Meet Michelle Easley | Author | Publisher | Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michelle Easley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michelle, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
When you think about it everything requires some level of risk. When you set out to do anything there are no guarantees. What is guaranteed is that if you don’t try you won’t succeed. You have to be in the game to win. I believe in taking calculated risks. We are all at various points in our lives with different circumstances so what may not look like a risk to you is a risk to me. Whenever a book is published, I don’t know in advance if the book will sell or be well received. A publisher takes a risk with every work. As a publisher, I believe in what I publish so I am willing to take the risk. Success can be measured in dollars and cents, but success also comes from knowing someone’s life or perspective was changed. I believe wholeheartedly in the power of prayer. Pray, ask God to lead you and walk in confidence. Pray, listen, wait (if necessary) and work! This is my formula for managing risk. Risk is the dynamic that propels us to seek a better world when we see the need for change.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I wanted to make a positive impact on the world. Words are like clay in a sculptor’s hand. You can mold them and create great works with them. Words are powerful, they have the ability to build people up, connect people to something greater and larger than themselves. I believe words can help shape a future filled with more peace, beauty and happiness than that which exists presently. I decided to pursue this career because I wanted to empower, inspire, and encourage others. Words have the power to do this very thing.

I am an African American Woman. I know first-hand what it means to be marginalized, looked down upon and told no often. When I first began my journey as a publisher it was because I was told that no one would want to read a book written about mentoring black girls by a Black woman. This was back in 2008 before diversity was a “thing”. My mother and I wrote a book about mentoring girls because at the time we were running a ministry designed to uplift girls in the community. We couldn’t find any books on the market to assist us in setting up the program, so we wrote our own. When I queried all the major publishers, I got only nos. The topic was very important to us. We decided not to accept the no and set out to publish the book. After many months, we did just that and Positive Push Press was born.

My company is committed to giving voice to the voiceless and creating opportunities for others to be heard. I started my publishing company with my own funds and a dream. It was not easy and it is still not easy but I believe that persistent hard work pays off. I learned that you must follow your true passion.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I think one of the most spectacular places in the city is the King Center. It is something about visiting the center and seeing with your own eyes the rich legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King that is incredible. I serve as a volunteer at the King Center and I witness people crying as they enter, as they look at articles of clothing worn by Mrs. King. No trip to Atlanta is complete without a visit to Paschal’s for some soul food, a cocktail in the Sundial at the top of the Westin Peachtree Plaza and a tour of the Atlanta University Center. I would hit a few balls at Top Golf and listen to live music at St. James Live in South Fulton.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to my parents. They are trailblazer in their own rights, having lived through segregation then integration. They valued education and sacrificed so that I might have an opportunity to attend college and graduate school. I thank them as they provided me a solid foundation!

Website: https://www.positivepushpress.com/

Instagram: @positive_push_press

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/positive-push-press/