This week at Digital Growth Group LLC, I intentionally slowed down and looked back at where all of this really started.
Before the systems, before the growing list of titles, before Shopify, podcasts, and planning course work — there was book one.
When I first began trying to understand Amazon KDP, I kept seeing the same advice everywhere: “Make a coloring book.” And I tried. More than once. I explored designs, layouts, and concepts, but nothing felt original enough or aligned enough with who I actually am. Everything either blended into what already existed or felt disconnected from my experience.
That’s when I stopped chasing trends and started building from truth.
I took my 35 years as a chef and combined it with something I genuinely love — fantasy. I’ve always enjoyed fantasy stories: elves, dragons, ogres, imagined worlds full of creativity. That became the visual foundation. Then I layered in something deeply practical — recipes. Not polished cookbook entries, but real, handwritten, go-to favorites meant to be used, written in, and lived with.
That’s how the Fantasy Recipe Journal was created.
When family and friends first saw it, something meaningful happened. A few copies sold immediately to people close to me, and every single person loved the concept. The artwork. The creativity. The blend of imagination and food. But they all shared the same honest feedback:
“I wish there was more room.”
That feedback mattered — and I listened.
Because of it, every recipe journal I created afterward moved into a larger 8.5×11 format, giving people the space they actually want to write in. That change didn’t come from guesswork or ego — it came from listening, adjusting, and learning.
Still, I truly love this little journal.
It’s the only 6×9 recipe journal I’ve made. The drawings are fun. The size is approachable. There’s room for recipes, notes, and creativity. For longer, more detailed recipes, an extra page can always be added — but as a gift or a personal recipe journal, it still holds its place beautifully.
This week, I’m intentionally focusing the business on this first book — the one that sparked everything.
📘 Fantasy Recipe Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3KVLhqA
I’ll be sharing photos of it, along with a peek at one interior page released alongside this blog post. This week’s work is about marketing something I personally use, something I believe in, and something that represents the heart of how Digital Growth Group LLC began.
Behind the scenes, progress continues quietly. We’re still refining the office space, deepening our understanding of the Mac system, and tightening daily workflow. Not every week needs to be loud to be productive. Some weeks are about intention, reflection, and alignment.
Before closing, I want to say thank you — sincerely.
To everyone who reads these updates, follows the journey, listens to the podcast, buys a book, shares a post, or simply checks in: your support matters. This business is still growing, still learning, still evolving — and it does not happen in isolation. I am deeply grateful for every person who chooses to walk alongside this process.
This week reminded me that growth isn’t always about moving forward at full speed. Sometimes it’s about honoring where you started, understanding why it worked, and choosing to build from that foundation with clarity and confidence.
This journal may be small —
but it carries the spark that started everything.
– Gregory Stephens
Digital Growth Group LLC
📧 digitalgrowthgroup3@gmail.com
Digital Growth Group 