A scientist, business man, and accomplished writer
Dear readers and writers welcome to my new interview story, which introduces an accomplished writer. I enjoy interacting with people from diverse cultures, countries, and professional backgrounds. I have been interviewing professionals for a long time.
On this platform, I specifically enjoy interviewing writers. Each writer’s interview is special to me as each person is unique. My goal is to introduce them to my audience so that they can meet another interesting/relatable person on this planet and explore their work. I discussed the Importance and Remarkable Benefits of Interviews in My Professional and Personal Life.
In this interview, I will introduce Dr Jerry Keszka whom I have been collaobrating for seveal years. Jerry is highly educated in business, management and marketing. He alscome completed a PhD in Animal Sciences (Cytogenetics) in 1998. Jerry is friendly, thoughtful, approachable, polite, and supportive. He is also a volunteer editor of my multiple publicaitons including ILLUMINATION Book Chapters. I’d liek to introdude his interesting background so that you can connect with him easily.
Meet Dr Jerry Keszka
Tell us a bit about your background.
Thank you for giving me this opportunity, Dr Yildiz. I have always enjoyed our online chat and have been a big fan of your writing and global impact on the community.
I was born in the 1960s in rural Poland as one of six kids. But it wasn’t just any village. It was beautifully located in pristine nature — clean-water lakes and magnificent forests. It was a mixed and cosmopolitan environment, as some of my neighbors also spoke German and Ukrainian. So, I have been used to the sound of foreign languages since childhood.
We ate fresh, organic food but did not realize it was special. It used to be the the norm. Like everyone else, I was programmed into believing that education and hard work would secure me a bright future. I was always curious and loved to learn (that never changed). After 21 years of education, I had a couple of diplomas, including PhD in Animal Cytogenetics. But the reality hit me hard. Fixed working hours and salaries wouldn´t give me the freedom and lifestyle I envisioned.
I decided to reinvent myself and change my career to pursue my passion for fashion and beauty. And after gaining some experience in the area, I decided to move to London.
It was exciting at first. My work was featured in top magazines, fashion shows, and TV programs. But behind the scenes, my life was anything but glamorous. I worked crazy hours, including weekends, and hardly made ends meet. I knew something had to change, but I didn´t know how.
I followed my curiosity and tried writing on every platform to share my experience and work. I had blogs on Blogger, Tumblr, and WordPress. I haven’t made any money from them, but I have learned many skills, like building websites, landing pages, lead magnets, growing an email list, writing newsletters, and writing content. I also tried different business models and started making money online.
But the rising living costs in London caused me to work round the clock to stay alive. I was completely physically and mentally exhausted. I reached a breaking point.
Maybe it may sound crazy to some, but COVID-19 saved my life because, for the first time, I could slow down, finally gather my thoughts, and come up with some ideas and plans.
That was a turning point, and I decided I was not returning to my old life and could work online. I left London, moved to Portugal, and started a new chapter using previously learned skills.
What are your hobbies, or what excites or entertains you?
I have multiple interests, including anything related to biology, psychology, education, paleontology, and nature. One of my hobbies is growing plants. I have a collection of different types of basil, mint, lettuce, and chard. I love cooking and sometimes organize BBQs with my neighbors. Watching naughty cartoons entertains me. My favorite was Brickleberry, but unfortunately, it has been discontinued. One of my favorite cartoon characters is Roger from American Dad. I also like the MeatCanyon YT channel.
What are the top three books that affected your life?
My favorite one must be ¨Think and Grow Rich¨ by Napoleon Hill. It is a must-read for everyone who wants to succeed. This book was first launched in 1937 but is still very current.
Another one is ¨The Almanack of Naval Ravikant” by Eric Jorgenson. Naval Ravikant is one of the most fascinating people ever. His philosophy and approach inspire me and many others. I can see more and more people taking a different approach to business than just making money, and I love that.
This list wouldn´t be completed without ¨The Power of Now¨ by Eckhart Tolle. Due to societal and economic conditions, we live almost totally in the past or the future. But what matters is NOW. It also helped me to understand and nearly get rid of my ego. It is so liberating.
Why do you write on Medium?
I write on Medium because it is an easy-to-use and navigate platform that helps me grow as a writer and solopreneur. Due to its high domain authority, Medium was a good traffic source (unfortunately, it is not as good as before after the leadership and algorithm changes) and helped grow an email list, which is the most crucial online business asset.
Do you write on other platforms like Substack? If so, how do you find them?
I started writing on Substack last month and am already in love. My Substack Plus 50 Forward is for individuals over 50 who want to thrive in a contemporary, ever-changing reality.
As I mentioned, I tried multiple platforms, and Substack is definitely ¨The Platfom¨. Naturally, I knew about Substack, but I was so busy that I did not want to thin my focus on the platforms — a big mistake.
Fortunately, I read your article, Dr Yildiz, Why My Wise Mentors Advised Me 80% Substack, 15% NewsBreak, 5% Medium for My Writing Effort.
The numbers do not lie, and because you went into detail, it was a no-brainer what to do next. I just regret I didn´t start on Substack earlier. But thanks for bringing up some facts.
What are your values as a writer?
Transparency and telling the truth. We have been lied to and deceived since the day we were born. We live in a toxic culture that values profit over people, conformity over creativity, and competition over cooperation.
I tried to live a predesigned by society life, but that made me financially illiterate, miserable, unhappy, and on the verge of a nervous breakdown. So, I broke all the rules and created my own path.
It was not easy, but I earned the freedom of telling the truth because I am not part of any establishment or organization I must be loyal to.
Respect must be earned, not forced by any made-up titles or privileges. I care what people do, not what they say.
I aim to show people there are better ways than blindly following the crowd. Life is the greatest gift, but only when you achieve your full potential. That means trying new things and not fearing making mistakes or falling.
Life is full of different flavors and colors. But you will never discover them when you follow the same patterns as everyone else. Then your life becomes black and white or grey.
I love life and want to share my passion, experience, and lessons with others.
How do you connect with your readers?
Primarily by replying to comments and answering emails. Sometimes, we even hop on Zoom.
Why did you join ILLUMINATION and how do you find it so far?
I joined Illumination because I was attracted to the diversity of the topics. I had never seen a publication like that and wanted to be part of it. Illumination boosted the distribution of my stories and helped me grow as a writer. It also helped me grow my email list and receive commercial offers. I am very grateful for that opportunity. I appreciate the team of editors. They were always very kind and worked efficiently.
What are your top five stories that you want to share with your audience and why?
I want to share those stories because they give you insights into how the current economy impacts the lives of people over 50 and the solution.
Life After 50: It’s Time to Rock the World, Not a Chair
Thrive in Your 50s and Beyond Because it Can Be the Best Time of Your Life
The Number One Skill That Will Make You Money in a New Economy
The 7 Lies of Retirement that You Must Face to Improve Your Life
6 Important Reasons Why You Should Not Work 9–5 if You Are Over 40
What are the success factors for you as a writer?
Feedback from readers but also data. Analyzing data is a valuable source of information. You can be the best writer, but you will be in trouble if nobody wants to read your piece.
It is also how quickly my email list grows and the quality of leads. Evoking someone´s emotions is fantastic, but you can make a real impact if you stay in touch and help those people. That means turning your readers into clients.
What do you recommend to the new writers?
I can summarize it in the most important points:
● Practice every day. Set up a daily target for the words. For example, writing 1000 words daily for the next 90 days is a specific and measurable goal.
● Treat your writing like a business. There are too many starving writers, so don´t become one of them.
● You don´t have to figure everything out from the start. First, focus on improving your craft and analyzing the data and feedback.
● Collaborate with other writers. Don´t treat them like competition but like a partner.
● Find different ways of monetizing your skills.
● Focus on the output, not the outcome.
● Evolve and pivot if necessary.
What are your plans as a writer or as a professional?
I am super excited about my new Substack. I want to create a community of individuals over 50 who want to take over the world! 😂I see lots of opportunities here. I want to create a movement of like-minded people who live according to their rules, break age stereotypes, and lead healthy, meaningful, fulfilled lives. I am on a mission and will do my best to help others achieve their goals by guiding them and sharing resources and my experience. Let´s rock the world, not the chair!
I recently wrote a book titled Substack Mastery. If you are interested, I decided to share the early version as one chapter a day for my beta readers. Here is the first chapter for beginners.
Today I posted Chapter II on an exciting and most important topic: Substack Notes. Here is the link:
Substack Mastery Book: Chapter 2
What is Substack Notes, why does it matter for freelance writers, and how do you start it in 5 minutes and use it to…medium.com
Please explore some leading newsletters featured by ILLUMINATION-Curators in episode 7 released earlier today. It is an excellent collaboration tool to grow your Substack profile and newsletters.
Substack Mastery Featured Newsletters: Episode 7
Curated newsletters of writers contributing to the Substack Mastery publication on Medium for joyful collaboration and…medium.com
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Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
If you are a new reader, you may check out some of my topics, including the brain, mental health, cognitive function, significant health conditions, longevity, nutrition/food, valuable nutrients, ketogenic lifestyle, self-healing, weight management, writing/reading, including 100+ Insightful Life Lessons from My Circles for the Last 50+ Years.
I publish my health and wellness stories on EUPHORIA and share distilled versions on SUBSTACK. My posts do not include professional or health advice. I only document my reviews, observations, experiences, and perspectives to provide information and create awareness.
If you are a writer, you are welcome to join my publications by sending a request via this link. I support 31K writers who contribute to my publications on this platform. You can contact me via my website. I also have another profile to write and curate tech stories. Friend Links to My Sample Boosted Stories for Non-Members of Medium. Importance and Value of Medium Friendship for Writers and Readers
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Originally published at DigitalMehmet.com
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