Welcome to Indie Publishing Group, Diondra Filicetti, and welcome to our author interviews! If you could start by introducing yourself to everyone, let them know where you’re from, and some of your interests and hobbies.
Hi! I’m Diondra Filicetti, a learning and development professional, Amazon best-selling author of Engagement Economics, and a two-time TEDx speaker. At my core, I just love helping people grow. Whether I’m speaking, training, or coaching, my goal is always the same: to give people the tools they need to actually do the thing they’re trying to do. My favourite moment is seeing the lightbulb go off!
However, I’ve sat through my fair share of boring workshops with poorly presented theories or way too much information that is difficult to apply. I decided to do things differently. As the founder of Driven By Co., I create workshops and leadership programs that are practical, engaging, and actually useful. At the end of the day, I believe learning should be an enjoyable experience, so I do my best to ensure participants are actively involved in the process.
I care about helping teams feel empowered, connected, and engaged so they can do their best work. When people feel supported and engaged, great things happen for them, their teams, and their organizations.
Outside of work, I’m a huge music and dance lover… R&B especially. If we’re playing Finish the Lyrics, do not challenge me unless you’re prepared to lose! I grew up performing in a dance crew at community and school talent shows, and that early love of rhythm and movement has stayed with me. I still find so much joy in dancing, going to concerts, and discovering emerging artists.
I’m also someone who loves deep conversation, good laughs, storytelling, and cultivating meaningful relationships. Travel energizes me, whether I’m exploring a new city, trying local food, or people-watching in a café. I’m naturally curious, always learning, and drawn to experiences that help me grow.
What inspired you to start writing?
I started writing because the training/workshops I was doing prior to publishing Engagement Economics felt fragmented. There is only so much you can offer in a couple of hours. I’d see those lightbulb moments happen, but I’d also see learners wish they had more time or tools to go deeper. Writing became a way to give them a resource they could return to again and again that could cover more of their questions and provide a more in-depth understanding of what we practice in the training sessions.
What is your preferred genre to write in?
I love writing practical, personal-development style non-fiction. I’m drawn to content that helps people learn about themselves, improve their relationships at work, and feel more empowered. This is also what I like to read. I’d say about 97% of my bookshelf is personal development, and for good reason. It’s my favourite genre because it has a tangible impact on how we think, feel, and show up in the world. These books have challenged my mindset and directly shaped my behaviour, and I wanted to offer the same kind of transformation through what I’ve learned about employee engagement. If my reader walks away able to take action, even just one small step, I’ve done my job.
What is your writing process?
My writing process starts with messy brainstorming. For Engagement Economics I pulled ideas from workshops I’ve taught, conversations I’ve had, personal reflections, and research I wrote it all down into this blue notebook that I got for my birthday. With all of these rough notes, I looked for similar themes and categorized concepts until I was able to shape that into a structure that made sense for the reader. That structure was the framework that you can now find in the book: The Hierarchy of Team Engagement Needs. Once I had the structure, I organized it into chapters, each following a consistent flow of stories, examples, research, and analysis. The early drafts were rough, but through ongoing refinement and the guidance of my editor at IPG, it became what it is today! The journey was a long one and required plenty of caffeine, countless early mornings, and many quiet hours spent tucked away in the back of cafés and restaurants, writing on my own.
What is one thing you wish you knew now that you didn’t know when you started writing?
I had no prior knowledge of what the editing process would look like. I worked with an incredible editor, Marilyn Boake, who did both a structural edit and a copy edit. Prior to Engagement Economics, I had never even heard of structural editing! Because of that, I underestimated how long this entire process would take.
If I could do it over again, I would allocate at a minimum, 3 months to work through each editing phase (structural and copy). Combing through the manuscript to make the suggested revisions needs a lot of time and attention! So once I finished the manuscript and entered the editing process, I wish I had known to adjust my expectations.
What was the hardest part of self-publishing?
The hardest part was managing all the moving pieces. When you self-publish, you essentially become the project manager. You’re coordinating editing, design, layout, marketing, printing, and more. It demands tapping into wide range of skills and an exceptional attention to detail. I found myself juggling timelines and communication with my editor, self-publishing consultant, graphic designer, photographers, layout designer, e-book editor, and others. As stressful as it was, there is nothing quite like holding your finished book in your hands and knowing that every ounce of effort and coordination led to something you can truly be proud of.
What are you working on right now?
Right now, I’m focused on expanding the Engagement Economics ecosystem. I’ve developed a leadership training program and keynote based on the book, and I’m building a suite of workshops that strengthen not only team engagement, but also communication and public-speaking skills. This work allows me to bring the book to life, helping people put the concepts into practice and achieve meaningful results. I also continue to interview leaders on my podcast (What Are You Driven By?) to explore what’s working today to build truly engaged teams.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
To dream big, my five-year vision is to become a globally recognized voice in employee engagement. This means expanding the distribution of Engagement Economics, speaking internationally, and partnering with organizations that genuinely care about building better workplaces. Besides, I love travelling!
Where is your ultimate holiday destination?
Speaking of travelling… my ultimate holiday destination would be Greece; however, I realize that during Winter, they don’t exactly have tropical weather. So, instead, I would choose Hawaii!
What are some of the items on your bucket list?
I’d love to evolve Engagement Economics into a series. I won’t say too much, but I have an idea. Realistically, however, writing a book took a lot out of me, so it will be a few years (if not more) before I begin writing another one. For now, I will focus on bringing Engagement Economics to life through workshops, training, online content, and keynote talks.
Thanks so much for taking the time to do an author interview, Diondra Filicetti!
Check out where you can buy Diondra Filicetti’s books below and how to follow Diondra Filicetti on social media. If you would like to do an author interview or have questions about our author features, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
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Author Name: Diondra Filicetti
Genre/s: Business | Self-Help | Management Science | Human Resources Management
Author Website: https://drivenbyco.com/
Social Media Links: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Amazon Author Central.
Best Link to Where People Can Buy Your Book: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indigo Chapters.
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