Marcy Bialeschki’s journey from a dream deferred to a reality embraced is a testament to the power of resilience, reinvention, and relentless pursuit of one’s passions. Like many creatives, Marcy once found herself sidelining her big dreams, but when the right idea for her novel Deception & Consequences sparked, she couldn’t ignore it. With determination and an “all-in” attitude, Marcy not only completed her novel but also turned it into a thriving business. Her story reminds us that it’s never too late to chase our dreams, and that sometimes, the most challenging roads lead to the most rewarding destinations.
How did you manage to transition from putting off your creative passions to actively pursuing them?
Writing a book and getting published was always my big dream and always on my mind, but until my idea for Deception & Consequences came along, I never really had a good enough idea for a novel. I always wrote articles and some stories, but never a book. When bits and pieces of my storyline kept coming in my head, I asked a couple of friends if I was crazy for thinking about taking on such a project, and they encouraged me. Even though the timing was not ideal because I was committed to teaching one more year, I started writing in May and had Deception finished in August. Once I began putting words on the page, I could not stop. I decided before I began that I was going ‘all in’ because this was my dream and somehow the opportunity presented itself. I couldn’t pass it up because it may never come around again. Once I had Deception & Consequences finished and published, I knew it was a good book. I just didn’t know how hard it was to promote a good book and get it off the ground. I didn’t realize that my big dream of getting published was only the beginning. There was so much more road ahead of me. And when I realized this, I also realized that I owed it to myself to continue. I knew that I was my own best investment, so I made the decision right then to invest in myself emotionally, personally, and financially. That’s when I started the business to help fund and promote my books and to help get my name out there. I learned pretty quickly that books are big business. Writing one was only the tip of the iceberg.
What personal experiences have influenced your writing and business ventures?
Everything I aspire to do is connected to the way I was raised. My dad was a mindset master. He was a coach and a teacher, and he knew the power of positive thinking and confidence. I was raised on the saying, ‘you are who you think you are.’ My determination and confidence have been key elements in my success so far, and those traits come from him. When I wanted to write and publish a book, my motivation and confidence came from him, and it’s my positive mindset that has jump-started every aspect of my business.
What advice would you give to women who are hesitant to pursue their creative projects or business ideas?
First of all, they have to want it bad enough to stay vigilant when people question them, when they hit roadblocks, when they fail, when they get told no. If they want their big dream the way I did, none of that stuff will matter.
They also don’t have to explain anything to the people who don’t believe in them. I’m constantly telling myself that one day everyone who didn’t ‘get me’ will realize what I’ve done. Until then, I have to stay the course and know that all of my hard work will pay off. So, I guess my advice is to trust your gut. If you want, and you’re willing to work for it, and you don’t give a damn what others think or say— then nothing should stop you from going after what you want.
How did you deal with criticism or setbacks in your work?
It depends on the nature of the setback. What I mean is if it’s something within my control, I take a hard look and find out what isn’t working. Sometimes what I plan and spend a lot of time on is a colossal flop, and I’m not going to lie, that kind of failure hits hard. And at first, I wasn’t always willing to admit the plan was flawed, but I learned that I can’t get hung up with the failure aspect. I have to take a look and see what needs to be fixed for the next time. For instance, right now my website sales are pretty much non-existent. I made some poor choices, and I’m cutting my losses and moving on. I’m taking my time to get everything fixed the right way. But sometimes things happen that are outside my control. For example, when I pass a manuscript off to my publisher, it’s out of my hands. If it doesn’t meet all the interior deadlines to be released on time, it’s out of my control. There’s no sense getting mad or upset. It’s been difficult, but I’ve learned to fix what I can and rely on others to do their part. But if it’s out of my control— I have to let it go and turn my attention and energy to issues I can impact.
How do you maintain balance between your personal life and the demands of your creative projects?
I am horrible at being idle. I’m in constant motion, and since starting this journey, that motion has been dedicated to writing, promoting, and selling books and related merchandise.There are no weekends or vacations. Everything I do, I hook it back to something that will affect my business. We go shopping in a new town– I get leads on where I can sell. We go out to eat– I’m telling waitresses and bartenders all about my book and getting content for social media. My husband can’t even remember a time when I didn’t make an outing about promoting and selling. Now, I don’t advocate this life because it’s exhausting, and it can be challenging for others who have to live in your wake, but I’m just geared this way…remember my “father story”? I know I need a balance, or I might burnout, but right now, I’m full-steam ahead trying to get my books in as many hands as possible.
What are some of the most rewarding aspects of your work with Tastefully Sexy and your book series?
There’s nothing better than someone telling me they loved my book and can’t wait for the next one in the series to come out. I also love when people comment that my writing style is unique and my voice doesn’t sound like any other author. In fact, I took on the name Tastefully Sexy because one of my friends told me how much she loved my book because— you guessed it, it was “tastefully sexy.” My awards and professional reviews are also points of pride. Deception & Consequences went #1 on Ingram in its genre just 15 days post publication. It won the Titan Literary Award, the Publisher’s Award, and all 6 Readers’ Favorite reviews I received were 5-star. And I have to say that after hustling down magazines and podcasters hoping for some exposure, it’s oh-so wonderful to open up my email and see someone pursuing me— asking me for my time and my words. Best compliment ever.
Can you describe a significant struggle you encountered while building Tastefully Sexy and how you addressed it?
I remember going to a selling event with a bunch of other authors, and they were all doing quite well, but in my booth…crickets. I stood there for several hours with my emotions swinging wildly from feeling sorry for myself to being pissed and back again hitting all the ‘feels’ in between. Once I calmed down, I decided that maybe this outing was not about sales, but I wasn’t going to let it be a wasted day. I started interacting with the authors, getting to know them, and swapping ideas. That’s when I met Joe, and we exchanged social media contacts. I left that day not knowing exactly how Joe and my decision to vacate the pity pool would help me until weeks later. That’s when I saw Joe’s post on Instagram doing a spot on the news. I messaged him and got some contact information and two weeks later I was doing my own spot on the ‘In the Know’ segment on Channel 25 in Peoria, IL. That exposure boosted my sales tremendously, and it’s all because I made a contact. Now I understand that business is not always about sales. Business is about people— making contacts, helping and getting help. My day at the event with no sales was not wasted time. I have learned that when things don’t work, I need to change my goal. The results may not be what I originally intended, and then again— they may be better.
IG: @marcybialeschki
FB: https://www.facebook.com/marcybialeschki/
