"That Book Inside You is Going to Have to Come Out" with Orvel Ray Wilson

·1 hr 1 min·5 clips

Orvel Ray Wilson slid off a roof, broke his back, and accidentally launched a coaching career from a hospital bed.

The episode is hosted by Alex Terranova, filling in for Christopher McAuliffe, with co-host Craig Cassie. They introduce Orvel Ray Wilson, a Certified Speaking Professional and Certified Executive Coach. Wilson begins by recounting how a roofing accident left him bedridden, leading friends to ask for coaching, which prompted his formal training. He contrasts his advisory style with ICF's non-advice model, noting he failed PCC assessments because he gives technical advice. The conversation shifts to book writing; Wilson cites a Forrester study showing only 1 in 10,000 aspiring authors finish a book. He criticizes the ease of self-publishing, urging quality over quantity. Wilson advocates for a book that 'sells you,' giving clients a preview of working with you, as taught by coach Robin Colucci. He describes a structured formula: 12 chapters, 140 pages, a two-hour read. An example client in Aspen added over $1 million annually to his practice during the writing process. Co-host Craig Cassie shares his struggle to choose a topic; Wilson advises focusing on repeated client lessons. Wilson illustrates with client stories: a 'business divorce' lawyer who grew his practice by nearly $1 million yearly after publishing, and an intellectual property attorney who speaks at trade shows. For marketing, Wilson details the '3-5-3' email template to pitch speaking gigs, citing a client who booked $20,000 in 22 days. He offers a free hour review of marketing materials. In closing, Wilson reveals a suicidal moment post-accident was interrupted by a $10,000 check from the NSA Foundation, which saved his life and reinforced the importance of their work.

As heard by us

A coach's unwritten book becomes a way to clarify the work and sell the practice.

The Coaching Show frames a coach's book less as a finished product than as a business-development instrument: a way to give prospective clients a movie-trailer feel for what working together might be like.

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Why you'd press play

Turn your coaching ideas into a book that gives clients a movie-trailer feel for working with you.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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