How 100,000 Self-Published Sales Led To A Traditional Publishing Deal

Every author dreams of seeing their book find an audience. For some, that means securing a traditional publishing deal from the outset. For others, it means taking control of the journey themselves and choosing to self-publish, at least initially.

At Troubador, we are often asked whether our authors have gone on to get traditional publishing deals and the answer is unequivocally yes!

The story of Will It Make The Boat Go Faster? is a powerful reminder that self-publishing is not a second-best option – it’s a route that can lead to extraordinary success. Written by Olympic gold-medallist Ben Hunt-Davis and performance coach Harriet Beveridge, the first edition of the book was published with Troubador Publishing in 2011, with the second edition publishing in 2020. The book went on to sell more than 100,000 copies across its first and second editions in print and digital formats, building a loyal readership through the strength of its message and the commitment of its authors.

Now, with a third edition published by Penguin in 2026, its journey has come full circle, demonstrating that a successful self-published book can capture the attention of major publishers while already making a significant impact in its own right.

Every Success Story Starts With a Decision

The overarching principle of Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? is deceptively simple:

Every decision should be judged against whether it moves you closer to your ultimate goal.

The title comes from the experience of the British Men’s Eight’s rowing team, gold medallists at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, where every choice – from training routines and nutrition to sleep and social activities – could be tested with a single question: Will it make the boat go faster? If the answer was yes, it was worth doing. If not, it was reconsidered or discarded.

In essence, it's a framework for disciplined decision-making. And, in many ways, the book’s journey embodies its own philosophy. The authors made a clear decision to publish a book, invested in ensuring it was of a professional quality and remained focused on reaching readers. The book’s publication increased the reach of both authors’ keynote speaking offerings and for Ben’s leadership consultancy – also called Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? It therefore fittingly, became one of the very things that made their own boat go faster.

‘Ben had seen some of his celebrity friends be pigeonholed by their publishers. We wanted total freedom to write the book we thought readers would find useful. We also wanted it to be super honest, unvarnished. We wanted permission to write a proper book but still be a bit maverick.’

Partnering with Troubador in 2011 

From the outset, the authors recognised that while self-publishing offered independence and control, success would depend on achieving the same professional standards expected in traditional publishing.

‘Working with Troubador gave us that confidence. We wanted a partner who could support us in producing a high-quality book. It wasn’t just about getting the book out; it was about getting it right.

Another key factor was flexibility across formats. We could see early on that the message of the book had potential to reach different audiences in different ways, so it was important that it could exist as a printed book, an ebook and, later, an audiobook. Having that capability built into the publishing process made a real difference.

Just as important was distribution. We didn't want the book to simply exist online – we wanted it to be available in bookshops, to reach corporate clients and to be accessible through established retail channels. We didn’t want to have to worry about holding stock ourselves or creating our own distribution channel. Troubador's distribution network gave us that reach and ensured the book could travel far beyond what we could have achieved alone.’

Harriet signing copies of Will It Make The Boat Go Faster? 

Growing an Audience and Publishing the Second Edition 

By 2020, Will It Make The Boat Go Faster? had already established itself as a highly successful title, but the decision to publish a second edition wasn't simply about refreshing the content – it was about reaching even more readers in new ways.

Alongside the updated edition came the release of the audiobook, a move that reflected changing reader habits and the growing demand for audio content. It proved to be a wise decision, becoming Troubador's best-selling audiobook to date and introducing the book's message to audiences who may never have picked up a printed copy.

As the years went on, the relationship between Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? and Troubador continued to develop in a mutually productive and collaborative way. Troubador remained responsible for fulfilling retailer and direct-to-client orders, as well as managing royalties and overseeing the reprint process in close coordination with the authors. With these operational elements taken care of, the authors were able to step back from the administrative side of publishing and focus their energy where it mattered most to them – growing their business, sharing their message and continuing to expand the impact of the book’s ideas.

In 2024, Ben Hunt-Davis was the keynote speaker at Troubador's Self-Publishing Conference, sharing insights from the book's journey and the broader principles behind its success. His contribution was a valuable reminder to other authors in attendance that publishing is not just about the moment of release, but about what happens afterwards – how a book is positioned, how it backs up a wider strategy and how, with dedication and commitment, it continues to create impact and sell copies many years into the future.

A New Chapter with Penguin and an Evolving Relationship with Troubador

The publication of the third edition of Will It Make The Boat Go Faster? by Penguin marks another significant milestone in an already remarkable publishing journey. It's a testament to the enduring appeal of the book and the impact it has had on readers over the past decade.

'Penguin approached us at the perfect time. It was five years since the second edition and we wanted to update the references, sharpen the text. Penguin challenged our thinking, forced us to kill our darlings! Gave the book a visual glow up. It has also given us different opportunities in the retail space.'

For us at Troubador, this moment is one of celebration rather than conclusion. We've been privileged to work with the authors since the publication of the first edition in 2011 and again for the second edition in 2020, supporting the growth of a title that went on to sell more than 100,000 copies across all formats.

The move to a major publishing house demonstrates something we have long believed: self-publishing and traditional publishing are not opposing paths but complementary ones. A professionally produced, well-marketed self-published book can establish an audience, build credibility and create opportunities that may not have existed at the outset.

And, the relationship between Troubador and Will It Make the Boat Go Faster? isn’t over. Still intending to sell bulk orders of the third edition direct to organisations and individuals and at their events, but with their new distributor primarily set up to serve the book trade, they reached out to us to see if this is something we could still assist with. We’re delighted to continue a distribution relationship with them – sending copies of the third edition directly to their events and to corporate partners at their request.

What Other Authors Can Learn From The Journey

Every publishing journey is different, and there is no guaranteed formula for success. But the story of Will It Make The Boat Go Faster? offers several valuable lessons for authors considering self-publishing.

1. Don't wait for permission. If you believe in your book and are ready to share it with readers, self-publishing gives you the opportunity to make it happen on your own terms. Rather than spending years pursuing a traditional publishing deal, the authors chose to take action – and that decision set everything else in motion.
2. Invest in quality. Readers judge books by their content, but also by their presentation. Professional editing, design, production and distribution all contribute to a book's credibility and long-term success. It would have been significantly harder to achieve such a high volume of sales without a reliable, trusted distribution arrangement – both to the wider book trade and to corporate clients and organisations.
3. Think beyond publication day. Publishing a book is only the beginning. Building an audience takes time, consistency and commitment. The enduring success of Will It Make The Boat Go Faster? wasn’t created overnight – it was the result of years of sustained engagement and the authors’ continued dedication to sharing its message.
4. Remember that self-publishing isn't a closed door to traditional publishing – it can even be a gateway to it. A successful independently published book demonstrates market demand, builds a proven readership and establishes a track record that publishers can't ignore.

At Troubador, we’ve seen countless authors use self-publishing to achieve a wide variety of goals: not every book will sell 100,000 copies or go on to secure a traditional publishing deal, but every self-publishing journey begins with an author who believes in their work enough to share it. For every author exploring self-publishing, that's the real lesson: focus on what will make your own boat go faster, and you may be surprised where it takes you.