Frontmatter

Leanpub
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Frontmatter

In the Frontmatter podcast, Leanpub co-founder Len Epp interviews authors and special guests about their areas of expertise, from data science to founding startups, and talks with them about their careers, their books, and their experiences as writers.

  1. APR 3

    Nicolas Brown, Author of Real World Agility

    In this Leanpub Podcast episode, Len Epp interviews Nicolas Brown, author of Real World Agility: Backed by evidence, built for results. Nicolas shares his unique path from the Royal Mail to working in e-commerce, financial services, and eventually as a sought-after agility and product consultant. He explains his evidence-based approach to agile coaching, and why focusing on flow, value, and culture leads to meaningful results. The conversation covers metrics, agile dogma, writing a book, and how leaders can create truly adaptive organizations. 📘 Learn more about the book: Real World Agility 🎙️ Listen to more episodes: The Leanpub YouTube Channel This interview was recorded on April 1, 2025. The full audio for the interview is here: https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/leanpub_podcasts/FM311-Nicolas-Brown-2025-04-01.mp3. The Frontmatter podcast is available on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/leanpub, in Apple Podcasts here https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/frontmatter/id517117137, and almost everywhere else people listen to podcasts.

    1h 2m

  2. MAR 26

    Isaak Tsalicoglou, Author of Northwind Elixir Traders

    In this Leanpub podcast episode, co-founder Len Epp interviews Isaak Tsalicoglou, author of Northwind Elixir Traders: Learn Elixir and database modeling with Ecto and SQLite, all in one project. They discuss Isaak’s professional background in digital transformation, how a conversation with a friend sparked his obsession with functional programming, and why Elixir stood out as a powerful and elegant language for modern software development. Isaak explains how his book combines real-world business logic with hands-on technical learning by recreating the classic Northwind database in Elixir using Ecto and SQLite. The conversation also explores his passion for education, his iterative writing process, and the balance between accessibility and technical depth when writing for developers. They touch on the open-source mindset, and the psychological elements of learning and productivity. This episode offers both practical programming insights and inspiration for anyone interested in combining creativity, entrepreneurship, software engineering, and writing books. This interview was recorded on May 24, 2025. The full audio for the interview is here: https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/leanpub_podcasts/FM310-Isaak-Tsalicoglou-2025-03-24.mp3. The Frontmatter podcast is available on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/leanpub, in Apple Podcasts here https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/frontmatter/id517117137, and almost everywhere else people listen to podcasts. This interview has been edited for conciseness and clarity.

    54 min

  3. JAN 10

    Special Guest Dan Holloway, Looking Back on the Book Industry in 2024

    In this episode of the Leanpub podcast, host Len Epp speaks with Dan Holloway, host of the Self-Publishing News podcast, for a comprehensive review of the book industry in 2024. They delve into critical developments, including the expanding role of AI in publishing and its impact on authorship, content creation, and reader engagement. Holloway also highlights evolving trends in author incomes, emphasizing challenges and opportunities for independent authors in a competitive digital landscape. Key controversies discussed include the WordPress dispute involving WP Engine, as well as the Internet Archive’s ongoing legal battles and their implications for digital lending and copyright law. The conversation also touches on the cultural phenomenon of cozy literature and its resurgence as a top genre in 2024, reflecting readers’ desires for comfort and familiarity amidst global uncertainty. Looking ahead to 2025, Holloway offers predictions for the industry, including further disruptions from AI, the continued transformation of traditional publishing models, and the rise of ethical considerations in digital media. The episode provides valuable guidance for authors, publishers, and readers navigating a rapidly evolving landscape. This interview was recorded on January 2, 2025. The full audio for the interview is here: https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/leanpub_podcasts/FM309-Dan-Holloway-2025-01-02.mp3. The Frontmatter podcast is available on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/leanpub, in Apple Podcasts here https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/frontmatter/id517117137, and almost everywhere else people listen to podcasts.

    1h 11m

  4. JAN 3

    Joe Justice, Author of Scrum Master

    Joe Justice - In this episode of the Leanpub podcast, Len Epp interviews Joe Justice, author of Scrum Master: The Agile Training Seminar for Business Performance, former Tesla employee, and creator of #JoeDX—a methodology based on the business practices, culture, and operating model of Elon Musk’s companies. Joe shares his inspiring journey from growing up in South Bend, Indiana, to becoming a global leader in Agile methodologies, modular manufacturing, and business innovation. Joe discusses his early career, including studying Fine Arts and Computer Science at the University of Wyoming, before working with tech luminaries like Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos. He describes how his experiences with Amazon’s decentralized team structure and Agile practices shaped his understanding of efficient business operations. Joe later founded Wikispeed, a modular car company that demonstrated the power of agile principles by achieving world records in automotive design and efficiency, including designing, building, and testing road-legal cars in just one week. The conversation delves deeply into Joe’s time at Tesla, where he worked directly with Elon Musk. He explains Tesla’s groundbreaking use of Agile methodologies, modular design, and gamified management practices. Joe highlights the use of the “Justice Board,” a performance dashboard that replaces traditional management layers by allowing teams of 3-5 engineers to track and improve key metrics autonomously. These innovations enable Tesla to achieve unprecedented efficiency and speed, setting it apart from traditional manufacturing companies. Beyond his work with Tesla, Joe reflects on his personal and professional philosophy, emphasizing the importance of doing meaningful work and continually challenging oneself. He also offers practical advice for authors, such as collaborating with artists and leveraging platforms like Leanpub for iterative publishing. Joe credits Leanpub’s global community for helping him refine and translate Scrum Master into multiple languages, making his book a valuable resource for agile practitioners worldwide. Joe’s enthusiasm for innovation and collaboration extends to his advocacy for connecting with creatives. He shares an inspiring story about collaborating with a watercolor artist to create his book Everyone Is Santa, which captures the spirit of meaningful gift-giving. He encourages authors to reach out to artists and other professionals to enrich their work and create new opportunities for connection. This episode is a deep dive into Joe’s unique perspective on Agile practices, manufacturing, and the transformative power of collaboration. Whether you’re a business leader, software developer, or aspiring author, Joe’s insights offer valuable lessons on innovation, leadership, and continuous improvement. Listen to the full episode here. This interview was recorded on December 20, 2024. The full audio for the interview is here: https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/leanpub_podcasts/FM308-Joe-Justice-2024-12-20.mp3. The Frontmatter podcast is available on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/leanpub, in Apple Podcasts here https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/frontmatter/id517117137, and almost everywhere else people listen to podcasts.

    57 min

  5. 2024-12-20

    Chris Pinnock, Author of Learning Russian Verbs

    In this episode of the Leanpub podcast, Len Epp interviews Chris Pinnock, an IT professional with 25 years of experience in IT, telecommunications, and blockchain, and the author of the Leanpub book Learning Russian Verbs. Chris shares his fascinating career journey, his experience learning Russian, and the unique technical approach he took to create his book. Chris began his career with a PhD in Mathematics before transitioning into IT. He worked in telecommunications for several years. Eventually, Chris joined the Tezos Foundation in Switzerland. At Tezos, he manages blockchain infrastructure, focusing on the stability and evolution of the proof-of-stake blockchain. Chris explains the nuances of blockchain technology, including key concepts like proof-of-stake, baking, and smart contracts, while comparing Tezos’ energy-efficient approach to that of other blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Chris’ passion for learning languages stems from a personal connection: his wife is Russian, and he decided to learn her language to communicate with her family. Drawing on his background in mathematics and computing, Chris took a structured, systematic approach to learning Russian, which inspired him to create Learning Russian Verbs. The book organizes verbs by topic, includes conjugation tables, and is designed to help learners grasp complex grammatical concepts like imperfective and perfective verb forms. A unique aspect of Chris’ book is its programmatic development. He wrote a custom Go program to generate the conjugation tables automatically. This method allowed him to efficiently format complex content using Leanpub’s Markdown-based publishing platform, streamlining the creation of tables and examples for each verb. Chris shares how this technical approach has saved time and made updates to the book easier. The interview also highlights Chris’ publishing journey on Leanpub. He appreciates the platform’s flexibility, which lets him publish updates as he progresses. Chris’ story is a testament to how technical skills can be leveraged to create high-quality, practical resources for learners. Chris’ other project, Learning Russian Handwriting, explores the Cyrillic alphabet and its applications, offering learners a foundation for reading and writing in Russian. Both books are excellent resources for those starting their journey into the Russian language. Watch the full episode and subscribe here. This interview was recorded on December 12, 2024. The full audio for the interview is here: https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/leanpub_podcasts/FM307-Chris-Pinnock-2024-12-12.mp3. The Frontmatter podcast is available on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/leanpub, in Apple Podcasts here https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/frontmatter/id517117137, and almost everywhere else people listen to podcasts.

    34 min

  6. 2024-12-05

    Special Guest Josh Bernoff, Author of The Business Book ROI Study

    In this episode of the Frontmatter podcast, Leanpub co-founder Len Epp interviews Josh Bernoff, business book expert and author of the Business Book ROI Study. They explore Josh’s journey from working at Forrester Research to becoming an expert in business books and collaborating on projects that generated millions for authors. The discussion delves into insights from the Business Book ROI Study, which surveyed over 300 authors to understand motivations, financial returns, and the broader impact of writing business books. The findings highlight that most business authors write to boost credibility, generate leads, and share knowledge, with many achieving significant non-monetary benefits alongside revenue gains. Len and Josh also cover the differences between traditional, hybrid, and self-publishing, as well as how hybrid publishing can help authors achieve faster results. They discuss the challenges and opportunities AI brings to the publishing world, emphasizing the limits of AI-generated content. Lastly, they consider the role of social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter/X for author promotion, and why some channels are more effective than others. You can learn more about Josh and his work at Josh Bernoff’s website. This interview was recorded on November 22, 2024. The full audio for the interview is here: https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/leanpub_podcasts/FM306-Josh-Bernoff-2024-11-22.mp3. The Frontmatter podcast is available on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/leanpub, in Apple Podcasts here https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/frontmatter/id517117137, and almost everywhere else people listen to podcasts. This interview has been edited for conciseness and clarity.

    57 min

  7. 2024-11-13

    Pete Zerger, Author of CISSP: The Last Mile

    In this episode of the Frontmatter podcast, Len Epp interviews Pete Zerger, a cybersecurity strategist and Chief Information Security Officer, and author of the LeanPub book, CISSP: The Last Mile. Pete shares his career journey from IT into cybersecurity, discussing the turning points that led him into cloud security, and ultimately, cybersecurity strategy. Pete explains that his book, CISSP: The Last Mile, is designed for those pursuing the CISSP certification, a highly-regarded credential for cybersecurity professionals. Pete emphasizes the significance of the CISSP exam for career advancement in security roles, as it is one of the most in-demand certifications globally. His book is structured to help readers prepare efficiently by focusing on core exam topics and offering practical learning strategies. Pete’s approach draws from his own rapid-study methods, which allowed him to pass the CISSP exam on his first try after only two weeks of preparation. During the interview, Pete discusses cybersecurity topics covered in his book, like endpoint and identity security, hybrid cloud environments, and the zero-trust model, where all users and devices must be verified regardless of location. He also explains advanced topics like post-quantum cryptography, which anticipates the impact of quantum computing on encryption. Pete describes how threat modeling and threat hunting are critical for assessing and managing potential vulnerabilities in an organization, highlighting how cybersecurity strategies must continually adapt to new risks. Pete also shares insights into his content creation journey, from speaking at conferences to building a popular YouTube channel for cybersecurity professionals. His channel now reaches thousands of viewers daily, far exceeding the audience he could connect with through in-person events. He reflects on how platforms like Leanpub have allowed him to reach readers directly, offering flexible formats and a high royalty rate, which enables him to price his book affordably for learners while receiving fair compensation. Watch the full episode here. This interview was recorded on November 7, 2024. The full audio for the interview is here: https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/leanpub_podcasts/FM305-Pete-Zerger-2024-11-07.mp3. The Frontmatter podcast is available on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/leanpub, in Apple Podcasts here https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/frontmatter/id517117137, and almost everywhere else people listen to podcasts.

    48 min

  8. 2024-11-04

    Special Guest Leah Paulos, Founder of Press Shop PR and Book Publicity School

    In this episode of the Leanpub podcast, Len Epp interviews Leah Paulos, founder of Press Shop PR and Book Publicity School. With over 25 years of experience in media and book publicity, Leah shares her journey from magazine journalism to book PR, highlighting her career’s evolution, especially as media and publishing landscapes have shifted dramatically. Leah reflects on how she moved from magazines like Condé Nast to running Press Shop PR, where she’s worked on major campaigns for books such as On Tyranny by Tim Snyder and March by John Lewis. Her transition to book publicity stemmed from her insight into media processes and her desire to help authors navigate the complex world of publishing. This experience led her to establish Book Publicity School, aimed at affordably equipping authors with the skills they need to promote their own books, particularly when they don’t have access to full-service PR campaigns. The interview delves into the challenges and strategies in today’s book publicity, from creating effective media campaigns to leveraging platforms like social media. Leah discusses how authors must now be highly adaptable, as digital-native outlets, podcasts, and social media play bigger roles in publicity than ever before. She emphasizes that authors need to understand the publishing process and engage actively in promoting their work, especially since traditional publishers often rely on authors to take the lead in their own book promotion. Leah also shares insights from Book Publicity School, which offers free and paid courses on book promotion. For example, her free monthly webinar gives authors an introductory overview of PR, while she also offers a comprehensive six-week workshop covering everything from media list building to social media strategy. Leah’s advice includes practical tips on researching relevant media outlets, crafting concise pitches, and using spreadsheets to track outreach efforts — key skills for authors to build a sustainable, long-term promotion plan. The conversation concludes with Leah’s advice on handling book promotion on social media, noting that authors should focus on what works for authors like them who have successfully built audiences on the various platforms. This interview was recorded on October 28, 2024. The full audio for the interview is here: https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/leanpub_podcasts/FM304-Leah-Paulos-2024-10-28.mp3. The Frontmatter podcast is available on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/leanpub, in Apple Podcasts here https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/frontmatter/id517117137, and almost everywhere else people listen to podcasts.

    50 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

In the Frontmatter podcast, Leanpub co-founder Len Epp interviews authors and special guests about their areas of expertise, from data science to founding startups, and talks with them about their careers, their books, and their experiences as writers.

Information

  • Creator
    Leanpub
  • Years Active
    2012 - 2025
  • Episodes
    299
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Leanpub 2012-2025
  • Show Website
    Frontmatter

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