ANNOUNCEMENT - Stepping down as CEO of BookSweeps (plus the state of the industry)

Ok… so this is not the typical sort of post I would send you, as a reader. But many of you were so very supportive of me when I stepped into the role of CEO of BookSweeps, and you have been a kind and generous part of my path and career. So I wanted to include you as I make this announcement. I hope you won’t mind.

More good and wonderful things are coming, this I know! God has blessed me and will continue to do so. And I pray He blesses each of you as well.

Thank you!

Kevin

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STEPPING DOWN AS CEO OF BOOKSWEEPS

You’ve likely heard me say that I see changes happening in the industry. And by “industry,” I have meant primarily indie publishing, but I now see that it encompasses all of publishing and indeed all of the industries surrounding intellectual property. The business of books is changing, but so is the business of music, film, television, art. There is a deep and expanding trend toward analog, and toward what I am calling “the Artisan Age.” We are looking for tangible things to enjoy. The digital movement isn’t going away, but the analog movement is upon us, once again.

That’s a bit of an aside.

What I’m really here for is to announce that as of a week ago I have officially stepped down as CEO of BookSweeps.

And I think the two are related.

I’m certain there will be many questions about this, and so I want to take a moment to try to address everything I think people will ask.

First, this is an amicable parting. I am stepping down because it is what’s best for me but also what is best for BookSweeps, the company for which I was charged with responsibility (something I took and still take very seriously).

There are many underlying reasons for my departure, but the one that matters most is that upon stepping into the role, and having held it for these past few months, it has become evident that the business wasn’t prepared for the type of leadership I came to provide. As many in this industry know, I’m a person of big ideas. “Move fast and break stuff,” as some have said. And that can be jarring for any business, if they aren’t prepared for bold moves made quickly.

That is not a fault of BookSweeps or its ownership. To the credit of the business, these past few months have been spent trying to make a sort of compromise between what I saw as the direction of the company and what the company was prepared to take on. In the end, it was mutually agreed that no such compromise could be made, and so I am doing what I know to be best for me and the company.

Second, I have certain personal and professional goals that are not entirely in line with the goals of BookSweeps. For a start, though I have a longstanding background in marketing, particularly in the publishing world, it is my more creative work that has always been the endgame goal for me. Writing novels, of course, but also creating other content. Podcasts are one example, and there are so many more.

I also enjoy working with other creators to help make the next generation of stories for the world. I value story—it’s the tool we’ve relied upon, as a species, to teach ourselves and comfort ourselves, to explore the unknown and to learn and grow from our experiences. I want to be a part of not only producing stories of my own, but helping other writers and creators to add to the library of humanity in meaningful and wonderful ways.

So the final point is this: Though this adventure as the CEO of BookSweeps has been short-lived it hasn’t been unfruitful. In fact, it has been one of the most transformative moments of my life. And I am grateful to Ryan Zee and the entire team at BookSweeps for entrusting the brand to me for these past few months. I hope that they will continue on in great success, and that I have contributed to that in some way.

And the inevitable question: What comes next?

I have some ideas, and I’m working on some things. But I’ll confess, I’m not 100% certain what the next thing will be. I only know that God led me here, and now He’s leading me somewhere new. And the journey has been filled with joy, wisdom, and growth for me. I expect no less from whatever comes next—in fact, I anticipate even more joy, wisdom, and growth from work I will love.

But there is one thing you can count on with absolute certainty—there will be books (oh yes), and there will be podcasts. And there will be me, here, working with and for you, to help you achieve this dream of being a storyteller in the new and emerging Artisan Age. That is a promise.

If you have any questions for me, I hope you will consider email me from my website: https://kevintumlinson.com/contact