The book “Journey of Perseverance” from Priya Mishra is an inspiring invitation towards change from a personal and business standpoint, based around her own story to help her clients finding their way to get to the top of their desires. Blending the business side with life skills, this book is a useful guide for entrepreneurs and every business owner who is seeking for inspiration to embark towards the next steps on their journey.

Priya Mishra is a former corporate employee in the Information Technology space who found her calling as entrepreneur and business leader. She is the founder and CEO of Corporality Global, a business consulting firm specialised in sales and marketing. Using her extensive background working in large IT firms in India and Australia, she analyses what organisations need to create their strategic strength and increase sales and revenue.

Starting with a reflective section about ideation and finding the right business model following your vision, the story flow of the book covers the market selection, communication and branding as well as evolving with the times of the business progression alongside described breakthrough milestones. The chapter “Choreographic Act” stands out for me as she describes the influence of art behind activities from scripting staging, filming up to art direction and performance hitting the wow moments which makes your customers act as desired.

When we read a book and appreciate the flow, we have this wake-up moments from sentences which can also be taken out of its context so they still work. Here are three examples from this book which resonate well with me, from short to long: “If you want to be known, you have to speak up first.” The next one is “Learn to celebrate what you have achieved rather than lamenting what you haven’t.” And the final quote I wish to highlight is: “Consistently revisit the most critical principles that underlie your market concepts to reduce the chances of failure.”

While this book begins as a personal story, it is highly adaptable for every business leader thanks to the practical tools shared along the chapters. A range of visual tools from the well-known SWOT with examples towards SPIOC to describe an organisational strategy and the PDCA cycle illustrate the journey of perseverance.

In my view Priya’s book is special due to the mix of the reflection of her personal journey with a practical conclusion full of tips for the reader what to do. Instead of the guru with millions of followers, she is exactly those steps ahead to have her clients still in reach to bring them along. This relationship between the reader and her as author lets this book stand out in a sea of self-help books.

Future business book writers can take a couple of points from Priya’s book to be inspired for theirs. In times of low attention span the overall layout with bit-size chunks from paragraphs to chapters allows reading portions with immediate learning. A lot of white space shows a structured approach. Instead of a section summary, she offers a challenge to reflect on the learning of that particular chapter. Story-telling examples are shown in different background to stand out, same as the graphics in an appealing mix.

Q&A with Priya Mishra

1. What was the deciding moment to write this book?

My family planted a vision in my heart to be a book author so I’ve been carrying this dream for years already. After so many years in the business and with lots of lessons learned, I can’t help but share my journey to inspire and help other entrepreneurs as well.

2. How long did it take from concept to launch?

The actual writing process took me months since I’m doing it alongside running my business. Thankfully, my team at Corporality helped me edit the work and prepare the actual look and feel of the book so that it didn’t took too long! I would say I am able to finish the whole process in a year.

3. How did you perform the research to create the practical content?

The practical content in my book was based on my own experience and lessons learned from my journey. As a result, I didn’t need to conduct extensive research to create this type of content. Instead, I was able to draw from my personal knowledge and expertise to provide readers with real-world examples and advice. In addition to that, I have a friend who helped me research for some parts of the book.

4. What was the biggest challenge along the process (and how did you overcome it)?

As a CEO and Founder of Corporality, I have a lot on my plate. I really had to find time to sit down and work on my book. Good thing when I set my mind to it, I can’t get defeated by any distractions. The encouragement of my colleagues and family also helped me a lot in focusing on this book.

5. What was your own reflection along the journey?

I have my family to thank for this book. They taught me that poverty, lack of opportunity, or any inconsistency, for that matter, are but hurdles and not the final destiny. They also kept reminding me that I have “miles to go before I sleep…”.

6. What is the outcome in having this book available?

I had colleagues and budding entrepreneurs told me that my book gave them a crystal-clear picture on how someone can reach the peak of excellence. Some told me that it helped them think that success is the only option.

7. What would you advise others about writing their book?

I think the first one is to just start writing. Writing a book is a big undertaking, and it can be overwhelming at times, especially if like me, you’re juggling it with other priorities like running a business. Break the process down into smaller, achievable goals, such as writing for a certain amount of time each day or completing a certain number of pages per week.

Then remember, the first draft of your book is just the beginning. Editing is a crucial part of the writing process, and it can take several rounds of revisions to get your book to where you want it to be. Be prepared to receive feedback and make changes accordingly.

Writing a book takes courage and perseverance. There may be times when you doubt yourself or your abilities but remember that you have something valuable to share with the world. Keep pushing forward, and trust that your hard work will pay off.

Priya Mishra: “Journey of Perseverance”, Sydney 2021, ISBN 978-1-922618-30-6 (Paperback) or Kindle

More about the author: www.priya.sydney