What if your story could open doors and reshape who gets to be seen? In this episode, Meghan talks with PR expert Caitlin Copple, co-founder of Full Swing PR, about the kind of visibility that actually drives results for entrepreneurs who want book deals and real impact.

Caitlin shares why PR only works when your business is ready for it, what founders must have in place before hiring a publicist, and how “publicity that fills your pipeline” differs from the vanity wins most people chase. She explains the value of consistent visibility habits, why many entrepreneurs aren’t prepared for the audiences they dream about, and how alignment, not hustle, creates lasting momentum.

You’ll walk away with practical guidance on growing an audience, knowing when to invest in PR, understanding what publishers care about, and identifying the energetic blocks that keep you stuck.

If you’re aiming for a book deal or a bigger platform, this conversation will help you get clear on your next move.

This week’s guest is Caitlin Copple. She is the Founding Partner at Full Swing Public Relations. Caitlin’s work teaching clients to “be the news” has elevated the stories of diverse founders, sold books, won elections, passed legislation in multiple states, and even ousted a lawmaker accused of sexual assault. She has placed clients in a wide array of outlets such as CNN, Forbes, Fast Company, TIME, and many more. Caitlin and her business partner, Holly Conti, scaled the agency to seven figures in less than four years.

Full Swing PR is the nation’s leading agency for underrecognized founders and leaders of professional services companies scaling $2M+. Our agency has helped hundreds of clients earn millions of dollars through smart, effective PR campaigns. In 2024 and 2025, Full Swing PR was named among Inc. Magazine’s fastest growing privately held companies in the Rocky Mountain Region.

Full Swing PR is a women- and LGBTQ-owned agency.

Find Caitlin and Full Swing on social

• https://www.instagram.com/caitlin_copple/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlincopple/
• https://www.instagram.com/fullswingpr/

Find the Full Swing PR podcast here: https://fullswingpr.com/how-to-hire-pr-podcast/.

Take Full Swing PR’s Visibility Scorecard quiz here: https://fullswingpr.typeform.com/visibilityscore

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(1:10) Introducing Caitlin Copple & Full Swing PR
(3:10) Why representation matters in PR
(5:03) What makes

Follow Meghan:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megstevenson
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/megstevenson
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghanstevenson/
• TikTok: @meghan.stevenson.books
• Website: https://www.meghanstevenson.com/

Have a great idea for a book but don't know where to start?MeghanStevenson.com/quiz


Traditional publishing expert Meghan Stevenson blasts open the gates of the “Big 5” – Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Hachette, and Macmillan – to share what every entrepreneur and expert needs to know about landing a book deal.

In episodes released every other Monday, Meghan shares wisdom and stories from 20+ years in publishing as well as interviews with authors, literary agents, and editors. She also answers questions from listeners like you.

Whether you are an experienced entrepreneur with an empire, or are just starting out – this podcast will help you understand what you need to do in order to turn your dream of being a bestselling author into real life.

What if your book idea isn’t the problem, it’s your platform? In this episode of Kind of a Big Book Deal, publishing expert Meghan Stevenson breaks down why building your author platform matters more than obsessing over comps, subcategories, or bookstore placement. Using listener Mike C.’s question about his music and wellness book, Meghan reveals the truth behind prescriptive nonfiction (a.k.a. how-to or self-help books), why comparing yourself to bestselling authors can backfire, and how understanding your audience makes category and positioning decisions effortless.

If you’ve ever wondered what makes agents and publishers say yes, or how to stop wasting time on what doesn’t move the needle, this episode gives you the roadmap. Meghan’s no-fluff advice will help you focus on what really sells a book: proof of concept and a loyal audience.

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(1:17) Listener question: What is prescriptive nonfiction?
(2:10) Defining prescriptive vs. narrative books
(3:35) Understanding genre, category, and positioning
(4:46) How to choose your comparative titles wisely
(6:15) Why huge author comps can hurt your pitch
(7:15) How tone and audience affect book positioning
(8:00) What publishers and agents really look for
(9:21) The #1 focus before writing your book
(11:19) Final advice: Build proof, not perfection
(12:01) Outro

Follow Meghan:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megstevenson
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/megstevenson
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghanstevenson/
• TikTok: @meghan.stevenson.books
• Website: https://www.meghanstevenson.com/

Have a great idea for a book but don't know where to start?MeghanStevenson.com/quiz


Traditional publishing expert Meghan Stevenson blasts open the gates of the “Big 5” – Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Hachette, and Macmillan – to share what every entrepreneur and expert needs to know about landing a book deal.

In episodes released every other Monday, Meghan shares wisdom and stories from 20+ years in publishing as well as interviews with authors, literary agents, and editors. She also answers questions from listeners like you.

Whether you are an experienced entrepreneur with an empire, or are just starting out – this podcast will help you understand what you need to do in order to turn your dream of being a bestselling author into real life.

What if success wasn’t about competition but collaboration? In this episode of Kind of a Big Book Deal, host Meghan Stevenson sits down with bestselling author Ruchika Tulshyan, whose new book Uncompete flips the script on what it means to win. Ruchika shares how the myth of “doing it all yourself” keeps entrepreneurs and authors burnt out and isolated and how equity, generosity, and radical collaboration can build true, sustainable success.

Listeners will learn why letting go of scarcity thinking opens doors to creativity, opportunity, and community. Ruchika and Meghan talk candidly about navigating publishing gatekeepers, building authentic professional relationships, and finding courage to redefine success on your own terms. Whether you’re dreaming of your first book deal or just want to stop competing with everyone, including yourself, this conversation will change how you think about success.

This week’s guest is Ruchika Tulshyan. Ruchika T. Malhotra is the author of Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Success. She is also the founder of Candour, a global inclusion strategy firm. A former business journalist, her writing appears regularly in publications such as Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, Forbes, Bloomberg, The Seattle Times, and more. She has previously held adjunct faculty positions at Seattle University and the University of Washington, where she now advises the Communication Leadership graduate program.

Ruchika is the author of Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work, MIT Press’s top-selling book of 2022.

Find Ruchika on social

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruchikatm/
• https://www.instagram.com/rtulshyan

Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Success, will be released on Nov. 4. Preorder the book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/753092/uncompete-by-ruchika-t-malhotra/

Find upcoming events with Ruchika at https://www.ruchika.co/speaking.

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(2:32) Meghan introduces author and inclusion strategist Ruchika Tulshyan
(3:17) The harmful myth of competition and burnout
(5:47) Why doing it alone doesn’t work
(10:46) How patriarchy and scarcity shape women’s success
(17:28) Gatekeeping and breaking barriers in publishing
(25:07) Building audiences through generosity and collaboration
(28:27) The power of amplifying others online

Follow Meghan:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megstevenson
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/megstevenson
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghanstevenson/
• TikTok: @meghan.stevenson.books
• Website: https://www.meghanstevenson.com/

Have a great idea for a book but don't know where to start?MeghanStevenson.com/quiz


Traditional publishing expert Meghan Stevenson blasts open the gates of the “Big 5” – Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Hachette, and Macmillan – to share what every entrepreneur and expert needs to know about landing a book deal.

In episodes released every other Monday, Meghan shares wisdom and stories from 20+ years in publishing as well as interviews with authors, literary agents, and editors. She also answers questions from listeners like you.

Whether you are an experienced entrepreneur with an empire, or are just starting out – this podcast will help you understand what you need to do in order to turn your dream of being a bestselling author into real life.