Inspiring Authors to Help the Next Generation with Miriam Laundry

Have you ever considered writing a children’s book? 

If you’re anything like me, you might be thinking, Why would I write a children’s book? I’m not a writer. However, after hearing the inspiring true story from today’s guest, you might just change your mind. 

When the COVID pandemic hit, many entrepreneurs and business owners didn’t know how to handle the sudden change in the way businesses were run. More than that, it was near impossible to predict how long the worst of the pandemic would last or what entrepreneurship would look like upon the world’s return to normalcy. I, myself, was no exception to this growing fear. 

However, today’s guest not only made the most of a terrible situation but manages to inspire entrepreneurs and empower children even today. Guys, I’m so excited to share her story with you!

Miriam Laundry is the founder of ML Publishing, the best-selling author of five award-winning children’s books, and a certified Guinness World Record holder. Additionally, Miriam is a caring mother, an inspiring and successful businesswoman, and a passionate supporter of those chasing their dreams. She considers it her mission to give authors the knowledge and confidence they need to publish their children’s books and make a positive impact on the younger generation. 

In this article, we will discuss Miriam's story, how she navigated the sudden change that COVID brought to her goals and her family, and how we can all learn from her and make an impact on the world around us. 

Let’s jump in!

Who Is Miriam Laundry?

I was lucky enough to meet Miriam through the mastermind we are both a part of, and she has been an inspiration to me ever since. Some people are naturally inclined to be planners — to consider the future and what to prepare for. Miriam is, without a doubt, a planner.

“I think I've always thought about a business. I have to start with that. I remember being in my teens and always just watching how businesses were run and always wishing I had my own business. Then in college, I started investing in real estate young. I met my husband in college, so we started investing in real estate together. … We always planned. We always dreamed. We'd go on dates and we would pretend we were 10 years into the future and we'd talk about what our lives are like and what our children are like, and what kind of a life we have together.” - Miriam Laundry

This is one of the things I love most about Miriam and something I find to be truly inspiring. Miriam always puts her family first. The top priority for Miriam at this time was to be home with her children, and she even had to stand up to her husband to achieve this priority. 

“We always said by the time we have a second child, I won't go back to work. When the time came and the second child came, I was on maternity leave from the bank, and I remember telling my husband, Okay, I'm not going back to work. He didn't take that well. It was probably the first time that I had to stand my ground — I was a people pleaser up until that point, I'll say. But at that point, I didn't care anymore. It was a pivotal time. It was the hardest decision that I've ever had to make.” - Miriam Laundry

Having the strength to stand your ground when you need to is extremely important, and I find Miriam to be so inspiring in this regard. When she told her banking job she wouldn’t be returning after the birth of her second child, they offered her a promotion. They really wanted Miriam back! Not only did she have to stand up to her husband’s apprehensive protests about raising their children on one income, but she also had to turn down a promotion at her job!

The First Entrepreneurial Venture That Started It All

To be honest, I would’ve been impressed if that was the end of the story! Standing up to the people you love is extremely difficult, and turning down a promotion at work takes discipline. You have to really know what you want out of life to turn down a path toward success, but Miriam had another, better path toward success in mind. 

“Probably a year into it, I knew I wanted my second child to be going to a private school, and just two hours a day was going to cost us an extra $400. My husband said we could not afford that since I was not bringing in any money, so that's the moment I thought, I'm just going to start a business. And that was my first real business that went on to make multiple six figures, and it lasted eight years. That was really my start in entrepreneurship.” - Miriam Laundry

In Miriam’s own words, “No one knows your dream like you do.” It takes courage to stand up for your dreams, sometimes even with your closest loved ones. You have to really, really believe in yourself, and that’s another reason I find Miriam’s story so inspiring. Not only did she know what she needed to do, but she also didn’t let anyone stop her from doing it. 

However, I was curious to find out what exactly this first entrepreneurial venture was exactly, so I asked her. 

Miriam was taking several courses at the time when she met a young photographer who took pictures of objects that looked like letters in the alphabet, which they would then assemble together to make words. The two began to work together, and Miriam would travel to craft shows all across Canada selling these art pieces. 

Not only did this venture provide Miriam with the additional income she needed to send her child to a private school, but it allowed her the liberty to remain home with her children, which she says was her top priority. 

From Real Estate to Children’s Books

I’m loving Miriam’s story so far, but how do we get from real estate investments to selling photography artwork to writing children’s books? Well, standing up to her husband and turning down a promotion was Miriam’s first pivotal moment in her career, but a second turning point arrived when she gave birth to her son. 

“The day after the birth of my son, we lost our niece to suicide, and it was just a horrible time. I was full of emotions — baby blues, grieving — I wasn't doing well. My husband noticed and suggested I attend a self-esteem-building seminar taught by Jack Canfield, the Chicken Soup for the Soul author, and had this book called The Success Principles. I went to it, and that changed everything for me because I was in a room full of positive people all working on themselves, all learning about goals, positivity, and all these amazing things.” - Miriam Laundry

Surrounding yourself with people who are in a similar situation or period of life as you are is immensely beneficial. So much of our emotional state and satisfaction we get out of life can be attributed to our outlook. Sometimes, all it takes is a readjustment of the way you see things to reorient yourself and get back on track. After such a tragedy, The Success Principles was what Miriam needed to get on her feet again. 

“I kept thinking back to my niece and to my children and how I wanted things different for them. So I thought, Well, these great principles really need to be taught to children when they're young. So it was on the flight home that I thought, Okay, I'm gonna teach my kids one thing, but I can't just come home and dump the information on them. I decided to write a story, my first manuscript, and then I buried that message into the story. That was how I started writing 10 years ago, and I just love it now.” - Miriam Laundry

Guys, I connect with this so much. When I think back just to where I was a few years ago and the work I’ve put toward personal growth and development, I can’t even imagine where I would be now if I had started that inner work sooner. 

“I remember hearing a statistic that by the age of nine, we have already made up a lot of decisions for ourselves. A child who's nine has made up their mind about whether they're smart or not, whether they're sporty or not, whether they're good-looking or not. That's why writing children's picture books is so important to me. Let's get to them when they're younger, and let's teach them those amazing principles. That's why I like to write for that age group.” - Miriam Laundry

That’s what it takes to inspire a generation, isn’t it? You not only have to put in all the hard work toward personal growth, but you also have to be passionate. Miriam saw a need for children to learn the principles she read about in Jack Canfield’s book, and she took measures to make that happen. 

Inspiration Through the Pandemic

Over the next few years, Miriam continued to write and would travel to schools and speak to students. People would frequently ask to sit down with her and ask for advice. They wanted to pick her brain and receive help figuring out where to go next in life. Miriam loves helping people, so she obliged anytime someone asked her to sit down and talk. 

However, once her husband pointed out how often she was beginning to give out free advice, she realized she had a business on her hands. Unfortunately, this was right before the entire world shut down. 

“That was probably my third pivotal moment. All my school visits were canceled, and I was doing a lot of school visits. I was suddenly at home all the time. One of the biggest things for me is that right before Covid hit, having four children, I was out every single night driving one or another to a sports activity. I was always strapped for time. So when COVID hit, I suddenly had an abundance of time. And I remember Jack Canfield’s teaching: It's not what happens to us; it's how we react to what happens to us.” - Miriam Laundry

My uncle always used to say, “Never let a good disaster go to waste.” When something as huge and world-changing as COVID happens, no one knows the best way to proceed. We were in uncharted territory, and there was no surefire method of starting or surviving your business through a pandemic. 

However, Miriam certainly made lemonade when life handed her lemons. Instead of opting to mope around the house and watch television, Miriam and her children all took the time to write out their individual goals. It’s simple exercises like these that provide the clarity we all need on how to move forward when life gets complicated. 

“So I opened my publishing company in the middle of the pandemic — May 2020 — and I decided I was just going to go full out and help aspiring children's book authors fulfill their own dreams and write their books and publish them. I'm happy to say at the end of this year, we will have published 50 brand-new children's books, and so far, every one of our books has become an Amazon bestseller. The main thing was that I started wanting to empower children, but now, by empowering these adults to write their own books, we're reaching even more children, which is so exciting.” - Miriam Laundry

The pandemic was a scary time, and it was difficult for anyone to navigate through, let alone start their very own business in the middle of it. Miriam is so inspiring not only for doing just that, but she managed to keep her family front and center through it all. Never did she place her business above her children, and I think that’s something we can all learn from. 

Why You Should Listen to This Burnout to All Out Podcast Episode Right Now!

Guys, there was simply way too much to cover in this episode that we couldn’t get to. If you felt inspired after reading this article and want more, check out the full episode here and listen to all the incredible information Miriam has to share! I promise you’ll be glad you did!

In the full episode, we talk about what things Miriam would change if she could go back in time and have all the knowledge she possesses now, some fun ideas to keep your work Slack channel interesting, and much more!

For more information about Miriam and her publishing company, all of her children’s books, and her full story, head over to her website! 

As always, friends, thank you so much for spending time with me and hearing Miriam’s story. If you want more ways to live your All Out life, visit livethefreelife.co. There, you’ll have everything you need to empower your entrepreneurial journey and grow your business to the next level!

Links & Resources:

Chicken Soup for the Soul – Jack Canfield

The Success Principles – Jack Canfield

The Language of Leadership with Shane Hipps - https://www.livethefreelife.co/podcasts/burnout-to-all-out-podcast/episodes/2147798385

FREE WRITING RESOURCE:   CHILDREN’S BOOK BLUEPRINT

www.miriamlaundry.com/blueprint

Connect with Miriam:

Facebook: @MiriamLaundryFanPage

Twitter: @MiriamLaundry

Instagram: @miriamlaundrypublishing

Pinterest: LaundryBooks

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miriamlaundry/

www.miriamlaundry.com

Connect with Melissa:

Burnout to All Out Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/burnouttoallout

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_henault 

For free resources and information on Melissa’s current offerings: www.livethefreelife.co

Free LinkedIn Productivity Checklist: https://www.livethefreelife.co/checklist

Click here to Rate, Review, & Follow. https://ratethispodcast.com/botao

“Her energy is always refreshing. I love being able to apply her strategies to whatever my project is at the moment.”

If you’re vibing with the Burnout to All Out podcast, I’d love to hear from you. Your feedback helps me support you in building the online business you dreamed of while making LinkedIn connections like a pro.

Scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Be sure to let me know what you resonated with the most in this episode! And if you haven’t done so already, give the podcast a follow, so you'll be notified when a new episode comes out.