I don’t care what business it is – success is founding on the choices you make. There are no short cuts or easy ways to finding success, rather success is founded on fundamental principles applied consistently through your life choices. As a business ethics speaker, I know from personal experience what it takes to create the outcomes you desire.
That said, part of what I do is focus a spotlight on unethical behavior, scams and/or frauds. I cannot say that what I am reporting on here is a scam, but there are too many issues arising related to the speaking business coming out of little Sevierville, TN to be coincidence.
First – here are two of my most recent posts related to speaker services and issues coming out of that little town in Tennessee:
NEXT OFFER…
So today I receive this email that offers me (I’m sure this offer has been made to thousands of speakers) a chance to co-author a book with Deepak Chopra and Ken Blanchard – both of whom I respect and neither of whom I know personally.
Really…I think to myself. Ken and Deepak want to work with me? What an appeal to ego huh? But, let’s look closer. The offer states:
1 chapter left in our book project Roadmap to Success with chapters by Deepak Chopra and Ken Blanchard. You have been pre-selected to be a co-author, as our research department has recognized you as an expert strategist. We will focus on topics that are necessary for success in your business and or personal life. There will be 15 chapters total in the book. Please see below some topic suggestions.
The book will contain principles and topics applying to everyday lives and careers. Our authors find it easier for their books to be reviewed. Opportunities for media coverage are also greatly increased. Imagine your ideas and your story appearing in newspapers and magazines! Imagine yourself on talk radio! You gain maximum exposure, reinforce your credentials, and build credibility. It also represents real value for your audience. Your investment in this project is your inventory of books which depending on your package has an ROI of more than $16,000.
Inventory Choices
200 books $ 1144
300 books $ 1716
500 books $ 2540
1,000 books $ 3800
No interest payment plans are also available.
Hum … I can write “my” chapter and have it included along with others with my picture on the cover with Deepak and Ken – making it look like I was “chicken eatin buddies” with these masters. The only cost to me is a mere approximately $3.5 to $5.5 cost per book. Looks to me like it is a way to sell books masquerading as co-authorship – when in reality Chopra and Blanchard have no clue (at least I think that is true) who they are lending their name to as co-authors.
Here more though:
Details and benefits:
Interview based book, no heavy writing required
Custom cover with your photo and celebrity authors on your inventory of books
Professional editing done by our staff editor
Book will be listed and ISBN # registered with Baker & Taylor, Bowker, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com
Newsletter featuring each author will be emailed to 20,000 meeting planners listing their bio , photo and contact information
Custom press release provided to each author for promotion
21 Ways to Market your Book plan
You own the copyright to your chapter and can use it for whatever purpose you wish in the future
E book Rights – Each author will receive the E book upon on completion
To move forward give me a call in the office or email to discuss, prime chapter placement available. Hope you have a great day!
*If you are interested in building your brand/marketing and this title does not fit you. I am also looking for authors in our book project Bootstrap Business with Tom Hopkins, Jack Canfield and John Christensen.
Thanks!
Doors open faster when you walk in with someone famous!
Sincerely,
Dona Merritt
Marketing Representative
Insight Publishing
A Division of The Innovator’s Group, Inc.
Sevierville, TN. 37862
Let me be clear … I am an advocate of self-publishing! The publishing world is being turned upside down and twisted all around with the advent of easy self-publishing, printing on demand and, of course, the elephant in the room – the ebook. So my question does not center around authors being self published – not at all – rather, the question relates to the method of piggybacking on the names of individuals who you have no contact with – don’t know you or your content – and yet seem to find that the collection approach is a way to use their good name to promote yours.
First there are two firms that represent themselves as Speaker Services companies, both of whom have questionable reputations and have had complaints lodged against them. Now, another speaker services company emerges in the same little town. Sorry, but something smells fishy here.
Is what is being offered here ethical?
IF you are a client of Insight Publishing and wish to offer your comments good or bad – we welcome your thoughts. I cannot express a direct opinion from experience, but would sure like to hear from others.
As always – YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!
Greetings,
I have been approached by this company, and because I have a little marketing insight, I recognized it for what it is; a vanity publishing situation.
For someone like myself, this is a good opportunity because I recognize it as what it is and I will not re-sell the books under the guise of anything other than me having contributed a chapter.
I do not believe that the “co-authors” would be doing business with this company, contributing their writings, and allowing the use of their image and likeness if they knew it was an unethical scam.
The “co-authors” are in it for the money.
someone like me is in it for the vanity.
It is what it is.
If anyone of us pretends that it is anything other than money and vanity – that is when it becomes unethical.
Justin…I agree with all you say but one thing… The co-authors from what I’m told got no money and some of them from direct discussions with them had no idea that their work was being used in this way. When Brian Tracey or Ken Blanchard or others didn’t know this was taking place it raises the ethical question.
You are right to be wary of Sevierville TN. Very strange events occur here. Sevier county TN is far from ethical or safe. I know. I live here. Should you look closer here, you should be wary.
BEWARE. It actually goes beyond what has already been discussed. It is actually a LEGAL issue. It turns out that ISN has not obtained the rights to use the name & image of many of the “superstars” they say you can be on the cover with. I know because I received LEGAL NOTICE from the lawyers of one of the cover “superstars” stating that ISN had no rights to use the name and image of their client and now demands that I eliminate any books I have. WHAT A WASTE.
Insight’s position on this matter is simple. First, we have been helping authors, speakers, trainers, consultants and coaches for over 21 years and we have operated our company with honesty and integrity. Stephen Covey, working through his staff, agreed to be interviewed for our anthology book projects, designed to help professional speakers and authors get their positive messages out to people interested in self improvement.
His interview was recorded and published just as we agreed. Just last year, we received notice that Mr. Covey’s company decided not to participate in the project. A settlement was reached between Mr. Covey and Insight, in short, that Insight would no longer use our recorded Covey interview in any future publications after a specified date. Within this settlement, no admission of guilt was concluded regarding prior publications such as your book that fell before the specified date.
Obviously we are disturbed that Covey’s Attorney is now contacting the individual participants that they, by proxy, deemed “immune” due to the publication date of your book falling prior to the settlement agreement.
Our attorney is reviewing our options and we stand firm in our position, that Mr. Covey voluntarily agreed to be interviewed in a chapter of your titled book and that Insight owns that recording and had the right to publish that interview at the time of publication.
Thank You,
David E. Wright
President/CEO
Insight Publishing
A division of The Innovators Group, Inc.
707 West Main St. Suite 5
Sevierville, TN 37862
800-987-7771 ext. 17
info@insightpublishing.com
http://www.insightpublishing.com
WARNING!!! Do not engage with Insight Publishing, ISN or anything associated with DAVID WRIGHT, company president. Their business is not only unethical, it is downright illegal!!! It’s a scam!!! I fell for it and now the law firms representing the famous folks I appear on the book cover with are threatening legal action. ISN and David Wright totally misrepresented themselves. In speaking with David Wright, the man considers deceit acceptable. He is without remorse and is downright nasty!!!
Thank you for this post! I get lot’s of solicitations from these folks-from the “we heard you are a great speaker and want to work with you” (I am not a speaker!) to the co-author offers. I’ve found it suspect-never occurred to me it was downright illegal. Thanks!
Hi Jane,
I do apologize for you being contacted. This must have been by mistake as you would have only have been contacted if you were listed as a speaker so how or somewhere. I searched our database and could not come across your name. Please feel free to contact me directly as I will search again and remove your name from an e-mails and or phone calls.
Thank you, Jeanne Baach
Hi,
I am preparing to engage Insight to publish my own book – no “superstars” or endorsements. It is completely my project. Not just for ego, I actually will use the book for marketing.
My concerns- 1) WILL THEY deliver what they promise?
2) How can they do it this inexpensively?
Please share any more insight on Insight!
If they are using Jack Canfields name without his permission (I called his company myself) then you now know the level of integrity by which you are playing with.
Peter,
I know that you and I have been talking and I welcome a conversation so that I am able to answer any questions you may have. We will deliver on our promise as we always have and I am happy to provide you with clients to contact that have published their books with us.
On it being inexpensive we are able to offer a low price because our graphic designer, editor and formatter all work in our office under one roof. We do not have to contract anything out.
Thank you and have a nice day! Jeanne Baach
I was googling the phone number for Insight Publishing to ask them a question regarding my chapter in their upcoming book Mastering the Art of Success when I saw your site. I read through your comments and decided that I would call Jack Canfield’s office (who is presented as one of the lead authors for this upcoming book) to find out if this is a scam. They told me that Jack Canfield has NOT signed an agreement to participate in this book with Insight Publishing which is scheduled for release this December. I am assuming the other co-authors they presented have not agreed as well – Mark Victor Hansen and Les Brown. Forget the investment – I am happy to catch this before the printing includes me in it. THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS!
In your statement above, you are misrepresenting facts surrounding Insight Publishing with your personal opinion(s). Having an opinion is fine, however presenting them as fact is merely unethical.
Our interviews are scheduled and recorded with each celebrity speaker personally, for some celebrity’s it was scheduled through their staff member(s). They are made aware of the taping and of the intended use of the interview.
A telephone interview is scheduled and conducted along with a request for a head shot for the cover of the publication. Insight is in possession of and owns the rights to these taped interviews.
Each celebrity was compensated either by an honorarium or by receiving copies of the completed, published book.
No one was mislead or scammed as stated above. We have been in business for over 25 years working with speakers, trainers, coaches and consultants on the above books and self-publishing. We have many clients that are currently working with us and have in the past and I am happy to share with you their information and experiences.
Thank you, Jeanne Baach
Jeanne/David,
This is easily resolved if you guys are bona fide:
1) Explain why Cheryl got the info that Jack Canfield has NOT signed an agreement to participate in this book with Insight Publishing. And provide the relevant legit contact to refute this.
2) I received yesterday an invitation for ‘No Winner Ever Got There Without a Coach featuring David Rock and Dr. Pam Brill’ Give me contact details for my ‘co-authors’ and representation for their agreement and I will confirm with them that this whole thing is legit.
3) I will undertake to publish the results of both on this and similar sites.