Self-Made Boss: Advice, Hacks, and Lessons from Small Business Owners - Hardcover

Reses, Jackie; Weinberg, Lauren

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1264264097 ISBN 13: 9781264264094

Publisher: McGraw Hill, 2022

Synopsis

Part starter-kit, part encyclopedia, and part inspiration, Self-Made Boss is an essential survival guide for small businesses  
 
When it comes to getting practical advice, small business owners too often don’t know where to look. Sure, you can find all sorts of high-level strategic tips from Fortune 500 CEOs. But what if you own a restaurant, and you’re trying to figure out how to source good fish, or if you’re looking to increase revenue from your plumbing supply store? You’ll be running a lot of Google searches before you hear from someone who’s actually stood in your shoes.  
 
Longtime Square executives Jackie Reses and Lauren Weinberg want to change this. So they reached out across the country, talking to dozens of entrepreneurs with valuable businesses―and invaluable advice. This book is the product of that research. Part starter-kit, part encyclopedia, part inspiration, Self-Made Boss is filled with information not just about who these small business owners are, but how they built their companies, step by step.  
 
How did they get their start? When did they decide to hire more staff? How did they set a course for growth? And when problems arose, how did they fight through them? You’ll hear from a second-generation ice cream shop owner on how to manage price increases; an oyster farmer finding new ways to stay afloat in the middle of a global pandemic; a roofer who refused to be denied or defined by her race and gender―and dozens of other small business owners making a big difference in their communities.  
 
No matter the size of your business today―or where you’re thinking about taking the jump tomorrow―you’ll find answers you can apply right away. 
 
Because there’s a common purpose that all small business owners share: the drive to build something from the ground up; the relentless pursuit of turning obstacles into opportunities and roadblocks into stepping stones. It’s tough and messy, hard-fought and hard-won. And above all, it’s something you can’t have when you work anywhere else―or for anyone else.  
 
That’s what it means to be a Self-Made Boss. 

About this title

About the Author

Jackie Reses is the CEO of Post House Capital, a venture firm focused on building financial technology businesses. She also is the chair of the Economic Advisory Council for the San Francisco Federal Reserve and on the boards of Wish, Affirm, and Boom Supersonic Jets. Previously, she was the executive chairman and capital lead of Square Financial Services, where she oversaw the team that facilitated $8 billion in loans to small businesses. Reses has spoken with many luminaries about enabling access to the financial system for women and under-represented minorities.  

Lauren Weinberg is the global head of marketing and communications at Square, driving go-to-market strategy globally. She is responsible for generating revenue growth through new customer acquisition. Her role includes oversight of Square’s entire marketing budget, creative strategy, marketing execution and the brand reputation. Weinberg and her team select the small business owners that are featured in Square’s ads, website and podcasts.  

From the Back Cover

"A small business doesn't come with an owner’s manual . . . until now. Drawing on their extensive experience working with small business owners, Jackie Reses and Lauren Weinberg share the stories and tips you need to help your business thrive."&#160;<br><b>&#160;—Adam Grant</b>, #1 <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>Think Again</i> and host of the TED podcast <i>WorkLife&#160;</i><br>&#160;<br>"We started Shake Shack as a humble hot dog cart to raise money for a public park in NYC and never dreamed it would become a global public company. I've lived so many of the challenges that small business owners experience and this read provides the nuts and bolts guide every entrepreneur can get their arms around."&#160;&#160;<br><b>—Randy Garruti</b>, CEO, Shake Shack&#160;<br><br>"Jackie and Lauren have worked with thousands of small business owners across multiple companies. They have distilled so many crucial lessons, resources, and tools here that the book is literally a how-to guide to helping your company succeed.&#160; And the learnings are well delivered—accessible, engaging, and practical."<br>—<b>Allan Thygesen</b>, Google President Americas and Global Partners<br><br>&#160;"Small business is part of our ethos at M&#38;T Bank. Helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses—and themselves—through mentorship and resources is some of our most important work. We all need a community of advisors to instruct and inspire us, and that's what Jackie and Lauren have created in this book for business owners everywhere."&#160;<br><b>—Rene F. Jones</b>, chairman and CEO, M&#38;T Bank&#160;<br>&#160;<br>"When small businesses thrive, so does the entire economy. <i>Self-Made Boss</i> is teeming with actionable insights to help small businesses succeed, no matter the obstacles ahead."&#160;<br><b>—Karen G. Mills</b>, Harvard Business School Senior Fellow, former SBA administrator and Obama cabinet member&#160;<br><br>"As always, Jackie and Lauren have provided us with sound advice. Use this book as your go-to manual with practical and real information.&#160; I loved reading these stories about the amazing small business owners who started with nothing and were able to make it happen."<br>—<b>Gregg Renfrew</b>, CEO Beautycounter&#160;<br>&#160;<br>"Learning from mentors and a community of other business builders is key to my success as a serial entrepreneur.&#160; Jackie and Lauren have been mentors to thousands of small businesses, and their work helped millions more. <i>Self-Made Boss</i> is an impressive distillation of wisdom from years in the trenches, and I love how they tie highly relevant stories to insightful lessons."&#160;<br><b>—Joe Lonsdale</b>, cofounder of Palantir, Addepar, Resilience Bio and Partner, 8VC&#160;<br>&#160;<br>"Many of us dream of starting our own business. But how do we make those dreams a reality? Entrepreneur and small business gurus Reses and Weinberg share the real deal on what really matters when starting—and growing—a sustainable business. Their lessons from thousands of small business owners won't just save you time and money, they will help you love what you do that much more."&#160;<br><b>—Lisa Kay Solomon</b>, coauthor of the bestselling books <i>Moments of Impact </i>and <i>Design a Better Business</i>&#160;<br>&#160;<br>"Jackie ties together her formative experiences, applies her Wharton-honed insights, and extends the leadership I have seen firsthand in her service as an alumna to others through this book. Readers will benefit from the book's wit, wisdom, and empathy, and the depths of her interest in businesses of all types in varying sectors. She embodies the entrepreneurial spirit we strive to inspire at Wharton."&#160; &#160;<br><b>—Erika H. James</b>, dean and Reliance Professor of Management and Private Enterprise, The Wharton School&#160;<br>&#160;<br>"There are great entrepreneurs and there are thoughtful students of business. Jackie Reses is both, and it makes this book an important one. The US economy is much more likely to succeed if entrepreneurs succeed. And entrepreneurs are much more likely to succeed if they heed this important book's wisdom."&#160;<br><b>—Laurence H. Summers</b>, a Charles W. Eliot University Professor and President Emeritus at Harvard University, the 71st secretary of the Treasury under President Clinton, and director of the National Economic Council under President Obama&#160;<br>&#160;<br>"Thank you, Jackie and Lauren, for creating such a thoughtful book as a lifeline to the real world of small business entrepreneurship! When I started my business 20 years ago, I wish I would have had something as valuable as this for guidance and support as I navigated what it is to be a boss in the world of big business. As a female entrepreneur running three floral businesses, navigating the ins and outs of business from scratch is full of challenges, both emotional and financial. You literally create the road map as you go."&#160;<br><b>—Sharla Flock</b>, Sharla Flock Designs&#160;&#160;<br><br><br><br>

Edition details

• Publisher: McGraw Hill
• Publication date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1264264097
• ISBN 13: 9781264264094
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240