From Three Scratch Sheets to Published Author: Daniel Tester's Journey

Published: December 2, 2025

Guest: Daniel Tester, Author of Hitting the GAS: Finding Success in Leadership, Life, and BalanceGrab Daniel’s book here: Hitting the G.A.S.: Finding Success in Leadership Life and Balance

Episode Summary:

Tom's first podcast interview features retired Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Daniel Tester, who wrote his debut leadership book during sleepless nights at 3 AM with nothing but three scratch sheets of notes.

This raw, honest conversation reveals the messy reality of writing a book—the self-doubt, the deleted drafts, the panic of hitting publish—and why giving a s**t is the only philosophy that matters.

Daniel Tester's Military Career:

22 years in the Air Force (didn't initially plan to stay)

Started as a computer operator (had only seen one computer before)

Rose to top 1% of enlisted service members

Made E5 supervisor—the moment leadership became his calling

Retired in Colorado Springs in a senior leadership position

The Turning Point: "I now have an opportunity to have an impact on someone's life, and I'm going to be a part of their story going forward. I've seen poor leadership and the impacts it can have on people. And I would say that's when it clicked for me—this is going to be a career. And what I care about is leading people."

Key Principles from the Book:

Leadership is about presence, not position—showing up when it's inconvenient

Balance isn't a luxury, it's a necessity—success includes protecting what matters most

Vulnerability is a strength—embrace failures and mistakes

If at your core you give a s**t about what you're doing, what more can people ask?

Reader Reviews: "He's one of the greatest leaders I've ever had the honor to serve with. What makes him extraordinary isn't just his skill or drive—it's his heart. Tremendous love for people paired with unstoppable optimism."

The Launch: No Marketing Strategy

No marketing strategy, no publ:isher, no answers to "what's next"

Simply clicked publish when there were no errors

Posted on Facebook—people shocked because he'd kept it secret

Handed physical copies to his sons, parents, mom—they had no idea

First Physical Copy: "Pure insanity. I looked at it so many times. I was just like, there's no way this is real... It was almost calming, but just surreal. I think everybody deserves an opportunity like that."

What's Next for Daniel

Current Reality: Full-time job, full-time parent, very busy life—but now asking: "How do I share this with more people?"

The Shift: "I'm finally starting to say, you know what, I think you've really helped a lot of people. And that's hard for me. And now I'm like, can I help MORE people? I don't know what that looks like. I'm figuring it out, and that's okay."

The Mission: Help people who don't feel prepared, don't feel good enough, who are thrust into positions and think "I'm not good enough for this"—parents, teachers, coaches, leaders.

Published: August 12, 2025

Where to Find the Book: Hitting the GAS: Finding Success in Leadership, Life, and Balance on Amazon: Hitting the G.A.S.: Finding Success in Leadership Life and Balance

Next Episode: Tuesday, December 9, 2025 at 9:00 AM (ish)

Key Takeaway for Writers: You don't need to be prepared. You don't need a perfect plan. You need three things: something to say, the willingness to start, and the courage to keep going when you want to delete everything at 3 AM.

The Author and Audience Podcast helps writers think deeper, write better, and build creative processes that produce their best work consistently.

Thank you to Daniel Tester for his service and for sharing his story with brutal honesty.

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