Hour 10 of the Write for Money and Power 12-Hour Book Launch Livestream was one of those conversations that quietly recalibrates how you think about success — not as a finish line, but as a life you actually want to wake up inside.
I was joined by Veronica Llorca-Smith, a published author, public speaker, and the creator of The Lemon Tree Mindset on Substack. Veronica writes about building a successful career as a writer, creative, and Substacker — and what she’s built is more than a publication. It’s a global creative community rooted in clarity, sustainability, and self-trust.
This hour was about creative power without gatekeepers, mindset and strategy working together, and redefining success on your own terms.
Here are a few ideas from Hour 10 worth sitting with:
Creative Power Means Fewer Barriers
Veronica shared a perspective that landed deeply with a lot of people watching: we’re living in a moment where the distance between an idea and an audience has collapsed.
You don’t need permission to publish.
You don’t need investors to build something meaningful.
You don’t need a gatekeeper to validate your voice.
Creative power, as Veronica framed it, is about recognizing that the tools are already here — many of them free — and choosing to use them intentionally to bring your vision to life.
Mindset and Strategy Are a Single System
One of the core ideas behind The Lemon Tree Mindset is that mindset and strategy aren’t separate tracks — they constantly feed each other.
Veronica talked about how limiting beliefs, imposter syndrome, and fear of judgment can quietly block progress even when the strategy is sound. At the same time, creativity without systems eventually leads to exhaustion.
As solopreneurs, we don’t get to outsource one side of the equation. We have to strengthen both — learning how to think expansively and operationalize our ideas so they can actually support a life.
You Are Not Your Job Title
Veronica’s transition out of the corporate world came with a humbling and freeing realization: the prestige of a company or title can become a stand-in for identity.
When she left that world, she had to build confidence differently — by trusting her own vision instead of borrowing credibility from past roles. One moment stood out in particular: the day she stopped leading with former employers in her bio.
Not because that experience didn’t matter — but because it no longer defined who she was becoming.
That shift from what I did to who I am changed everything.
Community Grows Through Depth, Not Volume
A powerful part of the conversation focused on community-building, especially on Substack.
Veronica shared that while her subscriber count is meaningful, the real center of gravity lives with the smaller group of deeply engaged readers. Those relationships — the people who open, reply, collaborate, attend events, and grow alongside you — are what make everything else possible.
Build an Ecosystem, Not a Content Treadmill
One of the most practical ideas from Hour 10 was Veronica’s approach to sustainability: creating an ecosystem where one piece of work can live many lives.
Instead of constantly creating from scratch, she looks for ways to extend the lifespan of what already exists — giving ideas more reach without burning herself out in the process.
Monetization Is a Form of Respect
When the conversation turned to money, Veronica spoke candidly about how many creatives — especially women — struggle with charging for their work.
Her reframe was simple and grounding: if something creates real value and supports transformation, it deserves to be priced with integrity. Monetization isn’t selling out — it’s honoring your time, your expertise, and the sustainability of your work.
Confidence and pricing, she said, grow together.
Success Is a Felt Experience
The hour closed with one of the most resonant reflections of the day.
For Veronica, success is no longer about external validation or numbers on a screen. It’s about the life her work enables — time with her family, space to train for races, freedom to travel, and the energy to show up fully for what matters most.
No one else gets to define that for you.
If you want to spend time inside a community built on depth, clarity, and long-term creative growth, you’ll want to explore Veronica’s work:
And if Hour 10 echoed questions you’re asking about power, ownership, and building a creative life that actually fits — those ideas run through every chapter of my book:
The ebook is $0.99 because access matters, and success should feel like something you can live inside, not chase.
Thank you Mary Beth Kaplan🪶, Ashley Schmitt ⚜️, Kevin Frasure, Miss Larissa, Amy Benavides, and many others for tuning into my live video with Veronica Llorca-Smith!
-Amy
