From Raw Data to Rough Drafts
The Entrepreneurial Journey of Two Engineers-Turned-Bestselling Authors
This article was originally published by the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Entrepreneurs Affinity Group (AG) on 10/3/2024 as part of the October 2024 Newsletter. Learn more on the SWE Entrepreneurs AG LinkedIn Page.
Our Journey as Bestselling Authors
“A book is the most expensive business card you’ll ever hand out.”
When Cassie Leonard chose to leave her Sr. Management position at a Fortune 100 engineering firm, she knew she wanted to start her own coaching firm. What she didn’t expect was that her passion project—writing a book about her personal journey in STEM—would play such a pivotal role in building her brand.
Fortunately, Wendy Cocke, who had a year head start in her own journey, found Cassie and graciously mentored her throughout the book launch. Today, both Wendy and Cassie are bestselling authors, each with books that serve as powerful calling cards for their expertise and passions.
In this blog, Wendy and Cassie share a bit of their experience in writing non-fiction books and invite you to join them this Fall to connect in-person and at a virtual workshop to learn more about how you can creatively build your own unique marketing resource.
The Stories Behind Our Books
Wendy Cocke’s Journey:
In the years leading up to the pandemic, Wendy started dreaming about her “first-retirement”, but it wasn’t until the world stopped in 2020 that Wendy found her passion for writing. During her time at home, she set a goal to create 1 original piece of content on LinkedIn each month, which quickly become twice a month and then weekly (and now even more). By the end of 2021, Wendy not only had an active LinkedIn profile, but about 40,000 words that eventually became the foundation of her first book, “Making Flex Work: Defining Success on Your Own Terms.” Her book kickstarted her speaking and training business to help people do the right work from the right place at the right time.
Today, as the founder and owner of Engineering Leadership Solutions, Wendy works with people and organizations who want to think about work differently. She has written a second best-selling book, “Reimagine Your Work: Managing Your Career Like It’s Your Business” and has an active consulting business providing project/project management, continuous improvement, and management systems support, and believes that every woman over 40 should have an LLC to fall back on when the time is right for them.
Discover more about Making Flex Work and Reimaging Your Work by Wendy A. Cocke at engineeringleadershipsolutions.com.
Cassie Leonard’s Journey:
At WE21, Cassie took the stage with four inspiring colleagues to discuss how the pandemic was shaping their journeys as both leaders and mothers. She wasn’t expecting a large turnout, but the room was packed. The questions from SWE members revealed a significant gap—people were looking for examples of women successfully navigating technical careers and motherhood.
That experience sparked STEM Moms: Design, Build, and Test to Create the Work-Life of Your Dreams. What started as a passion project turned into something bigger. A year later, when she left corporate to start her executive coaching business for women and moms in tech, the book became her calling card, helping establish her credibility and passion for supporting women in STEM.
Explore more about STEM Moms by Cassie Leonard at ELMMcoaching.com/stem-moms and elmm.press.
You Are Invited!
Although a book is just an expensive business card, it might just be the most valuable offering you’ll ever share with your customer base. Whether it is the foundation of your business planning or a strategic investment in your future, Wendy and Cassie hope you will use their stories as inspiration to take the first step…just start writing.
If you want to learn about the writing and publishing process (including how to decide between self, hybrid, and traditional publishing), call into this special learning workshop hosted by the SWE Entrepreneurs Affinity Group (AG):
“What it takes to Write a Book - With Cassie Leonard and Wendy Cocke”
Friday, November 8 · 14:00-15:00 EST (UTC-5:00) / 11:00 – 12:00 PST (UTC-8:00)
Google Meet joining info:
Meet Cassie & Wendy in-person at the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) National Conference (#WE24) in Chicago. We’ll be at the Entrepreneurs AG Open House, Friday, October 25 from 3:15 pm - 4:45 pm CT.
Ways To Get Involved with the SWE Entrepreneurs AG
Join the Entrepreneurs AG Facebook group and LinkedIn group
Opt-in to the Entrepreneurs AG email list. This can be found in the membership portal under communication preferences.
Sign up to volunteer with Entrepreneurs AG
Join the SWE Mentor Network and choose Entrepreneurs Affinity Group
Connect with us on our various platforms!
Check out our AG Resources! This folder hosts the AG’s Business Directory, past entrepreneur/member highlights, notes/references from programming activities, and other information that may be helpful to support members’ entrepreneurial journeys.
If you would like more information about Entrepreneurs AG, please email Tricia Drake at entrepreneursag@swe.org.
About the Authors
Wendy Cocke
Wendy Cocke is the author of two bestselling books, Making Flex Work: Defining Success on Your Own Terms and Reimagine Your Work: Managing Your Career Like It’s Your Business. She is the founder of Engineering Leadership Solutions LLC, where she helps high-achieving professionals take control of their careers and partners with organizations to rethink work by developing people, processes, and best practices. A chemical engineer by training, Wendy spent over 20 years leading technical teams in Fortune 500 companies before starting her consulting firm and joining the faculty at Georgia Tech. She is passionate about helping individuals customize their careers and works with leaders to improve retention and productivity. Wendy’s pragmatic approach combines her engineering mindset with her belief that success comes from hard work and perseverance. Wendy is also the FY25 Topics Coordinator for the Entrepreneurs AG.
Cassie Leonard
Cassie Leonard is the Founder and Principal Coach at ELMM Coaching, an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coaching Federation (ICF), and author of the bestseller STEM Moms. With over a decade of experience as a working parent in a male-dominated industry, Cassie values mentorship, self-advocacy, and knowing when to set strong boundaries. Before founding ELMM, she spent 16 years at a Fortune 100 aerospace company, progressing from structural engineer to the Senior Leader for Mechanical Engineering. Cassie combines her diverse skills and experiences to support leaders at every stage of their professional journey. Cassie is also a FY25 Special Projects Coordinator for the Entrepreneurs AG.
ELMM’s founder, Cassie Leonard, had the distinct honor of leading the workshops at the Women in Mersen (WiN) North American summit, held from May 7-9, 2024, in Roanoke, Virginia. This summit was a collaborative event aimed at supporting and uplifting women within the Mersen organization, bringing together participants from Mexico, Canada, and the USA. The summit’s objective was clear: to foster unity, inspire confidence, and strengthen the professional network among Mersen's female employees and their allies.
