October Client of the Month: Marlee Kostiner, Founder of Garden Wolf Publishing House
Our October Client of the Month is Marlee Kostiner, founder of Garden Wolf Publishing House. An award-winning journalist, writer, editor, and researcher, Marlee created Garden Wolf to publish the kinds of children’s books she wished she had growing up: beautifully illustrated, meaningful stories that support children’s social-emotional development while providing practical tools for parents, caregivers, and educators. What began as a passion project has grown into a thriving publishing business dedicated to helping experts transform their knowledge and lived experiences into impactful children’s books.
About Marlee
Marlee is the founder of Garden Wolf Publishing House, a boutique publishing company that helps experts, professionals, and changemakers bring meaningful children’s books to life. Before launching her business, Marlee spent nearly two decades working in lifestyle digital media as a writer, editor, editorial leader, and strategist.
Drawing from her experience as a parent, journalist, researcher, and advocate for neurodiversity inclusion and mental health, Marlee published her first children’s book, NaMOOste, in 2023. What began as a personal publishing project quickly evolved into a mission-driven business that helps psychologists, psychiatrists, nonprofits, researchers, and other experts share important ideas with children through engaging stories.
When did you start your entrepreneurial journey, and what were your goals?
I spent almost 20 years in lifestyle digital media, first as a writer and editor, then running editorial teams, audience development, and strategic partnerships. I loved the work, but I felt like something was missing. I wasn’t fulfilled in that deep way you feel when you know you’re making a difference.
When my second son was 6 months old, I returned to work in March 2020, right when COVID hit. With a toddler and newborn at home, I quickly burnt out. I left in 2021 to gain flexibility and put my family and mental health first. I started freelancing, which I had never planned to do. I’d always wanted the stability of a 9-to-5.
While growing my freelance business, I also started thinking about launching a personal project to find that fulfilment I was searching for. I’d written a children’s book years earlier, inspired by my son, and the idea kept resurfacing. I decided to take the leap and do it as a passion project.
I spent about two and a half years self-publishing it. NaMOOste launched in December 2023, teaching kids social-emotional skills through yoga. My goal was to work on something I loved, fulfill my creativity, and put something meaningful into the world. I didn’t set out to run a business. I originally created Garden Wolf Publishing House as the home for my own book, with plans to publish the dozens of other books I had written. Thus far I have only published one of my own books because I unexpectedly received interest from others who wanted me to publish their books. So I haven’t had time to publish any more of my own!
What stage are you at now? What are your greatest achievements?
While promoting NaMOOste at craft fairs and school readings, people constantly approached me, revealing they had always dreamed of writing a children’s book but felt very overwhelmed by publishing.
I encouraged them to self-publish as I did, because I had such an amazing experience. But I kept hearing the same thing over and over: I’m not a professional writer. I have a career, and I don’t have time to self-publish. I’m not really interested in learning a whole new trade. The first time someone asked if I would publish their children’s book, I felt massive imposter syndrome, but I said yes. I just kept saying yes and committed to continuously learning and growing my skill set. I decided to believe in myself.
Since summer 2024, I’ve published 10 books and have 11 more in progress. I’ve created a really unique niche for myself based on my values, passions and expertise: I specifically serve experts who are not professional writers and who have an idea that draws on their expertise and/or lived experience. Their idea isn’t based on mass-market appeal, but rather a need they see every day in their work. We don’t need sales analysts to asses the demand. And we’re not trying to create a mass-market book.
I mainly work with psychologists, psychiatrists and nonprofits, but I will work with anyone who is impact-driven and has expertise and/or personal experience to share. I only take on projects that fit my mission and values. I learned quickly that the best part of being an entrepreneur is I get to make the rules and run the business exactly how I want.
At this stage, I am bringing on people to help with the work so I can grow even more. I am also exploring new avenues of revenue, such as working with academic researchers to create books as a form of knowledge mobilization, which their grant funding can cover. I signed two new books over the summer that are 100% grant funded, so the author doesn’t have to pay for my services out of pocket. This is an area I’m really excited to explore further.
My greatest achievement is sticking with my core values while growing the business into a profitable one.
My greatest achievements in terms of output and results include these highlights:
- You Know I’m Here sold 500+ copies in two months for Myra’s Kids Foundation
- I published a series of 4 books with Dr. Jamie Duggan over the past 2 years. She is a child and adolescent psychologist, and she created the books inspired by needs she sees in her practice.
- Connecting Jamie with Myra’s Kids because her 4th book is about grief — they commissioned a special Myra’s Kids edition and ordered 500 copies to give out to their community of families.
- Selling 1,000 copies of my own book, NaMOOste, through entirely grassroots efforts.
- Seeing 6 of the books I’ve published featured on the Canadian author wall at Indigo.
See the full catalogue at gardenwolfpublishing.com/books.
What has been one of your biggest challenges, and what did you learn from it?
I used to believe creatives can’t be (or shouldn’t be) entrepreneurs. I’m a creative at heart (writer, artist, thinker, feeler), and my picture of what a business owner was didn’t look like me. I had to break that belief and learn I could run this my own way, without using pressure tactics or encouraging people to go into debt to buy my services, and by sticking to my values.
I joined a community and course to learn how to find clients, which required me to push myself way out of my comfort zone by talking to lots of people I didn’t know. I’ve always worried about bothering people or being salesy (and I felt like approaching people was inherently salesy). But I learned that all of those were limiting beliefs.
I’ve redefined what sales looks like, at least for myself. It doesn’t look anything like what I thought it needed to look like. I created my own system that works for me and is authentic to who I am. And I’m sure it exactly what many people are told NOT to do. But it works for me.
What motivated you to seek support from YES?
I was just extremely motivated to see if my business could actually grow. Because I love what I do, and I had a gut feeling early on that it could succeed. What could be better than running a successful business that I actually enjoy doing every day? It felt a little fantastical.
Especially because I lacked any practical business skills. But I knew that’s something I could learn. I started with the Business Bootcamp in late 2025 and did many sessions of coaching with the wonderful Farshad and Julia. I joined because I knew I had so much to learn. And as a very new entrepreneur, I also didn’t have much money to spend. What an incredible and accessible opportunity to learn and get expert advice.
What did you gain from using our services? What was the best part?
The Bootcamp gave me a Business Model Canvas.
The coaching is always extremely helpful for talking through things with experts and getting their seasoned advice.
I attended the ELLEvating Women Entrepreneurs workshop in January 2026.
What advice would you give to someone starting out?
Build the business around your values. Don’t be afraid to niche into a small, unique box. I was so worried that niching would limit my business, but it’s only made me stand out and attract the exact clients I want. Stay narrow, because the right clients find you when your focus is clear.
Most of my early work came from referrals, because I put myself out there within my community. Even when the imposter syndrome was raging inside me, I didn’t let it win. Fake confidence if you have to. Fake it till you make it is real!
And don’t give up if you really believe in what you’re doing. I’ve learned a lot about listening to my intuition and it has served me greatly.
Do you have any final thoughts you’d like to share?
Nobody told me a creative could run a business. And I didn’t know I could run a profitable business while staying firmly committed to social values.
I’m grateful to the YES coaches for helping me see it was possible and encouraging me!
To learn more about our entrepreneurship services, click here.