Cookie-Led Growth: Find Your Cookie

      

 

Cookie-Led Growth: Find Your Cookie:

The Outside-the-Box Playbook for Growing a Software Startup

You can't out-spend the funded. So out-create them.

Every growth guide is written by someone who had a war chest. Burn millions on ads, buy a growth team, brute-force your way to scale. That's not a playbook — that's a budget. And if you're bootstrapped, it'll bury you.

Cookie-Led Growth (CLG) is the opposite. It's the discipline of finding your cookie: one weird, creative, relationship-driven growth mechanism that lands your best customers at a fraction of the cost of paid ads — and compounds. Named as a deliberate riff on Product-Led Growth, CLG is what you do when you can't buy growth and have to engineer it instead.

Justin Smith bootstrapped Contractor+ into a fast-growing software company with zero venture capital. In this book he opens the kimono — real plays, real numbers, no theory:

• The cookie box: how a Crumbl-style box of fresh-baked cookies, hand-delivered to the right doors, out-converts a $750 cold click.

• The directory hack that landed the first 1,000 users with one gloriously sneaky trick.

• Mobile-led growth: turning $3.60 installs into a ~$120 effective CAC — and the retention trap nobody warns you about.

• The four numbers (CAC, ACV, tenure, LTV) that decide whether a channel lives or dies — with the exact math on the page.

• How to build a growth machine — routing, payroll, an ambassador app — in an afternoon, with AI.

• The viral flywheel that makes your biggest customers recruit your smallest ones.

This isn't a mindset book. It's a field manual — hand-drawn diagrams, honest unit economics, and a dozen concentrated experiments you can run this week, from bootstrapped all the way to the exit.

Stop copying the funded playbook. Go find your cookie.

Click here to get Cookie-Led Growth: Find Your Cookie

on Amazon / Kindle / Kindle Unlimited 

    

The Perpetual Raise:

A Crowdfunding Strategy for Founders, Operators, and Investors Who Care About the Payday

Everyone celebrates the raise. Almost nobody asks the only question that matters.

Did the capital create real enterprise value — or did the round just create a higher number on paper?

The startup world worships the mega-round: raise as much as you can, as early as you can, at the highest valuation, from the biggest names. The Perpetual Raise is the opposite discipline — a capital operating system for founders who want to keep control and actually reward the people who backed them.

The sequence is simple and ruthless: Raise. Deploy. Prove. Report. Reprice. Repeat. Exit. Raise the smallest meaningful amount that funds the next milestone. Deploy it fast into the highest-confidence use. Prove the result. Then — and only then — reopen at better terms.

Justin Smith built Contractor+ on under $750,000 raised from the crowd and zero venture capital. In this book he shows founders, operators, and everyday investors how the new rules of capital actually work:

• The real legal lanes — Reg CF, Reg A, and Reg D 506(c) — explained at a strategy level, without the legalese.

• Raise-to-deploy vs. raise-to-survive: the moral line most founders blur — and how to write a use-of-proceeds you can be graded on.

• The Iceberg of Capital Cost — the platform fee you see, and the interest, dilution, investor-acquisition cost, and control you don't.

• Eleven real crowdfunding case studies — RAD Intel, Legion M, RISE Robotics, Miso, Gumroad, Monogram (crowd → Nasdaq → acquisition), Boxabl, Knightscope, Arrive AI, BackerKit, Solectrac — the wins, the warnings, and the line between a markup and a payday.

• The Investor-Whole Doctrine: customers first, investors second, founders last — and why that order is a point of pride.

• The Milestone Stack and a five-year architecture for building a company an acquirer actually wants.

This isn't hype. It's a field manual — hand-drawn diagrams, honest numbers, and a doctrine you can run this quarter.

Investors don't get paid from screenshots. They get paid from cash. Go earn your next round.

Click here to get The Perpetual Raise

on Amazon / Kindle / Kindle Unlimited

The High-Growth Contractor:

      

 

The High-Growth Contractor:

The No-BS Blueprint to Go From $500K to $1M, $10M, and Beyond

You don't have a lead problem. You have a system problem.

Most contractors aren't running a business — they're running a stressful job with trucks, missed calls, half-written estimates, and no idea which jobs actually make money. The High-Growth Contractor hands you the operating manual.

Justin Smith built Contractor+, the operating system contractors use to run and grow their businesses. In this no-BS blueprint he shows you how to stop thinking like a technician and start running like an operator — and scale from $500K to $1M, $10M, and beyond.

Inside, you'll build:

• The Two Pipelines — sales and production — so no lead, estimate, or job ever falls through the cracks.
• The numbers that tell the truth — the handful of metrics that reveal what's actually profitable. Revenue lies; margin doesn't.
• Speed-to-lead — why the contractor who answers first usually wins, and the 5-minute rule that makes it automatic.
• Estimates that sell — good/better/best, financing, and follow-up that turns quotes into signed jobs.
• Financing as a growth lever — how "as low as $/mo" turns more nos into yeses and lifts your average ticket.
• The Local Trust Machine — reviews, Google, and local SEO that make you the obvious, safest choice.
• Neighborhood Domination — the step-by-step playbook that turns every finished job into your next three.
• Plus paid ads without burning cash, the review & referral flywheel, production that protects profit, and who to hire, when.

It closes with a 90-Day Growth Reset — an exact, week-by-week plan to install the whole machine.

Part growth manual, part sales training, part wake-up call. If you're good at the work but tired of chasing jobs, this is the book that turns your trade into a business.

Stop chasing random jobs. Build the machine.

Click here to get The High-Growth Contractor

on Amazon / Kindle / Kindle Unlimited

The King of Business: Power Has A Price (The Danger Series Book 1)

   

The King of Business: Power Has A Price

(The Danger Series Book 1)

He thought he was getting a job. He didn’t know he was being recruited.

Scott has spent his life doing everything right — working hard, staying loyal, following the rules — only to watch others rise while he stayed stuck. Then Danger appears - wealthy, magnetic, impossibly successful, and offering Scott a life he never believed he could touch. But behind the luxury and the promises lies something far more calculated. Danger’s world isn’t built on luck. It’s built on influence. On manipulation. On a system designed to shape the people inside it.

As Scott becomes “2,” a name Danger gives him, he begins to sense the truth: he wasn’t chosen for his skills. He was chosen for his mind — the way it sees patterns, the way it bends under pressure, the way it can be guided. The deeper he goes, the more he realizes that nothing around him is random. Not the money. Not the women. Not the opportunities. Not even the timing. Because in Danger’s world, every move is intentional… and every person is a piece on a board they don’t know they’re standing on.

A gripping psychological thriller about ambition, identity, and the hidden cost of stepping into someone else’s empire.

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The King of Business: Power Has A Price 

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From Brilliant Bitch To Dynamic Diva!: Learn How To Stop Being A Stupid Bitch

    

From Brilliant Bitch To Dynamic Diva!:

Learn How To Stop Being A Stupid Bitch

(The Working Woman's Guide)

From Brilliant Bitch... details the specific steps one must take to successfully go from being a Brilliant Bitch--To a Dynamic Diva! It includes true, personalized events which women face on a daily basis, and details how to avoid becoming the victim and be the Victor instead! Tired of being a weak, whiny, woman who never seems to be in control? Tired of sitting on the sidelines while others learn to live life on their own terms? Then learn how to be a woman that grabs the bull by the horns and understands how to shape & create her own Destiny! Learn to tap into the Dynamic Diva in YOUR life. She is a force to be reckoned with, and she only requests that you unleash her positive, powerful energy on YOUR behalf. There is a Dynamic Diva in all of us. It knows that you CAN ACHIEVE all that you'd like to receive! Learn the 7 Steps to begin to experience your different levels of Bitchdom, so that you can tap into your Wisdom, and don't 'Deny' your power, learn to 'Rely' on your Power!

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From Brilliant Bitch To Dynamic Diva!:

Learn How To Stop Being A Stupid Bitch 

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Also find the book Under Recommended Reading at

sherrybrantley.com

    

 

Justice (The Justice Trilogy)

Author and playwright Dyanna Morrison is bringing renewed attention to the enduring principles of the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights through Justice, the first installment in her acclaimed trilogy of stage plays published in book format. Available on Amazon, the award-recognized work combines courtroom drama with documented historical dialogue to encourage thoughtful discussion about the First Amendment, civic responsibility, and the continuing relevance of America's founding ideals as the nation marks its 250th anniversary of independence.

Justice follows newly appointed Judge Grace Porter as she presides over two contemporary First Amendment cases inspired by real events, including the January 20, 2017 inauguration protests and the Charlottesville Unite the Right Rally of August 2017. Throughout the proceedings, America's founding fathers observe the courtroom proceedings through one-way windows, offering commentary drawn largely from their documented writings and debates during the drafting of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

This distinctive narrative approach creates a conversation between the nation's founding era and present-day legal interpretation. Readers are invited to consider how constitutional freedoms continue to influence modern society while reflecting on the responsibilities that accompany those rights.

The foundation of Justice reflects more than twenty-five years of research by Dyanna into the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the historical debates surrounding America's founding. Originally written as a screenplay, the project evolved into a stage play before ultimately being published in book format, allowing readers worldwide to experience its thought-provoking message.

Justice is available in hardcover, paperback, and eBook editions through Amazon. Readers interested in constitutional history, courtroom drama, and historically inspired theatre can learn more by visiting the book's Amazon listing: https://www.amazon.com/Justice-Dyanna-Morrison/dp/1735911615.

The work also examines the historical context surrounding the founders, acknowledging their aspirations, imperfections and interpersonal dynamics, while encouraging readers to evaluate history through careful study and informed discussion. By presenting documented dialogue alongside contemporary legal issues, Justice offers an engaging reading experience for audiences interested in history, law, theatre, and public affairs.

Justice has earned recognition as a finalist in several respected literary competitions, including the Book Excellence Awards, National Indie Excellence Awards, International Book Awards, and Best Book Awards in the Performing Arts category. These honors reflect the book's strong writing, creative concept, and thoughtful presentation of constitutional themes. 

The premise for Justice began with a simple question that has stayed with Dyanna for years: What would the framers who wrote the Constitution think if they could witness today's legal proceedings? Would they agree and does it matter?  Dyanna hopes this story encourages readers to reflect on Americans' shared history and the principles that continue to guide the foundation of American democracy.

Click here to get Justice (The Justice Trilogy)

on Amazon / Kindle 

THE WHISPER IN THE JAR

 

 

THE WHISPER IN THE JAR

Prophecy always demands a witness. She was seventeen when she learned that the gods do not send visions to help. What she saw, she could not unsee. What she warned against, she only hastened. And what she became, no one had a name for. Across the burning cities of the ancient Mediterranean, she walked. She lived among scholars who feared her, slaves who hid her, senators who used her. She loved quietly. She lost everyone. She kept writing letters to a girl who could no longer read them. And when she could bear no more witnessing, she sealed herself inside a clay jar and waited for the world to forget her. The world forgot. Until someone came looking. A literary historical novella in the tradition of Marguerite Yourcenar's Memoirs of Hadrian and Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities. For readers who love quiet, philosophical fiction set in the long shadow of the ancient world.

Click here to get THE WHISPER IN THE JAR

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Attack of the Killer Toast from Hell

What if breakfast decided it was done being eaten? Attack of the Killer Toast from Hell is a fast-moving, offbeat adventure where comedy, science fiction, fantasy, and a touch of horror collide—and somehow, the toast is the least normal part. Aaron is an ordinary guy with no interest in becoming a hero. Then his life takes a sharp turn into the impossible, and he finds himself caught in a mystery involving strange forces, bizarre dangers, and a threat so ridiculous that explaining it out loud only makes it sound less believable. Fortunately, he isn’t alone. Audra is fearless, sharp, and far more ready for trouble than Aaron. Professor Vinsant is brilliant, unpredictable, and exactly the sort of scientist you want nearby when reality stops making sense—provided you don’t mind the occasional questionable experiment. Together, they stumble into a world where the impossible is real, the absurd can be dangerous, and every answer seems to uncover an even stranger question. What begins as something almost too ridiculous to take seriously quickly becomes impossible to ignore. This isn’t a parody that winks at the audience and throws the plot away for a joke. The characters know how insane their situation is, but the adventure is real, the stakes matter, and the mystery keeps pulling them deeper. The humor comes from people trying to stay rational while everything around them becomes progressively less rational. Expect action, strange discoveries, sharp banter, escalating weirdness, unexpected turns, and a story that refuses to fit neatly into one genre. There are mysteries to unravel, dangers nobody could have prepared for, and moments when the only sensible reaction is to ask how life went this spectacularly off the rails. If you like adventures that are imaginative, unpredictable, a little unhinged, and still driven by characters you can root for, this may be your kind of book. You’ve seen heroes face dragons, zombies, demons, aliens, monsters, and the end of the world. But you probably haven’t seen them face this. Because sometimes the most dangerous meal of the day really is breakfast. Attack of the Killer Toast from Hell is for readers who want something fun, weird, adventurous, and unlike the hundred other books sitting beside it. It knows exactly how absurd its premise is—and invites you to come along anyway. Go ahead. Take a bite.

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Attack of the Killer Toast from Hell

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Inside Out, Outside In: The Sacred Journey Back to Self

  

Inside Out, Outside In:

The Sacred Journey Back to Self

Reclaim Your Inner Truth. Awaken the Healer Within.

Inside Out, Outside In is a powerful and reflective guide for women ready to release emotional conditioning, inherited beliefs, and the silent patterns that have shaped their identity.

Through deeply personal insight and grounded awareness, Dr. LaToya Takeshia Michole invites you into a sacred journey inward, where healing is not about becoming someone new, but remembering who you have always been.

Inside, you will explore:

• How silence, protection, and early adaptation shape your voice
• The connection between your body, emotions, and unexpressed truth
• The difference between fear and inner knowing
• Reclaiming self-trust, clarity, and emotional alignment

This is not a path of becoming.
It is a return.

If you are ready to reconnect with yourself, trust your inner voice, and live in alignment from the inside out, this book will guide you home.

Click here to get

Inside Out, Outside In: The Sacred Journey Back to Self

on Amazon / Kindle / Kindle Unlimited

Make Peace With Life

         

What Will Make Peace With Life Do For You?

What if the life you've been searching for isn't waiting somewhere in the future? What if happiness isn't hidden behind a bigger paycheck, a perfect relationship, or some magical moment when everything finally falls into place? In Making Peace With Life, Dr. Rob Alex invites you to step off the endless treadmill of "someday" and discover something far more powerful—the ability to find meaning, purpose, and peace right where you are. Through humor, honesty, personal insight, and metaphysical wisdom, this book helps you see that life isn't something to conquer or perfect. It's something to experience, learn from, and ultimately embrace.

Inside these pages, you'll explore the lessons hidden within life's greatest challenges and its most beautiful moments. You'll discover why there is no finish line to chase, why comparison steals joy, how energy connects us all, and why asking better questions may be more important than finding perfect answers. Whether you're navigating change, searching for direction, recovering from setbacks, or simply trying to understand your place in the world, this book offers a refreshing perspective that reminds you your life already has incredible value. It's not about becoming someone else—it's about understanding the incredible person you already are.

Most self-help books promise to give you answers. Making Peace With Life offers something even more valuable: permission. Permission to breathe when life feels overwhelming. Permission to grow without demanding perfection from yourself. Permission to appreciate your journey without comparing it to everyone else's. And most importantly, permission to make peace with life exactly as it is while still creating the future you desire. If you're ready to stop racing, stop chasing, and start truly living, then this book may be exactly what you've been looking for.

Click here to get your copy of

Make Peace With Life

on Amazon / Kindle / Kindle Unlimited 

Bella Brown's Messier Than Messy Room (Bella Brown Picture Book Series)

 

Bella Brown's Messier Than Messy Room

(Bella Brown Picture Book Series)

Eight-year-old Bella Brown loves drawing butterflies, but cleaning her room? Not so much! When Mom says Bella can't visit the new butterfly garden until her messier-than-messy room is tidy, it seems like an impossible task. But help arrives in an unexpected phone call from Grandma Yetta!

With Grandma's loving guidance, what starts as a dreaded chore becomes a delightful adventure. One mountain of clothes, four stuffed animals, a tower of games, and a bed to make - can Bella conquer the mess before butterfly garden time? Together, grandmother and granddaughter discover that even the biggest tasks become manageable when broken into smaller steps, sprinkled with love and encouragement.

This heartwarming story celebrates the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren while teaching valuable lessons about responsibility, persistence, and the joy of accomplishment. Through Bella's journey, young readers learn that sometimes the best help comes from someone who loves you, and the sweetest rewards are those you earn yourself.

Perfect for children ages 4-8, this beautifully illustrated picture book:

• Shows how to tackle overwhelming tasks one step at a time
• Demonstrates problem-solving with a positive attitude
• Highlights the special connection between grandparents and grandchildren
• Encourages independence while showing it's okay to ask for help
• Features warm, engaging illustrations that bring Bella's world to life

Join Bella on her clean-up adventure and discover that with a little help, determination, and love, even the messiest room can become a masterpiece!

Click here to get

Bella Brown's Messier Than Messy Room 

on Amazon Kindle / Kindle Unlimited 

Bella Brown Grandma's Missing Butterfly Locket (Bella Brown Picture Book Series)

 

 

Bella Brown

Grandma's Missing Butterfly Locket

(Bella Brown Picture Book Series)

Bella Brown—Grandma's Missing Butterfly Locket

When Grandma Yetta's precious butterfly locket goes missing, eight-year-old Bella Brown transforms into a memory detective!

"Hello, Bubalah. I need your help. I've lost my butterfly locket."

Together, Bella and Grandma Yetta embark on a colorful journey through their most spectacular butterfly adventures:

• Witnessing the breathtaking sight of ten thousand Red Wing Butterflies taking flight in China's Butterfly Valley
• Encountering a silk-white butterfly floating through an ancient Japanese temple
• Meeting a brilliant Blue Morpho butterfly with a taste for peanut butter in Colombia's Lost City
• Dancing among millions of migrating Monarchs in the magical Ozarks

As Bella follows the flutter of memories, she discovers that the most precious treasures are found in the moments we share with those we love. But when their memory trail leads to the local butterfly garden, Bella might find something even more special than she imagined...

This heartwarming adventure celebrates the magical bond between grandparents and grandchildren, the beauty of nature, and the power of memories to connect us across generations. Perfect for young butterfly enthusiasts ages 4-8 and anyone who cherishes family traditions.

And don't forget to look for Pip the Domovoi hidden throughout the book's beautiful illustrations!

From Wall Street Journal bestselling author J.W. Zarek comes the second delightful installment in the Bella Brown picture book series, a story that will flutter straight into your heart.

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Bella Brown—Grandma's Missing Butterfly Locket 

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