Summary:
We all need to think more like entrepreneurs. Seeking and seizing opportunities, boldly taking risks, quickly changing course—achieving success today requires the kind of action-first, fake-it-‘til-you-make-it ethos celebrated in the tech industry.
This formula is not typically a female one. Women tend to be cautious. We overthink our next moves, become paralyzed by fear, and simply don’t act. We might be safer . . . but we’re also stuck.
But, what if women embraced the startup model? What if we had the confidence to take chances, even if we knew we may fail fabulously? What if instead of agonizing over which step to take, we leapt forward quickly? Fearless and Free empowers women, showing us how we can all use lessons from Silicon Valley to pivot in our careers—and unlock a world of possibilities.
Author Wendy Sachs talked to a wide range of women who faced down fears, roadblocks, and failures…to reinvent themselves. Spanning industries and ages—from media maven Jill Abramson to Aminatou Sow of the Tech LadyMafia—the book weaves their insights and experiences together with current research and actionable advice. You’ll learn how to:
- Capitalize on your skills and expand them
- Grow comfortable with being uncomfortable
- Sell your story
- Engineer serendipity
- Nurture your network
- Shake off setbacks
- Brand yourself—without bragging
- Build momentum
- Compete with digital natives
- And more
Being disciplined is no match for being disruptive. Whether you want out of a shrinking industry or into a business of your own creation, Fearless and Free helps you dream big—and act now.
Review:
I have been really interested in reading more of these guidance types of books lately. I often find myself taking notes, taking photos of the screen so I can reference it for later, and chatting with others in the business community about what I’m learning. I’m happy to say I did the same with Fearless and Free. There was a lot of good information in here and I really enjoyed hearing about so many women and their journeys. I wrote down several women to follow up on, research more, and took away many great quotes. There were moments where the book dragged a bit for me, and it got a little too political for my liking, but overall still a very interesting and useful resource.
