Betting on Yourself: Sales, Ghostwriting, and Taking Risks That Change Your Life with Brian Kurian

Podcast Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat Host David Chametzky Guest Brian Kurian Entrepreneur | Premium Ghostwriter | Business Consultant | Sales Trainer | Nonprofit Leader Episode Overview In this inspiring episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, David Chametzky reconnects with longtime friend and collaborator Brian Kurian for a conversation about entrepreneurship, sales, ghostwriting, personal growth, and the courage required to bet on yourself. Brian shares how three layoffs within approximately two and a half years pushed him to stop relying on corporate security and launch his own business. What began with decades of sales experience has grown into an expanding ecosystem of ghostwriting, publishing support, business consulting, sales training, and nonprofit leadership. This conversation is a reminder that success rarely begins with having every answer. It begins with curiosity, determination, strong values, and the willingness to say: “I don’t know how to do that yet—but I can learn.” From Corporate Sales to Entrepreneurship Brian spent more than 20 years working in sales across established corporations and startup companies. His experience included: Cold calling and prospecting Booking demonstrations Negotiating proposals Closing deals Managing sales teams Reaching executive leadership roles He eventually landed what he considered a dream position with a strong salary, supportive colleagues, and a great company culture. Then the layoffs began. After experiencing three layoffs from three different companies, Brian decided he was finished allowing other organizations to determine his professional future. Four days after his third layoff, he launched his business. “I can just do this myself.” The Values That Built the Business Brian credits much of his character and professional approach to the values his parents instilled in him. Growing up with South Indian roots, he learned the importance of: Family Honesty Integrity Accountability Hard work Keeping commitments Treating people properly His father did not praise him simply for meeting expectations. Brian was encouraged to push harder, improve consistently, and demonstrate that he could deliver exceptional results repeatedly. That lesson now shapes the way Brian runs his companies and serves clients. The Obsession with Overdelivering When David asks what makes Brian different, Brian identifies one defining trait: He is obsessed with overdelivering. Brian does not wait for opportunities to provide extra value. He actively searches for them. That may mean: Making a valuable introduction Offering additional strategic guidance Connecting a client with a potential partner Improving a project beyond the original scope Helping someone personally as well as professionally For Brian, great business is not about completing the minimum requirements. It is about leaving people better than he found them. How Brian Became a Ghostwriter Brian’s journey into ghostwriting began with a simple thought: “I think I have a book in me.” His wife suggested that his many ideas might work better as a blog. At the time, Brian did not even know what a blog was. He researched blogging, discovered Medium, and began writing. His first articles were not polished, and very few people read them. Rather than treating that as proof that he was not a writer, Brian decided to practice. He began publishing several articles each week, learning through repetition and gradually improving his craft. From there, the opportunities expanded: Writing blog posts Editing other writers’ work Offering free developmental feedback Coaching writers Launching a writing-coaching business Creating e-books and training materials Ghostwriting executive content Writing books for entrepreneurs and thought leaders Each new opportunity began with Brian admitting that he had not done it before—and then committing to learning how. Say Yes, Then Learn One of the strongest lessons from Brian’s story is the value of being willing to learn in public. When someone asked whether he offered writing coaching, he had never formally coached writers before. He said yes, while being transparent about his experience. When a company asked him to ghostwrite e-books, he learned how. When clients needed blog posts written in their own voices, he studied their language, personalities, goals, and communication styles until he could represent them authentically. Brian’s approach is not about pretending to know everything.