Women decide to become entrepreneurs for a variety of reasons. When they make the leap into becoming business owners, they quickly realize the struggle of finding the answers they need to effectively navigate their journey through entrepreneurship. In their quest, they frequently receive information that they already know or information that pressures them into imitating other companies. Kaira Sturdivant Rouda, author of
Real You Incorporated helps women achieve success by creating a brand that celebrates authenticity. Rouda states that a real brand can only be created, “When the essence of each—you and your business—are in alignment.”
She demonstrates this concept by sharing eight Real Facts (chapters). Each Real Fact consists of questions and activities for readers to complete as well as three life lessons (these are quick statements that support each Real Fact), and profiles of successful women who embody these Real Facts. She further reiterates the Real Facts by having you complete a Real You Incorporated chart. Rouda has readers create this chart because it is “…a visual reminder of the process you’re embarking on.” She candidly shares her experiences—good and bad—that have enabled her to successfully operate Real Living, a real estate company she owns with her husband. When you first glance at the Real Facts, you will be in awe of how concise and simple they are to understand.
Some of these rules might sound familiar to you, but Rouda has effectively crafted her message in a way that resonates with women. Although Rouda’s message is not complicated, you should not allow the simplicity of the Real Facts fool you. It is going to take a lot of hard work and soul searching to apply these Real Facts. In order to accomplish your goal, you must be willing to take a chance on yourself and as Rouda says “…it’s never too late to start.” Rouda tells readers how to avoid “snarks” and how to find and maintain relationships with people who will support you in your endeavors. My favorite Real Fact is “Bring your passion and your brand together.” This resonates with me because turning your idea into a reality can be overwhelming; however, Rouda’s advice gives you the motivation to tackle any challenges you may encounter.
I am especially grateful that Rouda acknowledges the importance of having a marketing plan. This is something that many business books fail to incorporate and she does a fantastic job in giving you the confidence you need to create one on your own. Within each Real Fact, there are three life lessons. She demonstrates how essential it is to thoroughly understand and embrace these lessons in your quest to create a real brand. The profiles that follow the life lessons are awesome! You will without a doubt find a profile that seems as if it was written to address your specific circumstance. Although each profile is unique, they all share a central theme – these women achieved success on their terms. I found the profiles to be insightful as well as motivating. They will definitely uplift your spirit during difficult situations.
The questions and action steps that are found throughout the book will give you the incentive and guidance to envision yourself as being one of the women profiled. I believe the Real You Incorporated chart is an extraordinary way to hold you accountable for how you implement and maintain your brand. Especially since, “Women are notorious for not leveraging their worth in business, not asking for, or worst, minimizing their value.” However, one cannot help but feel empowered when you read the statistics that are included in this book such as the number of women owned businesses, the percentage of women that contribute to charity, etc. Rouda goes above and beyond to encourage her readers by sharing impressive amount of statistics (as if the profiles, life lessons, and action steps were not enough!).
Regardless of whether you are just starting your business or are a seasoned entrepreneur, there are so many lessons that can be learned from reading this book. One in particular is why many women feel pressured into having it all, when “…having what you want is more important.” I highly recommend this book for those who are seeking confirmation that their brand does reflect the real you. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.
This book was published in 2008 and contains 256 pages. The price of this book is $24.95 and can be purchased on Amazon.
Click here to buy the book!
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BOOK REVIEW - Real You Incorporated
Re: Real You Incorporated, by Kaira Sturdivant Rouda
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