ABOUT

After nearly a decade of helping successful entrepreneurs write and publish books, Anna David and the Legacy Launch Pad team noticed a pattern: too many authors treated the book as the finish line, when it had the potential to be the beginning of something much bigger.

The team already had decades of combined experience across publishing, journalism, television, podcasting, marketing and speaking. The Authority Empire grew out of the realization that these pieces are most powerful when they work together.

For one entrepreneur, the right path might begin with a book and lead to a TEDx talk. For another, it might mean being featured in Entrepreneur, appearing on leading podcasts, hosting a television show or creating a course. There is no single formula because every entrepreneur has different expertise, goals and opportunities.

The Authority Empire helps each entrepreneur identify and build the platform that makes sense for them. The goal is simple: when a potential client, journalist, producer or event organizer is looking for an expert in their field, their name is the one that comes to mind.

TEAM

Anna David

Founder/CEO

A New York Times bestselling author of eight books and a three-time TEDx speaker, Anna David has appeared on Good Morning America, Today, The Talk and dozens of other programs. Her writing has appeared in Time, The New York Times, Playboy and many other publications. She is also the book critic for KATU TV, Portland’s ABC affiliate.

Anna’s publishing career unofficially began at 12, when she submitted “All About My Splinter,” from My Garden of Adventures, Book 1, to Boing magazine. It was not accepted, but she kept writing.

Serena Samaha

Senior Producer

With over 10 years of experience in customer service, business management and marketing, Serena Samaha brings a rare combination of organization, leadership and creative problem-solving to every project.

Fluent in English and Spanish, Serena began working at 15 as a waitress in her family’s bed and breakfast, where she developed the work ethic and resourcefulness that still define her approach today. She's rarely seen without a large purse containing everything required for a minor emergency.

Matthew Esarte

Senior Editorial Director

Matthew Esarte's background spans editing, literary critique, creative writing, marketing, customer service and management.

A UCLA graduate with a bachelor’s degree in English, Matthew brings a sharp editorial eye and a deep understanding of storytelling to every project he works on.

His love of literature began at eight, when he completed his first major work: a graphic novel about three cats who were also pirates.

Ashley Balian

Assistant Book Producer 

An avid reader and writer with a deep appreciation for classical and historical literature, Ashley Balian has tackled everything from STEM topics to political science and history alongside her literary studies.

Growing up, her daily trips to the local library inspired her very first creative tale about a bookworm named Scribble and his grand adventures through the library stacks.

Kaitlin Anthony

Head of Client Relations

The creator of The Beam Life community, podcast and journal, Kaitlin Anthony is an empowerment coach with expertise in sales and publishing.

When she was seven, her favorite part of the school week was Show and Tell because it's when she got to hear other kids tell stories about their life and why something was so important to them. (Bonus: she also got to be in charge of the activity.)

Onur Aksoy

Designer

An established designer for over 20 years, Onur Aksoy works for clients all over the world from his home in Melbourne, Australia.

Onur's passion for design began in second grade when—not even knowing what graphic design was—he purchased a Signs, Symbols and Logos book from the book shop. From there, his interests expanded to include illustration, animation, scriptwriting, filming, music creation and even sound design but he's managed to narrow his creative focus down to book cover design.