2022 Fellow Focus: Leah Hernandez + Young Authors Publishing
Publisher, storyteller, literacy advocate…2022 Fellow Leah Hernandez of Young Authors Publishing shares more about her #RuthlessForGood journey.
What propelled you into the entrepreneurial space? And what do you enjoy most about being a founder?
Growing up I was always fascinated with storytelling and would often write various short stories. I also enjoyed reading but as I got older my love of reading began to dwindle when I noticed my experiences were rarely reflected in the books I read.
While studying at Clark Atlanta University, I self-published my first book which was featured in Rolling Out Magazine and the Essence Music Festival. Sharing my story with the world was empowering and receiving access to capital through my book sales helped me cover costs of living and college expenses. Shortly after I published my first book I started getting requests from my peers to help them do the same thing. Nine months after my book was released I published another young woman's book which was sold nationally and featured in various Belize media outlets. In 2018 I was approached by the Atlanta Housing Authority to create a program for youth. Since book publishing was the only real experience I had at the time I figured I could help children write a book and the royalties could be used for their future. I worked with four dynamic girls from Vine City who had a beautiful perspective about the community they lived in and wanted the world to know all about it! The program came to a close and our lovely young authors had published their debut book, Roxie’s Day In Vine City. From there, Young Authors Publishing was born.
What do you enjoy most about being a founder?
Being able to create products and services that make a direct impact on my community. I love that I have the ability to work alongside my team to bring innovative solutions to today's most pressing problems like literacy.
What is one piece of advice that has been the most impactful to your journey as an entrepreneur so far?
As simple as it may sound, the best piece of advice that has been most impactful is to keep going. The road of an entrepreneur is never an easy one and there are many times that I thought about quitting. However, when I look back I see growth year after year and that’s only because I decided to keep going.
Tell us about an experience you had as an entrepreneur or in starting your company that exemplified one of Camelback's core values: "Belief in Mission + Vision"; "Unafraid of Failure"; "Constant Learner"; "Humble + Hungry"; and "Give First."
When I first started my company I had absolutely no connections to the publishing industry. Not having a network of people in my industry forced me to be a constant learner. Although my network has grown since then, I still approach my work as a constant learner. Doing so has afforded me the opportunity to be a board member for one of the few US publishing associations for small to mid sized publishers, a board advisor for one of the only Masters of Book Publishing programs with Portland State University and I was named the 2021 Star Watch Nominees by Publishers Weekly, the leading trade magazine for publishing.
As a social innovator, what legacy do you hope to leave behind for future generations?
I hope to leave behind a generation of BIPOC authors who were able to jumpstart their writing career with us and use their earned revenue to create a financially free life. I also want children to grow up seeing themselves represented in the literature they read.
What's your favorite book or podcast that you draw entrepreneurial inspiration from?
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
My superpower would be teleportation so I could travel more frequently and see family from across the world whenever I want.
You can learn more about ➡ Leah Hernandez of Young Authors Publishing.
Get to know more of the 2022 Camelback Fellows👇🏽