This Author of 16 Romance Novels is Business Savvy and Shares Her Actionable Insights

03/30/25 • 42 min

When it comes to late-career transitions, Gigi Meier’s reinvention is nothing short of remarkable. After three decades in banking — reaching the boardroom level of a multi-billion-dollar Texas institution — Gigi has reinvented herself as a successful romance writer.

She has self-published 16 books, some quite steamy, across three ongoing series.

The cover of her books — not for every taste — typically feature a shirtless, ripped stud and a one-word title: Paolo, or Hamilton, or Giovanni.

One of Gigi’s best-selling books is her first, Tomlin, the tale of a small-town romance between a foul-mouth car restorer and a determined Judo Olympian who refuses to take no for an answer.

While you might expect Gigi to draw on her extensive banking experience to fuel her publishing success, as she explains on this week’s episode, she’s discovered valuable insights as a romance publisher that would have been useful during her banking career — and they offer actionable lessons for any business or entrepreneurial venture.

Whether or not you’re a fan of romance novels, you’ll want to cozy up to this week’s podcast for some sexy business ideas.

Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart.

Photo: Gigi Meier, Author Posted: March 31, 2025 Monday Morning Run Time: 42:18 Episode: 13.42

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She has self-published 16 books, some quite steamy, across three ongoing series.

The cover of her books — not for every taste — typically feature a shirtless, ripped stud and a one-word title: Paolo, or Hamilton, or Giovanni.

One of Gigi’s best-selling books is her first, Tomlin, the tale of a small-town romance between a foul-mouth car restorer and a determined Judo Olympian who refuses to take no for an answer.

Whether or not you’re a fan of romance novels, you’ll want to cozy up to this week’s podcast for some sexy business ideas.

Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart.

Photo: Gigi Meier, Author Posted: March 31, 2025 Monday Morning Run Time: 42:18 Episode: 13.42

RELATED EPISODES:

Previous Episode

From Classroom to Boardroom: How Teacher Maria Fraietta Turned a $50 Investment into a $34 Million Juggernaut

At first, Maria Fraietta considered naming her organizing system the “death box.” After all, the idea for her product arose after her father passed away in January 2021, leaving Maria and her brothers to sort through their dad’s scattered files, financial accounts, bills, titles, and possessions.

Eventually, Maria landed on calling her kits Nokbox — N.O.K. box — for Next of Kin. Her vision was to save others priceless hours of frustration trying to piece together the puzzle of their deceased loved one’s accounts and possessions.

A high school teacher when she began, Maria invested just $50 to launch her company and ran the business from her living room with help from family and friends.

Less than four years later, Maria’s company has grown into a $34 million-a-year success story.

Your homework this week is to learn valuable lessons from a teacher-turned-business-owner on this week’s episode.

Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart.

Photo: Maria Fraietta, NokboxPosted: March 24, 2025 Monday Morning Run Time: 43:28 Episode: 13.41

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Next Episode

Michael Drew’s Blueprint for Turning Big Ideas into Influence and Income

Michael Drew is an expert at transforming big ideas into influence and income.

An evangelist for powerful communication, Michael helps clients express their messages in the most compelling, persuasive, and distinctive ways possible.

His favorite vehicle? Books.

Since 2003, Mike and his book promotion firm, Promote A Book, have guided more than 130 titles onto major bestseller lists — including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

Moreover, Mike’s methods aren’t just for seasoned authors. He helps business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals write and publish books to fast-track their goals — from raising capital and commanding higher speaking fees to standing out in a noisy market.

Another of Mike’s companies, BookRetreat.com, offers an immersive, month-long program held in Guatemala that teaches his proprietary process to produce a complete first draft of a book by the end of the retreat.

Do you have big, original ideas in need of a megaphone? If so, be sure to hear the actionable insights that Michael Drew shares this week.

You can hear a special Monday Morning Radio bonus audio featuring founding host Dean Rotbart and guest Michael Drew discussing the surprising way The New York Times bestsellers list is compiled. It’s not how most people think. The free bonus audio is available now at tinyurl.com/MMRDrewBonus.

Monday Morning Radio is hosted by the father-son duo of Dean and Maxwell Rotbart.

Photo: Michael Drew, Promote A Book Posted: April 7, 2025 Monday Morning Run Time: 44:19 Episode: 13.43

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