If readers like your book, they'll want to know your story. But that doesn't mean you need to begin by telling your story, as that tends to delay the reader's experience of value.
Instead of trying to "get it out of the way" as an early standalone section, consider using a breadcrumb author bio to sprinkle relevant personal details, perspectives, and experiences throughout the whole book.
How it helps
The main benefit is in giving yourself the confidence to forgo the front-matter and front-load the value, since you know you'll still have the chance to share your key experiences later.
Plus, a story that might feel like a humblebrag or speedbump in the intro can end up having a massive educational impact if delivered alongside the relevant learning outcome, and after you've already delivered enough value for the reader to be more curious about you.
An example of the educational benefit of the Breadcrumb author bio, where a piece of the author's story is used to add concreteness and believability to an otherwise murky takeaway. (From The Workshop Survival Guide by Devin Hunt and myself.)
How to make it work
Stylistically, you can implement this however you like.
- Many authors simply integrate their personal stories within the core prose (see example above)
- Some use variations in typography or styleto signpost that they're going to be talking about themselves for a bit (see example below)
- And others use footnotes, marginalia, or director's commentary to keep the personal details outside the critical path (or shift to a more casual tone)
An "inverted" example from Tony Fadell's Build, where the bulk of the book is biographical, but still usually visually distinctive typography to separate the author's story (serif font) from the author's advice (sans-serif).
You'll still want to establish a bit of credibility, relevance, and empathy quite early in the book, but can do so as either an extremely short section (which can potentially be tucked into Chapter 1 instead of isolated as frontmatter).
One approach I like is to replace the author bio with a short section called, "Why I'm a relevant source of advice." This allows for the inclusion of your highest-leverage plot points, but feels more relevant and readable by being oriented around the reader's objections instead of your CV.
A brief objection-handling intro (400 words) from Write Useful Books establishing that (1) I've done it, (2) more than once, (3) without unique marketing advantages. (Any other personal details are delivered later via breadcrumbs.)