In 2023, Sonoma Wealth Managing Principal Daren Blonski CFP® made his debut as a published author in the book Clarity: A Leadership Succession Tale. The book tells a fictionalized-version of a financial firm in freefall, and the lessons in leadership required to get it back on track.
"I wrote it as a parable, right-sized to be started and finished on a cross-country flight," Daren explains. "While not based on any one person, the characters and themes are inspired by my many years in financial services and a desire to share what I've learned about leadership."
The book has been available in paperback, hardcover and Kindle editions, but Daren is excited now to add one more: audiobook.
"Audiobooks are my go-to in the gym and on the road, so providing Clarity on that platform was always a goal," Daren said. Narration for the book is performed by Sonoma Wealth Marketing Director Dano Weir. "Dan has 15 years of radio and podcast experience, so I figured it'd be a little easier to listen to 5 hours of his voice instead of mine!"
But what makes the Clarity audiobook experience so unique are podcast-style discussion segments with Dan and Daren in-between chapters. So as the listener progresses through the book, they can check in with Daren for insights and behind the scenes elements that influenced the story. Or if they choose, they can focus solely on the story and check back in with the discussions afterward.
"A few authors have done this so we didn't invent the wheel here," Daren says. "But it was a way to put my voice on the project and speak a little more context into the story."