Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a serial entrepreneur and have worked in recruiting for over 15+ years. I’ve owned my own recruiting firms and other businesses for that length of time as well. This is my first book; I’ve written for other publications and my own blogs, etc. for years.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Hire Power: Everything Entrepreneurs Need To Know To Hire Awesome People
My main gig is recruiting – attracting, finding & hiring the industry leaders for my clients. I am also a business owner who has hired (and fired) more employees, partners, contractors, etc. than most people could dream about in their lifetime. I have a deep passion for working with entrepreneurs and I want to share my best hiring tips + tricks + tools to make sure everyone has the ability to hire right, every time.
When you are putting almost everything you have back into your business, literally a single bad hire could cost you everything and I don’t want to see that happen to anyone!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am pretty all or nothing in life, so I’ll sit down and pound out numerous blogs, articles, and parts of this book pretty rapidly. I am not known for “gutting it out” so I have to write when I am inspired and when I want to.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I am a self-professed self-help junkie, so there are so many I don’t know if I could name them all. The 4 Hour Workweek and just about anything else by Tim Ferris, Smartcuts by Shane Snow are a couple that have profoundly impacted my way of thinking. I think just about every book I’ve ever read has somehow influenced me or been woven into my life somehow. Books on being a better leader, hiring well, managing myself and time are big on my list!
And, I am HUGE fan of Sword and Sorcery books and fiction books that are similar. I listen to a lot of audio books and it is almost always something fiction.
What are you working on now?
I’m always working on something! My recruiting business (www.BuildingGurus.com), my company aimed at helping entrepreneurs and small business owners find, attract, hire and retain the right people (www.RikkaBrandon.com) are the biggest areas I devote time to. I also have other projects that help candidates get hired (GetUHired.com) and I’m always working on something new related to traveling with my family – especially somewhere warm and tropical.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
With this being my first book, I am looking at a lot of different avenues. My website, mailing list, social media and Awesomegang are the main ones at the moment.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
If you have the desire or little voice inside you telling you to get your story out, listen. And, don’t assume you have to go the traditional route to get published. I’ve gone down that path and it was a bit disheartening and cost a lot of money. Ultimately, looking at alternative routes to publish worked for me. Just explore what’s out there and then write, write, write. Oh, and be prepared to alternate between loving and hating the process a lot!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
That’s a difficult thing to narrow down, I’ve been given a lot of fantastic advice over the years. I think the best items for me are: never go against your gut, be really clear about what you really want and figure out a few questions you can ask yourself to make sure you are staying true to your mission.
What are you reading now?
Heir of Fire by Sarah Maas – fiction.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m always working on being better than I was before, so probably revamping websites, re-working or re-writing existing blogs, coming up with new, relevant content for my readers and possibly another book or books about hiring.
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?
Wow! That’s a tough one. I read really fast so it would be hard for me to imagine 3 or 4 books would hold me for very long. I’d have to say new fiction books, preferably a series or really lengthy books!
Author Websites and Profiles
Rikka Brandon Website
Rikka Brandon Amazon Profile
Rikka Brandon’s Social Media Links
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account