Entrepreneurs can grow a business through storytelling by turning their expertise into memorable ideas, building authority, and creating stronger connections with potential clients. Writing a book can become part of that strategy by giving business owners a way to communicate what they know while expanding their visibility and credibility.

In this episode of Practice Prosperity, Randall Avery speaks with Henry DeVries, CEO and cofounder of Indie Books International, about how storytelling, publishing a book, professional relationships, and strategic reinvestment can contribute to sustainable business growth.

Writing a Book Without Doing Everything Yourself

Many entrepreneurs have valuable knowledge to share but do not have the time to sit down and write an entire book themselves.

Henry explains that there are three main ways to approach the process: hire a ghostwriter, write the book independently, or work with a developmental editor.

For busy CEOs and business owners, writing the entire book themselves may not always be the best use of their time. Henry prefers a developmental editing approach, where the business owner provides the expertise and ideas while the editor helps organize and shape them into a book people will want to read.

This allows the author to remain closely involved in the message without having to manage every part of the writing process alone.

This idea also connects to Who Not How by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy, which Henry references in the interview. The book encourages entrepreneurs to stop asking how they can do everything themselves and instead identify the right person who can help them accomplish the goal. For business owners writing a book, that may mean finding an editor, ghostwriter, or other specialist who can turn their expertise into a finished product while allowing them to stay focused on the work they do best.

Why Storytelling Matters in Business

Having expertise is important, but simply presenting facts may not always be enough to make an idea memorable.

Henry explains that people often respond emotionally to stories. Facts can provide information, while stories help people understand how an idea applies to a real situation.

That makes storytelling especially useful for business owners who need to explain complex ideas, communicate value, or help potential clients understand how their services can make a difference.

A well-told story can make business expertise easier to remember and more relatable than information presented on its own.

Make the Client the Hero

Henry also recommends changing how business owners tell success stories.

Instead of presenting themselves as the hero, the prospective client should be able to see themselves in that role.

The client becomes the hero, the problem becomes the challenge, and the business owner serves as the mentor who helps guide them toward a solution.

This structure keeps the story focused on the client’s experience rather than simply promoting the business owner’s expertise.

It also helps prospective clients imagine how they might overcome a similar challenge with the right guidance.

Use Your Expertise to Build Visibility

Publishing a book can also support other forms of business development.

Henry uses several strategies to remain visible, including seminars, speaking engagements, podcast appearances, publishing content, networking, YouTube, professional associations, and paid events.

These activities help him share his expertise while building relationships with people who may later become clients, advocates, or referral partners.

Henry says approximately 85% of his business comes through referrals from advocates and affiliates, showing how authority and relationships can work together to generate opportunities.

Dione Traci Duckett shared a similar approach in her Practice Prosperity episode. She built visibility by offering educational estate-planning seminars, networking in the community, and connecting with churches and financial advisors whose audiences could benefit from her expertise. Rather than making the seminars feel like a sales pitch, she focused on educating people first. Over time, that helped build trust, brand awareness, and referrals.

Keep Helping Clients After the Initial Work

Henry believes strong business relationships should continue even after the original project is complete.

He continues supporting authors by sharing book-marketing ideas, offering access through office hours, inviting them to trainings, and connecting them with podcast and media opportunities.

He describes generosity as an important part of his brand.

This continued support strengthens relationships and can naturally lead to referrals, introductions, and future opportunities.

For practice owners and entrepreneurs, it is a reminder that completing a service does not have to mean ending the relationship with the client.

Build Income That Supports Your Life

Henry also discusses the importance of creating multiple sources of income rather than relying on one business or one investment.

He references Die Broke by Stephen M. Pollan and Mark Levine, which promotes the idea of using money intentionally during your lifetime instead of focusing only on leaving behind the largest possible estate.

That philosophy aligns with Henry’s own approach. In addition to reinvesting in his business, he puts money into other investments and develops income through activities such as writing, speaking, coaching, and journalism.

For Henry, financial success is not simply about accumulating wealth. It is about building enough flexibility and income to support the life he wants to live while also being able to help the people he cares about.

Reinvest in the Business as Demand Grows

Building authority and generating referrals can bring more clients into a business, but Henry emphasizes that the business must also be prepared to serve them.

His first priority when using business profits is reinvesting in the company so it has enough capacity to take on additional clients.

Reinvestment may involve people, systems, marketing, technology, or other resources that allow the business to grow without reducing the quality of the service being delivered.

Generating more demand is only useful if the company has the capacity to handle it.

A Book Can Become More Than a Book

For Henry, writing a book is not simply about publishing something with your name on the cover.

It can become a tool for communicating expertise, telling memorable stories, creating speaking and podcast opportunities, building professional relationships, and attracting prospective clients.

The strongest business books do more than explain what the author knows. They help readers understand why that knowledge matters and how it can apply to their own problems.

For entrepreneurs, that can turn a book into part of a larger strategy for building authority and growing a business sustainably.

To learn more about Henry DeVries and his work with business authors, visit Indie Books International.