Welcome to this week’s edition of The Bootstrap Insider (Thoughts of the Week). If you’re new here, subscribe to ensure you receive my next piece in your inbox. If you want to read more of my posts, check out my archive.

Hi {{first_name}},

thank you for being part of this newsletter.

As I mentioned before, the main goal of The Bootstrap Insider (Basic) is simple:
to help you find equity-free prize money and opportunities that actually move your startup forward.

But on Sundays, I’m sharing something different: Thoughts of the Week.
Personal learnings. Reflections. Things that stuck with me.

It’s not a fixed category yet—but if you enjoy this kind of content, give me a sign.

Best,

Bartosz

Do you, {{first_name}}, actually have a bucket list?

Or at least a mental wish list? Maybe it includes things like "diving at the Great Barrier Reef," "running a marathon," or—like so many of us—"writing a book."

I believe we all carry this list around with us. Packed with dreams for "someday."

For me, "write a book" was right at the top. But you know how it is with big dreams: the mental hurdles are huge. Do you write it in Word? Do you need special software?

I spent years watching YouTube videos on "how to prepare" and saving empty documents titled "Book Project 2017" that I never opened again…

Until suddenly, everything changed.

Welcome back to Part 2 of my journey from a blank Word doc to a published Springer author.

(Missed Part 1? I wrote about how I fired a ghostwriter, lost €600, and decided to bootstrap the book myself. [Read Part 1 here].)

After sending that ghostwriter to the moon, I spent 1.5 years writing. Night after night.

But as entrepreneurs, we know one golden rule: Test your assumptions fast. I didn't want to write in a vacuum. I was terrified that I was writing 200 pages of nonsense that only I found interesting.

So, before the book was even finished, I forced myself to do something uncomfortable: I sent the rough, unpolished draft to a few trusted people in my network.

I was nervous. Is it good enough? Will they find the typos? Will they tell me to stick to podcasting?

But they didn't. They helped me reshape text parts, challenged my logic, and cheered me on when I hit a writer's block. I want to give a massive shoutout to Sabine Remmert, Hardy Isken, Christine Göring-Klein and Ibrahim Gencaslan.

Why am I telling you this? Because for the first time in this lonely process, I didn't feel "alone." This gave me a strong feeling of acknowledgment. And this is exactly the vibe I am building here with The Bootstrap Insider. A community where we don’t just consume content, but give feedback, support each other, and grow together.

Armed with this feedback, I felt confident.

I decided to go the Self-Publishing route. I did my research and found that nowadays, it’s incredibly easy to publish via Amazon KDP or Tredition. (No affiliate links)

I chose Tredition. I created an account and invested dozens of hours into the technical setup. I worked on the layout, the cover, the formatting—I was practically done. I was ready to press the "Publish" button and sell the book directly via my website.

There was just one problem. Nobody knew I was doing this.

Well, my close friends knew. But my employer—the University of Heidelberg—and my boss (the Vice President) had no idea.

Why did I hide it? Insecurity. Pure and simple. I had started so many "book projects" in the past that I didn't trust myself to finish. I didn't want to be that guy who talks big about writing a book but never delivers. I wanted to present a done deal so no one could see me fail if I quit halfway through.

But now that I was ready to launch, my conscience kicked in. I probably need to tell them.

I asked for an appointment with the Vice President. I was sweating. Can he forbid this? Will he be angry that I did this on the side?

I walked into his office. It was exactly what you imagine a Professor’s office to look like—a massive desk in the middle and an intimidating wall of books behind him.

I sat down, tried to make some small talk, but my nervousness took over, so I got straight to the point.

I tried to cover my insecurity with a joke: "I wanted to inform you that I will publish a book in a couple of months, just in case you wonder why my name appears on the bestseller lists."

I braced myself for a lecture on focus or conflict of interest. But his reaction completely surprised me.

"Mr. Kajdas, that’s great! What is it about?"

He wasn't angry. He was genuinely interested. We talked about the content, the aim, and the target group. And then came the moment that changed the trajectory of the project.

He asked: "And where are you going to publish it?"

I sat up a bit straighter and said: "I’m doing this on my own. Self-publishing."

His face changed instantly. "Mr. Kajdas, please don't do that."

My heart sank. Here comes the ban, I thought.

But he continued: "Look, we publish so many papers here. In the scientific world, reputation is key. We apply to publishers for a reason. Nobody will recognize or take care of a self-published book in this field. It won't have the weight you want it to have. Please, look for a real publisher first. If that fails, you can still do it yourself."

I was stunned. I had the finished file. I had the Tredition account set up. I was emotionally ready to launch now. And now I had to stop everything.

He was right, of course. He wasn't trying to stop me; he was trying to help me aim higher. But I walked out of that office with a mixed feeling—relieved that he was supportive, but overwhelmed by the new challenge.

I had no clue how to find a publisher.

How do you even "apply" for a book deal? Do you just email them? So, I did what I learned during the writing phase: I reached out to my network again.

Next week in Part 3: I will tell you how I managed to get in touch with Springer Gabler, what other options I had, and how the contract was finally signed.

Curious about the final result?

If you can't wait until next week to see what came out of those late-night writing sessions, you can check out the book here:

👉 Get the book here

💡 Pro Tip for Students & University Staff: Before you buy it, check your university library access! If your institution has a subscription, you can often download the eBook for free via SpringerLink.

Speaking of "keeping your sanity": Isolation is the enemy of every good idea. I may have done the writing alone, but success comes from exchange.

That’s why I’m inviting you to our next Community Event:

The Bootstrap Insider - Community Coffee

📅 When: January 27th | 08:00 AM – 09:00 AM

📍 Where: Online

Whether you are an early bird or a late sleeper who needs a reason to get out of bed: Join us! It’s completely casual and non-binding. We’ll drink coffee, swap best practices, and maybe you can tell me what’s currently on your bucket list or what project you’re building.

Sometimes, great things come from a simple coffee chat. ;-)

Click here to add the event to your calendar

Have a great Sunday,

Bartosz

P.S. Is "writing a book" also on your bucket list? Hit reply and let me know! I’d love to hear if you are planning one. ([email protected])