Some gifts are a complete surprise.

This is one of them.

Ann Sheybani — master editor, author, and owner of Summit Press Publishers – helped me discover the book I didn’t yet know I had inside me — wrote this tribute and shared it publicly. I am moved and profoundly grateful for her generous care.

Ann didn’t just edit The Next Act. She saw what it could be before I fully did. She pushed, shaped, and challenged me until the book became what it was meant to be. Her team brought it to life visually and structurally. I could not have done this without her.

To be honored by someone you deeply admire is a rare and humbling thing.

Here is what she wrote.

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Can I tell you how much I love Michael Feeley? Even before I get into his book, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘈𝘤𝘵: 𝘈 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦 𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦, 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘙𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴.

If you want to know what separates successful folks from those stuck in jobs they hate, read what Michael has to say. He’s not just the master of reinvention—he’s a pro at building relationships that create real change.

He’s as willing to give you the shirt off his back as he is to ask for a professional favor. That combination is rocket fuel if you want help launching into your next act instead of settling for the status quo.

This guy makes shit happen—not through manipulation or games, but through genuine connection and strategic thinking. He understands that career change isn’t just about finding a new job—it’s about reinventing yourself while staying true to who you are.

Watching him navigate his own transitions while helping others has been an education. He practices what he preaches—which is rarer than you’d think.

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Thank You – Michael (he, him)

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This also matters – 4 Impressive Book Reviews – The Next Act.