BRET RIDGWAY: BUILDING A LEGACY THROUGH LAUGHTER, LEARNING, AND BOOKS

BRET RIDGWAY: BUILDING A LEGACY THROUGH LAUGHTER, LEARNING, AND BOOKS What happens when one playful phrase, a love for grandchildren, and a willingness to try something new become the beginning of an entire children’s book brand? In this episode of Peace, Love, and Bring a Bat, Uncle Dave welcomes Bret Ridgway, author, speaker, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Speaker Fulfillment Services. Bret shares how he pivoted from writing business books to creating imaginative children’s stories designed to encourage reading, learning, and family connection. The idea began after Bret became a grandfather. Wanting to create a lasting legacy for his grandchildren, he kept thinking about the phrase “crickets playing croquet.” That whimsical image led him to experiment with AI illustration and eventually develop Games Animals Play When We’re Not Looking. Created for children ages two to five, the colorful A-to-Z book uses alliteration to imagine animals enjoying human activities: alligators arm wrestling, chickens playing checkers, squirrels playing with silly string, and many more. It also introduces children to unfamiliar animals and includes a QR code connecting families with educational facts and activities. The book became the foundation of Laugh and Learn Library, which combines entertainment with early education. Its website features animal facts, coloring pages, and word searches. Bret has also written future titles including What Animals Dream, What Animals Drive, and Animals at Halloween. Bret’s mission extends beyond publishing. He plans to give away 1,000 books this year and has already distributed hundreds through schools, food pantries, community programs, and families he meets while driving for Uber. His reward is seeing children become excited about reading. Uncle Dave and Bret discuss how serving others can lift us during difficult seasons. Helping someone or giving without expecting anything in return can restore purpose and perspective. Bret explains how AI made the project financially possible. Google Gemini helped him develop the artwork, but AI still requires creative direction, strong prompts, revisions, and quality control. Sometimes it even produces a five-legged zebra—and that one does not make the final cut. The conversation also explores Bret’s career pivot after leaving the company he helped establish. He tried speaking and coaching but recognized that children’s publishing brought greater joy. His lesson: follow the work that gives you energy instead of chasing shiny objects. In this episode, you will discover: • How becoming a grandfather inspired Bret’s children’s books • Why alliteration makes learning memorable and fun • How AI helped turn an idea into a finished book • Why Bret plans to give 1,000 books to children • How service can restore purpose and lift your spirit • Why authors should build their own reader community • How websites and email lists create long-term relationships • Why a career pivot can lead to unexpected fulfillment Bret offers authors a crucial marketing lesson: do not send every reader only to Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Guide readers to your website, offer useful resources, and build an email list so you can stay connected when future books arrive. Connect with Bret: Website: laughandlearnlibrary.com Email: [email protected] YouTube: Laugh and Learn Library Facebook: Laugh and Learn Library Bring peace and love into your life. When necessary, bring a bat, bring awesome thoughts, follow your passion, and hit your sweet spot. #PeaceLoveAndBringABat #UncleDave #BretRidgway #LaughAndLearnLibrary #ChildrensBooks #EarlyLearning #Literacy #GivingBack #AuthorMarketing #CreativeLegacy To support us: https://davidchametzky.com/ https://www.youtube.com/@davidchametzkyNOW https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/peace-love-and-bring-a-bat/id1552738547