Leapfrog: The New Revolution for Women Entrepreneurs

by Nathalie Molina Niño, Sara Grace

For women entrepreneurs (and anyone sick of the status quo), this smart, unapologetic collection delivers fifty proven hacks to leapfrog over obstacles and succeed in business.

"A must-read for any woman who has a great idea and the nagging thought that doors are closed to her; Molina Ni�o helps to blow them open."-- Publishers Weekly

Think the most critical factor for becoming a great entrepreneur is grit, risk-taking, or technical skills? Think again. Despite what every other business book might say, historical data show the real secret ingredients to getting ahead in business are being rich, white, and male.

Until now. Leapfrog is the decades-overdue startup bible for the rest of us. It's filled with uncompromising guidance for winning at business, your way. Leapfrog is for entrepreneurs of all stripes who are fed up with status quo advice--the kind that assumes you have rich friends and family and a public relations team.

Refreshingly frank and witty, author Nathalie Molina Ni�o is a serial tech entrepreneur, the founder and CEO of BRAVA Investments, and a proud daughter of Latinx immigrants. While teaching budding entrepreneurs at Barnard College at Columbia University and searching the globe for investment-worthy startups, she has met or advised thousands of entrepreneurs who've gone from zero to scalable business. Here she shares their best secrets in the form of fifty "leapfrogs"--clever loopholes and shortcuts to outsmart, jump over, or straight up annihilate the seemingly intractable hurdles facing entrepreneurs who don't have family money, cultural capital, or connections.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Entrepreneurship, Self Help, Feminism, Womens, Startup

256 pages, Paperback

First published August 28, 2018

Reviews

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is filled with bite-sized, no-nonsense, practical tips and "hacks" based on real success stories, designed for entrepreneurs who are not a white privileged man.

I enjoyed the author's wit, energy and unapologetic tone. I found myself picking up this book like a bible whenever I felt demotivated with work. Highly recommended.

[Tessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Tell everyone your idea, don’t keep to yourself. Share to gain wisdom, form partnerships, and collaborate."

Nathalie presents 50 hacks for how women entrepreneurs can "leapfrog" ahead. A comprehensive guide of how women can get ahead in a world built for men. Not everything felt relevant to me, and this was very US-focused, but a good listen.

Some key takeaways:
- Innovate the experience of buying the product
- Use tech to scale (revisit the e myth)
- Never build a tech product unless you have to. Use a platform already in existence that’s 70%-90% of what you want, and tweak to fit your needs.
- Be obsessed with two things: solving a problem, and serving the customer.
- Draw your ideal day
- Shift attention to the value you are creating - this is valued at x instead of how much you are worth
what goal is it helping them achieve without your help and support?
- Don't confuse your shopping habits with your customers. Use research to complement gut
- If you exempt someone from increased rates, make them feel special/grateful
- Prices: you might need to tweak where you're finding your customers - charge more means you can have a smaller customer base
- Under pricing does more damage to you emotionally than your bottom line
- Define success. Then build your business model around that definition. Everyone’s different.
- Thinking of rejection as the norm
- Answer: Why me, why now, why this, why you? (For a pitch)
- Write your story in 100 words and put it where people will see it (Warby example)
- Make them privileged to be part of what you're doing, love them back
- Stand for something, get used to pissing people off - stir controversy - get people to have a reaction
- Social media: determine what matters to your customer and serve it (80%)

If you're a women entrepreneur looking to start something, I'd recommend a skim through all the hacks and reading the ones that you're more interested in in detail - good examples and case studies are included.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are an entrepreneur or think you could become one, here's a new book you will love. Nathalie presents 50 hacks to jump ahead in entrepreneurship, particularly when you're not a privileged white man. Leapfrog is all about getting ahead in a system that was not necessarily designed for you to succeed.

Many of her hacks put into words things I did intuitively in the early days of She's the First. I didn't fully recognize my strengths in those areas until reading this book. 10 years into entrepreneurship (or 20, if you count the origin as my first playground business!), I STILL found wake-up calls in Nathalie's book. A profound question she asks is: Why do you spend so much time thinking about what failure looks like? It's harder--and more important--to think about what crazy levels of success look like.

What really sets this book apart from all others on the business bookshelf is REPRESENTATION. Nathalie is Latinx and cites examples of mostly non-white entrepreneurs, which is a welcome break from most of the books I've read. She writes with a race-gender-class lens that calls out how the rules of the start-up world just don't work for the majority of people with brilliant ideas and solutions.

Because the hacks are in 50 digestible chapters, it's a substantial but fast read that you'll be turning back to time and again when you need a jolt of encouragement.

[TΞΞL❍CK Mith!lesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leapfrog - New Revolution for Women Entrepreneurs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-ymW...

Behind The Book, Nathalie Molina Nino's LeapFrog: The New Revolution for Women Entrepreneurs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEtSC...

Tiffany Lanier reviews LEAPFROG: The New Revolution for Women Entrepreneurs by Nathalie Molina Niño
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKPYC...

Leapfrog: The New Revolution for Women Entrepreneurs (Audiobook) by Nathalie Molina Niño - free
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d5YH...

60: LEAPFROG: The New Revolution for Women Entrepreneurs w/ Nathalie Molina Niño
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPkX5...

In Leapfrog, serial tech entrepreneur and investor Nathalie Molina Niño shares fifty proven hacks for women entrepreneurs.

The book is packed with practical and relevant advice for budding entrepreneurs who’d like to take the first step toward making their business idea a reality.

[Shahnaz Radjy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great book! It made me want to start a business and apply all the useful, tangible advice put together by Nathalie Molina Nino (and be her friend because I loved her voice, style, and humor).

Broken down into manageable chapters, the content is insightful, full of specific examples, and that beautiful combination of motivational and inspirational. The author's goal is to level the playing field for a billion women, and she finds impatience to be a quality. As a bonus, she doesn't talk about mentor networks but Mastermind groups - what's not to love?

The book is easy to quote, perfect to recommend - to men and women alike, and a must-read for any woman who wants to get things done.

"When you're playing a game in which the rules are unjust, you have to march a careful balance between fighting for better rules and doing what it takes to win."

[Doug · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although targeted at those who think of themselves as entrepreneurs or aspire to be, I chose Molina Niño's Leapfrog for a national fellowship for women healthcare leaders. Few see themselves as entrepreneurs, but the challenges of healthcare leadership today require the mindset (and some of the practical tips or 'hacks') that she provides in this very readable book. The bite-sized chapters provide plenty to chew on and the connections she draws between confidence, influence, and effectiveness are helpful for anyone. I've provided copies for my wife and daughter as well as the 21 new Fellows we've just inaugurated.

[Marianela González · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me encantó. El libro que siempre quise leer para mujeres emprendedoras. Me pude identificar con lo que plantea, sobre como muchas veces los consejos de los libros de negocios son pensados para hombres de cierta clase social y con ciertas ambiciones; y terminan siendo inútiles y poco realistas para mujeres que no fueron a grandes escuelas o que no sueñan con ser grandes ejecutivas sino triunfar a su manera y en sus propios términos.
Es un libro honesto, util, motivador, divertido, inspirador. Para tener como libro de cabecera, leer y releer antes y durante la realización de cualquier emprendimiento. Me inspiró mucho para escribir mi primer libro"Osadía".

[Marie Cristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are a woman in need of motivation and inspiration to start a business, this book will show you wonderful examples of successful ventures. If you are stuck and in need of tons of ideas for any stage of your business, this is perfect! The entire book is bursting with a "can-do" attitude and finding a way, no matter what.

However, everything talked about is very general. It is not an actual practical "how-to" anything. It gives you ideas and examples, but it's up to you to find the way to put them in practice.

Check out my blog for a chapter-by-chapter summary so that you can decide if you need to read it as well: https://shereadsbusiness.com/2023/02/...

[Kelsey Figone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated a lot of Nathalie's hacks and was lucky enough to meet her in person for her launch in DC. For the wealth of information and resources in the book, though, I did not enjoy the writing tone. It felt crass and slangy without purpose. It's great to be a hard-working, no-nonsense, lady entrepreneur, and she embodies that well, but I don't think it's necessary to swear and use such a casual tone to get that point across.

[Doug Riddle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not just for entrepreneurs

I chose Leapfrog for a women’s fellowship I facilitate, even though the fellowship is almost entirely women executives in big healthcare companies. The mindset and practical guidance here is valuable for any leader who is determined to make a big impact on her environment.

[Josephine Olok · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides guidance for women especially those of colour with many practical strategies in becoming an entrepreneur, raising capital and growing business. The tone is light and direct and there are many examples and references of how the different strategies have been applied. I will be referring to this often. Great book.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the only book I’ve seen on entrepreneurship written for women of color by a woman of color. Lots of high level hacks for starting or growing a business. The best part is the author’s own story of being a Latina in tech and starting her own VC firm.

[Patty Pacelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so many businesses tips and new ways of seeing things. I really enjoyed how fast-paced, positive and friendly the author wrote. I also enjoyed the examples of modern, innovative businesses and how they are finding success.

[aj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened while commuting. There were useful ideas, like consider what your idea of a successful life is, and to take shortcuts because that's what men do to get ahead. The author was interesting and I'm glad she exists. But listening to this made me stressed out.

[MariWabiSabi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this practical guide for women entrepreneurs. This author is great at pushing and empowering women (especially women of color and LGBTQ+ women) to embrace their advantages, find ways to propel forward in a system that’s stacked against them, and not feel guilty about it.

[Kelly Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book for those who are considering entrepreneurship or just starting out. It has something for all types of businesses from micro to VC funded. The author has an easy writing style that digests well.

[danah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice to read

[Neha Shrivastav · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a guide to entrepreneurs especially women!

[Anna Vladi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book for starting entrepreneurs.

[Keri]

Amazing book! A quick and easy read, with useful tips and loads of motivation! Nathalie writes in a way that really gets you feeling empowered again and ready to get back to your business.

[Olaa🌸 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very empowering 💗

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting ideas

[Phallen (Helen) Sakhan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Women - and women of color in particular - are starting businesses like crazy, but they rarely grow beyond supporting their owner, too small to court investment.

Successful people take shortcuts all the damn time. They're called trust funds. Or nepotism, the likes of which are boldly on display in the Oval Office of the forty-fifth U.S. president. Or legacies, if you're talking about kids who get into the Ivy League because of their last names, not their SAT scores.

Playing by the rules and waiting to be rewarded for doing so is how we get stuck playing small - in lower-paying jobs and in a headspace where we lack the audacity to leapfrog into entrepreneurship.

Every business is social entrepreneurship if you can bring living wages to a community where few have access to them. In life as in business, we'll get a lot further, faster if we don't limit ourselves to a fraction of the talent pool. We're here to share, borrow, and steal all the best hacks to move ourselves forward.

So if you want to start a business but look nothing like the "entrepreneur" you're picturing, stop worrying. You're in good company. But it's up to you to rewrite what you may have thought were the rules. You're not going to succeed unless you believe that your way of doing things is as right as anybody else's.

Real entrepreneurs are caretakers as much as they are visionaries - and they can do it while "making an absolute shit ton of money," as advertising legend Cindy Gallop likes to say. "The future is doing good and making money simultaneously."

Do good and make money simultaneously; that's the leapfrog. It's how you maximize impact, both in your pocket and in your community and maybe even beyond that. The more you look, the more you'll find leapfrog that don't require crossing ethical lines. The more these leapfrogs will find you.

We are living and loving in uncomfortable times - and there's no better time than now to join the fight. My wish for you, fellow revolutionary, is that you may stretch beyond comfort, find your own equator, and leapfrog into greatness.