Anyone who says self-publishing is easy is doing it wrong.
The easiest thing about writing a book is, well - writing a book. It’s all uphill from there. Revisions and editing are work. Then you finish and you think, “Finally! We can publish!”
Then the real work begins…
I am not going to even attempt to comment on what’s next when you work with a publisher. I’ve read other people’s advice, opinions and anecdotes and my intention here is not to knock people who publish in the ‘traditional’ way at all. I can only comment on our own experiences.