Naren was a lawyer at three different venture-funded tech companies when the dot com bubble burst and took all three of them with it.

So he did what any reasonable attorney would do next.

He started a children's book company.

It started with a bedtime story for his three-year-old daughter, a Virginia Tech mascot named the Hokie Bird, and some truly terrible illustrations. That one book sold 5,000 copies in six months — and unlocked a niche nobody had touched: children's books at the intersection of licensed sports content and university pride.

350 universities later, he had a publishing company. Then in 2018, he pivoted again — into thought leadership publishing through Amplify, helping executives, entrepreneurs, and experts turn their ideas into books that open doors nothing else can.

In this episode, Naren breaks down:

• Why he went from law to publishing — and why it made more sense than it sounds

• How one proof of concept became a deal with 350+ universities and Major League Baseball

• The 2018 pivot to thought leadership books and why it changed everything

• Why a book is the ultimate long-form content flex — and what LinkedIn posts will never be able to do

• The AI writing question every author is wrestling with right now — and where the line actually is

• Why your email list is still your single most valuable asset at launch

• The bureau strategy that gets speakers more bookings from a single book tour

If you've ever thought about writing a book — or wondered if it's still worth it — this one's your answer.