Interview With Author Chadd Ciccarelli
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
This is my first proper book—and I wrote it after my time at Amazon, during a stretch of travel where I finally had the space to block out the noise and get brutally honest. No meetings. No metrics. Just me, a blank page, and everything I’d been carrying.
The doc-writing culture at Amazon? That stuck with me. Structured thinking, clear narrative, no fluff—that was the baseline. But the real pull didn’t start there. It went further back. Back to my university days, buried in philosophy books, dissecting systems, power, and purpose. That mindset never left me.
You’ll see quotes throughout the book—not for decoration, but because those ideas shaped how I process the world. Writing this wasn’t just about unpacking Amazon from the inside—it was about reconnecting with the part of me that used to stay up wrestling with ideas, trying to find meaning behind the madness. This book is where all of that came together.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The title It’s All Trash ‘til It’s Cash was inspired by an old coworker—this was before I ever got into tech. Anytime someone on the team would start bragging about how they were going to crush their sales numbers, he’d cut them off with a deadpan: “Whatever. It’s all trash ‘til it’s cash.” No hype, no promises—just close the deal. I always thought that phrase was perfect. Straight to the point. Brutal, but true.
Later, when I was managing sales teams myself, I heard it all the time—“This deal’s about to close,” “We’re just waiting on the paperwork,” “Verbal’s in.” And every time, I’d think back to that line. Because anyone who’s been in sales knows how many “sure things” fall through at the last second. Nothing counts until it lands.
That phrase stuck with me, and it became the perfect lens for this book. I wanted to show how Amazon’s way of working—structured, customer-obsessed, and scale-focused—can actually be applied far beyond big tech. Whether you’re running a small business, launching a startup, or just trying to build something real, Amazon’s frameworks like Working Backwards and their hiring methods can create serious results. That’s what It’s All Trash ‘til It’s Cash: Applying Amazon’s Blueprint for Builders is all about.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My writing routine? Let’s just say it’s not your typical sit-down-and-get-to-it approach. First rule—I don’t write at home. Ever. I need to break pattern, change the environment. Coffee shop, library, whatever gets me out of my own head and into a different rhythm.
On the way, there’s one non-negotiable: I have to laugh. That’s the reset. I throw on old Howard Stern clips—Sternthology—for about 30 minutes. It clears the static. Puts me in a looser, sharper mindset. You can’t write with tension in your grip.
Once I’m planted, I go analog. Yellow legal pad, pen in hand. No screens. No formatting. Just raw thoughts straight from the source. And when it’s time to lock in? I let the music take over. It’s either something completely new to jolt the system, or it’s instrumental—so the words don’t get in the way. Animals As Leaders, Pat Martino, Plini—those are my go-tos when I need that deep focus flow. No lyrics, no distractions, just movement.
That’s how I wrote this book. Honestly, it’s how I used to write PR/FAQs and OP1 docs at Amazon, too. Change the setting. Set the tone. Sketch the bones. Let the soundtrack carry the rhythm. It’s not conventional—but it works. Every time.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
When it comes to authors who’ve influenced me, it’s never been a straight line—it’s been a series of sharp turns and gut punches. Early on, I was pulled into the deep end with the existential heavyweights—Crime and Punishment, The Stranger. Dostoevsky and Camus didn’t just write stories—they made you sit with the discomfort, wrestle with the gray areas. That stuck.
Then came Carnegie Mellon. I studied History and Philosophy of Science, and that cracked the door wide open. Guys like Wesley Salmon and Clark Glymour weren’t just authors—they were down the hall, walking the same campus. Glymour’s breakdown of the Monty Hall problem? That wasn’t a theory, it was a weaponized way of thinking. Changed how I looked at probability, decision-making—hell, reality.
Fast-forward to Los Angeles. That’s when I found Bukowski. Then Hunter S. Thompson. Both unapologetic, messy, and brutally honest. No filters. No safety nets. Just truth, whether you liked it or not. That kind of writing demands your attention—and earns it.
These days, I still tear through biographies. One of my favorites? Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey. It’s sharp, grounded, and unexpectedly tactical. That blend of story and strategy—that’s what I aim for in my own work. Make it real. Make it useful. And never waste a reader’s time.
What are you working on now?
Right now, I’ve just closed the chapter on It’s All Trash ‘til It’s Cash: Applying Amazon’s Blueprint for Builders. That one’s done. Now I’m shifting gears—hard—into the next project.
This time, it’s about the new frontier: the creator economy. The next wave of entrepreneurs. The solopreneurs who don’t need headcount—they need leverage. People building real businesses off platforms, not payrolls. I’m still early in it, but here’s the plan: sharp insights, no fluff. Real interviews. Real breakdowns. Models that are actually working right now.
This book isn’t about theory. It’s a field manual for what’s coming next—and how to build something that lasts in a world where the rules have already changed.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
https://chadd.substack.com
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/
https://amzn.to/42KAuVW
Do you have any advice for new authors?
You want advice? Here it is—writers write. Period. You don’t wait for the stars to align. You don’t wait for permission, a perfect outline, or that imaginary moment where everything feels “ready.” That moment doesn’t come. You either start, or you don’t.
Look at the guy who wrote The Godfather screenplay. He had no clue what he was doing. Didn’t matter. He sat down and made it happen. That’s the play. That’s the difference. The ones who win? They move before they feel ready. They build the parachute on the way down.
So if you’re thinking about writing a book—stop thinking. Start writing.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I’ve ever heard? That’s easy—“It’s all trash ‘til it’s cash.” First time I heard it, it hit like a shot to the ribs. No fluff. No room for interpretation. Just a cold, hard line in the sand. I believed in it so much, I made it the title of my book.
Why? Because it’s the kind of truth most people run from. You can pitch the perfect story, build the slickest deck, hype the dream all you want—but if it doesn’t deliver real results, it’s worthless. Noise. Static. Trash.
That phrase? It’s not motivational. It’s confrontational. It strips away the ego, the excuses, the endless planning loops—and puts one thing on the table: execution.
In business, in writing, in life—intent means nothing. Outcome is everything. That line? It’s not just advice. It’s a demand: Prove it.
What are you reading now?
INNER EXCELLENCE: Train Your Mind for Extraordinary Performance and the Best Possible life – because AJ Brown read it on the sideline.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Travel to get sin pried and get ready for the next book.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
Mediations by Marcus Aurelius
Author Websites and Profiles
Chadd Ciccarelli Amazon Profile
Chadd Ciccarelli’s Social Media Links
Author Interview Series
To discover a new author, check out our Featured Authors page. We have some of the best authors around. They are just waiting for you to discover them. If you enjoyed this writer’s interview feel free to share it using the buttons below. Sharing is caring!
If you are an author and want to be interviewed just fill out out Author Interview page. After submitting we will send it out in our newsletters and social media channels that are filled with readers looking to discover new books to read.
If you are looking for a new book to read check out our Featured Books Page.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.