I sit down with Conni Francini, CEO of Soro Publishing, to explore how she’s building a more author-friendly path to publishing. Conni traces her unconventional route—from journalism/PR into education, then a 15-year run in educational publishing where she rose to editor-in-chief and developed award-winning products with partners like the Smithsonian and TIME for Kids.

After dozens of candid chats with writers—frustrated by low royalties, limited marketing, slow timelines, and losing creative control—Conni launched Soro Publishing. The model blends the best of traditional and self-publishing: professional editorial and design, months-not-years timelines, authors keeping their rights, creative control, and most royalties, plus a true partnership to grow their platforms.

We dig into Soro’s three focus lanes—education, business/leadership, and children’s books—and what’s surprised Conni most about entrepreneurship: the sheer build-from-scratch workload, the importance of loving sales/BD as much as “making the book,” and staying adaptable when the market pulls you into new genres. Conni also shares hard-won lessons for leading creatives (define outcomes, not pixel-perfect solutions) and encouragement for first-time founders and execs: ask for help early and often—you’ll be surprised how many people say yes.

What You Will Learn

• Why many authors feel stuck between traditional and self-publishing—and how a hybrid model can be a win-win.
• The specific ways Soro helps authors retain rights, voice, and royalties while leveling up quality and speed.
• How to lead multidisciplinary creative teams: set audience outcomes, invite expertise, and critique by problem, not by prescription.
• The underestimated realities of starting a company (and how to balance making the product with marketing/business development).
• How to stay adaptable when real-world feedback nudges your strategy into new lanes.
• Practical networking advice for new execs/founders: how (and why) to ask for guidance from leaders you don’t even know yet.

Resources Mentioned

• Conni Francini on LinkedIn
• Soro Publishing
• Instagram — @soropublishing
• Past partnerships referenced: Smithsonian, TIME for Kids