hospital labs and public education, and that was back in the days when the Human Genome Project was going on and there was Dolly the sheep that was causing all this ethical problems in the cloning world and genetics and that whole thing. And yeah, it was around 2010 when I hit a time in my life when I realized that I love the field of genetics, but the actual job I was doing was one that I knew just wasn't where my heart was. It wasn't, you know. I could feel my blood pressure going up just by being there, and so I made that big decision that it's time to figure out what else I'm here to do in the world.

Speaker 2:

And at that time, really, the thing that hit me was the idea that I felt like I was here to really help women change their life. And so trying to figure out what that meant, and I went into financial planning thinking, well, this is where a lot of women say they would like some support. So I went into financial planning with the idea that I was going to really have a true impact in the lives of women say they would like some support. So I went into financial planning with the idea that I was going to really have a true impact in the lives of women and but about a decade into that, realized that I was so confined to the little box of what you can do in that industry that I thought, no, this still is not the right answer. And so, about four years ago now, I left all that behind to set out on my own to figure out what it is that I'm here to do.

Speaker 2:

And and yeah, just sort of doors open in different directions and opportunities came my way and I realized, you know, once I started getting involved in these kind of books, it just hit me that these, this is how I can help women change their life. It just hit me that this is how I can help women change their life, providing something that really creates a true impact in their life. And so, and here we are, like you said, 19 books later, and now that's become the main thing that I do. So I've released seven books in the last couple of years that each have roughly 20 women from around the world sharing their journey based on the theme of the book. And and yeah, I love doing this and I will I keep doing more.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for sharing that. I think what's what I particularly heard and appreciated was that you spent 25 years mastering your craft in one particular field, and then you pivoted and spent 10 years in another field. And all this was still part of the exploration and you hadn't yet arrived at the version or the iteration that you were looking for, and so something hadn't landed. And yet it was only four years ago, and that would have been in the middle of the pandemic, with the world shut down and a very different set of circumstances.

Speaker 2:

Yes, yes, and I think that was part of what really kind of pushed me into that, knowing that now is the time that I need to make this change, just the whole situation that we were in. And I think a lot of us did a lot of kind of self-reflecting through the months of COVID and all the changes that it brought, and I think that was one of the things that really kind of helped me see that it's now. Now is when I need to do something completely different and not just keep doing the same thing and feeling frustrated with it. But so, yes, I guess COVID probably was one of the catalysts behind it.

Speaker 1:

A catalyst that also disrupted your way of thinking, but perhaps also accelerated it, because you went from 25 years to 10 years and then to four years finding what you currently do.

Speaker 2:

So that gives us hope and the more times we try, perhaps the faster.

Speaker 1:

Yes, that's right, beautiful. So tell me, cathy, why particularly collaborative books? Because the traditional understanding is, you know that people have this dream of being an author, of writing a book, and the idea is to have their name on one book. So how is having multiple authors to one book better than having just one author's name?

Speaker 2:

Well, there's a few reasons that I think the multi-author format works better for more people. And, yes, that traditional model where there's only the big guys, the publishing companies, and you have to go beg your way in to get them to accept your book into what they are willing to do, and whereas now the whole world of publishing has changed quite a bit in the last, especially the last 10 years, where now there are options as far as the big guys, or completely self-published, and then the ones in the middle. That's we call hybrid. So they're a combination of you're not doing it yourself, you're being helped by a professional group of publishers, but it's not the big guys that you have to beg for a spot. There are people that you can pay for their service to get this done. And one of the things as well.

Speaker 2:

There's a few things to look at when you're weighing do I want to do a whole solo book or do I want to get involved in a multi-author book? Well, one big piece is time. For most people to write a whole solo book would take often takes years. And the other thing is the cost. People again have this idea that these publishers are going to come in and they're going to pay for everything and everything will be done for you, and which is not really the reality in most cases. So even if a big publisher does take you on, most of the time what they pay you is an advance against the sale of your book. So they'll give you some money to help you write the book. But then if your book doesn't sell, in some cases you owe them that money back because it really was an advance against the sale of your book and so they kind of have control over what you're doing.

Speaker 2:

But if you were to write your own book, a solo book that you're going to publish and again looking at having proper editing, proofreading, formatting, doing the proper marketing to actually hit that number one status, in most cases you're looking at $20,000 to $50,000 US depending on the size of the book and the content of the book and all those things.

Speaker 2:

It can get quite pricey and people don't realize that, whereas being involved in a multi-author book, you're often paying a piece of that, but it's a small fraction of it, based on how many people are in the book and how big is the book and all those other kinds of things. So from a time point of view, from an expense point of view, it's very different to do a fraction of the project instead of doing the whole thing, but one of the really big things is content Content, and so for many people they might have an idea what they want their book to be about and they'll play around with it, but they don't necessarily have enough really juicy content to fill a whole book, whereas if you're just writing one chapter, you can take what you've got and condense it down to a way that it really is creating a really intriguing chapter but wouldn't necessarily fill up a whole book. So that's a big part of it. I think that the time, the money and the size of content that you need to do it.

Speaker 1:

I like how you've broken it down into those practical terms, because, yes, we do have that dream of being that bestselling, you know, number one on the New York Times kind of bestseller status, but that's very unachievable for most of us, and so this feels like a more accessible, more realistic way to go about it A fraction of the project at a fraction of the cost, a fraction of the time as well, and you still get to call yourself an author, isn't it?

Speaker 2:

Exactly, and one of the other great parts of it is that with my books I focus on 20 people per book. I've just found that's kind of a nice sweet spot of being manageable with numbers and all that sort of thing. So now you imagine you're being introduced to 20 people that you probably wouldn't have ever met otherwise, and then, when we get to the point that we're marketing the book, now you've got 20 communities coming together to market the same project, so really your information is being amplified across 20 communities. So for those of us who are entrepreneurs, it's an amazing way to just really amplify your visibility and create that impact that you're looking for.

Speaker 2:

And the way I always suggest people when they're writing in my books is a combination of their personal journey, what they've come through, what they've learned along the way, but then also those tips or tools or strategies that they would like to share with the reader, based on the theme of the book. So for those of us who are entrepreneurs, it really can become a lead magnet for your business, because now that reader has learned something about you, they feel connected with you, they now understand what you do and why you do that and kind of that little sampler of what it is you do and how you're helping people, and so my goal is to have, when the readers finish your chapter they think I need to talk to her. And then you've got your bio page right beside this, got your contact information. So it really becomes an easy, real lead magnet of here's the information, here's the sampler. Contact her here.

Speaker 1:

I like the way you think but in practice, based on your experience, having published 19 bestselling books, how helpful in reality has it been for the individual authors, the ones who have businesses of their own, the ones who have a stake in being more visible? How successful have they been in actually attracting the right kind of people by being published?

Speaker 2:

Yes, and of course, like everything in life, it is what you make it. And so if they just participate in the book and put it on the shelf and don't promote it and don't talk about it and don't put that title of author on their profiles, then it might not have much impact. But even having the word author in your profile attracts more. For those of us that are getting into speaking people who are organizing summits, conferences, even podcasters they look for authors first. So if they've got a group of people that have all applied to speak, they will pick the authors first and then fill in with the ones that don't have author in their profile. So even that simple act of putting author earning that title and, of course, hitting best-selling author is also an extra juicy piece to put in there. And one of the other big ways I see it helping is that feeling of what can I do next? You know, going back to what you're saying, so many of us have this dream of being a published author, but so few do, and so most people feel it's unattainable for them. But once they've actually completed that and they've got the book in their hand, not only is it a feeling of success that I'm now a published author. There's that other side of it Wow, if I can do that, that I thought I would never do, what else can I do? So there's that part of it as well, and I've had quite a few people that have come into these books as kind of that first step in the publishing world. So they'll come in and they will get their chapter done, get the whole book published, get their whole visibility amplified in the community, and then they'll get that amplified in the community, and then they'll get that both, that confidence that yes, I do have the content to do a whole solo book, but then more of that confidence and just feeling like, hey, people actually do want to hear what I have to say, because that's another piece that really holds a lot of people back from publishing. That feeling of, oh, nobody really wants to hear what I have to say, or who am I to think that people even care what I have to say? So once you've been in a collaborative book and you've got that feedback from readers that, wow, I loved your chapter, it really, you know, helped me to, you know, see a different path or to understand what I could do next in my life, and things like that, then it really can give that next step and that confidence to move on. And so I've seen a lot of shift in those ways, both in the creating I've worked with 12 different publishers is doors start opening that you hadn't even seen before. So those doors might have always been there, but you had not even seen that door until you had that experience and had that word author in your profile. And then these doors start opening.

Speaker 2:

Oh, would you like to speak here? Would you like to be on this podcast? Would you like to do this? Or, you know, would you like to be in this book over here? And that was part of what I did when I first got started. I was just one of the authors in other people's books and I started getting invited into these other projects and so, again, every time you step into one, you're stepping into a whole new community of people. So really, how I look at it, everything I'm doing right now in my life and in my business is directly connected to the books I've been in, because there's nothing in common with what I did before. It's all because of the books I've been in and the networks and the communities and the opportunities that have come out of that.

Speaker 1:

There are so many layers I want to unpack just based on what you've said there. First of all, I think I want to acknowledge that it's a very smart and data-driven way that you've approached this collaborative book writing, this collaborative book writing, and that's because you've taken a project that sounds very massive. You've broken it down, you've found a way to bridge the dream with what's actually doable today. And then there is that amplifying effect Because that person has said yes to this opportunity, they are now saying yes to bigger things because they are attracting bigger opportunities.

Speaker 1:

They are attracting new communities, new exposure, new visibility into their lives, and I can attest to that in a small way too, because this is the 10th year since I first published my book, and that was also unbeknownst to me at the time also a multi-author kind of concept, and I hadn't planned for it that way, but that's the way it evolved and what I noticed was that in the years after that it has actually helped open doors to other people's books, and so I've taken part in three other collaborative book projects since then and also have been constantly invited onto people's podcasts. So you're right when you become confident and when you show up in one area and you talk about it and you let people know that I've done this thing. It sparks something in them to think, ah, I can ask her about this or this or this and we can have that conversation. And so, regardless of the outcome, it still puts you on a different pathway than if you had not said yes to that original brave thing.

Speaker 2:

Exactly. And for people that do want to focus on selling copies of the book, you know they're free to do that, to buy copies at a lower cost and go sell them. You know, sell a signed copy at you copy at $25, $30 and that sort of thing. Some people like to do that. Or if you're speaking at a conference I've heard actually a few different conferences they expect you to have a book that you're going to be selling or giving away at the conference. I was speaking to one woman last week and she said that she was accepted to speak at a conference and then one of the first things they said is what's your book about? She didn't even have a book, so she literally had to rush put together a book, get it published, get it ready before the conference so that she had this book they expected her to have at the conference.

Speaker 1:

Brilliant, brilliant, and what a good way to give away more copies of your book. Sell more copies of your book, because that's one of the headaches, I think, for authors as well the self-published ones how do I sell more copies of my book? How do I know how many copies to print? So if you have a big publisher backing you, you don't think about those things, but if you are an ordinary person who is publishing for the first time, second time, you do have to think of all these logistical issues. So thank you for sharing those tips, because I think they are very valuable for those of our listeners who are keynote speakers or aiming to be that kind of a speaker on a bigger stage and, at the same time, amplifying their book as well. That's brilliant. What are some of the things you've learned from compiling and listening to other people's stories?

Speaker 2:

Yes, and so far, with all the books that I've been in, I've been working with hundreds of women and and and this kind of book really brings out a level of their story that quite often they haven't even told anyone before, that that you know it could tie into their business, just in how it shaped them and their experience.

Speaker 2:

But it's quite a new thing and and so part of it has shaped them and their experience, but it's quite a new thing.

Speaker 2:

And so part of it has been around hearing these other women's stories and understanding the challenges some people have come through. And of course, you always then put your own experience in a different perspective when you're comparing and I hate to say comparing, but you're just looking at yourself beside these other stories as well. So that's definitely a huge part of that, that learning part, and I think part of it for me too is it's really allowed me to discover that one of my kind of core talents is around bringing people together and giving them that safe space to, to open up and to step into some different possibilities. And and I I would say I wasn't aware how naturally I did that until I stepped into this space and I'll talk to quite a few people, and they'll be. You know, how do you meet all these people all over the world and how do you do all these books and how do you like? How do you? And to me it's just like I don't know, I just do. This is just what I do.

Speaker 1:

So learning that part too has definitely been an eye-opener it sounds to me like, in the process of doing what you do, you've also tapped into your own gift, or shall we call it a natural superpower of yours, and that is creating that safe space where women can come together and share their stories and, like you say, some of them have never shared that story before. And it's actually very powerful having somebody listen to you and hold that space and not judge, and just give you that room to articulate something that's deeply meaningful to you, that's in your heart, and you can't just share it with anybody, because we know that it's not always safe to do so, that other people may not be the right person to do so, even if they're very close to us. It has to be that right person who can hold all of that and just still be sitting with you compassionately, empathically, sensitively, allowing you the room to find your words and communicate it in the best way. You know that feels true to you, and so I think what you have there is a very remarkable gift the gift of listening, the gift of helping other people to feel safe and making room for their stories and their voices to be heard.

Speaker 1:

And that sounds to me and I know we talked about this, about you being an introvert as well, and I think that this is an introverted superpower. Actually, you don't say a lot, but when you do say something, it's very profound, it lands deeply, it touches people's hearts, and perhaps the gift for the introvert is not having to say a lot to make an impact. In fact, listening really intently and presently and making the other person feel seen and heard that itself is a gift. So my next question to you has to do with being an introverted entrepreneur. What has your experience been like and how do you manage your introverted traits, your needs, your energy in doing what you do?

Speaker 2:

yes, it's definitely been a learning experience as an entrepreneur and I know when I first started, everybody tells you you need to be flashy and loud and everywhere and all this stuff.

Speaker 2:

And I knew that just was not me and it literally just my guts just went oh no, no, I can't do that.

Speaker 2:

And so to come to that realization that I can do this without being like that, I do not need to be big and flashy and everywhere, I just need to be myself and be in the right communities, and so that was definitely a big part of it, and I think, kind of to looking at my experience, covid has actually been a blessing in the way that it's put us all on Zoom, because I can definitely handle a large group of people much better on Zoom than I would if I was in a loud room trying to hear people and trying to just make my way through a group.

Speaker 2:

So so I think that Zoom has been a great blessing for introverts, just so we can have our own space, we're in our little box, and so that's definitely been helpful as well. And I find too, with these books, that being in a group to bring those stories out, I think it helps all of us who are introverts, because it's like we we don't have to be big and flashy by ourselves, that we are part of a group or part of a team, that we're supporting each other through this, and so I I've definitely found that that's been beneficial that way too thank you so much for that.

Speaker 1:

I think think one of the challenges for introverts who are putting themselves out there whether they're starting a venture or they're doing something like what you do in a business for themselves it's that internal conflict of wanting to be seen but also not wanting to be seen.

Speaker 1:

Yes, I call myself a quiet leader ah, beautiful, quiet leader so kind of like you're a quiet warrior yes, so we're still leading, we're still doing things, we're still showing up, being courageous, being visible, but for a purpose, and we do it without having to act extroverted. So what are two key insights for you that you want to share with the quiet achievers, the quiet leaders, the quiet warriors who are listening?

Speaker 2:

well, definitely a big part of that is, you know, to just be yourself and trust that that is what you need to do and to not take that advice from others that say that you do have to be big and flashy and everywhere and keep up with everything and have all these conversations and really bring it down more to who is your audience, who are the people you want to be talking to, and not worrying as much about everybody else and kind of like you were saying too that you don't have to do it loud but with that right message in the right community.

Speaker 1:

You can just be yourself, Beautiful. So being yourself when you think about it, isn't that the simplest and most sensible thing for anybody to do?

Speaker 2:

To be themselves.

Speaker 1:

But it means different things to different people, and for very quiet people, for the highly sensitive ones, for the empaths. Being ourselves also has to feel safe, because I think for a lot of our experience, being ourselves was seen as not enough to live up to somebody's expectations of what it means to be a successful person. To be someone to be looked up to, to someone who makes an impact, and so be yourself is actually almost like a rebellious thing for an introvert to do.

Speaker 1:

To actually go back to who we know we are inside and be okay with that and be proud of that.

Speaker 2:

And allow that side of ourselves to show. I agree that you are enough and, yes, what you have to offer is unique and it's you, and, yes, stay focused on that so what's next in your list of best-selling projects?

Speaker 1:

what are you working on?

Speaker 2:

well, I've got three books that should be coming out over the summer. We're just doing all the editing in those right now, and right now I've started a few new books that I'm bringing people into, so, if anyone's interested. One is focused specifically on entrepreneurs and it's open to men and women, and so that one's called From Inspiration to Success the Entrepreneurial Journey. So on that one, everybody will be sharing their own journey but also what they've learned along the way and how they're helping other entrepreneurs or what their business is. Another one is called Rooted in Resilience, and that one will be just women sharing their journey of how being resilient has helped them become who they are and take on life in their own way.

Speaker 2:

And I always also have a series of books for women in science and tech. So the current book we're working on there is called women in steam a global movement. So that one again we've got women from all over the world who work in many different fields of science, tech, engineering and now with the arts in the middle there and math and all the other. There are so many different fields in STEM and STEAM, and add another M to the end of STEM as well, and all of those people, so I always got new books coming up and always open to when people are interested in jumping in. So definitely feel free to connect with me and I'll have options available.

Speaker 1:

Beautiful, and what's the best way for people to connect with you, kathy?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, my website is inspiredtenacitycom and on there you'll find tabs with my previous books where you can download free copies, as well as my current book projects that you can check out and jump into. And LinkedIn is my main social media, so if you're looking for me out there, definitely look me up on LinkedIn, and that's one of the only places I hang out, I guess. Going back to the introvert thing, I just pick one that is my favorite and that's where I hang out.

Speaker 1:

I find myself doing more and more of that as well. Just focus on the one platform, because we have limited energy and we want to give our best. That's right, exactly, yes. So we have all Kathy's links in the show notes. Make sure you check them out so you can connect with her, learn more about her book projects and maybe that will inspire you to tick off another bucket list item this year. So if you enjoyed today's episode with Kathy Dirksen, make sure to leave a review and subscribe to the Quiet Warrior podcast for new episodes every fortnight. Together, let's reach more introverts around the world. Thanks for listening and see you on the next episode. I'm so grateful that you're here today. If you found this content valuable, please share it on your social media channels and subscribe to the show on your favorite listening platform. Together, we can help more introverts thrive. To receive more uplifting content like this, connect with me on Instagram at Serena Lo Quiet Warrior Coach. Thank you for sharing your time and your energy with me. See you on the next episode.