Kary Oberbrunner
Meet Kary Oberbrunner, the publishing entrepreneur who went from thinking “way too small” to building multiple companies that turn books into 18 streams of income.
Publishing
Lewis Center, Ohio
Igniting Souls Publishing Agency and Instant IP
Kary Oberbrunner’s story proves that even the most unexpected entrepreneurs can build extraordinary businesses. From a pastor who felt constrained by the slow pace of ministry to the CEO of two innovative companies that help entrepreneurs publish, protect, and promote their intellectual property, Kary’s journey illustrates what happens when someone recognizes they're “hardwired to be an entrepreneur.” Over the course of eight years with Strategic Coach®, he has not only built multiple successful companies but also created a lasting legacy.
“Strategic Coach helped me realize I couldn’t afford not to be part of it. Within the first workshop, I found the value. It’s helped me start multiple companies, expand my thinking, and create the margin to invest in my health, relationships, and legacy.”
- Kary Oberbrunner
From Ministry To Entrepreneurship
Kary began his career as a professional minister, but something felt misaligned. “I loved teaching and speaking in the church and helping people, but it moved at a very, very slow pace. I constantly found myself looking for other initiatives, writing books, creating other products, and my mind was constantly going at a very fast speed.”
When Strategic Coach called, his first reaction was typical: “I thought that’s way beyond me. I could never afford that." But after joining, he realized he “couldn’t afford not to be part of Strategic Coach.”
During the first five minutes, Kary thought he was in the wrong room. But within hours, everything changed: “I began to say, ‘You know what? This is the right place. These people are my people.’”
The Client Attraction Breakthrough
Kary quickly changed how he operated his business, including how he delegated. Shifting from doing everything himself to focusing on what he did best freed up time, which he reinvested in high-value activities. The result? “My influence, my impact, and my income grew.”
However, the most significant transformation was in client relationships. Before Strategic Coach, Kary was always trying to convince people to work with him. After gaining clarity on his strengths and ideal clients, everything flipped, and they started pursuing him.
This shift allowed him to become selective, turning away clients who weren’t a good fit and attracting premium clients who trusted his expertise completely.
Building An IP Empire
Strategic Coach transformed how Kary viewed his business, and the insights he gained in the Program led him to start Instant IP, which he calls “the unicorn that I never knew we had.”
During a particularly rough patch, Strategic Coach’s community and principles kept him grounded. “Had I not had Strategic Coach, I probably would’ve gone to a very dark place and doubted myself, but instead it set us up for the next big growth period.”
Since joining Strategic Coach, Kary has created five trademarks, two patents, 14 copyrights, and even wrote a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling book. His companies have grown tenfold, they’ve protected over 2,000 people’s intellectual property, and he’s now created an IP holding company. Most importantly, Strategic Coach gave him the margin to teach entrepreneurship at his kids’ college, travel with his wife, prioritize his health, and nurture his most important relationships.
Quoting Oliver Wendell Holmes, Kary says, “A mind that has expanded can never go back to its original size.”
Kary Recommends: Who Not How
Make a mindset shift that opens the door to explosive growth and limitless possibility—in your business and your life.
