Ask Method

Ryan Levec didn't set out to write a book to make money directly—he wanted "the world's best business card." After successfully executing what he calls the "Ask Method" (using surveys and quizzes to build marketing funnels) across three markets—scrabble tile jewelry, orchid care, and memory improvement—generating over $1 million annually collectively, other entrepreneurs started asking him how he did it. His first paid consulting engagement came when a business offered him $50,000 upfront plus a 5% royalty on growth sales, which convinced him to pivot from selling his own products to consulting.

Over the next decade, Ryan refined his methodology through deliberate practice across 23 different industries, including golf instruction, satellite TV, tennis instruction, and weight loss. His consulting model evolved to include retainers ($5,000/month), upfront funnel design fees ($50,000-$75,000), and royalties (5-10% on sales). This experience processing over $100 million in transaction volume gave him the confidence and data to package his approach into a book. He partnered with editor Karen Anderson at Dunham Books and spent approximately $1 million on production, graphic design, audiobook creation, and—most significantly—advertising and marketing.

Ryan initially thought book distribution partners with email lists would drive sales, but most wanted payment participation despite him losing money on international shipping (e.g., $75 shipping to Mumbai). The breakthrough came from an unexpected source: podcasters. "Podcasters loved it. Absolutely loved it," he recalls. Instead of being selective, he appeared on dozens of shows, sometimes recording three to four podcasts per week. He worked with Esther Kiss to coordinate bookings across top shows (Entrepreneur on Fire, Pat Flynn's Smart Passive Income, Lead to Read) plus hundreds of smaller podcasts. This channel alone drove significantly more volume than traditional partnership routes.

The book's first half—his personal rags-to-riches story—became the most polarizing element. While some readers wrote handwritten letters saying it inspired them, others left one-star Amazon reviews calling it self-aggrandizing. Advertising-wise, Facebook ads consumed hundreds of thousands of the $1M budget. The free-plus-shipping model, while expensive, worked as a customer acquisition funnel because it got the book into hands and positioned Ryan as an expert. The real value, Ryan emphasizes, wasn't in book royalties but in what happened next: positioning for consulting gigs and eventually his education business. Between 55,000 and 60,000 copies sold across formats (paperback, Kindle, audio).

Ryan shifted his business model entirely away from consulting to become an education company with about 25 employees. He no longer takes consulting clients, even at premium rates. Instead, he teaches the Ask Method to thousands of students across thousands of markets through courses and memberships. His metrics are staggering: in his most successful market, he generates between 95,000 and 100,000 email opt-ins (leads) per day using surveys and quizzes. He positioned himself for a six-figure advance (ideally $250,000-$500,000) on a second book, with plans to spend every penny on Facebook ads. His previous consulting work generates passive royalty income that "just kind of sits there, keep coming in every single month."