In this episode of Finish the Damn Book, host Susie Schaefer sits down with leadership expert, author, and TEDx speaker Jennifer Reiser—a visionary who blends human-centered leadership with unexpected lessons from the natural world.

Jennifer opens up about the emotional challenges behind creating her two leadership coloring workbooks, including releasing perfectionism, navigating boundaries, and learning to embrace help. She reveals how tapping into creativity helped her rediscover forgotten parts of herself and how each animal in her books carries symbolic lessons that spark powerful self-reflection and team conversations.

From using nature-based leadership traits in coaching, to seeing her work shape executive teams, conflict resolution, and personal development, Jennifer shares the unexpected doors her books have opened—including her TEDx talk Wildly Effective Leadership.

This conversation goes deep on creativity, leadership, intuition, returning to nature, and the spiritual moments woven into Jennifer’s author journey. Whether you're an aspiring writer, a leader, or simply someone craving more authenticity and connection—this episode will leave you inspired to explore your own wild potential.

In this inspiring episode, host Susie Schaefer talks with members of the Veterans Writing Group of San Diego about their mission to help veterans and their families share and preserve their stories. President Gary Garrettson and board members Armand Kian, Brian Sanchez, and Derek Barraza discuss their latest anthology, the power of storytelling for healing, and why capturing military experiences matters now more than ever. This heartfelt conversation is a reminder of the impact writing can have—and why every story deserves to be told.

Tune in and keep writing so you can finish the damn book.

In this episode of Finish the Damn Book, Susie Schaefer sits down with award-winning author, editor, and book coach Susan Crossman to uncover the truth about writing a compelling nonfiction book. They dive deep into the real purpose of professional editing, why DIY editing and AI tools fail authors, and how intuition, storytelling, and human emotion shape powerful books that resonate. Susan breaks down developmental editing, copy editing, proofreading, and sensitivity reading—revealing why a polished manuscript can make or break your credibility, reviews, and impact. A must-listen for coaches, consultants, and mission-driven writers ready to elevate their message and create a book they’re truly proud of.