Entrepreneur: Dan Pink

Tilt: Science, creativity, and human behavior in life and business

Scene: Website; newsletter (170K), Twitter (452.9K), LinkedIn (243.3K), Facebook (90K)

Snack Bites: 

  • His most recent bestseller, The Power of Regret, explores how to gain now from past regrets.
  • Dan’s Pinkcast newsletter repurposes content and ideas from his nonfiction books. 
  • He believes in the mantra, “Think less. Do more.”
  • Dan will talk Free Agent Nation to the Creator Economy at CEX: Creator Economy Expo May 2-4.

Why We’re a Stan: Dan believes in the power of learning to communicate better and improve your problem-solving techniques. He relies on science, creativity, and more to tell these powerful stories and lessons in his bestselling books.

The Story

The words of Dan Pink have changed the lives of many across the globe. His latest book, The Power of Regret: How Looking Backwards Helps Us Move Forward, dissects the need to reflect on past experiences, particularly those we do not look back on fondly.

Bestselling author @DanielPink recently wrote The Power of Great, illuminating the need to reflect on past experiences that you may think about fondly. #Stan #CreatorEconomyExpo Click To Tweet

The instant New York Times bestseller details how reflecting on our regrets can help us make more informed decisions, increase our productivity at work and school, and add value to our lives. In her 22 books to look forward to in 2022 article, Newsweek’s Juliana Rose Pignataro describes Dan’s pearls of wisdom: “Prolific author Pink seamlessly blends neuroscience, psychology, and more for a new look at what he sees as a misunderstood emotion – regret. Pink draws on the largest survey ever done about Americans’ attitudes toward regret to reshape the way we think about it, creating his own three-step process for using regret to one’s advantage in this inspiring guide.”

Dan Pink’s thinking thoughts

Dan’s wisdom also guided his penning of bestsellers To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others and Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. Each pushes readers to reorganize their thought patterns and the world to rethink how we live and operate.

When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing chronicles the ideal path to unlocking the scientific secrets for perfect timing that will allow readers to make the most out of important and mundane daily activities. The well-received by audiences book has over 1.8K reviews on Amazon with a 4.5-star average. In 2018, the book made waves in the publishing industry, eventually becoming featured in The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today and hailed that year’s best nonfiction books. 

Content entrepreneurs may be particularly interested in his book, Free Agent Nation: The Future of Working for Yourself as well as To Sell is Human, which gives tips on how to sell services, products, or ideas to others. Intertwined with his sales tips, the Washington D.C resident identifies the six pieces needed to craft any impressive elevator pitch, rules for understanding a perspective different from your own, and ways to frame concise, persuasive messaging. 

#ContentEntrepreneurs can gain a lot from the book Free Agent Nation: The Future of Working for Yourself by @DanielPink. Stan #CreatorEconomyExpo Click To Tweet

Beyond winning multiple awards and writing books, some of which have been translated into 42 languages, Dan is known for offering sound advice to ambitious professionals. He has a course on the Masterclass platform – Sales and Persuasion. He shares lessons on sales trends, how to serve a target audience, and how to get others to act. 

Packaging content in the Pinkcast

Dan also shares gems The Pinkcast newsletter, which is sent to over 170K subscribers. The weekly newsletter includes a video clip with science-focused tools to help readers form a better life and a bit of wisdom from the newsletter creator himself. 

Over 170K subscribe #Pinkcast, the #newsletter of @DanielPink. His video clips and things to know often incorporate his published material. #Stan #CreatorEconomyExpo Click To Tweet

In a recent Pinkcast clip, he gives viewers the question to ask when you’re stuck on a decision. In case you don’t have a couple of minutes to watch, I’ll share the question – What would you tell your best friend to do? This is a brilliant decision-making tip since humans are good at coming up with solid advice for others while struggling to do the same for themselves. 

In a 2020 Forbes interview, Dan shares this advice for young professionals looking to mold meaningful careers: “Think less and do more. We tend to believe that thought always precedes action – that the first step is to figure out your purpose or passion or whatever, and then use that as your guide. But the process often runs the other direction. Action precedes thought. Only by doing something can you figure out what you think. So, show up. Do the work. Make a contribution. Not in the future. Right now – in whatever you’re doing. Eventually, the picture will become clearer.” 

With advice like this, it’s no wonder why Dan has and continues to sell millions of books around the world. 


Gather with hundreds of your creator peers to hear from Dan Pink in person as he talks Free Agent Nation to the Creator Economy on stage at CEX: Creator Economy Expo May 2-4 in Phoenix. Register today!

About the author

Shameyka McCalman is a wordsmith whose work often centers around fashion, art, and other creatives of color. She earned her communications degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston and enjoys sifting through clothes in local vintage shops, frequenting nearby plays, and gazing at exhibitions on view in museums.