Ray Hartjen: If Not Now, When? Storytelling, Cancer, and Making Every Day Count

Hidden Secrets in Books · Aug 30, 2026 · 35m

Today’s guest is Ray Hartjen, a writer, musician, and storyteller whose career has spanned nearly five decades and taken him from investment banking and pharmaceuticals to consumer electronics, SaaS, and ultimately authorship.

Ray has written five books across sports, business, espionage, and his deeply personal experience with cancer. His journey changed dramatically after being diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2019, prompting him to reconsider how we spend our time, nurture relationships, and pursue the things that truly matter.

In this conversation, Ray shares how cancer reshaped his…